It was a poor village.

That was Saul’s impression upon seeing where Lotte lived. It was at a close distance to the similarly in poor condition manor, that Byrne lived in. Still, it wasn’t too bad.

Living his former life as a noble had long been pushed in the back of his mind. He’d been in filthier places and eaten filthier food he never imagined before. Still, his current life was better than that.

Besides,

“The whole village looks clean.”

Unlike the cities he’d visited, the people wore, worn but clean clothes. The scenery was full of farmlands instead of stone houses and taverns. There were no greasy men drinking mead in the middle of the road and everyone diligently did farm work or basked in the sun.

There’s rarely any trash on the road, and no smoke comes from smithies or workshops.

It was just like her home. Far from the cities and encased in high walls, although instead of wheat, colorful flowers decorated their land.

“Of course. We have a proper trash disposal system and a general cleaning every month. The militia had no purpose so I suggested working their bones a little bit.”

Saul blinked. ‘A system?’ He didn’t know what Lotte meant, but judging by the smug grin on the boy's face, he was taking credit for it all. Saul doubted him. Yet, somehow, a small part of him thought it wasn’t impossible.

The way Lotte carried himself was strange like that, he appeared easy going yet he’s still smarter and sharper than him, especially during lessons.

He’s almost always cheerful and unperturbed even when they train, like he was living his life to the fullest at all times. He always had something to say and sometimes caused Byrne’s rare annoyed face to resurface.

‘Not as much as he annoys me though.’

His outlook in life was also much different than him.

“We’re here.”

They stood in front of a thatched house that gave off a rather cozy ambiance. But his eyes wandered to the house they had just come from, the one where the rude girl lived. It was only a few house apart. The village was smaller than he thought.

“It’s not as large as Yona’s residence back there, but its comfortable to live in.” Lotte went ahead and went inside.

Upon entering three blonde heads peeked out from behind a shelf.

‘C-cute!’ Saul’s deadpan expression finally cracked as his eyes sparkled.

Seeing that, Lotte smiled, proud of himself and his idea. Anyone would find his sisters adorable, they were a blessing from the heavens in this boring ass world. He was glad that it seemed to cheer up Saul.

“They’re my three precious sisters. They were all born at the same time. Amazing right?” Lotte beckoned for them to come over as they all stuck to his sides. They gazed at Saul silently, perhaps curious about the rather dark color of his hair.

“T-Three at the same time?” Saul gulped. Back when he was young, they were taught how women gave birth. He heard that it was very painful and that laboring was an arduous nine months. He never knew that three children at once was possible.

“Their mother?”

“She died giving birth.” Lotte shrugged and uttered without batting an eye.

“Oh! I-I’m sorry… “ Saul reflexively apologized. His stomach tightened, since he also knew how it feels to lose someone. He tried to match Lotte’s detached expression, but it unsettled him how he could just say it so casually. If he thought about it, then it must’ve happened years ago looking at his grown up siblings.

Would the pain fade away for him too then? Is he going to be as unperturbed as Lotte as time passes?

“It’s alright. I’ve come to terms with it quite a long time ago.”

…

An awkward silence followed. He thought that Lotte brought him here for a reason, but he didn't know what it is and he had nothing to say. The three kids only looked at him with curiosity but didn’t approach.

“… Hey, you three, what are you guys doing? Your brother brought a friend, introduce yourselves.” The three clinging on his sides sprang up to action as if only realizing that Saul was a person after staring at him.

“Hello, I am Alea! I’m the eldest of us three!” Alea had a high pitched voice and a smiling face, Saul felt like he was looking at a miniature Lotte, without the red hair.

“I’m Edna… Um, father said I’m the eldest though?” Edna was the tallest and is rather tanned compared to the other two. Her voice was meek and faint, likely embarrassed at meeting someone new.

“Guin. Nice to meet you.” This one gave Saul the strangest impression. She was the palest and smallest of the three and showed the least expression compared to the other two. She neither seemed embarrassed or excited, only staring at him intently.

Lotte then looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for a response.

“T-they look like good kids, I guess.”

“Not that. Its your turn, Saul.”

‘My Turn?’

Saul had always been surrounded by older people that took care of him, so this is a new experience he didn’t know how to approach. He’s always been the younger one.

