Early Afternoon.

The scorching summer sun bore down on the earth, creating a stifling, oppressive heat that was unbearable for anyone, making the day nearly intolerable. Yet, despite the unpleasant swelter...

Whoosh! Whoosh-!

“...”

The girl—no, she—swung her sword in silence.

Drip…

Sweat continuously poured down her body, uncomfortably soaking her, but she didn’t give up.

One hundred downward strikes.

Not just any strikes, but the most flawless swings she could muster, with each one only counting as “one” if it met this standard. In that sense, Levi was currently well beyond seven hundred swings but still hadn’t completed the full one hundred she aimed for.

So far, she had only executed about thirty satisfactory swings.

‘This swordsmanship… it’s really difficult.’

Her mouth was dry, and she felt as if she could collapse from exhaustion at any moment, but instead of giving in, Levi found herself reflecting once more on the profound nature of the sword. The more she swung, the deeper its essence felt. Even when she thought she was swinging the same way, each stroke left a different trajectory, with her intentions subtly shifting each time.

Therefore, Levi…

‘…It’s fun!’

Yes, it was fun.

The fact that she could lose herself entirely in just one thing like this. And realizing she could witness her own improvement the more she practiced was incredibly fulfilling.

It wasn’t only swordsmanship that excited her.

She looked forward to learning archery later, as well as the prospect of studying new etiquette and languages. She even wanted to learn cooking to serve her master.

To think she could live a life where she was free to learn so many things...!

It was nothing short of satisfying.

…Only…

“Young Lady.”

She flinched.

“You seem tired. It might be best to pause training for a while.”

“...”

“The knight also advised it. He said it’s crucial to hydrate and rest, or else it could be harmful to your body. So please, do stop for now, Young Lady.”

“Hmm…”

Despite her contentment, Levi was still struggling to adapt to this abrupt change in her environment, and she replied to the maid with a hint of hesitation.

“Um… I get it, so would you mind not calling me ‘Young Lady’?”

“Oh? Why not?”

“…It feels like I’m wearing clothes that don’t fit, or like I’m acting out of place.”

Levi’s honest feelings.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely unusual for her to be called “Young Lady.” Even though her life had been a [life of falsity], she had lived as a noble’s daughter.

…But, it was her first time seeing someone address her with such genuine respect.

What could she even call this feeling?

If she were to give an example, it felt as though she’d been living as an actress on stage, and suddenly, that acting had become her real life.

It was something like that, she thought, and Levi found herself sweating again in a different way.

This excessive treatment was overwhelming, to say the least.

“Oh, you’re sweating again. This is why you should be training indoors, or your delicate skin will suffer.”

“…I-it’s fine. My skin… isn’t really…”

“Skin is important too. Don’t forget you are the daughter of His Lordship, the Marquis. The title of a marquis’s daughter is no trivial thing; you must maintain the dignity, poise, and noble bearing that it requires.”

“...”

“As someone who should set an example for others, it’s essential that your appearance inspires awe, just as your swordsmanship does. So please understand if I speak sternly.”

“I… I understand what you mean, but… even though I’m just an adopted daughter, this is all…”

“Oh, is there anyone within the household daring enough to look down on you just because you’re adopted?”

“...”

“If there is, please tell me immediately. I will deal with them right away.”

“…No, there’s no one like that.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“...”

…Intimidating. No, daunting.

She was harder to face than the sword.

When she said “deal with them,” it sounded like she intended to bury them.

Thus, Levi made a decision.

‘I’d better watch what I say.’

She would avoid talking too much to prevent any needless deaths, she resolved.

Nineteen-year-old Levi.

Today, once again, she felt keenly that the life of Tristan’s young lady was more than she could handle.

 

“Yes, I will.”

“…”

“Oh, were you joking?”

“No, no. I was just surprised you accepted so readily, hahaha…”

Not long after the graduation ceremony, Levi received an adoption proposal from Marquis Tristan and accepted it without a second’s hesitation.

It was only natural.

She couldn’t keep relying on her master’s household forever, and continuing to impose on him would be shameless. She wanted to be a person who could be of help to her master, not a leech.

So, the proposal from Marquis Tristan felt like a blessing from the heavens.

Although she would be becoming the daughter of a man she’d nearly married, she knew that such an offer was a miracle beyond any price.

Above all…

“Thank you, Master.”

This was an opportunity, a grand one, gifted by her master—the very first precious person in her life who had sweat and bled to create this chance for her.

There was just one thing.

If there was anything that bothered her…

“B-but there’s one thing I should say. I am…”

“Oh, if it’s about that, I already know. No need to spell it out.”

“Excuse me?”

“Haha, this is a gift. Use it wisely.”

“…”

What Levi had been keeping hidden was her origin and status.

