I wished she had not died nobly.

Sacrificing oneself for the country in war was too lofty a deed, unbefitting Nerea. She should have vanished, buried in the mud.

How thrilling it was to see her trembling, unable to even hold a glass.

But thinking about it now, it was regrettable. If I had killed her, she wouldn’t be stirring up the world again now.

“What does His Majesty think? Will he really officially summon her?”

“Well, it seems he’s still considering it. Since attention is already focused there, it appears he’s postponing eliminating her.”

Helen paused mid-sentence and poured the brewed medicinal decoction into a bowl. Despite the pungent smell rising from the steaming decoction, Brianna accepted it willingly.

Though the taste was intensely bitter, she drank it all in one go without pause.

As soon as she put down the bowl, Helen, as if she had been waiting, offered a candy to Brianna’s mouth. The sweetness of honey and fruit syrup gradually smoothed Brianna’s furrowed brow.

“But why is our Crown Princess only now seeking tonic ingredients? If she had at least tasted what this mother brought earlier, baby cries would already be echoing through the palace.”

Brianna chuckled at the nagging, similar to the Empress’s. Helen, looking disappointed, whispered discreetly.

“By the way, until now you wanted medicine that wouldn’t conceive a child. Why the sudden change of heart? Is it the right time to have a son?”

“Mother, please. Whether it’s a son or daughter doesn’t matter. What matters is whose child it is.”

Helen wore an expression of utter incomprehension. Seeing that face, Brianna smiled enigmatically and turned her gaze towards the window. In the distance, the rounded dome of the Empress’s palace and her mother were reflected together on the glass.

Bloodline, gender, or order of birth were of no use.

Just look at Grand Duke Edward, the king’s first son but not the Empress’s child.

No. Even Nerea, who had been close, was like that.

Despite being a legitimate daughter, her face streaked with grime and her small, worn dresses. Her lonely figure amidst malicious rumors of greed and extravagance.

What was important for a child was the mother.

Either a daughter from a family so strong that the Emperor wouldn’t dare to do anything, like the current Empress.

Or.

A child of a woman loved as much as one’s own life, like her own mother.

Nerea was just like that. Though she had a strong mother, she ended up losing everything of the previous Count.

The miserable and tainted Nerea Esteban.

The candy rolling in her mouth was dreadfully sweet. Just like the candy she had taken from Nerea and given to herself in childhood.

Ah. I want to see her once more.

Brianna slowly savored the taste. Her eyes, which someone had praised as jewels of the blue sea, sparkled innocently.

How ridiculous she must look now. Could she possibly be harboring unattainable hopes?

Or is she still broken?

“…I should go see her.”

Brianna said with a gentle smile, brushing back her hair.

“There’s no one who can see her as well as I can, so I should go see her once and speak to His Majesty again.”

Feeling her luxurious blonde hair slip through her fingers like waves, Brianna spoke sweetly.

“After all, we are sisters.”

That I am so superior like this.

And that she will forever be in the mud.

The storage room of the cabin.

Heather grunted as she pulled out a large barrel of alcohol. Johnny quickly took it from her, and Heather was about to thank him when her face quickly reddened from the fine dust floating in the air.

“I thought you weren’t going to drink at all, so I put it too far in the corner. It’s been five years since the young miss last drank.”

“Didn’t you say you came five years ago?”

“That’s right. When I arrived five years ago, you drank a little, perhaps out of joy, but you’ve abstained ever since. I didn’t know if you were someone who needed to watch your health, so I bought a whole barrel, and I’m glad I didn’t throw it away.”

Ever since you started taking the recovery medicine, you really quit drinking. Heather glanced at Alejandro and said sulkily.

“I guess it’s good that Alejandro came after all.”

Johnny chuckled at Heather’s jealous face and nudged Alejandro.

“Lucky you, huh?”

But Alejandro couldn’t laugh. Rather, he felt desperate.

Finishing the meal perfectly, starting to drink, and then sleeping deeply for a long time.

That was the most effective way for his knight to hide her listlessness.

It was how she had reassured the young him, just like Heather and Johnny now. At the same time, it was the method that tore at his insides the most.

He felt like the ground beneath his feet might give way.

After ten years, I finally came, but why…

Alejandro silently picked up the barrel.

It was late at night.

Heather, who entered Nerea’s room with a knock, put down a bottle of well-aged apple wine and glared prettily.

“I’m giving you a little more because you seem to be in a good mood after a long time. Don’t drink too much though. You need to take medicine again in three months, so your liver needs to rest too.”

Three months.

