Reborn As A Maid

The Royal Arena was full of people.

Hundreds of spectators were in their seats, their shouts and cries merging into one deafening roar that made the old stone walls shudder. The atmosphere was charged with tension, as if it became a life form, beating along with the heartbeat of the crowd. All kinds of banners waved in the wind, their bright colors turning into the tapestry of the common euphoria.

The semifinalists had been determined at last.

Only four of hundreds of warriors remained.

Kai Viper. Mira Kingston. Raven, the White Sword Hunter. And Rudy Kiss, the Phantom Thief.

It was time to determine the first semifinalist.

The announcer’s voice boomed in the arena, his words being magnified by wind magic from heaven itself.

"THE FIRST SEMIFINAL!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, as if the stadium itself started shaking because of them.

"RAVEN! RUDY KISS!"

Jennie stood behind the entrance gate, looking at the wooden practice sword in her hands. It was not her normal sword—not Excalibur, not Leviathan, not Tempest. It was simply a wooden sword, polished by the many hours of trainings and battles.

However, after everything she had been through, Jennie had grown attached to the weapon.

She held it in her hands, turning it in a circle, frowning.

"Rudy..."

Roxy stood behind her, folding her arms and looking serious.

"Don’t let her fool you."

"Why?"

"Because she is weird."

"That’s not exactly useful information."

"Fine. Because she is dangerous."

"Very dangerous."

Snow sat nearby, happily munching something he stole from the refreshment table, his tail wagging contentedly.

"Do you have any useful information?" Jennie asked him.

Snow swallowed, his golden eyes shining brightly.

"Rudy is trouble."

"Even you?"

Snow wagged his tail and stuck his tongue out.

"Yeah."

"Right," Roxy confirmed seriously.

Jennie looked in the direction of the arena, clenching the wooden practice sword in her hand.

She had fought many powerful opponents during the tournament—veteran warriors, champions, heroes in the true meaning of this word. She had beaten Darius Vane, she had overcome Valtor Cain, she had survived opponents that were capable of crushing ordinary warriors with their strength.

But Rudy was different.

The problem was that Jennie could not understand her.

Jennie knew how to read swordsmen, how to understand the rhythm of spearmen, how to anticipate the moves of magi. But Rudy fought as if she was some kind of puzzle and all answers seemed to be wrong.

The gate opened.

Jennie entered the arena.

The crowd roared once again, louder than before.

"RAVEN! WHITE SWORD HUNTER!"

Jennie immediately regretted it. She raised her hand awkwardly, feeling herself blushing with shame.

The roar grew even louder.

She lowered it. "I really shouldn’t have done that."

Roxy shouted somewhere from the competitors’ section. "You are famous now!"

"I don’t want to be!"

Snow barked somewhere from the same place, making a lot of noise.

The crowd laughed, softening because of it.

Then the other gate opened.

A young woman entered the arena.

Rudy Kiss.

She was dressed in her usual black travelling clothes, several belts crossing her waist, small pouches attached to everything. Her black hair was carelessly tied up in a bun behind her head, her face expressing cheerfulness.

She went into the arena as if she came to some sort of celebration party instead of semifinal.

Then she saw Jennie.

Her smile grew wider, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Raven!"

Jennie sighed and lowered her shoulder. "Don’t start."

Rudy approached her, her steps light and unhurried. "You look very pretty today."

"You know we are fighting," Jennie pointed out.

"I know. That’s why I am so excited," Rudy said, standing in front of her and whispering in a playfully seductive tone.

Jennie’s cheeks immediately became red.

Roxy’s face turned dark from the competitors’ section. "Don’t flirt with her."

Rudy turned, smiling at her. "Are you jealous?"

"No."

"Your face says otherwise."

"My face says that you are annoying," Jennie answered.

"It’s adorable," Rudy smiled mischievously.

Roxy took a step forward, her fists clenched.

"Don’t let her go," Jennie said firmly, grabbing Roxy’s arm.

