“She was imprisoned by her ex… I think that’s possible.”

“Right after leaving Flotina, unfortunately, she coincidentally ran into Materosin on the street. She tried to escape, but he caught her and dragged her away. And for a whole three months, he imprisoned her in that underground dungeon where you and Cassius defeated Hestia.”

“He imprisoned her there?”

The place was so dark and damp, not a single ray of light, that it would have been difficult for an ordinary person to endure even a week.

“She was imprisoned there for about three months. She was forced into an unwanted relationship too.”

Floa couldn’t speak; he seemed as if his throat was blocked. It couldn’t have been more shocking than this.

“Then she realized she was pregnant. However, she never thought the child in her belly was Materosin’s. She believed with unwavering certainty that it was the child of the one she loved, Persis Flotina. Materosin was already out of his mind, completely insane.”

Viche begged Materosin, pretending she wanted a beautiful flower vase filled with flowers. On the day Materosin brought the vase, Viche shattered it and escaped, slashing Materosin’s eyes with the broken fragments.

“That’s how Viche returned to Flotina, claiming that the child in her womb was the Duke’s child.”

“I see, that’s what happened.”

Mirocagon glanced at Persis, who was listening from afar. Though he was facing away, he could imagine what expression he had.

After hearing Mirocagon’s story with Persis, Yohan didn’t know what to do, so he simply observed Persis’s reactions.

Finally, Persis’s orders came.

“Yohan, let’s go to Viche’s grave.”

Dressed in black, Persis walked through the desolate cemetery.

In his hand, he held a bouquet filled with white chrysanthemums.

‘Why… did I never think of visiting before?’

When she left this world, he had only checked the location of the grave and never once visited.

How could anyone be so cruel? He thought she might have felt that way.

Persis stopped in front of a tomb piled with red and yellow leaves.

Because of his presence under the tree, more leaves had accumulated here than on the other graves.

Barely visible on the tombstone was the name ‘Viche Yuriet,’ her name alone.

With a choked voice, Persis greeted her.

“I’m here, Viche.”

His hand trembled slightly as he cleared the leaves to fully reveal the gravestone.

“I should have prepared a better place for you.”

Regret overwhelmed him, and tears flowed without his knowledge.

“If only I could have understood your feelings a little better.”

Tears fell and dampened the tombstone floor covered with sand.

He knelt in that spot and placed a bouquet in front of the tombstone.

“I’ll bring the roses you loved next time I visit.”

Though there was no way to hear any response, he kept speaking, hoping she could hear him from the heavens.

Persis clasped his hands together and prayed earnestly for her happiness.

* * *

“Wow, Miss, you look so beautiful!”

It was what Joan said when she saw me wearing a dress for the first time since I declared myself as a son.

Ellen also looked at me approvingly.

“Now you look like a proper lady of Flotina.”

“Yes!”

Finally, I officially became Persis’s daughter. It was a moment I had longed for, and my heart was trembling for no reason. Persis had already registered my name as his daughter.

“We should head to the library now since there’ll be classes soon.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

I went to the library in my dress and met Lady Attila Ydilf, who had arrived earlier.

Although I had known Lady Attila for almost six years, it was the first time she saw me wearing a dress.

“Welcome, madam.”

I greeted her with the formal etiquette for women I had learned from her once, and Attila couldn’t help but marvel.

“Oh my… You are stunning, my Lord… No, my lady.”

As I was now living as a daughter, naturally, my title had changed to “lady.”

“Thank you, madam. What’s today’s class about?”

Upon my question, Attila smiled, returning to her usual self.

“There are no classes today.”

“No classes?…”

“I’ve taught you everything I could. My lady, you’ve learned it all.”

I was so moved I couldn’t speak and ended up holding Attila’s hands.

“Thank you for everything. If there’s something I want to learn, can I come to you?”

“Of course. You’re always welcome to come.”

“Thank you, madam.”

After bidding her farewell, Ellen and Joan came into my study.

“Miss, she said it was the last class today, right?”

I nodded in response to Joan’s question.

“Yes, I reviewed the current politics for the last time.”

“Now you’ve truly become an adult.”

Hearing Ellen’s words, I felt a bit emotional for no reason. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that I had grown up in Ellen’s hands.

But I still felt far from being a real adult, so I thought about coffee instead.

“Ellen, can I have coffee now?”

Ellen shook her head as if unable to stop me.

“How much do you love coffee? It’s amazing how you’ve never tried it before.”

Feeling embarrassed about never having tasted coffee, I avoided eye contact.

“It’s just curiosity.”

