“But Elise, you’re much prettier than me.”

“No, I’m not.”

Elise shook her head, thinking Rubica was only saying that to cheer her up.

Apart from Rubica’s pity for her, it was really hard for her to tear down the wall of prejudice she had built in her heart on her own.

‘When we get to the training ground, many knights will be surprised to see her. Maybe someone will praise her beauty. Will that give her confidence?’

Rubica was going to the training grounds to pick some good-looking knights, but she also had another purpose. She hoped there would be a knight who would lunge in like a boar when giving gifts and compliments to win a girl’s heart.

“Then shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Rubica went to the training ground with Elise and a few maids. As she was the duchess, she could sit right in front of the training ground and watch.

However, she didn’t want to interrupt the knights’ training, so she settled down on a small hill in the garden where she could look down at the training grounds. Elise put a parasol over her head to protect her skin from the sunlight and started to take out the food she brought.

“Madam, here are fresh apple juice and preserved plums.”

“Thank you. They’re all my favorite.”

Elise had brought a bunch of food as if they were on a picnic. Therefore, Rubica happily ate and watched the knights train, and it was more exciting than watching a play or dance at the town festivals.

‘They’re all properly wearing shirts.’

The knights had been told in advance that the duchess was going to come to see them train and had paid attention to their appearance. None of them took their shirt off as usual, so it was quite disappointing.

“Dashner, your right leg.”

“Yes, sir!”

“George! Your posture is wrong.”

“Yes, sir!”

However, that disappointment didn’t last long as the knights proceeded with their training. They all started to sweat hard and their white shirts stuck to their body, showing the line of their muscles. Leaving a little space for imagination was always better than showing the real skin.

‘Well, they have a much better body.’

Of course. They were knights going under professional training. On the other hand, Edgar stayed in his office looking at books and blueprints. Of course, he couldn’t have great muscles like them.

‘Hmm, such bodies are fine, but Edgar’s is not bad as well. He has a considerate amount of muscle, for someone who always works in his office. Yes, he has just the right amount of muscles. It’s better than being so buffy like them.’

‘And as for the face, Edgar’s is much, much better.’

She was supposed to focus on what she was seeing, but she kept thinking about Edgar.

“Elise, could you give me those?”

“Oh, the binoculars.”

Elise handed her a pair of binoculars. Rubica had planned to look at the knights with them, but she only pretended to look at the knights and turned to the direction of Edgar’s office.

‘Hmm, he’s looking at me again.’

Edgar was right behind the window, probably not knowing she was looking at him.

‘What the, is that an opera box or something? He’s even brought a chair to the window.’

She couldn’t check his expression, but she had to hold back her laughter. What was so funny about the garden that he was watching like that? He was born in the mansion and had grown up here.

‘He should come out and take a proper walk if he has time for that. He should come and watch the grass and flowers while getting some fresh air. He really lacks exercise.’

She decided to have a serious conversation about the matter with him later. His body didn’t need any exercise for now, but those who didn’t take care of their health tended to regret it after 30.

Rubica had seen a handful of men who believed in their youthful good looks, enjoyed drinking and smoking, and lost their beauty in the end.

‘The worst of them are those who still think they are handsome even after that.’

Thankfully, Edgar was a sensitive man who didn’t even like coffee, so it was unlikely that he liked to smoke.

However, he had drunk champagne instead of water during their wedding feast and it bothered her. After all, he could be drinking in his office without her knowing about it.

‘Oh, but losing his beauty would be a loss for this kingdom…’

His beauty was a problem, but losing his health was going to be an even bigger problem. Rubica decided to ask him to take walks with her.

“Madam, what is so funny?”

Elise’s question woke her up from her thoughts.

‘Oh, right. Now isn’t the time for this.’

She had almost forgotten why she was there. First, as a test, she pointed at a knight who wasn’t that good-looking.

“Elise, isn’t he handsome?”

Elise didn’t say anything for a moment, so she didn’t seem to be agreeing with that. However, soon she said yes with a kind smile.

“Yes, he is handsome.”

Ann had been right after all. Next, Rubica pointed at the knight who was at the top of her list.

“Then how about him?”

“Well, um, oh… I don’t know.”

The girl shyly looked down. Rubica put the name of the knight on her guest list. Then, she started to point at the knights one by one, and Elise reacted exactly as Ann had predicted.

“But I think he is more handsome…”

One of the maids joined them. Watching the knights train hard under the bright sunlight fluttered the girls’ heart that she joined the conversation without permission.

“Is he?”

“No, he isn’t. Your Grace, I think the man you just pointed at is better.”

“But why?”

“He has more solid thighs.”

Everyone burst into laughter at that.

“But that’s more important than the face!”

However, the maid seriously argued her opinion and even Rubica couldn’t handle it and laughed. She even forgot to cover her mouth with her fan.

“Haha!”

A breeze took her high giggle to the knights’ ears. Then, they immediately started to make mistakes.

“Dashner, you can’t lower your right arm like that. Sahar! You’re putting too much strength in your left arm. What the, George! Why are you standing like that?”

Stephen, who had been overseeing their training as their instructor, immediately pointed out all of their mistakes.

“Yes, sir!”

The knights yelled, but they kept making mistakes. Moreover, they kept glancing somewhere, so Stephen looked at where they were looking at. There was the duchess, her lady-in-waiting, and a few maids watching them under the parasol. More mistakes happened each time they laughed.

‘Shit!’

He had to try really hard to not curse out loud. The knights had been using too much strength today, and there was a reason.

“All of you, do you know how great of an opportunity this is? I’m personally training you!”

“Of course, sir!”

“Then try to make the most of it!”

“Yes, sir!”

Although Claymore wasn’t a warrior family, its guard knights were great. They were given huge wages and honor because Duke Claymore was practically the most important man in the kingdom. When there was an empty spot, the royal family selected a good knight and sent him to Claymore. Nevertheless, they were so weak compared to Stephen.

As their captain, he was supposed to train them himself, but he never had time for that as he guarded Edgar. He never left the duke’s side. Usually, guards did their duty on rotation, but Stephen kept protecting Edgar even when it was his off time. Everyone was impressed by his diligence and loyalty.

Edgar’s condition was a top secret that couldn’t be known. So, Stephen was allowed to neglect the training of the other knights to protect the duke. However, when the duchess said she wanted to see the knights train, the duke called him.

-You should oversee their training that day.

-But I must guard you.

-Let your vice-captain do it. It is your duty as the knights’ captain to make them improve. I think I’ve been making you do too much for my convenience.

Edgar talked about his duties as the captain. However, Stephen could immediately see the duke wanted him to show the duchess how awesome and great Claymore’s knights were.

‘Why does he care so much about that woman?’

Stephen narrowed his eyes and looked at the duchess having a pleasant conversation with her maids.

After she came, there had been many changes at the mansion. Some welcomed those changes, but not Stephen.

‘The duke has been clearly slowing down with his work.’

He knew what Edgar was working on. When he left the mansion with the duke to guard him, his brother snuck into the office. There were a lot of important documents there, and Stephen was eager to steal those. However, he was going to wait until Edgar finished Stella’s blueprint.

That weapon was strong enough to defeat dragons.

It was going to change the world.