“My apologies, Your Grace, but it seems the talents this time are less impressive than usual,” the servant Robin said, his voice tinged with disappointment after hearing the shadow guard’s report.
“We can’t expect exceptional talent every time,” Carl replied.
“True. Should we contact the academy to request new recommendations?”
“Not yet. We have enough staff for now.”
“Very well. Do you remember tomorrow’s party?”
“I won’t be attending.”
“Lady Gloria insists you accompany her as her escort. She said an important business figure will be there, and she won’t forgive you if you skip it.”
Carl rolled his eyes, chuckling. “Why doesn’t she take her fiancé instead of me?!”
His sister always insisted on dragging him to every significant event despite her fiancé’s presence. With their concerns about the empress’s schemes, the idea of mingling at a party felt exhausting.
“She said there’s no face like yours for marketing, especially with her new jewelry collection on display.”
Carl’s expression soured.
“Isn’t her fiancé suitable for that? Eusta is handsome too. Why me—well, I am the most handsome. No one compares to me.”
“You don’t actually mean that, do you?” Robin said, rolling his eyes as Carl ran a hand coolly through his hair.
“It’s the truth. Didn’t every pair of cufflinks I wore sell out in a single day?”
“Indeed, you’re a great asset to business. We wish you success with your mission tomorrow.”
Despite Robin’s sarcasm, Carl rested his chin on his hand, thoughtful. “Do you think they’d buy even if I wore sackcloth?”
“Absolutely! They’d clamor for it.”
“Everyone’s worried about my marriage. Why not look for a suitable bride?”
“If I don’t love anyone, I’ll just choose a fitting family.”
“That girl would be so lucky it’d be a once-in-a-lifetime chance!”
“Is it luck or a curse? Only God knows.”
Carl wondered if a marriage without love was possible. His parents had an arranged marriage, yet they fell in love. Would he succeed in that?
“I’ll be twenty-six in five years. Will anyone offer their daughter to this eternal bachelor?”
Robin gave his master a sympathetic look. “With your looks, they’ll swarm like moths to a flame!”
“Of course, many will stay. I’m the most handsome man in the empire! No, their numbers will only grow—they’ll never decrease. Strength, wealth, beauty—I have it all, perfectly balanced. Robin, it seems my parents crafted me flawlessly.”
Robin’s face contorted as Carl finished speaking, as if he’d chewed a bitter tea leaf. Realizing that continuing the conversation would be draining, Robin declared it over.
“Let’s get to work. If I listen any longer, I’ll lose my mind.”
“How harsh,” Carl said.
“Yes, yes.”
Robin buried himself in the papers, then looked up innocently. “Wait, I’m just a servant. Why am I reviewing documents?”
“Even the administrative officials are swamped with paperwork now.”
“That’s their main job!”
“And it’s your job too,” Carl retorted.
“No, I’m just a servant. My job is only to assist you!”
“That’s what you’re doing now—assisting me.”
“This isn’t assisting; it’s dumping tasks on me! Please raise my salary!”
Carl’s violet eyes twinkled innocently. “What about our friendship? You can’t do this to me.”
Robin clutched his head, groaning. His master had once again wielded the “weapon of beauty”!
“Just a master-servant relationship. I’ll be expecting a raise and bonus soon.”
Robin adjusted his glasses with a scowl, prompting Carl to finally burst into laughter.
—
*One month later…*
*Beeep! Boom! Boom! Fwoosh!*
Elena had grown completely accustomed to the sound of Rowen’s morning alarm. She always woke up before it, did her stretches, and then bathed.
“Good morning, Rowen.”
“Ughhh. Good morrrning,” Rowen replied, yawning.
“I hear you’ve been busy lately?”
“Yeah, the lord and lady are returning soon. It’s the start of the full-scale cleaning season. Lord Hanson decided to replace all the furniture and interior decorations.”
“But the maids don’t do the cleaning?”
“Even if we don’t clean, everything from arranging decorations to the smallest details has to pass through our hands. Lord Hanson is so meticulous—if he doesn’t like something, we redo it over and over!”
Rowen flopped around on her bed for a moment.
“Rowen, training’s coming up soon. If you don’t get ready now, we’ll be late,” Elena said, glancing at the clock and urging Rowen along. The two rushed out together.
“I know, I know, I know! This damned training!” Rowen shouted, running with a huff of frustration, which finally made Elena laugh.
“Haven’t you noticed your stamina’s been improving bit by bit?”
“Definitely better than before,” Elena replied, feigning nonchalance.
