“…Me?”

“You’re the Executioner of Rondore, after all.”

“…”

That meant she was going to make choices tied to life and death, no matter what.

Vivian’s choices were enough to surprise me once again.

The girl who couldn’t even stamp an execution order was now saying she could eliminate retainers as well.

However, contrary to that surprise, a grin crept onto my face.

Killing people always sounds daunting, but putting pressure on those irritating guys sounded really fun.

She looked at my smile with disbelief.

“…Do you enjoy killing people?”

“I never said that. It’s just that your change is amusing.”

Vivian responded as if it were only natural rather than being annoyed.

“…I told you. I’m going to get stronger. I’ll grow stronger so I won’t be looked down on by you Allen family.”

Then a question suddenly arose in my mind, and I asked her.

“By the way, being too forceful might incite even more rebellion.”

Vivian answered coldly.

“The situation is already such that there are people seeking my life who won’t protect me. There’s nowhere left to fall.”

I nodded.

And then I replied.

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

…

That day, Vivian gathered all the retainers in the huge corridor.

The captain of the guards, the four commanders of knights, the stablemaster, the blacksmith Gurk, the keeper of the hounds, the quartermaster, the treasurer Brinden, the scout Nesto, Scholar Krellyn, Lady Linne… and so on.

At the end of the corridor, there was a slightly elevated platform with a single chair on it.

Vivian quietly sat on that chair like a queen, and I stood beside her with my two-handed sword resting on the ground.

At Vivian’s request, I also had to wear the red bear helmet.

The retainers stared at us with bewildered looks in their eyes.

It was probably also because the atmosphere around Vivian, who had shown herself after two months, had changed.

Her presence exuded an unfamiliar authority, leaving the retainers puzzled.

Baelor broke the silence first.

“Lady Vivian. What is this—”

“—Please refrain from speaking, Sir Baelor. I have not given you permission to open your mouth.”

Vivian swiftly cut off his words and replied.

Watching this, I felt a strange exhilaration.

Shivers ran down my spine.

It was just a simple argument, but it was enough to reveal Vivian’s transformation.

It was as if she had learned to dominate her opponent by understanding the power of words.

I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t take my eyes off Vivian at this moment.

My expression also changed of its own accord.

Baelor’s expression reflected a brief displeasure, but Vivian paid no mind.

She was blending into the chilly atmosphere.

And as Vivian, who had created this moment herself, slowly opened her mouth to speak.

“…I know there are people here who wish to kill me.”

As she easily acknowledged that, the retainers hurriedly expressed their excuses.

“I-I am doing my utmost to assist Lady Vivian…”

“I’m hurt, Lady Vivian!”

“There could be such people, but I have always…”

“Silence.”

Vivian firmly raised her hand, cutting off their words in an instant.

“Words are not important. There are those who act as if they would stab with a sword, but while there are people who offer protection, there are also many who speak as if they would protect, but fail to prove it by their actions.”

Vivian no longer stuttered like before.

Such a change was undeniably shocking to the retainers.

Her once squeaky voice, often muffled due to her stuttering habit, was now pronounced clearly, filled with a sort of authority.

“I’ll give you all a chance. A chance to prove your loyalty through actions, not just words. Nesto.”

At Vivian’s call, Nesto stepped forward.

“Yes. You called for me.”

“Nesto Leak, the spy of Rondore. Your family has always devoted itself to Rondore.”

“…I consider it an honor.”

“But you haven’t done anything for me recently.”

At that declaration, Nesto froze for a moment. Then his eyes anxiously turned to Vivian.

“As a spy, you have failed to find out who wishes to take my life, who poisoned my food, or even who set the fire.”

“Lady Vivian, that’s…”

“I will give you three months. Find the one who seeks my life. If that’s difficult, find the person responsible for how serious this situation has become. If you cannot do that… I will dismiss you. I don’t need incompetent retainers. There are plenty of people who can replace you.”

Nesto panicked and shouted.

“Lady Vivian…! The Leak family has devoted itself to the Rondore family for centuries. We have always—”

“—Treasurer Brinden.”

Vivian mercilessly cut off Nesto’s words and instead brought forth the next retainer.

She didn’t seem interested in hearing excuses.

The retainers’ gazes turned sharply toward Brinden.

Realizing that the atmosphere was different from usual, Brinden stepped forward, lowering himself considerably.

Sweat had already gathered on his forehead.

“Have the demands from Count Korod still been coming?”

“…Y-yes, they have.”

“How much tax has been collected from the territory, and why haven’t we repaid it yet?”

Brinden’s face turned pale.

“W-well, the territory residents are in a difficult situation… It’s not like taxes have been collected as they used to…”

“Are you sure?”

A subtle suspicion underlined Vivian’s words. Brinden forced himself to nod, but his eyes were already shaking.

Vivian narrowed her eyes and coldly warned him.

“…Brinden, I hope you never have to meet Kyle Allen.”

The metaphorical threat regarding execution made the retainers gasp.

Brinden’s eyes fluttered nervously.

He seemed unable to believe the change in Vivian.

Still, Vivian showed him no mercy.

“I will entrust the restoration of the library of the burnt castle to you. Recruit manpower and reconstruct the castle. You must also keep meticulous accounts and hand them over to me.”

“Y-yes… I understand.”

Everyone must have thought Vivian’s change was due to the fire.

But I knew. I was the catalyst.

Could that be why?

Her change felt joyful at first, but I started feeling pity as the stakes kept rising.

Watching her grit her teeth to survive didn’t sit completely well with me.

I discreetly observed Vivian.

…Her hands were lightly trembling.

