Chapter 88 – The morning of the departure
Ifelina’s singing voice echoed through the forest. She was walking a little ahead of Laura, her left hand holding a fruit-picking basket and her right a reasonably long piece of stick as she waded through the bushes. It had not stopped raining for some time, and she had not been able to go outside, so she must be feeling a bit sad. Laura watched her daughter with a loving gaze as she gleefully passed the stick through the grass and trees.
The song she was singing was one that Leticia had taught her when she was still small, to cheer her up, that she had been taken in by adventurers after losing her parents and her village friends in a demon attack. Even now, a little older than she was then, Ifelina still sang this song often. Very often to the neighboring children, who were still younger than her, when she went to set up her stall with her mother in the city market.
As it was in an isolated forest, the image of Leticia as a child strolling with Wynn in the past overlapped with Ifelina singing in good humor as she walked with her wings on her back exposed, which she used to hide under her baggy clothes, now out and flapping them.
‘Letty-chan had a nice voice too, but Lina’s is better.’ Laura compared young Leticia and Ifelina when she met her and laughed for being a silly mother and thinking Ifelina had more talent.
“What’s wrong, Mom?”
“It’s nothing. Come on, let’s get it over with.”
“Yes.”
They searched for the weeds that had sprouted after the rain. Ifelina was no stranger to foraging in the forest, having helped Laura on many occasions. They foraged for mushrooms growing at the base of dead trees and plucked herbs that could serve as medicine.
“Don’t go too far.”
“Yeah, nothing’s going to happen.”
Turning her back on her daughter, who was singing as she waded through the bushes, Laura also began to gather wild vegetables and other plants. This place they had entered was not so far from the human settlements, but it was still not safe. There were wild beasts, and even demons, though these were rare. Even Ifelina’s real parents were killed by these. There had been many large-scale parties of knights and adventurers to defeat the demons, but they were still causing damage. Even more terrifying than the demons, though, were the poisonous snakes and insects. They could sting or bite you before you knew it.
“Oh, Mom!”
Laura’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Ifelina’s scream.
“Lina!” Rising to her feet, she called out her daughter’s name and turned her eyes in the direction she had heard her sing earlier. When she moved a little away, she could see Ifelina’s small white-winged back behind the bushes.
“Lina!” Laura shouted, and as she hurried closer, Ifelina looked up at her. She had a surprised expression on her face. Looking at her daughter, who was no longer screaming, Laura felt as if all the strength had left her body.
“Mom, over there.” Ifelina reached over to Laura and tugged on the sleeve of her right hand. “Is anyone down there?”
“Huh?” Startled, she turned her eyes in the direction Ifelina pointed and saw a human hand behind a bush. “No way.” Panicked, Laura rushed into the bushes and peered out; she called out to the fallen man and, reaching for his body, gulped.
“…Mom, is that man dead?” Ifelina asked, who had her hands around Laura’s waist and looked fearfully behind her.
At that moment, the man groaned slightly.
“He’s alive!”
She pointed her head at Ifelina, who exclaimed excitedly.
“Are you okay?”
As she called out to him, Laura was about to lift the man’s upper body when she felt a liquid sensation.
“Oh, my, he’s hurt bad!”
He had been lying on his back and she hadn’t noticed the wounds on it. Looking closer, his left arm was also reddish and black, swollen and inflamed, and abnormally deformed. It appeared to be broken. Blood was still gushing from the wounds on his back.
“I have to stop the bleeding as soon as possible.” She cut the man’s shirt with a knife she had for foraging, exposing the wound on his back, rinsing it with water from a jar she had taken out of the basket she had brought.
The man groaned as the water came in contact with the irritated wound, but she washed it off regardless.
“Lina, take off your coat, please.” She wrapped the cloth around his hand and pressed it against the wound, then tied it with the clothes she received from Lina, who was now in her underwear. Then she put a splint on his broken left arm and tied him up as well.
“Haahaahahaa…” After giving him first aid, Laura sank to the ground.
“Mom, are you okay?” Ifelina, worried about her mother who was out of breath, looked at her face and Laura smiled to reassure her. Then she turned to the man.
“This man… he’s an elf.”
Laura finally realized that the man on the ground was not a human, but an elf. She had been so desperate to tend to his wounds that she hadn’t noticed the distinctive ears.
‘What should I do now…’
The body of the elven man, revealed by tearing off his clothes, was thin but muscular, and it was unlikely that a woman and a little girl could carry him all the way to the village. However, they could not leave him lying there like that. She gave him some first aid, but he needed to see a doctor as soon as possible. There was a chance that others would see Ifelina’s wings and magic, but they would have to take him to their home.
