Chapter 7
Seirena knew that people were staring at her. And why wouldn’t they? She hadn’t been here once since her page period ended.
So, how many years had it been? For her, adding the time before she returned, it was about thirteen or fourteen years. For everyone else, it would be around four or five.
“Hunter?” It was only when someone called her that Serena realized a person had approached from behind.
“Huh.”
There hadn’t been a single footstep, not even a hint of presence.
What is with this guy?
Seirena reflexively turned around, and upon seeing the unpleasant face, she couldn’t help but scrunch up her own and let out a groan.
“Ugh.”
Ugh? Did I just say ugh?
Ash and Dennis’s expressions were a sight to behold. Ash’s mouth hung open in disbelief, while Dennis started chuckling silently, as if he’d been expecting this.
“That’s a short greeting.”
Ash said coolly.
Serena muttered to herself, “I know, you jerk,” before offering a proper hello.
“……Hello, Captain.”
The reluctance in her tone made Ash’s eyes narrow. Just then, Dennis, who had been laughing for a while, stepped forward and said,
“It’s been a while, Hunter.”
“Hello, Vice-Captain.”
Would you look at that?
Ash opened his mouth at the stark difference in her attitude toward Dennis compared to him, then closed it again.
He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what.
Dennis, still chuckling as if amused, spoke to Serena again.
“Practicing?”
“Yes.”
Serena’s face was serious as she replied.
How long had she been here training? Ash found it surprising that she even carried a sword around.
“I thought you’d just carry around an empty scabbard.”
He’d assumed she left the sword out because it was heavy. It wasn’t sarcasm, just a genuine observation, but unfortunately, it didn’t come across that way to Serena.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you.”
Her sharp retort made Ash realize his mistake.
“No, I……”
He opened his mouth to explain without thinking, then sighed and changed the subject.
“Are you taking the promotion exam?”
At this time of year, anyone sweating it out in the training grounds this early was usually aiming for the promotion exam.
But Seirena looked at him like she had no idea what he was talking about.
“What?”
Dennis, unable to stand by, interjected.
“The promotion exam in January next year. You’re in the twelfth division right now, aren’t you, Lady Hunter? Aren’t you trying to move up higher?”
She hadn’t even thought about the promotion exam. What she wanted was to become a chevalier.
But since becoming a chevalier would mean moving to a higher division anyway, it wasn’t exactly wrong.
Seirena stared blankly at Dennis before nodding hesitantly.
“Yeah, sure. I guess so.”
“Good thinking.”
Dennis patted her shoulder casually as he continued.
“The higher you go, the higher the salary.”
Seirena flinched at Dennis’s informal manner but widened her eyes at the mention of a salary increase.
“Oh, really?”
She hadn’t known that. She had no interest, so why would she?
But when she showed interest, Dennis actually looked flustered and glanced at Ash. He’d said it half-jokingly, after all.
Ash narrowed his eyes as well. Was the Hunter earldom in financial trouble? It didn’t seem that way.
In fact, there were rumors that the Earl Hunter was generously supporting his younger sibling.
Of course, who would want to broadcast their family’s financial woes?
“Yeah. The salary goes up.”
Dennis quickly added with a playful tone.
The salary increases, huh. Seirena nodded.
That was good news.
She had one year until she turned twenty-one. In that year, she needed to make her uncle believe there was nothing to gain from the Hunter earldom.
And once that year passed and she inherited the title, Serena planned to hand over the title and all the assets intact to Ezra.
So, from twenty-one until Ezra turned twenty-one , Serena would need a way to properly restore the family’s finances.
Another reason to become a chevalier, then. With that thought, Seirena asked,
“How much does it go up by?”
Uh-oh? Dennis and Ash’s gazes met.
Was the Hunter earldom that hard up? Enough for a young lady who’d lost her parents to immediately think about money?
They weren’t the only ones thinking that. The knights who’d been eavesdropping on the conversation in bits and pieces started gathering in twos and threes, whispering.
“Is the Hunter earldom’s financial situation bad?”
“It didn’t seem that way.”
“You idiots, who would show it if it was?”
Unexpectedly, after a parent’s sudden death, checking the savings often revealed nothing but debts. It was especially common among nobles.
Maintaining dignity cost more than one might think. Especially for title holders with the duty to care for siblings.
“There were rumors that Earl Hunter didn’t skimp on support for his sibling.”
“You mean a big allowance?”
“More than just an allowance, I bet. I heard Lady Hunter’s business funds came from the earl.”
Gasp. The training grounds began to buzz.
So that’s why. Seirena’s expression hardened.
She’d thought the amounts were suspiciously large. Probably all the businesses her uncle claimed to be doing had failed or were lies. She’d never once heard what exactly he was up to.
“If you’re curious, come to the office after training.”
