Sigrid

“Hm?”

“Why do you live separately from your family?”

“Too much nagging.”

“Nagging?”

“The servants who’ve known me since childhood still think I’m the young master.”

“Ah—”

Come to think of it, the maid had referred to him as ‘young master.’ Sigrid stared at him. No matter how she looked at him, the word ‘young master’ felt out of place.

‘Or is it? Are noble young masters still young masters after all?’

The clothes he wore were expensive. She wouldn’t have known before, but after Marie-Chez’s teachings, she could tell now. That smooth, unique sheen was a specialty of the Saron Kingdom…

Sigrid shook her head vigorously to dispel the automatic price estimates forming in her mind.

“What’s wrong?”

At Beramund’s question, Sigrid replied, “It’s nothing.”

“It’s just a sensation I can’t understand.”

At her words, Beramund sighed and said:

“You’ll understand when you become part of our family, Sigrid.”

“Is that so?”

Sigrid chuckled. Being part of a ducal family was beyond her imagination. As the last ice cube melted on her tongue, Sigrid stood up.

“Stay for lunch.”

Beramund tried to keep her.

“No, I have places to go. Thank you for the offer.”

“Can’t be helped then,” Beramund said as he saw her off.

Feeling lighter after completing a difficult task, Sigrid stopped by a bookstore. She selected a few cookbooks, paid for them, and then lingered in front of an ice shop before ultimately returning home without buying any.

“Seria?”

Upon returning home, Sigrid called for Seria. Wiping her hands on her apron, Seria hurried out of the kitchen.

“Yes, did you call?”

“This is a gift for you.”

Sigrid handed the bundle of books to Seria, whose eyes widened in surprise.

“They say these are famous cookbooks. Feel free to practice with the ingredients we have.”

“Sigrid…”

Her voice trembled.

“I hope you like them.”

“I love them!”

She exclaimed, hugging the books tightly. Sigrid said, “I’m glad,” patted Seria’s shoulder a few times, and then went to her room.

After carefully removing her outdoor clothes and changing into comfortable attire, Sigrid’s mood relaxed.

‘I should tell everyone about joining the Imperial Guard.’

Sigrid thought she should tell Morris first.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

As always, sword practice ended in Lowengrin’s backyard. Sigrid signaled to Marie-Chez. Marie-Chez hesitantly approached Alkerto.

“Um.”

“What?”

Though curt, he responded clearly. Marie-Chez’s face brightened.

“Can we talk for a moment?”

“Fine.”

When Alkerto answered, she took a deep breath. Lowengrin said:

“We’ll go wash up first.”

“Come in when you’re done talking.”

Morris added. Sigrid gave an encouraging look before following Lowengrin into the mansion.

“Will it go well?”

To Sigrid’s worried question, Lowengrin tilted her head.

“Well—”

“It won’t?”

“It’s up to them. Good job.”

At Morris’s words, Sigrid shook her head.

“No, it wasn’t that difficult.”

“Mediating between them must have been tough. You did well.”

He smiled and gently patted Sigrid’s head. Sigrid quietly accepted the gesture. She didn’t particularly like having her head patted, but it was okay if it was Morris.

“Oh, I have something to tell you, Morris.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

At those words, Lowengrin raised both hands, pointing towards the inner corridor, and said:

“Then I’ll go wash up first.”

“Okay, it won’t take long.”

“Alright.”

Lowengrin flashed a smile at Morris and left. Morris felt his throat go dry for some reason and cleared it a few times before speaking.

“What is it?”

“Come this way for a moment.”

Sigrid chose a secluded spot. Morris, who had followed her obediently, asked again:

“What’s going on?”

“Well, it’s—”

Sigrid hesitated for a moment before starting to unbutton her shirt.

From the top, one, two, three, four, five—

Her cleavage was revealed.

“Sig?!”

Staring blankly for a moment, Morris panicked and grabbed the front of her shirt tightly. His face flushed.

“What are you doing?”

“No, it’s—”

Inwardly thinking ‘I wanted to show you the Aura Core…’, Sigrid blinked.

“Morris? It’s okay, so just for a moment… No, Morris—”

Morris started buttoning up her shirt again. Why were these silver buttons so smooth? His fingers kept slipping.

“Morris, that’s not it.”

“What’s not it?”

He held onto her shirt for a while even after buttoning it up to the neck before finally letting go. Sigrid slumped her shoulders.

“I was trying to show you something.”

“Show me what?”

What on earth?

At his bewildered voice, Sigrid looked up at him for a moment, saying “Um…” before answering:

“The Aura Core?”