“Lina, can you use your magic?”
“I’ll try.” Ifelina flapped her wings once and furrowed her brow in concentration.
Adult avians could control the atmosphere and sometimes even the weather. Just as it was natural for birds to fly, Ifelina was able to control the atmosphere without chanting a spell. The wind gently enveloped Ifelina, then lifted the man on the ground into the air, lifting him up with all the fallen leaves around him.
“Thank you, Lina, can you take him home?”
“If I can take my time, I think we’ll be fine.”
Laura hurried toward the house, hurrying just enough to keep Ifelina’s magic intact.
◇◆◇◆◇
The Simurgh Knight School. A dormitory that only girls of the high nobility could enter. Originally used as a facility for guests to stay, the interior of the dormitory had a larger floor plan and a higher ceiling than other dormitories. Each pillar was delicately crafted, and the hallway was decorated with seasonal flowers. Currently, four daughters of high-ranking nobles lived in this female dormitory. Two of them were students from other countries, and the other was the daughter of a marquis. And one more: Leticia, the daughter of Duke Mavis and recognized as the Brave.
“Yes. Looks good!” facing the large mirror, Leticia nodded as she turned to check her front and back.
The uniform was pure white with blue trim and gold threads, like the formal attire of a noble. It was of no practical use, and if worn by a mere passerby, it would definitely look out of place. In fact, when she woke up before dawn as usual, Leticia had already prepared herself in front of the mirror many times like this. Not that there was anything she particularly cared about, but she couldn’t help but stand in front of the mirror. Leticia was aware that her mood was a bit optimistic. During her travels as the Brave, she had been unconcerned about her appearance and only wore practical clothes, but after her reunion with Wynn, she began to pay more attention to fashion.
“Well, you look really beautiful, Leticia-sama.”
“It really suits you.”
“…Thank you.”
The ones who praised Leticia’s beauty with a sigh were the two maids who had been attached to Leticia for the past few days. The reason for Leticia’s reluctant response to their compliments was that she disliked their presence. Originally, Leticia lived alone in her bedroom without maids, but when she returned to her parents’ house the other day, due her sister Stacia….
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In the northwestern part of the imperial capital of Simurgh. Duke Mavis’ residence was located at the corner of the mansions of the aristocrats staying in the imperial capital. It was a mansion befitting the duke’s rank and was considerably larger than the mansions found in the surrounding area. After Leticia returned to Duke Mavis’ residence from the dormitory of the Knight School where she usually slept, she stopped a short distance from the gates. Whenever she returned, she always hesitated to enter the grounds of the house. Although she was a bit far away, two knights serving the Mavis family approached her, probably because she had been standing at the gate for so long that they became suspicious. The northwest section of the imperial capital was just the noble district. The streets were paved with cobblestones, and the sides were lined with flowerbeds and trees. It was a district that was difficult for commoners to enter. Among those who did, very few approached the residence of Duke Mavis, who even had the right to inherit the throne in the imperial capital. If you were a servant, you entered and left through a specific door, and if you were a guest in the duke’s house, you arrived in a lavishly decorated carriage. No wonder they were wary of Leticia.
“Thank you for the hard work.” Leticia called out to the knights approaching her.
The knights, who immediately realized that she was the family’s youngest daughter, quickly tensed their faces and bowed. She then signaled them to open the door. The heavy iron gates swung open on both sides and five knights stepped out of the gatehouse and saluted. Leticia stepped through the gate and entered. As she walked down the wide garden path leading to the entrance, she passed several servants. Each time she passed them, Leticia said a few words of thanks, but they all kept their eyes down and bowed to her.
Their attitude was polite. But they never made eye contact with Leticia.
Perhaps they remembered the way they had treated Leticia in the past. Her tutor yelled at her every day, as she was afraid of failure and could not concentrate on her studies or magic. The duke and his wife no longer expected anything from her, and the servants could not help but take this attitude. Before long, Leticia was treated as if she were nothing more than a nuisance by everyone in the house. Even when Leticia started leaving the house early in the morning to go to Wynn’s, they thought the youngest daughter, who could just pick her nose, was just eccentric. However, they learned that she had been enshrined as the Brave and had defeated the Demon King, and that she was overwhelmingly talented. She had become an unparalleled presence on earth.
They were terrified. They remembered the attitude they had once taken. They could get what they deserved. And if Leticia really wanted revenge, no one could stop her… Not to mention her father, the Duke, even the Empire….
