Ch.BONUSOutside. The Female Knight of the Principality

…she never became a Master.

And she never would.

This was the reality that Lady Knight Millia faced every time she stepped onto the training grounds.

Her pink hair neatly tied back for training, her appearance still maintaining its form despite not being able to escape the passage of time.

Contrary to appearances, she had been feeling the effects of aging for several years now.

Significantly slower recovery speed and gradually declining physical functions. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t grow—at best, she could only slow the deterioration of her skills.

In a few years when she entered her fifties, excessive training would likely become harmful. In fact, she was already gradually reducing her training intensity.

If she had reached the realm of Master at the right time, she would still be in her prime now.

She knew that most knights failed to overcome this wall… but it wasn’t easy to accept that she was one of them. Thinking about all those decades invested in swordsmanship only filled her with regret.

However, she didn’t dwell on these bitter thoughts for long.

Because regardless of not becoming a Master, she knew she had lived a successful life.

She might not have the strength to face hundreds of magical beasts, but instead, she commanded hundreds of subordinates.

She couldn’t run faster than a horse, but she owned two fine steeds and a splendid stable.

She might not command the respect of all knights, but she was treated as a distinguished figure in the local community.

‘That’s… more than enough for me.’

She was the commander of the defense force responsible for the safety of the Caderia Archipelago, consisting of five islands.

When she first settled in the duchy, she personally chased down criminals and exterminated monsters that occasionally appeared, but now systems were in place. Except in extraordinary cases, she rarely needed to wield her sword personally.

Nevertheless, there was one reason Millia continued to train.

She didn’t want to grow complacent with her modest power. After all, she had once fallen to rock bottom after wasting her best years.

She could blame it on being influenced by Gwon Heejin, but she didn’t want to shift responsibility to others. There was no pride in losing her senses and being corrupted by a villain.

Living diligently without wasting time, within her capabilities.

For over 20 years, Millia had persevered with this mindset. Without that effort, she would have struggled to hold her current important position.

Millia was reasonably satisfied with her achievements.

And having a family to share those achievements with was even more gratifying.

“Honey? I thought I’d find you here.”

A man entered the training grounds carrying a water bottle.

Leonard, Millia’s husband. He was five years younger than her.

They had become close when she treated him almost like a junior during her early days in the duchy.

Honestly, his talent was far inferior to Millia’s, but he was skilled at various tasks and had a good reputation. He had been an excellent guide for Millia when she was still a newcomer.

She hadn’t considered him a potential partner from the beginning. They just somehow grew closer, eventually deepening their affection, holding a ceremony, and moving in together.

At the time, taking a younger man as a partner had been somewhat embarrassing…

But looking back now, it was the wisest choice of her life.

“I can’t imagine how I’d be living now if it weren’t for you.”

“Why so suddenly?”

“No, the thought just occurred to me. Thank you.”

Millia smiled faintly as she gazed at her husband.

At her age, her heart didn’t flutter just because her husband brought her water.

But she had never forgotten her gratitude for even a moment. Without her husband and son, she wouldn’t have the happiness she enjoyed now.

“Would octopus be okay for dinner? I was thinking of cooking myself instead of having the staff do it.”

Unfortunately, she would have to decline her husband’s offer.

His cooking skills were excellent. He had even managed to convert Millia, who once treated octopus as a monster and found it disgusting. However, she had prior plans that would make it difficult to enjoy a cozy family dinner tonight.

“Sorry. I’m meeting friends for dinner.”

Her friends, of course, meant the former Hero’s party. Her husband nodded with a sigh, as if he understood.

“I see. I shouldn’t get in the way then.”

“I’ll invite them home tomorrow, but the first day is difficult. Silvina tends to drink too much when we meet after a long time. Claire often joins in and makes a spectacle too… You might not mind, but we shouldn’t show that side to our child.”

“I understand completely. Enjoy yourself. I’ll take care of the kid.”

“I won’t be back too late.”

After flashing a bright smile, Millia turned away. Her husband’s wave goodbye was no different than usual, but today she felt a strange sentiment rising within her.

