Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 1/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

Sion and the knight faced each other without drawing their swords from their scabbards.

Probably for their safety and the safety of this mansion.

And the sparring began.

Their expressions instantly became serious. The Grand Duke’s knight made the first move.

“Here I come.”

Whoosh-

Thwack-

Sion, who had been watching tensely, easily blocked the knight’s sword.

“Ugh!”

Then he pushed the sword upward, forcing the knight backward.

Oh, Sion. You’re quite skilled?

To block a Grand Duke’s knight’s sword when his severed tendons had only recently healed.

“Wow, Sir Sion!”

“Gasp!”

While I watched with the casual interest of someone viewing a kendo match, the others were watching them with sweaty palms.

Even I, who knew little about swords, could tell his skill was exceptional.

They exchanged a few more blows, and when Sion deflected the knight’s sword aimed at his legs, the weapon flew from the knight’s hand.

“Urgh!”

Clang-

The knight repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hand, feeling the sting from losing his sword.

Then he spoke.

“…I have lost. Your skill is excellent.”

He raised his head after a brief bow, acknowledging his defeat.

Sion and the knight who had finished their match remained silent with thoughtful expressions.

“Wooow-.”

“Brother Sion won!”

“Amazing, Sion.”

Unlike them, however, the residents of the white house on the hill were in a festive mood.

“Sion was originally a knight, too. That’s why he was brought as a guard.”

As I tried to moderate the excited crowd, Ante spoke up.

“The Grand Duke’s residence selects people based on ability.”

Everyone looked at him curiously at this sudden interjection.

What kind of ability would Ante have?

Seeming to understand the meaning behind our questioning looks, Ante cleared his throat.

“Ahem, so if I remember correctly, there were even knights of slave origin.”

Sion’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh! Indeed! Sir Sion, you have excellent skills. I believe it’s entirely possible for you.”

The knight who had sparred with Sion also encouraged him as if discussing someone else’s knightly order.

I wonder when that guy’s memory will return.

Anyway, the Grand Duke’s household was certainly a noble family with progressive practices.

Ante and the knights’ attitude toward slaves was quite different from those in the capital, as was their policy of appointing people based on ability.

Whether they would accept a slave who was formerly a foreign knight was a somewhat different matter.

But if not us, who would support his life?

I playfully winked.

“Sion, you’ll need to train hard. To become a knight again.”

Sion’s eyes briefly sparkled with hope before he lowered his head, seemingly lacking confidence.

“How could I possibly… it won’t happen.”

“Just practice hard at whatever you do. If you fail, you can find another path.”

“…Yes.”

“You know you still have a long way to go to repay your debt, right? Take your time to prepare.”

Sion fidgeted with his sword, his expression complicated.

Ante and the knights looked at me with puzzled faces at the mention of debt.

Then they looked at me with suspicious expressions.

“Debt?”

That question seemed to imply they were wondering if I was some kind of loan shark who had turned them into slaves.

As I was about to respond with an awkward expression, Lionel sighed deeply and began explaining on my behalf.

“When Lady Lora bought us, she said she would destroy our slave documents if we repaid the purchase cost.”

“But how can one repay a debt?”

“She gives us wages for the work we do.”

“That’s right! Lady Lora is truly a wonderful person!”

As the explanation ended and praise for Lady Lora being such a wonderful master began, I looked away at the distant mountains in embarrassment.

Right, there was a reason I came downstairs.

I had forgotten because I was distracted.

Remembering my purpose, I quickly changed the subject.

“Irena, what have you decided about your siblings?”

“Ah…! They’re coming down to the north in spring. They’ll take the academy exam then too! I’m worried they need to study hard.”

“If they don’t have a place to stay, no, even if they do, tell them to come here. I should meet them.”

“Pardon?”

“Come to think of it, aren’t they around Soho’s age? They could become good friends.”

“Friends?”

Soho asked with round eyes at the mention of himself. I gave him a kind explanation.

“Yes. Friends. Something essential in life.”

“Wow! I’d love to have friends!”

“Miss, did you come down to talk to me about my siblings?”

“Yes. I forgot while watching the match.”

“Miss….”

I felt something ominous in Irena’s touched expression, and my feeling was right.

The expressions of the people looking at me became strange. Even the three uninvited guests seemed to see me differently.

“Miss is really….”

“You have such an angelic master!”

Trying to avoid praise only seemed to invite greater adulation. Not being immune to such ticklish situations, I quickly stood up.

“I’ll go back upstairs then. Everyone, don’t overexert yourselves and get some rest.”

The praise directed at me and those overly sparkling eyes continued until dinner time.

Even when I shuddered with embarrassment and asked them to stop, it only worked momentarily.

Those warm gazes looking at me remained.

***

And so, a peaceful week passed after a long time.

One night, the snow that had been pouring as if there was a hole in the sky began to gradually subside.

“Mmm, I’m thirsty…”

Waking up with a parched throat, I looked at the table, but today of all days, there was no water bottle.

It’s the way of the world that things are always there until the moment you need them.

Grumbling, I went downstairs to the living room where a large figure leaning against the window turned around.

“Sion?”

“Lady Lora.”

“What are you doing there?”

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came down. Are you not sleeping, Lady Lora?”

“I’m thirsty. Just a moment.”

I got a cup of water from the kitchen and a cup of cocoa, then approached the window where Sion was. I held out the cup with cocoa to him.

“Sion, here.”

“Thank you.”

Sion took the cup and sipped the cocoa.

I’d brought it, remembering how much he enjoyed it at Count Epine’s mansion, and seeing him still enjoying it made me feel proud. Is this what a mother’s heart feels like?

I stood beside him, holding my cup and staring blankly out the window.

Then, Sion put his cup down on the windowsill. He brought a chair and placed it behind me.

“Please sit down.”

“Okay.”

A quiet moment passed with me sitting and Sion standing, each of us sipping from our cups.

Suddenly, Sion spoke.

“I was born into a military family and was raised to be a knight from a young age.”

I suppose the reason for his sleeplessness was the sparring match and Ante’s talk about knights.

Vaguely guessing this, I turned my gaze from the window to Sion, quietly watching him to hear his story.

Sion looked back at me and continued.

“Both my parents were knights, and they died on the same day in war. From the moment I was born, I was taught that I must become a knight and risk my life for the development of my country.”

“I see.”

“Though called knights, we were nothing more than weapons for the kingdom. The kingdom needed to develop, and sacrifices for that were considered natural.”

It was truly a difficult matter. A life where your future is determined from the moment of birth, with no possibility of choice.

Sion’s life, and Lora’s life too.