CH 13

Episode 13

“Did you learn swordsmanship by mouth? Your swordsmanship skills are more insignificant than your body.”

Tsk tsk, it seemed like it was a waste to give my daughter a 1 out of 10 for her swordsmanship skills.

This time, Floa spoke up.

“It’s only been 10 days since she started learning swordsmanship, Sir Persis.”

“You expect too much from the Lady, my Lord. She is only ten years old.”

Floa nodded as if agreeing with Johan’s words.

“There may be a lot of expectations as the successor of Flotina.”

The successor of Flotina.

Floa wanted to support May, even though she might not be of Persian blood, from becoming a successor of Flotina.

“… If it’s only ten days later, it’s impressive. Even if it’s only 10 minutes, it’s hard because the wooden sword is not light. Ms. May has been practicing without resting for an hour.”

At the end of that statement, I regretted it. He knew that making May look good to Persis wouldn’t be good for her.

Persis’s eyebrows moved. It was exactly in “Without Rest”.

“… Call May.”

“Yes, Master.”

When Yohan went to pick up May on his orders, she was still vigorously exerting her energy.

“Hot! Hot! Yah!”

Yohan took a deep breath and tried to hold back his laughter as he spoke.

“Miss, the master is calling.”

***

I stopped swinging my wooden sword at Yohan’s words.

Persis called me. I wondered if I had done something wrong. Otherwise, there would be no reason to call me.

I couldn’t exactly figure out what I did wrong, but I walked with Yohan, bowing my head in reflection. 

My mind was filled with countless scenarios of being kicked out to the orphanage.

Even doubting if my battle cry was wrong, I approached Persis.

Should I have used “Euratcha!” after all?

Or should I have used “Heeyah!” instead?

T/N: I really don’t know what she was trying to say 

Soon, sparkling clean men’s shoes came into my sight. It belonged to Persis.

I cautiously looked up at his face with an anxious heart.

“Did you call me, father?”

What did I do wrong? Is he going to send me to the orphanage?

I stared into his red eyes as if trying to read his thoughts.

But unlike last time when his eyes looked clearly unpleasant to anyone, this time, I couldn’t figure out anything.

Strangely, it looked somewhat peaceful.

Just when I wondered if I was not called because I did something wrong, his gentle voice spoke.

“Take a break for a moment.”

It was a phrase that could not possibly come out of his mouth.

“Yes…?”

Take a break? Did he tell me to take a break? Why?

I was wary of his unexpected response.

“W-why…?”

“Why? Because pain sucks.”

So if pain sucks, does that mean I’m not supposed to be in pain?

Before I could even ask, his large hands grabbed onto my waist.

“?”

He lifted me up, and I floated up by his hands.

What is he doing right now?

My bewildered face reached the same eye level as his brazen face.

He said nonchalantly, “You’re lighter than I thought.”

… Then, how heavy did he think I was?

Persis placed me on his side.

Floa was on the left, Persis was on the right, and Johann was at the back.

Embarrassingly, they didn’t seem to take their eyes off me.

Honestly, it didn’t feel like resting because it was so awkward.

Of course, I knew my situation well, so I had to sit quietly and pretend to watch the birds flapping their wings and walking back and forth.

As soon as the wind blew, the sweat that had been clinging to my collarbone trickled down. The sweat was proof of my hard training.

Persis, who saw this, took out a handkerchief from his chest pocket and handed it to me.

“Wipe it.”

Huh? Really? I wondered why this person was taking care of me, but I didn’t refuse.

“Thank you.”

I wiped the sweat off my face and handed the handkerchief back to him.

“You’re welcome.”

He glanced at the handkerchief and then called for his escort.

“Yohan.”

“Yes, sir.”

He gestured toward the handkerchief.

“Throw it away.”

“….?”

He was throwing it away after I had just wiped my sweat once. A crease formed between his eyebrows at his wastefulness. Or was it because my sweat was dirty?

Before Johan took the handkerchief away from me, I held onto it tightly with both hands.

“Can’t I keep it, since I’ll probably sweat again soon anyway?”

“….”

He didn’t react at first, but eventually, he gave a nod, as if saying I could do whatever I wanted.

I neatly folded the handkerchief and put it in my pocket.

He looked at me again and said, “Take breaks regularly.”

“Are you really concerned about me?”

“….”

He didn’t answer. He was obviously concerned but seemed reluctant to admit it.

