[Null POV] Year 0, Day 50

  "Now then. My third reason."

  Ealdred reached into his coat and pulled out a stack of papers. Thick stack. Bound together with string. He threw it onto the table in front of Void.

  The papers slid across the polished wood, coming to rest directly in front of him.

  Void picked them up carefully. Started reading.

  His expression shifted. Surprise. Then growing concern.

  Through the bond, Null felt his alarm spiking. ?Mistress. This is... this is about you. All of it.?

  "What?"

  ?A report. Extremely detailed. Everything since we arrived in Borderwatch.?

  Void flipped through the pages, scanning quickly. Null perceived his thoughts as he read, the information filtering through their connection.

  Day 1: Maid arrives at well carrying dehydrated elf. Throws elf into fountain. Maid identified as battlemaid based on uniform and aura. Elf pays for room, orders excessive food.

  Day 1 Evening: Battlemaid observed bathing while master sleeps. No food consumption noted. Servant reports battlemaid shows no embarrassment when interrupted. Unusual composure.

  Day 1 Night: Elf observed dressing battlemaid. Both appear to communicate without speaking. Suspected telepathic link.

  Day 2: Pair tours village. Battlemaid eats extensively at food stalls. Shows clear enjoyment. Elf indulges preferences. Vendors report battlemaid is learning words. Strange accent detected. Foreign origin suspected.

  Page after page. Every interaction. Every meal. Every word Null had learned from the merchants. The flower incident described in detail—children approaching, Null accepting, the symbolic implications.

  The Blood Cult confrontation. The fight. The torture. Every detail documented with clinical precision.

  Battlemaid demonstrates extreme combat capability. Kills seven cultists with minimal effort. Torture of cult leader suggests disciplinary training or sadistic tendencies. Duration: approximately seven minutes based on witness accounts.

  The week of isolation during the mega-auction. Their request for board games. The refusal to leave their room.

  Elf and battlemaid remained in room for entire week. Only requested games and meal deliveries. Did not attend auction despite apparent wealth and interest in rare items. Behavior suggests: extreme caution, possible paranoia, or response to specific threat (Cardinal Vescari departure timing noted).

  Everything. Absolutely everything they'd done since arriving. Documented. Analyzed. Compiled into a comprehensive intelligence report focused entirely on Null's actions and behavior. Void was mentioned, but only in passing. Only as context for Null's activities.

  Void looked up from the papers, his face carefully neutral but his thoughts racing through the bond. ?How did he get this? Who compiled this? This level of detail requires constant surveillance. Multiple sources. Professional intelligence gathering.?

  ?The report has no marks,? Spy observed. ?No organizational headers. No signatures. Just raw information.?

  Ealdred watched Void read with those flat, emotionless eyes. Waiting. Letting the implications sink in.

  When Void finished the last page, Ealdred finally spoke.

  "When you live as long as I do," his voice carried emotion for the first time since arriving, "you need purpose. A reason to continue. Mine is training maids. The best maids this world has ever seen. The ones owners would fight and die over. The ones that become legends."

  His tone was different now. Still controlled, but with underlying passion. The first real feeling Null had detected from him.

  "I maintain running contracts with multiple major organizations. Information gathering. They collect anything related to maids. Incidents, rumors, unusual occurrences, potential candidates, training methods, anything relevant. I have a small army aggregating it all. Filtering the useful information from endless spam."

  "You appeared in my daily report the next morning after your arrival." Ealdred's gaze never left Void. "A battlemaid who eats in public. Who learns language from merchants. Who shows interest in food rather than violence. Unusual enough to be flagged."

  "Then over the following weeks, you appeared more and more frequently. Different behavior. Strange interactions. Patterns that didn't fit standard battlemaid psychology. By the time Tornin's message arrived about your plans for a maid café, I already knew I needed to come see you personally."

  He paused. The room completely silent except for his deep voice.

  "I've dedicated my life to this. Training maids. Studying them. Understanding every possible variation of their psychology, their conditioning, their capabilities. I know battlemaids. I refuse to train them personally—they're psychopaths who ruin the maid profession's good name. But I've evaluated hundreds. Studied thousands. Observed their patterns, their behaviors, their fundamental nature."

