"What... what are these two even doing...?"
Alhaitham's expression twisted into something subtle—almost strained—as he observed the scene before him. Just a short distance away, two girls who had always behaved like obedient puppies in front of him were now engaged in an intense display of violence. With an eerie grace, they dispatched a group of thieves like vengeful spirits descended from some forgotten myth. He unconsciously took two cautious steps back.
Maybe I shouldn't have come here, he thought. It would've been better to just return with Alpha and the others.
The contrast was almost jarring. Beta and Epsilon, who once clung to him like delicate shadows, now radiated a ferocity more fitting of frenzied berserkers. To be honest, the sight left quite the impact.
Oh, and about the little scene the two of them just put on, here's what Alhaitham—present and unfortunately aware—could testify:
"When Epsilon was on duty a few days ago, she changed her hairstyle no less than 30 times in one day. I said she looked nice just once... because I honestly didn't know how else to respond."
"And last time, I came back from a night walk and caught Beta standing outside my bedroom window, hugging a pillow. When I confronted her, she pouted and claimed she wanted to hear a bedtime story like she used to when she was a kid."
So, whether it was about hair or nostalgic bedtime stories, Alhaitham had never really encouraged them on purpose. And now, seeing them go head-to-head like this, fighting over... what exactly? His praise?
It all felt incredibly hollow.
While pondering what on earth he'd gotten himself into, Alhaitham spotted an orc girl not too far away and raised a hand to call her over. She immediately sprinted to him and knelt on one knee, awaiting his command.
"Lord Alhaitham, what are your orders?"
"I've already settled things with Alpha," he replied. "I came over to check... what's going on here now."
"Ah, yes. Just conducting a routine mission, Lord. Please don't concern yourself with it."
She even saluted formally while saying this.
Alhaitham sighed inwardly and chose not to dig further.
Despite the respect and admiration all the girls in the courtyard showed him, he was still just a young man—and there was an insurmountable chasm between the minds of men and women. The Book of Logic from his previous world said as much: men and women are inherently different, so different that even understanding each other could be harder than conquering an empire.
Still, this...
"Lord! Lord!"
"Lord!"
Beta and Epsilon's voices cut through his thoughts in unison. Having noticed his arrival, they dashed over and knelt before him almost instantly. Their eyes sparkled, and instinctively, both girls put on their most radiant smiles.
"..."
Alhaitham hesitated. Their smiles truly were beautiful—like paintings brought to life. Under normal circumstances, he would have smiled back. But right now...
"Ahem. Before anything else... you two should really wipe the blood off your faces."
"Eh?" the girls said at once, blinking in confusion.
Then they glanced at each other—and their expressions stiffened.
In the heat of the battle, they had completely forgotten to maintain their usual appearances. Covered in blood, their carefully crafted images had been shattered.
Fragments of memory clicked back into place.
"!!!"
Both Beta and Epsilon simultaneously felt like they could melt into the earth from shame.
[What... what on earth did I just do!? I hope the Lord didn't see it—please say he didn't!]
[The perfect image I spent so long preserving is completely ruined now!]
The other girls, all aware of their own desires to remain elegant and flawless in front of their beloved Lord, closed their eyes in sympathy. They understood this pain.
Beta and Epsilon were facing a full-blown image crisis, and just the idea that Alhaitham might now look at them with disgust... it made them want to disappear.
They both lowered their heads, shivering. Their posture now was humbler and more vulnerable than if they'd been forced to kneel at swordpoint. The fear of being hated by Alhaitham... it pierced deeper than any blade.
But then—
"Ahem. I didn't actually see anything at first," Alhaitham said softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just came by and noticed you'd already wrapped things up. Excellent efficiency, as always. Is there any reward you'd like?"
"Lord?" they gasped together, their eyes wide.
Their disbelief was palpable. For a moment, the battlefield, the blood, the fear—all of it fell away. They were like travelers finding an oasis in the middle of the desert.
There was hope!
"There's no need to reward us, my Lord," Beta said with a quick shake of her head. "It is our highest honor to serve you."
"That's right," Epsilon added, nodding firmly. "We will eliminate anything that stands in the way of your ideals, no matter what it takes!"
In that instant, the two of them felt like they'd been pulled back from the edge of a cliff. Not only had they not been cast aside—they'd even received praise.
The girls nearby who were aware of the full situation were deeply moved. Truly, their Lord was kind and generous beyond compare. Even in moments like these, he showed mercy and understanding.
Alhaitham had already realigned his thoughts.
No matter what, these were still girls who fought on his behalf. For the sake of his vision and ideals, they were willing to throw away even their dignity and become warriors of blood and steel. This... this was loyalty.
True, unwavering loyalty.
"Beta. Epsilon," he said, his tone warm and gentle now. "Thank you. But... you're both beautiful girls. Don't let your faces be stained with the blood of your enemies. It pains me to see it."
With a soft, practiced motion, Alhaitham reached out with both hands and gently tilted up their chins. Then he took out a white handkerchief and wiped the dried blood from their cheeks—his touch light, careful, and filled with quiet affection.
His eyes, as they looked at them, held not judgment—but tenderness.
Beta trembled. "So... gentle..."
Epsilon's voice cracked. "My Lord!"
The two girls broke down. Joy overwhelmed them. They nearly collapsed from the flood of emotions as they clung tightly to his legs, like loyal pets who had just been rescued from the storm.
Their smiles were gone. They weren't putting on a show anymore.
This was raw. This was real.
Meanwhile, the surrounding thieves—who had barely clung to life during the massacre—stared, dumbfounded. Their minds struggled to process what they were seeing.
Weren't these the same two terrifying women who had just rampaged through their ranks like blood-soaked demons?
Now, those same women were kneeling before a young man, snuggling against his legs and weeping with joy like two affectionate kittens?
The contrast nearly made them cough up blood.
"What the hell even is this?!"
But before anyone could voice their disbelief out loud, a sword whistled through the air and stabbed into the ground inches from a thief's foot. One of the nearby girls gave a cold, warning glance.
Another followed suit, her eyes colder than the northern snows.
The message was clear:
Interrupt this scene, and you die.
Alhaitham patted both Beta and Epsilon on the head before gently nudging them to stand.
"Alright, that's enough," he said with a smile. "Let me handle the rest. I haven't had a good fight in a while. I've got a whole arsenal of magic weapons just gathering dust."
He cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming faintly with excitement.
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