In fact, Leticia had no thoughts at all of retaliating against them. It was true that she felt deeply hurt, but after meeting Wynn, an irreplaceable person for her, these things became insignificant. Of course, it wasn’t that she had no feelings about the way she had been treated in the past, so when she returned to the mansion now, the maid who took care of her was a woman who was hired during the four years she was away. When she entered the front door of the house, she was greeted by one of the maids.
“Welcome home.”
The maid’s greeting were the first words spoken to Leticia upon her return to the house. Smiling a little, Leticia gave the maid a few words of encouragement and made her way to her room. Her room was a simple space with a large bed, a desk, a chair and a small closet. However, on the desk was a vase of seasonal flowers. The room was well cleaned, and the bed sheets were neatly arranged without a single wrinkle in case the owner might return at any time. The maid behind Leticia must have taken care of it every day. For the sake of her mistress, who rarely came. Leticia felt a little bad for her.
“Where is my father?”
“The Duke and his wife have been invited by His Majesty to visit the Imperial Palace. Currently, Stacia-sama is the only one in this residence.”
“So… there’s only my sister.” Leticia let out a sigh of relief.
Although they were her family, she didn’t want to see her if she could it. She didn’t have any good memories of her older sister. Her father and mother had probably left for Emperor Alexei to show them of her penchant for painting. Her second sister, Felecia, who was a year older than Leticia, was studying at Emerdia. Her brother, Rails, was assigned to the Central Knights after graduating from knight school and was probably stationed somewhere right now. As the legitimate son of a great noble, he was given missions to take down simple thieves or weak demons to accumulate achievements. If he returned to the imperial capital having done so, he would be assigned to the Imperial Guard Knights, and at the end of his service, he would probably inherit the dukedom. And her older sister, Stacia….
“Oh my, are you home, Leticia?”
“Stacia-anesama…”
She stepped out into the hallway to greet Stacia, though she wasn’t in the mood, when she walked into her.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. Glad to see you’re well.”
“Yes, you too, Stacia-anesama. I was just about to come and say hello to you.”
“I see.”
According to what she was saying, Stacia was glad to see her younger sister again, but her tone was somewhat reserved. This was the first time Leticia and Stacia had held a conversation since her triumphant return to the imperial capital as the Brave. Stacia, who liked the glamorous atmosphere of the imperial capital, had never returned to the Mavis Duchy, Meyzen, after Leticia’s triumphant return, and must have stayed in Simurgh, but they never met. The reason was that Leticia herself did not want to come to the house. However, the two avoided seeing each other even at the gatherings to which they were invited. Leticia was not very fond of her older sister, and Stacia had always ignored her younger sister. Although she and her second sister, Felecia, still had a little sibling interaction, her brother and older sister had never shown any kind of interest in Leticia. So, when she made her triumphant return, she was perplexed when her brother, Rails, spoke to her in a friendly manner. Although he had been avoiding her, since they were in the same house, he should greet her. That’s what she thought and went to visit her sister’s room. Leticia was surprised when she spoke to Stacia, who showed no more interest in her younger sister than Rails did, even though she had just left the room. However, Leticia had nothing to say to her. She had already greeted her, so she would leave her and return to her room.
“By the way, there’s something I haven’t told you. I’m going to marry His Royal Highness Prince Neumann.”
“Well… congratulations.”
“Thank you. It is an honor for me and the Mavis family to be related to His Royal Highness Neumann. Father and mother are very happy, and they are going to give us a big engagement party. I hear they have sent Rails-niisama a letter to ask him to return that day.” Stacia sketched a cool, wide-awake smile and looked at Leticia. “Come to think of it, Leticia, you’re going to Lyon with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, aren’t you? So, it won’t be difficult for you to attend Neumann-sama’s and my engagement party?”
“I’m sorry, anesama. Since His Highness Raul, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lyon, was my traveling companion, Alfred-sama has asked me to accompany him.”
“That’s all right, Leticia. It is an important duty. If so, it can’t be helped… By the way, have you already chosen a maid to accompany you to Lyon?”
“No, unfortunately not. But I’m fine on my own…”
“Oh my!” Stacia’s eyes widened in surprise at Leticia’s response. “It is unthinkable for Duke Mavis’ daughter, even if she is the youngest daughter, to go abroad without one of her maids. However, you only have one maid, don’t you?” Stacia looked a bit thoughtful, but a smile soon appeared on her lips. “Well, I can lend you some of mine. They would make you look a little more presentable.”
“No, anesama. I don’t…”
However, as Stacia waved her hand to interrupt Leticia’s rebuttal, two maids stepped forward behind her.
