The Consequences Of Having A Master-Servant Relationship With A Yandere After Reincarnation Chapter 3

My Servant Has Become a Little Scary

Capture Targets in Otome Games are almost always such cheats. I mean, if they weren't so amazing, there wouldn't be ample motivation for the female players to want to win… but still. And, before my very eyes, is one such terrifyingly perfect being: Ashley is so smart and so skilled at magic, that I often times can't even believe my eyes. And since, until now, he hadn't interacted with anyone aside from his parents, there has never been anyone that he could compare himself to, so he probably doesn't even know just how amazing his abilities really are.

Having spent another lesson being utterly outcla.s.sed by Ashley, I can't help but feel a little frustrated, so I am currently sitting down facing a wall in a tiny, silent protest.

“Cecile-Ojousama….” I suddenly hear from behind me.

“Ah!? …Uhh, yes? What is it, Ashley?” I ask, startled. I hadn't heard him approach. Glancing behind me, I see him standing there shyly clutching our textbook to his chest.

“Please don't sulk.”

Right! Maybe he does know just how good he is. I heave a huge, discontented sigh. Ugg….! Recently, he has become so cheeky….!

It's been one year since Ashley came to live with us. Back then, he used to be so cute and obedient! But now he's always talking down to me, treating me like a child. I suppose it's only natural, since being a mature tsundere was in his character description…. but still! I'm the older one here!! And, I'm currently his precious master!

“I'm not sulking!”

“Please don't lose confidence just because I am a bit better at magic and studying than you are.”

Hearing him speak so rationally, nothing like a what a seven-year-old child should be capable of, I can't think of a way to retort. Why is he so darn good at talking…!?

“It's not that I'm bad… It's just that Ashley is too good!”

“Thank you.”

“……. you are so not cute. And you don't smile enough.”

“I don't want to smile at nothing like an idio….”

“You know that's not what I'm saying!!” (T-T)

Pouting like there's no tomorrow, I heave another huge sigh.

In the game, Ashley was always saying mean things to the heroine. Nearly all of his lines were things like “Are you incapable of even being quiet, Senpai?” “There's no point in having a useless Senpai like you.” “Are you stupid, Senpai?” and so on. Every line that came out of his mouth was so aloof and serious. And while I was watching it play out from the other side of a screen, I was enthralled… “Kyaaaaa! Say more!!” I would cry, fangirling every time… He really was swoon-worthy. But in reality? Having such things said to me is just annoying and disheartening.

“I'm saying that you would be so much cuter if you smiled more.”

“It's not like I particularly want to be considered cute. And, if I am even a little nice to you, Cecile-Ojousama, your eyes become like those of a beast, so….”

“You're so mean….”

They aren't beastly… I just look like… any other young girl looking at something cute. And it's always Ashley's fault that I would have such an expression…!

“I wasn't trying to hurt you. If I hold your hand for a bit, will that be enough to appease you?” Ashley asks while shyly clutching the hem of his s.h.i.+rt. But when I see this, my eyebrows furrow and all I can think is, ‘What the? Why's he suddenly trying to act all cute and out of character?” Seriously, what happened to him? Where did that cute little angel that I met on his first day here disappear to?

“If I do that, will you cheer up?”

“Huh?”

“What about if I hug you? Will that be enough?”

“Yes. Yup. I would definitely, immediately, instantly feel better if you hug me.”

He hesitated for a moment, looking troubled, but then spread his arms wide and said, “Come here.”

“Ah! I-i-is it r-really okay!?”

“Go ahead.”

Well then, I shall accept your kind offer~ Don't mind if I do!

“Kyaaaa~ So cute!!”

“……”

“Hehehehe, cuuuute.”

“……”

“Hahahaha. Too cute. So cute.”

“……. That should be enough!”

“Ahh!”

He lasted a mere 10 seconds before he used all of his strength to push me away. ‘Go ahead,' he said. Ha! What a farce.

“You're so cruel, Ashley.”

“……. Sorry.”

Ashley says, even as he's turning his back to me. I don't think that's the proper way to apologize to someone, you know….

As I glance up at him from behind, I notice that his ears seem to be a bit red, and the little bit of his cheeks I can see also have a pink hue to them.

“……? Ashley? Should we lower the temperature in here?”

“Uhhh…..”

“Your face is red. Are you hot?”

It feels just right to me, but if he is that hot, we could always open a window in here. Since it's spring, the weather is lovely outside.

“No-…… Ahem. No, please don't worry about it.”

Isn't it about time for him to turn back around and face me? I'll admit that I might have called him cute a few too many times, but does he have to be this mad about it?

“Cecile-Ojousama…..”

“Yeah?”

“Are you wearing any perfume?”

“No? Mother and Father said I'm still too young to wear any.”

