73. Engagent - Questioning
Tearfully, Lena pounded Leo's chest in resentnt.
"Wake up. Wake up, I said..."
Leo's heart felt like it was going to burst from her weak punches.
'Don't open your eyes... Never...'
Unable to bear it, he turned his body away. Showing Lena his back, he hid his contorted face.
If he opened his eyes and saw Lena, everything he had done so far might co to nothing.
His hands, clenched so tightly they were white, were gathered in front of him.
"...Le..."
Lena stared blankly at his back.
During the week Leo had secretly gone hunting, she trembled with a sense of betrayal.
Her heart, oscillating between anger and depression, had burned white and was left with nothing.
Leo wouldn't do this to .
In desperation, she had cast aside her pride and even her clothes, but Leo neither opened his eyes nor apologized with a "sorry."
Finally, tears welled up and spilled over.
Wiping her tears, Lena sprang up and jumped out of bed. She stord out into the dark corridor.
The cold air brushed against her skin.
Only then did Lena realize she had co out in her underwear, but she didn't care. She sat down in the cold corridor and sobbed.
Fortunately, no one appeared in the hallway.
How long had she cried? As the drunkenness wore off, Lena leaned against the hallway wall, letting ti pass.
The moon was blue.
When the moon, rising from the north and tilting toward the south outside the window, started to descend from its peak, she rose with a subdued face, thinking about sothing in the darkness.
Returning to her room, she picked up her clothes from the floor and put them on, then rummaged through her belongings.
Was she planning to leave?
Leo, who still couldn't fall asleep, held his breath.
'Yes, go. Please.'
He secretly hoped Lena would leave. Although it ant wasting a cycle, he didn't want to suffer anymore, clinging to the hope of breaking off the engagent.
But... if breaking off the engagent wasn't possible, this betrothal scenario would beco unbearably difficult—a desperate thought crossed his mind.
There weren't many opportunities left.
[11/20]
This number, etched into his vision, never disappeared from the lower right corner of his sight. Whenever he opened his eyes, it was always there, indicating that there were only three more chances left in the betrothal scenario.
Lena couldn't leave.
Mingling Minseo and Leo, he wavered, feeling two emotions with one mind. And... Lena took Minseo's side.
She pulled a blanket from her luggage, laid it on the floor, and fell asleep there.
Lena did not leave.
---
Lena and Leo continued their uncomfortable coexistence.
After that night, Lena did not speak to Leo. Hurt in her pride, she stubbornly kept silent and focused solely on her swordsmanship training.
Leo couldn't shalessly use the bed with Lena sleeping on the floor, so he laid a blanket on the opposite side of the floor.
They both slept on the floor, with the intact bed between them.
A few days later, Leo cautiously asked Lena if they should move to another place. She curtly refused, saying, "No. I still have things to learn from Mr. Brian."
Leo had no choice but to stay in Bidorinin Castle for another three weeks.
While staying, he trained to balance his body.
He asked the residents if there were any more demonic beasts, but no one knew.
For Leo, it felt like a waste of ti, but there was a small achievent.
"Whew. Shall we call it a day?"
Brian, who had been sparring with him, sheathed his sword. Leo also shook his sweat-soaked hair.
He had matched Brian evenly.
Previously, he had barely lost, but thanks to hunting another demonic beast or perhaps because his body's balance had improved and Bart's sword style started to erge, Brian could no longer push him as he used to.
"You are indeed remarkable. To achieve this in such a short ti... I can only imagine how great it would have been if I had been like this at your age... Ah, forgive . I spoke out of turn."
"No need to apologize. Thank you for the complint."
Brian seed to have more to say, but Leo quickly took his leave.
Lena was nearby, swinging her sword.
Soon, the day ca for them to leave Bidorinin Castle. Baron Agata, his wife, and the knights ca to the castle gate to see them off.
The baron handed Leo a thick envelope. He rembered the certificate Leo had brought from the lord of Avril Castle.
"Take this. It would be best to et many skilled knights at the royal knight order, but I don't know anyone there. Show this letter to Count Simon, and he might... offer so help."
But his voice was noticeably uncertain.
The childless Baron Agata and his wife, who lived in a remote mountain castle relying only on each other, had no noble connections.
The only place they were sowhat connected to was the 'Simon Count's House'...
The baron's wife, standing demurely, comforted her husband.
"Don't worry, dear. My brother... no, Count Simon will surely help."
Then she turned to Lena and Leo and continued.
"Count Simon's house is my family ho. There are many knights there, so you'll have plenty of sparring partners. It's a good environnt for training. And the count surely knows soone in the knight order, so get an introduction letter from him. I've written it all down in the letter."
The baron's wife carefully explained the way to the count's house.
"Thank you. I won't forget your kindness."
Leo accepted the letter politely but thought that things had gotten more complicated.
