Prologue

A drop of red fell onto the snow.

“Erik, why?” said a boy with a hoarse voice. He stared at the man before him. Those drops
turned into a pool of blood at his feet. His feet quivered, perhaps due to his injuries, perhaps
from the cold. No, the boy knew the reason. It was because of his trembling heart.

“Why…?!”

He couldn’t believe it.

Before his eyes, a man stared down at him, holding a sword wet with blood. The wounds on the
boy’s belly burned hot like fire. Even so, he still didn’t want to believe it.

The man was a knight who had pledged his loyalty to him.

Today had been just like any other day. They ate snacks, took a stroll, laughed at some random
things. The boy had believed that tomorrow would be the same…

Until just a few minutes ago.

“Why, you ask?” Laughter spilled from the man’s lips.

His smile was cold, full of ridicule. Never had the boy seen such an expression on the man’s
face. The boy truly despised the way he laughed now. He wanted to punch the man to stop him
from laughing, but he couldn’t move.

“Because you’re a member of the Lesserhain family. That’s the only reason.”

Breathing growing shallow, the boy finally fell to his knee. The man brought his face closer to
him. Whispered into his ears, “It’s all your fault. Goodbye, and thank you for taking care of me
until now… incompetent younger brother.”

The man had used the nickname the boy loathed to the bone, before shoving the latter by the
shoulder.

Having no power left to support himself, the boy fell onto the snow face up. Tears spilled from
his eyes, racing down his cheeks.

He reached out to the man’s shrinking figure, the footsteps that grew softer with the distance,
still hanging on to him.

“It’s a lie.”

He couldn’t accept it.

This is too much. I only believed in you, and yet…

Yet, the man’s silhouette receded from his view.

Snow tumbled from the dull and iron-blue sky. The boy closed his eyes, a hazy white scenery the
last thing he saw.

︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩
⋆̩☂

That day, Mikumo Yamato stuffed his hands into his blazer pockets as he stifled a yawn, waiting
for the bus. His favorite tunes streamed through the earphones from the mp3 player hidden in his
left pocket.

…Let’s listen to some more upbeat songs…

He could hardly keep his eyes open. Last night, he stayed up late reading manga. He had started
the series just to curb his boredom, but ended up reading all twenty volumes available. Before he
realized it, dawn had broken through the skies.

Yamato operated the mp3 player with his left hand. He remembered the order of each track. It
was only natural since he listened to the mp3 player every day. In a flash, he found the song he
was searching for and played it.

From his earphones blasted a song with a cheerful rhythm.

Yamato glanced at the main street.

He had yet to catch the figure of the bus. He then glanced behind him, only to find that the line
waiting for the bus exceeded ten people.

The commuters at this bus stop were always the same people, so everyone was familiar with
each other. His eyes met those of a man in a suit. A wave of awkwardness washing over him,
Yamato nodded in greeting and averted his gaze. He wasn’t good at making eye contact with
others. He moved his attention back to the music, regretting that he had looked behind.

After he had immersed himself in the music for a while, the sound of glass scratching broke out.
The second Yamato comprehended what that sound actually was—tires slipping—a large
motorcycle fell over sideways, flying toward him. Following a dull and heavy impact, he lost
consciousness.

The first thing Yamato saw upon waking was a red ceiling.

Why isn’t it white?

In dramas, the first sight upon waking up was usually the hospital’s white ceiling. Mind hazy,
Yamato blinked several times. His blurry sight grew clear after a while, and he realized that he
was lying on a bed with a red canopy.

Such a soft and comfortable bed. What a strange hospital.

I was hit by a motorcycle, right?

Recalling the scene before he had fainted, he grew certain he had been involved in an accident.

His body felt heavy. Just a bit of movement, intense pain ran through his abdomen. He couldn’t
suppress a groan.

It hurts so much. I’ll just lie down until the nurse arrives.

Yamato screwed his eyes tight to alleviate the pain when someone yanked open the canopy
curtains in one swift move.

“Master! Thank goodness, you can get up on your own now!” exclaimed a girl with sandy locks
and tears hanging from the lashes of her red eyes. She was dressed in maid attire: a white apron
hanging above a black dress. A pair of bunny ears sat atop her head.

Yamato widened his eyes. His illness must be pretty serious. No way… I’m seeing bunny ears on
her. Did I have such a kink?

Just what kind of dream was this? He closed his eyes again, before opening them for a better
look at the girl.

…This is bad. No matter how many times I look, those are bunny ears.

He definitely hit his head too hard. It wasn’t that he was a pervert. Definitely not.

“I’ll call the doctor!”

As the girl spun on her heel, in a panic, Yamato called out, “Wait a sec—”

Throat parched, he craved water, yet the girl had already left the room before he could say
anything.

Yamato forced himself to sit up. All of a sudden, the full-length mirror on the other side of the
room caught his attention.

“…Huh?”

Reflected on the mirror sat a beautiful boy with locks of spun silver.

Yamato backed away in a jump, surprised that there was another person in the room. The person
in the mirror imitated his actions.

Timidly, Yamato raised his right hand. The boy in the mirror did the same. He then lifted his left
hand, crossing his hands together. As expected, the silver-haired youth followed his actions.

“Why? Who’s this? Why is this happening…”

The boy in the mirror trembled, his face pale.

At that moment, Yamato’s head throbbed, images flooding his mind like water from an opened
dam.

Blood. Snow. Erik. The Lesserhains. Father, mother, elder brother, and younger sister.
Memories of a boy named Violant Lesserhain kept rushing into his mind, and Yamato held his
head at the intense pain.

Before he knew it, he screamed. The doctor and maid rushed in, panicked.

After that, Yamato was delirious with a fever for three days and three nights. Somehow, he
realized that the “Yamato” who lived on Earth had died. And that person’s consciousness entered
the dying body of “Violant,” an inhabitant of a world called Edelbaran.

Perhaps the world couldn’t let Violant die.

After taking over those memories, Yamato immediately knew what this world was. “The
Princess Dances with the Night,” the manga Yamato had binge-read on Earth.

The moment after this realization came the next fact: Violant was an indispensable villain in the
story.

Translator: Hello, the translator here! After considering it for a very, very long time, I decided to
pick up ‘Violant of the Silver’ as my next project. Yay! Some readers might be familiar with this
novel. Yes, this has been translated by sleepchaser before! I’m basically helping her finish all of
her unfinished projects by now… (((sudden realization)))

I’m sure that some readers are wondering why we’re retranslating the novel from the beginning.
Just call it character development! Gradual growth! Congratulations, you just met an OCD
translator!!! (((bricked))) Seriously speaking, I hope you guys can give my translations a try and
read from the beginning. My team filled with godly editors and I (very questionable, but believe
that she’s a decent translator) did our best to make the story makes sense and flows better. The

last translator stops at chapter 29, but we’ll make sure to catch up soon!

Hm? What did you say? The latest translation is in chapter 6? You’re proving that I’m really a
liar!? No, please don’t misunderstand! Calm down!! We decide to make the numbering into
Prologue, chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, etc, because making it as chapter 1 part 1, chapter 1
part 2 is just so damn confusing! QAQ And slowly kills this translator. Imagine releasing three
chapters a week for two and a half years, and when you’re done, you can only say: “Yay! I
finished a novel with 40 chapters.” That’s too brutal!!!!!! Where’s the sense of
accomplishment!? There’s none!!!

*cough cough* Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy this ride with me~ We don’t have a set
schedule for this, but we’ll release three chapters a week. The next chapter will be out on
Wednesday. ^^

Editor: Hi, I’m sleepchaser and mii’s main editor for “Violant of the Silver.” I usually don’t do
this, but I’m just too excited and grateful to mii for picking up this novel and re-translating it
from the very beginning! This novel is going to be a ton of work with how many chapters there
are, so please give mii (and her harem of editors muahaha) some love throughout this journey.
Thanks!

Ch 1 – New Knight (I)

Leca town, located in the northwestern region of the Lesserhains’ territory.

“What nice weather,” said Vio, enjoying tea in his room as usual.

Two years had passed since that winter day. The day the real Vio died and Mikumo Yamato’s
soul entered his body. Presently, Vio was fifteen years old.

Together with a few servants, he lived in a hillside mansion at Leca town.

Since Leca town was located at the foot of the Alpé mountain range, the winters stretched long.
Even so, spring had finally arrived. In the garden, brightly-colored flowers had started their
bloom. Vio took a sip of his tea as he gazed at Ed, the gardener who was diligently tending to the
trees. He wondered if he should continue reading until lunch.

He had read through most of the books in his study in the past two years, but there wasn’t
anything wrong with rereading them and reviewing the information.

Butterflies danced between the flowers. Ah, right. Maybe I should improve the technique for this
bit of spirit magic. The one I prepared for entertaining people. Light shaped like butterflies
fluttering in the wind…

His thoughts wandered toward the structural formula of the technique when the sound of
knocking broke him free of his reverie. Vio allowed the person entry. An old butler with a good
physique stepped foot within, an envelope in his hands.

“Young Master, you have received a letter from Her Grace.”

“I see. Sorry for the trouble, Jill.”

Receiving the envelope, Vio flipped it over to its back. There, the words “Viola Lesserhain”
stood out in beautiful handwriting. The name of Vio’s mother.

He then shifted his gaze to the desk in search of an envelope opener. Before he could react
further, however, Jill presented one to him. “Please use this, Young Master.”

“Thank you,” said Vio, finding Jill thoughtful, sparing no time to open the seal. “My mother is
such a dedicated person. She keeps sending letters once a week. Because of this, I don’t even
have enough time to reply.”

“Actually, I received a letter as well. Her Grace ordered me to make sure you replied to her
letters.”

“Oh, gee. Then I’m in trouble.” A wry smile spread across Vio’s lips. Even if Jill urged him to
reply, he wouldn’t. He had nothing to write anyway.
“Her Grace is worried about whether Young Master is living well. After all, you are living alone
in this place, far away from the Duke’s residence.”

“I feel apologetic toward my mother, but I also feel very much at ease since I don’t have to be in
my brother’s presence. I’m tired of him mocking me all day. He keeps saying ‘You can’t even
leave the house, how shameful,’ or calling me ‘the disgrace of our honorable family.’”

“Please do not mind that person’s abusive language. It is not Young Master’s fault that you
cannot go outside,” said Jill, anger lacing his words. Then, his tone grew more gentle as he said,
“Besides, Young Master excels in spirit magic. That’s already enough.” Although Jill often kept
calm, his countenance would grow frightening whenever Vio so much as mentioned his elder
brother, Rupheus.

Jill was originally Vio’s mother’s personal butler. That being said, he had been concerned about
Vio ever since he was a child.

Before Yamato’s soul entered this body, Vio was nothing more than the pathetic son of the
family. He was inferior to his elder brother, who was five years older than him, in everything:
martial arts, studies, etiquette, and spirit magic. Because of that, everyone spoke ill of him
behind his back and gave him the nickname “incompetent son.” Due to his lack of talent, even
Rupheus and his father looked at him with eyes of indifference.

But Jill had watched over Vio even during those times. When they had driven Vio out of their
territory alone, he volunteered to follow suit. Among the other servants, Vio trusted him the
most.

“Thank you, Jill,” said Vio with a chuckle. “So, what did she write in today’s letter?”

He had expected his mother to complain that his younger sister, Flora, threw a tantrum and
wanted to meet him. But what was written instead made him correct his posture out of reflex.

“Hm? Hmmm?”

He didn’t realize that he was clutching the letter. No matter how many times he reread the
contents, the same thing was written.

“…This is the worst,” muttered Vio, face sullen.

Expression full of worry, Jill asked, “Are there any problems at the Duke’s residence?”

“Ah, no. My family is fine. Rather… it seems like a knight is coming here.”

“A knight?”

Vio nodded. “Yeah. According to my mother, he’s my new guardian knight. My brother hated
him and discharged him, so she employed him for me.”

He sighed. His mother shouldn’t just give away a knight as if it were merely a trivial matter. It
would bring the person in question discontent as well.

Next to him, Jill frowned. A terrifying sight to behold. “Lord Rupheus did such a thing? He
dismissed another knight?”
“Yeah. This will be the third instance. But this time, he had a hard time driving the knight away.
Not to mention, that knight is actually this person.”

Vio held out the letter. Jill uttered, “Excuse me,” before accepting it.

“Oh! Isn’t this Sir Legion Salt?! You’re right, Lord Rupheus can’t just discharge someone like
him. He’s currently the most skilled swordsman in this kingdom, isn’t he?”

A well-informed person, Jill knew how important this person was just by looking at his name.
He smiled broadly, his joy evident. “Word has it he’s a wonderful person who loves justice and
honesty above all. He is worthy of becoming Young Master’s guardian knight!”

“You’re overestimating me, Jill. I’m not worthy of him. Why did he even apply to become a
knight of our family? He should’ve joined the Royal Knights platoon, don’t you think?”

Just like in the plot of “The Princess Dances with the Night,” the Lesserhain family currently
stood at the peak of immorality among nobles, exploiting the tax system to the fullest. If the
citizens couldn’t pay, they forced them to sell their daughters to brothels or volunteer in noble
residences without receiving any compensation. If that was still not enough, the men in the
family would be thrown into the arena, forced to go through horrible situations as a mere
spectacle, even if he were the sole breadwinner of his family.

His father was vicious. His brother was fond of luxury with a terrible personality. However, their
military prowess was undeniable, so much so that the laws did not apply to them.

Whenever war broke out, they would accumulate mountains of military achievements without
fail. Additionally, his mother was the younger sister of the current king. No one dared to meddle
with the Duke of Lesserhain.

Erik, Vio’s former guardian knight whom he had trusted immensely, betrayed his master because
he had personally experienced the corruption of the Lesserhain family. After Vio had performed
an investigation, he discovered that Erik’s father had been imprisoned for a false charge,
perishing in jail from an illness. The nobles wouldn’t respond to Erik no matter how he had tried
to bring his father’s death to their attention. Which led to the petty revenge on Vio and his
subsequent disappearance.

He had yet to be caught, but Vio didn’t want to know his whereabouts. He hadn’t investigated
further since his chest would throb in pain just by the memory of Erik.

Jill shook his head at Vio’s response and said insistently, “Young Master, what are you talking
about? This servant knows best that you are a gentle person. The Lesserhain family has no son as
splendid as you.”

“Really… What are you trying to achieve by flattering me, Jill?” Astonishment peppered his
smile as Vio inserted the letter back into the envelope once Jill had returned it to him. “I’m
happy that you think so highly of me, but when Sir Salt comes, send him away.”

“But, Young Master—”

“Sorry, Jill. I don’t need a guardian knight. I’m still afraid.”

The pain Vio had experienced on that day was vividly emblazoned into his being. Two years had
passed, and spring danced its way in. But when he closed his eyes, all he could see was that
snowy landscape. What had transpired that day still existed as a shadow in his heart.

“If that is what you wish… then I understand.” The devoted butler bowed once and left the room.

In silence, Vio dropped his gaze. His face took on an apologetic light as he listened to the sound
of the door closing.

Translator ramblings:

I’m still salty at how I can’t change Legion’s surname… into something other than ‘Salt’!!!

Also, I decided to translate the honorifics into English equivalent which is a BIG. MISTAKE. I
never expected that there are so many rules in addressing the nobles depending on their
rank…! :blobsweats: English is really hard… QAQ

If you spot any mistakes in how they should address each other, please tell me in the comments!

Ch 2 – New Knight (II)

On the first floor of the mansion lay a quiet and inconspicuous room. A room Vio used to study
spirit magic.

Come noon, he caught sight of Rille on his way there. She wore the standard maid attire, a white
apron hanging over a black dress, with a pair of fluffy white rabbit ears atop her head.

People with animal characteristics were known as Locana. Or simply beastmen. There were
roughly four types: those with ears and tails resembling rabbits’, cats’, and wolves’, and those
with wings of birds sprouting from their backs.

In the world of Edelbaran, Huma, or humans, lived together with beastmen.

Depending on the country, either humans would look down on beastmen or beastmen would look
down on humans. Even so, in the Kingdom of Istiah where Vio resided, discrimination between
the two did not exist. A person’s status would be judged solely on whether they were a noble or a
commoner. There were even beastmen among the nobles.

There was no distinction between these two races other than their appearance. Skill in spirit
magic or high physical ability would depend on the individual. Some beastmen had poor
physical ability, and some humans weren’t talented in spirit magic.

In that sense, everyone was equal.

“Rille,” Vio called out.

At the end of the corridor, Rille immediately turned around at the sound of her name. A smile
blossomed like a flower on her face. “Master, are you taking a walk?”

Except for emergencies, Rille was carefree and gentle. Her soft smile never failed to soothe
Vio’s heart. She was two years older than him, and as such, he saw her as an older sister he could
rely on. She was quick on her feet, but it was hard to tell just by her usual appearance.

“No, I’m going to the laboratory. Rille, I’ve composed a new spell. Do you want to take a look?”

“May I? I certainly want to!”

Vio’s invitation filled Rille’s heart with joy. Unskilled at spirit magic, she rejoiced like a child
whenever Vio showed some to her. Because Rille appeared so delighted each time, his
confidence grew and he found magic more fun. Which led to him inviting her again and again.

After they had entered the laboratory, Vio drew a magic circle on his hand using ink containing
the dissolved powder of spirit stones. Wasting no time, he then cast the new spell.

The magic circle glowed. A myriad of butterflies materialized, all composed of the same soft
light, all filling the room at once.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

A little while ago.

Legion Salt was at a loss.

“Her Grace has authorized my arrival. Yet I’m still not accepted here?”

Sure enough, the old butler before him shook his head even after Legion had handed over the
letter from the Duchess of Lesserhain. “Please forgive me, but such is my master’s intention. He
has stated that he does not require a guardian knight… I apologize since it must have troubled
you greatly to travel to such a distant place, but please take your leave.”

“Impossible! I have already received one month’s salary from Her Grace to pay for my father’s
medical bills. I must work. Please have mercy and grant my request.”

Almost thirty minutes passed since they had started this exchange. Legion had even attempted
using tears to soften the old butler’s heart, but it was all in vain.

If I knew this would happen, I would have just stayed in the Royal Knights…

Legion came from a family of merchants in the Duke of Lesserhain’s territory. He inherited the
talent of his merchant father. At the tender age of nineteen, he was already renowned for his skill
in the sword, the best in the country.
By chance, a noble had passed through his hometown in his travels when he was twelve and
made Legion a knight of his family. Eventually, he quit working for the noble and joined the
Royal Knights. Legion had planned to return home from the capital once he reached twenty
years of age. Because his father had received an injury, he returned a bit earlier. Yet…

The hometown he dreamed of was in a worse state than he had expected.

The current duke’s rule proved abusive toward the commoners. Legion couldn’t bear to look at
the way he governed. But he had been optimistic. If it was difficult to change the current lord of
the fief, he could at least guide the next lord, Rupheus, on the right path. Yet three days hadn’t
even passed before Rupheus discharged him with only a few words, “Don’t you dare preach to
me with such a vulgar social standing!”

Confident in his military prowess, Rupheus found Legion, a commoner who had been knighted,
an eyesore. Or perhaps, Legion’s youthful sense of justice offended him.

If the duchess hadn’t employed him, he would be adrift in the streets. But now, another problem
arose before his eyes.

If I can’t work here, I won’t be able to pay back the debt. Since we’re talking about that duke,
he’s definitely going to send me to the arena. My future would be hopeless by then.

He could easily imagine the road to hell, paling.

I cannot believe even the infamously incompetent youngest son is turning me away at the door.
Isn’t this too much?

In the worst-case scenario, he would have to flee to a neighboring country. However, the
punishment for escaping from a debt was death by hanging. If he was caught, his death would be
sealed.

Legion stood at his wits’ end. He tried his best not to groan in frustration, desperation flashing in
his eyes as he argued with the old butler. But the answer remained unchanged, still a big fat no.

“Could you at least allow me to meet the younger brother? I beg of you.”

“Please leave,” the old butler stubbornly said. Legion sighed.

He had pushed this far already, so there was nothing else he could do. As such, Legion decided
to stay in town today and return tomorrow. If pressing didn’t work, then he could only retreat.

“…I understand. I will return for today.” He made his way to the gate. The moment he was about
to push the door made of iron fencing, the old butler unnaturally cleared his throat.

Legion turned around, the cough strange to his ears for a cold. The old butler glanced at the
garden with his hand still on his mouth.

“Sir Salt, the garden of this mansion is very beautiful. If you have time, please take a look.”

“What? No, I appreciate it, but perhaps another day—”

“COUGH!”
Legion blinked, startled by the old butler’s loud cough. Then realization struck him.

Although the old butler couldn’t guide Legion there, his words implied it should be fine for him
to stroll in the garden. And if he happened to meet the owner of the mansion on his way there,
then that was that.

Legion’s face brightened with hope. He bowed to the old butler. “If the garden is such a sight to
see, then I will certainly accept your offer. Thank you for your consideration.”

The old butler returned his bow. “Then please enjoy.” And he returned to the mansion.

The old butler had not been exaggerating. Sure enough, the garden was beautifully tended. The
shrubs were trimmed into spheres, flowers of many colors arranged neatly between them. Even if
he was not an expert in this field, he could still tell the gardener put much effort into tending the
garden.

Legion was fascinated, but he immediately moved as soon as he had remembered his original
purpose. He put on the pretense of appreciating the surroundings as he waited and looked around
the mansion.

Where could the owner be? That old butler had specially encouraged him to take a look at the
garden, so he should be in a place visible from there.

Thank goodness I don’t have to enter the arena. Or be hanged or forced into exile in a
neighboring country. The situation at Nada town is completely different from here. It seems this
is the only place in the Lesserhains’ territory not directly affected by the Lesserhains’ rule.

He was pleasantly surprised at the lack of screams and sobs filling the air. At Nada town, where
the duke’s residence resided, the gazes of the slum children proved cold and forbidding. Leca
town had nothing of that, the atmosphere peaceful.

As Legion walked, he suddenly caught sight of a glow in one of the rooms at the back of the
mansion. His ears picked up the cheers of a woman.

Thinking it was the servants’ quarters, he peeked through the gap of the open window, not a
sound escaping his lips. What he saw caused his eyes to widen.

Butterflies the size of a palm fluttered through the room. They were made of light, leaving light
the shape of flower petals in their wake.

This display of magic had come from a boy with locks of spun silver. Upon his hand was the
mark of a magic circle. Each time a new butterfly appeared, the woman of the beast race
cheered. The boy flashed her a smile, soft and warm, probably happy with her excitement.

The moment Legion saw his smile, he grew shocked as if he had been struck by lightning. The
boy’s silver hair reminiscent of a clear stream flowed smoothly and rested on his white
porcelain-like cheeks. His eyes drooped just a hint, nose straight and lips well-formed. Although
he seemed cold from his appearance, the atmosphere surrounding him was warm.

In Legion’s opinion, he was like a flower in a plateau. Even in such harsh land, the white flower
bloomed in a dignified manner.
This must be Violant Lesserhain…

It took no time at all for Legion to understand this.

He had clearly inherited the beauty of his mother, Duchess Viola Lesserhain. His bearing was
refined, illustrating his royal family lineage.

To tell the truth, Legion didn’t have much hope for Violant at first. Never had he come across
any decent rumor about Violant in the duke’s residence or Nada town. Even his elder brother
Rupheus boldly insulted him, calling him an “incompetent brother” and “trash.”

Vio was known as the little brother with no talent in martial arts or spirit magic. The fact that he
had been driven away to a rural town was an open secret in Nada town.

Because of that, Legion’s expectations for Violant were considerably low. Yet, no matter how
ill-mannered and stupid his employer, Legion was fine as long as he had a little common sense
and work ethic. Yet Vio exceeded his expectations to such a high degree, befuddling him. So
much so that Legion had almost forgotten to breathe as he stared at Vio.

At that moment, that purple gaze landed in his direction. Surprised, Vio widened his eyes. He
paled as if he had seen a ghost, staggering. A scream ripped from his throat as he crouched down
on the spot.

Did he see Legion as a thief? It wouldn’t be strange if he did. The knight traveled from Nada by
horse for a week, so he fully realized how filthy he appeared.

“Master!”

The woman of the beast race gently supported Vio’s shoulder and hid him behind the desk. As
she turned around, she took a deep breath. Shouted in a surprisingly loud voice, “Anyone!
There’s an intruder! Please come here!”

Then she rolled her hands into fists before her, taking an offensive stance. He recognized it. The
hand-to-hand combat stance used by the priests to protect their shrine.

Not good!

No matter how he saw it, she was proficient in spiritual martial arts.

But Legion couldn’t escape. If he ran away now, he would be deemed as their enemy. He rushed
to explain, “I-I’m sorry for surprising you. Um, I was permitted to appreciate the garden…”

“Excuses won’t work!”

In the blink of an eye, the beastwoman threw herself at Legion; never had he expected her to be
so quick.

“Master’s enemy is my enemy! Eat this!”

Because of his hesitation, he did not have the chance to take up a defensive stance. The
beastwoman kicked him right in his face full force, sending him flying away from the garden.
Translator ramblings:

Legion makes me wilt a little every time he talks! Like seriously!!! :blobsob:

He’s using humble speech, which is like… the hardest in my opinion… (sleepchaser must be
doing some kind of black magic to make me agreed to translate this novel!) I think I spend most
of my time pondering what he’s saying and making him sounds like a knight! Props to my
editors for fixing my mess~

Ch 3 – New Knight (III)

He had thought it was Erik.

The moment Vio had caught sight of the figure standing behind him, he mistakenly thought that
Erik had returned to kill him.

His feet went limp. He screamed and cowered.

By the time Rille’s touch brought him out of that very dark place, she had already finished off
Legion.

“There’s nothing to fear anymore, Master. I have already blasted the thief away with a kick,” she
said, her sweet and gentle smile in stark contrast with such disturbing words.

“Huh? Blasted away with a kick? What?”

Had his ears been playing tricks on him? But sure enough, once he left the safety of the back of
the desk, the sight that greeted him proved just as Rille had said. A young man was lying face-up
in the garden.

As soon as Vio noticed the young man’s short brown hair and fit body, a wave of relief finally
washed over him. Erik’s hair had been a dull shade of blond. Compared to this young man, he
was a little shorter and thinner. They were different people.

From what Vio could see, the intruder had fainted momentarily. He then woke up with a groan
and sat up in an unsteady manner. Blood flowed down his nose.

“Hm, so you can already get up after I kicked you that hard? You’re pretty sturdy, huh?” Rille
rolled her hands into fists, bringing them in front of her body, taking an offensive stance.

It took Vio aback. “R-Rille? Rille, you know martial arts?”

“Yes! That’s only natural, Master. As a maid who serves the Lesserhain family, a family that
excels in military arts, I won’t be able to protect you if I don’t know how to fight!” said Rille as
she placed her right leg on the window sill. Any moment now and she would hop through the
window, paying no regard to her dress.

At that moment, Jill shouted, “Stop it, Rille!”

“Mister Jill? Why are you telling me to stop? There’s an intruder here, look!” said Rille, jabbing
a finger toward the young man sitting in the garden, her brows raised in alarm.

Jill immediately bowed to Vio. “I’m sorry, Young Master. That person is Legion Salt.”

“…Huh?” Vio stared at Jill in puzzlement, then once again shifted his gaze to the young man.
The poor thing had trouble dealing with his nosebleed.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

A knock sounded on the door. “Many thanks for the hot water and change of clothes, Lord
Violant.”

The moment Vio had heard the knock, he tore his gaze away from the oranges and reds bleeding
from the horizon, looking at the door instead.

There, Legion Salt stood with his head bowed, deferential in his posture. He had cleaned up the
filth he had accumulated during his journey and changed into a set of clean clothes.

After dressing neatly like this, Legion transformed into a refreshing and agreeable young man.
The fearlessness and honesty distinctive of military men were apparent from his appearance. His
tanned skin spoke of healthiness. He looked like a “serious” knight, harsher and sharper than the
kind servants around Vio.

The one noticeable shortcoming was his amber eyes, which made him look frightening at first
glance. Even so, they suited him as a knight. His glare would be a terrifying sight to behold, sure
to strike fear into the hearts of criminals.

Although Legion wore a black shirt, his muscles were clearly defined. Women of marriageable
age would definitely praise his manliness and grow flustered at the sight of him.

Vio nodded to Legion’s gratitude. He then prompted him to sit on a chaise longue. Bubbling
with energy, Legion obliged. Rille stood behind the other chaise longue in which Vio sat, glaring
daggers at Legion. Similarly, Jill stood next to his master. Vio wasn’t fond of knights, but thanks
to Jill and Rille accompanying him, he could tolerate having one nearby.

“Jill, the butler, has informed me of everything. I’m sorry for mistaking you for an intruder,”
said Vio frankly. He ought to take responsibility for his servants’ mistakes.

“No, it’s natural for you to be vigilant of me. For this reason, won’t you please place the blame
on me instead of the butler?”
“Me blaming Jill? I won’t do that. I know that Jill’s actions were fueled by his concern for me…
Well, it’s troubling if he does things without my knowledge though.”

Noticing Vio’s glance, Jill performed a deep bow. “I’m very sorry for my impertinent behavior,
Young Master.”

“Alright. I forgive you, so raise your head.” Vio nodded, before turning to Legion again. Before
Legion could utter a word, Vio said, “My mother and Jill wish for a new guardian knight for me,
but I don’t need one. Ah, don’t worry about the salary you have received. You took the trouble to
come to this remote region, so let me pay your travel expenses too. Also, it should be hard for
you to return immediately, right? If you’d like, you can rest in this mansion for a few days.”

“I appreciate your generosity, Lord Violant. But I still wish to be your guardian knight. May I
have the honor to receive that duty?”

Vio tilted his head a hint. He had thought that Legion wished to write off his debt. Therefore, he
had proposed to erase all of his future troubles. Yet contrary to his expectations, Legion still
wanted to be his knight.

“I’ll speak to my mother, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“It’s not like that. I want to work for you. I was searching for someone I wanted to serve. And I
have finally found him with you!” A bright smile lit up Legion’s face, his amber eyes sparkling.

Vio blatantly frowned. “Sir Legion Salt, have you heard the rumors of me in Nada to— no,
everyone in the Lord’s residence should’ve already mentioned them to you, right? Especially my
brother and father. Do you want to work for an ‘incompetent younger brother?’ For ‘trash’ like
me? The reason I’m in Leca town is that they have driven me out of the Lord’s residence. If you
were to work for me, your salary would be less than if you had worked for my brother, and I
can’t leave the mansion. You’ll pass your time without doing anything, and your sword would
end up rusting together with your skill—”

“Young Master,” said Jill, unable to hold back from speaking, but Vio raised his right hand to
command him to stop.

“I won’t take back my words,” said Vio. “Return to the royal capital and join the Royal Knights
again. You’ll feel at ease since you won’t have to be adrift in the streets. Anyhow, my family
will fall into ruin sooner or later.”

“Master!” Large beads of tears spilled from Rille’s red eyes. “Please don’t say such a terrible
thing.”

“Rille, you have seen the brutality of my family. Right now, although no one can interfere with
the Duke’s reign, heaven will surely punish them. And when that happens, people will condemn
me as well.” He turned to Legion. “If you work as my knight, you’ll also get involved.”

Legion widened his eyes in surprise. “Condemn? Aren’t you mistaken about that? From what I
could see, the civilians in Leca town live in peace. Your servants adore you as well. I apologize
for my rudeness, but I don’t see this place as Lesserhain’s territory. That’s my answer.”

“…I see. So the civilians live in peace? I haven’t been able to see this since I can’t leave the
mansion. It seems like I chose good inspectors.” A smile graced Vio’s lips at the unexpected
good news. At present, his position was the [tn content=”reeve”] Local official. Something
similar to ‘mayor’, I guess? My editors and I decided that ‘mayor’ sounds too modern, so we
changed it to reeve![/tn] of Leca town. Therefore, he handpicked inspectors to oversee the taxes
and manage the affairs of Leca town, and Amade village, which belonged to the former. The
current inspectors were well-known and hard workers.

Other than that, Vio had set his sights on Leca flowers, which were named after their home and
contained a great deal of magic essence. Prior to his move here, Leca town did not have a special
product it could boast, so he thought up a few ideas with Leca flowers in mind. Such as using
them to make ink for magic circles and candy that rejuvenated one’s magic reserves. Profit had
just begun to rise. And as profit increased, the amount left after taxes would too. Because of that,
the civilians worked harder and harder.

“You’re a great ruler. What’s wrong with wishing to serve such a person?”

“Uh, I don’t mean to speak ill of your belief, but listen. Although I cherish this town, that’s
because it’s mine. There is nothing more to it. The next lord of the Lesserhain territory will be
my elder brother, and I can’t leave this place. I can’t do anything. It is also a sin to be unable to
stop my family’s wrongdoings.”

“You’re ill, so there’s nothing you can do about it. God surely understands too!”

Vio sighed. “What a stubborn person. Anyway, I don’t need a guardian knight. Don’t have your
sword out during your stay. I don’t want to see one in this mansion.” He rose to his feet without
asking for Legion’s opinion, giving up talking sense into him. “Jill, send my meal to my room.”

“Understood,” answered Jill as he bowed politely. Vio nodded to him and headed for the door.

“I will not give up, Lord Violant. Right, please just call me Legi.”

“…Legi?” Despite deciding to ignore him, Vio suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked back.

“Yes!” Legion replied, countenance one of joy. Vio hadn’t meant to call out his name. Still, he
had to admit that Legion’s delight made him resemble a dog.

Legi, that name sounds familiar. Ah, I remember now. It’s from “Princess Dances with the
Night.” He’s a knight with incredible strength, and… oh, he served under Brother Rupheus. But
he was treated horribly there. The protagonist, Night, will pull him out from that hell. Then they
will become comrades.

Vio never expected that Legion was a supporting character with a decent role in “Princess
Dances with the Night.” Not until he told Vio to call him “Legi.” A chuckle escaped Vio’s lips
and he said, “I see, Legi, huh? After you leave this place, you should head to the neighboring
country of Ruslan. The princess who’s next in line for queen seems to be a very talented and
wonderful person. I’m sure she’ll treat you well.”

“You must be joking. I want to serve Lord Violant!”

But Vio merely waved his left hand and left the room.

Brother, your willfulness is even worse than it was in the manga, huh… Sir Legion is supposed to
be a vital character in the story. I never imagined you would have already fired him…
Rupheus had impressed Vio, but for a strange reason.

Translator ramblings:

A bit worried about how I translated some stuff like ‘military men’ and ‘martial
arts’… :blobnomcookie: I like the nickname too! Legi sounds better than Legion, I guess? ^^

Also a bit note here, Rille actually calls Vio as ‘Vio-sama’! But making her call Vio ‘Master
Vio’ sounds a bit strange in my ears… Sometimes, Rille and Jill also use their name when
talking, like “Rille understands. I will do as you wish,” or “This fits you well, Young Master. Jill
is very pleased,” but it sounds kind of childish… or maybe it’s just me who’s thinking too
much??? :googlecat:

Ch 4 – The Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside

(I)
Next morning

Unwilling to encounter Legion after allowing him to stay in the mansion, Vio instructed Jill to
never help Legion meet with him again. After that, he sat on his favorite chair in the drawing
room, flipping through some papers.

The sales report for businesses that utilized Leca flowers.

“Ink is more popular, huh… That’s surprising.”

Originally, Vio had expected the candies made from the extract of Leca flowers to be a hit
among people using spirit magic in their occupation. Unexpectedly, the ink made from Leca
flowers was even more of a hit.

Magic essence in the body was akin to water in a glass. Some glasses had water filled to the
brim; some only had water filled halfway. Using that same analogy, the amount of magic essence
each person possessed would differ. The glass, or the vessel that stored magic essence, was
invisible. However, it was perceivable, like emotions. Even so, everyone believed this vessel was
connected to the heart. The Great Spirit had said so, making it common sense among the public.

The size of the vessel depended on the person. In order to cast spirit magic, one must draw on the
magic essence accumulated in one’s vessel. Naturally, with each use the amount stored would
decrease. But recovery was possible with rest. Once all the accumulated magic essence had been
depleted, then that was that; using spirit magic would prove impossible for a while. If someone
tried to force a miracle to occur, it would only burden their heart. For this reason, people with
weak constitutions must refrain from using spirit magic too often.

The only other way to cast spirit magic was to use the magic essence stored in spirit stones.

Since rest was required to recharge one’s reserves, Vio had assumed Leca candy to be popular.
With just a few licks, one’s magic reserves would recover by a small amount. The materials were
easy to obtain, so the candies were so cheap that even a child could afford them with their pocket
money.

It still takes some time to recover magic essence even with the candies. So maybe that’s why
people would rather buy the spirit stones, efficiency and all. There’s also the nice plus of
recovering some magic essence just by touching spirit stones.

A knock sounded on the door. After he gave the people outside consent to enter, Jill guided a
man in his early thirties within the room. The man appeared honest, his grey hair tied in a
ponytail. When he met Vio’s gaze, he bowed his head in a fluster.

“Hello, Rourke. Please take a seat there.”

“Yes. Excuse me, Lord Violant. I came to submit the report on Amade village.”

“Thank you. You’ve been a great help.”

Rourke sat in the chaise lounge facing Vio. Jill stood behind his master.

At the sight of Rourke’s green eyes darting left and right restlessly, Vio burst into laughter.
“You’re still that nervous, huh? You come here to report once a week, yet you still haven’t
gotten used to this?”

“Y-yes. This place is too high-class for someone like me, so I can’t keep my composure. I
apologize for my rudeness.” Rourke slumped his shoulders, the picture of dejection.

Rourke was one of the taxes and administration inspectors Vio had hired. To lower the chances
of corruption, Vio hired two other inspectors so they could watch over each other. Allowing
someone to manage the same place for a long period might tempt them to commit fraud. As
such, every now and then, Vio would assign them to a different location by random.

And the area in which Rourke was currently assigned was Amade village.

“Why do you look so sad? I’m not angry. May I see the report?”

“Yes!” blurted Rourke eagerly as he handed over the report consisting of three sheets of
parchment.

Upon receiving it, Vio scanned the pages. “A vermin trespassed into the field of Leca flowers?
What happened to the fence?”

“Right. It seemed that pesky animal dug a hole underneath the fences. To combat that, we dug
many holes around the first one and filled them all with stones.”

“I see. So you plan to obstruct its path until it gives up returning.” A thought flashed through his
mind. “By the way, when was the last time the vermin-repellent paint was reapplied to the
fences?”

“If I’m not mistaken, I believe half a year ago. Ah, that’s right. The snow might have worn away
the paint.”

“Jill, what’s the stock of that paint like?”

“There are three cans remaining,” replied Jill without a beat.

“Then have Rourke bring them to Amade village. Now that I think about it, maybe three cans
won’t be enough. So just dig holes and fill them with stones near parts of the fence you can’t
paint. Other than that, just proceed as you have planned.”

“Understood.”

As Rourke nodded, Vio asked, “How are the flowers? Any news in the village?”

“That pesky animal damaged the flowers. Thankfully, it was only by a little. Not a big deal,” said
Rourke. “The day before yesterday, everyone volunteered to clean up the warehouse where the
flowers would be grown during winter. They removed the flowerbed and changed out the soil.
Everyone was diligent in their work, saying that the flowers had blessed them, so this was the
least they could do. Other than that… Ah, right. The village chief’s dog gave birth to seven
puppies,” reported Rourke, joy thick in his voice, the previous nervousness gone.

Before Vio took notice of their use, Leca flowers had been considered weeds, which some
people used as herbs. They bloomed all year long in this region, except during snowy seasons.
The seed head of the flowers resembled that of dandelions on earth, but rather than a soft white
at all instances, the wispy strands shone a bright red as time passed. At the start of their bloom,
the flowers were white. However, as they slowly collected the trace amounts of magic essence in
the air, red would seep into their seed heads. This color meant the flowers were ready to harvest.

These flowers had entered Vio’s attention after he caught wind of a tradition in Leca town:
during festivals, the townspeople would crush Leca flowers and paint their faces with the juices.
In his past life, Vio had done something similar, though instead of Leca flowers, he had played
with morning glories. With that in mind, he had drawn a magic circle with the juices of Leca
flowers for fun. Never had he imagined the magic circle to glow; it was at that moment when he
realized the great deal of magic essence hidden within them.

Later, he summoned the elders of the town, asking if they knew of this. To his surprise, they told
him that other than being edible, the flower wasn’t worth anything.

It was a weed, so it grew and bloomed without a sweat. Following that meeting, Vio set up a
large warehouse in Amade village. Its goal: to grow Leca flowers during the winter.

Although the only time people needed firewood for warmth was during the winter, winter proved
especially long in this region. Since it was a valuable resource for that season, one would be
hard-pressed to find anyone willing to share firewood then. Thus, Vio took it upon himself to
gather small amounts of firewood from households during the summer, storing them in a
communal warehouse. As an exchange, he would lower the tax for firewood a hint.

Upon his arrival to this region two years ago, Leca town and Amade village had been
impoverished. At that time, what motivated him to work was his desire to have a bit of pocket
change. And then buy tea with it. After some trial and error, he garnered some wealth. Vio grew
teary-eyed just by recalling his meals during his first year here.

He snapped out of his thoughts, throwing his focus back into the conversation before him. “Oh?
Puppies at the village chief’s house? Then bring some chicken along when you deliver the paint.
It’ll be a congratulatory gift. Tell the chief to raise the puppies well so that they can guard the
flower field.”
“I understand.” Rourke’s eyes brightened with joy.

Once he gave the meat to the village chief, the latter would automatically share it with the rest of
the village; such was part of Amade village’s customs. Similar to the shared rations of disaster
relief. If Rourke happened to be there, he would get a share as well.

Vio said, “Ah, Rourke. You’re in charge of trade previously, right? Any idea why the inks are
more popular than the candies?”

“That’s because they’re more practical. Inks made with Leca flower extract already contain
magic essence, so even people with low reserves can use magic just by drawing a magic circle.
For people like us, it’s more convenient than luxury goods.

“It’s also much cheaper than inks containing the powder of spirit stones. For this reason,
previous customers of that product would switch over to inks made with Leca flowers. Not to
mention, it’s especially handy for lighting the way. It shines for a good while, making it cheaper
than oil. And there’s no need to deal with fire safety as well.”

“Huh, I see,” said Vio.

How unexpected. But if it benefited many people, then that was fine.

“I have troubled you with reporting. Take a rest and have some tea in the next room. After all,
you’ll have to travel to Amade village again,” said Vio. “Jill.”

“Yes, Young Master. Please follow me, Mister Rourke.”

“Thank you very much, Lord Violant. May you receive the divine protection of the Verdurous
Spirit Yuglena.” Then Rourke bowed, before heading to the door with Jill.

Yuglena. The Great Spirit that protected the Kingdom of Istiah. In this world, those who
received the divine protection of the Great Spirit became kings. Naturally, each county had its
own Great Spirit.

Right before stepping foot through the door, Rourke stopped in his tracks. Glanced behind him.
“By the way, a new knight just arrived, huh? He’s hard-working and excellent. As expected of
Lord Violant’s knight.”

With that, he finally left the room.

“Hard-working?” Vio furrowed his brows. “Just what on earth is he saying?”

He had a bad feeling about this.

Translator ramblings:

Changed ‘receptionist room’ to ‘drawing room’! It’s the historical term to ‘living room’! I really
need a map of Vio’s mansion… (Author-sama please be lenient to this pitiful translator
wuwuwu…)
Yuglena sounds eerily similar to ‘Euglena’… The Great Spirit is an algae? Since euglena is
green, maybe the author did this on purpose!

And yes, this chapter gives me a lot of headaches…!!! I want to make sure everything makes
sense, but the words are so dense my editors and I couldn’t even understand what was written at
some point… :blobsweats: But I think we did a pretty good job? Right, right?! ((points a knife to
readers’ neck)) ((demanding for a pat!!!))

Ch 5 – The Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside

(II)
“Hey there, Locana girl…” called out Legion with a smile.

Rille looked back, anger crossing her face. “My name is Rille, Sir!”

The smile froze on his lips. Feeling awkward, Legion scratched his cheek with his finger. “You
don’t have to glare at me, okay? You lacking in sleep or what?”

Rille was petite and cute, but her piercing gaze gave rise to a menacing aura. “You are my
enemy. It’s only because you are a guest that I am begrudgingly treating you well. Now if you
don’t have any business here, piss off!” Then, as if it were an afterthought, she added, “Sir!”

The fact that she had called him her enemy so bluntly birthed more weariness than anger in
Legion’s heart. “You sure hate me, huh?”

“Of course. I hate anyone who scares Master! Regardless of their race! If you understand that,
then scram… please! I still have work to do. Stop being such a bother… Sir!”

“You… If you think that adding ‘please’ or ‘Sir’ at the end of your rude sentences can make you
sound polite, then you’re a hundred percent wrong.”

“You’re so annoying! Before you criticize me, look at yourself first. The way you spoke and
behaved just now is entirely different from when you’re in front of Master! It’s disgusting!”

“This is how I usually talk. Sorry if it makes you angry, but I’m the type of guy who likes to lick
my superiors’ boots,” Legion answered, voice earnest. But his words only sharpened her glare.
From Rille’s perspective, Legion was simply shady.

She turned away in a huff and left the hallway, a basket of laundry in her hands. Legion chased
after her.

“Why are you following me? You’ve been such an eyesore every day. Go back to your room like
a good boy, okay? Just stay there and twiddle your thumbs or something… Sir.”

“You got a surprisingly nasty mouth there. Guess you’ve finally shown your true colors. See,
aren’t we alike?”

Not a moment later, Rille retorted, “I’m a rabbit, not a human!”

Legion had no idea how he should respond to that. But when Rille started walking away in quick
strides, with no intention to wait for him, Legion revealed his purpose in seeking her in a flash.
“Give me a job!”

“No way.”

“Then let me help you with that.”

Rille finally stopped in her tracks. She turned back around, her face twisted in disdain. “Oh? Are
you planning to steal my job? How spiteful! Simply the worst!”

“…Do you have to go that far?”

Despite Rille’s utter abhorrence for him, Legion had no intention to yield. If he couldn’t be Vio’s
knight now, then he should prove himself useful until he finally employed him.

“In the first place, you’re asking the wrong person. It’s the butler’s job to manage the servants,”
said Rille. “This is a constant in every residence. Your previous workplace should be the same,
right? Only, they’re called grand chamberlains there instead of butlers.”

“Ah, now that you’ve mentioned this…”

Rille was right.

“Thanks for the advice,” Legion continued. “Then I’ll try asking the butler.”

“I wasn’t giving you advice! Just scram already! Sir!” Rille said, resentful. But Legion had
already left in the other direction.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“You want to help in the residence?” Jill asked, the picture of surprise. He considered Legion’s
request for a while before shaking his head. “We cannot allow our guest to do such a thing.
Moreover, we already have enough workers. Young Master has never been unreasonable in his
demands, after all.”

Legion then began to market himself, saying, “But this mansion is so large. It must be time-
consuming to clean its entirety, right? Although I am a knight, I can do all sorts of daily chores.
You can order me to do anything, be it cleaning rooms, sewing clothes, practicing carpentry,
repairing fences, or smithing simple projects. Ah, but my specialty is taking care of horses.”

In his previous job as a knight of a noble, aside from protecting his master, his duties also
entailed those of a maid. Thanks to that, Legion had also learned to become an excellent servant.
Since he was an obliging person, he had never found such tasks to be beneath his status. Rather,
he even enjoyed running around to help his master.
“No. Everything has already been taken care of. Rille is good at cleaning, cooking, and sewing.
The gardener Ed is in charge of fixing the fence as well. And the stable worker is also good at
smithing.”

Legion deflated. The servants in this residence were all so skilled.

Jill then smiled at the sight of the knight’s slumped shoulders. “It must be rare for you to come to
such a remote region, right? Why don’t you take a stroll around town?”

“Take a stroll?”

“Yes. And if it is alright with you, I would appreciate it if you can retrieve the goods from the
tailor while you’re at it.”

“Mister butler!” Legion exclaimed, deeply moved. For Legion, Jill was his savior, always
helping him in one way or another from the shadows.

“Remember, you retrieved it ‘while you were at it.’ You just happened to stop by the tailor’s
shop, where she entrusted the goods to you by chance. Please do your best for the rest.”

“Yes!”

After Legion had returned to his room to fetch his cloak, he received the money for the goods
from Jill and entered the town. He walked around proclaiming he was the reeve’s new knight,
raising the townspeople’s impressions of him by lending a hand to anyone who needed it.

His strategy was simple. Slowly but steadily corner his prey.

Legion finished his errand without any problems. But once he returned to the mansion in the
evening, Jill informed him of something unexpected.

Vio had summoned him.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

After hearing of Legion’s deeds in town from the other two inspectors, Vio wanted to hit
himself. He had underestimated Legion.

He has some pretty clever tricks, eh? He walked around town, telling everyone he’s my knight. I
never thought he would corner me like this!

Vio saw through Legion’s plan. Thus, he summoned the knight right after he had returned. Yet
Legion only sported an innocent look once he entered the room. He asked, “My Lord, do you
require my assistance?”

“I heard that you spread a rumor around town that you are my new knight who just arrived.
Lying about your status is the same as scamming people,” warned Vio, his tone incisive.
Pretending not to understand, Legion answered, “But I was not lying. I indeed came here to be
your knight.”

“But I refused, didn’t I?”

“I also told you that I wouldn’t give up.”

Vio drew his mouth into a taut line, exasperated at Legion’s reply. He searched for a suitable
rebuttal, but Legion wasn’t finished. He fished out a letter from his breast pocket and held it out
toward Vio. “This is the letter of authorization from the Duchess. It is proof that Her Grace hired
me to serve as your new knight, despite your refusal. And after receiving her orders, I travelled
to this town to fulfill my duties.”

Legion flashed him a sweet smile. His face seemed to say, “Look, I’m not lying, right?”

He’s so shameless…

Vio suddenly had the urge to grab Legion’s neck and shake him. He took a deep breath and
calmed himself. It wasn’t until his face settled into a nonchalant expression that he put away the
letter. “In any case, I don’t need a knight. If you keep trying something on me, I’ll chase you out
at once.”

“Then, how about a servant?”

Vio was taken aback. “What?”

Military men usually had a lot of pride. As such, most of them would turn their noses up at
servant work, arrogance thick in their voices as they proclaimed it labor unfit for a knight. The
knights Vio had seen in Nada town were all like that. For this reason, he found Legion’s proposal
strange.

“I believe that I also excel as a versatile servant. I can do almost every chore. I can read and
write, so I can also help you with paperwork. Or I can be an escort. I’m qualified for many
positions. If there are any skills I lack, please let me know and I’ll learn them.”

“Paperwork…” That had never crossed Vio’s mind.

Inadvertently, Legion’s smooth sales pitch charmed him. Except for Jill’s occasional help, he
sorted and went through all the paperwork by himself. At the thought of reducing his workload,
Vio found himself attracted to Legion’s offer. However, irritation soon washed over him upon
catching sight of Legion’s smiling, expectant face.

“No, I don’t need it,” he said flatly.

How dangerous. I was almost swept up in this guy’s pace.

Vio hated knights. He didn’t want anything or anyone around him who was even faintly
reminiscent of Erik.

“Anyway, stop doing whatever you like.”

Feeling like he would be further dragged into Legion’s sales pitch if he were to continue this
conversation, Vio decided to leave. He picked up the spellbook on the low table in front of him.
Rose to his feet.

“Huh? Isn’t that Mr. Bram’s book about light magic structural formulas? You can understand
such a difficult text?”

“What are you talking about? Mr. Bram’s book is for intermediate practitioners. It’s not that
difficult.”

His older brother, Rupheus, would have made fun of him if he couldn’t understand a book of this
level. Recalling the verbal abuse he had suffered under his hands, Vio’s face contorted in a
frown.

Legion rapidly blinked his eyes as if he had heard something strange. “In the Knights’ Order,
they use this book to teach the advanced practitioners.”

“Really? But Larkan’s introduction book for magic stated that Mr. Bram’s book is oriented
towards intermediate practitioners.”

“Larkan? Your tutor recommended such a difficult book to you?”

“Not really. My tutor only taught me the basics of spirit magic back when I still lived in the
lord’s residence. After I came here, I learned by myself by perusing many texts. I mean, let’s be
honest. Do you think I can find a tutor in this remote place?”

Vio then headed towards the door. Legion’s words sure were odd.

All of a sudden, the knight called out, “Lord Violant!”

“Now what? You’re so persistent…” Vio reluctantly turned around, only to see Legion’s
sparkling eyes. His face stiffened.

Quite energetically, Legion said, “Just like I thought, I definitely won’t be giving up! To
consider Bram to be of an intermediate level is a sign of your immense talent and abilities. I
would love to serve you!”

“Oh, I see. But I refuse. Haven’t I already said this several times before? Just quietly enjoy your
one-month stay here, then go home,” Vio replied, crushing Legion’s hopes. Though at this point,
Vio was too tired to even care anymore.

Translator’s ramblings:

The ‘Sir’ and ‘please’ are actually ‘…desu’, kind of a way to make her sound formal (?)! I think
she sounds like she’s mocking Legi even more, though ww (mii secretly enjoys their banter) (mii
secretly enjoys their banter)

How Legi suddenly speaks casually surprised me a little bit! In case it’s not clear, he speaks
super casually to Rille, unlike his usual humble speech. That’s why Rille was angered! Also,
Legi basically gave me false hopes and used so many idioms in this chapter. He’s now officially
the character I hate the most just because he keeps trolling this translator aaaaaaaa!!!He’s now
officially the character I hate the most just because he keeps trolling this translator aaaaaaaa!!!

Ch 6 – The Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside

(III)
The next morning, Vio got up at the crack of dawn. He blinked away his sleep with a yawn,
dressing quickly before leaving his room.

“I ended up reading books until morning again,” Vio muttered to himself. “It’s a relief that
nobody was scheduled to visit today.”

He slowly descended the stairs leading to the entrance hall. He had come up with a new idea last
night, so he was reading books in order to reinforce his knowledge.

Spirit magic drew his interest. Using a simple magic circle as the basis, he added to its structural
formula. The changes this brought were visible immediately. It was just like science. Only, it
didn’t require chemicals.

For the spell that created butterflies from particles of light, Vio first drew a magic circle to
summon light as the base. From there, he altered the structural formula to create a small particle
of light instead. He continued making changes so that the light particle floated for a fixed time,
then changed its shape into a butterfly, then caused it to form petals of light in the butterfly’s
wake. He could alter the structural formula of the magic circle depending on whether he wanted
to produce large or small light particles, few or many. All of this piqued his interest.

How should I change the structural formula to alter the color of light?

Last night, once his thoughts had wandered into spirit magic territory, he grew so absorbed that
he forgot to sleep on time.

Once Vio reached the bottom of the stairs wrapped up in a good mood, he caught sight of Ed
through the large window in the entrance hall. Ed was crouching as he worked in the garden. Vio
opened the window, letting the chilly and fresh morning air in. He then said, “Good morning, Ed.
You started working already?”

“Good morning, Young Master.” Ed wore overalls over his shirt. He spared no time in rising to
his feet and bowed after taking off his straw hat. An embarrassed smile spreading across his face,
he said, “I stopped midway yesterday. But it kept bugging my mind. So I woke up early to finish
the rest of my work… Was I too noisy?”

“No. You weren’t. I was reading books until a short while ago.”

Shifting his gaze towards the flowerbed, Vio found that Ed had planted a shrub at the center and
was in the middle of surrounding it with flowers of different hues, creating a color gradation.
There was only one third left until his work concluded.

“Ed, I understand your feelings, but do take appropriate breaks while you work.”

“Yes, Young Master. I’ll be careful. I will take a proper rest after I finish up here.”
Chuckling lightly, Vio said, “That’s fine then. Sorry for disturbing you. You can go back to
work.”

“No, you’re not disturbing me at all, Young Master! I’m sure that nobody in this mansion ever
found Young Master a bother,” said Ed, bowing in one swift move. He then crouched with his
back to Vio and continued planting flowers.

As Vio was closing the window, the view of the garden captivated him.

“It’s so beautiful…” he whispered.

It would surely feel pleasant to take a stroll outside. The fingertips of his left hand traced the
windowpane.

Should I give it a try going outside? Yeah, just a little. Only one step.

He quietly moved towards the door. His left hand gripped the closed window frame, starting to
tremble contrary to his will. Vio was just shy of stepping on the ground outside the mansion
before he retracted his leg, biting his lips hard.

Vio released a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. “So it’s really no good…”

He felt miserable. As he reached out with his right hand to the opened window on his other side,
someone called out to him from behind, “Lord Violant? Good morning. You woke up pretty
early.”

“Sir Legion…”

“Please call me Legi.” Legion offered a refreshing smile, placed a hand on his chest, and
performed a standard knight’s salute. Vio shut the window with a sharp click.

“These flowers are beautiful, my lord. The flower bed in this mansion is truly magnificent. Even
an amateur like me is charmed.”

Ignoring Legion’s flowery words, Vio proceeded for his laboratory.

“Lord Violant?” Legion called out.

Yet Vio just ignored him.

Damn it! Of all things, why did he have to see that!

Vio couldn’t let the knight examine him. At present, his face was as pale as a sheet, heart
thrashing against his chest. His body drenched in cold sweat.

“This stupid son! Your retainer even betrayed you! Just how shameful can you be?! Pathetic!”

As his father’s voice had echoed in his head sharply. Vio screwed his eyes tight against this
bitter memory.
Translator ramblings:

Added some useless ramblings in the previous chapters for no reason~

I wonder if ‘laboratory’ actually sounds out-of-place? Since the setting is the medieval era and
laboratory sounds kind of… science… Decided to go with ‘laboratory’! Thank you for kind
readers for sharing their opinion with me!!

And this chapter is so short! Good job, author-sama! Keep this up! Muah muah!!
//killedbythereaders

Ch 7 – The Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside

(IV)
“Young Master, are you feeling alright?”

Jill’s call snapped Vio back to his senses. He blinked to reorient himself. Previously, he had been
reading in the laboratory, but his mind started to wander as he flipped through the pages. The
sunlight streaming through the window proved faint. Sunset seemed around the corner.

“I called for you several times just now… I also noticed that you’ve been sighing a lot today,”
said Jill, tone thick with worry. “Are you really alright, Young Master?”

“Ah, don’t worry, Jill. I’m a little tired since I read until late last night and didn’t sleep
properly,” said Vio nonchalantly. But then he realized he had slipped up.

Jill stared at him in disapproval. “Young Master…”

Simply by hearing Jill call his name in that particular manner, Vio could already envision what
the butler wanted to say. Jill was fine with him studying magic, but just now, Vio had revealed
that he had broken a promise from a year ago: to sleep properly. He didn’t want to listen to Jill’s
nagging.

So he rushed to stand and said in an evasive manner, “Oh, um, yes. I’ll rest in my room until
dinner.”

“By all means, please do that.”

And he spared no time in leaving the room, running from Jill’s disapproving gaze.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Woah, that was dangerous.

Vio walked down the hallway at a quick pace. Jill was usually soft on him, but when it came to
his physical well-being, it was a totally different story. He would be as stern as a demon, his
lectures taking forever. Every time Vio sensed danger from him, he would run away. As he
wondered whether he should sleep early today, he stifled a yawn.

He made for the entrance hall to head to his room on the second floor. Although Leca town was
a rural town, this mansion was magnificent and spacious. Naturally, moving around in this huge
space was troublesome. Originally, this mansion was built as a summer residence for Vio’s frail
and elderly grandmother. His grandfather was the prime minister, so he could afford to invest a
lot of money into it. Thanks to that, the interior was elegant and luxurious. The only
disharmonious factor was the fake mounted deer head displayed in the dining room. Hunting was
a passion of his grandfather; the mounted deer head was there to satisfy his interests.

Still, Vio found it creepy during the night.

“Lord Violant.”

“Hm?” said Vio, glancing around his surroundings.

He had definitely heard Legion’s voice, but the man was nowhere in sight.

“Here. Look at the garden.”

“…What are you doing?” asked Vio. Legion stood outside the window to the entrance hall, in his
arms a bouquet of colorful wildflowers. Coupled with his bright grin, Vio could not find it in
himself to ignore him.

“Lord Violant was admiring the flowers this morning, right? I climbed the mountain and picked
these up! Don’t worry; I asked permission from the gardener. If you’re alright with this, may you
accept them?” asked Legion, drawing closer to the window.

Astonishment filled Vio. Even though it’s so chilly outside… he actually climbed the mountain to
pick those flowers. Why did he do this? I’m not a princess.

He opened the window. It was obvious how such an action caused Legion’s expression to
brighten. To Vio, Legion looked like a dog with a wagging tail. It was rude to imagine him as
one, but the resemblance remained.

Just to make his stance clear, Vio said, “I won’t hire you even if you do this.”

Confused for a moment, Legion asked, “Hire?”

Then he shook his head after he had understood what Vio meant. He said, “No, that was not my
intention! I only wish to aid in your relaxation. I want to see a smile on your face—Ah, no!
Anyway, that’s not it!”

“Please calm down. I can’t follow your words if you speak that quickly.”

“I just wanted you to be happy…”

Like before, it was easy to see the truth in Legion’s form, flashing in his eyes. Vio was
dumbfounded.
This man is very different from the knights I’ve come across in Nada town. I still can’t
understand the purpose of his actions.

Rupheus had trained every knight he had ever met. Each had a cold demeanor. Not to mention,
everything they did was merely out of obligation, detailed by their job descriptions. This was
Vio’s first experience to have someone charge at him full of genuine good will.

“…I see. Then it can’t be helped. I’ll accept these since the flowers are innocent. But I’ll only
take half. I can’t carry that many.”

“It’s too great of an honor!” Legion divided the flowers in half and presented them to Vio.
Surprise painted his face. The bouquet was heavy even when split in half. Did Legion not realize
he had picked too many?

As he stared at the flowers, he realized that he had never laid eyes on some of them before.

“These flowers bloom in the mountains?”

“Yeah! During spring, the mountains are beautiful. Lord Violant is unwell, but the sun isn’t
shining that strong right now. How about walking around the garden? If it’s alright with you,
would you like me to escort you there?”

After Legion wiped the palm of his left hand on his coat, he extended it to Vio. Vio froze as he
stared at his extended hand. It seemed Legion believed the rumor that had been spread in public.
That he didn’t leave the mansion because of his frail body.

“No, I…”

“If that’s still not okay, shall I bring a parasol?”

“That’s not it… Fine, I’ll go.”

Vio took a deep breath to prepare himself. It was a good opportunity to practice going out.
Timidly, he placed his right hand onto Legion’s left, the latter lightly pulling him forward.

Finally, after such a long time, he stepped onto the soil.

At that moment, the memory of that day flashed in his mind.

“Lord Vio, the snow has piled up so prettily. Would you like to go out? I’ll accompany you.”

Yeah. On that winter day, Erik presented his hand to me like this too.

Immediately, Vio shoved Legion away with all of his strength. Surprise filled Legion’s features.
The colorful flowers in his hands fluttered in the air as they fell down to the ground.

And then, Vio knelt at that spot. The flowers he had held were scattered on the ground around
him.

He found it hard to breathe. The sound of his heartbeat rang in his ears. Sweat ran down his back
in sticky trails.
“Lord Violant!” shouted Legion, so startled that he had raised his voice. Vio lifted his right hand
to show he was fine, but because he couldn’t breathe properly, he ended up wobbling in place
instead.

“Young Master!”

As soon as Vio had heard those words, someone pulled him back into the mansion in one swift
movement. It was Jill. He tapped Vio’s back at regular intervals. “Please breathe in. Breathe out.
Breathe in… It’s fine. You are fine now.”

With Jill’s helpful instructions, Vio finally managed to breathe properly. Exhausted, he sank to
the floor.

Then Jill turned to Legion, tone menacing as he said, “Sir Legion, what is the meaning of this?”

“…Hah. Don’t be angry, Jill. It’s my fault,” said Vio.

“Eh?”

“I wanted to go out. I thought that I could do it since a long time has passed since then, but… It
was no good. This is terrible.” Vio covered his face with his shaking hands. His eyes burned. His
tears willfully flowed down his cheeks. “How can I escape from his shadow? I want to forget,
but I can’t.”

“It’s okay, Young Master. It’s wonderful that you summoned your courage to try. But please
don’t think about it anymore.”

With Jill’s tender voice and his patting of his back, Vio’s trembling finally subsided.

Yes, that’s all in the past. It’s okay now.

The moment he was convinced of that, his vision went dark.

“Young Master?!”

“Lord Violant?!”

Jill and Legion’s voices of panic overlapped, but they all sounded faint to Vio.

Translator’s ramblings:

Oh no, Vio! I don’t really blame Legi since I’m sure he means well… I hope this won’t decrease
Rille’s cookie points on Legi, though! You can do this, ML!!

Also, I assumed that Legi didn’t actually fall down (how can a normal guy push a knight?) but
he’s definitely surprised, so maybe it’s like he… moved back? Got pushed a little? And the
flowers in his hands also moved back, so they kind of flutter and fell down! Author-sama please
stop being vague pspspsps
And we decided to change ‘young master’ to ‘Young Master’! I’ve fixed all of the previous
chapters but if any readers saw us using ‘young master’, please kindly point it out so I can fix
it… QAQ

I feel like these ramblings are basically mii

and her team overthinking things ww, the
number of braincells and research we had
done for this novel are insane…Ch 8 – The
Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside (V)
“A phobia of going outside?” asked Legion.

Jill nodded.

They currently resided in the dining room meant for servants, located in the kitchen. There, a
table stood, enough chairs for six people surrounding it.

“For now, please take a seat,” said Jill. “I will brew some tea for us.”

Legion sat in the seat farthest to the left as prompted. Then he absentmindedly looked at Jill’s
back, thoughts wandering to what had transpired earlier.

As Jill had carried the unconscious Violant to his room on the second floor, Legion summoned
the town doctor. Only after the doctor had examined him and declared nothing was particularly
wrong did Legion feel relieved. Due to his unwarranted kindness, Violant had collapsed. If the
situation worsened, Legion seriously considered taking his own life.

Jill set the cups of herbal tea on the table, taking a seat across from Legion. Watching Jill take a
sip of tea, Legion followed suit. Only after he had drunk some did he finally realize how thirsty
he was.

Eventually, Jill lowered his cup. Stared at Legion, gray eyes glowing with intelligence. “Sir
Legion, are you aware of that traitor? A man named Erik?”

“Erik? No, I’m not aware… Is that the person Lord Violant had referred to before he collapsed?”

“You’ve guessed correctly. But I’m surprised that you don’t know this name. I believe he’s
somewhat famous in the Lesserhains’ territory.”

“Although I was born and raised in the Lesserhains’ territory, I stayed in the royal capital since I
was twelve. In fact, I’ve just recently returned to my hometown. I remember hearing some
rumors by chance, but not once have I heard that name.”

“Truly? Two years have passed since that person’s name joined the wanted list here. Perhaps by
now, everyone has lost their interest in him.” Jill heaved a heavy sigh. His gentle gray eyes
darkened. Legion set down his empty cup.
“Erik Karland served as Young Master’s guardian knight until two years ago,” said Jill.

“A guardian knight?” Legion widened his eyes. “But Lord Violant said he hated knights…”

Once those words had left his lips, Legion received an inkling of what might have happened:
Erik might be the reason why Lord Violant hated knights.

Once more did Jill nod. “Erik was Young Master’s most trusted subordinate. In fact, Young
Master placed his absolute trust in him and idolized him. Erik also said that Young Master was
someone he would give his for, someone utterly important. He served Young Master well. They
seemed like brothers of differing ages or close friends. As you may know, Young Master didn’t
have many allies in Nada town. His Grace Duke Lesserhain and his elder brother treated him
harshly. So he trusted Erik all the more.”

A frown crawled over Legion’s lips. “And that man betrayed him?” Honestly speaking, he was
extremely jealous of that fellow called Erik. Found him odious despite never meeting him. If not
for that man’s influence, Legion would not have had to maneuver past all these obstacles, of
being branded a bad person, before Violant finally accepted him as a knight.

Jill smiled wryly. “Erik’s circumstances were also tragic. He left after venting out his anger on
Young Master. Perhaps at that time, his heart had already been broken. That’s why, despite
Erik’s act of attempted murder, Young Master could not hate him. Rather, he wandered in the
depths of despair, unable to let go.”

According to Jill, Erik’s father was imprisoned on a false charge. He tried to make an appeal to
the lord for his father’s innocence, but no one gave him the time of day. Eventually, his father
died in prison.

After that, Erik turned his blade toward Vio. Seriously injured, Vio wandered on the brink of
death.

And…

“Ever since that day, Young Master hasn’t been able to go outside. The doctor diagnosed it as a
phobia. It is clear that the wound in his heart is the cause. If he goes outside, the memory of his
betrayal would flood his mind, and fear would overwhelm him. Fear that someone would make
an attempt on his life again. When it gets severe, he would collapse like today.”

“The cause is clear, so why did the duke exile Lord Violant to this faraway place on his own?”

Legion was unable to wrap his head around it. Most parents would try to protect their children if
they were hurt. Even a bird wouldn’t throw its wounded chick from its nest.

Jill responded to his confusion with helplessness, saying, “The Lesserhain family is well-known
for its valor. Even though Young Master is from the direct line, he is considered worthless since
he cannot step foot outside. He can’t even go hunting, much less fight in wars. Hence, His Grace
Duke Lesserhain tried to disown him.” A pause. “But he conceded to the duchess’ desperate
persuasion, driving Young Master away to the rural Leca town instead. Even His Grace would be
troubled if he was forced to divorce the current king’s sister.”
“I see. So the duchess is Lord Violant’s ally, then?” A wave of relief washed over Legion, as if
that matter concerned himself. It was painful just to imagine that scenario, of Violant lacking a
single ally in his own family.

“Yes. And so is his sister. But Young Master’s elder brother, Lord Rupheus, hates him even
more than His Grace does. While it might be common for brothers in noble families to share a
bad relationship, I wish he could be more kind. He’s such a skilled person that it is a shame his
personality leaves much to be desired.”

Jill seldom allowed his emotions to show on his face, but at this moment, there existed an
expression of unadulterated disgust.

He doesn’t like Lord Rupheus, huh? Legion had served Rupheus for three days, but couldn’t
grow to like him. As such, he felt a sense of affinity with Jill.

“Young Master lives alone under such circumstances here. He would have a panic attack if he
goes outside, so please refrain from inviting him out again.”

“I understand,” said Legion, nodding. The moment he hung his head in remorse, Rille entered
the kitchen. She glared at Legion, cold enough to freeze. Bursting with anger.

“Excuse me, Mr. Jill. Master has a message for Sir Legion.”

“What is it?” Legion replied, sweat springing from his back due to Rille’s intense glare.

“‘You’re now clear that I’m lacking as a master, right? Tomorrow morning, please leave the
mansion.’” Rille gritted her teeth in frustration. “To be honest, I want to beat you up. How could
you make Master say something like this?!”

“Now, Rille,” said Jill, trying to stop her, but Rille only shook her head.

“No, Mr. Jill. I won’t stay quiet! Listen, I won’t forgive you if you make Master suffer again.
Please pack up at once,” said Rille, standing firm on her decision. She then left the kitchen with a
sullen expression.

Without a moment’s delay, Jill said, “Please forgive me, Sir Legion. I’ve let you hear her
impudent remarks that don’t fit her station as a maid…”

“No, it’s fine. Miss Rille’s complaint against me is reasonable. Certainly, I’m unpleasant.”

Face the picture of puzzlement, Jill watched as Legion rose to his feet. “Are you alright?”

“I want to reflect on my actions.”

“What? Ah, sure…”

And Legion left the mansion without any regard for Jill, the latter still standing there confused.

But it’s not your fault, Legi… You didn’t know that Vio had a phobia… QAQ
A bit off-topic, but everyone in this novel really has beautiful eye colors! I only have ordinary
dark brown eyes, so I always want to have those fancy eye colors!! (((but I’m too scared to use
contacts aaaa)))

Ch 9 – The Reason He Couldn’t Go Outside

(VI)
It rained the next morning. Through his window, Vio gazed at the storm raging outside. Worried
that rain might damage the flowers in the garden. After all, Ed had specially planted those for
him.

Has Sir Legion left the mansion yet? I feel bad for making him leave in this weather…

But Vio couldn’t put up with him no matter what. He didn’t want anyone to see him like this,
having a panic attack due to his phobia of going outside. In his mind zipped images of people
laughing at him behind his back. Over and over. Of people mocking him for being scared of past
events.

He couldn’t take it.

As Vio looked at the garden, a sigh escaping his lips, he caught sight of a figure in the garden.
Believing it to be Ed, he wondered what the gardener was doing without a rain cloak. Yet after
scrutinizing the figure, Vio realized who it was. In an instant, he fled from the room, panic filling
his heart. The moment he opened the door, Vio ran into Rille.

“Master, you’re awake? How are you feeling—”

“Rille, what is he doing in the garden?”

“Garden? What are you talking about?” Rille asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“It seems he’s self-reflecting,” Jill said, suddenly appearing from the other side of Vio.

“Self-reflection?” Vio cut a puzzled figure, unable to understand the knight’s actions. “Why
didn’t you stop him?”

“Of course I tried to, but he didn’t listen to me at all. I gave up.”

“Even someone like Jill gave up on trying to stop him? That’s…” Astonishment painted Vio’s
face. Jill’s good points were his strong tenacity and patience. For him to give up was close to
impossible.

Feeling a mild headache coming in, Vio massaged his forehead. Things would be easier if
Legion had grown disappointed at Vio’s sorry figure. If he had left. Why did that man have to
make a show of self-reflecting?

“Such an extremely troublesome person…”

Unfortunately, Vio couldn’t leave him alone. He wasn’t that ruthless. He turned to the servants
and asked, fatigued, “Where are the bath towels?”
“I’ll bring it!” said Rille, making her way downstairs in a flash. Vio chased after her, descending
the stairs to the entrance hall in his sleepwear. Jill also trailed after him.

“Jill, are you that fond of that guy?”

“Dear me. What are you talking about, Young Master?”

“You said you gave up and left him alone without driving him out. But you can’t lie to me.” Vio
stopped halfway down the stairs. Turned his head, gaze falling upon Jill.

Jill’s grey eyes twinkled with mischief. “Then I’ll speak honestly.”

“Please.”

“It isn’t just because Her Grace employed him. I also believed that he would become Young
Master’s shield and sword. Once a faithful dog decides on its master, it won’t betray them, even
in the face of death.”

Such words rendered Vio speechless. “Oh? So he looks like a dog to Jill too?”

How surprising that it wasn’t only him.

Jill coughed. “Young Master. This might be presumptuous of me, but may I tell you my
opinion?”

“Sure. Say it.”

“From what I can see, there are three types of military men. The first type only focuses on
polishing their abilities and concentrates on winning above anything else. The second type aims
for a successful career and high status, desiring to have subordinates that obey them. Whereas,
the third type finds great delight in being useful to their master. Clearly, Sir Legion falls into the
third category. Considering how many knights in Nada town fall into the first and second
categories, it’ll be a shame to let him go. The knights of the other two categories will only hinder
you if you don’t utilize them well.”

Vio nodded. He could neither participate in war nor visit the castle to socialize with the nobility.
As such, he wouldn’t be able to utilize the knights that fell into the first and second categories to
the best of their potential. Not to mention, those knights wouldn’t be willing to serve him in the
first place.

“That’s an interesting perspective,” said Vio.

“This servant is humbly delighted by the praise.”

After Vio reached the end of the stairs, Rille offered him a bath towel. He received it, sighing as
he walked through the hallway. Legion knelt on one knee in the corner of the garden, in the
midst of his “self-reflection.” Looking at the knight’s posture, Vio sighed again. He opened the
window and called out, “Sir Legion. Come here.”

“No. I haven’t reflected enough…” Legion muttered.

Angered, Vio said in a stricter tone, “That’s enough, Legion Salt! Come here!”
“Yes!” Legion immediately made to stand, staggering, perhaps because he had held the same
position for a long time. Even so, as soon as he was able, he dashed toward Vio like a faithful
dog.

Vio beckoned the dripping-wet Legion to come closer.

Legion lowered his head, despondent. “Umm, I am very sorry. I’ll dirty the floors if I come in, so
—”

“If you feel sorry, then clean the floor by yourself after you take a bath and change your
clothes,” Vio replied in a harsh manner. Legion obediently entered the mansion at that remark,
hopping through the window. Vio shut it behind him. Actually, carpet did not cover the stone
floor. It would be fine as long as the knight cleaned it up.

Vio turned back to Legion. “What were you thinking, huh? I’ll say this again, but I was the one
who wanted to go outside yesterday. Don’t kick yourself over that.”

“What Lord Violant said is right, but that’s not it…”

Legion hung his head in shame, his expression apologetic. “I’ve heard about your circumstances
from the butler. Even so, I still want to serve Lord Violant. But I do not wish to be a burden. I
am very sorry for my selfishness.”

“What…?” Vio had expected that Legion’s reason for self-punishment stemmed from anxiety
after witnessing his panic attack. Never had he imagined there to be another reason. He blinked,
then burst into loud laughter, holding his sides. “You… You’re reflecting on that even in this
rainstorm? I don’t understand you. What’s with that reason?”

It had been a while since Vio laughed so much. Legion still stood with his head lowered, yet
crimson spread through his cheeks. Most likely out of embarrassment.

After laughing for a while, Vio took a deep breath. Legion hunched his shoulders in preparation
for a scolding.

“Okay. I lost. I’ll hire you,” said Vio.

At the sound of those words, Legion looked up, staring at Vio with amber eyes full of wonder.

Vio tilted his head in confusion. “Oh? I thought you’d be happy. This is unexpected.”

“I’m sorry. It is just that I am too happy, so I grew confused.”

Once again, laughter spilled from Vio’s lips. “What’s with that? You’re a weird guy!”

Vio wished he wouldn’t make him laugh anymore. He then asked the stunned Legion to crouch,
placing the bath towel on his head. Wiped the knight’s head like one would a dog.

Just as expected, even Legion flinched. “Ah, please stop it! I will do it myself!”

Legion pulled at the towel with both hands, staggering and giving off the impression he would
fall. But in the end, he kept his balance.
Vio stared at Legion. “I will hire you, but there are two conditions. First, don’t carry a sword in
front of me. Second, gladly do any chores that are asked of you.”

“Of course! I promise that I will give my utmost effort!”

Vio leaned forward for a better look at Legion, and after making sure that his determination was
sincere, he released his hand. Legion straightened his posture, his face red for some reason. Vio
then offered his right hand to him.

“I’ll be counting on you from now on, Legi.”

“Yes! Please take care of me as well, my Lord!” said Legion with a nod, a smile gracing his lips
as he grabbed Vio’s outstretched hand.

Ch 10 – The Young Lady’s Visit (I)

A month had passed since Legion joined the ranks of the mansion.

Since then, the town began showing signs of early summer. Leca flowers started their bloom,
creating an illusion of freshly-fallen snow. Because Leca town sat at the foot of the Alpé
Mountains, the weather was pleasant during this season. Just by opening their windows, the
townspeople could enjoy a cool breeze.

Today, Vio had been restless since the morning, unable to calm down. He kept pacing back and
forth in the entrance hall. Jill, Rille, and Legion stood close by, watching their fidgety master
with a smile.

Eventually, Rille couldn’t hold her laughter. “Master. You can wait in your room. We’ll call you
when she has arrived.”

“Ah, sure. I’ll do that…” said Vio, embarrassment flooding his cheeks once he realized he had
shown his unseemly side. But the moment his ears caught the neigh of a horse, he leapt for the
front door made of evergreen oak. The door swung open. Before his eyes, a green carriage
stopped right in front of the entranceway. The carriage door opened, and a little girl wearing a
pink dress disembarked. Other than her curly brown hair, she resembled Vio and his mother
Viola to a high degree. Purple eyes and lovely face a spitting image of theirs.

The girl beamed as soon as she had laid eyes on Vio. “Brother!”

“Welcome, Flora.”

Immediately, his younger sister, Flora, ran towards him. He caught her in a hug and lifted her,
twirling her around. Flora squealed in delight. She was twelve years old presently, but her
childish side hadn’t changed at all. Before long, Vio put her down. He then knelt on one knee
and took Flora’s left hand. “Welcome to Leca, my adorable little lady. You really came from
such a faraway place, huh? How’s your first long trip?”

Flora puffed out her cheeks. “Ahh, it’s terrible! I was sitting the entire time. My butt hurts.”

“My Lady, mind your words.”

“I’m sorry, Calia,” said Flora, dejected.

Vio turned and caught sight of a female knight standing in a corner of the entranceway. He rose
to his feet. The woman wore lightweight knights’ armor, a thin saber hanging by her waist.

Grabbing his right hand and pulling it lightly, Flora said, “Brother, let me introduce her. She’s
my knight.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lord Violant. I’m Calia Balmore.” A blink, and Calia knelt on one knee to
perform a knight’s greeting. With her long auburn hair braided to the back, she gave off a
dignified atmosphere, characteristic of military men.

“Please stand up, Dame Balmore. Thank you for being Flora’s guardian knight. My sister is a
bundle of energy, so I hope you can keep that in mind.”

“I’m honored by your concern. Please call me Calia,” she replied with her eyes lowered
respectfully. She seemed like the type of person who often concealed their emotions.

“Then I’ll call you Dame Calia. By the way, you’re Viscount Balmore’s fifth daughter, right? I
believe we met at my mother’s birthday party a long time ago.”

For hairsbreadth of a moment, Calia widened her tawny eyes. “Yes, you’re correct… Please
forgive me, I’m humbled that you remembered me, yet I…”

“No, no. I wasn’t confident since you have such a different aura from before, but I’m glad I
hadn’t been mistaken. It’s amazing that you became a knight even as a noble lady.”

Flora nodded vigorously at Vio’s praise. “That’s right, Brother. Calia is the strongest amongst all
of my knights. Her archery skills won’t lose to anyone’s! Of course, even to men’s!”

“Oh, that’s amazing. You must be tired from the long journey, right?” he asked, gaze falling
upon Flora. “I’ll have my servants escort you to your room so you can change clothes first. Then
come to mine and we’ll have some tea. Jill, I’ll leave it to you.”

Jill bowed in a respectful manner. But before they followed the servants out, Calia carefully said,
“Lord Violant, may I ask something?”

“What is it?”

“Why is Sir Legion here?”

“Ah.” Reminded of Legion who stood close by to him, Vio said, “I forgot to introduce him.” He
beckoned to the knight. “Legi, come here. Flora, he’s my new knight.”

“It has been a while, Lady Flora.”

Upon hearing Legion’s greeting, Vio remembered that Legion had used to be his brother
Ruhpheus’ knight. Even if it had only been for three days. It seemed the two had gotten
acquainted at that time.

Flora looked back and forth between Vio and Legion, surprised. “Brother took in a knight?”
“Mother sent him to me.”

However, Flora stole a glance at Jill. Jill replied to her gaze with a playful wink, causing a smile
to bloom on her lips.

She looked up at Legion. “Well, that’s great. Sir Legion, I’m sorry for Brother Rupheus’s
rudeness. I was quite worried, so it’s a relief to see you doing well. Please take care of my
brother.”

“I’ll devote my all, be it body or soul, to protect him,” Legion replied, cutting a solemn figure.

Shocked, Vio couldn’t help but say, “Look… Isn’t he too strait-laced?”

A chuckle escaped Flora’s lips. “Someone as amazing as Sir Legion becoming my brother’s
knight is a perfect scenario. Well, I’ll go to my room now.”

“Take your time,” said Vio.

Jill guided Flora to the second floor, her knight and maids following suit. Meanwhile, Rille
helped the other servants unload Flora’s belongings. Vio made his way toward the drawing room
with Legion.

“Isn’t my little sister so cute?”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“My father is also soft on her. He even allowed her to travel to such a remote region.”

He had expected her to cancel the trip after his mother had sent the prior letter. So to see Flora
after such a long time brought him joy.

“Look after my sister too.”

“I understand.”

Glancing once more at Legion, Vio entered the drawing room.

Ch 11 – The Young Lady’s Visit (II)

“Brother, here are the things we brought. These are from Mother, and those are from me.”

Flora’s two maids, coachman, and Rille carried her mountains of luggage into the mansion. Such
a sight shocked Vio. From a glance, a majority of the items were clothes, jewelry, and food.

“I’m happy, but… you brought a lot of things again, didn’t you?”

His thoughts wandered on how she could have loaded these items into her carriage. Under his
sister’s gaze, he smiled. “Thank you, Flora. I’ll make sure to write a letter to Mother.”

“Please do that. Mother is cross. She said she didn’t receive any letters from you.”
A chuckle left his lips. “But I replied when I could, you know? I just don’t really have anything
to write.”

“Don’t say that.” Flora pouted. “I’m also looking forward to your letters.”

Flora is really cute.

Since he had been a single child in his previous life, Vio couldn’t help but find his little sister the
most adorable thing. He’d even let escape a grin if he weren’t careful. Presently, he was striving
his best to keep up a normal expression. “But Flora, don’t you think there are too many clothes?”

“Mother was very excited, so she went all out. I recommend this!” said Flora as she presented a
luxurious set of clothes, silver embroidery upon a white background, adorned with jewels.

A wry smile slid its way across his mouth.

Where can I even wear this?

Most likely, this set of clothes was only suitable for an evening party or ball. Vio, who could not
step foot outside the mansion, would never have an opportunity to wear it. “O-oh, really? Thank
you very much. Rille, can you sort out the clothes and move them to my room?”

“Understood.”

Flora turned to one of her maids. “Anna, please assist her too.”

“I understand, My Lady.”

The maids broke into action, sorting out the items in the room. Meanwhile, Vio and Flora
enjoyed the tea and sweets Jill had prepared. Noticing the knights waiting for their order by the
door, Vio dismissed Legion. Flora then followed suit, saying, “Calia, you can leave too. Go and
take a break.”

“Yes. Then, please excuse me. Please call me when you’re going out.”

“Yeah.”

After Legion and Calia had left, Flora asked. “Brother, how’s your health?”

“It’s great. Keep this a secret, but I’m feeling good because Father and Brother aren’t here.”

Flora pulled a dejected face. “I’m sure Father and Brother will appreciate you someday.”

“It’ll be great if that happens,” said Vio. However, he believed that such a day would never
come. He had given up trying to obtain their approval.

Flora changed the topic, saying, “It’s peaceful and pleasant here. May I go outside later?”

“Do as you like. You’ll spend a month here, right? There’s no need to hurry. The weather is
great during this season, so you can go out whenever you want.”
“Really? It’s always raining in Nada town during this time of the year. It’s awful. I thought
everywhere else was the same,” said Flora, joy in her voice, violet eyes sparkling.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“I’m surprised, Sir Legion. I never thought I’d see you in this remote region.”

Once the knights had left the drawing room, they walked out of the mansion upon Calia’s
request. Now, as they stood side by side behind a towering tree, they chatted.

“You’ve already heard that Lord Rupheus discharged me, right? After that, Her Grace employed
me and sent me here. I was lucky.”

“You sure have no ambition, huh? By staying here, you shouldn’t expect a successful career,”
said Calia with a hint of teasing in her voice. She narrowed her tawny eyes. “What’s with that
thing on your waist? What happened to your sword?”

“Ah, this?” asked Legion, picking up the baton hung by his waist. Though he called it a baton, it
looked more like a metal rod with a handle than anything. “Lord Violant doesn’t like swords, so
I made this. It’ll be dangerous if something happens while I’m unarmed. Dame Calia, you
shouldn’t equip your sword in Lord Violant’s presence during your stay here.”

“Oh? So that rumor is true, then?”

“Rumor?”

“Yeah. ‘The coward who fears sword.’” The moment those words left her lips, Legion thrust his
baton right at her face, millimeters from collision.

Calia raised both hands without resisting. “Hey, hey. Those aren’t my words.”

“If you say that in front of Lord Violant, I won’t just leave things like this.”

“What a scary guy. No matter how rude I am, I’ll still treat the master of this mansion with
respect.”

Her words gave off the impression of fear. But in reality, her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Legion put away the baton. That said, he now watched Calia with a wary gaze.

Among the male knights serving the duke’s estate in Nada town circulated a rumor. That if
angered, Calia would transform into a fierce “Rose Lion.” Because of her personality, she
aspired to become a knight regardless of her noble lineage. Some might not take her seriously
because of her gender, but she would catch them off guard with her amazing prowess.

“Why has Dame Calia become the knight of Lord Violant’s younger sister? Didn’t you serve
Lord Rupheus before?”
“Be happy. You have a comrade now,” she said. “I was also discharged by him. He wanted me
in his bed and I refused.”

Calia touched her neck, expression normal. “That person makes light of women too much. I felt
refreshed after my dismissal. As I was about to leave the residence, I caught the attention of
Lady Flora by chance. Eyes sparkling, she told me she found it amazing a woman could become
a knight… Naturally, I had no choice but to serve her, right?” Calia grinned. “Plus, I love cute
things.”

“If the knights in the duke’s residence heard you say that, they’ll definitely faint. Then? You
pulled me here only to tell me this?”

“No way! Recently, the Ruslan Kingdom seems to be plotting something. Although the southern
region is more dangerous than here, the Ruslan Kingdom is still adjacent to the Alpé Mountains.
Be careful.”

“The Ruslan Kingdom?” Legion couldn’t help but shift his gaze to the Alpé Mountains. The
steep mountain range was also known as the “Devil’s Mountain.” Rumor had it that people
would lose their lives should they ever step foot on it. The path through the mountains connected
Leca town and the Ruslan Kingdom, but in reality, their only option for invasion was to travel
from the south. “If they’re coming here, wouldn’t the kingdom stop the enemy infantry once they
reach the southern region? Do we need to be that worried?”

Calia pointed a finger up, past the highest leaves of the tree. “There’s the sky, right? Through the
grapevine, I’ve heard the Ruslan Kingdom has been training Equestrian Dragons. Leca town
used to be a rural town, but nowadays, thanks to the inks and candies made with Leca flowers,
this town has grown popular. You can’t say that snatching this place away won’t be profitable
for them.”

“…I see.” Legion frowned, wondering if he was being too optimistic. “I’ll convey this to Lord
Violant. I’m sure he’ll deal with it somehow.”

“Well, it’ll be the best if nothing really happened.”

Legion and Calia continued their conversation, looking up at the Alpé Mountains once more.

Ch 12 – The Young Lady’s Visit (III)

Suspicious activities from the Ruslan Kingdom, huh?

As Vio mulled over Legion’s report, he gazed at the crescent moon hanging in the night sky,
bright light penetrating the windows.

In “Princess Dances with the Night,” our war with the Ruslan Kingdom isn’t supposed to start
until I’m seventeen years old… But I can’t go outside anymore, and Legi is no longer Brother’s
subordinate. It isn’t strange that we’ve deviated from the plotline of the manga… I guess.

Vio sat down on the bed and took a deep breath, trembling in fear. Once war broke out, incidents
similar to Erik’s act of attempted murder would become an everyday occurrence. And
eventually, the Lesserhains would fall from power, losing the shield that had protected them
from the wrath of their subjects. Although Vio had already prepared himself for the
condemnation, the thought of execution still frightened him, especially a public one by guillotine
or beheading by axe.

Currently, our alliance with the Ruslan Kingdom should still be intact. The heroine, Princess
Liona, is close with our kingdom’s Princess Diana. She will even receive an invitation to the
Crown Prince’s 18th birthday party. But once the party progresses, Princess Liona will
humiliate Brother, inciting him to dispatch an assassin for her. This will spark a war between the
two kingdoms…

Brother Rupheus’ foolish move was precisely the cause of the Lesserhains’ ruin. If this kingdom
were to lose in the war, the Lesserhains would naturally take responsibility, the conflict’s cause
having originated from their hands.

Actually, we may not even reach that point. Chances are the royal family will abandon us to
avoid the war.

According to the manga, the conflict would escalate into war. Even so, Vio wasn’t certain as to
what would happen, since there were already some inconsistencies at this point.

I can accept condemnation, but it’ll be bad if they attack this place. I don’t want the people in
the town and village to suffer.

Leca town didn’t have enough funds to properly equip for battle. This was the case even after the
wealth Leca flowers brought, just enough to make winter more bearable.

I don’t have the time and money to arrange for weapons and gunpowder. But I must at least
repair the walls surrounding the town and prepare some makeshift weapons.

Then Vio suddenly had an epiphany.

What if I draw a magic circle that will activate according to the civilians’ thoughts, summoning
a protective barrier? But then I’d have to make sure everyone has Leca ink and paper at all
times. That way, even people with low magic essence reserves can power the protective
barrier…

Vio groaned.

But a single mistake in the preparations would prove fatal. If the king starts to suspect this town
for intending to become an autonomous region, then I would be getting my priorities backwards.

His first priority was to secure enough food for winter. It might be a good idea to set up a hiding
place for it. Next would be to repair the defensive walls. Additionally, makeshift spears must be
prepared for the townspeople for their own defense.

But there was one thing troubling him

Ah, my head hurts. How can I get the funds for all that?

Dejection washed over him at that thought. His plans were shattered before he could even start
on them.
Typically, the younger siblings in noble families need not worry about the financial affairs of
their territories. They would simply order their subordinates to manage them. Although Vio was
physically still fifteen, his mental age was far older thanks to his previous life’s memories.
Moreover, this world was based on a manga, and since he knew the future events, he couldn’t
stay carefree. He was currently revitalizing the town through the Leca flowers, and he already
had a rough plan for the allocation of funds.

Oh well, let’s just worry about the money some other time. At least I’ve decided on my priorities
today. I’ll stop here and sleep.

Vio switched off his brain and slid underneath his covers, anticipating the fun things he would be
doing with Flora tomorrow.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“I tried cooking a meal that recovered magic essence for breakfast today,” Vio said, a smile
painting his lips as he placed a plate of freshly-baked scones in front of Flora.

Flora widened her eyes. “I feel bad to have Brother serve my breakfast. What are the maids
doing? Should I scold them?”

