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Alfonso and Elena, staring blankly at the forest. It seemed there were several people eager to see them inside the venue, but these two appeared only interested in Damian’s return.

Louis, standing nearby, was unconcerned. Having received a request from Damian the previous day, he thought it best to maintain the atmosphere if those two preferred to be alone.

‘So, I’ll remove whatever distractions I can.’

There was no need to ponder long about what might be a distraction. Just feeling the countless gazes behind him provided more than enough answer.

Normally, interfering in such matters wouldn’t align with her temperament, but this time was different. Carrying out her lord’s orders as a knight was simply natural. Moreover, since it was the first command she had received since serving her lord, Louis intended to fulfill it faithfully.

Louis recalled her meeting with Damian the night before.

The complexion of his face, seen after a long hiatus, was much more relaxed than before. Although he had never been a fierce or sharp person by nature, if he had been like a sword left unsheathed, now he resembled a sword sheathed and tightly wrapped in cloth.

“Sir Louis, I heard you will not be attending the hunting tournament tomorrow due to preparations for the departmental competition. May I ask you for a favor?”

“It is only natural for a knight to obey the orders of their lord.”

“But you are not yet a knight…”

“Students of the Department of Knights are all recognized as junior knights. Moreover, I plan to join the Black Dragon Knights after graduation…”

“Understood. You need not say more.”

A request.

It had been quite some time since Louis had known Damian, but this was the first time she had heard him say such a thing. He had always been a man who did everything alone, to be honest, there were plenty of people around him who could lend their hands, so for him to utter the word ‘request’ was a rare occurrence.

Though Louis was often called precocious by others, she, too, had her own romantic notions. They were nothing special, simply executing her lord’s commands as a knight. But her lord had never made even the slightest request until now.

This was something time would resolve, yet she was still young and found herself quite weak to such waiting. Thus, when Damian spoke this time, she looked at him with an unusually passionate expression. While such changes in her demeanor were rare, she nonetheless felt that way.

“You remember I have a younger sibling, right? They will accompany me along with my fiancé to this tournament.”

“You mean young master Alfonso and Lady Edelweiss?”

“Yes. I’m asking for… what you might consider a simple escort mission.”

“An escort? Is something going to happen at the venue tomorrow?”

“No, nothing so grand. I just have a few concerns. As you know, I won’t be participating in the hunting tournament tomorrow. My father must oversee the event, so he won’t be able to be there. It makes me a bit uneasy to leave those two there alone.”

Damian scratched his cheek somewhat shyly as he spoke. It was only natural for a brother to worry about his sister, and for a man to care for his woman, so Louis continued to observe him with fervent eyes as she listened to his words.

“Alfonso is a smart boy, but he has never stood in front of a crowd before. If too many eyes suddenly turn towards him, he might be startled, so I would like you to assist him.”

“Understood.”

“And Elena…”

Damian paused for a moment, hesitating. He seemed to be embarrassed to voice whatever he wanted to say. As Louis regarded him intently, he seemed to notice her gaze and hurriedly continued. But it appeared that his thoughts were somewhat jumbled.

“Elena… is beautiful. No, perhaps ‘cute’ is more fitting.”

“….. Are you bragging all of a sudden?”

Louis’s eyes widened in disbelief at Damian’s unexpected remark.

“A.. Ah.. I mean!! There are those who might have ill intentions towards Elena! In any event, I would appreciate it if you could moderate anyone approaching them.”

Seeing Damian react so greatly, Louis nodded satisfactorily, understanding. It seemed their relationship was indeed special. Observing him brought a sense of warmth to Louis, and she silently laughed as she asked him,

“If you’re so worried, shouldn’t you stay by her side instead? You’re not especially wedded to the tournament, are you?”

She knew well that he usually didn’t care much about the outcome of competitions. Yet, given how troubled he seemed, it looked better to keep the two together. It would be simple enough for Damian to concoct an excuse for not participating if he were unwell.

To Louis’s question, Damian hesitated for a moment, then smiled faintly as he replied.

“…. You’re right. I would have thought so in the past. But in this tournament, I’m not planning to just go through the motions.”

I have to show a splendid side of myself, he said briefly and then left his seat.

It was then that Louis became certain about the winner of the tournament.

The brightness radiating from Damian’s demeanor, more than she had seen before, left her assured that he would show his true skill without reservation in the upcoming event.

*

Louis took a moment to say she would fetch some food for the two and exited onto the balcony.

It was evident they had no intention of leaving this spot until Damian returned. However, simply staring blankly at the forest felt awkward, so she thought she should say something. Of course, this was merely a pretext for her to step outside.