“These are the ones I trust the most. I’ll lend you these girls. They both accompanied me when I traveled from Meyzen to the Imperial City, so they’ll be able to take care of you during your journey. Is that okay with you?”
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
The maids’ words put a damper on the mood she was in. Leticia remembered Stacia from the maids’ words, and to take her mind off it, she pulled a silver necklace from a small jewelry box she kept on her desk, looking at it intently as she picked it up with both hands. On the end of the thin chain was a small, tiny aquamarine ring. It was a handmade ring for a child. It was a precious treasure that Wynn had given Leticia before she left.
“Leticia-sama. If you want to decorate your chest, how about this necklace?” The maid offered her a diamond necklace with exquisite ornamentation. The ornamentation was not flashy per se, but if it adorned Leticia’s chest, it would enhance her charm wonderfully. “With all due respect, I’m afraid that object is not quite appropriate for your rank.”
The stone itself was small and not an expensive item. She did not think it was appropriate for a duke’s third daughter to wear, and even a wealthy commoner could not wear it. Leticia shook her head and smiled toward the maid, who grumbled with a slightly sour look.
“It’s all right. This ring is not meant to be worn as an ornament. It has given me strength and courage, and I am very fond of it. Besides, I don’t think the object I wear will change my reputation in any way.”
“…If that is the case.” The maid bowed and withdrew. It wasn’t clear if she thought it was some kind of magical tool with magical power in it.
Leticia smiled as the maid’s gaze on the aquamarine ring seemed to have made some assessment. It might have contained magic, but magic that only worked on Leticia. It was a gift Wynn had given Leticia with the money he had earned as a child by literally working himself to utter exhaustion to get into the knight school. The power this little stone bestowed on Leticia was tremendous.
“Hey!” There was a knock at the door and a voice called from outside. “Are you ready? Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Yes.”
While restraining the indignant maids who said “How rude!”, Leticia hurried out the door. The maids had only been with her a short time, so it was no wonder they didn’t know him. Leticia opened the door herself and greeted the owner of the voice, Wynn.
“Good morning, Onii-chan. I’m ready now.”
“Good morning, Letty.”
Leticia looked at Wynn, who was standing in front of her bedroom door.
“Yes. You look good, Onii-chan.”
“Really? I look like I’m wearing more clothes than I did in my servant uniform.”
The look Wynn was wearing was thanks to her clothes, a uniform that looked like a formal suit worn by nobles and decorated with pure white and blue gold thread decorations. In the Empire, pure white uniforms were basically allowed only for the royal family. But this time Alfred allowed Cornelia’s servants to wear such a color as their formal wear, because he thought it would be most appropriate for those who would serve at her side. The Imperial Guard Knights in red uniforms, the Court Knights in black uniforms, and the Central Knights in blue uniforms. And the white uniform of Cornelia’s Servants that Wynn wore. Leticia also wore the same uniform.
“Yes, Letty, you look better in it when you wear it.”
“Ugh, thank you. But, Onii-chan, what shall we tell the captain when we see it doesn’t fit?”
“That’s right.”
Leticia said with a laugh, and Wynn started laughing too.
They pictured Royce with his big belly poking out. They could clearly see the image of him sweating and out of breath in his tight uniform. Alfred promoted Royce’s squadron directly to Cornelia’s squadron, although the commander was still Royce. His rank was now centurion. There were many objections from the nobles, but Alfred went ahead. Cornelia, who was actually attached to Royce’s squadron, expressed her approval. The fact that she herself had trained under Royce’s squadron as a knight cadet was a reason to suppress opposition. The nobles who wanted to bring their sons closer to the unmarried princess had no choice but to keep silent.
“The Kingdom of Lyon, the land of the Sword Saint Raul-sama, huh? It’s not for fun or sightseeing, but it’s my first long trip, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“I hope there’s time for some sightseeing.”
“Yes I’m really looking forward to it too,” Leticia smiled as she said this at the joyful expression on Wynn’s face. Leticia hadn’t been this excited to go on a trip since the morning of the day she was to return to the imperial capital in triumph after her journey to defeat the Demon King.
When they emerged from the girls’ dormitory where Leticia lived, she found Cornelia, Locke, Wedge and Lino waiting for them, all dressed in the same uniform as Wynn and Leticia. Leticia was happy to be able to wear the same uniform as them and especially Wynn. According to Alfred, there was going to be a lot of trouble along the way, but Leticia hoped in her heart that it would still be a pleasant trip.
