Along the morning streets of the city walked a light elf dressed in a black maid outfit that hugged her elegant figure. The attire consisted of a medium-length skirt, a white blouse accentuating her chest, and a black blazer cropped at the waist. Her golden hair was tied into a ponytail, making her appear even more refined and alluring.
Many passersby cast interested glances at her, but she continued walking without paying them any attention.
Her name was Keyrin—once the second princess of the Kingdom of Light Elves, and later the manager of a store specializing in magical techniques and talents.
When she announced that she was leaving the shop, they spent a long time trying to persuade her to stay, offering terms that would have made anyone else lose their mind. But Keyrin remained resolute. After two days, everyone either truly accepted her decision or merely pretended to, finally letting her go.
As she continued on her way, her thoughts inevitably returned to that encounter with the half-elf who had completely overturned the familiar rhythm of her life over the past several years.
Everything had happened too abruptly.
Not long ago, she had been managing a shop, and now she was heading toward the academy as the personal servant of one of its stufons.
When the royal court of the light elves learns about this...
A smile appeared on her lips.
She would give a great deal to see the expressions on her mother and father's faces at that moment. And especially the face of her fiancé—the man she had been supposed to marry.
The thought noticeably improved her mood, and Keyrin continued onward in far higher spirits.
As she approached the gates protecting the academy grounds from outside intrusion, she noticed a guard in full armor walking toward her.
When he drew closer, the man stopped in front of her.
Keyrin immediately noticed him beginning to blush slightly, and her smile widened further.
— How may I help you? Do you have an appointment with the director or one of the deans? — the guard asked, stumbling over his words while trying his utmost to remain calm.
Things became especially difficult for him the moment he heard the elf's melodic laughter and enchanting voice.
— No, I came here to serve my master, — Keyrin said, deliberately emphasizing the words serve and master.
Deep down, she was even grateful to Trey for giving her the opportunity to strike at the pride of the royal court. However, the fact that she had now become his servant still remained deeply painful to her.
How could a proud elf allow anyone to dictate her life?
Even if that person was the one chosen by the goddess.
Upon hearing that she was merely a servant who had come to her master, the guard visibly faltered. His thoughts began scattering chaotically, like basilisks sensing prey.
— What is your master's name, milady? — he asked respectfully, carefully avoiding the elf's captivating eyes.
The moment she heard the question and the way he addressed her, Keyrin let out another soft laugh, making it seem as though the guard's heart skipped yet another beat.
— His name is Trey. No surname. And yes, he completed the third trial today and asked me to come for precisely that reason, — Keyrin replied, placing one hand on her waist while lightly touching her lips with the other.
She knew perfectly well the effect she had on others and could easily make this guard lose what little composure he had left.
But when it finally sank in that the owner of this beautiful elf was some pitiful half-elf, a wave of irritation rose inside the man.
He couldn't help but feel angry at this unfair world.
— Please wait. I will contact the director to confirm the information, — the guard said, stammering and blushing even harder.
Returning to the small building by the gates, he activated the communication device linked to the director with trembling hands.
Deep in his heart, the man desperately hoped the director wouldn't answer, giving him an excuse to speak with the elf a little longer.
But the gods, it seemed, remained deaf to his prayers.
The director responded almost immediately and briefly ordered him to let her through.
When the guard came back outside, visibly dejected, he tried his best to imprint the elf's image into his memory.
— You may pass. You need to head to the director's office. If you do not know where it is, I can escort you there, — he said quickly.
By the final part of the sentence, the guard had once again begun blushing and stammering far more noticeably, stubbornly avoiding looking at Keyrin.
— Thank you, but I know the way. Until next time, — Keyrin replied in her melodic voice, gifting him the very same smile every customer of her shop had once seen.
The guard merely shook his head, inwardly lamenting his misfortune before returning to his post.
Using a spell, he opened the gates.
The massive doors slowly parted, and Keyrin calmly stepped inside, heading toward the academy.
As she walked through the academy grounds, memories of her time within these walls inevitably resurfaced.
Some were warm and joyful, others far less pleasant, but despite everything, she was glad to be here again.
Even if she was returning now not as a princess or graduate, but as a servant.
Some stufons, upon noticing her, literally froze in place before beginning to blush and hurriedly avert their eyes.
The few light elves who recognized Keyrin bowed respectfully to her.
That only raised even more questions among those around them.
Why were members of the light elves bowing to some servant?
Only after that did many begin paying closer attention to her clothing.
And once they realized exactly what Keyrin was wearing, a wildfire of rumors instantly began spreading throughout the academy.
As she drew closer to the director's office, thoughts of Trey began surfacing in her mind.
What had he managed to do now?
Had he revealed his secret to the director?
Or perhaps something had happened to him? Maybe he had been injured during the trial—or even died?
