I, the villain, trained the loser into a dark boss

"I… I just noticed the young master had fallen asleep," Yiel stammered, lowering her head shyly. "So… I brought a blanket to cover you."

It was, of course, a lie.

In truth, she hadn't left the door entirely. After hearing the story in class earlier that day—the one about the loyal hound and its master—she couldn't stop imagining herself as the dog and the young master as the owner. Her mind replayed the painful image of him walking away, holding a little fire dragon and saying, "I don't need you anymore."

So, instead of leaving, she had pushed the door open just enough to peek inside.

She saw Will slowly slumping forward, his head bobbing with sleep, and even heard faint snores.

But now, she had to lie.

What kind of loyal maid spies on her master? How could she sink so low?!

"Huh?" Will said, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you leave earlier? How strange…"

He glanced at the moon outside the window. "I haven't been asleep for long—maybe ten minutes. It's a bit suspicious that you realized so quickly and came back with a blanket."

Yiel, who had been sleepy earlier, now straightened her ears, brightened her eyes, and wagged her tail nervously.

The young master was too sharp. She couldn't hide anything from him!

Finally, Yiel decided to confess.

"Well… um… I was copying Three Hundred Questions About Darkness…"

"Oh? And?"

"One of the questions was about what to do if the man you like closes the door and doesn't let you in…"

Will's instincts sharpened.

"It said to peek through the crack in the door! I got curious and tried it. I saw the young master slumping at his desk, so I thought you had fallen asleep, and…" She lowered her head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry!"

Before Yiel could finish her apology, Will pulled her into a hug.

The hug was warm, heavy, and comforting. It felt as though Will was trying to reassure her.

Yiel could hear his steady breathing.

And alongside it… her own heartbeat, which was growing faster and faster.

This was the first time Will had ever hugged her.

Normally, he kept a "respectful" distance from her—so unlike the stories she had heard about other nobles and their maids. He never touched her without asking first, always careful to ensure she was comfortable.

This made the hug feel unusual, even worrying.

What had he dreamed about? Yiel wondered. Why did he call my name in his sleep?

"Master… did you have a nightmare?" she asked softly.

Will didn't answer immediately. She felt his breath near her ear as he exhaled deeply.

"It's fine now," he said quietly. "It's just… I'm relieved you've been learning."

Yet, as he spoke, he tightened the hug, gently patting her back.

His words, often laced with jokes, were hard to decipher. But this time, Yiel felt certain he meant what he said.

He truly wanted her to succeed in his lessons.

"Listen closely," Will began, his tone suddenly more intense.

"Huh?"

"I will help you be reborn through fire. I'll nourish your soul with hatred, arm you with a shield of ice, and let you destroy dragons and stars alike. The one you love will kneel before you—forever."

Yiel blinked, completely lost.

Is the young master dreaming while awake?

"Master… maybe you should get some sleep," she suggested nervously. "You're acting… um… scarier than usual. Yiel is very worried…"

"Yaaawn…" Yiel stretched, groggily rubbing her eyes. "I didn't get enough sleep last night… I shouldn't have spied on the young master…"

She stood in front of the mirror, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. With a sigh, she reached for the collar on the table.

The icy sensation of the collar against her neck made her shiver.

Today, Will had canceled her morning training. He had told her they'd be doing something important later, something that might exhaust her physically and magically.

As she walked through the corridor, the murmurs of other maids reached her sensitive wolf ears:

"See? Will isn't any different from the rest of the System family."

"Hmph. I thought he was serious about magic and different from his older brothers, but no… look at that collar."

"He's just like the others. Putting a collar on his personal maid? Disgusting."

Hearing this, Yiel's fists clenched. She turned, ready to shout, "The young master isn't like that!"

But the maids gossiping were over ten meters away.

She touched her ears.

Her training must have paid off—her senses were sharper now. She could hear conversations even from a distance.

Still, the words hurt.

Yiel stopped in front of Will's door, her heart heavy.

The young master works so hard for me. He stays up late every night, sacrificing his time to help me grow stronger. And yet, people misunderstand him like this…

She felt a pang of sadness.

I have to get stronger—to protect him.

Steeling herself, Yiel knocked on the door.

"Come in. I'll be ready in a minute," Will called out.

As Yiel entered, her usual smile vanished.

Will was lying on his bed without a shirt. A medium-sized slime sat on his back, caged but oozing viscous liquid down his skin.

He was wearing his glasses, holding a sheet of scratch paper, and reading it enthusiastically.

"Don't look so shocked," he said casually. "I figured it's not fair for you to train alone. I need to start preparing for my own fate."

Will adjusted his glasses, then lifted the trembling slime off his back.

"This is a trial. Since I know my fate can't be changed, I might as well get used to it now—"

"At least put on some clothes, Master," Yiel interrupted.

"Fate tells me I'll be naked when I face it."

"Master, please be normal," Yiel sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

For all her worry last night, Will didn't seem bothered at all by what others thought of him. He always went his own way, oblivious to their opinions.

And yet…

The memory of his hug lingered in her mind. The way he held her so tightly, as if afraid she'd leave.

Thinking of that moment, Yiel smiled to herself.

"It's fine. Everything's fine," she said quietly. "Today is a big day, right? Let's focus on that."

Will nodded confidently. "Exactly. The Extreme Flame Meteor is ready for testing. Let's begin!"

But as he stepped out of bed, his foot landed on slime residue.

Yiel barely had time to react before his glasses went flying, and she bit her lip to stifle her laughter.