“You’ll help me if I’m in danger, right? After all, I’m a promising talent in the spirit realm.”

A way to safely navigate the back alleys without Lord Lucian’s help. That was to borrow the power of the Spirit King Sylphid.

I was anxious since it had been a while since I’d drawn a spirit summoning circle, but Sylphid responded to the summon immediately.

Even without me calling, this Spirit King who watches over me whenever he’s bored started nagging as soon as we faced each other.

「You’re someone who could be put to good use, but barging in like that, does it work?」

“Is lecturing about my life your new hobby these days?”

「I thought if I just watched quietly, you’d buckle down and train diligently, but there’s not a trace of that. You’re just thinking of cutting corners like this.」

As expected, you’ve been eagerly watching the Anette TV show this time too. Do you pay the viewing fee?

“Ah, it’s so bothersome. He’s an illegitimate child with family issues, complicated relationships with women, and he even left his position before becoming a respected knight after overcoming his unfortunate environment. He’s clearly someone with a headache-inducing story.”

「That’s why I’m saying you’re in the wrong. If you want to gain someone, you should put in corresponding effort.」

“Why should I? I already know how Barbarossa will turn out in the future.”

Wasn’t Barbarossa already destined to become a great mercenary in the original story?

Such important settings tend to flow according to the original story even without my interference.

Just like Rose, who almost died in the ash forest.

〈Don’t misunderstand just because Brother Darius is being a little nice to you.〉

Besides that, Rose hating me as soon as she saw me was also the same flow.

So even if I don’t make an effort to look into Barbarossa’s twisted psyche, he will become the Mercenary King.

‘I just need to secure the capable talent Barbarossa and place him as the leader of the mercenary group I’ll run in the future.’

I should utilize the information I know in advance from the original story now. When no one knows Barbarossa’s value yet, I’ll take him and develop his aptitude as a mercenary.

I really want to decline getting involved in Barbarossa’s family affairs, which is like embracing a nuclear bomb.

* * *

The next day was the ladies’ meeting at Inkhart Castle.

This ladies’ meeting was the only gathering that Rose, who liked to meddle everywhere, absolutely detested.

〈Ugh, if they see me, they’ll just pour out a ton of nagging in that prim and proper voice again!〉

“I’ve heard that the Madam is close to Miss Rose Temery. I suppose it must be more comfortable for you to deal with Rose than with us older folks.”

“That lively… Oh my, I mean that as a compliment. Anyway, it’s rare for Rose to follow someone. Is it because Lady Anette is around the same age as Rose?”

Ha ha, ho ho. I, young as spring grass, exchanged pleasantries with the middle-aged noble ladies.

As long as I didn’t offend their sensibilities, they wouldn’t curse about ‘how long that green youngster has been the Duchess’. And as long as they respected me, I had no desire to lord over them with my status.

“Now that Miss Rose is no longer of a young age, she should learn from Lady Anette’s graceful demeanor and become a little more ladylike.”

“But isn’t she cute? A young lady should have that much liveliness.”

Rose’s mother, Lady Temery, was a senior member of Inkhart Castle, but she chose not to attend, probably judging that her insides would burst if she had to listen to her daughter being criticized in this gathering.

‘I envy her. Give me the freedom to not attend this meeting too.’

As everyone exchanged words in conversation, one lady caught my eye. She only sipped her tea little by little without speaking.

Lady Maud, Sir Percival’s wife, had her head covered with a coarse cloth. Lady Maud had all her skin covered with clothing, revealing only her face below her forehead.

The lady, whose attire showed great faith towards religion, had a bleak and dry personality as well.

Though she was usually silent, when she did open her mouth, she only spoke strictly, so Rose would run away with her tail between her legs at the mere sight of Lady Maud’s shadow.

‘Sir Percival, Lady Maud’s husband, is now retired but was once a master of cavalry, and his son Sir Donau also became a knight following in his footsteps.’

Although he didn’t become as excellent a knight as his father, Sir Donau was a knight of decent skill that Lord Lucian couldn’t find fault with.

“Come to think of it, Lord Lucian praised Sir Donau. He said he’s a diligent knight who never misses training.”

“That child simply did what he was supposed to do. It’s not particularly praiseworthy.”

Lady Maud answered without a hint of a smile, even at my praise. It wasn’t a polite humility to refrain from boasting about her child, but it was evident that she really thought so.

“I see.”

I swallowed my tea with a bitter smile. She was a difficult person to get close to.

* * *

After the ladies’ meeting ended, while cleaning up the table where we had tea, I found a brooch someone had left behind.

