After that day, the intensity of my training increased.

  It was to the point that I almost coughed up blood.

  That hellish day continued for over a month.

  I could not catch my breath or rest during that time.

  I could not spend as much time with Lilia as I intended.

  Yet, today I got the long-gone, well-deserved rest.

  Out of the blue, Bishop Leon gave me a whole day break.

  However, because it was unplanned, I could not invite Lilia on a date.

  So, I could only settle with a small tea party with her.

  That, too, was granted by me, intruding on her ‘time’ for bonding with her brother.

  I could not hide my guilt when I saw Luke and Rick stare at me as if I were their father’s murderer.

  Yet, I decided to be selfish.

  It was for my future with Lilia.

  Yet, this evening, unlike the usual, I did not hold our tea party in the salon or the garden; we had our little tea party on the hilltop, slightly adjacent to the mansion.

  Come to think of this point, we can treat it as a picnic.

  We can also consider it as our little date if we minus the fact that Rick and Lilia joined us.

  No, I should not phrase it like that.

  It was I who intruded on their tea party.

  I used the excuse that I was too excited to wait for them to finish preparing the venue, and I secretly tried to invite Lilia to accompany me there before the time.

  It was my attempt to create my alone time with her.

  Yet, I did not know from where they caught wind of it.

  Rick and Luke stood in front of us the moment Lilia and I left the mansion.

  So, in the end, I could not be alone with Lilia.

  As we walked, they kept hindering me all the time.

  It was getting on my nerves that I was about to blow up.

  Because of Lillia’s intervention, it ended as a small argument.

  However, because of our small argument, the preparation was delayed.

  I really resented them.

  Oh, I think there is something worth mentioning here.

  While we were waiting for the maids to finish setting up the table, from our position, we saw a group of armed men accompanying a worn-out carriage as it entered the mansion’s gate.

  At first, I thought someone was trying to cause trouble with Duke Willow; however, the maid's expression did not change, so I thought they may be aware of it.

  They might be friendly to use.

  That speculation was answered by Rick.

  As I was observing that group with Lilia, he came from behind us and calmly explained.

  “They are from the sellsword company sponsored by Count Issac.”

  As he said that, he squeezed himself in and stood between Lilia and me.

  He tried to act as naturally as possible.

  I could tell his intention from his body language.

  His side gaze speaks volumes.

  Unaware of the little war Rick and I were waging, Lilia innocently looked up at Rick and asked him.

  “What are they doing here?”

  Facing her question and upturned gaze, Rick did not reply.

  It might be too stunning for him.

  I could see what was in his mind.

  If I were in his shoes, I would give out the same response.

  When I saw him lose his mind like that, I tried to take advantage of the situation and move to the other side to stand next to Lilia.

  Yet, my attempt was blocked by Luke.

  He walked up to stand on her left side.

  After he placed his hand on Lilia's head, as if trying to draw her attention from Rick, he gazed down at her and gently said.

  “They came to ask permission to enter the forbidden areas under our jurisdiction.”

  After Lilia heard that, she looked up at Luke and nodded her head in understanding.

  I could sense that Rick’s mood turned sour.

  Then, as if not to be outdone by Luke, he also placed his hand on Lilia’s head.

  I could also see that he tried to push his brother’s hand away from Lilia’s head.

  Then, Rick said.

  “I don't think Father will permit it.”

  The moment Rick said that, I sensed David's presence.

  He might have finished his training with Duke Willow early and come to join us.

  He came to join us at Lilia's invitation.

  The moment I told Lilia about my break, she proposed extending the invitation to him as well.

  He agreed to join us, but he told me he would be late because he needed to finish his training first.

  Although we were aware that he was coming, we could not afford to pay attention to him.

  Each of us was busy outwitting each other.

  I could tell that he also did not take offense at our actions.

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  Thus, he silently came to stand next to me.

  The moment he laid his eyes on that procession, he narrowed his eyes and muttered.

  “It is unusual for a sellsword company to be this active in the South.”

  In response to his remark, Lilia began to prob at David.

  “Is that so? I did not know that.”

  With her brother’s hand still on her head, Lilia cutely leaned forward and looked at David.

  Her expression told us that it was new knowledge to her.

  Seeing that Lilia’s attention was stolen by a newcomer, Rick showed his displeasure.

