Nikke's (Laura's) diary: Our duet

   Ten years. That’s how long I spent preparing myself for revenge.

   To erase Laura and become Nikke, I had to burn away everything soft, every trace of the girl who once dreamed of family and warmth. I needed a new body, a new face, a new name. Even a new gender. I studied relentlessly—manners, posture, the duties of a servant—until I could slip into the identity of a butler without anyone questioning it.

   I needed power, too. So I threw myself into training, no matter how brutal. I practiced martial arts until my hands blistered and bled. I studied magic until I collapsed from exhaustion. Among all the spells I mastered, healing magic became my specialty. Probably because I was using it the most to survive my training—I broke my bones more times than I can count.

   When I finally returned, I fully became Nikke, a quiet butler in black, polite and precise. I applied to the Silverbane mansion. Mr. Silverbane never recognized me. And after seeing my CV, he hired me without hesitation.

   He assigned me to his son. Liam Silverbane. Nine years old. The spawn of the two people I hated most in this world.

   At first, I despised him for that reason alone. I expected him to be spoiled, arrogant, another rotten fruit of their poisonous tree. 

   But for some reason he always clung to me. Always following me, always seeking my attention. At first, it was irritating. But as the days passed, I realized something shocking—he wasn’t a brat. He was diligent. He studied hard and trained even harder. And yet, behind that discipline, there was a loneliness I couldn’t quite name...

* * *

   Finally his tenth birthday came. I braced myself for some absurd, extravagant celebration. But the day passed like any other. No decorations, no guests, no cake.

   I even asked one of the maids why, and she said simply, “The masters believe the birthday parties are a waste of time.” I couldn’t believe it. A child’s birthday dismissed as “inefficient.”

   That night, I couldn’t let it go. So I knocked gently on Liam’s door, carrying a small cake I had baked myself.

   He blinked at me in confusion. “Nikke? What’s this?”

   “A birthday cake, Young Master.”

   His brows furrowed. “But… I didn’t ask for this.”

    “I know." I smiled faintly. "I baked it because I wanted to.”

   For a moment, he froze. 

   Then, without warning, tears welled in his eyes. He hugged me tightly, his small frame trembling.

   “Th-thank you,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Thank you, Nikke.”

   I stiffened, caught off guard by the rawness of his emotion. But slowly, I returned the hug, patting his back. “Happy birthday, Young Master.”

* * *

   When he calmed down, he confessed quietly. About how his parents never praised him, no matter how hard he tried. How he thought that if he worked just a little harder, maybe, just maybe, they would finally notice him.

   Listening to him, something in me shifted. He wasn’t like them. He was just a lonely boy, starved for warmth, trying so desperately to earn something that should have been freely given: Love.

   I couldn’t stand it. 

   “Lay down.”

   Liam blinked in surprise. “What?”

   “On my lap.”

   “Why?!” His cheeks flushed crimson.

   I sighed and pushed him gently down until his head rested on my lap. The moment he did, I felt him relax, tension melting away from his small body.

   I stroked his hair and whispered softly, “Thank you for always working so hard, Young Master. I’m so proud of you.”

   Within minutes, he fell asleep, still clutching my sleeve. I stayed awake, watching him, and for the first time in years, I felt something I thought I had lost: tenderness.

* * *

   The next day, Freya and Mr. Silverbane discovered what I had done. Their faces twisted in disgust. They wanted to fire me immediately, but Liam stood up for me. For the first time, he disobeyed them.

   They didn’t take it well. So they let me stay, but I had to take a punishment.

   “You can use healing magic, can’t you?” Mr. Silverbane said coldly. “Put your hand on the table.”

   I obeyed.

   “Now, break your fingers. Heal them. And repeat—ten times.”

   Liam cried out, “No! Don’t—!”

   “Please don’t interfere, Young Master." I gave him a sharp look, my voice steady. "This is my punishment.”

   Then I did it. SNAP. The bones cracked, sharp pain shooting through me. A whisper of healing magic, and the pain was gone. Again. SNAP. Heal. SNAP. Heal. Over and over, until my hand was numb from repetition.

   By the tenth time, Mr. Silverbane's and Freya’s faces were pale. I smiled at them, my voice light. “Was that to your satisfaction? Master? Milady?”

   Inside, my hatred burned hotter than ever. I reminded myself again about how much I hate those two...

* * *

   Later, Liam and I sat alone in his room. His fists were clenched, his face red with anger.

   “How could you just let them do that?!” he shouted, his voice cracking. 

   “Young Master, it’s fine. I can heal myself."

   “How can you be so calm after that? Aren’t you mad at them?!” 

   “Of course I’m mad!” I snapped. 

   But in my anger, I slipped. My voice rang out higher, softer—feminine.

   Liam froze. His eyes widened. “…Nikke… you’re… a girl?”

   I stared at him, my heart pounding. After everything I had endured, all the walls I had built—why was it that, with him, I couldn’t hold them up?

   That single slip of my voice changed everything. From that day on, I couldn’t hide from him anymore. And strangely… maybe I didn’t want to.

   Because from that moment on, we weren’t just butler and master anymore. We became something else — two people bound by the same hatred, the same dream.

   Liam swore he would grow strong, strong enough to protect me. And I, under the mask of Nikke, vowed to gather every piece of information and plan every step needed to bring the Silverbane family to ruin.

   It was the night our revenge truly began.

   That night, we joined forces to destroy the Silverbane family and start a new life together.