Reborn As A Maid

It had become strangely quiet in the arena.

Just minutes before there had been thousands of people screaming, raising an incredible amount of noise.

Now they all were looking at the last two semifinalists in silence, their breath held in anticipation.

Jennie was holding her practice sword in her hands, looking at her opponent with narrowed eyes.

Rudy Kiss stood right in front of her—there was no trace of smile on the girl’s face. The playful thief, who had spent the whole tournament teasing her opponents, playing and vanishing into shadows, was not smiling anymore.

Something had happened.

Shadows around the legs of Rudy were moving unnaturally, dancing like living creatures. The blades hidden under her clothes were shining. And the look in her eyes was sharp, focused and calculating—the look of someone who had finished to play and was ready to start to fight.

For the first time since the beginning of the duel Rudy looked like someone, who could really kill.

Jennie felt how her grip on the practice sword tightened and how her heart started beating fast.

This is the real Rudy.

Rudy slowly tilted her head to the side, speaking in a soft tone. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Jennie said, her voice sounding determined.

Referee stood a bit away from the contestants, his hand raised.

There was no movement, no sound anywhere.

Then Rudy disappeared.

Jennie’s eyes instantly looked around, searching for any traces of the shadow thief.

CLANG!

Something hit her practice sword with a terrible force, forcing it out of her hands.

She turned, bringing the sword up instantly.

But Rudy was already somewhere else.

Jennie moved sideways, following her own flow.

Another blade passed right next to her cheek, cutting the skin.

She ducked, moving smoothly.

A third knife hit the ground right where she had been standing some milliseconds ago.

Jennie rushed forward, trying to cut Rudy with her wooden weapon.

But she only hit the air.

Rudy appeared right before her, her blades shining.

Jennie moved the sword forward, meeting the attack with a counterstrike.

Rudy blocked it with two knives crossed together, making the steel shine.

BOOM!

The impact pushed her backward, scraping her boots against the stones of the arena.

She smiled, speaking in amazement. "You’re getting better at finding me."

"I’m getting worse at hiding," Jennie answered, moving closer to her.

Rudy raised her eyebrows, smiling wider. "Oh?"

Jennie brought her practice sword down, making a precise and deadly cut.

Rudy easily twisted, avoiding the attack.

The sword passed next to her, its blade cutting only air.

Rudy kicked Jennie’s wrist, making it loosen for half a second.

She reached for the practice sword, grabbing it.

Jennie immediately grasped her hand, gripping it tightly.

Their eyes locked for a second.

Then Rudy grinned, speaking in a teasing manner. "Not this time."

"No," Jennie answered, her voice sounding steady.

She twisted Rudy’s arm, making the hold.

But Rudy easily slipped away from it, flowing around the hold like water.

Then she vanished into shadows.

Jennie immediately jumped back, instinctively reacting to that.

But a blade suddenly appeared right before her stomach, its tip pointing to her.

Jennie landed, grabbing the floor with her feet.

Rudy appeared right behind her, already attacking with knives.

Jennie instantly turned, blocking the strike with the sword.

She started parrying and blocking Rudy’s attacks, moving faster and faster with every hit.

The audience instantly started cheering and screaming, getting excited at what they saw.

The two opponents were fighting so quickly that no normal spectator could understand anything—they were just moving and fighting, making the attacks, which became faster and more precise with every second.

Rudy was attacking with knives, making rapid moves.

Jennie was parrying and defending from them with her wooden sword.

Then Jennie attacked in return, her sword cutting through the air.

Rudy vanished into the shadows.

Then she reappeared, starting to attack again.

Jennie was able to predict her moves and parry the strikes.

But the duel was becoming faster and faster with every second.

Then Rudy decided to change tactics.

Suddenly the arena darkened—light was fading and the shadows were becoming deeper.

Jennie stopped, her eyes opening wide.

The ground was disappearing, replaced by nothingness.

She was falling—falling into the darkness, which was getting thicker with every second.

"Again?"

Then she landed in another illusion.

She was in ruins—a huge city around her, burning, filled with flames and smoke, demons and soldiers marching through the streets.

Jennie looked around, her heart beating faster.

She recognized this place.

It was Seraiya.

Her old homeland.

She was breathing heavily, feeling how her heart was beating hard.

"Rudy!" She called in her voice, which was echoing in the illusion. There was no reply.

But then a familiar figure appeared—white-haired girl, whose face was turned to the side.

Jennie stopped breathing.

"Lilia?"

Then the girl turned, her face becoming blurred and unrecognizable.

Jennie reached for her, calling in her broken voice. "Wait!"

Then the figure disappeared, replaced by another.

Luka. Derresa. Roxy. Snow.

All those people, whom she had met during her travel and lost, people she loved and people she feared to lose forever.

One by one they appeared, their faces filled with warmth, their voices filled with some words, which she couldn’t understand.

Jennie was breathing uneasily, feeling how her body was trembling.

"Stop it."

There was no reaction.

