A few hours later, the mercenaries were led by the servants, with Luciard at the front.
“I guess we’re really getting kicked out…”
“If we do, we’ll just have to go back to the inn…”
They were mentally preparing for the worst, thinking Hestia was about to kick them out. But as the servant ahead of them opened a massive door, their anxiety was quickly replaced by surprise.
What lay before them was a breathtaking sight.
They had arrived at the dining hall.
Under a massive chandelier that took up half the view stood a long table, big enough to seat dozens of people.
“Welcome, Uncle! And welcome to all of you! Please, take a seat!”
Leonhard greeted them from the head of the table with a bright smile, and Hestia stood beside him.
Hestia, who had been yelling at Luciard just a while ago, now looked as composed as if nothing had happened.
The mercenaries, who had been worried about being kicked out, slowly began to relax.
“Whoa… it’s turkey.”
One of them couldn’t help but be amazed at the sight of the beautifully set table.
“Please, have a seat.”
They hesitated briefly before finding their seats. Luciard naturally took the spot beside Leonhard, and across from him, of course, was Hestia.
Given their earlier quarrel, the looks they exchanged weren’t exactly friendly.
“Ahem!”
Leonhard cleared his throat, prompting both of them to tear their gazes away from each other and focus back on him with polite smiles.
Leonhard hadn’t cleared his throat to draw attention, though. He was simply trying to ease his nerves. After all, this was his first time hosting such a large group of guests. And as the host, it was only proper to say a few words before the meal.
“I’m so happy to have you here, Uncle, and your friends as well.”
His voice trembled slightly as he continued his opening speech.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve hosted a gathering like this after my parents passed away.”
Everyone grew solemn at his words. Both Hestia and Luciard looked at him with sadness in their eyes.
“I usually eat with Hestia, but when she’s busy, I end up eating alone in this big place. But today, with everyone here, it doesn’t feel so lonely. I even asked the chef to prepare something special. I hope you all like it.”
His round eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and nervousness, his flushed cheeks betraying how much he’d been looking forward to this moment.
Hestia and Luciard’s eyes met.
Neither of them wanted to ruin the atmosphere by bringing up anything unnecessary.
“Thanks for the warm welcome, Leon.”
“We should do this more often.”
“Hehe, I’ve always wanted to have a meal with so many people. Even when my parents were around, the dining hall felt too big.”
For the first time in a long while, the vast dining hall felt full.
“But why isn’t anyone eating?”
Leonhard, having picked up his fork, noticed that everyone except Hestia and Luciard hadn’t even touched their utensils yet.
Awkwardly, someone spoke up.
“…We’re sorry. We’ve never been in such a formal setting before.”
“There are so many forks and spoons… I don’t know which one to use.”
“If we just eat like usual, we’ll probably break some etiquette.”
The mercenaries, having never been taught table manners, were struggling to start their meal.
Leonhard, not having anticipated this, was taken aback for a moment.
“Just do what feels comfortable.”
“We’re all friends here. Don’t worry about formalities.”
Hestia and Luciard stepped in to put them at ease, demonstrating by starting to eat themselves.
“We set this up so everyone could eat comfortably, so don’t worry about table manners. Anyone want some wine?”
Hestia’s cheerful offer, as she held up a bottle of wine, made the mercenaries smile sheepishly.
“If you’re offering, I’d be happy to have some.”
With that, the dinner kicked off in a much more relaxed atmosphere.
“Wow! So you met Uncle while hunting monsters?”
“That’s right. He looked young but had some serious skills.”
“Having a knight’s title means he’s been skilled from the start.”
“Ivan and Yelluna here have challenged him several times but always end up beaten.”
“We didn’t get beaten.”
“We were just one step short.”
“We were just one move short.”
The twins pouted in unison, causing the group to burst into laughter.
As they ate, the mercenaries naturally began to share stories about their adventures and their time with Luciard.
Leonhard listened with wide, excited eyes, clearly enjoying every bit of the conversation. while Hestia smiled softly, savoring the pleasant mood.
As the meal neared its end, Lavio spoke up.
“To be honest, I was surprised.”
“Surprised that the Commander is a noble?”
“That too, but also because you both seem different from the nobles I’ve known. Most nobles I’ve seen look down on commoners and don’t treat them like people.”
Lavio’s parents had been killed by a tyrannical noble lord when he was young.
From then on, the only way he knew to survive was to grab any weapon he could find and throw himself into the fight.
“Everyone here has had their own bad experiences with nobles, big or small. To be honest, most of us aren’t too fond of them. Even when we found out the Commander was a noble, we felt a bit betrayed, though we didn’t show it.”
But even after finding out the truth, the memories they had with Luciard didn’t just disappear.
Even if his true identity was revealed, Luciard was still Luciard.
“You both are the most decent people we’ve met so far. We’re only staying here for a short time, but we’re in your care.”
Hestia and Leonhard exchanged glances and smiled.
“We’re happy to have you here as well.”
“If there’s anything you need, just let us know! Oh, and can I come by to hear more adventure stories?”
“Of course! Anything for my dear nephew.”
“Want to hear about the time we took down a dragon?”
“You caught a dragon?! That’s amazing!”
“We’ve never seen a dragon. He’s just blowing up a story about a wyvern. Neville tells so many tall tales that we call him the boy who cried wolf, so don’t take what he says too seriously.”
