A chilling silence descended.
Only then did Aen realize what he had said.
In a moment of panic, he blurted out the worst of several options.
As expected.
"W-what are you talking about?"
Even the unflappable Rigrin stammered in confusion.
"......"
A cold pressure emanated from the Duke.
'Oh, dear.'
He knew immediately. They were misunderstanding him.
'Understandable.'
Acknowledging his mistake, Aen readily lowered his head.
Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, he spoke.
"I apologize. It seems my intentions were miscommunicated."
Then, he raised his head to look directly at the Duke, and said in a firm tone.
"I wish to take the young lady as my disciple. Please grant me permission for her to learn the sword."
"...Let's hear you out while sitting down."
The Duke rose to his feet.
"Lord, I'll take my leave first..."
Rigrin, sensing the mood, spoke, trying to slip away.
However, the Duke casually shook his head.
"Don't you still have a report to give? Wait."
"As you wish, Lord."
Aen, who had taken a seat on the sofa first, smiled brightly at Rigrin and said.
"It won't take long, so please wait. I'd feel bad if I were chasing away a guest."
In truth, Aen had suddenly arrived and chased Rigrin away, but with the Duke and Commander urging him to stay, Rigrin had no choice but to comply.
"Yes. Then, I will wait here."
He stepped back behind the sofa.
The Duke sat down opposite Aen.
"......So."
The Duke's voice echoed heavily.
He stared at Aen with emotionless purple eyes and asked.
"You want to take my daughter as your disciple?"
"To be precise, I want to become the young lady's master."
'A' and 'uh' make all the difference.
Even a single letter can completely change the meaning of the same words.
"I want to become the young lady's master."
Aen emphasized that he wanted to become Lucia's master even more.
As if to show that he would never break that will, Aen's gaze towards the Duke was very determined.
After staring intently into his unwavering sun-colored eyes, the Duke parted his lips.
"But that child is weak. She doesn't have the body to learn swordsmanship."
Aen agreed with that statement.
'Certainly, she wasn't in the same condition as the Duke's daughter.'
Skinny and frail, small and weak, she looked like she would break if touched.
Let alone hold a sword, she would surely have her bones broken in two if she were accidentally hit by it.
But...
"The young lady's will is firm. I wish to respond to that will."
"Even if it could ruin her?"
The Duke asked as if testing him.
Aen's hands, placed on his lap, tightened.
It wasn't as if he hadn't thought the same thing.
There were only three months left until the Lordbell Qualification Exam.
Time was too short.
It wasn't just swordsmanship that he had to teach.
In order to pass the hunting exam, the final gate of the Lordbell Qualification Exam, he also had to teach her how to ride a horse. He had to teach her how to deal with all sorts of crises.
From one to ten, as if teaching a baby to take its first steps.
If he pushed her too hard in his haste, the small and weak Lucia would quickly break.
Aen was even afraid that he would ruin her with his own hands.
But...
"I won't ruin her."
"......"
The answer had already been given.
"I won't let that happen."
It was better for him to protect and train her himself than to entrust her to someone else's hands.
There was no more wavering after that.
Aen stared at the Duke with determined eyes.
The Duke quietly looked back at Aen before asking again.
"If the child's body is ruined by the Commander's lessons, how do you intend to take responsibility?"
"In that case."
Aen answered without hesitation.
"I will cut off my own arm."
"Hup..."
Rigrin, who heard Aen's words, involuntarily swallowed his breath.
No one thought it was strange for Rigrin to react that way.
Anyone who heard those words would have been horrified.
For a knight to cut off his own arm meant...
"You'll give up the sword?"
"Yes. That is correct."
For a knight to give up the sword was not simply to quit being a knight.
'It means giving up one's life.'
It meant giving up everything he had built up until now, and his future life as well.
Especially the life of Aen Rixus, which was of particular value.
From a humble family, he had risen to become the Commander of the Lordbell Duchy's Magic Knights.
His achievements were passed down among the knights like a myth.
But to give that up...
Was becoming her master worth that much?
"Also, as the Commander, you are allowed to have one direct disciple, but I don't have one yet."
That was true.
But that was because Aen had rejected all the offers he had received.
"So, I'm saying I'm going to take one now, that disciple."
"......"
Aen was very steadfast, as if he would definitely achieve it.
He gave all the reasons he could, and even bet his own life.
"Please grant me permission, Lord."
Therefore, even the Lordbell Duke could not ignore his request.
"...I'm curious."
His gaze softened.
"What is it about that child that won the Commander's heart?"
"Ah!"
At that moment, Aen's expression brightened.
As if he was enjoying just thinking about it.
Duke Ego Lordbell watched that change carefully.
"First of all..."
"......"
"Isn't she just so lovely? Like a little kitten."
"......"
"And yet, she's so upright and sharp, even to the point of surprising an adult like me."
"......"
"Her mental strength is also amazing. Although her body is weak, her spirit is stronger than anyone else."
"......"
"I saw potential in all of that, and I also developed the goal of raising the young lady into an excellent swordsman."
"...I didn't know she had those qualities."
"Haha, that's understandable. I, too, couldn't even imagine that she would be like that until I met her in person."
Aen laughed cheerfully.
Like a father bragging about his child, he was genuinely happy as he praised Lucia.
The Duke, who read genuine affection in his expression, finally.
"...If the Commander wants to become that child's master to that extent, fine. I'll grant your wish."
He accepted his request.
"......!"
Aen's eyes widened.
It was because he hadn't expected him to grant it so readily.
Easier than I thought?
I guess he's not completely devoid of affection, is he?
Just as he was about to express his gratitude,
"Please take good care of my daughter, Miracle."
"......Excuse me?"
Aen, momentarily at a loss for words, stared blankly at Duke Ego Lordbell.
What did this man just say? What was he asking him to take care of?
The Duke showed signs of displeasure at Aen's reaction.
"What is it?"
For a moment, Aen involuntarily let out a sigh.
I knew it...... It was too easy.
They had been talking about completely different people.
A tense silence settled between the two.
It was Aen who broke the silence first.
"It seems there was a misunderstanding."
"......Misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Aen nodded firmly.
"The young lady I was referring to is not Miracle, but Lucia."
"......Lucia?"
The Duke's eyes widened as if he had never even considered it.
Aen was just as taken aback.
He never imagined that the Duke would mistake her for someone else.
That was because.
'It was obvious that I was talking about Lucia.'
Lovely, strong, upright, and sharp.
'Of course, that young lady is also cute.'
Aen recalled the white-haired girl he had seen from afar.
A girl whose smile was full of confidence, as if she knew all too well that everyone loved her.
But...
'It's our young lady that I want to catch.'
The way she looked so precarious, trying not to fall.
The way she tried to convey her pure feelings without hiding her shyness.
'Yeah, right. She's much more lovable.'
Remembering Lucia, a smile spread across Aen's face again.
Even he was surprised by himself.
It hadn't been long since he had met her, but when had his affection for her become so deep?
"...I don't understand."
Aen looked at the Duke at the sound of the voice he had just heard.
He had a rare frown on his face.
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