"Rudy, stop."

But nobody reacted.

Then the illusion started changing.

Jennie found herself in darkness.

A little girl was sitting in the middle of it, her back turned to her, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Jennie couldn’t see her face, but something about the girl hurt her very badly, filling her with a pain, which was connected to her past.

The girl spoke softly, in barely understandable whisper.

"Leonis..."

Jennie was frozen, her eyes opening wide.

"What?"

The girl slowly turned around—

And the illusion instantly fell apart.

Jennie stumbled, almost losing her practice sword.

Rudy was standing several meters away from her, looking at her carefully.

Jennie was staring at her, speaking in broken voice. "Why?"

Rudy didn’t answer.

Jennie’s voice became harder, her eyes sharpening. "Why did you say that?"

But Rudy’s expression didn’t change—it was a mask, hiding something else.

Jennie took a step towards her, speaking with trembling voice. "Who told you that name?"

There was no answer.

"How do you know it?"

Rudy put down her knives, relaxing a little bit.

Jennie raised her practice sword, her grip on it becoming firmer. "Answer me."

Nobody understood what was happening—nobody was able to hear Rudy’s whispers and see the fear in Jennie’s eyes.

The referee was looking around confused, having his hand frozen in the middle of the movement.

Roxy stopped glaring at Rudy—now she was looking at Jennie.

Jennie’s expression had changed—she knew her good enough to recognize it. Now she was really afraid. Not physically. Something much deeper, connected to the memories, which she didn’t want to speak about.

Then suddenly Rudy smiled—but this smile was different. It wasn’t playful, wasn’t flirtatious. It was sad, almost knowing.

Jennie took a step forward, speaking in sharp voice. "Rudy."

Rudy raised one of her hands, speaking in her soft voice. "Wait."

Her heart pounding in her chest, Jennie stopped in her tracks.

Rudy regarded her for a few seconds, her gaze searching.

Then she sighed softly. "You really don’t remember anything."

Jennie’s heart missed a beat. "What don’t I remember?"

The corners of Rudy’s eyes softened but her gaze was still unreadable.

For a moment, it seemed she wanted to speak, to reveal everything—the truth, the name, the past, the reason why she recognized her.

However, Rudy slowly raised both of her hands.

The entire arena fell into an instant and complete silence, all the voices vanishing.

Referee looked confusedly at her. "Contestant Rudy Kiss?"

Rudy nodded. "I surrender!" —her voice carried through the stadium.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Nobody moved, nobody made a sound.

The audience looked at each other, all their faces filled with bewilderment.

And then, the entire arena erupted in chaos.

"What?! She surrendered?! WHY?! THE FIGHT JUST STARTED!"

Even the referee looked confused, frozen in the middle of raising his hand. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," —Rudy replied calmly.

Jennie gaped at her, disbelief coloring her voice. "Are you sure you know what you’re doing?"

"Very sure."

"Why then?"

Rudy shrugged and her tone was carefree. "Because I don’t feel like fighting anymore."

"That’s not an excuse!"

"Too bad, but it’s the only one you’re going to get."

The referee exchanged looks with royal officials whose faces were equally confused.

Several seconds passed before he finally raised his arm.

"Contestant Rudy Kiss has surrendered!"

The arena erupted with disbelief, filling the stadium with voices of shock.

"Therefore, the winner is..."

He looked at Jennie, his tone confident and steady.

"...RAVEN!"

The crowd exploded in cheers—but Jennie didn’t join in. She wasn’t celebrating, wasn’t smiling. She was looking at Rudy with an expression that asked a thousand questions and wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Rudy approached her, her steps unhurried.

Jennie tightened her grip on the practice sword, her voice sharp. "Do not come any closer."

Rudy stopped in front of her, her face unreadable.

Then she smiled and her voice became soft. "Relax."

Nevertheless, she took one more step towards her, moving deliberately slowly.

Jennie’s eyes narrowed, her grip becoming even firmer. "Rudy."

Rudy walked past the edge of Jennie’s sword and her body brushed the blade.

Then she leaned toward her, her lips nearly touching Jennie’s ear.

The crowd could see them stand close but nobody heard what Rudy whispered.

Her voice was soft and low, just a breath against Jennie’s skin.

"Leonis."

Jennie’s entire body froze.

Her pupils narrowed, her breath catching in her throat.

It was as if the rest of the world vanished—the cheers, the arena, the spectators, the royal balcony.

All of it disappeared.

Only that name remained.

Leonis.

A name that she hadn’t heard in years, a name that belonged to somebody else, somebody she remembered and didn’t remember at the same time. Somebody who was somehow connected to the sword, the battlefield, the World Tree, the Divine Swords. Somebody who was somehow connected to the strange and familiar fragments of her life that were never truly her own.

Jennie’s lips parted, her voice barely audible. "How..."

Rudy stepped back, her face unreadable.

Jennie grabbed her by the wrist, her grip firm. "How do you know that?"

