After spending the night at Debbie and Scott's cabin as planned, Capella left Aila behind.
Following Byron's orders, she left several exhortations to learn how to live well in this place.
Yes, this is where, in Byron's scenario, Aila Hailing Weishaffen, who disappeared at the hands of her nanny, grew up.
It was the same in her past life.
Aila was discovered by a couple living in seclusion deep in the mountains and became their adopted daughter.
Then, the house was burned down in a bandit attack, and Aila, who lost her adoptive parents, survived alone and went down to the neighboring village, where she discovered that she was the only Princess of the lost Duke of Weishaffen.
Aila, then sixteen years old, spent over two months with the couple and became acquainted with their life.
Just to avenge her father. To avoid suspicion from Roderick and Ophelia, and pretend to be their daughter.
But she didn't know then that Byron would actually kill Debbie and Scott to make this made-up story more believable.
That way, it would explain why Aila hadn't been found, and there would be no further trouble since the couple who would have been witnesses had been killed.
But the couple were too good to be sacrificed to such a conspiracy.
He was truly heartbroken by the story Aila and Capella had made up, and he treated Aila kindly so that she could stay calm and comfortable during her stay here.
Even though her mother, who said she would be back soon, did not return, instead of being bothered by the guest house owner, they comforted her, saying that everything would be fine and that her mother would be back soon.
She was devastated when the couple, along with this small but cozy cabin, were completely destroyed.
Thinking back now, she thinks that was the first time she ever doubted what her father was doing.
Of course, Aila whipped herself into thinking that she shouldn't do that right away, and she erased her doubts by telling herself that her father was doing the right thing.
A wave of regret surged through her, but she fought to suppress it. Remembering her past foolishness didn't change anything.
What mattered was what to do going forward.
'... Ma'am, Ma'am. This time, it won't happen. I will definitely... protect you both.'
Aila made a few mental promises to herself as she prepared lunch with Debbie.
To protect them, she even received permission from Winfred to use the imperial palace.
As she thought that way and skillfully trimmed the vegetables grown in the yard, Debbie came up to her with a kind smile and spoke to her.
"My goodness, how can Aila cook so beautifully? You're not just pretty."
She'd already been with them once in her past life, so she was used to it. Feeling strangely awkward about receiving praise, Aila blushed and muttered, "No."
Even when she was sixteen, they had been generous with her praise, but now that she was a little younger, the couple seemed to be more lenient with her.
“Oh, come on, I forgot to pick some basil leaves.”
Debbie, who was about to start cooking with the ingredients Aila had prepared, clapped her hands as if she had forgotten.
“I’ll be back, ma’am.”
When Aila, who had just finished cutting vegetables and had empty hands, offered to go, Debbie asked in an embarrassed voice.
“Well, then? Do you know where Basil is?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She nodded and left the cabin.
Debbie and Scott were amazed at how Aila could learn the local geography so quickly, but it was possible because this place wasn't that different from the past, or rather... three years into the future.
It was as if time had stopped here.
She approached the herb patch growing in a corner of the garden and was picking herbs when she suddenly felt a presence nearby and turned around.
It was still early for Scott to return from his trip to retrieve the fish trap he had left in the nearby stream, and there was no sign of any wild animals moving around nearby.
And above all, it was the presence of someone quite familiar to her.
“...Cloud, don’t hide and watch, come out here.”
As she spoke, keeping an eye out for Debbie inside the cabin to see if she could hear, a familiar figure emerged from behind a tree.
"Miss."
“What are you doing here?”
“It is my master’s order. To protect the young lady.”
It was inexplicable why Cloud, who had been so adept at hiding his emotions that he had fooled everyone, including her, so quickly, would lie so easily.
Aila snorted in retort.
“Not surveillance?”
“...”
And Cloud didn't answer. It seemed her prediction was correct.
"I have to go in. If it's going to take a long time, I'll do it later. If it's something I can finish quickly, just tell me what's important."
Aila spoke in a cold voice as she picked basil leaves.
“The master... suspects the young lady.”
He delivered his message briefly and clearly.
When she heard the order to kill Noah, it seemed that her inability to control her expression was the cause of her trouble.
“...Is it serious?”
