episode_0082

“Hot!”

The Hart Counts are responsible for the western border of the empire.

There, too, there was a lot of energy from early in the morning in the training hall located in the deepest part, which could only be used by the immediate descendants of the Count of Hart.

Although there were only two people in the training hall, it actually felt like it was full.

The person who creates such an atmosphere is the youngest member of the Count Heart family, who uses this training hall.

It was Dorothy Flamma Hart.

From the beginning, Dorothy was aiming to be knights like Brianna and Seraphina. With a teacher to learn from and ample support, I was taking steps toward becoming an engineer very smoothly.

However, after returning to the mansion after the academy attack, Dorothy’s training method changed 180 degrees. Instead of the existing systematic training method, I was continuing to do high-intensity training that was hard on my body every single day.

Anna, her exclusive maid, tried to stop her, worrying that her body would be harmed, but she remained steadfast. As if I had to accomplish this to become a knight, I was training day after day.

It was the same today. After training my body to the limit, I was repeating basic swordsmanship training for two hours. Sweat was pouring down and my arms were shaking, but the look in my eyes was the same as when I started training.

Once more.

Dorothy steadied her trembling arms as best as she could and struck the sword from top to bottom. Seeing the tip of the sword shaking, he chewed his lip and shouted again. The reason she began such extreme training was none other than her first brother, Gilbert.

Dorothy, who had only viewed Gilbert, who had lived as a fool for a long time, with a negative eye, recently saw him as a completely different person and realized many things. In particular, the image of Gilbert training before leaving was still deep in her mind.

Physical training that is like a torment that involves squeezing all the muscles in the body and basic training that is repeated tirelessly.

He was honestly carrying out all the training that could be said to be the basics of being a knight.

It was only after seeing his training that Dorothy could understand. How could he have such unbelievable piloting skills and the swordsmanship skills to become Brianna’s exclusive disciple?

It was a shock, a ripple, and an epiphany.

A teacher you can ask to learn from?

Insufficient support?

That wasn’t important. In the end, it was Dorothy herself who accepted it all.

Brianna, whom she admired so much, entered the battlefield at a young age.

Was there really a teacher there that one could ask to learn from? Otherwise, would you have been able to receive sufficient support?

Dorothy shook her head. Brianna may have been able to become the best swordsman in the empire at the time because of her natural talent, but it would also have been possible because of her hard work.

It was only when Dorothy saw Gilbert that she realized this obvious and clear truth.

“Phew…”

“Thank you for your hard work. miss. Please drink some water here.”

Dorothy, who had finally achieved her goal, collapsed on the ground and gasped, and Anna, who had been standing on one side, took a towel and water and stood in front of her. She poured all her strength into it, to the point where even answering was difficult, and she managed to catch her breath until it reached her chin, and gulped down the water she had brought in.

Normally, Anna would have been criticized as having no dignity, but not now. This was because I knew very well that she was in no condition to be nagged after completing her hard training.

More than anything, these days she was obsessed with following in her brother’s footsteps. To put it in layman’s terms, it was safe to say that he was almost crazy. I started following his training methods and started taking interest in his every move.

It was similar to following in Brianna’s footsteps in the past. Anna, who had seen Dorothy since she was young, was certain of one thing when she saw her.

Dorothy, who previously regarded her brother as an insect, now sees him as an idol.

Judging by the response to a question about it not long ago, it was a foregone conclusion. Although Dorothy herself would not admit it.

Anna smiled inwardly at the cute appearance of the girl she was serving, and told a story about her older brother, who had recently sent a message to her parents’ home.

“Now that I think about it, lady. They say the first master will be back soon.”

“Hmm? Are you the first brother?”

Although she was out of breath for a long time, Dorothy’s face lit up when Gilbert’s story came out. Although he was trying hard to pretend not to be interested, he was giving me a look urging me to speak quickly.

Seeing that cute appearance, Anna wondered if she might get a little grumpy. For a moment, I thought that it would be okay to just make a fuss about what I would say or not say.

But it was clear that if he really did that, he would be tormented by her all day. Anna, who remembered Dorothy’s personality of being surprisingly stubborn and not easily loosening up once she got upset, brought up the story of Gilbert, whom she was curious about.

“It is said that he is returning to the mansion for Demeia Academy’s break. He sent me a message not long ago, saying only that he was coming back.”

“Hmm. I’m going back, just this one word?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what was written.”

“He’s like an older brother. Somehow I feel like I can hear my brother’s voice. Big. Go back. Isn’t it something like this?”

Dorothy giggled, imitating Gilbert’s voice.

“You look in a good mood. Do you like the big master coming back?”

“Me? Anna, are you in pain? What good will I get from my big brother coming back? I’m not happy at all even if such a bastard comes back.”

Dorothy’s face hardened as if she had never laughed before. He probably wanted to show that he wasn’t happy about Gilbert’s return at all, but he didn’t seem to know that that would have the opposite effect.

Anna didn’t bother to point out that fact and nodded with a smile.

“Amyo. I guess so.”

“Anna. Do you know that laughter is quite unpleasant?”

“It’s a mistake. Miss.”

At that moment, when Dorothy and Anna were exchanging non-comic jokes, someone rushed into the dance hall. He was an attendant who managed the mansion, and his main role was to announce that someone had arrived.

“Lady! Miss Dorothy! You should come out quickly!”

“James? What happened suddenly?”

” Welcome! ”

“I can’t believe you came. Because I’m speaking incoherently and I can’t understand you. Tell me in detail.”

Dorothy tried to calm James down as he spoke, panting. Normally, if an employee showed himself like this, he would be scolded by the head butler or the head maid, but looking at James’ expression, it seemed like it was an urgent matter.

