Chapter 1.1 – The Newlyweds’ Troubles

The precious daughter of the Damsel Viscount Family, Tina, had a childhood friend as dear to her as family.  

They had been together since as far back as Tina could remember, reportedly first meeting at the age of three.  

One day, a guest arrived at the peaceful and quiet manor, seeking help.  

It was a boy of the same age, destined to become Tina’s closest friend, and his young, beautiful mother.  

* * *

On the hill overlooking the small manor, stood a very old tree said to have been planted by the ancestors of the Damsel Family.  

Beneath its shade, a girl with golden hair prettily braided into two plaits was reading a picture book.  

Despite sitting on a cloth mat, the hem of her skirt was stained green and smelled of damp earth—a reflection of her lively personality.  

Her name was Tina Damsel, and even as she read, she never forgot to sneak glances at her childhood friend sitting in front of her.  

“Phew, phew!”  

A boy, whose future looks were much anticipated, was swinging a wooden sword. Reddish-brown hair, sharp eyes, a sullen expression. His lips were pursed in concentration. The round tip of his nose and plump cheeks softened his otherwise stern demeanor.  

He seemed to be imitating the movements of a knight, and even Tina, who knew nothing about swordsmanship, could tell he looked the part.  

This ten-year-old boy was Cherilian. Seven years ago, he had become a member of the Damsel household.  

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Cherilian noticed that Tina was sweating as well. He spoke.  

“Don’t sweat so much—move your mat into the shade. The sun moves, so the shade does too.”  

“…Huh?”  

Meeting his pretty sky-blue eyes, Tina felt a tickle inside her ribs. Cherilian rubbed his torso with his wrist as if scratching.  

“Move it into the shade.”  

“It’s too much trouble~”  

When Tina rolled around on the mat, Cherilian sighed and leaned his wooden sword against the tree trunk. He then grabbed the edge of the mat and dragged it, with Tina on top, into the shade.  

As Tina’s skirt fluttered in the process, Cherilian exclaimed in dismay.  

“Tina, your legs are showing!”  

“I’m wearing underpants. And up to the knees is fine.”  

“It’s not fine!”  

Picking up his wooden sword again, Cherilian grumbled as if expecting Tina to listen, just like the maids did.  

“What would you do without me?”  

Tina looked away from her picture book, troubled by thoughts that had been bothering her lately.  

“Cherry.”  

Ever since Tina had started calling him whatever she liked as a child, Cherilian’s nickname became ‘Cherry’. Of course, no one but Tina could call him that.  

“What?”  

His reddish-brown hair shook. Even when absorbed in something, the ten-year-old boy always responded immediately when Tina called.  

He certainly adored her, but unlike her older brothers, he didn’t get annoyed when interrupted.  

“Say it, Tina.”  

“Someone said you will soon leave our home, Cherry.”  

Cherilian’s beautiful and kind mother lived in the manor as a ‘special maid’. As the hastily created title suggested, she didn’t do any chores.  

The servants whispered that she must be a high-ranking noblewoman who had run away from her husband. She was expected to leave the manor any day, and now it seemed imminent.  

Cherilian lowered his wooden sword and furrowed his brow slightly.  

“Who said that?”  

Tina didn’t answer. She felt bad, as if she were tattling, just by responding to Cherilian’s question.  

As Tina just shifted her sky-blue eyes, Cherilian spoke to comfort her.  

“Well, I’m going to be a knight someday, so I’ll have to leave here for a while once I grow up.”  

Tina knew this too. To become a knight, one had to be appointed, and for that, one had to earn merit by slaying many monsters.  

Tina sat up.  

“Are there really such things as monsters?”  

Damsel and its surrounding lands were so peaceful it was almost boring. The children suspected that monsters were just stories made up by adults.  

“Yeah. There are lots up north.”  

Cherilian seemed to gaze into the distance, then looked back at Tina. His gray eyes were steady and unwavering.  

“I’ll come back here.”  

“……”  

Tina stared at Cherilian. She considered asking why, but the answer seemed obvious and she was embarrassed.  

Cherilian wanted to stay with Tina even after growing up. Of course, Tina felt the same way.  

The Damsel Family were nobles, even if their titles weren’t grand. For the commoner Cherilian to marry Tina, he would have to become a knight of high repute.  

“Aren’t you curious why I want to come back as a knight?”  

Cherilian grinned and asked.  

Tina couldn’t answer and just squirmed. At that moment, she spotted something interesting down the hill. She sprang to her feet.  

“Huh?”  

Leaving Cherilian, who looked like he had a lot to say, Tina shaded her eyes with her hand and peered into the distance.  

“A carriage!”  

It was a large, black carriage, drawn by four horses. Behind it, several wagons loaded with luggage and knights in shining armor followed.  

Visitors were rare at the Damsel manor. It wasn’t a traffic hub, so there were few passersby.  

Tina hoped they were visitors and kept watching the carriage.  

Perhaps her wish was heard, as the large black carriage headed straight for Damsel Manor.  

“Guests!”  

Excited, Tina observed the carriage more closely. When she could make out the family crest on the carriage, she tilted her head, trying to recall what she’d learned.  

“Where was that from…?”  

She hadn’t memorized all the noble family crests yet, but it was clear this was a very important family.  

Unable to recall, Tina sighed and remembered that Cherilian received the same education as her brothers.  

Without taking her eyes off the carriage, Tina reached out and lightly shook Cherilian’s sleeve.  

“Cherry, do you know that crest?”  

“Yeah, I do.”  

Cherilian, who had come to stand close beside her, answered shortly and firmly, his demeanor unusually serious.  

Feeling curious, Tina looked at him. The boy with reddish-brown hair was staring at the slowing carriage with a cold, mature gaze far beyond his years.  

“Biente Duchy. …It’s my father’s family.”