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Chapter 231: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (24)

Of course, the woman\'s allure was not just limited to her flower-like beauty.

She bore the weight of her position within the esteemed Imperial Guard and was a member of the prestigious Lupermion family, one of the Empire\'s five major noble houses.

Irene Lupermion.

She was also the person fervently sought after by the Empire\'s fifth Imperial Princess, Cien.

For a brief moment, I had forgotten about her, but encountering her at the Percus manor was a surprise even to me, despite having already heard from the Imperial Princess.

No one could have predicted her visit.

Dame Irene\'s presence here had brought an undeniable sense of disruption.

The mysterious swordsman, famed for her skills, knelt before the host of the banquet.

Ned\'s enthusiastic cheers bordered on tearfulness, while Ria was rendered speechless with shock.

She simply oscillated between casting disbelieving gazes at me and Dame Irene.

Such was the weight of having an affiliation with Dame Irene.

Considering the unique atmosphere of the academy, forging connections with the Saintess, Senior Elise, and even Seria were possible.

However, Dame Irene was different.

As a graduate of the academy and a holder of an official title, it was inconceivable that such a skilled individual would address a younger man as \'Master\' without hesitation.

Logically, this was something that would never happen.

When an undoubtedly exceptional individual used honorifics to refer to me, it implied one singular fact:

It meant that I had surpassed Dame Irene in strength.

Ria stuttered, managing to utter a single word.

"...C-could it be an \'Expert\'?

It was a question that left the subject unclear, leaving us unable to discern whom Ria had in mind.

Whether she referred to me or Dame Irene, the answer remained unchanged.

So, I spoke with concern for Ria\'s well-being.

"Let\'s discuss this later."

That was how I found myself having a private meeting with Dame Irene.

Many were left puzzled.

Why did Dame Irene address me as \'Master\'? Why did she abandon her Lady to visit the Percus manor? And what mysterious swordsmanship did she unveil upon her arrival?

Among those pondering these questions was myself.

Despite the curious glances directed our way, I insisted on a private meeting with Dame Irene.

After all, I, too, lacked a satisfactory answer to these questions.

Dame Irene\'s attitude towards me had changed significantly from before. The reason for that was clearly the future \'me.’

Therefore, it was crucial that I understood the circumstances because the future \'me\' didn\'t engage in unnecessary actions.

Dame Irene appeared somewhat bashful, her cheeks tinged with a blush.

Clearing her throat, she lifted her glass, wordlessly pouring the liquid.

The fragrance of wine filled the air as she finally spoke.

"I-I apologize... There have been so many gloomy events recently."

Although the details were omitted, I had a sense of what she meant.

It seemed like an exaggerated reaction, finding hope amidst despair. I had heard that Dame Irene had been wandering for quite some time.

That raised further questions.

The skill she displayed undoubtedly seemed to have been passed down by the future \'me.\' Based on this, Dame Irene must have seen a glimmer of hope in overcoming the long period of darkness that had engulfed her.

The only puzzle was why the future ‘me’ chose to impart such hope to Dame Irene.

While the future \'me\' had given various advice, he had rarely passed down skills. Initially, I had naturally grown stronger based on the man\'s memories.

However, the skill Dame Irene had inherited was different.

It was a skill that demanded much more than just intuition or instinct, and there was a sense of profound skill.

There had to be a process behind imparting such a skill, worthy of Dame Irene calling me \'Master.’

The knight cautiously poured me a drink.

We clinked our glasses in the air, and the fiery liquid flowed down my throat.

Out of courtesy, I decided to begin by welcoming her.

"...Firstly, welcome to the Percus manor."

“N-no! Uh, I just followed Master\'s instructions..."

Embarrassed, Dame Irene scratched her cheek, displaying a remarkably obedient attitude.

I was genuinely curious about what had happened while I was unconscious.

I struggled to suppress the questions bubbling within me and smoothly steered the conversation.

"Your swordsmanship has improved a lot."

"I am an escort knight, after all."

Her response was smooth as if she were stating an indisputable fact.

On the contrary, there was even a newfound pride in her words.

"I tried my best to be able to once again stand by Her Imperial Highness’ side. Because I don\'t want to repeat the same mistakes when I return."