  He also forcefully shifted Lilia’s gaze to him.

  It might have been painful for Lillia.

  I could see her eyes twitch in pain.

  Then, Rick spoke in great displeasure.

  “They are nothing but a band of bandits.”

  From what I can tell, he might have had a bad experience with them.

  It was whispered to me that he got into an argument with a sellsword who was to accompany the alchemists sent by the East.

  It was escalated to the point that a formal duel was issued.

  About the result of that duel….

  No one told me about it.

  They refused to speak about it and walked away.

  Well, I could understand his standpoint.

  That was a standard view of the sellsword company.

  They are a group of rough men, armed and roaming from place to place, seeking employment.

  They know nothing but violence.

  They only know how to kill and destroy things.

  Their only employment was through war.

  In times of territorial war, they would be employed by the parties involved.

  Then, when peace returned, they would be left unemployed.

  Then, left with nothing, they would turn their weapons on the population.

  They would pillage the village for the rich.

  During war, they kill and pillage under the banner of war; during peace, they kill and pillage under the banner of banditry.

  That was why everyone in society despised them.

  Most of the time, destruction was the only thing left behind their path.

  However, there were some exceptions.

  One of the exceptions was stated by Luke.

  “They are different from other sellsword companies. Since they are sponsored by a noble, they are treated as a semi-knight order.”

  However, that option was considered unwise and was treated as a last resort.

  They are a bottomless pit.

  You could financially ruin yourself trying to convert a sellsword company into your standing army.

  Those sellswords, after all, were known to be big spenders.

  They live by the principle of living in the moment.

  No amount of ‘small change’ can satisfy them.

  They would demand more and more.

  That was only one aspect of the problem.

  Another important factor was their loyalty.

  They are only loyal to the gold coin.

  They would side with anyone who can offer the highest bidder.

  They can betray you at any moment.

  Another one was their manner.

  The manner of the bandit, the untamed wilderness, would not be tempered.

  They would cause discord and dissatisfaction whenever they went.

  Yet, Count Issac chose to walk down this part.

  Then, I thought of the most well-known, the most famous fact about him.

  Thinking about that part, I blurred out without thinking.

  “I wonder how Count Isaac can sponsor them. He has been drowning in debt all this time.”

  In response to my question, Lilia pushed out her chest and spoke with pride.

  “Father helps them by buying their surplus grain at a high price.”

  That was when I realized Duke Willow had done them a great favor.

  He even brought his house’s finances through the mud for Count Issac.

  The news that they were good friends was trustworthy after all.

  Yet even his friend went to such lengths to help him.

  Even with his friend’s tremendous support, he did not try to strengthen himself; he lavishly spent on something useless like that.

  The biggest breadbasket of the empire…

  During a plentiful harvest, his territory alone can feed half of the empire.

  Yet under his leadership, his house went into financial ruin.

  That, too, after consecutive plentiful harvests in recent years.

  I really do not have a good impression of him.

  Being incompetent should have its limits.

  When I realized that, I looked at the procession again, and I saw their carriage stop at the entrance of the main building, and two men emerged from that carriage.

  When I saw that, I blurred out my honest thoughts.

  “And now he is wasting money again?”

  And Lilia immediately rebutted me.

  “You should not talk badly about Uncle.”

  She was very protective of Count Issac, after all, his daughter was her best friend.

  I saw her several times.

  She was a good person.

  At least, she knew her standing.

  Not too feverish, not too humble, that was how she carried herself.

  Although his son's relationship with Rick and Luke was that of master and servant, his daughter's relationship with Lilia was more like that of best friends.

  While I was lost for words to respond to her, Luke mockingly smiled at me.

  Then, he said.

  “It may not be a bad thing. Noble needs to have a knight order to quell the monsters. He is using them as a substitute for it. Since he didn't own any knight order.”

  After he said that, Rick also assisted him.

  “You can ignore that guy, Lilia. Let us start our tea party.”

  As Rick said that, he and Luke sandwiched Lilia and brought her to the table.

  Because of my blunder, I could not secure my spot next to her.

  I really needed to learn from this mistake.

  As for Devid, he was quite the whole time.

  His face told me that he was deep in thought.

  While we enjoyed, no, it was only they, Luke and Rick, who enjoyed the tea party, Luke’s butler came to inform us about the purpose of Count Issac’s visit.

