The Margrave did not unleash his aura as he had confidently declared.
“Please enjoy the dessert at your leisure. The chef is quite skilled.”
“Oh… yes.”
However, deep inside, I couldn’t completely relax.
He wouldn’t suddenly attack again, would he? My hands were still tingling.
Still, since he told me to eat comfortably, I cautiously began cutting into the slice of cake that had been served as dessert.
“But more importantly, your aura control was quite impressive. Did you learn it from Lowell?”
The Margrave asked as he observed me.
…This man, telling me to eat in peace and then starting a conversation himself.
It seemed that talking wasn’t something he considered to be a disturbance.
“I learned aura control from my master.”
“Your master? I heard you were from the Colosseum. Who was it?”
“Alden, the former Colosseum Champion.”
“Alden? That’s a name I’ve never heard before.”
…Just like with Lowell.
If even someone like the Margrave, who actively participated in wars, didn’t know Alden’s name…
Then Alden must have been using an alias.
Given his skills, there was no way a knight of his caliber wouldn’t be known.
“If he was a former champion, what is he doing now?”
“…He escaped and cut off all contact.”
“Escaped? Hahaha!”
At the mention of ‘escaped,’ the Margrave burst into hearty laughter.
“Well, what business does an aura user have rotting away in the Colosseum? What a waste of talent.”
“Yes…”
…I didn’t bother mentioning that after his escape, Alden had joined the remnants of the Lugar Kingdom.
I felt a bit guilty, but revealing that information wouldn’t do me any good.
As far as I was concerned, I knew nothing. I would simply consider it as if we had never met after his escape.
Even the knights Alden defeated back then didn’t know that he and I had spoken.
Well, in any case.
After that, I was able to enjoy my dessert relatively peacefully.
Of course, the Margrave’s presence still made me uneasy, but at least he wasn’t shooting out his aura.
Compared to before, it was an incredibly comfortable meal.
“I should be heading off now.”
The Margrave finally stood up after we had finished most of our dessert.
It seemed our meeting had come to an end.
Alright, now I can return to the estate—
“Oh, and feel free to stay at the castle.”
“…Huh?”
…Did he just say to stay here comfortably?
Not to leave?
I looked up at the Margrave in confusion, but he had already turned his back to me.
“Um, how long exactly…?”
“If you feel uncomfortable, then leave.”
Hearing that response, I was stunned.
Leave when I feel uncomfortable?
That means if I leave, it would imply that I found staying here unpleasant.
Did I do something wrong?
No, if I had done something wrong, wouldn’t he just kick me out, not keep me here?
I had no idea what he was thinking.
“Well then, enjoy your meal and take your time.”
With that, the Margrave left.
“…Uh, does this mean we can’t go back?”
Sienna asked, looking dumbfounded.
“Uh, um… Yes, it seems that way.”
“…I’m glad I brought Whitey with me.”
And so…
Life in the castle began (forced).
**
A month had passed since I started living at the Boyd Margrave’s castle.
“Sir Rain, it’s time to wake up.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Late in the morning.
A maid entered to clean my room and woke me up.
During the first week, I would wake up just from the sound of the maids’ footsteps.
But now, I didn’t wake up unless they actually called me.
The bed was so comfortable that I wanted to stay in it longer.
The bed at the estate was nice, but this one had a different level of luxury.
After getting up, I did a quick wash, changed clothes, and wandered around the castle.
Since that meal, the Margrave hadn’t shown his face, nor had he given me any significant instructions.
So, much like at the estate, I was living in a semi-unemployed state within the castle.
“Breakfast has been prepared.”
“I’ll be right there.”
At first, I was bewildered by the command to stay at the castle.
But after spending some time here, I realized that this place was, in many ways, a superior version of the estate in the capital.
The guest room I had been assigned was excellent.
Most importantly…
“Well then, call me if you need anything after your meal.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The food was incredibly good.
Though I was technically a knight of the Boyd family, the Margrave was treating me as a guest.
Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy luxurious meals every time.
“Good morning.”
“Yes, good morning.”
Across the table, Sienna was already seated.
Seeing how she only picked up her utensils after I arrived, she must have been waiting.
“You could have started eating first.”
“Haha, I just like eating together.”
“I’ll try to wake up earlier tomorrow.”
I had woken up especially late today.
I suppose that meant I was getting used to this lifestyle.
“What about Whitey…?”
“The maids are taking care of him.”
Whitey was incredibly popular in the castle.
This place had a somewhat dry atmosphere to begin with.
So it was no surprise that a smart, dog-like creature like Whitey was loved by everyone.
“He’s really living the good life.”
“Yes, yes, I don’t think he even needs me anymore.”
Since I couldn’t always take Whitey with me around the castle, Sienna often wore a slightly bitter expression.
Well, considering how attached she was to him, it was understandable.
Honestly, she probably spent more time playing with him than actually training him.
Anyway, after that, we began eating the breakfast spread laid out on the table.
I mainly ate meat.
Beef, pork, lamb—
I enjoyed all kinds of meat in rotation.
“You should eat some vegetables too.”
Watching me, Sienna placed some green vegetables on my plate.
She didn’t used to do this, but at some point, she started adding them to my plate every meal.
I guess she found it ridiculous that I was eating only meat at every meal.
Sienna was the type to balance her nutrition, so seeing me eat this way must have been frustrating.
