Chapter 31

* * *

When Baron Amantha sheathed his sword and looked this way, the baroness patted my back, urging me to go. I bowed my head slightly and ran towards Damian. Damian was staring at the baron's retreating figure with a look of frustration, a face I had never seen before. I wondered if Damian had ever shown such an expression to anyone.

'What if Damian harbors bad feelings towards the baron?'

Worried, I looked at Damian, who slowly got up from his seat. He looked more exhausted than ever, but his eyes were filled with determination, a stark contrast to the emotions I had seen in him before.

What should I say first? As I hesitated, Damian spoke.

"...Eli."

His soft voice was a bit lower than usual.

Damian, still staring at the baron and baroness as they disappeared, continued.

"I'll work hard."

His words were unexpected.

"I want to be strong."

Damian's gaze met mine. His blue eyes, which I had thought were cold, were now filled with fiery resolve. Perhaps this was the first time Damian had a goal.

His newfound determination was so admirable and touching that I took out the handkerchief from my pocket and wiped his face.

"You're already strong."

"No, I'm weak."

Damian shook his head.

"...I was told that to protect someone precious, I need to be stronger. I can't do anything right now."

"Did the baron say that?"

I was a bit surprised. The baron's words seemed a bit premature.

'I thought he would say that when the original female lead appears, but he's already saying it.'

Still, it was fortunate that Damian had developed an interest in swordsmanship.

'And he's talking about someone precious.'

Who else could it be? His goals sounded like those of a protagonist.

I gently stroked Damian's head.

"Then you'll have to eat a lot from now on."

"Does that have anything to do with eating?"

"Of course. You need to eat a lot to stay healthy, and you need to be healthy to become strong."

"Like Eli?"

Me?

I was caught off guard by Damian's sudden mention of me and my mouth gaped open.

"Eli is the strongest person I know."

Damian looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

Perhaps the skills I learned to survive in this harsh world made me seem strong.

But I couldn't explain to this young boy the survival tactics of the back alleys—pickpocketing, fraud, and intimidation, or the art of distracting someone and stealing their belongings.

'He'll learn about them gradually anyway.'

For now, it was fine to protect his innocence. I decided to put on a bit of a show.

"Damian, you still have a long way to go to catch up to me. Have you ever fought one-on-seventeen?"

Startled by my boastful tone, Damian flinched.

"I've fought monsters before."

"Not monsters. People."

"...No."

Damian's voice became dejected.

Actually, I haven't either, but I spoke confidently.

"You have a long way to go. So you need to eat a lot from now on."

"Okay."

"And you need to listen to me."

"Okay."

"Are you going to throw a tantrum and refuse training again?"

"Okay... No, no! I won't!"

Damian, who had answered habitually, shook his head vigorously.

How cute. I gently patted Damian's head.

'I was worried about his short temper. This is good.'

How could he be so obedient and kind? I couldn't help but smile.

Damian, who had been looking up at me, closed his eyes and smiled along.

'His eating habits might improve now...'

I looked at the wooden sword on the ground.

'What problem could there be with the person making a sword for Damian?'

What could it be? As I pondered, Aceil entered the training ground, pinching his nose with a handkerchief.

"Master, Miss Eli. Oh, even Butler is here."

The training ground, being an enclosed space, had a distinct smell of sweat, which seemed to be the reason.

"Preparations for the meal are complete. We shouldn't miss the timing, so let's go together."

"Let's go, Damian."

I grabbed Damian's hand and led him out of the training ground.

Eat a lot and grow strong. To keep that promise.

* * *

A few days later, on a sunny afternoon.

Damian and I went for a walk a bit further away.

Although it was close to the duke's castle, it might be dangerous for just the two of us, so we brought a maid along. The maid assigned to us today was Aceil.

"It's really cold, isn't it?"

I blew into the air, and the cloud-like breath spread out. Damian followed suit.

"What? Are you copying me?"

"Yep."

Damian squinted and smiled.

You're just so cute. His cheeks, red from the cold, were adorable, and I pinched them.

"C-cute...!"

I heard Aceil groan but decided to ignore it, as I was used to it.

Shall we go that way?

Just as I was about to move with Damian's hand tightly in mine, Aceil called out urgently.

"Master, Miss Eli. That way is dangerous..."

Aceil, who had been pinching his nose, suddenly covered it with a handkerchief.

"This way is dangerous. Please take another path."

Aceil, who had been following us, now led the way.

Damian and I followed her closely.

We struggled through the snow-covered bushes and came upon a bright red lake.

I widened my eyes. In such cold weather, the lake was not frozen, and its water was red.

The lake was so clear and transparent that I almost wanted to dip my hand in it.

"This lake is unique to our territory. We call it the Red Lake because of its color."

Aceil quickly explained, reading my curiosity.

"It has been red for a long time."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. The lake has existed since before the duke's castle was built. Although it hasn't caused significant harm to the territory... "

Aceil hesitated a bit before continuing.

"Curious children often... fell into the lake and died."

Children fell into the lake and died? I widened my eyes in shock.

"Adults also had accidents frequently, but recently, many children have fallen in... Despite repeated warnings, accidents happen every year. We even considered filling it in, but..."

Aceil explained that the lake couldn't be filled due to the deep-seated magic.

"So, please don't go near the lake. It could be very dangerous."

"Did you hear that, Damian?"

I quickly looked at Damian, who nodded obediently.

"Miss Eli, please promise me too."

"I'm an adult, unlike Damian."

I said what was obvious, and Aceil smiled contentedly, patting my head.

'Huh?'

Beyond the snow-covered grass, I saw a small cottage.

'Even though we came quite far, this is still within the territory. There's another house here?'

"Aceil, who lives there?"

"Which one are you talking about..."

Aceil's expression darkened as he looked at the direction I pointed.

At that moment,

Bang!

The cottage door opened with a loud noise.

A large man with a menacing face, unkempt beard, and a red liquid like blood on his face, stood looking down at us with one eye covered by a patch.