When Count Argon's estate in the east awoke, it buzzed with activity as usual. Servants fetched water, lit fires in the hearths, and moved around, pulling carts filled with supplies, filling the mansion with bustling sounds. The once-stagnant atmosphere, brought on by the battle with the Behemoth, had regained its lively energy thanks to visitors from the west.

“Marion, could you help me with this?”

One of those visitors, Marion Bordin, was going through what might be the busiest time in her life. With her sharp blue eyes, she tried to take in everything happening in the kitchen.

“Yes, of course.”

Marion’s primary instructor in her duties was none other than Countess Irina Argon, wife of Count Argon, and Baroness Louise Apart, Maxim’s mother.

“You’ve gotten quite good at preparing tea. Would you like to try making some on your own today?”

Countess Irina handed Marion some tea leaves with a kind smile. Over the past few months, Marion had brought a gentle warmth to the otherwise quiet mansion, and Countess Irina had grown fond of her. The mask covering half of Marion’s face didn’t matter to the countess.

Marion had been the one to make the first request.

Feeling indebted to the Argon family, Marion asked if she could help around the house to repay their kindness. At first, the countess had been hesitant, unsure of what to think of this masked, somber child. But she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

Marion, having grown up sheltered and knowing little of her father’s coldness, wasn’t expected to be much help at first. Thus, the countess suggested she learn some of the household duties. Since then, Baroness Apart and Countess Irina had become Marion’s new tutors, quietly guiding her through daily chores.

Over time, Countess Irina became more than just a teacher to Marion—she became a friend and a strong supporter.

“Good. You remember not to steep the tea leaves when the water is too hot, otherwise, it becomes too bitter.”

As Marion waited for the water to cool to the right temperature, the countess praised her, causing Marion to blush deeply. Passing servants looked at the two with warmth, as if watching a mother and daughter.

“You’re too kind with your compliments.”

“Not at all, Marion. You’re learning so well. I never had the chance to share this kind of time with my own daughter. Teaching you makes me think I should’ve done this with her.”

The countess smiled gently, while Marion, overwhelmed by the kindness, didn’t quite know how to respond. But the countess knew this, and so she made it her mission to help Marion grow accustomed to gentleness.

How could the Bordin family have made the heartless decision to cast away a child like this? Countess Irina’s expression shifted between sadness, a touch of anger, and pride as she thought of Marion.

Finely chopped tea leaves were placed in the strainer. Today’s tea would be delightful, so much so that she would almost be reluctant to serve it to her husband.

The water poured over the tea leaves, filling the room with a gentle aroma.

“Of course, I could leave the servants to prepare the tea for the count, but... I prefer to make it myself in the mornings. Some might ask why a countess would bother with such tasks...”

As the countess spoke, Marion was busy peeling apples, her knife moving gracefully. The countess gave a satisfied nod.

“It was a political marriage, but we’ve been happy. I’ve never felt unfortunate because our union was arranged for political reasons. My husband has always been genuine with me, and I’ve always been genuine with him.”

Lost in her memories, the countess shared a bit of her past with Marion. Marion, though focused on slicing the apple, felt her blue eyes light up with curiosity as she listened.

“Do you have someone like that, Marion?”

It was a question the countess had never asked before. Startled, Marion’s shoulders twitched, and her face turned red once again. Like the peel of the apple, a blush spread across her pale skin.

“I’m not sure if I deserve someone like that...”

Marion spoke as if excusing herself, lowering her head in embarrassment. The countess placed a hand on Marion’s head.

“It’s all right, Marion. If it’s you, you don’t need to think about whether you deserve it or not.”

How could anyone not fall for such a lovable child? The countess thought that if such a man existed, she would certainly give him a piece of her mind. As Marion unconsciously raised her hand to touch her mask, she quickly lowered it again, realizing what she was doing.

“That’s a small issue. Has this man ever cared about your mask?”

Marion shook her head vigorously.

“No, never.”

