The next day, Scheuer was assigned a maid (who did not relay an answer to her proposal).
âSally, did His Grace say anything?â
âHe said to send the rooster to the farm unless you intended to raise them yourself.â Unlike her childish appearance, Sallyâs response was firm.
No matter my proposal, heâs more concerned about the chickens. Scheuer decided to phrase it another way. ââŠIs that all? Then did he give me permission to return to the South?â
âOh, you can return anytime. Weâll prepare a mana stone for you.â
This, too, was not the answer that she had expected. A muscle spasmed near her eye, causing it to twitch. I thought you felt something, but it must have been an illusion.
âŠHad it been because of the chickenâs smell?
Yesterdayâs traces had been washed away last night, but she raised her arm to smell it. Thankfully, it didnât smell. Well, I should just be glad that Iâm not being kicked out.
Originally, House Nataly and House Blaineâthe two swordsmanship pillars of the Empireâdid not get along at all. No, rather it was more accurate to say that they were enemies. House Nataly was dedicated to fighting against people in the capital, whereas House Blaine handled the demons of the North. They were considered rather brutal, causing people to respect and fear them at the same time.
âWhen youâre talking about swordsmanship, naturally the Blaine sword style comes to mind first.â Â Like this, many important knights within the Empire preferred the Blaine style, despite the prevalence of House Nataly in the Capital.
Naturally, from the point of view of House Nataly, the existence of House Blaineâwhich occupied the trust of the citizenry and knights in key positionsâwas nothing more than an eyesore. Further, they argued that Blaineâs sword style stifled social relationships because it consumed emotions. Thus, it was hard to expect recognition or loyalty from them as they were stoic. Even ordinary, everyday conversations were hard to achieve.
This conflict had been going on for generations.
Perhaps this way of thinking was why the Emperor had left them in the Northâprecisely because there were so many restrictions when it came to human interaction.
In this complicated landscape, a young lady from House Nataly suddenly made an appearance in the North. As Scheuer said, it was already fortunate that she hadnât been kicked out immediately.
âIâm sure itâs because His Grace has a lot on his mind today. The dispatched troops that were due to return arenât back yet.â Sally spoke kindly, thinking that Scheuer was disappointed to be ignored.
âThen, will I be able to see his face in the evening?â
âThat I donât know.â Sally faltered in the face of the quick response.
Well, the surprise proposal hadnât worked, so she needed to think of another way forward. Wouldnât it be better to look at each otherâs faces and speak to help regain his emotions? There was no way to return his emotions to him if they didnât interact. She had to persist even if it looked like pure selfishness.
Scheuer felt a wall in the shape of Raygrein. While sheâd only seen him for a short amount of time, she couldnât deny that he was perfectâblack hair and sharp eyes like a well-forged blade. If it wasnât for the dark blue of his eyes, his appearance would be indistinguishable from the desolation of the North.
The original says that he always wears his uniform, but I saw him in his plain clothes! I canât believe it! Heâd just been wearing a simple shirt when sheâd met him. When the cool look of his eyes came to mind, Scheuer unconsciously shivered in joy. âI was supposed to create a portrait and hang it on my wall. Itâs a shame that I missed my chance.â
At this, Sally took a step backward. Though her tone was sweet, her behavior was a little⊠âIâve never met anyone like the Lady in my life.â
âHow great it would be if the Grand Duke said that.â
Iâve never met anyone like you. Itâs a line that marks the beginning of a romance. Of course, that wasnât something Scheuer really expected. Sheâd just wanted him to feel surprised or embarrassed when she proposed to him. Scheuer sighed as she looked at the white scenery of the North. The sun was in full view.
âDid you really come all the way to the North via carriage?â Sally asked in curiosity.
âYes, it was easier than I expected. The merchant couple was very kind.â Itâd taken about ten days to come via wagon. It was pleasant because sheâd come in a wide carriage filled with chickens rather than a narrow luggage compartment.
âŠOf course, it wasnât something that an ordinary aristocrat would be accustomed to.
âDo you like His Grace that much?â Sally asked in disbelief.
âWell, not many people can motivate one to live just by their appearance.â Scheuer wasnât originally particularly devoted, but for Raygrein she could do anything. After all, I was willing to stand in line for the special edition novel starting from dawn.
No matter what she had to do, it couldnât be worse than enduring Raygreinâs death. Her heart had also collapsed when the Northâwhich he was more dedicated to protecting than anyoneâfell. While others could at least mourn their favoriteâs anniversary, she didnât even know the date of his death. I must help him regain his feelings no matter what. I want him to be happy.
Sally stared at her with admiration in her eyes.
At that gaze, Scheuer could only smile shyly. âNow, speaking of, what is his usual schedule?â Her eyes flamed with curiosity.