"She wants me to let her go," Roxy insisted, trying to free her arm.

"For five seconds," she added.

"Absolutely not," Jennie repeated.

Rudy laughed, her laugh sounding like music.

Then she turned to Jennie once again, her expression becoming soft.

She leaned towards her, whispering. "Don’t be afraid, Raven."

Jennie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Of what?"

Rudy’s smile was replaced with something colder and more serious. "I won’t hurt you."

Jennie stared at her, her heart racing.

Then she smiled. "Don’t hold back."

Rudy’s expression changed for a tiny moment—so fast that no one could notice except Jennie. She could see that the playful thief disappeared and something else appeared instead. For that tiny moment, her eyes were cold, calculated, concentrated—the eyes of a predator.

Then the smile was back. "As you wish."

The referee stood in between them, shouting. "Both contestants ready?"

Jennie raised the practice sword, putting herself into the fighting pose.

Rudy lowered herself slightly, her hands being empty.

This fact made Jennie more careful.

"Begin!"

Rudy disappeared.

Jennie’s eyes widened, her breath getting caught in her throat. "What?"

The audience gasped, their voices rising in surprise.

Rudy was simply gone—moved, jumped, disappeared.

Jennie immediately turned around, following her instinct.

There was nothing.

She ducked, her body moving automatically.

A small knife flew above her head, its blade shining in the light.

Jennie rolled aside, her movements flowing smoothly.

Another knife hit the place where she was staying.

And another one.

Jennie jumped back, looking around the arena.

Then Rudy suddenly appeared on the arena wall, sitting there casually as if she was always there.

"Hi."

Jennie stared at her, her voice filled with surprise. "How did you get there?"

Rudy shrugged, her expression being innocent. "I simply walked."

"That’s not walking," Jennie pointed out.

Rudy smiled mischievously, her eyes shining brightly.

Jennie immediately rushed to her, raising the wooden sword.

Rudy disappeared once again.

Jennie’s sword hit the wall, her arm feeling the blow.

There was nothing.

"Shadow movement..." Jennie whispered, frowning.

She had seen Rudy doing that before—disappearing in the darkness and appearing somewhere else unexpectedly. But watching it was completely different from experiencing it personally.

Rudy’s presence kept appearing and disappearing like a candle flame in the wind.

Jennie turned—there was nothing. Then left—there was nothing. And then right—again nothing.

But then she heard a teasing whisper. "Behind you."

Jennie spun around, her sword already moving.

Rudy was trying to reach her weapon with her hands.

Jennie took it away, squeezing it tighter.

"Almost."

Rudy grinned.

The wooden practice sword of Jennie flew through the air.

Rudy dodged, moving with the grace of water.

The next movement of Jennie was her powerful kick.

She jumped back, her moves elegant and smooth.

Jennie was chasing her, moving with her sword.

Wood was clashing with steel knives.

Rudy blocked the wooden sword with her two small blades, glinting in the sun.

Jennie put pressure on her.

The feet of Rudy started sliding on the stone floor of the arena.

For the first time, people saw the direct confrontation between the two fighters.

Jennie was stronger. Rudy was fast – but the speed wasn’t the main feature that made her such an intimidating opponent. Her ability to move like a snake, avoiding any attacks was.

Jennie hit toward the shoulder of Rudy with the blade.

Rudy moved aside with amazing ease.

Immediately changing the direction of her movements, she moved with the sword.

Then Rudy disappeared.

Jennie’s sword hit nothing, but her momentum drove her further.

Suddenly, she could feel that someone appeared behind her.

Tap.

Something touched the back of Jennie.

She turned around, holding her sword.

But Rudy had already left.

"It’s irritating."

Jennie’s tone was annoyed.

"Thank you."

Rudy’s voice reached the ears of Jennie from somewhere behind her.

"Where are you?" – she immediately turned around.

People were starting to laugh.

Roxy wasn’t laughing. She was observing the scene, trying to see something.

"Jennie can’t see her."

