Chapter 6

Lucian de Fortrie – apparently, she is the seventh daughter of a viscount's family.

Why does she, being a woman, have a male name?

She was told this while washing her bloodstained hands at the well.

“I am the seventh child among eight siblings, and the six above me are all sisters…”

Her father, who wanted a son, had prepared the name Lucian in advance, assuming the next child would be a boy, and had already completed the blessing at the church before the birth.

“But it was me who was born. The name couldn’t be changed after it was submitted to the church.”

That’s why she was forced to be called Anne. It makes her feel a bit sorry.

“I was often sick as a child –”

She glanced sideways at Lucian, whose skin was pale and whose veins stood out on her neck.

Thinking of her sickly mother, a shiver ran down her spine.

“I was often bedridden until I was about five, but I became lively around the age of six.”

“Are you healthy now?”

“Yes. The doctor said that the male name Lucian protected me from illness. Later, I learned that my father had given me a male name as a joke because he wanted a son, but it was also a wish for me to become strong, as I was born prematurely.”

However, the story about wanting a son wasn’t entirely a lie.

“The Fortrie family also needs an heir.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Two years after Lucian was born, her brother was born.

“Normally, everyone’s attention would be on the younger brother, but I was different.”

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to her, Lucian would go out to play alone.

Her friends were the children of those who worked in the fields, and their afternoon snack was fresh vegetables.

The vegetables grown by the villagers in the fields had raised Lucian to be bright and lively.

“I loved playing in the fields and touching the soil more than sitting and learning manners. That hasn’t changed even now.”

She had been working the fields with a hoe and growing vegetables.

It was hard to believe that the frail Lucian had been involved in agriculture.

When she turned fifteen, marriage proposals started coming in.

“The Fortrie viscount family may not have a long history, but they are wealthy, so there was no shortage of potential marriage partners. My six older sisters are all married and living happily.”

However, no matter how many marriage proposals she received, they were all rejected.

“I was told that I was unconventional for a noblewoman’s daughter.”

Constantine almost said, "That's true," but swallowed his words just before they came out.

“If I got married, I wouldn’t be allowed to go to the fields. They said that a woman who can’t manage a household is unacceptable.”

That’s probably the norm for married noblewomen.

It’s hard for Constantine to imagine, given that his mother was often ill.

Moreover, there are hardly any curious visitors to the Earl of Arambour’s estate, which is far from the capital.

“My father, at a loss, said that if I love the fields so much, I should go to the king’s garden to teach agriculture. He also told me to find a husband who would allow me to go to the fields.”

“I see. I was wondering why a young lady like you would be here, but now I understand.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been talking so much on our first meeting.”

She had traveled from a place that took three days by carriage. She had to be invited into the house and entertained.

Just as he took a step to guide her, a distant shout was heard.

“Miss~!!”

It was the cry of Lucian’s maid.

She was about the same age as Lucian, with a healthy, sun-tanned complexion and wearing an apron dress. Behind the maid, two geese, one white and one black, followed. They flapped their wings and ran desperately, finally reaching Lucian, honking and squawking.

“You ran off as soon as you got out of the carriage...!”

“I’m sorry, Rosalie. I saw a rabbit in the field.”

“A rabbit!? Well, I can’t blame you for that.”

The maid, who had been glaring angrily a moment ago, calmed down as soon as the rabbit was mentioned.

“Rabbits are the bane of farmers.”

“That’s true.”

When Lucian showed the rabbit hanging from a tree, the maid praised her like a hero.

It seems that rabbits are unwelcome pests to farmers.

“Lord Arambour, this is my maid, Rosalie. Rosalie, this is the captain of the king’s garden’s knight squad, Lord Arambour.”

“Pleased to meet you, sir. I hope we can get along.”

Rosalie also looked at Constantine with respect.

“I didn’t know there were actually knights of the garden.”

“Yes, it’s like a dream.”

Why did they hold the field knights in such high regard? He decided to ask boldly.

“Because the fields are full of enemies like insects and vegetable thieves. To have a knight protect them is simply wonderful.”

“I see, that’s why.”

The people working in the large garden seem to be fighting against the creatures that harm vegetables every day.

For them, the field knights were figures of admiration.

Thinking the conversation was over, it wasn’t.

Lucian introduced the white and black geese standing on either side of her.

“The white one is Gar, and the black one is Chou. I raised them from eggs.”

The geese Gar and Chou seemed to look up to Lucian like a mother.

However, Lucian had no such intention.

“I plan to roast Gar and Chou for this year’s Christmas.”

The geese don’t realize that Lucian brought them from her hometown to roast them...

“Miss Anne, in our family, we eat roasted chicken for Christmas.”

“Oh, that’s right. Then, these children could be made into pies –”

“No, it would be better to use them for weeding in the fields.”

Feeling sorry for them, he suggested not making them into pies.