Even with his already fierce impression, his tone was cold, completely intimidating Marin.
Aen passed by Marin and laid Lucia on the bed.
He handled her with the utmost care, as if handling a newborn baby.
Then, he said to Marin.
"Could you get me some ointment and bandages?"
"Yes? Why, why?"
Marin questioned, but Aen just stared at her without a word.
"Ah... just a moment!"
Frightened, Marin rushed out and soon handed over the ointment and bandages that Aen had requested.
"Thank you."
After a brief greeting, Aen carefully rubbed the ointment on Lucia's palms.
'It's a mess.'
He expected it, but Lucia's hands were a complete mess.
The skin on her palms was already peeled off, with blood forming, and several of her nails were torn or broken.
Even so, Lucia didn't show any signs of pain.
It wasn't that she was deliberately holding back.
She was hiding it as a habit.
Lucia didn't even seem to realize it, but Aen could tell at a glance.
"Is the young lady eating well?"
At Aen's question, Marin, who had been hovering nearby, startled and replied.
"Yes, yes. Of course. She's eating very well."
"I'd like to see the meal record."
"Ah, yes."
Completely overwhelmed by Aen's force, Marin hurriedly handed over Lucia's meal record.
Aen's expression darkened as he checked the record.
Certainly, each meal was served generously, but.
"It's all greasy."
"Ah..."
"The nutrition is too unbalanced."
Folding the record, he asked Marin.
"Doesn't a nutritionist plan the meals?"
At his question, Marin answered with a troubled expression.
"Not to that extent yet..."
'Not yet?'
"Still, this is a really big improvement! And the young lady eats well."
Marin tried to smooth things over somehow, but her words only backfired.
'An improvement?'
Conversely, that meant it was worse before.
'What is this family...'
The Lordbell Knights were located within the Duke's residence, but they were practically a separate space.
They didn't intrude on each other's space unless there was a special event.
The knights rarely left the training grounds.
Big rumors would occasionally drift in, but after a strenuous training schedule, they couldn't even remember what they had heard.
So, he knew about the black-haired illegitimate child, but he didn't know exactly how she was treated.
But the more he learned about Lucia, the more miserable her life seemed.
'What do you know about that illegitimate child... no, Miss Lucia?'
After making a deal with Lucia, he asked his adjutant about her.
'I don't know much myself. As you know, I'm stuck here with the commander. But one thing is certain.'
'What's that?'
'No one in this mansion likes that young lady.'
'......Why? Because she's illegitimate?'
'Well, that's part of it, but...'
The adjutant trailed off, lowered his voice, and whispered secretly.
'The Lordbell family itself avoids and dislikes that young lady. Even her family dislikes her, so how can the servants like her? They avoid her for fear of getting caught in the crossfire, and gradually come to dislike her.'
'......'
'So, Commander, don't get too close to that young lady. You know it's not good to be caught up in unnecessary gossip. There's a reason why people avoid her, isn't there?'
The adjutant's words were true.
From the mansion's servants to her family.
No one cherished her.
'Why?'
Aen couldn't understand them at all.
'She's so small and precious, why do they all treat her so carelessly?'
He couldn't figure out what was gloomy or dirty about her, no matter how much he thought about it.
On the contrary, she sparkled like the night sky.
"Hoo..."
After letting out a deep sigh at the overwhelming unease, Aen wrapped the ointment-applied palms with bandages.
It wouldn't heal right away, but it would help during the next lesson.
Just as he was about to get up.
"......Father."
"......"
"Father......"
Aen's expression turned cold as he heard Lucia's sleep talk.
He looked down at her for a moment, then reached out his hand towards Lucia.
"......Have good dreams, young lady."
After carefully sweeping back her tousled bangs, he turned to Marin and said.
"I'll have a nutritionist assigned soon, so make sure to prepare meals according to the diet. Be careful not to wake the young lady."
"Ah, yes. But may I ask what your name is...?"
Aen stared at her.
Marin yelped in surprise and lowered her head when their eyes met.
"......Aen. Aen Lixus."
"Ah..."
"Make sure to give her a leg massage when she wakes up."
"Yes, yes."
Leaving those last words, Aen left the room.
Crossing the hallway, Aen vowed.
He would help her achieve whatever she wanted.
And......
'I should introduce her to Cherish sometime.'
They were about the same age, so they might become good friends.
'That would be really nice.'
Just imagining the two of them together brought a smile to his face.
Of course, that was only possible after Cherish recovered from her illness.
The next day, classes started early in the morning again.
And around lunchtime.
"Ugh!"
Thump!
She dropped the wooden sword she was wielding and collapsed to the ground.
"Hah, hah......"
She gasped for breath and raised her head.
Her vision blurred with sweat.
Beyond her flickering gaze, Aen was looking down at her with a stern expression.
"Keuk......"
She struggled to get up.
She immediately grabbed the dropped wooden sword and straightened her posture.
"I can do more."
She didn't want to show any weakness.
It was just the beginning, she couldn't collapse this easily.
She tried to fix her posture again with determination, but Aen shook his head.
"This confirms it. Swordsmanship is not for you, young lady."
It felt like hearing the death sentence she had been putting off.
"If I try harder...!"
"It's a natural problem. You definitely have a great sense, young lady, but your body just can't keep up. Especially with swordsmanship."
She gritted her teeth at the merciless reality that came crashing down.
'Aen is right.'
She was feeling it herself.
The more she swung the sword, the more she felt that she and this weapon were completely incompatible.
But......
'That doesn't mean I can give up.'
Right now, she was manipulating the empire with enormous capital and business, but Lordbell was originally a family of warriors.
And to be a direct descendant who couldn't handle a sword?
That was impossible.
Above all, even if she somehow got through the sparring match with Banshees as it was.
'I won't be able to pass the Lordbell Qualification Exam.'
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Did she have to give up like this?
She pondered over and over again.
The sword wasn't right for her.
She had to admit what she had to admit.
Then......
Thud.
She put down the sword.
She opened her eyes and looked at Aen.
Aen was silently watching her as if waiting for her decision.
Towards Aen, she parted her lips.
"I'll give up swordsmanship."
"......Are you giving up the sparring match?"
"No."
She shook her head.
She passed by Aen and approached the container where the weapons were stored.
Then, she turned to Aen and said.
"It doesn't have to be swordsmanship."
Even in actual history, the heads of households didn't just wield swords.
Some wielded bows, and some wielded maces.
'I don't need to be tied down to the sword.'
Therefore.
"I'm going to find a weapon that suits me."
She said as if declaring.
Aen, who had been staring at her with a blank expression for a moment, soon smiled with satisfaction.
"As you wish, young lady."
She turned her head and looked inside the container.
Among the countless weapons, there was only one weapon that caught her eye.
Time passed in an instant.
It had been raining since dawn.
The rain had stopped now, but the ground was muddy.
So, the sparring match was decided to be held in the indoor training ground.
"Young lady, how's your condition?"
At Aen's question, she clenched and unclenched her palms and replied.
"I still don't have much strength in my hands, but......"
Soon, she nodded confidently.
"I'm okay. I can do well."
"Good."
Aen smiled with satisfaction.
As they got closer to the sparring ground.
"Ah, Sir Lixus."
Suddenly, someone's voice caught them.
Turning to the direction of the voice, she hardened her expression.
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