'If only she hadn't said anything... Now that Lena has heard it, we have no choice but to go there.'
After the farewells, he glanced at Lena. She was talking to Brian, sharing her reluctance to leave.
He couldn't understand what Lena was thinking. Why didn't she leave? She must have been greatly disappointed and angry...
Lena and Leo mounted their horses and set off on their journey again. They headed southwest, as the baron's wife had instructed.
Sumr was approaching quickly.
---
Nothing special happened during their travels.
They stayed in villages and castles they passed by, and sotis they camped out.
Lena occasionally looked at Leo with a peculiar expression but sighed instead of speaking.
As they neared Count Simon's house, Leo recognized familiar terrain.
The 'Bore Volcano,' which sotis emitted a hazy smoke that could obscure the sun, ca into view. The volcano hadn't erupted for hundreds of years—he had heard this during a past childhood friend scenario at the 'Hatata Tribe.'
He had been hiding, waiting for the mark of divinity to disappear, having stayed with the 'Uena Tribe' before that.
'How are they doing?'
He suddenly thought of Euta, who had been eager to learn hunting, and Enen, who, despite appearing indifferent, would run to follow her brother.
He had left the village without even saying goodbye to those sincere siblings.
'Their grandmother also helped a lot...'
Leo reminisced briefly.
She had defended him, even though he had clearly done sothing wrong and fled, and had given him a packed al for his journey. She had even given him her daughter-in-law's headband and shown him the way to escape.
Leo suddenly wanted to see them.
Though they would be eting for the first ti, seeing that harmonious grandmother and grandchildren from a distance might wash away his pent-up feelings.
But the Uena Tribe was far south, well past Count Simon's house, and Lena, with a sullen face, was riding close behind him. Leo changed his mind.
Silently, he pressed on, and a few days later, they arrived at Count Simon's house.
Count Simon's family was a very prosperous one.
They cultivated vast plains using a small city as their base, with the plains spreading out to the west of Bore Volcano, enriched by a nearby river.
Lena and Leo stood before the front gate of Count Simon's house.
But Despite Its Reputation
Despite its grand reputation, the Count's mansion was simple. There were no noticeable tal decorations or protrusions, and it was not painted in bright colors. This was due to the Jero Holy Kingdom's custom of shunning extravagance.
Instead, flying buttresses were actively used. Several pillars were erected around the mansion, and arched supports (flying buttresses) were installed between the walls and the pillars, instantly creating a sense of lightness and antiquity.
It was indeed fitting for a mansion that ruled over such vast plains.
'But why did the Baroness marry into a secluded family like the Agata Barony?'
Leo wondered but soon forgot about it. It was not sothing he needed to concern himself with, and he was already struggling just to maintain his precarious relationship with Lena.
Lena and Leo presented the letter from Baron Agata to the guard and t 'Umberto Simon, Count of Simon.'
Count Simon resided in his domain rather than the capital. Like Baron Agata staying at Bidorinin Castle, most of the nobles in the Jero Holy Kingdom did not live in the capital. The noble society here was quite different from that of other kingdoms.
The Jero Holy Kingdom, as the na suggests, was heavily influenced by the Church of the Cross. When the saintess who received the oracle made a national request saying, "Please do not interfere in the war between the Kingdom of Bellita and the Kingdom of Astin," the kingdom faithfully complied.
In more detailed matters, it was even stricter.
The laws and administration of the Holy Kingdom were tightly bound to the laws of the Church of the Cross, and even the ruling Frederick royal family had to seek the church's permission for almost everything they did.
To so extent, it was a formality, but the fact that permission had to be sought and granted showed where the real power lay.
As a result, nobles had no reason to hover around the royal court.
There was nothing to gain from it.
They focused on developing their own domains, and in the capital, Lutetia, only the young heirs who were to inherit the family engaged in social activities, with no significant political activities taking place.
"It is an honor to et you. I am Leo Dexter, and this is Lena Ainar."
In a simple reception room adorned with red cloth and white candles, just like the mansion, Leo greeted the count politely.
But the count did not return the greeting.
[Achievent: Noble Slayer - All nobles feel a slight fear towards you.]
Count Simon, with dark orange eyes and a square jaw, was strikingly different from the baroness. He glanced at Leo warily, then opened the envelope first.
The envelope contained a long letter. Only after reading it did the count's wariness slightly ease.
"...You were sent by my sister. Welco."
But he still looked sowhat displeased. He responded briefly to Leo's polite greeting and then said,
"You request a sparring session with the knights..."
Scratching his flat chin thoughtfully, he continued.
"Very well. There's nothing wrong with that. I will inform the captain of the knights."
And that was it.
Count Simon called a butler and instructed him to prepare rooms for Lena and Leo, then left the reception room.
"How would you like your rooms?"