“Please don’t be angry, young lady. I just got carried away in the kitchen and made this. It looks
delicious, right?”

“B-B-B-B-Brother personally made this?!” She stared at the fluffy scones in amazement.

“I only did this to kill time. But it turns out baking can be quite fun,” said Vio. He then pointed
to a saucer of jam. “This is called Leca jam. I made it by preserving Leca flowers in sugar. It’s
delicious, but we can’t sell it because it doesn’t last long.”

“My brother’s cooking… My brother’s serving…” mumbled Flora with a somewhat distant look
to her eyes.

Vio tilted his head. “Do you not like the food I cooked? Then I’ll ask Rille to—”

“I’ll eat them with pleasure!” Flora cut the scone in half with a knife, spread some Leca jam on
top, and brought the scone to her lips. Right after it entered her mouth, she broke into a smile.

She chewed for a few seconds before saying, “The outside is crunchy, but the inside is fluffy…
The sweetness of the Leca jam also stands out. Brother, it’s very delicious.”

“I’m glad. I’m only a little better than Rille in making scones. It’s my favorite thing to eat.”

Although there were scones in this world, Vio prefered the crunchier, fluffier sort from his
previous life. As such, he tried time and time again to make them, just so he could eat something
delicious. However, his cooking skill was normal for other dishes. In fact, he only knew how to
chop and grill the ingredients.
“Flora, what’s your plan today?”

“I intend to walk around town.”

“I see. Then, Flora, I want you to see many things so that you can tell me everything later.”

“Tell you?”

“Yeah. I can’t go outside, so I haven’t seen much of the town.”

Nodding with excitement shining in her eyes, she said, “Then I’ll look around closely. I will talk
about many things with you after I return.”

“Thank you, Flora.”

Their harmonious laughter filled the room as they ate their breakfast.

Ch 13 – The Young Lady’s Visit (IV)

After Flora went to the town, Vio decided to shut himself in his study. He had to calculate the
amount of funds needed for his plan. Once he took out the ledger, he started calculating how to
fund the war preparations.

As he jotted down his ideas with a groan, Vio heard a clink. Someone had placed a cup on the
table, the scent of the black tea softly wafting through the air.

Vio looked up, expecting to see Jill. But to his surprise, it was Legion, his guardian knight. He
said, “Thank you, Legi.”

“It’s nothing. Do you need any help?”

“If you insist, then bring over last year’s account books from that shelf.”

“Understood.”

As Legion approached the shelf, Vio cast him a sidelong glance, taking a sip of black tea. There
was a hint of sweetness. Just how Vio liked it.

He had been unkind to Legion at the beginning. But now, hiring him seemed to be the best
decision he had ever made. Legion could assist Vio in paperwork, and his timing when serving
him tea was spot on. Furthermore, whenever Vio had him inspect the town or village without
forewarning, his report contained everything Vio wanted to know.

Jill was also capable, but due to his old age, Vio didn’t want to overwork him. Giving the tasks
to Legion was lighter on his conscience.

“Shall I place these here?”

“Yeah, thanks,” said Vio, receiving the account books. He examined the expenses. He had
already created a general framework of the estimated budget, but wondered whether he could
lower the budget even more.
“It’s amazing that Lord Violant already knows how to manage assets, despite only being fifteen
years old,” Legion said, a dreamy sigh escaping his lips without him knowing it.

“Really? I don’t find it that special.”

Perhaps because his father and brother had always been strict with him, Vio didn’t understand
why Legion found that to be praiseworthy. Rather, in his mind, everyone would laugh at him.
Would inform him that such a thing was only natural for members of the Lesserhain family.

Even so, with a serious look on his face, Legion replied, “It is amazing. When I was fifteen years
old, I was an idiot who only cared about fighting. Everyone around me said that I was too
obsessed with the sword and my master.”

Vio chuckled. “I don’t think you changed at all, though.”

“No, no. I think I’m much calmer now. I don’t pick fights anymore. That means I’ve grown up.”

Nothing ever seemed to ruffle Legion’s feathers, so Vio found it surprising he used to start fights
easily. Perhaps he was the type of person who became scary when angry.

“Considering your age, Lord Violant is farsighted and calm.”

“Well, I inherited most of my features from my mother. Maybe I resemble her so much that I
also inherited her personality? Flora is also similar to her appearance and personality-wise.
Except for her hair color, that is.”

“Please excuse my rudeness, but Lord Rupheus doesn’t seem to have inherited the same things.
He’s too fierce and terrifying of a person.”

Vio’s brother was definitely scary. His sharp eyes pierced through Vio like swords, seeing
through the entirety of his being. His words were just as sharp. As a young child, Vio had often
cried in secret because of that. There were even times when Rupheus called him too fragile,
subsequently throwing him into the basement.

“I’m scared of my brother as well. Back when I lived in Nada town, I passed every day in
unease. But here, my life is really comfortable.” Then, Vio added, “Though I think being strict is
necessary for a lord.”

“Is that so?”

“You can’t manage a territory with only kindness. Even so, Father and Brother are too strict.
Balance is important. If you keep whipping your subjects, you’ll only be setting yourself on the
path to ruin.”

The citizens were pitiful, but the Lesserhains had been valiant warriors for generations. They
were known to be aggressive.

“Father and Brother believe that humans will degrade if they are not constantly disciplined.
That’s why they’re very strict on themselves too. Since I’m too indulgent, they consider me a
hopeless man.” Vio sighed. Whenever he so much as thought of his father or brother, gloom
would fill his heart. “Well, it doesn’t really matter anymore. I’m grateful that they left me alone
like this.”
After Legion saw Vio’s melancholic expression, his face grew pained. He said, “Please forgive
me for reminding you of such unpleasant things.”

“Don’t worry. It’s the truth anyway. Speaking of which, how’s your family? Are they all well?”

“Yes. My father’s leg injuries have mostly healed.”

Vio broke into a faint smile. “That’s a relief.”

He directed his gaze at the ledger again. For a while, the sound of pages turning echoed in the
room. A breeze blew in from the open window, a pleasant sensation in its wake.

All of a sudden, Vio looked up, his gaze meeting Legion’s. Confused. “Legi. You keep staring at
me every once in a while. Is there something on my face?”

Legion flushed. “P-please excuse my rudeness,” he said in a panic.

Vio grew even more baffled. “You don’t have to apologize. Just answer my question. Ah, wait.
If you’re going to tell me something scary, I’ll pass, okay? Don’t tell me that you see something
I can’t see.”

“Are you talking about spirits? No, I can’t see such things…”

“Thank goodness. Then what is it? I won’t be angry, so just say it.”

“Um… Your face is so beautiful that fascination unconsciously overtook me. And I ended up
thinking a sculpture of God would take after you…”

His unexpected, straightforward compliment made Vio stiffen in shock. Blood rushed to his
cheeks.

“T-to call another man beautiful… As always, your compliment is a bit too much.” He wasn’t
used to receiving sincere praises.

Vio didn’t think much of his face anymore due to his familiarity with it. It was his own face,
after all. But looking back, when he had first woken up as Vio, he had also been shocked by
Vio’s beautiful visage.

Legion spilled out his true thoughts saying, “Your skin is so fair even though you’re a man. Your
body is delicate and not muscular, unlike those of your father and brother. The color of your hair
is also a sight for the eyes. I’d want to look like you if I could.”

His response sent Vio’s mind into chaos. “No, stop it! Pretend that I didn’t ask you anything just
now!”

“Yes!” said Legion with a nod. For some reason, he had a wide grin on his face.

Vio glared at him. “Hey, stop smiling.”

“I’m sorry.” Legion cleared his throat and schooled his face into his usual serious look. But his
face still held a tinge of redness at the sides.
We’re both men, yet we’re acting so bashfully! Vio buried his face in the ledger. He didn’t know
how he should react. The way Legion had praised him was too frank. He had often received
praises in Nada town, but they were all contrived. Oddly enough, Legion’s felt sincere.

Legi really is different from those people in Nada town, huh? I don’t know what to do with him
sometimes.

Legion easily agitated him, but the experience felt fresh and even warmed his chest.
Unbeknownst to himself, a smile slid over Vio’s lips.

Ch 14 – The Young Lady’s Visit (V)

Right before noon, Vio heard the sound of galloping horses from his window. “It seems like
they’re back.”

“Since they returned right before lunch, will you be eating lunch together?” asked Legion.

“Sure. I wonder what kind of story the little lady has for me.” Vio smiled, anticipating Flora’s
sparkling eyes as she relayed what she had seen in town. He had just finished calculating the
funds for the war preparation, already sporting a headache. To be in the presence of his little
sister would definitely comfort him more than usual.

He left his study on the first floor. Headed straight to the entrance hall. Then he spotted Flora in
her pink dress before the door.

“Welcome back, Flora. How was the town?”

“Brother!” Flora ran to Vio with a teary face.

Reacting at once, he bent down to hug her. “Dame Calia, what happened to her?”

“Forgive me, Lord Violant. Lady Flora came across a suspicious person in town… We were able
to save her immediately, but she became frightened.”

Vio’s eyes widened at Calia’s report. “Flora? Does it hurt anywhere?” he asked as gently as
possible. But not a word left her lips. She merely clung to him tightly, not wanting to let go.

Calia answered in her stead, saying, “She suffered no injuries.”

A wave of relief washed over him. “I’ll listen to the details later. What’s more important now is
calming down Flora. Jill, can you prepare some black tea with honey?”

“Understood. I’ll do it at once,” said Jill, making for the kitchen immediately.

Vio carried Flora toward the drawing room. Sensible enough to understand his thoughts, Legion
opened the door for him.

Vio placed Flora down on the soft chaise lounge. Though she was still trembling in fear, she let
go of him. Perhaps she had calmed down after he had rubbed her back consolingly. Taking a seat
next to her, Vio patted her head. “It’s okay, Flora. You’re safe here.”
“Really?”

“Yeah. Look, Legion is the best knight in this kingdom. And so is Calia, the knight you’re proud
of. Right?”

Their names suddenly brought up, Legion and Calia smiled in an awkward manner. At that
moment, Rille appeared with a cup on a tray. Full of wrath, she said, “There’s also me! My
Lady, please rest assured. If someone comes here to harm you, I’ll beat them into a pulp!”

Flora seemed to take the lovely Rille’s words, full of determination as they were, as a joke, a
laugh finally escaping her lips. “But the enemy will hurt you before that.”

At a loss for words, Vio could only laugh.

Despite what Flora thought, Rille could probably “beat them into a pulp” without any problems.
When she had sent Legion flying with a kick, Rille certainly looked gallant, just like a warrior.
As the victim, Legion looked away with a complicated expression.

“To see My Lady laugh brings me joy. Here, please enjoy the tea.”

Flora nodded and received the cup of black tea with honey from Rille. After drinking it, she
sighed in relief. Even so, her expression remained stiff.

After a moment in his thoughts, Vio flipped both hands palm facing up. “Flora, I’ll show you
something interesting. Watch my hands carefully.”

Eyes shining with curiosity, Flora looked at Vio’s hand as he cast a spell.

“Heed my wish. O’ myriad lights, take the form of butterflies and soar. Let there be light!”
Following that, his palms glowed. Countless butterflies materialized from them, taking flight.

“Wahhh!” Flora widened her eyes, chasing the butterflies with them as they fluttered around the
room. The butterflies wandered to the ceiling, shedding scales of light in their wake.

It was the spell version of the magic Vio had shown to Rille before. At that time, he had used a
magic circle. The difference was, magic circles made it easier to adjust certain aspects of the
magic being cast. The butterflies Rille had seen were programmed to leave behind scales the
shape of flower petals.

“They’re beautiful! I’ve never seen magic like this before.”

“This is a kind of magic that I created. Do you like it?”

“Yes!” Flora nodded many times, excited. Vio grinned and clapped his hand once. The spell
broke and the butterflies vanished.

Flora appeared disappointed, but the trace of sadness enveloping her before had faded. Vio
started by asking, “So Flora, what actually happened? Can you tell me?”

With a nod, she relayed what had occurred.

 ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

In the shopping district, Flora disembarked from the carriage. She broke into a stroll with Calia
and her maid Anna. After visiting the temple, the town hall, and the fountain square at the center
of town, Flora decided to go shopping.

At the glassware shop, Flora found a glass doll modeled off of a prince. Its atmosphere
resembled that of Vio, so she jumped to purchase it. Shortly after, she made to leave the shop,
looking forward to showing it to Vio.

But as soon as she had stepped through the front door, it happened.

“Lady Flora?”

“Yes?” answered Flora out of reflex. The moment she had turned around, she caught sight of an
unfamiliar man.

Meanwhile, Anna was paying for the glass doll and Calia was loading the items Flora purchased
elsewhere onto the carriage. Both had not been paying attention to her when that man had
approached the girl.

Flora’s first impression: that man dressed too warmly for a day that was early into summer. After
that, she felt slightly uncomfortable. The man’s hood covered his eyes, a cloth mask concealing
everything below his nose.

“Just as I thought,” the man muttered. All of a sudden, he thrust his hand forward, grabbing
Flora’s left arm and dragging her away. Too overcome by shock to scream, she was nearly
yanked into the shadows when a woman shouted, “Hey you, what are you doing?!”

“Huh? Lady Flora?!” Noticing something was strange, Calia immediately rushed to Flora’s side,
sword in hand. In a flash, the man released Flora’s arm and turned around. The shadow of his
retreating figure disappeared into the nearby back alley.

“Anna, stay with Lady Flora!”

“Yes!”

With that, Calia dashed after him. But she could not find a trace of him even after reaching a
dead end.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“After that, everyone in town shocked me,” Flora said, tears choking her voice.
“Did they do something to you?” Vio’s expression stiffened, but Flora shook her head.

Calia answered in her stead, saying, “Apparently, the town was aware Lord Violant’s little sister
would be staying here. The moment the civilians caught wind of the situation, they grew upset.
Shouts of ‘I’ll search for him there,’ ‘Then I’ll take that side,’ and the like filled the air. They
worked together to help us find the criminal.”

“Some members of the town also volunteered to guard her,” Anna added. “They comforted My
Lady. Someone said, ‘We won’t forgive him for making a move on the reeve’s little sister!’
Another person said, ‘It’s scary, right? Don’t worry. It’s alright now. We’ll keep watch!’ Not
only that, they even brought out tea and pastries for her. By the time we realized it, they had
already set up a table and chair, complete with a sunshade. Shy as she is with strangers, Lady
Flora was overcome with surprise.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s the reason for her tears,” said Vio, surprised as well. The people in town are
all very nice, huh?

Since he had never met any of them aside from the inspectors, Vio didn’t know what kind of
people they were. But now, his impression of them grew a bit more positive.

“Brother is idolized in the town. It surprised me, but I am very proud of you.”

“Thank you, Flora.” Vio took in Flora’s act of smiling loveably through tears. And his emotions
overflowed. He stroked her head. If it weren’t for the fact she was holding a cup, he would have
hugged her then and there.

Fighting the urge to grin, he shifted his gaze to Calia and Anna. “So what happened to that
suspicious person?”

Calia and Anna both shook their heads. With a sigh, Calia said, “We failed to catch him. We
couldn’t find any traces of him, as if he had vanished from thin air. In fact, even when the
civilians who knew their way in town searched for him together, they were unable to find him.”

“I see… Seems like that guy isn’t simple.” Vio frowned. “Maybe he holds a grudge against the
duke’s family. Or perhaps he’s a political opponent of the duke.” The gears in his head spun in
overdrive. “Maybe he’s a scout or something.”

“No. He was way too careless. The impression I got was that he didn’t plan this. If he was a
scout, merely gathering information would be enough. Why would he try to abduct her? For him
to be an assassin is also out of the question. No assassin would do such a thing in broad
daylight,” Legion said, expression serious. “I can’t think of what he might be, but it’s clear that
he is quite skilled. I think it’s better to refrain from going out for a while.”

“I have the same opinion,” Calia said.

Vio nodded. “That’s right. Flora, I’m sorry. You came here to play, but you’ll have to stay in the
mansion for a while.”

“I don’t mind. I came to see Brother after all.”

Such a cute statement gave Vio the urge to hug her again. But in the end, he held it in with much
difficulty.
Ch 15 – Dark Clouds (I)
After a late lunch, Flora began to doze off. Noticing that, Vio carried her to the guest room. Once
he had placed her on the bed, he made his way out, gently closing the door behind him with his
head lowered. A breath of relief escaped his lips. He lifted his head, ready to return to his room,
only to see Anna and Calia standing before him with contrite expressions.

Anna bowed her head and said, “Please forgive me, My Lord.” She was a woman in her early
thirties, red locks paired with indigo eyes. As a veteran maid, she had waited on Flora since Vio
had still resided in Nada town. “I’m prepared to accept my punishment for my blunder.”

“Me too,” said Calia.

Both of them hung their heads in shame, their faces pale. Vio’s gaze fell upon them, a wry smile
tugging at his lips. He let out a small sigh. Such a reaction caused both women to hunch their
shoulders.

Am I that scary? He scratched his cheek in embarrassment. The original Vio, the villain in
“Princess Dances with the Night,” was certainly scary. In the midst of his father and brother’s
unfair treatment toward him, his most trusted knight had betrayed him, causing him to distrust
everyone. Causing him to treat the people around him awfully.

Although the current Vio hated knights, he hadn’t lost trust in other people. On the contrary, he
was even grateful to his servants. They were the reason why he was able to support his current
lifestyle, unable to step foot outside the mansion as he was. If they had chosen to abandon him,
only death would have awaited him. As such, ever since that incident in the winter, he never
acted arrogantly towards his servants. To be honest, he had never ordered for the deaths of
anyone in the first place. So Vio couldn’t comprehend their fear toward him.

“Why should I punish you? Your master is Flora.”

“B-but it wouldn’t be strange for His Grace and Lord Rupheus to behead us for this blunder,”
Anna said, her voice trembling.

Vio sighed again. “Both of you have already been punished.”

Their voices overlapped as they exclaimed, “Huh?”

“Your faces are so pale, like you’re on the verge of death. Besides, from just a glance, I can see
that you’ve been sincerely reflecting on your mistakes. There’s no need for me to blame you any
further, right? Not to mention, you already know what you should do in the future.”

Vio swept his gaze from Anna to Calia. Anna nodded, eyes bright with determination. “I won’t
take my eyes off Lady Flora. If I have to leave her side, I will make sure to have someone else
accompany her in my stead.”

“I’m the same,” said Calia. “I won’t leave her side, especially when we’re outside.”

Vio nodded in approval. “I know it’s difficult taking care of that energetic child, but I’ll entrust
her safety to you. Also, don’t bother reporting this to Father and Brother. Inform the others of
this as well.”
“Yes.”

“As you wish.”

Satisfied with their responses, Vio clapped to break the heavy atmosphere. “Then, we’re done
with this conversation. At the moment, there is another maid named… Gina, was it? Anyway,
she’s attending to Flora now, so you both can go ahead and take a rest. You appear haggard.
Flora will be worried if she catches sight of you two in this state. Right, ask Rille to prepare a hot
drink for each of you.”

“But—”

Vio raised his hand in one swift motion. “This is an order. Have a hot drink and finish it slowly.
If you return in less than a minute, I’ll be angry. Go now.”

They looked at each other in consternation, but ultimately, they accepted his decision. They
bowed to him and went downstairs.

After they had left, Vio sighed. He went down the stairs to the entrance hall. I need to tell Flora
to shield them from Father and Brother later.

At the entrance hall, Jill was speaking with Inspector Rourke.

“Rourke? What’s wrong?” asked Vio. “Is there a problem in town?”

Rourke looked up at him upon hearing his question. “Oh, Lord Violant!” Then he bowed to Vio,
holding his hat under his arm. “Um, I just came… as a… representative, and—”

“What?” asked Vio, tilting his head in confusion.

Jill laughed and said, “The townspeople came to visit you, Young Master. They’re currently
waiting outside. May you give them a moment of your time?”

“The townspeople? I’m sorry, but I can’t leave the mansion.”

In a flustered manner, Rourke said, “A-ah! We are aware of Lord Violant’s condition. It would
be enough if you could see them from the door… I apologize sincerely for being unreasonable!”

“Calm down. I’m not reprimanding you…”

Rourke was skilled at his job, but he easily grew flustered when dealing with someone of high
social status. Seeing him descend into his usual flustered state Vio calmed him down.

Expression stern, Legion approached them in a rush and asked, “What happened?” Since he had
been silent in his approach, his voice surprised everyone.

Vio said, “It seems like members of the town have gathered outside.”

“Should I drive them away?”

Noticing Legion’s expression grow wary, Vio immediately said, “It’s fine. If they’re planning to
harm me, they won’t wait outside, right?”
Once again in a panic, Rourke waved as he said, “No, there’s no way we would harm you!
Everyone is simply worried about Young Lady Flora. They only wish to know her current
condition.”

Jill added, “I’ve already told them she was fine, but they refused to listen. Perhaps the members
of the town won’t feel relieved until they get to hear these words from Young Master yourself.”

Vio glanced at Legion. “See? It’ll be fine.”

Legion’s countenance softened immediately. “Yes.”

Estimating that there were at most five people outside the mansion, he told Jill to open the door.
Contrary to his expectations, a sea of people stood behind it. The moment they caught sight of
Vio, the excited buzz of conversation filled the air.

“Thanks for coming all this way to see my sister. I’m sorry, but she has just fallen asleep. So
may you please keep quiet?” said Vio, placing his finger against his mouth in a gesture for
silence.

In a flash, every member of the crowd covered their mouths with their hands. Such a sight was
comical and amusing, but Vio was just relieved that they had listened to him obediently.

Recalling the manner in which his brother had spoken to the civilians, he deepened his voice to
sound as solemn as possible. “Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Violant Lesserhain. As the
reeve of Leca town and Amade village, I’m happy to see everyone’s faces. Thank you for your
utmost efforts in searching for the perpetrator and ensuring my little sister’s safety today. I’m
very grateful,” said Vio, offering a faint smile. The townspeople only nodded silence. For some
reason, some elderly and adult women burst into tears. Startled, he beckoned to Rourke and
asked in a whisper, “Sorry for asking, Rourke, but why are they crying? I don’t remember saying
anything mean to them.”

“Ah. Please ignore them. They are just moved to tears. They had always wanted to meet the
reeve who saved the town through the use of Leca flowers.”

“H-huh? Really?”

Unable to fully understand the reason for their tears, Vio decided to leave it alone. In any case, it
didn’t seem as if he had hurt their feelings.

He turned to the townspeople again and said as quietly as possible, “I’m sorry that I can only
greet you from here, everyone. Things are fine now, so please return home. Thank you very
much for today.”

As Vio waved to bid them goodbye, everyone returned the gesture, bowing their heads and
walking back to town without a sound. After their figures had grown distant, Vio turned to Jill
Asked him to shut the door. Once he turned back around, Rourke was bowing deeply as well.
“Thank you very much for listening to our selfish request,” he said.

“No, I’m happy to comply. Rather, I think it was rude of me to not go outside and to interact
with them. I apologize for that.”
In a fit of desperation, Rourke reassured Vio by saying, “No, no, please don’t say that! Everyone
understands your condition, so I’m sure no one thinks that you were being rude, My Lord!”

He then thanked him repeatedly before leaving the mansion.

“Young Master, you were very splendid just now. I can’t wait to inform Her Grace of this good
news!”

“Jill! You’re exaggerating. I just greeted them briefly.”

For some reason, Jill was overjoyed to the point of tears.

Surprised by his emotional outburst, Vio handed him a handkerchief.

Ch 16 – Dark Clouds (II)

The trees in the garden sank into the darkness of the night, giving off the impression of monsters
in the distance. Small and of the same color. The moon hid behind the clouds, rain starting its fall
against the window.

Vio stood by the window of the study, gazing at the gloomy scenery. Reflected upon the glass
was no cheerful expression. A shadow appeared in his heart once he had listened to Flora’s
story. The suspicious person who tried to abduct Flora sounded like he had seen her before. No.
Rather, it’s like they had met previously…

For some reason, uneasiness filled his heart. Flora had yet to make her social debut. She rarely
took a stroll outside. Naturally, the places where one could meet her were limited. It was
basically impossible if one didn’t go to the duke’s residence in Nada town. Even public officials
weren’t allowed to simply come in and out of there at will.

A chuckle escaped Vio’s lips. No way. Just by knowing Flora’s physical traits, he could
recognize her right away. It’s easy to notice a noble girl in a rural town like this. Maybe I was
too tired and came up with implausible conjectures… Let’s take a bath and then sleep.

Vio reached for the curtain. The moment he was about to close it, a rustle broke out from the
garden. The possibility of something outside had crossed his mind, but upon closer inspection, it
was merely the sound of trees swaying in the wind.

“Haha. Something is seriously wrong with me—”

He froze.

Behind a swaying tree was the silhouette of a person. He couldn’t see them clearly. Yet, he felt
as though that person were laughing at him.

Knocks sounded at the door. “Excuse me. Lord Violant, it’s about time for you to get some
rest…” said Legion, before entering the room. Curious about Vio’s lack of response, he
approached the youth. “Lord Violant? What’s wrong? Your face is ghastly pale.”

Vio pointed to the tree in the garden. “Legi, just now, there was—”
Legion shifted his gaze to the direction Vio was pointing. Puzzled, he asked, “What’s wrong
with the tree?”

“Huh?” Out of reflex, Vio took another look at the tree. Blinked. But he couldn’t see the figure
of the person in the garden anymore. A sigh, and Vio shook his head to clear the fog in his mind.
“Maybe I’m tired. I thought I saw the silhouette of someone there just now.”

“Really? Why didn’t you call for me straight away? I’ll go and take a look!”

“Huh? Legi, it’s raining…”

Yet before Vio could stop him, Legion had opened the window and dropped straight down into
the garden. He muttered something and light shone at the end of his baton. Then he closed the
window and ran through the garden.

Such rapid developments shocked Vio. Soon after, Jill appeared and asked in worry, “Young
Master, what’s the commotion about?”

“Ah, Jill…”

Once Vio had finished explaining the situation, Jill’s expression grew grim like Legion’s had.
After calling Rille to accompany Vio, he went to check the mansion’s rooms.

“I’m sorry for making a big deal out of this…” said Vio.

“No, that’s not the case at all,” said Rille. “Something just happened during noon. That person
might have slipped in. I’m sure we won’t be able to rest until we confirm we’re safe.”

“You’re right,” said Vio. With that silhouette plaguing his mind, he probably wouldn’t get a
wink of sleep. After a while, Legion returned. As Vio opened the window, a strong gust broke
through, followed by the spray of rain.

“I looked around the area, but there were no suspicious people. Please rest assured.”

“Oh, then that’s a relief. Legi, I’m sorry, but please take a detour and enter from the room at the
back of the mansion, the one near the laundry area. You’ll catch a cold if you stay drenched, so
take a bath. Rille, prepare the hot water.”

“Understood.”

Following Legion’s departure, Vio closed the window and curtains. Despite being told there was
no one outside, he couldn’t stop the chills from running down his spine.

Losing his nerve, Vio asked Rille, “Rille, can I accompany you there?”

A smile lit up Rille’s face. “Of course. Come on, let’s go.” She began her trip with Vio in tow.

The bathroom next to the kitchen had a door to the outside. Beyond it stood a well,
simultaneously serving as a place for doing the laundry. Beside it was the place for drying the
laundry, situated right behind the mansion.
To the right of the general laundry area stood a stable. Occasionally, the stableman washed the
horses by the well.

Once Rille had opened the bathroom’s door to the outside, Legion entered, body soaking wet. He
held his leather boots. Probably took them off at the door before it had swung open.

“Lord Violant, Rille. Thank you very much.”

“I’m sorry for making you scout the area in the midst of pouring rain. But thank you very much.
I feel relieved now.”

“It’s my great pleasure to hear you say so,” Legion humbly answered. On his face stretched a
wide grin. He gave off the impression of a dog wagging its tail.

“You’re reliable at times like this, huh?” said Rille, admiration shining in her eyes. She took
Legion’s boots and carried them to the dressing room.

At that moment, Jill approached them. “Young Master, I’ve scanned the whole mansion, but
there’s nothing unusual. Please rest assured.”

“Thank you, Jill,” said Vio, a wave of relief washing over him.

“Oh, Sir Legion,” said Jill, finally noticing him. “You look like a drowned rat. You should hop
into a bath right away—ah, forgive me. Young Master should enter first.”

The stone bathtub was filled with hot water to the brim. It was prepared for Vio. In his previous
world, people in this era would have to collect firewood, burn firewood to heat the water, and
move the hot water to the bathtub. But in this world, spirit magic was used to prepare and warm
the water. It was quite easy.

Vio said, “I don’t mind taking a bath later.”

“No way,” said Legion, in a panic. “I can’t use the hot water before my master!”

Vio’s gaze fell upon the flustered Legion. A lightbulb lit up in his mind. “Then, how about
taking a bath together?”

“Wha—”

“If Young Master is okay with it, then I’m fine with it as well,” said Jill, nodding. He stood by
Legion, the latter being speechless.

Flustered again for some reason, Legion said, “Huh?! B-but, isn’t that rude?”

Jill calmly replied, “Sir Legion, you’ve cleaned your master’s back before, right? I believe it’s
not something out of the norm.”

“He doesn’t need to do that. Since we’re both going to take a bath, we might as well enter the
bathtub together.”
“M-might as well?! No, Lord Violant. I will be guarding outside, so please call me when you’re
done!” said Legion, expression suddenly growing serious. Then he went out from the back door,
still barefoot.

Vio and Jill looked at each other in confusion.

“What’s with him…”

“I know that he’s enthusiastic about his work, but he’s that enthusiastic, huh?”

“Such a strange person.”

Still, Vio opted for a quick bath, feeling bad about making Legion wait outside.

Father and Brother used to take a bath with their trusted aides too. Maybe he refused since the
bathtub here is smaller than the one in the duke’s residence?

Vio tilted his head in confusion. Perhaps taking a bath together with him was unbearable for
Legion.

Translator’s ramblings:

I want to poke Legi’s cheeks and tell him, “Aw, aw, someone is embarrassed~” (((mii you sound
like an aunty)))

Ch 17 – Dark Clouds (III)

After Legion had gone out through the back door, he dropped to a crouch immediately, paying
no mind to the raindrops falling against him. The picture of puzzlement.

How could he say that with such a frighteningly calm expression?!

When Legion had served as a knight for a noble, he had obviously taken a bath with his former
master. He never thought much about it until now. Yet he couldn’t do such a thing with Vio.

That person doesn’t fully understand his own charm. That’s why I’m troubled.

Vio’s self-esteem was quite low. Perhaps it was due to the years of scorn received from his
father and elder brother. In fact, Vio was convinced he lacked any good qualities.

I pity him for having such an elder brother… I’m sure Lord Violant is quite capable as a son of a
noble.

Although he was only governing a rural town and village, he had the ability to rule. He possessed
a wide perspective and keen judgement, able to make swift decisions one after another. Just by
considering these aspects, Legion doubted other fifteen-year-old nobles could do the same.

Rupheus disparaged every aspect of Vio. Even so, Vio had an amiable demeanor and treated his
subordinates with kindness and fairness. He was the ideal master for Legion.
Plus, his beauty. Just with his faint smile, the townspeople had already lost their heads. After
spending most of the daytime with him, Legion had further understood Vio’s excellent
personality. That only made him thoroughly adore his master.

Ah, bathing with him is simply impossible for me. Normally, he’s already dazzling enough. I’ll
definitely break down if I see him naked.

It was like looking at something sacred, but with an ambiguous urge to touch. Legion had never
felt this way with his former master. It was strange for him. Yet somehow, he had a hunch that
he couldn’t break free should he ponder about it any deeper.

Legion gazed at the trees in the garden swaying from the strong wind.

I didn’t find anyone during my patrol of the area, but in this storm, I wouldn’t be able to hear a
thing if someone slipped into the mansion. There’s also Lady Flora’s matter, so I must become
their shield. I must protect them!

Fighting spirit renewed, Legion stood guard motionlessly in front of the door. After a while, it
swung open.

“Legi? I’m done, so come in.”

“Yes! Huh, Lord Violant?! What’s with that outfit?!” said Legion, voice cracking at the last
sentence. But he quickly disguised it with a cough.

On the other hand, Vio looked puzzled, standing there in a nude-colored robe. “Isn’t this
normal?”

“Y-yes. Pardon my rudeness.”

Certainly, the gown was normal as sleepwear. However, because Vio was always well-dressed in
conservative clothes, this was the first time Legion had seen him wearing loose clothing. He tried
to avoid seeing Vio’s clavicle, which peeked out from his gown, maintaining eye contact as he
said, “If you don’t wipe your hair, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Hm? Ah, you’re right,” said Vio as he nodded.

Pinching a lock of his silver hair that was dripping with water, he muttered a spell as though
drying it with magic was bothersome. “Heed my wish. O’ gentle spring breeze. Come forth
wind!”

A soft, warm breeze gently blew through Vio’s hair and disappeared. His hair dried in an instant.

“Look. It’s dry now,” Vio said, like it was not a big deal. But such a sight had Legion stunned.

Although Vio had made it look easy, using offensive magic on humans was surprisingly difficult
since it required fine adjustment. If he was not careful, he might injure his body. It might even
prove fatal in some cases.

“Lord Violant sure is incredibly skilled as a spirit magic practitioner, huh?”

“What? That’s just a combination of the basics though.”

“No, no. I have been wondering about this for a long time. Aren’t you completely different from
what the rumors say in Nada town?”

“Ah, are you talking about how I have no talent for spirit magic? But that’s only natural. I
improved after I came here,” said Vio indifferently.

Frustrated, Legion asked, “You’re not going to correct them? The duke and your brother will
surely apologize after they see your current achievements.”

“Them? Apologizing?” Under the small lamplight set up in the bathroom, Vio’s purple eyes
sparkled in amusement. “Do you really think so?” he asked.

Legion couldn’t help but avert his gaze. “…No.”

“Right? Nothing will change. I’m still useless since I can’t go outside. Rather, they will ridicule
me even more. They’d say I am talented yet not using my gift for anything worthwhile. If that’s
the case, then to be slandered like so is much easier to endure.”

Legion couldn’t refute him at all and said, “I’m sorry, Lord Violant.”

Noticing Legion’s dejection, Vio chuckled. “You’re a good person… However, I’m sure the
number of bad rumours about me are increasing even more now. Maybe next they’ll call me
selfish for monopolizing the best knight in the kingdom.”

“Lord Rupheus was the one who selfishly dismissed me, though?”

“That’s nothing out of the ordinary for him. Now that you already understand his nature, don’t
show him any weakness. If you’re careless, he’ll devour you.” In a playful manner, Vio slid his
hand horizontally along his neck. But his eyes. They were serious. Legion shuddered at how
easily he could imagine it.

“In my case, he leaves me alone since I’m his younger brother. I’m thankful for that,” mutters
Vio without much thought.

“Can I ask one more thing, Lord Violant?”

“Sure, but… Can you come to my room after taking a bath? I’m thirsty right now.”

“Ah, I’m sorry!” said Legion, recalling that they were still in the bathroom. He rushed to bow.

“It’s not a problem, so raise your head. Hey, am I that scary?”

“No way. I have never meet any noble’s son as gentle as Lord Violant.”

“Then why are you overreacting like that?”

“That’s… uh. This is embarrassing, but I’m afraid of you hating me.”

Vio was surprised with his response, but then, a soft smile blossomed on his lips. “I only despise
traitors. If you’re not one, then I won’t hate you.”

“I would never betray you!”

“Then that’s a relief. Both of our worries decreased by one, right? Well then, see you later.”

After Vio had left, Legion grew perplexed to the extreme again. I definitely won’t be able to win
against that person my whole life!

Just how much of my heart is he going to steal? He’s really unfair! Good grief…

Ch 18 – Dark Clouds (IV)

Vio entered his room on the second floor. With spirit magic, he lit the wick of the lamp resting
on top of a shelf. After he had lit two other lamps, due to the lampshades, calming blue and
brown illuminated the room. Since the lamp had been filled with oil, Vio could have easily lit it
by making a flame. But the way he lit the lamps depended on his mood on that day.

As Vio shifted his focus to the window, a small table with two roomy chairs caught his attention.
He sat down on one of the chairs and sighed.

Somehow, I’m so tired. Many things happened today…

As he recalled what an intense day it had been, a knock sounded on the door. Rille entered the
room and handed him a glass of water with lemon wedges.

“Master Vio, I’ll set the water pitcher here,” she said, placing a tray onto an open shelf, an empty
glass and said water pitcher upon it.

“Okay. Thanks, Rille.”

“Yes,” said Rille, a warm smile tugging at her lips. She shut all of the curtains before leaving the
room. Staring at the blue curtains, Vio drank the water, a slight lemon taste to it. From the other
side of the window, he could hear the sound of rain and the howls of wind.

During the start of summer, it was typically sunny in Leca town. However, because the town
resided near the Alpé Mountains, the weather easily changed.

A sigh escaped Vio’s lips.

Although Jill and Legion had patrolled the area, he still felt restless. Perhaps the storm had a
hand in his anxiety. Exhausted to the max, Vio didn’t even feel like pulling an all-nighter
reading. He sighed once again, only to hear another knock.

“Lord Violant. Please excuse me.” It was Legion.

“You’re here already? Why don’t you take a seat here after you pour some of that water for
yourself?”

Legion did as invited, sitting in front of Vio with a glass in hand, a plain cotton shirt, and black
trousers. Despite the fact he was in sleepwear, he still wore his baton attached to his waist. His
preparedness was typical of a military man.

“So what was it that you wanted to ask me before?”

“I wanted to ask whether you desired to clear up the misunderstanding and return to the lord’s
residence.”

“Not really. And my answer is simple: I don’t want to return there,” said Vio decisively. Then he
tilted his head a shade, doubt painting his face as he asked, “Are you aiming for a promotion?”

“Promotion?” Legion blinked his eyes in confusion.

“If not, then why did you ask me this?”

“If Lord Violant wishes to return there, I would do my best to help you. However, you don’t
seem to have such an intention. I apologize for bringing up my personal affairs, but I was hoping
to bring my family here.”

“Your family?”

Legion was a man full of surprises. A trace of disgust appeared in Vio’s stomach for
misunderstanding his intention. He felt like he had been corrupted by the ambitious men of Nada
town.

“Yes. Leca town is an extremely peaceful part of the Lesserhains’ territory. It might be a little
tricky for my family to move here, since they’re merchants, but I believe that their safety is more
important than anything else.”

“I see… Sure, do as you like.”

Vio could sense Legion’s resolution. Up until now, he had been aware that Legion was a serious
man. Never had he expected him to be this dedicated, though.

“…For some reason, I feel apologetic,” Vio muttered.

“Huh?”

“No, it’s nothing. Is that all you wanted to ask me?”

Legion nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry for bothering you so late at night. I’ll rest after patrolling once
again. Thank you for your time.”

“Ah, yes. Good night,” said Vio. However, he wondered if Legion would sleep in this room if he
asked him to. His cowardice had reared its ugly head at full throttle; he didn’t want to sleep alone
in such a large room.

Vio readied himself and called out, “Ah, hey, Legi…”

Legion had just grabbed the doorknob when he heard Vio’s call and immediately turned around.
“Yes? Did you need something, Lord Violant?”

“…No. It’s nothing.” After giving it some thought, Vio had found his request too childish.
Legion looked at him in confusion, before wishing him good night and leaving the room.

I’ll sleep with the lights on tonight.

In a gloomy mood, Vio dragged himself to the inner chamber of his bedroom. He lit the lamp by
his bedside with magic. Covered himself with his comforter.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Vio stepped foot into the backyard, a blanket of white covering everything in sight.

“Erik, this is amazing! There’s snow everywhere!” Vio laughed innocently, leaving behind
footprints upon freshly-fallen snow. But once he had turned around, he was met with Erik’s
shadowed face. He drew his sword with a smooth flourish.

Puzzled, Vio asked, “What’s wrong, Erik?”

“I’m sorry, Lord Violant.” A faint smile spread across his lips. “Please die.”

Vio looked blankly at him, and the moment after he had let out a sound of confusion, a sword
pierced his stomach.

Red dripped onto the snow. In disbelief, Vio looked down at the sword wedged into his body. He
once again shifted his gaze to the other party.

“Erik, why?”

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Vio’s own scream woke him up. He blinked as he gasped for breath. Seeing the blue canopy
above him, he sighed in relief.

He had dreamed about that fateful winter day from two years ago. It had been a while since Vio
last dreamed of the moment Erik had stabbed him. Completely exhausted, he tottered as he rose
from bed.

“This is the worst…”

Bucketfuls of sweat dripped down his back, and his hair stuck to his cheeks. Just as he had
decided to bathe in the morning, a sigh leaving his lips, Vio heard a clatter outside his room. The
door swung open.

Holding a baton in his hand, Legion pounced in and asked, “What’s the matter, Lord Violant?!
Are you alright?”
It was at that second Vio realized he had slipped up. Evidently, he had screamed louder than he
had expected.

After Legion had confirmed that Vio was safe, he did a quick sweep of the room. His sharp eyes
made it so he wouldn’t overlook any enemies in sight.

“Ah, I’m… sorry. I just had a nightmare.”

“Huh? No, I’m the one who should apologize. I was too on edge.”

Not a hint of annoyance existed on his features about Vio’s false alarm. All of a sudden, Legion
stopped in his tracks. As he stared at Vio, red gradually dyed his cheeks. “I-I’m very sorry!” he
blurted in an exaggerated manner, before leaving the room as noisily as he had come.

“…What?” Vio looked down at himself, wondering just what had possessed the knight.

And he was met with the sight of his gown slipping, exposing the curve of his right shoulder.
That was it.

“He’s not an adolescent girl… What’s with that attitude?”

Women of marriageable age might dislike this appearance of his since he was half naked, but
Legion was a young man older than Vio.

Vio couldn’t understand his attitude at all.

Ch 19.1 – Dark Clouds (V)

The sun shone brightly, as if last night’s downpour was but a figment of the imagination. And
under the clear sky, Flora ran around the garden.

Vio enjoyed a cup of black tea, eyes trained on his little sister. A lovely girl among a colorful sea
of flowers was the best remedy for a tired heart. He could feel his stress fading away.

“I’m glad that Lady Flora has recovered and is energetic again,” said Rille, a smile on her face.

Vio nodded. “Yeah.”

One day, Flora would come to know all of the Lesserhains’ wrongdoings. But until then, Vio
wanted to keep her ignorant of that sordid history. To let her continue smiling with such
brightness and innocence.

Calia seemed to be having a hard time chasing after Flora. But it was good that Flora seemed as
healthy as she had been before.

Then Vio shifted his gaze to Rille. “By the way, Legi’s acting strangely today. Rille, do you have
any idea why?”

Since this morning, Legion’s face would turn bright red every time he caught sight of Vio. Then
he’d run off to some other place. Since his work performance wasn’t affected, Vio didn’t find it
to be a problem. Even so, Vio felt uneasy. He hoped that Legi wouldn’t display such baffling
behavior again in the future.

A sweet smile blossomed on Rille’s lips Her words, however, dripped with venom. “Who
knows? Maybe he hit his head somewhere?”

Seeing Rille’s smile, Vio could sense her hatred towards Legion. “…Do you hate Legi?”

“I don’t like him.”

With that, he decided not to ask any further. It would be troublesome if he stirred a hornet’s nest
by mistake. “Rille, can I have another cup?”

“Of course.” she responded, turning to the teapot. “…Oh my, we ran out of hot water. I’ll have
another pot prepared soon. Please wait a moment.” A bow, and she left the study with the tea
utensils in hand.

After placing the empty cup back on its saucer, Vio let out a small yawn. He hadn’t had a good
sleep since that nightmare. It was strange though. He had slept with the lights on last night, so he
should’ve rested well.

He once again focused his attention on the peaceful scene in the garden. As his still-taut nerves
relaxed even further, he grew more drowsy. He stretched his body, a low grunt leaving his lips.

Flora stopped beside a flowerbed and turned to Vio, waving. The picture of cheer. He
approached the window and returned her wave, causing her to laugh with even more delight.

Ah, how cute…

Following that thought, Vio felt as though he had a sister complex.

All of a sudden, the surroundings darkened. He looked up. Instead of seeing clouds passing by
like he had first assumed was happening, he saw something fall from the sky. A dull but heavy
thump upon collision with the ground. And a split second later, all the flowers and soil went
flying.

Vio’s eyes widened out of shock. “W-what?!”

The creature that had fallen from the sky roared.

A small dragon with rust-colored scales… An Equestrian Dragon.

Flora screamed and dropped to a crouch. In no time at all, Calia made her way in front of Flora
and drew her sword.

“How could there be an Equestrian Dragon here?!” exclaimed Vio.

For a moment, Vio thought his father and brother might have sent him an urgent notice. But such
a thought disappeared into a wisp of smoke shortly after: the knight riding the dragon did not
salute him. He was clad in iron armor from head to toe. And due to the helmet, Vio couldn’t see
his face.
“Who are you?! This is a mansion of the Lesserhains! Do you dare to continue causing a
disturbance even with this knowledge?” yelled Calia.

But despite Calia’s warning, the knight did not respond. Rather, the Equestrian Dragon made a
move in his stead. It forcefully swung its head which slammed against Calia.

There was obviously an overwhelming gap in power between humans and dragons. Calia had no
way of defending against its attack. Thus, it had sent her flying. Once she had hit the ground, she
rolled to the edge of the garden. She didn’t get up after that.

Rooted in place, Flora shouted, “Calia!”

However, Calia remained unmoving. The Equestrian Dragon opened its mouth wide as if
mocking her. Then it opened its fangs wide, ready to swallow Flora from above.

Flora cradled her head, another scream tearing from her throat.

At that moment, Vio pointed to the space before Flora and chanted, “Heed my wish. Form thine
supreme shield!”

A yellow magic circle expanded like a shield in front of Flora, blocking the Equestrian Dragon’s
strike.

Worry over Flora’s safety filled Vio’s mind. He stepped onto the window frame, jumped out,
and broke into a desperate sprint as soon as his feet touched the ground. In those few seconds,
time seemed to flow in slow motion.

The Equestrian Dragon followed up with a second attack, shattering the magic shield. Fragments
of light scattered through the air.

Mid-sprint, Vio raised his right hand toward the dragon, casting defensive magic a second time
as he jumped the rest of the distance toward Flora and wrapped her in his arms. “Heed my wish
—”

The dragon stretched its maw wide as it lunged at them.

“Form thine supreme shield!” The moment he had shouted the trigger of the spell, a magic circle
expanded into a shield again, repelling the dragon’s attack in the nick of time.

A deafening bang reverberated.

“Flora! Flora, are you alright?!” asked Vio, struggling to catch his breath.

“Brother!”

In the midst of his gasps, Vio clutched Flora’s shoulders. Flora clung to him, eyes wet with tears.
Though trembling, she had not sustained any injuries.

Vio hugged her tightly. “It’s okay, Flora. I will protect you!” he reassured, shooting the
Equestrian Dragon a stern glare.
Then he watched as the dragon stopped its attacks and straightened itself. The knight rose to his
feet on the back of the dragon, bursting into pleasant laughter.

“It’s been a while, Lord Violant. Protecting someone, huh… Looks like you’ve grown into a
surprisingly fine man,” said the knight.

Vio’s face twisted into a frown. “It’s been a while, you say? You bastard, just who are you?!”

The knight lifted the visor of his helmet. Though Vio was only given a view of his eyes, those
familiar blue-grey orbs caused his heart to skip a beat.

“E… rik…?”

Such a nostalgic name. He couldn’t believe that it was that man standing before him. This
seemed like the sequel to his nightmare.

Erik chuckled. “Oh my, you look like you just saw a ghost.”

Broom in hand, Rille dashed toward them. “Master!”

“No! Rille, step back!” shouted Vio.

Erik casually pointed his foot toward the maid, signalling to the Equestrian Dragon. As expected,
Rille was forced to stop in her tracks. Jaws wide, the dragon lunged forward to rip Rille’s
throat… But right at that moment, a shadow leapt out from the side.

“Burn!” shouted Legion. Fortunately, merely saying the spell’s trigger was enough to cast the
offensive fire spell.

Upon collision with the dragon’s head, a small explosion. It pushed the dragon’s head back.
Legion then slammed his baton toward its muzzle.

The Equestrian Dragon roared, arching its back and writhing. Erik shouted at the raging dragon,
trying to get it under control, but the dragon didn’t obey him because of the pain.

“Are you okay, Rille? Any injuries?” asked Legion, sending a quick glance toward her. She had
collapsed onto the ground, the strength drained from her legs.

“Y-yesss, I’m okeey…” Rille replied. The slurring was probably due to the shock.

A bit late, Jill rushed in their direction.

“Mr. Butler, please take her away,” said Legion. “She’ll just get in the way.”

“B-but!”

“Listen to me. Go!” said Legion, his tone strict and not accepting any refusal. And so, he was
able to shoo away Jill and Rille back to the mansion.

Now that the two were out of the picture, Legion made his way before Vio, casting wary glances
at the rampaging Equestrian Dragon. “Lord Violant, are you alright?”
Vio concealed his unease, feigning as much calmness as possible. “Ah, yeah… I’m fine. But
what are you going to do now? Your opponent’s a dragon.”

Legion looked back at him. Shot him a light smile. “Please rest assured, Lord Violant. Most
animals would fall into a rage after a hit on their nose. And it’s only one dragon. One baton is
enough,” Legion declared eloquently, voice serene. Vio was taken aback. He understood just
how ridiculous Legion’s words were.

“Animals, huh…”

Never had he imagined someone would categorize a small dragon as a mere animal. Not to
mention, there was a knight skilled in spirit magic on its back. It would normally take more than
five people to defeat such a duo.

Paying no mind to the stunned Vio, Legion faced the Equestrian Dragon. “From your
appearance, I assume that you’re a knight from another kingdom. To show such rudeness to the
Lesserhain family, the spearhead of the Kingdom of Istiah’s defense, is the same as declaring
war on our territory… no, our kingdom. Just what is your intention?”

After finally regaining control of the dragon, Erik replied to him in a composed tone, “I’m just a
scout. I happened to come across a familiar face that I haven’t seen for a while, so I stopped by
to greet him.” He laughed scornfully and added, “Who would have thought that such a vicious
noble boy would have such a knight serving him? May I have your name?”

“How insolent! Why don’t you give your name first before asking for others’?” said Legion,
voice dripping with irritation.

Seeing the rare sight of Legion breaking his cool, Vio felt odd. As he kept Flora in his embrace,
Vio watched the knights’ interactions, heart pounding.

Erik let out another chuckle. Then, still standing on the back of the dragon, he bowed out of
courtesy. “Now, where are my manners? I’m Erik Karland.”

T/N: Usually, I just ignore the author’s notes explaining difficult Japanese words since they’re
pretty much meaningless. But since some readers have read the previous translations of this
chapter and wondered what the author’s notes were saying, here’s the translation!

Author’s Note (Part 1):

When Erik called Vio a vicious noble boy, he used ‘公子 (koushi)’. Historical danmei readers
might be more familiar with “gongzi.” I think they almost have the same meaning. It basically
refers to a son of a noble, not necessarily a lord’s son. As long as the family has high status, then
their son can be called “koushi.” The author probably elaborated on this word due to how
unusual this title is in Japan.

Ch 19.2 – Dark Clouds (V)

“Erik, you say?” said Legion, voice growing lower.
A nod. “Yes. You know my name? Well, I guess that’s a given. After all, I was the knight of that
noble boy until two years ago. That makes you my junior, doesn’t it?”

“What ‘junior?’ A traitor like you has no right to pretend you are my senior in front of me!”
Legion tightened his grip on his baton. “I’m Legion Salt, Lord Violant’s guardian knight. And let
me tell you how foolish you are to betray such a wonderful person. Envy me as much as you can
and die!”

Right after Legion had finished saying his piece, he walked toward Erik in brisk strides.

“Coming straight at me? How idiotic!” Erik taunted. He then signalled to the Equestrian Dragon.
The dragon lunged at him, letting out a menacing growl. It might have bore a grudge against
Legion for that strike on the nose.

Legion didn’t panic in the face of the dragon shooting his way like an arrow. He simply
crouched down and planted his left hand on the ground. “You’re the idiotic one,” he said, before
yelling, “Burn!”

The ground underneath the Equestrian Dragon exploded, soil flying everywhere. As the dragon
lost its balance and staggered back, Legion used its forelimb as leverage to jump onto its back,
right near Erik. He swung his baton at Erik’s face. However, as the tip of Legion’s baton neared
Erik’s eyes, he chanted, “Heed my wish. Form thine supreme shield!”

Just in time, Erik’s defensive magic blocked against Legion’s baton. Legion immediately jumped
down to the ground and withdrew, putting a considerable distance between him and the dragon.
All of a sudden, the clear sky seemed to darken all over again. Before long, another dragon
appeared out of nowhere, a young boy on its back. A mask concealed the upper half of his face.
“Erik, you idiot! We’re retreating!” he yelled, voice brimming with irritation.

“Hey, wait! I can still fight. I still have to paint the ground red with the blood of the
Lesserhains!”

“Shut up! If you disrupt the plan any further, I’ll kill you!”

Erik clicked his tongue before adjusting his posture, guiding the Equestrian Dragon.

Following that, the boy threw a spherical object into the garden. White smoke filled the air,
obstructing Vio and Legion’s sight. When the smoke finally cleared, Erik and the boy were
already high up the sky.

“Violant Lesserhain, the next time we meet will be on the battlefield. I hope to see you despair
by then.”

As soon as the words had left Erik’s mouth the two dragons flew even higher. The moment their
figures overlapped with the glare of the sun, they seemed to disappear.

“Illusion magic, huh? Looks like he excels at water magic. Is that boy a person of the Kingdom
of Ruslan then?” muttered Legion, scowling at the sky for a while. Once he felt certain that
nothing else would happen, he turned to Vio, regaining his gentle aura.

He then fell to one knee before Vio. “Please forgive me, Lord Violant. I failed to capture them.”
“No, Legi. What you did was enough…” said Vio, a dazed look in his eyes. Getting angry at
Legion after he had protected him would be plain stupid.

This man overpowered a dragon with only a baton.

Although he was the number one swordsman in the kingdom, that was still too absurd.

Vio couldn’t help but ask, “Won’t it be better for you to return to the Royal Knights?”

Legion’s face blanked in shock upon hearing that. “Y-you’re that angry?!”

“I feel like you’re too good to work for me… Aren’t your skills too much of a cheat?”

In a flash, Legion’s lips morphed into a smile.“Thank you very much for the compliment!”

To Vio, he looked like a dog wagging its tail in delight. Vio then realized that his defensive
magic was still activated, promptly cancelling it. Right after, Legion approached him and
proceeded to examine him from head to toe.

“Don’t worry. I’m not injured. But that was really shocking. I’ve never seen anyone fight against
a dragon with simply a baton.”

“You’re right. I’ve never seen such a scene either,” said Legion. “But I’ve witnessed someone
face a dragon with a sword before.”

“That wasn’t the point, but… Nevermind.” Nothing was going to come out of this conversation.
“Rather than that, check on Dame Calia.”

“Ah, yes!” Legion replied, before making his way toward the unconscious Calia. After a slight
shake of her shoulders, she woke up in an instant. And the moment she came to her senses, she
sat up. “Where’s that fucking dragon?”

“It’s gone, Dame Calia. I chased it away.”

“What?! Sir Legion, why didn’t you wake me up?! I was going to grill it to oblivion!” she yelled,
picking up the sword next to her after standing.

With how loudly Calia was talking big, she seemed to be fine.

“Calia!” Flora dashed out of Vio’s arms and jumped toward her, eyes moist with tears.

“Wah, Lady Flora. My sword… It’s dangerous!”

“Are you alright? Oh, you shouldn’t get up. Stay still. That dragon had just flung you away!”

“I’m alright. I was able to parry its attack in the nick of time and prepare myself for the impact.
Only, I seemed to have hit my head.”

At that moment, blood flowed down Calia’s head.

Flora’s eyes widened in shock. “Ahh, Calia! Don’t die!!” she cried out, clinging onto Calia.
“I’m fine, Lady Flora. Oh, what am I going to do with you…” Scratching her cheek, Calia aimed
her gaze at the sky with a troubled expression. A sigh escaped her lips.

After seeing Calia’s condition, Vio ordered Jill, who was about to come running toward him,
“Treat her first.”

“Understood.” Jill then immediately made his way to the mansion.

Just before Jill entered through the front doors, Rille rushed to Vio. “Master, what a relief! I was
very worried!”

“That was a dangerous thing to do, Rille. Are you injured?”

“I’m fine, all thanks to Sir Legion,” said Rille, slightly glum. Shortly after, she quickly bowed
her head in his direction. “Thank you very much for saving me, Sir Legion.”

“No need for thanks…” A smile to his lips.

Annoyed, Rille shot him a piercing glare. “Previously, I was irked at how much of a nuisance
you were. But it’s not like I can make you leave, right? Well, it looks like you’re still a nuisance
after all.”

“Hahaha… I’m sorry.” Legion took a step back from Rille.

Vio laughed at their interaction. He butted in, “Rille, stop bullying him already. He contributed
the most today.”

“Okay, then. I’ll forgive his thoughtless words.”

“Thanks.”

For some reason, Rille became the one forgiving Legion instead. But since Legion didn’t seem to
mind, Vio decided to leave it at that.

As they burst into harmonious laughter, Jill returned with a first aid box. His eyes suddenly
stopped at Vio. “Young Master, are you alright?”

“What?” Vio examined himself for any injuries. However, he didn’t find any noticeable changes
other than the dirt on his clothes.

“Ah, that’s right! Master, are you okay?” asked Rille, voice raised.

Flora looked back anxiously, still clinging to Calia. Then she blinked and pointed out, “Brother,
you’re outside now.”

Vio blinked as well. “Huh?”

He looked down at his feet. Realized he was sitting on a destroyed flower bed. And when he
looked up, he could see the wide blue sky. The wind swept past him, caressing his cheeks.

“…You’re right. I’m outside.”

Dumbfounded, Vio brushed his fingertips against the soil beneath his feet. Picked up a few
flowers on the ground. There was no mistaking this sensation. He hadn’t been able to go out
since that winter two years ago, no matter what he tried. But now, he had done so without feeling
any discomfort.

“Flora was in danger, so frantically, I…”

Flora trembled a shade across from him. For the first time, Vio noticed the soil clinging to the
hem of her pink dress.

“Brother!!” Flora jumped at Vio, tears spilling down her face once more. The force caused them
to tumble into the flower bed together. “E-even though you dreaded going outside so much, you
still went out for my sake! Thank you, Brother. Thank you…”

Tears similarly filled Vio’s eyes. “…Yeah. Flora, I’m happy… So happy I could protect you…”

Just the thought of losing Flora, his precious sister, drove him crazy. Vio hugged Flora and took
another look at the sky, still lying down on the ground.

The clear blue summer sky looked dazzling, turning into a field of sparkles as his vision blurred
from the tears.

Author’s Note (Part 2):

 Regarding spirit magic

The general composition of a spell is:

“Activator,” “Connecting phrase,” “Trigger.”

The trigger differs for each attribute, while the activator is always “Heed my wish.”

It’s possible to cast a spell by only chanting the trigger, but its power will be reduced.

In order to increase the power of the spell, it’s necessary to include the connecting phrase. But
the stronger the magic, the more complicated and wordy the phrase becomes. Moreover, having
a good aptitude for magic is required to successfully cast it.

However, by weaving a complicated connecting phrase into a magic circle, it’s possible to
minimize the amount of magic essence needed to cast a spell. But drawing a magic circle is quite
difficult.

There are two ways to activate a magic circle. The first is by pouring a small amount of magic
essence into the circle. The second is by chanting “Heed my wish,” consuming the magic
essence within the magic-filled ink.

Ch 20 – Dark Clouds (VI)

Around the time everyone in the mansion had changed their clothes and treated their injuries, a
group of townspeople arrived at the estate, led there by the uproar.

Ed, who was on holiday, was part of that group. The moment he laid eyes on the wreck of a
garden, he stood in a daze.

“Sorry, Ed,” said Vio, standing beside Ed. “You worked hard to build this garden, yet…” He cast
his gaze toward the ground. It wasn’t Vio’s fault, but he was well aware how much effort and
energy Ed had spent on the garden. Pain filled his heart just by imagining what Ed felt at the
moment.

As such, Vio had prepared himself for Ed’s complaints. Contrary to expectations, Ed merely
drew closer to Vio, face pale. “Young master, are you alright?!”

“Ah, I’m fine. It’s as you see before you… A knight with an Equestrian Dragon attacked the
mansion. Legi drove them away.”

“So that’s what happened! Ah, what a relief. Don’t worry. I can just rebuild it,” Ed said, a gentle
smile on his face. He then asked anxiously, “But young master, are you sure you are alright
going outside like this?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of like shock therapy. I can finally step foot outside the mansion. I don’t have
any panic attacks anymore.” Vio took a deep breath. “It’s nice outside. The air is really
refreshing.”

Once Vio smiled, Ed sank into silence. Perhaps Ed was upset that his garden had been destroyed
after all. Thus, Vio waited for him to vent. But then, Ed cried out, “I’m glad. If the garden’s
destroyed, I’m sure that’s a sign it’s not needed anymore. After all, the reason I worked so hard
on it was to comfort the young master. Since you couldn’t go outside,” said Ed, joy in his heart
due to his master’s recovery.

A broad smile spread its way across Vio’s lips. “Thank you, Ed. But if you’re okay with it, I’d
like for you to rebuild the garden. When it comes down to it, yours is the most beautiful.”

“Yes of course! It’s my pleasure.”

The two shared a laugh. Listening from the entrance to the mansion, the townspeople spoke one
after the other, their volume near a shout’s.

“That’s unfair, Ed. Why are you the only one praised?!”

“Wah, what’s with this garden? It’s destroyed. Lord Violant, is it true that a dragon attacked the
mansion?”

“Are you alright?”

Legion sent the crowd a sharp glare, stopping them in their tracks. “Hey, you’re all too close!
Move back.”

“It’s okay, Legi. Everyone, thank you for your concern. I’m sorry for always making trouble.
Everything is fine now,” said Vio with a bitter smile.
The moment after he had spoken, one of the townspeople raised his hand. “Oh, oh! I’ll help with
the clean-up!”

“Ah, how sly. I’ll help too!”

“Hey, everyone. Bring your tools. We’ll need shovels and hoes.”

“Then we’ll carry the flowering plants that are still alive to the side.”

In the blink of an eye, the townspeople filled the garden. Under Ed’s guidance, they started the
repairs. Vio stared at the scene before him, astonished.

The townspeople burst into laughter upon noticing his expression. “It often snows here, right? So
when we’re all in trouble, it’s normal for us to join forces to help everyone.”

“Yes, yes, Reeve. Please don’t mind us and take a rest. You look pale. We can handle this.”

“That’s right, Lord Violant,” said Legion. “Please return to the mansion. I will also give them a
hand.”

“Okay, I got it. Then I will accept the offer. Thanks again, everyone. I’ll leave it to you all,” said
Vio to the people around him. Cheerfully, the townspeople sounded their agreement in harmony.

In the drawing room, Calia sat next to Flora, drinking tea. Once she had caught sight of Vio
entering the room, she stood immediately. “Lord Violant.”

“Ah, it’s alright; no need for courtesies. Just sit down. Rille, may I have some tea as well?”

“I will prepare it at once.”

Vio sat on the chair across from Flora, casting Rille a side glance as she left the room. His gaze
was then drawn to the gauze around Calia’s head. “Dame Calia, how is your injury?”

“The town doctor examined it. I’ve been told it’s nothing serious.”

“I see. What a relief.”

As they exchanged words, Rille returned and served the black tea. After a sip, Vio sighed in
satisfaction, savoring the flavor. A chuckle left his lips. “I had a premonition this morning, but
never had I thought Erik would appear.”

“I didn’t realize he was that suspicious person in town until seeing him again today,” said Flora,
depressed. “I can’t believe he is still trying to harm you after what he did to you before…”

“No, Flora. He wasn’t aiming for me. He has a grudge against the whole Lesserhain family.”

“So this time, he was aiming for Flora?” asked Calia.

Vio nodded. “He probably realized that compared to hurting me, targeting Flora was a more
effective method to strike at Father and Brother. They both wouldn’t care if I die, but Flora is
different. After all, Flora’s the cutest.”
“That’s not true, Brother! Father and Brother Rupheus are concerned about you as well!”

Vio flashed a gentle smile. “Thank you for saying that, Flora.”

Flora would eventually understand Vio’s circumstances. But for now, he decided to avoid
mentioning the details. He didn’t wish to see his sister in a sadder state than she already was.

Following that, Flora slightly bent forward in excitement. “Brother, since you can go out now,
are you going back to Nada town?”

Looking at Flora’s eyes that gleamed with expectation, Vio revealed a bitter smile. “I’m afraid
not.”

“Why? Mother will surely be happy to see you home.”

“I like it here, Flora. I want to continue living here,” said Vio. “And I feel bad for saying this
since you’ve only just arrived, but after three more days, you’ll have to return to Nada town. It’s
much safer in the lord’s residence. No, maybe it’s better to evacuate with Mother to
Grandfather’s place.”

Vio’s grandfather on his mother’s side was the former king. He had left the royal castle, now
living with the former queen in the royal villa that stood on the outskirts of the royal capital. If
his daughter were to request for his help, he would definitely take in Viola and Flora.

Flora’s expression became one of puzzlement. “Why would we need to evacuate?”

Calia asked, “Is this related to that situation?”

Vio nodded again. “We now have proof that there’s truth in Dame Calia’s warning. As such, we
should quickly take action. Flora’s life would be in jeopardy if we don’t send her home soon.
Any later and she might not be able to return anymore. I’ll entrust my sister to you, Dame Calia.
If something happens, make sure to escape with her to my grandfather’s residence.”

“I understand,” responded Calia.

“Wait! What in the world are you two talking about?” asked Flora, looking like she was about to
cry. Even if she didn’t understand the conversation, she could still sense that the situation was
dire.

“Everyone has their roles, Flora,” said Vio. “Mine is to protect Leca town and Amade village.
And yours is to protect Mother.”

“Mother?”

“Yes, and yourself too. You don’t have to think about Father and Brother.”

Though she looked confused, Flora nodded in compliance to Vio’s instructions.

Well, Father and Brother would consider it a disgrace as military men for women and children
to protect them. Saying anything of the sort to them would be useless.

As he wryly smiled in his thoughts, Vio stared at Flora’s face.

I’m glad Flora came to see me. This could be the last time I’d ever see her.

Vio had no knowledge of the military history of the Kingdom of Istiah. But he did know that if
their kingdom were to enter a war against the Kingdom of Ruslan right now, they would surely
lose. Those living in the Lesserhains’ territory were considered the spearhead of this kingdom’s
forces. But due to the oppressive rule of Vio’s father and brother, the territory had fallen into
ruin. The kingdom’s defense had been crippled.

Erik said something would soon happen.

Vio made a mental note to complete his preparations before it was too late.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

By evening, the townspeople had finished tidying up the flower beds the Equestrian Dragon had
destroyed. They had filled the pits with soil and flattened them out. Afterward, they gradually
returned to their homes. Once Vio had sent them all off, he gazed at the empty garden in
melancholy.

Legion stared at Vio’s hair reminiscent of silver threads swaying in the wind, a distant look in
his eyes. “Are you bothered by Erik Karland?”

Vio shifted his gaze to him, blinking in surprise. Secretly, Legion grew satisfied that Vio’s focus
was now on him.

“Are you bothered by him, Legi?” asked Vio, parroting his words.

“No, I’m not.”

“You’re lying. I’m not bothered by Erik, but you are,” said Vio in a calm tone, hitting the nail
right on the head.

Feeling somewhat awkward, Legion averted his gaze “…I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“It must have been an unpleasant question to be asked.”

“You’re in a bad mood, huh? You sure are easy to understand.” Vio chuckled. Then he muttered,
“You know, I can’t completely hate him no matter what…”

Although Vio didn’t explicitly say who he was referring to, Legion knew it all the same. Most
likely, it was Erik. His sullenness grew apparent on his face.

It brought a giggle out of Vio’s lips. “Seems like you hate him.”
“Of course! He called me his junior, even though he is a traitor! It’s irritating to have the same
position as someone like him.” Just by recalling it, Legion was furious.

“I previously wondered how he was, but it looks like he’s doing well. It seems like he was
scouting out this area but couldn’t control himself when he happened to see Flora. His
recklessness hasn’t changed at all.” Vio sighed, allowing his sorrow to escape. “He still wishes
for revenge even after stabbing me… It would be better if he could free himself from his hatred.”

As Legion pondered whether he should say something, Vio changed the topic. “Legi, I’ve
decided to have Flora return to Nada town. It’s going to be busy soon. When the time comes, I
will be in need of your help.”

“Yes, certainly!”

At Legion’s response, Vio nodded and quickly left for the mansion, refusing to answer any more
questions. Legion watched as his figure shrank into the distance, a bitter flame flaring in his
heart.

As long as Vio ordered Legion to slay Erik, he would readily chase that man to the ends of the
earth. But he didn’t.

“If he still wants to cause trouble for Lord Violant, he’ll have to say his final words the next time
we meet!” muttered Legion, overcome with determination.

Vio had finally gained peace after his biological family had exiled him to Leca town. If anyone
intended on destroying his peace, Legion would protect Vio, regardless of his opponents.

He shot a glare at the area beyond the Alpé Mountains. Following that, Legion returned to the
mansion.

Translator’s ramblings:

*cries because Ed is such a cinnamon roll*

This marks the end of the first arc! dun dun dun~

Ch 21 – A Letter of Invitation (I)

Looking up from his paperwork, Vio noticed the indigo-stained sky through the window, the
stars that began to twinkle.

Following an early dinner, he had shut himself in his study for a long while. Illumination magic
had made the room as bright as if it were daytime, and because of that, he hadn’t realized that it
was already night.

Vio left his seat to close the curtain. The garden caught his attention. As he looked at the traces
of destruction there, the events that had happened during the day resurfaced in his mind. Despite
how he did not wish to recall them.
It’s surprising. I had thought I would be more frightened or overwhelmed by hatred if I ever met
Erik again…

During that confrontation, Vio had desperately tried to protect Flora. He had no time to be
scared. However, after he had calmed down, all that remained were pity and sorrow. Vio hadn’t
been the only one shackled by that winter day. Erik had been too.

He didn’t look at peace at all. If he had laughed at me and mocked, “serves you right,” then I
would definitely hate him. Yet…

Even now, Erik was aiming for the Lesserhain family closely. And from another country to boot.
It would have been better if he let go his resentment after stabbing Vio, living the rest of his life
in peace.

“Such an awkward guy,” Vio grumbled, shutting the curtain.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door to the study.

At Vio’s reply, Jill entered the room, carrying tea utensils. “Young Master, how about taking a
small break?”

“Sure, thank you,” Vio replied. “How unusual. Legi has usually been the one bringing the tea in
recently.”

“He said he was going to patrol the area and left with a lantern. It seems he wants to train a little
as well.”

“This late at night?” Vio’s gaze unconsciously shifted to the window. But since he had closed the
curtain, he couldn’t see anything.

“Usually, he would train early in the morning. But right now, he said that he wished to cool his
head a little.”

“Why did Legi get angry? Were his feelings that hurt after Erik had called him his junior?”
muttered Vio after a sip of black tea.

Although Legion looked calm as usual, everyone could tell that he was in a bad mood. His
footsteps had thundered and he had slammed the door in a large swing. Legion was usually quiet
in his actions. As such, it was easy to tell something was wrong.

“Young Master, forgive my rudeness for saying this, but each of the servants are bursting with
rage from Erik’s actions.”

“I see… Rille wasn’t scared?”

“No. Rather, she’s furious.”

“Then it’s good, I guess. I don’t want anyone to feel troubled due to my circumstances.” Vio
sighed somberly.
“We are angry because we know Young Master worries for us. You don’t have to mind us. As
long as you live peacefully, we will be happy,” replied Jill. Then he bowed in a respectful
manner.

Vio blinked, his expression softening. “You all are very good at spoiling me.”

“On the contrary, we won’t mind if you act more selfishly. We will always follow your wishes.”

Vio burst into laughter. Joy filled his heart, and he felt as though he were soaking in a warm
bath. Naturally, a smile blossomed on his lips. “What’s with that? Aren’t you already serving me
tea? For me, this is already enough. Thank you.”

Jill squinted and let out a soft chuckle. “We truly will always follow your wish.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll let you know when I want something.” Vio wondered why they were
asking him to be selfish. Finding the situation too strange, he laughed again.

Jill nodded in satisfaction. Glanced at the documents lying on the desk. “By the way, have you
solved that issue regarding the wall repairs, Young Master?”

“Ahh, not yet. No matter how many times I calculate, we don’t have enough funds for the
materials…”

Part of the walls surrounding Leca town had collapsed. If enemies were to invade, they would
definitely enter from there. Due to frequent snow, it didn’t matter much until now. But the worst-
case scenario might occur if war truly broke out.

With the current budget, Vio could only cover a portion of the labor and material costs. He could
solicit help from everyone in the town to cover the restoration expenses, but he didn’t want to
burden the townspeople too much. Only when left with no other option would he tread on that
path.

“I’ll try consulting with the town’s commerce and industry guild, though… it’s probably still no
use. We can use bricks, but we’ll have to bake them in kilns. Since we need a large amount to
build the wall, that will require a lot of firewood. Also, I will have to purchase lime mortar to
cement the bricks together. And I’ll have to consider the price of shipping too…”

Vio could feel a headache coming.

“Young Master, you can leave that kind of thing to the experts. You only need to show them the
budget and ask whether it’s possible to restore the wall with that amount. If they can’t do it, you
can think about it again at that time,” Jill said decisively. He then said with respect, “Young
Master, you should be tired today. Please stop worrying and take a rest.”

Vio broke into a bitter smile. “Yeah. I don’t really understand the things regarding public works.
I’ll discuss this with the guild first then think more about it. Alright, let’s rest.”

“Thank you very much for complying with my request.”

Vio nodded and cancelled the illumination magic, leaving the documents on the desk.
Ch 22 – A Letter of Invitation (II)
The next day, Vio visited the commerce and industry guild. And when he walked out of the
guild, his problems were all solved, just like that.

Vio had informed the guild executives about the circumstances regarding the Kingdom of
Ruslan, as well as his worries about the town’s lacking defense. Understanding how grave the
matter was, they stopped what they were doing and prioritized giving Vio some advice.

Getting soil and sand, materials used for making bricks, wasn’t a problem with how abundant
those were in this region. They could easily be gathered using spirit magic.

It was the lime mortar, a combination of lime putty and aggregate such as sand, that Vio thought
would be most troublesome to obtain. However, that problem was immediately solved as well. It
turned out that there was a quarry nearby, located further within Amade village. Though, the
guild executives told Vio it was no longer in operation.

The reason for this came in two parts: the long winters of Leca town made it difficult to traverse
to the quarry, piles of snow abound, Which led the quarry to fall into obscurity, limiting its
utility. Nevertheless, that quarry was where the townspeople had gathered the necessary
materials whenever they were to build a house. It should be possible to obtain enough of the
right type of limestone there to repair the walls.

With that settled, as long as Vio could find something to substitute the firewood needed to make
bricks, the commerce and industry guild would be able to complete the restoration on a low
budget.

Vio broke into a bitter smile. If he had known this would happen, he would have talked to them
from the very beginning. He decided to rely on the guild more next time.

Soon after Vio left the guild’s meeting hall, he spotted Legion waiting in front of the hall, hand
still wrapped around the horse’s reins. He approached him, unable to suppress his delight. His
smile. “Looks like the wall’s restoration will go smoothly. Thankfully, my biggest problem has
been solved.”

Legion expression softened. “That’s a relief, Lord Violant.”

“Yeah.”

Some women passing by waved at Vio. When Vio raised a hand slightly in return, the women
shrieked in excitement. Following that, they bowed before leaving. There were others who came
close to tripping over themselves with how frequently they glanced at Vio.

Presently, Vio wore a white shirt with a blue vest and a pair of black trousers. And on top of his
entire ensemble, a blue hooded cloak. He had drawn the hood over his head to shield himself
from the sharp glare of the summer sun, but the townspeople could still recognize him.

They began making their way to the town hall. This was Vio’s first time visiting town, and he
was rather impressed to discover how much larger it was from his imagination. The shrine
dedicated to worshipping the Great Spirit was especially large.
Once he and Legion arrived at the town hall, around ten government officials approached Vio to
greet him, simply the picture of excitement. However, Vio wasn’t able to see his three tax and
administration inspectors. Although they often spent their working hours in the town hall, they
happened to be out.

After exiting the town hall, Vio said to Legion, “Alright, I’ve finished my work for the day. Let’s
return to the mansion.” He then walked to the side of the horse.

“Understood,” responded Legion. Once Vio had successfully mounted the horse, Legion said,
“Please excuse me.” Following that, he did the same, sitting behind Vio.

Vio had decided to try traveling by horse. The reason: he felt bad whenever his servants had to
prepare the carriage despite only going for a short trip. But after remaining indoors every day for
two years, he had forgotten how to ride a horse. Back in the mansion, Vio had only been able to
get on the horse’s back before growing stiff with fear. As such, Legion had suggested that he just
accompany Vio on foot, pulling on the horse’s reins the entire journey.

However, Vio’s mansion, which stood on a hill, was a bit far from town. A thirty minute walk to
travel from one place to the other. Feeling apologetic, Vio had made Legi ride the horse with
him.

“Sorry, Legi. I’ll do my best to relearn how to ride a horse as soon as possible.”

“Please let me know whenever you plan on practicing. It’s dangerous to do it alone.”

“Okay, I will.”

Vio could also ask Hauser, the mansion’s stablehand, to teach him, but Legion had insisted on
being his mentor. Since he had been so eager, Vio decided to just give in to his request.

Shortly before they passed through the town gate, another passerby, a middle-aged man, greeted
Vio. Vio greeted back. The man then turned to his friend beside him, yelling, “He responded to
me!”

Vio shot them a glance before continuing their ride back to the mansion.

He wondered why everyone’s reactions seemed so exaggerated. Shouldn’t it be normal for him
to reciprocate their greetings?

“Oh Legi, I’ve been wondering about this, but… Why am I riding at the front? I heard that the
back is more stable.”

“It’s actually the opposite, Lord Violant. It’s shaky from where I’m sitting. Since you’re not used
to horseback riding, I had you sit in front of me.”

“Ah, is that so? I didn’t know that.”

Horseback riding was a favored pastime of the nobles. But back when Vio had been in Nada
town, he had never ridden a horse outside of training. His father and brother had disliked
bringing Vio with them on long rides, so he had always stayed behind, assigned to watch over
the lord’s residence. Even before he had gained a phobia of going outside, they would use his ill
health as an excuse to order him to remain in his room.
Vio’s health was especially bad during his childhood. He often had a fever, worrying his
mother. It was one of the reasons behind his mother’s indulgence toward him.

The horse climbed the gentle slope at a leisurely pace. After a while, they arrived outside the
mansion, where Vio noticed an unfamiliar gray horse tied to the side of the gate. As he wondered
whether he had guests, they entered the mansion gates. Right after that, a middle-aged man with
an eye patch covering his right eye ran toward them. He looked like an ill-mannered person at
first glance, but he was actually the stableman. “Welcome home,” he said.

“We’re back, Hauser.”

After Vio and Legion dismounted from the horse, Hauser promptly took the reins, taking charge
of the horse, before lowering his torso in a bow. “A messenger hailing from the royal palace
came to our mansion. Mr. Butler notified me of the messenger’s wish that you see him
immediately after your return.”

“From the royal palace? Got it. Thank you,” said Vio. He then entered the mansion, slightly
puzzled.

Vio had barely taken a step into the mansion when Jill and Rille appeared. Jill took Vio’s cloak.
Following that, Vio washed his hands in the water basin Rille carried. Then, he headed to the
drawing room.

There, a young, blond knight in a navy blue uniform sat on the sofa, drinking a cup of tea. Sewn
on the left breast of his uniform was a crest that consisted of a green leaf and a silver sword.
Among the Royal Knights, that crest was used by the Knights of the Green Flash, the division
directly under the crown prince.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m Violant Lesserhain,” said Vio, upon which the knight
stood up.

“I’m Cheval Royston from the Knights of the Green Flash. I’ve come to deliver an invitation
from His Highness the Crown Prince to Lord Violant Lesserhain and Sir Legion Salt,” said
Cheval, extending two written invitations to them.

Vio accepted the one in front of him. Legion did the same, bewilderment etched on his face. “Sir
Messenger, I got an invitation as well?”

“Yes. However, please don’t call me ‘Sir Messenger,’ Sir Legion. You sound very distant.”

“No, how could I act impolitely toward the messenger sent by His Highness the Crown
Prince…”

Vio glanced at the flustered Legion. “You know each other?”

“Yes. We joined the Royal Knights in the same year. We also shared a room in the dormitory.”

Hearing this, Vio understood. Cheval had probably accepted the task of becoming a messenger
in order to check up on Legion. “I see… If you’ll excuse me, Sir Messenger.” Vio then took a
seat. “Legi, you should sit too.”

“Alright. Please excuse me.”

And so, Legion and Cheval sat side by side on the chaise longue. Vio rang a bell, summoning
Rille and Jill. Rille came to his side and set up the tea utensils, while Jill handed Vio a letter
opener.

“Thank you, both of you. You can retire now.” After Jill and Rille bowed and left, Vio turned to
Cheval and said, “I will now read the letter.”

With the letter opener, Vio opened the seal on the invitation before passing the knife to Legion.
Vio then skimmed through the letter.

“Is this an invitation to His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday party, which will occur a
month from now?” he asked, expression darkening.

Since the crown prince had hand-written the invitation letter, Vio understood that he couldn’t
refuse.

Cheval seemed to grow nervous upon seeing the gloominess on Vio’s face. “We know that Lord
Violant is sick and in recuperation. His Highness the Crown Prince stated that in the event you
aren’t well enough to bear the travel, he wouldn’t mind if only Sir Legion attends.”

“Legion, His Highness the Crown Prince acknowledges you?” Vio asked, the gloom giving way
to surprise.

Since Legion had received a written invitation despite only being a knight of a humble
background, that meant the crown prince held a rather favorable opinion of him.

Embarrassment evident on his face, Legion answered, “I wonder about that… I received
encouragement from him when I had won a martial arts tournament. Since then, His Highness
would often approach me.”

Doesn’t that mean that you really are highly favored?

As he pondered how he should respond to Cheval, Jill returned to the room, a letter in hand.
“Please excuse me. Young Master, Her Grace sent an urgent letter.”

“My mother?” Hurriedly, Vio took the letter and scanned it for any news of an incident or the
like. But written inside was simply Vio’s mother ordering him to attend the crown prince’s
birthday party. It was such perfect timing.

Actually, he had planned on declining the invitation. But according to his mother’s letter, since
he had received a handwritten invitation from the crown prince, he had to attend no matter what.
And because of the short notice, she would have all his necessities ready for him in the capital so
as to reduce his luggage preparations. She had also arranged for him to stay in one of the royal
castle’s guest rooms, to put as much distance as possible between him and Rupheus. Lastly, she
wrote that he should return with Flora.

Looks like I won’t be able to decline now…

“Did something happen to the duchess?” Legion asked, tone anxious. Vio shook his head and
handed him the letter. After asking for his permission, Legion scanned through its contents. Once
he was done, he stared at Vio in astonishment his amber eyes.
“Sir Messenger, I humbly accept this invitation. Legi, how about you?”

“Of course I will accept. Refusing His Highness the Crown Prince’s invitation would be
disrespectful of me.”

Cheval nodded in relief. “May I ask you to please write a reply? I have a carrier dragon ready.”

“A carrier dragon?” asked Vio, blinking.

People would usually use a carrier pigeon to send messages. If the message was rather urgent,
then they would opt for a carrier falcon, which flew faster than a pigeon. The fastest method
possible would be to use a carrier dragon. However, only the royal family could utilize them, so
Vio had never seen one before. That said, what surprised Vio even more was the fact that Cheval
wasn’t bringing back their responses himself.

“I was ordered to return with Legion,” Cheval awkwardly explained.

Realization struck Vio. Considering the recent attack on the mansion, there was a high chance
Vio would refuse the invitation. And since Legion was known for his loyalty to his master, he
might have prepared himself to commit treason to the kingdom by doing the same. Even if he
agreed and went with Cheval, he might want to return midway on the journey.

The crown prince, and even the knights, seemed to have a good understanding of Legion’s
character.

“Is that so? Then please stay here until the day we depart. However, our guest rooms are
currently occupied. The only available bedroom we have is quite small and narrow. Is that alright
with you? If not, then I can have you stay in one of the inns in town.”

“No, I don’t mind staying here.”

“That’s a relief. Now then, while I will prepare your room, please make yourself at home,” said
Vio. “Legi, may you accompany our guest? Since you’re acquainted, you should have many
things to talk about, right? You can also choose to take a walk around the town. Feel free to do
whatever you like.”

Whilst still on the chaise lounge, Legion bowed. “Yes, thank you for your consideration.”

Once Vio stood from his seat, he nodded to Cheval. “I will take my leave now. If you encounter
any problems, please inform Legi, and we will quickly deal with them.”

Cheval mirrored Vio’s actions. “Yes. Thank you for your hospitality.”

translator’s ramblings:

huft, what a long chapter… （π ー π）

we’re still looking for editors! please consider applying since we’re almost dying here… help…

also, we have passed the second editor with this chapter <3
Ch 23 – A Letter of Invitation (III)
After Vio had left the room, Cheval’s composed expression instantly transformed into a smile.
“It’s been a while, Legi!”

“Yeah, long time no see, Cheval.”

They gave one another a firm handshake. Cheval then relaxed against the chaise longue. “Thank
goodness you’re alright. Everyone was worried since we didn’t receive any news about you at
all. You should’ve at least sent us a letter.”

“You know I’m bad at writing letters, right?” replied Legion, eyes fixed on Cheval. He was still
as easy to read as before, his disappointment clear as day on his face.

Cheval was a commoner, just like Legion. However, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, which
were typically seen in people of noble blood. If he adopted a prim appearance and kept silent, he
really did look like a young noble. But with his complete inability to mask his emotions,
everyone would soon realize that he was of humble birth.

“His Highness was also worried, you know. We didn’t tell you this before, but everyone thought
that applying to serve the infamous Lesserhain family was a really stupid idea.”

“But I was born here. Isn’t it natural that I want to work for my hometown?”

“All the more reason you shouldn’t throw away the reputation of the Royal Knights, right? Don’t
you find it such a shame to leave it just to serve the Lesserhain family?”

By this point, annoyance had already festered in Legion’s heart. He curtly said, “How many
times have you asked me this question? I’m already sick of it.”

“I was certain you were working in the lord’s residence in Nada town. Turns out, you’ve been in
this remote region. Actually, I visited Nada town before coming here. The duke and his son were
nothing but scary. Even though I was His Highness the Crown Prince’s messenger, they were
very rude to me. It took everything I had to keep a straight face. I thought I would have to
experience the same sort of treatment here, but this was a letdown.” Then, Cheval leaned closer
to Legion and whispered, “Hey, was the duke’s younger son acting just now?”

Legion glared at Cheval, a murderous aura emanating from him. “Cheval, if you’re going to
continue insulting him like that, you’ll have to go through me.”

Sensing his seriousness, Cheval immediately leaned back. “H-h-hey, calm down. You’re even
scarier than usual since I know you don’t make jokes.”

“Of course I’m serious,” Legion responded nonchalantly before taking a sip of his tea. “You said
your purpose was to accompany me to the royal capital, but that’s a lie, right? You’re really here
to survey Lord Violant.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Cheval, you’re as bad at lying as you were before. I already warned you not to reveal that faint
smile whenever you try to lie.”
Cheval clicked his tongue in frustration. Since they had used to stay in the same dormitory room
and then proceeded to work in the same squad, Legion unfortunately knew all of Cheval’s habits.
Especially the bad ones. Cheval frowned. “Are you planning on forcing me to explain what’s
going on?”

“Nah. Lord Violant’s a smart person. I think you’re also aware that he didn’t reveal your true
intentions out of politeness.”

Cheval didn’t seem satisfied with Legion’s reply. “I only know that my first impression of him is
different from what the rumors say. Didn’t they say he’s unable to go out due to his illness? He
seems fine to me.

“He really couldn’t go out before. But something terrible happened yesterday, which acted as
some sort of shock therapy for him. So now, he can finally leave the mansion. He doesn’t have
panic attacks anymore either. It’s really a relief.”

“If it’s such a relief, then why are you clenching your fists like that? Again, you’re scary,
y’know.”

“It’s because I’m furious at the guy who triggered Lord Violant’s condition in the first place. He
really pisses me off,” confessed Legion, his accumulated anger coming to the forefront.

Such a sight caused Cheval to shudder. “Who’s brave enough to make enemies with you? How
frightening.”

As Legion wondered whether he was as scary as Cheval had said he was, they heard Flora’s
laughter outside. They shifted their gazes to the window. There, Legion and Cheval saw the
young lady pulling Vio’s left hand as they took a stroll in the garden, spirits high.

“Brother, Brother. Look at this! I planted these flowers!”

“Oh, that’s amazing, Flora! You’re very skilled.”

“I know, right? Ed also said that. He told me that I’m good at handling flowers.”

Most of Legion’s tension drained away just from the sight of brother and sister laughing
together, his rampaging emotions calming straight away. Cheval watched the changes in
Legion’s expression, then let escape a groan. “I don’t get it. After watching this one scene, I
already feel like I’m not in Lesserhain territory,” he muttered.

Legion shot a glance at Cheval, before cracking a smile. “I won’t say anything else. You can see
it with your own eyes. But if you try something on Lord Violant, you’ll have to fight me. Got
it?”

“Oooh, scary. To think that your obsession with your master has grown even worse… There’s no
hope for this world anymore,” said Cheval, feigning a defeated expression. But he soon gave up
on the charade and flashed a grin. “Hey, Legi. How about going to a pub in town? It’s been a
while since we last went drinking.”

“I don’t mind going to town, but let’s just drink in my room. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to
return before the town gate closes.”
“Still as serious as ever, eh?” With that, Cheval sighed in disappointment and stood from his
seat.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Cheval had fun in the mansion, probably because he was with Legion.

After Vio had finished writing his reply to the crown prince’s invitation, he handed it to Cheval
without delay. Then, while he had Jill and Rille prepare his luggage for the trip to the royal
capital, Vio summoned the tax and administration inspectors to his study to prepare them for his
absence.

First, he emphasized that they do their jobs, even while he was away. He also nominated Rourke
as the deputy reeve, after which he had him prioritize the repairing of the town walls. Leca town
would soon enter winter after this short summer. Considering the workplace hazards of the
slippery ground during snowy days, Vio would like to fully accomplish this task before winter
arrived. Lastly, he asked the inspectors to send him a letter via a fast horse or a falcon to the
royal palace if there was any urgent matter.

With this, Vio had finished his work for now.

After he had sent the inspectors off, Vio walked into the kitchen for a cup of tea. However,
noticing Rille’s absence, he decided to boil some water and brew the tea himself. As he waited
for the water to boil, Cheval showed up.

“’Scuse me. A cup of water or tea please…” said Cheval in a casual manner. But upon catching
sight of Vio, he immediately straightened his back.

Vio flashed him a smile, paying his blunder no mind. “Hey there, Sir Cheval. I’m making myself
a cup of tea right now. You don’t mind if I prepare yours with it, do you?”

Cheval’s eyes widened. “N-no… That’s… H-how can I let the head of the mansion do such a—”
In the midst of his panic, he bit his own tongue.

Vio simply focused his attention on the kettle, ignoring Cheval’s plight.

Then someone said, “Cheval? What are you doing here?”

Cheval turned around. “Ah, Legi. You came at the right time!” He then proceeded to drag the
bewildered Legion into the kitchen.

Once Legion saw Vio by the countertop, his expression changed to one of panic. “Lord Violant,
let me prepare the tea for you!” he said, rushing to take over the task.

However, with a smile on his face, Vio only said, “Oh, Legi. Do you also want a cup of tea?

“Lord Violant, did you not hear what I just said?!”

“Don’t deprive me of my relaxation.”

“Ugh.” Legion wanted to insist despite Vio’s refusal.

“Legi.”

Legion dropped his shoulders in defeat. “U-understood…”

Vio threw an internal fist pump, happy with his victory. He then told the knights to sit around the
kitchen table as he set down the necessary silverware. After skillfully pouring tea into the cups,
he approached one of the shelves. Picked up a few pieces of candied sweets made from Leca
flowers. He set them down on a plate before taking a seat himself.

“Have one, Sir Cheval. These are candied sweets made from Leca flowers. Ah, I forgot to ask.
Do you like sweet things?”

“I like them, but I feel somewhat ashamed to…”

Cheval looked restless. Legion was the same. Vio drank his tea, wondering about the reason for
their behavior. He said, “Sir Cheval, I’ve finished tidying up my duties here, so I’m planning to
leave the day after tomorrow. Please have your luggage ready by tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“Legi too.”

“Understood.”

Vio nodded in satisfaction, taking another sip of his tea. At this time, Rille entered the kitchen,
blowing a fuse after seeing the used kettle.

“Master! You did it again! I’ve told you countless times—call me whenever you want to drink
tea. Why do you always insist on doing it yourself?!”

“Ah, Rille. Thank you for your hard work. How are the luggage preparations?”

“Although Her Grace stated in her letter that she had already prepared everything for you, there’s
no guarantee something won’t be missed. We will still ensure that you have all your necessities
with you. Mr. Jill is making a list as we speak.”

“I see. Then I’ll leave it to both of you,” said Vio, cracking a smile.

Rille returned it with a grin. However, she snapped back to her senses a few moments later and
flew into a rage once again. “Ugh, Master! Please don’t change the subject like that!”

“Sorry, sorry. But may I ask you to make me another cup? The tea you brew is the best, after
all.”

