By the point the weeping Princess had fallen asleep from exhaustion, I had returned to the Marquis’s residence with Liel.

Initially, I had supposed to remain on the palace to relaxation for some time longer, however out of respect for Liel, I didn’t.

As a substitute of returning to the manor with Liel, I provided him one situation.

I might solely let him take me so far as the mansion, and he would return to the academy both tonight or early within the morning.

Unsurprisingly, Liel stiffened as if we had been going to have a second spherical, however he softened once I shortly informed him he was welcome to come back anytime he wished to take a day without work from coaching.

“You may simply come and ensure I’m okay.”

He appeared uncertain of what to do, since I’d been telling him to not come as a result of he could be drained on the academy.

Simply because I backed down earlier doesn’t imply I’ve given up on sending you again.

I smiled triumphantly for the primary time in a very long time and waited patiently for Liel’s mouth to open once more.

I might virtually hear his thoughts racing.

“…… Okay, I’ll come again this weekend.”

I nodded, considering that this was nice timing, since he was taking a break from coaching this weekend.

A part of me calculated that he’d come again a number of occasions and quit as a result of it was too onerous.

“Watch out.”

I waved to Liel, simply in case he modified his thoughts.

Finally, Liel climbed again into the carriage like a person together with his again to the wind. He glanced again a number of occasions alongside the way in which, as if wishing he hadn’t, however he didn’t flip round.

Lastly, the carriage pulled away, and he slowly lowered his hand. My eyes drifted to the dust the place the carriage wheels had left their mark.

I stood nonetheless, reliving the occasions of the day.

It was the primary time I’d ever seen a demon within the flesh, so the reminiscences had been vivid.

“An enormous ant and a praying mantis…….”

They had been all insectoid demons, however their dimension was far past that of a single insect.

What’s extra, their vertically slit pupils, which had been speculated to be their image, caught in my thoughts and wouldn’t go away.

Nonetheless—

“At the very least it crawled like an actual insect…….”

There have been no main after-effects, neither psychological nor bodily. Stunning even myself, I might perceive why Liel was so fearful about me.

“Is it simply me, or do I’ve loads of nerve……?”

Or possibly I’ve been forcibly strengthened by Liel since I used to be a baby, and my defenses towards demons and fiends have been strengthened—

“My woman!”

“Heok!”

Startled by the surprising voice, I flailed my limbs as if in a reflexive seizure.

I spun round with a pounding coronary heart, and there stood the coachman who had labored at our manor since childhood.

“Ahyu, my woman, I see you’re as protected as Sarah stated, we had been so fearful!”

“Uh, uh…….”

I used to be too busy making an attempt to assuage my surprised coronary heart to even apologize for worrying him.

I suppose I don’t have loads of nerve, huh……?

⁂

At evening, the temperature plummeted. The knights who had simply completed their work shivered because the chilly seeped into their pores and skin.

Their sweat had turned to chills.

“You’ve labored late into the evening.”

In the meantime, Dailor, coming back from his patrol of the Empire’s outer partitions, greeted the hardworking knights.

The paladins bowed to him. A number of of them had lamented the truth that the beast had damaged in similtaneously Dailor was patrolling the Outer Wall.

“I’ve heard the information, however given the character of the matter, I’d like a extra detailed report earlier than I take it to the Excessive Priest……”

He stated, glancing on the knights round him. Then a paladin raised his hand, indicating that he would achieve this.

Quickly the paladin was talking eloquently, explaining all the pieces he knew.

Dailor nodded dutifully, his face critical as he listened.

The paladin’s story was not lengthy. The truth is, it might have been shorter if he hadn’t added Lucy and Liel’s story.

“Of these crushed by the constructing, solely the Marquis of Seywint survived; the others had been crushed by…….”

His voice trailed off in mournfulness. In distinction, Dailor’s eyes sparkled, lighting up the darkish environment.

“There’s a survivor?”

There was a touch of curiosity in Dailor’s voice as he requested the knight. The knight didn’t discover, although, and answered with the identical gravity.

“Sure, sir. I don’t know if there was a niche within the rubble, however she was fortunate to outlive.”

Whilst he spoke, he remembered Liel clearing the constructing with a murderous glare and rapidly brushed the goosebumps off his arms.

“I consider she is now again on the mansion with Younger Grasp Marsen.”

“If it had been me, I wouldn’t really feel properly if I had been caught in a collapse of this magnitude, however she went again?”

The curiosity in Dailor’s eyes intensified.

“That’s as a result of……. She wasn’t severely injured, and she or he got here to her senses shortly.”

The knights round him shook their heads in settlement. As if to show that there was no lie or exaggeration.

Seeing the diligent motion of their heads, Dailor lined his mouth with one hand. They remained silent for some time.

