Ligrin silently stared at me.
...Tap, tap.
In the end, I stood next to Ligrin.
But he didn't go ahead as before.
He looked down at me for a long time with unfathomable eyes...
"Let's go."
Slowly, he started walking.
His stride was still long. But the speed of walking noticeably slowed down.
Thanks to that, I maintained a distance that wasn't too far or too close.
It seemed like we were walking side by side at first glance.
I left the path and crossed the garden to head to the main building.
Ligrin didn't say a word until we arrived in front of my room.
"Um..."
I was about to say hello, but suddenly Ligrin looked at me and said.
"I don't know what you're plotting."
His voice was terribly cold.
Inorganic emerald green eyes behind the glasses scanned me.
"Don't cause unnecessary trouble. It's for your own good, so you better listen."
"..."
Is it my imagination that it sounds like a warning rather than advice?
"Then."
Without giving me a chance to reply, Ligrin quickly walked away.
"...Don't cause unnecessary trouble?"
I repeated what Ligrin had said.
It was definitely a warning to me.
Is it bothering him that a bastard is building a friendship with the commander of the Magic Knight Order?
Is it because it might interfere with the Rodbel succession structure?
...No, no.
Ligrin also knows.
No matter how much I build a friendship with big shots, it won't have the slightest influence on the succession structure.
Ligrin is just.
'He doesn't like my existence.'
He's just annoyed that a bastard, not knowing her place, is stirring up the duchy.
"Ha."
I laughed coldly.
I'm sorry to Ligrin, who even gave me advice.
'It's just the beginning.'
I'll be stirring up even more in the future.
And that target-
'You are also included.'
What kind of expression will you make then?
I enjoy just imagining it.
Click.
It was the moment I opened the door to go into my room.
"Lady─!"
Someone jumped out from inside and hugged me as it was.
"....!"
I was surprised by the sudden situation and froze.
I belatedly realized that the person who jumped out was Marin.
Marin sobbed while hugging me.
"Where did you go without saying anything! I was so surprised when you suddenly disappeared! I was so worried that something might have happened to you, I... sob... I even went to the head butler and asked him to find you!"
Marin spouted words without rest.
"Ah...."
It was Marin.
She was the one who sent Ligrin to me.
The question is now solved.
I didn't feel particularly resentful.
Marin did her best.
"Do you know how worried I was now?"
Marin pleaded with teary eyes.
I quietly stared at Marin like that.
"Yeah. I'm sorry for worrying you. And I'm sorry for borrowing your clothes without permission."
I hugged her.
She was surprised by my sudden action, and she froze with her hands in the air.
But soon she hugged me warmly and whispered.
"It's okay. But don't ever disappear without saying anything again. I'm your maid. Please trust me. I'm on your side."
The words recited quietly like a lullaby were like a spell.
"Yeah..."
"You're hungry, right? Let's go inside quickly. Oh my, your face is red. First of all, it would be good to warm up in warm water."
Her voice was warm and her arms were cozy.
So much so that I wanted to fall asleep like this.
But...
'This is strange.'
Why is Marin doing this?
Questions spread like ripples.
The next day, I found the corner of the training ground early in the morning.
"Oh, Miss. You're here early."
Aen was already waiting there.
I deliberately came earlier than the time I had promised, so how long has he been waiting?
As if reading my thoughts, he smiled and said.
"There are many things to prepare on the first day. I'll be here on time from tomorrow, so keep that in mind."
"Prepare?"
"Yeah, these things, would you like to see them?"
He who brought a huge cylinder placed it down in front of me with a thud.
The cylinder was so big that it was almost as tall as me.
Besides, it looked very heavy, but he was carrying it around without any trouble. Aen looked great again.
"Now, look. What this is..."
Like a magician turning over a hat, he created tension and opened the lid of the barrel wide.
What I saw as soon as that happened was...
"Wooden swords?"
It was a wooden sword that filled the barrel.
"It's not just a simple wooden sword, but there are all kinds of swords. I'll use this to find the weapon that suits you."
"Wow..."
A heartfelt exclamation flowed out.
'I thought he was serious.'
I didn't know it would be so systematic.
"Of course!"
While I was looking at the wooden sword with interest, Aen shouted firmly.
"Before learning swordsmanship, we will do a basic test first. It's a procedure to check if you have a natural talent, how much stamina you have, and what your physical characteristics are."
Aen glanced at me and said with a snort.
"I think I know what it's going to be like without even doing it."
"...."
He subtly touched my pride.
A desire to break his conviction soared.
"I don't think you'll know until you try it?"
You never know. You might be surprised.
At my rebellious childish words, he burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Well, it's better than not having any motivation. Let's see."
I clenched my fist and burned my will at his still scornful appearance.
I will definitely surprise him.
"Huh... this is, surprisingly amazing."
Aen exclaimed while looking at the test results.
Of course...
"It's worse than I thought."
It wasn't the direction I wanted.
"Hey, Miss, I'm curious, but how do you walk?"
Aen came to me, who couldn't stand properly and eventually collapsed, and asked as if he was really curious.
"....Don't make fun of me."
"I'm not making fun of you, I'm asking you sincerely. Considering your physical condition and age, it's the worst."
He held out the results in front of me.
Certainly... it was even more miserable when I confirmed it with numbers.
Squeak.
I bit my lip tightly for some reason.
'Of course, I expected it.'
Still, I didn't know it would be this bad.
Aen, who sighed deeply, looked at me and asked.
"Are you eating well?"
"...I've been eating well recently."
"Recently? Then you couldn't eat well before that?"
"...."
I couldn't say no to that.
Before the Duke's orders were given, I had been barely making ends meet with something like thin porridge.
"These guys are really..."
Aen, who read the answer in the silence, muttered in an angry voice.
His expression was fiercely distorted.
I stared at Aen with a surprised face. It seemed like I was seeing Aen's angry face for the first time.
At the same time, I felt strange.
There was no one who got this angry just because I didn't eat properly.
'Everyone wasn't interested.'
I stared at him like that with that meaning, but Aen seemed to have taken it differently.
As soon as our eyes met, he flinched and soon tried to laugh and said.
"I'm not angry with you, so you don't have to be scared."
His effort to try to smile was even more heartbreaking.
'He's worrying unnecessarily.'
Me being scared of Aen.
"I'm not scared."
"Um? Really? You're not scared of me?"
At my words, Aen pointed to his face with a surprised expression and asked.
I nodded calmly.
"Huh, this lady has great courage. Even sturdy guys get scared when I get angry."
That might not be just because Aen's impression is harsh.
"Kherheong! Even if I do this?"
As if he had some kind of stubbornness because I said I wasn't scared, Aen made a strange noise and took a threatening pose.
Looking at Aen like that, I thought.
'How old does Aen think I am?'
First of all, he definitely sees me as a baby, not a normal 10-year-old.
"Ahem."
Aen coughed in vain, as if he was embarrassed by my lack of reaction even though he was determined to scare me.
"Well, anyway..."
"Because you are a kind person, Commander."
"...Um?"
"So I'm not scared."
"...."
Aen's eyes widened.
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