Chapter 81

While the servants were moving their luggage to the separate wing, Luciel was looking around the little fief with Louivid.

What Luciel wanted was a small piece of land, big enough to build only a small warehouse, but what the Duke provided was a fairly large territory.

It was similar in size to Leoni’s estate, but the atmosphere was different.

“Luciel, what do you think?”

The Duke carefully asked Luciel, like a child who was taking a homework test.

Luciel was already looking at the trees in the orchard that stretched out endlessly. Starting with apple trees, fruit trees such as grapes, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries were planted.

Not only that but there were also wheat fields, water mills, windmills, and wells, so it was like a small village. There were many empty spaces that had not yet been decorated, and it seemed like it would be good to ride a horse and run in the open meadow.

“…All I wanted was a small warehouse, but this is like a dream.”

“If it’s a warehouse, you can use that place.”

The Duke pointed to the hut behind the windmill. Luciel opened the door to the hut and went inside.

There was a simple table and a small kitchen, plus a soft sofa and an extra bed. There was a certain amount of housekeeping provided, to the extent that it felt like someone was living there.

“It’s nice enough to be used as a villa instead of a warehouse.”

The Duke, who was looking at Luciel’s admiring face, scattered her soft silver hair.

“Stop by often and take care of it. It will be a good experience as it is a place where you can come in close contact with the local residents.”

In the distance, I could see other people going to work or planting crops nearby.

What kind of people are the residents of the Bellstein’s territory?

“I want to meet the people as well.”

As Luciel spoke with a bright smile, the Duke rubbed his chin and said:

“Oh, that’s never going to happen until you have an escort knight.”

“Oh…Yes. I will take good care of it so as not to disappoint my father-in-law. Thank you for granting me a fief.”

Luciel bowed her head down to her belly.

“I look forward to it. Feel free to do anything you want with the empty space. If you want to change the trees in the orchard, you can also change them.”

Luciel shook her head in surprise at the mention that she could change at will the tres he planted.

“I can’t do that. I’m already happy at the thought of eating fruits. I can make tea or jam by dipping fruit syrup.”

Luciel smiled as she closed her eyes gracefully. He pinched her soft cheeks slightly. As expected, she was the most lovable when she was serious about food.

The Duke teasingly said.

“When you first came, you were a kid who didn’t even know what parfait was. Now there is nothing you don’t know.”

“Of curse. Because I’m eating well. Didn’t I get bigger?”

Luciel stood up and insisted so, but the Duke tilted his head and glanced at the child.

“You look plump now, but there’s still a lot to grow.”

“…They said it’s not possible to grow that fast.”

“Your husband has grown ten centimeters in three months.”

“…No way, that’s ridiculous.”

As Luciel looked around her fief, she was troubled. There was one problem with this perfect land.

‘When am I going to have time to take care of this place? Shall I ask Rose and Bessie for help?’

However, like someone who looked into Luciel’s thoughts, the Duke gave the answer.

“You will only need to hire farmers for a short time for a set period of time. Eva will guide you on that. Still, it would be better to appoint an escort knight immediately to manage and protect the fief.”

“Yes.”

It was what Luciel had hoped for. If she has a personal escort knight, it will be easier for her to do outside activities.

But if I wanted to keep him as my escort, he had to be very trustworthy. Because Luciel needed someone who could help and protect her for a long time, rather than just a normal escort knight.

‘Even if I leave Bellstein, I need someone I can be with.’

It was also one item of her wish list she wrote down in the red note.

Find a reliable escort.

‘I think it’s time to find him.’

But since there’s no guarantee she’ll be able to find the person right away, it’s clear that she needs a knight for the time being.

“Let’s go to the Knights Order, Luciel.”

The Duke carried Luciel on horseback and took her to the Black Wings Knights for the first time.

The training shouts of the knights lined up in four columns resounded loudly in the spacious training hall. The atmosphere of the knights was quite tense. No one was absent-minded while training was repeated.

‘These are the black wings of Bellstein. Awesome.’

I heard that Bellstein’s Black Wings was a gathering place for knights who were said to be the best in the Empire.

As she and the Duke slowly walked into the training hall, she saw a boy with a familiar presence being trained in swordsmanship by someone very large.

He looked quite serious. His sweat-soaked blonde hair swayed as he swung his sword. The muscles and tendons on Kizef’s shoulders and forearms, wearing a sleeveless top, stood out slightly.

It’s only a little, but at such a young age he already had quite the muscular body, Luciel looked at Kizef with a curious gaze, but the Duke gave a different evaluation.