“I’m not lying, I’m just making it sound a bit better.”
“We call that lying, Neville.”
“Liar Neville, Tall-Tale Neville, Silly Neville.”
“Yeluna, why do you only get talkative when it’s to tease me?”
Neville pouted and turned his head away dramatically, which only made Leonhard burst into laughter.
Hestia watched with a gentle smile.
‘It’s been so long since I’ve seen him this happy.’
On the day Hestia was appointed his guardian, Leonhard used to smile with that same carefree expression when he played with his younger siblings.
Though he still smiled occasionally after that, but he hadn’t laughed so sincerely, so joyfully, in a long time.
‘Was he just lonely for the family? Or maybe he was just craving for some company…’
There were a lot of people working at the estate, but Leonhard couldn’t really talk to anyone on the same level or think of them as friends.
No one knew how long the Blaze Mercenaries would stay here.
‘I hope this becomes a good memory for him…’
“I wish you and the others could stay here forever, big sis and big brothers. Can’t you just stay here with us?”
Leonhard, clearly enjoying his time with the mercenaries, didn’t want to part with them.
“Well, that’s a bit…”
“We’re just guests here. It wouldn’t be right to impose.”
Lavio and Brina awkwardly smiled, glancing at Luciard and Hestia.
“But if the Commander becomes your guardian, we could stay here, couldn’t we?”
But Neville, being as tactless as ever, had to make things worse.
“Even though we’re mercenaries, we’re basically swordsmen, so we could just join the knights, right?”
Lavio and Brina both reached out to stop him but failed. They turned their heads away in defeat.
“I mean, I really like it here. My dream as a kid was to become a knight, after all. I can’t speak for everyone, though.”
Leonhard stared at him with wide eyes.
“Guardian…”
Leonhard mumbled to himself, then turned to Hestia and Luciard.
“By the way, Hestia.”
“…Yes, young master.”
Hestia clenched her fists without realizing it, suddenly tense.
“Didn’t you say you’d hand over the guardian role when my uncle arrived?”
As expected, he remembered the promise they made on the first day she became his guardian. Hestia glanced at Luciard, who was hard to read, then nodded.
“Yes, I did. But do you remember the condition that came with it?”
The condition was that Luciard had to genuinely care for Leonhard and not threaten him.
“Sir Luciard has only been here for less than a day. Plus, we just received the imperial decree from His Majesty recognizing me as the guardian. Changing the guardian overnight isn’t something that can be done lightly.”
“Well…”
Leonhard hesitated, glancing at Luciard.
“Don’t worry, Leon. I’ll definitely become your guardian. Though I can’t guarantee this woman will step aside willingly.”
As Luciard spoke with a smirk, gently patting Leonhard’s head, Hestia’s eyebrow twitched.
“Even if I transfer the guardian role quickly, I doubt you can keep the current state of the duchy.”
“I doubt you’re the right person to protect Winston either. It’s not typical to sacrifice 10 years without expecting something in return.”
“At least I don’t have hidden motives like ‘you’ do.”
“Calling my genuine concern for my nephew an ulterior motive? You’ve got quite the twisted mind.”
The tension between them grew, invisible sparks flying across the table.
“…Did I start something I shouldn’t have?”
Neville muttered, realizing too late what was happening, only to get hit on the back of the head by Lavio and Brina.
The two, like a cat and dog, were raising their voices, glaring at each other.
“D-don’t fight…”
Leonhard looked at both of them with a pitiful expression, his eyes watery.
Realizing they were getting carried away, both Hestia and Luciard stopped themselves. But this was an important decision that needed to be made eventually.
“Leon, I’m sorry, but this is important,” Luciard said.
“Who becomes your guardian will shape your future,” Hestia added.
“So let me ask you, Leon. Who do ‘you’ want to be your guardian?”
The two of them stared intently at Leonhard, making him fidget nervously. Luciard broke the silence first.
“Wouldn’t it be best if your uncle stayed here with you at the duchy?”
For a brief moment, Leonhard imagined what life would be like with Luciard in the manor, and he nodded.
“Yeah!”
Luciard smiled smugly, as if he expected nothing less, while Hestia bit her lip in frustration.
“Then what about Hestia…?” Leonhard continued.
The atmosphere shifted as Hestia hesitated before speaking.
“I… I would return to Byron. There’s no reason for me to stay here anymore.”
“Return? Why? Can’t you just stay here with us?”
“I am only here because I am your guardian. If I’m no longer your guardian, I shouldn’t stay. After all, I’m still an outsider.”
“No, you can’t leave!”
Leonhard cried out instinctively, then suddenly realized the dilemma.
“If Hestia is my guardian, then what about my uncle…”
Leonhard turned to Luciard, who replied calmly, “Even if she remains your guardian, I won’t leave. After all, this is my home too. But people will start to wonder if I’m here then why is she your guardian”.
Whoever Leonhard chose would drastically affect the future. Hestia or Luciard—the decision weighed heavily on him.
“I…!”
As Leonhard raised his voice, both Hestia and Luciard turned their gaze to him.
“I can’t choose… Waaah!”
Unable to bear the pressure, Leonhardt burst into tears. Both Hestia and Luciad jumped up from their seats, startled.