Reborn As A Maid

Royal Capital wouldn’t sleep.

Despite the night having come, there was no lack of people wandering in the streets near the arena. Merchants offered food under the glow of the flickering lanterns, calling for customers. Adventurers loudly talked about the next day’s battle, arguing and making bets. The children ran all over the streets playing as Raven and Kai Viper with wooden swords in their hands.

Jennie heard her name being called not less than twenty times during her way to the inn.

It was still difficult for her.

"The White Sword Hunter."

She murmured the title in a whisper, embarrassed. "Embarrassing."

Snow barked softly next to her.

"What?" Jennie asked, looking down.

Snow barked once again, his golden eyes shining with malice.

"Don’t tell me you like it."

Snow happily wagged his tail.

"Traitor."

Roxy chuckled, sounding genuinely happy. "Be proud."

"Proud of what?"

"You’ve become famous."

"I was happier without any fame."

"That’s because you’re weird."

Jennie looked at her, offended. "You’re supposed to encourage me."

"I do," Roxy smiled, her eyes glittering warmly. "That’s why I’m saying you’re weird."

Snow barked once again, obviously having fun.

Jennie pointed at him and said seriously, "And you’re even weirder."

Three friends walked to the inn.

For several minutes they joked, laughing and teasing each other. But then Jennie’s thoughts returned to tomorrow, to the upcoming battle. The final battle. Raven versus Kai Viper. That day that will decide the tournament winner.

When they entered the inn room, Jennie placed her practice sword on the table, the worn-out surface catching lamplight.

Roxy followed, her face thoughtfully wrinkled.

Snow jumped onto the bed, the soft thud resonating in the silence.

"Snow."

The wolf stopped, his ears laying flat on his head.

Jennie pointed at the floor, "Get off."

Snow looked as if he was offended, his golden eyes big and indignant.

Roxy put her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back the laughs.

"Don’t laugh."

"I don’t."

"You do."

"I absolutely don’t."

Snow stayed on the bed, wrapping his tail around his body.

Jennie looked at him, her face unwavering.

Snow looked at her in the same way, defiant.

"This is my bed."

Slowly turning around, Snow lied on the bed, showing his back to Jennie.

Her eye twitched, "Unbelievable."

Roxy finally started laughing out loud, "Let him go."

Jennie sighed, "Alright."

She returned to the table and looked at Roxy with a more serious face.

The practice sword was damaged—the scratches were visible on its wooden blade after the tournament fights, the grip being looser after the many battles.

It had survived every battle since Jennie entered the tournament, silently witnessing her path.

But tomorrow... maybe it won’t survive Kai.

Roxy took a small repair kit from her bag, doing it skillfully. "Give it to me."

Jennie looked at her with surprised expression, "You can repair swords?"

"Practice swords."

"That’s a sword too."

"Give it."

Jennie gave it to Roxy and watched as Roxy settled herself and started the repairs.

She tightly tied the grip of the sword, her skilled hands moving fast and precisely. Wrapping a new leather strap around the handle, she worked quietly and attentively.

Jennie watched in silence, feeling grateful to her friend.

"You don’t have to do it."

Roxy didn’t look at her, concentrated. "I know."

"Why, then?"

"Because you’re fighting tomorrow."

Jennie smiled softly, "I can use another sword."

"You’re attached to this one."

Jennie blinked, her brows furrowed. "Maybe?"

Roxy looked at her, her eyes knowing. "You’ve been carrying it during half of the tournament."

Jennie looked at the practice sword — its worn surface, its usual weight, the memories stored inside of it. Maybe she was. It wasn’t powerful, it wasn’t magical, it wasn’t one of the Divine Swords. It was just an ordinary weapon.

But she had fought with it with people underestimating her. Won with it, learned with it, grew with it.

And somehow, it became her own.

Roxy finished repairing the grip, smoothing the leather. "There."

She returned the sword, feeling satisfied.

Jennie carefully took it, feeling the grip — firm, solid, perfect.

"Perfect."