Marion thought of Maxim. She recalled his words to her at the castle ruins, as the sunset cast its orange glow. They had shared their pain but chose to comfort each other rather than expose their wounds.

The feelings Maxim showed her were far from shallow or pitying. Marion knew him well, but she still wasn’t sure if she was truly of help to him.

Yet she remembered Maxim’s warm smile, the way his cheeks would flush for a moment in response to her actions, and the expression he wore when he placed a ring on her left ring finger. Marion glanced down at her hand.

The ring—the promise between them—still gleamed on her finger.

Seeing Marion’s firm resolve, the countess smiled even more. Anyone could see that Marion’s gaze reflected complete trust in the one she loved.

“Then there’s no reason to be discouraged, is there?”

Just a little more certainty was needed. The countess thought that the fiancé who had left this dear child to worry in his absence deserved a bit of a scolding when he returned.

“Yes...”

Marion’s mind drifted to memories of Maxim—how he had spoken of leaving, and how he hadn’t returned after the news from the no-man’s land. She thought of the forces that had attacked Apart’s estate and the people who had come to protect Maxim’s family.

“I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Marion raised her head to meet the countess’s gaze. The countess was slightly taller, so Marion had to look up.

“If you have any worries, Marion, you can talk to me. You don’t have to carry it alone.”

“I just hope...”

For the first time, Marion voiced what had been weighing on her mind.

“I just hope that Maxim, my fiancé, comes back safely.”

The countess was aware of the situation. She knew about Marion’s fiancé, who had disappeared after the battle with the Behemoth.

Her husband had told her that the one who had slain the Behemoth was this girl’s fiancé. If that were true, then both she and her husband owed him their lives, and she shared Marion’s hope for his safe return. Of course, Marion had no way of knowing that.

All she could offer were vague words of reassurance, knowing that only Maxim’s return could truly put Marion at ease.

Marion closed her eyes. When the worry became too much to bear, she always thought of the ring on her left hand.

She hated being the one to make others worry and disliked the feeling of helplessness that crept over her. Marion had resolved not to stumble. Instead, she would stand on her own, without relying on anyone.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”

Marion shook her head and steeled her expression. Despite appearances, she was a strong-willed girl. With something tangible to hold on to, she gripped her left hand tightly. The countess didn’t dismiss her resolve but instead allowed Marion the space to focus elsewhere, even if only for a moment.

“Now, let’s move on to the next task...”

The countess reached for the butter, and Marion silently thanked her for her kindness as she watched her movements carefully.

It wasn’t long before the breakfast preparations were finished. The countess smiled, praising Marion’s increasing skill.

“Thank you for helping again today.”

The countess covered the prepared meal with a lid as the early morning sun streamed into the kitchen. The breakfast that Marion and the countess had prepared was loaded onto a cart.

“I’ll take it from here.”

The countess waved away the servants and placed her hands on the cart. Then, as if remembering something, she turned to Marion.

“Oh, by the way, a merchant caravan bound for the no-man’s land is arriving this morning.”

“A merchant caravan?”

The countess nodded.

“Yes. It’s a large convoy, with nearly every major merchant in the royal capital involved. We’ll be receiving quite a few goods here at the estate. My husband and I will be quite busy today.”

The countess laughed softly.

“So, I was thinking, why don’t you and the baroness take the opportunity to enjoy the procession? It’s bound to be quite a sight.”

Marion smiled at the countess, who winked playfully.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“It’s our family that’s been thoughtless, making our guest work so much.”

The countess laughed mischievously as the cart rolled away. Marion stood there, pondering the arriving merchant convoy as she watched the countess walk away, greeting the servants along the way.

==

“A merchant convoy, huh? That sounds exciting.”

Baroness Catherine Apart, Maxim’s mother, set down the gardening shears she had been using. Her clothes were covered in dirt and leaves from helping out in the garden, a down-to-earth smile on her face. Marion looked at her and thought how much she resembled Maxim.

