“Your Highness, is it really alright for you to go like this?”
[What do you mean?]
“I’m not sure if it’s wise for the lady to be near someone strange.”
[To anyone watching, it would seem you’re the girl’s father with how concerned you are.]
“…I apologize.”
Lac lowered his head.
He was a man of strong pride, yet he would lay down his life for the duke he revered.
That was Lac for you.
Thus, for him, Irene Windler was not just a brilliant magician but a ‘benefactor.’
‘She changed His Highness after she arrived.’
—For the better.
He had suffered from madness after losing the lady.
Where had the sharp-witted man of the past gone? It pained him to see him turn cruel under the madness of the demon sword.
Luckily, he did not show cruelty to innocent people; instead, it was reserved for criminals. Yet, because of such brutality, the Duke’s manor had not seen a day without the scent of blood.
But amidst all this, she appeared.
With beauty like that of a fairy.
She bore a smile that felt like the warm sunshine of the lady’s return.
Since she came, His Highness had started to wear a warm smile, as if he had never suffered from madness—a return to the sharp-minded ruler of their past.
It was nothing short of a blessing for the duke’s family.
And she herself was a gift and grace.
Thus, Lac was determined to ward off anyone who threatened her, even at the cost of his life.
……And the most important reason to protect her was.
[It’s fine. He’s more than adequate than I expected. He wouldn’t threaten her.]
“……”
[You still look dissatisfied.]
“…What if she’s the daughter of Your Highness and the lady?”
[You’re crossing the line.]
“…I apologize.”
But it had to be said.
Indeed, Irene Windler was most likely the biological child of Duke Blake.
This was something that Duke Blake himself felt most acutely, and it was an open secret that several people in the duke’s family were aware of, even if they didn’t say a word.
Just as the Pandragon royal family had caught on, Galahad also knew.
Yet, not making it public was.
[Nothing is certain yet. So, tread carefully.]
“……”
[Hmph, you cheeky brat. It seems you’re even more insolent than ‘that guy’ now.]
“…Your Highness, you’re being too thorough.”
[Yes, I am ‘Your Highness.’ So, I must be cold, even having a child who might be mine I cannot embrace.]
“…Hmm!”
Duke Blake’s statement held truth.
There was a possibility that Irene was indeed his child, but he couldn’t be overly certain.
She resembled ‘her,’ but where was the proof that she was his child?
Could she just be someone similar?
…Later, Duke Blake doubted he could handle the fallout from this.
Both politically and… mentally.
Thus, Duke Blake hid everything and merely accepted her as a foster daughter.
He needed time to restore the duke’s family that had decayed to the point of being unrecognizable due to madness, so he likely wouldn’t have enough time to learn about her for a while.
[Thus, I need that guy. Isis, regardless of what relationship he has with her, he must have received orders to keep an eye on Irene from my nephew. Truly an appropriate choice for my nephew, indeed.]
He was surprised while investigating.
He couldn’t believe such talent existed in the knight order.
After Sir Baltar’s deterioration, the White Lion had begun to fall apart, and it was astounding luck for the royal family to have found someone like this.
And this was also Galahad’s stroke of luck.
[To keep watch means he could also be responsible for Irene’s safety. I can trust him with that.]
Isis had no discomfort with her nephew keeping an eye on his foster sister.
In fact, it was probably a lot worse than that mild discomfort.
Looking at this, he was still such a ‘soft kid.’
“…But still, he’s weaker than me. Why not just send me instead?”
However, Lac still seemed unwilling to accept it.
He wore an expression full of dissatisfaction.
Seeing Lac like this, the duke couldn’t help but smirk.
[The guy looks like he’ll drop dead any moment now, but he’s all talk.]
“Oh, I won’t drop dead.”
[Yeah right.]
Other knights, including the duke, shook their heads, unable to stop themselves from laughing.
Lac de Durand.
He was a hopeful prospect for Galahad and was sure to become the next aura user, but they had seen how his limbs trembled uncontrollably.
It was so pathetic it almost made one cry.
He tried to act all tough to uphold his pride, but inside, he had to be a complete wreck.
[Just drink a potion already, you pathetic fool.]
“I-I’m fine.”
[You’re bleeding from your mouth, you idiot.]
“…Cough.”
Drip.
Lac was as pale as a ghost, and seeing this, the duke clicked his tongue.
What a pathetic fellow.
[This is why knights are like this.]
Not only him but also the others.
There were hardly any adults among them.
Well.
[At least they’re better than those ‘creepy guys.’]
A cold chill passed over Blake’s eyes.
