Chapter 13

After having a delightful conversation with Oline, I talked to Lauro.

"Lauro, are you done with work already?"

"Yes, Lady Asaria. Thank you for indulging my whims."

"Really, I had to politely ask the store owner to pay the wages he owed, and you surprised me by saying you wanted to work a bit more."

"Polite request...?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing."

I politely asked the store owner.

He just trembled and turned pale at the sight of my authority.

"I didn't get my wages properly, but thanks to the store owner, I've managed to survive until now."

"Yes, Lauro, you are a conscientious man."

Well, I do find such qualities endearing.

"Let's go, Lauro."

"Yes, Lady Asaria."

"Goodbye, Miss Oline."

I smiled and said my farewell to Oline, who had been watching us.

"Goodbye, Lady Asaria."

Oline replied with a strained smile, and then Lauro and I left the scene. We got into the carriage and moved away from the front of the store.

"Ah... It was really fun, so much fun."

I couldn't help but show a blissful expression, and the words came from the bottom of my heart.

I came to pick up Lauro because he was finishing work today, but I'm glad I came!

I didn't expect Oline to come to scout Lauro today.

When Lauro said he wanted to continue working, I thought it was a bit troublesome, but it was really good that he continued.

"Lauro, I'm glad you are a conscientious man."

"Ah, really?"

In the luxurious carriage, Lauro sat stiffly, not leaning back against the seat, which seemed a bit cute.

"Do you dislike Miss Oline, the baron's daughter, Lady Asaria?"

"...Well, yes."

If I showed such intense animosity, Lauro would have noticed immediately.

"I hate her, I really do, to the point of death."

"Is that so? Do you show such an attitude to anyone else?"

"Hmm, there is one other person who I treat like that. A man."

That womanizer, Prince Lewis.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I thought it was good if that's the case."

"Good? What do you mean?"

"Leo and Rena often speak rudely to Lady Asaria, and I was worried you might dislike them. Also, I was a bit demanding myself."

"They are still young and cute, so it's fine. Your demands are not a problem either. Besides, I got to see that woman's good face today, so I'm glad you were demanding."

"That's a relief. I'll make sure Leo and Rena, as well as myself, are careful not to be disliked by Lady Asaria."

"Hmm, I don't think you'll dislike them that much."

Unless they try to frame me and kill me.

We were swayed by the carriage, and we arrived at the house where Lauro lived. The house I prepared for him was much too large for three people, about the size of a baron's mansion, as I told Oline.

Well, compared to the main residence of a duke, it's small.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Lady Asaria."

"From tomorrow, you need to start formal knight training, Lauro. It will be much tougher than your job at the store, so be prepared."

"Yes, I will try to do work that is worthy of this mansion."

"Yes, work hard. If you become my personal knight, I'll give you an even larger mansion."

"A larger... I don't really need it."

"Well, that's true."

It's already too large for Lauro and his two siblings.

"But what if you get a lover, get married, and have a family? You might run out of rooms then."

"I have extra rooms. How many children would I need to fill them?"

"Who knows? But if you get a lover or a fiancé, that's fine... but absolutely, no cheating!"

I pointed at Lauro's face and warned him.

I won't allow it because it happened to me before the reset.

"If you cheat, I'll hate you as much as I hate Miss Oline."

"Understood. I will never cheat, even if it means my death."

"Good, that's what I wanted to hear."

Lauro nodded strongly.

Lauro, who even thanked the store owner who didn't pay him properly, would never cheat.

"See you, Lauro. Work hard in your knight training."

"Yes, Lady Asaria. I will do my best."

Then, I said goodbye to Lauro and got back into the carriage, heading to the main residence.

I feel really satisfied, having secured the strongest holy knight I met before the reset and even taking Lauro away right in front of Oline.

Lauro is a great man, and his siblings, Leo and Rena, are cute.

"Hehe, it's going so well that it's almost scary."

I looked at the darkening scenery outside and returned to the main residence.

That evening, I had dinner with Father in the dining room and had a conversation.

"Asaria, you said you found someone suitable to be your personal knight. Is that man really okay? He does have some magic power for a commoner, but I heard he has no combat training."

I begged Father to train Lauro as a knight and eventually make him my personal knight. It was quite a difficult request, but Father accepted it, though he was suspicious.

"Yes, he's fine. Lauro has a natural talent. He will quickly become stronger than other knights and acquire the strength worthy of being my personal knight."

Before the reset, Lauro was probably scouted by Oline and started training around this time.

I don't remember when he was appointed as a holy knight, but he became one within two years, despite being a commoner, and was much stronger than other holy knight candidates.

He will become strong quickly.

"I see. Well, if you say so, I'm fine... but is there something else?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Asaria, Ivan will return tomorrow to start your magic training."

"Ivan...?"

It seems Ivan will be teaching me magic again.

I shuddered a little, but I can do it, yes.

"Will the training be at the knight training ground? Is that okay?"

"Yes, of course."

"Hmm, Ivan is strict but skilled. He is probably already stronger than me, so Asaria's magic will improve quickly."

"Y-Yes, I will do my best."

"Also, what about training Lauro, who is to become your personal knight, at the same time?"

"Lauro too?"

"Yes, we don't know how quickly he will become strong, but if he is to be your personal knight, it's better for him to become strong as soon as possible."

"That's true, I think that's a good idea."

Training with Lauro sounds fun.

And with two of us... the burden of Ivan's strict training might be a bit lighter, I think.