After the soldiers brought Lourel and Jagid to the fortress, a medic tended to both of their wounds.
"Ah, I feel so tired," Lourel complained as she woke.
"It is best if you do not move around. You are still recovering. We used a few potions to heal both of your wounds," a medic nearby said calmly.
Realising her surroundings, Lourel looked around. She was on a single bed, covered with a cloth. She lifted the cloth and understood the current situation.
"Can I have some clothes?" Lourel asked calmly, without any embarrassment.
"We do not have female clothes, but we do have some male clothes. Will that be fine?" the medic asked.
"That will be alright," Lourel replied calmly.
The medic brought her the clothes. Lourel accepted them, and once the medic left, pulling a curtain across the space, she began to dress. She was naked underneath, but as she put the clothes on, the trousers fitted well. The shirt was too big, yet it still fit her thanks to her chest.
Lourel slowly got up and walked out of the medical room. She saw Jagid standing there in normal clothes, though he was still wearing his helmet.
"Why are you wearing a helmet?" Lourel asked, noticing his appearance.
"I like wearing my helmet," Jagid replied.
"That's quite strange. Are you perhaps… ugly?" Lourel asked calmly.
"I have a wife, so I would say no. It's also because during the battle, I didn't contribute much," Jagid said calmly.
"What are you talking about? You contributed a lot," Lourel said.
"I swear, once I go back to the Destenebres' Estate, I'm going to train much more," Jagid said calmly.
"Hahaha. Once I go back to the castle, I might need to train more as well. If I were stronger, I might have been able to fight more. Luckily, he retreated, or else we would have been dead," Lourel said sadly, looking at the ground.
Although they had won, it was hardly a true victory. Their opponent had forfeited due to a situation on their side. Knowing this, both of them clenched their fists, feeling powerless.
"Anyway, it's best to head back immediately," Lourel said, making up her mind.
"Agreed, but I doubt they'll let you return easily," Jagid replied calmly.
"What do you mea—" Lourel began, but was cut off as a crowd of soldiers rushed toward them.
"Knightess, do you have a boyfriend?" a knight asked, flirting.
"Knightess, you were amazing. Who are you?" a soldier said, curious.
"Knightess, your battle was incredible. I was cheering you on," a knight said in praise.
"Knightess, can I have your autograph?" a soldier said, looking at her with admiration.
"Knightess, thank you for winning and saving us from death," a soldier said with gratitude.
"Knightess, I used to think female knights were weak, without dignity, wearing armour that showed their bodies and only aiming for high pay. But seeing your fight has changed my opinion. Thank you, Knightess," a knight said, deeply moved.
All the other soldiers and knights echoed their thanks and shouted their admiration to Lourel.
"Everyone, what are you doing? If you all stay here, we will be doomed if the enemy invades. Go to your stations!" The general shouted, his presence commanding.
"Argh… General," a soldier said, trembling.
"General!" a knight exclaimed, surprised.
All the soldiers and knights froze, intimidated by the general's appearance.
"Go now, or do you want to be sent on patrol duty?" the general said coldly.
"Yes, sir!" a soldier shouted, running immediately.
"Let's go!" A knight panicked and ran.
All the soldiers and knights fled the area, leaving only Jagid, Lourel, and the general behind.
"I would like to extend my thanks to you both, and especially to you, Guardian," the general said calmly with a faint smile.
"There is no need to thank me, I was ju—" Lourel began, trying to respond humbly and explain that she had been sent by the kingdom.
"Sent by the kingdom? I might have believed that if you had said it earlier, but one of my messengers has already told me the truth. To think that the king would ridicule our efforts… I praise the queen for allowing you to come here, and you for being willing to help this fortress," the general said, his voice carrying clear resentment toward the king.
He then knelt before Lourel, speaking with deep gratitude as he praised both the queen and Lourel herself.
"Oh, and here is the spear that the Howlfen King gave," the general said calmly as he held Thrymvargr and handed it to her.
"Thank you," Lourel said with gratitude as she accepted the spear.
"Shall we go back now?" Jagid asked calmly.
"Oh, are you both leaving already? I wanted to hold a celebration here, both for our survival and to show our gratitude to you," the general said.
"We appreciate your hospitality, but we must return," Lourel said sadly.
"Very well. Just remember that you have this fortress and our gratitude," the general said calmly, accepting their refusal.
"By the way, I never asked what your name is, and the name of this fortress," Lourel said calmly.