But old habits die hard.
Back in the Colosseum, I always prioritized eating meat first.
“…Thank you.”
Since she had gone out of her way to give them to me, I made sure to eat the vegetables too.
As I continued eating, I noticed Sienna enjoying her meal enthusiastically.
With how good the food was, it seemed like she was eating more than usual.
“Why are you looking at me?”
“Oh, nothing. You just seem to be enjoying your meal.”
It was nice to see her eating well.
She always ate properly, but now she looked even more satisfied.
“…Did I gain weight?”
However, she seemed to take my words differently and asked hesitantly.
Weight, huh?
Now that she mentioned it, she had put on a little.
“Hmm… Just a little.”
“Huh…! Really?”
She looked completely shocked and even put down her utensils.
I mean, it wasn’t that serious.
“You don’t look like you gained a lot.”
“D-Don’t say things like that…”
She quickly hid her stomach under the table, but that wasn’t what I had been looking at.
Rather… It was a place too embarrassing to mention.
If I said anything, it would sound like I had been observing her closely.
“A-Anyway, let’s spar after breakfast. I need to exercise more.”
“I’m fine with that, but you really don’t have to worry so much.”
“How could I not…?”
Well, at least she was motivated for training, so I suppose it worked out.
There really wasn’t much else to do in this castle besides sparring with Sienna.
After finishing breakfast, we headed to the castle’s training grounds together.
“Are you okay from yesterday’s injuries?”
“Yes, yes! I’m sturdy!”
“Let’s focus on Fleet today.”
Lately, I had been teaching Sienna the fundamental techniques of an aura user during our sparring sessions.
Since we were practically being treated as a set by the Boyd family, teaching her would probably be useful in the long run.
“Heh… I’m not confident in Fleet.”
“You’re doing well, don’t talk yourself down.”
“I think Rush suits me better.”
More importantly, Sienna was the only person I really knew in this massive castle, so we naturally grew closer.
Well, we had already traveled together for a while,
so it would have been stranger if we were still awkward.
“In that case, if you ever gain enough merit, ask me to teach you Vision Rush.”
“Huh? Are you sure?”
“At the very least, Vision Rush will be extremely useful to you.”
Sienna, like Kaiden, had a natural talent for Rush.
If she learned the Boyd family’s Vision Rush, it would be incredibly useful.
If she imbued her throwing axes with Rush before hurling them, most knights wouldn’t be able to block them.
“Alright then, come at me.”
“Yes, yes! Here I go!”
And so, we had another intense sparring session.
“Haa… Hah… Let’s stop here…”
“Yes, good work.”
Leaving the completely exhausted Sienna behind, I took a bath in the castle’s bathhouse before returning to my room.
With my body loosened up, I was just about to start some light aura training when—
Knock, knock.
– The Lord has summoned you.
A maid knocked on my door and delivered the message.
“A summons?”
I immediately got up and headed outside.
“Yes, he has requested you in the office.”
Finally, he was calling for me.
How long had it been? He let me stay in the castle but never called for me.
“I’ll go right away.”
Following the maid, I made my way to the office.
“Sir Rain has arrived.”
—Let him in.
The maid guided me only as far as the door, leaving me to enter alone.
“Have you been resting well?”
“Yes, thanks to you, I’ve been able to rest properly.”
The Margrave’s office was surprisingly simple.
Perhaps it was just his style, but it wasn’t much different from the one in his estate in the capital.
The only notable feature was a massive sword mounted on the wall behind his desk.
It didn’t even have a scabbard, but at a glance, it was clearly a masterwork blade.
“I called you here because I figured it was time to give you a mission.”
“…I’ve been waiting.”
So that’s why he summoned me.
I had suspected as much ever since he made me stay in the castle.
He probably kept me here so he could assign me something at the right moment.
Besides, I was officially a knight of the Boyd family.
It wasn’t strange for the head of the family, the Margrave, to give me orders.
“Do you remember the incident in Viscount Bellermark’s territory?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I’ve heard that the devil worshippers’ activities have spiraled out of control. Count Reichen attempted to handle it but failed, so he sent me a letter requesting assistance.”
…Count Reichen sent a request for aid?
I had a bad feeling when I left that territory,
and it looks like things escalated just as I feared.
For a noble of Count rank to struggle and request support meant the situation had become serious.
“The eastern region falls somewhat under my jurisdiction, so I plan to send the knight order and wipe them all out.”
“Wipe them out, meaning…?”
“If we have to turn the entire territory upside down, then so be it. We must root them out completely, don’t you agree?”
“I do.”
It was unfortunate for the common citizens, but knowing how well devil worshippers could hide and how meticulous they were, I fully agreed with him.
Those people could blend into an ordinary countryside village without raising suspicion.
“So, I want you to join the knight order and lend a hand.”
“Understood.”
I immediately nodded at the Margrave’s proposal.
Not only was it something I couldn’t refuse, but I had no reason to reject it.
My body had been itching for action anyway—this was a perfect opportunity.
On top of that, I’d finally get to work with the Boyd family’s knight order.
I had seen them around the castle but never had a chance to interact with them.
Now, I could finally see how they compared to the Royal Knights.
“I like how decisive you are. I’ll inform the knight order, so go and collect your equipment in advance.”
“Understood.”
And so—
I finally received a mission that would take me outside the castle.
