EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 205

Chapter 205

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In the heart of the highest region in the Duchy of Elard.

Even in the dead of night, the area was illuminated by magic stone lanterns installed throughout. This was where the Rexion Knights were currently undergoing night training.

Not long ago, their pride as the Empire’s strongest knight order had been shaken during the battle with monsters. In response, the knights were undergoing intense training in this location.

Until then, they had been confident in their swordsmanship, but now that they had encountered monsters that couldn’t be harmed by anything other than mana-based attacks, their top priority had become training to imbue their swords with aura.

This was no different for Allen and Jack, both sword masters.

The two were currently sparring in a separate area.

Their swords clashed at a speed almost too fast for the naked eye to follow. When Jack’s blade slipped sharply through an opening, Allen barely managed to block the attack in time.

The impact sent a sharp jolt of aura from his wrist up to his elbow.

Allen staggered back with a groan, and Jack quickly lowered his sword and looked at him.

Given that their skills were usually evenly matched, Jack found it odd that Allen had taken the full force of the blow like that.

Moreover, throughout the session, Allen’s stance seemed shaky, and he had failed to deflect several attacks properly.

Ever since hearing news from the duke’s estate via a servant sent from the capital that morning, Allen had seemed strangely distracted.

“Are you alright?” Jack asked as he lowered his sword.

Allen gave an awkward smile.

“Let’s call it a day. I need to be back in the capital tomorrow, and I don’t want to oversleep.”

Thanks to their enthusiasm, many knights had become adept at aura manipulation during this training period.

They had achieved far more than initially planned. And since the Duchy of Belus, concerned about potential monster attacks, had given each Rexion knight a teleport scroll, they were planning to return to the capital ahead of schedule.

Jack nodded at Allen’s words and sheathed his sword. Then he stared at him, as if waiting for him to say more.

“What?” Allen asked.

“You have something to say, don’t you?”

“…You noticed?”

When Jack nodded, Allen—who had been itching to talk all day—finally gave in and spoke.

“It’s about Lia.”

“Lia?”

“Yeah! So apparently, I didn’t know this either, but Her Grace the Grand Duchess and my father made a promise when they were young…to marry their children if they had any!”

“What?”

“You’re surprised too, right? I was so shocked when I heard it today!”

This morning, a servant from the duke’s estate had told Allen that Duke Elard and the Grand Duchess of Belus had agreed long ago to unite their families through marriage, and rumors were that they were planning to honor that promise soon.

Allen shifted bashfully as he explained this. Jack, who had gone silent, spoke stiffly.

“So… you’re saying there’s a marriage proposal being discussed between the Duchy of Belus and House Elard?”

“Exactly!”

Allen nodded and continued.

“Since there’s a big age gap between Ascart and Diana, and since Lia was practically lost from birth, I guess that’s why nothing’s come of it until now.”

At that moment, Jack abruptly turned his head.

The vice commander of the Rexion Knights, and Jack’s foster father, Taze, was standing awkwardly nearby. He seemed to have overheard their conversation while coming to tell them training was over.

“Is it true?” Jack asked.

Taze’s shoulder flinched at the question. Though he looked as stoic as ever, he recognized the subtle tremble in Jack’s voice.

Knowing Jack’s long-standing devotion, Taze gave a heavy nod.

“His Grace mentioned something along those lines before.”

“Really?” Allen chimed in, face lighting up.

“Then does that mean I might really marry Lia?”

“…”

“Well, of course! We’re only two years apart, and we’ve been close since childhood!”

Speaking excitedly, Allen suddenly looked embarrassed and shook his head.

“But still, how could the two of us get… m-married? Right, Jack? What do you think?”

“I think it’s absurd,” Jack said flatly.

“R-Really…?”

Allen made a sheepish face at Jack’s firm response. Then Jack continued,

“No matter what promises the adults made, a major decision like marriage shouldn’t be made without the consent of the people involved.”

“Well, in noble families, that kind of thing isn’t unusual…”

“Even for nobles, shouldn’t the opinions of the couple be respected? We should hear what Lia has to say. Since you don’t seem too keen on the idea either, I think it’s best you speak up clearly. If you do, the Duke and Her Grace will definitely not push the matter.”

“…Yeah, you’re right. They’re not the kind of people who’d force it.”

Jack wasn’t wrong about anything.

Still, for some reason, Allen felt irritated and gave Jack a grumpy look.

Jack, too, had a somewhat gloomy expression.

At times like this, there was only one option.

“Jack, how about another round of sparring?”