Do you think this cold-blooded man cares about me?

Feeling grateful for someone’s concern is not the point. It just made me feel good that at least I won’t be sent to an orphanage.

A smile crept up on my lips.

“Hehe.”

“You’re smiling, but it doesn’t look good.”

Really?

“Hehehe.”

“…”

“Hehehehe.”

“Stop laughing.”

It’s too bad.

He seemed to feel bad, so I kept laughing, but when he told me to stop, I had to stop.

“By the way, what’s happening in the training ground?”

He was not someone who moved without a reason. There must have been a reason why he came to the training ground.

“Heinrich Nazet invited me to a dinner party tomorrow night.”

“The Marquis?”

“Yeah. He asked me to bring you along too.”

Me too…? I couldn’t hide my nervousness as I asked.

“Me too?”

“Why don’t want to go?”

“No, that’s not it…”

If I go, I’ll meet Stella. I was unsure if I should join their first meeting, which would be between Persis and Stella.

I am just a supporting role. Supporting roles are not supposed to be the main focus, right? It seemed like no one would care, even if there was just one supporting role somewhere.

But still, if I can get to know her by going, I should try to get along with her. After all, we will become a family, and it wouldn’t hurt to gain some points in advance, right?

I replied energetically, “I want to go!”

***

The next day, filled with anticipation to meet the protagonist of the original work, I got on the carriage with excitement. The carriage that Persis and I were riding in was very quiet.

On the way to Nazet, I drew Stella in my head.

A lovely girl with shining azure eyes and platinum blonde hair that resembled waves.

She must have had a beauty that was distinctly different from other children her age.

I looked at Persis sitting in front of me. He had his arms folded, and his legs crossed and was dozing off for a moment.

Does Persis want to adopt Stella as his daughter as soon as he sees her?

In the original, Persis goes to Nazet to meet Heint, but by chance, he meets Stella. Lovely Stella fearlessly speaks to Perseus, and he can’t help but think of her bright and innocent face.

Afterward, Persis decides he wants to adopt Stella, and the following spring he welcomes her as his adopted daughter.

But was today really the day of their first meeting? In the original, not just Persis but also the servants of the Duke forgot about May by the time of their first meeting. So maybe today wasn’t originally the day of their first meeting, and it could have been changed because of me.

As I was pondering, Perseus woke up and noticed that my gaze was on him.

“Is there something you want to say to me?” he asked as he opened his previously sealed lips.

I was about to say that there was nothing, but suddenly I remembered the women’s etiquette class I had taken from Lady Yudith yesterday.

“Oh, there is. I heard you allowed me to take classes in feminine etiquette?”

It was unexpected. To him, I was and always would be his son. I naturally thought I would only learn male etiquette, so I was surprised that I could also learn female etiquette.

“Well, it’s just because there might be a place where you could use it later on. Don’t dream useless dreams, since you won’t be living as my daughter.”

Hmph, like I didn’t already know that?

I glared at Persis who spoke bitterly, then gave up and lowered my eyes, expressing my sincerity by fiddling with my fingers.

“Thank you anyway, I just wanted to learn.”

If I ever leave the noble house and live as a woman, having learned female etiquette beforehand would be a big help.

“…”

Persis stared at me with a blank expression. I was used to his lack of reaction.

I lifted my gaze towards him.

“Oh, by the way, no one besides Marquis knows that I’m a woman, right?”

“That’s right. And with the magic spell in place, no one except Heint would think of you as a woman.”

So that means Stella doesn’t know I’m a woman either?

I’ll have to secretly confide in her once we get closer.

I looked out the window. Under the sky where clouds soaked in the colors of the sunset flowed like water, the carriage was getting closer to Nazet.

***

When we arrived at the Nazet estate, it was getting dark.

Heint welcomed us warmly as we entered the courtyard of the Nazet mansion.

“You’ve had a long journey. May, thank you for accepting the invitation.”

I smiled back at Heint’s gentle smile.

“Thank you for inviting me, Your Lordship.”

After greeting Heint, I looked at the girl next to him.

She was a stunningly beautiful and lovely girl, and I couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.

Hi everyone I decided to change my schedule. I will  try to release 1 chapter regularly and if you guys see there is the next chap uploaded on NU or even here but it will open on the next day at 09:00 am UTC+05:00.

Please wait until then or unlock it with coins I will set the range to minimum of 2 coins so it wont be difficult