19. 3 years ago (2)

In the evening of the royal capital, smoke was rising from the chimneys of every house.

Winter years are short. The clock was only pointing to 6 o’clock, but complete darkness engulfed the sky and the earth. The carriage carrying Theodora rattled through the evening streets. Theodora’s eyes furrowed at the comfort of the ride, which even empty words could not describe.

Sarah, the exclusive maid who served Theodora at the main house, was sitting across from Theodora. He must have followed Earl Benning from his family to the royal capital. Sara had a smile on her face as if she was glad to see her owner after a long time.

“Are you uncomfortable, miss?”

Theodora nodded, pressing her hand against the seat.

“It only takes a little while, so please be patient.”

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Sarah shrugged.

“I am already used to it. Running on horseback is her daily routine, so why is this uncomfortable?”

“It is different from words.”

Sarah smiled softly at Theodora.

“Why, Sarah?”

“No, just. I feel that the young lady has changed a lot.”

At those words, it was Maxim who immediately popped into Theodora’s mind.

“Is it because of that young boy Maxim?”

Theodora blushed slightly and glared at Sarah. With the exception of Maxim, Sarah was the only person she could show her emotions like this.

“You can’t talk about that at the villa.”

To Theodora’s warning, Sarah responded with a smile.

“I am well aware of it.”

The carriage continued to run for about 20 minutes until it reached a mansion in the capital. Although the scale was not large, it was a house located close to the royal palace. It was a villa that Count Benning used whenever he came to and from the capital. Theodora got out of the carriage and looked at the lit villa. The coachman accepted the tip that Sarah had given him, and drove away with a happy expression.

“It’s always rough here.”

Theodora muttered at the door of the villa. When Sarah looked at her from the side, as if concerned, Theodora smiled faintly, telling her not to worry.

“miss…”

“It’s okay, Sara.”

Theodora’s expression hardened and changed to her usual coldness. The front door of the villa opened. A neatly dressed servant walked out and bowed toward Theodora.

“Welcome to the villa, Miss Theodora. I will see you.”

Theodora glanced at the servant. The servant straightened his bow and walked into the mansion.

“The Count is waiting for you.”

The drawing room was not far from the hallway. Stepping on the soft rug, Theodora and Sarah cautiously entered the living room.

carefully.

In fact, it was not an expression that a daughter would use when meeting her father. If it weren’t for the Beninga. Theodora lost her mother when she was young and has been raised by her family’s retainers as mothers.

My memory of my mother is very vague. It was only when the portrait of her mother was in front of Theodora could recall that memory. At that time, stories about mothers and fathers could be heard from retainers and nannies. However, none of them were credible evidence.

My father gave denial, but was strict. It was rare to see his smile. Was it about when Theodora showed success in swordsmanship? But for some reason, Theodora as a child felt fear whenever he saw that smile.

In the middle of the drawing room sat Leon Benning. Dark hair and gray eyes resembling Theodora. However, unlike Theodora’s eyes, which looked like swirling dark clouds, their eyes were inorganic and cold, as if they were carved from gray crystals. His eyes closed as he looked at him, and he smiled wrinkled.

“Meet the family head.”

A fireplace was burning here too. Count Leon Benning tapped the armrest and opened his mouth.

“Long time no see, daughter.”

father. Count Leon Benning.

He was still feared by Theodora.

“Are you at peace?”

Leon Benning took a cup of tea and sipped.

“Sit down for a while and talk comfortably. Aren’t you in front of your father?”

“Yeah. father.”

Theodora hesitated and sat down on the sofa. It was an extremely soft texture, but she didn’t feel comfortable with it. Theodora turned her head to see another man sitting next to Count Leon Benning.

“It’s been a while, miss.”

“Baron Borden.”

For some reason, the head of the branch family, Emile Bordain, was sitting at the Bening family’s villa. Baron Borden showed a kind smile and slightly lowered his head. Theodora furrowed her brows slightly so as not to be seen.

“I called because I have something to discuss with Baron Borden. Never mind.”

said Leon Bening in an even voice.

“By the way, have you eaten?”

“I haven’t… yet.”

Theodora shook her head. Leon Benning nodded as if it was good.

“Then let’s talk over dinner.”

Leon Benning stood up with his hand on the armrest. Theodora followed him to the dining room of the villa.

Perhaps they even knew that Theodora would not have eaten, and already prepared meals for Theodora were steaming in the dining room. Leon Benning, sitting in the seat of honor, picked up the cut piece of meat with a fork. The bright red gravy dripped onto the meat and onto the plate with the fork.

“Listen, the final exams at the academy aren’t far away.”

Leon Benning turned his fork around and brought the meat to his mouth. Leon Benning slowly chewed and swallowed the meat.

“Are you preparing properly?”

Leon Benning’s eyes sharpen and stare at Theodora.

“As always, I am well prepared.”

Theodora replied pretending to be nothing.

“I guess so. Theodora, I have no doubt that you will do well.”

said Leon Bening, then took another piece of meat with his fork and brought it to his mouth.

“But the academy’s exams are always vigilant. Especially the final test.”

Leon Benning gave a meaningful look.

“The final exam will be quite difficult. Theodora. More than you can imagine.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,”

Leon Benning seemed to know something. Theodora did not think to ask what he knew. The story ended there. Conversation over the table was virtually non-existent, except for the occasional discussion of court politics between Leon Benning and Emile Bordain. Theodora silently emptied her plate without stepping out and saying anything.

“buy it.”

“Yes, Master.”