A black brooch. Even though it was an accessory, seeing that gloomy color, I could roughly guess whose it was.

“Judging by where she sat, it must be Lady Maud’s.”

Not much time had passed since the tea party ended, so if I went now, I could return it right away.

“My lady!”

At my call, Lady Maud, who was about to board her carriage, looked at me.

“You dropped this.”

“Thank you.”

Lady Maud looked at me quietly for a moment, then thanked me in her usual calm manner.

“It’s nothing. Thank you for coming today. Have a safe trip home.”

It was a brief exchange of a few words. Nothing special.

But it seems someone’s eyes didn’t see it that way.

“Didn’t you promise me that you would no longer show interest in Barbarossa!”

As I was returning after saying goodbye, Lord Lucian secretly whispered to me with a pained expression, as if afraid someone might hear.

“Barbarossa?”

“If you continue like this, I’ll have no choice but to report to His Grace the Duke that Lady Anette is associating with a dangerous individual.”

“Why is that name coming up here?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? Barbarossa is Sir Percival’s illegitimate child, and Lady Maud is Barbarossa’s stepmother!”

Seeing my face, mouth agape from shock, Lucian covered his own mouth.

“Good heavens.”

Yeah, I didn’t know. Not until you just spilled it all…

Lord Lucian seemed to think that I was inquiring about Barbarossa when he saw me having a separate conversation with Lady Maud.

“Sir Percival’s illegitimate child. So that’s why Barbarossa was able to join the Knights Order despite being an illegitimate child, because he had such a father.”

I looked at Lord Lucian, shocked by the secret of birth I had just learned.

“Why did you tell me?”

“I, well. That is.”

“Ah, why did you tell me! I didn’t want to know anything!”

Fate whispered to me, handing me a fistful of Barbarossa’s confidential settings.

Telling me to go and straighten out Barbarossa’s messed-up life.

I felt like I could hear the laughter of that damn Spirit King mocking me from somewhere.

* * *

For Lady Maud too, that day was unforgettable.

〈…Hello.〉

The child greeted with a cowed face.

The red hair that hurt the eyes seemed to prove his lowly birth. This was Lady Maud’s first impression upon seeing her husband’s illegitimate child.

〈I’m not asking you to treat him like your own child. Just take care of his food and clothing adequately.〉

Sir Percival’s attitude was nonchalant, as if just one more mouth to feed had been added. He didn’t even consider the feelings of his wife and the intruder, who had to figure out how to accept this foreign element brought into the family.

He was simply offended by his own bloodline wandering the back alleys in a shabby state. He was a successful knight and wealthy. That’s why he brought Barbarossa home.

〈As long as he doesn’t go around stealing, that’s fine.〉

Her husband, who had broken their marriage vows, spoke to her in an indifferent voice.

Lady Maud knew that her husband hadn’t married her out of love. In fact, she herself didn’t love her husband either, so this didn’t matter much.

But that didn’t mean she could maintain her sanity when an illegitimate child was thrust upon her.

〈Mother, who is that?〉

Holding her son Donau, who was snuggling into her arms, Lady Maud looked at her husband’s illegitimate child.

‘What is that, you ask? That is the result of your father’s infidelity, and proof that your father doesn’t respect me at all.’

She couldn’t bring herself to say that.

〈You just heard what the Lord said. Take him away and feed and clothe him adequately. Keep him out of my sight as much as possible.〉

So Lady Maud chose to ignore Barbarossa.

* * *

“I heard from the priest. They say Lady Maud is an exemplary woman that all noble ladies in the temple should emulate.”

Despite being the wife of a high-ranking knight, she always lived frugally and faithfully participated in temple events. The temple couldn’t help but speak well of her.

“But even so, to take care of a child her husband brought from outside and support him to become a knight. Although the result doesn’t seem to have lived up to the effort, it’s still amazing.”

Despite the sensitive topic being raised, Lady Maud merely raised an eyebrow slightly.

Today, Lady Maud and I were having tea alone.

“Perhaps in the eyes of a discerning lady like yourself, was Barbarossa’s talent too good to waste?”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone mention that child’s name in front of me. Everyone knows well that he’s my sore spot.”

“It’s because my husband is Darius Inkhart. Morally, I’m sorry for offending you, but realistically, it’s no problem for me.”

A war was about to begin soon. To freely reap benefits from the conflict in the neighboring territory, I absolutely needed a mercenary group.

“He’s someone who’s gone astray once, but I’m thinking of picking him up and using him. I won’t be able to make him a knight, though.”

I put my elbows on the table, clasped my hands, and said to Lady Maud.