Chapter 3: The Maid Who Couldn’t Learn
“M-Master?”
Before Iaar could finish speaking, Will gently placed a black silk ribbon over her eyes.
She obediently sat still, like a good dog told to stay put. Even with her vision obscured, she raised her head, searching for her Master. Though her head was slightly skewed as she couldn’t see his position.
“Listen carefully, Iaar.”
Will leaned close to her erect wolf ears and pinched the tip. He felt Iaar’s body tremble.
*Are ears really that sensitive?*
*But they feel so good, just like touching Sanqi’s ears back then, all fluffy and soft.*
It made Will want to set aside his important task and just rub them.
“I love you very much, so much… In your eyes, in your life, in the darkness that seems like an endless night, only I, this one light, can exist…”
“…?!”
Will thought he had imitated it perfectly!
*If someone were to tie a black ribbon around the Protagonist’s eyes in the future and then say these lines, hehehe, even the calmest, most ruthless, and rational Protagonist would surely be scared out of their wits!*
*That’s the effect I want!*
He was incredibly satisfied. No matter how stupid someone was, as long as they followed these instructions, they should be able to learn, right?
“Iaar, your ears are very red? Are you okay? Is the collar not working properly?”
“N-n-n-no… Iaar, Iaar is fine! S-so, I just need to imitate Master, right? No problem, leave it to Iaar!”
“Huh? Okay…”
“Master, then sit properly in your seat!”
This was the first time Will had seen Iaar so enthusiastic. It was as if a wire had snapped in her head.
She tied the black ribbon around Will’s eyes with an eagerness that bordered on impatience, using even more force than Will had initially.
The warm afternoon three o’clock sunlight vanished, and Will’s body instinctively shivered from the sudden chill.
*Great!*
Will rejoiced inwardly.
*Isn’t she learning quickly?*
Iaar, looking down at Will, then knelt on one leg between his legs, positioning herself so she could whisper close to his ear.
“Th-th-then… Master… Lis-listen… Iaar, I… I-I-I-I…”
In the darkness, Will felt the temperature, scent, and disturbance of the air as Iaar leaned closer. Her body temperature seemed a bit high, and her voice, trying to be low, tickled his ear.
But, after a series of stutters and hesitations, Iaar’s next words stopped.
She… couldn’t say them.
*I just need to do as Master said, but for some reason, when I get to the word “like,” it gets stuck.*
Her heart beat faster.
Her breathing grew rapid.
…Why is this happening?
*I just need to do as Master commanded. He’s clearly doing this for my own good, so why can’t I even say these two words?*
Will waited for a long time, but no further words came.
“Iaar…?”
He tentatively asked.
He only felt Iaar’s head gently bump against his chest.
“Hoo…”
Then came a soft whimper.
Will sighed and removed the silk ribbon.
“I… I like you the most… Master…”
She raised her head, looking shy and innocent like a large Golden Retriever who had just come close. Her wolf tail, fluffy from a recent wash, was wagging so hard it was a blur.
“Is… is this okay?”
Will sighed.
*Wrong!*
*Completely wrong!*
*Why can’t this girl ever learn to be a yandere?!*
“No, no, no, you’re still a long way from graduating!”
Will casually smacked Iaar’s head with a copy of “Blackening 300 Questions” he had nearby.
“Oof… Master… If you hit me again, I’ll forget what I just memorized…”
“Sigh…”
This was a difficult problem for Will.
Compared to the other two “losers” he hadn’t even met yet, Iaar, as his timid, obedient, and long-standing little maid, could be described as having great potential in a high-EQ way. In a low-EQ way…
She was the character furthest from “blackening.”
In terms of combat ability, the original work only mentioned her prominent skills as defense and magic absorption, with her class being that of a Shield Saint, which had weak offensive capabilities.
In terms of personality, having been abandoned since childhood, she remained sensitive and weak even after Will had taken her in for many years. Because of this, in the original work, when others repeatedly troubled the Protagonist, she, despite having feelings for him, could only stand by and watch.
Furthermore…
In terms of intelligence…
She was completely clueless! It was difficult for her to understand overly complex matters.
