Afterwards, Ian stopped at the Imperial Palace for a while and then immediately left for Barnafarim.

And I asked my father to prepare gingerbread cookies right away.

Of course, he also prepared a brownie with a light gingerbread cookie as he said she would want dark chocolate. At this level, he could be called a true servant.

Having taken care of everything, I blankly walked towards the main building.

'What is this feeling...'

Obviously, it was very comfortable to walk, even though I was living in someone else's house.

We had been attacking each other like crazy for 8 years, and it seemed like I had been coming and going more often these days.

Anyway, Ian left after giving a hint that he was going to hit on me hard in the future.

'I am guilty. I am guilty.'

I sighed and thought.

'I was the one who kissed him while I told him to take care of me...'

No, now I have been thinking about Ian all day, adding to what Ian said earlier.

"I'll make a formal confession when I come back from the coast of Banafarim."

As I recalled his attack patterns, I began to reason rationally.

'Ian usually gives me time to prepare my mind like this before hitting the final blow in an ordinary match. It must be a strategy to be considerate of others.'

My heart was complicated and I wanted to see Leslie.

Even though Leslie was Ian's mother, she was an adult I could rely on.

"Oh? Miss Annabelle?"

As I was just entering the main building, I ran into Braden.

He smiled knowingly as he looked at the food in my hand.

"Looks like you came to visit Leslie."

"Yes, Duke."

I answered politely for once.

Braden and I didn't really get to know each other. We've only met at the opera and exchanged a few words.

Unlike Leslie, who often appears in the training ground, Braden was very busy.

'Well, the Duke is not always free.'

In the end, it would all become Ian's.

'He looks a lot like Ian. Very handsome.'

I thought as I glanced at Braden.

One of the things Leslie once said about Braden was: 'I just happened to get married'.

I heard that he was a great trickster, and from Leslie's words, he certainly seemed like that.

Anyway, I shouldn't get entangled too much, so I was going to just show politeness and pass by. It seemed like he wouldn't be interested in me anyway.

"Ah. Leslie is asleep now."

Braden said with a soft smile.

"I don't think she will wake up for a long time because she took a sleeping pill."

"Oh... Is that so?"

"She's going to lie down for sometime anyway. How about going back today and coming tomorrow?"

I was fidgeting with the basket of gingerbread cookies and brownies.

Braden noticed it and spoke right away.

"I'll have her maid let her know that Miss Annabelle stopped by."

"Yes..."

There was nothing particularly to reply to what was said too consistently.

"Do you have anything special to say?"

"Uh... Well..."

The maid quickly approached at Braden's glance, and I said hesitantly as I handed over the snack basket.

"Dream of eating delicious food..."

"Huh?"

"Tell me when you wake up that you want dinner to be ready."

"A blessing personalized for Leslie. She will be very happy."

Well, I had nothing more to say to him.

I didn't want to face him for a long time because his face that looked exactly like Ian's was awkward.

"Well then..."

As I was about to say goodbye and turn around, he spoke nonchalantly.

"That sword."

"...Yes?"

"The sword I gave Leslie. It's now at the waist of Miss Annabelle."

"Ah."

I blinked in embarrassment.

I was told that this was a gift to Leslie from Braden.

I thought he might be offended by what I had. Even I couldn't resist Leslie's insistence on giving it to me, so I tolerated it at the time.

'What if he asks for it again? This sword has now become one with me...'

I pretended to be in a hurry and was about to run away.

"Aren't you curious about the story behind that sword?"

"What?"

"What kind of blacksmith made it, and what distribution process it went through... If you are the master of the sword, you should know the story."

My tension was instantly relieved by the words 'master of the sword'.

Braden smiled softly and suggested.

"Since you came to the main building, why don't you listen to the story for a while in the drawing room?"

Obviously, there wasn't much to do, so I was just going to say hello and get out quickly.

If he had said something like, 'Miss Annabelle, can we talk for a moment?' I would have avoided using excuses.

I felt like I was possessed by something.

But when it comes to swords, there was really nothing I could do about it.

So I went with Braden into the drawing room.

As soon as I entered, there was an existence that robbed my eyes.

"Hey, this is..."

In the center of the drawing room, a jewel the size of my forearm was emitting a strong distinctiveness.

"It's a magic stone."

Braden smiled and said.

"It is said that the owner, Oresto Wade, received it for his contribution to preventing the terrorism of the tower 300 years ago."

"...Such a large magic stone exists."

"I heard that even in the Magic Tower, there are no more magic crystals of this size. They continue to covet it, but it was all in vain."

A magic crystal was a gem that condensed magical power.

If you had a magic crystal, you could use any magic you wanted without a wizard. Of course, it's a one-time thing because you'd have to break the magic stone.

It was said that the size and the strength of magic were proportional, but with this level of magic crystal, it seemed that great magic would be possible.

As expected, the heirloom of Wade was also different.

It was because they proudly boasted of the family's legacy that even the Imperial Family was restless.

"If I made up my mind, I could blow up about half of the Imperial Palace now."

'Then with Carlon flying out from that explosion...'

Not knowing what I was thinking, Braden spoke softly.

"Wade has been protecting it, and we will continue to protect it from now on. It can be said that it symbolizes our honor, who has defended the empire with swordsmanship."

Somehow, it was a conversation that ended with Wades' pride.

I quietly gave up the plan to 'kill Carlon with the stone'. As the heirloom symbolizes the honor of Wade, it was not possible to launch that on the Prince.

"Sit down for now."

Braden, who had killed my spirit with a gigantic magic stone, offered me a seat.

The maid quickly served food and tea.

"So this..."

After he sat down, Braden talked about the sword in front of me.

Things like metal combinations and handle designs that were popular at the time.

'There is nothing strangely special about it.'

Obviously, it was strange that we were sitting still, but there were stories that were not particularly memorable.

"...Well, that's it. I wanted this sword to say that I put a lot of effort into it."

"That's right."

"Even though this sword did not compete with Leslie in the last swordsmanship contest."

"Ah."

"Even if the first big picture I was trying to draw with that sword failed, I want to succeed in the other big picture."

"Other big picture?"

"Didn't Leslie tell you?"

It was a time when my tension was relieved and I was listening to the story comfortably.

"I wanted to give this sword to my daughter-in-law."

I was drinking tea very peacefully and almost spit it out.

'Unbelievable. Was the sword taken away after reciting the history and the big picture like this?'

While explaining, he took my sword earlier.

I gazed anxiously at the sword, which was still quietly in his hand.

'You've been talking about the sword in detail so far, are you trying to reclaim your stake?'

In fact, even if he took it back, I had nothing to say.

But just because I didn't have anything to say didn't mean I was expressionless, so I looked at Braden with my poor facial expression.

"When I look at you with that expression, I want to play more pranks..."

Braden grinned as if he had read all of my thoughts.

Then he politely handed me the sword again.

"Actually, I think the new master of this sword is Miss Annabelle."

"Ah... Well..."

I hesitated for a moment after taking the sword. Seeing my awkward expression, Braden smiled and said.

"If you had above average logic, you would know what I was talking about."

Of course, my logic was above average.

Apparently, the 'daughter-in-law' he mentioned earlier meant me. I muttered embarrassingly.

"Yes, well... I think I know what you're talking about..."

"You think I won't even notice my son's heart? I'm the one who knew his heart before he did."

He was a really great person.

A cold sweat ran down my back.