The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

"Excuse me..." Annie and Laura arrived just in time, knocking on the dining room door, causing both Leona and Bastian to divert their attention towards them simultaneously.

Leona addressed them, her gaze shifting between the two. "Are you new maids as well?"

Initially puzzled by the term 'also,' Annie and Laura's confusion quickly dissipated as they noticed the bewildered elf maid standing nearby.

"Yes, my lady," Laura responded first, gracefully kneeling before Leona.

Annie, upon seeing Laura's submissive gesture, was momentarily rendered speechless. Sensing the penetrating stare from Leona, she felt a chill run down her spine. Gathering herself, she spoke in a subdued tone, "I, too, am a new maid, my lady," and mirrored Laura's motion by kneeling in front of Leona.

Leona's expression twitched as she observed the beauty and grace exuded by these two maids who now served in their household. She then glanced at her son and found him looking back at her with a confident smile.

"All these new maids were recruited by me, mother," Desmond spoke, his words causing some of the pressure Leona had been exerting on Annie and Laura to dissipate.

Observing this shift in dynamics, Desmond continued to explain the reasons behind his decision to seek out new maids.

...

After hearing her son's explanations, Laura found herself torn between wanting to praise or scold him. The main objective was to infuse a livelier atmosphere among the maids in the house, moving away from the notion of them being mere puppets following orders. Additionally, it served as a means to enhance their family's façade of strength in the kingdom.

Naturally, Desmond didn't disclose anything about his experiment with the elf maid. He instructed the other maids to either forget the careless words he had spoken or the incident involving his hand's disappearance. He advised them to act as though he had been bitten by the Husk Wolf he had purchased.

Moreover, he chose not to divulge to his parents the details of the class he had recently acquired. To justify his racial transformation, he used the excuse of being bitten by a Husk Wolf to deceive them. Sometimes, keeping certain information to oneself, even from one's own parents, seemed to be the best course of action, Desmond pondered.

"In my opinion, the reasoning seems quite sound," Bastian interjected, his expression serious as he lent his support to Desmond.

Laura couldn't help but roll her eyes upon hearing Bastian's statement. Just admit that you want to have charming, beautiful, and fresh new maids! She silently scoffed in her mind.

Meanwhile, Leona fell into a contemplative silence, appearing to genuinely consider the situation at hand. Desmond's nerves were already on edge, as the success of his plan would be significantly compromised without the presence of Laura and Annie, possibly by at least 50%.

"Mother, I actually have one important reason that could make you support my decision," Desmond hastily interjected as he observed his mother's lips moving, seemingly ready to refuse.

Leona and Bastian turned their attention towards their son, intrigued by the promise of a compelling reason that fueled his confidence.

Before Desmond could delve into his explanation, he glanced at his new maids and gestured for them to leave the room.

Once all the maids, including the one who had called Annie and Laura, had departed, Desmond focused his gaze on his mother.

Leona understood the significance of the maids leaving and chanted an incantation, closing her eyes.

"Advance Spell: World Isolation!"

An invisible dimension materialized from the space between Leona's palms, slowly expanding until it enveloped the entire room.

Initially, Desmond didn't sense any changes, but he soon realized that the usual sounds of wind gusts that permeated through doors, windows, and the roof of their house were no longer audible.

Bastian maintained his calm composure, silently observing the situation, though a glint flashed in his eyes. Desmond, sensing the success of the dimension, turned his attention back to his parents.

"In truth, I merely wish to take them with me to the academy," Desmond calmly stated, causing his parents' eyes to widen.

Before they could respond, Desmond preemptively continued, "Of course, the elf maid's case makes it impossible for her to join, but I have a feeling something significant will occur there."

Bastian, genuinely concerned, inquired, "Does this relate to the kidnapping case of your elder sister, Alice?"

Leona added, narrowing her eyes at her son, "We also investigated that case, but we couldn't find any useful information."

"Don't look at me like that; I merely instructed the new maids to investigate, and they yielded good results," Desmond paused briefly. "Hence, their abilities have already proven to be valuable."

Desmond knew that if he revealed the truth, that he had acquired the information himself by infiltrating the enemy's base and losing his hand in the process, his parents might not react with pride or gratitude. Instead, they might punish him for his recklessness or even find it difficult to believe in his newfound power.