Chapter 88 – The morning of the departure
Ifelina’s singing voice echoed through the forest. She was walking a little ahead of Laura, her left hand holding a fruit-picking basket and her right a reasonably long piece of stick as she waded through the bushes. It had not stopped raining for some time, and she had not been able to go outside, so she must be feeling a bit sad. Laura watched her daughter with a loving gaze as she gleefully passed the stick through the grass and trees.
The song she was singing was one that Leticia had taught her when she was still small, to cheer her up, that she had been taken in by adventurers after losing her parents and her village friends in a demon attack. Even now, a little older than she was then, Ifelina still sang this song often. Very often to the neighboring children, who were still younger than her, when she went to set up her stall with her mother in the city market.
As it was in an isolated forest, the image of Leticia as a child strolling with Wynn in the past overlapped with Ifelina singing in good humor as she walked with her wings on her back exposed, which she used to hide under her baggy clothes, now out and flapping them.
‘Letty-chan had a nice voice too, but Lina’s is better.’ Laura compared young Leticia and Ifelina when she met her and laughed for being a silly mother and thinking Ifelina had more talent.
“What’s wrong, Mom?”
“It’s nothing. Come on, let’s get it over with.”
“Yes.”
They searched for the weeds that had sprouted after the rain. Ifelina was no stranger to foraging in the forest, having helped Laura on many occasions. They foraged for mushrooms growing at the base of dead trees and plucked herbs that could serve as medicine.
“Don’t go too far.”
“Yeah, nothing’s going to happen.”
Turning her back on her daughter, who was singing as she waded through the bushes, Laura also began to gather wild vegetables and other plants. This place they had entered was not so far from the human settlements, but it was still not safe. There were wild beasts, and even demons, though these were rare. Even Ifelina’s real parents were killed by these. There had been many large-scale parties of knights and adventurers to defeat the demons, but they were still causing damage. Even more terrifying than the demons, though, were the poisonous snakes and insects. They could sting or bite you before you knew it.
“Oh, Mom!”
Laura’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Ifelina’s scream.
“Lina!” Rising to her feet, she called out her daughter’s name and turned her eyes in the direction she had heard her sing earlier. When she moved a little away, she could see Ifelina’s small white-winged back behind the bushes.
“Lina!” Laura shouted, and as she hurried closer, Ifelina looked up at her. She had a surprised expression on her face. Looking at her daughter, who was no longer screaming, Laura felt as if all the strength had left her body.
“Mom, over there.” Ifelina reached over to Laura and tugged on the sleeve of her right hand. “Is anyone down there?”
“Huh?” Startled, she turned her eyes in the direction Ifelina pointed and saw a human hand behind a bush. “No way.” Panicked, Laura rushed into the bushes and peered out; she called out to the fallen man and, reaching for his body, gulped.
“…Mom, is that man dead?” Ifelina asked, who had her hands around Laura’s waist and looked fearfully behind her.
At that moment, the man groaned slightly.
“He’s alive!”
She pointed her head at Ifelina, who exclaimed excitedly.
“Are you okay?”
As she called out to him, Laura was about to lift the man’s upper body when she felt a liquid sensation.
“Oh, my, he’s hurt bad!”
He had been lying on his back and she hadn’t noticed the wounds on it. Looking closer, his left arm was also reddish and black, swollen and inflamed, and abnormally deformed. It appeared to be broken. Blood was still gushing from the wounds on his back.
“I have to stop the bleeding as soon as possible.” She cut the man’s shirt with a knife she had for foraging, exposing the wound on his back, rinsing it with water from a jar she had taken out of the basket she had brought.
The man groaned as the water came in contact with the irritated wound, but she washed it off regardless.
“Lina, take off your coat, please.” She wrapped the cloth around his hand and pressed it against the wound, then tied it with the clothes she received from Lina, who was now in her underwear. Then she put a splint on his broken left arm and tied him up as well.
“Haahaahahaa…” After giving him first aid, Laura sank to the ground.
“Mom, are you okay?” Ifelina, worried about her mother who was out of breath, looked at her face and Laura smiled to reassure her. Then she turned to the man.
“This man… he’s an elf.”
Laura finally realized that the man on the ground was not a human, but an elf. She had been so desperate to tend to his wounds that she hadn’t noticed the distinctive ears.
‘What should I do now…’
The body of the elven man, revealed by tearing off his clothes, was thin but muscular, and it was unlikely that a woman and a little girl could carry him all the way to the village. However, they could not leave him lying there like that. She gave him some first aid, but he needed to see a doctor as soon as possible. There was a chance that others would see Ifelina’s wings and magic, but they would have to take him to their home.