“H-hello. I’m Saul. I’m an acquaintance of your brother… “ He forced a smile and tried to present himself as proper as possible but he failed as his words trailed off.

Lotte, seemingly unsatisfied by Saul’s introduction, quickly chimed in. “He’s my junior apprentice. We’re training together under a knight.” With a triumphant smirk, Lotte added “I already beat him twice too.”

The siblings simultaneously uttered an amazed ‘whoa!’ and clapped their hands hearing that.

‘This guy? He’s annoying even in front of his sisters too?’

“Ugh.” Saul rolled his eyes and almost cursed in front of the other kids, he wondered if Lotte had done something to brainwash his siblings. They admired him a bit too much too easily.

Afterwards, Lotte gathered them around a table with a tower made of pieces of wood.

“Alright we’re playing Jenga!”

“Jenga?” Saul frowned, hearing the lame name of the game.

“Yes.” It’s a rather easy game to replicate. Lotte just had to request the village craftsman he got along with to craft it using his descriptions. Although he didn’t actually know how it was played, it’s easy to just make up his own rules.

“We stack these pieces of wood to make a tower, and remove them separately below the highest removed layer to get them out of the formation like this.” Lotte gently pushed a piece of wood in the middle out. “Then we stack the ones we get on top of it without making it fall apart. The one who makes it fall apart will be the loser.”

Lotte’s siblings were already excited and familiar already with the game, since they exclusively had access to it because only Lotte had it in the village, meanwhile Saul couldn’t believe that he’s really seeing a new game for the first time.

Back in the household, he also liked playing, but the toys popular with young nobles didn’t appeal to him that much. He preferred picking flowers and riding in a horse with his father to go around their house. Most of his other memories… were fun times he spent with his brother, but he’d rather not recall it anymore.

But who would play without a reward? Lotte decided to part with his short sword if Saul won the game, and cook the favorites of his sisters if one of them wins or if he loses.

And the whole time, Guin was staring at Saul, making him slightly uncomfortable.

“Is something on my face?” Saul asked as nicely as possible. In turn, Guin tilted her head with a questioning gaze. “Are you… a sister?”

“!!”

“Pft!”

“A pretty sister…” Alea innocently chimed in too.

“Puhaha! Yes, she’s a pretty sister!”

“S-Shut up! Don't call me pretty!”

Saul eventually lost his composure because Lotte laughed at him too much. Lotte, knowing Saul’s tendency to seclude himself, made his punishment as the loser the condition to agree to hanging out with him and his sisters the next time he asks.

He knew that this former noble kid would honor his promise to accept the punishment, since he was still too young to conclude that he could just not do it since it’s not a big deal. And indeed, Saul could only grit his teeth reluctantly. On the outside at least.

After that, Saul felt like he just saw a whole new world. Lotte had more collections of games in his house, such as familiar games like darts that only the adults could play. He always wanted to try throwing some, Lotte even told him that its a good practice for throwing knives…

Eventually the sun set and night came. Saul felt out of place as he had dinner with Lotte’s whole family.

‘The food was much tastier than what Byrne cooks..’

But in the corner of his mind, Lotte’s porridge whenever he got sick was still the best he’d ever eaten. He shook his head to snap out from his thoughts.

For a moment Lotte didn’t seem so bad in his eyes anymore. The scummy and annoying kid who beat him up while lying that he’s exploiting Byrne was also a doting brother who made up silly games and entertained his sisters.

It was supposed to be a warmhearted scene but Saul felt a pang of pain in his chest. And even envy.

‘If that tragedy never happened…’

More than ever, he realized what his life could’ve been. He saw just how valuable the happiness that was taken away from him is.

‘Why?’

The questions popped up again.

‘Why did he do it?’

A familiar face came to mind. From the kindest smile to the cold and bloodied smirk.

“Hey!”

“Huh?”

“You’re making that expression again.” Lotte was now standing before him.

After dinner Saul had excused himself to go to the bathroom. But Lotte didn't remember telling Saul where to relieve himself.

“Didn’t you know that expressions like that can make you ugly?” Then again, it must have little effect on a face like Saul’s.

It turned out that this guy was sulking again, but despite having that distorted face he was still looking pretty like a distressed damsel. At this point, he was tired of noticing Saul’s features that gets apparent day by day.

