“It’s fine, Lewine. We need to move without being noticed, so it’s better without luggage. We’ll stay at inns for sleep.”

The Grand Duke reassured Lewine, who was overflowing with concern.

Standing beside the Steward, Arcadia smiled and said.

“Your Highness, it might be inappropriate to say, but our group is quite unique for those moving in secrecy.”

“Hmm… That is indeed a concern,” the Grand Duke said with a troubled expression.

Arcadia looked back and forth between me and the Grand Duke.

“A young woman and a young man make a common pair, but then there are two bulky elders, and a young boy who is neither son nor grandson.”

“Elder, you say!”
Ergo and Mobie, pointed out as the elders, raised their voices towards Arcadia.

“I’m sorry, Generals. I’m sorry,” Arcadia said with a smile, waving his hands.

Mobie laughed heartily.

“When the deputy commander joins us later, we’ll have to disguise ourselves as a big family. How about the deputy commander plays the role of the naughty uncle?”

I laughed softly, amused by their jokes.

Arcadia replied playfully, “Now, I am no longer the deputy commander, but a mere knight, General. The deputy commander is now General Dag.”

At this, General Mobie looked sadly at Arcadia, who was grinning.

“When will you follow, Arcadia?” asked the Grand Duke.

“After I finish handing over my duties to Deputy Commander Dag and set things in order here, I will follow,” Arcadia answered.

“I’m worried about leaving right after the demon war.”

“It’s war waiting for us at the territory anyway, what’s the difference?” said Arcadia.

The Grand Duke smiled bitterly.

“Indeed.”

“Don’t worry too much about the North. We’re leaving all the knights here, and with Adrian getting stronger…”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness! My Aurora, it’s much stronger now!”

“Did your research pay off? Beyond just burning the demons, you turn them to ash?”

“Yes!”

The young mage replied happily.

‘Relief.’

Feeling somewhat reassured, I checked our luggage one last time with Yora.

Then, the Steward approached me.

“Knight.”

“Yes, Steward.”

“This delicate body as a knight, moreover a Sword Master… I still can’t believe it.”

Lewine lowered her voice especially when she mentioned ‘Sword Master’.

I smiled without realizing.

“Sometimes, I can’t believe it either.”

“Aren’t you really not going to take a dress? There might be balls…”

“No, a knight’s uniform will do.”

“That’s a pity.”

She showed a kind smile and then pulled out a letter.

“Could you deliver this to my brother when you get to the territory mansion?”

“This is…”

“It’s my reply to the letter that the butler sent through you.”

“I will deliver it well. But, Steward?”

“?”

“If it’s not too rude, may I ask what the butler wrote in his letter to you?”

I had always been curious.

What did Hans the butler write that made the Steward trust a stranger from the South? What did he write to risk his life capturing the spy’s escape in a magic stone?

“Ah, that.”

She smiled as if it was nothing, almost embarrassed.

“We’re not much different from other siblings. Is that what you were curious about?”

“Yes.”

“Ho ho. Knight, you’re like a young girl.”

She pulled out Hans’ letter and showed it to me.

There, it read:

That was all the letter said.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud, and Steward Lewine joined me.

“See, I told you it’s nothing. My letter is nothing too. I miss my brother, haven’t seen him in so long.”

A shallow wrinkle formed at the corners of her eyes.

“I will deliver it well, Steward. Thank you… really.”

I bowed to her.

“What’s this, we’ll see each other again.”

The Steward briefly hugged and then let go of me.

“Lady, no, Knight. I keep making mistakes with words as I age.”

“It’s fine, please call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Both titles are dear to me.

“Don’t hold in too much. If you’re angry, be angry, if you’re sad, cry. You understand? I see you often suffer alone.”

Her unexpected words left me momentarily stunned.

But… a corner of my heart felt warm.
“Thank you very much, Steward.”

I also gathered the courage to hug her briefly in return. She patted me on the back.

In the early afternoon, we set off for the territory, disguised merely as a group of travelers.

The territory, where intense battles awaited, but…

I wondered why the long journey, which would take at least a fortnight even if we traveled without sleep, felt like an exciting adventure.

I looked at those who were leaving with me, with the Grand Duke leading the way.