“Lina, can you use your magic?”
“I’ll try.” Ifelina flapped her wings once and furrowed her brow in concentration.
Adult avians could control the atmosphere and sometimes even the weather. Just as it was natural for birds to fly, Ifelina was able to control the atmosphere without chanting a spell. The wind gently enveloped Ifelina, then lifted the man on the ground into the air, lifting him up with all the fallen leaves around him.
“Thank you, Lina, can you take him home?”
“If I can take my time, I think we’ll be fine.”
Laura hurried toward the house, hurrying just enough to keep Ifelina’s magic intact.
◇◆◇◆◇
The Simurgh Knight School. A dormitory that only girls of the high nobility could enter. Originally used as a facility for guests to stay, the interior of the dormitory had a larger floor plan and a higher ceiling than other dormitories. Each pillar was delicately crafted, and the hallway was decorated with seasonal flowers. Currently, four daughters of high-ranking nobles lived in this female dormitory. Two of them were students from other countries, and the other was the daughter of a marquis. And one more: Leticia, the daughter of Duke Mavis and recognized as the Brave.
“Yes. Looks good!” facing the large mirror, Leticia nodded as she turned to check her front and back.
The uniform was pure white with blue trim and gold threads, like the formal attire of a noble. It was of no practical use, and if worn by a mere passerby, it would definitely look out of place. In fact, when she woke up before dawn as usual, Leticia had already prepared herself in front of the mirror many times like this. Not that there was anything she particularly cared about, but she couldn’t help but stand in front of the mirror. Leticia was aware that her mood was a bit optimistic. During her travels as the Brave, she had been unconcerned about her appearance and only wore practical clothes, but after her reunion with Wynn, she began to pay more attention to fashion.
“Well, you look really beautiful, Leticia-sama.”
“It really suits you.”
“…Thank you.”
The ones who praised Leticia’s beauty with a sigh were the two maids who had been attached to Leticia for the past few days. The reason for Leticia’s reluctant response to their compliments was that she disliked their presence. Originally, Leticia lived alone in her bedroom without maids, but when she returned to her parents’ house the other day, due her sister Stacia….
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
In the northwestern part of the imperial capital of Simurgh. Duke Mavis’ residence was located at the corner of the mansions of the aristocrats staying in the imperial capital. It was a mansion befitting the duke’s rank and was considerably larger than the mansions found in the surrounding area. After Leticia returned to Duke Mavis’ residence from the dormitory of the Knight School where she usually slept, she stopped a short distance from the gates. Whenever she returned, she always hesitated to enter the grounds of the house. Although she was a bit far away, two knights serving the Mavis family approached her, probably because she had been standing at the gate for so long that they became suspicious. The northwest section of the imperial capital was just the noble district. The streets were paved with cobblestones, and the sides were lined with flowerbeds and trees. It was a district that was difficult for commoners to enter. Among those who did, very few approached the residence of Duke Mavis, who even had the right to inherit the throne in the imperial capital. If you were a servant, you entered and left through a specific door, and if you were a guest in the duke’s house, you arrived in a lavishly decorated carriage. No wonder they were wary of Leticia.
“Thank you for the hard work.” Leticia called out to the knights approaching her.
The knights, who immediately realized that she was the family’s youngest daughter, quickly tensed their faces and bowed. She then signaled them to open the door. The heavy iron gates swung open on both sides and five knights stepped out of the gatehouse and saluted. Leticia stepped through the gate and entered. As she walked down the wide garden path leading to the entrance, she passed several servants. Each time she passed them, Leticia said a few words of thanks, but they all kept their eyes down and bowed to her.
Their attitude was polite. But they never made eye contact with Leticia.
Perhaps they remembered the way they had treated Leticia in the past. Her tutor yelled at her every day, as she was afraid of failure and could not concentrate on her studies or magic. The duke and his wife no longer expected anything from her, and the servants could not help but take this attitude. Before long, Leticia was treated as if she were nothing more than a nuisance by everyone in the house. Even when Leticia started leaving the house early in the morning to go to Wynn’s, they thought the youngest daughter, who could just pick her nose, was just eccentric. However, they learned that she had been enshrined as the Brave and had defeated the Demon King, and that she was overwhelmingly talented. She had become an unparalleled presence on earth.
They were terrified. They remembered the attitude they had once taken. They could get what they deserved. And if Leticia really wanted revenge, no one could stop her… Not to mention her father, the Duke, even the Empire….