“Baroness, how about you take the day off and go with Lady Marion to see the procession?” one of the gardeners suggested, looking up from his work. They were all friendly and good-natured toward the baroness.

Though she was a noblewoman, she never hesitated to help with the gardening, and her skill had become quite impressive—so much so that even the experienced gardeners found it hard to match her work.

“But...”

“We’ll be fine. In fact, it’s strange for us to be receiving help from you.”

“We appreciate your help, but today, please, enjoy some time off and go see the convoy.”

The gardeners insisted. Catherine, unable to hide her slight embarrassment, removed her straw hat.

“All right, then. I suppose I will.”

The gardeners nodded with smiles, and Catherine and Marion headed back to the mansion.

“I should get ready for the outing.”

Feeling a bit self-conscious about the dirt smudged on her cheeks, Catherine chuckled awkwardly.

The preparations didn’t take long. After Catherine had freshened up and Marion was ready to go, they received news that the merchant caravan had arrived at the estate.

“Shall we head out, then?”

Accompanying Marion and Catherine in the carriage was the countess’s female knight. She had been told she could relax today, so she wore only light armor.

The carriage rattled as it set off. Marion, who had not been out in quite some time, looked visibly more lively.

“Are you learning well from the countess?”

Catherine asked, and Marion nodded.

“She’s been so kind. I’m worried I’ll get too used to all the praise.”

“I’m not sure if there’s anyone in the world who could be too strict with you, Marion.”

Catherine smiled. As a mother-in-law, she didn’t mind at all—she simply liked Marion for who she was.

“How’s the recovery effort going?”

The knight, not expecting to be addressed, raised an eyebrow slightly but answered promptly.

“It’s progressing smoothly. Once the goods from the convoy arrive, we should be almost fully restored to our pre-battle state.”

The knight shrugged, acknowledging the inevitable loss of some of the estate’s population.

“Considering the scale of the battle, it’s understandable that some would want to relocate. The count anticipated this, though.”

Being so close to the frontier, the estate was always prepared for such eventualities. The knight concluded with a slight nod.

“I was with the count and countess during the evacuation, so I didn’t witness the battle firsthand. But when I saw the aftermath, I was stunned.”

The knight smiled bitterly.

“I’m sure it’s thanks to your son and the other knights that we were able to defend the estate.”

The knight didn’t know that Maxim had personally slain the Behemoth, but she did know that he had been among those who fought valiantly to stop the monsters’ advance. Because of this, she had no complaints about protecting Maxim’s family.

Catherine smiled softly. Though she still didn’t know where Maxim was, she couldn’t help but feel proud whenever she heard others speak well of him.

“Oh, I see the convoy now.”

The knight, looking out the window, alerted them. Both Catherine and Marion’s eyes widened as they saw the massive procession of caravans and wagons streaming through the gates, their numbers perhaps in the hundreds. Merchants unloaded goods, spoke with guards, and barked orders at laborers, creating a cacophony of activity.

The carriage slowed as they reached a hill with a bridge, where they had a clear view of the convoy.

“I’ll wait here until the afternoon. Come back whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you. We appreciate your service.”

The knight sent the driver off and stood beside Marion and Catherine as they watched the bustling convoy.

“There are so many. I didn’t expect it to be this large,” Marion remarked, awestruck by the sight of countless wooden crates being unloaded from the merchant caravans. The adventurers guarding the wagons held their weapons and scanned the area warily.

‘They look so intimidating...’

Amid the rough-looking adventurers, Marion spotted someone.

‘...Huh?’

Beside a hulking, bald adventurer stood a tall figure in a black hood, a long sword strapped to his side. He seemed to be looking in the direction of the hill where Marion and Catherine were standing. For a brief moment, a gust of wind blew his hood slightly, revealing his face to Marion. She glimpsed a pair of pitch-black eyes.

Marion instinctively frowned and stepped back.

‘...Something feels off about him.’

She tried to shake off the unsettling feeling.