This time, he had a feeling he could focus، unlike the distracted fool he’d been earlier.

“Let’s do it.”

No sooner had Jack replied than the two raised their swords again.

Taze let out a small sigh and stepped back.

 

***

 

The next day, as scheduled, the Rexion Knights arrived at the duke’s estate using teleportation scrolls.

While Taze headed to the duke’s office to report their return and the rest of the knights went to their quarters to rest, Allen quickly showered and made his way to Diana’s room.

He hadn’t seen his younger sister in days, and he wanted to hear more details about the rumor.

With light steps, he approached the door—only to pause when he heard the voices inside.

“Kyaa! Dame Jane, that was so cool! Please show me that move again!”

“Lady Diana, feel free to just call me Jane.”

“Shall I?”

Diana’s voice rang out, full of excitement.

Diana, who was usually picky and aloof with people, was chatting so cheerfully?

Curious, Allen knocked on the door and it swung open immediately.

“Oh? Brother, you’re here already?”

“Already? Don’t tell me you didn’t even miss your dear brother?”

Grumbling at his ungrateful sister, Allen gave the armed maid from the Duchy of Belus a cautious once-over.

“Say hello! This is Dame Jane, Lia’s lady-in-waiting and bodyguard knight!”

Only then did Allen relax and nod. Diana eagerly asked Jane to demonstrate the move again.

Female knights were rare even within the Empire, including in the Rexion Order, so she seemed quite excited.

But soon, Diana looked sullen.

“Jane, you’re so lucky. I used to want to become a knight and protect Sister too.”

“Really? Hmm, it’s not too late, Lady Diana. I started wielding a sword later than most.”

“But I don’t think I have much talent…”

“I believe perseverance is more important than talent!”

Not realizing Jane was as talented as Allen or Jack, Diana’s eyes sparkled with hope.

“Really? Great! Then teach me swordsmanship until we return to the duchy! If we end up living together someday, I might become a knight too with steady training!”

“You’re right. I’ll follow Her Highness even after she marries, so I’ll teach you whenever I can.”

“Yay! That’s awesome!”

Diana clapped her hands, thrilled by Jane’s response.

Watching their smooth and pleasant conversation, Allen’s face suddenly turned bright red.

‘The rumors were true!’

Fanning his flushed face with his hand, Allen froze for a moment.

Now that he thought about it, if Lia’s bodyguard was here, that meant…

“Diana. Is Lia at the estate right now?”

“Yep! She’s in the library.”

Diana responded cheerfully.

Allen paused at the word ‘library,’ then asked again.

“The main library?”

“Yeah, she’s there ri—”

Before Diana could finish, Allen flung the door open and rushed out of the room in a panic.

Diana tilted her head in confusion.

“I was about to say she’s with big brother in the library…”

She had meant to tell Allen not to disturb them, but quickly decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.

Turning back to Jane, Diana’s eyes sparkled with determination. Until she awakened her true potential, she was ready to do whatever it took.

 

***

 

The moment Allen heard Lia was in the library, he changed direction and headed there, his heart pounding for reasons he couldn’t quite explain.

It felt just like the old days—finishing sword training and running off to find Lia playing with Diana.

‘She must still love books, huh?’

He could vividly picture Lia, with her brown hair, neatly reading a thick book with no pictures, surrounded by towering stacks.

Then he stopped and smacked his forehead.

‘She’s got pink hair now, you idiot.’

Diana was right, he really was an idiot now.

Shaking his head in self-mockery at the sudden realization, Allen started walking again.

Before he knew it, he was practically running. Soon, he reached the front of the library.

Without pausing, Allen reached out and opened the door.

But the moment he did, his expression froze.

Just as in his memories, Lia sat on the sofa, unmoving. But beside her…

“Allen?”

“S-Sorry!”

Before Lucio could finish saying his name, Allen slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Then he took off running in the opposite direction. He didn’t stop until he hit a solid wall.

Gasping for breath, Allen clenched his eyes shut. His heart pounded furiously.

He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen. Even though he’d seen it with his own eyes, it felt unreal.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t anything outrageous.

Lia and Lucio had simply been sitting side by side on the sofa.

They weren’t holding hands or kissing or anything intense like that, but emotionally, it felt like he had witnessed something far more intimate.

‘I’ve never seen him smile like that before.’

Unlike Lia, who had only been picking at the food on the table, Lucio had been gazing at her with a tender, affectionate smile.

While toying with a strand of her hair, winding it around his finger and letting it go, over and over again.

 

Oh! I missed this novel so much!