  Another pause. Longer this time. Something building underneath that emotionless exterior.

  "And I am not often surprised."

  The words hung in the air.

  "But this..." Clear delay. His expression unchanging but something coiling beneath the surface. "WHAT. THE FUCK. IS THIS SHIT?"

  The emotion that erupted was extreme. Not quite rage. Not quite disbelief. Something between the two that suggested his entire worldview was being challenged.

  His voice rose—not shouting, but intense in a way that made the air feel heavy. "Does Master Void have some perverse obsession with dressing monsters in maid uniforms? Is that what this is? Some twisted indulgence? Some bizarre fixation?"

  His eyes bored into Void. "She has CLEARLY never been trained as a maid. Not one day of proper conditioning. Not one hour of legitimate instruction. The way she moves, the way she observes, the way she exists—everything about her screams 'wrong.' And don't insult my intelligence with this battlemaid excuse."

  He gestured sharply at Null, though his eyes remained fixed on Void. "I've seen more battlemaids than you can count. I refuse to train them, but I've evaluated hundreds. Studied thousands. Observed every variation of their broken psychology. LIES DON'T WORK HERE. She is not a battlemaid. She has never been a battlemaid. Whatever she is, it's something else entirely."

  "So explain." His voice dropped to something dangerous, professionally offended. "What kind of game are you playing? What is she actually? And why in all the hells would you dress a creature like her in servant's clothing?"

  Through the bond, chaos erupted.

  ?Void, he KNOWS. How is that possible??

  ?The report doesn't mention monsters. He's seeing something himself. Perceiving it.?

  ?But what exactly? How much does he know??

  ?We agreed no lies. But what do we even SAY??

  Null's posture had shifted visibly. No longer the relaxed battlemaid stance she'd maintained throughout the presentation. Defensive now. Protective. Body coiled tight, ready to move if Void was threatened.

  No aura leak—she was too aware of their location, too conscious that releasing her presence in the Guild hall would cause massive problems. But her readiness was obvious in other ways. The slight forward lean. The weight distribution shifting to her toes. The way her eyes tracked Ealdred's massive hands, the coiled whip at his side, calculating response times and attack vectors.

  Ealdred noticed. Of course he noticed.

  And his expression shifted. Just slightly. A twist at the corner of his mouth that might have been a smile.

  Not a friendly smile. Something else. Twisted. Satisfied?

  Like her defensive reaction had confirmed something he'd suspected.

  His eyes remained locked on Void, demanding explanation. But Null could feel his awareness expanding to include her now. Watching her peripherally. Observing her body language, her readiness, her protective positioning in front of Void.

  Testing them both. Gauging their reactions.

  The silence stretched.

  Ealdred didn't rush them. Didn't press. Just waited with that same emotionless patience. Giving them time to formulate an answer. To decide how to respond.

  But his eyes never wavered. Never softened. Just held Void's gaze with absolute intensity.

  Demanding truth.

  Void's mind raced through options. They'd agreed to honesty. No lies. But honesty about what? How much? Where was the line between answering the question and exposing everything?

  ?Spy, what do we say??

  ?We need to understand what he's actually asking. What the problem is. Why he's offended. Then we can answer accurately without revealing more than necessary.?

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  ?He called her a monster. He knows she's not a battlemaid. But does he know what she actually IS??

  ?Unclear. The report didn't mention it. He's perceiving something himself. His expertise letting him see through the disguise.?

  ?So we ask for clarification. Honest question. Doesn't violate the no-lies agreement. Gives us information about what he actually knows.?

  "I don't even understand what he's ANGRY about," Null interjected, her confusion genuine. "Is it that I'm a monster? That I'm a fake maid? That Void is 'dressing' me? What's the actual objection? I can't defend against accusations I don't understand."

  ?Then we ask,? Spy concluded. ?Direct question. Make him clarify. Then we know what we're actually dealing with.?

  Void took a slow breath. Met Ealdred's emotionless stare. Held it.