It wasn’t directed at the knights.
No, it was aimed at.
[Is the Grand Duke raising little rats?]
It was a chill directed at the ‘little rats’ who were hiding, thinking they could be stealthy near them.
And the one referred to as a little rat was.
“The duke has a way with words, doesn’t he? Isn’t that right, Jack?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just something I’ve noticed.”
“…Doesn’t it seem strange sometimes?”
“I know, right?”
The young lion of the Grand Duke’s household, whose black hair suited him well, nodded nonchalantly, while his subordinate muttered, wondering, “Why is he like this again?”
Even though he served him, understanding him sometimes felt impossible.
* * *
“…What are you doing?”
Meanwhile, when Lee Han entered the house, thankfully, the two women had no idea something big had happened outside.
Since he had previously mentioned chopping wood, they probably interpreted the noise as that.
They were at a considerable distance, so their voices wouldn’t have reached him.
Thanks to the potions, he was fine and uninjured.
Perhaps this was a stroke of luck.
At least he wouldn’t have to show any humiliating faces.
However, upon entering the house, Lee Han felt bewildered by the actions of the two women.
And the one caught in the act was.
“Oh, you’re back.”
Surprisingly, she was equally flustered, looking as startled as a child caught doing something bad.
“…Cadet Irene, what’s going on?”
“Well, um… I was just talking to the maid and somehow….”
“…How does one just happen to wear a dress? But more importantly, did we even have a dress in our house?”
“Hehe, this is mine! What do you think, Sir Knight? Isn’t it beautiful?”
“…Yeah, it is indeed extravagant.”
“Hehe, I usually don’t wear it because it’s too fancy for me.”
“…Did you just put that on me?”
“Because I thought it would suit Lady Irene well!”
“!!?”
They were having a fashion show.
After dealing with serious matters outside, Lee Han felt his resolve from earlier waver as he witnessed this completely different sight.
Yet, his gaze naturally followed Irene, and indeed.
‘She’s beautiful.’
At a tender age, she exuded a charm and freshness befitting her youth.
With her unique blonde hair and blue eyes radiating a mystical beauty, the overly extravagant dress she wore was no match for Irene Windler, who was more than capable of carrying off even the fancier ensembles.
However, if someone were to ask if it was beautiful enough to make his heart race, he’d think.
‘If only I had a younger sister like that.’
Unfortunately, Lee Han was at an age where his romantic inclinations were dwindling, and he wasn’t the type to feel attracted to someone so much younger.
It was more like the sentiment of a proud uncle watching his idol work hard.
That was about it.
Nevertheless, unaware of this, Irene seemed to feel shy under Lee Han’s gaze and lowered her head deeply.
There was a thick scent of misunderstanding in the air.
Just then.
“Miss, why don’t you show him that? You practiced hard, didn’t you?”
“U-uh, that’s a bit….”
“Oh come on, if not now, then when?”
“W-well….”
“…Practice?”
What did that mean?
In the next moment, the hesitant girl gently lifted the hem of her dress, bent her knees slightly, and bobbed her head.
…What was that?
“Sir Knight, that’s a curtsey! It’s a greeting among nobles, isn’t it a beautiful posture?”
“…Beautiful?”
It looked to him like some kind of doll creaking.
“Aha, I’m not used to it yet.”
Having just become a noble, Irene was unfamiliar with the ways of high society.
Why were they doing something like that instead of grabbing a meal?
Noble culture was truly something else.
“Hehe, you’re just not used to it yet. Once you get familiar, like this, like this, it becomes natural.”
With a swift motion, Leira lifted her skirt just enough to showcase a bit of her ankle, bending her knees and nodding her head in the same manner Irene had before.
But that posture…
“……”
It was elegant and poised.
The smooth and flawless execution left him momentarily speechless.
“Ah…”
Lee Han felt, surprisingly, that the irritation of the day melted away with that sight.
Yes, at this very moment.
‘…She’s pretty.’
This thought of beauty was entirely different from the feelings he had for Irene just moments prior.
Thus, for the first time, Lee Han realized that the noble culture he had previously dismissed wasn’t entirely foolish.
“…It’s worth practicing instead of eating.”
To the extent that he would actually say something like that.
For the first time, he recognized the maid, whom he had always viewed as naive, as a lady comparable to a blooming rose.
And thus, the humiliated heroine had to swallow her pride.
[……Alright, Arin, let’s practice curtseys from today onwards, okay?]
‘……Okay.’
With that, she swallowed her tears of humiliation and promised herself revenge.
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