Roxy smiled, her eyes glittering with warmth. "Of course."

Jennie looked at her and sincerely said, "Thanks."

Roxy shrugged her shoulders, pretending to be indifferent. "Don’t mention it."

Jennie pressed the sword to her heart, feeling comforted by the familiar weight.

Then she suddenly smiled, her eyes brightening. "You really are my family."

Roxy froze, her face turning red. "Wh-What?"

Jennie blinked, confused. "What?"

"You can’t just say such things!"

"Why?"

"Because..." Roxy looked away, her voice fading. "...Because it’s embarrassing."

Jennie laughed, bright and sincere, "You’re the one who repaired my sword."

"That doesn’t make you my family."

Jennie tilted her head, curious. "Then what are you?"

Roxy opened her mouth and nothing came out.

Snow suddenly barked from the bed, obviously enjoying himself.

Roxy glared at him, her cheeks still red. "Don’t involve yourself in our business."

Jennie laughed once again, feeling warm in the room.

Those strange memories of Rudy disappeared, as well as the confusing thoughts about Leonis. There were only she, Roxy and Snow. Her little family.

Roxy finally sat next to Jennie, smiling kindly, "Jennie."

"Yeah?"

"Are you afraid?"

Jennie’s smile slowly faded, her gaze lowering to the sword.

She looked at the window, thinking about tomorrow’s battle.

Kai Viper was strong — extremely strong. He defeated Gareth, he overcame Mira, he adapted to every opponent he had met. She couldn’t rely on her surprise attacks, couldn’t underestimate him. Tomorrow she would have to fight with him alone.

Jennie took a deep breath, speaking confidently. "Yeah."

Roxy seemed surprised, her eyes widened.

Jennie smiled slightly, vulnerably. "I’m afraid."

Roxy didn’t mock her, didn’t make a joke to ease the situation. She listened silently.

Jennie continued, thinking carefully. "I don’t know how strong he is. I don’t know what he will do, when he realizes that I’m holding back. And..." She looked at her practice sword, running her fingers on its worn-out surface. "...I’ve never fought someone like him."

Roxy placed her hand onto Jennie’s hand, touching warmly. "Then don’t think about proving anything."

Jennie looked at her, trying to find understanding in her face.

Roxy’s words were quiet and confident. "There is no need to prove yourself to be stronger. There is no need to prove to be worth of the Divine Swords." Her smile widened. "There is no need to win."

Jennie stopped breathing for a few moments.

"I mean," Roxy spoke with warmness, "that there is no need to fight for proving anything."

Jennie was staring at her, relaxing slightly.

She remembered what Rudy said—You’re not supposed to remember. People who had some kind of connection to Leonis may live somewhere. And now Roxy unintentionally revealed the truth, saying a name of someone who still echoed in Jennie’s mind.

But Jennie did not feel fear.

She felt gratitude.

"You’re right."

Roxy smiled, her eyes sparkling.

Jennie rested her head onto her shoulder, her voice barely audible. "Thank you."

Roxy stood stock-still for a second and then relaxed, a smile spreading on her face.

"Anytime."

Snow lifted his head from the bed, looking at them with his golden eyes.

Jennie looked at him, her voice harsh. "Don’t spoil this."

Snow immediately bent his head, wrapping his tail around himself.

Roxy laughed warmly.

Tomorrow would bring any news—victory, defeat, new riddles about Leonis, new memories coming back unexpectedly.

But now, Jennie was not alone.

And it was enough for her.

Several streets away from the inn, a shadow moved on roofs.

Rudy Kiss landed silently on a chimney, hardly making any noise. She crouched, staring at the window of the inn where Jennie lived. Her usual mischievous smile was missing now; there was something else in her face—haunting feeling.

She could see Jennie through the glass—Roxy sitting beside her, Snow lying on the floor, Jennie holding her practice sword reverently.

Rudy watched them for several seconds, her face unreadable.

Then she sighed, misting her breath. "So you’ve really become happy."

There was no irony in her voice—it sounded strange, nostalgic, even sad.

