The Butler's Admiration

As Clemton watched the two kids displaying a high level match for their age.

He couldn't help but to admire and recognize their talent.

However, his reaction is fully focused to the little girl who's fighting with a carefree look on her face.

This sparring match is against her own brother and yet... She is not hesitating to hurt him in many ways.

Showing the difference in skill by successfully landing her attack while dodging is a sight to behold.

Furthermore, she's attacking at the same place over and over again torturing Lance's right arm.

That kind of behavior is not only to hurt Lance physically but to also attack him mentally and emotionally aimed to break his spirit and resolve.

It's a calculated but ruthless strategy to gain the upper hand in their sparring match.

Clemton, as a former assassin, like to gain every possible advantage before he eliminates his target.

And to think he just witness a strategy similar to that in a sparring match of children who just became an archon a few months ago is unbelievable.

(Starting from now on, I will call the people who received the goddess blessings an 'Archon')

Besides, her opponent in this friendly spar is her own brother.

Regardless of their competitive spirit, a sparring match will remain as a sparring match, so they must remember that there are boundaries that should not be crossed.

It's true she's a royalty but still.

'How much freedom does she believe she has to push the boundaries like this?'

However, that's the more reason for Clemton to admire the young lady's unbounded by rules-esque performance.

At first it was a fight but later on it became a one sided beatdown.

He wants to stepped in to stop the fight but he doesn't have the right to do it.

It's because he's merely a butler of Voltaire.

He knows his role and boundaries as a butler, understanding that intervening in the fight is not within his duties or authority.

His loyalty lies with Benedict's command to protect Voltaire, and now his primary responsibility is to support and serve the baby near him nothing more and nothing else.

Despite his concern for Lance's well-being, he must remain in the background.

He's worried for Lance and at the same time admiring Leisha.

He continued to watch the spar with a complex look on his face until he noticed that Lance is slowly turning the tables around.

'What? So the young master Lance inherited his majesty's adaptability.'

Clemton thought to himself witnessing Lance slowly adapting to her sister's onslaught.

It continues until Leisha dropped her rapier and surrendered.

'Why are you doing young lady Leisha? It's just a small scratch on your face so why are you forfeiting from the match?'

Is what he wants to say but kept it inside his head.

For everyone's perspective including Clemton's, Leisha has done enough damage to make this sparring match a real match.

It would be okay to end this match without a winner that is if it was still a sparring.

But now that the match became serious, this fight should end with a winner.

Additionally, one can't simply surrender the moment an opponent started to overwhelm or turn the tables around without showing his full potential.

It is by no means a rule, if anything this kind of behavior in a fight is a custom that everyone should follow without question.

(To put it simply, it is similar to the unwritten rule in basketball when you shouldn't score a basket when you already have a big lead to the opposing team and there's only a few seconds left before the game is over)

Breaking that kind of custom doesn't have any real consequences except some people will view you as a person without ethics.

Lance didn't throw the match when he got injured because he knows his sister is not showing her real ability yet.

For that, Lance did his part to follow the custom so everyone expect Leisha, a proud princess, will do the same.

However, to Clemton's surprised, Leisha immediately surrendered declaring she lost the match the moment she got grazed by her brother's sword.

It's a disrespect to the custom everyone is following but they can't do anything.

After all, Leisha seems to know that custom to begin with but pretend not to care at all.

As for Clemton, he was mesmerized more than earlier.

Not only did he find the two young royalties immense talent, he also witnessed one of the most free person who doesn't care about the old customs in Leisha.

He always holds high regards to those people who are not afraid to break the rules or the traditions for the sake of the present.

Even more so if that individual possesses the strength to substantiate their attitude.

That's also the reason why Clemton respect and swear loyalty to Benedict's command.

That's right. He suddenly remembered the past when he met Benedict.

One of the nobles who held a hidden admiration for Mathilda couldn't bear the news of her impending marriage to Benedict.

That noble hired an assassin to kill Benedict before his wedding with Mathilda.

And that assassin is none other than Clemton.

Clemton doesn't care about his client feelings. For him, the operation to kill Benedict is like his usual errand.

There's no difference at all. He expected to get the job done without a problem like usual.

Until he realized that the power he was so proud of and all the techniques he know became useless against him.

In his life as an assassin, he experienced failure for the first time.

This might be the end for him.

However, Benedict spared his life with a broad smile in his face.

Not only did he let Clemton live, he also asked him if he could become his retainer.

Certainly, he couldn't fathom the idea as it was highly unlikely for anyone to grant mercy to the very person sent to kill them.

Well... except for Benedict.

He is strong enough to not have any worries sparing an assassin whose mission is to kill him.

He's free to do whatever he wants because he's unbelievably strong.

Because of Benedict's nature, Clemton abandoned his mission and became a subordinate of Benedict.

Clemton couldn't help but to reminisced about his past, but he know he must focused on the present

'Both the young master Lance and the young lady Leisha are outstanding. So, I expected much more from you.'

Watching the children of a person he respect showing a great deal of talent and potential gave him an impression that the new master he now served would possess similar qualities.

He then looks at Voltaire's direction with the intent to grasp him.

'After all, you watched the sparring with seriousness as if you can understand what truly is going on.'

These past four months he spent as a butler make him understand Voltaire a little more.

Clemton notices how Voltaire would reacted to different person.

He even went as far as to inquire why Julia was speaking directly to an infant, and Julia nonchalantly explained that Voltaire had a strong aversion to being spoken to in baby talk.

Due to that, he felt a sense of curiosity about Voltaire.

'How can a baby act like that?'

A thought that always came to his mind the more he understands Voltaire.

However, it's not enough for him to admire Voltaire like he did with Leisha.

'I guess, I will stay and continue to learned more about the young master Voltaire.'