Could I possibly have smelled bad? I thought I would be fine since the maid who washes my clothes uses such a nice smelling detergent. And back when I was in high school in my previous life, I wasn't the type to use perfume either. I usually was fine with just using some antiperspirant spray so I never really had to worry about this sort of thing.

“Do I stink?”

“No, it's the opposi…..”

“?”

“……. Never mind. If you are in better spirits now, let's get back to reviewing today's lesson.”

Until you enter the academy, most homes will employ a home tutor to teach their children, though even if they can't employ a home tutor, parents will still take some time every day to educate their children. Ashley comes from the latter situation. He started learning here with only the most basic of background knowledge and yet, since he's an unbelievably quick study, he's already become the teacher's pet.

“Hey, what were you going to say?” I say, trying to change the subject.

“Nosy young ladies lose half of their charm you know.”

“Don't look at me like that….. Fine…. Let's study….”

Even though our home tutor literally just left a few minutes ago, Ashley is already prompting me to start studying again. This has already become our daily routine. He says that this is “to turn me into a fine lady.” Doing all this, Ashley really is a splendid servant, giving his all to help me be the best n.o.ble I can be.

I won't say I'm ungrateful for his efforts…. I won't… It's just that I would rather live a more relaxed life, so I wish he would lighten up on me a bit. I would be satisfied if I just managed to learn a bit of self-protection magic and the basics about whatever knowledge I need to make my way in this world. But if I said any of this to Ashley, I bet he would just coldly brush me off with something like, “When are you going to stop acting like a spoiled child and grow up?” So there's no way I'm ever going to say anything like that to him.

“Uhhh….. mmm…..” I mumble, staring at a problem in my notebook.

“We just learned this a few days ago, you know.”

As I continue to stare at the problem, I twirl my pen around my fingers in thought. Noticing my behavior, Ashley admonishes me for my “poor manners” and he promptly takes the pen away from me.

“If everyone could do things after learning it only once, what hards.h.i.+ps would still exist in this world?” I ask, giving up.

“Don't bother with excuses. For this problem, just use this formula.”

And then Ashley brandishes my pen fluently across the notebook, easily solving the problem with no signs of hesitation. He doesn't even have to think about what he's writing.

I had learned about science in my previous life, of course, but in this world where magic is a reality, none of that information applies. On top of that, the languages in this world are nothing like either English or j.a.panese, so it's almost as if my memories from my past life are useless.

If there wasn't such a big difference then just think of how OP and smart I could have been… But alas, I am stuck learning everything from scratch right next to my servant, who just happens to be an incomparable genius. He's so smart that even our teacher is unable to best him in an argument. Moreover, despite Ashley being so young, our teacher doesn't even feel embarra.s.sed about admitting defeat since he is just that good.

“Ashley, do you like studying?”

“I…. guess I do. For one thing, it's fun to see my knowledge increasing bit by bit. And, most of all….”

“Most of all?”

“If I study hard, I won't be a burden to you. I can become someone that you won't be ashamed to call your servant.”

“You really are the picture of a perfect servant.”

‘Though you still feel too grown up and mature for your own good,' I think to myself.

But, you know… I am perfectly happy not putting in a lot of effort for studying. When I enter the academy, if I stand out and accidentally gather followers, that would mean my death. And, if I'm too smart and show off too much, I might end up on the student council. Can you say h.e.l.lo room-full of Yandere characters? I might be overthinking this, but if I don't thwart all such scenarios, how can I expect to live a calm and uneventful life?

As the heroine's rival character, Cecile had excellent grades in the game. So, if I were to faithfully follow in my game counterpart's footsteps, who is there to say that I won't share the same fate as her?

Once I had that thought flit through my head, my mind was made up: I will do whatever it takes to slack on my studying, even if I have to make up excuses. Whatever it takes.

“Ashley, once we finish this next problem, shall we go outside? As a nice change of pace?”

“You want to take a break again?”

“Yes. Just one more time….. Please?”

Ashley glances out the window.

“The weeds seem to have taken over the flowerbeds again. Shall we pull out the weeds while we have a rest?”

“That sounds like a great idea.”

Recently, the garden that my father and I had started has become something that is tended to primarily by Ashley and I. And, ever the perfectionist, since he decided to help me with it, Ashley painstakingly memorized all of the technical knowledge there is to know about gardening. He's practically an expert now. Just how far will this kid's cheat-like abilities go?

My father now has complete confidence in Ashley's abilities as well, so he has basically entrusted me entirely to his care.

“Since it's finally Spring, shall we try planting some new flowers? Mistress would probably enjoy a change of scenery.”

“Ashley, you sure do know the way to a woman's heart, huh? Since you're already such a lady-killer, can't you smile a bit more for me?”

“Like I said, if I'm nice to you, Ojousama, you tend to get carried away. So no thank you.”

