“Michael? My goodness! Darling, how did you get here?”

Michael was Count Hazel’s illegitimate child, though with a different mother than Florencia. However, Michael’s situation was even worse as he wasn’t even registered in the official family records. Now that both his birth mother and father were no longer in this world, he was living in the servants’ quarters, constantly walking on eggshells.

“Aunt Carrot from the kitchen said some ingredients for dinner were missing and sent me to buy them. I went to the market just next door and came here because I missed you!”

“……You walked all the way here from the Count’s mansion? And they made you buy all these things by yourself?”

“I just walked straight down the main road and it only took an hour! I’m so happy to see you, sister!”

“Michael, are your legs tired from walking? Just bear with it a little longer, let’s go home together.”

Holding Florencia’s hand as they headed home, young Michael excitedly boasted,

“Sister, a few days ago, the Count called me to his study and said he’d soon have me educated? When he asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said I wanted to be a knight, and he said he’d send me to school.”

“Really? Big Brother said that?”

Florencia’s eyes instantly filled with joy.

The current Count Hazel, Joseph, wasn’t affectionate by nature. Even when she returned to the mansion on weekends and occasionally encountered him to greet him, he rarely acknowledged her. When she met his cold gaze as he passed by without a word, she could feel the clear emotion contained within it.

To think that he would finally officially recognize Michael! If that happened, Florencia’s biggest worry would be resolved.

“Michael, when you start studying, you must work really hard. And listen well to what our brother says, understand?”

“Yes! Will you come home next week?”

“……Sister might not be able to come home often anymore. I’ve decided to become a saintess after graduation, so I need to receive theological education until then.”

“Tsk, I hate that you’re becoming God’s bride. Can’t you just live with me? When I become a knight, I can protect you……”

Florencia smiled slightly and stroked her younger brother’s hair.

“Even if I don’t become God’s bride, I’d have to get married after graduation anyway. And no matter what anyone says, you’re the child of our late father, so you should grow up there somehow. Get registered in the family records, study, and become the wonderful knight you want to be…… If that happens, sister won’t want anything more.”

“I understand, sister! I’ll work really hard!”

Florencia, who had accompanied Michael to the Hazel mansion to see him off, entered the mansion with him to deliver the market purchases. It was when she had visited the kitchen and was climbing upstairs to return to the Academy that a sharp scream echoed through the wide corridor.

Florencia approached the direction of the loud noise. The owner of the tearing voice was Eriendna.

‘I heard Eriendna got hurt when she went to the equestrian competition with Brother Geoff…… She must be in a lot of pain, this is serious.’

Geoff, who was stronger than others and enjoyed showing it off, had always dreamed of becoming a knight. Although his swordsmanship was only ordinary, he was confident in his horsemanship. The final ceremony of the annual equestrian competition involved riding around the arena once with a lady who had come to support the competitor, and his partner was Eriendna. In truth, the reason Eriendna went there was less about interest in horsemanship or a kind heart to support her brother, and more about approaching a young gentleman she was interested in, but…

“What on earth happened, for the second young master to fall off his horse…… They say the lady fell too when her dress got tangled?”

“It’s a disaster because of the young lady. Earlier, when Liza went with medicine, she threw a flower vase as soon as the door opened and almost hit her? She’s throwing such a tantrum that the room is completely in shambles.”

“Both Lady Eriendna and the second young master are badly hurt, so we’re going to suffer for a while.”

Florencia heard two maids whispering as they hurried down the corridor. Each was carrying a basin of steaming water, towels, bandages, and other items, presumably to attend to the two siblings. They saw Florencia but didn’t seem particularly concerned, giving a cursory bow in greeting as they passed by.

Geoff falling off a horse, when he was always so confident about riding, was as surprising as a monkey falling from a tree. Though Eriendna had always tormented her, Florencia was worried about her sister being seriously injured. It was almost exam period, and she had been absent from Academy classes for several days.

‘Edna seems badly hurt, I wonder if she’ll be alright? I should tell her I’ll organize the class material separately and bring it to her next time.’

With a worried heart, Florencia carefully approached Eriendna’s room. Her room, with the door slightly ajar, looked extremely lavish even from the glimpse she caught. It was a stark contrast to Florencia’s room, which was the most shabby and cold in the Hazel mansion, reminiscent of a storage room.

“……Mom, what am I going to do now……”

Sitting in that beautiful room with an incredibly ornate four-poster bed, Eriendna was crying. Beside her was Lady Hazel, busy comforting her daughter. She too looked gaunt, unlike her usual self who always maintained perfect grooming.

“Darling, Edna. First, calm down. Dr. Allen said we need to wait until the wounds heal completely.”

“But he said there might be a scar…… If an ugly scar remains on my face, I’m finished……”

“Even so, you’re very pretty, so there’s nothing to worry about. Since it’s near your eyebrow, you could cover it by cutting your bangs. You should be grateful your eye wasn’t injured.”

Looking into a small mirror she held, Eriendna seemed half-dazed. One arm and leg were also bandaged, but all her attention was focused on the small wound on her face. She had reportedly brushed her eyebrow area against a rock when she fell from the horse with Geoff.

“Um, Edna…… May I come in?”

“What? Why are you here?”

Florencia carefully knocked on the door as she entered. It was the first time she had seen Eriendna, who was always haughty and sensitive, crying. Though it might be just her own thinking, she considered Eriendna her sister, so seeing her vulnerable made her feel uncomfortable.

“Why did you come here? Did you come to laugh at me?”

“That’s not it, Edna! I was just worried because you seemed to be in a lot of pain……”

“……Worried? You about me?”

As if it hurt her pride greatly to show such a state in front of Florencia, Eriendna clearly tried to hide the fact that she had been crying. Still, seeing her respond with a tone similar to her usual self was reassuring, showing she wasn’t completely dispirited.

“I’ll organize the exam topics and class content separately and bring them to you. Get well soon, Eriendna.”

“Stop talking nonsense and just get out of my room.”

“……Alright. See you next time, Edna.”

“That’s enough, don’t come again!”

Her response remained curt until the end. As Florencia closed the door and turned away, she finally heard crying sounds from inside the room, calling for mom again.

* * *

“……So, from this week until graduation, I’m supposed to receive education at the Temple two to three times a week.”

“Then, we’ll need to coordinate the dates.”

Ludwig smiled gently as he placed a steaming hot teacup in front of Florencia. She had just walked to the Temple to see him right after her classes ended.

“My biggest concern about becoming a saintess was leaving my brother alone…… I’m really relieved. I was worried because he’s still not recognized by the family, and just last week he was insisting I shouldn’t become a saintess and should live with him, which made me feel really bad.”

“That’s good. If your brother is doing well, you won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

It was an early summer evening with a pleasantly cool breeze. The warm tea flowed down her throat, which felt rough from being outside for a long time, helping maintain her temperature. The fragrant tea, generously sweetened with honey and syrup, was even more flavorful paired with sweet apple cinnamon biscuits.

“Then shall we start with twice a week, coming to the Temple after finishing morning classes? Sometimes we’ll have supplementary lessons on holidays too.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. For education to become a saintess…… will I be studying theological texts?”

“Of course, you’ll need to study theology. However, the method isn’t particularly standardized; it varies depending on the person.”

“But Father Ludwig, which priest will be in charge of my education? If it’s alright, I’d like to greet them in advance.”