Rudy looked from Jennie’s hand that held her wrist to her face.

For once, she didn’t joke.

Desperately, Jennie’s voice was pleading, her gaze full of appeal. "Tell me."

Rudy’s gaze softened but her voice became almost too soft. "You really forgot everything."

"Rudy!"

Gently and deliberately, Rudy withdrew her wrist from her hand.

Jennie reached for her again, her fingers clasping.

Withdrawing once again, Rudy moved as if she was a shadow.

"Some names...," her playful smile appeared but it didn’t reach her eyes, "...are better left forgotten."

Jennie gaped at her, her voice sharp. "What does that mean?"

Turning away from her, Rudy faced the other direction.

"Why don’t you ask yourself why you don’t remember?"

Her heart pounding in her chest, Jennie’s voice was desperately begging. "Rudy!"

Stopping, the thief tensed.

She glanced over her shoulder, her face unreadable.

For a split second, Jennie thought she would finally reveal the truth.

Instead, she gave her strange, sad smile.

"Congratulations, Raven."

Jennie’s face twisted, her voice sharp. "Don’t call me that."

Strangely and sadly, Rudy smiled. "Then how should I call you?"

Jennie had nothing to say.

Rudy turned around and walked away, her footsteps echoing through the silent arena.

Jennie stood motionless, her heart pounding.

The audience kept cheering, the announcer kept calling her name, the referee was readying the announcement.

None of that mattered.

Jennie was watching the retreating form of Rudy and thinking about her words.

Leonis.

Why had it hurt her so much? Why did Rudy use it in a manner that implied she had known her for years? And why did a small part of Jennie recognize it—she had never been called by that name not as a stranger but not as a nickname either?

Running toward her, Roxy sounded worried. "Jennie!"

Jennie ignored her, her eyes still fixed on Rudy’s departing figure.

Grasping her by the shoulders, Roxy shook her fiercely. "Jennie!"

Finally looking at her, Jennie looked dazed.

Roxy’s voice softened but her eyes searched. "What happened?"

Opening her mouth, nothing came out of Jennie’s.

Looking at Rudy’s departing figure, her voice was barely audible. "She knows something."

"About what?"

Jennie looked at the ground, her voice choked. "About me."

Frowning, Roxy’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Looking at the practice sword, its wooden surface covered with the marks of the battle, Jennie didn’t know.

And that was the worst part.

She truly didn’t know.

From the royal balcony, Lilia had watched the whole thing happen.

She couldn’t hear Rudy’s whisper, couldn’t hear the name that had destroyed Jennie’s composure.

But she saw Jennie’s reaction—the fear, the confusion, the change of expression after Rudy said something.

Placing a hand against her heart, Lilia felt pain in it.

Once again—that strange feeling. That inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Why seeing Jennie hurt her so? Why did she want to run down there, to protect her, to hug her and never let go?

Aurelia glowed softly beside her, its golden light pulsating with recognition.

Looking at it, Lilia’s voice was barely audible. "Aurelia?"

The sword pulsated—once, twice.

Lilia looked toward Jennie.

For one brief second, another memory surfaced.

A laughing girl, her happiness blinding and pure. A white-haired girl standing next to her, her hand grasping hers. Someone calling her name—a name she couldn’t recall.

Then nothing.

Closing her eyes, Lilia’s voice was filled with longing. "Who are you, Raven?"

Through the arena rang the voice of the announcer, breaking the tension.

"THE FIRST SEMIFINAL HAS CONCLUDED! RUDY KISS HAS SURRENDERED! RAVEN, THE WHITE SWORD HUNTER, ADVANCES TO THE GRAND FINAL!"

The crowd roared, their cheers shaking the arena.

Slowly looking at the enormous tournament board, Jennie followed the glowing letters with her eyes.

FINALIST: RAVEN

She was in the final stage.

She was supposed to be elated—she should have felt victory over impossibilities that seemed like nothing more than a fantasy.

But the feeling was quite opposite.

Jennie glanced down at the practice sword in her hand, clutching the handle tightly.

"Leonis..."

She mouthed the name, feeling it for the first time in many days.

There was nothing—no answer, no realization and no revelation at all.

Just an awkward emptiness within her.

Snow suddenly came nearer, the huge frame brushing against her thigh.

Jennie looked down, meeting the golden eyes of the giant.

She forced a smile, her tone weak. "I’m fine."

Snow didn’t buy it—he had eyes that saw through lies.

Roxy didn’t either.

And somewhere in the palace corridor, Rudy Kiss walked alone through the corridors of the palace.

Her smile was gone, replaced by a hollow expression in her face.

She stood near the window, looking at the horizon.

The sound of the crowd from the tournament still echoed far away in the air.

Rudy shut her eyes, her voice a mere whisper. "Leonis..."

But then she opened her eyes.

Fear filled her gaze now.

Something that Jennie had no idea about.

Leonis wasn’t the only one that had returned.

Someone else out there was starting to remember.

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