A short while later, a soft click echoed through the newly quiet room as Ethan emerged from the bathroom.
He ran a hand through his damp, freshly washed hair, a deep, contented sigh escaping his lips.
"Ahhh... I feel so much better."
He murmured to himself, the words feeling alien and unfamiliar on his tongue, yet undeniably satisfying.
He glanced back at the space he had just vacated, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the glimpse of the lavish interior.
He thought while shaking his head slightly in awe.
"Seriously, this bathroom, It wasn't just clean, it was like something out of a five-star fantasy resort."
With polished marble everywhere, gold plated fixtures, a tub big enough to swim in, and water that smelled faintly of lavender and something expensive.
The memory of his old apartment's cramped, perpetually damp shower flashed through his mind.
Never in my entire life could I have even dreamed of affording something like that.
This 'Young Master' definitely lived a life of insane luxury.
The stark contrast between his past reality and this newfound extravagance continued to hit him, a jarring mix of disbelief and undeniable comfort.
Ethan finally snapped out of his awe. As his eyes adjusted to the newly organized space, he noticed Elara.
She was almost done with cleaning the room because the polished floor now gleamed, and she was meticulously smoothing out the last few wrinkles on the freshly changed bed covers, blankets, and pillows.
The entire transformation had been swift and thorough.
"Whoa.. the room's already clean? That fast?"
"Wait a minute..."
A sudden realization struck Ethan, making him blink. He'd seen her carrying a bucket, scrubbing, and changing sheets.
"She did all of that... manually?"
Ethan was confused because in Aethelgard Online, low-level cleaning spells were common among even basic household staff.
He remembered some characters or NPCs could tidy up a room with a flick of a wrist and a whispered incantation because there are low ranked characters that are commonly recieved has spells for daily chores, specially those with a servant occupation.
And yet, she had used only sheer effort and careful hands.
"Elara"
Ethan asked, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity.
"Why did you clean everything manually? Don't you... use magic for such tasks?"
Elara paused, a fresh pillow clutched in her hands, and turned to face him, a faint look of confusion flickering across her features.
"Hm?"
"Why would the Young Master ask such a strange question? Does he not remember?"
She thought, before she quickly dismissing it. It was not her place to question.
Noticing the fleeting confusion on her face, Ethan quickly cut in before she could answer.
"Ah, right," he chuckled, waving a dismissive hand.
"I forgot. I think my head's still a bit shaken after my last night's drinking."
"Oh, Young Master," she replied, her voice soft and a little hesitant;
"I cannot use magic, sir. I do not possess a Tome of Arcana."
She then quickly added, as if to clarify the obvious;
"Most of the household servants do not own a tome, Young Master, and therefore cannot use magic."
"Tome of Arcana..."
The term hit Ethan with a jolt of surprise, even though he'd half-expected it.
He still clearly remembered the voice, the 'DEFEAT' screen, and the impossible pull into this world.
That implied Aethelgard Online's mechanics were at play, yet something was different.
He frowned, his mind racing, questions popping in his head again.
"Why did the servants not possess a Tome? And why can't they use magic just because of that?"
"In the game, anyone could learn basic spells, even without a high-tier tome."
"Tomes usually amplified magic or unlocked higher-tier spells, they weren't always a pre-requisite for basic spellcasting."
A new, unsettling thought formed.
"Is it just the servants who are affected by this, or worse, are more important characters also unable to use magic?"
His brow furrowed in deeper confusion.
Then, a chilling question solidified in his mind;
"Wait, can I even use magic myself?"
He tried to recall anything specific about this body's abilities, but his memory of the previous Young Master was a blank slate.
He clenched his fist, a sudden urgency overtaking him.
"And how much more is different from what I remember from the game?"
His problems are starting to show and pile up in a rapid rate.
While Ethan was lost deep in his unsettling thoughts, Elara, sensing his quiet contemplation, began to call out to him softly.
"Young Master...? Young Master?"
Her voice was a faint, hesitant murmur at first, then slightly louder,
"Y-Young Master!"
Ethan finally snapped out of his trance, blinking.
"Oh, sorry about that," he said, waving a hand dismissively.
"I was deep in my thoughts."
He then glanced down at himself, noticing he was still only wearing a fluffy white bathrobe.
A faint flush touched his cheeks.
