Chapter 19: Date Part 1

“I can help you, Dad.”

Said Elizabeth, who had chosen to study law.

“You want to help me?”

“Yes, and lawyers earn a lot of money too.”

“Doctors make a lot of money as well.”

“But I wouldn’t be able to help you much as a doctor, right? Lawyers are different. If you ever get in trouble, I can help you.”

“If that’s what you want…”

“Did I really look like someone who needed help?”

Still, it didn’t feel bad.

Having someone who liked me—that alone was something to be grateful for.

Leo prepared dinner.

It was grilled beef.

“I’ll help!”

Elizabeth shot flames at the frying pan.

A wave of heat engulfed the meat.

Within seconds, it was perfectly cooked.

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside—it was a perfect steak.

She’s still only in the 1st Circle, yet she’s already skilled in elemental magic.

There was nothing I could really teach her about magic.

She was growing just by reading the textbooks, even without my guidance.

After lunch, we sprawled on the sofa together.

Elizabeth lay her head on my thigh and looked up at me.

“Hehe.”

“What’s so funny?”

“Your face, Dad.”

“You mean I look ugly?”

“The opposite.”

Objectively speaking, I’m considered fairly handsome.

My biological mother was a famous beauty, and I inherited a lot from her.

People say the firstborn son takes after his mother’s side the most—maybe that’s it.

While I was gently patting Elizabeth’s soft belly and idly chatting—

Knock knock.

“You’ve got mail.”

The mailman knocked on the door.

“I’ll go check.”

Elizabeth tugged my shoulder, got up, and brought the letter.

“It’s from the school.”

“Yeah?”

It wasn’t surprising since the only ones who’d send mail were the school or public institutions.

Elizabeth sat next to me and read the contents of the letter.

“They’re going on a school trip to the Empire?”

It was about a school trip.

They had gone every year since first grade, so it wasn’t surprising—but the location bothered me.

Up until now, it had always been domestic trips.

I pulled the letter closer to check the location.

“The Eastern Empire, huh.”

“Isn’t the eastern region underdeveloped?”

“You’re not wrong.”

I felt a little relieved.

The Empire is vast.

Half the world belongs to it, but only the central, western, and northern parts are developed.

The east is practically abandoned.

If it had been the capital of the Empire, it would’ve been dangerous—so this was fortunate.

The eastern region is underdeveloped in many ways.

There are only a few important bases, and resources are scarce.

Not only that, it’s dangerous due to the presence of monsters and demons.

Still, it’s known for its majestic natural scenery and unexplored lands—so there are people who go there.

The eastern region was the stage where I once worked as a mercenary.

It was full of monsters, demons, and demon worshippers.

The purpose of the school trip was to visit a trade hub in the eastern Empire and gain knowledge of foreign cultures.

The destination was Easton, the largest trading city in the eastern region.

Not bad.

Sometimes the darkest place is under the lamp—it might be safer than expected.

Not going at all would be the safest, but if Elizabeth was the only one to skip the trip, it might raise suspicion.

Elizabeth sighed.

“Ugh, I hate it. I have to be away from Dad for a whole week? Dad, can’t I just not go?”

“No. Going there will be a good experience. There’s a lot to learn.”

“Convince me more. I’ll be back soon anyway. Should I bring you a gift?”

“Hmm, if you find a cookbook from the east, get that. Clothes are fine too. Just pick something you think is good.”

“Got it.”

And so, Elizabeth left for her school trip to Easton in the eastern Empire.

Every Friday.

Every Friday, Hildegarde felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“Major Kürhalstein, you have a visitor.”

It was because family would visit.

As always, those words came from her superior.

Hildegarde, who had been working, shut her eyes tightly and then opened them.

Even as a Sword Master, there were things she couldn’t cut through—like family ties.

She handed her duties to a subordinate and headed to the visitation room.

Hildegarde never ran away, even when facing hardship, even if it meant defeat.

That was the knight’s way.

“Hey!!!”

As soon as she opened the door, the man who saw her shouted loud enough to shake the building.

Hildegarde calmly hung her cap and coat on the hanger and sat across from him.

As soon as she sat, he slammed his fist on the table.

“What the fuck did you do to Drewver?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know, you bitch!?”

Her older brother, who visited gambling dens more often than the bathroom, couldn’t speak without cursing.

Gustav von Kürhalstein looked like a textbook gambling addict.

