Chapter 87

“This beer is good, isn’t it?”

Raja looked down at the glass as if it was unexpected and drank it again.

“Kaah, it’s cold. How do they keep it so cool?”

“Maybe there’s storage under the basement.”

Kell took a sip of beer then opened his eyes round.

“It’s really delicious.”

After seeing the reaction of the two, Charlotte slightly put her mouth on the beer glass. Her expression seemed satisfactory.

Raja asked.

“But why can’t I beat you?”

Kell glanced at Raja saying, ‘Wait, are you bringing that up all of a sudden?’

Charlotte blinked and said.

“Because you’re impatient.”

‘Oh, you’re answering him?’

“Impatience?”

“You move too fast, it becomes hasty. So the beginning isn’t sharp. Just because you’re fast doesn’t mean you’re sharp.”

Charlotte slowly raised her hand with a knife. The eyes of the two followed it.

“The start should always be slow. The important thing is to be precise. And then, fast.”

In a flash, she threw out the knife and retrieved it again. A perfect throw that would have been practiced thousands or tens of thousands of times.

“Sharpness comes from precision. Raja’s movements can’t keep up with his thoughts, that’s why he’s shaky. That’s what the leader told me.”

“When?”

“During training, she said, ‘If your body can’t follow your head, you have to train your body.’”

“That’s what she meant?!”

“If you look into the training table and don’t think about why you should do this, you won’t improve. You’re the only one who can feel your body.”

“You’re really······.”

Kell nodded. It shows why Charlotte’s development was the fastest among the three. She was using her head at the same time, not just her body.

As their conversation deepened, the topic soon began to take off from training to swordsmanship.

The three of them spoke out against each other and spoke about the battle.

It’s quite a pleasant holiday.

Kell thought so until then.

────── •❆• ──────

“Lord Louis!”

Nina ran with a big smile and hugged him. Louis smiled, saying, ‘This one.’ and asked,

“How are you?”

“I’ve been good.”

“You must be.”

Jean added from behind and greeted Louis.

“Welcome, General Manager.”

Louis smiled at Jean, too. Long light brown hair is neatly tied together as always. The carriage trip must have been long, but there was no sign of fatigue.

“Dame Nina’s reputation had spread to the countryside, defeating bellacs in the capital.”

“That’s how far the rumors went?”

“Yes. Quite quickly, it turned out a lot on the good side.”

Nina laughed when she understood what Louis meant.

Jack’s men must have been busy.

That’s what Louis mentioned.

Jean shook his head, saying, “What’s going on? Is she really that famous?”

That’s what he said, but his body was honest and his shoulders were stretched out in pride.

“It was time for us to make a name for ourselves, too. We have never been to the capital.”

As Jean nodded, Louis and Nina faced each other and laughed.

Rather, the employees hired from the Count were amazed at this freedom but tried to maintain their exemplary countenance.

Louis looked at them and asked Nina.

“The new employees we talked about the other day?”

“Yes, I picked them up.”

“Pick up?”

“Oh, I mean I retrieved them.”

When she whispered in a low voice, Louis nodded, implying he understood then said.

“I also have to talk to you. I want to apply Geramim’s system to the entire duchy.”

Louis added, “It’s quite efficient,” grinning.

Jean stepped up in haste.

“Then let’s go up and have a drink.”

Jean had a lot of stories to tell. He wanted to talk directly after seeing his face even though he has been talking to Lord Louis through letters.

Louis stopped Jean and said.

“Let me greet and report to the Duke first, and then we’ll talk.”

Jean nodded politely, “Yes,” and Nina followed him.

“Greetings to the Duke.”

Entering the office, Louis crossed his arms and greeted Adrian. Adrian smiled faintly and said, “Welcome,” and pointed to the chair.

As Nina quickly stood behind Adrian, he said.

“Isn’t the Commander on vacation today?”

“I’m here to hear Sir Louis’ words, not to escort the young master.”

At the cold answer, Adrian laughed and turned his gaze back to Louis.

“How was the Silver Lake Castle?”

“Empty.”

Louis said a single word, implying some hidden meaning. Adrian leaned against his chair and tapped his finger on the desk.

“Keep going.”

That’s how Louis simplified the story of the reorganization of the Silver Lake Castle. Hearing it, they understand that it is much bigger and more beautiful than the Black Shield Castle.

Though it was much more like a mansion than a castle.

There is also a shortage of employees, so it would be better to send the people brought from the Count for training others as soon as possible, Louis concluded.

Still, once the funds were available, his face looked much more comfortable.

“What about the wheat?”

“According to the last report, it’s growing very well. Farmers are very happy because it grew well in the poor lands where wheat could not be produced before. If we continue in this direction, this year’s yield will not be comparable to what it used to be. Not to mention the Great Plains.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It may be better to collect more taxes to prevent prices from falling too far.”

“I’ll take that into account.”

After talking about a few more things, Louis, who gave the report, stepped down.

Nina, who had been quietly listening to the report, kept thinking that it was rather fortunate it wasn’t her who was in charge of it.

Jean also finished all his preparations and said ‘Let’s have a drink’. When he said so, she thought it was a drinking party in the afternoon, but all he prepared was black tea.

Nina got a little disappointed and sat down. Louis said, “It’s been a long time since we had good quality tea leaves,” then delightedly started brewing the tea himself.

Nina happily admired seeing Louis brewing tea.

If the surrounding turns calm and quiet every time Adrian raises his tea, the sound of waltz could be heard with Louis.

Jean looked at Nina with a trembling face.

“Why are you here?”

Nina asked with a playful smile at the words.

“You were going to talk with just the two of you, except me? What the hell are you going to talk about?”

“Your story.”

Jean spoke up, and Nina opened her mouth, asking.

“My story? What story? Are you going to talk about me behind my back?”

“Who’s talking behind your back?”

“It’s behind my back when I’m not there. What is that? What are you going to talk about, what’s the problem?”

“If I’m going to talk about it in front of you, why would I ask you to leave?”

“Why are you telling me that now?”

Louis gracefully drank his tea while the two were bawling.

Then downstairs became noisy and Nina jumped up at the same time. Louis spoke peacefully.

“I’ll be here, so both of you can go.”

As she went down to the first floor, Kell, who was assisted by Charlotte and Raja, was seated.

“Kell? What’s going on?”

A member of the Dark Knights returning from being wounded outside?

As Nina strode closer, Kell looked up.

Charlotte bowed her head and Raja huffed. Kell was pressing his forehead with a handkerchief, and she could see the handkerchief soaked in blood.

He looked up and smiled awkwardly at Nina.

“I’m sorry for making a fuss.”

“That’s enough, who did this?”

Jean growled.

Who dares to mess with my people?

Charlotte stepped out.

“I’m sorry. It’s because of me.”

Nina and Jean looked at her with unexpected words.

The one who looks the most calm?

“What’s going on? Who did this? Why did you come back injured?”

Jean began to question him, and Nina stopped him.

“Kell, go to the infirmary first. We’ve got some medicine from Kirill. Get yourself treated. Charlotte, follow me and talk to me for a moment.”

“Commander.”

Raja took a step forward, but Nina raised her hand.

“I’m going to listen one by one. You’re next, Raja.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He seemed a little dissatisfied, but Raja lowered his head, crossing his arms with reliable eyes.