The next day, the brilliant sunrise cast its radiant golden beams through the window of a suite in a high-end hotel.
Inside the room, sprawled across a mid-sized bed, Sam sat up abruptly, drenched in sweat. He was nearly naked, wearing nothing but his underwear. He stared at his surroundings in utter bewilderment, a crushing wave of dizziness and nausea hitting him instantly. His stomach churned as if it were about to revolt.
Scanning the room, he saw his clothes discarded haphazardly on the floor. He was entirely alone.
Did I do it? he wondered, his mind racing. Did I finally lose my virginity? Am I finally a man of experience? But with whom?! A chaotic swirl of emotions—joy, suspicion, and regret—hit him all at once. It was a sensation beyond description. "But who was that woman then?"
The aftereffects of the alcohol were still potent, and his memories were a fragmented blur. He recalled meeting a beautiful lady last night... was it her? Impossible. But if not her, then who?
"Alright, I need to get out of here before Clara starts questioning my whereabouts. Where's my phone?"
He spotted his phone lying on the floor and scrambled to grab it, desperately trying to piece together the shattered remains of his memory. Yes, he remembered something—leaving the restaurant and heading to the hotel right next to it. He remembered the beautiful lady entering the room with him... what was her name again?
But the System wouldn't let him dwell on his thoughts. Suddenly, the holographic notification flared to life before him:
[Congratulations to the Host! "Sarah Smorguth" has been appointed as a 'Master' in the Pivotal Servant System. Your daily rewards will now be calculated at this exact time every day, based on the Master's satisfaction.]
The words caught in Sam's throat. Before he could even begin to process the magnitude of what he had done while drunk, he heard the sound of the door clicking open.
What he saw next was the last thing he expected.
A girl walked in—a "Loli" figure, petite and only slightly taller than him, with soft features, sky-blue hair, and striking violet eyes. She was wearing the Academy uniform, but it was far more intricate and prestigious than Clara's.
Who is this girl, and what is she doing here?!
Sam immediately scrambled to hide, praying to whatever gods were listening that she wouldn't see him. He was convinced he had blundered into the wrong room, and as she looked like a third-year student, he feared he wouldn't live to see another day.
But he couldn't escape her gaze. The girl sighed, crossing her arms with a knowing smirk.
"Come out, you idiot... I know you're hiding."
Sam crawled out from his hiding spot, dragging himself on his belly like a miserable worm.
"My Lady... please, do not misunderstand me. I am not a thief, I swear! But I am willing to go to the police station and turn myself in right now if that is what you wish."
Sarah ignored his frantic pleas. Suddenly, a blinding light swirled around her. Her clothes vanished in a brilliant magical flash as her silhouette stretched and shifted. Her features matured, and every part of her body transformed until she stood before him—mature, radiant, and breathtakingly seductive.
"It's me, you fool."
As Sam stared at her, his eyes wide after this bizarre transformation, the memories flooded back. He recognized her instantly—the beautiful lady from the night before.
"The beautiful lady... I remember now! You were supporting me, helping me get here last night."
Sarah let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you also remember vomiting all over me?"
Sam bowed his head in deep shame. "I am so sorry, my beautiful lady. This servant deserves whatever punishment you deem fit."
After a flurry of words, Sam realized with a mix of relief and confusion that he hadn't lost his virginity after all; it had all been in his overactive imagination. The reason his clothes were gone was simply that he had soiled them entirely while under the influence of alcohol.
She tossed a new servant's uniform toward him. "What is this?" he asked, startled.
She replied instantly, "A new uniform to replace your old one. Since you are also my servant starting today, I am prepared to cover your expenses—as long as you aren't stupid. I am also ready to fund your betting club project and settle the paperwork for a legal charitable foundation to funnel the funds through."
The information was so overwhelming that Sam could only gasp. "Wait... wait! Let me think... how do you know all of this?"
Before she could even recount everything he had blabbed to her the previous night, Sam was already crumpled in the corner, weeping in a fit of depression. Even the knowledge that he had earned System rewards while asleep—which he could collect now—wasn't enough to heal the psychological trauma of knowing that someone now held all his secrets.
He needed a backup plan. Fast.
Trying to pull himself together, he finally stepped out of the hotel. Sarah had ordered her driver to take him back to the Academy. As he arrived, the Academy's grand architecture loomed in the distance, looking just as it did on his very first day.
As he finally stepped out of the car at the Academy gates, Sam opened the System status interface:
Name: Sam Wells
Race: Ordinary Human (Male)
Age: 23
Profession: Servant (Smorgoth Duchy)
Height: 163 cm
Master: Clara Smorgoth (SSS+) / Sarah Smorguth (SS+)
Stats:
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 3
Adaptability: 30
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 155
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Free Points: 32
Core Skills:
(Cooking): Does not meet requirements for Level 1
(Etiquette): Does not meet requirements for Level 1
(Cleaning): Level 1 (somewhat)
(Tea Ceremony): Does not meet requirements for Level 1
(Flattery/Sycophancy): Level 6 (Talented)
(Creativity): Level 10 (Talented)
Items in System Storage:
Technique Book:The Optimal Servant: Original Limited Edition
Mana Absorption Technique Book for Servants (Knowledge Absorption)
Sam read through the updates carefully, immediately noticing his gains: twenty stat points and a Mana manual.
This seems useful, he thought. If I can master magic, it will be a solid way to defend myself.
He pressed the "Knowledge Absorption" icon. Instantly, the information flowed directly into his mind. He began to grasp the laws of the world and the intricate workings of Mana. The technique was undeniably high-grade, despite having "Servant" in its title.
Looking back at his stats, he noticed a new addition:
Mana: 0
The Mana attribute had been unlocked.
After a moment of deliberation, Sam decided to allocate exactly ten points to it. As soon as the addition was confirmed, an icy chill surged through his cells. His vision sharpened, and his five senses felt slightly heightened.
All this transpired before he even reached Clara's suite, where he was bracing for the worst. Standing before the door, he decided to ring the bell instead of using his key immediately.
No one answered.
Sam eventually used his personal key to enter, only to find Clara lying on the bed, her hair completely disheveled, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Hello, My Lady. How are things?"
She didn't move. She didn't say a word.
She didn't seem to be in the mood for talking.
Sam moved away slightly, but his eyes drifted toward the suite's large screen and the gaming console connected to it. The game was paused right in the middle of a battle; the small Mochi character was standing defiantly against the Ruler's Arm.
It was clear she had been trying to defeat it using only Mochi.
She failed in the end... Was she trying to replicate my achievement? Well, I wish her luck, Sam thought to himself.
Just as he was about to retreat, Clara finally opened her mouth.
"Teach me..."
Sam turned to find her gazing at him as she finally approached.
"Make me defeat Edmund... just like you did."
Sam smiled, a trace of anxiety flickering in his expression at the weight of her request.