“Fazel!”
When I shouted in worry, Godfather Taras stood up and sat me back down.
“Don’t worry. Garen losing his reason and striking Fazel means he was pushed that much.”
After crossing swords a bit more, Godfather Garen broke Fazel’s balance and struck down hard with his sword. Then Fazel’s wooden sword shattered while trying to withstand it.
Everyone was quiet.
They seemed not to have expected Fazel to hold out this much against Godfather Garen.
Godfather Garen crouched down to meet eyes with Fazel, who sat collapsed on the ground, and looked quietly at his face.
“Can you still fight?”
At Godfather Garen’s words, Fazel nodded.
“Truly amazing.”
Godfather Garen moistened his lips with his tongue, then looked at Father.
“Match concluded.”
Then Father stood up from his chair and shouted to the people.
“The match has ended. The victor is His Grace Duke Garen Sharons.”
Victory naturally went to Godfather Garen.
However, people stood up and clapped while shouting.
“Lord Fazel, magnificent.”
“It was truly a close match. To display such fighting spirit until your sword broke.”
“I think you’ll become an amazing master in the future.”
They called Fazel’s name and marveled at his skill.
“Fazel, well done!”
As his fiancée, I couldn’t just sit still. I quickly went down and handed Fazel a towel soaked in cold water, who was drenched in sweat.
Fazel wiped his face with the towel I gave him.
“It’s cold.”
“Your body’s heated up.”
“Hah.”
He bowed his head toward Godfather Garen.
“Thank you for the teaching.”
“Sir Trean taught you, so your basics are reasonably solid, and your stamina and reflexes are natural gifts.”
He bowed his head to Fazel.
“It was a good match for me too. And sorry for hitting you earlier. It’s a habit that comes out without me knowing. You can take pride. It means you’re skilled enough for me to do that.”
At Godfather Garen’s praise, Fazel smiled.
“I’ve forgotten it.”
“Good! If you were of age, I’d have bought you a drink.”
At Godfather Garen’s words, I slipped in.
“Then buy us drinks when we come of age.”
“Should I?”
“Of course!”
I made a promise for Fazel to meet Godfather Garen again.
After wiping his head with the towel, Fazel looked at me.
“Thank you for the towel.”
“This much is nothing.”
“I enjoyed the tea as well.”
Fazel’s gaze lingered on me for a long time.
“Fazel?”
When I wondered, Fazel shrugged his shoulders.
“Many thoughts came to me on the way here today.”
“Really?”
“I’d lose anyway, but I resolved to do my best.”
Then he paused briefly before continuing.
“With this, I’ll consider the debt I owe you slightly repaid.”
At his words, my eyes widened.
“There’s no debt.”
I shook my head.
“The things I do for you are what you earned through ability. So don’t think of it as debt. It’s goodwill.”
I liked this aspect of Fazel most.
“You don’t think of goodwill as a right. I like that about you.”
I smiled and held Fazel’s hand.
“Let’s go to Saila first.”
Holding my hand, Fazel quietly followed. I didn’t know he smiled quietly behind me.
Saila admired in front of Fazel and me.
“I didn’t know you’d compete to this degree with the Commander-in-Chief.”
After saying that, she slightly raised her glasses and looked at me.
“You have a fiancé with great potential.”
“Right?”
“What does Fazel want to become in the future?”
Saila asked Fazel.
“I want to become an Imperial Knight.”
At Fazel’s answer, Saila tilted her head.
“Imperial Knight.”
She smiled brightly.
“If you grow well, I’ll put in a recommendation letter for you.”
She even added unexpected words.
‘She was wary until yesterday!’
I didn’t know the exact reason, but Saila seemed to have changed her mind.
I stood by the window looking at the territory while holding a teacup. Fazel safely returned home, and our engagement ceremony commotion ended.
Among the people who came to the territory by warp, those returning left, and the godfathers said they’d drink wine late with Father.
‘I liked wine too.’
Being still young, I couldn’t drink wine. Feeling regretful, I unknowingly raised my head and stared at the sky.
Louelle Asnel.
The name I newly received.
From now on, I would live my whole life with this name.