"No, I just told him that you were concerned about harming a newborn, and he seemed to accept that. However, I thought you should be more careful in the future."
Aila held the basil leaf in her hand and stared at Cloud for a moment, feeling a strange sensation.
Isn't it strange that he, who once resented her so much that he wanted to kill her, is now genuinely concerned about her and helping her?
And he even betrayed the man he always called 'Master'.
"Yes. Are you going to continue to hang around me? Then behave yourself so as not to surprise the aunt and uncle."
She was used to this kind of stalking and ambush, but it was clear that the couple who had been living alone for so long would be terrified if they happened to spot Cloud.
When Aila said this with a small sigh, Cloud bowed his head briefly as if he was following the order.
“...Yes, Miss.”
And then Cloud hid behind the trees again.
“Aila, are you there yet?”
Debbie poked her head out from inside the cabin and called her.
“It’s all done, ma’am! I’ll be right back.”
When dealing with Cloud, her voice was as cold as ice, but when Debbie called, Aila answered with a childish, gentle voice as if nothing had happened.
Cloud, who was hiding behind a large tree, watched her until she completely disappeared into the cabin.
It was an expression as if his mind was incredibly complicated.
The war with the Sekim tribe ended, as always, in human victory.
It was also a short-term war that would never be repeated in history.
The reason the war ended so quickly was largely due to the efforts of Roderick and the Knights of Weishaffen.
The Knights of Weishaffen, who had always served as the protectors of the empire for generations, were now boasting such outstanding capabilities that they could be called at their peak.
And above all, the decisive blow that brought about a quick end to the war was when Roderick himself rushed into the enemy lines and captured the enemy leader.
The Sekim tribe, having lost their heads, were in disarray and eventually had no choice but to resign.
The entire army could not be withdrawn, as a small number of Sekim tribesmen who were unwilling to retreat remained and raided nearby villages, but the fire was put out for the time being.
So Roderick left the finishing touches to others and hurried back home.
Even after not seeing each other for just a few days, babies the same age as Noah grew up so fast that they were unrecognizable. Imagine how much his young son must have grown while he was away on the battlefield.
He felt like his whole body was going to explode as he quickly hugged Ophelia and Noah.
“Welcome, Roderick. You’ve worked hard.”
And when he arrived home, Ophelia was there waiting for him at the front door. Noah, who had grown up so much while he hadn't seen him, was there too, held in his nanny's arms.
Roderick stared at his wife and son with a restless expression. He longed to hug them, but he had been in such a hurry to get home that he hadn't even washed properly, leaving him a dirty mess.
“I’ll go wash up and come back.”
He tried to hug Ophelia without getting her dirty, but eventually gave up and ran into the house.
Ophelia, who had been laughing at the sight of her blunt husband flapping his arms like a bird flapping its wings, also smiled and moved into the mansion.
Roderick went straight to the bathroom and thoroughly cleaned off the dirt. He dried his wet hair with a soft towel and came out of the bathroom.
As expected of a soldier who had been on the front lines many times, his muscular body, visible through his bathrobe, was covered in scars here and there.
“...”
Roderick, who was looking around with a towel over his head, was finally able to notice a strange sense of unease flowing throughout the mansion.
The atmosphere of the employees who were preparing him for a change of clothes was somewhat chaotic, and the house was not as neat and tidy as before.
Roderick, having changed into some comfortable indoor clothes, hurried to the baby's room.
There was a reason why he wanted to hear directly about how heavy Noah had become, but more importantly, he wanted to quickly hear from Ophelia what had happened to the mansion while he was away.
"Ophelia, what happened? Why is the atmosphere in the house so chaotic?"
Roderick asked in a soft, cautious voice, worried that it might sound like he was scolding Ophelia.
Of course, Ophelia, who knew full well that her husband would not criticize her for such things, did not take it that way at all.
“Oh, that’s...”
Ophelia began to talk as she held her young son in her arms before her husband, who had just returned from a fresh shower.
Noah, whom she held in her arms, seemed to have grown considerably in size and weight and felt quite heavy.
"Suddenly, one by one, our employees quit, and now we're down to a bare minimum. Noah's still young, and I can't just decide to bring in new people on my own... So, we were just waiting for you to come."