After taking several deep breaths, James finally regained his breath and declared his purpose for coming here.

“The first master. Gilbert has just returned!”

At that moment, Dorothy and Anna’s expressions hardened.

In any case, he was a person who had a knack for returning unexpectedly.

***

Gilbert realized as soon as he arrived at the mansion that he had made a big mistake. To be precise, it would be correct to say that although I knew it intellectually, I could not feel it in my heart.

A life of class system that I didn’t know about when I lived as a modern person.

The place where he lived was South Korea. It was a country where everyone was virtually equal, with no visible caste system. Of course, if you dig deeper, there was another status created by the gap between rich and poor, but at least it was not a state that remained in the national system itself.

That’s why I couldn’t sympathize.

Gilbert did not know that returning to the mansion without saying a word out of consideration for the people would actually be a huge burden on the people working at the mansion.

However, it was not until I saw the maids who were so shocked and busy the moment he announced his arrival at the mansion and the butlers running here and there to announce his arrival that I realized that he was mistaken.

In a class-based society, being too considerate can actually be toxic.

If we were to compare it, wouldn’t it be comparable to the battalion commander suddenly visiting us to encourage us?

When I thought about it like that, I got goosebumps all over my body. He finally realized what a terrible thing he had done.

Camilla was amazed and wondered if it was such a lively place, but she couldn’t say that she didn’t know that it would turn out like this and didn’t tell her the date of arrival at the mansion.

He refused to belittle the influence of the original Gilbert that lay dormant within him.

In the end, all Gilbert could do was keep his mouth shut and expressionless until the chief butler came in front of them.

“Are you here? Master.”

Before I knew it, the head butler who came to meet me bowed excessively and greeted Gilbert. The previous Gilbert probably seemed to have taken a low-key stance in advance because he thought Gil-gil might get angry.

“Hmm. It’s been a while. Edward.”

“There was something lacking in welcoming you. I hope that you will be generous to this old man.”

Edward Knox Gray, head butler of the Earl of Hart.

He was a man from the historic Gray Baronet, who had served the Earl of Hart for generations.

Baron Gray usually served the Hart family, who guarded the border, but in times of emergency, he was a family that could step up as combat personnel.

In particular, the position of head of the Gray Barons, who served as the head butler, could only be held by a person who was better than any of the knights of the Earl of Hart, and Edward, who was serving as the head butler this time, was said to be the best among the head of the Gray Barons’ history.

When he was a young man following the Count of Lithuania through the battlefield, he made a name for himself as an outstanding knight of the Giant God, comparable to Delmont, the chief butler of the Count Tristitia family.

Even if he was bowing down like this now, he was definitely not a person who could do anything carelessly. Of course, the previous ‘Gilbert’ didn’t care about such things, but the current Gilbert was different.

I was formal because I knew how scary the person in front of me was.

“It was my fault for coming without a message.”

“… You have changed a lot in the time I haven’t seen you.”

At first glance, it seemed like a sharp remark, but Gilbert did not point it out. That was true, and he knew that Edward was sizing him up.

“I don’t know.”

“There were many rude examples. The Count told me to bring you as soon as you are ready. Would you like to go right away?”

“I think that would be good.”

“Okay. The person who came with me, as far as I know… seems to be Lady Tristitia…”

“Nice to meet you. This is Camilla Alaquer Tristitia.”

What did I just see?

Gilbert felt devastated as he saw Camilla introducing herself so normally. Normally there would be no surprise in this kind of greeting, but the fact that it was Camilla who gave the greeting was noteworthy.

The fact that Camilla, who can be said to be synonymous with ingenuity, could introduce herself in such a normal way was surprising to Gilbert.

“Indeed, I’m glad this old man’s keen sense of insight hasn’t died yet. Welcome to the Count of Hearts.”

“Thank you for your generous hospitality. Sir Edward. I heard a lot from Del Monte.”

“Del Monte…Are you talking to that friend?”

Edward made an expression as if he had heard a name he missed. He had a deep relationship in many ways with Delmont, the head butler of the Count Tristitia family. They had a lot in common in that they spent similar periods of time active on the battlefield, followed one lord more than anything, and eventually became head of the house.

If I had to define it, they were evil friends and rivals.

A faint smile appeared on Edward’s lips at the name he missed after hearing it for so long.

“That friend still looks cheerful.”

“How harsh the nagging is. I don’t think I can imagine Del Monte losing strength.”

“That is correct. Oh, I welcomed a guest, but I made him wait too long. Lady Tristitia, would you like to have an audience with the Count?”

“We can’t interrupt the reunion of father and son after a long time. I will go separately when Gilbert comes to see the Count.”

“Hehe. Well then, I will prepare some tea for you to drink in the meantime. First, go to the reception room.”

I shook my head inwardly as I watched Camilla, who instantly became the noble daughter of an influential family and followed Edward. They say that a woman’s cowardice is scary, and this seems to apply to the tomboy Camilla as well.

After watching Camilla leave for the drawing room, Gilbert soon headed to the office of the Count of Lithuania, where he was waiting for him. Although Camilla’s appearance was unexpected, the important thing now was to meet her father, the Count of Lithuania.

Gilbert took a deep breath as he arrived at the count’s office, following the path he took before leaving for the academy. Perhaps because the situation was different from before I left, it did not look like the entrance to purgatory like before.

Then let’s go.

When I knocked on the office with a somewhat light heart, I heard the voice of the Lithuanian Count.

“Come in.”

Gilbert opened the door without delay and was able to see the Count of Lithuania sitting in his office and working.