  "Master Ealdred," he said carefully, his voice steady despite the tension. "What exactly is the problem?"

  Ealdred blinked. Once. Slow.

  The question had clearly caught him off guard. He'd expected defensiveness, excuses, evasion. Not a direct request for clarification.

  His expression shifted subtly. The intensity fading slightly. Returning to that flat, analytical calm.

  "Apologies," he said, and his tone actually sounded genuine. "I sometimes get carried away. Short fuse. Occupational hazard when you care deeply about your work."

  He took a breath. Recentered himself.

  "Let me ask more clearly." His massive hand rose, pointing directly at Null with one finger. Eyes still on Void. "So she will be one of the maids there? Working in your establishment?"

  Void felt the weight of the question. They'd planned this entire project around giving Null a way to exist normally. To interact with people. To fit in somewhere without constant performance.

  There was only one honest answer.

  "Yes," Void said. "That's the plan. She'll be part of the staff."

  Ealdred's expression shifted. The twisted smile from before returned, but different now. Warmer. Genuinely pleased.

  "Yes. Yes." He nodded slowly, satisfaction evident. "We can work with this one. Perfect specimen for the challenge."

  He leaned forward slightly, his analytical gaze moving to Null directly. Studying her openly now. Assessing.

  "May need some unique methods, for sure. Clearly typical reinforcement methods would be useless here."

  A brief pause. His eyes distant as he thought, running through possibilities internally. Testing theories. Discarding approaches that wouldn't work with whatever he was perceiving.

  "Rewards, punishments, the standard positive and negative markers that work for normal candidates..." Another pause. "No. None of that would apply here."

  Void through the bond: ?He's already planning how to train you. Running through methods in his head.?

  ?That's... weirdly professional,? Null observed. ?Not creepy like Vescari. Just... analytical. Like a doctor examining a patient.?

  ?Clinical interest, not personal,? Spy agreed. ?I can work with that distinction.?

  ?So can I.? Null agreed.

  Ealdred refocused on Void, his expression returning to that emotionless neutrality.

  "But I need to understand expectations. What is she supposed to learn? What are the actual goals here?" He paused, and his next words carried subtle weight. "She's clearly special to you. I need to know what you want for her. What success looks like in your eyes."

  Void felt Null's attention sharpen through the bond. "Special to you," she repeated internally. "He said that. Why did he say that?"

  ?Because it's obvious,? Spy noted. ?The way you look at her. The indulgence. The protection. The whole reason this project exists. Anyone observing would see it.?

  Void met Ealdred's gaze, considering his answer carefully.

  "She wants to learn to interact with people," he said finally. "To understand social skills. To exist as more than just a weapon."

  Simple. Direct. Honest.

  The truth they'd been building toward since the day Spy suggested this plan.

  Ealdred's gaze went distant again. His voice dropping to that thinking-aloud quality.

  "Hmm. Service skills sufficient to fool the retards... that's manageable. Monster wanting to fit in, to appear human—complex psychology but not impossible to work with. She's clearly more intelligent than..." He trailed off, reconsidering. "Hiding behind the maid dress. Clever approach, actually. Gives her structure, purpose, social framework..."

  Through the bond, Spy's voice was dry. ?Does this guy think the entire world is retarded? Those 'fools' he's talking about fooling are literally everyone except him and maybe a handful of other maid experts.?

  ?He's... special,? Void said diplomatically.

  ?He's borderline mentally ill,? Spy corrected. ?His worldview is seriously warped. We should be VERY careful about whatever he wants or plans. He doesn't seem to want bad things, but his beliefs are deeply concerning.?

  ?Noted,? Null said, watching Ealdred continue his internal analysis. ?But he's also the first person who's looked at me and immediately understood I'm not what I'm pretending to be. That's... actually refreshing? In a deeply uncomfortable way.?

  ?It's professional expertise,? Void observed. ?He knows maids so thoroughly that anything fake stands out immediately. Like how you can spot bad combat technique because you've mastered it.?

  ?Exactly. Uncomfortable but not threatening. Just... accurate.?