“It can’t be helped then,” said Rille, breathing a sigh. But contrary to her words of complaint, she
looked satisfied as she picked up the silverware, her rabbit ears twitching.

“Cute…” Cheval murmured.

Hm? Vio and Legion turned to Cheval, only to see him following Rille’s movements with a
dazed expression.

Ch 24 – A Letter of Invitation (IV)

Two days had passed since they had left Leca town to attend the crown prince’s eighteenth
birthday party. Vio sighed, feeling his head ache at an unexpected problem.

Presently, he sat in his room at the inn, Cheval sitting across from him. Cheval had been averting
his eyes in an awkward manner ever since he had entered the room.

“Sir Cheval, I don’t have a hobby of poking my nose into others’ love affairs, but… don’t you
think it’s only normal that she kicked you after you suddenly propositioned her?”

Rille stood behind the chair where Vio sat. Although she hid behind him as if she were scared of
the knight, her red eyes proved cold. Like she was looking at a pest.

Cheval seemed to hold feelings for Rille. He had confessed to her shortly after the group had left
for the trip. However, he had skipped various stages in his confession and asked outright,
“Would you like to come to my room?” Furious, Rille had kicked him in the stomach before
running away.

But even Rille would be afraid after kicking the crown prince’s messenger. She then consulted
with Vio, which led to this meeting where they discussed what had happened.

“Rather than a one night stand, please opt for a relationship that won’t cause any future trouble.
It annoys me that you mistook my servant for a prostitute. I can even consider this as an insult.”
Vio looked at Cheval, gaze cold enough to freeze. Vio realized he rarely grew angry, but Rille
was like his elder sister. As such, he was upset that another had treated her with utter disrespect.

“Master…” Rille murmured, emotional.

“I fully understand how the people around me view my family, and also know that the servants
of my elder brother go through anguish to pay their debts. I don’t want my servants to experience
such unpleasant things. Or, do you think you can throw your status as the crown prince’s
messenger around to do anything you please?”

“N-no, that’s not it…” Cheval hung his head in shame. Seething, Vio was about to ask him what
else his action could have meant, when Legion unexpectedly said, “Forgive my rudeness, Lord
Violant, but please don’t be too angry with him. Cheval is… How should I say this… He is
hopeless in love affairs.”

“Hey, Legi—”

However, Legion grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand. His grip seemed pretty tight,
seeing as how Cheval had cut his words off in pain.

“Please look at his face. Maybe it’s because he used to play around a lot, but the women he ends
up falling for always flatly reject him. He’s simply a sad fellow.”
“Please forgive me! I was going to confess, but the words that came out of my mouth were
completely different from what I was thinking. I didn’t mean to seem like I was playing around
with her!” Cheval said in desperation, his face bright red.

Ah… So that’s how it was… He’s the type that acts awkwardly around someone he’s serious
about, huh?

With that, Vio’s anger disappeared. He then glanced at Rille. “…Seems like it’s a
misunderstanding, Rille.”

Not a word leaving her lips, Rille crossed both of her hands to make a large X.

Following that, he turned back to Cheval. “It seems like you’re out of luck, Sir Cheval.”

Wailing, Cheval crumbled down onto the table. Legion patted his back, full of pity.

“Rille, since we’re done with this issue, you can go back to your room now. But make sure to
lock the door before resting.”

“Of course. Thank you very much, Master.” Rille bowed and once more glared at Cheval, ice
cold. Then she left the room.

She hates you even more than she does Legi, Sir Cheval…

Vio found him pitiful, but then again, he should pay for his mistakes. “Sir Cheval, before
confessing to a woman, I believe there are various ways to court her, such as giving her flowers
or inviting her to a meal.”

“…Flowers?” Raising his tear-stained face, Cheval frowned.

In a flash, Legion said, “Please forgive him. This guy hasn’t experienced such a pure
romance…”

“Eh… So he’s only experienced in physical relationships? That’s a little…” Vio wondered
whether Cheval was too much. Also, he was slightly disgusted. Cheval’s face fell again.

“U-um… Anyway, please do your best to get her to like you first. For example, you can give her
flowers, sweets, or other things women seem fond of. Or perhaps, invite her on a date…”

All of a sudden, Cheval grabbed both of his hands. “Lord Violant!”

“Wah!” Vio leaned back in his chair to put some distance between the two of them.

“I don’t want to give up on Miss Rille! Please give me permission to court her!”

It was normal for the head of the mansion to be involved when someone wished to have a
relationship with a servant, but Vio didn’t have any intention to meddle so much. Such a thing
troubled him.

“…Hey, Cheval?” With a frightening expression, Legion grabbed the back of his collar and tore
him off of Vio.
For some reason, Cheval grew pale and cried out, “It’s not like that!”

Vio wondered what he was talking about. “Sir Cheval, for the time being, make sure not to
approach Rille for no reason. Give her a genuine apology. If she rejects it, then give up. I don’t
want to comment on my servants’ romances, but if Rille feels troubled or scared, then that’s a
different matter altogether. Other than that, feel free to approach her,” replied Vio.

Cheval’s face brightened in an instant. “Thank you very much! I’ll pay attention to your
warnings!”

“But make sure not to approach her after the sun has set. Keep your advances in moderation.”

“I understand. I’m truly grateful!”

The Cheval who had first entered the room and the Cheval now were as different as night and
day. He left with a skip to his steps.

A loud sigh escaped Vio’s lips.

“I’m sorry, Lord Violant,” said Legion. “I will keep an eye on him as well.”

“Yeah, do that, Legi. We’re not in the mansion, so it’s easy to lose sight of him.”

“Yes.” Even Legion hung his head in shame, as if his relatives had done something disgraceful.

Well, I guess I would feel the same way if my friend did something like that…

Vio glossed over the complicated atmosphere by clearing his throat. “How should I put this?
Your friend is interesting, huh?”

“He acts like a fool sometimes, but he’s a good guy. So if possible, um, please don’t scold him
too much for this matter…”

Vio started to find Legion, whose entire body exuded an air of sadness, pitiful.

“Since he’s your friend, he’s definitely a good person. Okay, I’ll leave this matter to Rille.”

“Thank you, Sir Violant.” Legion let out a deep breath.

“We’re going to reach the royal capital in nineteen days, right? Will this be alright? Anyway,
I’m glad that Cheval isn’t abusing his status.”

“Even as His Highness the Crown Prince’s messenger, he can’t use his authority for something
like that. I’m sure it will be fine. Also, he’ll definitely be careful after personally experiencing
Rille’s kick.”

“Ah…” Now that Legion had mentioned it, Rille once mistook him as a bandit and sent him
flying with a kick. After Vio had recalled that, his worry lessened.

Ch 25 – A Letter of Invitation (V)

Although quite a problem had happened along the way, there were no particular issues following
that. After days of travel, Vio finally arrived at the royal capital.

There were two carriages: one belonged to Vio, and the other to Flora. Vio and Flora rode on the
same carriage, while Jill and three maids shared the other. Calia and Legion traveled on
horseback as they escorted and protected their masters. Similarly, Cheval rode a horse.

Vio brought Hausel, his stableman, as the coachman. He left the mansion to the gardener, Ed.
Ed’s family lineage consisted of housekeepers spanning generations, so he knew what he was
doing.

Flora was in high spirits the entire time. She probably didn’t expect that she could travel with
Vio. Full of cheer, she talked about Rille.

“The messenger is trying his best,” said Flora. “He doesn’t give up even when Rille looks at him
so coldly, and devotes himself to her.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty amazing. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to last for three days.”

Rille still looked at Cheval as if she were looking at an insect, but Cheval paid it no mind. He
strived his utmost to get on her good side by helping her with her work, taking the initiative to
carry heavy objects, and so on. Thanks to him, her workload grew considerably lighter.

“But is it alright for him to ignore his duties?” whispered Vio to himself, unable to hold himself
back. His job was to accompany Legion, but Vio suspected Cheval had also planned to monitor
him. He should be using this opportunity to determine whether Vio had been putting on an act.
Instead, he was acting like a fool. Or perhaps, he did this to make Vio less wary of him?

“His duties?” Flora asked, staring at Vio.

He shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. Ah, Flora. It seems like we’re entering the castle now.”

“The gate is so big!” cheered Flora as she peered out the carriage’s window. “It’s much grander
than the one at Nada town!”

Vio brought a finger to his lips, signaling to his sister to settle down. “From here on, you should
behave like a lady, Flora.”

“Yes,” Flora replied obediently. She sat down gracefully like a prim and proper lady.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“Sir Cheval, thank you for accompanying us,” said Vio as they were about to part at the castle
entrance hall.

“No, I am the one who should be saying that. Thank you very much. It was a very enjoyable trip.
Lord Violant, considering this is the first time you’ve visited the royal capital since your social
debut, feel free to call me should you encounter any problems,” said Cheval with a smile and a
bow. He then took one last glance at Rille before leaving.

“You don’t have to worry about encountering trouble in the royal capital,” said Legion. “It will
be alright. After all, you have me.”

“You’re stupid. That’s Sir Cheval’s excuse to see Rille, isn’t it?” Calia’s expression was one of
amazement. “Since you’re his friend, be sensible and let him help.”

She glanced at the maids who were unloading the carriages. Rille was working diligently, a
frown tugging on her lips. Meanwhile, Flora’s maids laughed softly. It seemed Rille heard what
Calia had said.

I’m surprised Rille didn’t soften at all…

Vio had expected Cheval’s affection to move her, so it took him aback that she still treated him
with so much indifference. But since she didn’t seem to seriously hate him, Vio didn’t meddle. If
Rille truly couldn’t stand it anymore, she would let him know for certain.

Amidst their conversation, Jill, who had gone to report their arrival, returned with a tall, young,
and male chamberlain. The young man had pale skin, eyes and hair a shade of brown. He seemed
to be a bird Locana judging by the pair of black wings sprouting from his back.

“Lord Violant Lesserhain, Lady Flora Lesserhain. We are pleased at your arrival. I’m Nildo, the
person in charge of managing the guest rooms. I shall guide you to your rooms.” Dressed in a
gray uniform, Nildo bowed in a graceful manner. His expressions were minimal, his beautiful
face similar to that of a doll.

“Please treat us well, Nildo.” Vio held out his left arm for Flora. “Let’s go, Young Lady.”

“Yes.” A smile graced her lips and she placed her right hand onto his arm. The siblings walked
in harmony. This was the second time since his social debut that he had stepped foot onto these
soft red carpets. The soft red carpets that covered the corridors of the royal castle.

It seemed that many nobles had already gathered here, all dressed in proper attire. With the
exception of the royal family, Vio and Flora had the highest standing among them, so they didn’t
pay those nobles any mind and passed through them.

Legion, Calia, and Jill followed suit. Nildo guided the group to the first floor on the west wing of
the castle, where Vio’s room was located. His room was spacious and luxurious. The blue carpet,
curtains, and white furniture gave rise to a refined atmosphere. Spirit magic lit the chandeliers,
which shone brightly within the room. Such an atmosphere resembled that of his mother’s room
back in the duke’s residence.

“This is your room. These are the three maids in charge of it: Martha, Betty, and Mary. If there’s
anything you are displeased with, please inform them and I will come at once. Please enjoy your
stay.”

Following Nildo’s greeting, the maids standing by the door performed deep bows. Vio said to
Nildo, “We have troubled you in guiding us.” Then he turned to the maids. “Martha, Betty,
Mary, I’ll be under your care for a month. Please treat me well.”
“Many thanks for the kind words,” the maids replied, voices quivering.

“I’ll have to ask you three to prepare the meals. Other than that, my butler and maid will take
care of matters. You don’t have to trouble yourself with me that much.”

“We understand.” For some reason, they still looked nervous. Perhaps they were familiar with
the rumours that surrounded the Lesserhain family.

Nildo also noticed this, and said, “Please forgive us. They are nervous from talking to nobles…
One of these maids will come upon a ring of that bell, so order them as you please.”

“Okay, I understand. Nildo, you may retire.”

“Yes. Please excuse me.”

Once Nildo had left, Vio asked the maids to prepare tea, a bitter smile on his lips.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

As Vio and Flora relaxed in the room, their mother, Viola, visited them.

“Violant, Flora. It’s been a long time. Have you been well?” said Viola with a radiant smile,
hugging Vio and Flora one after the other, kissing their cheeks.

Viola wore a simple lilac dress, silver hair tied up loosely. She looked youthful and beautiful, not
at all like a mother of three children. Her clear skin was as white as snow and her light purple
eyes shone like diamonds, further emphasizing her youthful appearance.

She gave off a neat and clean impression, resembling a radiant flower whenever she smiled.

Before Viola married out of the royal family, she was known as the kingdom’s number one
beauty. Vio and Flora’s father, Elst, fell in love with such a princess.

Twenty years ago, the kingdom required significant funds in its war against the Country of
Clarina. Elst was willing to supply all the funds so long as Viola married to him, no dowry
required. In the end, Elst achieved victory for the kingdom.

In the public’s eyes, Elst was secretly labelled as someone who had bought the princess with
money. Even so, the reason for his actions stemmed from his love for Viola. He doted on her,
and the couple shared a harmonious marriage.

“Violant, let me see your face. You’ve grown so much in less than two years. How are you? You
should’ve collapsed several times after traveling for three weeks, right?” Viola placed her hands
on Vio’s cheeks. Examined him.
Embarrassed with his mother’s gaze, Vio laughed. “Actually Mother, I had overcome my phobia
of going outside just before I received the invitation… Thanks to that, I could finish this trip in
good health.”

“You’re healed? Oh my, that’s a relief! Mother is happy to hear that!” Deeply moved, Viola
threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. A sweet floral fragrance wafted from her body,
making him a bit dizzy.

Flora chuckled and said, “Mother, if you hug him that tight, his condition will worsen again.”

“Ahaha, you’re right. First, let’s have some tea… And then, let’s have the fitting for your outfits.
There are only four days before the party, so we need to prepare everything in haste.”

Viola guided Vio and Flora toward the table, before discussing their schedule. Although Vio was
happy to see his mother after a long time, he was dejected when it came down to it.

For the outfit fitting he so loathed would soon occur. To be treated like a dress-up doll was much
more tiring than walking around the castle.

However, he had never won against his mother, sister, and maids in an outfit fitting before.
Therefore, he decided to do as they wished. So that it could quickly end.

Ch 26 – Birthday Party (I)

After they had fitted their outfits, Viola returned to the Lesserhains’ residence with Flora. But
before she had left, she told Vio that he must greet his father and brother on the day of the party,
as per his father’s order. They were currently too busy preparing for the party to receive his
greeting.

Considering who the order came from, Vio accepted it without hesitation. Otherwise, Rupheus
would call him impudent. Besides, his brother had to obey their father as well.

In the four days before the party, Vio had to meticulously coordinate his outfits every day. And
during his breaks, a teacher would come to check on his etiquette. By the end of his first day in
the royal capital, Vio grew so tired that he gained a fever. But somehow, he managed to endure.
Before he knew it, the first day of the celebration had arrived.

He would have to take walks with the other attendees and attend tea parties in the daytime. At
night came the evening ball. This would be his daily routine for the next two weeks.

Vio had also heard a few rumors floating around during his stay here. Apparently, Princess Liona
of the Kingdom of Ruslan would be attending the celebration. This was in accordance with the
memories of Vio’s past life.

Upon learning this, Legion seemed to have grown wary of her arrival. His vigilance was
justified, considering Erik’s attack on Leca town.

“Did you report that incident to His Grace?”

“No. It’s Erik who attacked us, so I don’t think Father will take me seriously. Remember: as of
now, we only have some rumors of suspicious behavior from the Kingdom of Ruslan as our
reasoning behind his attack. We don’t have concrete evidence that a large force exists behind
Erik and his companion. And it’ll be troubling if our reckless statements trigger a war between
the two kingdoms. We should remain silent for now.”

This was what Vio had concluded after much deliberation on the matter. After all, they had heard
the rumors from Flora’s knight, Calia. This meant that Vio’s father should have also caught news
of it, prompting him to take some protective measures. Thus, Vio didn’t think there was anything
to worry about.

“But…”

“Legi. At the very least, I’m sure that nothing will happen during the princess’ stay. Moreover,
the other countries have sent their own delegations to greet His Highness the Crown Prince. The
Kingdom of Ruslan would be stupid to make a move at this time. Still, look out for any
suspicious movements.”

“Understood. I will do my best,” replied Legion in a formal manner.

“You can also meet your old friends at the evening ball, right? Don’t you look forward to it?”

Legion was not exempt from the dress codes of the different parties they needed to attend. Thus,
Viola had some clothes for Legion and him before their trip to the capital. She couldn’t let a
knight of the Lesserhain family attend the party in strange clothing. And to mark Legion as Vio’s
knight, his outfits used the same color scheme as Vio’s. Today, their clothes were both in the
exact shade of gray. More specifically, Legion wore a gray suit jacket, a white dress shirt
underneath it, and black pants. Since he was a guest, he had neither his baton nor his sword on
his waist.

“I’ll be happy to see them again, but it’s more fun to be with Lord Violant.”

“Er… I wasn’t fishing for a compliment with that question, you know? You don’t have to curry
favor with me.”

“How could I have such an intention? I was merely telling the truth,” said Legion, flashing a
pleasant smile.

“I-I see…” Vio returned the smile but felt agitated and embarrassed at Legion’s occasional blunt
compliments. They always seemed to come out of nowhere.

He wished for the knight to stop. But Legion had probably never given much thought to anything
he said, so it would be useless to tell him that. Vio slowly averted his gaze and cleared his throat,
trying to hide his embarrassment. “Well then, let’s go. The opening ceremony is starting soon,
and I still have to greet my father and brother.”

“Yes.”

Jill and Rille were to remain in Vio’s room, so they sent them off. With that, Vio and Legion
headed to the venue of the party. The large banquet hall on the second floor.

Everything inside the banquet hall screamed of extravagance. The numerous gold decorations
embellishing the ceiling and walls. The glistening floor, polished to the point of reflecting the
light of the chandeliers.
Upon entering the venue, Vio immediately spotted most of the Lesserhain family. They were
chatting near the throne. Not many people populated that area; that was the reason he had noticed
them right away. But Flora wasn’t there. Perhaps because she had yet to make her social debut.

Vio walked up to them, mentally prepared for their cutting insults. “It’s been a while, Father,
Brother.”

Duke Elst Lesserhain turned his head, his sharp, hawk-like blue eyes ensnaring Vio. Vio had
always hated when his father’s gaze rested on him. He felt like a rat being held down by claws at
its throat.

“You’re here. You seemed to have grown a little taller since I last saw you.”

“Yes. It is thanks to you, Father. This period of rest has been beneficial for my health,” Vio
replied, respectful.

Rupheus let out a scornful laugh. “Frail as usual. With such a weak body, you shouldn’t have
come.”

“It was a personal invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince. It can’t be helped.” Then,
Elst said, “After greeting His Majesty, stay in the corner so that you don’t stand out.
Understand?” His words held much implications.

Viola’s face twisted in a frown. “Dear—”

“I understand. I will do as Father said,” said Vio with a bow.

In response, Elst snorted and waved in dismissal, signalling his disinterest in listening to Vio any
longer.

Vio was about to walk toward a corner when Rupheus caught sight of Legion. “Why are you
here?” he demanded.

Voice stern, Viola scolded, “I appointed him to be Violant’s knight after you had dismissed him.
Do you have any complaints?”

Rupheus was weak against his mother, at a loss for words for a moment before finally gaining
courage to say, “But Mother, this is not an event that a mere knight can attend. Moreso a
commoner like this thing.”

“I was once a member of the platoon of the Royal Knights under the crown prince’s command.
Thus, I also received an invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Thus, Rupheus lost his reason to drive Legion away. He shot him a glare of annoyance but
nodded in the end. “That’s great, then. You may go.”

Vio and Legion nodded. Legion replied, “Yes. Please excuse us, Your Grace the Duke, Your
Grace the Duchess, Your Lordship Marquis.”

Following that, Vio and Legion moved near the wall just a small distance away from the other
Lesserhain family members. Soon after, the opening ceremony began.
It was time for the nobles to greet the royal family.

Ch 27 – Birthday Party (II)

“Viola, Duke of Lesserhain. It must have been difficult to travel all the way here,” said the
current king of the Istiah Kingdom upon a luxurious chair. The king was in his forties and looked
in good health, a head full of black and golden locks.

The woman sitting next to him was Queen Marion. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, as well as
a soft smile on her beautiful face. Prince Ars stood to the right of the king, and Princess Diana to
the left of the queen.

“We are glad to see you in good health, Your Majesty the King, Your Majesty the Queen. We
would like to congratulate Your Highness the Crown Prince on his eighteenth birthday,” Elst
said.

The duke and duchess then talked with the king and queen for a while.

Eventually, the King called Rupheus closer, followed by Vio. He said to Vio, “I haven’t seen
you in a while, but now you resemble Viola. I heard that you are resting due to your illness…
Has your condition improved?”

Rupheus answered in Vio’s stead, saying, “He’s still unwell. Even so, we are deeply grateful for
Your Majesty’s concern.”

“Many thanks, Your Majesty,” said Vio.

Crown Prince Ars then took a step forward. With his golden eyes, proof of the Verdurous Spirit
Yuglena’s protection, and black hair inherited from his father, he resembled the king to a high
degree. He had a reputation for being a wise, fair, and heroic prince. His eyes shone brightly,
showing his strong will.

“I’m grateful to Violant for coming here for my birthday celebration despite his illness. Legion
also looks healthy. That’s wonderful.”

“This one humbly thanks Your Highness for your kind words, honoured to have received the
invitation for such a joyous occasion,” Vio replied.

Ars nodded in satisfaction. “Please enjoy the party.”

With Ars’ words, they finished their greeting. Only the duke and duchess were asked to stay a
little longer to chat. Rupheus, Vio, and Legion thus excused themselves.

“Stay in the corner, trash,” Rupheus said close to Vio’s ears as they parted, gesturing at the
corner with his chin. Fed up with him in secret, Vio bowed politely and headed to the spot close
to the wall with Legion. It was far away from Rupheus, and many lower-ranked nobles were
gathered there.

“Lord Violant, don’t you think he’s too excessive with the way he’s treating you?”
“Shh, Legi. You don’t know who could be eavesdropping. Keep your frustration hidden. But you
don’t have to worry about what Brother just said. You’re a great knight.” A slight smile on his
lips, Vio tapped Legion’s arm.

Legion relaxed his expression a shade. “I’m really no match for you, Lord Violant.”

His mood seemed to have improved. Although Vio understood Legion’s feelings, he had gotten
used to Rupheus’s attitude since young.

Vio spotted a knight from the Knights of Green Flash by the table with refreshments. “Legion,
I’m sorry, but could you bring me a drink? I’m a bit tired.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll be waiting here, so take your time.”

“Huh? …Ah, thank you for your concern.” Noticing Vio’s intention, Legion bowed and headed
toward the table. Vio sat down on a chair. Sighed. He was nervous about meeting the members
of royalty. If he made a mistake, his father and brother would blame him without a doubt. As
such, he wanted to avoid them as much as possible.

Since they told me to stay quiet in a corner, that means I don’t have to greet the other nobles. So
can I just retire to the waiting room… Vio watched as Legion reunited with his old friends. As
the knights chatted, they glanced at Vio.

“Sir, I could guide you to the waiting room if you’re feeling unwell.”

Vio looked up, thinking a chamberlain had called out to him. It turned out it was Cheval. He
wore a navy blue uniform, a red rose pinned to his left side of his chest. The flower suited his
outfit, giving him the appearance of a playboy.

“Ah, Sir Cheval. No, it’s fine, thank you,” said Vio. “I’m only resting a little. Do you have guard
duty at the moment?”

“Yes, I’m currently in the middle of patrol. But how unusual. Where’s that faithful dog?” After
scanning the surroundings nonchalantly, Cheval spotted Legion talking to his friends. He then
smiled. “You’re kind, Lord Violant. I envy Legi.”

“Is that so? I’m troubling him by having him serve as my knight. I’ve been telling him to return
to the Royal Knights, but he won’t listen to me.”

“Ah, that would be difficult.”

“Is it difficult to rejoin them?”

“I mean, it’s impossible for him to do that because he’s ridiculously devoted to you, his master,”
said Cheval. “Well then, I’ll have to excuse myself now. Before Legi sets his eyes on me.”

“Ah…”

After Cheval had taken his leave, it didn’t take long before Legion returned. “Lord Violant, I
brought you a drink.”
“Thank you.”

“What were you talking about with Cheval?”

Vio accepted the glass of water and smiled. “About how you are ridiculously devoted to your
master.”

“Is that so…” Legion sent a light glare toward Cheval’s retreating back. But in a flash, he moved
to stand straight by Vio’s right.

“Legi, have you finished talking to your friends?”

“Those three knights are my seniors, not friends. I have greeted them properly.”

“I see,” said Vio. “Then that’s good. You have to find a chance to greet the Royal Knights too,
okay?”

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration,” Legion replied. No matter how much time had passed,
Legion was as morally upright as ever. Amidst this thought, Vio scanned the banquet hall.

He spotted a blonde woman smiling with her entourage in one of the prominent seats, opposite of
the Lesserhains. She was Princess Liona of the Ruslan Kingdom.

She’s beautiful, just as the manga described…

Eyes bright with curiosity, Vio watched. Then he noticed a black-haired knight standing beside
her as her escort, one that was reminiscent of a shadow. Perhaps this was the protagonist of the
manga, Night. By this time, he should’ve been promoted from a mercenary to a knight by
assisting Liona.

Vio quickly averted his eyes.

“Lord Violant? Is there anything I can do to help you?” asked Legion.

“Uh. I feel unwell. Let’s retire to the waiting room.”

“I understand. I’ll escort you.” Legion took the glass from Vio’s hand and handed it over to a
waiter. As Legion led him to the waiting room, Vio stole another glance in Liona’s direction.

Night wasn’t looking at him anymore.

Waahhh, spooky. ⸜( ⌓̈ )⸝

Since they are the protagonists of the manga, they should be nice guys, right? Right?

Ch 28 – Birthday Party (III)

As Princess Liona chatted with the nobles of the Istiah Kingdom, she noticed the knight beside
her acting strangely. “What happened, Night?”
“Nothing really… Just that I caught sight of a remarkable beauty over there, and unconsciously
—ouch!”

“Again?!” said Liona, after pinching Night’s thigh. “Stop chasing after women you find
attractive like a dog!”

She couldn’t stomach the many rumors of Night approaching women, feeling refreshed at the
sight of him enduring the pain in silence. Satisfied, Princess Liona blew at her gloved fingertips.
“You’re my knight. Act more nobly.”

“Y-your wish is my command…” he replied, trembling.

With black locks and gray eyes, Night was quite the looker. Due to his skill in the sword and
bright mind, he was popular with women. But since Night often played around, nobody would
take him seriously. The reason for his frivolity: he had been in love with Liona ever since she
had saved his child self.

“Liona.” Princess Diana from the Istiah Kingdom approached the two. The upper half of her
characteristic platinum blonde hair was tied up, and the rest draped down her back. Her
aquamarine dress matched her well, blue eyes crinkling as she smiled and came before Liona.

Diana was sixteen and Liona was seventeen. Queen Marion could be considered Liona’s distant
relative. The two princesses had known each other since they were children and had been on
good terms since then.

They had already greeted each other when Liona had first arrived, but now, they once more gave
the other party a bow.

“Are you having fun?”

“Of course. But listen, Diana. Another beauty has charmed Night again.”

“Oh my.” Diana covered her mouth with her hand, smiling like a blooming flower. Recalling
that Night had been charmed by Diana this time, Liona stomped on his feet without mercy.

“Y-you’re heartless, Princess…”

“You’re annoying. It’s your fault for looking at her with such a vile gaze.”

“I’m sure everyone would find her enchanting,” said Night, crouching as he held his feet in pain.

“But I’m curious. Who’s the beauty who caught your eye? Lady Laura from the Saria family?”
Diana pointed at a woman, but also made sure to be discreet. “Look, over there.”

“No, it’s not like that. It was a silver-haired young man.”

“Huh.”

“Oh my.”
Liona and Diana widened their eyes. The folding fan Liona had held fell to the ground. Unable to
conceal her surprise, she murmured, “You bastard. Now that women can’t satisfy you anymore,
you’re even going for men…”

“Hey! Hold on a second! Aren’t you misunderstanding me here?! I merely said there was a
beauty!” Night waved his hands in a panic. He looked around, but the person in question was no
longer in the hall. Then he caught sight of a woman, pointing her out to the princesses. “He looks
just like that woman. Seriously, I was just surprised to see a man that beautiful for the first
time!”

“That person is Her Grace Viola, the Duchess of Lesserhain. She’s my aunt. So that means
you’re talking about Violant, my cousin.” Diana gave a slight nod, convinced. “He bears a
resemblance to Her Grace Viola. However, he rarely attends social gatherings due to his frail
constitution. It’s also been a while since I’ve last met him.”

“If he looks so much like Princess Viola, then it can’t be helped that he drew Night’s attention
without Night knowing it,” said Liona, nodding as well.

“Why are you guys talking about Aunt?”

This time, it was Prince Ars who approached the group.

“Oh, Brother.” Diana frowned. “Have you finished greeting everyone?”

“Yeah, I’ve already greeted the prominent guests. Besides, no one will dare say anything if I say
I’m accompanying Princess Liona.”

“Hey, don’t use me as an excuse,” Liona said, sending a light glare Ars’ way. She could see right
through his intentions. He wanted to use her to take a break from all the socializing. However,
since they were close enough to understand each other’s personality, she didn’t actually feel
uncomfortable.

“So what were you all talking about?” asked Ars.

“We were talking about Violant. Liona’s knight said that he was a remarkable beauty.”

“…Don’t get too involved with the Lesserhain family,” whispered Ars.

Diana slightly pouted. “We’re just having a light chat. It’s been a while since I met the second
son of that family, but I still find him very beautiful. Since he’s prone to being ill, he appears
fragile, but that also gives him an ethereal feel. His beauty is a delicate and refined sort.”

“You’re really… Only his appearance is beautiful, okay?” said Ars.

Diana stared at him in amazement. “Brother… You’re acting like this because he took away your
favorite knight, right? You’re really childish!”

“Diana!”

But she merely turned away in a huff.

Liona asked, “Favorite knight?”

“Right now, there’s a knight who’s revered as the strongest swordsman in our country. His name
is Sir Legion Salt. He left the Royal Knights and returned to the Lesserhains’ territory to work
for his hometown.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of rumors regarding him. Seems like he’s skillful enough to even overwhelm a
dragon,” said Night. “He sounds like a very competent man.”

As Night had spoken of Legion’s reputation, Ars nodded in delight. “That’s right. Above all, he
has a good personality.”

“But I’ve heard of many bad rumors about that family…”

“That’s why I’m angry he left the Royal Knights.” Ars frowned.

Curious, Liona asked, “Such a knight is serving the second son of that family?”

“Yeah. It seems like Rupheus willfully discharged Legion. After that, Aunt Viola appointed him
as Violant’s knight. Violant is currently recuperating in a remote region because of his weak
body.”

“That’s a clear demotion, huh?” Liona nodded, a look of satisfaction on her face. “I understand
now.”

“Eh? Brother, from the rumors I heard, apparently Violant selfishly demanded Sir Legion to
serve as his knight.”

“No, my messenger directly asked Legion about this. Well, that messenger is not very reliable,
though.”

“What do you mean?”

Glancing at Diana’s puzzled expression, Ars sighed. “In his own words, ‘Lord Violant is a kind
and good person. Plus, his maid is also very cute’… I made a mistake in selecting this
messenger.”

Everyone shared a look. In that moment, they all agreed with Prince Ars.

Ch 29 – Birthday Party (IV)

It was the second day of the crown prince’s birthday party.

Early in the morning, Legion visited the Royal Knights’ training ground. Gathered there were the
knights who weren’t assigned to guard the party today. They were all focused on their training,
but the moment they caught sight of Legion, they immediately lowered their swords and
surrounded him.

“If it isn’t Legion!”

“Great to see you looking healthy.”

“Senior, you’re still alive!”

Legion let out a strained laugh. Why did they look so happy to know that he was alive? “Hey…
Can you please not just consider me dead like that?”

One of his seniors shook his head. “We were being serious. After all, you said you’d go serve the
Lesserhain family. They’re infamous for discarding anyone they don’t like.”

Since that rumor wasn’t necessarily wrong, Legion didn’t respond, his expression growing
ambiguous. Another senior then asked, “But is it okay for you to come here? Did you sneak
away?”

“It’s okay, I’ve gotten permission from my master,” answered Legion, the conversation
reminding him of Vio’s condition. Vio hadn’t been feeling well since this morning. It seemed
like the stress from yesterday’s greetings had caught up to him. The fatigue from their long trip
probably didn’t help either.

That same senior of his arched a brow. “You say that, yet you look troubled.”

“…No, I’m really okay.”

Naturally, Legion wouldn’t be so tactless as telling them he wanted to return to Vio’s side. Not
when they were so excited to see him. That would be quite rude of him. Besides, Vio had been
anxious for Legion since continuing to attend to Vio meant that he wouldn’t be able to leave the
room. Thus, he had told Legion to go out on his own, his complexion pallid. And Legion was
unable to refuse his master’s wish.

At the sight of Legion awkwardly averting his eyes, the members of Royal Knights exchanged
glances with one another at once.

“Senior, you actually snuck out to see us, didn’t you? So the rumor about how Lord Violant
selfishly forced you to be his knight is true?”

“You sure have it hard, huh? You must have accumulated a lot of resentment after all you’ve
experienced, right? How about having a match? It’s been a long time. I’m sure it’s hard to train
in the countryside, isn’t it?”

“Let’s have Legi have a match with the newcomer over there. Teach him the might of our team!”

With that, the match was quickly agreed upon by the knights. Not given any time to refuse,
Legion cut a shocked figure. As they pushed Legion toward the training area, he scratched his
head. Then, upon noticing the baton hanging from Legion’s waist, the knights burst into an
uproar.

“What’s that? Your master doesn’t even let you carry a sword, Legion?”

“Isn’t that too much? Just what kind of master is that?”

Their words brought a frown to Legion’s lips. “It’s not that. Lord Violant dislikes swords, so I
have this instead.”

In the midst of speaking, Legion cursed himself for his mistake in his heart. Because he had
already gotten used to the baton, he hadn’t thought twice before equipping it on his waist. He
should’ve replaced it with a sword before coming here.
The knights clearly didn’t believe him.

“We all know how ridiculously devoted you are to your master. You don’t have to cover for him
when he’s this strict.”

“That’s right, senior. The Lesserhains are a famous military family, you know? Isn’t it strange
for the second son of that family to hate the sword?”

Legion breathed out a sigh. Arguing with them would be fruitless. He then pulled out his baton
and got into a battle stance, staring at them provocatively. “I understand what you’re trying to
say. Then should I also make you understand that just this baton is enough for me to defeat you
all?”

The knights’ expressions completely changed, shifting into those of agitation.

“Well isn’t that an interesting challenge? Since you’re that confident, then let’s fight and see if
you can.”

“Don’t regret your cheeky words later.”

Legion’s words had grated on their nerves. But he was enraged at how they had made fun of his
master.

And so, the one-on-one match between a knight wielding a dull sword and Legion holding a
baton commenced.

A few minutes later, the knights were all sprawled on the ground, drenched in sweat.

“Fucking hell! I lost!”

“Unbelievable! How did we lose against an iron rod?”

“He’s crazy. Even though we had five people fight him, he still defeated us in an instant.”

“I really hate this guy.”

Meanwhile, Legion stood in the middle of their collapsed figures with a nonchalant expression.

Legion looked at them, head tilted to the side. “That’s it? Aren’t you all a bit lacking in your
training?”

The faces of the knights stiffened.

One of them whispered to the others, “Hey, who made him angry?”

“How would I know?” responded another knight, also in a hushed voice. He turned to yet
another of their bunch. “Wasn’t it you, senior?”

“Huh?! Didn’t we only say nice things to him? We only talked about how strict his master is for
not letting him even carry a sword.”
With that last sentence, Legion’s gaze turned icy once again. This sight sent shivers running
through the knights’ spines. Legion’s devotion to his master seemed to have gotten worse.

At that moment, claps resounded in the training ground. It was Prince Ars, clad in blue.
“Hahaha, you’re amazing, Legion. Your skill in the sword hasn’t dulled one bit. On the contrary,
you’ve improved, haven’t you?”

The knights rushed to kneel on one knee, their heads bowed, surprised at Prince Ars’ sudden
visit. “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Behind the crown prince was Princess Liona from the Kingdom of Ruslan, dressed in masculine
clothes of deep red. She appeared to be disguising herself as a man. And accompanying her was
her knight, Night, dressed in black.

“Your Highness, may I know why you have visited such a filthy place as the training ground?”
asked one of the knights.

Ars pointed at Liona. “Ah, Princess Liona wanted to see how the knights train. So I accompanied
her to watch you all for a while.”

Following that, Ars crossed the training ground at a quick pace and helped Legion up from his
kneeling position.

“Legion, your resignation was a huge blow to the team. To be able to defeat this many people all
at once, and with that cool expression to boot, is just as I expected from you.”

“You flatter me, Your Highness. I still have a long way to go.”

“You’re still so humble,” Ars replied, a bright smile on his face. He patted Legion’s shoulder,
after which he turned to Liona, boasting, “So how was he? He’s our kingdom’s prided knight.”

Liona chuckled. “I admit that he’s very skilled, but my prided knight doesn’t lose to him either.”

She tugged at Night’s arm from behind her, then pushed him forward. Night staggered before
catching his balance. When his gaze met with Legion’s similarly conflicted one, he awkwardly
scratched his head. Meanwhile, Ars and Liona glared at each other, not paying the two any
mind.

Liona gestured toward Night. “How about having them compete with each other?”

Night turned around. “Princess, why would you make me do such a troublesome…” he said,
faltering upon being greeted with Liona’s sharp glare. He swallowed his words. “No, it’s
nothing.” Whirled back.

Ars let loose a bold laugh. “How interesting. Why not?”

But just as the words left Ars’ lips, Legion raised a hand. “Forgive me, Your Highness, but I
wish to decline. I’m unable to consent to that without prior permission from my master.”

“Even though the command came from me?”

“I’m aware of the rudeness of my actions. But if I get hurt and become crippled, there will be no
one to protect my master.”

Puzzlement swept over Night’s face. “Hey, your master is the second son of a big-shot noble in
this kingdom. He has other escorts, right? You can simply entrust the job of protecting your
master to them.”

“Only one butler and one maid are presently attending to him.”

Stirs of confusion filled the area. Liona asked, “By the way, how many servants did your master
bring?”

“There are four servants, including me and the coachman.”

Ars refused to believe him. “That’s silly. Surely the Lesserhain family would’ve sent more
servants than that?” he said, laughing scornfully.

But Legion shook his head. “No. As far as I know, aside from the four of us, there is the
gardener, who remained in the mansion at Leca town. His Highness, haven’t you heard of this
from Cheval?”

Ars grew silent. He had received Cheval’s report, but he didn’t bother reading it. After Cheval
had mentioned how cute the maid was, Ars had assumed that the maid had beguiled Cheval to
her side, thus rendering his words unreliable.

“His Highness, please don’t let the rumors mislead you and take a look at Lord Violant’s actual
situation. That’s all I can say.”

Even if Legion attempted to mend Vio’s reputation, it was impossible for him to eliminate the
bad rumors, which had widely spread among the people. On the contrary, defending him might
worsen the situation.

As such, Legion restrained himself from voicing out the things he wanted to say, only telling Ars
this much.

Ars sank into silence, his expression sullen, before reluctantly nodding. “Then let’s get
permission from him. You don’t mind if we go meet him after this, right?”

“No, but that’s…”

“Is there a problem?”

“Lord Violant has been sick since this morning. He told me to go outside on my own since he
couldn’t leave the room. That’s why I came here.”

One of the knights said, “You didn’t sneak your way here?”

“I never said anything of the sort.”

“But you seem restless for some reason. Like you’re anxious…”

“Isn’t being restless natural since my master is unwell?”

Murmurs of confusion rang in the air. Everyone couldn’t quite process the things Legion had
said. Liona clapped once, causing everyone to quiet.

“Lord Violant’s story sounds rather complicated, so much so that I find it hard to understand
without further context. Since this is the case, we should meet him in person. How about it, Ars?
Although he’s your cousin, you rarely talk to him, correct? You should visit him.”

Following that, Liona declared that the match would be postponed until this matter was settled.

Ars said, “It’s just as Liona said. Now that I think about it, I’ve never had a proper conversation
with Violant.”

“Then let’s go see him now. For a case like this, it’s better to do things at an earlier date. I’ll
accompany you. I also want to see this young man, said to be beautiful and naturally charming,
with my own eyes.”

Ars shot Liona an astonished glance before nodding with a sigh.

“Setting aside your wicked intentions, I think that’s a good idea. Plus, I have quite a bit of free
time before tonight’s evening ball.”

“But—”

“I’ll just give him a brief visit,” said Ars, raising his right hand. “Then I’ll leave. That much
should be fine, right? Rarely do I have as much free time as today.”

Pressed by Ars, Legion helplessly nodded. “I understand. Then I shall guide you to his room.”

Ch 30.1 – Birthday Party (V)

As they made their way to Vio’s guest room, Ars figured that he might as well unmask Vio’s
true nature while he was at it.

Without announcing his visit, Ars entered Vio’s guest room. Even though he was of royalty, his
action was still considered rude. However, the lord and his heir weren’t present, so he planned on
dodging this issue in an appropriate manner.

Ars also felt curious as to why only Vio had been given a guest room in the royal castle. From
what he had heard, Vio had selfishly demanded to stay in the castle, citing the excuse that his
body was frail.

Jill seemed surprised by the crown prince’s sudden visit. Ars informed him, “I came to visit
Violant. Where is he?”

“May you please wait a moment, Your Highness?” said Jill. He then shifted his attention toward
the window.

This caused Ars to follow his line of sight, a frown appearing on his lips. Was Vio still not
coming to see him despite his arrival? But when he caught sight of Vio by the window, reclined
on a chair with his eyes closed, all words flew from his mind.
Bathing in the gentle morning sunlight while asleep, Vio looked like an intricately made doll.
Behind Ars, Liona and her knight sighed out of admiration to such a picturesque sight.

In the midst of their awe, the butler quickly approached Vio and tapped his shoulder. “Excuse
me, Young Master. Please wake up.”

“Hmm…?” Vio’s eyelids quivered before he opened them, revealing violet orbs akin to jewels.
Sluggishly, Vio jolted and straightened himself, taking in his surroundings.

“Ah… Seems like I fell asleep. Sorry, Jill,” he said, gentle. His beautiful face, which had
appeared cold in his sleep, now gave off a warm impression. Then, the instant Vio moved, the
documents in his left hand scattered onto the floor. Vio intended to pick them up, but Jill
intercepted and did it for him. After handing the documents to Vio, he whispered, “Young
Master, His Highness the Crown Prince came to visit you.”

“Huh?” Only then did Vio finally notice Ars and the others. His eyes widened. However, he
didn’t lose his composure. With a calm demeanor, he placed the documents onto the coffee table
and stood before walking toward Ars. After going down on one knee before Ars, Vio said,
“Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness, for greeting you in such a delayed manner.”

“…It’s fine. I forgive you,” Ars managed to say, a quiver in his voice.

Even though Vio had just woken up, his response had been flawless. Ars had planned on
outwitting Vio, but the one who ended up shaken was him. Even at that moment, he couldn’t
take his eyes off of Vio.

Since Vio had had his head down for most of yesterday’s celebration, Ars hadn’t really taken
much notice of Vio. But now that he had a close view, he wondered how he could have ignored
him. Then Ars recalled his aunt Viola, who was revered as a lily in the moonlight. It was natural
for Vio, who bore a resemblance to her, to also inherit her beauty.

Ars cleared his throat, trying to conceal the rising temperature of his cheeks. “Ah, I apologize for
not informing you beforehand about my visit.”

“No… I don’t mind. Rather, I’m extremely delighted that you came to visit me. It’s an honor to
have Princess Liona stop by as well. Please, take a seat.”

Liona widened her eyes in interest. “Oh? You know me?”

“Since the first time I saw Princess, who is as beautiful as the sun, I was unable to forget you.”

Laughter escaped her lips. “Thank you. That makes me happy. You’re Violant, right?”

“Ah, forgive my rudeness. I’m the second son of the Lesserhain family, Violant Lesserhain,”
said Vio with a bow, extending his left palm towardLiona. She accepted it, letting him guide her
to the table. She sat next to Ars. Urged by Ars, Vio sat on the chair across them.

Shortly after, Rille served tea and sweets before bowing and excusing herself. Her swift, smooth
response was as expected from a maid of the prestigious Lesserhain family.

“You didn’t tell me to keep your name in mind. Why? I thought you would do so,” said Liona,
though she sounded like she was speaking to herself.
Regarding that matter, Vio looked somewhat apologetic. “On the contrary, I request that you
forget about me. At any rate, I’m sure that few people remember me. Not to mention, I rarely
attend social gatherings.” Before Ars could refute him, Vio changed the topic, turning to the
crown prince as he asked, “Speaking of which… Your Highness, you said you came for the sake
of visiting me, but do you have some matters to discuss with me?”

I guess it’s natural for him to ask that. Although he’s my cousin, not once had he popped into
mind until now. Now that I came for a visit, he must suspect that I have some hidden motive.

In fact, Vio’s suspicion was right. Ars visited him with the intention of exposing his true nature.
But Vio had been quite polite so far, with not a hint of rudeness to be seen. Ars felt disappointed.
Even though he was the crown prince, barging into someone’s room without prior notice was
rude, so Vio had reason to scold him. But he didn’t seem angry at all.

Without thinking, Ars said, “Ah. I met your knight at the training ground earlier. I wish to have
him compete with Princess Liona’s knight in the sword. However, he told me that we had to ask
for his master’s permission.”

Liona prodded him with her elbow and sent him a scathing glare. Realizing how improper he
was acting, Ars corrected himself, saying, “No, I’m sorry. I should’ve shown concern for you
first. I’ve heard from Legion that you’re feeling unwell. Were you exhausted from the long trip?”

“Yes… That seems to be the case. I apologize for worrying you. I’ll be fine after a bit of rest,”
replied Vio, casting his gaze to the floor. Due to his originally fair skin, he looked even paler
than usual while sick.

Ah, I can see why Legion feels anxious over Violant. With that pale skin of his and that fragile
beauty, it feels like he’ll disappear once I take his eyes off him.

Although his thoughts sounded like a jinx, Ars simply couldn’t view him in any other light.

Looking up, Vio stared at Legion who was standing by the wall, confusion etched on his face.
“Um, could you elaborate on how you intend for them to compete? If it’s too large-scale, then…
my father and brother will scold me.”

“It’ll be similar to an extension of training, so we won’t make it that grand. Isn’t that right,
Prince Ars?”

Ars nodded. “It’s just as Liona said.”

Vio sighed in relief. “Then I don’t mind. By the way, who will be his opponent?”

“Oh, it’s the knight by my side. Night, come here.”

“Yes!” Heeding Liona’s call, Night crossed the room and bowed to Vio. “My name is Night.”

“Sir Night? Can you please tell me your surname as well?”

“Pardon me, but I was an orphan. I don’t have a surname,” answered Night, face stiff with
tension. Out of reflex, the direction of their conversation brought a frown to Liona’s features.
Knowing how many aristocrats had looked down on Night’s origin, Ars waited for Vio’s
reaction. He was sure that Vio would make a face and say, “How can someone without a
surname accompany the princess?”

“Is that so? Then I’ve asked a rude question, haven’t I? For you to serve as Princess’ personal
knight despite having no background…”

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Ch 30.2 – Birthday Party (V)

Just as Ars had expected Vio to throw vicious comments at him, the latter merely broke into a
soft smile. “…That means your skills are amazing, right?”

“Huh?” Both Night and Liona looked at Vio in astonishment. Although Vio found their reaction
somewhat strange, he said, “So your name comes from the orphanage?”

“Yes, the director, I mean, my foster father, gave me this name due to the color of my hair.”

“What a nice name. It suits you well,” said Vio, a soft smile still playing on his lips. Such a sight
caused Night to blush at once.

Upon seeing Night’s reaction, Liona smiled in satisfaction. “I know, right?! I also think he has a
good name. Isn’t that great, Night?”

“Y-yes. Thank you for your kind words.”

Night’s face was still flushed in embarrassment. Vio shot a grin at him. He beckoned to Legion,
and Legion immediately approached him.

“I would be honored if the knight who protects Princess Liona and my knight had a match, but
please make sure not to overdo it,” he said.

Legion held his hand out to Night. “Please treat me favorably, Sir Night.”

Night reached for his hand in return and gripped it. “That’s my line.”

The scene brought another smile to Vio’s face. He shifted his gaze to Ars. “Thank you very
much, Your Highness.”

“What for?” asked Ars, confused.

“Since Legion has been constantly by my side, I’m sure he’s growing bored. He would definitely
enjoy the opportunity to move his body around.”
“There’s no way that could happen, Lord Violant!” said Legion. “If I’m to be honest, I want you
to be more selfish with me. If Lord Violant wishes for it, then I, Legion Salt, would even climb
to the summit of the Alpé Mountains!”

“The Alpé Mountains?” asked Vio, taken aback a shade by his words. “No, I won’t ask you to
do such a thing… Calm yourself, Legion.” A wry smile spread across his lips. “We’re in the
presence of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, please forgive me.” And Legion composed himself.

Legion’s enthusiasm surprised Ars. He had been aware that this knight was ridiculously devoted
to his master from the beginning. But he found that devotion to have somehow increased all of a
sudden.

Vio turned to Ars and said, “My apologies, Your Highness. Please excuse our rude behavior.”

“No, it’s okay,” Ars said. “Let’s decide when to have the joint training. Princess Liona, how
about three days later?”

“Sure.”

“Then it’s decided. Violant, you’ll come as well, right?”

Vio averted his eyes awkwardly. “No, I…”

Vio’s strange behavior caused Ars to suddenly recall Cheval’s prior report. “Is it because you
hate swords?”

“Y-yes. Your Highness is aware of it? I’m surprised my father would mention the incident from
two years ago.”

“The incident from two years ago?” asked Ars.

Vio’s complexion grew distinctly pale at those words, but he regained his composure in no time
at all. Shook his head with a smile. “No, it’s nothing… That’s right. Since my knight will be
participating, I’d also like to watch.”

Ars felt something off about Vio’s response. Still, he nodded. He decided to look into it later.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “By the way, Violant, don’t you think you have too few
servants? It should be hard for you to live in the castle.”

“No. I have three maids prepared for me. It’s enough.”

“But it’s dangerous if you only have one knight, right?” said Liona. “Ars, how about giving him
two more? That knight who said that their maid was cute might do?”

“Ah, Cheval?” Ars replied.

At that moment, Vio chuckled. “P-please excuse me… Did he really report such a thing to Your
Highness?”
Next to Vio, Legion looked apologetic. “Please forgive my friend for saying something odd. I
will scold him later, so please pardon him.”

“You don’t have to mind him. It’s Cheval’s fault for not realizing that he said something stupid,”
said Ars, decisively putting an end to that topic. He glanced at the maid standing by the wall. She
was a rabbit Locana, and certainly had a lovely appearance. Despite that, Ars didn’t think much
of her because there were plenty of maids in the castle as beautiful as Rille.

“Okay, I got it. Then I’ll send Cheval and… one more person who is free. You should especially
work Cheval hard.”

“Thank you for your concern. I shall humbly borrow them.”

Ars nodded and checked his watch. He had originally planned to return immediately, but he
seemed to have gotten caught up in chatting with Vio for too long. Vio had traveled here to visit
him. If he didn’t consider Vio’s wellbeing, the queen would scold him later. Vio’s way of talking
was calming, and to his surprise, gave him a sense of comfort. This was the first time he had felt
like this with someone other than Princess Liona.

“We should return soon,” said Liona.

Ars came to his senses. Rose to his feet in an awkward manner. “Ah, you’re right. Violant, we
apologize for staying too long under your current condition.”

“No, it’s the first time someone other than my family came to visit me. I’m deeply moved,” said
Vio. “Thank you very much.”

Until the end, Vio did not lose his composure. This made Ars soften a little before realizing his
mistake. He tried to change his increasingly good opinion of him. This must be Vio’s strategy.

On his way to the door, a thought struck Ars. “By the way, Violant,” he asked, “why are you the
only one staying in a guest room of the royal castle?”

“My mother prepared it due to her worry for me. She thought it would lessen the burden of
traveling. Your Highness, may I ask why you’re interested in knowing this?”

“It’s nothing. I was just a little curious.”

An idea suddenly came to mind. “Let’s go for a long ride next time,” Ars said, before leaving the
room.

Ch 31.1 – Birthday Party (VI)

Right after they had left Violant’s guest room, Liona clicked her tongue. “Ars, are you an idiot?
Do you normally invite someone with a frail body to go for a long ride?”

“I only noticed my slip-up once we left the room. But he’s still a member of a military family,
you know?”

“Whether he’s from a military family or not, anyone will grow tired from dealing with royalty.”
Realizing there was a point to Liona’s argument, Ars shut his mouth.

Liona gained a bounce to her steps, happy to have cornered him in an argument. “Setting that
aside, he truly is a fascinating beauty! When he was sleeping on the chair, the scene seemed like
something straight out of a painting. I even have the urge to request an artist to paint him for me.
It would surely fetch for a high price!”

Tone harsh, Ars replied, “Don’t try to profit off of my cousin. You’re really…”

Liona ignored him. Still in a good mood, she said, “That was the first time a noble paid no mind
to Night’s origin. He even praised his name. You have a good cousin, Ars. I’m jealous! He has
both beauty and a good personality!”

“Hey, we can’t be certain of that just yet. It’s still possible that he’s merely acting…”

“Are you serious? He told me to forget his name after introducing himself. If he was acting, then
there were better things that he could’ve said.”

“You may be right. But he’s from the Lesserhain family, you know?”

As they chatted, they spotted Rupheus Lesserhain further along the corridor.

Rupheus bowed to them in an exaggerated manner, saying, “Your Highness the Crown Prince,
Princess Liona. Good day to you.”

Ars responded, “Good day, Rupheus. You came at the right time. We just visited Violant.”

“Oh, thank you very much for Your Highness’ compassion. However, you need not spare some
of your time for my foolish younger brother. In fact, you should just ignore that disgrace
altogether,” said Rupheus, not a hitch in his voice. Although he appeared calm, Ars could sense
his slight unhappiness.

“He’s still resting. And I was the one who forcibly invited myself into his room,” said Ars. “I
was worried for him since Legion told me he was unwell today.”

Liona said, “You’re Sir Rupheus, right? He’s your blood-related younger brother. Don’t you
think that the way you speak of him is a bit too much?”

While Ars didn’t outright warn Rupheus of the indecorous nature of his words, worried about
offending him, Liona freely expressed her thoughts without a care. She had come to idolize Vio
after their recent exchange.

“With all due respect, Princess, my family is a distinguished military family. However, that
brother of mine is merely an incompetent thing who does nothing but rest all day. He doesn’t
follow the style of our family. If not for the mercy of my mother, the duchess, he would’ve been
disowned a long time ago,” said Rupheus in a merciless manner, a twisted smile on his face.

His remarks surprised even Ars. He had believed that despite the viciousness of the Lesserhain
family, they would at least be kind to their own.

Liona frowned. “You intended to disown him? Are you speaking the truth?”
“Yes. My father decided to cancel the disownment because my mother had threatened a divorce
if he didn’t. And thanks to my parents’ deep compassion, they even gave him a rural town called
Leca town. As such, it’s been two years since I last saw my foolish younger brother.”

“Two years…” Rupheus’ words bothered Ars, as well as sparked a memory in his mind. Vio had
said something similar earlier.

I also remember hearing some news about Leca town somewhere recently…

As he sifted through his memories, Liona said in disinterest, “What’s with that? If you plan on
throwing him away, then give him to me instead. Even if he can’t be a military officer, he can
still be a civil official, right? All people have certain things they’re good at, Sir Rupheus.” Then
she let out a laugh. “Ah, I see now. You just don’t have the ability to employ people according to
their skill sets, do you?”

“…What did you just say?”

Rupheus’ face contorted in anger.

Feeling like Liona had said too much, Ars said, “Princess Liona, please be more careful with
your words. Each family has their own customs. I’m sure Rupheus is working hard to protect his
family.”

With Ars’ mediation, Rupheus regained his composure in an instant. “As expected from Your
Highness, you have such a keen eye. It’s just as you said.”

Liona retorted, “Hmm. And yet you can’t even handle one sick family member. Perhaps you’ve
been working hard for the wrong things?”

Blood rushed toward Rupheus’ face due to anger. Ars noticed that other nobles in the corridor
were watching them. He cleared his throat and tugged at Liona’s arm. “Excuse me, Rupheus. We
should leave now. We have other matters to attend to.”

“Understood. Please excuse me,” said Rupheus with a bow.

Ars cast Rupheus one final side glance before dragging Liona away. Upon reaching an empty
area, he glared at her. “What were you thinking, Liona?”

“I should be asking you that! Someone who talks about their family like that is clearly a good-
for-nothing. It’s the royal family’s duty to correct their subject’s mistakes. You should have
scolded him a little!”

A frown spread across Ars’ face. He recognized that Liona had once again made a fair point. “If
he weren’t from the Lesserhain family, then I would have,” he said. “After humiliating him in
public, you made an enemy of him. And he’s a troublesome guy who’s famous for his
tenaciousness.”

However, Liona only snorted and said, “I accept his challenge. Let’s see what he can do! Isn’t
that right, Night?”

“Yes.”
Even Liona’s knight had a scary expression. Ars was fed up with this master–knight pair who
held a strong sense of justice.

Before parting with Ars, Liona restrained her anger and declared, “Listen. If you don’t need your
cousin, then hand him over to me! I’ll take him back to my kingdom and take care of him!”

Following that, Ars made his way back to his royal villa, anger still clinging to his heart. As he
breathed out a sigh, the knight accompanying him who was filled with worry asked, “Your
Highness, do you think Lord Violant will be alright?”

“Regardless of how terrible Rupheus is, I don’t think he will raise a hand against his sick
brother.” But for some reason, Ars grew anxious. He added, “Though what you said makes
sense. Check up on him later.”

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Once the crown prince and princess had left, Vio sighed in relief and sat on a nearby chair. “Jill,
I wasn’t rude, was I?”

“On the contrary, you dealt with them splendidly. If I were your mentor in etiquette, I would
score you two hundred out of a hundred points,” Jill said, voice thick with pride and eyes
narrowed.

Next to Jill, Rille shot daggers at Legion and drew closer to him. “On the other hand, you’re
horrible, Sir Legion. How could you suddenly bring His Highness the Crown Prince here?! You
should’ve at least warned us beforehand. What a lack of sense,” Rille said indignantly. She
lamented, “Thanks to you, Master’s precious sleeping figure has been seen by several other
people! Such a waste! I feel so frustrated!”

Vio burst into laughter, amused by her interesting word choice. “Rille, what do you even mean
by ‘precious sleeping figure?’ You’re exaggerating it.”

However, Legion knelt at his feet. “Rille is right. I deeply apologize for the rudeness of my
actions.”

“Stop that, Legi. You just happened to encounter His Highness, right? You don’t need to worry.
Moreover, we are currently staying in the royal castle. We naturally have to obey the royal
family.”

“Pardon me, Young Master, but I believe there is a minimum standard in etiquette royalty must
abide by as well,” commented Jill in a soft voice. Apparently, Jill agreed with Rille.

“In any case, it’s already over. There’s no use in complaining. Rather, what’s good is that His
Highness the Crown Prince will send us two knights. Legi, I’ll be relying on you to orient them
on their work schedule while they’re with me.”

Legion stood up. “Understood.”

Vio’s gaze then landed on Rille. Out of nowhere, he recalled something and let out a laugh. “…
Sir Cheval’s quite interesting. I never thought that he would include how cute our maid is in his
report.”

Rille pouted in displeasure. “He’s too much. I was so ashamed to raise my head.”

“When he comes later, make sure to express all your complaints. It should be okay if Legi is
with you. Right?”

“Of course. I will also take part in scolding him.” Legion nodded with a serious expression.
Their shared anger allowed him the only opportunity to get along with Rille.

“However, it is true that Rille is cute, so things will grow troublesome if this becomes a rumor.
An excellent maid like her is likely to be poached by another family.”

“Oh my! You flatter me, Master.” Rille laughed, her cheeks flushing. “Let me make you a cup of
tea.” Right after, she headed toward the servants’ room, a spring in her steps.

The three men exchanged glances, then burst into laughter as well.

Ch 31.2 – Birthday Party (VI)

“Lord Violant, are you feeling alright?”

Vio nodded. “I slept for a while, so I feel a lot better now.”

However, Vio was quite surprised. Never had he expected the crown prince to bring Princess
Liona and Night to visit while he had dozed off. He never imagined the day would come where
he could talk to both the hero and heroine of the manga he read in his previous life. Night, the
protagonist, was calm and easy-going, while Liona, the heroine, was hot-tempered yet kind,
wielding a strong sense of justice. They were exactly like the characters in the manga.

After meeting them, he really liked how nice they were.

“Legi, I’m sorry for dropping such an important task on you, but I’m looking forward to match. I
don’t care if you win or lose. Just have fun.”

“Yes! I’ll bring victory to Lord Violant.” Legion nodded, extremely motivated.

As a fan of the manga, Vio wanted Night to win, but he also wanted his knight to taste victory.
Needless to say, he had mixed feelings.

“Master, I brewed tea. Please have a seat over there.”

“Ah, thank you, Rille.” As Vio approached the table Rille had prepared, someone banged on the
door of the guest room.

It swung open violently, and Legion moved to stand in front of Vio at once, thinking that it was
an intruder. But as soon as he had recognized that person’s identity, he stepped aside.

It was Rupheus.
“Brother, why have you suddenly come?” asked Vio, shock coursing through his veins. Rupheus
hated Vio so much that, under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t bother coming to find him.
For a moment, the thought that Rupheus had visited him due to his unwell state crossed Vio’s
mind. But if that was the case, his brother wouldn’t be so furious.

Meanwhile, Rupheus walked toward Vio in quick strides. Vio shot a glance at Rille and signalled
to Jill by looking down. In the past, Rupheus had had his eyes on Rille and had dragged her into
his bedroom. Noticing his master’s signal, Jill pushed Rille into the servants’ quarters, making
sure to avoid Rupheus’ notice.

“You’re asking me why? You fucking bastard… What nerve!” Rupheus raised his right hand.
The next instance, Vio felt a strong impact on his left cheek and fell to the ground, not knowing
what just happened.

…Huh?!

A moment later, pain began to spread through his cheek. And it dawned on Vio that Rupheus had
just slapped him. Rupheus, who was known as a military man, struck him with his dominant
hand. The impact stung terribly.

“Lord Rupheus! What are you doing?!”

“This kind of outrageous behavior is too much!”

But Rupheus ignored Jill and Legion’s outbursts, glaring at them. “Annoying. You servants
should know your place.”

Vio lifted the upper half of his unsteady body from the floor. Looked up at Rupheus in a daze.
He could not for the life of him understand why his brother had hit him.

Rupheus looked down at Vio, ice-blue eyes cold enough to freeze. “I told you to stay in the
corner so that no one would pay attention to you! Look at you now, boldly going back on your
words. I’m disgusted.”

It seemed his anger stemmed from the crown prince’s visit. Even so, there was no way Vio could
refuse a visit from the royal family.

“But Brother—”

“Shut up! I won’t listen to any of your excuses… I need to pay more attention to my family, she
said? How dare that Ruslan vixen talk to me like that,” muttered Rupheus, grabbing Vio’s shirt
collar, lifting him up from his sitting position. The collar tightened around his neck, painful. But
Vio froze out of fear that Rupheus would grow violent again.

“When I inherit the position of duke, I’ll immediately banish a piece of shit like you from my
territory. No, maybe I can sell you into slavery to some people. Your only good point is your
appearance, after all. Then, with the money from the sale, I’ll improve the territory. You should
be delighted.”

The moment he had heard those words, Vio grew pale. Heavy labor in the mines came to mind.
“Brother…” Vio was certain his brother would do as he had said. He felt nauseous from fear. He
had thought he would be safe as long as he stayed in Leca town, but perhaps this wasn’t so. No.
In any case, a war would break out before Rupheus inherited the position of duke. So there
would be no place safe either way.

Vio looked at Rupheus, unsure of what to do.

All of a sudden, Rupheus released his hold on him, and Vio fell to the ground on his back.

“You don’t cry or even beg for your life… What a useless guy. Why does Mother protect
someone like you?” muttered Rupheus in disgust. Probably satisfied with his work, he then left
the room, not once sparing Vio another glance.

Not a moment later, Legion rushed over to Vio and helped him up. “Are you alright, Lord
Violant? Ah, your cheek is swelling. Mister Butler, treat him at once.”

“Right away.”

Jill ran toward the servant room. Following that, Legion carried Vio, who was still befuddled, in
his arms. Without giving Vio the time to be surprised or to protest, Legion placed him down on a
nearby chair. Shortly after, Jill returned with Rille holding a tub of water and a towel.

“Ouch,” said Vio, frowning when Jill pressed the wet towel against his injured cheek. It seemed
he had cut his lips with his teeth when Rupheus had slapped him. Without a moment of delay,
Jill took out some ointment and smeared it on that cheek.

As Jill applied the ointment, Vio heaved a big sigh. He had finally collected his thoughts through
the shock.

“Why does Brother hate me so much? I don’t want to be sent to the mine.” Vio’s shoulders
shrank and he pressed the towel he had received against his left cheek.

As he seriously pondered over how many days he had left to survive, Jill asked unhappily, “On
the contrary, I’m wondering why Young Master won’t get angry at him. Why do you always
endure it like this?”

“Why, you ask… It’s because what he said is right. I have no good points aside from my face.
For that, I’m grateful to my mother,” replied Vio. “But it’s not like I can do anything if His
Highness the Crown Prince came to visit me. It causes problems for my brother too.”

Now that things had progressed to this point, issues might arise at the joint practice three days
later. However, he had already made a promise to Princess Liona. As such, it was out of Vio’s
hands.

“Hmm, maybe I should ask for my mother’s assistance… At the end of the day, it can’t be
helped. We can’t just create a crack in our country’s relationship with the Ruslan Kingdom.”

Vio shifted his gaze back to Jill, wondering why the servants were so quiet. They all wore bitter
expressions.

“Master has so many good points! You’re kind, gentle, and smart. Not to mention, you also have
talent in spirit magic. Even now you are still thinking about the peace between countries, aren’t
you? You’re this considerate, so why do you have to suffer like this?! Rille can’t help but feel
vexed!” She covered her face, starting to weep.

Just as the sight had startled Vio, Legion, who was kneeling on one knee beside him, took hold
of his right hand. “Lord Violant. So long as you give me the command, I am ready to dispose of
anything that harms you, even at the cost of my life.

“Me too.” Jill also placed a hand on his chest and bowed.

Vio looked at them, speechless. Getting rid of anything that harms me… Are they thinking of
assassinating my brother? Don’t say such a scary thing…

He couldn’t help but laugh. They truly were impeccable at pampering him. But he frowned soon
after: his injury had started to hurt.

“You don’t need to do that,” said Vio. “But when push comes to shove… should we leave the
mansion and run away? With my spirit magic, Legi’s skill in the sword, Rille’s martial arts
abilities, and… what about Jill? Well, no matter how it turns out later, we can become an
excellent mercenary party, don’t you think?” Though he might not have to do anything since
Legion could probably finish all their missions by himself.

Legion said, “If we’re going to do that, then I alone am enough to clear missions. Lord Violant
doesn’t have to lift a finger.”

“My, are you saying that I’m useless, Sir Legion? Of course, I’ll be the one to help Master.”

“Sure, I will follow you with pleasure,” said Jill.

Vio already felt satisfied with their encouraging replies. “Thank you, everyone. I sure am
fortunate.”

The trio calmed down after he had smiled at them. Vio pulled himself together and clapped.
“Now then, let’s wrap it up here. Since it’s already lunchtime, I’ll have to ask you to prepare it.”

“Oh my, this is bad. I’ll have it ready soon, Master.”

“You don’t have to get so flustered, Rille.”

After wiping her tears with her apron, Rille started that duty with energetic steps.

“Jill, may you go to mother’s place after eating lunch?”

“Understood.” Jill bowed.

Although Legion looked at him with high expectations, Vio couldn’t think of any errands for
him. “Legi… ah, that’s right. May you help treat my injury a little more?”

“With pleasure.”

Following that, Legion took care of him, wringing the towel and pressing it to Vio’s cheek. An
easy task, yet Vio felt a bit apologetic.
WHAT….. WHAT THE… WHAT IS THAT EXCUSE OF HUMAN BEING THINKING HE’S
DOING?????????????

Ch 32.1 – Birthday Party (VII)

Upon the arrival of the knight he had dispatched, Ars immediately set aside the book he was
reading and asked, “How was it?”

“After meeting Your Highness and the Princess, Lord Rupheus visited Lord Violant’s room
and…” The knight seemed hesitant to continue his words.

Ars raised an eyebrow. “So he really…?”

“Yes. There was a bruise on Lord Violant’s face. He told me he… just fell down, but um… I
find that hard to believe since Sir Legion was by his side.”

Ars perfectly understood what upset the knight. “…You’re right. There’s no way he would let
his master fall before his very eyes,” he said, releasing a sigh. “We’ve dragged Violant into this
mess. But since it seems like he wants us to turn a blind eye, let’s comply with his wish.” A
pause. “I’ll apologize to Violant next time.”

Ars hadn’t expected Rupheus to vent out his anger on his sick younger brother. The internal
situation among the Lesserhains appeared rather complicated.

“Don’t disclose this matter to anyone. Not even to Princess Liona.”

The knight—Lantz—nodded. “Understood.”

Then Fion Rosine, the captain of the Knights of the Green Flash, entered Ars’ room. He had light
brown hair and a gentle face. He was also the third son of Count Rosine, a cabinet minister.

As Fion knelt on one knee in greeting, he asked, “I’ve arrived, Your Highness. Do you require
anything of me?”

Ars nodded. “Arrange two knights to be lent to Violant. One will be Cheval, while the other will
be… someone who’s free? If possible, I would prefer someone who can work more decently
than Cheval.”

Fion’s face twisted in a frown. “…Lord Violant? Did he approach even Your Distinguished
Highness to indulge his selfish nature?”

Similar to how Count Rosine and Duke Lesserhain were hostile toward one another, Fion was on
bad terms with Rupheus. As such, his reaction was expected.

If Ars were to say something in Vio’s defense, Fion would definitely disagree. Whichever way
he worded it, it would merely give an impression of distrust toward Fion.

As Are contemplated on how to best explain the situation, Lantz said, “That’s not the case, Sir
Fion. Princess Liona observed that Lord Violant only had Sir Legion to protect him during his
stay in the castle. She grew concerned about the difficulties he might experience with only one
knight by his side there.”

“So that is the case… Understood. This is also a good opportunity to investigate the internal
situation of the Lesserhain family.” After a bit more thought, Fion suggested, “Your Highness,
let’s send Lantz.”

“Huh? Me? But who will ensure His Highness the Crown Prince’s safety?”

“Your Highness, do you mind if I have Eddy accompany you?”

Within an instant, Ars replied, “Yes, sure.”

It would be a lie to say that he didn’t feel pained at having Lantz leave his side even for a short
period, considering how good the knight was at paperwork. However, Lantz also excelled at
observing. He would be more competent in executing Fion’s intended secret surveillance than
Cheval.

Fion said, “Listen, Lantz. If you discover something outrageous, report it to me at once. I will go
there and forcibly expose them.”

“Yes…”

Aware of the discord between the two families, Lantz had a rather complicated expression. A
similar expression overtook Ars’ features. He would like to avoid airing out the scandals of their
kingdom’s families whilst in the presence of their foreign guests. “Fion, please don’t make a
scene during the ball. I’m serious.”

“I will do my best.”

Fion’s reply only brought a bitter smile to Ars’ face. He found it to be rather untrustworthy.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

At three o’clock in the afternoon, two knights from the Knights of the Green Flash arrived at
Vio’s room. Just as Ars had promised.

The familiar blond, blue-eyed knight said, “Cheval Royston, at your service. I came under the
order of His Highness the Crown Prince, and serve in the Knights of the Green Flash.”

Following that, the other knight said, “I am Lantz Trafalgar. Pleased to meet you, Lord Violant.”

Lantz was a young man of slim build, a mature aura around him. His trademark features were his
large green eyes and the mole under his left eye. His hair was also a conspicuous scarlet.
However, as he stood beside Cheval, who had a strong presence, his own presence grew faint.

Briefly, Vio replied, “I will be under both of your care. Please consult with Legi regarding the
specifics of your job with me.” He then shifted his gaze toward Cheval, a chuckle escaping his
lips. “Sir Cheval, I heard from His Highness the Crown Prince that in your report, you mentioned
that my maid was cute. Rille’s did not take well to that, so please accept her scolding later.”

“Oh!” Despite hearing that, Cheval still looked somewhat happy.

Legion shot Cheval a glare. “Better prepare yourself for a second round of scolding from me,
okay? Even though I had no part in it, I felt very embarrassed on your behalf.”

“…You too?” Cheval’s reluctance was apparent on his face. However, he cleared his expression
in an instant when he turned to Vio. “Lord Violant, I heard that you are unwell. Are you alright?”
he asked. It was then that he finally had a proper look of Vio’s face. “Huh? What happened to
your cheek—”

“Cheval, Lord Violant has been getting better since this morning,” said Legion.

Vio didn’t comment, only choosing to observe Lantz. He was the knight who had accompanied
Prince Ars during his visit in the morning. After Rupheus’ visit, Lantz had once again stopped by
to check up on him and seemed perturbed about the encounter between Vio and Rupheus.

“Sir Lantz, is it alright for you to leave His Highness the Crown Prince’s side?”

“Yes, this was His Highness’ order.”

“Then I guess it’ll be fine. Please inquire with Legi regarding which of the attached servant
rooms are still unoccupied. Legi, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Understood,” Legi replied.

I didn’t expect His Highness to send me his personal knight… His aim is probably to observe me,
but this seems awfully blatant. Is this really okay? Or perhaps he sent Sir Lantz simply because
of his familiarity with the twists and turns of the castle?

Vio tilted his head in confusion. Afterward, he decided not to spare further thought into this
matter. He wasn’t hiding any terrible secrets, after all.

Just as he came to this decision, a knock sounded on the door. Once Vio gave his permission, Jill
stepped in. “I’ve returned, Young Master. I also wish to inform you that Mistress Viola will
arrive shortly for a visit.”

“Huh? Mother is coming?”

If you enjoyed this novel, please consider supporting the translator on Patreon to read advanced
draft chapters for ‘Violant of the Silver’.

Ch 32.2 – Birthday Party (VII)

In the midst of Vio’s confusion, the maids opened the guest room door, and Viola, dressed in a
blue dress, rushed into the room. Unlike her usual cheerful smile, her present expression proved
grim.
“Violant, Jill already informed me of what had happened. How could Rupheus do this?! He’s too
much. How did he become coldhearted enough to hit his own younger brother? Come, show me
the bruise,” she said.

The vigorous nature of Viola’s actions shocked him. He obediently allowed her to hold his face
with both hands. Viola examined his left cheek, her expression pained. “It hurts, doesn’t it? I
brought an ointment that works well. Apply it later. Ah, I don’t think you can show up in public
for a while. Don’t leave the room until the joint training that’s three days from now,
understand?”

Vio nodded, fearful of Viola’s extremely menacing look. “Y-yes…”

Vio was weak against Viola, and it was even more apparent whenever she worried about him or
dressed him up. After Viola let go of his face, she directed her attention to Legion, Jill, and Rille
at once, glaring intensely at them.

“How could this have happened when you were all present? Especially you, Legion Salt. You are
his knight! Protect him properly!”

“I’m sorry,” said Legion.

Seeing the trio bow, Vio blurted, “But Mother, Brother’s the one at fault, right? If they did
anything, their lives would have been in danger. I’m fine, so please suppress your anger.”

“I can never trust you when you say you’re fine! I thought it would be safe as long as I separated
the both of you, but never had I expected he’d bother you even when you were in a guest room
of the castle. Ah, what should I do now?” muttered Viola, pacing around the room. “Maybe I
should ask Father for help, or have you adopted into another family… But I don’t like the idea of
that. Should I marry you off? No… I should divorce your father after all. I should take you and
Flora to my father’s place, then—”

“Mother, please calm down! He just hit me a little. You’re exaggerating things. I’m also a man,
so it’s fine.”

“But I’m not fine! Listen, Violant. For me, all my children are equally precious. It’s typical for
the elder brother to discipline his younger brother, but Rupheus went too far. If my husband
won’t protect you, then I’d have to leave him, right?”

The angry face of a beautiful woman was more impactful than others’. Overwhelmed, Vio raised
both hands and said, “Y-yes. I’m sorry.”

“Can’t you get a little angry? If this happened to someone else, they would have already taken
out their sword and confronted him,” she said.

“Huh… But Brother’s been like this since we were children. Isn’t it too late to do that
now?”Noticing the slip of the tongue, Vio shook his head. ”Ah no, it’s nothing…”

Staring at Vio, Viola let escape a large sigh. She pressed her fingers against her forehead, feeling
a headache coming. Then she shot a glance at Legion. Beckoned to him. “Legion Salt. If
Rupheus does something outrageous to this child again, protect him even if you have to draw
your sword. I allow it,” she said.
“Understood,” said Legion, nodding at once.

Shocked, Vio said in a shrill voice, “Mother! If Legi does that, won’t he get punished for
insubordination?”

“If that happens, I’ll have to leave the country,” said Legion.

“Mother…” Vio wanted to say that his brother’s bullying wasn’t a problem, but his mother
wouldn’t yield. She said, “I can’t put up with this anymore. Not only are they not satisfied with
driving you out into a rural town, but your brother even hit you just because His Highness came
to visit you. If that fool doesn’t experience something painful once, he won’t ever understand
that his actions are wrong.”

With how furious Viola appeared, Vio was unable to say anything more. He could only look
around nervously. Noticing the servants looking at Viola, eyes shining with joy, he gave up
trying to convince them not to worry.

I have to conduct myself properly so that I won’t stand out…

It would become a big problem if they resorted to bloodshed. Vio grew sluggish, dejected.

All of a sudden, Viola clapped her hands. On cue, the maids pushed in carts with books.
Following that, they began stacking said books on the table.

“What is this, Mother?” Vio asked.

“You should be bored since you’re unable to leave the room, right? I’ve prepared all sorts of
books here, so kill some time with them. I also heard from Jill that you have talent in magic.
Study well.”

“Is it really a talent? I just find magic interesting…”

“Everyone has to start somewhere. You’re interested in it now, so you should develop that
interest into a skill. Fifteen years old is a good age to absorb knowledge. Now is a good time to
fill yourself up with information.”

“Yes…”

Viola laughed in satisfaction at Vio’s obedient nod. “I feel relieved now. Well then, I’ll be
heading home since I have to prepare for the evening ball. Don’t worry about the joint training
that’s coming in three days. I’ll take care of it. Also, make sure to ice your cheek, Violant. See
you later.”

“Thank you very much, Mother…”

Once Viola had left, silence filled the room. Vio felt like a local storm had just ran through him.
As he relaxed, his posture less rigid, Rille said with joy, “This is great, Master! With this, you
can finally fight back!”

Jill smiled. “I feel relieved as well. I was thinking about using my last resort, but now it’s no
longer necessary”
Jill’s words disturbed Vio somewhat, but Legion merely smiled thinly and muttered to himself,
“I have to make sure my aim doesn’t miss him.”

“Legi, what are you saying? I want to live in peace, so refrain from doing something so
extreme,” said Vio.

All of them said they understood. However, Vio was doubtful to the max whether they would
keep their promise. Then he turned to the other two knights who were standing still. “Both of
you, I apologize. I’ve involved you in my family’s situation. It’s a shameful thing, so I hope you
can keep it a secret.”

“…Lord Violant, you’re on bad terms with Lord Rupheus?” Lantz asked with a puzzled look.

Vio broke into a smile, the expression carrying a trace of bitterness. “I won’t answer that since
it’s a private matter.”

Lantz pursed his lips, feeling awkward. Cheval appeared like he wanted to say something, but he
shut his mouth in the end.

“I’m tired,” said Vio. “I’ll rest for a short while, so I will leave the rest to you, Jill.”

“Understood. Please enjoy your rest.”

Mentally exhausted, Vio sent Jill a sidelong glance before entering his bedroom.

I told them to keep it a secret, but I’m sure they’ll report it to His Highness… Well, whatever.

Since many things had already grown so troublesome, Vio decided to stop thinking about them
and dove into his fluffy bed.

Ch 33.1 – Joint Training (I)

The weather was cloudy on the day of the joint training, blocking some of the heat from the
summer sun. Since the training would be starting early, Vio left his room as soon as he was
dressed. Cheval, Lantz, Jill and Rille accompanied him. Legion, on the other hand, had long
since left to prepare.

On their way to the training ground, Vio said to the knights following behind him, “Sir Cheval,
Sir Lantz, may I ask you a question?”

Cheval and Lantz promptly went up to his side. “Is something the matter?”

“…Legi is taking proper rests, right?” Vio had been worrying about this for a while, but he
couldn’t bring himself to ask until now. It felt like Legi was often by his side and he wondered
when Legi took time for himself. “I tried to reduce his duties, but it seems like nothing’s
changed.”

“Please don’t worry. He’s resting properly,” Cheval answered. “In fact, he’s quite skilled at
taking breaks. Sometimes, he even dozes off during the day .”

Vio found this surprising. “Is that so? I never noticed.”

“Haha, it would be bad if his master noticed, right? As knights, we always have to be in our best
condition.”

“Oh, as expected of the elite Royal Knights! Even your preparedness is first-rate.”

“You flatter us,” said Cheval.

Satisfied, Vio nodded to the knights. “Thank you.”

Cheval and Lantz fell back once the conversation was over. Jill, who was walking ahead, then
gestured forward. “Young master, we have arrived.”

“So this is the training ground? It’s surrounded by walls, huh?” That was the first thing Vio
observed of the Knights’ Order training ground: the high stone walls enclosing it. Though they
weren’t as tall as the ones surrounding the castle.

The entrance was an arch-shaped tunnel wide enough for a carriage to pass through. From there,
several knights in navy could be seen heading in and out. Judging from the color of their
uniforms, they were all Knights of Green Flash.

Lantz explained in a soft voice, “Things have a tendency to fly around, especially during magic
training, so the walls were constructed to contain the damage and prevent injuries.”

“You train your magic here too?” asked Vio “The facilities here must be amazing.” In Nada
town, the training ground at the duke’s residence was just a vacant lot outside the mansion. It just
could not compare to the one at the castle in size.

Everyone followed Jill into the venue.

And then, just as he entered, Vio stopped out of reflex.

There were raised seating areas made of the same stone as the walls, rising up like stairs all
around the arena. Various tents were set up on the grounds for all the nobles And through a
different entryway, spectators poured in one after the other.

“Just what is happening here?” he murmured. Liona and Ars had said it wouldn’t be grand since
it was only an extension of training. How was this not grand? It looked like they were throwing a
festival!

“Violant!” someone called out brightly all of a sudden, bringing Vio out of his stunned state. Vio
looked towards his side and saw that it was Viola, clad in a light yellow dress, heading toward
him along with her maid.

“Good morning, Mother.”

“Yes, good morning,” Viola replied. She inspected Vio’s left cheek, then smiled in satisfaction.
“What a relief. Your bruise isn’t that conspicuous anymore.”

As Viola had said, the bruise on Vio’s cheek had gotten much better. The swelling had subsided
and the only pain left was from the cut on his lip. Just in case, he had Rille apply light makeup
on his cheek so that the bruise wouldn’t show. Unless someone was looking carefully, no one
would notice anything amiss.
“It’s all thanks to the ointment Mother gave me.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“By the way,” asked Vio in a timid manner. “Is this all Mother’s…?”

Viola hid her mouth behind her fan, a chuckle slipping from her lips. “I might have told a few
people that there was a chance of seeing something interesting happen here. And now that this
has gotten so much attention, neither my husband nor Rupheus can protest it.”

“Mother…” said Vio, groaning and rendered speechless for a moment. As expected of a former
princess who survived a den of foxes and badgers; her scheming was formidable. He then asked,
mildly disbelieving, “Father is here too?”

“No, he has an appointment with the cabinet minister this morning. Rupheus came to watch, but
your seat is at His Highness’ tent so you needn’t worry about him.”

“Is that so…”

Vio fell into his thoughts. Is this really okay? I don’t understand. How could things have
developed this far while I was confined to my room?

The reason Vio had consulted with Viola was to avoid angering his father and brother, but
perhaps he made a mistake.

He suddenly felt a strong gaze on him, and when he looked back, he noticed Rupheus standing
by a blue tent, giving him an intense glare. Vio bowed and immediately looked away. He
decided to pretend he didn’t see him from now on.

Then, a man in a navy blue uniform with a white cape approached them. Vio knew he was a
member of the Knights of Green Flash, but his identity was a different story.

The man knelt on one knee in front of Vio and performed a knight’s salute, before rising to his
feet at once. “Lord Violant of the Lesserhain family, His Highness the Crown Prince awaits
you.”

“Thank you. Forgive my rudeness, but you are?”

Before the man could reply, Viola said, “Violant, this is the captain of the Knights of Green
Flash, Sir Fion Rosine. He’s the third son of the cabinet minister.”

“Duchess Lesserhain, good day to you. And pleased to meet you, Lord Violant. As Her Grace
has mentioned, I am Fion Rosine. Please call me Fion.” Fion bowed, an amicable smile on his
lips.

“Nice to meet you, Sir Fion,” said Vio, observing Viola and Fion. The two of them were smiling,
but the atmosphere surrounding them proved cold.

I wonder if there’s hostility between Father and the cabinet minister, Count Rosine.
There also seemed to be conflict between Viola and Fion. Since Vio rarely appeared in social
circles, he didn’t know exactly who were at odds with his family. Even so, he decided not to
poke the snake in the bush.

Besides, Fion’s green eyes were cold. Vio put on a smile. He shouldn’t be careless around this
dangerous man.

“Violant, don’t keep His Highness waiting,” said Viola. “Go now. Make sure not to be rude,
okay?”

“I’ll be careful, Mother. Then please excuse me.” Following a bow to Viola, Vio departed with
Fion in the lead.

Ch 33.2 – Joint Training (I)

On Vio’s left, Fion walked ahead of him, his every step filled with vigor. He then flashed an
ostentatious smile and in an exaggerated manner, said, “Lord Violant is rather cunning. To use
this joint practice to spread your name is a good move.”

“You exaggerate. I won’t benefit from spreading my name, will I?” replied Vio, his own smile
laced with bitterness.

Light laughter left Fion’s lips. “You’re good at feigning ignorance,” he said. “And we have
arrived.”

Vio didn’t respond to his hostility. Reasoning with people like him was useless. Even if he were
to try to clarify and solve the misunderstanding, Fion would merely find a way to twist his words
into something strange. Vio would only be wasting his energy.

In the first place, Vio had never wished to make everyone like him. For him, it was enough to
spend his days in peace surrounded by his loved ones. As for everyone else, he wouldn’t care if
they hated him.

By the time they entered the red tent, Prince Ars and Princess Liona were already present.

“I’ve brought Lord Violant, Your Highness,” said Fion, his voice attracting Ars and Liona’s
attention. They turned to them.

Vio bowed. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, Princess Liona, my apologies for keeping you
waiting.”

The moment after, Ars replied in an amicable manner, “The match hasn’t started yet. Don’t
worry about it.”

“Agreed. Lord Violant, we only came a bit earlier because of our curiosity. You did nothing
wrong,” Liona said with a friendly smile. Then she told Vio to sit behind them.

“Is it really alright for me to stay in the same tent as Your Highness?”

“I don’t mind. I borrowed your knight after all,” said Ars. “Right, you should give Legion some
encouragement.” Following that, he had his servant call Legion to the tent.
After a while, Legion arrived, clad in a full set of armor, his helmet tucked under his arm.
Surprised, Vio asked, “This is merely a practice match, right? Does he have to wear armor?”

In Legi’s stead, Ars nodded, saying, “Our original intention was to use wooden swords, but the
situation has changed. It has now become a friendly, yet more official match. I apologize for
that, Violant. You’re worried about how this has turned into such a serious matter, right?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Hesitantly, Vio added, “Er… this seems to be my mother’s
doing…”

“Ah, it’s alright. I understand her reasons for doing so.”

Noticing Ars’s bitter gaze on his lips, Vio wore a wry smile. It was apparent that the knights had
reported his injury to Ars. Before Vio could reply, Ars said, “Go and greet Legion.”

I’m thankful that His Highness chose to feign ignorance, but why is he so concerned about my
family’s matters all of a sudden?

Did Ars wish to know what Rupheus had told Vio during his visit? But the normal assumption
would be a mere exchange of small talk between brothers. Ars had no reason to suspect anything
else.

Vio found it strange but decided to follow Ars’ instructions for now. He beckoned Legion and
exited the tent with him. “Legi, you look rather different than usual. In a good way.”

Legion knelt on one knee, saying, “Thank you very much, Lord Violant.” Then he rose to his
feet.

With a close view of Legion, Vio found him handsome in this get-up. He smiled. “I apologize
for blowing this match out of proportion. Are you nervous?”

“No, the martial arts tournament I previously took part in garnered a much larger audience.
Compared to that, this is still nothing.”

“It’s amazing that you consider this a small event.” Even until now, the number of guests who
came to spectate the match still awed Vio. He couldn’t imagine what the martial arts tournament
had looked like.

“So, what should I do to encourage you?”

Tentatively, Legion replied, “I would appreciate it if you could tell me to do my best.” However,
Vio didn’t like telling others to “do their best.” In his opinion, it would only pressure the
receiver.

After a little more thought, he asked, “Is it alright if I support you in my own way?”

“Of course.”

“Then extend your right hand.”

“Hm? Okay?”
Vio covered Legion’s hand with both of his own. It was slightly rough to the touch, callused
from his many years of training in the sword.

“I pray for you to gain confidence in this hand, Legi. Whether you win or lose in the end, simply
fight the way you usually do. So go and have fun.” Afterward, Vio squeezed Legion’s hand and
shot him a smile.

Legion stared at Vio in befuddlement, a tinge of red coloring his cheeks. Then, overcome with
emotion, Legion firmly clasped Vio’s hands. “My sincerest gratitude once again, Lord Violant. I
feel like I can do anything now!”

Vio let out a laugh, overwhelmed by Legion’s energy. “R-really? I’m glad that you like it.”
Legion then released his hands.

Cheval hit Legion’s shoulder in encouragement. “You can do it, Legi!”

“We’ll be supporting you,” said Lantz in a soft voice, just right next to him.

Legion bumped fists with Cheval, responding that he would give his all. After watching their
interaction, Vio blushed. “Um… Maybe I should have cheered for you in a similar way?”

“It’s alright, Lord Violant. Yours is more effective for me!”

“Really? But I didn’t use any magic on you.”

“You lifted my spirits. Thank you very much.”

Vio didn’t quite understand. But since Legion looked happy, like a dog wagging its tail, he
decided to leave it at that.

Beside Vio, Night turned to Liona and said, “That looks nice. Princess, please do that to me too!”

“As if! That’s embarrassing!” she said, her face turning bright red.

Meanwhile, Vio took in the scene before his eyes. As I thought, what I did was pretty
embarrassing, huh? I have to study how to properly cheer for other people next time.

Ch 34 – Joint Training (II)

“Good morning, everyone. I’m Fion Rosine, the captain of the Knights of Green Flash,” said
Fion to the crowd in a loud voice. It echoed throughout the spacious training ground, perhaps the
work of a wind spell from a royal magician. “I will serve as the referee today. Now, we will be
having a friendly match between our country, the Kingdom of Istiah, and our ally, the Kingdom
of Ruslan. Before we start, please greet His Highness the Crown Prince Ars of the Kingdom of
Istiah and Princess Liona of the Kingdom of Ruslan.”

Following Fion’s introduction, Ars and Liona stood. Ars first looked at his surroundings and
said, “Everyone, thank you for gathering today. Remember that this match is purely something
that Princess Liona and I arranged for fun. I hope you won’t take it too seriously and enjoy
yourself.”
Once Ars finished his brief greeting, Liona slowly nodded and said in a clear and melodious
voice, “As His Highness the Crown Prince Ars said, the idea for this match sparked from a joke.
In spite of this, I would like to thank everyone in the Kingdom of Istiah for setting up the venue
for this match. It’s truly a blessing to see the knights I’m proud of and the knights the Istiah
Kingdom is proud of in such close proximity. Thank you.”

Liona finished with a smile, and the audience clapped.

“Thank you very much, Your Highness, Princess Liona,” Fion said, bowing in courtesy. Ars and
Liona sat back down without a sound. After confirming that both royals were seated, Fion
pointed to the two knights standing in the middle of the training ground. Each had cloth wrapped
around their neck: one blue and the other red.

“Now, I will introduce the two leading actors in today’s match. The gallant knight in blue on the
right is Legion Salt, the pride of our country. He won the previous martial arts tournament.”

Clad in iron armor, Legion raised his right hand. His action aroused applause from the audience,
loud to the ears. The Knights of the Green Flash were especially excited.

“On the right, the knight in red is Night, pride of the Ruslan Kingdom. He’s a genius in the
sword, the personal knight of the princess.”

Night wore light armor over his black knight uniform. He too raised his right hand. And the
audience cheered as well.

“In this match, the use of magic and killing is prohibited. Compete with your skill in the sword.
Everyone, let’s cheer on these two brave knights, ” Fion said in a calm manner. All of a sudden,
his tone grew serious as he said, “Now, both of you, take your stances.” Such an abrupt change
caused the audience to grow dead silent.