This ti, Lena did not answer the butler's question. According to Leo's wish, they were given separate rooms.
Annoyed, Lena slamd her door shut.
Apologizing to the butler, Leo entered his room and sat on the modest bed.
- Slap!
His cheek reddened from the slap he gave himself.
---
In the vast training ground.
"Haaap!"
Just as Lena seed to be pushed back by a knight's sword, she shouted. Nearly kneeling on one knee, she slid forward.
- Swish!
While her sword was still locked with the knight's on the right, she kept the contact near the hilt, the 'forte,' and slipped her sword inside, causing it to twist inward.
"Huh!"
The knight from Count Simon's house was so surprised he couldn't respond properly.
To take a step while locked in a sword clash?
Unless retreating cautiously, most would suffer a significant loss if they faltered.
But this daring young lady, who had just reached adulthood, skillfully diverted his strength with the 'forte' and moved to his side.
Then, with a terrible screeching sound, she pulled out her sword.
Her blade sliced through the air.
"Huh, well... I lost."
The older knight declared his defeat.
It was a practice duel, so her sword cut through the air, but he realized that her drawn blade should have sliced through his waist.
"Well, well done."
Lena was elated, feeling like she was flying, and pushed her chest out with her arms at her sides.
It was a habit she had when she felt triumphant.
Then, turning her head quickly enough to shake off the sweat dripping from her chin, she habitually wanted to boast to Leo, but the words "Leo! I did well!" got stuck in her throat and were swallowed down.
Leo was nowhere to be seen, having already left the training ground.
As her mood began to plumt, the defeated knight reached out for a handshake.
"Well, you're quite sothing, young lady. That was an impressive technique."
"...Thank you. But it was just luck. Now that you know what to expect, I won't get you twice."
"Hahaha. There's no need to be so modest. I was clearly stronger and faster, yet I lost purely in swordsmanship... Do you mind if we review the duel?"
"Sure."
Lena grabbed her sword again. This ti, they slowly went over the recent duel.
Since arriving at Count Simon's house, Lena and Leo had led a monotonous life of training in the training ground.
The count's house had twenty knights, and as aspiring knights, they sparred with them one by one.
Leo showcased his exceptional skills here as well.
He only narrowly lost to the captain of the knights, drew with three other knights, and won against the rest.
In contrast, Lena lost repeatedly, with this recent victory being her first. It was thanks to combining Noel Dexter's swordsmanship with what she had learned from the knight Brian, making a surprise attack.
"Ah, I see. You preemptively relaxed the supporting foot. I was wondering where that power ca from."
The knight, reviewing the duel, finally understood and nodded. Then he asked to review it again, drawing the attention of the other knights of Count Simon's house.
"Hey, are you monopolizing her? Isn't one review enough for one duel?"
They were all interested in Lena. It was common for visiting knights to be welcod warmly.
Even with dozens of knights, if they stayed together for long, they would no longer be new to each other, leading to a stagnant state.
Thus, knights bound to nobles welcod new knights, and this was why Noel Dexter confidently sent Lena and Leo away.
Lena felt embarrassed by the attention despite her losing streak but diligently completed the review.
While wiping off her sweat and adjusting her sword, a knight who had been watching from the side asked,
"Lena, your swordsmanship is quite unique. If you don't mind asking, which knight taught you?"
"I learned from Noel Dexter in the Kingdom of Astin. I also learned a lot from a man nad Brian during my travels."
"Brian, you say?"
A knight who had just finished reviewing the duel and was smoothing out the trampled ground with his foot intervened.
"Is he a man with a big mouth but doesn't talk much? Short eyebrows, brown hair... He matches the description of soone I know."
He described Brian's appearance, and Lena nodded.
"He wasn't very talkative, but it seems to match."
"Ah, I see. He was a friend I t in the Church of the Cross when we both wanted to beco paladins. I dropped out early. Hahaha. So, how's he doing? Did he beco a paladin?"
"Hmm, no. He beca a knight."
"Hahaha! So he dropped out too. He was quite an amusing friend... Which family is he with?"
"I t him at Baron Agata's house. We stopped by Bidorinin Castle on our way here."
The knight, who had been inquiring about Brian's well-being with excitent, froze.
"...I see. Oh, it's alti. Would you like to join us?"
He quickly changed the subject, looking uncomfortable. The knights who had been listening also cleared their throats and stood up.
Lena was montarily puzzled but didn't mind and left the training ground with them.
Of course, Leo was not there.
He often left the training ground early, avoiding Lena, while pretending to train.
One day, as Lena sparred with the knights and Leo slipped out of the training ground as usual, Leo, who had been wandering around the count's mansion, noticed sothing strange.
The mansion's corridors were lined with portraits of the count's family mbers, but the portrait of 'Agnes, Baroness Agata' was missing.
There was no trace of her anywhere in the mansion.
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