Rudy sat on the roof, bending her legs, and was staring at Jennie’s silhouette through the window.

She remembered another place—another time, another person. A young boy with a sword in hands, with determined look in his eyes. A boy who laughed at her after she had stolen something from him, running across an entire city with incredible speed. A boy who became eventually someone whom the whole continent both feared and respected.

The Sword King.

Leonis.

Rudy clenched the roof edge hard, her knuckles becoming white.

She remembered his voice—steady and warm. His appearance—calm and composed even in those cases when the chances to lose were overwhelming. His look at people whom he loved, softening his eyes slightly.

And then—

His death.

Rudy closed her eyes, a painful wave overtaking her. When she opened them again, they were far-away, full of old pain.

"You’re really here."

She watched how Jennie was standing up, moving fluently and with ease. From such a distance she was able to understand it well—her posture, balance, natural position of her legs. Sword in her hand, ready to raise any second.

Rudy smiled slightly, her face being sad. "It isn’t only the face."

She remembered how Jennie captured Lilia—how she moved instinctively, protecting someone before thinking about her. The same instinct. The same stupid habit. The same soul.

Rudy whispered, her voice barely audible. "You’re Leonis."

There was no question in it anymore. She understood it since she first met her, having seen the spark in her eyes. She knew it beyond all doubts.

Rudy leaned back, turning her gaze towards the night sky. The stars were glittering brightly in the sky, being cold and far-away.

"But I’m not going to tell you."

Her face became serious, her voice falling. "Not yet."

There were too many possibilities to spoil everything—Jennie was having troubles with her old memories now, struggling with the knowledge that came to her mind unexpectedly. If Rudy gave it all to her at once, memories would kill the fragile calmness that she created for herself.

Worse, somebody else might guess—if Jennie would be ready or not. Some people had been waiting for this for years—people who had their own motives for searching for the Sword King.

Rudy looked at the palace with its high towers outlined against the moon and then at the inn with the light of Jennie still burning.

Her eyes narrowed, her voice becoming cold. "If they find you when you aren’t ready yet..."

She did not finish. She did not need to.

The night wind was blowing over the roofs, biting.

Rudy curled up into a ball, hugging her knees. For a moment, she looked younger—almost as the mischievous thief that she used to be once before the burden of the world fell on her shoulders.

Then she remembered the past—Leonis, his sword, his smile. His sister.

Rudy’s expression changed, her eyes becoming sharp.

She was looking at the window of Jennie with her voice barely audible. "If Leonis is here..."

She hesitated, her words getting stuck in her throat.

"...maybe Lisa is here too?"

The name hovered in the night air, thick with unspoken meaning.

Rudy did not explain it. She did not say who Lisa was and what was her relation to Leonis. She did not even know if she returned or not, if the impossible would happen again.

This was the secret.

Rudy was sitting there, her eyes fixed at the window where Jennie’s silhouette was moving slowly, unaware of secrets surrounding her.

After a moment, her usual mischievous smile returned gradually.

"Well..." She rose up, dusting off her cloak. "Tomorrow’s final would be very interesting."

Her eyes were sparkling with her old playfulness.

"And if Raven wins, maybe I’ll steal a kiss."

She laughed softly, but hollowly.

But the moment she turned away from the inn, her smile disappeared again. Her face became serious, her eyes dark with old fears.

She looked at the distance where lights of Seraiya were fading into darkness. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Please, be alive."

She did not say the name again. She did not need to.

Rudy already knew who she meant.

Then the Phantom Thief disappeared in the night air.

Within the confines of the inn, Jennie knew nothing.

She was getting ready for her last fight with Kai Viper. Her thoughts were concentrated on her upcoming duel. She did not even think that someone who belonged to her distant past could have already started his journey on this earth, that the name he bore was fast approaching her world.

What she did not know is that Lisa was soon going to become the biggest secret of her reincarnation.

The evening passed silently, filled with anticipation. Somewhere beyond the shadow, the strings of fate kept intertwining, gradually becoming close to their climax point.