"My name is Garrick, and this fortress is called Ashenwall. Few people remember it now, as it is just one of many other fortresses, except for one that is well known for its structure and appearance," Garrick said with a faint smile.
"I see. Thank you, General Garrick, for allowing us to stay here and recover. I will not forget your hospitality," Lourel said with a smile.
"Same here. Thank you, General Garrick," Jagid said calmly.
"I should be the one thanking you both, for protecting this fortress and the lives of my brothers and sons," the general said with a gentle smile, closing his eyes in gratitude.
After that, they both mounted their horses and began their journey back, accompanied by the knights who had gathered for the battle between Howlfen's soldiers and the soldiers of Ashenwall. However, because of how the situation turned out, the knights they brought had not taken part in the fight. Even so, it was a good thing they had come.
The royal knights, who had once believed that Lourel, the Guardian, was only a woman who had sold her dignity and sought higher pay without effort, had completely changed their minds. After watching her fight to the end against the Howlfen King, they came to see her as a true guardian and knightess. Their opinion of women had shifted from doubt to respect.
"Seeing your fight, I feel that my opinion of women has changed, Guardian," a knight said calmly.
"Agreed. I apologise for being disrespectful towards you," another knight said.
All the royal knights expressed their apologies and spoke of how their views had changed.
"It is alright. I also wanted a higher pay, but more than that, I wished to fight as a true knightess rather than be a decorative woman only for show. I am glad you all think that way," Lourel said calmly.
"You were truly amazing. I think the Destenebres should allow women to become knightesses as well. There might be great potential among them," Jagid said calmly, sharing his thoughts from the battle.
"Destenebres... I visited during the gathering of knights, but what is it like there?" Lourel asked calmly.
"It is a fine territory. Although the new lord is young and still a little immature, he is a good leader. If you ever wish to visit Destenebres and need a guide, come to the gate. If any knights ask about your visit, tell them to call for me. I will come to welcome you and offer you proper hospitality," Jagid said calmly.
"That would be appreciated," Lourel said calmly.
After travelling for some distance, their paths separated. The Destenebres knights returned to their lord's territory, where they had sworn loyalty, while Lourel and the royal knights continued their journey back to the castle.
Then they reached Echronia and soon entered the castle. Lourel stood before the King and Queen in the throne room, though this time the King did not have women surrounding him like the last time she met him.
"Your Majesty, we have—" Lourel began, wanting to report on the situation at Ashenwall, but she was interrupted.
"Silence, woman. Your duty as a Guardian was to remain in this place and protect the castle, yet you abandoned your post and went to a fortress. Since you even dared to talk back to me, I shall strip you of your official post as Guardian. If you are willing to kneel on the floor and beg for forgiveness, I might consider it," the King said with a glare, though he suggested a way for Lourel to appease his anger.
Lourel gritted her teeth but decided not to resist. It was only kneeling, she thought. As she was about to do so, the King spoke again.
"Oh, you must do it naked," the King said, his eyes lingering on Lourel with lust.
Hearing his words, Lourel felt a surge of anger and glared at the King.
"If I have to do that to keep my job, then I would rather quit this damn stupid job than be a mere laughing plaything for this damn King!" Lourel shouted in anger.
"How dar—" the King flared with rage but was interrupted.
"Lourel, you shall be stripped of your post as Guardian and dismissed, but in return we will compensate you for both your work and for the situation you resolved at Ashenwall," the Queen said with a sad smile as she looked at Lourel.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lourel said as she accepted the Queen's offer.
"Your Majesty, I wish to offer you this spear that I received from their King," Lourel said as she presented Thrymvargr to the Queen.
Seeing the spear, the King became angry and cursed at Lourel, but she ignored him.
"I shall accept this spear. In return, we will compensate you with a value worthy of it," the Queen said calmly.
"Your Majesty, if you could, please send the compensation for the spear to Ashenwall. They were the ones who suffered greatly and lost many soldiers. I wish for them and the families who lost their sons in the war to receive it," Lourel said with a sad smile.
"Alright, I will. From now on, you are no longer a Guardian. You are dismissed. Your rewards will be sent to you soon," the Queen said with a sad smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lourel said calmly as she exited the throne room.
As she left, the King continued to curse at her, but Lourel ignored him as she walked away.
After she exited the throne room, Lourel was surrounded by the royal knights.
"What's wrong?" Lourel asked with concern as they closed in around her.
"We heard everything, and it is unfair," a knight said, his expression gritted with frustration.
"Agreed. What if we go to the throne room and revoke that order?" another knight suggested.