However, this was no challenge for Will, a master of simulation games. Based on her traits, Will’s chosen development path was:
*Strengthen her defense. As long as they can’t hurt me, I can control you firmly!*
*Through memorization and brainwashing, cultivate from the subconscious!*
“Forget it. Tonight, you’ll rewrite the first fifty questions again.”
“Okay. But, Master, Iaar has a question!”
“Ask.”
“Master… why… why are you so insistent on teaching Iaar these things?”
“Ah… well, that, of course, is to ensure Iaar can properly fall in love in the future and win the affection of the person she likes.”
Iaar was stunned by this reply. Her ears perked up and then twitched as they closed again.
This was a movement she made when her brain was overloaded with thought.
“Because… because Iaar doesn’t really care… if she can get the person she likes… It’s fine like this. What he… what he does to me doesn’t matter.”
As she said this, her gaze flickered over Will, but she quickly averted it.
*The person she likes?*
It was difficult for her to imagine.
Right now, all her brain wished for was her Master, who gave her a place to belong, to be happy.
Emotions like “liking” and “loving” were distant to her. She was like a pet guarding by her Master’s side.
Would a pet ever dare to do something beyond their master’s commands?
It’s just that…
When Master said those words, she felt as if he was hinting that one day he would let go of the other end of the pet leash.
Iaar felt a little scared.
Then, Will grabbed her shoulders. He applied a lot of force, but to Iaar, whose physical abilities were superior, his strength was not even enough to cause her the slightest pain.
Will put on a terrifying expression:
“No! You! Absolutely! Must! Not! Think! That!”
“Ah?”
“Cough, cough, I lost my composure a bit…”
Will picked up his black tea and took a sip. It was a little cool, but still tasted good.
“Let me tell you a story.”
“Okay.”
“Once upon a time, there was a cute little hound. It really liked its master, but it didn’t understand what liking was, nor how to get the person it liked. Every time the master was scolded by others in the adventuring team, it didn’t even dare to stand up and bark for him, nor could it tell him its feelings.”
(This refers to the original work, where Iaar stood by and watched the Protagonist being bullied and mistreated, not daring to intervene.)
Iaar’s mind replaced the faces of the hound and the master with herself and Will, imagining Will being chased away and herself crying while hugging dog ears.
“Until its master was driven away by the adventuring team, it still didn’t dare stand up for the person it liked. It could only silently watch its master’s back as he disappeared into the blizzard that night, walking further and further away.”
(This refers to the original work, where Iaar watched helplessly as the Protagonist was expelled from the team during a meeting and left with his bags.)
Iaar imagined Will in the wind and snow, his backpack slung over his shoulder, his short brown hair receding into the storm.
“But one day, its master returned. He had a new pet, a fire dragon that could breathe flames. In an instant, the little dog bed beside the little hound turned into an inferno.”
(This refers to the original work, where the Protagonist, furious from being expelled, joined the Dungeon side and brought a BOSS from the Dungeon to chase Iaar. Iaar imagined Master returning with an even cuter and more powerful fire dragon, pushing up his glasses and cackling as he commanded it to breathe fire at her.)
“Watching her master leave with his new pet amidst the flames, he didn’t look back. It was only then that she finally realized she couldn’t have the person she liked. Her silent devotion had only resulted in a catastrophe. Unfortunately, it was too late…”
Will paused.
*I’m amazing, being able to explain the original work in such an easy-to-understand way.*
*Iaar will definitely understand!*
“And so, the little hound that failed to graduate from the blackening love course could only become a pitiful loser in the flames, unable to obtain the love she desired, sitting on the ground and shedding tears like pearls, wiping them away with her paws…”
“So now you know, you need to study hard for me, so you can firmly control the person you like—”
However, as Will turned around, he saw Iaar looking at him tearfully.
“Waaah… Master, will you also abandon me to find a little fire dragon?”
“What did you even hear?!”
Just then, a butler pushed open the waist-high metal gate of the small garden.
“Um… excuse me, Young Master Will, the Adventurer’s Guild has an anonymous letter for you. They sent someone to deliver it specially.”
The Adventurer’s Guild…
A letter…
Could it be…?
“Mr. S’s reply has arrived?! Did he find a way to recreate the Extreme Flame Meteor?!”