After eating, Leon Benning, who was wiping his mouth with a napkin, called to Sarah who was standing behind Theodora.

“Could you bring me some of that? About what I got today.”

“All right.”

Theodora followed Sarah’s back with her eyes as she left the dining room to run an errand for the count.

“A thing?”

Theodora asked, but Leon Benning did not answer as if he would spare no words.

Sarah reappeared at the restaurant, holding a small bag in her hand. The bag made a small rattling sound, as if it contained a glass bottle. Leon Benning opened the bag Sarah had brought and set it on the table. Then he took out the contents of the bag and showed it to Theodora.

“This…?”

What Leon Benning took out was a glass bottle, as expected. The thin-necked, fat-bodied glass bottle was filled with a blood-red liquid. Theodora had a hard time figuring out what that thing was.

“No way, is it a potion?”

Leon Benning nodded.

“A very strong beggar. As long as it’s not used on the dead, it’s enough to bring them back to life.”

Leon Benning stirred the bottle slightly.

“Take it. Use it in case of an emergency in the exam.”

Theodora accepted the glass bottle handed to her by Leon Benning with a bewildered expression.

“thank you.”

If the efficacy of the potion is as Leon Benning said, obtaining this potion was never easy. At least to the extent that a link with the Magic Tower is necessary. It wasn’t a halfway link, but a definite link was needed. Does that mean that his father was paying attention to his exam? Theodora swept the glass bottle containing the potion.

“Then, we stand up, Emil. Theodora, rest in peace.”

Leon Bening stood up with Emile Bordain. Theodora was staring blankly at the potion even after they left the cafeteria.

“You should use it well.”

Sarah was looking at the potion with a smile on her face. Theodora cherished the potion in her hand. There is one more way to protect Maxim in the final exam, which is not knowing what will happen.

—

The second floor of the villa, the head of the house.

Leon Benning was looking out the window with his hands behind his back. The carriage carrying Theodora and Sarah was disappearing into the dark street. The ‘potion’ was now in Theodora’s hands. All that was left was to wait for the academy’s final exams to end as scheduled.

“The conversation with the Magic Tower is over, right? Are you ready?”

Emile Bordain stood behind Leon Benning.

“of course. The dungeon, the testing ground, has certainly been renovated as the Count requested. If Lady Theodora and her enter together, the dungeon will change on its own.”

“You have to do everything in your power to drop one insect.”

Leon Bening clicked his tongue. Emile Bordin said as if consoling the Count.

“Isn’t this opportunity to deepen exchanges with the Mage Tower?”

“It was a huge waste of money. That’s how I told Theodora to focus only on the sword.”

Leon Benning sighed.

“Tsk, thanks to that, only the arrangements for the second prince, His Highness, have been delayed. It’s just a state of being thrown away.”

Leon Benning’s expression frowned. Silence hung in the study.

“…the head of the household.”

“Why is that, Emil?”

“But is it really okay to set the last guardian of the dungeon to target only Lady Theodora, not him?”

Emile Bordain asked.

“It’s okay, Maxim will definitely try to protect Theodora until the end.”

Leon Benning gave a fishy laugh.

“Think of the last guardian of the dungeon as tenaciously targeting only Theodora’s lover, not Theodora.

“You seem to trust her.”

“Sure. I didn’t expect it to change that much.”

Leon Benning turned his gaze to the distant night sky. The sky was not very clear.

“Great deal. Just remember the great precepts, the day to take over this kingdom is really not far off.”

Leon Benning repeated to himself.

—

The final exams have begun. Finally, the contents of the exam that the graduating class cadets will take caused quite a stir.

[Practice: 2 people in 1 group, underground dungeon attack.]

“Is there anyone who buys and visits dungeons these days?”

“If it was created, it would be necessary to subjugate it, but… did the knight do such a thing?”

“This is what I meant when I said anything could happen.”

Senior cadets were puzzled by the contents of the test, but they generally seemed to be able to understand it. There was even a strange feeling of anticipation among the cadets who took the theory test. It was a test to conquer a dungeon that he had never experienced before and had only heard about in someone’s adventure story. In a way, it was only natural that the hearts of the inexperienced cadets were excited.

“Now, pay attention!”

The bald instructor’s shout pierced the restless minds of the cadets. It was an exceptionally cold day, even for an early winter. It seemed that the time had come for the cold wave from the north to hit in earnest. Maxim focused on the instructor with a feeling of half excitement and half worry. The neck was empty. The scarf wrapped around his neck had already been wrapped around Theodora.

“As everyone has been notified, the final exam you will take from now on will be held in the dungeon provided by the Mage Tower.”

The instructor pointed at his back with his thumb. Behind the shade of the dense forest, there was a huge cave with its mouth wide open.

“Your goal is to go down through all the elements that guard the dungeon, and defeat the guardian that guards the core at the bottom of the dungeon.”

The instructor gave a glance towards the dungeon.

“That dungeon will test all of you. Ability to cope with situations, instant judgment, strategic tactics… And if you fight recklessly while wearing the Aura Blade, the dungeon will collapse, so the use of the Aura Blade will be considerably limited.”

The instructor encouraged the cadets with a final effort.

“Do your best to attack and come back. I’ll give you points according to the method and time. In case of an emergency, don’t forget to call the instructor.”

Maxim turned his gaze to Theodora, who was slightly away. Just then, Theodora, who turned her head to him, met his eyes. Theodora grinned cautiously.

Fighting today.

Maxim smiled at her. It felt like a group like her could overcome anything that happened.

Really, it seemed possible.