They drew their swords. Legion pointed his blade straight at Night. Night took his time, sword in
his left hand, diagonal to the ground.

Fion raised his right hand to the sky. Swung it down. “The match begins!”

The moment after the commencing signal sounded, Night was the first to go on the offensive. As
though he believed taking action quickly led to victory, he slashed at Legion in one swift move.
Legion had expected his attack and did not lose his calm, parrying Night’s sword from below.

“Oops! That was dangerous. I almost lost my sword,” Night said, promptly distancing himself
from Legion. He squinted his gray eyes, in high spirits.

Legion also looked like he was having fun. “It was a good move trying to overwhelm me with
your speed in the beginning. Attacking your opponent when they’re surprised will yield an
instant win. However, that kind of tactic won’t work against me.”

“Seems so. It sure is tough fighting against your kingdom’s most skilled swordsman. Most
people fall for this trick, you know.” Night made it sound like he was disappointed, but he was
actually having fun like Legion. He fixed his grip on his sword. The easygoing atmosphere
around him turned serious. “Good, I’ll stop going after victory using small tricks. Let’s compete
seriously.”
“Just as I had hoped. Here I come!” Legion dashed toward Night, his steps light as if he was not
wearing armor. Night blocked Legion’s frontal blow, the soles of his shoes scraping against the
ground, the sound of such filling the air. It seemed the force of Legion’s attack had slightly
pushed him back. After their blades clashed, they moved apart again.

“Arghh!”

“Haaa!”

Battle cries filled with fighting spirit, they exchanged blow after blow. From the front, from
above, from below. At times, Night struck from an unexpected direction, but in each instance,
Legion would avoid it by a hair and launch a counter. The shrill cry of metal rang throughout the
training ground, over and over again.

It was like watching a sword dance. Because the two swords moved too quickly, Vio could only
make out flashes of silver.

“This is amazing! Not only did he stop Night’s first strike easily, he even returned Night’s
specialty feint with another blow!” Liona clenched her fists and stood with her back hunched in
excitement. As she watched the match, her blue eyes shone brightly.

“I’m surprised too. I never thought that someone could fight Legion for such a long time,” said
Ars in admiration, engrossed in the match. “Oh, there! Go for it, Legion!”

Since Vio couldn’t keep up with the knights’ movement, he grew impressed with the situation
upon listening to Liona and Ars.

Such a long time, he said… It hasn’t even been five minutes since the match started though!

The only time Vio witnessed Legion in action was when Erik had attacked the mansion. At that
time, he had seen Legion overpower an Equestrian Dragon. If his opponent had been an average
human, he might have won in the blink of an eye.

“Wow, amazing! It’s been a while since I saw Legi take his opponent seriously,” Cheval
murmured behind Vio.

In his usual calm tone, Lantz said, “You’re right. Sir Legion was amazing in the Battle of
Tocanta Meadow two years ago. Although it had been his first campaign, he played a very active
role in that battle, right? And yet the superiors took hold of all his achievements. It’s such a
shame.”

Upon hearing that, Vio recalled that event. Tocanta Meadow was located in the southern part of
the Istiah Kingdom. Around it was Tocanta River, which marked the border with Clarina
Country.

The relationship between the Istiah Kingdom and Clarina Country proved poor. They would
have a war every few years due to Clarina Country’s lust of the other’s fertile land. One of the
battles that gave Duke Lesserhain the chance to marry Viola occurred in one of the wars between
these two countries.
Ever since the Kingdom of Istiah had won the war two and a half years ago, Clarina country
maintained an uncanny silence. Even so, everyone expected them to strike eventually. They
never learned their lesson, even after paying hefty reparations with each defeat.

Clarina country was a troublesome opponent, but the Kingdom of Istiah never thought of
invading it, despite its vast lands. For not only were there many wastelands, their culture was
also completely different from Istiah Kingdom’s.

First of all, Huma were seen as the superior race in Clarina country. The status of Locanas were
lower than that of commoners; society held disdain for them. Sometimes, Locanas would be
treated as slaves.

Since the Istiah Kingdom would receive little profit from ruling Clarina country, not to mention
be required to divert its focus to govern them, making Clarina country pay reparations was a
better option.

After Vio had recalled all sorts of things related to the war, Cheval whispered with a smile,
“Don’t say that, Lantz. He’s ridiculously devoted to his master, so he was overjoyed to see his
superior promoted. Since he looks happy, isn’t it fine?”

Picking up Lantz’s words, Vio had a hard time trying not to laugh. “People would usually feel
bitter, though. He’s such a weird person.” Legi, so you’ve always been like that!

All of a sudden, the image of Legion acting like a dog wagging its tail came to mind. It was hard
to believe that he didn’t care about his own achievements, despite being the one who did the job.

Rather than a medal of merit, he prefers compliments and praise?

And Vio had been wondering if he should reward Legion at the end of this training. Now, he
received some helpful information.

As he focused on Cheval and Lantz’s conversation, a deafening clang suddenly rang through the
air.

The sound disappeared, leaving an unusual echo.

“Stop right there!” Fion shouted.

Legion and Night stood facing each other. One held his sword with his right hand, the other
perpendicular to the ground. Both blades had cracked in the middle.

“Both have been disarmed at the same time. It’s a draw!”

Performing a deep bow to one another, Legion and Night thanked their opponents. The audience
applauded.

Vio also applauded, following the crowd. Such an outcome had surprised him. Was this the will
of the Great Spirits not to decide the outcome here?

Liona stood in pure excitement and shouted, “Both of you did very well!”
Ars also rose to his feet and said, “How incredibly exciting. Everyone, give them a round of
applause.”

And the audience burst into thundering cheers again.

Overwhelmed by the liveliness, Vio clapped again until his hands throbbed.

Ch 35 – Joint Training (III)

Once the friendly match had ended, Night and Legion returned to the red tent where Vio and the
others waited for them.

Full of excitement, Liona said, “Both of you were amazing! So the battle between fellow
prodigies is deeply moving, huh?! Even just watching it made my blood boil.” She reached out
and ruffled Night’s hair into a mess. “Well done, Night! I’m so proud of you!”

“Wait, Princess. Please stop praising me like a pet!” said Night, his face red, perhaps due to the
close proximity of Liona. When she finally released him, he swiftly created distance between
them, sighing in an awkward manner.

Vio understood Night’s feelings. Liona was wearing a dress that showed off her cleavage. At that
distance, he was too close to her voluptuous breasts. Of course he would feel embarrassed. Vio
was familiar with this feeling, as his mother Viola would on many occasions do the same thing.
Those moments left him awkward.

Legion greeted Ars and Liona, then made his way toward Vio. Since he had already taken off his
helmet, Vio could make out the sweat running down his cheeks. “Legi, good job. You looked
dashing.”

“Thank you very much! Your praise is the highest reward for me!” replied Legion with a bright
smile.

It might be his imagination, but Vio thought he saw an image of a dog wagging its tail. Amazed,
he said, “You’re exaggerating it, really.”

Ars was also shocked. “Legion, you sure idolize Violant a lot.”

“That’s correct, Your Highness. I have found my master for life. Naturally I cherish him!” said
Legion, cutting an earnest figure.

Vio could only smile bitterly. “You’re saying something embarrassing again… The pay in the
Royal Knights should be higher than what I give you, right? How about using this match as an
opportunity to return there?”

His question dumbfounded everyone around them. Before Vio could wonder why, Legion asked
with a sorrowful expression, “Why are you still saying that, Lord Violant? Am I perhaps inferior
to Erik?”

“Why are you mentioning him now? You’re different from him. You know that, don’t you?”
“Then, when will you deem me as acceptable?!” It was rare for Legion to burst out in fury like
this; he immediately came to his senses and bowed in courtesy. “…I’m sorry. I will go take off
my armor. Please excuse me.”

“H-hey, Legi…” Although Vio tried to stop him, Legion was too quick. With his back turned to
Vio, his refusal to listen or stay proved evident. As such, Vio was reluctant to call him back.

“Wait, Legi! Hey!” Cheval ran after Legion in Vio’s place.

“What happened to him all of a sudden?” Despite lack of understanding, Vio knew that he had
hurt Legion. As he tilted his head in contemplation, Lantz asked, “Please excuse my rudeness.
Lord Violant, are you forcing Sir Legion to be your knight?”

“Me? No way. It’s too much of a waste to let that talent rot in the countryside. I refused him
from the beginning. I told him I would release him from his debt, but he wanted to work for me.
In the end, I lost to his enthusiasm.” Vio was puzzled. “What’s so good about me? In any case, I
still think he should return to the Royal Knights. In fact, I’m even more convinced after
witnessing the match.”

Ars muttered, “I would certainly appreciate it if he came back…”

“Ars!” said Liona in a threatening tone.

Raising a hand to placate her, he looked straight at Vio. “Think of his feelings a bit more. He’s
too pitiful otherwise.”

“That’s right! Well,” said Liona with a bitter expression, “it’s not like I don’t understand Lord
Violant’s feelings.”

Night said, “With all due respect, I am the same as him. A knight. For us, the most sorrowful
thing is to be rejected by the person we wish to serve, because they believed themselves
unworthy of accepting our goodwill. We can work hard to gain our master’s approval if they
hated us, but Lord Violant doesn’t seem to be giving him a chance.” His gray eyes shone in
earnestness, staring straight at Vio. “Please have confidence. Sir Legion wouldn’t pick the wrong
master. I fully understood that after we crossed swords.”

Night’s words echoed in Vio’s heart. He had always found himself unworthy. Unworthy of
Legion. Yet Legion was of the opposite opinion and wanted him as his master. Vio’s chest
swelled with warmth.

“…Thank you very much, Sir Night. I was wrong. You’re really strong, aren’t you? And gentle
as well. A suitable knight for the Princess.” Vio bowed politely towards Ars, Liona, and Night.
“I’m sorry. I’m going after Legi. Please excuse me.”

“Yeah, just go.”

“Do your best, Lord Violant!”

Buoyed by Ars and Liona’s encouraging words, Vio left the red tent with quick steps. Lantz, Jill,
and Rille chased after him at once.
 ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“Night, you say some really great things these days,” Liona teased as soon as Vio had left.

Hiding his embarrassment, Night replied in a calm manner, “What are you talking about? I
always say great things.”

“Hah! So you say,” said Liona, light and airy as she laughed. She glanced at Ars. “Oh? You look
happy.”

“No…” Ars covered his mouth with a hand. Cleared his throat. “I also found it a waste to have
Legion serve the Lesserhain family, but… I don’t think I have to worry anymore. They seem to
take good care of him.”

“You just noticed that now? It’s obvious by looking at Sir Legion’s face. It shines so brightly
now, doesn’t it?”

“Shut up. I didn’t want to admit it.”

Laughter again spilled from Liona’s lips. “The jealousy of a man is unsightly, Your Highness
Crown Prince Ars.”

“I like him, so it can’t be helped. Just look at his ability.” A sigh escaped from Ars.

“Yes, yes, I understand,” said Liona, bursting into laughter once more, bright and echoing.
Beside her, Ars sighed yet again, chagrined.

Legi acting like that reminds me of the protagonist of shoujo manga running away after finding
out their boyfriend is cheating~ ?₍ᐢ. ̫ .⑅ᐢ₎?↝

Ch 36 – Joint Training (IV)

The training room was equipped with a shower room where knights could use magic circles to
shower and refresh themselves.

After passing through the vacant dressing area, Legion walked toward the back and stepped into
the shower room. No one was there either. He approached one of the stalls that were separated
from each other by a wooden board. Once he entered, he touched the magic circle on the wall
with his right hand.

“Heed my wish,” muttered Legion, channeling his magic essence to the magic circle. The magic
circle on the ceiling glowed, and drops of water fell onto him, reminiscent of rain.

As he cooled his head, Legion placed his right hand on the wall in front of him, ashamed of his
earlier behavior. I said something like that without thinking… I didn’t mean to do that.
He couldn’t help but sigh heavily. He knew Vio didn’t have any favorable impressions of the
youth himself. It was only natural, considering he had an older brother like Rupheus. As such,
Legion had decided to watch over him. He didn’t mind, even if he alone praised Vio.

Yet, despite telling Vio he wanted to serve him, he felt as if his feelings failed to reach Vio. Vio
didn’t find himself worthy of a knight such as Legion, evident by his attempts to have him return
to the Royal Knights. An action Legion disliked.

However… I shouldn’t have mentioned Erik. Legion’s words had been akin to reopening an old
wound Vio had.

He continued to reflect on his behavior as he showered until he heard someone behind him say
with astonishment, “You… If you’re going to be that depressed, don’t say those things from the
start.”

It was Cheval.

“So annoying. Leave me alone. I’m just a selfish and detestable person…” Legion replied, tone
sarcastic.

“What’s up with you? Is that indirect sarcasm I hear?” grumbled Cheval. “If you’re a selfish and
detestable person, then most people in this world would be bad guys! It’s like you’re implying
that I’m the lowest of the low.”

“You’re aware of it? Great.”

“Ahhh, you’re annoying!”

Legion found him irritating.

“Listen, at least take that armor off!” said Cheval. “That’s mine, you know?! I only lent it to you
because our physique is similar, but it’ll get rusty if you’re showering in it!”

“I’ll repair and return your armor to you later, so leave me alone for a while…” Legion replied
gloomily.

Cheval scratched his head of blond locks, looking at him in exasperation. “Good grief, you’re
such a pain in the butt. Do you think that person cares about every minor detail? Just go and
apologize!”

“I said the worst thing I could have. Of all things, I mentioned Erik…”

“It’s Erik. He was his guardian knight before me.” Bitter proved the tone of his voice.

Cheval clapped his hands, now understanding Legion’s dilemma. “What? Are you jealous of that
guy?” he said.

Upon hearing Cheval’s tease, Legion reflexively turned around and protested, “What?! Why
would I be jealous of a guy like that?!”

Cheval had a cat-like grin on his face. “It’s unusual for you to speak badly of someone like that.
Do you really hate him?”
“I don’t like him, but I’m not jealous of him! I’m not jealous at all!”

“Hahaha, just spit it all out! You’ll feel better after you do.”

“You punk…” Legion groaned. He couldn’t wrap his head around why the maids would grow
flustered at the sight of Cheval. Of why they’d think he resembled a prince. Surround him with
actual princes and Cheval would be but a mere blemish compared to them.

Cheval ignored him and said, “But you’re worried he’d never trust you, right? Since he trusted
that guy, but told you to return to the Royal Knights. So aren’t you being envious then? What is
that Erik guy doing now?”

“…He disappeared somewhere after betraying Lord Violant. He’s now on the wanted list in the
Lesserhains’ territory.”

“And you’re comparing yourself to that criminal?” said Cheval. “You’re lame, man.”

“Shut. Up!”

Cheval merely laughed at him in an insolent manner, causing Legion’s irritation toward him to
reach its peak. Legion turned his back to Cheval and concentrated on showering. He had to cool
his head first. Legion closed his eyes, ignoring Cheval’s sighs. Then, he became aware of the
sound of footsteps approaching him.

“Legi.”

It was Vio’s voice.

Legion’s eyes opened in a snap. He froze.

Next to him, Cheval grinned, laughter spilling from his lips. “The master has appeared. Aren’t
you happy, faithful dog?”

“You’re so annoying. Don’t think I’ll forget about this, Cheval,” whispered Legion.

Pretending to be scared, Cheval left the shower room.

“Are you angry?” Vio said, sounding lonely. In a timid manner, Legion turned around, only to be
greeted with the sight of Vio, the latter with his gaze lowered and a gloomy expression.

Legion felt as though he were struck with a heavy hammer. He had said something awful, yet
Vio was worried about him. Legion hung his head in shame, water still raining down on him.

“I’m sorry, Lord Violant.”

“No. It’s me who should apologize.” Vio’s eyes gleamed in the light streaming through the small
window. Tears pooled slightly in those purple orbs, threatening to fall, making him look like he
would cry at any moment. “I’m sorry, Legi. I have… made you suffer. Thank you for finding
value in me.” Despite his teary eyes, Vio laughed. Then he asked, “Am I still your master?”

Seeing the shadow of anxiety in Vio’s eyes, Legion knelt on one knee at once, bowing down.
“Of course! You are my sole master in this lifetime, Lord Violant!”
Warmth spread to his heart and Legion’s eyes grew hot. He was glad he was taking a shower
right now. It was embarrassing for a man like him to cry.

Vio crouched in front of Legion and gently took his right hand. “Thank you, Legi. Please stay
with me.” He then added in a whisper, “Don’t ever leave me, okay?”

Legion raised his head. “Of course! I swear that I will never leave your side!”

Vio nodded. A single teardrop spilled from his jewel-like purple eyes. Despite this, his mouth
formed a large smile, a tint of bashfulness on it. “Thank you.”

It was the first time Legion saw Vio smile like that. It left him in a daze. Furthermore, at this
moment, he fully understood that he had finally gotten Vio’s absolute trust. “Of course!” said
Legion, nodding with a smile.

The two shared a laugh, and as they did, the sound of clapping resounded behind Vio.

“Such a happy reconciliation. Now then, Sir Legion, you’ll catch a cold if you keep wearing that.
Please change your clothes,” Jill said with a gentle smile. He, Vio’s servants, and Lantz were
behind Vio.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Lord Violant also got wet,” said Legion. He deactivated the magic circle and
looked at Violant’s clothes in a panic.

“It’s okay. I just have to change my clothes,” said Vio. “But you’re the type who pours water
over yourself when you feel down, huh?”

“In the past, he had also self-reflected in the middle of the rain…” muttered Vio to himself,
amazed.

“Y-yes, you might be right. I only just noticed it now.”

“Really?” Vio burst into laughter. “Oh well, take off your armor first. Rille, help him.”

Following Vio’s instructions, Cheval showed up, standing at the door of the shower room. “I can
help. It will be difficult for a lady to do that,” Cheval said, full of energy.

“Is that so? Then I’ll rely on you, Sir Cheval. I will return to my room first.”

“Yes, please do so. I don’t want your health to decline again.”

As Vio stepped foot outside the shower room with his servants and Lantz, Legion lightly
knocked on Cheval’s head.

“Ow! Why are you hitting me?!”

“You’re annoying.”

With his revenge fulfilled, Legion was satisfied for the time being.
If I said that Legi is acting like a shoujo manga protagonist at the last chapter, then he has
successfully become one this chapter~ (ᅌ ᴗ ᅌ* )

W-what’s with this dramatic scene under (the not actually) rain!? They should hug each other in
the end, and it will be perfect! How beautiful!

Ch 37 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital (I)

The seventh day of the crown prince’s birthday party. The day right after the joint training.
Under the clear summer sky, Vio strolled through the castle garden with Legion, Lantz, and
Rille. Other than them, there was not a single person in sight.

In the [tn content=”geometric garden”]

[/tn], there were red, yellow, pink, and white roses in full bloom, a sweet fragrance drifting in the
air.
“Master, it’s beautiful,” Rille said.

“Yes. it’s truly magnificent.”

The flowers fascinated both of them. Vio didn’t know the exact breed of the flowers, but he
could at least recognize their beauty. Perhaps because he had stayed indoors for so long, all the
plants he saw outside looked beautiful.

As they continued to slowly walk through the garden and admire the flowers, Lantz, who usually
stayed silent, explained with indifference, “The queen loves roses, so His Majesty gifted her this
garden. Before this, the King three generations ago had a hobby of collecting stone-built relics
and placing them here. They have since been moved. One of the relics was the inheritance of the
Relenca tribe, used to enshrine the spirits that existed 900 years ago. It is now stored in the Royal
Museum located in the castle town. If you’re interested in it, I recommend you have a look.”

Lantz’s smooth explanation reminded Vio of a travel guide’s or a museum commentary staff
member’s. He stared at Lantz, causing the latter to bow his head at once.

“Please forgive my impertinence…” he said.

“No, I’m not blaming you. I was just admiring you, Sir Lantz. You’re a well-informed person.”

“Everyone who works in the carriage has this knowledge.”

Wondering if that was really the case, Vio glanced at Legion. Legion averted his eyes awkwardly
and said, “I know of the origin of this garden, but I did not know what came before that. I
apologize.”

Laughter escaped Vio’s lips. “No need to apologize.” Then he turned to the other knight. “ Sir
Lantz, do you like history?”

Lantz shook his head. “No. Aside from my job, there are many occasions where I am in charge
of guiding guests. I naturally memorized those bits of information.”

“Lord Violant, Sir Lantz is famous for his erudition among the Knights of the Green Flash. In
addition to that, he’s revered as the strongest magic user after the captain,” said Legion.

“…I’m still inexperienced.” Lantz looked down.

However, Vio grew even more interested. “Do you like spirit magic?”

“Yes… Even so, I’m a slacker who failed to become a magician in the royal palace. My skill in
the sword is only at an average level. Although I have a title in the Knights’ Order, I received it
by chance.”

Normally, Lantz did not reveal much emotion. Yet at this moment, he frowned, gaze gloomy. It
seemed Vio had touched upon a sensitive topic. Despite this, Vio couldn’t quite understand the
origin of Lantz’s worry.

“But you have enough skill in the sword to join the Knights’ Order, right? Not to mention, you
excel in magic,” said Vio. “Isn’t it amazing that you attained such a balance? Sir Lantz is
skilful.”
“Skilful…?” Puzzled, Lantz shifted his gaze to Vio.

“Yes. You have a wide range of knowledge and skill. The upper ranks surely find you as a
capable person of good worth. As proof of that, you served as the crown prince’s personal knight
in the past, did you not?”

“But my knowledge is mostly shallow…”

“And what’s wrong with that?” asked Vio. He genuinely found Lantz odd. Then he cracked a
smile and said, “If people need in-depth knowledge, they can ask an expert. But if they don’t
have someone by their sides who knows where to start, they won’t even think to look for an
expert. Your knowledge isn’t something you should self-deprecate about. You have a great
ability.”

Lantz opened and closed his mouth, eventually closing it. His cheeks gradually reddened, and he
averted his gaze in an awkward manner.

“…Thank you for your kind words,” he replied softly.

“His Highness the Crown Prince surely feels relieved to have someone like you next to him. Ah,
don’t you think this is fate? If there’s a book in my room you would like to read, feel free to read
it when you have time. I don’t mind.”

“May I?” Lantz looked at Vio again, his eyes shining in curiosity.

Vio nodded. “Yes. I have read most of the books that Mother brought to my mansion in Leca
town. I’m happy she gave me several new ones.”

“Lord Violant, are you very knowledgeable in magic?”

“I’m not so sure about being very knowledgeable… but I like it. It’s fun drawing magic circles.
On the other hand, I’m completely useless in fighting in wars. With the way things are, Father
and Brother find me incompetent.” Vio broke into a bitter smile. “Actually, I can’t even hold a
sword.”

“…Not even a sword?” Lantz asked.

“Yes. It’s probably due to trauma. When I hold a sword, my hands shake… It’s pathetic.”

Vio could hold a knife or carving knife, but he couldn’t get over his dislike for long swords no
matter what. Before the incident two years ago, he trained with a dull sword. After that, he
hadn’t been able to touch a sword at all. He had overcome his phobia of going out, but he still
strongly disliked that weapon.

Legion took a step closer to Vio, a bitter expression on the latter’s face. “Lord Violant, even if
you can’t hold a sword, you don’t need to worry. After all, I’m here with you!”

Not wanting to lose, Rille also stepped forward without hesitation. “That’s right, Master. Rille
will send flying any strange person approaching you with a kick!”

Taken aback, but awed by their enthusiasm, Vio nodded. “T-thank you, both of you…”
“It’s only natural.”

“Please rely on me.”

Then Legion and Rille walked back to their original positions.

They’re very similar during moments like this.

In Vio’s opinion, they shared similarities that would allow them to get along well. However,
Rille seemed to dislike Legion, and Legion seemed to distance himself from Rille.

Lantz glanced at Rille. “Miss Rille, you’re also skilled in martial arts?”

Rille nodded. “Yes! My family are priests who have served the shrine for generations. I was
required to learn martial arts when I was a child, so I won’t lose in that area.”

“…Sir Cheval and I are her victims. Sir Lantz, please be careful of this lady,” Legion whispered
to Lantz.

“I understand why she would attack Sir Cheval, but did she actually attack Sir Legion as well?”

“Yes. She mistook me for a thief in the beginning and drop-kicked me. Pretty strongly, too.”

Rille turned away in a huff. “It’s your fault for scaring Master.”

Legion stared at Rille in a sidelong glance, speechless. Vio chuckled as he asked Rille, “By the
way, RIlle’s home is in the royal capital, right? Why don’t you take a break and go home while
you’re here?”

“Eh, no way! It’s more fun to stay beside you, Master.”

“Rille… Your parents will be sad if they heard you say something like this, you know? Alright
then, I’ll have to trouble your family by stopping by at your home.”

“Huh?”

“I want to stroll around the castle town. The other day, Sir Cheval told me there’s a restaurant
that serves delicious seafood on their dinner menu. I want to try it, and also look for a new sword
for Legi. The stores in the capital interest me, and I want to research the market here too.”

Not only that, he wanted to check out the tourist attractions. When it was all said and done, he
rarely came to the capital.

After Vio had listed the things he wanted to do, Rille’s face brightened. “If that’s the case, then
it’s my pleasure.”

Lantz asked, “Um… Lord Violant, you won’t be participating in events like the tea parties and
hunting trips?

“I won’t. Let me just tell you this: my father ordered me not to do anything that will make me
stand out. Also, no one commendable would want a connection with the Lesserhain family’s
second son, who lives in a rural town.”
Lantz was also a noble. He understood what Vio wanted meant, and replied with a complicated
expression, “Is that so?”

High society was a place where people who wanted success and profit mingled with each other.
Since Vio couldn’t become the foothold they could use to climb into success, they wouldn’t
bother with him. Other than that was the issue of marriage, a complicated affair. So far, Vio
neither received any engagement proposals, nor had any noble considered to adopted him.

Once Rupheus, the heir, married and had a legitimate child, Vio, the second son, would be
worthless. Despite this, even if they called him incompetent or trash, they would still allow the
second son to live. However, after Vio developed a phobia of going outside, his father’s dislike
grew into deep hatred. And he wanted to disown Vio.

It seemed the duke had thought of driving away Vio. And also of adopting the son of a distant
relative, raising him, then having him marry Flora in the future. In the end, he dismissed the idea
due to Viola’s strong opposition. That said, Vio’s position grew even more ambiguous to the
extreme. They treated him as though he was not worth killing or keeping alive. If he didn’t stay
quiet in a corner though, they would beat him.

For this reason, it brought him great joy that his father drove him away to Leca town. For the
time being, he could breathe without worrying about his father and brother’s moods.

“Maybe we should go out tomorrow. Nevertheless, it’s really peaceful. Surprisingly, Brother
didn’t storm into my room yelling today. It’s probably thanks to Mother, huh?”

“I don’t think he can interfere with a friendly match with the neighboring kingdom, Lod Violant.
Also, please leave him to me next time. With Her Grace’s permission, I will make sure to chase
him away, said Legion, eyes shining.

“Remember that that’s the last resort, Legi.”

“Understood,” said Legion, nodding in an obedient manner. But Vio wasn’t convinced he would
keep his promise.

Ch 38 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(II)
“Excuse me,” said Lantz upon entering Prince Ars’ office. Inside, he spotted Fion, the captain of
the Knights of the Green Flash, standing before Ars’ desk. “Oh, should I return at a later time?”

“Don’t mind me,” said Fion. “Besides, I’m about to take my leave as well. Are you here to report
about Lord Violant?”

“Thank you for your hard work, Lantz,” Ars said, accepting Lantz’s report. He then started going
through it. “Setting things aside, you look rather happy. Do you have some plans after this?”

Lantz blinked, unable to comprehend why Ars had asked such a question. With Lantz keeping
his silence, Ars then turned to him, suspicion clear on his face. “A date perhaps?”
“Your Highness, I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean. Where did this question come
from?”

“There’s a smile on your typically expressionless face. I thought you might have scored a date
today. However, as far as I can remember, you’re still single. When did you get yourself a
lover?”

“I’m very sorry to disappoint you, Your Highness, but I don’t have a lover. I just received an
opportunity to get my hands on some books that I’ve wanted to read. I planned on reading them
after this…” explained Lantz, lifting the two magic textbooks in his left hand.

In that instant, all the interest drained from Ars’ face. “I see. So your lover’s a book… Is it that
enjoyable?”

Lantz bobbed his head vigorously. “Yes.”

Ars released a sigh. But after he took a close look at the title of the books, his eyes widened.
“Isn’t that Beryl’s Wind Magic Thesis Compilation? Excluding the original copy, only four
books are available to the public. It’s amazing that you managed to get a hold of such a valuable
text.”

“I borrowed it from Lord Violant.”

Fion appeared satisfied at that. “Keep it up. It’s good to make use of him during your
surveillance.”

Lantz nodded once again. “Thank you for your kind words.” He found it helpful to maintain an
image of a diligent person in everyone’s eyes, be it his captain or the prince. That way, they
would let him use their resources, allowing him to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. Even so,
getting Vio’s offer was truly a sudden stroke of good luck.

“Lord Violant was strolling around the castle garden earlier today, and I took that opportunity to
idly chat with him. In the process, I’ve confirmed that Lord Violant truly does lack talent in
martial arts as the rumors say.”

This brought a sarcastic smile to Fion’s face. “Even though he comes from a prestigious military
family? I see why they call him incompetent now.”

“However, he seems to have a high aptitude for magic. The books he reads regarding magic are
mostly of the intermediate and advanced level. He also told me that he liked drawing magic
circles, so I believe he has expertise in this area as well.”

“Ars nodded, absorbed in thought. “I see.”

Lantz silently waited for any questions or curiosity on Ars’ part, but Fion interjected, “Rather
than that, do you have any other useful information? Such as whether he intends to attend
someone’s tea party or has connections with other nobles or merchants?”

“Lord Violant doesn’t seem to plan on attending any events other than the evening ball. He also
told me that no one would be willing to form connections with him, the second son of the
Lesserhain family living in a rural town….”
“…Lantz, are you becoming just like Cheval? Too afraid of the Lesserhains’ influence to speak
the truth? All the information you’ve gathered don’t seem to have any value, do they?” said
Fion, staring at Lantz with suspicion.

The sight of Fion’s sullen expression induced cold sweat down Lantz’s back. This was
considerably bad for him. Not only would it affect his promotion, but he might even be demoted
if things didn’t go well.

But before Lantz could reply, Ars said, “Stop it, Fion. Though, did he really say that no one will
be willing to form connections with him because of that reason?”

“That’s correct, Your Highness.”

“He underestimates himself too much… Although he’s the second son, his family is still headed
by a duke. I’m sure many people see some benefit in associating themselves with him. Not to
mention, he is incredibly beautiful. Countless people would want to marry him even if he doesn’t
bring them any benefits. Though they mostly have ugly intentions,” Ars grumbled, frowning in
displeasure.

Lantz had heard some rumors about that. Starting from ladies who preferred young boys to
married women who wanted some excitement, it was a well-known fact that many people wished
to experience some fun with Vio. Even men weren’t an exception. Since this was a topic often
discussed among nobles, it was a good thing that Vio rarely appeared in social occasions.

Viola had hunted some of those people down, a terrifying smile in accompaniment. And Lantz
could only say they deserved it.

“But I believe him,” continued Ars. “I also wondered why he had sat so close to the wall in
yesterday’s evening ball. That’s where the low-ranked nobles congregate.”

“It was because of His Grace the Duke. He seemed to have ordered him to remain quiet in the
corner.”

Ars’ frown deepened. Pretending not to notice that, Lantz changed the subject and said, “Lord
Violant plans to take a walk around the castle town tomorrow during the day.”

“We might be able to glean some information during his stroll. Lantz, you must accompany
him.”

Lantz nodded. “Understood. By the way, Sir Fion, do you know about the incident Lord Violant
had experienced two years ago?”

“Yes. I heard it from the regular tradesman of the Lesserhains. Two years ago, a knight named
Erik who had worked for them committed the act of betrayal. Since then, he has been on the
wanted list. After that, Lord Violant left for Leca town for an extended rest. And according to
Cheval, that man was his former guardian knight. I have no doubt that something happened
between them.”

Fion nodded, finding great interest in this matter. Beside him, Ars pushed the bottle of black ink
on his desk toward Lantz. “There’s also this. A year after Lord Violant’s arrival in Leca town,
this commodity started to appear in the royal capital’s market.”
“Leca ink?” Lantz picked up the bottle and brushed his thumb against the label. Underneath the
word “Leca” written entirely in capital letters were the words “Black Ink.”

This ink contained magic essence and was cheaper than ink containing the powder of spirit
stones. Its characteristic trait was the slight tint of red in the black ink. It also wrote smoother
and easier than the one made from spirit stone, so Lantz used it often.

“He also created candy that can recover one’s magic essence. Even if he has no talent in the
military arts, he seems to have capabilities in business. I heard he invented this local specialty
product when he was only thirteen. The more I learn about him, the more fascinated I am.”

“He probably took the credit for other people’s work. It’s a trick commonly used by his family,”
said Fion with cold eyes.

In his usual flat tone, Lantz replied, “Sir Fion. I don’t believe he’s incredibly selfish just as the
rumors say. At present, not once have I seen him raise his voice toward his servants or give them
unreasonable demands.”

“He is merely feigning compassion in front of you and His Highness the Crown Prince’s
messengers. He’ll reveal his true colors once he leaves the castle and your supervision. You’ll
see what I mean tomorrow,” said Fion, his voice filled with bitterness and his displeasure evident
in his eyes. Following his farewell to Ars, he left the office.

Ars flashed a similarly bitter smile. Lantz set the bottle of Leca ink down onto the desk, casting
Ars’ smile a side-glance. “Your Highness. Do you doubt my words as well?”

Actually, Lantz felt rather nervous. If even Ars didn’t believe his words, his position would be in
serious danger. But since he was appointed to act as the crown prince’s ears, he had no intention
of telling lies in his report, let alone reveal personal bias.

Ars shook his head, calm. “No. You reported the same things as Cheval. Now that I think about
it, Cheval had spent three weeks with him during their journey to the capital, and yet he hadn’t
written down a single complaint.”

Ars had once considered it clear that Vio had managed to win over Cheval. But in retrospect, he
might be wrong.

“Isn’t that… merely because of Sir Cheval’s thoughtless nature?” replied Lantz. But in truth, he
was convinced that this wasn’t the case.

Cheval acted like a hooligan. If he disliked someone, he wouldn’t hold back in expressing it and
exposing their true nature. Underneath a thin veneer of propriety was merely pure insult. If
something unpleasant had actually happened during those three weeks, he would have
exaggerated it with superficial politeness, filling the report with compliments that appeared
pretty much written in sarcasm.

Despite all that, Cheval was an excellent judge of character. He had wandered from place to
place, successfully exposing the true natures of numerous people. From Lantz’s perspective, he
didn’t agree with how Ars disregarded the contents of Cheval’s report so easily.

Ars laughed. “It seems like you already got me. Since he had been with them for three whole
weeks, I shouldn’t have written it off as thoughtlessness on Cheval’s part.” He smiled and lightly
waved his right hand. “For now, continue with your observation until the next report. You are
dismissed. Read those books to your heart’s content.”

“Yes. Please excuse me.” Lantz bowed toward Ars and subsequently exited the office. Upon
reaching the hallway, he let out a sigh of relief, thankful that he hadn’t invoked Ars’ anger.
Following this, he walked along the hallway with an expressionless face, as though nothing had
happened. However, his footsteps were a little faster than usual.

He couldn’t wait to read the books in his hand.

Ch 39 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(III)
The next morning, Vio showed his attire to Jill in front of a full-length mirror.

“Jill, how about this? I won’t be out of place even if I go to town wearing it, right?” Vio asked.
He had on a simple white shirt and a dark red vest, coupled with black trousers and boots that
reached high.

Jill answered him with a pleasant smile, “Young Master, your elegance can’t be concealed with
any outfit.”

“Jill… I wasn’t asking you that.”

“You should wear this cloak and hat. Your hair is very conspicuous.”

“Ah, right. My hair looks like bean sprouts, so it’ll stand out, huh? I’d rather have brown hair
like Father. Ah, I know! How about dyeing my hair?” Vio suggested.

“You can’t,” Jill sternly rejected.

“But it’ll come off after I wash it…”

“Definitely not!”

Losing to the intensity of Jill’s widened grey eyes, Vio nodded obediently. “Alright…” But he
wasn’t happy with such a rejection.

He put on the pale brown newsboy cap with a pout. With his silver hair hidden, he no longer felt
eye-catching.

“How about now?” asked Vio.

“You look very dignified.”

“…Huh, so I’m still standing out?”

“Young Master, no matter how you dress, you will always grab attention. I believe that it’s
impossible for you to be inconspicuous, even if you tried to hide your features.”
Vio frowned at Jill’s reply. He wanted to look like someone who could blend in with the
commoners, but Jill didn’t understand his intention at all.

“So I have to use my acting ability? Should I wear dirty clothes?”

“No!”

“I-I get it. I was joking,” Vio said. He took a step back from Jill, whose expression proved
frightful.

With a sigh, Jill began to lament. “Her Grace believed in me and left Young Master in my care.
Allowing you to wear such simple clothes already pains my heart enough. It’s outrageous to
have you put on dirty clothes! First, it’s dangerous for Young Master to dress like a commoner.
What if a noble who misuses their social status kidnaps you? Please behave like a confident
noble.”

Realizing that he had unexpectedly angered Jill, Vio said at once, “I understand! I’m sorry. Stop
scolding me. The sun will have set by the time you finish.”Then he rushed out of the bedroom.

“Young master, I haven’t finished yet!”

Flustered with Jill chasing after him, Vio hid behind Legion, who was waiting in the sitting area.

“Lord Violant?” Legion asked, clearly confused. Vio peeked his head from behind Legion and
said to Jill, “Stop it. You won’t stop scolding me once you start to, so I’ll pass. Otherwise, I
won’t be able to go to town, right?”

“It’s because Young Master said you want to dye your hair and blend in with the commoners.
Not to mention, do you really think that your hair looks like bean sprouts? Her Grace would be
grieving if she heard that,” Jill said, looking at Vio with a sad expression.

“No… I think I look like a bean sprout in general… Nevermind, it’s nothing. I know I was
wrong, so don’t look at me like that.” Vio scratched his cheek with his finger, defeated.

Rille laughed at them. “Master, you lost face in front of Mister Jill! Still, I’m not happy with you
calling yourself a bean sprout. Master, wouldn’t you be sad if Lady Flora said something like
that?”

“Uhh, yeah…” Indeed, Vio could easily relate to Rille’s remark and seemed to understand Jill’s
lament better now.

“I’m glad you understand now,” Jill said in satisfaction. He then bowed. “Well, shall we go? I
have already prepared the carriage in front of the palace.”

A sigh of relief escaped Vio’s lips. He said to Legion, “I’m sorry for using you as a shield.”

“No, I don’t mind…”

“Legi, you should be careful. Jill’s preaching lasts long. One time, I stayed up late from reading
a book, and he reprimanded me severely.”

“Is that so?” Legion stared at Jill in surprise.

Pretending to be innocent, Jill answered, “I won’t reprimand someone I’m not worried about.”

“This is what I’m talking about. There’s nothing more difficult than opposing him,” Vio said
with a wry smile. He was well aware that one of Jill’s ways to express love is by scolding. As
such, he couldn’t coldly refuse him.

Unable to endure it anymore, Legion laughed and guided Vio towards the door. “It’s great that
both of you are getting along. Now then, let’s depart. Sir Lantz and Sir Cheval are waiting near
the carriage.”

“Isn’t Sir Lantz on break?” Vio asked.

“He said he wanted to accompany us. Since we’re going to the town, there’s nothing better than
having more escorts,” Legion answered. A baton hung on Legion’s waist.

Since he was going to acquire a new sword, it was acceptable for him to only be equipped with a
baton. However, Vio couldn’t imagine that anyone could outdo him, even if Legion was
equipped with just a baton. After all, he could fight against an Equestrian Dragon with just that.

“Hmm, okay then,” replied Vio, but it was clear that Lantz was investigating him. As his
thoughts wandered into this direction, he recalled the crown prince’s face.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Hauser, Cheval, and Lantz waited near the carriage, which was a four-seater. Since Cheval
would share a seat with the coachman, Lantz wouldn’t be able to accompany them inside. He
would be riding a horse, which he was currently pulling reins of.

“Good morning, Lord Violant,” they greeted as Vio approached them.

“Good morning.”

As he was about to get into the carriage, Cheval interrupted him, apologetic. “Um, Lord Violant.
Are you really going to the restaurant I talked about before?”

“That’s the plan. I like seafood dishes, so I’ve been wanting to go and have some ever since I
heard about the restaurant.”

“But look… You can request for the chef to come to the palace and cook for you, can’t you?
Honestly, that place is, uhh, too noisy of a place for a noble to visit,” Cheval said, carefully
picking his choice of words.

Vio had an inkling of what he had meant to say. “There are many commoners that frequent it,
right? Don’t worry, I don’t mind.”

“N-no, I’m the one who minds…” Cheval said with a bitter expression, blocking Vio from
getting into the carriage.
A suspicious glint to his eyes, Legion asked, “What restaurant were you talking about?”

“It’s Dally McWell’s restaurant on 10th Avenue of the 6th District. The Holly Pavilion,” Cheval
confessed, proving Legion’s suspicion.

Lantz pulled his horse to stand beside Cheval, who was avoiding eye contact with Legion. “I
believe 10th Avenue is right next to the slums. But since it’s a restaurant, it should at least be
clean, right?” Lantz mused.

“There are many ill-bred customers, Sir Lantz. It’s a restaurant you would never go to,” Cheval
murmured, having a headache. He regretted mentioning the restaurant to Vio.

“I see… Is this not enough?” Vio took out a piece of paper that he had carried in his pocket and
showed it to Cheval.

“Uh, a magic circle? Hm, this… seems to be low-level magic,” Cheval said after he had stared at
the magic circle. He handed the paper to Lantz in one a swift move. “Sir Lantz, take a look.”

Lantz glowered at him before doing so. “You’re really hopeless. Isn’t this a low-level magic
barrier using wind and light magic?”

“I’m not good at deciphering magic circles,” Cheval grumbled as he pouted.

Lantz glowered at Cheval once again before nodding to Vio, handing the paper back to him.
“This should be enough. By casting this, the opponent will end up half-dead.”

Cheval shuddered. “Wow! So it has that much power? Scary!”

Vio slipped the piece of paper back into his pocket. He could defend himself by casting spells.
However, if he ended up in a situation where he couldn’t speak, a magic circle was a necessity.
He was hiding more sheets of paper with magic circles in other places, and also carried a hidden
self-defense weapon. Even if someone launched a surprise attack on them, it should be fine.

“Sir Cheval, Sir Lantz has already approved it, so it’s okay,” Vio said.

“…Do you want to eat seafood that much?”

“Yes. I think it’ll be more delicious if I eat in the place where the seafood was cooked. Can’t we
go there?”

“Uhhhh… If you insist, then I guess it’s fine. But please don’t separate from either Legi or me
when we arrive at 10th Avenue. There are many hooligans there. I was raised in that area, so I
know how they do things. They find people who come from other districts as easy targets,”
Cheval said as he ruffled his blonde hair.

That might be why Cheval was very reluctant to go to such a place. He had the look of a noble,
but was also a bit unruly.

A smile graced Vio’s lips. “I’m more reassured now that we have Sir Cheval, who was raised
there. Please take care of me.”
“…Yes, I understand,” Cheval replied and bowed. But after that, he held his head and groaned,
as if he was enduring something. Confused at Cheval’s eccentric behavior, Vio stared at him
with worry.

Legion then gently pushed Vio’s back. “Please enter the carriage, Lord Violant. You don’t have
to worry about him. He’s not used to getting praised; he’s just shy.”

As if proving that Legion had hit the bull’s-eye, Cheval immediately said, “Legi, shut your
mouth!”.

Ch 40 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(IV)
The carriage stopped on the main street of 3rd Avenue, shops lining each side. Leaving only
Hauser in the carriage, Vio and the others took a stroll on the street.

Perhaps because they were close to 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue, which were filled with the
townhouses of the nobility, Vio caught glimpses of not only commoners, but also some people in
noble attire.

His main purpose in visiting the stores was to find out how much Leca’s local specialty products
cost in the royal capital. After looking around for an hour, Vio felt that he had a general idea and
decided to take a break at the public square.

“They’re selling the ink and candies at quite a high price here. It might be fine to raise the prices
a bit when we sell the products in Leca town,” Vio murmured, sitting on a bench beneath the
shade of a tree.

It surprised him that most of the stores here tripled the price. He had worked with the merchants
that frequented Leca town for a good while. But it seemed they had been cheating him for profit;
he could not continue working with the merchants the way he had in the past.

“At most, we should raise the price by around ten percent. I believe the price is high here due to
the toll for leaving the Lesserhains’ territory, not because merchants are trying to gain more
profit,” Jill said in a reserved manner.

Vio nodded. “Toll, huh… Is the toll that expensive?”

“The toll isn’t much when merchants are coming in, but the cost skyrockets when they leave.
However, since the wool in the Lesserhains’ territory is of high quality, merchants will still come
even if the toll is expensive.”

“Hmm, so that’s how it is. Then our current price is already appropriate, right? Looking at it in
the long term, we can gain more profit even with cheap prices if we brand our products. We need
to popularize the name. But now, there’s this inferior knock off product. The way it’s made, the
colors won’t mix well and the ink will be hard to write with.”

Vio dipped his fingers into the bottle he had purchased from the market. “If they’re going to sell
something like this, they should just use the sap of Leca flowers. It will rot, though.”
Leca ink was made by mixing the dye made from Leca flowers, iron oxide powder, oil, and
antiseptic liquid extracted from herbs.

Vio had experimented to find the appropriate proportions of each ingredient. Once he had the
correct formula, he tried to sell the ink in Nada town. And the product was well-received. After
which, he started to market it as Leca town’s local specialty.

The reason he had started the business: he thought it’d be better to make a bit of profit than just
sit around doing nothing. In any case, before these Leca flower products, Leca town had had
nothing to boast of. Vio’s good luck helped him hit the jackpot.

“It’s just as you said, Young Master. The dye and oil don’t mix well. This quality is just as
expected from someone who wants to copy us. However, this is still too much.” Jill held out
another bottle. “This one is slightly better.”

Vio glanced at the other bottle, and he could see that despite Jill’s words, the ink on the top still
didn’t mix well.

He sighed. “We should formulate a counterplan as soon as possible. The composition is not
particularly hard, so I already expected that similar products would appear on the market… But
this is a problem. This will hurt Leca town’s name.”

“Master, how about adding the crest of the Lesserhain family on the products?”

Vio shook his head at Rille’s proposal. “That’s certainly the best choice, but for that I’d have to
ask for Father’s permission. If so, we’ll be taxed again. Too troublesome.”

“Then how about making a symbol like that store?” Legion pointed at the signboard of a store
nearby. Its name was written on a symbol that resembled a bird.

Vio nodded. “Good idea. If we register the design and associate the product with it, it will
prevent people from fabricating our products. We should think of a complicated pattern that
can’t be replicated easily.”

“Young Master, how about commissioning a suitable artist while we’re in the royal capital? We
can also check the registered designs to make sure we don’t use one that’s too similar to past
designs. Then we can go back to Leca town to make the stamp. It’ll be faster that way.”

“You’re right, Jill. I’ll entrust this task to you.”

“Understood.” Jill bowed before taking the inferior goods from Vio’s hand and placing them into
a paper bag.

“Do you have anything else you want to buy?” Legion said.

Vio’s troubled face expression regained its calm as he answered, “We’re going to visit the
weapon shop, eat some seafood dishes, and then greet Rille’s parents. Let’s continue going over
this issue tomorrow.”

“Alright.”
Vio stood from the bench. He then recalled the items he had seen in the shops they had happened
to pass by before. It may be a good idea to produce other magical items. How about yarn dyed
with pigments made from Leca flowers?

By embroidering magic circles with such yarn, the clothing would then have protective effects.
Making beads with spirit stone was popular, considering the fact that spirit stones held magic
essence. However, if he could make yarn, then he didn’t have to go through the troublesome
process of producing beads. And since it would be made with Leca flower dye, Vio could sell it
at a lower price. It was likely to get popular.

Even so, if Vio was too aggressive in pursuing profits, he would make things difficult for
merchants and other people dealing with spirit stones. As such, he should advance slowly but
steadily.

Since he was satisfied with making Leca town easier to live in, he didn’t want to monopolize the
market. Besides, if his name grew too renowned, his brother would keep an eye on him again.

As Vio had pondered this while walking, Jill cleared his throat. “Young Master, please indulge
in your thoughts later. You’ll trip.”

“Ah, sorry. I came up with a good idea.” In a flash, Vio cleared his mind. He didn’t wish to
anger Jill again.

Following that, he noticed Cheval and Lantz staring at him with puzzled expressions. Confused,
he returned their stares with a questioning gaze.

“Pardon our rudeness. We’re just impressed by how knowledgeable Lord Violant is about Leca
ink.”

Before Vio could answer, Rille puffed out her chest proudly and said, “That’s only natural.
Master came up with it himself!”

“It was by chance, though. I only threw myself into work because I wanted to have some money
to buy tea,” Vio said, a tint of embarrassment apparent in his tone. It was a bit hard to admit that
he found the use of Leca flowers while playing with them.

His reply shocked both knights.

“Some money… to buy tea?”

Vio nodded at Lantz. “That’s right. Leca town is a poor rural town, so we can’t afford to spend
much money. But things have gotten a little better now. Thanks to the income from Leca ink, we
managed to roughly halve the number of deaths during winter. It’s really a relief.”

Although Vio was happy he could afford to drink tea now, he was even happier about Leca
town’s increased standard of living. “Ah, right! Let’s look for preserved foods at the marketplace
later. Jill, be sure to remind me at that time.”

“Understood.”

“We need to buy some seeds too. There are only turnips and buckwheat in Leca town. I want to
bring back some good vegetable seeds.”
“We should look for apples as well.”

“Right,” said Vio, unaware of Cheval and Lantz looking at each other as he made his way toward
the carriage.

His next goal was to eat cakes with powdered sugar at least once a year. Sugar was expensive, so
they had to be very conservative in how they used it, with the exception being for jams and
syrups.

Author’s note:

※ Regarding the ink

I wasn’t very sure how ink is produced, so please don’t take what I wrote too seriously.

Apparently, ink is made by mixing oil or resin. Japanese paints are made by mixing glue and
pigments from natural minerals.

If there’s anyone who is familiar with this process, please let me know if what I wrote is
accurate…

Ch 41 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(V)
After sending Jill and Legion off on their trip to the weapon store, Vio took a stroll around the
street. He had intended on waiting inside a random restaurant until they had selected a suitable
sword for Legion. However, he happened to catch sight of an interesting stall.

It was selling juice from a fruit that he had never seen before. Manning it was a woman in her
thirties, her face tanned and her olive-brown hair pulled back in a tight bun. She also wore a
scarf.

“What’s that?” Curious, Vio made his way toward the stall.

“Ah, Master! I can go buy it in your stead if you’d like…” called out Rille, seeming troubled
before chasing after him. Cheval and Lantz followed her.

“Excuse me, Madam. What are you selling?”

“M-Madam?!” The stall owner widened her eyes in surprise. Then she burst into loud laughter.
“Calling me madam is too much! Why’d you tease me like that? It’s embarrassing for someone
doll-like to call me that, y’know. Plus, you’re a noble!”

The woman continued to laugh. Although she talked like she had disliked the way Vio had
addressed her, her face revealed happiness mixed with slight embarrassment.

Lantz stepped forward, warning, “Shopkeeper, your way of speaking is too—”

“Now, now, Sir Lantz,” said Cheval, pulling him away. “Lord Violant doesn’t seem to mind.
Let’s just spectate.”

As Vio wondered why the knights were making a ruckus behind him, he asked the stall owner,
“Then how should I call you?”

“Just call me ‘Aunt.’” The stall owner took out a fruit from her basket and tilted her head. “You
were asking what this was, right?”

Vio nodded. “Yes.”

There, Vio saw the fruit for the first time. It had a hard shell, its size just large enough that it
could still be held with one hand.

“This fruit is picked from a stonepelt tree. Its shell is incredibly hard, so it can be used like a
rock, thrown at thieves and other dangerous creatures to drive them away. However, the flesh
itself is also a popular snack among children.”

The stall owner wrapped the fruit in a piece of cloth before striking it with a hammer, the sound
of the shell cracking accompanying it. Once she unwrapped the cloth, Vio could see the white
tender flesh inside.

When she offered it to him, Vio decided not to be reserved and accepted it. As he took a bite, the
slightly sweet and sour juices of the fruit spread in his mouth.

“Delicious,” said Vio. He had thought it to be akin to a walnut, but the taste was similar to a
lychee’s.

“Right? Its slight sourness works well in fighting fatigue in this summer heat. Would you like a
cup?”

“Sure. Please give me four.”

“Got it! That’s four copper coins.”

Vio took out his wallet but noticed that he had no copper coins. The currency of the Kingdom of
Istiah was called Edel. One copper coin was equivalent to one Edel. One silver coin equalled one
hundred Edel. And of course, one gold coin was a thousand Edel. This also meant that one silver
coin was equal to a hundred copper coins.

He wished he had at least ten copper coins in hand, but it was usually Jill who did the shopping.
Even though Vio possessed a wallet of his own, he had not had an opportunity to pull it out.
Naturally, he wouldn’t manage to obtain any smaller denominations of money. However, if he
were to pay her a coin of large value, the stall owner would have to take out a ton of change, and
this would surely be troublesome for her.

As Vio hesitated on whether to hand his silver coin or not, Cheval suddenly extended his hand
from beside Vio and placed four copper coins on the counter of the stall.

“Here are four copper coins.”

“Thank you. Please wait a moment!” The stall owner counted the coins with great speed and
stored it, right after which she started to make the juice by mashing the flesh of the fruits.

Vio turned to Cheval in surprise. “Sir Cheval?”

“You probably only have silver or gold coins, right? Please don’t worry. This is merely small
change,” said Cheval before casting Rille a glance.

She turned away with a huff. “I see. Then Master and I will accept your kind offer. Thank you.”

“This much is nothing. Would you like to go on a date with me next time? It’ll be fun walking
around town like this.”

“I refuse. This and that are two different matters,” said Rille without hesitation. This saddened
Cheval.

Vio was thankful for his help, but it seemed like Cheval’s intention had been to gain brownie
points with Rille through him. He completely failed, though.

A bitter smile crossed Vio’s face. “Um, thank you very much, Sir Cheval.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Cheval, head hung in dejection.

Meanwhile, the stall owner had finished making four cups of juice. Floating in them were pieces
of ice, created using magic. “Here it is! Drink this and cool yourselves down from the heat.
Please come again if you like it!”

“Yes, thank you,” replied Vio, accepting one of the unglazed cups. Beside him, Rille handed
Cheval and Lantz a cup each in a swift manner.

Then they moved under the shade of the tree that was along the street where the weapon store
was located. There was also a bench placed near the trunk of the tree. Vio sat on the bench with
Rille, while Lantz and Cheval stood side-by-side, taking sips from their cups.

Vio took a sip of the stonepelt juice himself. Its sweet and sour taste made him smile. “The fruit
itself was delicious, but it tastes even better as a drink.”

Rille said, “You’re right, Master. It’s delicious. It’s been a long time since I last drank this.”

“When I was a kid, I always looked forward to having this during the summer.”

Since Rille and Cheval had grown up in the royal capital, the juice brought them nostalgia. Only
Lantz remained silent as he drank his.

Vio shifted his gaze toward him. “Sir Lantz, does it not suit your tastes?”

“No, it’s delicious. It’s just… I was surprised that Lord Violant would buy and drink something
like this.”

“Oh, this is the first time I’ve bought a drink from a stall. Usually, Jill does everything for me,
including the shopping.”
“Mister Jill is a talented person. He can do everything!” added Rille, pride in her voice.

Vio nodded in agreement, taking another sip. Unconsciously, he muttered, “This will definitely
taste delicious as a sorbet.”

Rille looked at Vio in puzzlement. “Sorbay?”

Vio tried not to panic at the fact that he had revealed knowledge from his previous life. With
caution, he replied, “I’ve forgotten where I heard it before, but you would freeze the juice and
shave it. Then you would eat the shavings. Turning them into a bite-sized piece of ice might be
good too.” A pause. “That mental image left me craving for some. Maybe I should try making
sorbet. If I could first borrow a kitchen somewhere…”

“Master sure knows everything. I haven’t eaten anything of the sort. But if we only need to
freeze the juice before shaving it, Mister Jill’s magic would do the trick. I’ll try making it once
we get home.”

“Really? Then please do, Rille.”

“Yes, please leave it to me.”

In the middle of Vio’s pleasant chat with Rille, he saw a young man with black hair coming
toward them from a distance.

“Sir Night?”

“As I thought, it’s Lord Violant,” said Night before bowing. He was dressed in a plain black
robe. “I’m sorry for bothering you in the midst of your sightseeing. I had thought it was only
someone with great semblance to Lord Violant. But against my expectations, it really was you.”

“It’s okay. I dressed like this to blend with the commoners.” Vio grinned, happy that it did the
trick.

But Night laughed and said, “No way, Lord Violant. Regardless of how I look at you, it’s
obvious that you’re a noble travelling incognito. I just never thought I would see you drinking
juice by the side of the road… So even a member of a duke’s family would buy and drink
something like this.”

His words were similar to Lantz’s. Vio also felt secretly sad that his disguise didn’t work at all.
“It looked delicious, so I bought a few cups. Sir Night, are you here to look for a new sword as
well?”

“No, the princess has already given me a new sword. But I heard of a shop around the area that
has a good lineup of products, and there are several weapons that I wish to purchase. That’s why
I came here.”

This reminded Vio that in the manga “Princess Dances with the Night,” the protagonist Night
always prepared several steps ahead. He always carried hidden weapons and gadgets on his
person. It seemed that he did his preparations in this manner.

“How unexpected. Right now, Legion is selecting a sword from that store.”
“Sir Legion?” Night glanced at the weapon store and began to look fidgety.

“Please feel free to talk to him. He’ll definitely be happy.”

“Ah, no. Please pardon my rudeness. I was wondering what type of sword the best knight in this
kingdom would choose.”

“It’s fine, I don’t really mind,” said Vio. Though Night tried to keep a calm facade, Vio could
see right through him. “Ah, Sir Night. We’re going to a restaurant on 10th Avenue that’s known
for its delicious dishes. Why don’t you join us? I’ll treat you.”

“Uh, is that okay? I’m incredibly grateful for your offer. I have no acquaintances in this town, so
I have no idea what is delicious here… I even wondered whether I should just buy some bread
and return after completing my purchases.” Night’s gray eyes sparkled, and he had a genuine
charming smile on his face, not a hint of flattery present. He bowed once again. “Then I will
finish my business first. Please wait a moment.”

“Legi is also inside, so you don’t need to hurry.”

“Yes!” replied Night, his tone lighthearted. However, he still walked toward the weapon store at
a fast pace.

“…Maybe I should buy another cup,” said Vio, glancing down into his empty cup.

Quick as lightning, Rille stood up. “I will buy it for Master this time! I won’t lose to Sir Cheval!”

Then, not giving Vio time to recover from his surprise, Rille ran to the stall they had visited
earlier.

Unable to help himself, Vio asked, “Sir Cheval, have you made any progress with Rille?”

“If I have, she wouldn’t act so competitive with me like this…” Cheval breathed a heavy sigh.

Lantz patted the other knight’s shoulder, though his face was as expressionless as ever.

Ch 42.1 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(VI)
Once they arrived at 10th Avenue, there was a visible difference in the people and the
surroundings compared to before. Many of the passersbys had a good build and looked like they
were day laborers or mercenaries. The rest, whether male or female, wore patched clothes.
However, everyone looked lively, and there was no hint of gloom on their faces. The buildings
seemed slightly aged, but the streets were clean.

“Are those people mercenaries?” Vio asked.

Cheval nodded. “Yes, they are immigrated mercenaries. This district has a lot of drifters, so it’s a
rough place.” They stopped in front of a restaurant with a fish-shaped signboard. “Ah, here it is.
Please wait a moment.”
Cheval barged into the restaurant first, shouting, “Hey, old man!”

Vio could hear the sound of a conversation, then loud footsteps growing closer to the door.
Finally, the door with peeling green paint swung open. A muscular, black-haired man glared at
them with his sharp green eyes. Just by looking at his ears and tail, Vio could tell he was a cat
Locana. Yet, somehow, it felt like he was facing a bear.

“Good grief, just what kinda damned noble would suddenly come to eat my grub here…” The
man’s voice, which held a tone of complaint, grew quieter and quieter until he was completely
silent. He took a long, hard look at Vio, then leaned out of the doorway to check the
surroundings. He shifted his gaze back to Vio. “…Y’er the customer?”

“Old man,” Cheval said, rubbing his forehead like he had a headache.

“The heck, Cheval,” whispered the man. “I never expected a lil’ birdie like him to come to this
kind of place, ‘kay? I was sure that ya brought an arrogant, sly old fox…”

Vio said, “I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. Is there room for seven people?”

“Yeah. By the counter and you’d hafta share a table with someone. Sorry ‘bout this, but we can’t
serve a dish fit for nobles. So why did you come to my wee dirty place?”

Vio pointed to Cheval and answered, “Sir Cheval said that you serve the best seafood in the
royal capital.”

“…Ah?” The man frowned like he had heard something unbelievable. He once again faced
Cheval. Cheval averted his gaze at once.

The man laughed. “Hey, Cheval! You sometimes spit out some cute things, don’t ya?! Yeah,
that’s great! Come on in. I’ll feed y’all my best dish just for that. Ahaha, I can’t believe it. This
silly brat Cheval actually said that my food’s the best in the royal capital!”

“Shut up already! You don’t have to keep saying it!”

“Listen up, everyone! Just now, Cheva—”

“And don’t announce it to the regular customers! Damn it, dad!” Despite how loudly Cheval had
cursed, the laughter of everyone in the restaurant drowned out his voice.

“…‘Dad?’” Vio unconsciously murmured.

Legion laughed and said, “Cheval has been coming to this restaurant since he was a child. It
seems he regards that man, Dally McWell, as his father. I heard it from the other customers when
I came here before.”

Then, with a trace of a smile, Vio said louder, “Oh, is that so?”

Rille chuckled. “So he’s saying that his father figure’s restaurant is the best in the royal capital.
He also has a cute side, huh?”

“Yeah.”
Contrary to their arguments that Vio could hear from inside the restaurant, the two were actually
on good terms. Vio found that great.

As he entered the restaurant, he saw that it was built like a long rectangle. On the right side by
the wall stood the counter, with the kitchen behind it. On the left side were six tables that could
seat four to six people.

Once the laughing customers caught sight of Vio, they grew shocked; all around, not a sound
could be heard.

Feeling uncomfortable, Vio offered a wry smile with a slightly tilted head. “Um… Sorry to
disturb you?”

At that instant, the customers stood from their chairs, moved their tableware onto other tables,
and rearranged the tables and chairs.

While he stood there dumbfounded, the seats for seven people were soon ready. Then the bear
man… no, the owner, Dally, pointed to those seats from the kitchen. “What’re ye standin’
dazedly there for? Go take a seat.”

“Everyone just wants to make a good impression. Please don’t worry about it. Lord Violant,
please take a seat,” Cheval said with a grimace. He pulled out the chairs only for Vio and Rille,
then urged the others to sit without any care.

The hard wooden chair was quite comfortable to sit on. Once Vio sat down, he could hear
whispering from his surroundings.

“Wow, he’s so beautiful! He’s sparkling and looks like a doll.”

“His face looks feminine, but that’s a man, right? Amazing.”

“It’s a miracle. A miracle from the Great Spirit. Let’s worship him.”

“This place doesn’t suit him at all, hahaha.”

The chattering Vio managed to pick up startled him. Worship…?! Why?!

In a timid manner, Vio sneaked a glance, only to find that a man was indeed praying eagerly to
him. Vio turned back at once and pretended he didn’t see him. It was baffling; after all, he
couldn’t give any divine favors even if someone worshipped him.

“Please decide on the drink you want to order. Old Man will bring the appropriate dishes later
on,” Cheval said, handing out the menu.

Vio received it and ordered water with fruits in it. The others ordered juice and tea, and only
Night ordered wine.

“What? Only one guy ordered alcohol?” Dally asked.

Cheval answered, “We’re working.”

“Whoa, it’s so disgustin’ to hear you sayin’ something serious.”

“Just shut up already,” Cheval said in irritation. However, Dally didn’t take him seriously.

“Uh, Lord Violant. I know it is a bit late to ask, but are you fine with us sharing a table with you?
We are your escorts…” said Lantz awkwardly.

Vio nodded. “In the first place, I planned to treat you all. It’s okay. Plus, having you guys
standing at the doorway will bother the restaurant.”

Night, who sat diagonally to the left of Vio, was perhaps too relaxed that he said casually,
“Haha, Lord Violant is, how do I say this, really different from other nobles. Most of them treat
knights like us like statues, you know?” In a flash, he corrected his posture. “Ah, please forgive
my rudeness.”

Vio gently said, “We’re not formally socializing right now, so please be at ease. I’m also more
comfortable that way.”

Once Night had confirmed that Vio didn’t mind, he broke into a broad, relieved smile.

“I practically never went outside my mansion, so I don’t know what behavior is normal,”
continued Vio. “If I’m doing something rude, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“N-n-n-no, you’re not rude at all!”

“That’s a relief. Sir Night, if possible, can you tell me about the Ruslan Kingdom? I heard it’s a
beautiful country with abundant water.”

Ch 42.2 – A Stroll Around the Royal Capital

(VI)
The Verdurous Spirit Yuglena protected the Kingdom of Istiah. Thanks to the divine protection
the royal family received, the kingdom was blessed with lush green land. On the other hand, the
Cerulean Spirit Aslair protected the Kingdom of Ruslan, and due to its divine protection, the
kingdom was blessed with water.

Rumours had it that the royal castle built on the seashore was as beautiful as a pearl.

“Yes. Our sea trade is prosperous and the seafood is delicious. Which reminds me, I’m truly
surprised when I heard Istiah mixes its ink rather than using the natural form of ink like us. We
use squid ink in Ruslan,” Night said.

Finding the topic of conversation interesting, Vio leaned forward slightly. “Squid ink? It’s
possible to use it to write with?” he asked, before taking a drink from one of the beverages that
had been served. “That’s fascinating.”

Vio then drew Lantz into the conversation, asking him questions with enthusiasm. Perhaps
incited by the two of them conversing with keen interest for the topic, Night also joined them,
passionate in his words.

Absorbed as they were in their conversation, they didn’t notice that time had passed by.
Unbeknownst to them, Dally stood next to their table, arms full of plates of food. “It’s done,” he
said, his words snapping them back to their surroundings. “I baked these in the oven.” He placed
down the plate of said dish. “These? Grilled with salt.” Another plate was placed. “This is [tn
content=”meat Doria”]juni: It’s meat sauce over steamed rice with cheese that’s baked. (rice
gratin?)[/tn] and salad. There’s also bread and soup.”

The table was filled with dishes in no time.

Since this restaurant was located in the downtown area, everything, from appetizers to desserts,
was served at once. Vio, Lantz, and Night pushed their conversion to the back of their minds and
stared at the dishes. They looked even more delicious than they had expected.

Jill promptly stood and placed the dishes onto their individual plates, which Rille then served to
their group. Impressed by the work style of the servants, Dally said from the back of the counter,
“Both of you work well, y’know. How ‘bout working here?”

“I’m honored, but I’m Young Master’s butler,” Jill replied.

“I work for Master too!” said Rille.

“Yeah? What a shame. But come anytime if you have a problem. I’ll hire ya,” Dally replied with
a shrug.

Vio smiled at their exchange and brought a piece of the baked fish Jill had cut up for him to his
mouth. Dally stared at Vio nervously. The other guests were also looking at him, waiting for his
reaction.

“This is delicious! It’s crunchy and bursting with flavor as well,” said Vio. “It’s a pity that I
can’t eat this at the castle.”

At last, a smile spread across Dally’s lips. “Ain’t that right? You sure got a good head on ya
shoulders, boy!”

“Haha, as expected from the best seafood restaurant in the royal capital!” said one of the regular
customers.

“Even the taste suits a noble’s tongue. You’re awesome, Dally!” said another.

The seafood dishes Vio ate at the castle were delicious, but the kitchen was far from his room.
As a result, the dishes would have cooled by the time they arrived. On the contrary, Dally’s
dishes were freshly-cooked and warm. The taste of light seasoning was delectable.

“I’m glad Sir Cheval brought me here,” Vio said.

“No, it’s me who should be glad. I’m sorry that it’s noisy here,” Cheval replied, relieved that Vio
was happy with the meal.

The dishes were all so delicious that Vio forgot to restrain himself. Although he ate in an elegant
manner, he scarfed down his food. Soon, his plate became empty.

“It’s unusual for Young Master to eat like this. I will also have a bite…” Jill said. The moment
the food fell on his tongue, his eyes widened. “Oh.”
“The meals in the castle are delicious, but the cooks go heavy on the seasoning, don’t they? I
prefer a lightly-seasoned meal like this.”

“Yes, this is very delicious. Especially since I am old now, and eating lightly-seasoned meals is
easier for my digestion,” said Jill as he took his time starting to eat, savoring the taste.

Rille ate a small bite with a happy expression. “I also love how it tastes! It turns out Master likes
these kinds of meals. I’ve learned something new today. Then I will do my best to cook this in
the future!”

“But aren’t river fish expensive in Leca town?” asked Legion innocently.

Shooting a glare his way, Rille snapped, “What a lack of sense! Even if you’re aware of this, you
shouldn’t voice it out of courtesy!”

“…I’m sorry,” said Legion in a meek manner. For some reason, Cheval looked jealous of their
exchange.

“By the way, did you find a sword that fits you, Legi?” Vio asked, turning to him.

Nodding, Legion said, “Yes. I found a sword that has the perfect weight and a nice swing. Such
is only natural from a store renowned for its great section of product. The owner is unsociable,
but he has good judgement.”

“It’s not just the sword. The quality of their knives was so impeccable that I almost purchased
too many,” said Night. Vio knew little about weapons, but since Night usually hid weapons like
throwing knives on his body, Vio assumed Night was talking about the throwing knives in the
store.

Then, Legion and Night fell into a conversation about weapons. Things Vio didn’t understand.
Such as the halberd displayed being beautiful and the magic cast on each weapon being refined
matching very well with the shape of the weapons.

Although this could be considered as their first proper meeting, Legion and Night were cheerful
and friendly with each other, as if they were old friends. Perhaps because they had previously
fought each other with swords.

Vio took in their conversation. Having a friend looks fun.

Not only did Vio rarely step foot outside the mansion, he also almost never appeared in high
society events. Naturally, he had no friends among the nobility. The only person that he could
consider calling a “friend” had been Erik.

After he had recalled Erik, a trace of gloom settled in his heart. Since it would be rude to the
delicious meal should he allow these thoughts to roam free, Vio chased away the haze within his
mind.

As he concentrated on how delightful to the senses the meals were, he overheard the regular
customers, who had lost interest in observing Vio and the group, gossiping with each other.

“In the end, what’s with that hand coming out from the wall?” whispered one of them.
“I heard a traveler disappeared recently,” said another, completely serious. “I was worried that
thing would kidnap my kid, but this brat straight up called it ridiculous! We ended up fighting,
and I even had to push his curfew earlier.”

“You too? It’s the same with my wife. She told me it’s just a ghost story. Even though I was only
worried about her, she actually laughed at me.”

Hand coming out from the wall? What’s that? What a strange ghost story. Vio wanted to keep
listening, but the gossiping customers seemed to have finished their meal. One or two of them
stood up and left the restaurant.

“Lord Violant, the soup is tasty. Please have a sip,” Legion said with a smile.

“Hm? Ah, yeah. Thank you,” said Vio, pulling the bowl of soup closer to him, all thoughts of the
mysterious ghost story vanishing from his mind.

Author’s note:

※ Regarding the squid ink

As I was thinking about the ink, I saw a documentary on TV about it by chance. It seems like a
long time ago, people actually used squid ink to make writing ink. At the start, the ink would be
black, but as time passed, the color would turn brown. Also, sepia means “squid ink.” (T/N: In
Japanese)

Ch 43 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (I)

After leaving Dally McWell’s Holly Pavilion, Vio’s group parted with Night on 3rd Avenue and
headed for the residence of Rille’s parents on 4th Avenue.

Since Rille had said no one would be at home during the day, they visited the Great Temple
beside it. Different from the various shrines that served as places of worship for the spirits, this
temple housed the Verdurous Spirit Yuglena, who protected the Kingdom of Istiah.

Only some priests and members of the royal family could meet Yuglena. According to rumors,
Yuglena changed appearances according to their mood. Sometimes, they would assume the form
of a ball of light. Other times, that of animals or humans. They also didn’t like to appear in front
of anyone apart from their favorite humans or beastmen. The ordinary visitor wouldn’t feel like
they had entered the personal residence of the spirit; at best, the atmosphere was merely akin to a
temple’s prayer hall and ritual hall.

After they’d passed through the gate and disembarked from the carriage in the front yard, Vio
caught sight of several parked carriages, some of which belonged to nobles. He didn’t know
whether they visited out of true devotion or simply out of pretense, due to the many
distinguished individuals swarming to the royal capital at present.

“So this is the Great Temple. It’s my first time coming here. What a splendid-looking building,”
muttered Vio in admiration as he stared up at the temple. It had green stained glass with beautiful
floral patterns for windows. Tall steeples also topped the temple.
“That building serves as the barrier protecting the Great Spirit, so great attention and effort was
poured toward its construction. Let’s enter, Master,” said Rille. She then took the lead and
walked in the direction of the temple.

They entered through a thick wooden door, beautifully carved with patterns of flowers and
plants. It was dim inside, save for the colored light pouring onto the altar through the stained
glass windows, creating an austere atmosphere. Benches were lined up in rows in the hall, with
the exception of the pillared corridor that acted as the aisle. Scattered around the room, figures of
humans and beastmen praying could be seen seated on these benches.

“I will call my family, so please wait here and take a look around,” said Rille in a soft voice
before bowing. Following that, she walked to a priest in green standing by the corner of the room
and chatted with him. After a while, they entered through a door.

Vio shot Rille a sidelong glance as she disappeared into the door, before leisurely roaming
around the hall. However, he stopped after a few steps. There was a wooden scaffold on the left
wall. He raised his head toward the ceiling.

There was a man with a small yet fit physique. By his side, two young men acted as his
assistants. He was painting an image of Yuglena at the center of the ceiling. It seemed like he
also intended to paint humans and beastmen around the spirit in postures of worship, but so far,
only a third of the ceiling was layered with paint. Meanwhile, the wall remained untouched.

As Vio took in the painter’s skilful brush strokes, Lantz whispered, “This temple is still under
construction. It took a hundred years to build it into its current state.”

“A hundred years? That’s amazing…” Vio stared at the temple, this time with a different light in
his gaze. Even though magic existed in this world, construction still had to be done manually. As
he felt deeply impressed by mankind and beastkind’s amazing skills, a loud noise reverberated
throughout the whole temple. It was the sound of a paintbrush hitting the stone floor.

It seemed that the painter’s hand had slipped. When Vio once again raised his head toward the
ceiling, his gaze met that of the painter. He was looking at them from above as he clung onto the
railing of the wooden scaffold.

The painter’s gaze was rather frightening, like he was eating at Vio’s soul. It didn’t seem like he
was searching for his paintbrush.

Vio scanned his surroundings for anything that could have attracted the painter’s attention, but
there was only Vio and his group in the vicinity. He turned to Legion, who stood beside him, but
Legion only shook his hand, denying that the painter was looking at Legion. After that, Vio
thought Lantz was the subject of the painter’s focus, but he also shook his head.

So it’s me?! What did I do?

Had the painter been irritated by their shared whispers? But before he could gather his thoughts,
the painter climbed down from the wooden scaffold, his movements akin to those of a mad man.
It was surprising that he hadn’t fallen down. Upon reaching the ground, he ran toward them,
fierce like a wild boar. “Hey,” he screamed with bloodshot eyes. “You there!”

Sensing danger from the painter, Vio stepped back out of reflex, while Legion shifted in front of
Vio to protect him.
“Not you!” The painter tried to push Legion away, but he didn’t budge.

“You’re being rude,” said Legion. “Go away.”

“Annoying! You’re a nuisance!” The painter leaned to the side, staring past Legion and onto Vio
fixedly. With satisfaction, he then said, “Oh, this is great. The model I’m looking for has finally
come! This must be Great Spirit’s will. Hey you, be a model for the ceiling piece.”

Vio couldn’t comprehend the painter’s words. “What…?”

To the left of Vio, Lantz asked in suspicion, “Are you talking about making him the model of
one of the people in your painting?”

“That’s right. I’ll reward you too. So, you don’t mind, right? Here! First, I have to sketch you.”
In the midst of the painter’s extreme excitement, he grabbed Vio’s right arm, not giving him time
to refuse.

“Huh?” Then Vio’s arm started to hurt. “Wait, ow!” The moment he yelled, the painter suddenly
released his grip. Vio also heard a heavy thump. Upon looking toward the painter, he saw him
toppling to the floor.

Legion looked down at the painter with cold eyes. In a low voice, he said, “It’s your fault for
ignoring my warning. I won’t allow you to treat my master with such rudeness any further”

Even for Vio, Legion’s threats, paired with his tone, sounded scary. In the middle of lifting his
upper body from the ground, the painter turned pale.

At that moment, Vio heard footsteps rushing their direction.

“Goldra! Are you at it again? Please stop being rude to the visitors!”

It was a man with dark-brown hair and white rabbit ears. He had a good physique underneath his
priestly green robes, and his silver earrings, a leaf motif to them, gleamed in the light. His red
eyes burned with anger as he stood right before the painter in a daunting pose.

He looks similar to someone…

Then Vio saw Rille behind the man. And he realized she had those exact same eyes when angry.

The priest made the painter kneel on the spot as he gave him a scolding in a nagging tone.

Right after that, a priestess, who had also come running behind the male priest, approached Vio
and bowed deeply. “Our temple’s employee has been extremely impolite. Let me apologize in
his stead. Please forgive him.”

She was a rabbit beastwoman. She was dressed in a green robe and had her dark-brown hair in a
braid. Her fluffy rabbit ears were covered in white fur, with a bit of black at the tips. Similar to
the man, she had silver earrings as well.

“It’s okay. He only grabbed my arm,” said Vio.

“Pardon me, but may I take a look at your arm?”

“Huh? Sure…”

In a gentle manner, the priestess pulled up Vio’s sleeve, and her face twisted in a frown. Marring
his skin were some red scratches.

Unsuiting her image, the priestess clicked her tongue, before bowing once again. “Thank you
very much. Really, I’ve told that slouch countless times to cut his nails… Please follow me so
that I can treat those marks.”

At that moment, the painter shouted in panic, “H-hey, wait! Be my model!”

“You’re still saying that? Please cut it out already. If it weren’t for the head priest’s protection,
you would’ve long been dismissed from the temple. Good grief,” said the male priest out of
amazement. When the painter tried to move, the male priest grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to
stay in place.

The painter’s tenacity brought a bitter smile to Vio’s face. “My apologies, but I can’t accept your
request to be a model. Please look for someone else.”

“Don’t say that. Please be my model…” said the painter, voice louder due to his extreme
sadness.

Vio pitied him a little, but his father had ordered him to not stand out. Acting as a model for a
painting was just unthinkable for him.

The priestess said, “There’s no need to waste your sympathy on his concerns. Please follow me.”

“Yes, just like what my elder sister said. Let’s go, Master,” said Rille, pointing at the door
leading to the shrine’s inner area.

“Elder sister?” Vio asked, surprised.

The woman quickly corrected her posture. “Excuse our rudeness. I am Reina Lentetta, and this is
Musica Lentetta, the father of me and Rille. My sister has been under your care.”

Reina possessed an aura that was as cold as a block of ice, completely different from the cute
aura Rille possessed, which was reminiscent of candy. Despite this, Vio strangely felt
comfortable around Reina. Meanwhile, their father Musica had a gentle atmosphere, similar to
Rille.

“No, she’s the one who has been taking care of me. Thanks to her, I can remain at ease every
day.”

At this, Rille quickly lowered her head, an expression of shyness crossing her face.

Reina’s gaze calmed to some degree. “I’m relieved to hear that. Then, shall we go? Ah, before
that…” She turned to two young priests and ordered, “Ryan, Bell, give that guy a bath and cut
his nails! I’ve reached the end of my patience with him. And while you’re at it, cut his messy
hair as well!”

With youthful voices, they replied, “Yes, we understand!” “We’ll do our best!”
“A bath, you say? And you’re going to cut my nails and hair too?! Hey , you’ll be cutting the
source of an artist’s insight!”

One of the young priests retorted, “I don’t believe you at all, Goldra.”

“Yeah. After angering Miss Reina, you should be grateful that she’s letting you off lightly.”

The priests each captured one of the screaming painter’s arms before leaving through another
door.

“Well, then. Let’s go now, Lord Violant,” said Reina, a refreshing smile on her face.

“…Yes.” Not knowing how to respond, Vio only nodded for the time being.

Ch 44 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (II)

The guest room they were led to had a green color scheme and a calming atmosphere.

Reina applied a poultice of sharp, distinct-smelling herbs on Vio’s arm and wrapped a bandage
around it. Then she nodded. “This should be enough.”

“Thank you,” Vio said, though he thought she was exaggerating. The scratches made by the
painter’s long nails were painful, but it wasn’t like the nails had pierced his skin.

A knock sounded on the door. Rille’s father, Musica, came in accompanied by a woman in her
forties. The woman had light brown hair and red eyes. She resembled Rille to an immense
degree, except for the black tips to her white rabbit ears. She said, “We are very sorry for this
incident, Lord Violant. How is your injury?”

“I have received treatment, so it’s alright now. Even so, I can’t say I’m impressed with that
painter’s behavior. It wouldn’t be strange if a quick-tempered noble used their blade to finish
him off,” said Vio in a helpless manner. If it were his father and brother, they would definitely
have pulled out their swords.

Although Vio didn’t want to warn them too much, he believed it would be better to do so than to
leave it alone. After all, such behavior might bring trouble in the future.

“Yes, I don’t have any words to refute. We are truly sorry. I-I hope that taking my life as
compensation will be enough to ease your anger.” Musica bowed, his face pale as he stared at the
sword on Lantz’s hip.

A bitter smile on his face, Vio pressed his fingers against his temple. Why does he have to
exaggerate that much?!

Musica was the type of person who’d torment himself with his own thoughts, so much that he
would jump straight off a cliff, wasn’t he?

“I’m just warning you, not asking you to take responsibility. If you can convey my words to your
higher-ups, that’s enough.” Vio pointed to the chaise lounge. “Will you raise your head and take
a seat over there? Um.” He looked to the woman standing next to Musica.
Noticing his gaze, the woman bowed on the spot. “Pleased to meet you, Lord Violant. I am
Rille’s mother, Milla.”

“Please take a seat too,” Vio requested. To which Milla complied, making her way to the chaise
lounge and sitting with Musica. “I didn’t come here to complain,” said Vio. “I came here to greet
all of you. Rille has accompanied me since I was ten and she’s been working hard. She’s been a
great help to me.”

“Oh my.” Milla smiled, staring at Vio in wonder.

“I’m honored that Master finds me helpful,” Rille said, entering the room with a tea set in her
hands. She promptly arranged the confectioneries and tea before bowing without a sound. As she
was about to retreat to the corner of the room, Vio beckoned to her and tapped the spot next to
him. “Rille, come here.”

Rille’s eyes widened in surprise, but she obeyed in a meek manner. “Y-yes, excuse me.”

Vio tilted his head to the side and asked, “Why don’t you take a few days off after all? I’m sure
you have a lot of things you want to tell your family, right?”

“Eh, I don’t want to. Master, you’re being cruel. Do you want to get rid of me that much?”

No, no, it’s you who is being cruel, isn’t it? Even your parents are shocked that their daughter
rejected them out of nowhere.

“There’s no way I want to get rid of you, okay?” said Vio. “But you didn’t go home for the New
Year’s celebration, and it’s been bothering me. There are other maids in the castle, so it’ll be
fine.”

“No, it’s not fine!” Rille clenched her fist and said emphatically, “I thought those maids would
do their jobs well considering their professions, but the towels they had washed felt coarse, and
the sheets they had brought out were rough! Just the thought of those things making Master
uncomfortable gets me so angry that I can’t sleep!”

In the face of Rille’s tirade, Vio could only ask weakly, “…R-really?” He thought it would be
the same no matter who washed it, but Rille seemed to think otherwise.

“Dad, Mom, Master Vio is very kind. When I said I didn’t want to go home, he made time to
come and greet you. I’ve said it before in my letters to you, but I absolutely don’t want to work
in the castle! And I don’t want to enter the temple or another noble house!” Rille declared.

Surprise struck Vio. Apparently, Rille had other reasons for her reluctance to return home. He
couldn’t help but frown and ask, “Rille, are you really not going to discuss such an important
matter with your family?”

Rille hunched her shoulders and averted her eyes.

A sigh escaped Vio’s lips. He rose to his feet. “If that’s the case, I’ll have you take a break, even
if you don’t want to. I know it’s too sudden, so for today, you have three hours. We’ll walk
around the castle town and come to pick you up in the evening. Stay here until then.”
“Huh, Master! No way, that’s too sudden—um, it’s nothing,” she said, under Vio’s glance of
warning. She hung her head, ears lowering in dejection.

“Mister Musica, Miss Milla, while it’s true that Rille is helpful to me, this is a different matter
altogether. Could you discuss it with her for the time being? I’ll take my leave for now.”

“Huh? Y-yes…” said Musica in the process of standing and escorting them to the door, shocked
to the point of sitting back down by Vio’s words. Vio headed straight to the door. As he left the
guest room, he heard this conversation:

“Ahaha. Miss Rille, do your best,” Cheval teased.

“Shut up, or I will kick you flying to the horizon.”

“Forgive my insolence.”

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“Ugh, he scolded me…” Rille fell prostrate on the table the moment had Vio left.

Reina snorted at her. “Of course he did. We were so worried about you, you know. The rumors
about Lord Violant are so terrible that we thought he was forcing you to praise him in your
letters. Really, what were you thinking?” She prodded at Rille’s cheek with her index finger.

“Please stop that, Big Sister Reina. Don’t poke my cheek!” complained Rille, pouting. She then
said, eyes gleaming, “I want to keep serving Master Vio. There’s definitely no kinder master
than him!” Then Rille noticed her mother Milla smiling even as a vein on her forehead protruded
in anger. She shut her mouth on the spot. Sat up straight.

“Then you should’ve come home and said that, right? I thought that he was such a terrible master
that he wouldn’t even let you go home for the New Year’s celebrations. Now then, tell us what
kind of life you had there. We’ll talk later about you either working in the castle or coming
home. Right, Dear?”

“Yes, that’s right, Rille. Do you have any idea how worried we were?” complained Musica in a
dull tone. “I thought three years were enough to learn manners through an apprenticeship with a
noble family, but who would have thought you’d refuse to return home in all this time.”

This was why I never went home. Since she wanted them to stop nagging, Rille informed them of
her current situation one step at a time.

Ch 45 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (III)

“Well then, let’s change our plans and take a walk around 3rd Avenue again,” Vio said once he
walked out of the large doors of the temple. He looked back at the four people in his entourage.
Cheval looked utterly amazed. “Oh? Lord Violant, you weren’t angry?”

“I don’t find it commendable that Rille decided things on her own, but it’s something she came
to by herself. It’s not something I should get angry about. For me, it was enough that she
followed me to Leca.”

But Vio would feel regretful if Rille chose to return to her parents’ house. The inability to eat her
delicious cooking anymore would bring his heart sorrow.

But if the war with the Kingdom of Ruslan approaches sooner, it would be a good idea to have
her return to her parents’ house.

If he looked back on the plot of the manga “Princess Dances with the Night,” he didn’t have any
reason to stop her. Vio’s expression darkened as he thought of the future.

“You don’t have to be too dejected, Young Master. Rille will come back,” Jill said. “And if she
decides to return to her home, I can cook. Please don’t worry.”

“No, Jill. If that happens, I’ll look for a new maid in Leca town.”

“Even if you can’t find one right away, it’ll be alright. Though I’m not as good as Rille, I can do
housework as well,” said Legion.

Vio was well aware of that already; he’d seen Legion with chores at the mansion in Leca town,
after all. “Yeah, thank you. I’ll count on you then.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Normally, a knight would dislike doing chores. Legion was truly unusual. Vio gazed at him,
trying to find a hint of unwillingness on his face. Yet painted on his lips was a grin. How strange.

“What is it, Lord Violant?”

This was just the usual Legion, so Vio replied, “…No, it’s nothing.” He then recalled that he was
planning on giving Legion a reward for the friendly match. “By the way, Legi, is there
something you want?”

“Huh? Something I want?”

“You did your best in the friendly match, so I’ll buy you something as a reward.”

Legion tilted his head in contemplation. “Thank you very much, but… I can’t think of anything.”

Cheval nudged Legion’s side and said, “It’s your chance, Legi. You can ask for some armor or
clothes. Isn’t there anything you want?”

“I already have armor, It’s just back in Leca town. And when I attended His Highness’ birthday
party, Her Grace gave me too many clothes and shoes. So I’m already content.”

Seeing as there wasn’t anything Legion waited, Vio said, “Maybe you can’t think of anything
since I asked too suddenly. Should I give you a cash bonus? Oh no, this is my first time doing
something like this so I’m not sure what to do.” Vio glanced at Jill. He always had a solution
whenever Vio was in trouble.

Aware of Vio’s gaze, Jill nodded. “How about jewelry? For example, a cloak brooch. Even if Sir
Legion already has one, having an extra won’t hurt.”

“A cloak brooch, huh… Legi doesn’t usually wear a cloak, but it would certainly be handy when
he has to wear his uniform. If it’s not necessary, then he can sell it.”

Vio was happy with Jill’s idea, but Legion’s expression changed and he shook his head. “No, I
wouldn’t do such a rude thing as to sell Lord Violant’s gift! And I really don’t need anything.”

Vio looked up at Legion with a huff. “Are you trying to make me look like a villain? If you keep
this up, there will be rumors of how a selfish young noble mistreated the best knight in the
country.” Laughter escaped his lips. “But with how things have been going, there’s probably that
kind of rumor floating around already.”

“Lord Violant… Please don’t say such unkind words. I really can’t think of anything.” Legion
shrugged, expression one of exhaustion.

Another good idea coming to mind, Vio brightened up. “Right, why don’t we go to a hot spring
on our way back from the royal capital? From time to time, my father and brother would take a
bath with their subordinates to deepen their bonds. I want to do that too. Let’s take a bath toge
—”

“Long ride!” blurted Legion. “A long ride is good. I definitely want to go on a long ride together
with Lord Violant.”

Vio tilted his head. “The hot springs…”

“It’s fun to ride a horse, Lord Violant.”

“Do you like it that much? I don’t mind, but I can’t ride a horse,” said Vio. “We’ll have to ride in
tandem. Is that alright?”

“That’s better than sharing a bat—I mean, it’ll be a great honor to ride together with you.”

“Hmm, is that so? If you say so then.” Vio nodded, though he still believed that it would be more
fun to relax in the hot springs. For some reason, Cheval and Lantz were holding in their laughter.
Due to how happy Legion looked, however, Vio decided to give in.

But going on a long ride as a reward is a bit too lacking… He said he didn’t need one, but I’ll
pick a cloak brooch on my own for him.

No matter how poor Leca town was, Vio, as the reeve, had enough money to reward Legion.
Although he didn’t collect taxes and debts as strictly as his father and brother did, as long as he
didn’t live in luxury he could save up money. Especially since he almost had no opportunity to
spend it in Leca town. Actually, Vio saved up in case of emergencies. That said, he didn’t mind
spending to reward Legion.

“Then let’s head for 3rd Avenue. Where did the carriage stop before?” Vio asked.
“This way, Young Master,” Jill replied. Just as he was about to lead the way, a commotion broke
out to the left of the temple entrance.

“Wait!”

“Who will wait for you?! I won’t let you cut my hair!”

Vio could hear the shouts of the priests and the scream of the man on the run. The man was
running half-dressed with his shirt wide open, barefooted and with soap suds in his hair.

“What happened there?” Such a sight, one of a man looking like a dog or a cat escaping from the
bathroom, amazed Vio.

“Please step back. He’s the rude fellow from before,”Jill said as he immediately provided cover
for Vio. Legion and Cheval stepped up front, while Lantz guarded him from behind.

As Vio stared in wonder at their astounding coordination, the painter covered in bubbles turned
toward them. “Ah, you’re that model candidate! Please become my model!!” The look in his
eyes changed as he ran fiercely towards them.

Looking at the painter, Legion said in a low voice, “…Cheval, you’re good at dealing with this
kind of thing, right?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t want to be told that by the guy who beat up an Equestrian
Dragon,” complained Cheval. Still, he slowly stepped in front of Legion, standing in the way of
the rampaging wild boar that was the painter.

The next moment, the painter was sent flying through the air, falling to the ground belly up.
“Argh!”

“Ugh, this bastard is all slippery. Disgusting,” Cheval said in distaste as he rubbed his right hand
against his pants.

Vio couldn’t help himself and asked Lantz, “What just happened?”

“Using the momentum of that insolent fellow, Sir Cheval flung him away. Sir Cheval is… well,
like that, but his physical strength is great.”

“Hey, Sir Lantz! What do you mean by ‘like that’?!” Cheval protested.

“Do you want to hear in detail?” was Lantz’s cold reply.

Cheval deflated. “…I’ll pass.”

Finally, the priests caught up with the painter, their breathing rough and jagged.

“Ugh, this guy is so troublesome with his incredible stamina! Ah, visitors, we’re very sorry to
trouble you time and time again,” said a priest.

