Before Roland could utter a word, Egilina swiftly explained:

"Roland, I know you are kind-hearted and share a close bond with them. I was afraid you couldn't bring yourself to do it, so..."

After a long silence, Roland finally sighed deeply and said in a solemn voice, "Thank you, Egilina."

Egilina had anticipated Roland's possible reactions—sadness, anger, complaints, rebuke—but she never expected a "thank you" to be his response.

Having just endured a harsh political lesson from her teacher, Egilina's heart was encased in frost. Yet, Roland's simple expression of gratitude managed to warm it.

"Do you not blame me?"

"I know that you were protecting me, even if your act was a bit extreme."

Roland sighed softly and asked in a low voice, "What do you think I'll do to them?"

"I think you'll at least forgive Lana. Julie might be punished but will have a chance to survive."

Egilina did not disclose the reasoning behind her guess. After all, a few flirtatious glances from a beautiful maid could easily sway a young and vigorous nobleman. Some things are better left unsaid, as everyone desires to maintain their dignity; for nobles, liaisons with maids are hardly news.

Roland, unaware of Egilina's expression, pondered for a moment before quietly saying, "I will sentence Julie to hanging, leaving her body intact. Lana will serve five years in prison and will be settled on the land to farm after her sentence."

Egilina was surprised by Roland's decision. That was no difference to execution. What difference did it make to the condemned whether it was beheading or hanging? On the other side, five years of imprisonment followed by hard labor was no better than death. Given the medical conditions in the Minhausen barony, Lana's chances of surviving the five years were slim.

After a moment of silence, Egilina laughed self-deprecatingly. Had she known Roland to be so ruthless, she wouldn't have involved herself.

A slight blush of embarrassment appeared on her cheeks, and she muttered, somewhat defiantly:

"I didn't expect you to be so heartless, to kill a maid that served you closely."

Roland nearly choked on Egilina's words. He immediately replied:

"The maids signed a work contract. Julie and Lana both wished to include a clause about not serving me on the bed, and I had to respect their will."

Egilina stared at Roland and finally couldn't help but laugh. Roland, feeling somewhat embarrassed, huffed:

"It's a right bestowed by the gods. How could I possibly defy it?"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"No you cannot. But, you can make it flexible."

Egilina, sensing Roland's displeasure, quickly composed herself.

"They could include a clause not to initiate sharing a bed, and you could require their close service to satisfy your desires."

"Isn't that just playing with words?"

"You're right. It's all about playing with words."

Egilina calmly said, "The ultimate interpretation is up to you. You've been tricked by two maids."

Seeing Roland on the verge of an outburst, she quickly stood up and changed the subject. "I must go now. I need to arrange a viscounty for you."

"One more thing. The decision to execute Julie and Lana was mine, but it was Granni who carried it out. She believes that killing traitors is also a meritorious deed. Think about how you want to reward her."

Egilina arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly, disappearing into thin air.

Roland had no time to retain her, as he already saw Granni standing at the door.

"Master, are you alright?"

"They won't mistreat me since I’m a noble. How about you? Did they treat you bad?"

Roland looked at Granni with concern. He motioned for her to come closer, carefully inspecting her from head to toe, worried she might have been wronged without saying anything.

Granni, uneducated but highly sensitive to emotions, had never experienced such concern before. Roland had always been kind to her, but it had always been within the bounds of a master-servant relationship. It was different this time. It was the warmth of a strong embrace, a feeling she hadn't experienced since childhood.

Granni closed her eyes. Roland was inspecting her, asking questions, and she just replied with smile without saying a word.

After ensuring Granni was alright, Roland patted her shoulder, signaling her to sit down. Well, Roland stood 6 feet 2, strong and muscular, but Granni was even a few inches taller than him. Fortunately, he was only eighteen and might still grow in height.

"Granni, I heard from Egilina that you executed the traitors by hand?"

"Master, I... I was reckless. But I couldn't help myself at that moment!"

Granni bowed her head, cautiously preparing to recount the execution process, but Roland waved her off.

"Granni, forget about them and this incident."

"As you command!"

Watching Granni's clear eyes, Roland smiled warmly. In this mock battle, his greatest gain wasn't those unlocked achievements, nor the two thousand divine gold coins, but Granni, that barbarian maid. Faced with a crisis, Julie and Lana chose betrayal, while Granni fought to the last moment.

Julie and Lana, being clerks, would probably be fine even in defeat, likely just changing masters. Yet, they fled. Granni, a combatant directly involved in the fight, would likely be killed in vengeance if defeated, but she showed no fear.

Loyalty must be rewarded.

Roland looked at Granni tenderly.

"Granni, from now on, you are my second guardian knight, the Blackrock Knight."

"Master, how did you know our tribe's name translates to Blackrock?"

Granni asked excitedly.

Seeing her innocent smile, Roland also laughed. In a world where everyone is scheming for their own benefit, Granni was truly an anomaly. An anomaly that needed his protection.

He smiled and said, "I know many things. You're a knight now; follow me and learn well. Don't let outsiders say you lack the demeanor of a noble."

"How dare they! I'll... hehe, you're right, Master. I'll start to learn, okay?"

Roland nodded, appreciating this aspect of Granni. She knew she wasn't bright but was willing to listen.

A mere knight's title was insufficient to commend Granni's loyalty and bravery. Roland thought hard and decided to use the divine gold coins he earned for a set of armor for Granni. As a warrior always at the forefront, she needed the sturdiest equipment. Yet, this still wasn't enough.

Roland's lips curved into a smile, his eyes brightening as he spoke aloud, "Granni, since you’re a noble now, you can't live like a barbarian anymore."

"I'll hire the best teachers for you. You start school tomorrow, beginning with reading and writing!"

"Ah?"

Granni's smile froze. She thought to herself:

“That’s horrible! Here comes the punishment!”