  Ealdred was still muttering fragments. "Standard conditioning won't work... need alternative frameworks... social learning through observation maybe... reinforcement through success rather than punishment..."

  He refocused suddenly, his eyes snapping back to Void with sharp clarity.

  "Alright. I understand now." His tone was decisive. Certain. "She's your first, yes? They're always special. The first one you acquire, the first one you invest in properly. She's probably one of the main reasons you're doing this entire project."

  It wasn't quite a question. More like a statement seeking confirmation.

  Void hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."

  Through the bond: ?First one I acquired. That's... technically accurate, I suppose. He thinks you bought me or found me. That I'm your first battlemaid or whatever he thinks I am.?

  ?And he's right that she's why we're doing this,? Spy added. ?Just not for the reasons he probably thinks.?

  "Good," Ealdred said, satisfaction clear in his voice despite the continued emotional flatness. "Honesty. I appreciate that."

  He leaned back slightly. "Now. Dietary requirements. What does she need?"

  The question hung in the air.

  Void, Null, and Spy all hesitated simultaneously.

  ?Did he just—?

  ?He asked about diet.?

  ?Why would he ask about DIET??

  ?Does he know she needs Life Essence? How could he possibly—?

  ?We agreed no lies. Have to answer honestly.?

  Void took a breath. Decided on the most truthful answer he could give without excessive detail.

  "Living beings. Monsters preferably, though humanoids work if necessary."

  Simple. Direct. True.

  Ealdred's eyes narrowed slightly. Not quite satisfaction. Not quite annoyance. Something between.

  "Not the complete answer I wanted," he said flatly. "But a direction, at least. Enough to work with."

  A pause. Then his expression shifted to something that might have been approval.

  "Humanoids it is, then."

  Just like that. No moral judgment. No questions about methods or frequency or how they acquired targets. Just acceptance of the information as logistical data.

  Clinical. Professional. Exactly what his tone had suggested all along.

  Through the bond: ?He just... accepted that. No shock. No questions. Just 'humanoids work.'?

  ?Told you he doesn't care about human life,? Spy observed. ?762 whip hits for training. This is someone who sees people as resources.?

  ?Deeply concerning,? Void agreed. ?But also... useful? He won't judge us for what we need to survive.?

  Ealdred stood. "I need to speak with the builder. Privately, to finalize some details." His gaze moved between Void and Null. "Wait here. This won't take long."

  He deactivated the privacy devices with a gesture, collected them methodically, and left the room.

  The door closed behind him.

  Minutes passed. Five. Then ten.

  Void and Null sat in silence, processing everything that had just happened. The report. The confrontation. The acceptance.

  Void through the bond: ?He's... not what I expected.?

  ?No one ever is,? Null replied. ?But he seems willing to work with us. That's more than we had before.?

  ?Still dangerous,? Spy cautioned. ?Don't forget what he is. What he's capable of.?

  ?We won't.? Null acknowledged.

  Null's defensive posture had relaxed slightly, but she remained alert. Ready. Whatever came next, she'd be prepared.

  Then the door opened.

  Ealdred entered, the twin fox-maids following behind him in perfect synchronization. Their matching uniforms still pristine, their movements still unnervingly unified.

  "Apologies for the delay," Ealdred said, his tone back to flat professionalism. "Needed to handle some matters with the builder. He's gone now. We can proceed."

  He gestured to the twins. "Let the girls play for a bit. Give them something to do while we handle business."

  The twins' fox ears perked up in unison. They looked at each other—or at themselves?—with what might have been excitement.

  Then they approached Null directly.

  One of them pulled a small ornate box from her uniform. Held it out toward Null with both hands. An offering.

  Void's eyes locked onto the box. His entire body went rigid.

  Through the bond, Null felt his shock. Pure, overwhelming shock.

  "What? What is it?"

  ?That box. The markings. The enchantment signature. That's—?

  Spy's voice cut in, equally surprised. ?Void, you've told us about this world. About magic systems. We've asked about teleportation before. You said it doesn't exist. Not even in theory. Not even in legends or myths.?

