"Auntie, I remember you used to fight that [Laughing Knight] too, just like my sister, right?"
"Don't call me auntie. Call me sister… And you remembered wrong."
"Huh? But didn't you always brag that if you hadn't run into Arthur in the round of sixteen, winning the championship would've been as easy as taking something out of your pocket… Ow, ow, ow! Don't hit my head, I'll get dumber!"
"Maria, don't bring him up again…"
"…Is it because of who he really is?"
"…I don't want to continue this topic. I still need to prepare Margaret's next training phase. As she is now, she's still far from enough."
"But aun— I mean, sister… ever since you found out about the [Laughing Knight], you've seemed distracted. If something's bothering you, you can tell us. We can figure it out together."
"…"
"Keeping it all bottled up will only make it worse… You're the one who taught me that."
"You should know. Didn't I used to talk about those things all the time? I was the one who misjudged him, Maria. Don't bring this up again."
"Alright… Then I'll head over to the workshop. I want to do my part for my sister's match too."
"Go on, go on… Your wings have grown, huh? Daring to poke at your auntie's old wounds now."
"I wouldn't dare…"
'Looks like Auntie is still troubled… she didn't even let me call her 'sister' this time… though I guess that's normal.'
Back then, who could have imagined that the [Laughing Knight] was actually that duke?
Sigh… a trusted friend suddenly becoming the family's enemy… that's just too cruel for her.
Maria herself didn't feel much hostility toward that so-called family enemy. After all, when the last Ursus–Kazimierz war ended, even her sister hadn't been born yet.
And regarding that "god," her grandfather had never said much. He would only occasionally sigh:
"I… don't have the right to forgive him on behalf of my fallen comrades."
Maria still remembered the look on his face at the time. So old, so complicated.
"But you children are still young. Before you form your own understanding of this land, before you establish your own beliefs… I don't want the hatred of our generation to weigh on you."
Lying weakly in bed, their grandfather forced himself to sit up and gently placed a hand on each of his granddaughters' heads.
Margaret, soon to be exiled from Kazimierz, and the still-young Maria listened in silence.
They could feel it—his life was fading.
He was about to leave them.
"If one day, your convictions can move even the most cruel yet soft-hearted… the most selfish yet tolerant… the most arrogant yet cowardly… the most mad yet rational god upon this land…"
His voice grew fainter and fainter.
"Then perhaps… you will have the qualification to change this suffering world…"
With those final words, Kirill Nearl closed his eyes.
His hands fell limply to his sides as he slumped against the wooden headboard, his breath fading into stillness.
Tears blurred Maria's vision. Beside her, Margaret only clenched her fists, saying nothing.
But perhaps it was just Maria's imagination—she thought she saw a vague, terran-shaped shadow standing quietly nearby, unmoving.
___
Knock knock knock.
A familiar sound echoed through the manor.
"Młynar? How come he's been so free lately…"
Muttering to herself, Zofia quickly went to open the gate.
Recently, Młynar had been coming back far more often, and he really had been guiding Margaret's training.
Though Zofia had a rough idea what had caused this stubborn man to change his mind, her attitude toward him had softened.
After all, as someone who valued the Nearl name deeply, she had never been pleased with Młynar—who possessed such strength, yet refused to take on the role of the Nearl family's 'Champion Knight.'
Of course, she knew he carried heavy burdens.
But he had always remained silent.
Cold and harsh toward his family.
Submissive and deferential toward his superiors.
Zofia had never liked Młynar. The way he carried himself now was, in her eyes, a stain on the Nearl family's honor.
But lately, his changes had softened her attitude.
Ever since that sparring match, Młynar had been strictly guiding Margaret. And every day after work, he would rush straight home, clearly fed up with his overbearing superior. Zofia had noticed all of it.
…Hah. Who would've thought that man's appearance would actually change someone as stubborn as Młynar?
"Coming, coming."
Zofia opened the door, and as expected, was greeted by that all-too-familiar, perpetually grim face.
"Honestly, who are you making that sour expression for every time?"
She complained, turning to walk away.
But perhaps it was just her imagination—Młynar's expression seemed even worse than usual today.
And his hand had not once left the hilt of his sword.
Looks like he's in a particularly bad mood today…
What Zofia didn't know was that her own expression was about to match his.
Because from behind Młynar came a voice she found both familiar and unfamiliar.
Arthur peeked out from behind him, head tilted, grinning as he greeted her.
"Well, well, well~ isn't this my defeated opponent? What, not even a hello for an old acquaintance?"
"!"
Zofia turned sharply, her left hand drawing the bladed whip at her waist.
She was left-handed.
Her expression grew complicated as she stared at the blond Phidia man hiding behind Młynar, smiling as if nothing had changed.
That smile… it was so familiar.
And yet, it felt completely foreign.
"…You are not welcome here, Duke Kashchey."
"Don't be so cold to an old friend~ Besides, I'm not that pretentious duke. I'm just a knight here to bring you joy. And more importantly, I was invited by the master of this house~"
"…Młynar."
Zofia looked at him in disbelief. His face was grim, yet he made no move to refute it.
"…This is a matter for the Nearl family, Zofia. As an outsider, you have no right to interfere."
Młynar spoke harshly.
He didn't want her involved.
After all… even with Zofia added to the equation, what difference would it make?
"Hehe~ Młynar, how can you talk to Zofia like that? As far as I know, she's put in quite a bit of effort taking care of your nieces~"
Arthur suddenly spoke up in her defense.
"Otherwise, with just the resources you have on hand… you wouldn't have been able to preserve the Nearl name at all, you know~"