Snow stopped chewing, lifting the ears.

Roxy’s eyes narrowed, her voice becoming whisper.

"She isn’t simply hiding."

Then Rudy appeared behind Jennie, grabbing her wooden sword.

"Got it."

Rudy was pulling the sword from her hands.

"You’re not taking it," Jennie said.

"Oh?"

The eyes of Rudy sparkled.

Twisting the body with her momentum, she managed to throw off the opponent.

Jennie lost the grip on her sword.

Rudy immediately tore it out from her hands.

Screams rose in the audience.

"RUDY HAS THE SWORD!"

Jumping backward, Rudy was holding the wooden sword above her head.

"Mine!"

Jennie was staring at her with disbelief.

"You have stolen my sword."

"Yes."

"Return it to me."

"No."

Jennie sighed.

"Rudy."

"Yes?"

"Return it to me."

"No."

The smile on her face disappeared.

Jennie was looking at her with anger in the eyes.

"Okay."

The instincts of Rudy screamed.

Jennie rushed towards her.

Rudy threw the wooden sword high in the air.

The opponent stopped, holding her gaze on it.

Falling slowly, the sword was coming down.

Jennie jumped in the air, catching the handle of her weapon.

Landing, she was firmly holding the sword.

Meanwhile, Rudy appeared behind her with knives in hands.

Jennie immediately moved with her wooden sword.

Rudy barely managed to dodge the attack, but the blade of the sword has scratched her cheek.

Her eyes widened with surprise.

"Found you," Jennie said coldly.

"Nice," Rudy said, smiling with admiration.

Then Jennie rushed toward her with her sword, moving faster than before.

This time Rudy didn’t vanish into a shadow.

She was fighting with Jennie.

Using the speed of her movements, she attacked her wrist, shoulder, and leg.

Each attack was precise and intended to give the opponent an opening.

But Jennie was defending successfully with her wooden sword.

The audience was watching in shock, shouting from time to time.

The speed of the movements of Rudy was incredible.

But Jennie was even faster.

Her wooden sword hit the arm of Rudy, shocking her.

She stumbled because of this attack.

Immediately rushing toward her, Jennie managed to throw her off the balance.

Rudy disappeared in the shadow, becoming a part of it.

Jennie stopped, her eyes narrowing.

Her feet were completely enveloped by the shadow of Rudy.

Then something strange happened.

The arena was suddenly changing.

Jennie’s eyes widened in shock.

The Royal Arena disappeared, giving place to the forest.

Ancient trees surrounded her, their branches twisted like the hands reaching for the sky.

There was a mist on the ground, it was moving and twisting, like the living smoke.

Jennie looked around.

"An illusion?"

She was hearing her own voice, but nobody replied to it.

Taking a step, she realized that the forest was moving with her.

Then she found herself in Rosario.

The Village of the Storm’s Promise.

The heart of Jennie was feeling pain from the memories of this place.

Seeing Luka with young face and Derresa with kind eyes, she saw the whole village alive with laughter.

Then the image was changing again.

Jennie was seeing Draven, Demon Legion, the battlefield, and Luka falling from the sky.

Her breath stopped.

"No."

The illusion was showing Luka touching her with hands.

His eyes were empty, his mouth was closed.

The body of Jennie was stopping.

"Stop."

The scene was changing again – Lilia, Seraiya, the past.

Then the young Jennie, holding hands with young Lilia.

Everything disappeared.

Jennie was standing in the darkness alone.

She closed her eyes.

"Rudy."

"Yea?"

Jennie opened her eyes.

Rudy was standing in several meters away from her – but there were many of them.

Several, then five. Then ten.

They were all smiling at her and they all were identical.

"Which one is real?"

Jennie was staring at them, thinking fast.

The images of Rudy were starting to move with the grace of water.

The instincts of Jennie were telling her about the danger.

First Rudy attacked – Jennie defended herself with her wooden sword, hitting the illusion.

It disappeared.

