“I’ll become a knight and prove my usefulness to Your Grace.”

Evolaine’s gaze wasn’t the clumsy kind a mere child would have. It was the product of emotions she’d harbored for so long, sharpened into a keen blade.

Was it a coincidence? Or destiny?

Whether the former or the latter, it didn’t matter. Evolaine had passed his test.

The duke decided he would gladly invest in her. If such a precious talent wanted to become his card to play, shouldn’t he gladly accept?

“Good. You must be prepared.”

“…Yes.”

“First, return to your room. Later, I’ll assign you a proper room and arrange for your training.”

Thank you. With those final words, Evolaine opened the door and left. She seemed surprised to discover the head maid still waiting outside, seemingly unaware she’d been there.

“Evolaine… La Voletta…”

Who knew such an entertaining development would unfold? The duke laughed merrily until Heron returned and stared at him strangely.

* * *

Returning to her room, Evolaine sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed. The orphanage beds had never been this soft, plush, and white.

“Please sit comfortably, miss.”

“Ah, I…”

The head maid had been speaking formally to her since earlier. If she were being adopted into the duke’s castle, that would be proper, but since Evolaine’s situation was different, she judged it necessary to correct the head maid’s misunderstanding.

“You don’t need to speak formally. I didn’t come here to be adopted.”

However, the response Evolaine received was unexpected.

“I can’t speak informally to someone His Grace personally brought here. If it truly makes you uncomfortable, I’ll do this only until you move rooms. Would that be acceptable?”

Evolaine lowered her gaze and slowly nodded. What a curious person. To show such kindness to someone she’d just met.

She felt strange. Like stepping into wet mud and having her feet sink deep.

‘This is strange.’

Her heart was pounding. Evolaine tried to dig into the meaning and trigger of this intense emotion she was feeling for the first time, but she didn’t achieve much success.

“I’ll take my leave now. You must be tired from your journey, so please get some rest.”

“Ah… goodbye.”

The head maid seemed like she wanted to add something more but didn’t follow through. Once she left, Evolaine was alone in the room.

A large room with luxurious wallpaper and decorations. Several paintings in an elegant style hung above the fireplace and on the wall near the bed, which Evolaine stared at blankly.

This was the first time she’d had such quiet time. The soft sound of wind tapping the window and the round moon illuminating the dark world created the illusion she’d come to another world.

“…I should sleep.”

Illusions were forbidden. She couldn’t waste this gift-like opportunity she’d gained after dying futilely twice on an illusion.

Evolaine shook her head vigorously and carefully laid her body on the bed. The bed seemed to swallow Evolaine, who was small for her age. The soft, plush sensation gradually pulled her into slumber, and soon Evolaine’s eyes closed.

* * *

At the brief knock, the duke answered for them to enter. The door opened and a young lady entered, greeting him with perfect, elegant etiquette.

“Good morning, Father.”

“…Ashili?”

“The castle was in an uproar last night about something that happened. I heard you brought someone here.”

“News certainly travels fast.”

The duke clicked his tongue slowly and set down the documents he’d been reviewing for approval. He rang a bell to summon a servant to bring tea, then seated his eldest daughter Ashili on the sofa.

“What are people saying?”

“Nothing special. I just overheard the maids talking about an unfamiliar girl sleeping in the guest room.”

Ashili soon poured the tea the servant brought into a cup, took a sip, and savored the aroma. Watching her, the duke frowned and organized his thoughts.

“Are you going to adopt that child?”

“She doesn’t want to be adopted.”

“Then what will you do?”

At Ashili’s question, the duke sighed and answered.

“I’ll take her in as a knight squire. It would be best to contact the knight commander in advance to avoid confusion.”

Thunk. That was the sound of Ashili setting her cup down on the saucer. However, the sound was louder than expected, so the duke couldn’t voice what he’d been about to say next.

“A knight squire—I didn’t mishear, did I?”

“You heard correctly.”

“Did the child want that? Did she express it directly…”

After a moment of silence, the duke answered Ashili’s question.

“Yes.”

It was an affirmation.

Good heavens. Ashili showed considerable bewilderment as she examined the numerous thoughts rising in her mind.

What reason could she have for wanting to become a knight squire? And with adoption into a ducal family right before her eyes.

It wasn’t that female knights faced discrimination or poor perception in the empire.

Though few in number, knights were a group with a great mission to protect the borders and the empire’s security through rigorous training, regardless of gender.

While the honor couldn’t be easily judged, it would be unbearably harsh for a young, powerless girl.

Therefore, Ashili felt worried—something she wouldn’t normally do.

“…I know well that you’re not someone who gives permission easily, Father. What could that child have shown you…”

At Ashili’s speculation, the duke smiled smoothly. His eldest daughter Ashili was admirably intelligent. Particularly quick-thinking, so the duke often consulted with Ashili on important matters.

“Are you curious?”

“No, don’t answer. I’ll find out for myself. I’m curious what secret that child is hiding, but since her choice to become a knight squire is unique, it should be fun to dig into.”