The knights didn’t suppose a lot of his sudden silence; they assumed he was simply marveling at Lucy’s luck, simply as they had been.

Dailor lowered his hand, smiled, and opened his mouth once more.

“Properly, it’s already too late, so let’s simply return now. There’s no level staying right here when it’s darkish and we are able to’t do any extra additional time.”

At his phrases, the knights left one after the other, murmuring as if they’d been ready.

However Dailor, who had insisted leaving now, simply stood there and waved in the back of their heads.

After some time, he was the one one left among the many particles.

It was then {that a} smile crept throughout his face, and he turned to take a look at the crumbling palace.

How completely happy his grasp can be when she hears this information.

No, quite the opposite, it would make issues worse. She stated that we mustn’t ever kill one aspect earlier than the opposite.

Even when it was simply to verify, Dailor had gone towards her orders and acted on his personal accord.

All he had was the boldness that if he was proper, he wouldn’t die for nothing.

After all, the end result was a bit ambiguous.

If issues had gone as deliberate, we’d have needed to simply keep away from this sort of state of affairs with none hurt, even when we didn’t survive.

“Something is feasible.”

Having completed one thing of significance, Dailor’s face beamed like a baby who’s simply completed his homework.

⁂

In comparison with the day when a uncommon incident occurred within the historical past of the empire, since then, nothing has occurred and it has been peaceable.

The one factor that was troublesome by my requirements on the time was that I used to be bombarded with incessant requests for my well-being from numerous homes.

The best way they checked out me like I used to be some sort of architectural marvel was additionally an issue, if not a burden.

Additionally, the variety of lesser demons hiding throughout the empire had noticeably decreased. Time has handed uneventfully, as if the occasions of that day had been a one-time catastrophe.

Till I used to be a blur in individuals’s reminiscences.

So easily, in actual fact, that earlier than I knew it, Liel had accomplished all of his credit and returned to the duchy, or extra precisely, to our manor.

The commencement ceremony was pushed again half a yr, to the identical time as Melissa’s, as a consequence of Liel taking a semester off from faculty.

His knighthood wasn’t granted till after commencement, so he spent the following half yr touring from place to position.

As together with his final trip, he by no means appeared to have the ability to keep in a single place.

So this time, I couldn’t resist asking. The place the hell is he going?

He informed me that he was touring backwards and forwards between the palace and the academy, taking commissions and earning money.

That was shocking sufficient, however what he stated subsequent was simply as shocking.

“Once I graduate, I’m transferring out. I want to arrange.”

Not solely was Liel diligent, however he was additionally organized.

He was already making ready to face on his personal.

“If I save a little bit extra, I’ll have the ability to purchase the mansion I’ve been eyeing.”

When he stated that, Liel’s face seemed unusually proud.

In spite of everything, he hadn’t spent sufficient time within the duke’s mansion to roam round our home or outdoors.

He in all probability would have wished to graduate and transfer out as quickly as he reached the age of maturity, however possibly that plan was derailed by me.

I handed the Templar papers to Liel and sat down throughout from him, and as I watched him signal the papers, I contemplated.

That is the seed I planted, so I need to assist him in any manner I can…….

I considered how neat Liel’s handwriting was underneath the nib, and at last spoke up.

“Liel.”

I referred to as out to him in a critical voice, and he stopped transferring his hand and lifted his head to take a look at me.

“Sure?”

“I’ve been considering, um…… I didn’t offer you an entrance examination present.”

“Entrance examination present?”

Liel’s eyes widened, as if he didn’t know why I discussed the previous occasions. After a second, he replied.

“We weren’t supposed to present one another one.”

Why?

He nonetheless didn’t appear to know why I used to be mentioning the concept of the doorway examination present. I made a decision this was the time to talk up.

“However we didn’t agree on commencement presents.”

I straightened up and placed on my greatest stern face, as if I had been about to present him a stern lecture, and he checked out me much more puzzled.

“Even when I appear like this, I’ve some cash.”

Not just a bit, however loads.

“And I don’t splurge with out considering.”

“Lucy?”

“So I’ve bought fairly a bit of cash readily available.”

I’m not touching the household finances, I’m spending my very own cash, so I suppose it’s okay.

“Would you like me to purchase you a mansion in your commencement?”

I didn’t say this to disrespect Liel, in spite of everything, he had saved sufficient cash to purchase a home in lower than half a yr.

It was only a pure favor and a congratulatory present from me.

After all, I used to be ready to stroll away if he refused. I didn’t need Liel to really feel pressured.

“….two homes are additionally doable”

As if he was hesitating to reply, I held up two fingers and added extra to my assertion.

Quickly after, together with his eyes solely blinking, Liel rapidly lined his mouth with one hand.

His shoulder barely trembled as he appeared to be holding again his laughter.

Are you making enjoyable of me proper now…?