The knights voiced their opinions and suggestions, chattering among themselves, but Lourel interrupted them.
"It is fine. I can just be a knightess somewhere else or become an adventurer," Lourel said calmly.
The royal knights looked at her, ready to protest, but she spoke again before they could.
"Though the pay was good, I would rather live as myself than be a mere woman in the eyes of the king," Lourel said with a gentle smile as she walked away.
"Thank you for your service," one knight said, bowing.
"Thank you for your service," another knight said, also bowing.
All the knights bowed in respect and expressed their gratitude for her service.
After Lourel left, she received the compensation promised to her by the Queen.
Lourel then decided to live as an adventurer for a while. During one of her quests, she met a man destined to be her future husband, a knight of the Destenebres. After some time dating, they married and had a child, Aurelia.
While staying in one of the towns with her husband and Aurelia, Lourel heard news that the Kingdom had become an Empire as its territory expanded. The king had also abolished the rule that required females to wear clothing that exposed parts of their bodies, following widespread resistance to it.
The people who survived, including the families of those who had fought at Ashenwall, shared stories of Lourel and Jagid's fight against Varrik Howlfen. These stories had inspired the women of the kingdom to voice their complaints to the king, forcing him to abolish the oppressive rule and provide proper treatment.
The women who had endured the rule were compensated and were now living better lives, thanks to Lourel's contributions during her time as a Guardian. People in Ashenwall had called her The Golden Mane Guardian, a title that left Lourel surprised. Hearing the news, a smile appeared on her face as she read it during her stay.
When Aurelia reached the age of ten, they were having a picnic when a strong horde of monsters suddenly attacked. Lourel and her husband fought alongside other knights, but they suffered heavy injuries. Lourel had overexerted her aura beyond what her body could handle, and her husband was killed in the battle.
Since that day, Lourel has suffered from Aura Degeneration.
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Back to the present.
'If it were not for Young Master Ragnar, I might never have been able to spend time with Aurelia,' Lourel thought to herself, feeling grateful as her gaze wandered over the bustling streets.
"By the way, what is your relationship with Aurelia?" Jagid asked calmly.
"Aurelia? She is my daughter," Lourel answered.
"Huh… I see. If I had known this, I would have suggested to the lord someone else instead of your own daughter. To think I suggested your daughter be placed under Madam Cesline… she could have become a great knightess under Young Master Lysander," Jagid said with regret.
"Maybe I can still ask the lord to move her back to the main estate," Jagid suggested calmly.
"That would not be possible," Lourel said gently, smiling.
"Why is that?" Jagid asked calmly.
"She and I have sworn to be loyal knightesses under Young Master Ragnar," Lourel said with a gentle smile.
"…I did not expect that, but Aurelia isn't a knightess yet," Jagid thought aloud after hearing it.
"It's okay. She has a mother strong enough to guide her, a former Guardian," Lourel said calmly.
"Young Master Ragnar is a lucky man, but also unlucky," Jagid said calmly.
"I understand the unlucky part, considering his talent is below average. But what do you mean by lucky?" Lourel asked playfully.
"Do not pretend. Even though he is still a young child, he is surrounded by beautiful women, and he even has two beautiful women serving under him. Any man would be jealous," Jagid said, giving his opinion.
"Are you jealous?" Lourel said with a smirk.
"No, I am a happily married man. I married a beautiful wife, and we just had a daughter this year," Jagid denied calmly.
"I forgot you were married," Lourel said, sticking her tongue out slightly with a smile.
"By the way, does your daughter know?" Jagid asked.
"No, she does not know that her mother was called The Golden Mane Guardian," Lourel said calmly.
"I see," Jagid replied quietly.
"Alright, I shall be off. See you," Jagid said calmly as he stood up.
"By the way, I did not ask. Whose side are you on?" Lourel asked, watching him stand.
"I am neutral," Jagid replied.
"Then were you the one who sneaked into the abandoned manor in the forest, putting the latest books in its small library?" Lourel asked calmly.
"What makes you assume that?" Jagid asked evenly.
"When I visited, I noticed that some books looked new despite the manor's age. There should have been only very old books, not ones recording details about the great war," Lourel explained calmly.
"If your answer to your question is true, what would you say?" Jagid asked.
"Then are you really neutral, or are you perhaps on Young Master Ragnar's side?" Lourel asked with curiosity.
"I will leave that for you to figure out," Jagid said calmly before leaving.
After Jagid had left, Aurelia returned.
"What did you two talk about?" Aurelia asked curiously.