Following Byron's orders, she left several exhortations to learn how to live well in this place.
Yes, this is where, in Byron's scenario, Aila Hailing Weishaffen, who disappeared at the hands of her nanny, grew up.
It was the same in her past life.
Aila was discovered by a couple living in seclusion deep in the mountains and became their adopted daughter.
Then, the house was burned down in a bandit attack, and Aila, who lost her adoptive parents, survived alone and went down to the neighboring village, where she discovered that she was the only Princess of the lost Duke of Weishaffen.
Aila, then sixteen years old, spent over two months with the couple and became acquainted with their life.
Just to avenge her father. To avoid suspicion from Roderick and Ophelia, and pretend to be their daughter.
But she didn't know then that Byron would actually kill Debbie and Scott to make this made-up story more believable.
That way, it would explain why Aila hadn't been found, and there would be no further trouble since the couple who would have been witnesses had been killed.
But the couple were too good to be sacrificed to such a conspiracy.
He was truly heartbroken by the story Aila and Capella had made up, and he treated Aila kindly so that she could stay calm and comfortable during her stay here.
Even though her mother, who said she would be back soon, did not return, instead of being bothered by the guest house owner, they comforted her, saying that everything would be fine and that her mother would be back soon.
She was devastated when the couple, along with this small but cozy cabin, were completely destroyed.
Thinking back now, she thinks that was the first time she ever doubted what her father was doing.
Of course, Aila whipped herself into thinking that she shouldn't do that right away, and she erased her doubts by telling herself that her father was doing the right thing.
A wave of regret surged through her, but she fought to suppress it. Remembering her past foolishness didn't change anything.
What mattered was what to do going forward.
'... Ma'am, Ma'am. This time, it won't happen. I will definitely... protect you both.'
Aila made a few mental promises to herself as she prepared lunch with Debbie.
To protect them, she even received permission from Winfred to use the imperial palace.
As she thought that way and skillfully trimmed the vegetables grown in the yard, Debbie came up to her with a kind smile and spoke to her.
"My goodness, how can Aila cook so beautifully? You're not just pretty."
She'd already been with them once in her past life, so she was used to it. Feeling strangely awkward about receiving praise, Aila blushed and muttered, "No."
Even when she was sixteen, they had been generous with her praise, but now that she was a little younger, the couple seemed to be more lenient with her.
“Oh, come on, I forgot to pick some basil leaves.”
Debbie, who was about to start cooking with the ingredients Aila had prepared, clapped her hands as if she had forgotten.
“I’ll be back, ma’am.”
When Aila, who had just finished cutting vegetables and had empty hands, offered to go, Debbie asked in an embarrassed voice.
“Well, then? Do you know where Basil is?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She nodded and left the cabin.
Debbie and Scott were amazed at how Aila could learn the local geography so quickly, but it was possible because this place wasn't that different from the past, or rather... three years into the future.
It was as if time had stopped here.
She approached the herb patch growing in a corner of the garden and was picking herbs when she suddenly felt a presence nearby and turned around.
It was still early for Scott to return from his trip to retrieve the fish trap he had left in the nearby stream, and there was no sign of any wild animals moving around nearby.
And above all, it was the presence of someone quite familiar to her.
“...Cloud, don’t hide and watch, come out here.”
As she spoke, keeping an eye out for Debbie inside the cabin to see if she could hear, a familiar figure emerged from behind a tree.
"Miss."
“What are you doing here?”
“It is my master’s order. To protect the young lady.”
It was inexplicable why Cloud, who had been so adept at hiding his emotions that he had fooled everyone, including her, so quickly, would lie so easily.
Aila snorted in retort.
“Not surveillance?”
“...”
And Cloud didn't answer. It seemed her prediction was correct.
"I have to go in. If it's going to take a long time, I'll do it later. If it's something I can finish quickly, just tell me what's important."
Aila spoke in a cold voice as she picked basil leaves.
“The master... suspects the young lady.”
He delivered his message briefly and clearly.
When she heard the order to kill Noah, it seemed that her inability to control her expression was the cause of her trouble.
“...Is it serious?”
