Roy's body was caked in impurities that smelled like shit.
Carried by the wind, it wafted out of the room.
Amelia, who was standing guard just outside his next, scrunched up her nose.
"What is this awful smell? Why is it coming from the room? What about my master?"
She opened the door and went inside, only to see a black-faced Roy.
AD
He looked nothing like before, but because his figure was one in a billion, she recognized him immediately.
Picking up a towel, she went up to clean his face.
He immediately raised his hand, stopping her. "I know I smell horrendous. You need not force yourself. Keep a safe distance away from me."
"Whether it's the you who shine gloriously under the sun while helping the bullied or the one who didn't know how to hold a proper talk, you're all the same to me. No matter what state you are in, I'll always treat you like my master, with respect and an attitude well-befitting a maid." Amelia gave him a beautiful smile, wet the towel, and used it to clean the dirtiness off his face.
Roy felt touched by her words.
Her level of loyalty towards him was something he could never have for someone else.
He admired her, but like a shameless master, he ordered her to help him to the big body of water outside the manor.
AD
The Manor had an outdoor pool capable of housing fifteen people.
Because Noah and Arthur weren't in the county, their friends wouldn't visit this place, and hence, it hadn't been used for weeks, and no one had tended to it either.
The good news is that the runic system embedded in the side walls of the pool kept it clean and warm.
Without a hick, Roy took off his soiled clothes and entered it, causing the water level to rise and the water to come out of the pool and reach Amelia's boots.
As he bathed, the soot covering his body was taken off and drifted in the water.
Amelia, using a bucket of water, cleared the water from filth.
"After having strolled the city for several hours today, you must be quite tired. I believe the herbs Lord Arlo left for you will prove helpful to you. I'll go and fetch them." Amelia said to her.
"That… I would really like." Roy praised her for being thoughtful.
The pack of herbs Arlo had given him was capable of transforming normal water into a medicinal bath.
When Amelia emptied it into the pool, various multicolor herbs could be seen floating around Roy.
They released a pleasant scent that held the property of calming one's nerves.
The multi-colored scents wafted off to Roy.
AD
Smelling them, he felt like entering a dreamland.
『Ding! Congratulation. Because you've experienced soaking in medicinal water for five minutes, your tense nerves have relaxed, your pain receptors have temporarily become dull, the inflammation and swelling in your body have reduced by a marginal amount, and the stiffness in your joints has decreased.』
Five minutes later, another system's notification rang in his mind.
『Ding! Congratulation. Because you've experienced soaking in medicinal water for five minutes, your Health has recovered by one unit.』
Because of the fighting that took place in the morning, his health had decreased by a few points.
But relishing this bath for ten more minutes would give him a full HP Bar.
So… Roy remained inside the pool.
Arlo didn't lie to him about the herbs' properties, but they were better than he made them out to be.
Where was Arlo?
Hadn't he seen him in the past few days?
Arlo had seemingly vanished from the face of the County ever since Roy had "that" talk with him.
Amelia was eagerly standing next to the pool, ready to heed his call.
She had served him dutifully for years and would continue to do so in the future and deserved to be rewarded.
She had the talent to become a mage.
Thus, Roy considered teaching her magic.
The chances of her betraying him were zero. He didn't need to worry about wasting his efforts on an ungrateful dog.
AD
"Should I scrub your back?"
Amelia offered to give a thorough cleaning to Roy with a smile.
But she was met with a calm declination. "No… no need."
He was preoccupied with the thoughts of helping Amelia become a mage apprentice, so of course, he lacked the mind to enjoy a cute-faced maid scratching his back.
He looked at Amelia calmly. She looked back at him.
Their gaze met.
"How can I help you?"
"Amelia… I will chant a few lines. Repeat them after me. Don't ask why."
Hearing his words, Amelia felt bewildered.
AD
"Ok…"
But she regularly agreed.
No matter what he demands from her, she would fulfill it unconditionally.
"Do you feel any different?"
"I can see waves of blue dots surrounding us." ƒ𝓇ℯ𝑒𝒘𝐞𝚋𝓃𝚘𝚟e𝚕. 𝒄𝗼𝐦
"Because you're born with an innately opened magic gate, you were able to perceive mana far better than others just by reciting the meditation method. Your great talent for magic is to be envied."
"I-I have the talent to become a mage? Really?!"
Roy nodded at her. "Now think about guiding the mana particles into your body, and you'll become an apprentice mage. It should be like breathing for you because you have an innately opened Magic Gate."
Amelia revealed a hint of confusion. "… How do you know?"
It wasn't impossible to determine a person's strength without using special testing equipment, but the same couldn't be said when it comes to a person's physique or internal condition.
"I've my ways."
Amelia was curious how he found out, but he said not a word more, leaving her hanging on.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and complete your advancement to an apprentice mage."
"S-sorry…"
Following Roy's teachings, Amelia directed mana into her sea of mana. It was empty and the size of a fist. Only a few blue wisps were able to enter it before she found out that she could absorb mana from the surrounding no more and stopped.
AD
『Ding! Congratulation. Your disciple has advanced from a normal human being to the Mage apprentice Level. You get +5 Eternal Weed.』
『Ding! Congratulation. You've changed the fate of Roy's maid, Amelia Violet. You gained 5 additional Eternal Weed.』
The process of a mortal transitioning into a mage wasn't as easy as Amelia made it out.
One would have to endure a lot of pain to reach the stage Amalia had reached.
For example, Roy would first need to induce Mana into his body, which is a painful process. Then, he would've to wait for his body to get used to having mana inside and learn different methods to move it about. Only then would he be able to use it as a raw force to smash open his Magic Gate.
There have been instances of people failing hundreds of times before succeeding, but each failed attempt rocks the body from head to toe and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
Because Amelia was luckily born with an opened Magic Gate, she didn't need to experience the hell a human needs to go through to become an apprentice mage.
Roy beamed at her. "Congratulations for advancing to the first stage of magic, Amelia."
He was honestly happy for her, although he couldn't deny that he did feel jealous of her talent, but he didn't show it to her, fearing that he would make her feel downcast.
"It's all thanks to you, my master." She smiled back at him and gave him a cute little bow.
AD
This became the night that Amelia learned she had a talent for magic.
And… on this very night, her master also helped her become an apprentice mage!
Thus, she was immensely happy!