"Where did you go?" Lourel asked with a gentle smile.
"I was settling things at the house," Aurelia said nervously.
"I did not know I had raised such a lying daughter. You know, I saw you on one of the tables, drinking another milkshake," Lourel said with a gentle smile.
"Argh," Aurelia said guiltily, feeling caught.
"Now then, shall we go?" Lourel asked with a gentle smile.
"Yes, it is best to go now. We are going to be late," Aurelia said as she went behind her mother's wheelchair and pushed Lourel, who was seated in it, back to their house to bring their last belongings to the manor in the forest.
"By the way, it's getting cold lately. Winter is probably coming soon," Lourel said with a worried smile.
"I agree, it has been cold lately," Aurelia said calmly, nodding in agreement with her mother.
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Meanwhile, in the small library room.
"Achoo! Achoo! ACHOO!" I sneezed loudly, unable to control it.
"Did you really have to sneeze so dramatically?" Wraith said in my mind, questioning my sneeze.
I swear, it feels like someone is talking about me.
"Are you sure it isn't just because winter is almost here and your body is weak?" Wraith said again in my mind.
I admit, it could be the cold that signals winter is coming, but I doubt it. I can feel that someone is definitely talking about me.
"Who?" Wraith asked in my mind.
How am I supposed to know? I had plenty of allies in my original life, but also plenty of enemies. Do you want me to list them all?
"Yes," Wraith replied, sounding as if he were trying to provoke me.
I'm ignoring you.
"Maybe it's some woman talking about you, hehe," Lust said playfully in my mind.
I'm ignoring you too.
"Maybe some of your enemies are badmouthing you behind your back," Pride said calmly.
Possibly.
After finishing the book in front of me, especially The Golden Mane Guardian, I could only feel one thing.
"You want to bang the Golden Mane Guardian?" Lust said playfully.
No. It just feels like the master-rank knights in this story are complete amateurs. Do you see the nonsense in this book? They talk as if drinking a few potions could keep you going through an entire fight. I am telling you, that is false.
"You drank a few potions too, and you had enough energy to fight ten calamity-class monsters," Wraith said, poking at my words.
That's because I was strong.
"Then they are probably strong enough to do that," Wraith said in my mind, complaining about my thoughts.
For once, I had to agree with him.
"Then do you admit your sneezing earlier was because of the cold and your weak body, and not because people were badmouthing you?" Wraith asked, clearly trying to make me agree that I was weak in my current state.
No, it is not because I am weak. I am telling you, it is because people are badmou—
"ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO!" I sneezed loudly, badly, right in the middle of our conversation.
"..." None of the devils in my mind said a single word.
"I told yo—" Wraith started, as if to say he was right.
I am ignoring you.
"Young Master Ragnar, Aurelia is back, and her mother is with her," Rina said as she appeared at the entrance of the small library.
Hearing her words, I grabbed the book, climbed the ladder slowly, returned it to its original spot, and carefully climbed down. I followed Rina as she guided me to the dining room. When we arrived, a meal was being prepared. Aurelia's mother, Lourel, sat in her wheelchair, watching the maids set the table.
"Young Master Ragnar, I am sorry for our absence these past few days," Aurelia apologised. She felt guilty for being away, having sworn loyalty to me.
"It is alright. Although you have sworn loyalty to me, you are not yet strong enough to serve as a knight, and your mother is still.... recovering," I said calmly, pausing as I looked at Lourel.
"Hahaha… my apologies. I will need to work on my body so I can move and walk properly," Lourel said playfully.
"It is fine. You are recovering anyway," I replied calmly.
Soon the meal was ready. My mother took a cup, raised it to chest height, and spoke.
"I wish to welcome a new member to this manor. I appreciate you both for swearing loyalty to my son despite the circumstances," she said, a little embarrassed.
"I appreciate your hospitality, though I must also apologise for my current condition and for my daughter not yet being a knight," Lourel replied, also slightly embarrassed.
"It is alright. Anyway, let us cheer and celebrate," my mother said with a happy, gentle smile.
"Cheers," everyone said together, though my tone was more indifferent. I just wanted to get it over with and return to training.
Everyone began eating, offering pieces of their food to Lourel and wishing her a speedy recovery. Sana and Rina, however, were different.
"Miss Lourel has a large chest and hips, even bigger than mine. Do you think Aurelia will grow up to look like that too?" Rina said, analysing Lourel's figure.
"Miss Lourel, you look beautiful. How did you recover your beauty so well? As expected of Aurelia's mother, like her daughter but even more beautiful," Sana praised her.