"Ah, I even forgot I'm still only in my bathrobe."
He looked back at Elara, offering a polite smile.
"Could you... perhaps pick something suitable for me to wear?"
Elara immediately dipped into a small curtsy.
"Yes, Young Master! Of course!"
She turned quickly towards the large, ornate wardrobe on the far wall.
"I shall select something appropriate and wait for you outside the door."
Moments later, Elara reappeared at the bathroom doorway, her arms carefully holding a set of garments. She presented them to him with a slight bow.
"Here's your clothes, Young Master."
Without waiting for a reply, she quickly turned to wait just outside the door as promised.
Ethan took the clothes. They felt rich, substantial. He quickly shed the bathrobe and began to dress.
The ensemble was primarily black, a deep, rich shade that seemed to absorb the light. It consisted of a tailored tunic with long sleeves, subtly embroidered with dark, intricate patterns along the cuffs and collar.
Over that went a finely woven vest, also black, with polished silver buttons that gleamed dully. The trousers were a darker shade of grey, slim but comfortable, and he noted the high-quality leather of the boots that came with them.
Everything looks perfects yet they are loosely fit on him, like it was a little large for his body.
Once dressed, he moved towards a tall, ornate mirror on one of the room's remaining clear walls.
He stopped before it, taking in his reflection. The clothes certainly looked expensive, befitting a noble.
But as his gaze lingered on his own figure, a new wave of confusion washed over him.
"Why do I look so... thin?"
He murmured, turning slightly from side to side.
His frame was noticeably slender, almost unnaturally so for someone in a position of power.
In all the RPGs he'd ever played, nobles were usually depicted as either too well-fed and short, enjoying too many banquets, or, if they were warriors or mages, possessing a healthy, robust physique.
This body, however, felt weak, almost too unrefined. It was tall, certainly, but it lacked the bulk or definition he'd come to associate with fantasy aristocracy.
It feels unnatural. Like a character model that hasn't fully loaded its muscle texture, he thought, a flicker of unease passing through him.
He quickly dismissed the thought. He wouldn't get any answers by just staring at himself in a mirror, nor by wondering about the previous Young Master's unnatural physique.
He had to move, gather information, and understand this world.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Ethan turned from the mirror and walked towards the door, where Elara was patiently waiting.
He opened the door and stepped out, Elara immediately looking up, her gaze falling on his newly dressed figure.
*Illustration
She didn't feel any hint of the paralyzing fear that had gripped her earlier and all the days before.
Instead, she saw a well-dressed, seemingly motivated Young Master, and for the first time, she met his eyes without flinching, a flicker of something akin to curiosity, perhaps even slight trust, replacing her usual worry and discomfort.
Ethan, seeing Elara waiting patiently for him, decided to indulge his playful side once more.
He gave a gentle smile, a genuinely amused glint in his eyes, and began to walk slowly towards her.
He stopped just a comfortable distance in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head back slightly to maintain eye contact, given that she was a bit smaller than him.
Elara remained still, staring up at his face, her gaze unwavering as Ethan continued to hold her eyes, his smile lingering.
Elara's cheeks, still faintly pink from his previous kindness, deepened to a rich crimson.
She swallowed, trying to find her voice, and finally managed;
"Y-Young Master... you look... you look w-wonderful."
Her stutter was soft, a sign of her fluster.
Without missing a beat, Ethan's smile widened slightly, and he leaned in just a fraction, his voice dropping to a smooth, almost soothing tone.
"And you look absolutely beautiful as well, Elara." He replied, his gaze warm and direct.
The compliment hit Elara with a force comparable to a punch.
Her eyes widened, her jaw dropping slightly. Her face exploded in a fiery blush, and for a second, a faint, almost imperceptible puff of smoke curled delicately from her forehead, as if her internal fluster had reached a boiling point.
Ethan blinked, noticing the state of the poor innocent girl.
He immediately straightened up, his smile turning into a sheepish grin.
"Oops..! I might have done it now. I was having too much fun that I lost control of my playful side for a second."
He muttered while stepping back a little.
He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. He then composed himself, his eyes refocusing.
"So, Elara, where do we go now?"
He asked, his tone now back to a more casual, commanding ease.
***
/I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If its alright, please drop a comment or a powerstone to help me keep making this world bigger!