Walter Asner.

The first place Sidney met him was in the dean’s office of the military academy.

At that time, Walter Asner was yelling at the dean while having his hair grabbed.

“Ugh! Stop it! Just because you’re my grandfather, does that mean you can do anything? Huh?”

“Yes! Because I’m your grandfather… I’m cutting your hair instead of your neck! You damn brat!”

Snip snip, long orange hair fell to the floor with the dean’s scissors.

Walter Asner, who had ruled as a tyrant at the military academy, screamed like a child just because his hair was cut.

“Ahhh! My hair!”

“Stay still, you brat. You’ll lose an ear.”

The dean chuckled as he firmly pressed his foot on Walter’s thigh to keep him from getting up.

The haircut only ended when Walter’s hair was as short as a fingernail.

After sitting on the sofa next to his grandson, the dean spoke to Sidney with a kind face.

“Sidney Warden, I heard you came in first in the recent exam. And my grandson proudly came in last.”

“It’s still first place anyway.”

The dean smirked as he stroked his grandson’s short hair, who was smiling brightly.

Although their relationship seemed good, it was hard to believe they were the same people who were causing a commotion just moments ago.

Of course, the dean’s subsequent sigh and words were not at all like that.

“Since it’s the same first place anyway… Sigh, please make a decent person out of this wild colt.”

Isn’t it truly ironic? That Walter Asner, who was so loved, lived as a problem child, while she, who was abused, lived as a model student…

What was even more absurd was that she felt a sense of deprivation. Even though Walter hadn’t taken anything from her.

The dean leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.

“I’ll sponsor Warden’s tuition and other expenses. And you can keep the money that comes out as a scholarship for academic excellence. If you want… I can give you more, just say the word.”

Is he trying to buy her? It was a bit pathetic, but it wasn’t a bad deal for her who needed money.

But.

“Wow, Grandpa! Are you selling me with money added on top?”

Walter Asner’s shout erased all the negative emotions she had felt.

The kind of thing only someone who doesn’t understand the concept of buying people with money, or someone who knows consideration would say.

Either way, Walter Asner was a type of person she had never seen before.

The dean stroked his grandson’s buzz cut and went on with words close to a lament.

“You can beat this kid to near death if you want… just make him into a proper person. Even if it’s out of pity for me who has no other blood relatives left besides him… please.”

And so, Sidney Warden became Walter Asner’s roommate and disciplinarian.

At first, it was awkward.

Even though they were in the same year, Walter Asner was 2 years older than her because he had been held back twice.

Not only that.

An impulsive temperament where fists came before words, an insincere attitude of skipping classes, and even gambling, entertainment, and fighting…

Walter Asner was a person who had everything she hated.

Fortunately, she hardly ever ran into him. Because he would come in after she fell asleep and disappear before she woke up.

Then one day, she found Walter crouching next to a flowerbed, getting rained on.

His clothes were torn and his face was swollen from being hit somewhere… he looked no different from a stray dog.

“What are you doing here?”

Walter ducked his head in embarrassment at her question.

Does he not even want to speak? Sidney sighed long and spoke as if scolding him.

“Why don’t you come into the room even in this state?”

“Well… I was going to go in after you fell asleep.”

Because of her. Walter Asner was the owner of that room. The room the dean had prepared for his grandson…

Sidney ran a hand over her face and sighed deeply.

“If you dislike me that much, you should have said so.”

“…”

Walter kept silent with a face full of discontent.

It was already uncomfortable to be receiving benefits without doing anything…

Sidney held out an umbrella to Walter and said,

“I’ll tell the dean that I’m quitting. Go into the dormitory and sleep.”

As she turned to leave, Walter grabbed her wrist and asked urgently.

“Why, why are you quitting? If today’s incident made you uncomfortable, don’t worry about it. I won’t even set foot in the dormitory from now on…”

Then he choked up and couldn’t continue. Like a child clinging to a mother who was abandoning him…

Sidney calmly pushed Walter’s hand away with her other hand and said,

“Walter Asner, the dean hired me to help with your studies. If I can’t do that, I have to quit.”

She thought it was a sufficient explanation. But Walter blocked her path with a blank face.

“You haven’t even tried. Because you just silently watched… I got strangely more nervous and stupid, so… I was a bit confused too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“There’s something like that. Anyway, I won’t think strange thoughts anymore! I’ll protect you steadily. So… you make me into a person as you promised Grandpa.”

Did he realize she was a woman? She didn’t think she had made any mistakes… Sidney felt uneasy and at the same time resigned.

Even if he knew, he wasn’t the type to use it as a weakness.

Might as well get a clear answer while we’re at it. Sidney Warden looked into Walter Asner’s eyes and opened her mouth.

“I received payment, so I have to produce results. If you continue to skip classes and the dormitory like now, and neglect your studies…”

“I’ll do whatever you say.”

He was so solemn it was as if he was going off to war. And so, Walter began to spend a relatively diligent school life under Sidney Warden’s discipline.

The part Sidney emphasized most in that process was…

“From now on, don’t get hit by anyone except me. Not even your grandfather.”

