Ah, ah.

Cold blue air on an invisible dawn.

Nia’s face, having just woken up, was entirely drenched in sweat.

A woman with long black hair disappearing as she shook her head.

She struggled to catch that unhesitating back, but the filthy mud and waste tied to her feet made it impossible to overcome the weight.

Nia, seemingly uneasy about the vivid dream, hastily pulled back the covers.

Then,

“……Sigh.”

Over her unmoving legs were the legs of Iban, who had a terrible habit of sleeping.

The child was relieved, but could not catch the teardrops that had already welled up in her eyes.

“……Mother.”

What should I do if the day breaks and Mother doesn’t come?

The faces that smiled at meal times, Iban with whom she played endlessly, the comfortable sunset glow in the garden.

All of those scenes could be enjoyed calmly and securely because Lucia was there to take her to them.

Now, the child who no longer felt sleepy soon curled her body and buried her face in her knees.

Then,

Surely this place was on the second floor?

Nia, taken aback, buried herself in the covers, only her eyes peeking out.

And when her eyes met the shadow that just quietly came in,

“……Shh.”

Lucia’s face, slowly revealed by the dawn light, seeped into the child’s clear golden eyes.

“……Uw, uuuuuuuuuuu……!”

“……!”

Nia did as she was told and kept her noise down, but she couldn’t help but cry and run into her arms.

She almost had an accident when she rushed to the opened window, but her motor reflexes were not so simple.

Lucia, who had intended to only check if the child was safe, found comfort in the warmth of the embrace, as if she was looking at the tree of life after a terrible experience.

Eldarion Imperial Palace’s northern Black Knight Brigade’s exclusive practice ground.

‘Sword Master, the black monster has returned!’

This was the word that came to mind for the knights fluttering about in front of the practice ground.

The black monster that had devastated the warriors of a powerful nation and secluded itself for 5 years.

During those 5 years, the increased rumors had become a significant fear to those who had never seen her since the new empire was established.

And after maternity leave, she returned.

Her return was announced by a huge bang that destroyed the practice ground, leaving ruins as evidence, and now no one could disbelieve the rumors.

Hence, except for the frightened nobles, her popularity among the knights who revered the Sword Master literally soared.

Is there anyone on this continent who can beat her?

At this moment, the members of each knight brigade, crowding together at the entrance of the practice ground, were all gazing at Lucia, who was seated at a distance, with eyes shining with reverence and admiration.

It was then.

It was the sound of Vernon tapping his shield with his sword hilt.

“Come on, stop gawking and look this way~!”

“Ahem! Our brigade leader is a costly sight, 1 silver to look. 10 silver to come within 20 meters! Entrance to the practice ground is 1 gold~!”

“……This way.”

As Vernon and Giliana gestured, Hith, from somewhere, extended a vase.

They were collecting money, like the entrance fee to a circus, from the naive knights.

At this sight, Deputy Brigade Leader Berl, who was beside Lucia, trembled with clenched fists.

“Those damn……!”

As if disregarding the dignity of a knight, Berl, unable to bear their shameless past deeds, ran toward them.

“Aren’t you ashamed!? What is a member of the honorable Black Knight Brigade doing? Come here immediately!”

As he seized the halffilled vase of money from Hith,

“Deputy leader! It’s blind money anyway!”

“Oh, Brigade Leader!! Let’s have a feast with that~! Leader! Stop them!”

“Give it here.”

It was brazen of them to conduct such an act right in front of the person involved, and ask her to stop them.

“If we in the Black Knight Brigade are to be insulted like this……. Aaaaa? What is this……!”

Suddenly, sparkling gold coins poured out of the vase Berl was holding.

“30 gold. Is this enough for the training fee?”

The sound of money flowing attracted dozens of eyes.

Lucia, seated in the practice ground’s higher seat, lost in thought, was no exception.

‘……That young fool.’

The Ace of the Black Knight Brigade. The next Sword Master.
With exotic looks and pale skin, a woman with hightied thick blonde hair and long, refreshing legs was pointing at Lucia.

She was a person of considerable skill, at the age of 20, five years younger than Lucia.

However, that was only by the standards of the world.

Like all the Sword Masters of the continent, it would be more than 15 years from now before she could become a Sword Master.

If Lucia, who had reached the peak, focused on training her, she could achieve it much more quickly.

But Lucia’s eyes, which had already turned away from her, were void of interest.