She was about to reveal this truth herself, but the marquis simply stopped her and handed her a ring and a piece of parchment, causing Levi’s eyes to widen.

“How… how do you…?”

“It was something the Folt mother and daughter each kept in their possession. Likely a gift from a husband or father.”

“…”

“Though we confiscated it on our end, it seemed that it should be returned to its rightful owner.”

“Marquis, even knowing this, you’re willing to accept me?”

“It’s not about accepting you. Rather, it’s more like I’m asking for the honor. I’m practically begging for the chance to have a talented child like you as my own, hahaha.”

“…”

At that moment, Levi felt a mix of emotions surge within her.

She was filled with wonder at her own worth and overwhelmed by the fortune that had found her.

Without realizing it, she murmured,

“Master…”

Her smile emerged in place of tears as she called upon her own bluebird of happiness.

For the first time in her life, she learned that sometimes, when people are overwhelmingly happy, they laugh instead of cry.

 

And now…

‘What am I supposed to do with this?’

Levi fiddled with the ring as she endured the unfamiliar touch of a maid wiping away her sweat.

The parchment the marquis had given her... or rather, the “Slave Contract” she’d been forced to sign when she’d been abducted. It had been burned over a week ago.

However, the ring…

This was something she couldn’t just dispose of carelessly.

Even though she was no longer a slave, the [Brand of Obedience] still remained on her back.

This ring was a catalyst for the brand, and while getting rid of it would be ideal…

‘That would be the worst move.’

Why else would the Brand of Obedience be called a curse?

Once it was etched, the catalyst could be removed, but the mark wouldn’t easily fade. Destroying the ring wouldn’t stop any illegal magicians from seeing the brand and creating a new catalyst.

So, rather than eliminating the existing catalyst, the answer was to extract the Brand of Obedience from her body entirely. Until she could find a safe method for this…

‘The ring shouldn’t be destroyed just yet.’

Instead, she needed to keep it under close protection.

This ring quite literally held control over her life and death.

After much consideration, Levi decided to entrust the ring to someone else.

To hold onto it herself? That was out of the question.

As someone still in need of protection, there was no way she could defend the ring.

So she would entrust it.

To the most reliable man she knew.

None other than…

“…Where is Master right now?”

“He’s with the knights. I can show you the way—”

“Oh, no, no. I can find him on my own.”

Levi quickly picked up her pace, afraid that the maids waiting nearby might follow her.

She pushed off the ground, eager to avoid the situation where five or more maids would trail her every step.

“Young Lady!”

Hearing the call from behind, Levi only offered a silent apology in her heart and didn’t stop.

She was still unaccustomed to the life of the marquis’s daughter.

…Perhaps it would take five years to get used to it?

The journey of a small-town girl—a wounded blue cat scarred by betrayal—adjusting to Tristan was bound to continue for some time.

 

Whoosh!

Indeed, should one expect anything less from a training ground for a grand noble family?

Typically, training facilities were either standard parade grounds or basic gyms. But the one where the Blood-Eagle Knights trained…

‘There’s even a waterfall here?’

The level, no, the environment was on an entirely different scale.

The waterfall wasn’t just a gentle trickle but a massive torrent of water crashing down in real time.

Just looking at it was enough to feel utterly refreshed.

Yet there it was, right within the training grounds.

Apparently, it was an artificial waterfall created with the help of several mages, revealing the extraordinary class that grand nobles invested in their training grounds.

‘Now this is a waterfall.’

And it wasn’t just the waterfall.

Despite the lack of any official “climbing sport,” there was an artificial cliff, a 30-meter rope climbing facility, as well as swamp and sand training grounds.

‘The Silver Lion Knights didn’t have anything like this.’

It wasn’t unusual that the Silver Lion Knights lacked such facilities, as they focused more on individual training, but still—they were a royal order…

‘Hard not to compare, isn’t it?’

It felt like going from the minor leagues to the premier facilities used by Olympic athletes.

‘Man, I’ll have to visit here often.’

While all the facilities were impressive, the waterfall captivated both his gaze and spirit.

“…There’s nothing like martial arts-style training.”

Waterfall endurance training.

Ihan felt a deep satisfaction at being able to try this training he’d always wanted.

As he was absorbed in his thoughts—

“I’ve asked you this before, but what exactly is this ‘martial arts’ thing you keep mentioning?”

“It’s a place where people train like I do.”

“…Sounds like a terrifying place.”

Blood-Eagle Knights’ Deputy Commander Vale.

He wore a dismayed expression as he looked at Ihan, who was squatting in the midst of hundreds of kilos of water crashing down from the waterfall, laughing all the while.

And Vale thought to himself.

‘Martial arts… Whatever it is, it must be a place filled with sadistic maniacs like him.’

…A truly wicked place, it seemed.