I remained silent, still struggling to grasp the clear cause and effect.

It was just a result of tilting the wine glass.

Dame Irene seemed to interpret my silence slightly differently, casting a cautious glance my way before speaking with a hint of modesty.

"...Of course, it’s all thanks to your guidance, Master. As I mentioned earlier, I hope to have the opportunity to repay you."

"Repay?"

"Yes, anything! I will do my best to repay Master in any way possible."

I felt somewhat perplexed.

In truth, I didn’t even know what I had done for Dame Irene. Yet, she suddenly expressed a desire to repay me, leaving me clueless as to its origin.

From our brief conversation, I gleaned the following information:

Dame Irene learned swordsmanship from the future \'me.\'

As I mentioned earlier, the future \'me\' sent Dame Irene to the Percus manor. There must have undoubtedly been a reason for that.

My immediate curiosity was piqued by the latter.

Eventually, I cleared my throat to redirect Dame Irene\'s focus.

"I only did what I could to help. I don\'t wish for repayment for simple gestures."

"That can\'t be!"

Despite my humble words, Dame Irene\'s attitude remained resolute.

She expressed her opinion with conviction.

"Of course, I was perplexed at first. I was wondering what was happening when you suddenly gave me a kick..."

"...I suddenly gave you a kick?"

Dame Irene\'s statement carried noticeable hesitation right from the beginning.

As I absentmindedly asked her further, she tilted her head in confusion.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Frankly, it was more than an issue; it was bizarre.

It was not normal for a person to kick someone else without any reason.

However, Dame Irene\'s tone betrayed no hint of doubt, leaving me unable to press further.

A faint sigh escaped my lips.

It was a sign of resignation.

"...No, please continue."

Only then did Dame Irene nod, launching into a lengthy expression of gratitude.

"In any case, including that unexpected kick, I received immense favor from you, Master. It became an opportunity to refine my almost-broken self. Moreover, you even taught me the Sword Circle’s secret technique…”

I absorbed the information flowing from Dame Irene.

Perhaps fueled by the potency of the alcohol, even though we had only shared a few glasses, Dame Irene\'s story flowed without hesitation. It seemed as though she was eager to unload all the memories of that day.

Of course, whether I could endure until the end remained uncertain, given the mounting effects of the alcohol.

"...Just that is enough for me. Thank you for bringing me to the Percus manor. I have done my best to show my achievements to Master."

"Is that all?"

In response to my brief question, Dame Irene\'s gaze shifted towards me.

Her story had been brief, leaving many details unexplored. While I couldn\'t immediately delve into the full circumstances, I suspected there was more concealed beneath the surface.

The reason why Dame Irene had felt compelled to come to the Percus manor.

I asked more directly.

"Was there anything else? Something more important, say, something that made you come all the way to the Percus Manor…"

"Ah."

Dame Irene let out a faint sigh at my blunt question.

Her cheeks tinged with a hint of embarrassment as she began to stammer out an apology.

Rising to her feet, she immediately slammed her head onto the floor.

"Y-you’re right… I-I\'m sorry, Master. I\'ll fix this…!"

"No, no! It\'s alright!"

Once was more than enough to experience an older woman bowing her head to me, just like Senior Delphine did.

Swiftly, I halted Dame Irene\'s action, forcing a smile.

"I\'m relieved that you\'ve remembered now."

"Yes, yes... I remember now."

Dame Irene spoke hesitantly, readjusting her posture under my gaze.

Unable to resist the silent urging of my eyes, she soon sank back into her seat.

With flushed cheeks, Dame Irene downed the remaining drink in one go before saying.

"...You mentioned not to take my eyes off your younger sister, right?"

There was a possibility that Ria could be in danger.

My hand, holding the glass, froze in an instant.

****

"Kya, kyack!"

As the door to the reception room swung open and I emerged, a startled scream pierced the air.

It was my younger sister, Ria.

With her black locks and piercing golden eyes, she was incredibly beautiful. Her appearance was so lovely that it was hard to believe she was my younger sister.

Apparently, she had been trying to eavesdrop on my conversation with Dame Irene by pressing her ear against the door of the reception room.