"No, I just told him that you were concerned about harming a newborn, and he seemed to accept that. However, I thought you should be more careful in the future."
Aila held the basil leaf in her hand and stared at Cloud for a moment, feeling a strange sensation.
Isn't it strange that he, who once resented her so much that he wanted to kill her, is now genuinely concerned about her and helping her?
And he even betrayed the man he always called 'Master'.
"Yes. Are you going to continue to hang around me? Then behave yourself so as not to surprise the aunt and uncle."
She was used to this kind of stalking and ambush, but it was clear that the couple who had been living alone for so long would be terrified if they happened to spot Cloud.
When Aila said this with a small sigh, Cloud bowed his head briefly as if he was following the order.
“...Yes, Miss.”
And then Cloud hid behind the trees again.
“Aila, are you there yet?”
Debbie poked her head out from inside the cabin and called her.
“It’s all done, ma’am! I’ll be right back.”
When dealing with Cloud, her voice was as cold as ice, but when Debbie called, Aila answered with a childish, gentle voice as if nothing had happened.
Cloud, who was hiding behind a large tree, watched her until she completely disappeared into the cabin.
It was an expression as if his mind was incredibly complicated.
***
The war with the Sekim tribe ended, as always, in human victory.
It was also a short-term war that would never be repeated in history.
The reason the war ended so quickly was largely due to the efforts of Roderick and the Knights of Weishaffen.
The Knights of Weishaffen, who had always served as the protectors of the empire for generations, were now boasting such outstanding capabilities that they could be called at their peak.
And above all, the decisive blow that brought about a quick end to the war was when Roderick himself rushed into the enemy lines and captured the enemy leader.
The Sekim tribe, having lost their heads, were in disarray and eventually had no choice but to resign.
The entire army could not be withdrawn, as a small number of Sekim tribesmen who were unwilling to retreat remained and raided nearby villages, but the fire was put out for the time being.
So Roderick left the finishing touches to others and hurried back home.
Even after not seeing each other for just a few days, babies the same age as Noah grew up so fast that they were unrecognizable. Imagine how much his young son must have grown while he was away on the battlefield.
He felt like his whole body was going to explode as he quickly hugged Ophelia and Noah.
“Welcome, Roderick. You’ve worked hard.”
And when he arrived home, Ophelia was there waiting for him at the front door. Noah, who had grown up so much while he hadn't seen him, was there too, held in his nanny's arms.
Roderick stared at his wife and son with a restless expression. He longed to hug them, but he had been in such a hurry to get home that he hadn't even washed properly, leaving him a dirty mess.
“I’ll go wash up and come back.”
He tried to hug Ophelia without getting her dirty, but eventually gave up and ran into the house.
Ophelia, who had been laughing at the sight of her blunt husband flapping his arms like a bird flapping its wings, also smiled and moved into the mansion.
Roderick went straight to the bathroom and thoroughly cleaned off the dirt. He dried his wet hair with a soft towel and came out of the bathroom.
As expected of a soldier who had been on the front lines many times, his muscular body, visible through his bathrobe, was covered in scars here and there.
“...”
Roderick, who was looking around with a towel over his head, was finally able to notice a strange sense of unease flowing throughout the mansion.
The atmosphere of the employees who were preparing him for a change of clothes was somewhat chaotic, and the house was not as neat and tidy as before.
Roderick, having changed into some comfortable indoor clothes, hurried to the baby's room.
There was a reason why he wanted to hear directly about how heavy Noah had become, but more importantly, he wanted to quickly hear from Ophelia what had happened to the mansion while he was away.
"Ophelia, what happened? Why is the atmosphere in the house so chaotic?"
Roderick asked in a soft, cautious voice, worried that it might sound like he was scolding Ophelia.
Of course, Ophelia, who knew full well that her husband would not criticize her for such things, did not take it that way at all.
“Oh, that’s...”
Ophelia began to talk as she held her young son in her arms before her husband, who had just returned from a fresh shower.
Noah, whom she held in her arms, seemed to have grown considerably in size and weight and felt quite heavy.
"Suddenly, one by one, our employees quit, and now we're down to a bare minimum. Noah's still young, and I can't just decide to bring in new people on my own... So, we were just waiting for you to come."
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