In fact, Leticia had no thoughts at all of retaliating against them. It was true that she felt deeply hurt, but after meeting Wynn, an irreplaceable person for her, these things became insignificant. Of course, it wasn’t that she had no feelings about the way she had been treated in the past, so when she returned to the mansion now, the maid who took care of her was a woman who was hired during the four years she was away. When she entered the front door of the house, she was greeted by one of the maids.
“Welcome home.”
The maid’s greeting were the first words spoken to Leticia upon her return to the house. Smiling a little, Leticia gave the maid a few words of encouragement and made her way to her room. Her room was a simple space with a large bed, a desk, a chair and a small closet. However, on the desk was a vase of seasonal flowers. The room was well cleaned, and the bed sheets were neatly arranged without a single wrinkle in case the owner might return at any time. The maid behind Leticia must have taken care of it every day. For the sake of her mistress, who rarely came. Leticia felt a little bad for her.
“Where is my father?”
“The Duke and his wife have been invited by His Majesty to visit the Imperial Palace. Currently, Stacia-sama is the only one in this residence.”
“So… there’s only my sister.” Leticia let out a sigh of relief.
Although they were her family, she didn’t want to see her if she could it. She didn’t have any good memories of her older sister. Her father and mother had probably left for Emperor Alexei to show them of her penchant for painting. Her second sister, Felecia, who was a year older than Leticia, was studying at Emerdia. Her brother, Rails, was assigned to the Central Knights after graduating from knight school and was probably stationed somewhere right now. As the legitimate son of a great noble, he was given missions to take down simple thieves or weak demons to accumulate achievements. If he returned to the imperial capital having done so, he would be assigned to the Imperial Guard Knights, and at the end of his service, he would probably inherit the dukedom. And her older sister, Stacia….
“Oh my, are you home, Leticia?”
“Stacia-anesama…”
She stepped out into the hallway to greet Stacia, though she wasn’t in the mood, when she walked into her.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. Glad to see you’re well.”
“Yes, you too, Stacia-anesama. I was just about to come and say hello to you.”
“I see.”
According to what she was saying, Stacia was glad to see her younger sister again, but her tone was somewhat reserved. This was the first time Leticia and Stacia had held a conversation since her triumphant return to the imperial capital as the Brave. Stacia, who liked the glamorous atmosphere of the imperial capital, had never returned to the Mavis Duchy, Meyzen, after Leticia’s triumphant return, and must have stayed in Simurgh, but they never met. The reason was that Leticia herself did not want to come to the house. However, the two avoided seeing each other even at the gatherings to which they were invited. Leticia was not very fond of her older sister, and Stacia had always ignored her younger sister. Although she and her second sister, Felecia, still had a little sibling interaction, her brother and older sister had never shown any kind of interest in Leticia. So, when she made her triumphant return, she was perplexed when her brother, Rails, spoke to her in a friendly manner. Although he had been avoiding her, since they were in the same house, he should greet her. That’s what she thought and went to visit her sister’s room. Leticia was surprised when she spoke to Stacia, who showed no more interest in her younger sister than Rails did, even though she had just left the room. However, Leticia had nothing to say to her. She had already greeted her, so she would leave her and return to her room.
“By the way, there’s something I haven’t told you. I’m going to marry His Royal Highness Prince Neumann.”
“Well… congratulations.”
“Thank you. It is an honor for me and the Mavis family to be related to His Royal Highness Neumann. Father and mother are very happy, and they are going to give us a big engagement party. I hear they have sent Rails-niisama a letter to ask him to return that day.” Stacia sketched a cool, wide-awake smile and looked at Leticia. “Come to think of it, Leticia, you’re going to Lyon with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, aren’t you? So, it won’t be difficult for you to attend Neumann-sama’s and my engagement party?”
“I’m sorry, anesama. Since His Highness Raul, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lyon, was my traveling companion, Alfred-sama has asked me to accompany him.”
“That’s all right, Leticia. It is an important duty. If so, it can’t be helped… By the way, have you already chosen a maid to accompany you to Lyon?”
“No, unfortunately not. But I’m fine on my own…”
“Oh my!” Stacia’s eyes widened in surprise at Leticia’s response. “It is unthinkable for Duke Mavis’ daughter, even if she is the youngest daughter, to go abroad without one of her maids. However, you only have one maid, don’t you?” Stacia looked a bit thoughtful, but a smile soon appeared on her lips. “Well, I can lend you some of mine. They would make you look a little more presentable.”
“No, anesama. I don’t…”
However, as Stacia waved her hand to interrupt Leticia’s rebuttal, two maids stepped forward behind her.
