It was a beautiful day in Apus Village. The skies were clear, the sunlight mild and comforting, and a soft breeze carried the scent of blossoming flowers through the estate.
In the back garden, Priya sat gently rocking on a wooden swing suspended by thick ropes, her rounded belly nestled under her soft gown, clearly swollen in the final months of pregnancy.
The swing had been handcrafted under Roland’s instructions and was quite sturdy, elegant, and shaded under the wide canopy of a flowering tree.
Beside her, Murphy sat on a cushioned bench, cradling her daughter while keeping a close watch on the little twins toddling nearby. Helios and Helina, now old enough to speak in full sentences, waddled over with wide, curious eyes.
"Elder Mother," Helios chirped, tilting his head adorably, "will it be a younger brother or sister?"
Priya let out a soft laugh, one hand resting on her belly. "We’ll find out after six months."
"Why six months?" Helina blinked, puzzled.
"Because just like flowers or fruit on a tree, little babies take ti to grow. The sa way the fruit isn’t ready the next day, your sibling needs ti too."
The twins made an exaggerated "Ooooh" sound, satisfied for the mont with that simple wisdom.
Murphy, unable to restrain herself, laughed but shut up seeing Priya pleading gaze.
It was hard to satisfy the curiosity of the young ones.
But before more questions could follow, the peaceful mood broke with a sudden, muffled uproar from the front gates. Guards’ voices echoed faintly.
Priya frowned and turned toward the noise, her instincts alert. She gestured to one of the maids standing nearby. "Go find out what’s happening."
The maid bowed and rushed off.
Murphy’s eyes narrowed with concern. "Sister Priya, is there trouble?"
Priya pressed her lips together. "I don’t know. But soone from the Wellington family has co to visit. It may be related to the demon cultists or the beast tide." She paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "Roland is in seclusion. So Sister Janet handled this."
Though she maintained a calm appearance she was a bit worried because the seniority of Count was a bit too much for Janet to handle.
...
In the guest hall, where noble visitors were received, Janet stood just inside the doorway, her expression flickering between confusion and disbelief.
Before her stood a woman..no, a force of nature dressed in crimson and black armor that clung tightly to a muscular figure.
Her short red hair flared behind her like wild fire, and a confident, almost lazy smile rested on her lips. Her boots were heavy, her gauntlets scratched from combat, and her exposed forearms were corded with thick veins and powerful muscle.
Her sword rested at her side which was not for show, but clearly used often had tints of flesh and blood.
"Sorry Lady Janet for appearing unsightly."
"Of course not."Janet almost gasped aloud.
’If I didn’t know in advance, I’d think she was a man!’
Erina Wellington, the daughter of Count Wellington, stood with one hand on her hip, surveying the room casually, as if she’d strolled into a tavern instead of a noble estate.
Erina caught Janet’s stunned expression and grinned. "Lady Janet, is sothing the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
Janet cleared her throat quickly, placing a hand over her chest and dipping slightly. "Pardon my expression, madam. I just... I’ve never t a woman knight of your caliber before."
Erina chuckled, waving a hand. "You don’t need to flatter . I’m used to it. I started training with the sword at a young age, and I guess it shaped more than just my technique." She gestured down at her thick arms with a wink. "Heavy lifting, long drills, and a martial diet do wonders for biceps and abs, making less ladylike."
Janet tried to laugh politely, but inside, alarm bells were screaming.
’Oh no... isn’t Hilda doing the sa thing? She’s always lifting logs and training her punches! Don’t tell she’ll end up like this!’
A future vision of her precious daughter becoming a muscular wall of steel made Janet’s heart race in horror.
She decided to have a serious talk with Roland about this.
Still reeling, Janet gestured toward the cushion. "Please, Lady Erina, make yourself comfortable. I hope your journey wasn’t too taxing."
Erina sighed as she removed her gloves and sat. "To be honest, not exactly pleasant. I’ve been sweeping the southern region, hunting down remnants of the demon cult. It’s been a brutal few weeks, but when I reached this village..." She trailed off and looked around, a spark of admiration in her eyes.
"I was shocked."
Janet blinked. "Shocked?"
Erina nodded. "I thought the stories were exaggerated. But this place..it doesn’t feel like a village. It’s more organized than so towns I’ve seen. Clean roads, defensive patrols, people who look content instead of afraid. The only thing lacking is the population. But once Sir Roland’s title grows, people will be begging to settle here."
Her eyes moved to the well-placed flower beds outside, the watchtowers in perfect view, and the guards standing upright without laziness.
"It’s rare to see such developnt without direct support from a noble house. You have sothing special here."
Janet’s chest swelled with pride. "Thank you, Lady Erina. My husband... He’s worked hard to make this place a ho for all of us."
For the next few minutes, they exchanged pleasantries. Erina spoke about recent discoveries, while Janet offered refreshnts and spoke of village progress, wine exports, and crop yields. The air remained light but with undercurrents of tension,Erina was obviously holding back sothing.
Erina looked around and started to feel uncomfortable.
’’Why isn’t Baron coming to greet ?’
At last, Erina leaned forward. "Pardon the directness, Lady Janet, but where is Sir Roland? I had hoped to et him personally."
Janet hesitated for only a mont. "He is currently in secluded training. He won’t be available for a few days."
Just as the words left her mouth, a commotion erupted outside.
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