“Lotte…” Saul’s eyes were misty and his expression on the verge of crying evoked an urge to protect him from the bottom of his heart. Lotte was beginning to think that there’s something strange going on with him whenever he sees Saul. There’s always that sense of confusion.

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‘Hm?’ Lotte thought that it was strange. He definitely thinks that Saul is a boy, but his feminine features were too strong. While he’s as handsome as he is pretty, he’s still going to be a man in the end. But there was this irking feeling at the back of his mind he couldn’t get rid of.

Looking at Lotte’s dazed expression, Saul bit his lip and clasped something dear to him. A pendant he had been keeping since he was forced to run away from home. A rust covered four pointed star, clasped by a crescent moon.

‘Right! He must be one of those! A trap character!’ Lotte realized at that moment what had been bugging him. He almost forgot that authors tend to put trap characters in the world of their novels too.

Lotte stared at Saul and their eyes met.

“You’re a trap!” Lotte said in a rather excited voice and nodded.

“Huh?” Somehow Saul felt extremely offended at that remark.

He wanted to go back to the manor but Lotte stopped him suddenly. Rough hands covered his cheeks as their eyes met again.

Lotte used his thumbs to squeeze his cheeks up ‘gently’.

“Wut ar yu dowinng!-“ He tried to shake him off but he held firmly enough to keep him in place.

Then he saw Lotte smile. It was a faint smile.

It was also a familiar smile. It was one he would always see, looking up excitedly as he swung in the air. Whenever his brother came home… He always comes first to greet her.

But that brother… He had turned into a tyrant now. A tyrant who ruthlessly annihilated any competitions and opposition in the family. A bloody usurper.

Lotte looked nowhere near like his brother but their faces overlapped. He was cheerful, confident and smart like Lotte. He always chased his back. He was amazing and reliable.

At this moment it finally sank in that she had lost everything. There was nothing left for her in that household even if she goes back.

She was truly alone.

The cold wind of the night blew, as the leaves stroking the grasslands made a sound. Something tickled Lotte’s face while the wind blew. Funnily enough it felt like hair.

“You should try to smile. I haven’t seen you smile since meeting you.” Lotte uttered weakly, his eyes half lidded and unfocused.

“I mean, there’s so much more to life… Damn kid, just don’t be sad all the time, it makes me feel bad teasing you, okay?” The hands that were holding her began to loosen. Lotte didn’t know why, but what he was feeling right now reminded him of a certain feeling right before coming to this world. He was becoming drunk rapidly.

“What’s happening to me? Saul, you look… really different.”

Clasping her glowing pendant, she pushed Lotte lightly. Even so, the boy was still trying hard to stare at him even if his vision was probably blurring already. As if he was burning the sight before him.

“This is your fault too…” She looked at the pendant and a soft and completely different voice had come out form her mouth.

Since she was alone… There was no need to be afraid. There’s nothing she’s going to lose, nor will anyone lose her. She felt peaceful. She looked at the boy before her.

‘If I ever disappear… will this annoying guy be sad? Cry? Or get angry? Will he remember me for the rest of his life?’

The face of her brother was suddenly clearer than ever in her memories. But that too was long gone. That man wasn’t her brother. Something else must have replaced him. Something sinister.

She decided that it was so. In order to resolve herself.

Lotte by this time was wobbling like he’s drunk.

She had to bask her pendant on the moon everyday. The effects of the pendant's charm were lasting shorter and shorter as time passed. Now even her true self had been revealed to an outsider. An outsider from all the circumstances that surrounds her.

Lotte slowly lost his footing and fell down. But ‘she’ caught him before he hit the ground. If this was before she trained, Lotte would be a significant weight to bear, but now, its doable even with a slight difficulty.

‘I can carry you now too.’

She was reminded of the times she found herself at the back of this boy. With a smirk plastered on his face, and uttering annoying remarks. There wasn’t a day that she didn’t get annoyed.

There also wasn’t a day where Lotte wasn’t with her. Even more often than Byrne.

She wondered… If one person, just one person could possibly replace everything that she lost?

After looking at his face for a while, she didn’t know what to do. So she just gently laid down Lotte on the ground and left.

