[Status Board Displayed]
Name: Elias Vesper
Rank: SSS
Class: Puppeteer
Level: 1
Abilities:
- Doll Creation Level 1
- String Manipulation Level 1
___
"I see, so this is similar to a virtual reality game," Elias mused, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. The status board had appeared not in front of him, but inside his own mind, vivid and clear, showing a hovering board that perhaps only him could see.He let out a soft chuckle.
"Congratulations, Elias, you've received [The Marionette Mastery]," he read aloud, then continued,
"Level one, huh? Doll Creation and String Manipulation..."
He nodded to himself, feeling a small sense of amusement bubble up. It's strange even if he's quite familiar with this fantasy-like system that often appear in novels and anime that he secretly read while watering the garden.
"Marionette Mastery, so it means that I'm a puppeteer, huh? That's an interesting concept." His lips twitched into a smile.
"It would reinforce my abilities as an SSS-ranked butler... Wait, I really became an SSS-ranked butler here, as it's written, I see. How wonderful that even the goddess approved my skills, fufufu,"
He's started to think about what kind of performance and butler-ish deeds he could do when he perfects his ability to
His amusement was suddenly interrupted by an irritated voice.
"What the hell are you laughing about, pervert?"
Elias blinked and raised his head, the smile still plastered across his face. Before him stood the woman who had beautifully roundhouse-kicked him unconscious not too long ago.
She was glaring at him, her eyes filled with suspicion and annoyance.
But even those gaze are beautiful, it shows how much a beauty the person standing before him is.
Perhaps it's just a bias perspective as he has been serving a PIG, more like a WALKING AND TALKING PIG, this woman before him is too beautiful that he could feel his Genghis Khan's blood pumping.
"Ah, forgive me, my lady," Elias said with his trademark beaming smile, but his apology was met with only a disgusted expression from the woman.
That's strange.
"You... Do you even realize what kind of situation you're in?" she snapped, her voice sharp as a whip.
Elias's smile didn't falter as he took a moment to glance down, taking in his predicament for the first time.
His perfectly tailored butler uniform was gone, replaced by nothing more than a pair of undergarments.
He looked around, noticing that he was tied expertly to a tree at the back of a modest hut.
His sharp eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, noting they were in a village of sorts.
"I see, I see,"
And, as if that wasn't enough, the bindings holding him in place were undoubtedly top-class—knots tied with precision and care, perhaps even by someone who had a similar dedication to craft as himself.
But instead of feeling alarmed or embarrassed, Elias simply smiled.
"Of course, my lady," he replied cheerfully, his tone smooth and polite.
"I'm very much aware of the situation. And I must say, I don't mind this kind of thing at all. I don't mind if you swings this way, if you know what I mean," He winked.
The girl scoffed, her face contorting in a mix of irritation and confusion.
"What the hell do you mean, 'don't mind'? Huh!?" Her voice took on the quality of a delinquent's, the kind of tone meant to intimidate.
No, more like it's a tone that appear when you want to beat someone up.
But to Elias, even such a crass manner was simply too beautiful when coming from her.
He tilted his head slightly, taking another moment to observe the girl before him. Her stance was commanding, her eyes narrowed as if she was ready to strike at any moment.
Her auburn hair fell in waves, framing her sharp features, and her green eyes had a fierce determination to them. Her elegant gown, though slightly tattered, was adorned in crimson and gold, indicating some sort of high status.
The longer Elias looked at her, the more a strange familiarity tugged at the corners of his mind.
"This woman... is Elizabeth I, isn't she!?" he thought inwardly, his eyes widening slightly.
He could hardly believe it.
Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, known for her intelligence, strong will, and remarkable political acumen.
He remembered learning about her, about her fierce... independence... resisting pressure... to marry and produce an heir?
"So that's the reason for her attitude, huh...? No, wait... there's no real reason why she should actually be Elizabeth... is there?"
As Elias lost himself in his thoughts, the girl let out an exasperated sigh. She seemed tired of the entire situation, her posture relaxing slightly.
"Oi, tell me your name," she demanded.
Elias blinked, coming back to reality.
"Yes? Oh, of course," he said with a polite bow of his head, as much as his bindings would allow.
"I am Elias, my lady. Elias Vesper."
She looked at him for a moment, as if appraising his worth, then spoke with a haughty tone.
"Elizabeth Tudor Hesperia."
Elias's eyes widened slightly.
"Elizabeth I!!!" he thought, the realization hitting him again.
"But wait... did she always have the last name Hesperia? I thought she was just Elizabeth Tudor..."
His musings were suddenly interrupted when, without warning, a loud crack echoed above them.
Elias's sharp eyes caught sight of a large tree trunk breaking loose, hurtling straight down towards Elizabeth.
Time seemed to slow for a moment.
Elizabeth was too focused on him, unaware of the impending danger. No, she realized but slightly too late to dodge it.
Without a second thought, Elias moved.
With a skilled movement that only the gods might know how, his butler uniform instantly returning as his body seemed to slip free from the expertly tied ropes.
In an instant, Elias stood in front of Elizabeth, catching the falling trunk with just three fingers while his other hand remained elegantly behind his back. Then with a graceful flick of his wrist, the trunk landed gently on the ground beside them.
Elias then bowed deeply, his eyes never leaving Elizabeth's.
"Forgive my rudeness, my lady. Please allow me to introduce myself properly once more," he said with a radiant smile.
"I am Elias Vesper, an SSS-ranked butler, at your service."
Elizabeth's face twisted into an expression that Elias wasn't quite expecting. Instead of being flattered or surprised, she simply looked annoyed. Her eyes narrowed, her lips curled in irritation.
"Who the hell told you you could free yourself, you bastard!?" she yelled, her voice filled with indignation.
Before Elias could react, Elizabeth's leg moved in a blur, executing another roundhouse kick, this time aimed at his neck. He felt the impact, hearing the ominous crack as pain exploded through him.
"Guha!!"
His vision went dark once again, the world spinning around him.
The last thing he heard before everything faded was Elizabeth's frustrated shout.
He was losing consciousness, but even in that moment, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Such a fiery temper... Truly worthy of a queen," he thought, and then everything went black.
____
Elias woke up to the sight of a wooden ceiling. He blinked, his mind trying to piece together what had happened. The last thing he remembered was Elizabeth's foot connecting with his neck, and then—He tried to move, and to his surprise, he could.
His body wasn't bound this time.
He sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings.
Hm... Now let's see, let's see.
It was a simple room, the scent of herbs and flowers hanging in the air. The ceiling was wooden, unlike the grand halls of the mansions he was used to.
Suddenly, the familiar status board appeared before him, the words standing out clearly in his mind:
[Quest: Be the Butler of The Future Queens]
Elias read the words, muttering aloud, "Future queens...?"
He glanced around, his eyes narrowing as he noticed something he hadn't before. He wasn't alone. In the room with him were five women, each one staring at him with a mix of curiosity and interest.
Elias cleared his throat, trying to ignore the sharp stares directed his way. He gave them his best smile, inclining his head politely.
"Good morning?" he said, his voice smooth, though uncertainty lingered in his gaze.
The five women continued to stare, and Elias couldn't help but think that this new life of his was going to be far more complicated—and interesting—than he had imagined.