Another priest said, “We were chasing him because he had escaped from the bathroom… Thank
you for your help. We had finally managed to cut his nails.”
“What’s left is that annoying hair and irritating beard.”

Once the priests restrained both of the painter’s arms, the painter started to struggle. “You
people! What are you calling annoying and irritating?! Don’t touch my beard. I’m the one who
takes care of it!”

“Quiet! This is Miss Reina’s order!”

“Be grateful that she lets you get away with just this after disobeying her in this temple!”

Just who is Rille’s sister…?

It seemed like they were even more scared of her than of Rille’s father.

“Let’s go, Lord Violant,” said Legion.

“Yes, yes. Let’s change our mood and enjoy shopping on 3rd Avenue,” Cheval added.

“Y-yeah…” Urged on by Legion and Cheval who were already completely disregarding the
painter, Vio headed to where the carriage was waiting for them.

“Third Avenue? Instead of going there, be my model—”

“You’re going to the bath!”

Flustered by the noise behind him, Vio thought that the painter’s willpower sure was amazing,
not fading even a bit after being knocked down twice.

Ch 46 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (IV)

“Lord Violant, is it really okay for me to accept this?” Legion asked after leaving the jewelry
store on 3rd Avenue. He furrowed his brows, expression apologetic. In his hands, a small box
holding a topaz cloak brooch. One that looked valuable.

“Yeah. Isn’t it a little too lacking to reward you with a long ride on horseback? Once we return
to Leca town, we can do that whenever you want,” replied Vio. It’s impossible to go on a ride in
winter, though.

“Ah… But may I say that such a good product is more than I deserve?”

“There’s nothing the best knight in this country doesn’t deserve,” said Vio, before he gestured
for Legion to come closer. “Come on, I’ll put it on your collar… And done. Straighten your
back. It’s fine, you’re a splendid knight. It suits you well.” A smile played on Vio’s lips.

Although the topaz brooch was meant for a cloak, Legion wore a gray coat with a standing collar
today, a white shirt underneath. As they were away from the castle, he was also equipped with
his sword. It only served to make him look gallant like a warrior. One word: cool.

Legion seemed embarrassed, but he replied with a smile, “Thank you very much.”
The women walking in the crowd saw Legion’s smile and giggled, whispering that he was cute.
Legion seemed to have heard it since he dropped his shoulders, heartbroken. “As I thought, this
really doesn’t fit me, right?”

“No, I’m sure they were talking about your smile just now,” said Vio.

“What? But my smile is not cute at all.”

“Um… It’s fine if you don’t understand.”

Apparently, Legion didn’t notice the dog-like aura that he sometimes exuded. Confused, Legion
tilted his head to the side.

Then, Cheval tapped on Legion’s shoulders. “Isn’t it great, Legi? You’ve become attractive after
wearing an accessory.”

“…Are you complimenting me?”

“Of course! But you see, I don’t even need accessories.” Confident, Cheval laughed, pearly
whites peeking from his mouth. Legion sighed, annoyed.

Meanwhile, Lantz nodded with a straight face. “Sir Cheval’s only good point is his appearance.”

“I’m a bit bothered with how you said that, but oh well,” Cheval replied as he stared at Lantz,
but he decided not to go into the latter’s comment too deeply.

Seeing how close the knights were, Vio chuckled.

Lantz asked Vio, “Is there a special reason you chose topaz?”

“No. I just thought it would look good on Legi because it’s the same color as his eyes,” answered
Vio, before gesturing towards Legion. “Look, his eyes are hazel with a hint of yellow, right?
Sometimes, when light hits them, they remind me of topazes.”

Upon hearing Vio’s words, Cheval and Lantz stared at Legi’s eyes. As if to confirm what Vio
had said.

“Hmm? Now that Lord Violant mentioned it, his eyes do kind of look like that,” said Cheval.

Lantz said, “That’s right.”

“H-hey, don’t look at me that much.” Legion felt uncomfortable under their stares. “They’re just
the usual light brown.”

Following that, Vio shot a glance at Jill. “That’s not true at all. Right, Jill?”

“You’re right, Young Master. Sir Legion’s eyes look like topazes when sunlight shines on
them.”

“Is that so?” Legion appeared puzzled. It was only natural that he didn’t know since he couldn’t
see his eyes.
“Well, I want to take a break somewhere after this. I’m tired of the crowd,” Vio said.

“Then let’s return to the carriage. There’s a good cafe near 4th Avenue,” replied Jill.

Vio nodded. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

“Lord Violant, thank you very much for the brooch. I will take care of it like it is my heirloom,”
Legion said, the picture of sincerity.

Surprised by Legion’s sudden gratitude, Vio looked at him blankly before chuckling.

“You’re exaggerating. But I’ll be happy if you take good care of it. I heard that the spirits dwell
in carefully-treated jewels. If it’s true, then I’m sure it’ll protect you,” Vio said with a grin. But
for some reason, Legion’s expression hardened and he kneeled on one knee on the spot at once.

“I will definitely take great care of it!”

“Uh, yeah. I understand, so stand up,” ordered Vio, red-faced. “I want to blend in with the
commoners, so stop that.” Since they were in a crowded place, he felt embarrassed by Legion’s
action. He wasn’t sure if his words touched Legion’s heart; he could only panic.

“Ah, I’m sorry!” Legion immediately rose to his feet, but the people around them whispered
among themselves as they watched Vio and his retinue. Holding his stomach, Cheval burst out in
laughter, uncaring of Vio’s feelings. It caused anger to spark in Vio’s heart.

He headed to the carriage with Jill behind him, avoiding the eyes of surrounding people.

Then Vio called out, “We’re back, Hauser.”

“Welcome back, Young Master.” The coachman took his hat off and bowed to him, before
opening the carriage door.

With Jill standing on his left, Vio held onto the former’s hand for support and entered the
carriage. Next was Legion’s turn, though he was amidst an argument with Cheval, laughter
spilling from the latter’s mouth. A trace of a smile appeared on Vio’s lips, joy swirling in his
chest that they were on good terms.

The carriage suddenly shook.

A yelp escaped from Vio as he quickly clung to the wall of the carriage. But the moment he
noticed the carriage had started moving, he paled.

“Hey, wait!”

“Lord Violant!?”

“Young Master!”

Overlapping with Hauser’s scream were Legion’s and Jill’s shouts.

T/N: My~ Next chapter coming tomorrow to ease dear readers’ fright! ₓ ｡ ?₍ᐢ. ̫ .⑅ᐢ₎?↝

Ch 47 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (V)

“Hey, what just happened!?” shouted Cheval. “The carriage suddenly started moving on its
own!”

Lantz, who was next to him, pointed at the coachman’s seat. “Someone’s driving the carriage!
They’re trying to steal it!”

That person wore a hood that fell low over their eyes. The carriage door, which had been left
open, shook violently. The knights could see Vio clinging onto the window frame inside.

While Lantz and Cheval stood there stunned, Legion had already broken into a dash toward a
roadside tree. The same tree Lantz had tied up the reins of his horse. As frustration swelled in his
mind, Legion untied the reins, jumping onto the horse’s back at once. “Sir Lantz, lend me your
steed! Please follow me!”

“Yes!”

Legion urged the horse to full speed, livid. Lantz, Cheval, and the others watched as Legion
galloped the horse away to chase the carriage off the main road.

“Sir Cheval, Mister Butler, please chase the carriage. The coachman over there and I will get
help from the guards,” Lantz said.

“Got it. Let’s go, Mister Butler!”

“Yes!”

Immediately, Cheval and Jill took action. Lantz turned around with Hauser and ran toward the
nearby guard station.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

The carriage stopped just as abruptly as it had started.

Although the main road was paved with stone, the carriage had still swayed a lot due to the high
speed. Still clinging to the window sill, Vio sighed, relieved he didn’t get thrown out of the door
right beside him. Then, he listened carefully.

What on earth is happening here…? An enemy? Or…

From his pants pocket. Vio pulled out a piece of paper with a magic circle. One with wind
magic, so that he could send the carriage thief flying in a gust of wind, should they attempt to
attack him.
Is it someone with a grudge against the Lesserhains…? There are so many people that fall under
that category though. So many that I can’t figure out who this person could be.

While Vio didn’t remember doing anything terrible, he did receive many benefits as the
Lesserhains’ second son. It wouldn’t be strange if someone hated him, lumping him in with the
other Lesserhains.

The slip of paper still in his hand, he approached the doors at the back of the carriage, his actions
slow and quiet. Chose the one closest to the right. A floral fragrance drifted into the carriage.

“Are you alright, Young Master?”

To his surprise, the voice he heard from outside belonged to Hauser. Even the face peeking
through the small gap between the passenger seating and the coachman seating, which was at the
front of the carriage, belonged to him. “I apologize. It seems like something spooked the horse…
I managed to jump up on it, but it wouldn’t listen to me.”

“I see. Maybe there was a mouse? But Hauser, you’re really not injured? Isn’t it dangerous to
jump on a moving horse?”

“Don’t worry. I’m alright.”

Relieved of his tension, Vio felt his legs turn to jelly. Despite this, he managed to straighten
himself and disembark from the carriage, steps still shaky. He felt ill.

Once he exited the carriage, Vio looked around. “Where is this?”

It was a deserted, dim, and quiet place. It seemed like they were in a back street somewhere, the
atmosphere completely different from that of the bustling 3rd Avenue.

Hauser, with his villainous-looking face and an eye patch over his right eye, proved apologetic as
he bowed his head. “I don’t know. I’m not familiar with the royal capital as well… I’ll make
sure we return soon, so please return to the carriage.”

“Let me rest a little. I’m having motion sickness.”

“Understood.”

Placing both hands on the side of the carriage, Vio breathed a sigh.

Jill and everyone should be worried. I want to return soon, but… ugh, I’m going to vomit…

He rubbed his forehead with his right hand to ease his nausea. The scent of sweet flowers, which
had drifted out of nowhere since some time ago, also gave him heartburn.

Vio scanned his surroundings. He tried to search for flowers, for the source of that floral
fragrance, but try as he might, he could not find any potted plants in that desolate back street.
Perhaps finding Vio’s condition strange, Hauser approached him and stood next to him. “Young
Master, what happened?”

“I’m trying to find where this scent of flowers is coming from.”

“Oh, that’s—”

The sound of hoofsteps. “Lord Violant!” shouted Legion, him and his horse heading full-speed
toward them. “You bastard, stay away from him!”

“Legi, what are you talking about? This is Hauser. Can you calm down?”

Legion looked to be on the brink of slashing Hauser with his sword. As such, Vio pushed Hauser
behind him out of reflex.

Right beside them, Legion hopped off his horse. Unsheathed his sword. A look of puzzlement on
his face, he said, “That’s not Hauser. I don’t know such a masked man!”

“Huh?” The moment Vio’s eyes widened, his arms were already bound behind his back.
“What?!”

Without giving Vio time to look back, “Hauser” pressed a white cloth against his mouth with his
right hand. Then he held his left hand forward, a chain in his grip and something dangling from
its end.

A [tn content=”censer”] [/tn]…?

The sweet scent grew stronger.

The rag had probably been soaked in some sort of drug. Vio’s field of vision distorted. Mixing
with his motion sickness, a sense of vertigo attacked him, and his knees lost their strength.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

Down, down Vio’s newsboy cap tumbled, hitting the stone-paved ground almost inaudible to the
ears. In the dim lighting, his silver locks glistened like light reflected from the surface of water.
“Lord Violant!” shouted Legion, tightening his grip on his sword.

A man in a white mask held Vio under his right arm; Vio had collapsed and gone limp. The man
swung the chain in his left hand at Legion. Smoke burst from the swaying censer attached to it,
the sweet scent spreading around them, thick and nauseating.

“Fucking bastard. Do you know just what crime you’ve committed toward the Duke of
Lesserhain by kidnapping him!? Release Lord Violant!”

Noticing that the man only had a censer as a weapon, Legion charged his way without hesitation.
However, right before the tip of his sword reached the man, the ground under his feet shook
violently.

“Huh!?” Legion’s feet sank. Before him, a towering wave made of earth. Then it morphed into a
hand.

Such a sight distracted Legion for a few seconds, giving the masked man the opportunity to
make a run for it, Vio still under his arms.

But Legion recovered shortly after. He held his sword aloft.

Right before the large hand of earth grabbed him from above, he threw away his sword and
leaped toward the masked man.

The moment Legion heard a groan, the earth swallowed him whole.

Ch 48 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (VI)

“Hey! Legi! Are you okay?!”

“Huh…?”

At the sensation of someone shaking his shoulder, Legion finally snapped back to reality and
rushed to get up. After observing no abnormalities in the vicinity, he felt dumbfounded.

“I’m… alive?” muttered Legion.

“Yeah. And with not a single scratch. What happened? Where’s Lord Violant?”

“A masked man tried to kidnap Lord Violant… When I tried to stop him, the ground rippled and
formed a hand. Then it crushed me… or so I thought.”

Since Legion had already braced himself for his death, he felt somewhat anticlimactic toward
this outcome.

“If what you say is true, then it’s strange how the magic didn’t damage the surroundings. Stone
pavement like this should be easy to destroy,” said Cheval, the picture of puzzlement as he
looked around. He then asked Legion, “Did you notice anything else that’s strange?”
“The masked man had no weapon, but he did have something like a censer in hand. It gave off a
sweet scent…”

“Sweet scent?” Cheval sniffed the air. “You’re right. There’s a faint sweet and flowery
fragrance… I remember smelling this before. This is probably an incense that causes
hallucinations.”

“Incense that causes hallucinations? Hasn’t that been banned five years ago? But if he really did
cast earth magic, this scene right here doesn’t make sense.”

This type of incense had once been used as an anesthetic when treating injuries. However, its
production was eventually banned due to the scale of its misuse.

Normally, a few whiffs would dull the mind. However, experts could use such incense to
influence perception. They could even impersonate other people with it. As such, there existed
burglary cases where the culprits were able to boldly come and go through the front door by
impersonating an acquaintance of their targets.

Since the incense was costly, crimes with this modus operandi rarely occurred. It had only been
popular in the slums and on 10th Avenue. Thus, this misuse of this type of incense was left
unregulated for a long time. However, those who did use it began targeting the nobles and the
rich. These criminals impersonated high-class prostitutes in order to approach them, resulting in
complaints from the brothels. Since then, its use had been strictly regulated before getting
banned.

“That person probably also used the incense to convince Lord Violant he was Hauser…” Shock
had collided into Legion when Vio had shielded the enemy. But if Vio had thought that masked
man to be his friend, then he could understand why.

He once again inspected his surroundings. He was bothered by the unease on Jill’s face. Jill, who
had picked up Vio’s newsboy cap. However, Legion was more interested in his sword’s
whereabouts.

It turned out that the sword had fallen close to a wall. As Legion bent to pick it up, he discovered
a trail of blood on the ground. “I aimed at his feet at the last moment out of sheer desperation,
but it seemed like I managed to hit him. With this, he shouldn’t have gone far. Cheval, how long
did it take for you to find me?”

“Not that long. A lot of people witnessed the carriage go berserk after all. You also woke up
immediately after we found you.”

“Then we should still be able to track him,” said Legion, pointing at the trail of the blood.

“Yeah,” responded Cheval. “Mister Butler, please keep watch here. We’ll be relying on you to
lead Sir Lantz and the guards once they arrive.”

“Understood. Please save Young Master,” said Jill, before bowing deeply.

Legion and Cheval nodded, then pursued the trail of blood out of the back streets.
 ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

As Vio slowly regained consciousness, head heavy, he could hear some people arguing.

“Boss! You didn’t tell me he’s a member of the duke’s family! What should we do?! Why did
you do this?!”

“Shut up, Morgan. I don’t really care. Just confess your crimes later.”

“You fucker…”

Enduring his drowsiness, Vio forced his eyes open.

Where am I…?

The semi-basement was spacious but dim, narrowing Vio’s field of view. The only source of
light came from the small windows near the ceiling. Moreover, the assortment of scents in the air
—those of smoke, rotting grass, and flowers—made for a horrible combination. It made Vio feel
sick.

With his limited vision, Vio caught sight of a painted canvas against the wall, as well as a variety
of paints mixed together on the table.

So I’m smelling paint and dye?

This strange smell probably originated from those. And since the ventilation wasn’t good, the
smell remained trapped in the room.

Vio tried to move, only to discover that he was completely unable to. His hands were tied behind
the back of his chair, and his ankles were in a similar predicament, strapped to the chair’s legs.
When he raised his head, the two men turned toward him.

“Oh, you woke up! My model!” Although they initially stood near the door, a fair distance from
Vio, one of them approached him in one stride. The man’s bald head gave him a refreshing
appearance, but his voice and attitude were familiar. Incredibly similar to those of the painter
Vio had met at the Grand Temple.

Vio tried to speak, after which he finally noticed the gag in his mouth. “Mmph?!”

Furthermore, he was naked from the waist up. He had pants and shoes on, but not even a shadow
of the shirt he previously wore could be seen on him. So that was why he felt awfully chilly.

The painter, Goldra, shot him a toothy grin. “Uh, sorry ‘bout this. I don’t really want to gag you,
but you’re a magic practitioner, right? After all, I found these in your pocket,” he said, flashing
pieces of magic circle paper and some knives before Vio. “And to think you also got some other
hidden weapons on you. Nobles sure are dangerous.”

Vio noticed they were the blades he had hidden in the metal fittings of his belt and his shoe
soles. In other words, Vio had lost all means to counterattack.
“This is your fault. You refused to become my model, so I was forced to do this. Though, he’s
really the one who kidnapped you, not me.”

“Under your orders, Boss! I didn’t want to kidnap a noble!” yelled back his companion, a young
man with tawny hair. Judging from how he addressed Goldra, he might be one of his assistants at
the Great Temple. Vio couldn’t really be certain since he had given them nothing more than a
passing glance earlier.

“Did you forget how you stole Rubilla’s flowers from my art supplies to make hallucinogenic
incense? And how you pretended to be a woman using that, convinced a man to drink himself
stupid, then stole his stuff? You should’ve handed yourself over to the guards at that time.”
Goldra let out a scornful laugh. In response, the young man shot him a glare of annoyance. Then
Goldra added, “If you have the time to argue with me, maybe you should go return that woman.”

“Not now. I’ll do it once it’s a little darker. Bringing her out right now will just make me stand
out. Even the incense can’t help with that.”

“Really? Then stay quiet.”

The young man made a noise of irritation and plopped down on a nearby chair.

A woman…?

Vio looked around the room. The room was spacious and cluttered, but he spotted the woman
they were talking about in an instant.

She was lying on a chaise longue, probably asleep since her eyes were closed. Just like Vio, her
limbs were all bound. From the state of her clothes, it seemed like they hadn’t done anything
immoral to her.

After noticing Vio’s line of sight, Goldra said, “Don’t worry. I just want you to act as a model
for my painting. It’s the same for that woman. She previously rejected my invitation, so I was
also forced to capture her.”

Goldra was a middle-aged man with an aquiline nose and a good physique. Not to mention, he
gave off an eccentric impression. Though this was Vio’s third encounter with him today, the
knights had instantly knocked him down the previous times. So it was only now that Vio had a
proper look at him.

Goldra narrowed his green eyes, gaze licking Vio from head to toe. “Wonderful! You look like a
sculpture. And this dreamy aura perfectly fits the persona of a sick noble boy praying to the
Great Spirit for recovery. The scar on your belly is a bit unfortunate, though.”

Vio’s face twisted in a frown. The scar on his belly was from the incident two years ago. To have
someone ignorant of his situation complain about it grated on his nerves.

What a selfish guy. He kidnaps people just because they refuse to be his model… This isn’t
normal.

Now that Vio knew Goldra wasn’t a decent person, Vio was suddenly suspicious of him.
“Okay, let’s start with a sketch. Hey, don’t glare at me like that. Your face should contain a
shadow of pain.”

I have no idea what you’re talking about!

Then, Goldra grabbed his chin and dug his fingers into his cheeks. Naturally, Vio’s face
contorted in pain. This sight gladdened Goldra. “That’s right! That face is perfect!”

A sketchbook in hand, he moved his pencil over the paper at an unbelievable speed. He drew
sketch after sketch of Vio, giving him strange instructions for each one.

“And then your profile…” Goldra moved to Vio’s side to get a good view.

The moment after, someone thrust the door open with a kick, one side slamming against the wall
with a bang.

Ch 49.1 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (VII)

Legion and Cheval ran into a side street of 4th Avenue in pursuit. They panicked when the trail
of bloodstains suddenly stopped, but by chance they found a piece of paper with a magic circle
drawn on it in front of a set of stairs leading underground.

Legion broke through the first floor basement door and finally found his master. “Lord Violant!”

In this semi-underground basement room that seemed to be an atelier, Vio was tied up in a chair.
He cried out the moment he saw Legion. “Mmgh! Mmghh!!”

Legion glared at the bald man in front of Vio, eyes full of murder. “You dare do something so
insolent… I’ll help you as soon as possible, Lord Violant!”

The man panicked and yelled at someone, “Hey, Morgan! What’s going on here!”

“Hiiih, I was asked by him to do this! Please forgive me!!” The young man stumbled away from
the chair and desperately reached for the censer on the desk.

“As if I’ll let you do that!” Cheval grabbed a chair and threw it at the young man.

“ARGH!” The young man screamed as the chair hit him directly, causing him to collapse to the
floor. At the same time, the minerals and powders on the desk were scattered and the canvas
leaning against the wall fell, crushing the young man beneath. As he listened to Cheval running
to secure the young man, Legion walked towards the bald man.

“H-hey, wait. I was just sketching him…”

“There’s no excuse!”

Legion used his dominant arm to punch the man in the face with all of his might. The man
instantly toppled to the floor, groaning in pain.

It was only natural that he collapsed, considering Legion had the physical strength to overpower
an Equestrian Dragon.
After looking around to make sure that there were no other enemies, Legion immediately went to
untie the rope restraining Vio’s arms and torso. Once Legion finished, Vio took away the gag.
“Haa, you saved me, Legi. …Legi?”

As soon as Legion had untied the rope binding Vio’s legs, the knight couldn’t stop himself from
hugging Vio. Heedless of Vio making a surprised sound, Legion was relieved by the warmth in
his arms. “I’m glad you’re alright…”

“It’s okay, they didn’t hurt me at all. He was only sketching me,” Vio said with a strained laugh,
patting Legion’s back to soothe him. With that, Legion understood that Vio was safe and his
arms loosened.

“Sketching?” he asked, finding Vio’s words strange.

Vio pointed to the man lying on the floor. “He’s the painter we met at the Great Temple. It seems
he had his assistant kidnap me because I refused to be his model. There’s another victim over
there.”

Only then did Legion notice the woman sleeping on a chaise lounge. He clicked his tongue.
“Even tenacity has a limit. What a strange guy.”

Then Legion looked at Vio again, and he became flustered once he finally noticed that Vio was
currently shirtless. “Lord Violant?! What happened to your clothes? Ah, did that man do this and
that to you…?” Blood rose to his head in an instant. “Unbelievable, I’ll slice him in two!”

Just as he took the hilt of his sword in his right hand, Vio gently put his hand over Legion’s and
stopped him. “Hey, calm down. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘this and that’, but he was really
just taking a sketch of me.”

“I-is that so…” Legion reluctantly put his sword down, but he was troubled with where he
should look. In the dim room, Vio’s pale skin stood out even more. Though it angered Legion,
Vio’s appearance was beautiful enough that he could understand why the painter wanted to make
him his model.

The knight knew he shouldn’t stare, but his eyes were drawn to Vio like a magnet. Legion
thought he should just look and maybe he’d gain some resistance, but he immediately regretted
it. Vio was too dazzling.

Vio looked up at Legion in confusion, wondering why he went silent all of a sudden. “What’s
wrong, Legi?”

“N-no, it’s nothing…”

“If there’s nothing, can you look for my clothes? My shirt should be somewhere around here.”
Oblivious to Legion’s predicament, Vio looked around.

Cheval, who had finished tying the young man up with a rope, headed towards them. He walked
at a fast pace as if he’d seen something startling. “Lord Violant, how did you get that injury?
Don’t tell me they tortured you?”

“Eh?!” Surprised at Cheval’s remark, Legion looked at Vio again. He now noticed the red line
running across Vio’s belly.
Vio shook his head. “Ah, this is different. Don’t worry, it’s just an old wound. He really only
sketched me.”

“An old wound? Rather than a scar from training, it looks more like an intentional cut,” Cheval
said carelessly and with full confidence . After all, he didn’t know Vio’s circumstances. And
though he wasn’t all that smart, he had moments where he was quite keen. As expected from the
number one man who lived by his intuition.

Maybe it’s from two years ago?

Legion perceived what it might be and quickly moved in front of Vio, blocking Cheval’s line of
sight. “Don’t stare at him like that. You’re being rude.”

“What now, I’m just saying it because I’m worried. It’s not like he’ll shrink from me staring at
him.”

“He will shrink. He will definitely shrink.”

“What? What do you mean? You’re so weird.”

Off to one side of the knights who were having a stupid quarrel, Vio was wandering around the
room. Legion realized he was looking for his clothes and helped, all while still threatening
Cheval.

The knight thought that it should be somewhere nearby, but for some reason couldn’t spot it.
When he finally found it near the doorway, Lantz came into the room with the guards.

“Ah.” Vio, whose shirt was stepped on, and Legion, who was trying to pick up the shirt, spoke at
the same time. Lantz looked at his feet and quickly moved away.

“Pardon me. It’s great that you’re safe, Lord Violant.” Perhaps because Lantz was worried as
well, his usually unfriendly face had softened.

Legion picked up the shirt, removed the dirt, and hung it on Vio’s shoulders.

Lantz frowned as he observed Vio. “Are you injured? I will treat you immediately.”

“Ah, no. Don’t worry, it’s just an old wound.”

“Old wound…?” Just as Lantz asked, Jill, the last to enter the atelier, saw Vio and rushed
towards him. “Young master! Are you alright? Ahh, this is horrendous…”

After inspecting him and finding no injuries, Jill quickly helped Vio put on his shirt. Meanwhile,
Legion found Vio’s dark red vest and white cloak. He handed it to Jill.

“So what did these people want?” Lantz asked calmly as he watched the five guards pull up the
painter and the young man. He also gave the woman a sidelong glance to check her condition.

Vio shrugged before he replied, “He told me that he wanted to make me his model for a
painting.”
A complicated atmosphere flowed through the atelier, as everyone was shocked that these people
did such a thing for that kind of reason.

Ch 49.2 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (VII)

Night had already fallen on the royal capital. In the castle’s guest room, Vio greeted the knights
who had returned from dealing with the aftermath of the kidnapping. He then offered them tea
after they all seated themselves on the chaise longue.

Lantz took the sketchbook filled with sketches of Vio and threw it into the fireplace.
Immediately, the paper turned into ash, refreshing Vio. “Thank you, Sir Lantz. For concealing
my presence this afternoon in that place.”

Lantz scrutinized Vio. “Are you truly fine with that? They kidnapped a son of the Duke. Holding
them responsible for such a grave crime could grant them a heavier charge.”

“Yes, but between charging them and standing out, I don’t really have a choice but to choose the
latter. Fortunately, they seem to have committed a lot of crimes. They’re the ‘ghost’ in that
rumored ghost story circulating around the castle town. I heard the story from Legi. They should
have had many victims.” Once Vio recalled the details of that ghost story, he immediately gained
a rough idea of the true situation. “I don’t mind you reporting my kidnapping, but I request that
you keep it a secret from my family.”

“I find it difficult to understand your reasoning, but I will do as you wish. Rest assured, I will
ensure that the guards don’t speak a word of this to anyone.”

“Thank you. Your appearance doesn’t show it, but you’re a good person. You’re smart too. As
expected of His Highness the Crown Prince’s personal knight,” murmured Vio.

Worst case scenario, the entire Lesserhain family would get involved. Vio wanted to avoid that.
Not for the sake of the painter, but for his own protection. He could easily imagine his father and
brother’s angry expressions if they were to learn of this. “Legi and Sir Cheval too. I’m really
moved that you came to my rescue so quickly. Thank you very much.”

Slight embarrassment spread across Legion and Cheval’s faces. Legion said, “No, you’re too
kind, Lord Violant.”

“Yeah. I just assisted Legi. I didn’t do anything in particular,” added Cheval.

“You were able to calmly respond to such an unexpected situation. You’ve all also settled
everything in a swift manner. As expected of the Royal Knights. It’s a great relief to me.” Even
so, a sense of discomfort continued to nag Vio. For some reason, he felt like he had forgotten
something.

As he pondered what this was, Cheval asked him with unusually serious eyes, “By the way, Lord
Violant, where did the scar on your stomach come from?”

“What?”
“I mean, no matter how I look at it, it’s clearly caused by a blade. It wasn’t your brother, right?
Please tell me if you ever need help. Also, can’t His Majesty the Emeritus King do something
about this?”

Despite Cheval’s typically nonchalant attitude, he took this matter more seriously than Vio
expected.

Vio shook his head. “Thank you for worrying about me. It’s true that my brother’s a terrible
person, but he won’t point his blade toward family. I also shouldn’t trouble my grandfather with
this matter… This is solely my fault.”

Just like the previous times, Vio grew sad and gloomy upon recalling that incident. He concealed
his emotions with a smile. “Let’s stop talking about this. Once again, thank you so much for
today. I’m tired, so I will now retire for the night. You should all be tired as well. Please take a
proper rest soon.”

Vio nodded toward Lantz and Cheval in farewell and withdrew to his bedroom.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

After sending Vio off with a sad expression, Cheval whispered, “Hey, did I say something
wrong?”

“You’re really stupid. But your conscience deserves praise.”

“Uhh, Sir Lantz, is that an insult or a compliment?”

Ignoring Cheval’s question, Lantz also rose to his feet. “I still have to talk to the town’s guards
about the painter. You should all turn in for the night ahead of me except for Cheval. You’re on
watch duty tonight,” he said. “I’ll be back shortly. Please excuse me.”

As soon as Lantz exited the room, Cheval tilted his head and asked, “Hey, don’t you think Sir
Lantz seems to be in a bad mood?”

“Maybe he can sympathize with Lord Violant,” said Legion. “Sir Lantz doesn’t seem to be close
with his siblings either. He’s the fifth son of a noble, and I heard it’s not strange for a noble
family to treat someone so far down the line of succession like a servant”

“Hmm, being a noble sure can be difficult. I never would’ve thought,” murmured Cheval. “By
the way, don’t you think we’re forgetting something?”

“Yeah, I feel the same way, but I can’t place just what it is I forgot.”

Then they turned to the servants room, along with Jill, who stood by the corner of the room. At
that moment, they finally realized the source of this elusive feeling.

“Rille! We forgot to pick her up!”

“No way! How could I forget my beloved Miss Rille?!”

“This is terrible. I will have someone pick her up,” said Jill, leaving the room that instant.

Ch 50 – Castle Town and Ghost Story (VIII)

Hues of orange bled from the sky’s horizon, signalling that night was soon approaching.

Lantz’s shift ended once he finished settling the painter’s case. He then decided to go to Prince
Ars’ office to give a brief report. At this time, Ars shouldn’t have gone to the evening party yet.

As he walked down the corridor with light footsteps, he nearly collided into another knight. It
was a knight robed in black who had ascended the left staircase; he was familiar.

“Excuse me—Oh? You’re the knight who accompanied Lord Violant during the day, right?”
asked Night. “Umm…”

“I am Lantz Trafalgar. Sir Knight, what brings you here?”

“I’m heading to the lounge to pick up Princess Liona. She’s playing chess with Prince Ars and
Princess Diana.” A bitter smile played on Night’s lips. If Princess Liona kept playing chess, she
wouldn’t have enough time to prepare for the evening party.

Understanding his worry, Lantz nodded. “The lounge is over here. I’ll guide you.”

“Thank you very much.”

Lantz walked beside Night, quickly arriving at their destination. Before he could open the green
door, Night said, .“Sir Trafalgar, thank you very much for accompanying me today. Due to my
origins, I’m not all that familiar with the knights in my own country. It’s why I never expected
that I would have such an enjoyable time in a foreign country. Please convey my gratitude to
Lord Violant.”

“I should thank you as well. I heard a lot of interesting stories about Ruslan today. Thank you
very much for that,” said Lantz with a serious expression. Night responded with an amiable
smile.

Lantz thought, As long as he makes that smile, he should be able to become friends with anyone,
right?

Night seemed like someone who doesn’t show emotions on his face, at least at first. However,
once he opened his heart to someone, he would show them a very good smile. Unlike Lantz who
had a solitary nature, Night might be a naturally friendly individual. Lantz was so unsociable that
every woman he had dated had dumped him.. They all had the same reason: they felt anxious
around him because they couldn’t understand what he thought.

The door to the lounge swung open. “Hey, wait. What are you two talking about?” Princess
Liona, dressed as a man, stood on the other side of the door, glaring at Night. “What do you
mean by ‘accompanying’?” she questioned.
Night flinched, but promptly replied, “Were you eavesdropping, Princess Liona? I chanced upon
Lord Violant and his retinue in front of the weapon shop this afternoon. They were in the midst
of sightseeing, so they invited me to have lunch with them.”

“What!?” exclaimed Liona and Ars, their voices overlapping.

Lantz bowed. Afterward, they urged both knights to enter the lounge. Lantz and Night wasted no
time in closing the door, obeying their order.

Upon noticing Diana, who sat in an armchair, Lantz bowed toward her as well. Pleasant laughter
spilled from her lips.

“Lantz, you’re here to report, yes? Stand beside me. Tell me the details,” said Ars.

Lantz approached his side. Following that, Night made his way beside Liona.

Tilting his head slightly, Lantz said, “Even if you ask me for details, it’s just as Sir Night had
said.”

Ars frowned. “There should be other details, right? Like where you ate and other things.”

Instead of Lantz, Night answered, “We ate at a seafood restaurant called Holly Pavillion on 10th
Avenue. Apparently, Sir Cheval recommended that place… The food was very delicious.”

“10th Avenue? Isn’t that an inappropriate place for the Duke’s son to go?”

“That’s right. Apparently, Lord Violant had tried to disguise himself, but he still stood out.
Regardless, he was very cheerful. He clearly enjoyed going there. He was also interested in
Ruslan, so I told him various things.”

Happy with what Night said, Liona pumped her fist.

“Lord Violant is interested in Ruslan? Hahaha, that’s great! How about nominating him as a
scholarship student to my country, Ars?” asked Liona.

“You’re scheming to win him over, right?” he asked. “Fortunately, I can only nominate people
with high abilities but can’t afford the cost of studying abroad. The Duke’s family is more than
capable of doing that.”

“Tsk.” Liona clicked her tongue, incredibly disappointed. She thought that it was a good idea.
“Ah, I’m really envious. I want to chat with him again.”

“I told you that you shouldn’t get involved with the Lesserhain family, right?” Ars advised
frankly.

“That’s why I’m controlling myself,” replied Liona, pouting.

Ars decided not to pay her any mind and asked Lantz, “Any other reports?”

Lantz glanced at Liona and the others. It was clear that the knight was wondering if he could
speak in front of them. He was also anxious of detaining them since they had to prepare for the
evening party.
Liona smiled. “Don’t worry about us, just report it. I want to hear it too.”

“Yeah. You don’t need to mind Liona and Diana. So?”

Prompted by Ars once more, Lantz opened his mouth to speak, “Today, we walked around the
market on 3rd Avenue and confirmed the price of Leca ink in the royal capital. From Lord
Violant’s conversation with his servants, I found out that it was Lord Violant himself who
invented the ink.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Since he talked about the bad mixture in inferior goods, I had no doubt.”

“Hmm.”Ars’s golden eyes glittered in happiness.

“After that, we went to the weapon shop. While Sir Legion was choosing his sword, Lord
Violant was enjoying the juice made from Stonepelt nuts sold at a stall outside the shop.”

“A stall?” Liona asked, surprised.

Night nodded at her question. “That’s right. I thought he was a different person who looked
similar. I was surprised when I found out he was really Lord Violant.”

“Lord Violant said that it was the first time he bought something from a food stall,” added Lantz.
He then asked, “Your Highness, should I tell you about how Sir Cheval invited the maid to go on
a date and got rejected?”

“No need. Just tell me about Violant,” Ars said, annoyed. Liona and Diana couldn’t hold in their
laughter and let out a chuckle.

Keeping his indifferent expression, Lantz continued,, “We went to 10th Avenue to eat seafood
dishes and parted with Sir Night on 3rd Avenue after we ate. We then went to the Great Temple
on 4th Avenue and greeted his maid’s family.”

“He expressly went to his maid’s house?” Diana asked with a puzzled face.

“From what I understand, the maid refused to go home, so Lord Violant told her that he would
accompany her,” explained Lantz. “Then, at the Great Temple, we met the painter who painted
the temple’s ceiling. He approached Lord Violant twice, asking him to become his model both
times, which Lord Violant refused. Sir Legion repelled the painter the first time, while Sir
Cheval did so the second time..”

Silence filled the room, seemingly wanting to say, “What’s up with that? What are you talking
about?”

Paying it no mind, Lantz continued, “After that, Lord Violant left his maid at the temple to talk
with her family. He planned to go shopping on 3rd Avenue, but the painter he refused before had
sent his assistant to kidnap Lord Violant with the carriage.”

“WHAT!?”
Lantz ignored their stunned voices. “However, Sir Legion and Sir Cheval pursued them and
rescued Lord Violant. After that, we found out that the painter involved in the kidnapping case
had other victims,” he concluded, coming to the end of his report. “Lord Violant asked me to
keep this a secret from his family, so please keep this confidential. I was busy dealing with the
aftermath of the incident until some time ago. Because of that, I was late in reporting to Your
Highness. Please forgive me for that.”

Liona raised her right hand to stop Lantz. “Hey, wait! Don’t deliver such a crazy report like
you’re talking about how nice the weather is! ”

“I’m sorry if I offended you, Princess Liona. But I can’t speak like a [tn
content=”troubadour”]juni: A class of lyric poets/poet musicians in the medieval era (11th-13th
century) and were commonly found in the South of France and the North of Italy. They usually
made lyrical poems centered around themes of ‘courtly love’ and ‘chivalry’. Troubadours
usually have the rank of a knight, so that’s – probably – why Lantz made this comparison.[/tn]
…”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Confused, Lantz stared at Liona with a questioning gaze.

Ars waved his right hand. “Stop that, Liona. Lantz always talks like this.”

Liona pursed her lips, endured her unhappiness. Night timidly asked, “Then… Is Lord Violant
alright?”

“Yes. He told us that the painter only sketched him, and I made sure to bring that sketchbook
with me. Following his request, I threw it into the fireplace.”

“Oh my! How wasteful!” Diana instinctively muttered. Lantz focused his gaze on the princess.
Diana’s cheeks reddened and averted her eyes. “It’s nothing.”

“…Other than that, he’s not injured, right?” Ars once more asked for confirmation, attentive.

Lantz replied, “Yes. But at that time, I saw a scar on Violant’s stomach. I’m sure that the scar
was caused by a blade.”

“I’m curious about his scar, but how were you able to see that?” asked Liona.

“That’s because his upper body was stripped naked, Princess Liona.”

“Oh my, that’s even more of a shame!” Diana lamented. Her reaction didn’t sound like that of a
lady’s.

“Diana, you’re being improper,” reprimanded Ars.

“But, Brother! We’re talking about Violant, so he’s definitely beautiful,” she protested. “That’s
right! Why don’t you take a bath with the painter next time?”

“Who does that!? People will think that I’m a pervert!”

“How unfortunate.”Diana appeared sullen as she turned her face away. As she was a beautiful
woman, that gesture still looked lovely.

“Lantz, Violant is really fine, right?” asked Ars once more.

Lantz nodded. “Yes. Rather, it’s the painter who isn’t fine at all. Sir Legion was so angry that he
hit the painter with his dominant hand. Since the painter’s nose was broken, it will be hard for
him for a while.”

“It’s strange that I don’t feel any pity after hearing you say it like that…” Ars murmured,
mentally exhausted.

“I’m just stating a fact.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks for the report. Ah… Let me confirm this first. Rupheus wasn’t the one
who made that scar, right?” Ars asked, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to hear the answer.

Lantz shook his head. “No, it doesn’t seem to be the case. He didn’t want us to touch the
subject, so I don’t know the details.”

“I see. Then you can return now. Submit the written report tomorrow. You can leave out the
painter’s case. It’s troublesome if Fion makes a racket.”

“I understand. Please excuse me, Your Highness, Princess Diana, Princess Liona.”

After Lantz saluted, he left the lounge. He walked down the corridor, headed towards his room.
Outside the window, an expanse of indigo painted the sky, the crescent moon shining silver.

It’s not just Princess Liona, Prince Ars also favors Lord Violant. It seems like Sir Fion will be in
quite a temper, Lantz mused.

Predicting the incoming storm, Lantz sighed quietly.

But…even if he’s the second son, why did the Lesserhains expel Lord Violant to a rural town?
They should be thankful for having a good spare, Lantz’s thoughts moved to Violant’s scar. That
scar… what happened two years ago?

Lantz stopped and looked up at the silver moon. The moon only illuminated the ground in
response, leaving his questions unanswered.

Ch 51.1 – Noisy Night (I)

Evening of the ninth day of the Crown Prince’s birthday party.

Having returned from sightseeing in the royal capital, Vio saw that Rille’s mood had yet to
improve. He made a dejected face.
Last night, Rille had misunderstood and thought that Vio was so angry with her, he wouldn’t
come to pick her up. She’d been shocked to the point of crying all evening until the errand boy
came to the temple.

Seeing her eyes all swollen, Vio felt his conscience weighing down on him. “I’m sorry, Rille.
It’s my fault for forgetting you.”

“Master isn’t at fault! After getting involved in a kidnapping, it’s only natural for your mind to
be full of those matters,” Rille hurriedly replied. Then her eyes burned in anger and she
emphasized, “I’m angry at the person who’s regarded as the best knight in the kingdom!”

“Me?!” Legion exclaimed. At Rille’s glare, he froze and ducked his head.

Legion had been organizing all the items they had bought at the market during the day. Those
were the books and magic tools they would bring back to Leca town. Vio had wanted to buy a
few seeds and seedlings as well, but he didn’t want to attract insects to his room. So far, they had
only purchased general goods. He planned to buy the seeds on the way home.

Rille narrowed her eyes and nodded. “That’s right.”

The brave knight capable of overpowering even a dragon was withdrawing from a girl’s glare. It
made such an interesting sight. Lantz, who was on duty, watched them with great interest.

“You’re still young, so please make sure to remember your tasks properly!”

“In my opinion, it was our collective responsibility… You’re not angry with Jill?”

“Mister Jill was just a bit careless!”

“What an obvious show of favoritism!” said Legion, unable to stop himself from firing back at
Rille’s concentrated attack. Rille seemed to dislike Legion, so she kept blaming only him.

Jill interrupted with a clearing of his throat. Brows lowered, he said, “Rille, it’s my job to
manage the schedule, so this is my mistake. I’m terribly sorry. Please forgive me.”

Rille faltered. “…Since Mister Jill said it like that, I can only forgive you,” she said as her rabbit
ears hung in dejection. It seemed she noticed that she had gone too far.

Deciding it was a good time to cut into the conversation, Vio said, “Let’s settle the matter with
this, Rille. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that it won’t happen again.”

“Yes…”

“Good. Have you talked with your family properly?”

In a passionate manner, Rille said, “Yes, once I talked about how Master was the best, they were
beaten down by my persistence! So I’m still Master’s maid. Ah, right! Father wrote you a note.”

She took out a letter from the pocket of her white apron and presented it to Vio. Vio looked over
the content. To put it simply, he asked him to take care of Rille.
“Since your family has given you permission, I have nothing else to say. I’ll be in your care,
Rille.”

“Yes! I’ll serve you with all my heart, so please rely on me,” Rille said as she curtseyed. When
she looked up, she was smiling, obviously in a good mood.

Vio smiled back. “I’m glad. I like it more when Rille smiles.”

“Really?” Rille asked with a laugh of embarrassment. “Well then, shall I brew you some tea at
once, Master?”

“I’ll have it later. Let’s prepare for the evening party first. Jill, I’ll have to ask for your help.”

“Understood.”

Before heading into his bedroom with Jill, Vio also told Legion to change into his formal clothes
for the evening party.

⋆̩☂︎*̣̩ ✢ ⋆̩☂︎*̣̩

“It’s as imposing as usual,” Vio murmured as he glanced at the knights guarding the entrance
they had just passed through.

The venue for the evening party was the large hall on the second floor of the royal palace. To get
there, carriages had to stop near the doorway of the first floor. Then the guests had to enter
through the entrance hall and up the broad stairs.

Since the royalty and titled nobility were gathering here, there were several guards stationed
throughout the venue.

“There are guests from other countries. They probably took that into consideration,” Legion
replied in a low voice.

The guards at the venue were composed of the Imperial Knights and the Knights of Green Flash.
The Imperial Knights protected the king, and they had an emblem of a green leaf and golden cup
on their left chest. Meanwhile, the Knights of Green Flash had an emblem of a silver leaf and
sword. Though they had the same uniform, it was easy to distinguish them by the symbol and
color of their emblem. It truly was a system worthy of the frugal king.

Some of the knights stood straight alongside the wall. Others patrolled the venue.

The royalty and nobility mingling and chatting pleasantly paid no heed to them.

After all, nobles normally treat their servants like they’re furniture…

Though their servants were right in front of them, they didn’t notice. It was as if the servants
didn’t exist.
However, Vio had memories of his previous life, so he couldn’t treat other people like that at all.

Following his father’s order, Vio had to stay in one corner of the hall andso he could only
observe his surroundings. As always, with him not being able to move from his place, the
boredom started setting in.

He didn’t like to go around and greet people because it gave him mental fatigue. But on the other
hand, he was tired of just watching without doing anything. Other nobles around him kept
glancing at him, but they didn’t come talk to him. After all, a person of lower-ranking initiating a
conversation with a person of higher-ranking was considered rude.

I also feel bad that my sitting here is making them uncomfortable…

Vio glanced at the seats of honor. Today, Princess Liona was having a friendly conversation with
the people surrounding her. And there was no end to the guests who kept coming to greet her.
Prince Ars was in a similar situation.

As for the Lesserhain family, Vio’s father and brother were talking with the ministers and the
foreign guests. Viola was chatting with the ladies she was close with, and she seemed to be
having fun. Vio knew that if he approached any of them, his father and brother would certainly
look coldly at him.

Vio took a sip of juice and decided that he would return to his room after about an hour. He
thought he would once again end up playing wallflower today, but someone unexpectedly talked
to him, calling him by an unfamiliar name.

“Sir Reinhart?”

Ch 51.2 – Noisy Night (I)

Vio turned toward the person who seemed to have called out to him: a fat middle-aged man
standing nearby him with dull blond hair and blue eyes. At once, he bowed in a panic. “Where
are my manners?! You resemble my acquaintance…”

“It’s alright. I don’t mind,” Vio said, not losing his cool. It was also partially his fault for staying
where the lower-ranked nobles gathered.

That should have been the end of the conversation, but the man stayed in Vio’s line of sight. As
the man approached him, his aura was overwhelming. Not only was he tall, his build was also
large.

“This must be fate, right? I’m Sarg, the Earl of Villan, representing the delegation of the Ruslan
Kingdom.”

“Ah, you’re from Ruslan? I am the second son of the Lesserhain family, Violant.”

“So you’re from the duke’s family! F-forgive my rudeness…”

“You don’t have to worry. I rarely attend social events, so it can’t be helped that you don’t
recognize me,” Vio replied, but inwardly he was surprised.
Sarg Villan… He’s the last boss of “Princess Dances with the Night,” isn’t he? I remember
getting slightly annoyed at the author since Villan is derived from “villain.” How sloppy.

Sarg looked mean and intense in the manga, but now that Vio met him face-to-face in a place
like this, the man didn’t look that smart. Despite his appearance, Sarg was a clever and tactical
villain. Once his opponents looked down on him, he would retaliate with evil means.

As Princess Liona’s distant relative, Sarg was aiming for the throne. Time and time again, he had
targeted her life. In fact, Night had first met Liona as she was being chased by Sarg’s assassin.

Liona was tom-boyish and could wield both sword and magic. Because she was forced to learn
them in order to protect herself.

“No, it’s my fault for being careless. I apologize. However, when I see you like this, you look
quite like Princess Viola. Even the moonlight is overshadowed by you.”

“You’re praising me too much. I’m unworthy of your compliment,” Vio replied with a bitter
smile.

Oh no, I missed the timing to leave. He had wanted to slip away after Sarg’s apology, but the
man was stubborn and kept talking to him. He seemed like he was evaluating Vio with his gaze,
giving off an unpleasant feeling. Vio felt like he would have goosebumps if he rolled up his
sleeves to check.

However, he made sure not to outwardly show his feelings. To ensure he wouldn’t sound
offensive, he elaborated by saying, “Those words suit the beautiful women around us a lot more,
don’t you think?”

“Yes, of course. The ladies in the Kingdom of Istiah are truly stunning! If we don’t capture them
in a painting, it would be blasphemous.”

“Yes.” Vio nodded, but the word “painting” reminded him of yesterday’s incident, causing his
expression to stiffen.

Why does everyone want to capture people in a painting so much… I don’t understand it. After
all, Vio held no interest in painting, so such feelings were bound to be incomprehensible for him.

Sarg behaved modestly and asked, “Lord Violant, if you don’t mind, could you tell me about the
Kingdom of Istiah? The only knowledge I have is superficial.”

Considering how smart this man was, he must be very knowledgeable of Vio’s country. Even if
he had only wanted to continue the conversation, it was rude of him to ask someone of higher
status to teach him. Not to mention, his reason for asking was because he didn’t study the topics
of interest.

Vio immediately caught on to Sarg‘s intention. He was probably scheming to anger and
humiliate Vio. If Vio lost his temper and didn’t reply, it was the same as confessing his stupidity.
But if he didn’t get angry, then he was a fool who overlooked another’s blatant disrespect
toward him.

Now that I think of it, in the manga, this man was the happiest when war broke out due to
Brother’s rampage…
Sarg’s territory kept suffering from crop failure, so he schemed to start a war in order to earn
money quickly. Not to mention, he didn’t like how Liona deepened the ties between the
kingdoms by getting close to Ars and Diana.

Vio collected himself and tilted his head slightly in confusion. “You’re saying something
strange. If you want to know about Istiah, you only need to look around. It’s already apparent.”

“What…?” Sarg probably didn’t expect this reply; he looked around in a daze.

The luxurious and gorgeous hall spoke of the Kingdom of Istiah’s wealth. The painting
stretching across the ceiling pictured the Great Spirit Yuglena blessing the land with prosperity.

“Our rich history is depicted in the ceiling painting. Most importantly, the nobles of my country
are gathered here. Seeing how everyone is enjoying their time, it’s clear that Istiah is a peaceful
kingdom. It’s all thanks to His Majesty’s wonderful governance.” Then Vio smiled and gestured
to the crowd as if telling Sarg to go there. “Earl Villan is a delegate. Please deepen your
connections with everyone and broaden your sight about what kind of country Istiah is. I’m sure
everyone will call it peaceful. Well then, please enjoy the party.”

Vio had basically said, “You can know how Istiah is just by looking around, yet you’re still
asking me. Are you stupid? You’d be finding fault with His Majesty’s reign if you say anything
else, so watch yourself. Just leave.”

Sarg seemed to understand the implication behind Vio’s words. His face turned a shade red,
perhaps due to anger. He politely bowed and left.

Vio took a sip of the juice, expression still composed.

“That was a wonderful turnaround, Lord Violant,” said Legion, sof enough that only Vio could
hear.

“…What are you talking about?” said Vio, pretending not to understand Legion’s words as he
glanced toward his father; he worried that his father would be angry since he had stood out in a
strange manner. Unexpectedly, the corners of his father’s mouth rose a hint, like he had just
heard something interesting. Vio nodded at him before sighing.

It would be troublesome if he got involved with something else again, so Vio decided to
withdraw for today.

Ch 52 – Noisy Night (II)

Although Liona didn’t show it on her face, she felt unsettled when she saw Earl Sarg Villan
talking to Vio. It was typical of Sarg to pretend that he mistook a higher-ranking noble as
someone else in order to speak to them.

Though he was just an Earl, he was able to rise up and become the Minister of the Left with this
steady method of building up personal connections here and there. He was famous for this in the
Kingdom of Ruslan, but people from other countries such as Istiah shouldn’t know that.

For some reason, Sarg chose Vio as his foothold in Istiah. There was another possibility, but the
thought of it alone made Liona’s heart darken.
Maybe Lord Violant’s been acting all this time just as Ars said, and is actually involved with
Sarg…?

Liona wanted to believe that the gentle young noble wasn’t like that, but she was always cautious
when it came to Sarg. Despite them only being distantly related, Sarg still had the blood of the
royal family. Because of that, he continued to aim for Liona’s life. Since Liona was the sole
direct descendant of Ruslan’s royal family, the crown would naturally be passed down to Sarg’s
hands if she died.

No matter how good her impression of Vio was, he was still a member of the Lesserhains, a
family infamous for their cruelty. It wouldn’t be strange if he fell down the wrong path.

However, her worry turned out to be needless anxiety.

After they exchanged a few words, Sarg left with anger painted on his face. On the other hand,
Vio had a nonchalant expression as he took a sip from his glass.

Just what had happened between them? Liona glanced at Night who was standing by her side.
Understanding her signal, Night immediately left and headed towards Vio’s general direction.
By the time Night returned, Vio had left his seat. Even so, Liona wanted to burst out laughing
when Night whispered his report to her.

It seemed like Sarg had been planning to ridicule Vio. But Vio had easily turned the tables on
him.

We came here to have a cultural exchange with another country. And yet, that guy came to stoke
the fires of war, huh?

Liona felt like he was mocking her for coming to another country just to offer her smiles and
maintain the peace. She found it unpleasant, but Sarg was that kind of man.

For his own purposes, he would secretly sow seeds of discord everywhere he went, then patiently
wait in the background for them to take root and grow. Even if she saw traces of his handiwork,
she could never grab hold of his tail.

The Lesserhains are powerful and have a vast territory in the Kingdom of Istiah. If we anger
them, it would be easy to start a war.

Liona finally understood why Ars told her over and over again not to get involved with that
family. She thought she had already understood before, but it turned out she was wrong.

The worst case scenario is if the Lesserhain family and that guy joined hands.

Ars also told her not to get along with them, but it might be good to get close to Princess Viola.
She could use the excuse of them both being royalty.

After thinking that much, Liona recalled Sarg’s bright red face and felt like she was about to
laugh again. She hid her face behind her fan and tried to hold it in.

Her lady attendant, Millicent, who was standing behind her cleared her throat. When Liona
glanced back, Millicent was glaring daggers at her.
“Princess, I will show you to the waiting room,” Milicent said sternly. It seemed she couldn’t
help but worry about how Liona couldn’t hold in her laughter.

“Right. Well then, I’ll take my leave, everyone. Nice to meet you all,” said Liona.

Once Liona bid her goodbye to the women she was chatting with, she retired to the waiting
room under the guidance of her attendant. Once the door closed, she collapsed into laughter,
finally able to let loose.

“This is the best! Who would’ve thought that I would see that man making a face like that in a
foreign country! That’s definitely the best thing that’s ever happened this year!” Liona
exclaimed.

“I do think that he deserves it, but please calm yourself. You’ll ruin your makeup,” her attendant
said calmly, but the corners of her mouth were twitching upwards. It was clear that she wanted to
laugh as well.

“We can just fix my makeup later. Just let me laugh!”

Liona tried to calm down, but ended up laughing harder instead. She held her belly and wheezed.
It had been some time since she felt this relaxed. After laughing for a while, her mind felt clear
and refreshed.

“Winning an argument against Sarg is no easy feat. Not to mention, Lord Violant is still fifteen.
What will happen if he’s educated properly?” Liona mused. “Hey Millicent, you think that luring
him away to be an exchange student is a good idea too, right?”

“Who knows? I certainly don’t, but I think that what the person himself feels is more important,”
Millicent replied.

After making sure that Liona had stopped laughing, Millicent quickly removed Liona’s makeup
and started reapplying it.

“I guess I have to seriously propose this matter to Ars.” Liona unconsciously grinned, making
Millicent reprimand her for moving her face.

Ch 53 – Noisy Night (III)

As Vio headed back to his room, he let out a small sneeze.

Legion asked, concerned, “Do you feel cold? I’ll tell Rille to brew you a cup of hot tea once we
return to your room.”

Legion’s overprotectiveness brought a chuckle out of Vio’s mouth. “No need. It’s actually quite
hot.”

Now that it was the middle of summer, the royal capital was hot during the day and lukewarm at
night. The current heat was still tolerable for Vio, but the large number of people crowded inside
the venue had made it even hotter. At times like this, Vio really found life easier in Leca town
since it was located in the highlands.
“Maybe someone’s gossiping about me?”

“After that conversation you just had with Earl Villan, it certainly wouldn’t be strange.”

“Well, that’s better than facing ridicule and angering my father. Do you know anything about
Earl Villan?”

“No, this is my first time meeting him. But I don’t have a good impression of him. He looks like
a repulsive man. I hope we won’t come across him anymore.”

Legion had a strong sense of justice. Faced with Sarg, who was his complete opposite, he
probably felt an indescribable discomfort bubbling inside him.

But saying that he’s repulsive is a bit much.

Vio made a wry smile at Legion’s righteous manner of speaking and replied, “I won’t meet with
anyone without you or Jill with me. But if someone from the royal family comes to visit me,
that’s another story.”

“That’s a relief. The entire royal family is nice.”

Vio nodded. “Yeah.”

Just as Legion had said, everyone in the current royal family was quite pleasant. The king and
queen shared a good relationship, the princess was a true and pure descendant of royalty, and the
crown prince had no brothers. There weren’t any power struggles or factions. As such, the
atmosphere among the royalty was relatively peaceful.

“Lord Violant, what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“I’ll probably stay in my room or take a stroll around the castle. I don’t have any business in the
castle town, so I don’t plan on leaving the castle until the day we depart for Leca. It’ll be
troublesome if I get involved in something strange again.”

“Please rest assured. Insolent people like that painter are hard to come by.”

“Yeah, there are many good people in town. The people in 10th Avenue were cheerful and
friendly. It really puts my heart at ease… Five more days, huh? I want to return to Leca town
soon.”

Although the people he had met here were a feast for the eyes, socializing in the royal castle had
been dreadful. He didn’t know what thoughts were circulating behind the other nobles’ smiling
masks.

Many people were sensible, but some possessed hidden motives like Sarg Villan. Vio didn’t
have to approach and greet them, but nevertheless, he still had to remain alert when in their
vicinity. No one could take his stead in such situations either, so it was quite mentally draining.

Vio breathed out a small sigh. At that instant, Legion slowed down and turned around. “Are you
amenable to taking a little detour, Lord Violant?”
“Hmm?” asked Vio, slightly puzzled. It was rare for Legion to invite him to go somewhere. But
since he had no particular plans for the rest of the day, he nodded.

In this humid weather, the wind carried the faint scent of roses.

Before them was a garden decorated with white stone pillars and arches, as well as benches.
There were several lights scattered all around, creating a wondrous atmosphere. At its center
stood a fountain.

Legion brought Vio here, located just below the balcony adjacent to the second floor hall.

“Wow, this is amazing…”

As Vio approached the fountain, he noticed the sparkly surface of the water. When he went up to
the edge of the fountain and peered into the water, he discovered that the sparkles came from a
glass box underwater. The box contained a piece of paper with a magic circle drawn on it.

So you can use magic circles like this, huh.

As expected of the royal palace. They had such resourceful and creative magicians.

“Whenever a party is held at the castle, the garden is always illuminated. But right now, no one
seems to be here. How unusual.”

Vio shifted his gaze toward Legion. “People come here?”

“Occasionally, you’d find lovers having their rendezvous here.” Legion smiled wryly. “So please
avoid going near any of the darker areas.”

Vio finally understood. It seemed there were people who would have their trysts in a place like
this.

“Of course, some people will come here just to take a walk. The view from the balcony is
especially beautiful. I suggest that you view the garden from there next time.”

“Okay, I will.”

Now that he had found something to look forward to during this entire boring and tiring birthday
celebration, Vio broke into a smile as he sat on a bench.

Apparently, the illumination was designed to be seen from above. However, the scene still
appeared beautiful in close view. It soothed Vio’s heart.

“As expected of a former member of the Royal Knights, you also know things like this.”

“…It was Cheval who told me about this place.”

“Ah, I see.”

Cheval had probably also had romantic trysts here before.

“You should be very popular too, right? After all, you’re the best knight in the kingdom. Oh, and
speaking of which, do you have a lover?”

This brought a bitter expression to Legion’s face. Still standing near Vio, he said, “I don’t have
one at present. Um, I don’t really understand feelings and relationships. Someone once confessed
to me before, so I decided to try it out…”

“Mhm.”

“In the end, she pressed me to choose which was more important to me: my master or her.”
Legion hung his head, crestfallen. “After I answered her, she slapped me and we broke up. I’ve
never dated anyone since then. It’s too troublesome.”

“I see…” Vio couldn’t help but laugh.

Legion’s eyebrows furrowed as he turned to Vio. “How heartless of you to laugh at me, Lord
Violant.”

“I wasn’t making fun of you. It’s just that I can imagine that situation perfectly well. You must
have told the truth and answered that your master is more important. Am I right?”

“Isn’t it natural for a knight to prioritize the master they serve?”

“I’m sure that girl also knew that. But when you were with her, you should have told her a white
lie to make her happy.”

“Lie? Won’t the relationship be built upon lies then?”

“Yeah, that sounds just like you.”

Legion’s honest response moved Vio. Legion was rather handsome. Moreover, it would be easy
for him to lie without getting caught. But he didn’t do that. He was incredibly straightforward.

Vio sighed once again, a smile on his face. “One day, I will have to apologize to whoever your
lover will be.”

“I don’t have a lover, and I have no plans to find one.” Then, taking Vio’s left hand, Legion
leaned forward and passionately said, “There is only Lord Violant in my eyes!”

“I-I see…” said Vio, inwardly overwhelmed.

Don’t say something that sounds like a confession…

Legion should tell that to a woman. Why would he say such a thing to Vio?

Vio knew what Legion wanted to express, but he also wished for Legion to fix his habit of
abruptly getting closer to him like this. Vio attempted to calm down, focusing on Legion’s eyes,
which were only a short distance away from his. Light reflected off the yellow hues of his hazel
eyes, reminiscent of the twinkling of stars.

“Uh…”
“Ah, I’m sorry. When the light reflected on your eyes, I was mesmerized. They’re very
beautiful.”

“Is that so? But from my perspective, Lord Violant’s eyes are more beautiful. They’re like stars
in the night sky…” Legion drew even closer toward Vio, perhaps trying to see Vio’s eyes better.
But all of a sudden, he froze in place. As Vio blinked in puzzlement, Legion leapt away from
Vio like a fish on land trying to jump back to the water. Once he’d backed himself against the
shrubbery, far away from Vio, he began to bow repeatedly. “I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

“…For what? Legi, aren’t your mood changes too sudden?” Thinking about Legion’s occasional
fits of eccentricity, Vio grew worried. “If you feel ill, let’s find a doctor to examine you while
we’re in the royal capital.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

Vio couldn’t understand why Legion’s shoulders drooped. It was as though he was heartbroken
at his worry. Afterward, Vio stood from the bench and told Legion that they were returning to his
room. All the while still puzzled.

Ch 54 – Noisy Night (IV)

Just before noon, on the tenth day of the Crown Prince’s birthday party.

Vio visited the Prince’s study.

The study was spacious; along with its nature-inspired design, it exhibited an open atmosphere.
The oak furniture had a glossy sheen, and the leaves of the decorative plant were lush. It caused
one to feel comfortable enough to want to pass the time in the room..

As Vio walked further into the Prince’s study, he saw an office desk. In front of it was a tea table
and a chaise lounge, where guests could be seated for conversations. Once he saw Ars, he
kneeled down on one knee and greeted the prince.

“Your Highness, I’ve come upon your call. Do you need something from me?” asked Vio.

“I’m sorry for suddenly calling you here. Take a seat for now,” Ars said as he pointed to the
chaise lounge. He then moved towards it and took a seat.

“Yes, excuse me.”

Vio also sat down on the chaise lounge. His attendant, Legion, brought out the tea cakes and set
it on the table before he poured both Vio and Ars a cup of tea. He then stood behind Vio towards
his right.

Ars picked up his cup and slovenly drank the tea. Sensing that the Prince was annoyed, Vio took
a sip of his tea and placed it cup back down. Straightforwardly, he asked, “Did I do something
wrong?”

Vio had a guess. It was his interaction with Earl Sarg Villan last night. He didn’t think his
response would cause a problem, but Ars might criticise him for being rude since Sarg was a
delegate of a foreign country.
Vio prepared himself to quickly apologize, but Ars’ reply was unexpected. “No, you didn’t.
Actually, Princess Liona likes you a lot.”

“…?”

“She came to ask me if you want to go to Ruslan as an exchange student,” Ars said with a bitter
look. Vio looked at the prince’s beautiful face in silent amazement.

Exchange student!? What is this development? This didn’t happen in the manga. Although Vio
didn’t show his emotions on his face, he was very shocked.

Seeing that Vio was speechless, Ars added, “I stopped Princess Liona from directly marching
into your room and called you to my study first. You don’t want to stand out, right?”

“…Yes.” Vio nodded awkwardly as he inwardly exclaimed “Safe!”, heart pounding.

His brother, Rupheus, had been furious when they last came to his room. If it happened again,
Rupheus would definitely rebuke him. Plus, Princess Liona was a lady. Entering the room of the
opposite sex would spread gossip that would damage her reputation.

If Prince Ars didn’t stop her, those false rumors will increase again…

Once the rumors spread, he might become known as a scoundrel who seduced a foreign princess.

“Thank you very much for your consideration, Your Highness,” said Vio.

“Well, it’s only natural. I don’t want to provoke the Lesserhain family either.” Ars was probably
annoyed because he quarreled with Liona.. “So how about it? Do you want to go?”

“Even if you ask me that… this is rather sudden.”

“Oh, right. I’m sure it’s a great surprise for you, Violant. But if you agree, she will become very
annoyi— I mean, she’ll make a noise when it’s time for you to go home.”

Vio decided to pretend he didn’t hear Ars’ true thoughts spilling out. “Have you spoken to my
father about this matter…?” He asked.

“No, not yet. I wanted to ask for your opinion first. I heard from Night that you’re interested in
Ruslan. If you want to go there, why not give it a try?”

Vio looked down at his tea. On its surface, reflected his bewildered expression.

I’ve never thought of living outside of my family’s territory. But things are starting to become
better for Leca town. Leaving is out of the question. Vio shook his head slowly.

“I’m grateful for this offer, but I would like to refuse. Currently, I’m researching ways that can
make Leca town a little richer. I have to keep an eye on it to make sure that nothing bad will
happen. I’m sure Ruslan is an amazing country. Even so, that peaceful, snowy town is equally as
amazing for me,” Vio answered calmly.

When he raised his head, Ars didn’t look happy. Apparently, he didn’t like Vio’s reply. Finding
Ars’ honest attitude funny, Vio relaxed his expression.
“You like that rural town that much?” Ars asked.

“Even a rural town can produce resources that enrich the territory.”

“Your brother would definitely sneer at it in scorn however.”

“Ahaha, you’re right. But every place has its good points. I consider that town to be a rough
diamond. I’m looking forward to discovering what kind of value it has.”

Ars sighed deeply. “I understand your reasons, Violant. I’ll refuse Liona’s offer for you. You
don’t have to worry about this matter anymore.” Regardless, Ars still didn’t look satisfied with
his choice. “But can I ask you a question?”

Vio nodded slightly. “Yes, what is it?”

“What are you going to do if someone snatches that gem you’ve worked so hard to polish?”

Indirectly, Ars was asking Vio about what he would do if Rupheus stole his credit for enriching
Leca town. Vio couldn’t help but chuckle. Ars became even more sullen and frowned.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Pardon me for being rude. I’m just thinking that Your Highness is kind,” replied Vio.

“I-it’s your fault! I don’t usually meddle in other people’s problems like this. I just can’t bear not
doing anything after seeing how dangerous the situation you’re in is. It’s like a rabbit in the cage
of a beast. Even though I’ve already unlocked the cage for the rabbit, it doesn’t even want to
come out. You can just go to a better place that will treat you kinder, you know?”

Vio held in his laughter at Ars’ exquisite metaphor. If the beast referred to both his father and
elder brother, then the cage would be the Lesserhain territory, and the key to unlocking it would
be the ticket to Ruslan.

“Personally, living in Leca town is very comfortable. As for what I would do if someone stole
the gem… Since a while ago, the blowing wind has brought the smell of the gem of the sea. The
cage right now is merely for show, so I’m not even sure if it can stay intact if something happens
in the future…”

“Violant, that’s…”

“That’s my meagre gratitude to Your Highness for worrying about me. Your Highness, I’ve
already said this before, but you don’t have to worry about me. When the time comes, you
should cast me away.”

Ars golden eyes widened slightly. “…How far have you seen with those eyes?”

Eyes casted down slightly, Vio replied, “Well, how can I answer this? The more I move away
from the light, the more I can see the shadows. I only know some things because I live in the
countryside.” He picked up his cup and drank his tea slowly.

“I understand. By the way, I’m planning to go for a long ride in three days at 8 o’clock in the
morning. Do you have any plans at that time?” Ars asked.
“I don’t, but… It’s difficult to explain, Your Highness.”

“What? Come on, don’t refuse my invitation.”

“No, that’s not it. I don’t know how to ride a horse, so can I ride with Legi?”

Ars looked surprised. “You can’t ride a horse?”

“This is embarrassing, but after two years of not leaving my mansion, I’ve forgotten how to ride
one.”

“Your illness was that serious?”

Vio said nothing, a bitter smile on his lips.

“Well, I don’t mind. We’ll just be strolling in my family’s forest behind the palace. It’s not that
far, so the horses won’t get tired,” said Ars.

“I’m grateful for that.”

“Liona is coming as well, okay?” It was probably because Vio had a worried expression that Ars
added, “She might keep bringing up the matter about you studying abroad. Prepare yourself.”

Thinking about how Ars had read him so easily, Vio mentally gave a bitter smile. “Yes.”

Ch 55.1 – Noisy Night (V)

Having to attend the evening party on that day as well, Vio decided to invite Legion to go out to
the balcony after a while. A cool breeze brushed against his cheeks as soon as he stepped
outside. It was refreshing compared to the hot, stuffy hall. Scanning around, he saw no other
guests there.

The roofed balcony was quite spacious and all of the windows in the hall led to it.

“It’s unexpectedly dark…” Vio murmured.

The brilliant light from the hall shone through the windows and there were lamps installed on the
handrails at certain intervals. Even so, the balcony was dim.

“I think it’s because it will be hard to see the string lights if it’s too bright,” Legion replied.

Vio was immediately convinced. “Ah, I see.”

He approached the railing and looked down. The rose garden stood out amidst the string lights,
creating a wondrous atmosphere.

“It’s as beautiful as you said.”

Still standing behind Vio’s left, Legion replied respectfully, “I’m glad you like it. The gardener
will surely be delighted to hear that.”
The garden was indeed very beautiful, but it was hard to see the whole place because Vio was
standing at the very end of the balcony.

“Let’s go over there. I want to see it more clearly.”

“Then please follow me.”

As he was being guided by Legion, Vio noticed that someone was sitting on the bench right in
the middle of the balcony. They were wearing a deep blue dress adorned with white lace and
pearls.

In the darkness, Vio hadn’t noticed that someone was there. He immediately excused himself
and turned on his heel.

“Hey, wait.” A familiar voice rang out. Vio stopped in his tracks and turned back. The woman
sitting on the bench was Princess Liona.

“Oh, it’s Princess Liona. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Vio then noticed Night standing to the right of the bench, blending into the shadows. When their
gazes met he gave a slight bow, right hand on his chest. Vio returned his greeting with a nod. He
then asked Liona, “May I have the honor of speaking with you, Princess Liona?”

“Sure, I’m currently taking a breather. What about you, Lord Violant? I always see you standing
in a corner.”

Vio replied with a bitter smile, “…Yes, my father ordered me to stay there. I was thinking of
going back to my room after I see the lights in the garden today.”

“I see,” Liona said. She gazed at Vio with a heavy look. “I heard your reply from His Highness
Prince Ars. Seems like you refuse to study abroad.”

“Thank you very much for the offer, but… The town I’m governing is awfully poor. It’s at an
important juncture right now, so I can’t leave it for such a long period of time. Please forgive
me.” Having not expected to meet Liona today, Vio was unprepared for this topic and could only
say thus.

Liona’s face softened at Vio’s weak expression. “It’s fine. I don’t mean to trouble you with that
offer. Tell me whenever you change your mind, you’ll always be welcome.”

“Thank you very much.”

Liona’s way of talking was crisp and clear. Moreover, she wasn’t persistent. Vio’s heart was
thankful for that.

“As expected from the verdant Istiah. Roses are precious in my country, so this feels very
luxurious.”

“Roses are precious?”

“Yeah. Ruslan has abundant water, and too much water causes the roots of roses to rot… We can
only grow them in greenhouses. Plus, it will take time and effort for them to bloom, right?”
“You’re right.” Vio nodded, recalling that Ed had previously said that roses were difficult to
tend.

“But I think we can imitate these string lights. Istiah is so good at incorporating magic into
structures, it’s inspiring,” Liona muttered with envy. “Though if we were talking ships, as a
maritime country our Ruslan wouldn’t lose…”

“String lights, huh?” Vio murmured before he asked, “Princess Liona, as a bit of entertainment,
would you like to see some interesting magic?”

Liona’s blue eyes glowed in interest. “Interesting magic? What is it?”

“It’s magic to create fluttering light butterflies. It’s a bit forward of me to say so, but I made this
myself.”

“Oh, you made it? I really want to see it.”

“Then please. I’d like you to look at my hands.”

Vio kneeled down on one knee and spread both of his hands, palms pointing upwards. He’d
made this magic to entertain others. So if he wanted to show this to Liona, he had to make it look
properly entertaining.

Vio cast the spell. “Heed my wish. O’myriad lights, take the form of butterflies and soar. Let
there be light!”

His palms shined faintly before several sparkling-gold butterflies flew out.

Following Vio’s will, the light butterflies danced around Liona before flying off to the garden.
Liona headed to the railing in pursuit and looked down. The butterflies were dancing amongst
the fully bloomed crimson and white roses. It looked beautiful, like something from a dream.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, of course! This is amazing!” Liona replied with excitement, her eyes still on the scene.

Vio smiled. “This is still a work in progress. Originally, I created this magic using a magic circle.
With a magic circle, scales of light should flutter down from the butterflies.”

Liona looked back at him in astonishment. “This is a work in progress?”

Vio nodded. “Yes. It’s difficult to add conditions when casting it using a spell. I have to use a
magic circle no matter what if I want to make something complicated.”

“Hey, Lord Violant. I want to see the finished version.”

“I don’t mind, but I didn’t bring the magic circle with me, so is it alright if you wait for a while?”

“I’ll gladly wait.”

Vio nodded to Liona’s cheerful reply and glanced at Legion.

“I’ll bring it here at once,” said Legion.

“Thanks, Legi.” Legion bowed and left the balcony.

At Liona’s badgering, Vio cast the entertainment magic again. This time, he made the light
butterflies stay near Liona and let them fly around her. Spellbound, Liona murmured, “I don’t
have any idea how you can change the shape of light like this.”

“I can also change it into birds and leaves, as long as the shape is simple. Right now, I’m
planning on trying to change the color of the light.”

“The color of the light? What do you mean? Sit here first,” Liona urged.

“Yes, excuse me.”

Vio took a seat. At this short distance, he could smell the gentle, floral scent of Liona’s perfume.

Ch 55.2 – Noisy Night (V)

“Do you know that a rainbow has seven colors?” asked Vio.

“Yeah, I know,” Liona replied.

“It’s caused by the reflection of light from water droplets in the atmosphere. Meaning, light has
seven colors.”

“Is that so? I didn’t know that.”

“Don’t worry, I also didn’t know that until I studied it. From there, I began to wonder if I could
create light in other colors as well, depending on how I construct the magic circle.”

Light has different colors, depending on the wavelength. The longest one is red, followed by
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet as the shortest.

However, one didn’t really need such in-depth knowledge to create colorful lights with magic.
Vio thought it was possible to do so just by interweaving the right words into the circle.

Vio used the rainbow as an example since he knew that in this world, Edelbaran, many people
didn’t think that light had so many different colors. Most people would say that the colors of
light were, “moonlight white, sunny yellow, and sunset red”.

“I’m also wondering if I can write words with light.”

“That’s possible? You really keep surprising me with your ideas. Isn’t that right, Night?”

“Yes… It’s very interesting. Does that mean you will draw them with streaks of light?”

Both the princess and her knight leaned forward slightly. Vio kept his distance from them as he
shook his head. “No. I think that’s possible, but what I’m thinking of is making specks of light
appear at the same time.”
“Specks of light?”

Vio dispelled the flying butterflies and summoned an ordinary light.

“Please look. Normally, when you summon light, you summon a single one like this. You could
say it’s a dot of light, yes?”

“Yeah…”

“If you put dots together in a row, won’t it look like a line from a distance?”

“Hmm? Come to think of it, you’re right.”

“I’m currently studying whether I can do this with lights. It’s easy to make something like string
lights, but… there’s no efficient way to line up lights floating in the air. I’d have to write the
same formula many times to make a line, right? If so, the size of the circle will naturally expand.
Right now, I’m trying to find a more reasonable approach than that.”

Liona praised Vio with sparkling eyes, “Writing things with light, what a good idea! When
welcoming foreign ambassadors, don’t you think they’ll be impressed once you display their
crest with lights in the garden?”

“I didn’t think of that. What I came up with is…” Vio paused, cheeks turning red in
embarrassment.

Liona and Night grew curious. She asked, “What is it? Tell me.”

Vio cleared his throat and calmed down. He said, “It’s to write words of love in the garden, like
‘please marry me,’ or ‘I like you’… Isn’t that romantic?”

“That’s… if it’s done by the person they like, then they’ll fall head over heels.”

“Ahaha. I read an article in a book about making a confession of love in a garden full of
flowers… I want to do it too someday, so I took note of it.”

“Lord Violant is a romantic, I see. Well, women do like that kind of thing,” Liona said in a frank
manner. Then, as if she had imagined getting confessed to in that way, she gave an embarrassed
grin.

Night asked with an extremely serious look on his face, “Princess, do you like something like
that?”

“There’s no woman who wouldn’t.”

“Is that so…” Night fell into deep thought.

Liona raised an eyebrow at him. “Now, don’t think of making advances on women with this
method! If you dirty Lord Violant’s wonderful technique, I’ll beat you up!”

“I wouldn’t do that! How heartless of you, Princess.”

Just like in the manga, Night had women falling for him one after another. So when it came to
women, Liona didn’t have much trust in him.

“Good grief. All this yelling has made me thirsty. Night, bring me some water!”

“Princess… I understand. I’ll be back soon, so please stay here until then.”

“Alright.”

Since both of their guardian knights were gone, Vio thoughtfully stood next to the bench.
Otherwise people might mistake them as lovers having a rendezvous, and it would be a problem
for Liona. Liona noticed Vio’s intention and didn’t say anything.

As a lady, Liona had to avoid being alone with the opposite sex. That being said, Vio’s
conscience wouldn’t let him leave Liona here alone. Liona didn’t say that they should move to
another room either because that would make Vio uncomfortable. She was aware that Vio was
avoiding being conspicuous.

If anyone said something, Liona decided to say that Violant was her pest repellent until her
companion returned.

“Lord Violant has great ideas. I didn’t think that a single light could have so much potential.”

“No, I’m sure there are a lot more ideas that I couldn’t think of. The world is full of the
unknown.”

Liona nodded vigorously. “Haha, you’re right. That’s why it’s interesting.”

“If we think about structure, do you think that we could improve water magic, too? The magic to
create water is easy, but I’m wondering if I can create magic that transforms snowpack into
something else.”

“Snow? Hmm, I don’t really know. I live in a warm country.”

“It’s by the sea, right? I once had the idea that it would be interesting if I could dive underwater
for a long time using the box-shaped defense magic.”

“Oh, like blocking the water? That’s interesting. Depending on how you do it, maybe you can
also make a ship using defense magic?”

“I never thought of that.”

As they were half-jokingly talking about various possibilities, they heard footsteps entering the
balcony.

“Legi? Have you returned?” Vio called out, thinking that it was Legion. Turns out it was a
couple.

The woman noticed Liona and bowed deeply. “Oh, Princess. Forgive our rudeness.” She tried to
step back, flustered, but the man escorting her didn’t move. She turned to him, puzzled. “Honey,
let’s leave.”
“You leave by yourself.”

“Eh?” she asked. The man took advantage of her moment of bewilderment and thrust the woman
away. She fell down with a scream. “Ahhhh!”

The man took out a knife he’d concealed in his belt and ran towards them. “Princess Liona, I’ll
finish you!”

Vio and Liona couldn’t respond in time. They had both let down their guard, believing that the
security in the venue was flawless. While they were still preoccupied with the woman, the man
had quickly closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

“Princess!” Vio immediately jumped in front of Liona and used magic. “Let there be light!”

Vio could only chant the trigger spell, but it was enough. Light burst into being in front of the
man, stopping him in his tracks. Suddenly seeing light in such a dim area should have blinded
him for a moment.

As the man staggered, Vio jumped onto his right arm. However, due to the large difference in
their physique, he was quickly shaken off.

Just as Vio realized that the man had thrown him, his head struck something hard and he
collapsed on the spot, unable to make a sound.

“Lord Violant!”

Liona’s screaming voice was the last thing he heard before Vio blacked out.

Ch 56 – Noisy Night (VI)

When Vio opened his eyes, all he saw was a blue canopy.

“Master, what a relief. You finally woke up!” Rille cried out in delight, tears in her eyes.

Vio recalled that something like this had happened before.

An unfamiliar man entered his line of sight. The man looked like he was in his late forties, and
wore a blue hat and tight-fitting white clothes. He had gray hair and a gentle gaze.

“You’re finally conscious,” the man said. “I am Méliez, the court doctor. You fainted after you
hit your head. How do you feel?”

“Haa… I have a headache. A bad one,” Vio replied.

“Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?”

“No.”

“Hmm.”
Méliez scribbled something in the medical records, then asked Vio’s full name. Vio answered
easily. Next, the doctor asked him the name of his servant, and finally, stuck his hand out and
asked how many fingers he could see.

“Three.”

“Okay, good. Do you have any questions or concerns?”

“Is Princess Liona safe?”

Méliez blinked his blue eyes. At that, Vio became suspicious. “No way, is she…?”

“No, it was just a bit unexpected… Nevermind.” Méliez tried to hide his slip by clearing his
throat before continuing, “Princess Liona is not injured. Your protecting her bought enough time
for her knight to come back and get rid of the suspicious man. Lord Violant, I believe that after
that man struck you, you hit your head on the handrail. There was some blood, but fortunately,
the wound was light. I’ve already applied salves. However, the wound might open up if you
move too much, so you need to rest for a while.”

“How long?”

“Around three days to a week. Considering Lord Violant’s poor health and the anemia from the
blood loss, I recommend you refrain from leaving this room for the whole of tomorrow.”

“I understand.” Vio nodded obediently. But in his heart, he thought the doctor was making too
much of a big deal out of just some anemia.

Well, since medical technologies haven’t advanced much, this kind of response is probably
normal…

There was no spirit magic for healing injuries, so many people had an extreme reaction when
they got injured. Injuries caused by magic were especially grave. Perhaps because of this,
surgery techniques were in the midst of development. But most people died from infectious
diseases rather than injuries. This was because knowledge of the importance of hygiene was
underdeveloped.

Only people who are protected by the Cerulean Spirit Aslair, Princess Liona and Her Majesty,
can use healing magic. Though no one knows that since it’s top-secret…

People would probably flood the castle if they knew that the royalty could heal injuries. Perhaps
it would destroy the country and rob them of the protection of Cerulean Spirit Aslair. In the
manga, there were times when Liona secretly healed Night. Because they shared this secret, their
relationship deepened even more.

Istiah has abundant greenery and we can collect various medicinal plants here. Even so, only the
Clarina nation has well-developed herbology.

The priests monopolized medical knowledge to maintain the power structure where the citizens
respected and were indebted to them.

“Doctor Méliez, was it? Thank you very much.”

“No, this is my job. May I tell His Highness about your condition?”

“Yes. Please also tell him not to worry since I’m fine.”

“I understand.”

Once Méliez left the room, Vio tried to get up. Due to his anemia, his body felt very heavy. Even
so, he was awfully thirsty.

Jill quickly supported Vio’s shoulders while saying, “Young Master, please lie down and rest.”

“I’m thirsty. Rille, can you bring me water?”

“Yes! I’ll bring it in a moment,” Rille said, swiftly turning around and leaving the bedroom.

Vio gave the departing maid a side glance. He asked Jill, “Where’s Legi?”

“After carrying Young Master here, he went to work on that matter. He said he was going to
return soon.” Jill’s voice grew quieter as he added, “Please rest assured. Sir Night properly
concealed the fact that Young Master and Princess Liona were alone in the balcony. He made up
a story that you came to greet them by chance.”

“Got it, so we need to get our stories straight. Then, the reason Legi left me?”

“That’s… I’m very sorry, but the story was that Young Master acted selfishly and told Sir
Legion to leave.”

“I don’t mind. There’s already a lot of bad rumors about me, what’s one more? It’s better than
letting an unmarried princess get gossiped on. What about that suspicious man?” Just as Vio
finished asking, Legion entered the bedroom. Behind him, Rille was carrying a tray with a jug of
water and a glass on it.

“We caught him. He’s in the middle of an interrogation.”

Vio quenched his thirst with the water Rille brought. He then asked, in a low voice so as not to
be overheard, “I don’t think this is the case, but is it possible that my older brother is involved?”

If we’re following the development of the manga, there’s a high possibility that that man is my
brother’s subordinate… Just when did Princess Liona embarrass him? If I knew she had done
that, I would’ve taken some measures.

Vio had believed it wasn’t time for that yet so he’d been too laid-back. Now they were in this
situation.

Legion’s face immediately grew tense. “It’s still unclear for now, but… do you know
something?”

“If I’m wrong, then that’s fine. It’s just that I had a dream…”

It sounded like a lame excuse, but it unexpectedly worked. Infrequently, spirits would enter the
dreams of humans and beastmen alike to give them wisdom. As expected of a fantasy world.
Legion sighed in relief. “Is that so? It’s alright, Lord Violant.”

“Yeah… But it’s really been one thing after another since I came to the royal capital. I’m sorry
for troubling you so much.”

Legion spoke with a terrible expression on his face, “What are you saying, Lord Violant.
Running around isn’t too much for me. What pains me is that Lord Violant got injured. That’s
why, please rest properly.”

Vio returned the glass to Rille and beckoned Legion. Puzzled, Legion kneeled beside Vio’s bed.
Vio extended his hand towards the knight’s head and ruffled his hair.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Judging from your personality, you must be feeling responsible for leaving my side, right? I
was the one who ordered you to pick up my notes. I’m the one who was unlucky. Understand?”

“No!” Hair still a mess, Legion replied with his lips drawn tight.

Vio glared at Legion. “What? You’re talking back at me?”

“Uhh, but…!”

“I guess this can’t be helped. Then as punishment, stand guard over me tonight. You won’t be
able to sleep anyway, so just stay here.”

“Lord Violant…”

Vio hadn’t said anything too outrageous, but for some reason, Legion turned blue as if he was
being strangled.

Jill and Rille also looked at Legion in puzzlement. Jill asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Then it should be alright, shouldn’t it? I’ll leave the guarding to you,” Jill said before bowing.
He then left the tray of water on a side table and left the room.

Legion stood frozen, looking at a loss.

Vio smiled wryly. “Legi… I’m sorry.”

“What…?”

“I didn’t expect you to be this depressed. You don’t want to look at my face, right?”

“That’s absurd! I just couldn’t calm down, so please don’t worry,” Legion answered, speaking so
fast it was clear that he was panicking.

Vio blinked. “You can’t calm down?”

“Yes. Rather, I don’t know how those two can stay calm when they’re alone with you.”
“Sorry, I don’t follow.”

He must be talking about Jill and Rille when he said ‘those two’. But what did he mean by
‘staying calm’?

“Sometimes, you say things I really don’t understand. Well, as long as you’re fine. By the way,
how is Princess Liona’s condition?”

“She was worried about Lord Violant, but other than that, she was calm as usual. She’s
frighteningly composed for a woman.”

“You’re right. A lady of character must be someone like her, right?”

As a fan of the manga, Vio was happy that Legi supported the heroine. As Vio nodded
enthusiastically, Legion’s brow furrowed and he opened his mouth. “Lord Violant, please take a
rest. If you can’t sleep, shall I bring you something to supplement your nutrition?”

“No, I’m not hungry. It’s okay,” Vio said. He was just about to lie down when he heard a sudden
commotion in the living room. Vio stopped moving. “What on earth is it this time…”

Vio hoped no one would blame him for reflexively complaining. As he was praying to God to let
him rest, the bedroom door opened.

There his older brother Rupheus was, with an angry look on his face. Just like on that day.

Ch 57.1 – Noisy Night (VII)

At the sight of Rupheus, Violant froze.

“It looks like you’ve forgotten something these days, Violant.” The aura around Rupheus proved
frigid.

“Brother…”

“I see that you even dare to help Princess Liona now. Trying to look good? You hate being an
outcast that much?”

“What? No, I’m, that’s not it—”

Like before, Rupheus thrust a hand out and grabbed Vio by the collar. Vio paled. If his brother
struck him where his injury was, his condition would surely tank.

But this time, Legion intervened. “Please stop that, Lord Rupheus! Lord Violant is injured. He
just regained consciousness!” Then he grabbed Rupheus’ right arm and pulled him away, before
promptly stepping in front of Vio, acting as a shield.

Rupheus’ light blue eyes grew colder than prior. Colder than when he had still been looking at
Vio. Cold as ice. “The fact that you rebuke me for not valuing my citizens wholly disgusts me. I
don’t know what’s wrong with your common sense, but doing this in my territory is the same as
rebellion.”
“My master is Lord Violant. It’s natural for me to protect him from any threats. He is also part of
your family. How could you be this violent toward him when he’s unwell? Please have some
benevolence and treat him as your younger brother,” said Legion in a polite manner. However,
his words had been sharp.

With a fierce look in his eyes, Rupheus snapped, “You… What a conceited man!”

Burning with anger, he struck Legion, sending him to the ground. But Legion didn’t let out a
sound of surprise or pain, getting up to his feet at once, gazing straight at Rupheus with his clear
and bright hazel eyes.

“You dare oppose me… I won’t let you get away with this!” In a flash, Rupheus unsheathed the
long sword hung on his waist, blood rushing to his head.

Forgetting how heavy his body felt, Vio latched onto Rupehus’ right arm and stopped him from
acting any further. “Please calm down, Brother! Killing is prohibited at the castle!”

Still holding a semblance of rationality, Rupheus clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword.
Using that opportunity, Vio moved in front of Legion to protect him.

Since Rupheus couldn’t use his sword, he would probably hit Legion until he was satisfied. His
brother was truly unforgiving except toward his men. If Legion acted like that in Nada town,
Rupheus would’ve slashed him with a sword from the start.

“Move away, Violant!”

“I’m sorry, Brother. My subordinates’ impertinence is my responsibility as their master. Please

scold me for his actions instead.”

“Lord Violant! But he—”

“Shut up, Legi. That’s enough,” said Vio with a sharp glare. To which Legion zipped his lips,
frustrated.

I knew this would happen. Brother really hates when someone of lower status talks to him like
this.

Legion’s words were quite right, but he picked the wrong opponent. In some cases, his justice
could piss someone off.

Satisfied with how Vio broke into a cold sweat, Rupheus laughed. “How unsightly, Legion Salt.
To think that you have to obey such a stupid command… Fine, I will forgive him today, out of
respect for my brother.”

“Ah, thank you for your benevolence, Brother.”

Right after Vio had blurted out his words, Rupheus grabbed his right hand. Confused, Vio raised
his head.

In a leisurely manner, Rupheus laughed once more, his eyes similar to a predator’s as it tracked
down its prey. “I still have a problem with you.”
“Ah, Brother?!”

Paying no heed to Vio’s shock, Rupheus dragged him toward the large glass door leading to the
garden connected to Vio’s bedroom. He opened the door. Dragged Vio out.

Realizing what his brother was going to do, Vio paled. And without any hesitation, Rupheus
pushed him toward the flowerbed.

A scream left his throat as he collapsed onto the beautiful flowers. The sweet scent tickled his
nose, but he couldn’t afford to appreciate them now. After he scolded his body for not moving
and rose to his feet, he looked up at Rupheus.

Vio clenched his hands in desperation to suppress the tremors through his body, born of fear. As
he did, he noticed Legion, Jill, and Lantz staring at Rupheus’ back with a uniformly frightening
look. Like they were ready to intervene at any time.

He shook his head a hint, stopping them from doing anything rash. For Vio, this was a matter of
endurance. But Rupheus would kill them without hesitation.

“So the rumors are true? You have overcome your phobia of going outside?” asked Rupheus in
interest. “What a pity. It was fun watching you suffer every time I drag you out.”

“B-Brother…”

Sure enough, Rupheus had had such a hobby immediately after that incident with Erik. Despite
this, never had Vio imagined he would enjoy his suffering.

Once again looking up at Rupheus, Vio asked without thinking, “Why do you hate me so
much?”

“Hmm, well…” Rupheus dropped into a crouch before Vio. Grabbed his chin. With his eyes
narrowed, he continued, “I hate your eyes.”