As the atmosphere in the training grounds grew chaotic, Ash cut the conversation short.
Serena frowned at his words but nodded as if she had no choice.
“Was the rumor true, then?”
Dennis said as they walked toward the office.
The rumor that Earl Hunter was fully funding his sibling’s businesses. Even so, neither Lady Hunter nor the earl had said anything, and since it was someone else’s business, no one had paid much attention.
But now, after Earl Hunter’s death, seeing the heir worry about finances had brought it bubbling up.
Perhaps lord Hunter had been wasting his brother’s money on nonsense.
“I see.”
Ash nodded absently. He was more bothered by Seirena’s attitude toward Dennis. She’d been normal during the conversation, but when Dennis patted her shoulder—
She’d seemed uncomfortable somehow.
Ash kept replaying in his mind the way Seirena had flinched, as if trying to avoid Dennis’s hand.
“It’s Hunter.”
Serena came looking for Ash after not just training but all the day’s work was done.
Considering she’d been excused from duties due to mourning, it seemed like she’d deliberately dragged her feet and only come now.
She must have really not wanted to come, Ash thought as he stood up from his seat.
“Come in.”
At his invitation, Seirena opened the door, then flinched when she saw Ash standing right in front of it.
Facing him so close, her height only came up to his shoulders.
What does he eat to be this big? Seirena stepped back slightly and said,
“May I come in?”
“I said come in.”
Ash twisted his body a bit to the side. It looked like there might be just enough space for Seirena to squeeze through. Though their bodies would touch.
Seirena’s face twisted.
“Move aside, please.”
“I did move.”
Ash said that and twisted his body slightly again, but then returned to his original position.
Why is he doing this?
Serena looked up at his face and realized he was observing her reaction.
“If this is a joke, it’s not funny.”
“Do I look like I’m joking, Lady Hunter?”
Ash was certain the cough that burst from Seirena’s mouth the next moment was a curse. She made a displeased face and slipped through the gap he’d made.
Serena’s shoulder brushed against Ash’s chest. Once again, Ash heard her mutter a small curse.
She’s small. Ash looked down at the top of Serena’s head and stepped back.
Seirena wasn’t small at all. But to Ash, she was small enough. A phrase from the code of chivalry floated into his mind—one he was supposed to uphold but didn’t pay much attention to.
Protect the weak and uphold justice.
As the captain of the knights, Ash didn’t care much for it. If he had to protect the weak, he’d have to protect everyone.
There was no one in this country stronger than him. Seirena turned around with a sigh, her eyes filled with hostility.
Ash raised both hands as if to say he wouldn’t do it again and backed away.
“You’re taking the promotion exam?”
Ash asked, gesturing to a chair for Seirena. Before sitting, she cracked the door open slightly and turned back.
To be honest, she’d forgotten the promotion exam even existed.
It had been nine years since she’d left the knights. Even when she was in them, she hadn’t been interested in promotions, so she’d forgotten there was such a thing as a promotion exam, or that it happened every January.
Naturally, she didn’t know that moving to a higher division meant a salary increase.
“Yes.”
Ash raised one eyebrow at Seirena’s action of leaving the door ajar. It was polite to leave the door slightly open when a man and woman were alone in a room.
The problem was that it was an old-fashioned courtesy.
Ladies who cared deeply about their reputation still left the door open when alone with a man. But young people like Ash didn’t bother much, and from what he’d seen and heard of Seirena, she wasn’t the type to care either.
As she turned back, he returned to a blank expression and muttered,
“Doing something grandmotherly.”
“What?”
Seirena questioned his mutter.
Nothing, never mind. He shook his head and slid a sheet of paper toward her.
“Then here’s the application.”
I have to fill out an application too. She hadn’t known.
Seirena stared at the form, then looked back at Ash. Fortunately, he knew what she wanted. This time, a pen was slid over to her.
“Thank you.”
She murmured a small thanks and began filling out the application. Watching her with his chin propped up, Ash said,
“I didn’t think you’d say thanks.”
“Surprisingly, I know how to apologize too.”
“And sarcasm, apparently.”
Oops.
Seirena glanced at Ash’s face without meaning to.
She didn’t like him, but he was still the captain.
The old Seirena wouldn’t have cared since she was leaving the knights soon anyway, but now it was different.
No, back then, they wouldn’t have even had conversations like this.
Anyway, the current her had to keep coming here. And he was a duke. Not someone a countess in need of a guardian should sarcasm at lightly.
“I’m sorry.”
So she does know how to apologize. Ash watched Seirena with his chin still propped. She was pursing her lips in displeasure at the situation, filling out the form.
When she checked the box stating that the exam application was entirely her own will and free from any pressure, he spoke up.
“By the way, Lady Hunter.”
“……Yes.”
Was her slow response because she disliked him, or because she was focused on the form?
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