CH 17

The deputy head of the household… There was only one entity in the entire BlackWinter estate who could hold the title of deputy head. 

Her father.

She stared at Rainante. 

What nonsense is this? How could he ever choose to give such an order for his useless daughter?

But I didn’t hear him incorrectly?… Has it finally come?

Does this mean I’m going to die sooner?

It was a reasonable doubt.

I heard that they grant wishes  to those who are about to die, but since I’m going to die sooner, they might be taking care of something for me already, right?

Laiya wanted to ask her doctor about this when he came back.

The current doctor is out looking for a new herb.

Ok, fine. In any case, things turned out well.

Roy now has two teachers, so it was worth it. 

“Brother, have you met them?”

Roy’s docile eyes turned to the little girl, the same eyes that had been staring down the knights a little while ago.

Wow, is this what it feels like to tame a dog? It was amazing to see him become docile only to me.

“These are my escorts, let me introduce them to you, brother. This one is Rainante and the big one over there is Ruben.”

“Rainante Hakkil. The chief knight of the 1st Knights greets the Third Young Master.”

“Ruben Amstair, chief knight of the 1st Order, greets the Third Young Master!”

Roy stared, but didn’t answer.

Oh, I know that face.

It was the face Roy BlackWinter made every time he wanted to know how he should react. 

Laiya laughed, amused.

“They are the wonderful knights who will teach my brother about the sword in the future. Are you happy?”

“…I am.”

Roy opened his mouth slowly, his words were spoken even slower.After watching him for a few days, Laiya realized that when he didn’t want to stutter, Roy would speak as slowly as possible.

“I don’t need anyone to teach me.”

Roy had already been abandoned once by a person who claimed to be his teacher. With an unforgettable grievance buried deep in his heart, Laiya knew very well that this was the beginning of his inferiority complex.

“They’re not going to be your masters, just treat them as if they’re passing by and gave you a few lessons.”

“…”

Roy’s mouth remained stubbornly closed. 

Yes, he’s a stubborn little puppy. 

The little girl grabbed her brother’s hand tightly.

“Brother, do you remember that we decided to stay by each other’s side for a long time?”

Roy barely nodded. The little girl glanced at the two knights listening in on the side and lowered her voice.

It’s not like they won’t be able to hear me even if I lower my voice… 

“I have many enemies, so, if I want to stay by your side for a long time, you must protect me. Because I am weak.”

Roy’s eyes widened as he looked at her, he appeared to be worried. Of course, if he grows up to be an extra who destroys the main character like in the original story, she would be fine with that too.

Even if it’s not that, she would think about what she’ll have to change in the original story to survive in the future.

After all, their enemies would inevitably increase when they banded together.

“My brother has to be very strong to protect me.”

“…A lot?”

“Yes! Very very strong!”

…Because you have to be my sword. 

She boldly declared her expectations. 

However, I’m grateful for this younger brother who listened to me more seriously than I could have ever hoped for. 

The reason Roy and her became close in just a few days was because we’ve both been lonely for a long time. She was grateful to him for being her companion. 

The sponge of loneliness was able to suck up even the smallest amount of happiness. 

We would have done anything to get rid of that loneliness later on, even if it was poisonous. 

She smiled brightly.

“So will you listen to the knights? If you get stronger, I’ll survive for a long, long time in good health, and I’ll look for things that can help my brother!”

“Help, oh no.”

“Huh?”

“…”

What was that?

The little girl tilted her head and smiled again, she thought she might have misheard him.

“Are you accepting the knights’ lessons?”

Nod.

I guess I’ve gained Roy’s consent. 

She raised her hand and pointed to the escort knights.

“Then, the goal is to beat my escorts first.”

“—Princess?!”

Ruben was startled. 

I don’t think he would win right away anyway.

She looked up at the sky

It will take at least a few years before this little brother will grow up.

I think it will be a good decision.

He’s now a disciple ready to grow.

“Let’s become a great knight, brother!”

The final dark master of the future, let’s start by surpassing the trauma left behind by your first teacher.

Let’s start off small and grow, because the enemies to come will be much stronger.

* * *

A week later. 

It was a very sunny day, a clear sign that summer was coming soon.

Black Winter, located in the north, would see a short summer a little earlier, followed by a long fall and a longer winter.

“Third Young Master, you need to swing your arms wider.”

“…”

A week was enough time for the Black Knights, among them the chief knight of the 1st Knights, Rainante Haqil, to get used to the wordless, staring gaze of the much smaller in-built Third Young Master.

He had a wary gaze like an animal looking at the enemy, but he was faithful in his desire to learn separately. 

He is also sincere in his desire to learn and improve.

But still… I don’t know why this person’s talent hasn’t been noticed.

Rainante knew the answer to Laiya’s thoughts. In the BlackWinter family, there was already a monster called ‘Kyle Blackwinter’ with overwhelming talent, no less comparable to being called a genius.

