“Hmm?” said Astarte as she lowered her bread and tilted her head.

“I hear footsteps, but we should be the only ones here right?”

“Yes-” I started.

“Don’t tell me we are finally getting robbed?!” she interrupted me and got up from her chair excitedly.

I snorted, “No, don’t be silly, there is no way that anyone with malicious intent would make it this far here without me noticing. Actually it would be more of a problem if that person came this far and I didn’t detect him. But it is no thief, did you forget, today is... ” I placed my cup of tea down before finishing my sentence “...the day. ”

“Oh...” Astarte sat back down dejectedly, “you did say something about a new maid.” She resumed to nibble on the bread she put down earlier.

I shook my head and sighed, “Astarte please, you sound like we have too many maids, but we only got one maid, and besides she doesn’t really count as one.”

“But isn’t Reeze already enough for us”

“I heard my masters calling for me? My lowly-self  is always ready for you, my heart, my soul and even my body, you can use them however” a new cheerful voice popped out.

“No. Shut up,” I interjected coldly, before hitting the mute button on my phone and placed it on the table.

I cleared my throat, restarting the conservation, “Yes, you are correct, that Reeze is quite a handful, but I mean, Reeze is can’t really protect you in the physical world, in the end she is just an AI. Oh yeah Reeze, open the door, it seems like our guest is finally here.”

“Huh, I see,”  Astarte said with a bored look while is finishing up her bread.

“Oh don’t be like that, you will be surprised when you see her, and look she is right there,” I pointed at a direction with one hand and the other raising the cup.

Astate faced the direction where I pointed. She froze.

Well, I am sure she is surprised, I mean, she is staring at a girl with long black hair, smooth-looking white skin, with a slender body. Astate is basically looking at a slightly older version of herself except for the blues eyes where Astarte has black eyes and that cord-like tail sticking out. I thought to myself as I finish the tea and placed the cup back down to the table.

“Why are you walking around naked?” she asked.

I plopped my head down on the table. That is your question? Shouldn’t you be more worried about why someone that looks 99% exactly like you, but a few years older, working as a  new maid? Who cares if she is naked or not, if you take a look at the region that determines the gender, you will found nothing there, nothing! Hmm, wait, on a second thought, why is she naked? I am pretty sure that I laid out the clothes where she can see it when she wakes up. She should have basic knowledge  implemented into her, well except who I truly am. Wait, that doesn’t matter right now. What matters right now is the which shock takes precedence, the shock of seeing someone naked or the surprise of the seeing your older self. Now that I am thinking about it, it is hard to decide which shock is bigger. Maybe the reaction should be a combination of both. Yes, that is right. It should be “Why do you look like me and walking around naked?” Yep, that sounds right. It is Astarte’s fault for reacting right. Yep yep. I lifted my head and nodded as I came to realization of a rather pointless matter. I felt a gaze directed at me.

I faced Astarte and asked, “What?”

“Did you not hear what she just said? Sigh, ShuR right? Repeat what you just said.”

“Confirmation, I am the second of the “YS” series, Y0urSlave ShuR, said ShuR as she bows.” said ShuR robotically, as she bowed.

“Oh that, that’s just a speak filter, and she doesn’t actually realizes that she is speaking like that. I thought that way of speaking is funny so I just implanted it and as it turns out as I right,” I chuckled.

Astarte stared at me coldly. I started to flustered, “Uh, I can remove it, but not right now. I will just turn the filter off okay, so please stop staring me like that. My little fragile heart can’t take it.” I picked up my phone, and tapped it a few times.

“Ahem there, she should speak normally now. But why aren’t you surprise at the fact that ShuR looks almost exactly at you?” I asked.

“Reeze told me about it. She saw you taking some of my fallen hair and some skin cells through the security system.  So I kinda had an idea that you will try to do something related to me, so I am not really that surprised,” she answered.

I clicked my teeth, Damn it Reeze, ruining my surprise, I know you were watching me but still, I wish you could keep your mouth shut. I will make sure to  punish you later. While I was thinking what punishment was fitting, ShuR spoke up.

“Mistres, if I may have a word regarding that ‘thing’ that is sitting next to you,” ShuR suddenly said.

Wow, not cool man, or is it woman, well regardless it ain’t cool I retorted in my mind.

“Well, what is the problem with him,” Astarte asked.

“You are a human, a degenerate filth. That should be enough reason said. Why is mistress allowing something like you next to her?” she monotonically answered.

“Oh what is this strange feeling? Is this perhaps what humans call deja vu?” Reeze suddenly spoke up.

She broke out of that earlier than I expected, next time I will hit her with a stronger mute virus next time. Astarte replied to Reeze’s answer as I thought about such things.

“The reason why you have such “feeling” is because you said almost the same thing when you first met him”, she turned and looked at me.

“So the next thing that will happen is…”

I ignored them and smiled. “Ho ho, I do agree with the human part, they can burn for all I care, but I have you know I am slightly different from them mortals.”

“How?”

“It is easier to show than to tell you.”

“There is no need for me to waste any energy on a plebian like you.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, you know what, there is training room down below, we can have a mock battle there and we will see if who is truly worthy of being next to my cute little Astarte.” I put my hand on top of Astarte’s head. She swatted my hand away and scrowled. I was a bit disheartened.

ShuR glared at me.

“Oh come on, with this, you show how good you are or even better, how bad I am, or are you actually afraid that I might possibly beat you?” I said regaining my grin.

ShuR looked at Astarte for confirmation. Astarte sighed and nodded while rubbing her temples.

“Do what you wish.”

My grin grew even bigger and clapped my hands. “So it is decided then! Let’s depart shall we?”