“No matter what— What?”

“The Aura Core.”

Sigrid answered again, hunching her shoulders. Morris’s eyes widened.

“Aura?!”

“Yes.”

“Can you show me?”

“That’s what I was trying to do earlier.” As Sigrid started unbuttoning again, Morris grabbed her shirt once more.

“No, no, no, I get it. It’s there. Uh, okay.”

This time, he buttoned up her shirt more calmly. His heart was still racing.

“You shouldn’t show that to just anyone.”

“I know, I don’t show it to just anyone.”

“Because it’s me?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Sigrid nod deeply, Morris felt a bit annoyed and pinched both her cheeks.

“Mowwis?”

Seeing her eyes widen in surprise, mouthing ‘Morris?’, felt satisfying. Morris let go and said:

“Congratulations. That’s amazing, Sigrid.”

Sigrid rubbed her cheeks and said disapprovingly:

“Why did you pinch me?”

“Because it’s me.”

At Morris’s words, Sigrid frowned. She said:

“Why don’t you—”

“I don’t what?”

“Use your full abilities?”

His words caught in his throat at her question. Sigrid said:

“If you’re going easy on me because I’m a woman, I don’t need that.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Yes, I think so. Then why?”

“I—”

Morris took a short breath.

“I don’t want to be watched.”

“What do you mean?”

“I hate competition. Some people might enjoy it, but I can’t stand it.”

“But isn’t it disrespectful to the opponent if you don’t give your all?”

At Sigrid’s words, Morris laughed and said:

“I don’t even want to stand in that ring. But others keep trying to put me there. So.”

He shrugged.

“I’m just pretending not to be skilled enough to stand in the ring.”

“But I don’t like that.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t like you being underestimated. I don’t really understand your dislike for competition either. Isn’t a knight’s skill what’s important? Why is it competition to be fairly evaluated?”

“It’s not just about the knight order.”

At those words, Sigrid blinked and asked:

“Is it because of that person you call ‘older brother’?”

Her voice had an edge to it. Morris’s enemy would be her enemy. Morris flinched.

“I thought you wouldn’t know—”

“So it’s finally reached your ears too,” Morris sighed. Sigrid shook her head.

“I don’t know the details. Just that you don’t get along with your older brother…”

“That’s right.”

After hesitating, Morris said:

“I’ll tell you the details another time. I think it’s better if I tell you myself rather than you hearing some incorrect story somewhere.”

“Okay.”

Sigrid nodded. Morris smiled and patted her shoulder.

“So you’re an Aura user? That’s incredible, Sig. It’s rare to actually see one, after all.”

“Oh, yes. That’s why I was scouted for the Imperial Guard.”

Hearing that, Morris was surprised. After a moment of silence, he spoke:

“Well, come to think of it, it makes sense. If you’re an Aura user. So you accepted? That’s a huge promotion.”

“I thought about it and decided to go. Not right away, but around autumn. I wanted to tell you first, Morris.”

“I see, we should throw a celebration party before you leave.”

“Um.”

Sigrid reached out and grabbed his sleeve. Morris looked at her quizzically.

“We’ll still be friends even if I go to the Imperial Guard, right?”

“Of course.”

As if to say ‘What are you talking about?’, he lightly flicked her forehead. Sigrid rubbed her forehead and grinned. Then it’s alright.

“I’m the first one you told, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then Marie-Chez and Lowengrin will be really surprised. Alkerto too.”

“Alkerto already knows.”

“He knows?”

“When I defeated the magical beast before—”

“You’ve been an Aura user since then? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Just because. I wasn’t trying to deceive anyone, I just needed some time to think about it myself.”

“Sigrid…”

“Yes?”

Morris swallowed the words ‘You’ve really changed’ internally.

What on earth happened that night?

Morris became curious. What had she experienced that night when she was at the guard post with that completely dazed expression?

“You are Sigrid, right?”

“Of course?”

“Right, so is that all you wanted to talk about?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go wash up.”

Sigrid nodded and started walking.

After washing up and going to the reception room, Sigrid revealed the truth to Lowengrin as well. Even Lowengrin couldn’t help but be surprised by this news.

“Aura?!”

She exclaimed in shock, and Sigrid nodded.

“My goodness… An Aura Core user… Wait, you’re the only one now, aren’t you? Among women.”

There were only sixteen known Aura Core users in the empire. And they were all men. Sigrid nodded.

“That’s right.”

“My goodness.”

Lowengrin muttered again, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“An Aura Core… Good heavens.”