  ?It DOESN'T! I've never—not in any book, any story, any historical record—I've never even heard the CONCEPT discussed! Spatial magic exists, yes. Dimensional storage. Portals between fixed locations that take hours to establish. But instant teleportation? Moving someone from one place to another in moments? That's not even considered POSSIBLE in magical theory! It violates fundamental principles!?

  ?Then what is that box??

  Void's voice was barely a whisper through the connection. ?It's labeled. I can read the enchantment script. It says... 'Teleportation Key (Fixed Target).'?

  "TELEPORTATION EXISTS?!" Void blurted out loud, his composure completely shattered.

  Ealdred's eyebrows rose slightly. The first real expression of surprise Null had seen from him.

  "Oh. You know about teleportation?" He actually sounded relieved. "Good. I don't need to explain then. That saves time—I'm not good at question-and-answer anyway. Terrible at teaching theory. Much better at practical demonstration."

  "How long?" Null asked aloud, her voice quiet but clear. Addressing Ealdred directly. "How long... boring talk?"

  Ealdred's expression shifted again. That twisted smile returning. Like her question pleased him somehow.

  "Few hours at most. Contracts, terms, operational details. Very dull. You'd hate it."

  He paused, then continued. "But your play with the twins may take longer. Probably will take longer, actually. Especially if you feel hungry afterward and need to... handle that."

  His eyes moved toward the twins briefly.

  "So to be honest? No more than two days."

  The twins responded immediately—not with spoken words, but with a musical, childlike voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. Telepathic. Unified.

  "Two days maximum. We'll be back. Promise~"

  The same voice. The same tone. One consciousness speaking through whatever method they used.

  Through the bond, Void's panic intensified. ?TWO DAYS?! He's taking you away for TWO DAYS?!?

  Ealdred saw the hesitation. The worry radiating from both of them despite their attempts to hide it.

  His expression softened further—as much as his emotionless features could soften.

  "Think of this as the first step in her training," he said, his tone almost gentle. "Learning to fit in means learning to act independently sometimes. Even the most devoted local maids aren't constantly at their master's side. They have duties. Errands. Time away. This separation—two days—should be good for both of you."

  Ealdred looked directly at Null. "Don't worry. Your master will be fine. I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

  The reassurance was oddly touching despite the clinical delivery.

  The twins stepped closer to Null, both holding the ornate box between them. Their small hands gripping it from opposite sides.

  They looked at her with those unified eyes. Smiled with one smile across two faces.

  "Put your hands on it too" The telepathic voice was warm. Inviting. "It doesn't hurt. Just feels tingly for a moment"

  Through the bond, Void's distress was palpable. ?Mistress, you don't have to do this. We can refuse. Figure out another way. I don't want you gone for two days when we don't know where you're going or—?

  "Void." Null's mental voice was calm. Certain. "He's right. We need to learn to be apart sometimes. And I'm curious. About teleportation. About what 'play' means. About these twins and their strange nature."

  ?But two days—?

  "Will pass. You'll be fine. Ealdred will make sure. And I'll be fine too. The twins seem... nice. Weird, but nice."

  ?I don't like this.?

  ?I know. But I'm doing it anyway.?

  Null reached forward and placed her hands on the box alongside the twins.

  The moment her skin made contact, she felt it. Magic activating. Strange magic. Unlike anything she'd experienced before.

  Space around them began to warp. Not violently. Not dramatically. Just... shifting. Like reality was bending, folding, creating a path that shouldn't exist.

  The twins smiled wider. "Here we go~"

  Void watched, frozen, as the air around Null and the twins seemed to ripple. Distort. Like looking through water or heat waves.

  Then they were gone.

  Not fading. Not vanishing dramatically. Just... not there anymore. The space they'd occupied was simply empty. No flash. No sound. No spectacle.

  Just absence.

  Void gasped, his hand reaching forward instinctively toward where Null had been standing.

  The connection between them—that soul bond that had been constant since the seed—was still there. He could feel it.

  But it was weak. Faint. Distant.