“Teacher… Lady Linne.”

Lady Linne stepped forward.

“Yes, Lady Vivian.”

“You advised me before, right? That I should expand my acquaintances… make friends.”

“Yes. I mentioned that.”

“Please prepare for that. I must start my social activities now.”

Lady Linne replied with a neat expression.

“Yes. Surprisingly, if you don’t stutter, there’s no more need for hesitation. I’ll invite kind and smart ladies to this Castle of Rondore.”

“Commanders of knights.”

Vivian set her next target.

Baelor, Toros, Mordain, and Burgor stepped forward.

To them, Vivian declared.

“You are simply disappointing.”

With that comment, the corridor fell silent as if cold water had been splashed on it.

“Never once have you shown the demeanor of a knight. You all know that it was Kyle Allen, not you, nor your knights, nor your servants, who saved me during the last fire.”

Baelor and Toros looked up at Vivian, while Mordain and Burgor looked down at the ground.

Vivian pressed on fiercely.

“…In the past, Kyle Allen’s taunts annoyed me, but now I find truth in his words. Answer me. Is this why we lost the war against the Allen family?”

Baelor, whose fist was tightly clenched, spoke in a voice suppressing his anger.

“…Lady Vivian, that’s… disrespectful to the late Duke of Rondore and Lord Lois.”

Vivian replied coldly.

“No. I’m ignoring you. If what you’ve shown until now was your behavior in war… then the defeats of my father and brother are only natural.”

Baelor bit his lip, forcing himself to hold back the words, but his eyes were filled with deep anger and shame.

I couldn’t read his expression, but if I could, it felt like it was saying something like: What humiliation this is because of those two brats?

Vivian continued.

“If my words upset you, I will also give you a chance to prove yourselves. Prepare to march out within a month.”

Mordain pondered with a question.

“…March out? Are you talking about all of us?”

“I’m talking about everyone capable of fighting.”

The commanders of knights exchanged glances.

Vivian’s command to prepare for something akin to war couldn’t have sounded pleasant to them.

Especially since it was an order given by a trembling Vivian, it seemed to confuse them even more.

Being ordered by a fourteen-year-old girl who knew nothing of war likely aggravated their discomfort.

Toros asked.

“Are you saying you plan to go to war?”

“No, but we are going to undertake tasks equivalent to that. Rondore will be hunting monsters.”

Burgor also looked up at us with a puzzled expression.

“Not a hunt…?”

“Hunting. You’re all aware. The Mester family at the eastern edge of the kingdom earns profits by hunting and selling monsters.”

Burgor hesitantly trailed off with uncertainty.

“…But monster hunting tends to incur far more casualties than regular hunts, and it isn’t efficient.”

“Is being a freeloader in the castle now, eating food, efficient?”

“…”

I could feel it.

The eyes that used to disregard Vivian were gradually being consumed by her.

The sudden change was effectively capturing the retainers, like a surprise attack on a dark night.

It seemed she had been preparing for this all along.

I pictured her practicing her fierce words alone in her room, stuttering through it all.

“The knights of Rondore must act for the territory residents of Roktana. Aren’t knights supposed to protect the weak?”

Did I ever think I would hear my father’s words echo here, to the point where my ears were ringing?

A chuckle escaped me.

“Prepare for the march. We need to earn wealth. Do you understand?”

Toros, Mordain, and Burgor nodded.

Only Baelor kept his head held high, wearing an unpleasant look.

If it had been the Vivian of the past, she wouldn’t have been able to bear Baelor’s gaze.

I also observed Vivian.

Vivian glanced at Baelor for a moment… then quickly looked at me before returning her gaze to Baelor.

“Baelor. Right now, I have the most suspicion regarding your loyalty.”

“…Lady Vivian.”

“…When given a chance, grab hold tightly.”

At this moment, Vivian had declared Baelor a clear enemy before the people of Rondore.

Baelor’s face turned crimson.

His pride was crushed, and anger brewed within him, but he could no longer speak a word.

He slowly lowered his head.

Vivian then called the next target in a calm tone.

“Scholar Krellyn.”

“…Yes, Lady Vivian.”

She took a brief breath and quietly commanded.

“…Please call my uncle to Roktana.”

“Are you referring to Lord Robert Rondore?”

“Yes. Now I need help.”

…

After the shocking meeting concluded, I followed Vivian into her room.

-Thud.

As the door closed, Vivian seemed to relax, slumping down.

-Thud!

“Vivian.”

I hesitated for a moment as I tried to catch her as she fell.

There was still a distance between us, and it wasn’t the kind of relationship where I could freely places hands on her.

I could only stand there hesitantly, looking down at her.

“Ha… ha…”

Vivian caught her breath, clutching her chest.

The strong figure who had dominated the retainers in the corridor had vanished, replaced by a terrified girl dripping with cold sweat.

I had no idea what to say while watching her.

Just moments ago, she had desperately concealed her fear to overpower the retainers.

But now, I could see clearly the immense burden that moment had placed on her and how terrifying it had felt.

The firmness I had sensed then was merely a facade.

She had acted in spite of her fears.

After a brief pause to breathe, Vivian averted her gaze and quietly asked.

Her voice trembled slightly, filled with anxieties about her decision.

“Kyle, I…”

Even without finishing her statement, I understood what she was asking.

This wasn’t a simple confirmation.

She was seeking reassurance if the first step she had taken was truly okay, if it held any significance.

Having challenged the retainers, she desperately yearned for someone to affirm her state.

I gazed at her for a while in silence, and eventually, I couldn’t hold back my laughter as I said.

“…It was not bad.”