I know he's supposed to be a tsundere…. but where's the dere (love)?? He's practically all tsun(att.i.tude)! Is it even being tsundere when you are 9 parts antagonistic and only 1 part affectionate?

When Ashley talks to Father or Mother or the other servants, he always seems so expressionless. If he was like that all the time, I think his facial muscles might have become as stiff as a board by now! But when I've mentioned this to others before, they all tell me that when Ashley is with me, he smiles a lot and expresses a wide array of emotions.

To say that he smiles a lot around me… doesn't that mean that I'm always acting fool and making him laugh at me? Regardless of why he's smiling though….

“I like Ashley's smiling face.”

“I like all of Ojousama's expressions.”

To be able to say such things with a serious face is just…. cheating. It's cheating I tell you! His words pierce right through my heart. I mean, not physically of course. There's no blood or anything. But I can feel it down to my soul.

“But…. on second thought? I definitely like your smiling face better than your crying one.”

“Please hug m-.”

“I refuse.”

“So fast! Can't you at least let me finish speaking first?”

Once we get older, such physical affection will be considered improper, so I will try to express my love as much as possible now while we are still young. p.u.b.erty is right around the corner for us; there's no time left to waste! And after that, Ashley will definitely find his significant other, possibly the game's heroine, and once that happens he'll be leaving me for good.

“The times that we will be able to be together, when you think about it in terms of a lifetime, will feel like just a fleeting moment. So what's the harm in being close while we have the chance?”

“A moment?”

“Yeah. We'll both live long, fulfilling lives, but in the future won't we be spending our time with our significant others? Who knows when we'll have to say goodbye.”

Ashley's eyes widen, looking a little scared.

“I have sworn my loyalty to you as my master, so I will be spending my life serving you.”

“You don't have to worry about things like that.”

I gently reach up to touch Ashley's face as he sits beside me.

….Ohh, so this much is still OK? How can a boy's face be this smooth!? Is it because he's only seven? I mean, my skin is fairly nice, but his is on a whole new level. And, to make matters worse, I know that even when he's 15 he won't have so much as a hint of facial hair and his skin will still be this perfect. It makes me a tad~ bit jealous…

Jerking myself out of my rambling thoughts, I get back to the main point.

“I want you to have the freedom to choose your own path.”

As people would say in my previous world, ‘They're them, we're us: there's no need to compare yourself to others.' In this case, it's the exact same thing. Even if other masters restrict and control their servants, that doesn't mean that I have to do that as well.

“Whenever you find someone special, I will be wis.h.i.+ng for your happiness together. I will not force you to stay to me. It's just…. once you leave, if you could remember these days we spent together and be thankful for them, I would be very happy.”

Ashley places his hand over mine where it rests on his cheek.

“Cecile-Ojousama…. Are you planning on abandoning me?”

“Huh?”

“When you find someone who you like being with more than me… When you no longer need me… You're planning to just toss me aside?”

That's not what I meant at all. I just want Ashley to be free to find his own happiness.

I still haven't even thought of wanting to find love or about getting married. Honestly, I can't even imagine it yet. But for Ashley, it's a different story. I already know about the girl who is fated to be by his side. I saw her, albeit through the screen of a game…. but that doesn't change the fact that her presence already feels like a reality to me.

“That's not it, Ashley. For as long as you are willing to be be my servant, I will always be your master. It's just that, the day when a you find that special someone, when you want to leave me, will definitely come.”

“How can you say that? There is no such thing as certainty when it comes to the future.”

Hearing this, chills run down my spine. He is gazing at me with such profound eyes, their usually impa.s.sive look having been overtaken by some strong emotion that I can't identify. But in a flash, it's gone, becoming once again inscrutable.

“Is that all I am to you, Ojousama?” he continues. “As long as you have a servant, anyone will do?”

“That's not it at all, Ashley. I'm sorry. I can't seem to find the right words today. You are my one and only servant. Having you with me means the world to me. I could never find someone to replace you, let alone letting just anyone do it! I just wanted to tell you that I am going to do everything I can to help you to be happy.”

“Then, if I were to say that I would be happy just staying by your side, does that mean you'll allow me to remain by you forever?”

Huh?

“I mean, sure. If you tell me you'll continue to serve me forever, of course I'll be happy……”

“Then I will. I'll serve you forever.”

Staring into Ashley's honest eyes, all I could do was give a nod of my head.

T/N: Wow, that was one LONG chapter. I hope it was worth the wait! If this left you wanting more, make sure to vote for Yandere Servant in this poll. I want to focus my attention on my most popular translated story for this summer. As of right this moment, Mastering Magic is in the lead by quite a large margin, but if enough people vote you might be able to overturn them. If you feel super strongly about a certain story, feel free to come back and vote every day for your favorite. I'm aiming to make my decision in a week I think.