“Eyes…”

“You’re kind of stubborn, Violant. Be it in hope or peace, you keep looking at the light. Just
succumb to our family’s depraved ways already. That way, I can take good care of you more.”

The Rupheus at present, who laughed in such a dark manner, proved unfamiliar to Vio. Such a
sight brought shivers down his spine.

This was it. Vio was especially afraid of Rupheus’ eyes. They were dark, like two bottomless
swamps. Ruthless and unforgiving, with the sharpness of a drawn sword.

His father had the same eyes. For this reason, Vio feared both him and brother. Sometimes, he
saw the illusion of monsters within them.

“I-I don’t understand what you’re talking about…” Vio replied, voice trembling.

The scene gave Rupheus satisfaction, that of a terrified Vio. He stood. Then he faced his head
toward the sky in a thinking posture. “What was his name again? Ah, Erik, right?”
Vio’s heart thrashed against his chest, heavy with a premonition. Though he didn’t want his
brother to continue, a part of him did.

“That man is also quite pitiful. He couldn’t even realize the reason he couldn’t help his father. It
was all because his master was too incompetent. Oh well, I was the one who set that up, though.”

Vio stared at Rupheus with a stunned look. “…Brother?”

The smile on Rupheus’ lips was inhuman. “Hey Violant, how did it feel to have your trusted
subordinate betray you?”

“Huh?” An ember sparked in his heart, growing brighter and brighter. Harder and harder to
contain.

Rupheus noticed his burgeoning agitation. A sigh escaped his lips at Vio’s inability to conceal it.
“But you’re disappointing, Violant. I thought you’d fall to this side once I did that. Yet even
after you can’t grip your sword and can’t go outside… you didn’t lose that light. It’s a shame.”

Unable to endure his anger any longer, Vio screamed, “What do you mean, Brother?! I knew his
father had been falsely charged, but you were the one who set it up?”

“Why are you so upset? Faking a crime is easy, my younger brother. I just rewarded him with a
jewel then told others that he stole it,” said Rupheus in a nonchalant manner. Like it wasn’t a big
deal.

“That’s… Then… It was my fault that Erik fell into a tight spot…”

For a moment, Vio’s sight grew dark. He placed his hands on the ground, supporting his body
from collapsing. Tears overflowed from his eyes, running down his cheeks, falling to the ground.

Yet, Rupheus’ expression didn’t change at all. He laughed, looking down on such a Vio. Then he
placed his hand on his chin and muttered, “Let’s go for Flora next.”

“…What?”

Ch 57.2 – Noisy Night (VII)

Vio couldn’t believe his ears.

“I’ll marry her off while she still has that innocence, then show her what despair is. Or maybe I
should let her fall into hell first. Which do you think is better, Violant?”

“Wha… What… Brother, don’t you care for Flora?! Why would you do that to her?!”

Vio had thought that Flora was safe. Yet his belief was unexpectedly crushed. The revelation
made him feel faint.

“Of course I care. She’s an important chess piece that will make our family prosper. Unlike you
who’s useless, she’s very valuable.”

“Chess piece…? Valuable…?”

Something snapped within Vio. He roughly wiped his sleeve over his eyes, then slowly stood up.
“Brother, just what is your family to you? She’s your sister who shares your blood!” The anger
made Vio see red. He glared sharply at Rupheus. “I’m indeed incompetent. I’ve always thought
that it was reasonable for you to mistreat me. But Flora is different! If you try to do something
strange to her, I will never forgive you!”

Looking at his brother who for once was rebelling, Rupheus’ countenance was full of interest.
“Hoh… What are you going to do?”

Vio’s violet eyes glowed fiercely. Then he let out a slow laugh. “Brother, it seems you don’t
understand. Even a mouse will bite a cat when it’s cornered. If I’m going to hell anyway, then
I’ll make sure to leave a permanent wound on you.”

“Pfft… hahaha! That’s fine. But, Violant. Who told you that you can speak to me like that? It
seems I need to properly discipline my younger brother.” Eyes gleaming, Rupheus clenched his
right fist. Just as he raised his hand, he stopped moving.

“Please stop right there,” Jill said in a cold voice.

What stopped Rupheus were the blades on his neck. To his left was Legion holding a long sword
to his neck, and on his right, Jill held a dagger. Both of their eyes were cold and full of killing
intent.

Rupheus said in displeasure, “It seems you fools really want to die.”

Vio smiled at Rupheus. “Brother, Mother has given them permission to retaliate. …So, what will
you do now?”

Rupheus clicked his tongue. “She’s done something unnecessary again…” He grit his teeth in
frustration but soon regained his composure. “I’ll leave today out of respect for Mother. But
don’t think that there will be a second time.”

Vio raised his right hand, signalling Legion and Jill to lower their blades. However, he didn’t let
his guard down and watched Rupheus until he left the room.

Once he was sure that Rupheus had gone, all of the energy drained from Vio and he sank straight
to the ground.

“Lord Violant!”

“Young Master, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine… Haa, now I’ve done it.”

Vio was already regretting hurling defiance at his brother. It might be cowardly of him, but he
was really scared of quarreling with Rupheus.

Wanting to comfort Vio who was really depressed, Jill calmly said, “You stopped him from
drawing his sword. I think that’s admirable.”

“Is that so? But you guys drew your swords, though. Still, I have to thank you for saving me.”
It was a good save. If Jill and Legion hadn’t interrupted, Vio probably would’ve been all beat up
by now.

Legion kneeled beside Vio. “For a moment, I wanted to make my hand slip. He’s just too
awful.”

“Thank you for enduring your anger.” Vio reached for Legion’s cheek, thumb grazing the side of
his mouth. “Legi, your lips are cut. I’m sorry I’m such a disappointing master.”

Legion grabbed Vio’s right hand and shook his head. “No, you’re not disappointing at all! You
protected me, didn’t you? Besides, I’m your shield. This much is nothing to me! I’m the number
one knight in this country; I have a sturdy body.” He smiled to show that there was nothing to
worry about.

Looking at that gentle smile, Vio started to cry.

“Does it hurt somewhere?”

“Yeah… It hurts. My heart hurts.” Vio put a hand to his chest, uncaring of the tears dripping
down his face. “Erik also said something like that before. Even though he was important to me…
Why didn’t I realize he was suffering?”

Regret burned his chest, choking him painfully.

Jill gently patted Vio’s back. “Young Master, please don’t blame yourself. You were still
thirteen at the time. It’s unreasonable to expect you to know everything when you were that
young. It was His Grace’s and Lord Rupheus’ duty to do something.”

“Yes. That Erik guy was also at fault. Since he didn’t seek your help, he’s also partly
responsible.”

Vio desperately wiped his tears and looked at Legion. “Maybe it’s just me, but aren’t you too
harsh on Erik?”

“I’m sorry, but I hate him.”

“I see. So you hate him. Then I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Yes.”

Vio couldn’t help laughing a little at Legion’s blunt words.

“Hey, you guys. I want to protect Flora. Please help me.”

Immediately after Vio relayed his request, Legion and Jill knelt down and bowed their head.
They spoke in unison, “As you will.”

It would be a thorny path for them, but they readily accepted his wish. At that, Vio’s eyes grew
wet again. He hugged Legion and Jill. “…Thank you. I’ll leave it to you.”

Both of them stirred in surprise, but they nodded vigorously.

“Yes!”

Ch 58 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(I)
On a block on 10th Avenue stood a shabby house isolated from the rest.

It was close to the towering bailey, with the block cast in shadow for half the day. But this house
saw even less light than the other houses around. Without exception, shadows fell upon it except
during the morning.

A vegetable field resided in its small garden, many potted plants lining the staircase-like shelves
for sunlight exposure.

Around noon, knocks sounded on the front door.

“Doctor! Doctor Dawn! You’re home, right?!”

After a while, the door opened and a man in his forties came into view. The black wolf ears on
his head proved his Locana origin. “Ah? What happened? So noisy… Did someone die?”
Although his umber hair was tied at the back, adding points for neatness to his appearance, his
clothes lay in disarray. Coupled with his beard stubble and lazy aura, he appeared to have just
woken up.

The woman, his visitor, frowned. “You stink of alcohol. You’re drinking during the afternoon
again?!”

“Not really. I started drinking in the morning.”

“That’s even worse! Ugh! And what’s with you asking if anyone died? Be more mindful, you
quack!”

Dawn looked at the woman who was yelling up a storm, expression one of obvious annoyance.
“If you want to vent about how you’re fighting with your husband again, do it somewhere else.”

“I’m not! Really, do something with your weeds already! The insects are flying into my house.
It’s really annoying.”

“They’re not weeds but the important plants I grow for my research. That’s all I have to say,”
replied Dawn in a perfunctory manner. Then he tried to close his door. However, perhaps already
familiar with this action of his, the woman slipped her leg through the doorway to prevent him
from doing so. “Since they’re important to you, do something about the pests!”

“Yes, yes. Hey, Yuan. Sprinkle some insect repellent later,” said Dawn, turning to face the
interior of his house. A boy around ten years old who was cleaning replied, “Yes. I understand,
Dad.”

Such a scene caused the woman to arch her brows. “Don’t make your child do it! He’s still so
young! Yuan, come over to my house later. I’ll make you lunch.”
“Thank you, Aunt Rosa,” said Yuan with an amiable smile, appeasing Rosa’s anger.

“Ohh, thanks, Rosa. You’re a great help.”

“I don’t care about you!” she shouted again, angered by Dawn’s unnecessary remark. “What a
terrible dad. If you have time to drink, go look for patients to rob some money, you good-for-
nothing!”

“Robbing money from other people makes me an even worse person, doesn’t it?”

“Bye, Yuan. Remember to come by my house later!” Then she shut the door and left.

As she passed through the rotting wooden gate, the other women from the neighbourhood who
had been watching their interaction approached her with amused expressions.

“You’re taking care of them again, Rosa?”

“You should just leave them alone. Why would you go to Doctor Dawn’s haunted house?!”

“He used to be a priest, but all he does is drink now. His only saving graces are his educational
background and his cute son.”

But Rosa only said, “I’m only looking after Yuan since he’s pitiful. Just go already!”

And so the women returned to their errands, laughing as they playfully called Rosa scary.

Rosa took another look at the shabby house with its dense garden. With a sigh and grumble, she
returned to her house next door.

****

The Lesserhains’ townhouse was located on 1st Avenue, an elegant building made of white
stone.

Purple and white flowers bloomed in the front yard. Bathing in the summer sun, the shrubs cast
dark shadows. Most of the flowers were violas, because they shared a name with the mistress of
the townhouse.

In one of the rooms, Rupheus greeted his father Erst, Duke of Lesserhain. Then he said, “I heard
that you’ve summoned me, Father. What do you want me to do?”

Puffing away at his pipe as he sat by a window and looked through it, Erst signalled with his
fingers. Immediately, the butler waiting upon them moved, carrying a silver tray with a letter
before Rupheus.

Rupheus turned pale upon realizing what it was: a bill for the property damage from the royal
castle. However, the smile plastered on his face didn’t change. “I’m sorry, Father. Despite this
—”
Erst raising his left hand faintly. “I’ve heard the account from the messenger. There’s no use
clarifying it. Really… You’re doing something stupid, Rupheus. You’re sharp, so I didn’t expect
you to make this kind of blunder,” he said with a hint of interest, not once looking at his son. “I
know that you hate Violant. But if you want to discipline him, choose the right time and place.
You should’ve made it look like you’re praising him for helping the princess of the neighboring
country.”

Reflected upon the window was the appearance of Erst smiling, but Rupheus only felt cold sweat
running down his spine. Erst said, “Originally, I thought he didn’t deserve having a place in my
family since he’s useless, but… it seems like he has grown up. Because he resembles Viola
greatly in appearance, he must have also inherited her wisdom. He even shut up the Ruslan
fox… Hahaha.”

Rupheus couldn’t help but ask, “Father, are you planning to bring him back home?”

“Hmm… Who knows? It’s up to you, Rupheus. Don’t let me down too much.” Erst’s smile
quickly disappeared, and his sharp gaze reflecting upon the window pierced Rupheus,
reminiscent of a bird of prey’s.

At once, Rupheus hung his head low. “Yes, I’m very sorry for my blunder. I will make sure to
act carefully from now on.”

“Yes, do that. Leave him alone for now. He can’t hold a sword yet, but he manages his town
better than I expected. It’s also beneficial for us if he can make profit.”

“Understood.” Still facing the floor, Rupheus ground his teeth.

Ch 59.1 – The Unbeknownst Creeping

Shadow (II)
It was the day after Vio rebelled against Rupheus. Following Doctor Méliez’s instructions, he
was lying on his bed, resting.

The summer sun shone through the half-drawn blue curtains, causing a shadow of the window
frame to appear on the floor. Occasionally, a tepid breeze would flow into the room, making the
curtains flutter.

Vio tried to be obedient and sleep, but his thoughts kept distracting him. He was thinking about
whether or not the messengers he had sent in the morning had returned. Unable to stop worrying
about it, he let out a small sigh and shifted his gaze to the window.

Soft knocking sounded throughout the room before Jill entered. “I’ve returned from relaying
your message, Young Master. Have I bothered you?”

“Welcome back, Jill. No, it’s okay. I was too caught up in my thoughts that I couldn’t sleep,”
said Vio. “So what did mother say?”

When Vio woke up that morning, the first thing he did was inform Viola about his confrontation
with his brother. Vio couldn’t go to Nada. If he couldn’t protect Flora by being by her, then he
had to ask for another person’s help. He figured that Viola would lend him a hand.
“She said, ‘I won’t interfere with your and your brother’s quarrel. Just do as you please.’ Also,
she said she would take care of the matter regarding Lady Flora,” replied Jill.

“That’s good to hear. But that reply is definitely something Mother would say.” Vio smiled
slightly, some of his tension leaving him.

In the past, Viola had told him to fight back against Rupheus, but Vio was a bit worried that she
might prioritize her eldest son once their quarrels escalated into a serious fight. Yet far from
admonishing him for quarrelling, her reply exceeded his expectations.

There were times when Vio thought that Viola was actually a daring lady, contrary to her
delicate appearance. This was one of those times.

“Her Grace also mentioned that Young Master could rely on her if necessary, but that Lord
Rupheus would most probably focus on Young Master and avert his eyes from Flora,” Jill said.

“Yeah, that’s possible. But Brother is good at striking other people’s weaknesses, so we have to
be alert. What about Dame Calia?”

“Of course she accepts it. She was originally one of Lord Rupheus’ knights, but he discharged
her. The reason for it is because she refused him when he tried to take Dame Calia into his
bedroom. I believe that Lady Flora is important to her, but she has a grudge against Lord
Rupheus. Other than harassing her, he has also bothered her”

“Brother… He’s really…” Vio felt a headache coming again.

He reflexively placed a hand on his forehead, earnestly apologizing to Calia in his mind. He
didn’t know that something like that had happened. But thanks to that, Calia would be a strong
ally.

He couldn’t stop a groan from escaping his mouth. “Of course it’s bad for his reputation to do
such a thing to girls,, but to try and subject the daughter of the Viscount to it is definitely worse.
He won’t be in that much trouble if he’s planning to marry her, but…”

“Since we’re talking about Lord Rupheus, I believe he would only make Dame Calia his
mistress.”

Vio let out a heavy sigh of relief. “It’s a relief that Dame Calia escaped…”

It would still be alright for Calia if Rupheus made her his legal wife. But if she became his
mistress, she would only have a pitiful future.

“There is one last thing Her Grace said to me. She’s going to tell you about her contact once she
gets back to Nada.”

“Got it. Thank you, Jill.”

Jill’s eyes gleamed. “I am not worthy of those words,” he said, before he continued with a gentle
expression, “Please feel free to tell me anything.”

Vio smiled wryly. “Yeah.”

Jill probably wanted to suggest he take the last resort, but even if Vio hated Rupheus, he didn’t
want to assassinate his family.

“All of you might tell me that I’m being too soft, but… I don’t want to resort to violence for as
long as I can help it. I don’t want to live with the burden of knowing I harmed Brother… And I
don’t want to stoop to his level. But…” Vio’s purple eyes gleamed strongly. “To protect Flora, I
won’t hesitate to do that when I have no other option. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes, I understand.” Jill bowed deeply.

Vio took out his hand from the quilt and beckoned for Jill. Once Jill neared him, he lightly patted
his left arm and said, “Thank you, Jill. I mean it.”

“You’re speaking nonsense, Young Master. I’m a butler who relies on you. I have to thank you
since I’m satisfied with my job,” Jill replied with a playful smile, making Vio laugh in response.
Jill then took Vio’s hand and placed it back under his quilt. “Is there anything else you want me
to do?”

“What is Legi doing, by the way?” Vio asked.

Soon after, Legion came into the room. “Lord Violant, I have delivered the letters safely. I’m
very sorry for being late. I was held up preparing them…” he said.

“I thought so. Anyways, I can finally breathe in relief.”

Vio had instructed Legion to write a letter informing his family, who were still living in Nada,
about the danger. He wouldn’t allow his brother to repeat what he did to Erik with Legion.

Vio told him to send out five falcons to deliver the letters, so Legion had to write five copies of
the letter, which would obviously take some time.

Sometimes, a carrier pigeon would get attacked by one of its natural predators. Other times, they
would get lost when delivering the letters. Therefore, it was normal to send dozens at a time.
While falcons didn’t have that many natural predators, they couldn’t ignore the possibility that
other falcons or wild dragons would attack it on their journey. Therefore, they prepared a
reasonable number of falcons to deliver their letters.

As Legion was moving towards Vio’s bedside, he made a face, as if he remembered something.
He then said, “I understand why you instructed me to inform my family to only accept Lord
Rupheus’ gift if there is an audience to witness it. But I’m impressed with your instructions for
them to praise and compliment Lord Rupheus so that his reputation improves.”

“My brother is a proud man. He’s going to prioritize his reputation over anything else. So it’ll be
safer for your family to brag to their fellow merchants about having his favor in public when
they receive it. I’m glad your family are merchants.”

“Yes. Merchants are tenacious, so I think things will be alright with this plan,” Legion said
awkwardly as he looked into the distance. He probably remembered some memories of his
family.

“After this, I’ll ask Rille about the temple… I’m also going to prepare a letter to meet my
grandfather.”
Vio was thinking of two places where Flora could escape to: the temple and their grandfather’s
house.

It’s common for nobles to place their children at the temple. Sometimes they did it to make their
children learn about manners. But most of the time, it was to place problematic children out of
the way, to ensure that they wouldn’t be able to play an active role in politics.

Moving Flora to the temple was Vio’s last resort. Even so, not even the royal family could
interfere with the temple’s matters with ease. It was a convenient sanctuary for his sister.

However, the temples in Nada were notoriously bad. If Vio evacuated Flora there in the current
situation, he could easily imagine the temple willingly selling her back to their brother.

For now, he had to investigate their internal workings and the details of their transaction history
to make sure they would keep their end of a deal.

Rille volunteered to handle this, so I’ll leave it to her.

Rille had a grudge against Rupheus, so she would definitely do a good job.

“Young Master. Do you want to meet His Emeritus Majesty Wingard?”

Vio nodded at Jill’s question. “Yeah. Grandfather can easily protect Mother and Flora when
something happens. I have to meet with him in person and ask him about it.”

Since his grandfather retired from the throne because of his illness, he lived in seclusion at a
separate palace outside the royal capital. Vio heard that he rarely made an appearance in social
gatherings and rarely went outside of his residence for any reason other than travelling to
somewhere nearby.

Vio had only met both of his grandparents once, at his social debut. They seemed to be a kind
couple. Besides, they were famous for their fondness of their daughter, Viola. Vio was sure that
they would agree.

“Regardless, His Majesty Wingard and Her Majesty Elise will be happy if you tell them that you
want to see him, Young Master,” said Jill.

“I wonder if you’re right… I think they will be vigilant if their problematic grandchild suddenly
visits them.”

“Well, you can’t be sure about that. Her Majesty Elise is a diligent writer. She regularly sends
letters to your parents, so I’m sure she knows about the recent situation. Should I write the letter
for you?”

“No need. It’s been a while, so I want to write it myself.”

“I understand. Then I will immediately retrieve the writing instruments.” Jill then left the
bedroom.

Once he was gone, Legion said, “Lord Violant, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to
help.”
“Other than this, I only have to think about how to further develop Leca. I want to hire an
obscure botanist from the royal capital. I’d like to ask you to collect that information… can you
do that?”

“Please leave that to me. By the way, why aren’t you hiring wizards? Lord Violant is an
excellent spirit magic practitioner, but wizards are indispensable for defense.”

“Currently, having a scholar with us is more than enough, but it won’t hurt to look into it. I’ll be
quite satisfied if we can hire either a botanist or a wizard,” Vio said with a bitter smile, implying
that there might be no one who would want to come to Lesserhein’s territory.

However, Legion nodded, full of motivation. “I understand. Do you mind if I go out now?”

“Hmm. I want to say I don’t mind, but I want you to refrain from going outside until the order
for me to rest in bed is lifted. We don’t have to hurry, so try to listen for rumors when you have
the time. Especially since we’re in the castle,” said Vio, before his expression turned sour.
“Sorry for disappointing you, Legi. I’m a little worried since I can’t move around.”

“No. I’m Lord Violant’s shield. I take pride in the fact that you want me to protect you. There is
nothing you need to apologize for!”

Wincing at Legion’s usual enthusiasm, Vio said, “S-sure.”

Ch 59.2 – The Unbeknownst Creeping

Shadow (II)
“By the way, Lord Violant, what is your opinion on banning Lord Rupheus from entering the
guest room?”

Vio looked up at the knight, surprised by Legion’s sudden question. “What?”

Legion stared at Vio, eyes serious. “Up until now, we were helpless to prevent him from harming
you since he’s your brother. Not to mention, he is also set to be the next head of your family.
But… after the incident that transpired last night, shouldn’t we now have reason to turn him
away at the door? Moreover, Her Grace granted us permission to retaliate against Lord
Rupheus.”

Vio pondered for a while.

The words of the head of the family were absolute. That was the case for any noble family. From
this, it can be seen that the Duke, Vio’s father, held the greatest authority within the family.
Following that was Vio’s mother. If the wife of the family head was of low social status, then her
authority might be the third highest. But since Viola hailed from the royal family, she was the
second most authoritative figure in the Lesserhain family. The next was Rupheus due to his
position as the heir. The ranking would be different if Vio’s paternal grandparents were still
alive, but they had already died.

Other families would hold family meetings to deliberate on certain matters, but the Lesserhains
didn’t do that. The authority to make decisions lay solely in his father’s hands.
If I could, I’d definitely turn him away at the door. But that’s not possible.

Vio immediately came to a conclusion. “Legi, you can’t turn him away unless I’m already asleep
or have urgent matters to attend to. I’ll naturally avoid meeting him as much as possible, but I
can’t refuse him if he brings up a family matter. Listen, it is our responsibility to maintain the
prosperity and defensive forces of our territory. As the second son, I have to act in accordance
with the interests of my territory…”

For that reason, turning the heir away without listening to what he wanted to discuss was the
same as Vio renouncing his already small existence in the family. If he wanted to strengthen his
voice within the family, he had to continually produce good results until he could say, “I’m
useful, so you have to listen to my opinions.”

In Vio’s case, his father had given him Leca town, so he only had to bring prosperity to it… but
it wouldn’t be easy to make his father and brother recognize his success.

This ranking within the family was a delicate matter, so no one among the nobles would speak
about it in public. And since Legion was a commoner, that was all the more reason why he
couldn’t have known about it. So, Vio briefly explained it to him.

As a bright man, Legion understood at once. “I understand,” he said. “Please forgive me for my
ignorance.”

“No, this is the first time you’ve served under the second son of a lord’s family, right? If you’re
curious, just ask Jill. He’ll explain the specifics to you. But it’s a relief that you consulted me
about this first. You know about the evaluation criteria for a guard, right?”

“Yes… But even so, I planned to do all I can to turn him away whenever he comes.”

“You shouldn’t turn him away, but it’s alright to keep him waiting. I also need time to prepare.”

Even back when Vio had still lived in Nada town, he already didn’t like how Rupheus just
barged into Vio’s room without courtesy. Rupheus acted unreasonably too whenever he came in
to Vio changing his clothes, scolding, “What’s with that appearance? What a slut.”
Remembering that made Vio feel gloomy, so he chased away those thoughts.

Happy with the decision, Legion broke into a smile. “I understand. Then I will do as you say.”

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. After Vio expressed his permission to enter,
Lantz entered the bedroom. “My apologies for disturbing your chat, Lord Violant. I was sent to
deliver a message to you…”

“I don’t mind. Since you are the messenger, the message must be from His Highness,” said Vio.
He then glanced at Legion and signaled him to withdraw. Legion bowed and immediately left the
bedroom.

Meanwhile, Lantz walked deeper into the room until he stood beside the bed. Seeing Vio try to
get up, Lantz said, “You don’t need to mind me, Lord Violant. Please remain in bed. I have only
come to deliver a message. His Highness the Crown Prince Ars and Princess Liona wish to visit
you tomorrow afternoon. Is this alright with you?”

“…Sir Lantz. You reported last night’s incident to His Highness, right?”
“Yes, I did. Lord Rupheus’ act of violence has disturbed the peace in the royal castle. The
flowerbed was also damaged due to his actions. Is there a problem with what I did?” replied
Lantz in a natural, matter-of-fact manner.

Somehow, Vio could sense the iciness in the depths of Lantz’s green orbs. Vio fixed his gaze on
him. “Are you angry? Or is it just my imagination?”

“…No,” Lantz said, averting his gaze. A tell that he was likely lying.

Vio eventually sat up. “I apologize for my brother’s behavior last night. Please tell me if you are
unhappy with him. I am also at fault for my inability to act aggressive against other people.”

“Lord Violant is not the one at fault. I just cannot forgive his violent behavior. To fling a person
out of the room as punishment while they’re injured…” Perhaps thinking he had said too much,
Lantz coughed. “Forgive my rudeness.”

Vio gaped at Lantz. Lantz was acting unlike his usual silent self, just straightforwardly spitting
out all his thoughts. It was probably because he couldn’t stomach his dissatisfaction any longer.

Vio felt like he had just witnessed one of Lantz’s hidden sides. He always acted calm and
centered. Yet deep inside, his heart was actually brimming with passion for justice.

Lantz continued, “Moreover, shouldn’t he have praised you, his younger brother, for saving the
foreign princess instead of reprimanding and punishing you? I simply cannot comprehend the
reason behind his actions, which makes me even more discontent. And, don’t you think he is
indirectly being rude toward our kingdom’s important guest too?” Then he turned to Vio, waiting
for the boy’s response.

Flinching upon receiving Lantz’s attention, Vio attempted to explain, “Uh… My brother wasn’t
angry that I saved the princess. He’s angry that his embarrassing failure of a brother stood out
after ‘scoring points’ with an important guest. I swear to the Great Spirit that I didn’t help
Princess Liona for the sake of scoring points with her, but the problem is that it seemed like it.
My brother is of the opinion that having other people talk about me is a humiliation… The same
can probably be said for my father too.”

They had always told him, “Don’t show yourself in public” and “Don’t embarrass us.”
Personally, Vio also didn’t want to hurt the Lesserhains’ reputation because of his involvement
with the royal family.

“I don’t understand. I have only accompanied you for a few days, but I know that Lord Violant is
a great person.”

Vio sighed and beckoned Lantz to sit by the bedside. Though an expression of puzzlement
crossed Lantz’s face, he quietly obeyed.

“Sir Lantz, do you remember my brother talking about me having a trauma of going outside?”

“I do recall him saying such a thing… Though I didn’t quite pay attention to his words because I
had been preoccupied with worrying whether I should intervene or not. I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve suffered from a trauma of going outside for the last two years. I was too afraid
of the outside world. Even if I took only one step out of the mansion, I would have a panic
attack. Worst case scenario, I would even collapse. My father and brother are lionhearted men.
With my weakness, it’s natural for them to be disappointed in me.”

They had repeatedly told Vio that as a man, he should get a hold of himself. However, it had
proved to be an insurmountable task for Vio.

Not satisfied with that explanation, Lantz argued, “But you’ve strolled around the royal capital
before.”

“Yes. I’ve managed to overcome my trauma around a month ago. I’m completely fine now in
that aspect, but I still can’t bring myself to hold a sword.” Vio released a sigh. “My brother has
already talked about my trauma and the circumstances surrounding it yesterday in your
presence… so there’s no use hiding it from you. Until two years ago, I had an important friend.
He was my previous guardian knight, Erik.”

“Erik…” Lantz indeed remembered that name.

“Two years ago, he stabbed me and betrayed me before disappearing. You’ve seen it before,
right? The scar on my stomach.” Vio lightly touched his stomach through his sleepwear and
flashed a smile. “I found out just yesterday that my brother had been the instigator of Erik’s
betrayal. Until then, I had blamed myself for Erik’s betrayal, so I thought I had to endure my
brother’s constant ridicule. But I won’t stand for it any longer. I will fight my brother from now
on.” Vio’s hands, which had been resting on his knees, balled into tight fists.

Upon noticing the trembling of Vio’s hands, Lantz grew worried. “Do you feel unwell? Shall I
call the doctor?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m just… scared.”

This time, Lantz’s expression shifted to one of surprise.

“The thought of going against my father and my brother has never crossed my mind before.
They’re… really scary. To me, it’ll be less scary to jump off a cliff than to make them my
enemies.”

“…Is there anything I can do to help you?”

A chuckle left Vio’s lips. “Thank you. Your concern is enough. I can’t involve an outsider in this
matter.”

“Then, why don’t you talk to His Highness about this matter?”

“No, I can’t. His Highness has worked hard to maintain the power balance between the royal
family and the Lesserhains. I don’t want to force him to intervene in the Lesserhains’ internal
matters. That will simply create unnecessary conflict since involving outsiders is my brother’s
sore spot.”

As Vio predicted, Lantz grew silent.

“Please don’t worry. I plan on talking to my grandfather…” said Vio. Then in a teasing tone, he
continued, “If my life is ever at stake, then I will leave my family and run away. You know that
my guardian knight will definitely ensure that I safely escape. After all, he’s the best knight in
this kingdom.”

The tautness in Lantz’s features eased. “You’re right.”

“Ahh, Sir Lantz. I would like to request something from you if possible.”

“What is it?”

“Please charge the cost of reparation for the flowerbed to my family’s mansion. Once my father
hears of this incident, he will definitely scold my brother.”

“I apologize, Lord Violant, but…” said Lantz, awkward. Vio inwardly had a bitter smile,
wondering whether his request was repulsive. However, Lantz’s next sentence surprised him.
“I’ve already sent the bill to the Lesserhains’ mansion.”

“…What?”

“At the same time, I also attached a detailed report of the incident. As a member of the Royal
Knights, it is my duty to maintain the peace in the royal castle. I cannot make any exceptions,
even if the offender is the heir of the Duke.”

“Sir Lantz, this incident has really angered you, hasn’t it?”

Lantz once again averted his eyes, assuming an air of innocence. “…Well, I probably got a little
annoyed. But it’s still within the scope of my job.”

“Is that so?” Vio said, bursting into laughter. Lantz also broke into a smile. An unusual sight
coming from him.

After indulging in shared laughter, Lantz regained his usual expressionless face and asked,
“Then, may I know your response to the message?”

“Tomorrow, huh. I don’t mind, but I request that they don’t make their visit too grandiose… I
think my brother won’t come here anymore, but I might anger my father this time.”

“I understand. I will make sure to guide him like it’s nothing important. Then I will take my
leave now, Lord Violant. Thank you for listening to my rant. May the Verdant Spirit of Yuglena
be with you.” Afterward, Lantz politely bowed and left the room.

Seeing Jill enter the room with a playful smile, Vio returned the smile. The image of his father
scolding his brother slightly refreshed him.

Ch 60.1 – The Unbeknownst Creeping

Shadow (III)
Upon receiving Fion’s report, Ars declared with a frown, “I dislike it.”

“But, Your Highness…!”

Fion leaned forward to try and tell Ars how useful this information was, but Ars interrupted him,
saying, “I’m saying that it’s bullshit. You’re saying that after his attack on Liona so
conspicuously failed and he got caught, he confessed his client was Rupheus Lesserhain? And
after that, he killed himself with the poison hidden in his teeth? It’s too convenient so I can only
think of it as a trap.”

Lantz, who happened to be there, turned his gaze to Ars. “Are there any chances that it’s all a
coincidence so it simply sounds convenient?”

“That’s right, Your Highness. He happened to attack Princess Liona when she was with Lord
Violant. And now it apparently is because of Rupheus’ doing? Since everything has been
accidental so far, don’t you think it’s inevitable?” Fion said energetically.

Ars raised his right hand to keep the knight under control. “Fion, you tend to lose your
composure whenever Rupheus is involved. You’re being too eager. Analyze this matter a bit
more. Did the attacker have any defining characteristics? You can ask for Night’s cooperation
too.”

“Why should we cooperate with a knight from another country? We are enough!”

“I’m telling you to consider various possibilities. It’s Princess Liona that was targeted. Since
he’s Princess Liona’s personal escort, he might know something we don’t.”

Fion bitterly kept his mouth shut at Ars’ fair point.

“In the first place, there’s no proof of the testimony. If we’re talking about Violant in this
situation, what will happen?” said Ars. “Are you implying that he’s an accomplice in his
brother’s crime? You should be able to easily imagine what would happen once we turn the
Lesserhain family into our enemy without having a trump card under our sleeves.”

“However…!”

“I’m not saying that you are wrong. Just investigate this a little further. Do you understand?”

“…I understand,” Fion reluctantly conceded, leaving the office.

Ars sighed. “Really, Fion’s attentiveness decreases by half whenever Rupheus is involved… I‘ll
order a level-headed person to join the investigation team. I’ll have you contact Night then,
Lantz.”

“Yes,” Lantz answered politely. He then asked, “Your Highness, do you think that the client was
a different person?”

“How about you, Lantz? Do you think that Rupheus would do something that outrageous and
flashy?”

Lantz shook his head.

Satisfied, Ars continued, saying, “Right? I believe he will be more discrete. It’s much more
difficult to detect the perpetrator and easier to do if he hires bandits to attack her when she
returns home as opposed to the castle.. Not to say, Rupheus would give the person who
humiliated him a taste of their own medicine in the presence of other people. He would send an
assassin if the public makes a mockery of him.”

Lantz nodded. “Actually, there are chances that someone with a lower rank got forced into a
tight situation by Rupheus and was taking their revenge on him.”

“Yeah. He’s a troublesome man, but unlike the Duke, he is decisive. Also, if he’s a culprit…”

“Yes.”

“Do you think he will reprimand his brother after the party? Wouldn’t it look like he’s angry at
Violant for disrupting the assassination? I’m sure he wouldn’t do such a stupid thing.”

“I understand your point,” Lantz said, then added, “Not to say, judging from Lord Rupheus’
tyrannical behavior, I feel like he’s going to tell Lord Violant to kill Princess Liona rather than
make him an accomplice.”

“And he will push all the responsibilities onto his brother, right? I see, so you’re more level-
headed than Fion.”

“It’s my duty to be neutral.” Having said that, Lantz asked Ars somewhat worriedly, “Your
Highness, are you suspicious of Violant?”

“I want to refuse, but from my standpoint, I have to suspect him.”

“I see,” Lantz replied indifferently, but his green eyes expressed that he wanted to say
something.

“No way, you’re not leaning towards Violant too, right? Fion will be angry if he knows that the
conman is getting conned.”

“Leaning… Do I look like I am?” Lantz was puzzled as Ars teased him. Apparently he wasn’t
aware of it.

“It’s clear that you’re emotionally supporting him. Either way, make up your mind about this.”

“You’re not telling me to be the leader’s ally?”

“What’s important is your sincerity towards the royal family. The rest is your decision.”

“…I understand.” Lantz bowed respectfully, then went off to accomplish the work Ars instructed
him to do.

When he was finally alone in his office, the prince sighed and looked out the window. Somehow,
the deep blue summer sky looked dull.

****
Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Ars visited Vio. He wished Vio to get well soon, and then
gave a quick report about the situation. “The security guards were demoted and had their salary
reduced for one year. I decided to place guards not only in the garden, but also on the balcony.
I’m wondering if there was a traitor, but… the attacker knew what he was doing. Apparently, the
woman openly brought in a weapon as the decoration of her dress.”

While having a cup of tea at the table, Vio glanced at Ars who sat across him. Liona sat next to
the prince, their positions the same as when they visited him the other day.

There were guards patrolling too… Speaking of which, the members of the Royal Knights were
in the hall.

Vio remembered the first day of the party. As soon as he sat in the chair by the wall, Cheval had
called out to him. In other words, he was guarding with that level of detail.

“A dress decoration? For me, it looked like he took the weapon off his belt…”

“Apparently, he took the weapon out when he pushed the woman away,” Liona explained.

After recalling the incident, Vio nodded. “Ahh, at that time?”

So there’s a hidden weapon like that? I have to be careful.

They probably had prepared a large amount of decoration to disguise the weapon. There were a
lot of women with plenty of decorations on their dresses at the party as well. Touching a
woman’s dress was awkward, so the idea was well thought-out.

Most of the time, the balcony was used when a couple wanted to be alone. Every noble would
learn about this from their parents even before their social debut. ‘Bring your companion to the
balcony so you can spend time alone with them.’

That might have been the reason why security there was loose. Since there were only two
entrances to the balcony, it was easy to keep an eye on the entrance and exit.

While Vio was speculating, Ars asked, “Then, what would you do?”

“What do you mean…?”

“The woman with the attacker. She could be punished as an accomplice, but she seems to know
nothing.”

“Why are you asking me such a thing? This issue is beyond my control…” This wasn’t
something Vio could decide as it exceeded his authority. Ars should’ve known that, and yet he
still asked such a question. Unable to read the prince’s intention, Vio was confused.

Vio didn’t know why, but Ars and Liona’s expressions were stiff.

Ars took a sip of his black tea and said, “The attacker died of the poison he slipped in his teeth
after exposing his client, Rupheus Lesserhain.”
Ch 60.2 – The Unbeknownst Creeping
Shadow (III)
“What…?” Vio was dumbfounded. Even though he didn’t intend to, a foolish expression
crossed his face.

Eh? What does that mean? According to the manga, Brother shouldn’t have done that yet…
When did Princess Liona make a fool of him?

Since Vio didn’t have that information about what was currently happening, he wasn’t prepared
at all.

After the confusion and the panic passed, Vio realized who they were suspicious of. Are they
thinking that I’m an accomplice? Well, I was talking with her on the balcony at that time. It
wouldn’t be strange to think that I had guided the attacker there.

He happened to come to the balcony by chance. But when taking an objective look at the
incident, most people would see the situation as the younger brother cooperating to assassinate
Princess Liona.

Vio’s heart was hammering. He probably had a tense expression right now.

Ars snorted. “If you’re acting, then you’re quite good at it… After looking at your state, I guess
we’re wrong. In the first place, there’s no evidence aside from the attacker’s testimony. If
Rupheus is the criminal, I’m sure he will be more clever.”

Vio sighed in relief. He felt a little dizzy, perhaps because he was unconsciously holding his
breath.

Liona also looked somewhat relieved and added, “Your knight and my knight. It was a
coincidence that neither of them were there. Night left my side incidentally.”

After a small pause, Vio answered, “Right.”

Say what you like, but the news came as too much of a surprise to Vio. His heart almost skipped
a beat. He knew that he would face execution when his family was destroyed in the war against
Ruslan. Even so, he never thought of a future where he got executed because he was suspected as
an assassination accomplice.

This all happened as soon as he came to the castle. He felt like he had seen a glimpse of the
horrible whirlwind of schemes in the royal court.

“I-I broke into a cold sweat when I wondered if I was under suspicion. Haha…” Vio reached for
his cup to calm himself down,but right after he took a sip, he choked. Vio coughed and covered
his mouth with a handkerchief.

He had even imagined himself standing under the guillotine.

Seeing how terrified Vio was, Liona panicked. “I’m sorry, Lord Violant. Actually… we tried to
coerce you into a confession.”
“Liona.”

“No, Your Highness. It’s alright. I won’t consider this a defamation of my character… If I was in
your position, I would at least do this much,” Vio said as he raised his right hand, stopping Ars
from reproaching Liona’s careless remark. “If you’re suspicious of me, please investigate me
until you are satisfied. I will not run away or hide.”

“No need. I already know that you’re not an accomplice from your reaction a while ago,” Ars
said readily and turned his eyes to Liona.

Liona had a gentle but bitter smile. “Lord Violant’s family seems to have a lot of enemies, but I
do as well. I’m also here to help with the investigation.”

“Is that so? If there’s anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”

“No. I won’t ask for your help, so I want you to take a good rest. I’m grateful that you covered
for me that night. I want to thank you, but…” There, Liona muttered, “Lord Violant doesn’t
seem to be good at rough activities. Please don’t strain yourself too much. If you had taken the
blow in the wrong place, you might have died. ”

“Haha…, That’s harsh. But just as you suspected I’m no good at martial arts. At that time, I just
came up with an idea that it would have been better to set up a barrier. I could only think of
distracting him at once.”

“Distracting him was a good idea, but you wouldn’t have been able to control him. I think you
should’ve moved away from him after that.”

“Yes… I apologize.” Vio became crestfallen after Liona pointed out the areas needing
improvement.

Even if Vio had this constitution, he was still a man. He wanted to try saving a woman.

Sympathizing with him, Ars interrupted, “Liona, don’t hurt his pride that much.”

“No, I have to make sure that he understands my point,” Liona said, dead serious. “It’s alright if
his knight is by his side, but an emergency situation can happen anywhere, right?”

Ars shrugged, now knowing how to respond. “What you said is reasonable, so be careful
Violant. I heard from Lantz about the incident that night. It sounded tough..”

Vio couldn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. He made a vague smile, bitter. “It’s because Brother is strict.”

Ars grinned, amused. “I heard about that as well. Apparently you started a fight with your
brother, eh.”

Vio had a morose expression. “I’m sorry for making you listen to such an embarrassing story… I
will be careful to not do anything that will trouble the royal family. I humbly beg your pardon.”

“I’m not telling you to reconcile with him. You’re the one who has endured… I think it’s right
for you to at least get angry.”
Vio felt embarrassed at Ars’ sympathetic words. As Ars straightened his posture, he asked
bluntly, “So? As the younger brother who is on bad terms with your older brother, what do you
think of him? Do you think he would do something like that?”

“It’s not like I know everything about my brother, but… if he was the culprit, then I believe that
he would have been more cunning. I don’t think he would choose a difficult spot like the party
venue to assassinate a princess. Not to mention, he wouldn’t become hostile to nobles unless
they embarrassed him in front of a crowd. Princess Liona didn’t do such a thing, right?”

Rupheus’s likes and dislikes were clear. Vio was grateful that his brother was easy to read in that
aspect.

At Vio’s question, Ars and Liona looked at each other. Vio’s expression turned puzzled. “No
way, did that happen…?”

“Only once,” Liona replied.

Surprised, Vio opened his mouth. “Is that so? That’s… No, I don’t think so. Even if my brother
had such thoughts, he would get revenge publicly first. The order is not right.”

“That’s what I felt too. So I stopped that impatient captain from assuming things and had him
reinvestigate.”

Vio and Liona glanced at each other simultaneously. They knew that something sounded off, but
no one commented on it.

“I’m fine with Your Highness examining this matter until you’re satisfied, but… was my family
alright with the investigation? Or did they keep silent about this?”

“Are you implying that they want to investigate too?”

Vio nodded. “I would be happy to cooperate, but at this point in time, before my brother
officially becomes a suspect, I think it’s best not to let my family intervene. If Your Highness
handled this badly, they may pull some cheap tricks during the investigation and make a
commotion. It wouldn’t have any meaning then.”

“Well… you’re correct. The news will probably leak soon, but keep in mind that you don’t know
about this yet. It would be troublesome if Rupheus got involved again.”

Vio blinked his eyes at Ars’ consideration and bowed. “Thank you for your concern, Your
Highness.”

For the time being, it was decided that Vio didn’t know about the suspicions directed towards his
brother.

Ch 60.3 – The Unbeknownst Creeping

Shadow (III)
Now that the important matter was settled, Liona changed the topic. “Right, Lord Violant. How
is your injury? I heard that you have to rest.”
“Yes. The doctor told me not to attend the party and just rest. Even though Your Highness has
invited me, I don’t think I can go on long rides with you. I apologize.”

“It can’t be helped. Don’t worry about it. I’m certain to get a scolding from Mother if I drag a
wounded person around,” Ars said, laughing. “Well, that’s how it is. You might have to stay in
the castle for a while.”

“I understand. That doesn’t change my schedule much. I was planning to stay at an inn in town
after the party anyway.”

“An inn in town? If you still have things to do in the royal capital, you can just extend your stay
here, right?”

“I can’t do something like that for my private business,” Vio said in a flat tone. He didn’t want to
make a habit of mixing work and private matters.

“I see… By the way, may I know what that private business is?”

“Aside from visiting my grandfather, I want to look for botanists and wizards before returning to
my territory,” Vio replied. He also had decided to survey the temples, but chose not to mention
it.

“Your grandfather?” Ars said, eager. “I suppose he might want to see his grandson’s face…”

“I’m going there to ask something for my mother and sister.”

“For Aunt and Miss Flora? What happened? I haven’t heard of anything.”

“No, but there’s a possibility that something may happen. I want to prevent that. In the first
place, I decided to quarrel with Brother because he wanted to treat my sister cruelly. I want to
ask for grandfather’s protection for precaution.” Vio decided to not hide things from Ars before
any information got leaked to the public.

He had no interest in making Ars his ally. Even so, he determined that talking about his business
with his grandfather before he was under suspicion would be a wiser choice. He had to make
sure they wouldn’t end up thinking that his actions had a deeper meaning.

Apparently, Ars knew that Vio didn’t want to rely on him. He looked sulky. “Why do you rely
on your grandfather when a prince is right in front of you?”

“I’m sure you know the answer…” Vio found it strange that the prince asked that.. The reason
was simple; he didn’t want to involve the crown prince who was struggling with balancing
power between different factions.

If I just wanted to overthrow my brother, it would be simple with the Prince’s help. I only have to
curry favor with those in power and have them oppress Rupheus… But if I do that, people will
think that Ars is being too nosy with the Lesserhains’ family affairs. That would damage his
reputation in the opposition faction.

Ars was intelligent, so he should’ve realized that. Perhaps he had another reason to ask that? Vio
tilted his head as he racked his mind for an explanation.
Then Ars’ cheeks turned red for some reason. Vio’s eyes widened. “Are you that angry?”

“Eh?”

“Um, your face is red.”

“No… It’s just a bit hot.”

“Is that so?” Vio said, then glanced at Jill.

The butler moved silently and opened the glass window facing the garden. A gentle breeze came
in.

When Vio turned back to Ars, Liona was laughing. Vio couldn’t comprehend why. He looked at
them, puzzled. Noticing that, Liona waved her hands and said, “It’s nothing. Hey Ars, aren’t you
a little bit too embarrassed by that?”

Ars glared daggers at her. “Shut up, I’m just not used to interacting with these kinds of people!”

Just by looking at how they playfully bickered, it was clear the two were on good terms. Vio was
relieved to know that. He reached for his cup and leisurely drank his tea.

After they quarrelled quietly for a while, Ars regained his composure and cleared his throat. “I
understand that you took my position into consideration… But why did you choose your
grandfather?”

“Unfortunately, the only relatives that I can rely on are my grandparents. All my paternal
relatives have passed away due to illness or death in battle… Aside from my grandfather’s
residence, is there a safer place for my sister to evacuate to?”

At that, Liona lightly raised her right hand. “Can’t you stay with His Majesty, King Emeritus
Wingart? Together with your sister, of course.”

“I can’t run away. If I do that, it’ll be when I’m abandoning my family.”

“You have already prepared that far?”

Vio chuckled at Liona’s surprise. “If I haven’t, I wouldn’t be able to start a fight with my
brother.”

Liona grinned. “Then, if you want to run away, come to my country. I’ll give you a job and place
to live.”

Thinking it was a joke, Vio replied without much thought. “Thank you very much. If the time
ever comes, please take care of me.”

“Hey, don’t say things like that. It brings bad luck,” Ars said, cutting into their conversation.

Finding his words ridiculous, Liona talked back, “One will be in a completely different mindset
when they think they have a place to escape to and when they think escaping is their last resort.
Having too much burden on their shoulders will make them lose even a winning war. Having a
leeway is important.”
“Princess, does my fight with Brother look like a war?”

“It’s common for civil war to start because of a quarrel between brothers. If the situation gets
dangerous, you may come to my country while you can to escape.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

Looking at how Liona spoke indifferently, Vio felt that something was off.

Maybe she’s actually serious? …No way, I must be imagining it.

Nothing was as doubtful as a mere promise in the court.

“It will also be troublesome for me if a civil war starts. I will warn you if anything arises, so
don’t think too much about it. After all, I’m your cousin, your blood relative. You have the right
to speak out,” Ars said. “But I suppose you’re right. Having grandfather interfere would likely
create less bitter feelings. Duke Lesserhain is weak against Aunt, so he would most likely listen
to grandfather if he is pressured.”

Vio nodded. “Yes.”

Although he agreed with Ars’s point, having his grandfather pressure Rupheus would only add
more unnecessary conflict. He wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

Vio only wanted to protect Flora. He didn’t want a fight to the death with Rupheus. If the
situation got that serious, the citizens would suffer. For Vio, that would hurt him more than any
of his bitter experiences. But he couldn’t just solve everything by saying that he didn’t want it to
happen. He had to be prepared for various situations.

In that sense, taking to Ars and Liona like this was a good opportunity.

Then, Jill came and whispered into Vio’s ear that they had a visitor.

Vio turned to Ars. “I apologize, Your Highness. It seems like the court doctor came to check on
me…”

“Méliez? Sure, he may enter.”

After Ars gave his permission, Méliez entered. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the three
having a tea party.

“His Highness, Princess Liona. I apologize for interrupting. Even so, Lord Violant hit his head
badly. I have asked him to rest. I’m not very happy about this,” Méliez scolded.

Not expecting the scolding,Ars meekly said, “It’s my fault, Méliez. We had some appointments
nearby, so we decided to stop by to see his condition. Don’t be that angry.”

“I’m alright, Doctor Méliez. I slept all day yesterday.”

Vio interjected, but Méliez’s face turned scary. “No. It looks like you don’t understand, Lord
Violant. Should I tell you about the story of a prince who hit his head and died three days after?
Or would you prefer the story of a patient that died a week after?”
“I-I’m sorry… I’ll rest like you said.”

“Thank you for understanding. Ah, really! Why are you wearing such tight clothes… Please
change immediately.”

“Hey! Please calm down!”

Probably overcome by intense anger, Méliez pulled at Vio’s jacket and tried to change his
clothes immediately. Overwhelmed, Vio tried to struggle out of Méliez‘s grip.

Legion intervened at once. “You’re being rude. Let him go.”

“Oh my, excuse my insolence,” Méliez said, finally calming down. Vio was relieved at that. Vio
fixed his clothes as he glanced at Legion who was restraining the doctor with a scary face. Then,
he noticed that both of his guests were quiet.

“What happened?”

For some reason, Ars and Liona looked away, their faces red.

“It’s nothing,” They replied in unison.

Stupefied, Vio blinked.

Ch 61 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(IV)
Night descended the stairs to the dungeon, a lamp lit by magic on one hand. There, Fion and
three members of the Knights of the Green Flash were already waiting for him.

“Captain Fion. Sorry for being late.”

“I’ve just arrived as well. Don’t worry about it.”

Fion’s polite reply came as a surprise. Night had braced himself for the chance that Fion would
treat him, a knight of the Ruslan Kingdom, as an obstacle to the investigation.

Night’s surprise was probably apparent from his behavior, for Fion heaved a small sigh. “It’s
true that it vexes me having a knight of another country meddle with my business. But this is a
job. Naturally, we have to obey the order of His Highness the Crown Prince.” Then, Fion arched
his brows and pointed to the corpse in the prison cell. “Anyway, Sir Night, do you notice
anything strange when looking at this corpse?”

White sheet covered said corpse. It lay on top of a stretcher, perhaps to make moving it out
easier. A stench had already started spreading from it.

Night was no stranger to corpses; he had seen some when he had still worked as a mercenary.
That said, he would never be able to get used to the rotting stench. Out of reflex, he frowned.
“This is terrible.”
“Exactly. Since we’re underground, the smell is still better than if the corpse was outside. Now
that it is summer, corpses decompose a lot quicker.”

Fion ordered his subordinates to open the prison cell door with the snap of his fingers.

Somewhat tired already, Night took his gloves out of his pocket. Once he had them on, he
entered the prison cell to examine the corpse.

He flipped over the white sheets. Looked at the face. Night did not recognize it. Following that,
he shifted his gaze to the clothes, but found nothing unusual with the blue jacket and pants meant
for the evening ball. “As I expected, I’ve never seen him before. What about his belongings?”

The knights brought a wooden tray to Night. It contained accessories the assassin had worn that
night.

Night’s eyes stopped at one of them. “This is…”

A silver amulet necklace. The amulet appeared in the shape of a one-eyed owl.

Fion looked at the item in Night’s palm and sighed. “It symbolizes the Goddess of Wisdom,
Sophie. Not a rare amulet at all.”

It was fair to say that disappointment hung heavily on Fion’s shoulders. Nowadays, everyone
strongly worshiped the Great Spirit as the guardian of their county. Even so, there were also tales
of ancient gods that had been passed down since time immemorial. One of them was the
Goddess of Wisdom, Sophie. Some believed that Sophie had visions of the past, present, and
future. Night was well acquainted with her legends since many mercenaries carried around her
amulet.

There were times when his female acquaintances gave him this amulet as a good luck charm. A
good luck charm to sharpen the intuition of whoever carried it.

“Captain Fion, can you take a look at this?” said Night, taking out an amulet from the back
pocket of his jacket and placing it on the tray with the other one. Both were very similar in
shape, size, and overall appearance.

Shocked, Fion murmured, “This… they look like they are made from the exact same mould.”

“Why do you have this?” asked Fion’s subordinate.

“When Princess Liona was attacked before this incident, the assassin dropped this,” said Night
with a stiff expression. “I’m carrying it around to see if it has any meaning.”

Fion and the members of the Knights of Green Flash shared a look in silence. Eventually, a deep
sigh thick with discouragement left Fion’s lips. “A trap, huh? His Highness had a good
intuition.”

“Even so, it’s good that we realized this before we prosecuted the Lesserhains, Captain.
Otherwise, the situation would have grown grave.”

“The Lesserhains? What are you talking about?” asked Night.

“Before this man had committed suicide, he claimed that he was Rupheus Lesserhain’s agent.”

Night stayed silent, pondering over what Fion had said.

Then Fion asked, “You noticed something?”

“No, I was just thinking a bit. Why did this assassin, who’s probably the enemy of the Kingdom
of Ruslan, mention the Lesserhains here?”

At the sound of those words, Fion’s expression also transformed into a grave one. “I understand.
Apparently, someone wants conflict to arise between this country and the Ruslan Kingdom.”

Night nodded, silent.

A trigger of conflict. He had a guess as to who could have possibly contributed to this
development. But as usual, he only caught a shadow of them. Not a shred of hard evidence
remained.

Night glanced at the tray for a moment, the large eye of the owl ominously reflecting the light of
the lamp.

Ch 62 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(V)
“Ohh. Lord Violant is looking for a botanist?”

That night, Legion was having a late dinner with Cheval at the table in the servants’ room.
Legion remembered this matter in the middle of their idle talk and asked Cheval about it.

Cheval stared into space, stirring the stew with his spoon. He replied, “Yeah, and magicians too.
You’re knowledgeable about this kind of thing, right? Do you know anyone who doesn’t enjoy
the outdoors and will come to the Lesserhains’ territory?”

“There are a lot of guys who stay indoors all the time. But if you want people who’re willing to
go to the Lesserhains’ territory, that number suddenly drops.”

Cheval split and mashed the potatoes with ease using the tip of the spoon. Rille, who was passing
by, noticed that and lifted her eyebrows. “Sir Cheval, have some manners.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Rille then left the servants’ room, holding the tea set. She probably went to deliver it to Vio.
Cheval watched her back with a love-struck face.

Legion shook his head, dumbfounded. He couldn’t understand how Cheval could make such a
face when he had just been scolded by Rille.. It didn’t help that Legion wasn’t good at
interacting with Rille.

“Hey. If you keep making that suspicious face, Rille will kick you away again, you know?”
“That’s fine. I’m happy as long as she pays attention to me.”

“Cheval. From the bottom of my heart, I think you’re really pitiful.”

Legion felt something sour rising up in his chest. Cheval was bad at romance. It was sad how
much he took such pleasure in the little things.

“You don’t have to pick such a violent woman, right? You can get plenty of other ladies.”

“You don’t get it, Legi. Don’t you think having a girl like that only showing her gentle side to
me will make me the happiest man on the earth? It’s cuter than a woman who’s pleasant to
everybody.”

“…Is that so? I think a girl who’s amiable to everyone is better. But I won’t meddle since that’s
your type. Anyway, have you thought of anyone?”

By force of habit, Legion had finished his meal quickly. Not having anything to do, he reached
for his cup.

“Hmm? Ah, about the scholar and magician, right? I’ll ask my father if he has any
recommendations. Most of the candidates I know hate nobles.”

“I’d rather not pick someone who may harm Lord Violant. How about a staunch fellow who
won’t care who his employer is as long as they pay for his research?”

“I think even that kind of person will most likely avoid the Lesserhains. It’s not worth it to get
your neck chopped halfway through your research because your employer was dissatisfied with
you, right?”

Legion sighed. “Right. That’s how the public perceives the Lesserhains.” He reached for the pot
and refilled his cup. He glared at Cheval when the other immediately brought his cup closer, but
filled his friend’s cup as well.

“Legi, try asking Senior Eddie later. His information network is pretty wide. Maybe he knows
someone.”

“No, I can’t ask someone from Captain Fion’s faction. I don’t want to put him in a bad position.”

“Hey, hey. What about me?”

“You’re from His Highness’ faction, aren’t you? That person doesn’t care about anything else as
long as you’re loyal to the royal family, so you’re fine.”

“Well, you’re right.” Cheval nodded as he leisurely ate the last bite of the stew. Then he lowered
his voice and asked, “But Legi, I thought Senior Eddie was in His Highness’ faction. So he’s in
the Captain’s faction?”

“Yeah, seems so. Senior Morgan was talking about it at the bar before.”

“Isn’t that the head of the Captain’s faction? So it’s true. Uwahh, Legi. This part of you is really
scary.”
“What do you mean?”

“You pick up unexpected information so nonchalantly. I’m consciously gathering information,

but you’re not like that. You don’t think about using someone or anything like that, right? That’s
why everyone opens their heart to you,” Cheval muttered, looking terrified.

Legion frowned, offended. “Even I give weight to my position, too. I’m careful not to get too
involved with each of them. In the first place, I don’t like the idea of using other people or
having different factions. We’re supposed to be colleagues, right? Friends are friends. We should
just take care of each other.”

“Ahh, right, right. I’m tired of hearing your passionate preaching. It’s easier said than done. You
can do it, but I can’t. Okay?”

“Cheval, it’s because you don’t change your flippant attitude. That’s why――”

Before they could argue like they used to back when they were roommates, they heard a cough.
There, Jill was standing at the entrance.

“Please be quiet. If you are going to disturb Young Master’s rest, please do that outside,” Jill
warned, his eyes serious.

Legion and Cheval instantly subsided and meekly chorused, “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for your understanding. Then, take your time.” Jill bowed and left the room.

The knights could finally breathe again. Cheval whispered, “Hey, did you notice when the butler
came in?”

“…No.”

“Just who is he?”

“I don’t know, but he’s certainly strong. Whenever he’s around, my back unconsciously
straightens. He reminds me of Lord Frangista,” Legion said with a wry smile, recalling the first
nobleman he’d served. He was also his mentor in swordsmanship.

Ch 63 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(VI)
After three days of rest, the last day of the crown prince’s birthday celebration arrived. Until
now, Court Doctor Méliez continued to examine Vio.

“Doctor. I want to take a stroll soon…”

“I’m sure that I told you to rest for one to three weeks.”

“But I know my own condition.”

“Hm,” said Méliez, placing his hand on his chin, resigned. Then he nodded. “Your complexion
has gotten better, so I don’t mind if you only take a short walk. Please don’t attend the ball. You
shouldn’t take a stroll around the town either.”

“May I visit my grandfather?”

“To His Majesty King Emeritus Wingart’s residence? Right, it’s not far from the Flower Palace.
I’ll permit it if you go by carriage. But please don’t overdo it,” warned Méliez.

At that, a wry smile slid across Vio’s lips. He doesn’t trust me a lot…

Noticing Vio’s bitter expression at once, Méliez said, “Oh my. It looks like you haven’t
understood yet. Are you that eager to listen to the story of the prince who hit his head and died
three days later? I understand. Let’s talk about that.”

“N-no, I’ll pass… Doctor, I understand what you want to say. I won’t overdo it and rest as much
as possible.”

“Good. Also, I will apply for a one-week extension to your stay in the castle. Please don’t worry.
I have heard from His Highness that he wants to discuss the assassination case.”

Heaving a sigh of relief, Vio shifted his gaze to Méliez. “Is there any progress?”

“I don’t know the details. I believe they will contact you if they find any leads.”

“Is that so…” said Vio, hoping that when that time arrived, it would be good news. He stared at
his knees that hid under the comforter.

“Worry is poison to the body. Please rest for now. By the way, when are you going to meet His
Majesty, King Emeritus Wingart? I think you should refrain from going today. A lot of nobles
will be going in and out of the castle on the last day of the celebration. It will be troublesome if
someone with loose lips were to start a strange rumour, right?”

The message hidden beneath Méliez’s words: Vio was rumored to have skipped the ball to play
outside.

Vio gave him a bow. “Thank you for your concern. However, I’m planning to visit my
grandfather tomorrow afternoon. I will follow your instructions obediently today. Please rest
assured.”

“I see. Then that’s a relief. I’m glad that you’ll heed my advice. That naughty crown prince
always ignores my instructions and goes out whenever he wants. Unconsciously, I have been
treating you the same way I’ve been treating him. If I have done anything to offend you, please
forgive me.”

“What you said was right, and I know you scolded me out of consideration. You haven’t done
anything rude.”

Méliez gently smiled, slightly giving off the appearance of a good-natured uncle. “Thank you for
your generous praise, Lord Violant. Well then, I’ll return now. Let’s have the next examination
the morning after tomorrow. I think you should be fine already, but please call me if anything
happens.”
“Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you very much.”

Once Méliez packed his work tools in a chest, he took his leave.

Lying in bed again, Vio let out a small sigh. He was getting bored of sleeping.

The celebration ends today… What happened in regards to the case? Is the perpetrator really my
brother? It wouldn’t be strange since he tried to assassinate Princess Liona in the manga, but
this is too early… Maybe it’s someone else. Plus Brother would surely have hired someone loyal.
So if it’s Brother’s doing, the attacker should’ve committed suicide before being caught. It’s
strange that he would just expose the identity of his supposed master like that.

Rupheus had a difficult personality, but he was smart and excelled in martial arts. Most of the
time, lords had private troops. But unlike them, Rupheus had personally established and trained
and trained said troops.

Like Legion, Rupheus fought in the first battle of the War of Tocanta Grasslands. There, he led
his selected infantry unit, the Ravens. Members of his private army wore a large black crow as
their crest. They were feared as harbingers of bad luck in Lesserhain territory. Because if any
issues ever occured, Rupheus would lead this army there and “right wrongs.”

Both Vio’s father and Rupheus were ruthless to rebels. No matter how much the commoners
hated the Lesserhains’ reign, many people obeyed them out of fear.

Besides, even if Rupheus’ personality was akin to a sharp knife stabbing someone, he had
outstanding ability. Some people supported him. The Ravens consisted of knights who wholly
desired to serve Rupheus.

As long as one didn’t go against the duke and Rupheus, said two men were partial to their
subordinates in their own way, achieving a balance.

But they’re both too strict… Brother excels in many things even if he does them half-heartedly.
That’s why he hates having incompetent subordinates. Unlike Father, his weak point is bringing
up people. It’s painful to look at him…

Vio learned from Rupheus that being incredibly exceptional wasn’t always what mattered the
most. Besides, Rupehus had grown arrogant due to his superiority.

If I want to trip Brother’s feet, I might find a way to once I prick his pride. But with Brother’s
personality, I don’t think he’s responsible for Princess Liona’s attack… He’s a perfectionist, so
he’s going to craft an elaborate plan and thoroughly fuss over the details. Pretending that this is
a coincidence sounds too simple…

As Vio wandered through his thoughts, his fingertips started to grow cold. He had picked up a
fight with such a dreadful brother. If Rupheus took him seriously, it would be too easy to make
Vio die from illness or by accident.

Seriously, I can only escape from the country once the situation becomes dangerous. Vio
laughed dryly in his heart. Then he rolled over in bed. Perhaps because he did it too roughly, his
head injury started to ache.
“Oww… Let’s stop thinking and just go to sleep. Instead of wondering about the scary future, I
have to prioritize what I can do now. Okay, cheer up!” muttered Vio, firing himself up. Then, he
took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

But in the end, Vio dreamed of Rupheus trapping him in the basement during their youth.
Perhaps it was because he had thought of Rupheus before he slept. So when he woke up later on,
Vio was in the foulest mood.

Ch 64 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(VII)
The next morning, Legion approached Vio’s side after breakfast. With a refreshed expression, he
announced, “We have good news, Lord Violant. Lord Rupheus has been cleared of suspicion.”

Vio placed his cup of tea back onto the saucer and turned to Legion. “I’m glad, but… How did
they clear the suspicion on him?”

Legion whispered to Vio’s ears, “An item found on the assailant’s body matches another item
belonging to the culprit of a previous attack on Princess Liona in Ruslan.” Afterward, he stepped
back and added, “His Highness the Crown Prince has commanded me to keep this matter a
secret. He will announce it publicly himself.”

“Alright. So I will learn about the details once that time comes? Can’t I ask you in advance about
them?”

“I apologize, but I’m not allowed to reveal anything else.”

“I see. Well, it can’t be helped,” replied Vio. Ars seemed to be taking the cautious route on this
matter. However, this raised a question in Vio’s mind. He asked, “But why would he allow you
to tell me that?”

“He wishes to ease your worries on this matter. The court doctor has been pestering him about
how anxiety can poison the body.”

“So that’s the case. Doctor Méliez is too kind.” Vio released a chuckle. “He’s right. My heart
does feel lighter now. Let’s take it easy today. Jill, I wish to work on something that won’t be
taxing on me. Please prepare it for me.”

Jill, who was waiting by the corner of the room, replied, “Understood. I will bring the more
urgent tasks among those.” He then headed to the bookshelf in the drawing room.

Worried, Legion asked, “Will you be fine not resting?”

“I’m tired of resting and sleeping. I only have to not strain myself until my injuries heal. I
promise to take a break once I feel tired.”

“Understood. Please tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Thank you. For now, confirm that with Jill first.”

“Yes.”

After a quick bow, Legion followed Jill. Vio savored the taste of every drop of his tea before
moving to the chair by the window.

****

The next afternoon, Vio visited the Flower Palace, which was situated near the borders of the
royal capital.

After passing through the gate of the Flower Palace, he was met with a vast front yard, spruced
up with beds of yellow and orange flowers. Beyond that stood an elegant palace, its outer design
simple but elegant. Sunlight reflected from its blue roof tiles and white stucco walls. The
atmosphere of the entire imperial palace really suited Emeritus King Wingart and his wife Elise.

After stopping at the porch of the palace, Vio disembarked from the carriage and entered the
palace with Legion and Jill.

They received a warm welcome from the butler and the servants, after which the butler guided
them deeper into the palace.

The interior design was not excessively extravagant in any way. But somehow, all the furniture
possessed an exquisite balance between aesthetics and comfort. One could easily sense the
master’s fastidiousness when selecting their furniture.

As Vio was appreciating the art and decor, the butler said, “We’re here.” This snapped him back
to reality.

The butler opened the oak door before them, which was decorated with floral engravings.

This was the first time Vio had ever visited the palace. Although he feigned calmness, his heart
was violently pounding.

When they entered, his grandparents were already sitting in the drawing room.

Vio bowed in a polite manner. “It’s been a long time since our last meeting, Grandfather,
Grandmother. Thank you for setting aside some time for my visit today.”

Clad in indigo blue, Wingart was as thin and sickly as the rumors described him to be. However,
his back was straight, and his face was dignified. He still emitted the aura of a leader. His
peppered hair was cut short. He had a beard too.

Wingart broke into a smile as affection bled into his golden orbs. “So you’ve arrived, Violant.
Come here.”

“It’s been quite a long while, Violant. My, you’re taking more and more after Viola, aren’t you?
Come sit with us. Let’s have a chat over tea,” said Elise with a pleasant laugh.
Wearing a green dress, Elise was an old woman with silver hair, violet eyes, and a kindly face.
Her face had wrinkles, but there was a sweet yet dignified air around her.

Elise was probably how Vio’s mother Viola would look like once she grew older.

“Pardon me,” said Vio before sitting down. Meeting his grandparents after such a long time
made him nervous. His throat grew parched.

Noticing this, Wingard made a casual shrug and said in a joking tone, “Why are you so nervous
in front of family, Violant? Come on, eat some pastries. Our chef baked them. They’re the best.”

This slightly relaxed Vio.

As prompted, he turned to the delicious pastries on the table. They were cookies that appeared to
have been baked in a mold, a thin, translucent layer of jam in the middle. The red and yellow jam
reminded him of stained glass. Such beautiful cookies.

“They’ve become popular in the royal capital recently. People call them ‘stained-glass cookies,’”
Elise said, happiness in her voice.

The name is exactly like its appearance, huh.

Finding that interesting, Vio stared at the stained-glass cookies. When he casually looked up, he
noticed that his grandparents were staring at him, eyes filled with anticipation. Guessing they
wouldn’t stop until he ate one, Vio took a cookie and placed it into his mouth.

The thin layer of sugary goodness melted in his mouth alongside the crunch of the crispy, sweet
cookie. Vio slightly widened his eyes in surprise. Then, he uncontrollably broke into a smile and
said, “It’s delicious.”

As he thought about asking Rille to make cookies with the Leca candy in the future, Vio reached
for the cup of tea in front of him.

Woah, good tea leaves were used for this tea. It’s delicious too.

In fact, the cookies and the tea were so delicious that it made Vio wonder what his grandparents
usually ate. At the same time, he refrained himself from smiling too much.

Still, Elise flashed a bright smile. “I’m glad to hear that. If they suit your taste, you can take
some back with you later as souvenirs.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” said Wingart. “By the way, Violant, I heard that you
protected a princess during the celebration and got hurt… Are you alright?”

Vio’s eyes widened in surprise, and he froze. Wingart’s reaction to the news wasn’t anything out
of the ordinary, but it felt very fresh to Vio. It must be because his father and brother had
poisoned him for far too long with their scoldings and lectures of male dignity.

Worry crossed Elise’s face. “What’s wrong? Do you feel ill?”

Vio shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. The court doctor told me to rest, but I only need to not
strain myself until my injury heals.”
Wingard nodded. “I see. The court doctor is Meliez, right? His diagnoses are never wrong.”

“What a relief. By the way, Flora stayed here until yesterday, but that child’s rather strange.
You’re all she talked about her entire time here. But thanks to that, we learned a lot about you. In
fact, this doesn’t feel like the first time we’ve met you in three years.”

“So Flora stayed here during the celebration.”

“Yes. Almost no one in our family stays in the townhouse, am I right? But because of that, I get
to play with my grandchild again after such a long time. It was fun,” Elise said in a pleasant
manner, a smile on her lips.

A shadow of a smile also lingered on Wingart’s face.

It seemed that Vio’s grandparents also recognized how cute Flora was. As someone with a sister
complex, Vio could greatly relate to how they feel.

Then Wingart somewhat straightened his posture. “By the way, Violant, you said you have
something to discuss with us. What’s the matter?”

Elise frowned. “Dear, don’t you think we should chat a little longer before bringing that up?”

“But it will be harder to breach the topic the longer we delay, won’t it? We should clear his
troubles as soon as we can.”

Reluctantly, Elise nodded. “I guess you’re right.”Then she focused her attention toward Vio.

Nervous, Vio began to speak, “Actually… I wish to ask for your help. Could you protect Mother
and Flora if something were to happen?”

In a snap, Wingart and Elise’s mild smiles disappeared, and the air around them turned chilly.

Wingart rose to his feet. “What? Has that fool finally done it? Even after I threatened to
personally kill him if he ever made my daughter cry…”

“I told you, Dear! We shouldn’t have married her off to such a violent person!”

“And I told you I didn’t want to accept the marriage either, alright? But Viola insisted. She said
she will accept it for the sake of our kingdom, so I begrudgingly allowed it. Besides, didn’t you
also agree in the end?”

“I had no choice! She’s just like me. Stubborn. Once she has decided on something, nothing can
change her mind.”

For some reason, the couple started to quarrel. Vio blankly watched their fierce exchange from
his seat in amazement.

When Wingart started to walk away, Elise followed him, spouting incessant complaints. As Vio
wondered where Wingart was going, the man removed the decorative sword from the wall.
“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”
They were arguing just a while ago. But before Vio realized it, his grandparents seemed to have
come to an agreement on something.

Finally, Vio came to his senses. In a panic, he raised his voice, saying, “Please wait! Father has
nothing to do with what I came here for!”

In an instant, Wingart and Elise immediately stopped in their tracks.

“…He’s not?” asked Wingart, unhappy.

“Dear, let’s just pretend we didn’t hear that, and proceed with our plan,” said Elise. This made
Vio leave his seat in a hasty manner. He then rushed toward them.

They’re definitely Mother’s parents! Just like her, they’re incredibly decisive.

A memory of Viola in a state of rage popped in Vio’s head, bringing a bitter smile to his face.

“Please listen to me until the end. I came here not to talk about Father but about Brother,” Vio
said in a meek tone.

Wingart and Elise exchanged glances.

“Okay, we will listen to you first,” Wingart said, returning the sword to its previous place on the
wall.

“Yes, that’s right. We can still stab him afterward,” murmured Elise, the corners of her lips
raised in a cold smile.

“….” Vio was quite disturbed by his grandparents’ actions. In the end, he pretended to not have
heard anything they just said and returned to his seat.

Ch 65 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(VIII)
After listening to Vio’s story, Wingart had a stern expression. “Hmm, I see. Rupheus did that,
huh?” He pondered out loud. “He’s outstanding, but his cruelty is exactly like that man’s. It’s a
shame. He was still cute and obedient when he was a child.”

“You’re right. When I met him at his social debut, it’s like he changed into a different person. It
made me wonder if the rumor that anyone who participates in the Lesserhain’s coming of age
ceremony will be possessed by the devil is true. I was really scared at that time,” Elise muttered
with a sigh, shivering once she recalled how creepy it was, seeing Rupheus. After she prayed to
the great spirit, she breathed in relief.

Vio tilted his head. “Coming of age ceremony…?”

In his memories of his older brother, Rupheus had always been scary. That’s why he couldn’t
understand his grandparents’ words. Besides, Vio had never taken the ceremony.
With a complicated expression, Wingart explained, “I don’t know much about it either.
However, the Lesserhain’s coming of age ceremony has been famous for a long time. It’s a ritual
that only the eldest son can participate in, and they become cruel after completing it. ”

“That’s why they are ‘possessed by a demon’, huh…”

Vio felt an indescribable chill. He didn’t find it strange to know that his father and brother might
be possessed by demons. Rather, he was strangely convinced.

Vio and his grandparents looked at each other awkwardly before Wingart cleared his throat and
changed the subject. “Well, it’s only a rumor, and we don’t know the truth. I understand why you
made your request, Violant. But we will help our daughter and granddaughter even if you didn’t
ask. Don’t put us in the same category as your father.”

Scolded by Wingart, Vio was relieved, but he also hung his head in shame. He was so worried
about various things that he doubted his grandfather.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Violant. Dear, you have read the letters from Viola, right?” Elise asked as she
intervened. “If we take his daily life into consideration, it wouldn’t be strange for this child to be
wary of us.”

Apparently, Viola was sending letters about him to her parents. That meant they knew many
details about Violant’s situation.

“Okay, I admit that I shouldn’t have scolded you, Violant, but know this. We hate the Duke of
Lesserhain from the bottom of our heart. From now on, you need to be careful around him,”
cautioned Wingart.

“I understand, Grandfather,” Vio replied obediently.

A broad smile appeared on Wingart’s face in response. “Good.”

As he leaned back on the chaise lounge, he brought up another topic. “Then what about you? If
you want to ask for help, then I can think of various ways to do so. For example, we can look for
a family to adopt you or find you a good woman to marry… You can also study abroad or attend
school in the royal capital. If you want to join the Royal Knights, then I can also help you enter a
good division… Ah, but you have a weak body, right? Then do you want to go to the literary
school full of magicians?”

Vio stared blankly at Wingart as he listed his options for evacuation. “No, Grandfather. As I
said, I don’t need help since I’m planning to go against Brother. I also want to improve Leca
Town’s livelihood, so I can’t leave.”

It didn’t look like Wingart liked Vio’s reply. “Why!? Why do you have to specifically choose the
thorny path? Good grief, your features aren’t the only thing that’s similar to Viola…” he
complained, frowning

With a tone that bore no room for argument, Vio replied, “But I’ve already made my decision.”
“…Haa. You’re just like my daughter. She won’t give up once she has made a decision,”
Wingart said before he let out a deep sigh. Next to him, Elise had pressed her fingers to her
forehead, as if it hurt.

“Grandfather, grandmother. Even if it’s scary, I’d rather fight with Brother than hide from him
because I’m scared. It’s a matter of my self-esteem. I’ll run away when my life is really at risk.
Please rest assured.”

Wingart and Elise looked at each other and helplessly nodded.

“I like that pride. If there’s anything we can do to help, feel free to tell us. Okay?” said Wingart.

Vio nodded. “Yes, Grandfather. I understand.”

Elise, who was watching their exchange, mildly asked, “Is that all, Violant?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s have a chat. It’s been a long time since we saw each other. You won’t say something
sad like you’re leaving immediately, right?”

“Of course.”

After that, Vio engaged his grandparents in leisurely chatter.

Ch 66 – The Unbeknownst Creeping Shadow

(IX)
Vio returned to the castle in the evening. Shortly after disembarking from the carriage in the
carriage parking lot, he encountered Fion, the leader of the Knights of the Green Flash.

“Oh, Lord Violant. Do you feel better now? I find it astonishing that the court doctor actually let
you go outside.”

With a wry smile, Vio replied, “Please rest assured, Sir Fion. I have received the doctor’s
permission.”

“Is that so? Your boldness surprises me. You even dare to go out while you’re still entangled in
this situation.”

“I have informed the doctor of my destination as well. I visited the Flower Palace today because
I had arranged an appointment with my grandparents.”

“You visited the Emeritus King?” Fion’s eyes grew sharp. “That’s not very admirable of you.
He’s already in poor health, so I don’t think you should bother him with such a troublesome
matter.”

Confusion swept over Vio. “Excuse me, Sir Fion, but I believe you have misunderstood. I didn’t
visit to tell him about Princess Liona’s incident. May I know what has made you this irritated
with me?”
Legion had previously told Vio the case had been cleared up. Thus, he had no idea why Fion was
angry.

Vio’s question caused Fion to flinch. Awkward, he cleared his throat. “…Nothing. I always act
like this,” responded Fion in a lame manner. Then in a reluctant manner, he added, “His
Highness the Crown Prince has announced the results of the investigation concerning the attack
on Princess Liona. The suspicions on you have been cleared, so you are free to leave the castle.”

“Understood. Thank you for telling me. May I ask you for further details?”

“I’m afraid I will have to redirect you to Lantz. I have plans after this. I’m actually in a rush right
now.” Afterward, Fion bowed and was about to leave. But all of a sudden, he stopped in his
tracks as though he remembered something, after which he took something wrapped in cloth
from his pocket. He unwrapped it and extended it toward Vio, asking, “Excuse me, but do you
recognize this?”

“Huh?”

The object Fion presented was a silver amulet in the shape of a one-eyed owl.

Vio shook his head. “No… But if I’m not mistaken, the one-eyed owl should be the symbol of an
ancient god, right? Uhh, the Goddess of Wisdom… is her name Sofia?”

“I see. Well, if you don’t know, then forget that I asked. And this is the Goddess of Wisdom
Sophie.” After correcting Vio in an insulting tone, Fion rewrapped the amulet, pocketed it again,
then left. His subordinate bowed to Vio, an apologetic look on his face, before following Fion.

The Goddess of Wisdom Sophie? I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before…

As Vio watched Fion’s figure fade further into the distance in an absentminded manner, he
pondered over how that goddess’ name could be familiar to him.

With a bitter smile, Legion gently said, “Please don’t mind his attitude, Lord Violant. He can
be… a bit uptight, but he’s a honest person…”

However, despite his attempt to cover for Fion, Legion also thought Fion had been too harsh on
Vio.

“Oh, it’s okay, Legi. I didn’t really mind. It’s natural for someone of the Rosine family to be
hostile to me. If I were him, I would also consider any Lesserhain an enemy,” said Vio, before
walking toward the guest room. It was only when he had returned to his room that he finally
remembered.

I saw that amulet in the manga! If I remember correctly, that’s the emblem of that sly fox’s…
Earl Sarg Villan’s secret organization.

Vio changed from his outdoor clothes to his loungewear. Following that, he sat on a chair by the
window to look at the sunny sky as he grew immersed in his thoughts.

The man who had attacked Princess Liona died after revealing Rupheus’ name. Thus, they also
suspected Vio to be an accomplice in the attack, but now, those allegations had been cleared.
Because they knew that they had another enemy to face.

The amulet that Fion purposely showed him was shaped in the symbol of the Goddess of
Wisdom Sophie, a one-eyed owl. In the manga, the members of Earl Villan’s secret organization
would bring this amulet with them as identification of their own membership. As such, this also
became the key item they use in order to identify their fellow members.

In the manga, Rupheus was also said to have attacked Princess Liona. This attack became the
catalyst of Istiah’s war with Ruslan. But here, although Princess Liona was still attacked, it
didn’t manage to kindle any hostility between the two kingdoms. The suspicion on the
Lesserhains had been cleared.

After Vio’s thoughts reached that point, he finally connected the dots.

I understand now! The fire that Brother supposedly started in the manga is actually Earl Sarg’s
nefarious trap!

If that truly was the case, then everything made much more sense now. Vio had never
understood how the perfectionist Rupheus could make such a sloppy plan. But taking the
Lesserhains’ less than stellar reputation into consideration, Vio could understand Sarg’s intention
behind this plan, though somewhat poorly.

That man is skilled at inducing anxiety in people’s minds. Although allegations on Rupheus have
been cleared, Sarg can instil suspicion among the people who have heard about the rumor due to
the Lesserhains’ existing infamy. And he can nurture this suspicion day by day until it eventually
explodes.

What a terrifying man!

That’s s another discrepancy from the original storyline of the manga. Since the spark that
kindled the war has disappeared here, what would happen afterward?

Vio’s heart violently pounded. It was troubling how everything seemed to be happening earlier
than in the manga. Would this happen again once they reached the timeline of the manga? Or did
Sarg have another reason to soil the Lesserhains’ already horrible reputation?

All of a sudden, Jill said, “Young Master, you look pale. Why don’t you take a nap until
dinner?”

This brought Vio out of his reverie. “Ah, sure. I want to have a cup of tea as well.”

“I will prepare it at once.”

After Jill left, Vio released a sigh.

There’s no point in fearing the unknown. Since I don’t know what the future entails, I can only
start considering possible courses of action once events have already gone into motion. But I
still need to continue my preparations for the incoming war.

That was the conclusion Vio had reached.

 ****

At dusk, Rille’s older sister, Reina, walked along 10th Avenue, confidence evident in her every
step. An attendant—a young priest—accompanied her.

“Miss Reina, this is where that person lives,” said the young priest as he pointed at a house.

The house was rather old and resembled a haunted house.

Reina’s features clouded over. “Is that so? Looks like he’s going through a tough time. As his
former colleague, my heart aches for him.”

However, she immediately regained her composure. From outside the gates of the house, she
called out, “Excuse me! Is anyone home?”

“Miss Reina, please wait. I will call him for you,” said the young priest. Afterward, he pushed
the rusty gate open and ran to the front door. He reached for the metal knocker and curled his
fingers around the ring. But he soon noticed it was so rusty it would no longer budge. So instead,
he knocked the wooden door at once. “Hello, is Dawn Samarelli home? We’re from the temple.
We’d like to talk to you.”

After a while, the sound of the door being unlocked could be heard. The door soon slightly
opened, revealing the displeased face of the man inside the house.

The man said, “What sort of business does the people of the temple need from me now?”

The man glanced at the young priest with his gray orbs, causing the priest to stagger, slightly
taken aback.

It was at that moment that Reina also entered the gate and walked toward the front door. “I’m
sorry for bothering you at this late hour. My name is Reina Lentetta. Dawn Samarelli, I believe
you had worked at the temple in Nada town, a part of the Lesserhains’ territory, four years ago. I
want to ask you questions about that temple.”

After a brief silence, Dawn fully opened the door and beckoned them in. “Fine, come in. Sorry in
advance, but I can’t offer you much hospitality in this poor place.”

The interior of the house was incredibly tidy. Truly unexpected after seeing the house’s destitute
appearance from the outside.

Ch 67 – Looking for a Scholar (I)

“⸺And that is the end of the report,” Lantz said as he ended his summary of the incident at the
birthday ball.

Vio, seated on a chair by the window, organized his thoughts. “Hmm, I see. So the attacker had
an amulet of the Goddess of Wisdom, Sophie.”
It matched with what Vio knew from the manga, but he pretended this was the first time he’d
learned of it and nodded. Then he asked Lantz, “The captain showed me the amulet to check if I
knew something, but… what exactly was that amulet? I’m not very knowledgeable about the
ancient gods, so I’m not sure whether it has a special meaning or not.”

“The Goddess of Wisdom Sophie is known to have the ability to see the past, the present, and the
future. Gamblers and mercenaries often carry her symbol around as an amulet.”

“Then why did that attacker have it? Because he’s a mercenary?”

“No. We suspect that he treated the assassination as a gamble.”

Vio nodded. “I see.”

So the Knights of Green Flash are covering up the fact that it’s like a badge of identification
between members of the group aiming for Princess Liona. Then, I’ll pretend not to know
anything either.

Right now, the Knights of the Green Flash and Princess Liona didn’t know who their enemies or
allies were. Naturally, they would seek to avoid leaking information to the most suspicious party
in this matter: the Lesserhains.

“I’m glad the allegations against my brother and I were cleared up. With this, I can safely go
back to Leca town. Sir Lantz, did His Highness say anything?”

“You’re free to leave the castle, Lord Violant. But if possible, he wants you to leave a message
before you return to your territory.”

“I understand. I’ll make sure to contact him before I go. Oh, and can you tell him that I plan to
move to an inn in town once I get permission from the court doctor?”

Lantz was puzzled. “Wouldn’t it be fine for you to stay here until the day you return home, Lord
Violant?”

“No, I’ll be dealing with private matters, and… since I’ve lived in the countryside for a long
time, I feel more at ease staying in town than here in the castle. Besides, I feel bad borrowing
you knights for so long.”

“Guarding nobles is also part of our duty. But if you insist, then I will pass your message to His
Highness,” said Lantz, nodding. Then he seemed to remember something and asked, “Speaking
of which, Lord Violant. How was the Flower Palace?”

Vio unconsciously smiled. “They agreed to take responsibility for my mother and sister’s
protection. It has been a long time since I last met them, so I didn’t know that my grandparents
were so kind. That’s right, I received some popular sweets as souvenirs. Sir Lantz, would you
like to have some?”

“Sweets?”

“Yes. They’re called stained glass cookies, cookies that use candy as an ingredient. Do you not
like pastries?”
“No, I like them…”

“Then please have some.”

Vio glanced around the room. Jill met his eyes and bowed before heading to the servants’ room.
He should be telling Rille to prepare the cookies for Lantz.

When Vio turned back to Lantz, the knight looked confused. “Why are you giving me cookies?”
Lantz asked.

“Eh? Doesn’t food become more delicious once shared?”

“…Is that so?”

“My grandmother prepared many baskets for me. I also set aside some for Sir Cheval… And I’ll
enjoy the rest with the others. Hehe, it’s good to have someone to share with.”

If he’d been at home, Vio could’ve made it into a tea party with everyone sharing the same table,
but he couldn’t do so here. People in the castle followed a strict hierarchy.

“Um, Lord Violant. If you don’t mind, I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“Could you perhaps prepare His Highness’ share as well?”

Vio’s eyes widened, and he casually affirmed, “With pleasure.”

“You asked him to give me sweets too?”

Ars shot Lantz a look of amazement as he was presented with a package of cookies.

Lantz nodded earnestly. “Yes. It would have been ridiculous if I, a subordinate, received some
yet my master, His Highness, received nothing.”

“You’re too serious… But I’m happy to hear that. Hmm, these cookies are pleasing to the eye.
As expected from Grandmother. She loves new things, and she’s well-informed of the trends in
town. I think Diana will like these.”

Ars only looked at them, not touching them at all.

“Sorry, but I don’t like sweet things. It’d be good if Liona were here…”

As soon as he said it, Liona came to visit Ars’ office. What perfect timing. She was dressed in
men’s clothes again: a dark red coat and black riding trousers. As usual, Night and her maid
accompanied her.
“Ohh, you came at the right time. My subordinate received some cookies from Lord Violant.
Liona, you like pastries, right? Do you want to eat it?”

Liona joyfully responded, “Of course!”

Ars walked toward the drawing room’s couch and low table, the box of sweets in his hand. Liona
had already seated herself there.

Meanwhile, Lantz immediately left the room to brew a pot of tea. Once the tea was done, he
returned with the pot.

“What beautiful cookies. These are from Lord Violant?”

“Yeah. Grandmother seems to have given him many of these cookies, so he’s sharing them
around.”

“Since these are from Emeritus Queen Elise, I’m sure they’re delicious.” Happily, Liona stuffed
her cheeks with the cookies without any hesitation. “Mmm! It has a moderate sweetness and
elegant taste. Why don’t you try some?”

“I’ll refrain. I hate sweet food.”

“It’s not good being too picky. You don’t know what you’re missing until you try it!”

“Then you should learn to eat sour things too.”

Hearing this, Liona immediately changed her tune. “Let me correct myself. Hating one thing
won’t affect your life at all.”

Ars laughed at her. After he calmed down, he asked, “What happened? Weren’t you preparing
for your return?”

“Yeah. But because of that incident, I decided to send the delegation back home first and return
by another route for my safety. That sly fox’s recent scheme was scary.”

“Even if you change your route, you still have to pass through the Lesserhains’ territory, right?
The only difference is whether you travel along the mountain path or through the Alpe Reeve
plains. There’s no way you’re planning to go home by ship from the Country of Clarina, right?”
said Ars, a severe look on his face.

The safest route from Istiah to the Kingdom of Ruslan was through the plains. The Country of
Clarina was hostile toward the Kingdom of Istiah, and as such was a dangerous place for
Ruslan’s people to traverse. But between Ruslan and Clarina was a deep valley called Odo
Cliffs, so Clarina had no choice but to use ships if they wished to attack Ruslan. However, the
Kingdom of Ruslan was a marine nation. No one could compete with their ship technology. For
that reason, Clarina rarely warred with Ruslan.

“Well, I’ll keep the details a secret. But I won’t use the Country of Clarina route. I’m not that
stupid.”

Ars released a sigh of relief. It was then that Lantz proposed, “How about using an Equestrian
Dragon?”
“That’s the last resort. We’ve pledged to avoid using Equestrian Dragons unless it’s an
emergency, after all.”

“I can lend you my knights’ Equestrian Dragon. It can send you to the border.”

“Hey, Ars. If you give Ruslan such special treatment, the other countries will criticize you. Don’t
worry. I have Night with me… And I’m thinking of mingling with the commoners and going
sightseeing on our travel home.”

“…So that’s your goal,” Ars commented with exasperation.

Liona laughed. “It’ll be fine, Ars. I’m good at disguise.”

“Where can you find a member of royalty who’s good at disguise… You’re too much.”

“You can find one here, can’t you?”

“That’s not something to be proud of! Really… Night, I’ll leave Liona in your care. She
probably won’t listen to you, but do your best.”

Night smiled wryly. With determination, he replied, “Thank you very much. I will make sure to
do that.”

Ch 68 – Looking for a Scholar (II)

Four days later, the court doctor, Melliez, finally gave Vio permission to leave the castle. And
so, Vio visited Ars’ office with Legion.

“Your Highness, I will take my leave from the castle and move to an inn in town. I’ve come to
greet you before I go.”

“You’re really going to move to an inn? I’ve heard about this from Lantz, but… you’re only
staying in the royal capital for a few days. Why don’t you just remain in the castle?” asked Ars,
sitting on a chaise lounge in the drawing room. He also urged Vio to take a seat, so the latter sat
facing him.

“No. I feel sorry having to borrow your knight any longer than this.”

“As I thought, you’re bothered by Fion?”

“No, it’s just that I feel bad.”

“I see. But send me a letter when you will leave the royal capital. Although the case has been
settled, there are still some people who are suspicious of your family. I also want to make sure of
your whereabouts so that any unnecessary trouble won’t occur.”

Vio obediently nodded at Ars’ frank request. “I understand. If it’ll make everyone feel at ease, I
will be happy to cooperate. Then I will let you know the inn when I’ve decided on one.”
“…Yes, please do that,” Ars said with a bitter smile. Then he stood up as if he just remembered
something and grabbed a sheet of paper from his office desk. He handed it to Vio. “It’s not like
this is an exchange for your compliance, but here.”

“This is…?”

“A list of secluded but talented scholars. You said you were looking for a botanist before, right?
I recommend the first one, but… I don’t know if he’s willing to be hired since he hates nobles.”