While taking the detox decoction, Heather always made her rest from the medicine for three months. The reason was that the liver needed time to detoxify, and after five years, Nerea finally took this opportunity to say she would drink.

Nerea nodded happily. Even though she knew Heather wasn’t really listening, she smiled along with the young miss.

“I’ll bring some snacks soon too, and you have to eat it all!”

“Of course. The alcohol tastes so good, I’ll definitely eat all the snacks too.”

Heather giggled at Nerea’s playful words and glanced at the bundle of newspapers. It had only been moved in front of the wardrobe, just as Heather had brought it.

As if it hadn’t been touched at all.

But Heather didn’t mention anything and just smiled brightly as she left.

In the room that became quiet again, Nerea filled the empty glass. She liked the sound of the clear alcohol pouring.

It was the first time she was drinking in almost five years.

Heather must have deliberately given her low-alcohol drinks to not strain her liver, but was she getting drunk so quickly because it had been so long, or because she wanted to pretend to be drunk?

Or was it because she liked being numb and unable to think?

Nerea laughed pointlessly.

As if on cue, there was a knock. She thought it would be Heather, but it was Alejandro holding a plate of roasted chicken legs.

“I brought some snacks.”

The moment Alejandro’s gaze went to the newspapers, Nerea tensed.

Worried he might ask about the newspapers. But Alejandro just smiled his characteristic gentle smile and asked.

“May I sit in front of you for a moment?”

“Go ahead. Where’s your glass?”

“I haven’t learned to drink yet.”

Maybe because of the intoxication, Nerea snorted.

“What do you mean a grown man hasn’t learned to drink yet.”

Alejandro smiled, his eyes curving. Somehow the end of that pretty smile felt strange, and suddenly Nerea became aware of this space with just the two of them.

An uncomfortably prickling atmosphere. What exactly did he come to say?

.

.

.

“Ah, really. Hahaha.”

Nerea burst into loud laughter. It was so funny that tears came to her eyes.

“Don’t laugh so much. Back then, I really thought rubbing armor with urine was the proper way to maintain it, so I went around looking for urine and well-dried sand everywhere.”

“In the end, it was you who ended up covered in sloshing urine, crying loudly between the tents.”

As Nerea added playfully, Alejandro shuddered but laughed along with her.

The worry was unfounded.

She thought talking about the old days would be awkward, but it was this enjoyable. Wiping away the tears that had suddenly come, Nerea chuckled.

If they buried the dark stories, she and Alejandro could be this happy.

“But you quickly poured water on me. Do you remember giving me that precious candy, telling me not to cry?”

“Of course. Who could just watch you in that smelly state?”

“And on the first day when I was surprised by the tent, you gave up your mattress for me.”

“That’s because you cried at the bare dirt floor.”

“Still, I was really touched when you brought me a hot water bottle at night.”

Nostalgia welled up in Alejandro’s eyes. His eyes sparkled endlessly as he looked at her, making Nerea clear her throat with a cough.

She felt awkward. That was something she should have naturally done for Alejandro.

It wasn’t just because of the kindness shown by the Baron and his wife, or the twinkling star she saw to give him a name. Or even the guilt that the midwife almost couldn’t come when he was born because of her.

Who wouldn’t cherish such a hardworking servant?

“I’ve been curious about something for a while too.”

“Yes?”

“How did you get all those proper breads, soaps, and perfumes back then?”

As the war picked up speed, supplies were often cut off.

The black market dealers who had been lurking in the shadows openly peddled their wares, but the shortage of all supplies was so severe that it couldn’t be stopped. She was the poorest knight with no support from her family.

“Sir Knight. It’s jerky. Eat it secretly, just you. You must!” @italics

Nevertheless, Alejandro prepared everything for her. From food to clothes, even perfumes. And this was Alejandro at just twelve or thirteen years old.

In the beginning, there must have been money provided by the Baron, but it would have been difficult to last two years. How did he manage to secretly provide soap, bandages, and even medicine and dried foods?

Alejandro smiled gently.

“It’s an ability that any excellent servant should naturally possess.”

It was a playful remark, but Nerea knew well that Alejandro’s abilities were outstanding.

Is that how he rose to the position of guild master? Suddenly seeing how his childhood self connected to his current self, Nerea stared at Alejandro for a moment before chuckling.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.”

You’ve grown up well. Nerea muttered inwardly. She had thought it even when his nose bridge was so chubby it was buried in his cheeks.

Seeing him now as an adult, with his height shooting up and his sharp features clearly defined, she felt strangely proud.