"You two…" Aurelia looked at her friends, dumbfounded by their comments about her mother.
"Hahaha, Aurelia has good friends. I hope you both continue to be her friends, and I also hope you will be my friends too," Lourel said with a gentle smile.
"Yes!" Sana and Rina replied enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, my mother looked at me.
"I just remembered. Ragnar, your fourth birthday is coming soon. We will be going to the Destenebres' Mansion to celebrate your half-sister's birthday. You will also be able to see your father there," she said gently.
Huh? What did she just say?
I stared at her, dumbfounded. Everyone, except the maids, looked equally shocked, clearly understanding the situation.
'This is a bad thing,' everyone except my mother thought, as we all understood that my father wanted me dead.
"Madam Cesline, are you sure this is a good idea?" Yukino asked nervously.
"It should be fine. Once we finish celebrating Lady Lyraena's birthday, we'll return here as quickly as possible," my mother said with a warm smile.
"Lady Lyraena is also a good girl. Although, during your second and third birthdays, whenever I was forced to visit her for her birthday because of my reputation and had to miss most of your celebrations, she always smiled whenever I came," my mother said with a warm smile.
…
Does my own mother want me dead as well?
Wraith was laughing in my mind, while the other devils simply relaxed.
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Meanwhile, in the Destenebres' Mansion's Grand Hall.
The maids and male servants worked tirelessly around the hall, preparing for a grand birthday celebration. The huge hall looked even more impressive as they rushed about, setting everything in place.
"How is the setup?" Caedros asked coldly.
"It is going smoothly, my lord," the butler beside him replied calmly.
"Good. It needs to be grand. Did you send the invitations to all the required guests?" Caedros asked, his tone still cold.
"Yes, my lord. All the guests you requested have received an invitation, including the families of the other heroes and the royal family," the butler answered calmly.
"Good. There must not be any problems, and everything needs to be perfect. Do you understand?" Caedros said coldly.
"Yes, my lord. We will ensure there are no problems, and the party will meet the guests' expectations. We will also ensure a smooth performance for Lady Lyraena's birthday," the butler replied.
"Good. You may proceed with your duties," Caedros said coldly.
"By your will, my lord," the butler said calmly before returning to the task of preparing the Grand Hall for the birthday party.
"Papa, will my party be good?" A girl with long, neatly combed black hair and dark golden eyes asked as she approached Caedros.
"Yes, my beautiful daughter. Your party will be just as you expect, and many important people will be attending," Caedros said warmly, as if the coldness he usually displayed had vanished.
The girl was Lyraena Destenebres.
"Hehehe, will Auntie Cesline come too?" she asked, her face bright with a smile.
"Yes… she will. Though it would be better to call her Madam Cesline, sweetie," Caedros said hesitantly.
"What's wrong, Papa?" Lyraena asked.
"Nothing is wrong, darling. By the way, Lyraena, how was your study today?" Caedros asked warmly.
"I hate it. It feels boring. I want to do combat training like Brother Lysander," Lyraena said with a scowl, though her expression brightened when she mentioned her brother.
"It is not proper for a lady to do combat training," Caedros said gently, trying to calm his daughter.
"Why not? I hate it! I want to train with Brother Lysander too!" Lyraena shouted, still scowling.
"Calm down, sweetie. How about this? I will get you some ice cream later, and then I will speak with your mother about allowing you to do combat training. How does that sound?" Caedros said warmly.
"Okay! But I also want to enjoy ice cream with Brother Lysander too," Lyraena said happily.
"You really love your big brother, huh?" Caedros said warmly with a smile.
"Yes. When I grow up, I want to marry Brother Lysander," Lyraena said cheerfully.
"I see," Caedros said warmly, deciding not to correct her. He knew it was common for children to have such innocent ideas about their siblings and did not want to upset her.
'I hope she grows out of that mindset,' Caedros thought calmly.
"Sister, what are you doing?" a child with short, neatly combed black hair and dark golden eyes asked.
"Brother! Hehe, Papa promised us ice cream," Lyraena said happily.
The child was Lysander Destenebres.
"I see. Let's not disturb Father and let him focus on his work," Lysander said calmly.
"Alright!" Lyraena said happily as she took her brother's hand and walked out of the Grand Hall.
'My children are growing up well. Time to focus on the party setup,' Caedros thought with a smile, though it soon faded as he grew serious.
'That child will also be coming…' Caedros thought as he focused on preparing the Grand Hall for the birthday party.