“Well, as Lady Stella and young Lord Nazret have arrived, we’ll have tea time. I’ll bring it out for you.”

“Stella and Milo are here?”

“Yes, they just arrived.”

Following Ellen and Joan’s guidance, I entered the drawing room and saw Stella and Milo sitting side by side. They rushed towards me as soon as they saw me.

“May, are you okay?”

“Your ladyship, is it alright for you to stand up?”

Feeling overwhelmed by their closeness, I took a step back and answered.

“Yes, I’ve completely recovered thanks to Lady Iris’s healing magic. I had already informed them through letters that I was fine.”

After the incident, Persis forbade outsiders’ entry into the Duchy for three days for safety. During that time, I exchanged letters with Stella and Milo, so they knew everything that had happened.

“You may not be okay, but since you say you are, I guess it’s alright. You seem fine, so that’s good. Okay then.”

Stella sat back down on the sofa, and Milo reached out his hand to escort me.

“Grab my hand, my lady, as you might faint on the way.”

“I only need to go 3 meters to the sofa, do I have to hold your hand?”

Is he being overly protective?

Milo nodded, sending a sparkling gaze, and I couldn’t help but take his hand. He led me to the sofa, which was just 3 meters away.

“Thank you, Milo.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then, the maids brought us our drinks. I had requested coffee, as Ellen had taken care of it for me.

I raised the coffee cup in front of me and sniffed the aroma.

How many years had I been waiting for this? Just by smelling the aroma, I felt intoxicated with caffeine.

As soon as I sipped the coffee, I gulped it down. It tasted heavenly, and a smile formed on my face.

“Ah… It’s so good…”

My appearance made Stella chuckle.

“You like coffee that much?”

“Of course. I asked you to let me have at least one cup whenever I visited your house since I couldn’t drink it at home, but you always refused.”

Stella, who didn’t mind having coffee even in front of me, hadn’t let me drink it until now, following their household rules.

“If that’s your family rule, then I should follow it. But now you can drink it.”

“That’s true. I am an adult now!”

On the other hand, in front of Milo, there was a cup of chocolate milk.

“Why do I have chocolate milk… Even you, sister…”

“As I said, until you become an adult, you can’t have coffee, according to our family rule.”

Although Milo was one year older than May, due to the difference in the age when men and women are considered adults according to the Imperial law, Milo wasn’t yet considered an adult.

“I should become an adult soon.”

Milo sipped the chocolate milk.

“Outside, there’s a lot of talk about Hestia’s death. Articles about Hestia’s death have been published in newspapers all over the country.”

“That’s what I heard too. I saw the articles.”

Most of the articles in the newspaper were factual, but there was one particular point that was changed – the person who killed Materosin was mentioned as Persis instead of me.

It was Persis’s consideration to avoid any unnecessary discussion about me.

“They say that the Third Knight Division will be disbanded because of Hestia’s death. The knights of the Third Division are gathering for protests, causing quite a stir.”

Milo placed the cup with a bit of chocolate milk back on the table.

“Well, since Hestia died and can’t use magic anymore, she’ll be suppressed soon. After fulfilling their duty as guardians, Lady Iris and Sir Cassius should have transferred to the First or Second Knight Division. But it seems they are acting as if they don’t know about it.”

I looked at the empty coffee cup and muttered to myself.

“In the end, things turned out the way Diego wanted…”

One of the culprits that left the Crown Prince unable to use his right arm, the Third Knight Division, had been disbanded, so the Royal Family would probably be the happiest about it.

Stella asked me.

“So when will you re-enter the military?”

“Next week.”

Even though Lady Iris and Sir Cassius saved me and my father, I couldn’t express my gratitude properly, as they must have been busy with Hestia’s death and the disbandment of the Third Knight Division.

I already sent them letters of gratitude, but I plan to thank them when I go to the training camp next week.

Milo looked at me with concern.

“Isn’t next week too soon? You might strain yourself if you go so soon…”

“Iris’s healing magic is so powerful. I might be completely fine and able to go to the training camp right away.”

Above all, if I skip the training, I’ll have to make up for it later, so it’s better not to skip it.

Milo shyly confessed after hearing my words.

“You are admirable, my lady. Becoming a guardian knight at such a young age and always so brave…”

Stella chuckled and made her presence known.

“Milo, I’m here too, so can you save your confession for later?”

“It’s not a confession. I should confess when I’ve become even more impressive.”

“Really… Seems like you have a crush on May, my brother. Milo, you’re my rival.”

“I don’t see you as my rival.”

Without seeing it, it seemed that they had become perfect siblings.