I will definitely keep the person I want by my side.
“Fazel, this is just the beginning.”
He still doesn’t know my heart. I planned to approach little by little, build memories, and claim his heart.
If Fazel is also happy being with me, he won’t go to the female protagonist.
First, I made the first move before the ducal house could lower Fazel’s reputation.
Since he officially became my fiancé recognized by those around us, once it becomes known that he’s outstanding, no one will be able to touch him.
“Miss, you should sleep soon.”
Marlene approached me, savoring tea without sleeping late, and draped a thin coat over me.
“Even though it’s night, it’s still summer.”
I smiled brightly, refused the coat Marlene gave me, and gulped down the cooled tea.
“This tea is delicious.”
“Lady Suran gave it with care.”
Since we became engaged to her son, she gave me hard-to-obtain tea as a gift, meaning she’d regard me like a daughter.
I recalled Suran’s calm eyes.
In a sense, she was also a valuable talent. After Fazel and I go to the Academy later, it wouldn’t be bad for her to continue working as a tutor in the territory, receiving properly high pay.
Or secretarial work helping Father would be good too.
Since she said she’d done both secretary and teacher work.
I laughed while rolling my head thinking about the future.
In any case, whatever happens, Fazel will find it hard to leave Asnel.
* * *
Saila walked slowly toward the imperial palace. And in her hands was fruit Esran had prepared. It was fruit sweet enough to surprise even her when she tasted it.
Count Asnel occasionally created something surprisingly amazing like this. That’s why he raked in money.
Saila stood in front of the Empress’s office. When she arrived, the knight at the door opened it for her.
Saila slightly raised her glasses and entered. Empress Sezanne was basking in sunlight today as well.
“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”
At Saila’s greeting, Sezanne turned her head.
“Welcome.”
Walking to the chair at the desk, she sat there and asked Saila.
“Did your trip go well?”
Saila bowed her head and spoke.
“How was it?”
Then Saila recalled Fazel’s match. The Commander’s sharp aura was hard even for her to withstand. Yet Fazel steadfastly endured and attacked, shaking Garen.
Though he lost, even she who hadn’t learned swordsmanship could tell that when Fazel reached Garen’s age, he would become one of the empire’s top swordsmen.
“He was a boy with an expected future.”
Sezanne tilted her head.
“Really?”
“He has outstanding talent in swordsmanship, and he said he wants to become an Imperial Knight with that swordsmanship.”
The Empress nodded. For now, she also seemed pleased that the boy was interested in swordsmanship rather than administration.
And Imperial Knights are the Emperor’s close aides.
“He seems fine for now.”
“I think so too.”
Saying this, Saila placed the fruit basket up.
“What is this?”
“A gift from Count Asnel.”
“Oh my.”
Saila often ate fruit Esran sent. Amid repeated assassination attempts on the heir, the fruit Esran gave was always safe.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
“I ate the same fruit in the territory.”
Sezanne’s eyes sparkled.
“How was the taste?”
“It was the best.”
It was rare for Saila to evaluate like this. Sezanne had a maid bring cut fruit, then sat on the sofa with Saila.
“Can you tell me about the engagement ceremony in detail?”
“First, I provoked Lady Louelle. However, Lady Louelle didn’t react to such things.”
“Ah, you wanted to see that boy Fazel’s reaction.”
“Yes. That boy reacted.”
“How innocent.”
Sezanne laughed imagining that scene.
“So somehow he ended up having a match with the Commander-in-Chief.”
“Oh my.”
“He didn’t win, but the boy’s potential was tremendous.”
Saila recalled the boy named Fazel. His intense gaze staring at people left a strong impression.
“Unless those around him incite him, he doesn’t seem likely to have interest in the throne.”
“I see.”
“Well, we should continue being vigilant though.”
Then Sezanne also nodded.
“Louelle is clever.”
“She’ll probably conduct herself well.”
Saila also didn’t think Louelle would suddenly have unnecessary greed one day. For that to happen, it would probably be after something major occurred.
“We’ll need to watch Louelle’s surroundings carefully.”
It was necessary to protect and monitor the still-young Louelle so other unnecessary people wouldn’t approach.