He had inherited their parents’ large build, but his body was scrawny from lack of exercise, and his cheeks were sunken.

His patchy beard made him look practically homeless.

His golden eyes were the same as hers, but there was no sign of intelligence in them.

No one would believe they were siblings.

“You broke up with him, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t know how he found out, but it wasn’t something to hide.

Her dignified answer made Gustav wrinkle his nose.

“‘Yes’ my ass! Don’t you know how much debt I’m in?”

“I do. That’s why I send you half of my salary every month.”

“Exactly! So why the hell did you break up with that guy!?”

“Please lower your voice. The visitation room is poorly soundproofed—you’re disturbing others.”

Hildegarde let out a deep sigh.

“Are you trying to lecture your own brother, you bitch?!”

“Brother. I give you money and treat you with respect because you’re my sibling.”

“So what the fuck am I supposed to do about it.”

“That’s why I’m asking. Please act in a way that’s worthy of our family’s honor.”

“Honor, my ass. Who gives a shit about this family. Just go back to Drewver.”

“It’s over between us.”

“The bastard said he’d give you another chance. I just spoke to him. He said if you apologize, he’ll take you back.”

So he had heard it directly from Drewver.

Still—

Hildegarde wondered if there was something wrong with her hearing.

“You want me to apologize to Druber Falkmark?”

She asked again, just to make sure she hadn’t misheard.

“Yeah, you crazy bitch. You’re going to apologize. Get down on your knees, spread your legs—do whatever it takes to make that marriage happen. This is the best marriage you could ever hope for! Are you really going to let it slip away?! This is the opportunity of a lifetime!”

Unfortunately, he was serious.

He already saw her as nothing more than an expensive piece of merchandise to be sold.

But she wasn’t sad.

There was no sadness because whatever love she had for her family had long since dried up.

And with no expectations came no pain.

That’s why, no matter how cruel his words were, they didn’t hurt.

“I already told you. He never intended to marry me.”

“You could be wrong!”

“This conversation is over.”

Hildegarde stood up.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

Gustav grabbed her wrist just as she was about to rise.

With her wrist caught, Hildegarde simply turned her head to look down at her brother.

Her filthy brother was huffing heavily through his nose.

Hildegarde sighed inwardly.

‘How did it come to this? How did he fall so far?’

As a child, he had once led and protected her.

But where had that brother gone?

A flicker of pity appeared in her golden eyes.

Hildegarde’s expression and gaze were always so honest—it was easy for others to read her.

“You… Are you pitying me right now?”

Gustav’s voice trembled.

He was thirty years old, unemployed, in and out of gambling dens, neck-deep in debt and relying on his little sister for money.

And yet, just because she earned a promotion to major and could wield a sword…

‘She dares look down on me, her brother, for that?’

Gustav shook with inferiority.

He kicked his chair aside and glared at Hildegarde. She was slightly taller than him.

But all he could do was glare.

The silent pressure from Hildegarde towering above crushed him.

Even he knew.

He was no match for his little sister.

With her free hand, Hildegarde pried his fingers off her wrist.

Gustav had no choice but to let go, her grip was too strong.

Hildegarde pulled a thick envelope from inside her coat.

It held half her monthly salary—about 2.5 million Harts.

Gustav’s eyes lit up instantly.

Hildegarde exhaled through her nose, set the envelope on the table, picked up her hat and coat, and headed for the exit.

“Oh, uh… by the way…”

‘Did he know her birthday was next week?’

—Hildegarde was about to ask, but she stopped.

Gustav was already rolling his eyes around, greedily counting the money.

She didn’t exist to him.

She knew exactly what he’d do with that money.

He’d be off to the gambling dens again.

And yet she gave him money anyway—because she just couldn’t give up on the brother she once knew.

‘He’ll come to his senses someday.’

‘Someday, he’ll wake up.’

And so, five years passed in the same way.

She lowered her gaze beneath the brim of her hat and walked out of the visitation room.

They were family. How had they ended up so broken apart?

Suddenly, the name Leo Valentine came to mind.

His family was the exact opposite of hers.

While Hildegarde had a father, mother, and older brother, Leo had only Elizabeth.

But the number didn’t matter—he had a good relationship with his daughter.

Every time they talked, he’d always bring her up.

The way he looked at her during fencing tournaments was brimming with affection.

And Elizabeth’s gaze held the same warmth.

They were an ideal family.

No—maybe that was just what a normal family looked like.