Otherwise, why would he urgently summon her?
Stopping before a door labeled Director, Keyrin knocked.
After hearing permission to enter, she slowly opened the door.
Inside stood the director, the deans she knew well, and Trey, standing calmly in the middle of the office and looking toward the doorway.
Beside him was a light elf whose face seemed vaguely familiar to her.
Standing near him was a girl who, by human standards, still looked like a child.
— Your servant has arrived to carry out your orders, young master, — Keyrin said in a melodic voice, lowering herself onto one knee before Trey.
— Stand up, Keyrin, — Trey's calm voice sounded out.
But the moment their eyes met, she immediately realized she had miscalculated.
Keyrin had hoped to throw him off balance with her behavior and attire, something entirely unnatural for light elves.
But it had all been futile.
Taking her place behind Trey as befitted a servant, Keyrin lowered her gaze and quietly waited to see what would happen next.
The first to recover was the director.
He had expected to see an ordinary servant unfamiliar with how to behave in the presence of those considered the powerful of this world.
But upon seeing the elf before him, he recognized her immediately.
Keyrin.
The second princess of the Kingdom of Light Elves.
— Princess Keyrin, did you just kneel before the half-elf Trey and call him your master? — Shego`Lo asked in shock.
She remembered the princess well from her years studying at the academy.
After graduating, Keyrin, like many members of the light elves, was supposed to return to the royal court and marry.
Instead, she had simply vanished, running away from her wedding.
That news had once shaken the entire nation of light elves.
And now that very same princess stood before them in a maid uniform, calling herself the servant of a half-elf.
The realization made the dean feel as though her head was beginning to spin.
— I am no longer a princess, Dean Shego`Lo. And yes, the half-elf Trey is my master, — Keyrin said calmly.
As she spoke, she slightly turned her head, allowing everyone to see the red servant chains around her neck.
— How did this happen, and when? Why would you do such a thing? — Shego`Lo asked.
With every passing second, it felt more and more to her like this was nothing but a terrible dream from which she was about to awaken.
Their princess.
A representative of light elf royal blood.
Had become the servant of a half-elf.
When this news spread among the other races, the reputation of the light elves would be so thoroughly damaged that Shego`Lo was afraid to even imagine the consequences.
— All of your questions are driven solely by the fact that you still consider her part of the light elves and your princess. But she is no longer either of those things, — Trey said in an authoritative voice, cutting off the conversation between the dean and Keyrin.
His gaze remained calm and cold.
— Address her as my servant. You may simply use her name.
— How dare you?! — Shego`Lo nearly shouted, starting to rise from her seat.
But at that same moment, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
It was Ama`Lein.
Shego`Lo was about to shake off his hand, but first she heard his calm voice.
— Calm yourself. You know yourself that he is right. Behave with dignity.
Ama`Lein maintained an outward calm, though internally he was no less shocked.
In a world where everything was decided by strength, anyone could become another's master, regardless of origin, status, or whoever stood behind the servant.
The moment someone became a servant, all matters concerning them were handled exclusively through their master.
Any titles previously belonging to the servant automatically lost all authority.
A servant could own nothing that might potentially cast a shadow over their master's reputation.
Once he was certain Shego`Lo had finally calmed down, the director was about to ask several more questions, but quickly realized he still wouldn't receive the answers he wanted.
Letting out a tired sigh and already mentally anticipating the headache of his future conversation with the Kingdom of Light Elves, he was about to dismiss everyone when he suddenly remembered a more pressing matter.
— stufon Trey, for your demonstration of overwhelming strength, you have been selected to participate in the Tournament of the Six Academies next year, — the director said.
Expecting gratitude, he even began nodding slightly.
— Thank you for your trust, but I refuse to participate next year, — Trey replied in that same calm voice.
The director continued nodding for another couple of seconds, but once the meaning of Trey's words finally registered, he abruptly lifted his head and stared at him in confusion.
— Why are you refusing to participate in the tournament? Any stufon would agree without a second thought, — the director said in surprise.
— This tournament does not interest me. Nor does the next one. Therefore, I will yield my place to a more suitable candidate at your discretion, — Trey answered calmly, shifting his gaze from one dean to another before looking back at the director.
The director merely let out an irritated sigh.
Trey was right.
He had every right to refuse participation of his own will, and there were more than enough people in the academy eager to take that place.
For several more seconds, the director stared at him as if hoping he might reconsider.
But after meeting his gaze, he quickly understood that would not happen.
At last, he waved his hand, signaling that everyone was dismissed.
After bowing, Trey and Keyrin headed toward the exit.
The light elf and Heya silently watched them leave.
Both were still astonished not only by Trey's decision to reject the tournament, but also by the identity of his new servant.
After a brief farewell, those present went their separate ways.