Upon exiting, she noticed that many were focused on something, their attention pooled in one direction. As one of the few outsiders who had spent considerable time with Elena here, it seemed the others had no intention of hiding their feelings in front of Louis, unlike when they interacted with Elena.

As soon as she stepped out onto the balcony, Louis drew the curtains to block the view of Alfonso and Elena. Then she briefly scanned the crowd before her.

As Louis met their gazes without a word, an awkward standoff began between her and possibly dozens of people. Ultimately, a few circling nearby could not resist their natures and approached her.

“Uh, Sir Louis. What was the conversation like inside…”

The man who initially stepped forward to speak abruptly halted his words. Soon, one by one, those behind him began to shut their mouths as well. Their sudden change wasn’t unclear for long. Those who had been observing her quietly began to sense the shift in the air.

After all, she had once been referred to as the finest weapon of the South.

The energy emanating from Louis was not something an ordinary person could withstand. While a few attempted to challenge her momentarily, the instant she glanced their way, they quickly retreated, averting their eyes from the balcony.

In an instant, the previously noisy venue fell silent.

While the banquet hall was spacious enough for many people to gather, the intensity of Louis’s presence was so overwhelming that none could ignore it. Everyone quietly shifted their gazes as far away from her as possible, pretending not to notice.

Though others addressed her as ‘Sir,’ indicating she was treated as a knight, she still remained a student from the Academy who had not yet received her official knighthood. What made her distinct was that she had been a top student in the Department of Knights for three consecutive years at the Estellia Academy, where countless geniuses gathered.

In any case, her recent actions were excessive for a mere student of the academy.

Yet surprisingly, no one had the audacity to criticize or scold her. Even if someone would normally be expected to object, all maintained a forgiving attitude towards her conduct.

After all, anyone located in the south had to know who stood behind Louis.

In the south, just as the emperor was law in the capital, the Kraus family was law in the south. Even within the same empire, the Kraus had a status that was not inferior to the imperial family in the south. Those gathered here were precisely such individuals. Though they belonged to the empire, their allegiance lay not with the emperor but with the name of Kraus.

The fact that the eldest daughter of the Graham House was under the protection of Kraus was a rumor that had circulated long before. Whispered tales about the closed-off lesser house of Kraus maintaining contact with someone like her had now been confirmed. Moreover, the second son of the Kraus House, who had never shown himself previously, now appeared through Louis, and even her fiancé remained by her side. This alone was more than enough reason for them to lower their heads before Louis.

What may have seemed like a fox pretending to be the king of the mountain might appear trivial, yet these people knew Louis’s actions carried significance beyond that.

Much was known regarding Louis Graham. After all, her title, ‘The Finest Weapon of the South,’ didn’t come without merit. It was evidence of how much she had stood out to the public, showcasing remarkable feats unlike anyone else.

Louis’s character and competence were virtually known to all who resided in the south. Thus, it was common knowledge among them that she wasn’t the type to suddenly threaten without reason.

Therefore, recognizing that her recent actions were not mere bluster but rather a warning sent by someone, they quietly lowered their gazes.

As Louis moved, everyone promptly made way for her. Though an awkward atmosphere settled across the entire hall, Louis appeared unaffected. Perhaps delighted with the current situation, her steps were even somewhat lively.

‘Mission accomplished!’

For in Louis’s mind, it was all she considered—fulfilling the task assigned by Damian. Though it may have been subtle, she had certainly instilled enough intimidation to deter anyone from moving carelessly.

Damian likely wouldn’t have anticipated Louis to act so decisively, yet regardless, she accomplished Damian’s command faithfully.

A moment of silence enveloped the hall, but it wasn’t long before they treated Louis as though she were invisible, resuming their conversations amongst themselves. Unsurprisingly, no one dared approach her. It felt as if the room had divided into two—Louis and the rest.

Content with the receding glances and sounds, Louis shifted to the table where the food was prepared.

Perhaps it was because she had heard something prior.

She picked up a plate and began gathering light snacks. Given the variety of available refreshments, merely picking one of each was enough to fill a plate. And she didn’t forget to prepare a light drink to quench her thirst and avoid choking.

Once the arrangement was completed, she walked back toward the balcony with a satisfied expression. While her face appeared unchanged on the outside, it was evident that the atmosphere had shifted. Therefore, before re-entering the balcony, Louis glanced back one last time at the crowd.

This time, unlike when she had first stepped onto the balcony, none met her gaze. Everyone merely conversed amongst themselves. Observing this, she lightly nodded her head, as if to say, ‘Keep it up,’ and disappeared behind the curtains.

Only after Louis’s figure had vanished did the people let out a sigh of relief, albeit internally.

 

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