“I know you are doing this for the entertainment but don’t go too hard on her okay?” Astarte reminded me while getting up. We finished our meal, and left the clean-up to Reeze. This job would later be assigned to ShuR.

“Well, here we are, what you think?” I spread my arms, arriving at the room.

“You said this is a training room? I can see now why you are mentally ill.” ShuR responded indifferently.

“No, no. This is to train your mental fortitude and your sense of spatial distance, if you are not careful, you might just run into a wall and look silly. By the way, this room is 50 feet by 85 feet and we are currently in the halfway mark of 85 feet. Plenty of space to fight in.”

“I can see that, you insolent fool.”

I shook my shoulders. “Oh yeah, before we actually fight, I will have you wearing this, Reeze.”

With a sound of gears turning, a part of the ceiling opened up and I caught the thing that dropped from the now closed part and handed to ShuR.

“There is no need for such things,” ShuR

“Oh yes, there is. You might not realize it, but you do have the most breathtaking body in the universe. If we exchange blows while you are naked, regardless gender or not, I might get excited and lose my focus. Not to mention these clothes will not hinder your movements at all, since these clothes are normally used in performing martial arts. Hm, wait, actually, no, you don’t have to wear these clothes, think of it as a handicap.” I said, as I retracted my hand.

“Did he just say he can’t control his lust? How can he sprout such blasphemy with a  straight face,” Astarte whispered to Reeze.

“Ah, how I wish that is true, but alas, life is cruel huh. But that is one of master’s wonderful qualities…”

ShuR reached out and grabbed the clothes, “Hmph, don’t think so highly of yourself you trash. But I don’t want you to have any excuses when I beat you to a bloody pulp.”

ShuR put on a white robe and white pant tied with a white belt, commonly known as a karate gi or uniform. We then walked into the room, halfway of the 50 feet. Me and ShuR then walked in opposite direction where we have 10 meters between us.

“Now then, will you do the honors, my love?” I asked.

Astarte nodded and raised her hand. “Ready… and Fight!” and dropped her hand. ShuR bent down and immediately dashed forward, the ten meters between us might as well as be half a meter. She is pretty fast but there is too much noiseI thought to myself as a fist was rapidly approaching me. I blocked it with my  left palm. Boom! ShuR, albeit slightly, opened her eyes in shock and leaped backwards. Hmm, she aimed for my vital and with that much force behind, I would be a goner if I was a normal person. Good, good. While I was analyzing her “parameters”, she dashed forward again, however unlike the previous exchange, this time it didn’t end as a single strike. Right hand, left elbow, left knee, a barrage of punching and kicking, but it was all futile, I blocked it all with my left hand. There was no feints or any of the sorts. I had an feeling before, but perhaps she is more of a ‘simple’ type?

“That’s not good, her moves are too straight forward, he can block them with his eyes closed ” commented Astarte. “From one’s actions, you can deduct what kind of personality they are. She is like the opposite of you, Reeze.”

“Yes, mistress, it is as you said, it is quite interesting how we are so different despite coming from the same origin.”

“Well, when he created you two, he left a lot of things in the open, it is just that you became this way and she became like that. That is so like him.”

“Ha ha, indeed. Watching this one-sided battle reminded of the first time I challenged him, I was utterly crushed.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself over it, the ones who can match him whether in martial prowess or  intellect can be counted with one hand. Oh he finally decided to go on the offensive.”

I saw my opponent retreated for 4th time.

“Hey, you had your turn, it’s my turn alright?” I called out to her.

“Wha-” before she can finished her word. I vanished, more precisely, I moved behind her, so fast and so quietly, it seems I disappeared to her. I swiped her from the right with my left hand. She flew to the left and crashed to white wall. Not bad, she noticed my strike the last second and jumped left to soften impact. And from what I can see, both external and internal parts aren’t damage that much.

ShuR peeled herself from the wall and walked towards me and asked, “You, who are you?”

“I wonder?” I casually replied back.

“Too think I underestimated you this much, I am failure, but this ends now.”

“That’s a flag you know.”

Blues lines started to appear on her face, hands and legs. So she finally decides to use it, guess playtime is over

“First gear” after she said this line she once charged forward for the fifth time. Following the previous examples, I blocked her strike with my left hand. However, something happened that didn’t happen at all previously, I took a step back. Whoa, there, that is quite a difference. Is she pumping her stored energy all at once. That is not how it goes, you are suppose gradually ramp it up so your body gets use to it. If you go all out at the start, you will only burn yourself out in a few minutes! How reckless! I scolded her mentally, while using my unused hand to block. My left is no longer enough to deal with her alone.

After a few minutes, the predication became a reality, ShuR fell into the “orz” position and breathed heavily, her blue lines vanished. Like humans, she breathes to generate energy, since I designed her this way. As for me, I didn’t broke even a sweat and besides the first one, I didn’t take another step backwards. I looked down at her and kicked her from the side.

With a grunt, she rolled over and stopped with her face lying on the ground. I calmly stepped towards her. With a smile, I planted my foot firmly on her chest.

“Well then, do you admit your lost?” I exerted more pressure on my foot and my smile grew wider.

“...His sadistic tendencies are surfacing…” Astarte shook her head.

“Ahh, now nice, I am jealous!” Astarte decided to pretend to not noticed the panting aberration next to her.

“Who- What are you?” ShuR asked in between her breathing.

“Oh yea, I haven’t properly introduced myself yet, how rude of me. I am formerly hero that transcended ages ago, no I am not a god and call me one, or a hero. I will get very pissed off if you do. I have true name, but you can say that, you can address me as master,” I gleefully answered her.