“Ethan? Why are you here…?”

As Vernon asked awkwardly, Noah muttered to himself.

“That kid…”

Amy recognized him too. He was the boy they had encountered when leaving the baron’s manor. Ethan spoke with a determined expression.

“It pained my heart to see my talented uncle give up his dreams and take up farming.”

Surprisingly, the boy was Vernon’s nephew. Vernon made a troubled face.

“That’s not because of you…”

“You said it was because of an injury, but I know everything. There won’t be another opportunity like this. Please go, Uncle. I’m begging you.”

As Ethan pleaded, Jack and Bradley exchanged silent glances. Dwayne clenched his fist, cheering for Ethan. However…

“I can’t go.”

Vernon bluntly cut off his nephew’s desperate wish. Dwayne openly expressed his disappointment.

“Wow, still as stubborn as ever…!”

With a thwack, Jack’s fist struck his head once again. Once again, he rubbed the back of his head as if unbothered, like a fly had landed on it.

“…”

Silence fell between them. Amy was perplexed by Vernon’s unexpected stubbornness.

‘Is this something to refuse so adamantly?’

It was clearly a good offer, an opportunity that would be hard to come by again for a farmer. Then she suddenly realized. Vernon must have some other circumstances.

“Anyway, I’ve stated my intention. Your Highness, I wish you a safe journey.”

Vernon bowed politely and then abruptly turned and left. Dwayne, Jack, and Bradley sighed, then huddled together and started whispering among themselves.

Amy slowly approached Ethan, who was standing alone in a corner.

“So you’re Captain Vernon’s nephew?”

“Ah, yes…”

Ethan nodded obediently. Then he looked up, gazing clearly at Amy, and asked carefully.

“My uncle used to be the captain of the imperial guard. Will he receive proper treatment if he goes to the Grand Duchy?”

“…”

One of Amy’s eyebrows rose. Well, well. This boy with eyes as gentle as a cow had a cunning mind inside. But she didn’t dislike people who knew their own worth and demanded it confidently.

“He’ll be treated according to his abilities. His Highness the Grand Duke is not stingy with talent.”

“I see…”

Ethan let out a sigh of relief. At that moment, Noah, who had quietly approached, said,

“You should come along too.”

“…Pardon?”

Ethan pointed at himself in surprise. Noah stared at him with wide eyes.

“If Vernon is refusing to go because of you, wouldn’t it be fine if you came along?”

“Ah…”

Ethan’s words trailed off. Then Noah suddenly lifted his hand and examined it closely, saying,

“These are hands that have been training.”

“!”

Ethan’s face instantly turned bright red. He pulled his hand away and hid it behind his back, stammering,

“D-Dwayne sometimes teaches me…”

Noah nodded calmly.

“As I thought, those three aren’t just simple farmers.”

Amy asked in surprise,

“How did you know that, Your Highness?”

“When they greeted me earlier, they clicked their heels together. That’s how the imperial guards salute.”

“Ah…”

No wonder their movements seemed so disciplined. They must be knights who retired with Captain Vernon. Amy spoke again with renewed enthusiasm.

“Then we should definitely bring them along.”

Noah glanced at her.

“Didn’t you say it was Vernon’s freedom whether to go or not?”

“Oh, Your Highness. That was just talk. If he really refuses, I’m prepared to resort to kidnapping.”

As Amy waved her hand with a bright smile, Ethan’s expression turned horrified. Was this something to say in front of the potential kidnapping victim’s nephew? But what came next was even more shocking.

“If that’s what Amy thinks, then we should do so.”

“What?”

Ethan was aghast, but the master and servant seemed unfazed, as if there was nothing wrong. Amy spoke in a subtle voice to Ethan, who was standing with his mouth agape in disbelief.

“Try to persuade your uncle. As you said, this isn’t a common opportunity.”

“Ah…”

“Once you’re in the Grand Duchy, you won’t have to farm anymore. He’ll be leading the guard.”

Noah chimed in, sidling up next to them.

“And if you wish, I can recommend you to become a squire for a northern noble.”

A squire, or a page, was a child who served a formal knight before becoming an apprentice knight themselves. Usually, children of noble families would become squires for lords or grand lords, so it was an incredible opportunity for a commoner.

“A squire? Me?”

Suddenly, Ethan’s eyes lit up. Amy pursed her lips with an “Oh,” and looked at Noah with an appreciative gaze. When did he notice such things?

