Initially, the guard unit was quite puzzled by Miss Freya's presence at the training ground. However, after she swiftly defeated a formidable squad leader with just a few strikes, the entire guard unit gained a newfound respect for her. Moreover, due to her graceful figure and exceptional swordsmanship, she gradually earned the nickname 'Greenwood Flower'. On the field, seizing an opportunity, the unfamiliar guardsman launched a direct horizontal strike towards a gap in Damonstein's defense. 'Thunk!' The sound of wooden swords clashing filled the air. With the same swift reflexes, Damonstein deflected the attack and, with calm determination, swiftly extended his empty left hand, grabbing the guardsman who was still in the midst of the attack's momentum. His already robust arm instantly swelled once more with immense strength, lifting the guardsman of equal stature and slamming him forcefully into the ground. 'Bang!' A loud noise echoed, mingled with thick smoke, dispersing to reveal the silhouette of the fallen guardsman. The surrounding spectators erupted into cheers, indicating that this wasn't their first time witnessing such a spectacle. With the battle concluded and the outcome clear, Freya chose not to linger, instead retracing her steps back, her mind still replaying the recent scene.

Damonstein, promoted to deputy captain by Lord Howard himself, possessed almost knight-level strength and had been taught combat tactics by Howard, blending brutality with cunning. As Freya pondered their confrontation on the road, she realized that with her abilities, though she might not completely defeat Damonstein, she wouldn't have lost as miserably as the guardsman did. Furthermore, if the bout had taken place in a complex terrain, slowly wearing him down might have been possible... Yet, she also gleaned some valuable lessons from their fight, elements that needed to be integrated into her own swordsmanship.

While contemplating refining her swordsmanship, a sudden flurry of hoofbeats echoed in the distance. Riding along the castle's main road was the Baron himself, clad in silver armor atop a white steed, a pure black greatsword strapped to his back. Behind him trailed a group of armored cavalry and three large wagons covered in gray canvas. The Baron's stern visage and the heavy scent of blood permeating the air caused Freya, standing some distance away, to furrow her brows slightly. Soon, the Baron and his convoy arrived within the castle grounds. Dismounting, at the Baron's command, the canvas covering the wagons was lifted, revealing numerous large wooden crates, which were then carried into the castle by the cavalry.

Observing the crates, Freya's gaze flickered as she caught a glimpse of bright gold through the cracks. "Gold!" Freya exclaimed in disbelief. It wasn't difficult to guess the origin of these ten large crates. "Viscount Belta, despite the circumstances with his offspring, is willing to part with ten crates of gold... What does this mean?" Perplexed by the situation, Freya speculated. However, she refrained from delving further into these matters, as her primary focus now was on refining her swordsmanship and mindset. After all, in this world, possessing strength equated to having everything else.

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Returning to her modest bedroom, Freya noticed something new beside her desk: a sheathed broadsword and a short dagger, barely thirty centimeters in length, resembling a dagger. These were her recent developments and studies based on her experiences and observations in the training ground, exclusively tailored to her needs. The broadsword for frontal combat, and the dagger for concealed attacks. This unconventional approach had shown significant effectiveness in Freya's simulations, delivering fatal blows unexpectedly. Even a knight might fall victim if not careful. However, this combat style was still in its experimental phase, and Freya needed more practice.

After a brief practice session with her weapons in the bedroom, Freya was notified of dinner by a maid. Despite the meal being sparsely attended, with only a few individuals present, both the Baron and Howard, along with several senior guard members, were absent. Surveying the room, Freya frowned slightly as she picked up a bowl of creamy white fish soup, her gaze lingering on the empty seats. "Aunt Mary, where has Father gone?" Freya inquired directly to Mary, who stood behind her. "It seems there's trouble at the iron mine. The Baron and Lord Howard left before dinner," Mary respectfully replied. "Oh." Freya nodded. "By the way, do you know what's happening?" "I'm not sure about that... But Damonstein might have some insight. You can ask him later," Mary suggested with deference. As Mary was only responsible for various matters within the castle, she wasn't well-informed about certain specific matters. "Hmm, understood." Freya nodded, combining what she had seen at the training ground with the current situation.

After dinner, Freya proceeded directly to the castle's library. While she had perused most of the books inside, there were still a few untouched volumes. Unlocking the door with a key, she lit the oil lamps with a candle in hand, illuminating the once dark room. Following the corridor between the shelves, Freya reached the last shelf, deftly retrieving a thin booklet. By the flickering light, she slowly unfolded the booklet in her hands, revealing a folded map, shaped like the surrounding area of the Greenwood territory. Sitting on the floor, Freya began examining it carefully. With her finger, she quickly located the position of the iron mine. "Just as I thought..." Freya murmured. On the map, the iron mine was located at the corner between the Greenwood territory and the Belta territory, near the forest border, belonging to the intersection of the two territories. Combined with her past experiences, the iron mine was where the most incidents occurred annually. If there were any problems in the Greenwood territory, they would likely originate from the iron mine area. "Viscount Belta is actually willing to purchase this seemingly chaotic iron mine at a high price..." Freya furrowed her brow slightly, as if catching a clue, but then shook her head, feeling it unrealistic. "That would be treason..." Her azure eyes flashed with uncertainty, before she carefully restored the map and returned it to its place. In this world, treason was the greatest crime, without exception. Even if someone succeeded in treason, they often met a grim fate. After all, betrayal was universally regarded as despicable. However, Freya stored this bold speculation in her mind for future consideration.