Chapter 30

I was so curious about the reason.

'But if I ask the viscount, I might seem like a nosy kid.'

It would be better to ask someone else.

After finishing my thoughts, I decided to step back.

"Hmm. So there was a reason."

The viscount asked in surprise at my compliant reaction.

"Aren't you going to ask more?"

"Yes. My mother always said not to pry into other people's affairs."

I deliberately spoke in an innocent voice.

"Of course, before that, you won't tell me the reason either, will you, my lord?"

Viscount Amantha's expression became strange.

"Right?"

"......Yes."

The viscount nodded readily. I smiled and said,

"Right. I heard that you kindly offered to oversee the training today, my lord."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Demian is still young, so please be gentle with him."

I entrusted Demian's training to him, hoping he would be lenient.

"Demian?"

But Demian clung to my dress, refusing to let go.

"Demian, what's wrong?"

"......I don't like that person."

What is he talking about?

I quickly turned around.

Fortunately, the viscount and viscountess were talking with other knights and hadn't heard our conversation.

I sighed softly and looked at Demian again.

"Why don't you like him? Even if he looks like a grandfather, he's very strong. And he's so tall."

"That person is bad. He said mean things to Eli."

Demian looked angry as if it were his own problem.

"......Eli isn't bad, but he treated her like a bad kid."

"I'm fine."

He had been treated that way many times.

"If you believe in me, that's enough for me."

Demian blinked as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"......Is that really enough?"

"Of course."

I looked into his eyes and spoke clearly, word by word.

"So, Demian, I hope you can trust Lord Viscount as much as you trust me. He will be a great help to you. So you need to learn."

Demian remained silent, his mouth tightly shut.

"......I understand."

After a moment's thought, Demian nodded.

"If Eli wants it, I'll do it."

"Really?"

I hugged Demian with joy. He froze in surprise.

Actually, I felt guilty towards Demian.

In the original story, Demian was adopted into the Schuetz family alone.

But because I came along, Demian ended up being disliked as well.

I felt heavy-hearted knowing that Demian was suffering because of me.

However, there was a way.

The Schuetz family did not recognize the weak.

'If the people of the Schuetz family acknowledge Demian...'

Others wouldn't dare show their hostility so easily.

That alone could quell the boiling resentment for now.

While we were talking, Viscount Amantha seemed to have finished his discussion with the knights and approached us.

"Then I'll watch from the side."

I quickly moved away with the viscountess to avoid interfering with the training.

Since it was his first training session, a small wooden sword was placed in Demian's hand.

Although he was now old enough to be called a grandfather and no longer went to battle, he still seemed to have the same battlefield instincts.

Finally, the training began.

The viscount's sharp gaze followed Demian's every move.

Demian didn't back down. His wooden sword knocked the viscount's sword away.

The clear blue eyes that had been shining brightly turned cold. The viscount's sword was merciless.

While I was watching the confrontation between Demian and the viscount intently,

"Here you are, my lady. And Miss Eli."

Franz had entered and was smiling gently at the viscountess.

"What's going on here?"

"It's the first day of the young master's training, isn't it? Of course, I had to come and see."

Franz said this while looking at Demian, who was sparring.

"However, it seems he's doing better than I expected."

Franz muttered, watching Demian knock the viscount's sword away.

"Yes. It seems Lord Viscount is also taking it seriously."

As I spoke excitedly, I suddenly showed Franz what I was holding.

"This was also made for me."

"This is......"

"It's a bow made from a newly discovered mineral."

The fact that he gave this to me was proof that the viscount liked me.

I hoped Franz would notice.

'I've increased the viscount's favor!'

But Franz looked a bit flustered.

"......You've been beaten to the punch."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing."

Franz laughed awkwardly and hid his arm behind his back.

'What is he hiding?'

I leaned to the side to sneak a peek.

Clang!

At that moment, a loud noise echoed through the training ground.

Startled, I quickly turned my gaze and saw Demian clutching his wrist.

I hesitated, wanting to rush over.

Demian, breathing heavily and in pain, looked pitiful, but I calmed myself and sat back down.

"Are you not going to go over?"

Franz asked, as if testing me.

"......I want to, but I won't."

This is Demian's training, and I shouldn't interfere.

I couldn't comfort him just because I felt like it.

Demian is indeed a child who has suffered.

But he was going to war to uphold the family name.

I couldn't always be there to take care of him.

'Demian needs to stand on his own.'

I clenched my fists.

The soft dress in my hand crumpled.

* * *

Viscount Amantha exhaled a ragged breath.

He was a bit excited, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

It had been ages since he had such an engaging sparring session.

Today, his opponent was a small, thin boy, both in build and age.

He had only intended to give a few pointers, but somehow, he ended up taking it seriously.

In terms of swordsmanship, Demian was mediocre.

But his ability to read the flow of his opponent and strike mercilessly was exceptional.

Even seasoned knights who had fought in many battles couldn't easily read it.

'How can such a small boy do this?'

The viscount narrowed his eyes and knocked Demian's sword away.

Unable to withstand the recoil, Demian fell to the ground.

The boy panted heavily.

From the looks of it, he had exhausted a lot of energy.

The viscount quietly shifted his gaze. A few knights on one side of the training ground were watching them.

They must have been his opponents before I arrived.

'But from their expressions, it seems the training was tougher than expected.'

The boy must have been even more exhausted because of it.

But to be able to spar with him this long...

Even trained knights would be intimidated.

The viscount thought this and looked back at Demian.

"Get up. The training isn't over yet."

Demian glared at the viscount, his eyes filled with raw, unfiltered anger.

'He said he fought beasts when he was a slave.'

Those experiences seemed to have shaped his skills.

But there were still shortcomings.

"There are two types of swordsmanship. Offensive and defensive."

"......"

"Your ability to strike is excellent, but that's all. Your swordsmanship isn't yet capable of protecting others."

Demian gritted his teeth at the viscount's words.

Then, he slowly got up, picking up the fallen wooden sword with his swollen wrist.

He had been holding a sword all day.

If he continued, he might seriously injure himself.

But the boy's determination grew stronger. Sweat formed on his hands, and the viscount adjusted his grip on his sword.

The moment Demian aimed his wooden sword at the viscount,

The viscount's sword struck Demian's wrist.

He pulled back slightly at the end, so there wouldn't be a major impact, but it still caused a strong shock to the already strained wrist.

"Ugh......"

Demian let out a weak groan and dropped his sword.

The wooden sword rolled on the ground, the sound echoing in the spacious training ground.

"I'll end today's training here. Take a good rest."

"......I can do more."

Demian muttered in a suppressed voice, his eyes glaring fiercely. Viscount Amantha said,

"That's a weakness, young master."

"......"

"In a situation where your weaknesses are already exposed, there's no chance of winning."

The viscount lowered his sword, signaling the end of the sparring.

"I'll see you again after you've had enough rest."

The viscount nodded to the knights who had been watching the training. They approached.

After returning the sparring sword to the knights, Viscount Amantha noticed Eli sitting quietly to one side.

The little girl, fists clenched, was restraining herself from rushing over.

At that moment, he understood why the Duke Schuetz had brought this child.

A small smile formed on the viscount's lips.