Desmond contemplated the possibility that his parents might still feel unsafe, even with the protection provided by the kingdom. He understood that their concerns were valid.

Leona and Bastian remained silent for a while after hearing Desmond's explanation. They couldn't easily believe that their son had obtained such crucial information through his own actions, but they also couldn't completely dismiss the possibility.

"If this information is accurate, then we could also accompany you to the city," Leona began, but Bastian interjected, stopping her mid-sentence. "No, dear, we can't go with our son, at least not until you take care of the piled-up reports." He extended his hand to halt her from continuing.

Leona's spirit dampened when reminded of the troublesome task awaiting her. "Um... can't we do that next year?" Leona leaned against her husband's chest, acting somewhat spoiled.

Leona, as a Master Witch, had the responsibility of submitting a monthly report to the king. Unlike Bastian, whose duties were more manageable, Leona often procrastinated her task, leading to a mounting pile of reports.

"No. Do you want Noel to punish you again?" Bastian responded firmly and strictly, reminding Leona of the punishment their friend, Noel, had previously imposed on her.

Recalling the incident, Leona's expression soured. She averted her gaze and attempted to change the subject. "What are your plans for bringing the maids to the academy?" Leona remembered that the academy's rules strictly prohibited bringing pets or maids as companions.

However, she swallowed her words moments later as she noticed Annie and Laura engaged in conversation with the other maids. Leona understood that they merely needed false identities. She nodded in agreement, realizing their plan.

Observing his perceptive mother, Desmond felt a sense of happiness. Having an intelligent person in the family truly saved energy, he thought.

While Desmond and his mother shared an understanding, he secretly glanced at his father, who remained silent, observing them like statues.

With this important matter resolved, Desmond went on to express his desire to enhance his skills, from swordsmanship to learning new spells.

"Father," Desmond began, his voice tinged with a hint of excitement, "I've been eager to seek your guidance on sword techniques."

Bastian's eyes lit up as he locked his gaze onto his son, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Sure, my boy! Are we going to practice right away?" Enthusiasm radiated from his every word, as if the prospect of honing their skills together filled him with boundless energy.

*BANG!*

"Ouch...." Bastian winced, feeling the impact of something striking his head. He swiftly turned to see his wife, Leona, standing there with a mix of concern and exhaustion etched across her face.

"You fool! Aren't you exhausted?" Leona's weariness was palpable, accentuated by a faint wrinkle forming at the corners of her eyes. "We've just arrived after an entire day on the horse-drawn carriage without a moment's rest."

"Hahaha..." Bastian chuckled awkwardly, realizing his oversight. "You're right, my love. As Leona said, we'll postpone it until tomorrow."

Desmond, momentarily taken aback by the exchange, simply nodded in response to his father's decision. "I also wish to learn some spells from Mother."

"Hmm? Haven't you already mastered quite a few spells?" Leona inquired, having heard rumors during their journey that Desmond had vanquished a former noble's son twice with a spell of remarkable prowess.

"They were just basic elemental spells," Desmond admitted, a wry smile playing on his lips. Though his magical potential rivaled that of a second-tier Wizard, his control over spells remained limited. "For instance, the spells I've learned so far are pre-programmed into my system. I still need to comprehend their inner workings to truly master them."

Leona paused, considering her son's request carefully. "Well, I can teach you a few spells, but bear in mind that they may not align perfectly with your elemental affinities." She mused, pondering which spells would be most suitable for his development.

"Moreover," she continued, her tone taking on a thoughtful edge, "you'll have the opportunity to learn a wide array of spells at the academy. Are you certain of your intentions?"

Leona couldn't help but wonder if Desmond was squandering his youthful years, repeating the same spells. After all, a bright future awaited him, perhaps even a romantic connection with a lovely young woman.

"Of course, Mother," Desmond responded firmly, a subtle twitch flickering across his face. He understood his mother's underlying message, yet he needed to clarify his true intentions. "The sooner I learn, the better. But I must assure you, my interest in Diana is merely a friendly endeavor. There's no intention of proposing or harboring romantic affections."

He wished to convey to Leona that his involvement with Diana was purely a transaction of assistance, devoid of any deep emotional attachment.