Lotte woke up in his bed the next day, feeling refreshed, but without any memories of when Saul left after dinner. It made him regretful and annoyed that he didn’t know the results of his plan.

Upon going to their very own training grounds he polished himself, he was surprised to find someone else there before him. He was wearing the clothes he’d given him due to not having his own, holding a wooden sword and swinging it.

Based on his wet hair and rough breaths, he had been training there for quite some time.

‘Impossible, Saul woke up before me and is even training?’ He needed to wake up Saul often for oversleeping, so he couldn’t believe the sight before him.

As if feeling his gaze, Saul turned around and their eyes met.

“Ah…”

Saul let out a rather soft surprise.

“H-Hey… uh.” His eyes nervously darted around. Then, as if resolving himself, he looked straight at Lotte and said,“Good morning.” Saul tried to smile as best as he could, resulting in a crooked mouth instead.

Lotte stood stunned for a moment before leaning back with a smirk. “Oh? Finally practicing how to smile now? Gotta say, it’s an improvement from your usual grumpy face.”

At that Saul immediately frowned and the smile he tried so hard to show disappeared completely. But his face remained slightly tinged with pink.

Meanwhile, a certain gaze from somewhere looked at them.

…

“I want to ask you something.”

The boy, who had introduced himself as Saul, now stood before Byrne. It was a promising sign that the boy had finally calmed down enough to approach him. Initially, he wouldn’t even touch the food Byrne had left outside the room he occupied.

“Did you really abandon them to die?”

It was days before Saul started training with Lotte. Byrne had been peacefully idling when Saul, who had wailed and called him a traitor during their first meeting, approached him with such a ridiculous question. He wondered for a moment if it was by the instigation of that cheeky brat, Lotte. That kid had a way of poking at things better left untouched.

But he shook his head and dismissed the idea. He might be too curious for his own good, but he wouldn’t go that far… or would he?

He made a mental note to probe the boy tomorrow…

As for this other kid, it was best to keep silent. Any more words will only lead to more questions. While it may seem heartless, he believed that the least he could do for the boy, possibly a hidden child of his lord, is steer him away from the thoughts of revenge

But the boy didn’t seem fazed by his lack of response. After his scuffle with Lotte, Saul realized that he had nothing that could move anyone and aid his revenge. That includes Byrne who's a vassal of his father. His loyalty after all lay in his father, rather than his children.

However right in front of him is one of the people who might be able to make his goal possible. The boy tightened his fist and brought up his courage to speak.

“If you don’t want to answer, fine. But at least, train me too.”

‘What could’ve led to this idea?’ The old man already had Lotte to deal with, but now, this other kid with familiar features is bothering him too. He already told him not to think of revenge, as a bastard son has no right to fight for the family’s position as an heir.

Furthermore, the current head and patriarch is the youngest son of the lord who has long reached a suitable age, making him a legitimate heir even with his bloodstained methods. And…

An unknown child bearing the features of a noble household will absolutely be silenced without mercy. Looking at how the current patriarch took control, there's little doubt that it will happen.

‘Does he want to train in order to get revenge?’

Unfortunately, even that will be an empty and futile struggle. Since he never heard about this kid from Saul of all people, he must not be valued too highly, or is someone he needed to hide. Perhaps if the kid's mother has a problematic background…

Byrne stared at the kid. He closely resembled his friend. Then who was the mother?

“Before answering that, tell me, who are your real parents?”

The kid gulped nervously, appearing as if he could fall over at any moment. He noticed bruises and dirt that were not here before.

“My father is… Saul von Asher. And my mother, Linea von Licescia.”

‘Again?’ The certainty in the kids' eyes troubled Byrne. If he didn’t know Saul and Linea personally, he might have believed the claim. But to name both the former patriarch of the Asher household and his only wife as his parents? Was he raised believing he’s a legitimate child?

‘Did the young miss have a hidden twin?’ But it made no sense to hide such a child.

A desperate shout pulled him out of his thoughts.

“If you don’t plan on taking revenge then I will!” The boy shouted, his voice almost cracking.

“I will do anything… to become stronger, so please.”

“Even if you refuse, I still won't give up. I will succeed or die trying!” With gritted teeth, and trembling voice, the kid looked nowhere intimidating despite his proclamation.