“I knew it, you’re on my side! Next time Grandpa tries to hit me, you’ll…”

“No, don’t do things that deserve getting hit.”

“…I’ll try my best to run away!”

Why does it come to that conclusion? Anyway, the dean no longer had a chance to hit his grandson as he wanted.

“Who did this to you?”

“Ow! It hurts.”

Walter twisted his shoulder trying to escape, complaining of pain. But Sidney didn’t let go, holding his cheek firmly.

“So tell me who hit you.”

“Ugh, I dozed off and hit the wall.”

Sidney looked alternately at Walter, who stubbornly kept his mouth shut, and the carriage wall. And she thought of the person who would have been in this carriage with Walter.

Logan Redford.

He wouldn’t swing his fist without reason. Walter must have gotten hit for being cheeky. How upsetting…

Sidney slapped Walter’s arm with a smack and scolded him.

“Seriously. Are your eyes just for decoration?”

And she plopped down in the seat next to Walter. Walter crossed his arms and whined like a puppy begging its owner.

“Sidney, I’m a little touched.”

“…”

“Earlier, you were going to beat up the bastard who hit me, right? Who else would do that for me? Everyone else just yells at me to save face. But Sidney Warden always puts me first. When we were young, and even now…”

They’re disgustingly similar.

In the sense that their lives were no different from tools for the honor of their families…

The difference is that she wasn’t even given the opportunity or luxury to express her resentment.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going to ask why I kept you alive.”

“Why do you keep getting more and more like our grandfather?”

The two friends looked at each other and smirked. Sidney adjusted her posture and looked down at her friend who had rested his head on her shoulder.

Victoria, who knows about Logan and Marienne’s affair, is one thing, but why did Walter make such a request to Steve Deniro?

“Walter, would you like me to transfer to the police force?”

“Yeah, Lord Deniro won’t make things hard for you.”

“You don’t know until you experience it. And the captain isn’t that bad either.”

“No, that is bad. The way he works people to the bone… who could endure that?”

Sidney rested her chin on Walter’s crown as he snuggled up to her, and pouted.

“You’re not much better. Treating someone who’s just asleep with a cold like they’re dying on the battlefield…”

Walter shuddered as if the mere thought was horrifying and muttered.

“That’s… because I thought you were going to die just like that…”

His short reddish-orange hair tickled her chin.

Sidney narrowed her eyes and recalled Walter’s voice she had heard in her half-awake state.

Who would worry about her like that? Who would for her sake…

Sidney rubbed the tip of her nose and turned her head.

“It was so noisy.”

Walter rubbed his uninjured cheek against her shoulder and grinned.

“But… you didn’t refuse, right?”

“…I said I’d think about it.”

Walter lifted his head and said with an incredulous face.

“No, what is there to think about? Honestly, this level of harassment… it’s just telling you to quit. The captain wants you to transfer too.”

That’s probably true. Logan Redford hates that she’s in the imperial army.

Looking at her troubled face, Walter began to persuade her actively.

“Don’t you dare try to stick it out out of loyalty to the captain. A proper superior would never let a cherished subordinate collapse from stress and overtime.”

Sidney frowned and shook her head.

It was because she wanted to, because she was trying to meet Logan Redford’s standards. Even though it was unnecessary work…

“I volunteered to do the work.”

“If you don’t do that… he’ll tear into you like crazy! That’s why you prepare all those documents every time! So… before you collapse again, work with a good superior like Lord Deniro!”

Walter’s voice boomed.

They’ll hear from outside. Sidney glanced at the door and gave Walter the answer he wanted.

“Walter, I didn’t say I’d stay here.”

“Huh?”

“So… shut up for a bit. The captain should be coming soon.”

“Oh, okay.”

At that moment, the carriage door flung open and cold air rushed in along with a faint scent of cigarettes.

“Captain, you’re here.”

Logan Redford sat down in the chair and knocked on the carriage wall. Soon the carriage started moving.

Sidney fiddled with the armrest and glanced at Logan.

He leaned back and crossed his legs. Then he glared at Walter once and turned his gaze to the window.

He must have heard. Well, with all that shouting…

Sidney glared at Walter and bit her lower lip.

In the meeting room of the Imperial Guard’s investigation team, about a dozen guards were seated.

They were all looking at Andy Spencer, who was explaining the Conrod case.

“…The evidence found at the crime scene are an advertisement for Cielo Strip Bar, the victim’s stage costume, Penzel painkillers, and an empty ring box.”

As Andy Spencer finished speaking, one guard raised his hand and said,

“I’ll find out where the victim got the Penzel from.”

Sidney handed the Penzel evidence to the guard who volunteered and said,

“First, visit all the clinics in Conrod and find a doctor who knows Ms. Marienne. Once you find the doctor, investigate what disease she had, the duration of Penzel use and if she complained of side effects, and how much the treatment cost…”

“Yes, I understand.”

In the silence, only the sound of Andy Spencer taking notes could be heard. Sidney glanced at Logan Redford standing by the window.