Was it because she was meeting her friends after so long? Or was it because the first anniversary of her father’s death was approaching, filling her mind with distracting thoughts?

As she pondered, a question suddenly occurred to her.

‘I wonder what Leonard thinks about us.’

The former Hero’s party that met twice a year… in other words, Gwon Heejin’s women.

Their activities as the Hero’s party were long in the past.

But not so long ago that people had forgotten. Even now, plays featuring the former Hero’s party were being performed in their homeland.

The temperature might be different in the duchy, but that didn’t mean people were unaware. Especially considering that Leonard was the security chief of the harbor, where he frequently interacted with merchants.

Yet he had never asked about the Hero’s party.

One would think he’d be curious if his wife had been a member of the former Hero’s party, and her closest friends were her former comrades.

It wouldn’t harm their marriage if he casually asked about it, so why didn’t he?

Did he think it would be impolite to dig into his wife’s dark history? She couldn’t be sure, but it was clear he was being considerate of her position.

The trials Millia faced after the downfall of Gwon Heejin’s party remained in her memory even now, despite her age. Though she had become less sensitive over time, she still occasionally felt depressed from minor triggers.

‘Yes. Maybe it’s better to just live without asking.’

I’m truly enjoying undeserved happiness, she murmured to herself as she left her home.

On the way to the garrison, several residents greeted Millia. Their expressions were uniformly friendly.

*

“I hear that barometers light enough to be carried will soon be available, Millia. Do you know anything about this?”

How would I know that, Silvina?

Millia was about to answer this way but just smiled instead.

Not because she found the elf Silvina amusing, but because the situation itself seemed funny. An elf introducing new technology to a human, not the other way around. She wondered if this was really the natural order of things.

“Millia, why are you smiling? Did I make some mistake?”

“It’s not that… Anyway, such devices would help the fishermen too. There are magical weather observation tools, but they’re too expensive.”

“I’ll get several for you as soon as they’re available.”

She meant she could somehow obtain them as soon as they were released.

It didn’t seem like she was showing off. Silvina was an elf who had little interest in seeking approval from others. Whether through connections or money, she probably really could get them.

‘How did this kid become so successful?’

Silvina as a business owner—it was hard to believe, even though they were friends.

Silvina had been wealthy even during the days when she was essentially serving in a penal unit at the border fortress.

But back then, she had only secured necessary supplies through barter, nothing that could be called a business. Now, after more than 20 years, she claimed to have dozens of employees working under her.

The remarkable transformation of an elf who once craved only meat.

It wasn’t a bad thing at all—rather, it was welcome. This change allowed them to meet and catch up like this.

Moreover, Millia was the greatest beneficiary of this change.

“By the way, Millia. Do you know a man named Godwin? He’s in his mid-thirties.”

“…That sounds like my cousin’s name.”

“So there is a connection.”

The collateral branches of the former Count Neize family, long since demoted to commoners.

Sadly, Millia hadn’t had the capacity to look after them. She hadn’t even visited the continent since moving to the duchy.

She had only hoped they were living well somewhere, and it seemed Silvina had somehow tracked down one of them.

Silvina simply nodded and said, “I understand,” but Millia already knew. Silvina would take care of her cousin to some extent. She would at least provide some living expenses.

‘Should I ask her to stop?’

It would be courteous to decline such one-sided support. After all, she had brought gifts of tremendous value this time as well.

Silvina was probably trying to make amends for past wrongdoings.

‘Though I don’t understand why she’s compensating me.’

Knowing she couldn’t change Silvina’s mind, she decided to accept it.

If she had one wish, it would be for Silvina to take care of her own happiness too. She seemed happy now, but with her long lifespan, she needed various provisions. She still had an extremely long life ahead of her.

However, she didn’t want to mention it now. It would make her feel like an old woman.

“Ah, Millia. It looks like Claire and Yuni have arrived.”

At these words, Millia set aside her thoughts and rose. She wanted to focus on the time with her friends who had gathered after so long.