It made him wonder if he even knew what the meaning of his desires carry and what kind of life he was trying to live. But a false hope would only make the child waste his days away with the thoughts of revenge. He cannot acquiesce with the boy's wish. In this way, he didn’t need to take him out

of this village either.

Byrne braced himself for a lengthy conversation to convince the kid, but what happened next took him by surprise.

The boy reached for the necklace around his neck. The rusted, weathered chain caught the light as he lifted it over his head, and Byrne felt a strange sense of unease. A faint glimmer shone from the necklace despite its current state.

He nearly forgot the the kid possessed the same necklace worn by his lord. Only it was different, weathered and rusted unlike the pristine necklace he’d seen Saul wearing before.

But whatever it was, it no longer mattered. The instant it left the boy’s neck, Byrne’s senses shifted.

There was a faint distortion at the edge of his vision, like heat waves rising off from flames. Then came the prickling sensation at the back of his neck. A warning that magic is being used.

As a knight with considerable experience that had lived for more than sixty years, there were countless times that he encountered magic practitioners.

Hexes, curses, and illusions were familiar threats, especially as the leader of numerous operations. He had been a prime target, and his experience taught him to sense and counter malicious spells.

He knew when a wizard directed their malicious intent towards him and what kind of spells they were capable of. Sometimes, the attacks they employed showed no signs of being cast and before you knew it, damage was already done.

In such cases priests with purifying power are necessary or circulating one’s aura in order to clear the body of such impurities slowly.

It had been over a year since Byrne last practiced those techniques, yet now that familiar sensation came back. The unmistakable feeling of a charm being dispelled and his perception snapping back to clarity set his instincts on edge. Somewhere along the line, he had been put under a charm.

And now, the child before him had revealed their true self.

“How?” His voice left a whisper of disbelief.

Along the storm of shock and disbelief, a bitter ache clawed at his chest. Standing before him was not the boy he had thought to be an illegitimate child, but the young miss he had seen dead with his own eyes.

The young miss who once lived a carefree life is now only a shadow of the innocent girl he remembered. Her smile disappeared and the cheerful light in her gaze was replaced by eyes filled with resentment.

“I’m asking you, as a descendant of the von Asher family.”

Byrne’s breath hitched.

“Even though I have nothing to offer. Even though I’m not my dear father. And even if you had left, knowing the atrocity that took place...” She reached with her small and delicate hands.

‘Must it really be…’

“Help me take down my brother, The usurper. The murderer.”

‘.. her of all people to bear the curse of revenge?’

He wanted to argue. To beg her to abandon this path. But his voice failed him.

Instead, he saw her trembling eyes on the verge of tears. Could he let her carry this burden? Could he allow the young miss to stain her hands with the blood of her kin?

And the hands she reached out. Those weren’t the hands of someone prepared to take revenge. Those hands were lost, as if looking for something, or anything at all to hold onto. At this moment, he was the only hope that she could see.

Should he be relieved that the young miss had survived, or grieve for the cruel fate that left her alive to bear a thirst for revenge? Is revenge going to be her only purpose to live?

Hesitation.

It plagued him like a disease.

But similarly, his sadness at the moment when lost his family. His grief each time a comrade died. His anger when he found that the household he served had fallen in the hands of a tyrant. A tyrant from the very same blood that flowed in his lord's veins.

It drove his selfish desires aflame that he had been driving away at the corner of his heart for years.

He had lived holding himself back. At the very least, in his remaining years…

‘I will do it myself.’

He cannot let the young miss stain her hands with the blood of her kin. For once in his life, he will be selfish and break his bow to Saul to never raise his sword against his son.

From that day onwards, he was no longer a knight bound by his oath.

“… As you wish.” He put his hand over hers. It was almost thrice the size and was calloused compared to hers. But this hand, he swore and vowed to protect.

At first she gasped in surprise. But relief seemed to take her over as her trembling calmed down and smiled. The uncanny gaze filled with resentment disappeared like a lie, replaced by a faint and expectant smile. The light in her eyes had returned.

“Y-you will?”

Even after all that she went through… That light has yet to fade.

But that smile also meant that she still has a long way to go from taking her revenge. Time will teach her what revenge truly meant. And when the day came for her to face her brother, it might not be too late to turn back.

