[Task Completed]
The moment the prompt chimed, Eileen and the body of Princess Lillian were immediately teleported back to Atiste.
She held the “Magic Sword Core” in her hand, still frozen in the pose of finishing off Dorechiut in a single blow.
Eileen stared blankly at the scene before her.
The familiar hall, the familiar emptiness, and her familiar Master.
“I… am back? Master?”
“Yes. The task was completed right at the limit, but where has ‘Lillian’ gone?”
“I… I don’t know… I am currently inside her body, so shouldn’t I be the one asking where my body has gone?”
Atiste looked at Eileen, his eyes completely lacking their previous appreciation.
“No, this is wrong. Everything is wrong. Eileen, you cannot replace the ‘Art Piece,’ and the Art Piece cannot replace you…”
Atiste truly felt a headache coming on this time.
[Task Reward: Time Reversal Card (24 hours)]
[Task Reward 2: Storage Space +1]
[Current Inventory: 11 slots total, 2 slots occupied. Occupied items: Letter of the Brave’s Childhood Friend, Time Reversal Card (24 hours) X1]
Atiste had no interest in engaging with the system, which had suddenly decided to behave normally.
He sat upon his “Artist’s Seat,” clutching his forehead in deep thought.
“Master… even if you stay silent like this… I…”
“No, no, no, Eileen, don’t speak for a moment. Let me think about what to do.”
The system had just given him a Time Reversal Card.
If he used this card to return to before the task began, he would certainly be able to stop Lillian from transforming into a storm and taking Eileen back into the past.
But that would be meaningless, as it would doom Lillian to never achieve any growth, and any further creation of “Art Pieces” would be out of the question.
Eileen felt at a loss as well; she had never seen her Master look this troubled.
No matter what powerful enemy they faced, he had never shown such a defeated expression.
Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, a flash of light suddenly appeared before them.
“Eileen” appeared before Atiste and Eileen, holding an unfinished sword in her hand.
That sword was the “Demon-Slaying Sword” forged by the Village Chief of Thor Village.
Both of them were stunned.
Eileen, dressed in a maid outfit, knelt on the ground in a posture never displayed by a young lady, her absolute territory flickering into view. Even Eileen herself had never seen such a shy and alluring sight.
Atiste stared blankly, thinking to himself, ‘Is this maid who has been with me for 500 years actually this beautiful?’
“Teacher Eileen… Lord Atiste? Why are you staring at me? Eh? Wait, why is ‘me’ looking at me?”
The girl who had just returned to this space clearly did not understand the situation.
Lillian looked at the “self” before her, then looked at the body sitting on the ground, and finally realized what was happening.
“Now… am I inside Teacher Eileen’s body?”
“No, this isn’t right! I only intended for Teacher Eileen to use my body temporarily! How did we end up swapping bodies?”
Atiste was momentarily caught off guard as well.
Eileen stabilized her emotions and analyzed the situation calmly: “Perhaps something went wrong during the time travel, and our souls were swapped?”
Atiste looked at the short-haired maid in front of him and said, “No, things are not that simple, Eileen.”
The golden-haired princess beside Atiste said, “No, Master, I am here. Please speak to me.”
Atiste turned to “Lillian” and said, “Lillian… no, Eileen. Things are not that simple. The body you are currently in has been refined by the Crystal of Myriad Splendor, but I cannot feel the glow of an Art Piece coming from you.”
“Master, the definition of an Art Piece should be up to you, but your words sound as if you are saying I cannot compare to that little princess.”
“No, no, Eileen, you are irreplaceable.”
At this, Lillian, who had been kneeling, stood up and said unhappily, “What is it? Does Lord Atiste think I’m just some person who can be found anywhere? I’m angry now!”
Atiste hurried to comfort her: “No, no, you are still my most important ‘Art Piece,’ but you cannot be in Eileen’s body, because her physique has no artistic value whatsoever!”
“Master, you are saying I’m not as good as her! I’m going to be angry too!”
The golden-haired princess glared at Atiste pouting.
For a moment, Atiste really did not know what to do.
He rolled his eyes and changed the subject.
“Regardless of anything else, you both have returned safely, and the task has been completed…”
“What do you mean! We are not safe at all! I don’t want to stay in this strange body! Master, you must find a way to switch us back!”
“Exactly! I don’t know why, but this body’s shoulders are unexpectedly heavy. My original body is much better.”
Lillian cradled the twin mounds on the chest of Eileen’s body and complained.
“Tsk, a flat-chested princess has no taste. Don’t you know the Master always likes staring at women with obvious maternal features?”
Eileen crossed her arms over Lillian’s chest without any obstruction; she had never made such a gesture so easily.
“Eileen? What are you saying? Am I really such a lecherous person?”
“Master, be quiet! I will never allow her to slander my body like this! I never feel like my shoulders are sore or heavy!”
“It’s true! If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too busty! It makes me feel clumsy when I move!”
Eileen and Lillian seemed to be at each other’s throats, and Atiste did not know whose side to take.
By the way, Atiste felt that the focus of their argument seemed a bit off.
So, acting as a peacemaker, he stood between the two and said, “Oh my, both have their own merits. If the chest isn’t flat, how can one level the world? If the breasts aren’t massive, how can one gather people’s hearts?”
As he spoke, he tried to push them apart.
However, since he intervened, he lost control of his movement, and his hands accidentally landed between the plains and the mountain peaks.
The arguing stopped abruptly, and the atmosphere became rather strange… Was this the fear of a sudden silence?
On his left was Lillian’s bosom, which was so flat that there was hardly any sensation.
On his right was Eileen’s chest, which was so soft that he accidentally squeezed twice, finding it very bouncy.
But if he had to rate them, they truly each had their own virtues!
The Demon-Slaying Sword fell to the ground with a pathetic metallic clang.
“Pfft—!”
Atiste’s handsome face was struck by simultaneous punches from left and right, leaving him with a nosebleed, lying flat on the floor, unable to rise.
“What did I do wrong… I just wanted to stop your dispute… Wouldn’t it be better if everyone got along?”
Eileen, inside Lillian’s body, covered her chest and cursed Atiste while stepping on him: “Master, you pervert!”
Lillian, inside Eileen’s body, turned away shyly and whispered, “Lord Atiste… that was so bold… Next time, you should give me some mental preparation…”
Atiste felt very innocent.
He just wanted to be a peacemaker; why did he always end up getting beaten by them?
He also didn’t understand why these two girls were always fighting.
It seemed he would have to find a way to make them get along in the future.