“Did you especially make this for me? Thank you, Your Highness. So you recommend Dawn
Samarelli, huh? He’s a former priest… I see,” muttered Vio as he scanned the list. Apparently,
Dawn was doing research with herb cultivation as his focus. It made sense that a former priest
would be interested in herbs. Charity work and medical practice were some of the major roles of
the temple.

“I made you feel uncomfortable in the royal capital. Not to mention, you’re my cousin. This
much is nothing,” said Ars casually.

Despite this, Vio was happy because of this. He softly smiled as he held the sheet of paper with
care. “Thank you very much, Your Highness. I am grateful for your concern.”

“…Yeah. Well, uh, be careful,” Ars said, turning away his flushed face.

Then he said to Legion, “Legion, make sure to do your duty as his guardian knight.”

At the sound of those words, Legion saluted with his hand on his chest, standing near Vio. “Yes.
Even if I have to exchange my own life in order to do so.”

A bitter smile slid across Ars’ lips. “You’re so serious. There’s no need to exaggerate.”

“No, this is my sincere resolution,” replied Legion, solemnly again as expected, causing both
Vio and Ars to smile wryly.

****

Cheval and Lantz came to see Vio off at the carriage stop by the castle.

“Thank you for taking care of me the last few days,” said Vio. “I’m really grateful.”

“You’re welcome, Lord Violant. But serving as your knight is easier than doing the work of the
Knights’ Order, so we should be the one to thank you,” replied Cheval with a grin.

Lantz glared. “Please refrain from saying such a rude remark, Sir Cheval. You’re putting us to
trouble as well. None of us have had it as easy as he says, so please don’t misunderstand, Lord
Violant.”

“What now, Sir Lantz? You also said that this is better than the usual!”
“I mentioned that it’s easier to manage my time as Lord Violant’s knight, but I don’t want to be
lazy.”

“I’m not saying that either!” Cheval glared at Lantz due to the latter’s serious rebuttal, and the
exchange turned into an argument.

Vio laughed out loud at their interaction. “You two are really close, aren’t you?”

Such words caused them to zip their lips and frown. They didn’t appear too happy.

Amazed, Legion said, “In any case, don’t fight in front of Lord Violant. You’re being rude.”

Since they looked embarrassed, Vio shook his head with a smile. “It’s fine, Legi. Being able to
fight like this is proof that they’re close. It’s much better than being distant and cold with each
other. Anyway, Sir Cheval, Sir Lantz, we’re still going to stay in the royal capital for a while, so
please visit me whenever you need me. I will tell His Highness where I’m going to stay later.”

“Yes… By the way, Lord Violant,” asked Cheval, “May I write a letter to Miss Rille?”

Vio nodded. “Sure. But I can’t do anything if Rille refuses…”

Cheval’s question had surprised him. So he was the type of man who wrote love letters to
women?

Apparently, Lantz and Legion had the same thought, looking at Cheval with a confused gaze.

“Do you even have the sense of romance to write a letter?”

“I never heard Sir Cheval mention writing a letter before. How uncanny. It’s amazing how much
he changed after finding his fated partner…”

Cheval replied in a calm manner, “I don’t know how to write one, so I’m planning to have Sir
Lantz teach me.”

“This is the first time I heard this.”

“Because I haven’t told you yet.”

“…I guess that’s fine. I can at least do some corrections. I’ll make sure to fill the paper with red
ink,” Lantz said, a faint, ominous smile plastered on his face.

“This is not an exam!” said Cheval. “Hey, are you assuming that I’d write a bad letter?!”

Impressed by Cheval’s sincerity, Vio nodded. “I understand. If your feelings don’t cool down
even when she’s far away from you, then maybe Rille will reconsider it. And if Rille doesn’t
hate your advances, then I’ll support you, Sir Cheval.”

“Lord Violant… Thank you very much!” said Cheval with a large smile, before bowing with
vigor.

After they had finished bidding each other goodbye, Vio and his servants left the castle via
carriage.
Ch 69 – Looking for a Scholar (III)
“Master, please don’t encourage Sir Cheval. A playboy like him will definitely forget me once
we return to Leca,” Rille said, glaring lightly at Vio.

Vio titled his head. “I wonder about that. I think when someone like him gets serious, they will
love their partner with all of their heart and soul… Besides, since he’s a member of the Knights
of Green Flash, you’d be marrying up. Plus, I’m sure Sir Cheval will cherish you. I think it’s a
good proposition. But if you really hate it, I won’t say this kind of thing anymore.”

“I don’t hate it… I just don’t understand romance. Rather than getting married and so on, I
would hate leaving Master more.”

Vio smiled wryly at Rille’s honest reply. “I’m happy to hear that, Rille. But if you keep saying
that, you’ll miss your chance at marriage.”

“Even if I don’t get married, I have an older sister and two younger brothers. My family will be
alright.”

“So Rille has two younger brothers? However, I’m not talking about your family, I’m talking
about your happiness…”

“…? I’m always happy,” Rille said with a gentle smile.

Vio couldn’t help smiling back. Then he snapped out of it and shook his head. That wasn’t what
he meant… “Hmm, oh well. If you really don’t hate it, why don’t you try exchanging letters with
him? You don’t have to immediately reject him.”

“If Master says so, then I’ll do it. Though, isn’t it ruder to make him wait for an answer when I
don’t have any plans of marrying…?” Rille wondered.

Jill asked, “Rille, what would you do if Sir Cheval left the Knights of Green Flash and moved to
Leca?”

“Huh?” Rille looked confused, but she gave it some thought. After a while, she gave a manly
reply. “Right. I’d feel sorry if he were to go that far, so if that happens, I’ll take responsibility
and marry him.”

Vio and Jill could only look at each other. Then Vio said, “I see. So Rille is someone who’d
think of taking responsibility…”

Apparently, Rille demonstrated her seriousness even when it came to romantic affairs.

Jill chuckled. “It seems Sir Cheval might unexpectedly end up having his way after all, Young
Master.”

“In that case, I hope they can love each other,” Vio said. He was a little worried, but he was glad
that Cheval seemed to have some hope. He wondered how Legion would answer if it were him.
However, the knight was riding his horse and following the carriage from behind, so he couldn’t
ask.
Then, Rille looked like she just recalled something and said, “Ah, right. Master, can I go to the
temple tomorrow? We managed to contact the priest who used to work at the temple in Nada
town. My sister is planning for me to meet him tomorrow… I’m sorry, I forgot to inform you.”

“Tomorrow? Got it. It’s something I requested, so don’t hesitate to go. Besides, we’ll be going to
meet the scholar, so you’ll be free until evening. But make sure to return before it gets dark. It’s
dangerous for women to wander around alone in the royal capital.”

“I understand. Please don’t worry, I won’t be going alone. My sister and her subordinates will be
with me.”

“Then that’s good.”

“And Master, my sister is stronger than me. She’s also good at spirit magic. So even if I only had
her with me, we’d be alright.”

Then Rille explained with a cheerful smile that her entire family was proficient in martial arts.

Vio didn’t know how to respond to that. He could only vaguely say, “…I-I see. Rille’s family is
amazing.”

At that moment, the carriage stopped.

“It looks like we’ve arrived at the inn,” Jill said. “Please wait for a moment. I will confirm our
reservation.”

“Please.”

Jill promptly disembarked from the carriage. Vio watched him go, his thoughts on tomorrow’s
schedule.

****

The name of the inn was Rose Garden. Perhaps because nobles often stayed at this inn, the staff
guided them to the uppermost room in a well-practiced manner.

Vio wasn’t particular about his room, but he was a son of the Lesserhains. If he stayed in a cheap
room to save money, rumors would spread quickly. That was the unpleasant thing about the
noble society.

If Rupheus were to hear about it, he’d definitely tell Vio it was shameful staying at a cheap hotel
and would order him to stay in their family’s townhouse. Vio didn’t want that, so he decided to
spare no expense for this.

“This room is pretty good,” Vio muttered, voicing out his thoughts. It wasn’t as great as the
guest room at the castle, but the furnishings were excellent.

He then walked to the open window. This room was facing the inn’s courtyard, so he couldn’t
see the main street. As the name of the inn suggested, there were red, white, and pink roses in
full bloom in the courtyard. Their floral scent weaved through the muggy air.
Vio sat on the chair by the window while Jill and the others carried the luggage in. Meanwhile,
the maid attached to the guest room came to greet them.

Vio lightly returned her greetings and asked her to help organize the luggage.

While the maid looked like she was having a hard time carrying a heavy bag, Legion effortlessly
brought in several of them many times. Then he asked for permission to check the perimeter and
went out.

Vio decided to spend the rest of the day leisurely at the inn, only sending a letter to the castle to
inform the prince of his current lodgings.

The next day, Vio immediately went to find the scholar with Jill and Legion.

“Rille is in charge of checking the situation of the temple in Nada town and finding someone to
be our contact there,” Vio muttered to himself. “I’ve also requested my mother mediate things in
Nada. What’s left is the botanist and the magician. There’s also the seeds and seedlings that I
want to bring back to Leca town.”

In the swaying carriage, Vio counted the number of things on his to-do list with his fingers.

“I’ve already asked my grandparents for my mother’s and my sister’s protection… Jill, is there
anything else I haven’t done?”

“There’s nothing else. And please leave the shopping to me, Young Master.”

“Okay.”

Vio had already walked around the market before, so he already knew what he wanted to buy. In
addition, he told Jill to buy anything that piqued his interest without any reservation. Jill was an
excellent butler, so it should be fine.

“The truth is, I want to personally find and bring the scholar to you as well, Young Master.”

“I only want to meet the person recommended by His Highness. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“I understand.” Jill nodded and looked at the list. “Most of them are scholars living on the 9th or
10th Avenue.”

“Is it that hard to make a living as a scholar?” Vio asked, curious. He wasn’t closely acquainted
with any scholars, so he didn’t have a good reference as to the occupation. “It’s different from a
private tutor, right?”

“Yes, you’re right. However, some of them do work as a private tutor while they conduct their
research. Others earn money by writing letters for other people or doing transcriptions. Many
scholars are also priests. In general, a scholar who’s a professor at an academy has a high status,
and it’s certainly a good job, but… A scholar’s best bet is to skillfully find a patron and be able
to research full-time,” Legion explained, glancing at the list in Jill’s hand. “That’s why an
employment contract like this one will be highly sought after. I think we can tempt him with it,
but…”
Vio could immediately guess what he didn’t say. “…It’ll be difficult since the patron is my
family. Right?” he said with a bitter smile.

Legion clenched his fist and declared, “I’m sure anyone will gladly accept once they get to know
you, Lord Violant. It’ll be alright!”

“It’s just as Sir Legion said, Young Master. And after he reads this employment contract, he’ll
understand that this is a good job position,” Jill said with a gentle smile.

“Hmm, I hope that’s the case.”

Vio couldn’t do anything unless he met and talked to this person.

I set the wage higher than average for the time being since he’ll have to go to a remote
location… Will he accept it? I can’t really call the funds I’d provide abundant, but I’ll create a
field for him to use for his experiments. If he gets good results, then we can apply it to the
surroundings and put his research to practical use. Is this offer attractive enough?

Vio hoped to hire Dawn Samarelli because the man was good at cultivating herbs. If he could
grow many medicinal plants, it would be easier for the people of Leca town to survive the long
winter.

However, Vio’s main purpose was to increase the vegetables and grains that could be cultivated
in cold regions like Leca. Right now, he was growing buckwheat and turnips which were
resistant to the cold. If possible, he wanted to increase the variety.

Vio motivated himself as he thought of the name of the person he was about to meet.

Since he was going to fight with his brother Rupheus, he must first secure a firm foothold.

Ch 70 – Looking for a Scholar (IV)

After Vio disembarked from the carriage at 10th Avenue, what greeted the eyes of the group was
a haunted looking house.

Vegetables and flowers were crammed into the small garden up front.

Vio asked, “Jill, is this Dawn Samarelli’s house?”

“It should be so. The address is correct, but—”

At that moment, a boy around ten years old appeared beyond the rustic iron gate. He was
crouching and playing with the mud, a small shovel in his right hand.

The boy had short hair the shade of damp earth. Big green eyes. At first glance, he looked like a
girl, but the shorts made it much more likely he was a boy. With black wolf-like ears sprouting
from his head, he was likely a wolf Locana.

“I’m sorry, but Father is currently checking up on a patient. He has an appointment today.” said
the boy politely. “I think he will be back soon.”
His choice of words was elegant for a child living in the downtown area.

Admiration filled Vio’s heart. I guess his father is educating him well?

Then Vio asked, “Do you mind if we wait here?”

“Sure, but… if the patient needs urgent treatment, you should find another doctor…”

“Mister Samarelli is a botanist, isn’t he? What do you mean with ‘another doctor?’”

“Father is also a doctor. Are you from the shrine? You’re shiny, very beautiful!” The boy’s eyes
sparkled.

“Shiny…?” asked Vio, tilting his head.

Legion said, “He’s probably talking about your hair color, Lord Violant.”

“Ahh, that? Is my hair color that rare?”

The boy shook his head. Then he pointed to an empty space and said with a smile, “This and that
are shiny.”

“…Hm?” Vio didn’t know how to react. As he wondered whether the boy was teasing him or
asking him to play with him, he heard a man say sharply, “Hey you! What are you doing to my
son?!”

A bag in hand, a male wolf Locana with an unshaven beard ran their way. Legion quickly moved
to stand in front of Vio.

“Ah, Father!” The boy smiled and innocently waved. “Father, welcome home! You have a
customer.”

“Yuan! I told you to stay inside the house when I’m not home. And you shouldn’t talk to
strangers.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to pick some herbs, but I found pests instead… So I got rid of them. Or else
Miss Rosa is going to get angry at Father again.”

“You don’t have to worry about Rosa. She’ll scold me as she pleases anyway. Just listen to me
properly, okay?”

“I’m sorry…” Yuan, who looked dejected, was as obedient as his appearance. He was very cute.

For some reason the interaction between father and son soothed Vio’s heart. But the spell was
instantly broken; the man sent a glare at Vio and his group.

“I heard you’re a customer. What kind of business does a noble have in this place? If you’re
telling me to send my son to serve the temple, then I refuse,” warned the man, shielding Yuan
behind him.

As His Highness said, he hates nobles…

This was the first time Vio had met someone who hated nobles to such a degree. He flinched a
hint.

In a mild manner, Jill said, “Young Master is looking for a talented botanist. We came to you for
this matter.”

“I’ll speak, Jill. Legi, you stand back too,” Vio ordered. After they moved back in a hurry, Vio
politely bowed. “Excuse me for suddenly visiting you. Please rest assured that I’m not here to
talk about your son. Are you the botanist Dawn Samarelli?”

“Yeah… I am.” Vio’s attitude seemed to have bewildered Dawn. He looked at Vio with
suspicion. “Who on earth are you? Unfortunately, I don’t know any nobles other than those nosy
ones who wants my son to serve the temple.”

“Forgive my rudeness. I’m Violant Lesserhain. His Highness mentioned you to me. I’m looking
for a talented botanist—”

“Go home!” yelled Dawn, expression frightening and fierce. “You’re a member of the
Lesserhains, you say… I don’t want anything to do with the devil’s family!”

Surprised, Vio flinched.

“What are you saying?!” said Legion. “You’re being rude!”

But Vio tried to soothe him. “Stop that, Legi.” Inside, he felt disappointed. This man seemed to
harbor ill feelings toward the Lesserhains. The way he had glared at Vio with those gray eyes
made it clear that what lay within wasn’t as simple as hate.

“…I see. I heard you are capable, so I came here to see if you would want to help me with Leca
town’s development. But it seems like we’re not meant to be. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m
sorry,” said Vio in a courteous manner, deciding to investigate this matter later. Perhaps his
family had caused some kind of trouble regarding Dawn’s son. “Let’s go,” said Vio, urging Jill
and Legion to return to the carriage.

Who would have known he’d be greeted by familiar faces?

“Master! What exactly happened here?” said Rille, approaching them with her sister Reina and
two young priests.

“Huh? Rille, what are you doing here?”

“We were on our way to visit a former priest of the temple in Nada town…” said Rille, the
picture of puzzlement.

Similarly, the word “former priest” surprised Vio. He turned to Dawn. “Eh? Are you talking
about this man?”

Rille turned to Reina and asked, “Is that him, Sister?”

Reina nodded. “That’s right… What is happening here?”

All three of them exchanged glances in confusion.

Ch 71.1 – Looking for a Scholar (V)
After telling Rille that he would leave the rest to her, Vio left. Then Rille, her sister, and the
priests came into Samarelli’s house.

In a bad mood, Dawn fell silent. Yuan brewed tea and brought it to the table. “Here you go.”

Thank you very much,” Rille and Reina both said before picking up their unglazed cups.

“What? You guys are related to the devil’s family? Was wanting to know the situation in Nada
town’s temple just an excuse? Were you actually paid to approach me?”

Rille grew angry. She raised her chin and sourly retorted, “My, saying such a thing, aren’t you
quite rude? I serve Master Violant, but don’t lump him in with His Grace and Lord Rupheus!”
She continued, “His Grace and Lord Rupheus are not involved in this matter. Master told me he
wants to know what’s happening in the temple of Nada town, so we’re just investigating it.”

“Then, is your master involved with the priests of Nada town’s temple?”

“The temple’s priests? We don’t know them. I’ve been serving Master’s side for years, and the
only time he even went to the temple in Nada town was to receive a blessing when he came of
age. In the first place, we wouldn’t bother coming here if we were familiar with the goings-on of
the temple,” Rille argued.

Reina heaved a small sigh and soothed her sister. “Rille, please stop that. Mister Samarelli
suffered bitter experiences in Nada town’s temple. He’s had a hard time.”

“But Sister, the way he speaks badly of Master vexes me. Master’s also suffered bitter
experiences. He’s having a hard time even now!”

Rille got so worked up that she started to cry.

Shocked, Dawn looked to Reina. “W-what? I just said a few bad words about him. She doesn’t
have to cry like that, right?!”

Reina spoke with a troubled face, “Ah, I’m sorry, Mister Samarelli. My sister is… how should I
say this… emotional? She loves her Master very much?”

Ryan and Bell, the young priests who accompanied them, smiled wryly as they comforted Reina.

Ryan said, “Please calm down, Miss Reina. You shouldn’t make that kind of expression.”

“But Ryan, she got it right, didn’t she?” Bell replied.

Reina cleared her throat. “Anyway! We want to have a good understanding of the situation in
Nada town’s temple. My sister indeed serves the second son of Duke Lesserhain, but I serve as
an apprentice of the assistant head priest. Please rest assured. It is one of my duties to stamp out
the corruption in the temples. We didn’t have a chance to discuss much last time, so I look
forward to working with you today.”
Rille had heard from Reina that she could only speak to Dawn for a bit last time because the man
had to attend to an emergency patient. That was why she came with her today.

“I look forward to working with you,” Rille echoed as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief
and bowed her head.

Dawn stared at Reina in surprise. “You serve as an apprentice of the assistant head priest at that
age?”

“Yes. My father is the assistant of the head priest, so he teaches me his work.”

Ryan added, “Miss Reina is famous for her talent. She has a good memory and does her tasks
well. Moreover, she is so strong that she can also be an escort. Everyone is sca— I mean,
everyone respects her.”

Reina glared at Ryan, who had been about to say that she was scary. “Ryan?”

“I’m sorry!” Ryan cowered.

“Since your father is the assistant of the head priest, then your family has a good standing despite
being commoners. That’s why your sister can serve the Duke’s family…” Dawn nodded,
convinced. He then glanced at Rille.

As Dawn said, Rille’s father’s position in the temple was high. To be precise, he was the third
rank from the top.

The priests’ hierarchy went as thus: the head priest as the highest rank, the deputy head priest,
the two assistants of the head priest, the priest, the assistant priest, the junior priest, and the
apprentice.

With the Great Temple as the center, the priests were dispatched to the other temples in other
regions. However, even if two priests nominally had the same rank, the one who worked at the
Great Temple was superior.

“My family has a connection with Count Thalia, so they recommended my sister to serve an
upper-class family to learn manners. Rather than that, were you a priest in Nada temple, Mister
Samarelli?”

“No, I was an assistant priest. I could have been a priest if I had passed the tests, but I didn’t pass
any of it.”

“Huh? Even though you’re smart enough to be a doctor?” Surprised, Rille reflexively turned to
Reina.

Reina had a bitter look on her face. “It seems the priests in Nada town got promoted by using
underhanded methods. That was where our conversation stopped last time. Mister Samarelli, you
said you had more things to say, right? May we please hear it?”

Dawn sighed. “I don’t really want to remember it…” Then he noticed Yuan watching them
sneakily from the kitchen. “Yuan, go upstairs.”

“Father, I want to listen to your story, too.”

“No. A child shouldn’t butt into a conversation between adults.”

“But Father, the person earlier who looked very kind talked about you working as a botanist, but
you turned him away. I know Father wants to work with plants instead of being a doctor. Why
did you refuse him? Are you going to refuse these people too?”

It turned out that Yuan was dissatisfied with his father’s exchange with Vio. The boy took this
opportunity to speak of it vehemently.

“Yuan…”

“It’s okay, Father. Both of these people and the one that came here before are shiny. Look, there
are shiny things here and there. Father, you can see them as well, right? People that look shiny
are good people. Father also looks shiny, so I’m sure of it. And I didn’t see anything shiny on
that mean uncle too.”

As Yuan did his best to explain his theory to his father, Rille and the others who were listening
to him cocked their heads.

“What is shiny?”

“Rille, do you see anything?”

“No, Sister. I don’t.”

While Rille and Reina conversed, Bell asked Yuan, curious. “Who is the mean uncle who
doesn’t look ‘shiny’?”

“It’s the bald uncle who burned Father’s wheat field. Most priests are shiny, but that uncle and
the people around him weren’t.”

Rille and the others looked at each other.

Apparently, not everyone was ‘shiny’ in Yuan’s eyes.

Dawn gave a sigh of defeat. “My son is talking about spirits. He seems to have inherited my
eyes. So don’t mind him if you see him laughing at thin air.”

Ch 71.2 – Looking for a Scholar (V)

“Spirits?! Can you see them too?!” said Reina, shaken by Dawn’s words, placing her hands on
the table as she leaned forward.

“Yeah, I can see them,” said Dawn. “Actually, I decided to let you enter the house because I saw
some spirits next to you. I don’t know how true this is, but from what I’ve experienced, spirits
tend to hang around good people.”

“That’s amazing. There are only a few people in the world who can see them. It would have been
best if you became a priest in the temple of Nada town… Ah, what’s wrong with them? They
must be out of their mind to reject such an amazing person! Even if Lord Violant doesn’t ask me
to crush them, I’d still do it!” Reina muttered, full of fighting spirit.
Rille trembled. “Sister, your inner thoughts are showing…”

“Oh my, excuse me. Anyway, was it the priests at Nada town’s temple who burned your wheat?”

Dawn nodded. “Yeah. I was trying to grow cold-resistant wheat during my time at the temple. It
took five years for me to finally find success, but that bastard… that priest burned them all.
Then, while I was depressed, my wife caught a cold and died. So I quit as a priest and moved to
the royal capital.”

“What?! That bald priest actually dared to do that?! This pisses me off! I’ll hit him like this, like
this… and like this!” said Rille, throwing jabs in the air at the imaginary bald man.

To which Dawn, who sat across from her, widened his eyes.

Realizing she had done something unsuitable for a lady, Rille blushed and looked down. “Ah,
pardon me.” And she pretended not to have heard Ryan and Bell whispering, “As expected from
Miss Reina’s sister…”

Although Dawn had been taken by surprise, he burst into laughter, unable to contain it.

Next to him, Yuan’s green eyes sparkled. “You’re amazing, Sister! So cool! Please teach me as
well!”

“Hey, Yuan. I won’t allow it. And why are you still here? Go upstairs.”

“But…”

“Go.”

“Yeees,” said Yuan, reluctantly obeying his father. He bowed to Rille and the others before
going upstairs.

Once Yuan was gone, Dawn sized up Rille and her group. “Anyway, that’s how things are. I
have a deep grudge against the temple.”

“But why did they burn the wheat? Isn’t it great to have cold-resistant wheat?” Rille asked.

On the other hand, Reina seemed to somewhat understand the implications. “It’s because the
Verdurous Spirit of Yuglena reigns over the element of earth… right?”

“Yes. It’s outrageous to modify what the Great Spirit created. They told me I was disrespecting
the Great Spirit, or something like that…” Dawn sighed. “Well, that’s the situation. That temple
is pretty much corrupted. The Lord only pays the offerings and won’t speak in the temple’s
affairs, so he’s useless. That bald guy… Since Yuan left, you’re fine with me calling him names,
right? Well, he used to grow bees in the garden to make honey liquor, and sell that in secret. It
would still be fine if he used the money for the temple, but he did what he did to live in luxury,
spoiling himself with jewelry and luxurious clothing.

“To make things worse, he was stingy with the management funds. He even declined fund
requests for urgent repairs. In the end, the gaps between the walls allowed drafts in and the roof
leaked. It was the worst,” said Dawn, venting his pent-up anger. “In addition to that, we couldn’t
afford to feed the orphans that the temple took care of, but he increased his ration size and ate
until fat. That’s the kind of guy that bald sly fox is. We didn’t have that many beds, but he took
the accommodation fee from the pilgrims. And seeing how he ripped people off with overpriced
funeral costs, I really wished he’d go to hell.”

A frown spread across Reina’s lips. “Ripping people off with funeral costs…?” Next to her, Rille
shook in anger.

Ryan and Bell followed suit, flying into a rage. “It’s part of temple rules that we must subsidize
funerals as much as possible. What an unbelievable guy.”

“He’s so terrible… What are the auditors doing?” asked Bell.

“Of course he curried favor with them and gave them gifts,” replied Dawn.” Then they went
home with their pockets full.”

At that moment, Reina rose to her feet, a rattle breaking out. Then she declared with a burning
gaze, “I didn’t expect it to be this bad… I’m sorry, Mister Dawn Samarelli. I can’t leave this
matter as it is. I will wash everything clean and mark a new phase.” Then Reina gave Dawn a
deep bow. “Thank you for your cooperation. I’m sure you will be of much help if you assist us in
botanical research. …Ah, but if you don’t mind, please listen to my sister first. Lord Violant
lives in Leca town, and he’s looking for a botanist to develop that region.”

“Leca town? The origin of that Leca ink? In the first place, why is a noble like him investigating
Nada town’s temple?” asked Dawn, expression one of suspicion.

Reina shrugged. “It seems he will be quarreling with the next lord, so he wants to make Nada
town’s temple a place where his sister can seek refuge. But now, this option is a no-go.”

“Refuge…? I guess I can see why. The Lord of the territory can’t speak of the matters of the
temple…” Dawn muttered.

Once again, Reina bowed. “I have some matters to attend to now, so please excuse me. Bell, stay
here. Return to the temple after sending my sister back.”

“I understand, Miss Reina.”

Then Reina took Ryan with her and quickly left.

Rille asked Dawn, “What do you think about our offer, Mister Samarelli?”

After a moment of hesitation, he said, “For now, tell me the job details.”

Ch 72 – Looking for a Scholar (VI)

VIO 72 – Looking for a Scholar (VI)

Rille’s retelling caused Vio to widen his eyes in surprise. “Wheat that is resistant to cold? His
research involved something that wonderful? His Highness hadn’t mentioned that in his
recommendation letter.”
“That is probably because that bald… I mean, the priest in Nada town’s temple burned all the
results of his research,” Rille replied, a scary look on her face.

Vio nodded. “I know how you feel, Rille. If I ever see that priest in real life, I think I would be
tempted to strangle him to death.”

“Not to mention, he would actually earn more money from the wheat than the honey liquor.
There must be something wrong with his head,” said Rille, which she followed with a burst of
curses. She was quite the scary sight at that moment.

But Vio took no notice of her and sighed in disappointment. “Yeah. It’s unfortunate that we
weren’t able to invite such a talented person… But I can’t force him to return to the territory of
the Lesserhains either. Not when he has so many bad memories there.”

“I explained the job to him just in case it would catch his interest… but his reaction didn’t seem
quite positive.”

“Okay.” Since this was the case, he should just let it go and shift his focus. “Jill, can you look
into the other people on the list? Then meet with each of them to gain a better idea of their
personality and expertise. Afterward, I’ll decide who to recruit,” instructed Vio, extending a set
of documents toward Jill.

Jill nodded and took the documents. “Understood. Setting aside Dawn Samarelli, there are a total
of ten people left… Could you give me three days to complete the task?”

“Are you sure that’ll be enough time? I’m fine with waiting for a week.”

“No, three days are enough. May I leave at once?”

“Sure. Is there any way I can assist you?”

“If you don’t mind, I would like to use the carriage.”

Without hesitation, Vio said, “That’s fine. I plan on staying here in the room today anyway. It’s
hot outside, so make sure to take breaks every once in a while. Send my regards to Hauser too.”

“I understand. Then I will take my leave, Young Master.” Jill bowed once and headed to the
servant’s room. After putting on a hat and taking a bag with him, he left.

Following that, Legion left to find mage as well, so Vio decided to have a cup of tea with Rille.

****

That afternoon, Cheval and Lantz were summoned to Prince Ars’ office.

“Your Highness, we have arrived… Uh, I understand why you summoned Sir Lantz, but why
was I included too? Have I committed any mistake…?” asked Cheval in a timid manner as he
stood before Ars’ office desk.

Ars broke into a grin. “What’s wrong, Cheval? Have you done something that will warrant a
summon from me?”
“No, I’ve done no such thing! It’s just that… whenever Your Highness summons me, most of the
time, it is to scold me…”

“It’s not me but Fion who scolds you, isn’t it? And I know that you’ve done well, but I hope
you’ll refrain from playing around in such a conspicuous manner. My knights need to be well-
behaved,” reminded Ars.

An awkward expression crossed Cheval’s face, while Lantz looked at Cheval with cold eyes. He
said, “You have already found a woman you vowed to be serious with, and yet you’ve started
chasing after other women again? I didn’t expect you to be this terrible.”

“That’s just ridiculous! I haven’t played around with women ever since I met Miss Rille! And
what do you mean by ‘this terrible…’”

Ars raised his right hand to stop them. “I was just teasing him. Don’t take it seriously. I
apologize for summoning the both of you so suddenly, but I have an important task for you.
Listen carefully.”

“Yes,” said Cheval, giving a salute.

Lantz did the same. “Understood.”

Are nodded at them. “I want you to safely escort a very important person. For that, you’re going
to pretend to be their accompanying servants. Dye your hair and change into commoners’
clothes.”

As the youngest brother in a noble family, Lantz looked perplexed. “Servants…?”

“Don’t look that unwilling. After you successfully complete this mission, I will consider
promoting you and raising your salary. Your clothes and funds have already been prepared for
you outside the castle. I’ll have the chamberlain guide you to where they were specifically
placed. As soon as you get dressed, go to this inn.” Ars held out a piece of paper with an address
written on it. “You can ask for further details there.”

Lantz stepped forward, took the paper with both hands, then returned to his original position.

“Any questions?”

At once, Cheval raised his right hand. “Your Highness, this mission must be really important if
there’s such a heavy reward for successfully accomplishing it. So why was I assigned to this
mission? Choosing Sir Lantz for this mission is understandable, but… if the captain hears of my
involvement in this, he’s not going to stay quiet, is he?”

“You’re right. Just as you said, Fion opposed choosing you for this mission. But this
arrangement is my wish. You’ll understand once you reach the inn. Anything else? It seems like
there’s none. Then head off for your mission right away.”

Prompted by Ars, Cheval and Lantz saluted and left the office.

Afterward, both of them were brought to a private house outside the royal palace. There, they
dressed in commoners’ shirts and pants, as well as dyed their hair. Cheval dyed his blond hair
brown, while Lantz dyed his red hair black. After finishing their preparations, they immediately
headed to the inn.

They soon found themselves heading into a back alley.

“‘Tree Toad Inn…’ Here?”

They looked up at the inn’s wooden signage. On it was a drawing of a tree toad.

“This place is quite inconspicuous and hidden from view. It looks like it could be a popular place
to hold secret meetings. I don’t like this.”

“You sure are knowledgeable about such things. As expected from Sir Cheval. Have you had an
affair before?”

“…Sir Lantz, you’re too cruel. I’ve never had an affair… hm? Well, I guess I’ve had an one-
night stand with a married woman before,” Cheval said, tilting his head.

Lantz’s green eyes turned icy. “Why don’t you just die?”

“No, you’re misunderstanding something. She lied to me and said she wasn’t married! Thanks to
that, I almost got killed by her husband.”

“How regretful. The husband really should’ve killed you back then.”

“Please stop with your severe criticisms. I beg you.”

Lantz simply ignored Cheval and knocked on the door of Tree Toad Inn.

They were then brought into a room that was situated at a corner of the second floor. The door
was closed as soon as they entered.

Inside the room, Cheval and Lantz caught sight of a young man. They were about to greet him
when the young man said, “Hey, the both of you are finally here.”

He had brown hair, but he looked too similar to a certain knight who was typically clad in black.

“Sir Night?!” exclaimed Cheval, surprised.

On the contrary, Lantz, who stood beside Cheval, was rather calm as he said, “Then, the very
important person we’re escorting is actually…” At the same time, he looked toward the back of
the room.

. However, the person he saw was a brunette in a red dress.

“…Not Princess Liona, huh,” Lantz muttered.

Cheval asked him in a whisper, “Who is that?”

The girl had a beautiful face, but her features weren’t as elegant as Liona’s. She appeared to be
of nobility and possessed a cold aura, along with a slight nervous air around her. Her eyes were
brown with a reddish tint too. Nothing about her resembled Liona at all. She must be an entirely
different person.

“Sir Night, did you commit a blunder in the span of time since we last met? Then got yourself
dismissed from your position as Princess Liona’s guardian knight?” asked Cheval.

The moment Cheval said this, someone burst into laughter behind Cheval and Lantz. It was the
female knight standing by the door, who was currently holding her belly. In the midst of
laughter, she said, “This is so good. So far, you guys were successfully tricked. How
interesting.”

Although the female knight had brown hair, getting a good look of her face caused Lantz to
widen his eyes. “Princess Liona?! Why are you dressed like that?”

“You’re one of Ars’ best knights, right? Lantz, was it… And you should be Cheval. The knight
who said ‘the maid is cute,'” said Liona with a laugh.

Perhaps it was because Liona often wore masculine clothes, but the garb of a female knight fitted
her nicely. She didn’t seem out of place in it.

Cheval and Lantz rushed to kneel on one knee, then saluted. Then while their heads were
lowered, Lantz whispered with a dark smile, “Lucky you, Sir Cheval. She seems to have a
wonderful impression of you.”

“I’m not happy at all… Hey, Sir Lantz. You hate me, don’t you?”

“Yes. But rest assured, I equally hate all flighty guys.”

“I see. That sure is really encouraging to hear. Thank you very much,” Cheval replied, voice
filled with sarcasm and frustration.

Coolly, Lantz replied, “You’re welcome.”

“Stand up, both of you. I apologize for forcing you to be my escorts. I was going to hire
mercenaries, but Ars and Diana told me they were willing to lend me a few of their knights, so I
decided to take up on their offer.”

Then, as ordered by Liona, the noble lady rose from her chair.

“Let me introduce you to her. She is Rizelotte, the daughter of Count Bianca. Rizelotte’s just a
made-up character, but there really is a Count Bianca in Ruslan. No one has seen the face of
Count Bianca’s daughter, so this is perfect. And since we’ll have to maintain the act for the
entire journey, I’ll be keeping her real name a secret.”

Lantz nodded in understanding. “In other words, we will pretend to serve this noblewoman, but
we are truly escorting Princess Liona. Is that right?”

“Yes. An evil, sly fox is aiming for my life, so I’ve decided to become this noblewoman’s knight
to deceive the enemy’s eyes. Meanwhile, you guys will be the servants. And aside from the
people in this room, one more person—the coachman—will accompany us,” Liona explained
smoothly. Afterward, she slightly tilted her head. “Anything you want to ask?”
“Why did you nominate us?” Cheval asked.

Night raised his hand. “I suggested the two of you for this mission. I chose Sir Lantz because
Crown Prince Ars and Captain Fion both recommended him. Meanwhile, I had a good
impression of Sir Cheval when we had a meal together. We don’t have a good grasp of who our
friends and enemies are in this kingdom, so we wanted to pick someone who we personally had a
good impression of. Aside from this, a part of the reason was the intuition I’ve cultivated during
my days as a mercenary.”

Then Lantz asked, “What happened to your kingdom’s knights?”

“We sent them back as part of our plan to deceive the enemy. The next step in the plan is to
disguise ourselves and return as a group of fictional characters. And then—”

“I also thought it would be nice to observe the daily lives of the citizens. This is for me to gain
better insights as a future Queen, so don’t worry,” said Liona with a smile.

Night flashed a bitter smile and shook his head. “Alright. But please don’t leave my side,
Princess.”

“Call me Lio.”

“…Dame Lio.”

“Li-o!”

“Please give me a break…” Night held his head, unable to make himself comply.

It seemed that Liona had Night twisted around her little finger. Lantz and Cheval heaved a sigh,
already imagining their future hardships.

Ch 73 – Looking for a Scholar (VII)

Three days later, Vio interviewed the three botanist candidates that Jill brought to him. After
returning to the inn, he felt a headache coming on.

“A botanist who focuses on weeds, a mycologist, and botanist who focuses on flower
cultivation… If we consider their main focus, the first and the second would be good
candidates.”

They might find edible weeds and mushrooms in Leca town, with the added bonus that
mushrooms were nutritious. It would be great if they could grow these two things as a food
source. Furthermore, flower cultivation was beneficial as well. Unfortunately, the third botanist
candidate was only interested in increasing the range of colors for certain kinds of flowers. Not
someone Vio wanted.

As Vio called those candidates into mind, he shook his head. “The weed botanist didn’t seem to
be interested in our recruitment…”
“I agree. His gaze toward Lord Violant proved impolite. I’m against hiring him,” said Legion
with a stern look. Judging by how Jill nodded, it was evident how open that botanist had been
with his dislike.

Vio put his hand on his chin and muttered, “The last one is Mister John, the mycologist… It’ll
indeed be profitable if we can grow mushrooms, but I think the people in Amade village are
more familiar with mushrooms around Leca town.”

“The forest at the foot of Alpé Mountains is their garden. Since the scholar will stay in Leca
town for some time, I believe it’s better to recruit the botanist who can cultivate weeds. But that
person’s personality worries me,” Jill pointed out with a bitter expression.

The room fell into silence. Vio massaged his forehead. “For the sake of improving the condition
of Leca town, should we ignore his personality and concentrate on his main focus of research for
now? He can stay in the town. There should be a way.”

However, Legion and Rille were of different thoughts.

“That’s no good. I don’t want to have such a rude fellow near Lord Violant,” said Legion.

“He’s right, Master. As we left, he stared at me with an unpleasant gaze. He’s definitely not a
decent person.”

Since Rille has refused while trembling, Vio frowned. “I see. I don’t want to hire him and make
Rille uncomfortable. Let’s count him out.”

“I understand,” said Jill, crossing out that person’s name at once.

“…Then, we only have John the mycologist left, right? Don’t we have any other candidates,
Jill?”

“They refused as soon as I mentioned the name of the Lesserhains.”

“Oh…” Vio shot a glance at Legion. “How about you?”

Shoulders drooping, Legion replied, “Similarly, everyone refused as soon as I revealed the
family name… I’m sorry.”

Jill gently interceded, “Mages are in great demand everywhere, so I don’t think they’ll be willing
to head to a remote region without any good reason.”

“I see,” said Legion. “With our current situation, it’ll be tough to hire anyone in the royal
capital.”

Then Vio said, “Okay. In the worst case, let’s give up on getting a mage. Right now, what Leca
town needs a botanist.”

Vio turned his attention to the recommendation letter he had received from Ars. He glanced at a
name written on top of the sheet of paper. Dawn Samarelli. “Mister Dawn refused us, but why
don’t we try to negotiate with him again? If we fail, how about we give up and hire John?”

Everyone decided to go with Vio’s suggestion.

****

“Doctor Dawn! My grandmother is sick. Can you come and see her soon?” said a member of the
town after rushing to Dawn’s house in a panic.

To which Dawn, who was about to leave, cocked his brows. “Sure, I’ll go… Ah, this is bad. I
promised that I would deliver these herbs this evening.”

Indeed, he was supposed to sell the herbs he had cultivated in his garden today. He was visiting
another house in the morning, so he didn’t have time to stop by the store at that time.

“Father, I’ll go deliver them. Ioyra leaves aren’t that heavy, and Mister Vyasa’s store isn’t that
far. I’ll be fine,” proposed Yuan. He tried not to go out by himself as much as possible, but his
father would occasionally have him complete errands around the neighborhood.

“Right… The sun is high, so it should be alright, yeah? But make sure to go home right after you
deliver herbs, Yuan.”

“And lock the door. Don’t open the door even if someone comes knocking, right?”

“Okay, good boy,” said Dawn. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Alright!” Yuan replied cheerfully, receiving the basket from Dawn. Although he staggered a
little from the weight, he immediately regained his balance and started walking.

After Dawn had locked the front door, he watched as his son walked down the street to Vyasa’s
store. And then, he followed the man to see the patient.

Ch 74 – Looking for a Scholar (VIII)

Vyasa’s store was located on the main street of 10th Avenue. It was a big store in that
neighborhood. He sold liquor, seasonings, tableware, and more, though he focused more on
selling tea leaves, herbs, and medicinal plants.

Yuan opened the door and greeted the middle-aged behind the counter reading a newspaper:
Vyasa.

“Good afternoon, Mister Vyasa. I came by to deliver herbs.”

“Oh, Yuan? Where’s Dawn?” Vyasa put the newspaper down on the counter and went to the
display case.

He was a man with an unpleasant appearance, sporting short-trimmed brown hair. Yuan didn’t
really like him, but he was mindful not to be scared of Vyasa since he was a reliable person in
this neighborhood.

“Father suddenly had to see a patient, so I came instead. Can you buy this, please?” Yuan spoke
politely, holding up the basket of herbs he was carrying.

Vyasa replied with a grin, “Yeah, of course.”

Vyasa took the basket from Yuan and placed it on the counter. He then put away the newspaper
and spread the herbs on the counter, inspecting their condition. Once he finished, he calculated
and wrote the total price of the herbs on a piece of paper before he handed it over to Yuan, along
with the transaction certificate.

“These are slightly damaged, so I can’t pay the full price for them.”

“I understand, I will tell Father. Thank you very much.” Yuan bowed, keeping the money and
the transaction certificate in his pocket. Just as he was about to go home, Vyasa stopped him.

“Ah, sorry for keeping you, Yuan. Your father is knowledgeable with plants, right?” He asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s good. I received a rare plant, but I’m not sure what kind of plant it is. I want to ask your
father to write a note explaining what the plant is for me.” Yuan straightened his back when he
heard that this was a request to his father. “In exchange, I’ll give him a share of it. Ahh… It’s in
the warehouse. Can you follow me for a moment?”

“Y-yes.” Yuan followed Vyasa to the warehouse, thinking that it would be bad if Vyasa told him
something more complicated than he could understand. He wouldn’t be able to remember it.

Upon unlocking the warehouse that was right next to the store, Vyasa pointed to the back of the
dim warehouse.

“Look, that’s the seedling that I’m talking about. Do you know what it is?”

“Umm…” Yuan couldn’t see well from the doorway, so Vyasa urged him to go inside. Yuan
entered the warehouse and examined the seedling carefully. “Huh? Mister Vyasa, this is Ioyra
leaves…”

The door closed with a rattling noise, engulfing the warehouse in darkness. Yuan began to panic.

“Mister Vyasa!? Wait!” Yuan immediately went to the door and banged on it with his fist, but it
didn’t even budge. “Mister Vyasa, what are you doing?! Please stop pranking me!”

“I’m sorry, Yuan, but I was actually waiting for you to come to me alone.,” replied a voice full
of spite. Yuan then heard laughter coming from Vyasa. “Pfft, Dawn will surely turn pale, eh. I
can’t wait to see it.”

Yuan was confused, unable to understand the reason why Vyasa was doing this. His young mind
came up with a simple answer. “Mister Vyasa, do you hate my father?” asked Yuan.

“Nah, I think he’s a good guy. But that doesn’t matter when it comes to money, you know. Do
you know Viscount Fores?”

“…Viscount Fores? Ah! Is it the nobleman who wants me to serve the temple?”

“Yes, that Viscount. He offered to tell me about one of the sales channels I’ve always wanted if I
capture you. . Anyway, just give up.”
The amount of selfishness lacing Vyasa’s words was so much that Yuan was too shocked to say
anything. He knew that bad people existed, but he never expected that the usually friendly man
would capture them.

I’m always wondering why Father is so worried about me… So it’s because of this.

Tears began to pool in Yuan’s eyes. Afraid that he couldn’t return to his father’s side anymore,
Yuan rampaged. “Please let me out! Let me go home! You’re so mean! Father! Father!” He cried
out as he hit the door numerous times. However, it was so sturdy that his struggle didn’t change
anything.

And for some reason, his sight was getting blurry.

“…Huh?”

Yuan sat down and eventually collapsed to the floor, unable to keep his body up. The door
finally opened, perhaps because he became quiet. Just before Yuan fell asleep, he heard Vyasa’s
voice.

“There’s a type of grass in the warehouse that blows pollen. It has the same effect of a sleeping
pill when they’re in a dark environment. Sleep for a while, Yuan. You’ll be in the Viscount’s
house when you wake up. You should be happy. Becoming the Viscount’s page boy is a great
accomplishment for a commoner, you know? ”

****

The patient only had food poisoning, so Dawn went home as soon as he gave them the medicine.
He returned home in less than an hour, and called out to Yuan.

“Yuan?” Having received no reply, he realized that Yuan hadn’t come home yet. The thought
made him frown.

Just in case, Dawn searched inside the house, though he still couldn’t find Yuan. He then
wondered if Yuan was hanging around on the way back from Vyasa’s store, but Yuan was a
reasonable child. Dawn knew well that he wouldn’t do such a thing.

“Vyasa’s store, huh?”

Dawn left the house again, confused. As he passed through the rusted iron gate of his house, he
ran into Rosa, their neighbor.

“Doctor Dawn, you’re just in time. I received some extra vegetables, so I’ll share it with you.
Make sure to have Yuan eat these,” Rosa said, holding up the yellow-skinned vegetables in her
hand.

“Thank you, Rosa. But this is not the time. Did you see Yuan? I sent him out for an errand
around an hour ago…”

“Yuan? I didn’t see him at the market. You were too lazy to take care of your son again, huh!”
“Someone suddenly got sick so I went to see the patient. They kept coming to me one after
another, so I was swamped with work… It’s fine if you don’t know. I’ll look for other people,”
Dawn said, before leaving in a hurry.

“Eh? Wait. These vegetables… I’ll leave them at your front door!” Rosa yelled after him.
Glancing at said vegetable, she complained to herself, “My, he’s always bad-tempered when it
comes to his son.”

Xxx

Unlike the stores on 3rd Avenue, the stores on 10th Avenue couldn’t afford to make iron bars to
close up. Hence, they used shutters by stacking wooden boards on the fence in front of the glass
windows. The stores around Vyasa’s also did the same thing. With the approaching sunset,
Vyasa had been about to prepare for closing up his store when Dawn came up to him.

“Vyasa, Yuan came here, right?” Dawn asked.

Vyasa turned to Dawn. “Yeah, I bought the Ioyra leaves he delivered. And I’ve already handed
the money and the transaction certificate to him. Did I make a mistake?”

“I see… So he’s not here. I’m sorry for disturbing you, Vyasa. Yuan hasn’t come back home yet,
so I’m looking for him.”

“It’s fine. Yuan is already old enough, so let him be a little naughty, Dawn,” admonished Vyasa,
an air of seniority around him.

After thanking him for his time, Dawn looked around the street in front of the store. He scratched
his head, wondering where his son went. He then remembered an old couple who loved Yuan
like their grandson and decided to visit them to check if Yuan was there.

As Dawn walked down the street, he saw glowing lights in the corner of his eyes. “…Hm?”

A great number of light orbs were gathered around the warehouse right next to Vyasa’s store.
Many spirits floated around those they were fond of, but there were usually not that many of
them.

Dawn suddenly remembered how the spirits acted before his wife died. The spirits gathered near
her in a row, as if they were watching over her before her death. It was thanks to them, that
Dawn was able to accompany his wife during her final moments.

Knowing this, Dawn realized that they were trying to tell him something again. He immediately
turned his around and headed back to Vyasa’s store.

Once he arrived, he asked, “…Vyasa, is there anyone in the warehouse?”

“Eh?” Vyasa’s hands slipped and dropped the wooden board he was holding at the unexpected
question. It dropped to the stone pavement, making a loud clanking noise. “What are you saying?
Of course there’s no one in there. My employees are on their day-off today,” Vyasa replied.

Unconvinced, Dawn asked again, “…There’s someone inside, right?” Vyasa didn’t reply, merely
shifting his gaze away from him. Dawn noticed. “Yuan came here. So he’s in the warehouse,
right? Don’t look down on a former priest.”
Even if there weren’t that many of them, some priests received divine revelation, while others
were sensitive to the spirit world.

Many merchants believed in superstition, so this threat should work on Vyasa too.

“I said that there’s no one! What the hell? You’re so persistent!”

“Then show me evidence. Take me to the warehouse.”

“Huh? That’s where I store my important products. As if I’ll take you there!” Vyasa rebuked
angrily before he called for the two guards patrolling the street.

The guards rushed over immediately. Dawn informed them about the situation, however, Vyasa
had more credibility as the owner of a large store, while Dawn was a drunkard who was labeled
as a quack doctor. They seemed to believe Vyasa’s complaint.

“Doctor Dawn, are you drunk again? Stop bothering Mister Vyasa by falsely accusing him like
that,” one of the guards said.

“He can open the warehouse and let me check it, right!? You can bear witness to it as well.”

“Yes, yes. The sun will set soon, so go home.”

Seeing how they ignored his words, taking them as drunken rambles, Dawn lashed out. “What’s
with that attitude!? My son hasn’t come home yet. And he came here for an errand!”

“Kids loiter around here and there, don’t they?”

“You…! Listen to me for a moment!”

Dawn was so angry that blood rushed to his head. When he unconsciously clenched his fist, a
clear voice cut in, “Excuse me. What’s all this noise about?” Everyone turned to look at the
source of the voice.

Near them, a beautiful boy with silver hair stood, tilting his head in confusion.

Ch 75.1 – Looking for a Scholar (IX)

It was on their way to Dawn Samarelli’s house that Vio and his retinue found the doctor. They
had thought to immediately call out to him, but he seemed to be in the middle of a dispute about
something with a man and two guards.

Vio hesitated slightly on whether or not he should interfere, but he noticed that Dawn had a
severe expression on his face. It also bothered him how sloppy the two guards were at their task.
It made him want to poke his nose into the matter.
“Excuse me. What’s all this noise about?” Vio called out.

Right after, the four of them turned around and looked at Vio with blank faces. Vio tilted his
head slightly, feeling uncomfortable.
The middle-aged man with sharp eyes, Vyasa, glared at Vio. “Who are you? Can you not meddle
in our business?”

Dawn chided him with a small voice, “Hey, don’t say something like that. He’s the second son
of Duke Lesserhain.”

“Le…!?” Vyasa’s eyes widened, and the guards hurriedly straightened their backs. “Please
forgive me for my rude behavior! How could we help you, Lord Lesserhain?” Vyasa asked.

“I wanted to discuss something with Mister Dawn Samarelli. I was going to call out to him, but
he seemed to be in trouble…” Vio replied.

The guards looked at each other quickly before they both gave Vio a look of suspicion. One of
them asked, “Excuse me, but could we ask you about the kind of business you need from him?
We don’t mean to be rude, but he’s a well-known drunkard with the reputation of a quack
doctor… I think he’s not someone worthy to be visited by a member of the Duke family.”

“Is that so? Even though he’s known as a quack doctor, it seems like everyone who lives on 10th
Avenue relies on him…” Vio commented before he continued, “Well, that’s fine. Mister
Samarelli is an excellent botanist. I came to visit him because I want him to help me…. Ah,
please don’t worry that much. This is what a certain source recommended to me.. Jill, show them
the letter.”

“Yes.” Jill immediately understood Vio’s intention and presented the recommendation letter he
took out of his bag to the guards. “Here it is.”

“…This crest… His Highness the Crown Prince!?” The guards stared at Dawn, full of disbelief.

Dawn also looked bewildered, raising his right hand lightly. “I’m… Um, Is my name listed in
His Highness’ recommendation letter?”

Jill nodded. “Yes. In our first meeting, Young Master said that His Highness introduced you to
us, right?”

“… I don’t remember. I’m sorry,” Dawn said, shaking his head. He had been too bothered to
listen at the time, so Vio’s remarks then had gone in one ear and out the other.

“By the way, His Highness told me that he’s the best of the recommendations from the list he
gave me. We’ve checked the others, but… Mister Dawn is the best choice. So I couldn’t give up
and came to see him again. Anyway, could you two please tell me what happened here?”

After the guards returned the recommendation letter to Jill, one of them replied to Vio with a
serious expression, “Doctor Dawn was making a ruckus, wanting to enter Mister Vyasa’s
warehouse. We thought he was drunk and speaking nonsense…”

“So you did not listen to him?” Legion pointed out with a cool tone. He had a slightly grim
expression. Legion, who had a strong sense of justice, wouldn’t allow that to happen.

The guards hung their heads. “Um… We’re sorry.”

Legion then turned to Dawn and, with the intent to confirm his reason, asked, “Then, why do you
want to enter the warehouse?”
“My son went on an errand to this store, and he didn’t come back, so I came to look for him.
Vyasa said that there’s no one in the warehouse, but I could see someone inside.”

Rille, who was standing in the back, palmed her fist. “…Right. Mister Samarelli, you said that
you could see the spirits!”

The guards became astonished and stared at Dawn.

“S-spirits?”

“You can see them?”

Vio nodded once. “For now, it doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. We can settle this
issue by checking the warehouse. Now then, are you still planning to skimp your work?” Vio
said with a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

The guards straightened their backs and saluted under Vio’s frosty gaze.

“We won’t dare!”

“Mister Vyasa, we will check the warehouse.”

“…I understand. It can’t be helped.” Vyasa guided them to his warehouse, helpless.When they
entered the warehouse, they couldn’t find Yuan’s figure anywhere “Look, he’s not here. It’s just
Dawn’s drunken nonsense. Please go home,” Vyasa said, sullen.

The guards looked disappointed and were about to follow his words, but Dawn interrupted,
pointing at a sealed barrel, “No, check that barrel. The spirits are gathering there.”

“In that barrel?” The guards frowned, hesitant to do as he said. Seeing how they hesitated to
open a sealed product, Vio cleared his throat.

They lost to Vio’s silent pressure and helplessly went to the barrel.

Vyasa panicked at that. “Hey, wait! What are you trying to do to my product? The liquor will be
spoiled!”

“If I’m wrong, I’ll buy them. Isn’t that fine?”

With Dawn’s response, the hesitation in the guards’ movement disappeared. “That’s how it will
be, Mister Vyasa,” one of the guards said before he looked around the warehouse. “Is there
anything to break the lid… oh. I’ll borrow this mallet.”

“Hey, stop it!” Vyasa exclaimed, lunging at the guard.

The other guard stopped him, while the guard with the mallet hit a part of the lid. Then there was
a light knock.

“This barrel is empty… Is it really true?”

Next, the guard hit it with power, making a hole, and forced it to open.
Inside the barrel was Yuan, sleeping as he held a flowerpot with yellow flowers.

Ch 75.2
“No! I don’t know anything about this! It’s definitely a prank!” Vyasa yelled, but the
expressions of the guards had changed.

“Prank? That’s weird. Only you have the key to the warehouse. And even if anyone could get in
here, they wouldn’t be able to make the lid of the barrel so sturdy.”

“Vyasa, you fucker!” Dawn cursed as he lifted Yuan out of the barrel. “What the hell were you
thinking? What if my son suffocated to death!”

“As if that’ll happen, I made the air holes properly… Ah.” Vyasa covered his mouth, realizing
his slip of tongue.

“Vyasa, tell us about that at the station,” The guards said. They didn’t even bother to use any
honorifics with him anymore.

Not caring about the guards who had begun to tie Vyasa up with rope, Dawn rushed to check
Yuan’s breathing and briefly examined his condition. He then sighed in relief and hugged Yuan
tightly. “He’s only sleeping… What a relief.”

“N-no! I’m not in the wrong here! I’m just… Viscount Fores asked me to do this!” Vyasa
protested.

“Hm… So you were plotting an abduction? You know that human trafficking is a serious crime,
right?” One of the guards replied, before the two guards began to escort him away, giving Vio a
salute as he watched Vyasa being taken away from the doorway.

“We will handle the rest of this case, so everyone else can go home now. Mister Dawn, we might
have to ask you for your side of the story later. We’ll have to ask you to cooperate then.
Anyways, Ron. I’ll watch this guy, so call for support.”

“Yeah, I’ll go,” The guard called Ron said, rushing out.

“Then we’ll also go home. But let me leave a word of advice. He’s a merchant, so make sure he
doesn’t bribe anyone,” Vio warned. “But I’m sure that you’re all not that corrupted.”

The guard who remained in the warehouse frowned. “I admit that we didn’t believe Doctor
Dawn because he’s a known drunkard, but I can’t forgive a villain! Especially someone who
would kidnap such a young child!” He said. The guard paled when he realized his mistake and
continued, “…Ah, I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.”

Vio nodded. “No, I’m the one who said something rude. I’m sure everyone living on this block
feels secure because they have a guard who is as sincere as you are. Please continue to work hard
on your job.”

“Y-yes… Thank you for your kind words,” the guard replied, his face red. He looked happy for
some reason, contrasting Vyasa at his side, who appeared depressed. They made a strange image.
Vio suddenly felt someone’s gaze on him, so he shifted his eyes to the entrance of the
warehouse. There, Dawn, who was carrying Yuan, was looking at Vio and his servants,
speechless.

“Mister Samarelli, we’ll send you back with my carriage. Jill, guide him there. We’ll wait around
here.”

“No, my house is nearby…”

Jill approached Dawn and spoke in a low voice, revealing Vio’s real intention, “Young Master is
telling you to do so to show that you have the protection of the Lesserhains. It’ll be bad if you
turn that Viscount into your enemy, right?”

“Eh…”

Vio laughed softly at Dawn, who became speechless again. “Well, that’s what I meant. I won’t
ask you to compensate me, so please go home with peace of mind. I will come back again to
discuss the job.”

Dawn looked hesitant when Jill urged him to board the carriage, but he got on it after he lowered
his head. Jill then boarded the carriage after him and the carriage started to move.

After Vio sent them off, he tilted his head and pondered out loud, “I wonder if there’s a trend of
kidnapping cases on 10th Avenue. The painter’s case happened here too. Should I report this to
His Highness?”

“Then please leave it to me. I will inform the Knights of Green Flash of this,” said Legion.

“Thanks,” Vio said, before he put his hand on his chin. “Viscount Fores, huh… It’s a hassle to
talk directly to him. Rille.”

“Yes, Master. What is it?”

“Make sure that only the truth will reach those who seem to like gossiping in this area. After
that, I’m sure the rumors will continue to spread until it reaches that person,” Vio told Rille in a
hushed voice so that the guard in front of Vyasa’s store wouldn’t hear them.

Rille nodded happily. “Fufu, I see. You want to start a bad rumor about the Viscount, so that he
will refrain himself from doing anything rash, right? I understand.”

The residents of 10th Avenue looked at them from a distance, likely because they had noticed
and overheard the ruckus from earlier. Rille pretended to look like she just remembered
something. “Master, you should be thirsty, right? There’s a store over there, so I will prepare
something to drink for you,” she said with a raised voice, ensuring that those people could hear
her.

“Yeah, please.”

Rille then bowed and ran to a store that was in the middle of cleaning up to fulfil her mission.
Vio pretended like he didn’t see the onlookers, who had immediately approached and began
talking to her, and sighed.
 ****

“It’s really surprising. Who would think that I would happen to witness an interesting sight after
visiting the seafood restaurant where Lord Violant had previously eaten at,” said Liona after she
whistled, looking at Vio from a distance. She then glanced at the onlookers.

“Dame Lio, please stop showing such an unrefined behavior,” scolded Night at once. “Miss
Millicent will scold me if she finds out. Where did you learn how to do that?”

Liona tilted her head. “Dunno. I only know that I learned it a long time ago. I don’t really
remember since I often walked around the castle town. I’m good, right?”

“You are, but… haa.” Night dropped his shoulders. But Liona didn’t pay him a mind.

Then, Vio’s maid came near them, so Liona’s group quickly hid in the path to the back alley.

“Sir Cheval, please move back.”

“It’s fine, Sir Lantz. They won’t find out. Ahh, Miss Rille is also cute today. I thought I couldn’t
meet her for a while. I’m really blessed.”

Lantz and Cheval, who were escorting Liona, were having such a conversation beside her.

When Rille returned to Vio’s side, Liona ordered Night to ask the nearby residents about the
situation.

“It seems like a bad guy tried to kidnap a child under Viscount Fores’ order, Dame Lio,”
reported Night once he came back.

“Seriously? There are troublesome guys everywhere, huh.” Liona clicked her tongue vulgarly.

Having seen that, Night sternly reminded her, “Dame Liona.”

“Yeah, I get it! Don’t act in a vulgar manner, right? Let me do what I like in times like this.
You’re suffocating!”

“T-that’s…!” Night was shocked by Liona’s direct curse and wobbled. “I only said that because
I don’t want anyone to see Princess acting like a thug… I understand, I will bear with the
Thuggish Princess!”

“How rude. Anyway, I told you to call me Lio, didn’t I?”

“I understand, Thuggish Dame Lio.”

“…Are you making fun of me?” Liona asked with an accusatory tone.

“Isn’t that clear?” replied Night calmly.

Liona kicked his foot lightly in response.

Ch 76 – Looking for a Scholar (X)

The next day around noon, Vio knocked on the door of Samarelli’s house once again.

“Thank you for saving my son yesterday… Please come in,” Dawn bowed politely as he
welcomed them in, but his expression was stiff.

I guess it’s still better than being chased away right in front of the gate.

At least Dawn was willing to listen to him now.

“Excuse me,” Vio said as he went through the entranceway, Jill, Legion and Rille following in
behind him.

“Ah!”

Vio looked for the source of the voice and saw Yuan looking at him from the stairs near the
entrance, his eyes round. Yuan energetically descended the stairs and clung to Vio’s waist.

“Thank you for yesterday, noble big brother!”

“Wah!” Vio staggered, surprised by Yuan’s unexpected action.

Legion quickly supported Vio’s shoulders. “Are you okay, Lord Violant?”

“Y-yeah…”

Dawn turned pale and called out, flustered, “Hey, Yuan! Don’t be rude to our guest.”

Vio carefreely raised his left hand to gesture that he didn’t mind. Then he patted Yuan’s head
gently. Somehow, the boy reminded him of his sister, Flora.

He said, “You’re Yuan, right? It must have been tough for you yesterday. Are you alright now?”

“Yes… It was scary, but in the end, I got to see my father again. So it’s okay.” Yuan released
Vio and smiled at him.

Vio bent down to match his line of sight with Yuan’s, just like when he talked with Flora. “Your
eyes are red. You couldn’t sleep?”

“No… I was just so relieved that I cried…” Yuan turned his head down in embarrassment, then
ran to Dawn’s side, hiding behind the man’s back. He proclaimed, “U-um! I will make tea!”
With that, he ran into the kitchen.

Confused, Vio asked Dawn, “Does he hate me?”

Dawn looked surprised, but he answered Vio in a low voice, “Nah, he’s just embarrassed. Even
if he’s young, he’s still a man. Having other people find out that he cried should be
embarrassing, right?”

After that, he guided them to the living-cum-dining room located right after the entranceway.
Vio took a seat, and his three servants stood in each corner of the room.
Dawn brought up the main subject immediately. “You want to talk about the job again, don’t
you? I’m thankful for your help, so I decided to listen to what you have to say for the time being.
But before that, I want to ask about your plan in case I refuse.” His tone was still rude, but Vio
didn’t pay it any mind and signaled Jill to hand out the documents.

“Yes. Unfortunately, most people declined me as soon as I told them my family name. I only
have these three candidates left. Even so, I’m excluding this wild grass researcher and this flower
researcher. If you refuse, I’m thinking of hiring Mister John.” As Vio spoke, Jill showed the
corresponding pages of the recommendation letter.

“I see.” Dawn looked at each page and nodded. “I can see why you rejected the flower
researcher, but why can’t you hire this Runt guy who studies weeds?”

“It’s his personality. He’s not suited to stay in the mansion, so we opposed it,” Jill calmly
replied. He glanced towards the kitchen before continuing, “I believe that you wouldn’t let him
enter your house if you met him, either.”

“…I see. I guess it’s bad if he can harm a family member.” Dawn was convinced, but he looked
distracted by the recommendation for John. He pulled the document to his hand and read it with
a frown. “You helped me, so I’ll tell you this. Don’t hire this guy. He’s a scammer.”

“Huh?” Vio unconsciously voiced.

Legion went forward without hesitation, clearly suspicious. “But His Highness recommended
him.”

“Yeah, but this is something that people in the know have knowledge of. This guy tempts rich
people to participate in a get-rich-quick scheme using mushroom cultivation. Then he tells them
the mushrooms were too difficult to grow, takes the money and gets himself dismissed… He
habitually uses this method. I’m a bit of a scholar myself, so I sometimes meet other researchers
directly if I’m interested in their research topic. I’ve never met this guy personally, but I heard a
good-natured fellow researcher complain about him.”

Vio sighed deeply. He didn’t expect all his options to disappear.

“Jill, cross him out.”

“Understood.”

At that moment, Yuan came out carrying cups of tea. “Here you go. Um…” Yuan looked at the
three people behind Vio, not knowing what to say. Apparently, he had taken them into
consideration when he had prepared tea for everyone.

“Jill, Legi, Rille. He already prepared your share of tea, so come and drink them. Thank you,
Yuan.”

“You’re welcome!”

After Yuan served the tea on the table, he held the tray and bowed. Once Jill and the others
received their cups, Vio praised Yuan, “He’s a good boy.”

“Yeah, my son is kind. Just like my wife.”

“…By the way, were you okay yesterday? That Viscount didn’t come visit you?”

“I was worried about that, but he didn’t come yesterday. Maybe he’ll come before long, but I
wonder… It seems like his bad reputation spread throughout town overnight,” Dawn
said,laughing meaningfully. Vio pretended not to understand, bringing the cup of tea to his
mouth.

It looks like my plan was successful. With how the nobility are so fussy about their honor, he’ll
probably stay quiet for a while.

The tea was similar to herbal tea, but it had a fragrant flavor. The unique taste spread in Vio’s
mouth.

“This is delicious. What kind of tea is this?”

“Medicinal tea. I grow medicinal plants in my garden and make a blend with them. It’s good for
your body.”

“Is it possible to cultivate those medicinal plants in Leca? Ah, Leca is a rural town in the
northern part of the Lesserhain territory… Since it’s located at the foot of Alpe Mountains,
winter is very long there.”

“Even if it’s cold, it’ll be fine as long as you grow them indoors. They’re easy to cultivate too.”

“That’s great. If possible, please let me purchase the knowledge on how to cultivate it later.”

“… You’re not going to force me to tell you?” Dawn asked, wide-eyed. It seemed he didn’t
expect it to be a request.

“Did I say something strange? This is the source of your income, right? I won’t do something as
rude as asking to be taught for free.”

“Hmm…” Dawn hummed in interest and held out his right hand to Jill. “If you have the
documents about the job, show them to me.”

“Yes.” Jill set his cup on the table, took the papers out of his bag, and presented them to Dawn.

Dawn scanned through them. “So as that Miss said, you want to increase the vegetables that can
grow in cold climates. Just in case, I want to know your opinion on selective breeding.”

“Ah, I heard about that from Rille. It seems the priests in Nada said that we should respect
nature, but then how do they explain insects that help pollination? Naturally-growing plants
borrow the help of insects to do so… Therefore, it doesn’t make sense that insects can do it, but
humans can’t.”

Dawn was stunned at his answer. Vio continued, “What do they call the plants that grow well
thanks to insects? A miracle of the Great Spirit? What if humans can efficiently do the same
thing that nature takes a great many years to do?”

Dawn scratched his head and sighed. “I should’ve said something like that to that bald… to that
priest before. Well, I got angry at him anyway. But I’m surprised that you’re knowledgeable
about this.”
“Even if I have the knowledge, I can’t really make use of it. That’s why I’m looking for someone
who specializes in these things.”

Once again, Dawn looked disbelieving at how easily Vio confessed to being bad at something.
He looked over the documents one more time. Then he looked up in surprise. “I understand how
the salary works. It’s daily wages, and on days that I won’t be working the whole day, it’ll be
hourly wages. But what is this? Paid leave and… retirement allowance?”

Jill answered calmly, “Paid leave means you’ll receive pay even during your leave. Please apply
for it when you wish to take one. Retirement allowance is the payment you receive when you
quit this job.”

“Are you sure about promising me these things…? It’s a poor rural town, right?” the worried
Dawn asked seriously.

Vio burst out laughing. “It’s fine. I made sure to separate a share of my funds for this. Since
you’ll be going to a remote region, I want to provide the best treatment I can afford. You can
also decide whether you want to live in the mansion or if you want me to prepare a house in
town.”

“Where will I work?”

“A field will be made for your use on the other side of the fence surrounding my mansion. I own
a parcel of farmland and hired a farmer to manage it, so we’ll use that too. I don’t have a
greenhouse, but I can prepare a small one if it’s necessary. I don’t have that much money, so I
will probably ask you to use an empty house in town.”

“I see…” Dawn muttered, then fell silent. He pondered as he reread the contract, then asked,
“What about the announcement of the research results?”

“You can use your name. There’s no need to keep it a secret since it’ll benefit the country.”

Dawn slapped his knee. “Okay, I’ve decided. But that’s if you’ll agree to add a condition here.”

“What is it?”

“Protect my son. It’ll be troubling if I fail to get a favorable result and you demand I pay back
the money even if I have to sell my family. I definitely don’t want you sending him to serve
somewhere else.”

“I won’t say anything like that. Instead, I’ll ask you to submit your hypothesis on the cause of
the failure.”

Vio was appalled, but thinking about it, someone else might be doing something like that
elsewhere—for example, Vio’s father or brother.

Dawn grinned and replied formally, “If that’s the case, I’m happy to be hired by you. The
conditions are favorable to me, and more than that, I like your way of thinking.”

“Really?! What a relief. Then I look forward to working with you, Dawn Samarelli.”
Vio offered him his right hand. Dawn looked at it in confusion, before timidly taking his hand
and shaking it.

Ch 77 – Looking for a Scholar (XI)

“Well then, Mister Samarelli…”

“Please, feel free to call me Dawn,” Dawn interjected. From the moment he’d decided to accept
the job, the way he spoke to Vio became more polite.

Vio couldn’t help but stare at this change in attitude. “Then Mister Dawn, I don’t mind if you
call me Vio.”

“You don’t need to use honorifics with me; just call me by name. And I’ll call you Lord Vio.”

“Yes, please do so. I was planning to return to Leca as soon as I hired a scholar and a mage, but I
think you will have to prepare for the move first, right? Other than that, I purchased a few seeds
and seedlings here in the royal capital that I’d like you to check. If you have any requests, don’t
hesitate to tell my butler, Jill. Jill, please arrange everything. Make sure that it’ll still be within
the range of our budget.”

Jill nodded. “Understood.”

With that confirmation, Vio turned once more to Dawn. “Please discuss the details with Jill
later.”

“I understand. By the way, you’re looking for a mage?” Dawn asked.

Vio showed a bitter smile. “I was looking for one, but they all refused as soon as I told them my
family name.”

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me. As long as they’re in the royal capital, they’re not exactly
wanting for job opportunities. …If it’s alright with you, would you like to meet an acquaintance
of mine from the Lesserhain territory? He’s mostly a hermit, so I don’t know if he’ll take the job.
However, he’s a well-known person amongst mages.”

“And he’s not working for my father and brother?”

Dawn shook his head. “He doesn’t like to interact with people, so he usually runs a magic goods
store that’s so deserted it looks like it’s about to close down. And he especially hates people in
power… However, you are, pardon my rudeness, quite an interesting person, so it will probably
go well.”

Vio blinked. “‘Interesting’…? This is the first time someone’s called me that.”

Ah. But Sir Night did tell me that I’m different from the typical noble.

“But you sure are well-informed about everyone,” Vio commented.

“Yes. He’s my wife’s father… my father-in-law. So long as he hasn’t gotten buried under his
books, I’m sure he’s alive and well.”
“…Buried under books?” Amazed, Vio wondered how that situation would come about. “Um…
Then I’ll try meeting with him in person. Where does he live?”

“In Endos. It’s a town famous for its hot springs…”

“Ah. If it’s there, then we just have to take a small detour on our way home.”

Endos was a rural town located northeast of the Lesserhains’ territory, to the south of Leca town.
Vio nodded, glad that it was convenient.

Jill said, “Then I will organize the trip, Young Master.”

“Ah, thanks. Now that we’re all done here, I’ll be returning to the inn. Jill, I’ll leave the reply to
these three candidates to Legi, so you can take it easy.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Young Master. Sir Legion, I’ll entrust you with this task.”
Jill bowed to the knight.

Legion nodded firmly in response. “I’ll do it without fail.” He accepted the recommendation
letters from Jill, and returned to his original position.

Just as Vio stood up from his seat, his eyes met with Yuan’s who was peeking at them from the
kitchen. He called out to the boy, “Thank you for the delicious tea.”

Yuan grinned happily and bowed, “Y-yes. You’re welcome.”

Vio chuckled. “He’s so cute, just like Flora.”

“Master, he’s a boy. It’s rude to call him cute,” Rille scolded.

Vio laughingly apologized at that.

Before he could take his leave, however, someone banged repeatedly on the door, with no sign of
stopping. Then they heard a voice calling Dawn’s name.

Dawn sighed, annoyed. “It looks like the visitor we talked about before has come.”

“…I see. Well, you’re my employee now, so we’ll deal with it. Legi, can I ask you to do it?”

Legion bowed happily. “Yes, please leave it to me!”

Vio sat back down and told Dawn, “It looks like I won’t be able to go home for a while. I’m
sorry, but can I have another cup of tea?”

Dawn was dumbfounded. “S-sure… I don’t mind…” He opened his mouth, looking as if he
wanted to say ‘Is it really the time to be asking for tea?’, but at Vio’s comfortable lounging, he
refrained. Perhaps because he realized that it would be useless to say anything else. Instead, he
called on Yuan to make more tea.

Ch 78.1 – Looking for a Scholar (XII)

 “Too slow. Just how long will you keep us waiti…ng…” said the bulky knight, voice faltering
upon realizing that the person who opened the door was not the landlord.

Legion bowed and spoke, “The landlord Dawn Samarelli is currently in a conversation with my
master. As such, I, Legion Salt, have come on his behalf to inquire about your business with him.
How may I help you?”

“Huh? Legion Salt?” The knight’s eyes widened as he stared at Legion. “Are you…”

“Hey, what are you doing? How long do you plan to keep me waiting? That Samarelli guy is
inside, isn’t he?”

“Ah.” The knight—Og—turned around and promptly explained, “I apologize, Viscount Fores,
but he seems to be busy speaking with a guest at this time.”

Legion was surprised to see the person behind Og. Viscount Fores was a thin man in his early
thirties. He had dull blonde hair and indigo eyes, face nervous and unhealthily pale. Viscount
Fores struck the ground with the bottom of his cane, frustrated.

“Since he wanted to have a young boy as a servant page, I thought he would be a foxy or old
man…” Legion thought.

It wasn’t uncommon for nobles to have a preference toward young boys. Most of them just
didn’t tend to show it in public since it wasn’t looked favorably upon. But rumors of this type
were endless among the nobility.

Viscount Fores’ face contorted. He felt offended. “A guest? They’re likely to be a commoner
anyway. Don’t they know that I’m a Viscount? Hey you, tell your master to return later.”

“V-Viscount!” Og exclaimed, trying to stop him. He had already formed a guess as to who
Legion’s master was after Legion introduced himself.

Legion shrugged. “My apologies, Your Excellency, but I’m afraid I cannot do that. Rather, it’s
Your Excellency who should leave. Even if you are a Viscount, don’t you think it’s improper to
have the first visitor leave just to give way to your visit when you hadn’t set a prior appointment
with the landlord?”

“What? You dare talk back to me?” Viscount Fores raised his cane until its tip pointed toward
Legion’s chin.

Without a change in demeanor or complexion, Legion responded, “Yes. My master is a rather

fragile person. I cannot possibly allow someone in a state of rage to grow near him. As such, I’ll
have to politely ask you to go home.”

Viscount Fores’s mouth twisted in anger before he yelled at Legion, “Remove yourself from my
path!”

“I’m afraid I cannot.”

“I told you to remove yourself from my path! Hey, you! Get rid of him for me!”

“Please stop, Your Excellency. I think his master inside is…”

Legion sent Og a cool look. “I have no problems with that. At least, if you’re able to. Will you
return home once I have a match with you?”

“A-are you talking to me?! There’s no way I can beat you, Sir Legion Salt!” exclaimed Og with
a pale face. He looked like he wanted to say that agreeing to a match against Legion was akin to
having a death wish.

His fervent denial caused Legion to bitterly smile on the inside. Did he go too overboard with his
threats?

Viscount Fores grew even angrier when he saw his knight acting in a cowardly manner. “You’re
such an embarrassment! Who is Legion Salt anyway… Legion Salt?” Fores broke into a grin.
“Oh, I remember now. The commoner who is proclaimed to be the best knight in this kingdom,
is it? Well, how strong you are as a swordsman doesn’t really matter. That won’t help you win
against me in spirit magic, can it? I’ll have you know, I’m well-known in Magic Academy! Og,
let me show you how it’s done. Watch carefully!”

“Huh? Viscount Fores, I truly think you should reconsider this…”

“How annoying! Shut up!”

“…Yes.”With a bitter expression, Og stepped back reluctantly.

“I understand. Then I will be your opponent,” said Legion, unsheathing his sword.

Viscount Fores raised his eyebrows. “You’re making a fool of yourself.” Then he chanted,
“Heed my wish. O’ guardians of the stormy sky, unleash your punishment upon him! Let there
be light!” Afterward, a lightning bolt rushed out of Viscount Fores’ wand.

In response, Legion stabbed his long sword into the ground, creating a loud thud and redirecting
the lightning to the ground.

While Viscount Fores was petrified from surprise, Legion had already dashed behind him. He
pressed his fingertips onto Viscount Fores’ nape, causing him to duck his head.

“Wha… W-what? What was that? You, what did you do?!”

“I listened to your chant, anticipating that you would make a lighting rod, avoided your spell by
moving my body down, and moved to your back when you were surprised. It was just that
simple,” Legion replied in a polite manner.

Even after that explanation, Viscount Fores still sported an expression of astonishment.

“In such a short time?! I-impossible!”

“Since you called for the guardians of stormy sky, I guessed that the magic should possess the
lighting attribute. From there, I knew that if I made a faux lightning rod, I should be able to
counter your magic without the need to cast shield magic on myself. It’s easy after getting used
to it,” Legion answered readily. Glanced at Og. “Right?”

Og’s face paled once more. He shook his head wildly. “No, please don’t be fooled, Your
Excellency. I’m not capable of accomplishing that superhuman act!”
Legion walked away from Viscount Fores, retrieved his sword, and politely said, “I won. Please
follow up on your promise and return at a later time.”

After regaining his senses, Viscount Fores shot Legion an awfully fierce glare.

I may have to resort to force if he persists in this stubbornness…

As Legion pondered over his next course of action, the door behind him opened.

“Legi, you’re not being violent, are you?”

Ch 78.2 – Looking for a Scholar (XII)

In the end, Vio came out to see the situation, bothered by the sound of the lightning strike “I’m
sorry, Lord Violant,” Legion said. “They told me they would go home once I win a match, so I
decided to go along with them. Please don’t worry since I have won. They are leaving soon.”

“Aren’t you the second son of the Lesserhains? W-what do you need from this rundown place?”

Viscount Fores’ anger changed into confusion, his eyes shifting between Violant and Legion.
Seeing how he bowed in a hurry, Vio greeted him back. “Good day, Viscount Fores. I’m here to
invite Dawn Samarelli to my town as a botanist. I hired him just now.”

“Botanist…? Isn’t that man a quack doctor?” Viscount Fores pointed at Dawn, who stood behind
Vio.

Vio nodded. “He’s so excellent as a botanist that he’s even qualified to be a doctor. By the way,
why are you here? …Ah, right. Now that I think of it, I heard some rumors,” Vio murmured
innocently, even though he was the one who spread the rumors.

Watching Vio made Legion’s chest flutter. Lord Violant who is mean is also wonderful.

Usually, Legion would be depressed if others said that Vio was mean. However, seeing Vio act
this way, especially towards a wicked person, gave him satisfaction.

Viscount Fores pursed his lips tightly, his face flushing, and glared at Dawn. “I came here to
complain about that! Dawn Samarelli, not only do you refuse to hand your son over to be a
servant page, you even have that weird guy tarnish my name! Shall I sue you for defamation!?”

Vio frowned. “Viscount, that’s really weird. He’s a victim whose son was about to be kidnapped.
And yet, you come here to accuse him, rather than express your sympathy. Don’t you think you
have made a mistake?”

Viscount Fores replied, trying to appease Violant. “Pardon my rudeness, Lord Violant. This is an
issue concerning that man and me. As you are young, this might be too much for you to handle. I
would like you to leave this matter to me.”

His reply was polite, but in a nutshell, he told Vio, “Back off, you outsider.”

Legion felt sullen, but Vio stopped him by raising his hand lightly. He waved his hand, gesturing
at him to calm down. Even though Legion was reluctant, he obediently stepped back.
“Hmm, that’ll be troubling. He’s now my employee and his son is also under my protection. I’m
sorry, Viscount,but I won’t let you take his son as a servant page.”

“W-what? Are you planning on interfering?”

“Ahaha, no way,” Vio replied, a peal of laughter in his voice. “You’ve already been refused by
the guardian. You’re older than me, so there’s no way you don’t understand such simple logic,
right? After all, you look level-headed.”

Simply put, Vio told the Viscount, “You don’t make any sense. Don’t look down on me just
because you’re older. See if you dare make a fool out of me.”

Nobles argued in roundabout ways. Legion thought they should be more straightforward, but
when Vio talked like this, he sounded graceful and calm. He wanted to listen to him forever.

Under their mask of smiles, the two glared at each other frostily. But Viscount Fores was clearly
at a disadvantage.

Moreover, the residents of 10th Avenue had gathered behind the fence after hearing the
commotion. They whispered to each other, talking about the rumors regarding Viscount Fores.
Some of them looked at Viscount Fores like he was an insect.

Noticing that, Viscount Fores chose to keep up his appearances. He cleared his throat and glared
at Dawn again. “Anyway, that criminal has nothing to do with me. Don’t spread weird rumors
concerning me! Please excuse me, Lord Violant.”

“Yes. May you have the protection of the Verdant Spirit, Yuglena,” Vio said with a grin.

Viscount Fores’s expression distorted. But he left, unhappiness coloring his heart.

Vio sighed in relief once he couldn’t see him anymore. He then looked back at Legion. “Legi!”

“Y-yes. I’m sorry!”

“You don’t have to apologize. Bend down a little.”

“What? Okay…”

Legion thought that Vio would get angry, but Vio stared at Legion’s face instead when he leaned
down. Then he took his hand. “What? You’re not injured? Since I heard a loud noise, you must
have used magic, right? Jill, treat his wounds.”

“No, I’m not injured.”

“…You’re not?” Vio was suspicious. “But it’s magic, isn’t it? If those two weren’t injured,
you’d be. Both of you were too close. You would have had to take a direct hit if you didn’t
summon shield magic. ”

“I avoided it. I’m alright.”

“…No way. Legi, even if you can handle an Equestrian Dragon with a baton, being able to avoid
that from such a short distance is…” Vio shook his head and turned back. Jill and Dawn nodded
as well.

“I knew he was going to summon thunderbolt magic while he was casting, so I stabbed my
sword like this, bent down, and avoided it,” Legion explained.

“A thunderbolt? The spell only took a few seconds though?”

“Anyone can do it once they get used to it,” Legion answered seriously.

Vio was amazed. He then scratched his head, his silver hair turning messy. “…Right. I can’t
understand you. But it’s good that you’re well. I thought he did something to you, so I got angry
and quarreled with him. How shameful.”

“Is that so? I’m delighted to know you’re worried about me!” Legion said, excited.

Watching him fluttering around made Vio’s eyes widen. He then chuckled. “You’re
exaggerating as usual. I’m happy that you’re not injured. Ah, Dawn, please don’t worry about
Yuan anymore. I’ll make sure he’ll be alright.”

“Yes. Thank you very much for your concern, Lord Vio. Yuan, thank him too.”

“Thank you very much, um… Lord Vio?” Yuan tilted his head, not confident if he called him by
the right title.

Vio gently smiled. “Yeah, call me that. Well, I’ll take my leave now. Legi, Rille, let’s return to
the inn.”

And that’s how Vio, Legion, and Rille returned to the inn, leaving Jill at Samarelli’s house.

———————

A/N: Night can probably do the same thing. After all, he’s the protagonist of the manga.

Ch 79 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (I)

‘I was able to hire one of the people in His Highness the Crown Prince’s recommendations list.
That I managed to find such a competent person is all thanks to Your Highness. Thus, I sent this
letter to you to express my utmost gratitude.’

On his office desk, Ars read through the newly arrived letter from Vio for another time. “Thanks
to me…?” Uncontrollably, a grin made its way onto his face.

Ars was glad that he was alone in this room. He didn’t want the chamberlains and the maids to
see him with such an undignified expression.

That Vio took the effort to send this letter made Ars happy. Lending him a hand on this matter
had been well worth it.
After all, Vio had no obligation to report to Ars since Ars had originally given him that
recommendations list as an apology for the inconvenience he experienced during his stay in the
royal capital. Despite this, Vio still sent him an update. From this, Ars could see Vio’s thoughtful
nature.

Once again, Ars looked at the beautifully written letters and read the politely phrased sentences.
In his head, it was as though Vio himself was telling him the contents of this letter in a gentle
tone.

Afterward, Ars reached for the letter, intending to put it into his drawer. An action that was
usually very unlike him. But before he could do so, Fion entered his office. “Your Highness, the
ambassador of the Holy Kingdom of Edga has crossed the border.”

“I see. What about Clarina’s?” asked Ars, voice gaining a sharp and edgy tone.

The Country of Clarina was an enemy of the Kingdom of Istiah. They would wage war against
each other every few years, and the established diplomatic relations post-war between the two
parties were rather minimal. One could also gauge how little Clarina cares for Istiah from the
fact that the country only bothered to send one ambassador to Ars’ birthday celebration.

But in spite of their outrageous behavior, the Country of Clarina would never completely break
off all diplomatic relations with Istiah. After all, they had a lot to lose in doing that.

Clarina’s territory contained a lot of dry, barren deserts. As such, they suffered from regular food
shortages. In contrast, the Kingdom of Istiah was filled with lush greenery. It was because of the
food supplies exported from Istiah that Clarina was able to alleviate their food shortages time
and time again. They desperately needed those supplies.

“They had set off from the castle as soon as the party ended, but it should take them another
week to reach the southern border. I shall inform you as soon as they cross the border,” said
Fion.

“Okay. I also just received word that Violant will leave the royal capital soon. Publicize this
news to those who are still wary of him.”

Fion nodded. “Understood. I will make the necessary arrangements.”

“Another thing: the security around 10th Avenue seems to have worsened by quite a bit. Do a
quick survey on its present situation.”

“…Did this come from Lord Violant?”

“Don’t look so unwilling. He has encountered another kidnapping case. It seems that he assisted
in finding the victim this time.”

Fion frowned. “Doesn’t that just mean he has a tendency to attract trouble?”

“But isn’t it strange that both cases happened on 10th Avenue? It would have still been
understandable if the kidnappings happened in the slums. Many outsiders come and go in such
places, so it’s easier for crimes to happen there,” said Ars. “Moreover, if we deal with this issue
right now, we can restore order with just a little effort. You understand this, right?” Then he
added, “Breakdowns in public order tend to start a butterfly effect. If we don’t promptly take
action and nip them in the bud, we may see an increase of crimes, and a terrible cycle will start.
If we let the situation worsen, it’ll become more troublesome to deal with it.”

Fion’s expression turned grave. “It’s as you said, Your Highness. A disruption in the kingdom’s
law and order will also cause a disruption within the National Treasury. I’ll admit that he did
well this time. Then, I will conduct the survey as soon as possible.”

“I’ll leave things to you then.”

“Understood.”

After Fion left, Ars took in a breath. Perhaps to Vio, his mention of the kidnapping in his letter
was just idle chat. But to Ars, this was crucial information.

Whenever security in the kingdom deteriorated, a crack down on criminals had to be conducted,
resulting in an increase in prisoners. And whenever the number of prisoners increased, the
prison’s spending would also increase since they had to pay for all the prisoners’ food and other
such expenses, creating a significant dent in the kingdom’s funds. He would then be forced to
raise taxes. Inevitably, some people wouldn’t have the financial capacity to handle the increase
in taxes, which might induce them to step onto the path of crime. Which would cause criminal
activity to rise once again.

Once this destructive cycle had gone into motion, it would be difficult to stop it. Therefore, it
was best to immediately nip any disruption of law and order during its budding stages.

“I gave him that list as an apology for his inconveniences, but it actually came to benefit me as
well.”

Ars broke into a slight smile. If Vio ever came to the royal capital again, he decided to give him
a present.

＊＊＊＊＊

“Princess, you’re really… I didn’t expect you to still like to wander around even after leaving the
royal capital!” Inside the carriage, Liona’s maid Millicent, though she was currently disguised as
Countess Liselotte Bianca, raised her chin, not happy.

Sitting next to her, Liona burst into laughter, not paying her displeasure any mind. “Sulking like
this will ruin your beauty, Millie.”

“It’s Liselotte, Princess,” Millicent retorted. “If you don’t put on a proper act at all times while
we’re in disguise, we might just find that our covers have already been blown.”

Liona shrugged her shoulders. Night, who was sitting beside the door, nodded in agreement.

Liona then said, “Fine. Liselotte. But that town next to Lida River… What is it called again?
Boating on that river and eating seafood in that town was fun. Ruslan doesn’t have such a large
river, so it was a rare experience.”

“That town is called East Lida, Princess. No, Dame Lio. Well, I do agree with you on that point.
Boating was fun. I also enjoyed taking a walk along the calm riverside,” said Millicent in
reminiscence, a faint smile crossing on her face.
It was hard for Liona to understand Millicent’s emotions. From Liona’s perspective, Millicent’s
smile meant that the experience was quite interesting for her too. She responded, “Yeah. It was
fun, wasn’t it? That area was quiet and peaceful. As expected of the royal domain protected by
Ars.”

Night interjected, “But since we have already crossed Lida River, we’re now in the Lesserhains’
territory, Dame Lio. The two territories may only be separated by one river, but the atmosphere
is completely different.”

Millicent’s expression cleared. “He’s right. Be careful, Dame Lio. While we’re in the
Lesserhains’ territory, we shouldn’t lower our guard. We should swiftly pass through this area
and return to Ruslan.”

Liona nodded. “Yeah, I know.” Then kicked Night’s leg for saying something unnecessary.

Night exclaimed in pain. “Did I do something? Why did you kick me?”

“Shut up.”

“Uhh…”

Liona shot Night a glance. He then complained about how unreasonable she was.

Liona wanted to indulge in the memories of their calm trip for longer, but after Night had spoken
up, Millicent reverted to her uptight state.

Then all of a sudden, the carriage shook. They heard the coachman exclaim in shock.

Night quickly opened the small window facing the coachman’s seat and asked him what had
happened. In a weak voice, the coachman replied, “I’m sorry. The wheels got stuck in a ditch… I
will do something about it. Please wait a moment.”

“…That’s what happened, Princess. I’ll go out and check.” Afterward, Night closed the window
and disembarked from the carriage.

Millicent sighed, face turning pasty. “This is bad, Princess. More so since it looks like it will rain
soon.”

“Hm? Do you have a headache again? You should lie down for a while. Why don’t I lend you
my lap?”

“What? No way! But I will accept your kind suggestion and take a rest.”

Millicent moved to where Night previously sat and laid down, leaning against the cushion.

Millicent’s paleness worried Liona. She had clearly been enduring her headache for a
considerable amount of time. Thus, Liona decided to find a place to rest in the vicinity today.

Ch 80 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (II)

VIO 80 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (II)
The royal domain of Istiah Kingdom was one of the most fertile lands domestically.

The stream that flowed from the Alpe Mountains divided into two rivers. One was Monica River,
which flowed to the royal capital. The other was Lida River, which borders the Lesserhains’
territory and the royal domain.

The shortest route to get from one territory to the other was by passing through those two rivers.

If there were only people crossing the river, they would use a ferry. But if there were carts and
carriages to be transported, they would use a barge.

A barge was a large raft used to carry goods, moving large luggage and livestock as it got towed
by a ferry.

Unlike Ruslan Kingdom, Istiah Kingdom hasn’t developed their shipbuilding technology, so they
couldn’t build large ships. Therefore, they always carried goods this way when going by river.

And crossing the river was the most worrying part of Vio’s journey.

Both of the rivers were gentle, but there was a risk of the barge getting overturned if the
livestock went on a rampage.

Righting the barge would be easy with spirit magic, but scary things were still scary.

After crossing Lida River and staying overnight in the town of West Lida, the first town just
inside of Lesserhain territory, Vio slowly headed for the neighboring town of Degas.