She was meeting him tonight.

It had already been over a month since they started seeing each other.

Now that a month had passed, she realized—she didn’t hate Fridays anymore.

“Something good happen, ma’am?”

One of her subordinates asked while she was reviewing reports.

Wondering why, she looked at her reflection in the window.

She was smiling.

Hildegarde pursed her lips, then let out a small chuckle.

“Something good will happen.”

That evening, Hildegarde met Leo at a charming little bar.

She found out Elizabeth had gone on a school trip.

“You must be lonely.”

“I’ll just work more.”

Leo was quite wealthy.

He earned well, invested wisely in banks and stocks, and kept saving.

Still, he worked hard to earn even more.

Because he wanted to leave a proper inheritance for Elizabeth, who had just graduated college.

Hildegarde checked her calendar.

Next week—September 26th.

It was her birthday.

“So… will you be free next Friday?”

“I don’t see why not. Why?”

“That day… Would you like to go out with me?”

“A date?”

“Y-yes… a date. It’s my birthday.”

At the word “birthday,” Leo gave her a curious look.

“Wouldn’t it be better to spend it with your family?”

‘Of course, that’s the normal thing to say.’

‘Naturally, people would expect to spend birthdays with family.’

But Hildegarde knew.

Her family wouldn’t celebrate her birthday.

They wouldn’t even remember it.

Years of quiet, forgotten birthdays had proved it.

“I… want to spend that day with you. Is that okay?”

Hildegarde asked nervously.

Leo, on the other hand, started to realize something might be off.

‘…Does she not have a family?’

Now that he thought about it, it was odd.

It was golden hour on a Friday evening.

And yet, every week, she chose to spend it with him, not her family.

And come to think of it, she’d never really talked about them.

Aside from a brief mention during their first meeting—that her father used to hit her—she never brought them up.

Even when the topic of family came up, she’d just listen to his stories and quietly change the subject.

So he hadn’t pried.

“Alright, let’s meet on Friday.”

Leo nodded.

And so, the date was set.

Hildegarde lived in the officers’ quarters.

Of course, there was a family estate in Lenz.

Her father, mother, and brother lived there.

But she’d rather live in a basement than go back to that house.

The woman in the mirror looked stiff.

Her military uniform was covered in medals of all colors.

Epaulets adorned her shoulders, and a long officer’s coat reached down to her calves.

Under the shining visor of her formal cap—marked with a roaring golden lion—her graceful eyebrows were cast in shadow.

Her face, partly hidden under the brim, looked heavy and cold.

In contrast, her golden eyes stood out, giving her a sharp and calculating appearance.

No one would think she was dressed for a date.

Even she thought it was ridiculous.

But she had nothing else to wear.

It wasn’t just that she’d never gone shopping.

Nothing in stores fit her.

Hildegarde stood at 181 cm.

And it wasn’t just her height—she had a broad frame, too.

Regular clothes were always too small.

She would need to go to a custom salon, but she couldn’t be bothered.

With no other choice, she pulled out the gray dress she had worn for her debutante ball.

It was from when she was 18, and it still fit.

Hildegarde hesitated when she saw the dress.

It was far too plain.

Even back then, her family had been poor because of her brother’s gambling.

They couldn’t afford anything fancy.

So she’d gone in the cheapest dress they could find—and was mocked mercilessly for it.

That memory still haunted her like a nightmare.

She never wanted to wear it again.

“…But I’ve got nothing else.”

She considered wearing her uniform again but shook her head.

Even she knew better than that.

What would people think of a woman who showed up to a date in uniform?

They’d say she was too self-absorbed.

She couldn’t even use the excuse that she was on duty.

More than anything, she didn’t want Leo to see her in a negative light.

She changed out of her uniform and into the dress.

Snap!

…

She seriously considered changing back into her uniform.

Even armor wouldn’t feel this tight.

But she had already put it on.

Taking it off again would be too much of a hassle.

And the meeting time was drawing near.

She had no choice but to go out like that.

Unfortunately, the officers’ quarters were full of other military personnel.

“Major Kirhalstein. Happy bi—oh, um. Happy birthday. That… that outfit suits you.”

“…Colonel. Hello, sir.”

Of all people, she had to run into her superior officer.

His gaze dipped briefly to her chest before jerking upward in panic.

Mumbling awkwardly, he quickly left.

Hildegarde’s face turned tomato red.

She hurried off to the date location.