“He still has a long way to go before becoming a man.”

“……”

At the Duke’s cold words, Kizef and the huge man looked at this side at the same time.

“Are you here, my lord?”

“It must be the first time the two of you have met.”

A big, bearish man looked at Luciel. No matter how tactless and insensitive Jarga was,  he could tell the moment he saw the little girl.

The sole existence that monopolizes the Bellstein family’s and the Duke’s affection.

“I see this is the famous Little Madam. I’m Jarga Kaiden. The Commander of the Black Wings Knights, greets the Little Madam.”

“I’m glad to meet the Knight Commander.”

In the middle of their greetings, the Duke hugged her up and Luciel, whose gaze became similar in height to Jarga, greeted him with her sparkling shining eyes.

Meanwhile, Luciel was amazed at his tremendous pressure and size, but she was also deeply moved in admiration. She could feel the sharp eyes and sharp charisma characteristic of a swordsman who had been rolling on the battlefield for a long time.

‘He feels like an incredibly strong person with a different feeling than my father-in-law.’

“I wish there was a knight to escort Luciel.”

At the Duke’s words, Jarga recommended Ralph, a lean and young man with a simple impression as a knight, and Luciel accepted him.

“It is an honor to be entrusted with the escort of the Little Madam. My name is Ralph Dolls.”

“Nice to meet you.”

When the escort knight was decided, the Duke said that he had something to discuss with Jarga, and the two disappeared together.

Ralph went to the Knights Templar Training Center for a while saying he would prepare.

Naturally, Luciel made eye contact with Kizef.

“I saw you earlier. The swordsmanship training was quite hard.”

At Luciel’s words, Kizef nodded his head. Honestly, she was surprised. He must have been strong enough with his excellent magic skills.

“…I have to work harder to protect. I have to get stronger.”

You mean to protect Bellstein? I don’t know what kind of mindset Kizef had in the past, but he would have tried hard to protect the huge fief of Bellstein built by his grandfather and father. In the end, though, he fell at the hands of the prince and the nobles.

Luciel said with the desire to cheer him up for a little bit.

“Yes. Kizef will be incredibly strong. I believe it will be so.”

“Why?”

“I am just sure of that. I believe in a person named Kizef. There is also a saying that what you say and believe will come true.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. I have a good feeling about it.”

At Luciel’s confident words, Kizef’s eyes fluttered.

“…If so, can I protect everything?”

“Yes! Of course.”

When Luciel answered with a bright smile, Kizef said with a face that seemed relieved by that gentle smile.

“…Yes, I will protect it.”

Although he couldn’t protect it in the past, she just wanted to tell him that this life will be different, Luciel decided to just cheer him up.

‘You are not alone. Let’s protect Bellstein with me.’

Instead of the words she couldn’t convey, Luciel held his hand tightly.

Perhaps Luciel’s small consolation reached through him because the corners of his lips curled up.

“I have to go back to training.”

“Yes. Take care of yourself.”

“You should be the one taking care.”

Kizef reached out and stroked Luciel’s hair once. Her eyes widened. She felt ticklish and at the next moment, a whisper was heard in her ear.

“…Take care until I can protect you.”

After saying that, Kizef turned his back and ran into the training field.

“Huh?”

Luciel unknowingly went blank.

“What did I just hear?”

Suddenly, she could only see the back of Kizef, who had gone far away.

* * *

“Spatial magic is difficult, but it is also a magic that can be used infinitely, so come to me if you have any questions.”

“Yes, Grandpa. Today’s class was very interesting.”

After the long-awaited magic theory class, Luciel was on her way out of Gillard’s study after organizing her bag. Erika approached her with a friendly smile and welcomed Luciel.

“Miss Luciel, no, since you’re married, should I call you Little Madam?”

“You can call me whatever you like.”

However, she had dull eyes and dry skin.

“Sister Erika, are you okay? You look sick, maybe you’re overworked, right? I shouldn’t have asked you to do it….”

“N-no! It was a really exciting study.”

Erika’s twinkling eyes seemed to have discovered something more than what usually stimulated her inquisitive scholar mind. Luciel quickly took her to the little fief.

“Is this all the Little Madam’s property?”

Luciel quietly nodded her head.

“Yes. If Sister Erika wants, I think I can make a space for you here.”

“Really? Oh, more than that Little Madam.”

Erika gently held Luciel’s hand.

“The emerald has powers beyond imagination.”