My Servant System

Chapter 575 Chapter 574: Still Got It

I stared at Mother, who was standing across from me nonchalantly, her grip on the water blade loose as she met my gaze, those amber eyes still as warm and comforting as ever... which made this even weirder as I too held a blade, not sure of what was to come.

It just felt... odd on my end, sparring a woman whom I had viewed as mature, gentle, kind yet strict, and otherwise as more like a Housewife then anything else, let alone someone who had experience with a sword.

Like I knew that she had experience with it in my mind, but the contrast between what I had seen and what I knew was too stark for me to fully wrap my head around it...

"Begin!"

The Marquess - as always - just did as she pleased when she pleased, not doing a countdown and instead just shouting to get the match started, which I didn't entirely expect either, just like I didn't expect what happened next.

My eyes widened as I leaned back, the water blade in Mother's hands almost nicking my nose as she stabbed forwards, her smile still on her lips as she fluidly pulled the sword back.

Clicking her tongue, she shook her head at me and said "Don't look so surprised, Katherine. You know fill well that I used to be an adventurer like you, just like you know I attended the Academy too. And I was the next in line to for the Zara Pack."

Her smile grew a little as she finished "So don't be surprised that your Mother knows a few tricks now~!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her blade danced towards me, twirling through the air and containing feints and real attacks, the sword flashing from side to side as she cut and stabbed at her leisure.

My own water sword moved to intercept hers, only for the older Dogkin to free her blade with ease as she pulled back or moved with the flow, moving rather nimbly for someone who was still recovering.

I could see the 'rust' in her form as she moved around, some movements too exaggerated or uncontrolled while others were hesitant, resulting in some openings appearing in her style, but while she was rusty with her style, she wasn't that rusty physically, her general movements and reflexes helping her out of any strenuous positions as she slid my blade to the side or parried at the last moment.

The entire time we fought, she was just smiling like normal, her amber eyes locked to mine as she moved around the circle, never leaving herself still as she played into the strengths of our race; speed and control of our movements, as well as a higher reaction time.

Parrying a slash, I stepped closer and stabbed towards her side, only to have my arm yanked to the side as she reached forwards, pulling me off balance and extracting herself from that position resetting the engagement and watching me as I planted my feet again.

"Do you want to continue dancing for a little while longer, Katherine? Or shall we finish this~?"

Hearing that while she still was smiling with both her lips and her eyes was disconcerting, with the addition of her fluffy tail swishing side to side and her ears twitching only furthering that feeling I got.

I pursed my lips as I lowered my stance, staring at her and waiting for her to make a move again, which made her smile widen as she nodded to herself, only to disappear completely.

Once more my eyes widened as I lost track of her, before I barely managed to turn and block the diagonal slash of her sword as she appeared behind me, her dress billowing in the wind quietly as she put her weight into the attack.

"Didn't think I could still move that~ fast still... but I certainly am not complaining~!"

She chuckled as she exerted some more force on our blades, making my knees buckle slightly as she began to angle the sword in her hands as well, bringing the tip down towards my throat whilst also locking my sword to hers.

I couldn't let go of the blade without risking her cutting deep into me, nor could I move my legs since I was being pinned down - in other words, I was in a stalemate.

Maybe I could outlast her physically, but that wasn't something I was certain of, so...

"Mother, I forfeit..!"

She chuckled again, the blade vanishing from her hands as she stood up straight, brushing off some of the sand from her dress and smirking at me, before it was replaced by the warm smile she normally wore as she pulled me in for a hug.

After a moment, I returned it, my nose buried into her collar and enjoying the familiar scent and warmth of my Mother, only to pout as she whispered "Seems like I beat you handedly~!"

I glanced up at her and sighed, nodding at her words before my eyes narrowed as she began to stroke my ears, looking over towards the others as she said "How about some dinner now? I am rather hungry..."

She pat my head a few more times before releasing me, her smile still gracing her lips as she looked around at the others, though I did notice the way her gaze rested on Jahi for longer than the others, which was curious...

The Marquess nodded, a small smile on her lips as she stepped forwards and said "It has been a long time since you got to fight like that... a few years at least. Feel better~?"

"Mhm~ Though, I always preferred other things... like food!"

Mother stepped back as the Marquess reached for her, the giant Demoness smiling wryly as her hand grasped only air, watching as the mature Dogkin made her way over to the babies, who she accepted graciously and brushed her nose against, making them both giggle as they reached for her.

I stepped back as well, standing beside Jahi and the others and asking "Did any of you think she was that... strong?"

Anput and Leone shrugged, while Jahi just nodded, smiling stiffly at me as she said "When you got kidnapped back when we were children, I got to watch as she massacred everyone in the ruined fortress you were kept in. She's not... the most obvious with her strength, but I would certainly say it never left."

We all looked back towards her, the older Dogkin grinning down at the two babies as they babbled to her, with Alessandra likely enamored by the sight of magic again while Lakshmi was interested by the fight.

"That's another person added to the list of who to not piss off. Also explains quite a bit..."

I frowned as I glanced at Anput, who was smirking at me as she raised a brow, adding "What? Don't seem so surprised; just like the Countess, at a first glance Miss Julie doesn't seem to be someone who fights, and yet... Besides, you saw how she was smiling the entire time? Yeah, that got passed down to you."

My frown only deepened, which made Leone giggle as she said "Perhaps not as bad as you though, but you do have to admit it was rather jarring to see, no? She's usually so kind and gentle, but there she was wielding a sword with rather high efficiency."

Jahi just coughed, gesturing towards the door and leading us after the adults as we exited the Training Grounds, not saying anything in regards to what had just happened.

"Ooh~! That's right, I forgot! So I was making some weapons earlier, right, just to try out some new techniques and hone my skills? While I was working, I heard from some of the smiths that-"

Anput began to talk about her time in the forge, the Jackalkin still walking with Jahi's arms around her as we made our way towards the kitchens, where we sat down as a family and ate together again, ending our day together we made our way back to the room.