  Apparently, he sent his butler to check it in silence the moment he saw that procession.

  We were informed that they had requested permission to enter a forbidden area near the border between the Dukedom and Count Isaac's domain to train their recruits.

  Since that forbidden area was under the jurisdiction of Duke Willow, they needed his permission first.

  Well, initially, under the imperial decree long ago, that area should have been jointly owned by Duke Willow.

  However, because of Count Issac’s incompetence, Duke Willow took it upon himself and managed that area by himself.

  Now, it seems Duke Willow allowed them, but he attached a knight square as an observer.

  Their number was around a hundred.

  It is a considerable number for an observer team.

  About that news, David also found it unusual; he has been frowning since he received that news.

  Then, while I was lost in thought about that unusual situation, the head maid came to us.

  After she paid respect to Luke, Rick, and Lilia, she turned to us, no, to David.

  “Pardon my instructions. Madam asked if she could meet Sir David.”

  “I don't mind.”

  Receiving Lady Iris’s summons, David readily agreed and stood up immediately as if he were waiting for it.

  For that, I did not find it unusual.

  After all, that was not the first time Lady Iris asked to meet him.

  After all, his father and the saintess were relatives, although not close ones.

  So, after being adopted by the saintess, Lady Iris and David were also considered relatives under the law.

  However, Lady Iris also asked for Lilia.

  Then, the head maid turned to Lilia.

  “Madam also asked for Milady.”

  Although puzzled at first, Lilia also acknowledged the support and stood up.

  “I got it. Thank you, Ima.”

  There would be no point for us to hold this picnic if Lilia were not with us.

  Thus, when I heard that Lilia and David would go alone to meet Lady Iris, I tried to tag along.

  “Then, I will go with you.”

  However, David put his hand on my shoulder and prevented me from getting up.

  Then, he sternly said.

  “You should stay here.”

  I could feel that he increased his hand pressure on my shoulder when he said that.

  After we silently watched their departure, Luke and Rick abruptly ended the Tea Party; after all, to them, too, there was no point in continuing it without Lilia.

  After that, we all agreed to follow them and go to the meeting room.

  We did not immediately follow them because Luke warned us that the head maid would stop us if we decided to follow them immediately.

  The way Lady Iris summoned them via the head maid meant that she had something she wanted to talk privately with them.

  Thus, Luke decided to ‘accidentally’ run into them.

  That was the only way to Wiesel our way into their meeting.

  Yet, our attempt was thwarted by Lady Iris.

  We were stopped outside by Rowan.

  “Rowan? Why are you here?”

  When we saw Rowan standing guard outside the Salon, Luke expressed his dissatisfaction.

  Yet, Rowan just calmly responded as he lowered his head.

  “I apologize. I was told not to let anyone in.”

  Seeing that Rowan had no intention to step aside, Rick frowned.

  “What is Mother thinking?”

  At the end, we could not get in.

  That afternoon, during dinner, I was told we would go on vacation to a villa by the lakeside.

  Everyone except David would go.

  We would also take a break from our training.

  They were overjoyed.

  However, the faces of David, Lady Iris, and Duke Willow were not happy.

  That evening, we did not see Bishop Leon, no, my master, too.

  Then, after dinner, while I was drunk in a joyous mood, as I would be able to spend more time with Lilia, David visited my room and informed me of his assignment.

  “I will join the observation group. Bishop Leon, too, will join it.”

  He calmly said that.

  Although he tried to keep a stoic face, I could sense he was happy about this appointment.

  His voice told me that.

  At first, I thought he was happy to ditch his work as my guard.

  However, I thought that even Bishop Leon had joined in the observation.

  It would only point out one thing.

  So, I asked him in concern.

  “Is it that serious?”

  Yet, he gently shook his head.

  “It is not a serious issue. But it is necessary.”

  He even said that with a smile.

  Then, he lowered his head to me and said.

  “Please enjoy your little vacation.”

  Then, he left the room without waiting for my reply.

  I was stunned by his behavior.

  The way he treated me that night was totally different from before.

  There was no hostility in it.

  I could feel gentleness and caring.

  Although it was not like what was expected from a subject, it was a kind of…..

  Yes, it was like what I expected from a friend.

  Yes.

  That was it.

  He began to open up to me.

  It truly made me happy.