When placed in front of the Eldest Young Master, any genius would hope for the light of recognition would be dashed. There was no one who could match such a monstrous talent.

But here, seeing the talent of his Third Young Master, he sometimes shuddered at the possibility.

Rainante felt goosebumps at the sight of this Third Young Master changing over the course of a single week.

Of course, compared to Kyle Blackwinter, his skills were still very lacking.

Considering the age difference between the two… 

What was the head of the household thinking of not appointing a teacher to such a person?

Perhaps, if Rainante hadn’t faced the sword of the Third Young Master head on in training, he wouldn’t have known of the talent of the Third Young Master for a long time. Maybe even for his whole life.

“The Third Young Master will rest for three minutes.”

Rainante lowered his sword. After briefly switching places with Ruben, he lowered his head and watched the child beside him. 

There was a small girl humming a song with a cookie in her mouth.

Her pale cheeks held a rosy blush that was still barely noticeable, and her blonde hair, which seemed to come from shards of the sun, reflected the dazzling light.

If she stayed still, she was as lovely and pretty as a doll.

Sometimes she is so pretty that I couldn’t believe she is alive.

That’s why anyone who walks past her will naturally focus their gaze towards her.

However, the unfortunate problem happened to be that the child’s fragile neck and thin arms made her look like a fleeting and weak being.

But it was an irreversible truth, and it seemed like it would be useless to make the finest medicinal materials and restorative medicines in this mansion for the little girl who was powerless.

She was so lovely, but she’s a weak existence that will break if you touch it.

It was an existence that did not fit the BlackWinter family.

Only the brilliant blue eyes resembling the Deputy Master seemed to prove the BlackWinter’s lineage running through her veins.

As if to indicate that she was alive, her eyes, where all the blue was concentrated, were the only part that showed vitality and life in her.

“I hate the arrogance of a child who seems to have the world under her feet. However, I have learned that the duty of a knight is to follow the words of a person with a higher, proper position.”

When he met that Young Princess for the second time, he was hot blooded and spoke without thought, but he quickly regretted what he said.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me too much.”

It was because the way she replied and smiled was not something a child of that age could ever see.

It was only then that Rainante felt that something was strange.

He had heard countless stories about the Young Princess.

“The most cherished daughter in this mansion.”

She was a princess who enjoyed the most precious objects in the BlackWinter family where all the precious objects in their world flowed into.

However, the princess who he saw up close didn’t look happy at all.

So, he volunteered to become an escort knight.

As an adult, as a knight, to take responsibility for what he had unknowingly said to a little, lonely girl.

“My daughter’s condition has gotten worse.”

“Give her everything she wants.”

The words the head of the family spoke to him resonated in his heart for a long time.

“You never know when she will die.”

* * *

Originally, a tree that has the potential to grow is recognized when they were a seedling.

The seedling I recognized, Roy Blackwinter, has just been given water, and has grown very well.

It’s been a week since I’ve given him a teacher.

Roy’s growth was enough to be noticed even by Laiya, who didn’t know anything about swords.

No. I take it back, he has made remarkable progress!

The puppy I brought is a genius, and I already knew this from the start!… Ahem.

[T/N: She’s feeling proud of herself.]

As if it wasn’t enough for her to feel happy about, she felt happier when she looked at the faces of the two people who were teaching Roy.

Her two escort knights were busy teaching.

One taught the sword while the other stood and would watch or sharpen the edge of a wooden sword. For training, a wooden sword was given to Roy to use.

During his training, Roy even glanced at me. 

Are you paying attention to the escort knight, brother?

She smiled.

He’s sincere.

Laiya chewed the cookie in her mouth, she was certain that the head chef created a masterpiece.

“…But it’s really strange.”

There were countless knights in this family. Among them, the chief knight of the 1st Order is an elite who is in the top 5% to 10%. 

Those guys are the top of the bunch, so, why did they appear as my escorts?

If it was just an escort to match the assortment, a low-level knight would have come, but if her father had been conscious of the eyes on him, he would have attached suitable middle-level knights.

Am I really not going to die soon? So, is it to improve your image?

…No, I’m not dead yet.

She wouldn’t die until the ‘main character’ in the original novel appeared here.

Laiya stared at the knights with questioning eyes.

Rainante had a bad-tempered face even today. 

His face, with a clear T-zone structure emphasized, seemed to be a blunt, handsome man, but the sharp raised eyes added to the harshness of his features.

On the other hand, Ruben had a naive impression.

He always held a bewildered expression, with an embarrassing smile when he saw her. But it was clear that he wasn’t averting his eyes anymore.

To be honest, I only watched them for a week and a few days, but I liked them.

Teaching her Third Brother was something that they may get disciplined for should things go wrong.

You knew that, and you accepted it nonetheless.

These are very chivalrous people.

…I like people with convictions.