Of course, Ria wasn\'t the only one trying to sneak a listen.

From Father to various people from my hometown, including Ned, were all leaning in with ears pressed against the door. Upon hearing Ria\'s shriek, they quickly feigned innocence, pretending they hadn\'t been eavesdropping.

I couldn\'t help but stifle a bitter laugh.

"...What are you all doing?"

"Oh, you know... we were just wondering why the guest of honor hasn\'t arrived at the banquet today."

Father said that while deliberately avoiding my gaze.

It was an obvious lie, but I decided not to call them out on it.

Instead, I simply offered a resigned smile and waved them off.

"Well, it\'s all over now. Let\'s go back. Oh, and by the way, Dame Irene plans to stay at the Percus manor for a while."

My words caused a subtle change in Father\'s expression.

With each additional guest, maintaining the decorum befitting our noble status became increasingly challenging.

But it couldn\'t be helped.

After all, someone outside of our family was currently staying at our house. It was normal for the head of the family to be cautious.

While Father wasn\'t particularly concerned with the trappings of nobility, the unexpected arrival of a guest from the Lupermion family caught him off guard.

I was aware of his feelings, but I had no choice but to consider myself an unfilial son because Dame Irene\'s presence was necessary for me.

In the end, the gathering outside the reception room reluctantly dispersed at my urging, though their lingering curiosity about Dame Irene was evident.

They were a nosy bunch, to say the least.

But one person remained steadfastly at my side until the very end.

"...Hmm, h-hmm!"

A fake cough from a certain black-haired beauty, attempting to draw my attention.

It was none other than my younger sister.

She seemed to be trying to maintain an air of composure as she brushed aside her bangs. But the blush on her cheeks betrayed her true feelings.

I asked in disbelief.

"Why are you still here?"

"W-well, as the one responsible for entertaining guests at the Percus manor, I\'m simply fulfilling my duties! You know, treatment varies depending on the guest and their relationship with you, Oppa?"

At the same time, my younger sister, with a raised finger, seemed to exude a hint of confidence.

But I knew.

Even as she closed her eyes and avoided my gaze, it was evident that her embarrassment hadn\'t entirely dissipated.

After all, she was on the brink of adulthood, yet here she was, attempting to eavesdrop on her brother\'s conversations. It was almost unbelievable.

To outsiders, such behavior might easily lead to misunderstandings.

Yet, knowing my sister\'s love for me and the fact that I cherished her a lot, I found myself unable to speak up immediately.

It felt like my heart was being squeezed tight within my chest.

The thought that my sister might be in danger because of me weighed heavily on my mind. I had long been a target of resentment for the Dark Order.

As I remained silent, my sister continued to ramble on with her explanations.

"A-also, the other party is from the Lupermion family, right? If I listened to the conversation, it might provide helpful information for our business... and, and..."

"Ria."

At my gentle call, Ria pressed her eyelids even tighter shut.

"A-a-a-ah, alright! I was wrong! That\'s right, my coming-of-age ceremony is next year! I know it\'s not quite right for a younger sister to be so clingy to her older brother. But, Oppa, it\'s also your fault! Why do you always spend time with other girls instead of me...!"

Before she could continue, I wordlessly placed my hand on Ria\'s shoulder.

With a firm grip, my hand squeezed her shoulder, causing Ria to look up at me with wide eyes, startled by the unexpected touch.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

"…Don\'t worry, I\'ll make sure not to hurt you as much."

Ria\'s lips moved, but no words came out. It seemed she struggled to comprehend the meaning behind my unexpected assurance.

But that was enough.

With that said, I resumed my steps, the intoxicating effects of the alcohol warming my brain like a fever.

There was one more piece of information Dame Irene had mentioned.

"…And did she mention patrolling the outskirts of the slums?"

While there were no real slums in our small countryside territory, it was common to refer to the shabby villages on the outskirts as such.

I decided to head there immediately the next day.

***

And on that night.

"I-Ian…."

Tears welled up in her light pink eyes as she looked up at me from my embrace.

"H-Have you got tired of me?!"

Her sweet voice carried a subtle scent of liquor.

My hand ran through her naked skin.

This woman… She was drunk and ended up straying into someone else\'s /genesisforsaken