“So they were suckers.”
Those innocent eyes that had looked at her.
They were naive people who didn’t know the ways of the world.
“They’re great at fighting, but they really don’t know how the world works.”
That’s why the ducal family remained poor.
They kept giving and giving, and poverty just kept trailing along after them.
“I know you’re there. Come out, kid.”
Startled, Elia lifted her head.
The Duke was leaning one hand against the wall, looking down at her. Embarrassed, Elia scratched her cheek.
“How did you know I was here?”
“If I couldn’t sense this much presence, I’d be in trouble.”
Elia fidgeted before asking,
“Duke, are you poor?”
The straightforward question made the Duke blink in surprise.
“Do I look poor to you?”
“Yes, you do.”
“So you heard.”
Elia lowered her head apologetically.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
“But you’ve misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood what?”
“I’m not poor. I’ve got a roof to keep out the rain and wind, and plenty of excellent knights and people who manage the estate. I’m rich, kid.”
Come to think of it, even if he didn’t have money, he did have good people around him.
Knights who could take on a hundred men, a skilled butler, and a capable head maid. That’s wealth in itself.
“That’s true, I guess—just lacking money.”
“Kid, money isn’t everything in this world.”
“I know. But it’s still necessary. You’re the head of the family, Duke. Sometimes you need to be selfish.”
“Do I seem soft to you?”
“Yes.”
Her answer was so firm, the Duke seemed momentarily lost for words.
“You’re too kind. I heard that being too kind makes you a sucker.”
“What? Where’d you hear that?”
“You pick up rough speech naturally when you drift around.”
A flicker of pity appeared in the Duke’s eyes.
“Please don’t look at me like that.”
“Sorry.”
“And don’t apologize either.”
Elia sighed.
“I want to go to the training grounds.”
“Training grounds?”
“Yeah, Uncle Dmitri said I could come by anytime.”
“Then let’s go together. I was just headed there myself.”
When the Duke held out his hand, Elia took it, and they headed for the training grounds.
True to the poverty of the ducal house, the training grounds were in disrepair, broken in several places.
“Oh! Miss!”
Dmitri, the captain of the knights, spotted Elia first and ran over. The vice-captain, Campbell, and the other knights paused their training to look at her.
“Your Grace, you’re here as well.”
“Just checking in to see how the training’s going.”
Elia approached Dmitri with a bright smile.
“Uncle, give me a piggyback ride. You promised.”
“Of course! I definitely owe you that.”
At the banquet, Dmitri had promised to give her a piggyback ride if she ever visited the training grounds.
He reached out and easily lifted her onto his shoulders.
“We were going to walk around the grounds, right?”
“Yep. You remembered!”
“Of course. Dmitri always keeps his promises.”
He kept his word diligently.
The Duke of Cartellani looked bewildered, but the other knights simply looked on with envy.
Campbell grumbled beside them.
“I could give a much better ride, you know.”
After a full lap around the training grounds on Dmitri’s shoulders, the Duke gazed gently at Elia.
“Had fun, kid?”
“Yes, it was great!”
Elia giggled, and the Duke asked,
“Want to see something even more fun?”
“Something more fun?”
“Yep.”
“Uncle, let me down.”
Dmitri gently set Elia down on a bench.
Then the Duke drew his sword.
“Dmitri, how about a real match for old times’ sake?”
“Huh?”
“Kids love watching fights. Why not spar with me?”
“Sounds great. Of course I’ll join you.”
Grinning, Dmitri picked up a greatsword nearly as big as he was and stepped onto the field.
The Duke held a broadsword in both hands and winked at Elia.
“Miss, you’re in for a treat.”
Before she realized it, Campbell had sidled up next to her.
“Why?”
Elia tilted her head, and Campbell grinned.
“A real duel between the Duke and the captain is rare.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. Thanks to you, we’re all in for a visual feast.”
He added that a duel between masters was a spectacle you couldn’t buy even with money.
Which meant Dmitri was also a master-level swordsman.
Elia watched the duel unfold.
After all, the most entertaining things in the world are fights and fires.
Clang! Clang! Clang, clang!
Their swords clashed with such speed it made your eyes go wide.
At first glance, Dmitri’s greatsword seemed dominant, but the Duke’s broadsword didn’t yield an inch.
This truly was a clash between masters.
A twig perched on Elia’s shoulder offered commentary.
[It makes sense now that you struggled against them in the past.]
‘Yeah, my struggles were justified. I knew my limits.’
Watching the two trade blows, Elia found the scene beautiful.
She used to think swords were just killing tools, but now she saw they could be beautiful, too.
It all depended on who wielded them—something Elia realized that day.
The duel continued until sunset.
Despite the long match, neither showed the slightest sign of fatigue. That alone was impressive.
So this is what a master’s duel looks like.
“I surrender. I can’t go on, Your Grace.”
Dmitri set his greatsword down and sank to the ground in defeat.
“Looks like you need to work on your stamina.”
“Please consider my age, Your Grace. You’re ten years younger than me.”
“What’s age got to do with it? Your body’s heavy because you’re out of shape.”
“This is genetic.”
Being born a hefty baby wasn’t his fault, after all.
“Rest time’s over. The kid needs dinner.”
“Good thing I ordered something nice prepared.”
At Dmitri’s whistle, two knights appeared carrying two birds.
“How about roast chicken tonight?”
“Have you been hunting instead of training?”
“Of course not. I signaled during the duel to have it ready.”
The Duke chuckled.
With his sword slung over his shoulder, he looked back at Elia.
“Kid, is roast chicken okay for dinner?”
Elia eyed the two birds.
“Do you always hunt your meals?”
She hadn’t realized the food shortage was this serious.
Once again, Elia felt a wave of sympathy for the ducal family’s poverty.
The next day, Elia witnessed a rare sight.
Outside the mansion, Butler Norman was distributing food to the people with the help of the servants.
Looking out the window, Elia asked Meryl,
“Meryl, what’s going on?”
“Ah, the supplies didn’t arrive this month, so the Duke ordered us to share the food with the people.”
“If they give it all away, what will the Duke eat?”
“He’ll go hunting.”
“Hunting?”
“Yes, there are more than just monsters in the mountains.”
Elia’s eyes narrowed. This wouldn’t do. They needed a fundamental solution.
Clenching her fists, Elia looked at Meryl.
“Meryl, I want to go see the Duke.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah. Is that a problem?”
Elia gave her the most sparkling look she could muster. Meryl suddenly clutched her chest.
Elia’s secret weapon—Operation Twinkle Eyes.
It’s said no adult can resist a child’s sparkling gaze.
“If you look at me like that, how can I say no?”
“I’m asking you not to say no.”
With both hands clasped and a pleading look, Elia melted Meryl’s resolve.
“The Duke should be in his office. Let’s go.”
“Okay!”
With a delighted grin, Elia grabbed Meryl’s hand and left the room.
At the office door, Meryl knocked to announce their arrival.
“Duke, the young lady would like to see you.”
“Come in.”
With permission granted, Meryl opened the door.
“Go ahead.”
“Thanks.”
Fortunately, the Duke was alone inside.
“What brings you here, kid? Bored?”
Elia walked up briskly and looked him straight in the eye.
“Come with me to Count Zamel’s estate, Duke.”
“Huh?”
“This can’t go on.”
“What do you mean, kid?”
“It’s so annoying seeing you grovel to some two-bit count. Why are you being so submissive?”
The Duke of Cartellani looked at her, bewildered….