“These are the ones I trust the most. I’ll lend you these girls. They both accompanied me when I traveled from Meyzen to the Imperial City, so they’ll be able to take care of you during your journey. Is that okay with you?”
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
The maids’ words put a damper on the mood she was in. Leticia remembered Stacia from the maids’ words, and to take her mind off it, she pulled a silver necklace from a small jewelry box she kept on her desk, looking at it intently as she picked it up with both hands. On the end of the thin chain was a small, tiny aquamarine ring. It was a handmade ring for a child. It was a precious treasure that Wynn had given Leticia before she left.
“Leticia-sama. If you want to decorate your chest, how about this necklace?” The maid offered her a diamond necklace with exquisite ornamentation. The ornamentation was not flashy per se, but if it adorned Leticia’s chest, it would enhance her charm wonderfully. “With all due respect, I’m afraid that object is not quite appropriate for your rank.”
The stone itself was small and not an expensive item. She did not think it was appropriate for a duke’s third daughter to wear, and even a wealthy commoner could not wear it. Leticia shook her head and smiled toward the maid, who grumbled with a slightly sour look.
“It’s all right. This ring is not meant to be worn as an ornament. It has given me strength and courage, and I am very fond of it. Besides, I don’t think the object I wear will change my reputation in any way.”
“…If that is the case.” The maid bowed and withdrew. It wasn’t clear if she thought it was some kind of magical tool with magical power in it.
Leticia smiled as the maid’s gaze on the aquamarine ring seemed to have made some assessment. It might have contained magic, but magic that only worked on Leticia. It was a gift Wynn had given Leticia with the money he had earned as a child by literally working himself to utter exhaustion to get into the knight school. The power this little stone bestowed on Leticia was tremendous.
“Hey!” There was a knock at the door and a voice called from outside. “Are you ready? Everyone’s waiting for you.”
“Yes.”
While restraining the indignant maids who said “How rude!”, Leticia hurried out the door. The maids had only been with her a short time, so it was no wonder they didn’t know him. Leticia opened the door herself and greeted the owner of the voice, Wynn.
“Good morning, Onii-chan. I’m ready now.”
“Good morning, Letty.”
Leticia looked at Wynn, who was standing in front of her bedroom door.
“Yes. You look good, Onii-chan.”
“Really? I look like I’m wearing more clothes than I did in my servant uniform.”
The look Wynn was wearing was thanks to her clothes, a uniform that looked like a formal suit worn by nobles and decorated with pure white and blue gold thread decorations. In the Empire, pure white uniforms were basically allowed only for the royal family. But this time Alfred allowed Cornelia’s servants to wear such a color as their formal wear, because he thought it would be most appropriate for those who would serve at her side. The Imperial Guard Knights in red uniforms, the Court Knights in black uniforms, and the Central Knights in blue uniforms. And the white uniform of Cornelia’s Servants that Wynn wore. Leticia also wore the same uniform.
“Yes, Letty, you look better in it when you wear it.”
“Ugh, thank you. But, Onii-chan, what shall we tell the captain when we see it doesn’t fit?”
“That’s right.”
Leticia said with a laugh, and Wynn started laughing too.
They pictured Royce with his big belly poking out. They could clearly see the image of him sweating and out of breath in his tight uniform. Alfred promoted Royce’s squadron directly to Cornelia’s squadron, although the commander was still Royce. His rank was now centurion. There were many objections from the nobles, but Alfred went ahead. Cornelia, who was actually attached to Royce’s squadron, expressed her approval. The fact that she herself had trained under Royce’s squadron as a knight cadet was a reason to suppress opposition. The nobles who wanted to bring their sons closer to the unmarried princess had no choice but to keep silent.
“The Kingdom of Lyon, the land of the Sword Saint Raul-sama, huh? It’s not for fun or sightseeing, but it’s my first long trip, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“I hope there’s time for some sightseeing.”
“Yes I’m really looking forward to it too,” Leticia smiled as she said this at the joyful expression on Wynn’s face. Leticia hadn’t been this excited to go on a trip since the morning of the day she was to return to the imperial capital in triumph after her journey to defeat the Demon King.
When they emerged from the girls’ dormitory where Leticia lived, she found Cornelia, Locke, Wedge and Lino waiting for them, all dressed in the same uniform as Wynn and Leticia. Leticia was happy to be able to wear the same uniform as them and especially Wynn. According to Alfred, there was going to be a lot of trouble along the way, but Leticia hoped in her heart that it would still be a pleasant trip.
