At that time, Ian was watching the knights in the training ground with a terrifying expression.

"With this momentum, the Wades will conquer the world."

Aaron whispered to the panting knight beside him.

The atmosphere of the knights with and without Ian was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Of course, considering the skills of the knights, the longer Ian stayed, the better, but everyone had to have a harder day than usual.

"Now I can't even joke anymore because I want to get water."

The knight answered Aaron carefully.

"After all, you might as well install a drinking water fountain tomorrow."

He couldn't even joke around since Ian was also not at ease.

It had been a while since Annabelle had shown up. The last time she was seen was at the opera.

'It's cool. Annabelle Nadit is not coming, so it has been a very fruitful day.'

Ian thought and pretended to be examining his sword, then glanced at his watch.

'In that sense, shall we go in another 30 minutes?'

It was a thought that would be frustrating once more if the knights knew.

He didn't know how many times he had already promised them only 30 more minutes.

'I can't let Annabel walk in vain... No, what am I thinking?'

It was like he was missing and waiting for her...

Of course, it wasn't that he didn't know why Annabelle wasn't coming.

Those who only think a little would even guess.

"Annabelle Nadit isn't coming? The gatekeepers will be comfortable. They won't have to run without meaning."

The knights who were resting on one side murmured.

"If it were you, would you come? There's no need to beat Ian anymore."

"No way. I heard she's doing a paternity test on the day of the High Priest's retirement. She won't even need to win first place in the swordsmanship competition."

"After all, she must have known that she was no match for Ian, so she didn't need to come anymore."

It was the words 'she didn't need to come anymore' that kept ringing in Ian's ears.

The knights giggled and exchanged water bottles with each other, but after confirming that the bottles were empty, they called the servant.

"Linda! Bring some more water! I drank all the water."

"Just throw it away. You don't need it anymore. A drinking water fountain will be installed tomorrow, right?"

"Right. Have you been using that bottle for 8 years? You won't need it anymore, so you can just throw it away."

There was a person who suddenly intervened in the chatter of the knights with a serious look.

"How can you say such harsh things?"

It was Ian with a strangely hurt expression on his face.

"Didn't you have it for the eight years that we were together anyways? And you're going to throw it away like that?"

Everyone was stunned and looked at Ian.

The knights exchanged bewildered glances between each other and answered cautiously.

Although Ian was a bit strict about swordsmanship, he was also a master who respected the opinions of his subordinates.

"But if I don't need it, why do I still want to keep it?"

The knights were arguing in front of him, but when they saw that the expression on Ian was somewhat lonely and vague, they kept their mouths shut.

"...Don't say you don't need it."

He took a deep breath and continued.

"Don't you think it's too much? Seriously, everyone is so cold-hearted and inhuman..."

Aaron, who thought it was impossible, quickly grabbed the water bottle and handed it to Ian.

Aaron sighed, turned his head, and muttered blankly.

"Huh? Mother? And... Annabel?"

At Aaron's words, Ian dropped the water bottle he was holding in his hand.

~*~

The story of how I ended up going to the Duke of Wades was not a big deal.

"Actually, how did that happen..."

Marilyn looked at me and spoke softly in a voice full of grace.

I wondered if I had heard her curses in a dream before.

"He said he came from the Knights of Wade by Aaron's order, and had something to tell me. I sent people out because it might've been a story that others shouldn't know..."

A cutting knife was spinning in her hand as she spoke softly.

She made the gag herself without difficulty, and she put it in the mouth of the thief.

"Suddenly, he took the blue diamond that was on display in the drawing room and ran away from the window."

"In the living room... Do you display jewelry?"

Marilyn smiled shyly at my words.

"Families with a deep history of their ancestors have their heirlooms displayed in the drawing room. I mean, it's to tell the guests the path the family has walked, but in the end, it also means to brag about it to the customers. Although we're just commoners, and all we have is money, so we're just displaying the most expensive jewels."

Then he was not just an ordinary person, but a huge thief.

Stealing blue diamonds.

Marilyn swung her cutting knife without difficulty, and she retrieved the flashing blue diamond from the thief and put it back into her wardrobe.

"It's a very strange culture. What if others steal it like this...?"

"No one takes them into the drawing room. We only bring in those who we are sure of their identity. But I was vigilant because he claimed to be a member of the Wade Knights. I didn't have any doubts anymore because he knew my work hours and even came on time."

Come to think of it, I had never been to the drawing room even though I had been in and out of Wade's mansion so blatantly.

It seemed clear that no one ordinary was allowed in.

"Hmm... Well, I guess I can take him to the Knights of Wade."

Marilyn then continued to speak seriously.

"Knowing my work hours, and that there are blue diamonds in the drawing room, having the knight badge, and the physical ability to jump off the second floor and disappear in an instant... He's not just a simple impersonator."

"I hope you're a member of the Wade Knights."

I shrugged as I glanced at the thief screaming 'eup, eup!' in fear.

"Ian is very proud of his knights. It's not bad to feel the bitter taste of life once."

"Then will you go with me, Miss Annabelle?"

"What? Me?"

"Originally, I was told to stop negotiating and keep fighting."

"Wow, isn't it originally the other way around?"

Seriously, I always thought she was a good person to some extent, but looking at her like this...

"Okay, so shall we go now? Ian is probably staying at the training ground."

I came to think that she was a really nice person who was full of humanity.

So Marilyn and I got along, and she dragged the thief who couldn't say anything right away, and stormed into Wade's training ground.

As soon as Ian saw me, he dropped the water bottle he received from Aaron.

'What? Is there something that you're upset about? Poor water bottle.'

"Hey, what brings you here?""

Aaron approached and asked.

Marilyn eagerly explained the story of the thief, and the case was resolved shortly after.

The thief was not an official knight from the Wade Knights, but a young man who recently came to join.

While waiting for the test's turn, he overheard Aaron talking about the drawing room of the Rainfield mansion, and he planned the crime by sneaking a token of another knight's uniform.

After he decided to commit the crime, he hid in the road and continued to observe the time when the people of Rainfield left work.

"Since when did you start covering mouths like this?"

Aaron saw a high-quality gag and immediately noticed that it was Marilyn's skill and asked.

She replied with a shrug.

"I just used it as soon as I saw it because I was afraid he'd swear at me. It's not something good to listen to."

"...Of course."

Aaron shook his head, and I thought to myself, 'Aaron knows his mother's nature'.

Standing without much thought, I glanced and blinked then said.

"What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?"

Ian replied with a stiff attitude, so I took a suspicious step toward him.

"That's really weird. I've been chasing after you for almost 8 years. Don't you think I don't know you by now? I think some of your brain cells are on strike."

I sighed and spoke as if reassuring.

"Don't worry. I won't pick a fight with you today as well as in the future. Especially today, I'm not here because I have something to do with you."

"You're not here to see me?""

In fact, I did come to see Ian maybe fight the thief, but I couldn't say that.

He was not actually a knight from Wades.

So I just stared at him blankly and nodded, and he muttered with a shocked look on his face.

"You don't need me?"