“…Um, I think I might have a way.”

Ethan, who had been thinking intensely about something, hesitantly opened his mouth. As Amy and Noah’s faces brightened, he swallowed hard and then blurted out his words all at once.

“C-Could you make me Your Highness’s squire?”

“!”

Noah raised an eyebrow at the unexpected request. Amy quickly probed further.

“You said you might have a way? Is that true?”

“Yes, maybe.”

“What do you mean maybe? It has to be certain.”

When Amy spoke firmly, Ethan seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll make it work somehow.”

“…In that case.”

Amy gestured towards Noah. He looked puzzled, as if asking “Why?” She glared at him this time. It was a silent rebuke demanding why he wasn’t granting permission immediately. Noah spoke reluctantly.

“I’m not a formal knight yet, but… well, do as you wish.”

“!”

Ethan’s face lit up. He bowed repeatedly, breathing heavily.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll work hard!”

“So, what do you plan to do?”

Amy crossed her arms and looked up at the sky. The sun was already high overhead. According to her plan, they absolutely had to leave with Captain Vernon today, so time was running short.

“Ah, just a moment.”

Ethan peered down the path leading to the mountains, and his face brightened as if he had found something. Then he waved his hand and ran off. Curious, Amy looked in that direction when Ethan shouted.

“Mrs. Weaver!”

What? Amy’s eyes widened. Who did he say?

Mrs. Weaver and Ethan stood by the roadside, engaged in friendly conversation. A calm voice and a lively one could be heard intermittently. Amy narrowed her eyes and closely observed Mrs. Weaver.

‘She seems to be around the same age as Captain Vernon.’

The lady with ash-streaked blonde hair neatly pinned up was dressed simply but tidily. She took something that looked like cookies from the reed basket hanging on her wrist and offered them to Ethan. He accepted them with a broad smile.

‘Tall with an upright posture, unhurried demeanor.’

She seemed quite decent. However, after her great hardships in her previous life, Amy had decided to be much more selective about people than before. So she tried not to jump to conclusions, but…

At that moment, the three knights slowly approached Mrs. Weaver. The lady nodded slightly in response to their greetings. Dwayne, with a clean face, said something jokingly and slyly reached his hand into Mrs. Weaver’s basket.

“Dwayne!”

But before Jack could say anything, the lady’s hand sharply swatted Dwayne’s away. Smack!

“If you do this one more time, I’ll inform Vernon.”

The dry threat was an added bonus. As Dwayne pouted, saying it was too much, Jack, Bradley, and Ethan stared at him as if looking at a pathetic fool.

Amy fell into deep thought.

‘She speaks perfect standard language, not the local dialect. Her background might be more impressive than I thought.’

Families that require their servants to speak standard language are usually prestigious. Moreover, her upright gaze was particularly appealing. Despite threats from her previous employer, she had refused to participate in illegal activities, she had heard. Amy’s lips twitched.

‘Just as Viola said.’

Finally, Amy made up her mind. Mrs. Weaver was the perfect person to be the head maid of the Grand Duchy.

‘But… he said he would persuade Captain Vernon, so why is he dawdling with Mrs. Weaver?’

Amy’s eyes narrowed. Ethan was whispering something earnestly into Mrs. Weaver’s ear. Beside them, Dwayne was circling around, eyeing the basket greedily. Ethan, as if used to this, stuffed the cookie in his hand into Dwayne’s mouth. Dwayne chewed the cookie with a pleased smile.

‘Huh?’

Amy noticed Jack and Bradley looking at Ethan and Mrs. Weaver with desperate expressions. They seemed to want Captain Vernon to go north just as much as she did…

‘Perhaps Mrs. Weaver has a way?’

Their conversation ended quickly. Mrs. Weaver bid farewell to the knights and Ethan, then disappeared back down the mountain path.

Amy stroked her chin, watching the lady’s straight back as she walked away. Even if she didn’t know Noah was a Grand Duke, she must have known he was a nobleman, yet she didn’t try to make a good impression. It was impressive.

Ethan ran back to them with a bright face and said,

“That was our neighbor, Mrs. Weaver.”

“I see.”

Though she already knew the lady’s identity, Amy played along. Ethan gazed wistfully in the direction Mrs. Weaver had disappeared and continued.

“Uncle doesn’t want to leave this place more because of Mrs. Weaver than because of me.”