Sezanne understood Saila’s meaning and nodded.
* * *
Nertian was in a foul mood. In the Duchess’s room, he roughly swept back his hair and threw a tantrum while talking about recent rumors circulating about Fazel. Nertian was endlessly resentful about being scolded by his father because of that irritating bastard.
〈Foolish thing, I created an opportunity for you, yet what will you do if you can’t make one young lady yours? Moreover, to have the initiative stolen by a bastard.〉
“D*mn it!”
Lesanelle, the Duchess and Nertian’s birth mother who was elegantly drinking tea, calmly opened her mouth.
“Calm down.”
She had twisted up her long black hair and possessed sharp red eyes. Her slightly raised mouth corners were cat-like.
Seeing her son continue pacing anxiously, she gestured to stop him.
“Getting angry won’t solve the problem.”
Lesanelle was right. Nertian knew well too.
“I know. But I’m still frustrated.”
Nertian spoke while biting his lips.
“We should have handled it according to plan then.”
Her voice was ominous.
Recently, the Prime Minister, Commander-in-Chief, and Grand Duke who attended Fazel’s engagement ceremony all praised Fazel to the Emperor together, so they couldn’t handle him like other bastards.
“What should we do?”
Nertian’s eyes gleamed intensely. His gaze expected his mother to step forward and handle it somehow.
Since Father doesn’t seem to have thoughts of doing anything about Fazel.
“We must handle it secretly.”
Lesanelle’s words held no emotion. Her face was peaceful while saying cLouelle words.
“Ah! There was such a method.”
Nertian rejoiced. He actually wanted to kill Fazel if he could.
But killing someone isn’t easy.
“When a person dies, it’s over. And we can handle one brat easily. I’ll speak to Father.”
Before marriage, Lesanelle was a young lady of a marquis family.
The Marquis was famously known for cherishing her, to the point of eliminating everything that hindered his daughter.
Leaving Fazel alone was only because her husband didn’t recognize the bastard as heir.
“The Count went to the capital called by the Emperor. Now is the opportunity.”
At Lesanelle’s words, Nertian was surprised.
“How did you know that?”
Lesanelle smiled coldly. Like a sharpened blade.
“I made moves in advance. You never know when he’ll become a hindrance, and hindrances must be removed.”
From the moment Fazel appeared, Lesanelle planted people in Asnel territory and the mansion.
“Mother is wiser than anyone.”
Lesanelle only smiled faintly.
“You know well.”
The Count being away now was an opportunity that wouldn’t come again. She had to perfectly eliminate things hindering her son’s future at this chance. As her own father had done.
* * *
Duke Zieten, Aegis, was drinking tea. Savoring tea on the well-sunlit terrace, he turned his head when his attendant Sho entered.
“What is it?”
“Madam has gone to her family home.”
Aegis stared at his teacup.
“I heard news that the Commander-in-Chief recently praised Fazel’s swordsmanship.”
He couldn’t not know the recent rumors either. If Lesanelle moved at this time, her purpose was obvious without looking.
“Prepare so troublesome matters don’t arise.”
“Understood.”
Fazel is now an existence comparable to royalty. They should stop attempts to lay hands on such a person, but the Duke only gave a few instructions to prevent damage to the ducal house.
And Lesanelle, who pushed matters secretly, wouldn’t carelessly use the ducal house’s name.
She’d use the marquis house.
Because Father-in-law listens to Lesanelle’s words better than anyone.
That might be why she has this personality.
“How tiring.”
Aegis stared at his teacup.
Though he knew Fazel was in danger, he had no particular thoughts of saving him.
Like before, he planned to pass by indifferently this time too.
“Suran was beautiful.”
However, beautiful flowers become tiresome after enjoying them a few times. That’s why he got tired of Suran and abandoned her too. He created many bastards in his youth, pursuing only pleasure.
Among them, the only surviving child was Fazel.
Like that, early summer passed and truly sweltering summer arrived.
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Mai_3_
What a bunch of gross people, let’s hope they get what they deserve… Louelle and co. are only trying to live but these people, Empress included, won’t leave them alone, ugh.