“We’ve crossed the river. What’s left is going to Endsk,” Vio said to Rille and Jill. He then
leaned his back. Legion was riding on his horse next to the carriage. When Vio looked out the
window, he could see Legion’s masculine profile.

Jill mildly replied, “Yes. Thanks to Mister Dawn finishing his preparations in a mere three days,
we were able to shorten our itinerary..”

“Yeah, I was also surprised. I thought he would need at least a week.”

The haunted house-looking building that the Samarellis lived in was apparently Dawn’s
property. He asked his acquaintance in the royal capital to manage it for a short while and then
packed the bare minimum of household goods into a wagon. He brought so few items with him
that it didn’t look like he was moving to another place at all.

With a donkey pulling the whole thing, Dawn sat at the head of the wagon. Yuan sat next to his
father.

Except for the wagon and donkey which Jill had arranged, Dawn did most of the preparations.
He also checked on the seeds and seedlings and bought a few more. Jill then asked merchants
who would be going to Leca to deliver Vio and his retinue’s luggage. The luggage should have
arrived by the time they arrived at Leca town.

Jill had known that the merchants would head to Leca town while doing business anyway, so he
paid the transportation cost to make sure they wouldn’t lose money. Since the merchants got a
clear profit, unlike when they were peddling, they agreed with all smiles on their faces.
Everything was going well until the carriage slowed down. Legion was waving his hand outside,
so Jill opened the window.

“What happened?” he asked.

Legion replied, “There’s a carriage of what looks like nobles in front of us that’s stuck. What
should we do?”

Vio immediately answered, “If they don’t look suspicious, ask them what the situation is. If they
need help, we’ll help them. But if this is a trap set by bandits, prioritize running away and avoid
violence as much as possible. We have a young boy in the wagon behind.”

“Yes, understood.”

The carriage stopped, and Jill quickly closed the window. As Jill and Rille readied for trouble,
Legion went to the other carriage to inquire and returned immediately.

“It seems to be a noblewoman from Ruslan Kingdom. The carriage’s wheels are stuck in a ditch,
and they’re unable to move. The lady is not feeling well and is resting inside.”

“It looks like they’re having a terrible time. Hauser should be knowledgeable about carriages, so
the both of you should go and help them.”

“Understood,” Legion replied. The carriage moved a little further, stopping behind the carriage
in trouble.

Seeing the coachman and servants desperately trying to move the carriage stuck in the ditch,
Hauser called out to them in a loud voice, “Hey! If you do that, the axle will break! Stop, stop!”

They stopped. The coachman was at a loss, his face troubled. He looked young and seemed to be
lacking in skill. He said, “But we won’t be able to move if we don’t get the carriage out of there.
What should we do, uncle?”

“Let me take a look… Oh, the wheels are buried in the mud.”

From what Hauser saw, the wheels were stuck in the mud that had accumulated in the stone ditch
built to improve drainage.

If they forcefully pushed the carriage out, the wheels would undoubtedly get caught in the
stones, straining the axles.

“Tsk, this is tough. Do you have a log or something that can fit in this ditch?”

“No.”

“Then we’ll just have to scoop out the mud around this area and pick up the branches scattered
beside it.”

“But… it’s going to rain soon. Oh no, what should we do?” the young coachman fretted. He
seemed completely flustered.
“Calm down. It’s no use worrying about the weather; it’s not like we can control it. Our priority
is to lift the wheels without straining the carriage. Sir Legion, do you have a shovel or anything
like that?”

“A shovel… Ah, Mister Dawn might have one. I’ll check.”

Seeing Legion swiftly taking action, the young coachman took off his hat and bowed. “I’m very
sorry for the inconvenience.”

“We should help each other when one’s in trouble, right? That’s normal in my hometown.
Besides, our Young Master told us to help you. He’s kind. You’re lucky that Young Master
passed by.” Hauser cheered the young coachman up while scraping at the mud with a pebble he
picked up. When the young coachman saw what he was doing, he took a pebble as well and did
the same.

The two servants, with hats worn low over their eyes, stepped forward and asked, “What can we
do to help?”

Hauser pointed them toward the forest. “Gather some branches.”

“I understand.”

“Let’s go.”

The two quickly headed into the forest. As if he couldn’t stand being idle while others were
working, the butler Jill came over to see the situation. When he returned to the carriage right
after, this time, Vio was the one who stepped out.

He asked Hauser with a pensive look on his face, “Hauser. In short, we just have to slowly lift
the wheels out of the ditch, right?”

Hauser nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm, I see…” muttered Vio. He went to the side of the cobbled road and began to write
something on the ground with a piece of stone. “Maybe something like this? …Heed my wish.
Green ivy, spread thy limbs high to the sky. Sing, oh earth!”

Once he murmured the spell, an ivy burst out of the ground and grew rapidly.

Vio shook his head. “This is too powerful. How about this? …Heed my wish. Green ivy, gently
spread thy limbs high to the sky. Sing, oh earth!”

This time, the ivy that sprouted out of the earth grew slowly.

Vio drew another magic circle on the ground, confirmed the effect within a range, and looked
back at Jill. “Jill, give me some chalk.”

“Here, Young Master.”

As expected from a reliable butler. Just by seeing his master’s actions, Jill had already made sure
to have what Vio needed ready.
Hauser and the young coachman had involuntarily stopped to watch Vio, but they hurriedly
retreated when Vio asked them to step away a bit.

Before Vio could crouch, Legion stopped him, a trowel in one hand. “Lord Violant, are you
going to draw a circle around the area where the wheels are stuck?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I will do it.”

“Really? Thanks.”

The thoughtful knight quickly drew a circle around the wheel using the chalk.

Vio used spirit magic once again. “Heed my wish. Green ivy, gently spread thy limbs high to the
sky. Sing, oh earth!”

Inside the circle, a vine of ivy began to grow all at once and slowly lifted the wheels. Seeing it
level with the ground, the young coachman hurriedly jumped onto the coachman seat and drove
the carriage forward.

After the carriage passed over the ditch, Vio clapped his hands once. The magic dispelled, and
the ivy returned to the ground and disappeared.

Hausel was astonished. “That’s amazing. Young Master, you just lifted the wheels without
breaking the axles…” It was his first time seeing such magic.

However, the person himself didn’t look like he just did anything special. Vio muttered without
much thought, “I had to improvise a bit; thankfully it worked. It might be of some use at disaster
sites.”

Hauser smiled wryly. Though he was not familiar with magic, he at least knew that it wasn’t
easy to improvise a magic spell.

At that moment, they heard a loud clattering noise. Looking for the source, they discovered one
of the servants tasked to gather branches had dropped his armful of twigs.

The servant dumbfoundedly said, “Improvise… this kind of magic? Just what is this talent?”

Legion immediately gave his master extravagant praise. “Splendid, Lord Violant. With how
you’ve made the spell easy, I think the people of Leca town will be able to use it, too. What do
you think of making it widespread?”

Vio cocked his head. “You’re exaggerating. Anyone can do this much. Anyway, we’ve finished
here, so let’s go. Oh,” he turned to the servants. “By the way, I heard that your master is sick.
We have a doctor, so would you like to have him check her condition?”

The other, taller one replied in a low voice, “Er, please wait a moment. I will ask her.”

Watching these two servants acting strangely, Hauser and the others were puzzled.
Ch 81 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (III)
Cheval, disguised as a servant, knocked on the carriage’s door. Right after he entered, he said,
“This is bad, Dame Lio.”

“What? The carriage has moved, hasn’t it?”

“That particular problem has been solved, but… the passerby who helped us is… Lord Violant.”

“What?!” Even Liona was surprised. This coincidence was too shocking; they even went on this
trip in secret and in disguise.

“I heard they have a doctor with them. Would you like to have him examine you, Lady
Liselotte?” asked Lantz. He was as calm as usual, unlike the restless Cheval.

Then Millicent replied, face pale, “…No. Please tell them that there’s no need for the doctor to
come. I often get a headache during bad weather.”

“Understood,” said Cheval. He stopped Lantz, who was about to head back, from moving. “Hey,
you should be a little more careful. Legi’s intuition is unmatchable. He’ll sniff us out soon.”

“That’s because you are acting suspiciously,” said Lantz. “You should behave as usual at times
like this. Please stay here.” Following that, he approached Jill in brisk strides. They conversed
for a bit. After a while, Lantz returned with something in hand. Presenting a small paper bag to
Millicent, he said, “I received a painkiller from the doctor.”

“Oh, a painkiller? Thank you.” She received the paper bag, a wave of relief washing over her.

Lantz said, “They recommended drinking it with tea. Whenever a headache rolls along, you
should close the curtains, darken the room, and relax in a quiet place. It’ll take another day until
we reach Degas town, so they also recommended taking a break in the ranger’s hut nearby. Since
they’re going in the same direction, they will guide us.”

In a flash, Liona and the others exchanged glances. “Then we should take a break in that hut
today… Are they planning to rest there too?”

“No. It seems like they are planning to stay in the ranger’s hut nearby. They will reach it around
the evening. There seems to be a village beyond that, but it’s probably impossible to reach that
by night.”

“Then it should be fine. Let’s accept their offer. Tell them we’re thankful for their kindness.”

As soon as Lantz went to give their reply, Millicent hung her head, apologetic. “I’m sorry… It’s
my fault.”

“I don’t want to see you collapse, so don’t worry about it,” Liona said.

“Yes…”

＊＊＊＊＊
The ranger’s hut was actually a large house made of logs, not looking like a hut at all.

A ranger’s main job was to take care of the forest and monitor poachers. As such, they stayed in
the hut for a long period each year. Especially in the autumn; most remained overnight to
monitor the situation.

However, it was currently summer. A majority of the rangers were the people from nearby
villages. It’s highly possible that they didn’t stay in the hut due to being too busy raising goats
and sheep.

Nobody had been there when Vio and his group headed to the royal capital. But now, they
caught sight of the unmistakable wisps of smoke coming from the chimney.

Noticing Vio’s carriage stop in the light rain, Legion decided to go ahead and speak to the owner
of the hut. But before he arrived at the front door, suspicion hit him: he could sense someone
looking at him from the window… No, several people.

“Sir Legion?” Jill called out, about to get off the carriage. But Legion raised his right hand to
stop him. He then immediately returned to the carriage and scanned the surroundings.

Legion had not noticed this before since they were in a hurry, but there were multiple footprints
and hoofprints littered around the hut.

Suddenly, the door swung open in a bang, masked men leaping forward from the hut. “We’ve
been waiting for you!”

“You guys are a lot faster than we expected. This saves us more time!”

At first glance, it seemed like they were a group of nearly fifteen people. They eyed the
carriages, confused for some reason.

“Hey, there are two carriages. Which one is it?”

“It should be the green one, right? We’re aiming for the little brat of the Lesserhains.”

Legion unsheathed his sword on his horse. “You all aren’t just thieves? So you’re ambushing
us!”

“Yeah. If we kill a punk called Violant, he’ll give us money.”

“No way… Lord Rupheus would actually go that far?” Legion muttered in a growl. Never had he
imagined Rupheus’ hatred for his younger brother to run so deep, so much so that he’d stoop to
sending assassins.

But the masked men were puzzled. “Rupheus?”

Noticing their appearance, Legion asked sharply, “Am I wrong? If so, who sent you here?!”

“Why should we answer that?” said a one-eyed man with the biggest build. Then he gestured as
he added, “Hey, you guys, let’s go!”

And all of the masked men charged toward Vio’s carriage.

“Mister Dawn! Run to that carriage! I’ll handle this!” Legion shouted.

“I-I understand!” Dawn urged his donkey and called out to the carriage that had followed them
from behind.

On horseback, Legion cut down the incoming bandits.

“Hey, don’t you dare get close to Young Master’s carriage!” yelled Hauser, taking out the iron
rod he had always kept ready under the coachman’s seat. He struck the bandits down, thrusting
the rod at the throats and bellies of the opponents who came in succession, restraining them with
his martial arts.

Six people were defeated in a blink of an eye. To the bandits, this could only be upsetting.

“Hey, this should be an easy job, shouldn’t it? You said he didn’t have many escorts, Boss!”

“Calm down! Our opponent is only two people. Why are you scared!?” shouted the leader,
snapping the other bandits back to their senses. They stood with their weapons at ready.

“It’s not only two people.”

“There are actually four!”

Such words were said by Jill and Rille, who exited the carriage and stood guard before the door.

The bandits couldn’t help but laugh from that sight. “What? We have an old man and a woman
now?”

“Hey, it’d be easier to take them as hostage, right?”

Jill remained calm as usual, not batting an eye at the men who mocked him. “My, my. Don’t you
know? Most of the people who serve the Lesserhains have mastered martial arts. For example,
like this.” In a blur of motion, Jill slipped his hand out of his jacket’s inner pocket, swinging like
a blade.

A scream tore through the air, and someone fell off his horse. Piercing his shoulder was a slender
knife.

“As expected from Mister Jill!” said Rille, eyes sparkling. A gentle smile graced his lips as he
replied, “We can’t let them run away with this. Hauser, Sir Legion, no need to restrain yourself.”

“Leave this to me!” said Hauser, brimming with energy.

However, Legion wore a bitter smile at Hauser’s response. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but…
I’d like to ask them questions later.”

Rille was ready to fight. She bent her body down and raised her fist. “I won’t lose either!”

Thus, despite the small number of people on their side, a one-sided battle began. They defeated
the bandits in no time at all.
Ch 82 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (IV)
“Take this!” said Rille, delivering a successful and strong roundhouse kick to one of the bandits.
After that, there were no bandits remaining standing.

To which Jill clapped. “You have improved, Rille.”

Rille arranged her skirt before replying with her usual sweet smile, “No. I’m still no match for
Mister Jill!”

“Even Mister Butler is strong?” asked Legion in a timid manner. Although he had caught sight of
Jill shooting magic blades of ice and throwing knives swiftly, he couldn’t affiliate such actions
with the gentle and calm Jill. It was a strange feeling.

Hauser burst into loud laughter. “What are you talking about now, Sir Legon? He was the
strongest person in the mansion until you came, y’know? He’s also stronger than any other
servant in the duke’s estate back in Nada town. Above all, he used to be the knight escorting Her
Majesty the Queen Emeritus!”

“You’re bringing up that old story again… It happened decades ago. Please stop mentioning it,
Hauser,” said Jill with a bitter smile.

Legion was the picture of puzzlement. “The Queen Emeritus… That means, Mister Butler was
the guardian knight of Queen Elise? Why have you become a butler here?”

“When Her Grace married into the Lesserhain family, Queen Elise told me she wanted to have a
trustworthy person beside her daughter. As such, I served as Her Grace’s butler and escort. I
originally served the Sarias, Queen Elise’s family.”

“Haah. So it’s like that…” Legion said, stunned. Jill’s life sure was full of ups and downs.
Beside him, Rille’s eyes sparkled. “Ever since we came to Leca town, he has been my teacher.
The three of us have driven away every person who aimed for Master’s life. Mister Hauser also
followed us from the duke’s residence.”

“In my case, I was born in Leca town, so I tagged along to return to my hometown… I used to be
a knight, but because of this eye injury, I was left with no choice but to provide logistical support
and take care of the horses. After that, they labeled me as useless in Nada town, and I lost my
place. I’m very grateful to Lord Violant for hiring me.” Hauser showed his eyepatch and nodded
many times, poking the fallen bandit with his iron rod to check if he really fainted.

Meanwhile, Legion stared at the three of them. He had unexpectedly learned their past history,
which he had never been curious about.

“Hey… Is it over?”

The carriage door moved slightly ajar. Vio peeked out, giving a furtive look of his face. Jill
quickly approached the door and opened it. “Yes. It’s just as you see. Please don’t worry. Could
you please wait for a while? We will tie them up as usual.”

“Sure… You guys sure are efficient as always. Thank you, everyone. Is anyone injured?” said
Vio, looking around and checking their conditions one by one.
Rille smiled. “We’re alright, Master.”

“I see. Then it’s good. Hm…?” All of a sudden, Vio caught sight of something shining beside a
bandit lying nearby. He made his way to it.

“What’s wrong, Master?” Rille went to Vio’s side and looked at what he had picked up. She
blinked. “A one-eyed owl…?”

What Vio had picked up was a silver amulet. It was in the shape of an owl, symbolizing Sophie,
the Goddess of Wisdom.

At that moment, a bandit who should have been beaten down on the ground stood up behind
Rille.

“Rille! Behind you!” screamed Jill.

“Huh?!” Despite her initial surprise, she immediately protected Vio. Vio could only watch as the
bandit swung his knife up, trying to slash Rille’s back. He screwed his eyes tight out of reflex.

However, the moment he opened his eyes to a thud, he realized that for some reason, the bandit
had fallen.

“Are you okay, Miss Rille!” asked a young man with brown hair. He appeared to have just
swung down his sword, panting, shoulders shaking. He should be a stranger, but his voice
seemed familiar. “Miss Rille? No way, are you injured?”

The young man examined Rille in a hurry, pulling at her shoulders. Rille didn’t react, looking at
him blankly.

Finally realizing his identity, Vio was dumbfounded. “…Why are you here, Sir Cheval?”

Cheval’s face stiffened at Vio’s question. He was clearly feeling awkward.

Ch 83 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (V)

When Vio saw Cheval wearing a disguise, the face of the Knights of the Green Flash’s captain
flashed in his mind. “Does Sir Fion need to be this wary of me? To the point where he even had
you disguise yourself to monitor me this far from the royal capital?”

“N-no, that’s not it… I’m currently on a mission—different from what you mentioned, Lord
Violant—and just happened to meet you here. But when I saw Miss Rille about to be injured, I
didn’t think much and jumped to help out of instinct…” Cheval avoided Vio’s gaze, looking
around with restless eyes as though trying to search for a reasonable excuse in the air. But Rille’s
heavy stare had him at wit’s end.

Cheval released a sigh. “This is why I’m not good at missions like this. It’s impossible for me to
completely dedicate myself to the mission and ignore an acquaintance who’s in danger, not when
they’re right in front of me…” he said. “But the pay cut and the captain’s lectures I’m going to
get later is nothing as long as Miss Rille is safe. Anyway, I’ll take my leave now.”
But before Cheval could leave, Rille vigorously jumped and clung onto his left arm, stopping
him. “W-wait! Please wait!” Her white rabbit ears drooped down in remorse. “Um… Uh… T-
thank you… very much…” forced out Rille, bowing down.

Rille’s stilted thanks brought a wry smile to Vio’s face. But it managed to make Cheval break
into a wide smile. “No, what’s important is you’re not injured. I know you’re strong, but please
don’t be so reckless all the time. Please don’t forget that you have people who’ll feel crushed if
you ever get yourself hurt.”

“My… So that’s how you trick women, huh. How nasty.”

“Huhh?! Did I say something wrong just now? Why are your eyes so cold?!” exclaimed Cheval,
frightened by Rille’s frosty reply.

However, Vio noticed how Rille’s cheeks gained a red hue. She probably said that to conceal her
embarrassment.

“Thank you for saving Rille, Sir Cheval. I won’t pry into the specifics of your mission, but I
noticed that you seem to be accompanying that carriage. I wish you a safe journey.”

“Yes, that is a great help to me. Thank you…” Then Cheval noticed the amulet of Sophie, the
Goddess of Wisdom, in Vio’s right hand. He asked, “By the way, can I borrow that for a short
while?”

“Hm? Yes, sure. This seems to be the amulet mercenaries often carry with them. I believe this
amulet resembles the one Sir Fion showed me before, but that’s probably just a coincidence.”

Vio had a premonition when he had spotted this amulet on the bandits. But he made sure to hide
his unease and handed the amulet to Cheval.

Other than Rupheus, the only people with a personal motive to target Vio would be Sarg Villan,
who Vio had embarrassed and beaten at his own game, and Viscount Fores, whose plans to
forcibly make Yuan his page boy were foiled by Vio. But unfortunately, the Lesserhain family
had so many enemies, some of which might also want to see him dead. Thus, it was hard for Vio
to determine who had sent these bandits to kill him.

As Vio glanced to the side, Jill and Hauser dragged all the bandits who were still alive to a
nearby tree and tied them to its truck with rope. The rest of the bandits on the ground remained
unmoving, having already died.

Although Vio recognized that these bandits had attacked first and that they had only retaliated to
defend themselves, this scene still discomforted him.

Read this at perpetualdaydreams.com

Then Cheval said, “Um… Do you mind if I take this with me? This is interesting evidence, so I
plan to show it to the Knights’ Order later.”

“Sure. I don’t mind. But… my family has numerous enemies. Such incidents aren’t a rare
occurrence when I’m traveling, so I don’t think this will be very helpful in your investigations.”
“Just in case. We can never be too sure, can we?” Cheval placed the amulet in his pants pocket
and bowed to Vio. “Then I will return to my duties. Please excuse me.”

“Take care.”

Vio took a shallow breath as he watched Cheval energetically rush back to the other carriage
amidst the light drizzle.

He shot another glance to the side, where he noticed that Rille’s face was still red for some
reason. This worried Vio. “What’s wrong, Rille? Do you have a fever?”

“Hu… Master, I feel strange. Why is my heart beating so fast?”

“Uhh…”

To her genuine confusion, not only Vio but also the other three men turned to her in shock.

Everyone was shaken by Rille’s words, but they decided to stay quiet about it for now. She
might currently appear to be a maiden in love, but they had yet to ascertain that this truly was the
cause.

After all, it was also probable that the palpitations were caused by the adrenaline from being in
critical danger. They couldn’t rule that possibility out.

“I tried to threaten some information out of the conscious ones, but they don’t seem to know
much about their client. However, it is certain that this is an act of revenge for the previous
humiliation he received from Lord Violant.”

“I embarrassed them? Hmm. If I had directly embarrassed the culprit behind this incident, then I
only have two people in mind. If it is someone who I had unknowingly embarrassed in the past,
then…” Vio shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

Jill raised his right hand. “If this was caused by Viscount Fores, then Yuan could be in danger. I
think we should leave at once.”

“Right. Then let’s go.”

“As always, I will bring the bandits to the nearby village and have the soldiers there handle
them.”

“Yes, do that.”

Upon hearing Vio’s reply, Jill opened the carriage door and urged, “The rain is growing heavier.
Please enter before you catch a cold.”

Vio nodded and climbed into the carriage. Afterward, the party resumed their trip once again.

Ch 84 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (VI)

The carriage parked in the shade of a large tree just a little further from the ranger’s hut. Inside it
were the Samarelli father and son, the noble lady from Ruslan Kingdom, and her retinue.
It seemed the lady had something to discuss with Vio, so in the end, they decided to go to the
hunter’s hut.

They finally reached their destination in the evening. Everyone was vigilant in case they got
ambushed again, but there were no signs of life around the hut, and the fireplace was cold and
covered with dust.

Legion and Rille took care of the preparations, while Vio headed to the lady’s carriage with Jill.
As she was a visitor from another country, Vio felt that he should treat her politely, even though
he was unfamiliar with her. Especially if her condition worsened because of the bandits they ran
into during the day.

They arrived just as the lady got off her carriage with the help of her servants. She was a
beautiful girl with a slightly cold demeanor, clad in a bright green dress.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Violant Lesserhain. I apologize for getting you involved earlier.
My Lady, if you don’t mind, may I ask your name?”

The lady’s auburn eyes bore into him as she curtseyed and politely replied, “I am Liselotte
Bianca, daughter of a count. I’m grateful for your help in getting our carriage back on the road.
So there’s no need to apologize. The truth is, I’m not feeling really well…”

“That’s not good. Please, let’s head inside.”

Vio extended his left hand, and Liselotte put her slender hand in his.

“I shall prepare a chair at once,” Jill said. As Vio watched him hurry to prepare, he led Liselotte
into the hut.

The hunter’s hut had no furniture inside since it was only used during autumn. So the servants
brought in rugs, making simple arrangements for the night.

Commoners would sleep here with their bag as the pillow and their cloak as the blanket, so Vio
had it a lot more comfortable than them.

The fireplace was lit, and two chairs were placed in front of it.

After escorting Liselotte in and asking Dawn to check on her condition, Vio left her for a while.
He was worried about Yuan, who was shivering after getting drenched by the rain.

“Are you alright, Yuan? Come here. I’ll get rid of the water.”

“…?”

Yuan didn’t seem to understand Vio’s words. Though he looked dubious, he still obediently
came closer. Vio touched Yuan’s hair and wet cloak and muttered a spell, “Heed my wish. O’
gentle spring breeze. Blow thy wind!”

At that moment, the water got blown away from Yuan’s hair and clothes.

Yuan’s green eyes sparkled in surprise. “Wow, amazing! I’m all dry!”
Vio chuckled. “You’ll be able to do it too, if you practice. Rille, do we have a blanket? Children
can easily catch a cold, so we need to keep him warm.”

“I will bring one right away.”

As Rille headed to the carriage, Dawn took her place. “Thank you, Lord Vio. Go on, Yuan. You
haven’t thanked him yet, right?”

“Ah, I’m sorry! Thank you very much.” Yuan bowed, smiling bashfully.

“I’ll dry you too, Dawn. This magic seems to be difficult without practice. I taught the people in
my mansion, but right now, only I can use it. The trick is to reduce the amount of magic power.”

“Thank you. I will practice it too.”

After Vio used the spell on Dawn, he was really impressed and repeatedly praised Vio’s ability.

At that moment, Legion walked up to them. “Lord Violant, I’ve finished carrying the luggage.
Ah, that magic! Amazing, you can use it on other people as well? If I were to use it, I’m afraid
that this place is going to turn into a bloody disaster.”

“It’s easy once you get used to it. You can avoid magic at close range, so I’m sure you’ll master
it in no time.” Vio paused. “Come on, Legi. Bend down.”

Legion’s hair was short, so it was a little too far away from Vio’s reach. Once Legion bent down,
Vio reached for his head, touched his rain cloak, and used the magic. “See. It’s easy, right?” Vio
beamed.

For some reason, Legion’s face reddened and he moved away from Vio. “T-t-t-t-t-thank you
very much!” He then ran out of the hut.

Vio gaped. “Eh, wait… I just dried him up, but why is he going out…” He cocked his head
slightly. “Does he like getting wet?”

“He’s a strange one, alright,” Dawn commented. He and Yuan both looked surprised as well.

Vio heard someone burst into laughter. He turned his head and saw that it was Cheval, dressed as
a servant. Cheval cleared his throat and quickly looked away.

Vio turned back to Dawn. “Dawn, how is the lady?”

“Once she takes the painkiller I prescribed earlier and rests a while, she’ll get better soon.”

“What a relief. After reaching Degas town, there should be a good inn…” But it wasn’t like they
could leave right away, so Vio decided to switch his focus. “Leave the meal preparations to
Rille. You two should also get some rest. I’ll go talk to the lady.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Yes!”
After leaving the Samarelli father and son, Vio returned to the fireplace. He sat in one of the
chairs and faced Liselotte. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Liselotte. I heard you have
something to discuss with me?”

“Yes… I want to ask you about this.” Liselotte lifted a hand and showed an amulet of Sophie,
the Goddess of Wisdom.

Ch 85.1 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night

(VII)
The amulet in Liselotte’s hand was the one Vio had found beside one of the assailants hiding in
the ranger’s hut. According to her, Cheval had brought it back to their carriage and showed it to
her.

“I apologize, My Lady, but I’m not all that familiar with what this amulet represents. All I know
is that this belonged to those people who attacked us near the hut. Well, I also do know that it’s a
popular talisman among mercenaries and gamblers, which is why many of them would often be
seen wearing one. I’ve been seeing similar amulets rather frequently these days.” Troubled, Vio
took a small breath. “My Lady, did you attend His Highness’s birthday celebration? Did you
perhaps ask me this after hearing the rumors?”

Many people who had heard the rumors grew curious and wanted to personally verify them. Vio
speculated that Liselotte might be one of them.

If she’s heard of my family’s bad reputation, then I can understand her distrust in me, but… Am I
still being suspected for the attack on Princess Liona? I’m starting to hate that sly fox.

The attack should be Sarg Villan’s doing. Just like in the manga, he was a cunning man.

Liselotte lowered the amulet and instead asked, “Who are those attackers?”

“As of now, I don’t know. But I suspect that their employer is someone with a personal grudge
against me after I embarrassed them in the past, and they sent those bandits to exact revenge on
me. However, I can’t be sure whether those bandits were telling the truth about their employer or
not. My family also has its fair share of enemies, so it’s not uncommon for me to encounter
attacks like earlier.” Keeping a calm composure, Vio told Liselotte, “My Lady, I have answered
all your questions so far. However, I have no plans of satiating your curiosity any further.
Today’s affairs have severely exhausted me. You should rest as well.”

“Oh… Did I anger you?”

“The experience was unpleasant, but you’re not the one at fault here. I’m just annoyed that
someone wanted to entrap me… But I guess it can’t be helped. I was born into nobility. Anyway,
I wish you peace and good luck.”

Afterward, Vio rose to his feet and took his leave. He didn’t wish to stay and chat about such
dull things with her any longer.

“Young Master.”
“Jill, I will take a breather outside.”

“Yes…”

As Vio left the ranger’s hut, Jill approached Liselotte with the tea set Rille had prepared.

“Pardon me, My Lady. My Master is very tired today… He hates seeing such bloody scenes.
What happened earlier in the day must have upset him. In any case, please have a sip of this tea.
It works well as a pain reliever.”

“Thank you. And I apologize for asking those insensitive questions.” Liselotte then took a sip of
the tea. Surprised, she muttered, “My, this is delicious.” Took another sip.

Jill bowed to her before exiting the hut and chasing after Vio. Liselotte stared at their receding
figures with interest.

After leaving the ranger’s hut, Vio visited the stables adjacent to it. There, Legion and Hauser
were busy grooming the two horses and the donkey.

Upon noticing Vio’s arrival, Hauser asked, “What’s wrong, Young Master?”

“Hm… I just wanted to take a breather.”

Hauser laughed. “I guess you do look pretty exhausted,” he said, then let Vio touch the horses.

In an anxious tone, Legion said, “Did something happen?”

Vio exhaled a sigh and couldn’t stop himself from complaining, “That Lady Liselotte seems to
have heard the rumors about me during her stay in the royal capital. She asked me whether I
knew anything about those bandits. I left after hearing that. Ah, my head hurts. I already have my
hands full with my fight against Brother, and now this happened…”

It was then that Vio caught sight of two young men grooming the horse in the neighboring stall.
They should be Liselotte’s coachman and knight.

Vio pretended to not have noticed them. He cleared his throat and straightened his back.

Then at that moment, the rapid clopping of hooves resounded in the air. It seemed to come from
the highway. Upon shifting his gaze in the general direction of the highway, Vio caught sight of
several knights rushing toward the hut Vio and Liselotte’s entourages resided in. They carried a
flag containing a coat of arms with a large crow.

Vio’s face twisted in a frown. “Speaking of the devil.”

“You sure have been unlucky today, Young Master.”

“I wouldn’t say that my misfortune has only manifested today, though.”

“Ah, pardon my intrusive words.”

“Mister Hauser,” Legion lightly warned.

Judging from the flag, this squad of knights was a part of the Ravens, Rupheus’ private army.
They seemed to have approached them after seeing their carriages.

“We are the knights in patrol. Where are you from, and what do you have in your carriages?”
They yelled toward the ranger’s hut. Since they were still unaware of whether the people inside
were suspicious or not, they appeared tense and alert.

Jill came out and bowed to the squad leader. ”Good day, Sir Rasil. You are still hard at work
even in this rainy weather, I see.”

“Oh, Mister Jill! Please excuse us. Does your presence here mean that these carriages belong to
Lord Violant?”

“That’s right. However, the black carriage is owned by a noblewoman from Ruslan. Her name is
Lady Liselotte Bianca.”

Rasil dismounted his horse and acted politely. “I see. Forgive our insolence. We came here
because the villagers reported that some people were illegally occupying a hut.”

“They should be pertaining to this ranger’s hut. Earlier in the day, we were attacked by a group
of bandits here. We managed to capture some of them. Let me lead you to them later on.”

“Understood. On another note, may I ask for an audience with the younger brother?”

Vio once again frowned. He didn’t know the intention behind Rasil’s interest in meeting him.
The knights in the Ravens had always been rather cold to him. But Vio should step up and accept
in case Rasil had something important to discuss with him.

“I’m here. What’s the matter?”

“Oh, were you watching from there? Worry not. Aside from the illegal trespassing issue, there
are no other problems. I desired to have an audience with you simply because it’s been two years
since we last met.”

Rasil and his three subordinates walked up to him, taking off their helmets which were all
decorated with a black feather.

Vio had no choice but to leave the stables. Legion quickly followed him.

When Rasil and his team caught sight of Legion, they burst into laughter.

“Well, well… Isn’t this Legion? The one whom Lord Rupheus dismissed after just three days?”

“You sure are lucky to have found a new employer.”

“That’s right. Otherwise, everyone would be watching you compete in the arena by now.”
Ch 85.2 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night
(VII)
They were clearly ridiculing him, but Legion didn’t seem to mind at all. He nodded, and said,
“Yes. I’m blessed to have such a wonderful Master and live happily every day. Thank you for
your concern.”

Vio almost laughed at Legion’s earnest reply. It sounded ironic, but Legion must be serious.

However, the knights took his words as sarcasm and grew angry.

“You’re so cheeky… Don’t get all conceited because they call you the best swordsman in the
country.”

“Yes, I understand. I remind myself every day to train hard in order to keep my skills up.”

“Are you mocking us?!”

“…Why do you get angry even when I reply seriously? I have been thinking about this when I
was still in Nada town, but I don’t understand the reason for your anger.”

“Legion Salt…”

Legion’s reply grated on their nerves, even though his words were said with sincerity.

Vio suppressed his laughter and raised a hand to stop Rasil. After all, Rasil looked like he was
going to hit Legion any time soon.

“Forgive my knight’s rudeness,” Vio said, before getting back to why Rasil had asked for him.
“So? You’ve already greeted me. Why don’t you go back to work?”

“Ah, pardon us, Lord Violant. Oh yes, about Erik…” Rasil looked like he was having fun as Vio
frowned. “We haven’t found that traitor yet. But I was surprised. You can leave the mansion
now?”

“Yeah. My condition has been cured.”

“That’s great. Back at Nada town, you collapsed every time you went out… It worried everyone.
How about using this opportunity to resume your sword training?”

Vio gazed at him in silence. Undoubtedly, Rasil had said those words because he knew of his
circumstance.

“I’ll refrain. I’m not good with swords.”

“My, my. Please don’t say that. If you don’t mind, I can be your training partner.” Rasil drew his
sword out. “Come on.”

Vio tried to tolerate the sight of it, but he couldn’t and stepped back.
“You are overstepping your boundaries!” Legion said, quickly moving Vio behind his back
before going forward. Vio sighed in relief, no longer having to see the glinting, silver blade.
Legion continued, “What kind of rude behavior is this?! You’re talking to the second son of the
lord!”

“How heartless. I was just trying to teach him. But well, although Lord Violant is a spare, he
isn’t doing a very good job at it, eh? As expected from the ‘incompetent younger brother.’”

The moment Rasil ridiculed Vio, Hauser came out of the stable with an iron bar in his hand.
“You fucker! Say one more word and I will be your opponent!”

“One-eyed Hauser?” Rasil wondered, looking at him. “Taking care of the horses sure suits you
well.”

“Rasil… You really get on my nerves. I’ve always wanted to punch you when I was still back in
Nada town. Today is the day I finally get to do it!”

“Come on, Hauser. I’ll make you kneel in three seconds!”

The air around the two men thickened with bloodlust as they provoked each other.

“Stop that!” yelled Vio, halting them from breaking out into a fight. He then looked at Rasil. “Sir
Rasil. I believe you shouldn’t imitate my brother’s bad behavior. What are you so dissatisfied
with? You are the commander of the army led by Brother. It is also your responsibility to
maintain the security of the duchy, so I’m sure you have a good salary.”

“Huh… I’m dissatisfied, you say?”

Vio nodded to Rasil, who was clearly offended. “I’m right, aren’t I? If you’re satisfied with your
current life, you wouldn’t be acting so toxic toward your surroundings. The weaker a dog is, the
louder it barks. What are you so afraid of?”

“W-wha… what…?” said Rasil, visibly shaken. Perhaps, Vio had hit the nail on the head.

Read this at perpetualdaydreams.com

“Oh, I understand. You have to butter up to m brother on top of being busy with your duties.
Everyone else is afraid of you too, even if they treat you like a nuisance. With your position, it
shouldn’t have turned out this way… Did I get it right?”

Rasil’s pale face gradually flushed with anger. His subordinates behind him also appeared
shaken as they looked at each other.

“Hey, Sir Rasil. It’s true that I’m still scared of swords, but I’m planning to work hard with what
I’ve received with my integrity. Compared to my brother, I know that I am lacking. But relying
on a professional to help me with what I can’t do is a good idea, don’t you think?” Vio asked, his
voice gentle as he pressed on. “And since Brother can do everything, it’s definitely suffocating,
feeling like he keeps watch over all of you. You’re an exceptional man, so I’m sure it’s
something that you’ve thought about. Why he can’t he trust you more and rely on you…”

“……”
“But, it’s a shame. I’m sure Brother will stay that way for the rest of his life. Please do your best
in supporting him.”

“…I’m grateful for your words,” Rasil said, as if he had squeezed those words out of his mouth,
a bitter smile on his lips as he bowed. He then glared at his shocked subordinates and said,
“We’re leaving!”

As his subordinates began to leave, he glanced at Vio and said, “Lord Violant, I will admit that
you seem to have become a little stronger… but someone like you will never win against Lord
Rupheus. What’s so great about a losing dog?”

Vio glared at him. “I don’t know. But even a losing dog has fangs. It isn’t like it’s losing for
nothing.”

The corners of Rasil’s mouth quirked up; he was seemingly intrigued by Vio’s rebuttal.

His smile shocked Vio. Rasil had worked in Nada town for a long period, but this was the first
instance Vio saw him smile without any intention to mock him. While Vio stood dazed, the
Ravens had mounted their horses and had gone back to the main road.

“Really, how troublesome. The Ravens sure are unpleasant…” Legion said.

Hauser nodded in agreement. “Lord Violant, if you had allowed me, I would have knocked all of
them to the ground.”

“You two… They like to say bad things about me, so don’t take it seriously… But I’m happy
that you both became angry on my behalf. Thank you.” Vio gave them a grateful smile.

In a flash, Legion and Hauser were taken aback.

“I can never win against Lord Violant.”

“Huh. My anger quickly disappeared.”

“Young Master, are you alright?” interjected Jil, before he began to fuss. “Ahh, how deplorable!
For them to speak to the second son of the lord in such a rude manner… They definitely do not
understand that they’re speaking to someone with the precious blood of the royal family flowing
through his veins!”

“It’s okay, Jill. Don’t be so upset,” placated Vio. “Anger is bad for your body. You’re not young
anymore.”

“…I lost my temper. You’re right, I’m old now. I’ll be careful.” The expression of rage on Jill’s
face shifted into a calmer one. He then smiled. “How about a nice change of pace? Young
Master, do you want to have a cup of tea inside?”

“No, I’ll stay here a little longer. Call me when dinner is ready.”

“I understand.”

Noticing that Legion and Hauser’s attention was on him, Vio shrugged. “It’s fine, isn’t it? I
won’t bother you. I’m just watching.”
“Yes, we don’t mind…”

To which Legion took his cloak and neatly folded it, thenplaced it down in one of the corners of
the stable. “If you would like to stay, then please sit here, Lord Violant,” he encouraged.

Vio sat down without any hesitation. “Thanks, Legi.”

“You’re welcome,” Legion replied with a grin. Following that, he continued to groom the horse
he’d been taking care of.

Vio listened to the sound of the rain as he watched the two men take care of the horses and
donkey. And he could feel his heart healing slightly.

Ch 86 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night

(VIII)
When Liona visited the stables to curry favor with her beloved horse, Night whispered, “Dame
Lio… Why did you make Lord Violant sad?”

Even if the person who had helped them wasn’t Violant, to place someone in such an
uncomfortable situation after he had gone out of his way to help them get their carriage back on
the road seemed too ungrateful in Night’s opinion. This was the mentality of a commoner.

“You make it sound like I’m the bad guy. Millie’s the one who came up with it. She told me she
wanted to use this opportunity to discern where Lord Violant’s true loyalties lie. And you know
that no one can dissuade her once she has decided on something,” replied Liona in a rough tone,
scratching her cheeks. “Besides, if you didn’t like it, then you should have tried convincing her
out of it.”

“…That’s impossible for me to achieve. If Dame Lio didn’t manage to change her mind, then my
interference isn’t going to help either. It would only make things worse.”

“Well, we do know that she doesn’t like to concede in anything. Dissuading her would be the
same as pouring a barrel of oil into a fire.”

“If you understand her that well, then please don’t make such an unreasonable suggestion,” said
Night, heavy gaze directed at Liona, before releasing a sigh.

“But it’s surprising how they haven’t realized our true identities.”

“Well, humans only see what they want or expect to see. It’s publicly known that we have
already returned to Ruslan. And since they believe we’re no longer in this kingdom, they won’t
easily connect the dots despite the familiarity of our faces. It’s a simple and easy trick.”

After all, no one would expect a princess to disguise herself as a knight.

“You sure are quick-witted.”

“Well, that’s one of my good qualities,” Night casually replied. Then all of a sudden, he swiftly
leaned into the horse’s shadow.
A child was running out of the ranger’s hut, announcing that dinner was ready. Vio, who was
dozing off, immediately woke up and raised his head. He stood with a sigh, then ran in the
direction of the child and the hut.

“Hey, he looks really tired, Dame Lio. Let’s not disturb him any further.”

“I will pass the message to Millie, but don’t expect anything.”

“Can’t you tell her that one would often reveal their true thoughts by themselves during times
like this? And that she doesn’t need to force the truth out herself?”

“So you get it. But I can understand why Millie is being so cautious. That amulet… This attack
is definitely that fox’s doing. If Violant happens to be on their side, there’s the possibility that his
group somehow discovered our true identities and that their acts of kindness are simply to lure us
into this hut.”

Night shrugged. “Then why did they bother helping us fend off those assailants? If Lord Violant
was truly on their side, then it would have been much easier for them to attack us together on
both sides. Also, those assailant mentioned Lord Violant by name. It’s more reasonable to think
that he is that fox’s target and not you.”

“That man? Assassinating a noble from another kingdom? And the second son of a noble family,
to boot.”

“For now, let’s stop analyzing the situation with such paranoia and suspicion. What if the reason
behind this attack is exactly what the attackers said? Perhaps it truly is as straightforward as
that.”

Liona raised an eyebrow. “Because Violant embarrassed him during one of the evening balls?”

“Not to mention, he’s a Lesserhain. His assassination can be the perfect fuel to fully ignite a war
between our two kingdoms. At the same time, he can get his revenge. Don’t you think that’s two
birds with one stone?”

“…By leaving a similar amulet here, the greatest suspect for Violant’s assassination in this
kingdom would be… most people would immediately think of Lord Rupheus after that attempted
attack against me. That his aim was to dispose of his failure of a brother… Huh, this plot is too
clean. Don’t you think it smells fishy?”

“I wonder about that.” Night angled his face toward the ceiling. “Everyone always desires a
resolution to every incident. So, once they’ve found a story or cause that can reasonably explain
a particular incident, they will at once be convinced that that must be the truth. To them, the most
important thing is resolving their anxiety as quickly as possible; it doesn’t matter whether the
conclusion they came to is actually the truth or not. In this case, Lord Rupheus would have been
the perfect scapegoat. After all, he’s a noble who is disliked by many. The general populace
would have been happy to name him the culprit.”

“Your theory is rather dark.”

“What are you talking about? It’s a tactic commonly employed by the nobility and the wealthy.
Most of the people they pin their crimes on are those without the power or influence to resist.”
Liona frowned. “Don’t poke where it hurts.”

Night tilted his head. “From my perspective, I think this theory makes the most sense. Like I’ve
said, cunning nobles employ this tactic all the time.”

“Meanwhile, Millie’s theory takes the more distrustful, paranoid route…”

“Anyhow, this is only a theory. For the time being, why don’t we travel with them until Degas
and take the time to observe their behavior? It’s only a straight road from here to Degas.”

Afterward, Night cut the secretive talk there. He filled the tub with water using magic, then gave
the horse some food.

Liona responded, “You’re right. Then we should head for dinner too. If Millie’s theory is correct,
then something will happen tonight. We need to fill our stomachs before then.”

“Understood.”

Ch 87 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (IX)

In the middle of night, Vio lay in bed wide awake, unable to catch the coattails of slumber.

I’m tired, but I can’t sleep for some reason…

Slowly, he raised his body. The room was pitch black, but he could make out his servants
sleeping. Since Liselotte and her retinue were also resting on the other side of the room, Vio left
the hut in silence, making sure not to wake them up.

Legion, who stood in front of the door to stand guard, noticed Vio. He gave him a slight bow.
The magically-lit lantern illuminated the area around the entrance. Seeing the drizzle of the rain
from the corner of his eyes, Vio hastily shut the door. Thanks to the overhanging roof and the
three steps of stairs, the area around the entrance was kept dry.

“May I help you?” asked Legion.

“I can’t sleep. Can I stay here?”

“Yes, of course.”

And so, Vio sat next to the door. Right beside Legion.

“You look tired.” Legion’s voice proved soft. Reflected how anxious he was. “Are you sure
you’re fine not taking a rest?”

“Maybe it’s because I’m too tired, but I’m not sleepy at all. Anyway, do you always stand like
this at night?”

“Yes, I’m keeping watch. Don’t worry, I take turns with the butler and Hauser.”

“That’s good to know,” Vio simply replied, turning his gaze toward the rain. Mixing with the
sound of the rain was the cry of an owl.
“Are you worried about what happened during the day?”

“…A bit, but it has passed. The Ravens will handle the rest. While I don’t like them, they’re
reliable at their job. Leaving this matter to them should be fine.”

“I see… But I have something in my mind.”

Vio shifted his gaze to Legion. The other party wore a stern look as he continued, “Cheval is
interested in the amulet. He’s a sloppy guy, but he has a good nose when it comes to
investigations.”

“Right. I’m curious why he’s taking it back with him. If it has something to do with the incident
in the castle, why an amulet of Sophie, the Goddess of Wisdom?”

Such a question had left Vio’s lips without his conscious knowledge, in part because he had been
wondering about this since he read the manga.

Legion looked at him, cutting a puzzled figure. “…What do you mean?”

“I know that criminal groups share the same mark to identify their peers, but isn’t using a tattoo a
better choice? And why are they choosing the amulet of an ancient god?”

“Maybe… because they can make an excuse that it’s just a talisman? Many mercenaries and
gamblers bring those around. If they have tattoos or accessories of their unique mark, they won’t
be able to make an excuse in an emergency.”

“I see. I thought it was a faith or a gathering of evil spirits, you know? I guess I was overthinking
it.” Vio laughed at himself for confusing himself. “Forget it. Rather than thinking about
something we don’t understand at all, preparing for the winter is our top priority.”

“Yes, that’s right. It’ll be nice if the walls are repaired by the time we return.”

“Yeah. It’s about time of harvest… Ah. That troublesome man is coming soon, huh?”

“Who?”

A loud sigh left Vio’s lips. “The steward of the duke’s main residence. He’s coming to check the
tax reports. I really hate him… So, so much.”

“Since Lord Violant went that far to emphasize that, he should be the worst person ever.”

“Huh? You didn’t meet him in Nada town? It’s Garry Peterson.”

“He was away at that time,” said Legion. “I was told he’d be introduced to me later on. But in
the end, that never happened.”

“That’s good. Not meeting him is the best choice. To simply describe him… It’s like he was
born to make others unhappy,” said Vio, growing depressed as he remembered that man. Vio
liked living in Leca town, but once that steward arrived, it would be as if there were eyes on the
mansion at every second.

“But we have Legi this year. It’s going to be interesting.”

“Why so?”

“Don’t worry if you don’t get it. Just make sure to show your serious side to Gary.”

Legion sighed. “…I understand.”

With Legion’s extremely serious side, he could strike a nerve of the Ravens. Thus, Vio might see
something different this year. He started wishing that that gloomy event would come a bit
quicker, wanting to see that steward’s face turn pale from Legion’s reckoning.

They had nothing to say anymore, so Vio stopped talking. Still not feeling drowsy, he gazed
blankly at the rainy scenery.

It made him feel nostalgic.

Nada town was a place where it rained in the summer and snowed in the winter. Vio didn’t like
the dim and damp rainy season, but it fuelled his nostalgia. If Vio had to describe his hometown
in one word, it would be this: rainy.

They sat side by side for a while, when suddenly, Legion asked Vio in wonder, “Is that a
lullaby?”

“Hm…? Did I sing?”

“Yes. Your voice was soft, but I could hear it at this distance. I’m sorry.”

“No…” Vio’s cheeks burned when he realized what had happened. He wasn’t very good at
singing, so it was embarrassing to have anyone hear him. Even if it was just him humming.

“It was a hymn of the rain. My mother often sang it to me on rainy days instead of a lullaby. I
remember it that way.”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard it,” said Legion. “I only know the harvest hymn.”

“You mean the song dedicated to the Great Spirit, right? This one is different. It’s a song that
honors the blessings of the rain. I don’t know the details, but that’s what Mother told me. Ah,
sorry for making you listen to it. I’m tone-deaf, so I have been making sure not to sing.”

“No way. You were great.”

“No need to compliment me. I’ve been told to be quiet since my voice is grating,” Vio muttered.

Legion frowned. “Let me guess. It was Lord Rupheus who said that?”

“You got it right.”

“I think he’s is great at noticing other people’s talents,” Legion replied in annoyance. Even so,
Vio didn’t think he was good at singing either, so Rupheus was right in this case.

“If you like, please teach me that song in your spare time. I will play it with lute if you want me
to.”
Vio asked, “You can play a lute?”

“I don’t remember too clearly, but I was probably taught a little in the past to be a knight well-
versed in music.”

“Then sure. I will teach you, so play it for me. I’m sure there are instruments left by my
grandfather in the mansion,” Vio said. Then he laughed. Noticing Legion’s puzzled expression,
Vio said with a carefree tone, “I think Legi is amazing.”

“I said I learned it to become well-versed in music, but I’m only good at lute.”

“That’s not what I mean. The fun things in my daily life have increased. So… you’re amazing.”

When Vio looked up, Legion appeared embarrassed, his face bright red. He quickly turned his
face away. “…It’s my honor to please you.”

“Mhm.” Vio looked back toward the forest. His thoughts wandered to the storeroom in the
mansion. His paternal grandfather was a big fan of hunting. On the night of the hunting
tournament, he held a banquet and served his prey to the guests. Since he held them so often, and
grew exposed to music each time, he gained an interest in playing musical instruments.

But now that no one enjoyed playing them anymore, the instruments were left unattended. Vio
didn’t know if they were still usable, but looking for them should be a good idea.

“Lord Violant, why don’t you take a rest soon? Lying down on the bed might help.”

“I’m not sleepy yet, but I’ll do that. Remember to play the lute for me, Legi. It’s a promise.”

“Yes, it’s a promise.”

After that, Vio stood, taking the hand Legion held out to him. As he lightly wiped off the dust on
his clothes and touched the door, it happened.

A rustle of grass from the woods.

“It’s too early to call it a night. How about having a chat with me a little longer?”

“Huh?” Surprised by the voice, Vio looked back only to see a man in armor standing in the shade
of a tree. Even though no one had been there just a few moments ago.

Ch 88 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (X)

While distracted by the man standing in the shadows, Vio heard a violent clang, sparks flying in
the darkness for a moment.

Legion had drawn out his sword and sent someone flying to the side.

As Legion fixed his grip on his longsword, he slightly looked back and said, “Go inside!”

Still not knowing what had happened, Vio obeyed and grabbed the door handle.
But the moment he touched it, he let go, shocked. The door was covered in ice. And not only the
door. Ice enveloped the entire hut. As Vio took a step back, Legion stood in front of him to
protect him.

Vio looked up. A boy in black was sitting on the roof. A mask covered the upper half of his face,
and his exposed mouth was curved into a grin.

Recognizing the boy, Vio could feel his palms begin to sweat. He took his time looking around,
noticing a young man staring at Legion.

The young man, dressed in silver armor, was Erik.

“…Erik,” said Vio, feigning calm, looking straight at him. The other man beside Erik was taller
than his companion, body muscular. Vio couldn’t see his face with his helmet, but could sense
the man’s composure from his attitude.

“Having a chat with you three, huh? That’s quite unsettling,” Vio said to the mystery man, his
tone casual as if they were chatting over a cup of tea. “What do you want from me?”

“Hahaha, do we look like we came here to have a friendly chat?” said the boy on the roof.

Then the man said, “The angel has passed a death sentence onto you.”

“…Angel? Are you talking about the Great Spirit?”

“No way! The Great Spirit’s status is lower than that of God.”

Vio didn’t understand what the man meant “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’re on the same page.
Which spirit condemns me? If it’s fine, let me know. After all, it does involve me.”

To which the boy on the roof said, dead serious, “You’re pretty calm, aren’t you? Your allies are
inside, and you’re surrounded by three of us, you know?”

“Then will you let me go if I cry for help?”

“As if.”

“Then there’s no point for me to do that. In fact, I’m more curious why you are aiming for me.”

It would be a lie to say Vio wasn’t scared. But he was different from how he had been a month
ago. He had decided to quarrel with his brother, whose personality resembled a demon’s, so he
had predicted that trouble would befall him. It just came from a slightly unexpected source.

The boy clicked his tongue. “Wow, this guy’s annoying. Captain, let me kill him.”

“Owl! I already told you he’s my prey!”

“What now, Erik? No need to fuss so much. You killed him once, didn’t you?”

“Can’t you see that he’s still alive?”

Apparently, the boy named Owl and Erik weren’t on good terms. The man they called “Captain”
clapped to stop them from glaring at each other. “Start that meaningless quarrel later. Anyway,
let me tell you this because why not. The one we revere as our God is Sophie, the Goddess of
Wisdom. She is the Goddess who can see through time, and for that we shall offer other people’s
time to her.”

“Do you mean you’re sentencing other people to death, sacrificing their remaining lifespan?”
said Vio. “I guess I can make sense of that, but it’s creepy.”

“You’re quick to understand. Well, it’s just as you said. The angel stated that you’re the next
prey, so we came all the way here for your life.”

It’s impossible for Vio to endure his bitter smile. “So I’m the sacrifice, huh? I never imagined
dying like this. What do you think, Legi?”

“Please don’t take the words of those lunatics to heart, Lord Violant. With me by your side, I
won’t let anyone murder my master before my very eyes.” Legion looked around. “Then, who
should I deal with first?”

“So annoying! I take back my words! I’ll kill that guy instead!” Owl shouted, twirling the cane
in his right hand around and pointing the tip toward Legion.

“Heed my wish. O’ water of valor, may your waves slash and billow turbulently!”

But before the waterfall-like waves could reach Legion, he shouted, “Heed my wish. Form thine
supreme shield!”

Upon collision, the sound of impact. And the ground grew flooded.

Vio immediately noticed something and muttered, “Heed my wish. Green ivy, spread your limbs
high to the sky. Sing, O’ Earth!”

“Heed my wish. O’ lady of chill, blow your numbing sigh!”

What was once flooded grew encased in ice. Despite that, their feet were spared from this:
Legion had seen through Owl’s plan. With his master cradled in his arms, Legion had leaped,
breaking away from the range of the attack before Vio, who had originally thought of using the
ivy as a makeshift foothold, realized a thing.

As Legion quickly placed Vio down to safe ground, he whipped around and blocked Erik’s
sword.

Wow…! Does he have eyes behind his head?

Vio stiffened, surprised by the Legion who performed superhuman moves without losing his
cool.

After the clang of five blows exchanged came a heavy sound, Erik sent flying in the air.
Apparently, Legion landed a clean kick on his belly.
Erik rolled around on the muddy ground, causing Vio to wonder just how powerful Legion’s
kick was. He then got up on his knees though he held his stomach, coughs spilling from his
mouth.

Vio, who remained standing behind Legion, noticed that Owl was still holding his cane.

Which prompted him to join the fight as well. “Heed my wish, O’ violent light. Let there be
light!”

Although it was a simple spell, the light bursting before Owl dazzled him, causing him to direct
his offensive magic in the wrong direction. Thuds as the icicles pierced the ground.

“Ugh…” Owl covered his eyes that were hidden by the mask with both hands.

“I know that your nickname is ‘Owl,’ so I’m sure you can see in the dark,” muttered Vio.

“It’s not a nickname! It’s a code name!” snapped Owl. His childish behavior might catch
someone off guard, but not Legion. Legion remained vigilant and turned to the captain to say,
“This is all you can do without that Equestrian Dragon? Why don’t you train a little more?”

No, Legion is just too strong…

The Erik Vio had known was pretty strong man compared to everyone in Nada town. Still, the
way Legion had handled him was as easy as twisting a baby’s arm. Being talented sure was
terrifying.

Still facing the captain, Legion said to Vio, “Thank you for the spell, Lord Violant. But if
possible, please raise a barrier for yourself.”

“I understand.” And Vio immediately did as told.

“Hmph… I guess telling you two to deal with the best knight in this country would be too
difficult, huh?” said the captain, drawing his sword and facing Legion. His posture alone was
intimidating. In Vio’s eyes, he was large, frightening man.

Legion strengthened his grip on his sword held in front of him.

And the moment they tried to move a step, a deafening howl of wind.

“Ugh!” Owl rolled down from the roof, repositioning himself in the air before landing on his
feet. From a distance, a man wearing a hat called out, “What a shame. You should just break
your neck and die… That’ll make it less painful for you too.”

Standing beside that man was another young man, dressed in gray and a good pulled over his
eyes. “Woah… That’s scary, but I agree.” In his hand was a longsword.

“Owl, did you provoke someone from the neighboring countries? Quit it already. Your idiotic
recklessness isn’t suitable for this.”

“Shut up, no need to meddle so much!” yelled Owl as he stood. He then looked suspiciously at
the man wearing the hood. “Hm? Why are you here? You should’ve returned home…”
“Do you know them?” asked Erik, who had finally risen to his feet.

Mizuku nodded. “That guy’s a mercenary named Night. He often gets in the way of my job.”

“Him? I’ve heard of him before. An unsightly monkey who tries to do something clever.”

Hearing those words, Night sneered in displeasure. Following that, he drew his sword and said,
“A monkey? What a rude way to remember someone. Can’t you give me a cooler nickname?”

It was an obvious provocation, but the captain remained calm. “Hmm, we’re at a disadvantage
here with this number of people. Retreat.”

“Tsk.”

“Can’t be helped!”

The captain, Erik, and Owl threw up a smoke screen at the same time. The young man with the
hood blew away the smoke with wind magic, but all three of them had disappeared by that time.

In the midst of drizzle, Vio lowered his guard and looked toward Night. “…Um, Sir Night? Why
are you here?”

To which Night grinned.

Note: We’re sorry for the lateness these past few months. University has been busy lately. From
now on, we should be back on schedule with few delays, if any.

Ch 89 – An Encounter on a Rainy Night (XI)

“I apologize, Princess Liona. I didn’t manage to recognize you at all…”

At present, Vio faced Liona inside the hunter’s hut. Despite having a proper frontal view of her
figure , he was still stunned. This seemed like a dream to him.

“I was in disguise. It’s understandable for you to not recognize me. So Millie, are you satisfied
now?”

Millie nodded. “Yes. Please pardon my continual suspicions toward you, Lord Violant.”

“Ahh… That’s… Well, my family does have quite a bad reputation, so I don’t mind, uhh…”

Sensing Vio’s confusion over Millicent’s true identity, Liona said, “She’s my maid. Her real
name is a secret, but she’s also a lady of a Count’s family.”

“That explains why she’s incredible at playing her role.” Vio looked around the hut and covered
his mouth with his left hand. “Not to mention, Sir Lantz has also been with us this whole time,
and yet… I never suspected at all. How embarrassing.”
Lantz shook his head and said, “Don’t think about it too much, Lord Violant. It was my intention
to remain unnoticed, after all.”

When Vio looked at Legion and Jill, they also spoke up.

“I didn’t suspect a thing either, Lord Violant.”

“Yes. I noticed the similarity in aura, but I didn’t expect them to be the same person… I only
dismissed it as an incidental resemblance.”

Vio felt a little relieved to know that both of them didn’t notice as well.

“I’ve taken great care to ensure that I remained out of your line of sight, Lord Violant, so please
don’t feel bad about not noticing us,” said Night, a bitter smile on his face.

Speaking of which, Vio rarely saw Night in knight garb. “But… Why did you have to return in
disguise like this? If you returned with the rest of your kingdom’s delegation, you would have
had more soldiers escorting you home. Wouldn’t that be safer…?”

“Many people from our kingdom came to Istiah as part of Ruslan’s delegation. Not all of them
are on Princess Liona’s side, so we decided to take this measure. This way, we don’t have to
worry about unexpected attacks the entire journey back. So please keep this a secret.”

Vio nodded in consent. “Of course I will. However… I still feel bad that you got involved in this
matter without knowing anything about it. This is the worst…” Vio held his head.

Seeing Vio’s face pale, Liona replied with a bitter expression, “Actually, it might be the other
way around. I may have involved you in my kingdom’s problem.”

“Ruslan’s? But apparently, they came to take revenge after I embarrassed someone… And one of
the men who attacked me was my former guardian knight. I believe he also has a personal
grudge against me.”

As Vio remembered Erik, he felt a bit unwell and placed his hand on his throat. Catching sight of
this, Jill quickly offered him a glass. “Young Master, here. It’s water.”

“…Thank you, Jill.”

Jill’s kindness warmed Vio’s chest. He accepted the glass and took a sip. After he regained his
composure, he said without any hesitation, “A month ago, Erik came to my mansion in Leca
town riding a dragon and attacked us. At that time, he was in that area as a spy. We were able to
chase him away thanks to Legion, but… Pardon my rudeness, but are they Ruslan soldiers?”

“No way!” exclaimed Liona in a fierce tone. “They are members of a secret organization acting
behind the scenes. We’re having a hard time dealing with them since we haven’t been able to
catch them.” She leaned back on her chair, clearly unhappy. “These people have been ignoring
the voice of Her Majesty, who wishes for peace. I want to capture them, but… they’re always a
one step ahead. Likewise, they’ve also been targeting me.”

Vio asked, “Princess, are you also the sacrifice candidate?”

“That’s right. I’m not very happy about it, but I’m the same as you.”
“I think it’s just a nice excuse to make this whole thing sound righteous. An offering, a
sacrifice… how unpleasant,” said Vio, seething with anger.

Liona looked at Vio, eyes full of interest. “So you can get angry too.”

“Of course. I may be the second son of the Duke’s family, but I’m still a normal human being.
My tolerance levels are just higher than those of most people.”

Jill interjected, “I don’t think so. If we compare Young Master to most people, Young Master
has the patience of a saint. If someone else experienced everything that you have, I’m sure we
would have already seen blood.”

“Jill, no need to flatter me.”

“That wasn’t my intention though… Excuse me for cutting into the conversation,” Jill replied,
lips curled in a bitter smile. When Vio glanced at Jill, he saw Rille behind him shaking her head,
saying, “It’s not flattery.”

“In other words, it takes a lot to make Lord Violant angry, right?” asked Night.

Jill and the others nodded. Liona found their interaction amusing, but she clapped her hands to
bring the conversation back on track. “In any case, that’s how it is. Those people are extremely
annoying. Be careful of your surroundings.”

“I understand. Thank you for the warning, Princess.”

“Mhm.”

The unexpected increase in enemies saddened Vio, but he made sure not to show it on his face.
Since he had read the manga, he knew that Liona had been targeted by the likes of those people
since she was a child. Knowing the extent of her struggles, he couldn’t whine here.

“Right,” said Liona. “Let’s go to Degas together. We can also go to Nada if you’re heading
there.”

Vio responded, “No, I’m planning to go north from Degas, so we’re not going to Nada. I have
business in Endsk, which is famous for its hot springs.”

“Hot springs…? What’s that? Some kind of fruit?” Liona looked around, confused. Liselotte and
Night also didn’t seem to know what that was.

As though he were reading from a dictionary, Lantz began to explain, “Hot springs are like small
basins with hot water gushing out from underneath them. They are often found in volcanic areas
or at the foot of mountains that used to be volcanoes. Hot springs have medicinal properties, so
some people soak in them for health purposes. Endsk is located at the foot of a dormant volcano
called Mana and is also one of the recreational areas in the Lesserhain territory. Nobles often go
there to play in secret.”

Vio was entranced by the way Lantz explained. Nodding several times, he stated, “It’s just as he
said. Sir Lantz, you sure are knowledgeable about this.”

“I can roughly remember all of the notable places in this kingdom,” Lantz replied lightly.
“There’s one more thing,” added Vio. “Hot springs also have beautifying effects, so they’re also
very popular with women.”

“Beautifying effects?” Liselotte slightly lurched forward.

Her reaction surprised Vio a bit. He nodded. “Yes. I heard soaking in a hot spring will make your
skin smoother and more youthful. You can have a healthier body by drinking the water too…”

Liselotte turned to Liona, looking quite serious. “Princess, I don’t mind staying here a little
longer before going home.”

“Huh? But yesterday, you said we shouldn’t wander around—”

Then Liona stepped on Night’s foot, causing him to let out a scream.

Liona turned to Liselotte and nodded in complete agreement. “You’re right, Liselotte. This is a
good opportunity to increase our knowledge of Istiah’s culture. Let’s stop by Endsk.”

“P-Princess? Why did you step on me just now?”

“Night, you’re being annoying. Shut up.”

“So cruel!”

Liona and Liselotte’s eyes shone bright as they glared at him.

Maybe they’re interested in the beautifying effects I mentioned? Vio already knew from his
previous life that women’s eyes tended to instantly change whenever it came to anything beauty-
related. Not only his mother, but even high school girls grew scarily serious about all matters
concerning their appearance.

Maybe effective beauty products or treatments like hot springs haven’t been developed in
Ruslan?

Well, Ruslan was a maritime kingdom. They might not have any hot springs in the first place.
And even in Istiah, most people prefer drinking the water from hot springs rather than soaking in
it. Its image as an orally-taken medicine was more cemented in their minds.

However, Endsk encouraged bathing in hot springs instead. They were popular there as a part of
the general medical treatment process.

“We apologize in advance for the trouble, Lord Violant. Please take us with you to that place.”

Vio couldn’t refuse Liona’s resolute request. “H-huh…? I don’t mind, but… Are you sure about
this?”

Didn’t they travel in disguise like this to ensure their safety?

Night nodded reluctantly. “Yes, it can’t be helped. These two don’t listen once they’ve made
their minds. As usual, I will think of some plans to ensure that we remain undiscovered and
protected during our journey.”
“As expected from my knight.”

“I have a better opinion of you now, Night.”

Night held mixed feelings toward Liona and Liselotte and their praises. “I will do my best.”

Vio nodded, sympathizing with Night’s hardships. It sure was hard for him, getting pushed
around by these girls.

Ch 90 – The Hermit in Endsk (I)

Steam could be seen rising from Endsk’s stone-paved streets, which were soaked in hot water
from the springs underneath them.

After travelling past some vegetable fields, two carriages entered the town of Endsk. They then
passed through an area with many houses, shops, and inns before stopping at the entrance of an
inn, which possessed quite the sophisticated aura.

Dressed as a knight, Liona got off the carriage with Night in tow. She took a look at her
surroundings and exclaimed in admiration, “Ahh, we finally arrived! What an interesting town!”
She didn’t seem to care about the attention she was getting.

Liselotte came down next in her maid uniform and whispered to her, “Princess, you’re showing
improper behavior.”

“Oops, my mistake. Please take my hand, Lord Violant,” said Liona, offering her right hand to
Vio.

But that only made him pale. “Princess, please stop that. You shouldn’t offer your hand to
someone of lower rank.”

“You’re being too uptight. You can just play along with me, you know?”

“My heart can’t handle it!”

Liona only shrugged in response to Vio’s stubborn refusal. Behind Liona, Legion said in a mild
tone, “Princess, please refrain from playing around too much.”

“I understand…” Liona reluctantly moved back. Legion took her place and offered his hand to
Vio. Vio placed his left hand on top of it and disembarked from the carriage.

This is really bad for my heart…

Vio breathed in.

During their stay in Degas town, Night had announced the plan he had come up with. Afterward,
they decided to implement it before leaving Degas.

His suggestion had been to paint Liona’s black carriage green, then rent an unmanned black
carriage and have it depart for Nada town. Meanwhile, Liona and the others would pretend to be
Vio’s servants and follow him to Endsk.
That was why Countess Liselotte had now become Maid Liselotte. Meanwhile, the others used
the same disguises they had donned when they had left Nada town.

Actually, there was another reason why Liselotte had to change her disguise. It wouldn’t be good
for rumors about Lady Liselotte and Lord Violant traveling together to arise and spread. An
unmarried man and woman travelling together was considered a scandalous matter. As such,
having her act as his servant would be better.

They had yet to discover any signs of being pursued so far.

Vio took the inn’s largest suite and gave the room to Liona, intending to stay in the servant’s
room. However, Jill, who had gotten off the carriage ahead of them to head to the reception desk,
came back with a graceful elder in tow.

“I have rented the room, Young Master. This is Mister Brown. He’s the manager of the inn.”

“Welcome, Lord Violant. My name is Sugal Brown,” said Brown, extending his hand toward
him. Vio accepted the handshake then tentatively said, “Uh, Sugar?”

“No, it’s Sugal. Sugal Brown.”

“Ah, I apologize. I’ve just never heard of such a name before…”

“It’s fine. It’s a rather common name around this area, but I do often hear that from guests who
hail from other regions,” Brown replied, emphasizing the word “region.” The Leca town that Vio
governed could certainly be considered a rural area in the eyes of foreigners, but he didn’t expect
to be ridiculed right at the very start. And even without that fact, these people might still look
down on him due to his reputation as the “incompetent younger brother.”

Vio pretended not to notice the hidden barbs in his words. “Then, I’ll be under your care,
Brown.”

“Yes, you will surely be satisfied.”

Brown’s mouth was pretty sharp, but the room he prepared was great. The room was decorated
in mainly white and green and looked like a great place to relax. Outside the main building was a
private annex, equipped with a private bath.

If Princess didn’t say that she would fund us, we wouldn’t have chosen to stay in this room…

They would have stayed in a three-star inn in disguise instead. Unlike in the royal capital, no
nobles would start rumors here, so it was completely fine to settle for a more economic option.

Once all the luggage were brought into the room’s entrance hall, Vio had the inn’s maid and staff
leave the room.

“Princess, please take the bedroom. Miss Liselotte can use the servant room next door. I will take
the servant room on the second floor.”

“Ah, then I’ll take you up on that offer. Thank you, Lord Violant.”
“I don’t mind this arrangement, but please make sure not to leave any hair or things like that in
the room, Miss Liselotte. If people discover that a woman has been using this room… Uh…”

“They’ll misunderstand that you brought a woman here?”

Vio looked away, face bitter. It was just as Liona said, but he didn’t know how he should reply
after she stated it so clearly. Then Liselotte complained, “Princess, please know a bit of shame.
You’re troubling Lord Violant.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go enjoy the baths now!”

“You’re not listening at all!”

As Liselotte put her hands on her waist, Jill handed her a booklet describing the correct bathing
method and said, “Please enjoy yourselves.”

“Sir Lantz, we’re going up.”

“Alright, thank you for your cooperation, Lord Violant.”

Vio nodded to Lantz who bowed before going back to the entrance hall with Jill. He climbed the
stairs with Liona’s coachman Royce, Night, Cheval, Rille, Legion, and Hauser carrying the
luggage. The Samarellis weren’t here since they were going to stay at the mage’s house to
discuss Vio.

“Would you like a hand?” Vio asked, thinking they were all busy, but everyone simultaneously
answered, “Not at all!”

Vio actually wanted to try unpacking his own luggage, but the others would definitely find it
unacceptable to have their master help them. Since he knew they wouldn’t yield, he gave up. “I
was joking… Where’s my room?”

“It’s here.” Rille guided him to another private room, which seemed to be the room prepared for
the head of the butlers and maids. It was a lot smaller than Vio’s room in Leca town, but it was
still properly furnished with a closet, table, and chairs.

“I will go unpack your luggage now, Master. Please just relax here,” said Rille, going back to
carry the luggage.

Meanwhile, Jill said, “Young Master, let me prepare you some tea.” Then he left the room for a
while before returning with tea, along with some sweets and books.” After setting them on the
table, he went out again.

After taking a sip of the tea, Vio couldn’t endure his curiosity and tried to sit on the bed. The
mattress was a bit hard and had no covers, but it was sturdy. He could also smell an herbal
fragrance coming from the blanket. Since it at least looked clean, Vio had nothing to complain
about.

Vio wondered whether the servants’ beds were always like this. As he patted the cotton pillow
with interest, Jill carried a trunk into the room. He then moved its contents into the closet.

With nothing to do, Vio chatted with Jill. “This is a good room.”
“The rooms in our mansion in Leca town are better.”

“But at least it’s clean and well-furnished. There are also windows here, so the room is bright
and well-ventilated.”

“Hmm, and it’s nice to see that there’s a roof, walls, and a floor as well,” Jill retorted.

Vio clapped his hands and laughed. “Yes, yes, that’s right. I like that.”

Jill laughed along as he replied, “Is that so?”

At that moment, Night appeared at the open door, seeming to have heard their laughter from the
hallway. “I’m glad you are in a good mood, Lord Violant. I was worried about what I should do
if you were dissatisfied with this servant’s room.”

“I don’t mind as long as the room is clean. Ah, but a secure, locked room and good tea are a
must. I’m satisfied as long as I have those two things. Nothing beats peace and calmness.”

Vio’s reply stunned Night. “That’s… You’re right. It’s just as you said. ”

“I like this room so you don’t have to worry about me. Please focus on your other duties.”

“Thank you for your concern. Please let me know if you have any problems.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine. I have a good butler here.” Vio shot Jill a playful glance. As Jill
chuckled and bowed, Night watched their exchange with a smile. Afterward, he also bowed and
left the room.

Ch 91.1 – The Hermit in Endsk (II)

During the day, Liona, who had a lot of fun in the hot spring, not only allowed Vio to experience
it, but the others as well.

While the hot spring in the annex was located near the garden, it was impenetrable to peeping
toms, being surrounded by walls and all.

Tired after taking a long bath earlier, Liona chose to relax in her room until dinner.

And so, Vio decided to try out the hot spring, uncomfortable and sweaty from the hot weather.

I’ve already tried out a hot spring on a trip in my previous life, but this is my first time as Vio.

Baths hardly proved extravagant in this world. Probably because of the existence of spirit magic,
allowing people to clean themselves faster. Though Vio had never paid a visit to a commoner’s
home before, he had heard that most owned a bath. Even if they didn’t, they could just make a
trip to a public one.

“Right!” said Vio, a good idea flashing in his mind. He stepped foot out of the room. In the
hallway, Legion stood guard dutifully next to the door as he talked to Cheval and Lantz.
“Legi… Ah, sorry for interrupting.”

“No, it’s nothing important. Is there a problem, Lord Violant?”

Noticing Cheval and Lantz tactfully trying to withdraw after a quick bow, Vio said, “Wait, you
two can stay here. Princess Liona said she’s going to rest for today, so we are free to have a soak
in the hotspring. Everyone can take turns.”

“Really? That sounds very nice.”

“Yep. That’s why, how about we go together?”

“…What?” said Legion, stiffening.

Under the impression that Legion didn’t understand him, Vio said, “Why don’t we enter the
hotspring together? I heard sharing a bath with subordinates of the same gender will deepen the
bond and understanding between both the superior and his subordinates. That’s what my father
and brother did… I don’t really know, but it’s pretty common for nobles, isn’t it?” Vio’s words
and actions clearly illustrated his hope to take a bath with Legion.

And yet Legion let out a strangled groan, the expression on his face that of a dying man.
Moreover, Cheval and Lantz looked at Legion faces of pity. Such reactions baffled Vio.

Read this at perpetualdaydreams.com

“Pardon me, but I have to stand guard…”

“We can leave that to Jill while we’re bathing. He’s pretty strong, you know.”

“I know, but… Nevertheless, I will have to reject your offer,” said Legion. “I shall take a quick
shower later.”

“…I see. Okay. Sorry for bothering you,” said Vio with reluctance, not wanting to force Legion
into doing something he didn’t want. But he didn’t give up entirely, shifting his target to Cheval
and Lantz. What a pity that when he turned to them, they suddenly moved away.

“Ahh, excuse me, Lord Violant. I have a meeting to attend now.”

“Yes, yes. Forgive us. Wah, we’re so busy.”

As they left, they emphasized the extent of their busyness, over and over again.

With Jill standing guard by his side, Vio stepped foot within the open-air bath. The scent of
sulfur brought forward a burst of nostalgia.
A small flower resembling a chrysanthemum floated on the water’s surface. Probably a part of
the herbs with medicinal benefits that had been mixed into the bath water..

“Jill, do you think Legi hates me?” Vio asked, a bitter expression on his face.

To which Jill looked at Vio in surprise. “…What makes you think so, Young Master?”

“When I invited him to bathe together and deepen our relationship, he refused me. Sir Cheval
and Sir Lantz also ran away from me.”

Laughter spilled from Jill’s lips at Vio’s complaints, unusually loud in volume. Vio could only
stare at him in shock, watching Jill clear his throat to keep his composure.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry. It’s nothing… I just think they’re still young. How cute.”

“What do you mean?”

“They are probably too embarrassed to take a bath with Young Master. Please don’t forget your
position as a noble.”

Vio wasn’t convinced by that answer. “But Father and Brother bathed with their subordinates.”

“Young Master is a special case.”

“Even you’re not answering my question now… Why are they embarrassed? Shouldn’t it be me
who feels inferior if we take a bath together?”

Vio leaned against the bath frame. Scooped some hot water with his palms palms. Reflected
upon the water’s surface was the face of a young and fragile boy.

As knights, Legion and the others had fit bodies. Imagining their muscular, strong, and
masculine figures was an easy task. Yet Vio was so sickly that even his skin appeared pale. He
didn’t look very healthy, and he hated that.

The aesthetic sense of this country leaned toward a healthier side. Vio had a pretty face, but he
believed that due to his frail appearance, he was far from the preference of most people around.

“Young Master, if you’re saying that you’re a bean sprout or anything like that again, I will scold
you.”

Vio fell silent because of that. Jill had read his mind. He didn’t want to get scolded.

Jill asked, genuinely curious, “Why are you so unhappy, Young Master? You don’t even get mad
about the servant’s room, and yet…”

“I want to take a bath with my subordinates. It has always been one of my wishes.”

“…Hm. This is hard. Young Master is being unusually willful, but to my surprise it’s not
something I can easily solve.”
“Ah, right. Maybe they don’t want to come in with me because it’s a private bath? How about
going to a public bath?”

“Absolutely not!”

A yelp of surprise escaped Vio’s lips as he recoiled from fright, rushing to adjust his posture and
looking back at Jill.

Jill’s expression proved serious. In a clear voice, he once again said, “Absolutely! Not!”

“I-I get it… You don’t have to be so angry,” replied Vio to calm him, confused.

Ch 91.2
As Legion spoke with Night about security in the entrance hall, Vio, who had just taken a bath,
came out of the living room in a robe. Legion bowed to Vio, but the latter turned away with a
huff and went upstairs.

Vio had only treated Legion coldly when Legion had just arrived in Leca town. The sudden
change had him stunned. “Eh…”

Night asked, “Sir Legion, did you do something?”

A chuckle escaped from Jill, who had arrived a little while after Vio left. “He was looking
forward to taking a bath with his subordinates, but you people refused him. Please get a hold of
yourself, Sir Legion. You are the best knight in the kingdom, right? You should develop some
perseverance.”

“Y-yes… But—”

“Well, I understand your feelings. For now, try to lighten his mood.”

“I understand.”

Jill patted his shoulder before he headed upstairs.

Overhearing the situation, Night wore a sympathetic expression. “So that’s how it is. Alright, I
get it now. Even if Lord Violant is a man, it’s embarrassing to take a bath with such a beautiful
person. I can’t do it either.”

“Me too,” said Cheval, who stepped foot through the entrance. “While I’m not interested in men,
I’d say Lord Violant is an exception. Whenever I interact with him, it feels like I will
accidentally open another door. It’s scary.”

“Please control your language, Sir Cheval. I hope you can stop lumping Sir Legion together with
the likes of you,” Lantz said with a cold tone. He had just descended the stairs from the second
floor, hat in his hand.

Eyes catching it, Legion asked, “Are you heading outside?”

“I’m just going to check our surroundings. That aside… Sir Legion, are you alright?”
“Thank you for your concern, Sir Lantz. To be honest, I’m not a saint. I have never cared about
taking a bath with a man, but Lord Vio’s different. Even so, his cold demeanor is better than
being hated by him.”

“I see. That’s good to hear.” Lantz gave Legion a nod and slapped Cheval’s arm before he left
the building.

A frown slid its way across Legion’s lips. “Hey, Cheval. Did you do something to anger Sir
Lantz? He has on the same cold gaze that Rille wears when looking at you.”

“No… It’s just that he found out I had been fooled into an affair in the past…”

“What? I’ve told you so many times that you should be careful of who your partner is! Are you
an idiot?” Legion kicked Cheval’s leg lightly.

Read this at perpetualdaydreams.com

In response, Cheval raised his hands in surrender. “Stop it! I’ve said it before, it’s in the past
now! I almost got killed by her husband!”

“You’re really helpless. You should do something about how you treat women.”

“Look whose mouth is saying that… You’d also accept if a beauty invites you on a date, right?”

“I’m not as crazy as you, going to bed on the same day we met!”

Bitter laughter. Then Night said, “Um, Sir Legion… Why don’t you read this? Maybe you can
find inspiration to better Lord Violant’s mood.” He handed Legion a folded piece of paper, who
opened it.

“A pamphlet?”

Written on the paper was ‘Endsk Tourist Attractions’.

“I got this from Jill, but I’ll give it to you since I’ve already memorized it. I’m sorry that the
paper’s crumpled.”

“You memorized this?”

“I have a good memory. I can remember anything after seeing it once. Anyhow, I’ll return to
patrolling. Please tell me if you’re going outside.”

“I-I understand.”

Once Night had gone to the living room, Legion muttered in admiration, “So there’s someone
who can remember things just by looking at them once. What a great ability.”

“He won’t outclass you, though? Once you see how your opponent fights, you can deal with
them effectively. You can avoid spells, and you can even beat a dragon. For a normal person like
me, it’s reassuring to have superhumans like you two around,” Cheval said, standing next to the
door to the living room.
“What’s so normal about you? Stop saying nonsense, and get back to work.”

“Yes, yes.”

It was time for Legion to return to Vio’s side as his guard.

Ch 93 – The Hermit in Endsk (IV)

Upon exiting the bar and lounge, Vio, Legion, and Jill walked along the hallway. “Your timing
was perfect, Legi. Thank you.”

“Uhh, what did I do?” asked Legion, a confused expression on his face.

Jill replied, “That person’s unscrupulous gaze earlier was making Young Master uncomfortable.
Your arrival made for a good excuse to leave.”

“So that’s what happened. I’m honored to have been of help. Where are we going after this? I
shall accompany you.”

With a bitter smile, Vio announced, “I’m heading back to my room. Seriously, I thought taking a
trip to the bar would be a refreshing change, but I can’t stand the smell of cigars. It makes me
cough, so I don’t like it. Things may also become complicated if that person shows up again, so
I’ll stop going to the lounge.”

“Yes, please don’t force yourself. Cigars aren’t indispensable in men’s social gatherings, and
you shouldn’t get sick because of them.”

“I should take a bath first. The stench has stuck to my hair and clothes.”

Vio was sensitive to odors. He wouldn’t be able to sleep if he went straight to bed right now.

“If so, then I have the perfect thing for that. Please use this.” Legion held up a small paper bag.

“What is that?”

“Incense. I will light it in your room.”

“Sure.” Vio nodded. But he also wondered when Legion had left to buy that.

Once Legion lit the triangular incense, a refreshing citrus scent filled the room.

“Oh, this is a nice scent.”

“I’m happy to know you like it.” Then Legion timidly asked Vio, “By the way… are you in a
better mood now? Or are you still angry at me?”

Vio glared at Legion before pouting. “Did you buy this because you still worry about what
happened in the evening? Then you shouldn’t have bothered. Just agree to share a bath with me,
and everything will be solved.”

“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”

“I feel nervous.”

“I can still understand if I were a member of the royal family or the head of my family, but I’m
the second son, okay? What is it about me that makes you nervous?”

Legion grew overwhelmed, not knowing how to respond. But afterward, he looked as though he
had come to some decision and opened his mouth, saying, “Lord Violant, please be a little more
conscious of your charm.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“That is exactly what I’m trying to say! To put it simply, bathing with Lord Violant is like being
asked to take a bath with a pure maiden. I can’t do it!” Legion exclaimed in desperation,
becoming more embarrassed with every word that left his lips. At the same time, his face turned
a bright red.

“A… pure maiden?” Vio thought he had misheard, but then Jill nodded in full agreement. Face
dead serious, Legion continued, “Please imagine this. What if an innocent girl who’s around
fifteen years old comes in while you’re taking a bath?”

Vio tried imagining it, but if a girl were to do that to him, he could only think of her as a
scheming person trying to mislead the public and force him to take her as his wife. In such a
situation, he would’ve called his servants in a haste and driven her away.

Hm? Or maybe I’d think that I’m lucky?

But that would depend on what kind of person the girl was. Vio considered it a little longer and
came to a conclusion. “Innocent girls won’t do that in the first place,” he declared.

“It’s just an example. What if that girl asks you to take a bath together?”

“Even if she only said it as a joke, jokes regarding this topic aren’t something that can simply be
taken in good nature, so I’ll make her stop. I’ll tell her she should only say those things to the
man she loves or her husband once she gets married.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Legion heaved out a deep sigh, completely at his wits’ end. Then
with a tired look, he once again asked, “Then, how would you feel if a more mature Flora were
to invite you to share a bath with her?”

“Huh?!” Vio adopted a serious look. “That’s… I definitely won’t stand for it. I will do my best
to escape.”

“That is exactly how I feel with the thought of sharing a bath with you.”

“I see. I think I can somehow understand, but… I’m a man, you know?”

“Lord Violant is different.”

Vio was now confused. But one moment later, he realized a possibility. “Hey, Legi. While I
don’t think this is true, do I look like a girl?”
“A girl? I think people will mistake you as one if you dress in feminine clothes, but you don’t
look like one when you dress normally,” Legion answered honestly.

Mixed feelings swirled in Vio’s chest regarding what Legion had said about him being able to
pass off as a girl. But he was at least relieved by the fact that he still looked like a man.
However, there was one thing he couldn’t understand. “It’s good that I don’t look like one. But
then, why did that man from before come to greet me?” Vio muttered.

When Legion heard this, an incredulous expression appeared on his face. “What do you mean?”

“I extended my right hand for a handshake, but instead, he kissed the back of my hand. I’m the
second son of my family, so a handshake should be enough, and yet—”

“What…?!” Legion looked shocked. Then the next instant, he bowed and left the room before
coming back with a wet towel. “Please excuse me.”

“Uh…” Vio stared at Legion, who began to wipe his right hand with a towel, his eyes blank.
“Just what happened to you all of a sudden?”

“It’s become filthy. I can’t forgive this.”

“Well, you’re right in a sense. The mouth does contain a lot of germs…”

Legion shot Vio a look of disbelief. Vio asked him what the matter was with his gaze. However,
Legion only shook his head as if he had given up and retracted the towel. And Vio still couldn’t
understand his behavior. “Hey, did I say something wrong?” he asked.

“It’s nothing, Young Master. Even though you’re typically a smart boy, your extreme denseness
is also a part of your virtue. Please don’t worry since we’re always by your side,” Jill calmly
stated.

“…Okay? I don’t get it but alright.” Although still mystified, Vio nodded once. Then he finally
processed the meaning behind Jill’s words and frowned. “Hey, that isn’t praise, right?”

Jill shrugged and didn’t answer. Legion also had a complex expression on his face, as though
he’d abandoned all hope in Vio understanding.

As Vio watched the two exchange resolute nods like they had decided to do their best, he left
out.

Ch 94 – The Hermit in Endsk (V)

The next morning came, and still, Vio was unable to understand why Legion had been behaving
strangely.

After a quick breakfast, Vio prepared to go meet the mage that Dawn was acquainted with. Liona
and her group were planning to go for a walk in the town for the day.

“Lord Violant, Mister Dawn has come to pick you up.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

By the time Vio and his entourage arrived at the inn’s lobby, he saw that Dawn was already
present, seated on a chaise lounge as he waited. Vio made his way towards Dawn, who noticed
him and quickly stood, bowing.

“Morning, Dawn,” greeted Vio, “Where’s Yuan?”

“Good morning. Yuan is at my father-in-law’s house. Also, regarding the meeting venue…”

“I don’t mind talking to him somewhere else if he finds cleaning up for a visitor troublesome.
We can go to a cafeteria, right?” Vio asked.

Dawn shook his head with an apologetic expression. “My father-in-law doesn’t like places like
that… I’m sorry. I was just about to say that the venue may make you feel cramped.”

“Ah, so he’s not a very sociable person. Okay, let’s go. Guide me there.”

Guided by Dawn, the group left the inn and headed towards the outskirts of Endsk’s shopping
district.. They arrived at a gloomy and dimly-lit two-story building with a store on the ground
level. It looked like it was about to collapse at any time.

It looks even more like a haunted house than where Dawn lived in the royal capital.

Vio was a little worried about the possibility of the roof collapsing, but decided that it wasn’t
likely since people were living in the building. A bell attached to the top of the door rang when
he entered the store, and Vio was greeted by a dimly-lit interior. Many items decorated the
shelves embedded into the walls, and products were put out on display on desks. A few books
were also for sale.

So this was the so-called “magic store” Vio had heard of before.

Wah, it looks exactly like a witch’s house from a fantasy movie.

Vio was fascinated as he looked around. Then, he found a surprising item in one of the glass
shelves. He cheered at the magic tool. “Wow! You’re kidding, there’s no way I’m currently
seeing this thing in real life!”

Dawn approached him and looked into the glass display case in puzzlement. “What’s so special
about that? Isn’t that a kitchen utensil?”

“No way! It’s called a ‘Magic Condenser.’ You can get ten gold coins even if you sell it for
cheap.”

“Ten gold coins!? Why is an amazing tool like that displayed in this place…?” responded Dawn,
before he asked, “In the first place, just what is that machine?”

Vio explained, “There’s this filter-like thing here, right? This machine takes a small amount of
magic power from the surroundings through here and fills the empty magic stone the user places
under the machine.”

Dawn stared at the machine, clearly unable to believe his explanation. “That kind of product
exists…?”
Vio nodded. “I don’t know if it’s worth it though. It takes a lot of time to fill the magic stones,
and the equipment itself is expensive. But you’ll find it in places where a lot of mages work.
After all, their line of work makes magic stones a necessity.”

It took a lot of time for a “Magic Condenser” to be efficient, but it’s a little cheaper than buying
a natural magic stone with plenty of magic power.

“Oh…? I heard that a young master from a noble family would come here today, but he’s
surprisingly knowledgeable.”

Both Vio and Dawn looked away from the glass display. An old man had appeared from the door
behind the counter of the store. He had sharp green eyes and light brown hair with gray streaks.

Dawn had an awkward expression, moving to protect the old man behind him as he introduced
him to Vio. “Please pardon him. He’s my father-in-law…”

“Let’s just get this over with. I’m Zora Confield, I’ll have to decline your offer,” Zora, the old
man, said mercilessly.

Dawn arched his brows. “Father-in-law, you promised yesterday that you would at least listen to
them first, didn’t you?”

“Hmph. I’m not free enough to go along with a noble boy’s game. Go home,” said Zora to Vio,
before he looked at Dawn. “Ah, you can go home too. Leave Yuan here.”

“Huh!? I won’t give my son to you, you crazy dad!”

“How shameless, not letting me talk to my grandson even though I haven’t seen him for a long
time! It’s a good thing that Yuan resembles my daughter more than he does you!”

Dawn and Zora began to glare at each other.

“Are you two arguing again?” asked Yuan as he came out from behind Zora and into the store,
giving the two adults an exasperated look. “…There are customers.”

He went through the gap next to the counter and bowed towards Vio. “I’m sorry for my father
and my grandfather. Grandfather said that he would properly talk to Lord Vio, but it seems like
he forgot after he went to bed,” Yuan said, casually treating his grandfather as a forgetful old
man.

Vio didn’t know if he should laugh, so he nodded for now. “I-I see…”

“I’ll try to convince him, so please come back again. I’m really sorry to make you come this
far…”

Even though Yuan was a child, he appeared quite mature when he apologized properly.

Yuan then began to explain the situation to Vio and the others, saying, “My father and
grandfather aren’t on good terms. I don’t think he likes the fact that Father married Mother…” he
glanced at the two still glaring at each other. “It’s always like this every time they meet. They’re
just like kids.”
“Ah, so it’s like that. Okay then. By the way, does your grandfather make these tools too?” asked
Vio, gesturing to the magic tools in the glass displays. “He’s a mage, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. This store is famous to those in the know, and it’s still quite popular. The
building’s appearance is a bit too much, though…”

“I see.”

That meant that Zora could make magic tools and items—a talented man, one who was very
difficult to come by. Vio was suddenly motivated. It would be nice if he could persuade Zora to
come to Leca town.

Our budget is a bit tight, but… it’s worth it.

Although Zora’s attitude was blunt, his store showed that he was a pretty amazing person. Even
just knowing that was worthwhile enough for Vio.

“Then once he’s willing to talk to me, can you contact me at the inn?” asked Vio.

“Yes, of course!”

Having ended their conversation, Yuan then saw them off with a polite bow as Vio and his
entourage left the store.