From tomorrow onwards Saul, or rather Solyia will become part of the training Lotte went under. This also meant that he needed to change his approach.

It was unfortunate that his swordsmanship is different to von Asher’s technique but he knew parts of it to a certain extent.

“I‘m so glad… hic…”

The young miss who faced him with such conviction teared up for the rest of the day.

***

As time passed Byrne increased the intensity of their training. They still spent the same time training, but more variety and intensity were finally included, such as unarmed combat, stretching and weapons training.

He desired to train them on various weapons until they had a certain degree of familiarity with it, while also looking where their potential lies.

Lotte as usual showed overwhelming results. He managed to understand how to use a weapon much faster, while Saul lagged behind and moved a bit more clumsily. However he was pleased to see that Saul has finally managed to train without being bothered about his loss against Lotte.

It was a good sign. And just as he expected, both of them wielded the sword better than any other weapons. As he watched the two of them, Byrne gradually realized…

That Saul would win had he spent the same time training from the start. It has only been a few months, but he knew how heavy Lotte swung his sword. It was nothing short of abnormal for a kid. Still, it was at a manageable degree.

But Saul who spent even less training and had a frail body adapted by parrying and counter without breaking his flow. Unfortunately he couldn’t keep up due to the limits of his stamina and speed. Meanwhile Lotte overwhelmed Saul with sheer strength and speed on top of the occasional tricks that catch Saul off guard.

He could call it a dirty and unfair way of fighting, but the results can’t be denied. Lotte was the perfect training partner for Saul. Those were the exact type of opponents he needed to learn dealing with.

Maybe because Lotte realized it himself, Byrne had seen him training even during the nights despite the already difficult ordeal they had to go through in the day. Lotte had gone into a training frenzy.

Stopping him came to mind, but considering his dream to get out of this village, he will need more strength than what he currently has.

‘At the very least, he needs to awaken…’

He already gave both of them the method. It was all up to their potential to harness the strength they need. Now, only time can tell when they are ready to face the world.

He remembered the day Saul revealed his true identity.

The young miss and daughter of his friend.

Wearing the pendant his friend kept for ‘emergency measures’.

He never knew what its purpose was, but that was the answer Saul gave when he asked. He never thought that it would be a kind of charm that can overturn and ‘plant’ an illusion in a person's head and that it would end in the hands of the young miss.

Even now from afar, had the young miss not revealed himself and excluded him among the targets of the charm, he would be thinking of her as an unknown boy and a bastard child.

She had inquired about the truth of what happened that day and if there’s anything more she needed to know regarding her fathers death. Unfortunately, the events left me unaware of what had transpired as I was away on a mission when it took place.

The deed had been done, and only the bodies were left.

There was only the memory of taking an oath to my lord, at not raising my hand against the young master and the household when I came back. I had thought that it was a successors fight that would transpire, but to my dismay, the youngest had usurped his position through bloodshed.

I had come too late despite trying to finish the mission as fast as possible. I wanted to strike down the bastard, but I had to restrain myself and honor my last memories of him.

At least, at that moment. But now, that one moment is enough. There will never be a second precedence.

‘Forgive me, Saul…’

This old heart of mine has grown more fickle on the inside, as time passed. I can only allow it once.

Should the young miss surpass my expectations… There will be no one to stop her from taking her revenge.

And the same goes for me.

My emotions boiled and led me to awaken from my meditation.

‘It seems there's still a long way to go…’

In order to regain my strength, I had resumed training myself. Ever since I knew that my sword was needed once again. Whether its through supporting the young miss, or aiding her revenge.

After a year and half of spending my days in wallowing, my old body deteriorated more than I thought.

Even so.

‘It will be enough.’

With a swing, the water on the river parted as the droplets reflected the moonlight.

Byrne, holding a mere branch, stood by the side of a river. Countless fish that were swarming around the river were swept and fell on the ground. Gathering the fishes he disappeared towards the direction of the manor.

The next day, the smell of cooked fish filled his manor. Lotte grinned as he laid out dish after dish on their tables. Byrne sat back, watching as the children dug in with eager appetites. Solyia ate quietly, but there was a faint smile on her lips—a fleeting reminder of the girl she once was.

Byrne allowed himself a rare moment of peace as he watched them. He knew the days ahead would be grueling, but for now, this was enough.