Having finished speaking, Ashili rose from her seat. The skirt of her light purple dress swayed gently following her movements.

“Your tea is still here.”

“I have a mountain of work. Oh, there was something concerning in the documents you passed to me yesterday—I’ll bring them after breakfast.”

“Do that.”

See you in the dining room. 

Once Ashili left the office, the duke picked up the documents he’d placed on his desk again. 

They were records of Evolaine’s background and the enrollment application for Knight Commander Lacrel.

* * *

When day broke, the head maid knocked on the guest room door out of courtesy and carefully opened it. She intended to enter without disturbing the soundly sleeping Evolaine, but Evolaine was already awake.

“H-Head Maid?”

“Oh my, you’re already up.”

“Yes… But who is that behind you…?”

“Ah, this is the commander.”

At the head maid’s introduction, the man who entered with her—Leopold Arki, commander of the Lacrel Knights—bowed lightly.

“I’m Leopold Arki, commander of the Lacrel Knights. His Excellency wished to bring you into the knight order as a squire.”

“…!!”

The knight commander had come to fetch her personally. And on the duke’s orders, no less. Evolaine blinked at this unbelievable situation.

“You came to get me personally?”

“Yes. His Excellency wrote the application himself.”

Read it yourself if you don’t believe me. 

Evolaine’s hands trembled as she received the application Leopold handed her.

Though she’d never learned to read in either her past or current life, she could guess the duke had approved it by seeing the elegant signature drawn in the signature field.

“I… I can’t read…”

“…I’ll read it to you directly.”

Leopold read the contents written on the application in detail. Somehow, the more he read, the more Evolaine’s eyes seemed to come alive, making Leopold feel inadvertently proud.

“It’s really true…”

“Your quarters will be assigned to the dormitory in the knight order building. Pack your belongings and follow me.”

“I have no belongings. I’ll go right now.”

At Evolaine’s immediate answer, Leopold raised his right eyebrow. Unlike before entering the room, he observed Evolaine with a scrutinizing gaze.

Evolaine’s appearance looked truly shabby. Roughly cut navy hair and rough skin. Perhaps because of her thin, small frame, the shirt and pants she wore looked considerably oversized.

Moreover, scars that seemed to continue inward marked her wrist where it showed past her shirt. 

Feeling the child’s gaze, he looked at her face and discovered several scratches and wounds there too. The only thing relatively intact was her eyes, which held the color of a clear sea.

He didn’t know who was responsible, but Leopold thought the person who’d been caring for Evolaine was truly remarkable—in the worst way. To turn a small, young child’s skin into rags and make her so wary she constantly watched for reactions.

“Hold your head up straight.”

“Y-yes…?”

She has a long way to go. He sighed slowly to himself and bent his knees to match Evolaine’s eye level.

“Oh my.”

The head maid knew Leopold’s cold kindness well, so she just watched the situation with a soft laugh.

He had the prejudice of being cold to the bone, but in truth, he was warmer and kinder than anyone.

“To enter the Lacrel Knights, you’ll need to take a test. No matter His Excellency’s orders, you can’t enter without ability.”

“…I see.”

Evolaine murmured and lowered her head again. Was she hurt at being rejected? However, contrary to Leopold’s concern, Evolaine raised her head again.

“I… I can do it. I can’t do anything right now, but if you give me time, I’ll work hard and prove it.”

Until now, Evolaine had lived through three lifetimes, but her experience was woefully insufficient. It could be dismissed as merely trivial memories that had passed by.

However, the most valuable thing she’d gained through three lifetimes was willpower.

Despite regressing, Evolaine hadn’t gained anything. It was a negative, desperate situation, but thinking about it slightly differently, she could say she hadn’t tried anything yet.

Since she hadn’t tried anything, Evolaine didn’t have the habit of doubting her own potential.

Can I do it? What if I can’t? What if I fail?

She couldn’t have such doubts because she’d never tried. That’s why Evolaine’s will was purely and intensely hot.

Leopold felt a mysterious emotion from this child. Normally, a child this age would cry after hearing his words. He’d especially expected that since she was a young girl with abundant sensitivity.

But he was mistaken.

From the child’s eyes, he felt passion and burning will that couldn’t be dismissed just because she was a child. Realizing this, Leopold noticed the corners of his mouth rising on their own and quickly lowered them, but the head maid had already seen.

“That’s the answer I wanted. Follow me to the training grounds.”

“Yes!”

At Leopold’s approval, Evolaine froze with her mouth open, then hastily bowed her head in response. Leopold stopped her and made Evolaine stand up straight, then warned her.

“Don’t bow your head carelessly. A knight’s pride is a consciousness that all knights must equally possess and respect. Understood?”

“Yes…”

This time, Evolaine answered while making eye contact—awkwardly, but still. Somehow, this emotion that made her wiggle her toes was similar to a ticklish feeling in her chest, but she didn’t dislike it.