Though her stamina was already excellent, she downplayed it. The duke’s household training was remarkably thorough for servant training. Compared to her previous exercises, it was no less efficient.
“Before I came here, I was a refined noble lady from a baron’s family!” Rowen declared, placing a hand over her mouth in mock modesty, causing the other servants to stifle their laughter. The truth was, she had never been “refined” even once in her life.
“If my father hadn’t gotten involved in that project, I wouldn’t have had to become a maid here,” Rowen insisted.
She maintained that before arriving at the duke’s palace, she was a delicate lady who never lifted anything heavy. She tried to show off her slender arm, but when she saw her toned muscles, she nearly burst into tears.
“Now I can lift flowerpots bigger than me! Lift them and carry them! Is that reasonable? I’ve built muscles because of this daily training!”
She complained that all the servants—whether maids or assistants—had become incredibly strong. Though they were happy with their healthy bodies, they somehow felt like they were crying inside!
“Wow, Rowen, calm down. Aren’t you glad you don’t gain weight no matter how much you eat?”
“The problem is they make us work so hard we can’t gain weight!” Rowen huffed indignantly through her nose.
“Good morning!”
“Yes, did you sleep well?”
From every corner of the training grounds, complaints mingled with morning greetings.
“I’d rather be in the evening training group!”
“But it changes every three months.”
“We still have two months left! I hate waking up early.”
“I actually prefer mornings. The idea of showering and then coming back for evening preparations sounds exhausting.”
“But in the evenings, we get breaks—that’s nice!”
As Elena and Rowen chatted, the knights responsible for training the servants began roll call and started the session.
“Elena, your posture is excellent!”
“Thank you.”
“Has it really only been a month since you arrived?”
“Yes~”
“Finally, I’ll get to hold a sword!”
While performing push-ups, the knight praised her form. Elena pretended to struggle with the ascent while answering his question, feeling the tension in her chest muscles. Though slow, the increased intensity provided a solid training effect.
“Starting tomorrow, we’ll begin basic sparring alongside fitness training.”
“So soon?”
“Of course. You’ve trained for a full month—it’s time for the basics.”
The knight informed her that a month of training was enough to start sparring. Elena hid a mischievous smile as she lowered her head.
‘Finally, I’ll hold a sword!’ Since arriving in the capital, she hadn’t touched a real blade. As she had no intention of becoming a knight, she’d left her sword at home and written on her application that she wasn’t skilled in fencing. Occasionally, she’d swing a stick in the side wing’s office.
“Seventy… huff.”
Elena pretended to barely complete seventy push-ups and collapsed onto the ground.
“Seventy already? That’s impressive!” Rowen said, training with a wooden sword.
“That’s considered impressive?”
“Of course! When I first came, I couldn’t do twenty in a month!”
“But now you can do a hundred easily, right?”
*Should I have pretended to be weaker?* Even now, as she faked effort, Elena was holding back. If she slowed down further, it wouldn’t be effective training.
“This is the power of the duke’s training. They turn delicate ladies into women with steel stamina,” Rowen said.
“Hahaha!” The knight burst into laughter.
“Rowen, you were always better than the others in fitness. You were never weak. I saw something…”
“Oh my gosh! Someone might misunderstand!”
“Alright, let’s say you were a delicate but strong lady. Elena, fifty more sit-ups!”
“Huff… Yes!”
As the knight bantered with Rowen, he gave Elena her instructions. She moved comfortably while listening to their conversation.
“Wow, her posture is truly amazing.”
“I’m noticing it too!”
“It’s like she’s a perfect model for training.”
“I wish we could show her to the duke’s knight trainees!”
The pair continued praising Elena as she performed her exercises slowly. They said her form was so perfect it could be published in textbooks!
“Alright, Elena, just ten more. Rowen, fifty extra sword swings!”
“Ooooh!”
“Groooan!”
Strange sounds escaped their mouths, and the other servants joined in. The knights smiled warmly as they efficiently trained the dedicated servants.
Transforming ordinary people into healthier individuals was rewarding for them. Some servants discovered their talents and joined the duke’s knights. That’s why the knights trained them with high spirits.
Even the administrative officials and teachers were part of the training. They protested at first, but faced with high salaries, they quietly complied. Many who were used to desk jobs became healthier. The staff called this transformation the “miracle of money,” though they complained that they were only getting stronger to work harder!
“Good work today!”
As Elena and Rowen trudged back to their room, a breathtakingly beautiful maid waved at them.