Second Rudy attacked – Jennie hit her with her sword.

The image disappeared.

Third – gone.

Fourth.

Jennie was turning around, moving just with the instincts.

Then she could feel how another Rudy appeared behind her – she immediately moved her sword.

Hitting nothing.

A knife passed through the sleeve of her outfit, scratching her skin.

Jennie was jumping back, widening her eyes.

The injury was impossible to make because of the protection spell of the tournament, but the attack was close to it.

Touching her sleeve, she was realizing what is happening.

She is controlling the illusions and attacking at the same time.

It was the trick. The battlefield wasn’t only hiding Rudy in the illusion – it was making her question every single thing.

Closing her eyes, Jennie was trying to breathe normally.

Voices were still heard in her ears.

"Jennie."

"Raven."

"Leonis."

The eyes of Jennie were opening wide.

The forest was disappearing, giving place to the arena.

Rudy was standing behind her with her knife pressed against her back.

The voice of the referee reached her.

"Raven!"

Immediately turning, Jennie found herself without the opponent – Rudy has already dissolved in the shadow.

Looking around, she was breathing heavily.

Rudy got into her head.

It terrified her more than the knives, more than the illusions, more than the whispers.

She had faced demons, monsters, warriors mightier than she was. But Rudy had managed to shake her sense of reality—and that could get her killed.

Very well.

Rudy appeared on the other side of the arena. Her facial expression remained impossible to read.

For a change, she didn’t smile.

"You’re adapting."

"I am," Jennie replied, raising her practice sword.

Rudy’s gaze narrowed, focusing fully on her opponent.

Jennie adopted her fighting stance, her body going to a familiar position.

The crowd quietened down, replacing their earlier excitement with the feeling of unease.

There would be no jokes today—they were facing each other seriously—and that was much more dangerous.

Roxy observed from the sidelines, clutching the railing with her hands.

She could tell—from Jennie’s eyes—her realization came at last.

Rudy wasn’t toying with her. She was deadly serious—and deadly dangerous.

Jennie took a deep breath, and another.

She stopped paying attention to Rudy’s moves—now she had to pay attention to the shadows.

Rudy smiled, sounding approvingly. "Oh?"

Without a warning, Jennie made a swing of her sword at an empty space on the arena.

Rudy appeared there, her eyes wide with surprise.

The wooden blade stopped mere inches away from her face.

Jennie smiled calmly. "Got you."

Rudy dissolved back into the shadows, vanishing from sight.

Jennie turned her head, following her sword.

Rudy reappeared, blocking her attack and crossing the blades.

Their swords met with a crash that echoed through the arena.

Rudy jumped aside, moving smoothly.

Jennie followed, swinging her sword.

Rudy vanished—Jennie attacked the shadow.

Rudy reappeared—Jennie’s sword was already there, waiting for her.

Rudy managed to dodge barely in time, twisting her body.

The crowd burst into cheers, deafening them.

Roxy’s eyes widened in shock. "She predicts her."

Snow barked happily, wagging his tail in excitement.

Rudy landed, her breathing becoming more irregular.

Her facial expression wasn’t playful anymore.

Jennie was standing in front of her, both of them panting.

Jennie held her practice sword in readiness. Rudy had her knives ready to be thrown.

For the first time since the start of the fight, neither woman smiled.

Rudy slowly looked at Jennie, searching her face.

Then she burst out laughing—this time without any mockery in her voice.

"You’re amazing."

"You’re weird," Jennie said, looking surprised.

"I’ll accept that."

Rudy vanished once again.

Jennie didn’t move.

The shadows stretched—one, two, three, four.

Four Rudys reappeared at once, their bodies looking identical.

Jennie looked at them, observing carefully every motion.

Then she smiled. "Got you."

Rudy’s facial expression changed.

Jennie struck them with her sword, destroying the illusions.

The real battle had finally started.

And for the first time since entering the tournament, Jennie realized something frightening:

If she made even a single mistake while fighting Rudy Kiss, she could lose