“Shickly, my good friend, it has been a while.”

“Same to you, Liron. I haven’t seen you since the war.” The two old friends shook hands, then pulled each other to a hug.

The two separated, and Liron grumbled.

“I wish to visit more often, but someone pushed the duties of a General to me, so I don’t think that is possible. Why don’t you become a General too? The King has been bugging me about it!”

“Haha, I’ll do it if you want for the wine you regularly receive to stop.”

“Forget about it then. My winemaker cannot be disturbed.”

“Bastard.”

Like Count Shickly, Marquis Liron had a good built, and even without focusing, one can see the thick calluses in his hands from practicing the spear. 

Marquis Liron Vera and Count Shickly Edgeworth. The two were old comrades and friends both in and out of wars. The two went to the same War and Military Academy, fought the same battles, and rumors have it that when the position of General was being decided, the two played rock-paper-scissors to determine who get to lead the military.

‘According to the novel, Count Shickly is working for the Marquis as his right-hand man.

‘Though Shickly was supposed to be another General, the Count declined because it was too bothersome and left all the work to his friend. With that, he then instead focused on delving into the wine business. With that backstory, it makes one wonder if they actually played that fabled rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to avoid being a general.’

In the story Sword of Heaven, a lot of characters have mysterious backgrounds and pasts. These said characters have enough history to start their own series.

‘I stopped reading the book because I found it tedious, and I didn’t even touch the side-stories. Ugh, I wish I read all of it if I knew I would end up in this place.’

Laziness now made him reap what he’d sown. Now, he was stuck in this situation without enough information.

“Young master Colt, my name is Mina Vera, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

While Colt was thinking too deeply about him being too lazy, Mina approached him with a smile. Colt was awakened from his daze and introduced himself with the manners of a nobleman.

“The pleasure is all mine, Young Miss Mina.”

To avoid inciting any uncomfortable or irritating situation, Colt did his best to act appropriately.

“So, this is my nephew, Colt? You have the same eyes as your father, piercing and strong. She may have already introduced herself, but this is my one and only daughter, Mina, she is my beloved child given to us by the Goddess herself.” Liron finally noticed the upright man adjacent to the Countess.

“I can see that she had indeed blessed by the Goddess as her hair and beauty is as pleasing to the eyes as the Spring Breeze that soothes the soul.” Colt praised.

Like a poet, Colt’s words were pleasing to the ears of many. However, his emotion was bordering fear. But he never crossed over and controlled himself as he bit his lips to stop such sentiment from showing.

This resulted in a frail smile showcasing a flustered Colt toward Mina’s vibrant presence. When in all truthfulness, Colt was simply hanging on for dear life to ensure he’d get to see another day.

‘But still, she is a beauty and doesn’t appear to be psychotic. I mean, no, Leo, don’t be misled.’

Countess Faerith saw his “reaction” and smiled mysteriously to herself. Clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention, “All right, that is enough. Dear husband, why don’t you show the Marquis the wine you have been brewing?”

“That is a good idea. Liron, let us go, I got the ingredients from the South this time, and I made it...nearly fatal in terms of alcohol level. It is currently my masterpiece.”

“Truly!? Ehem, then, lead the way, Shickly!”

Like two teens, the Marquis and the Count, who held high positions in the Kingdom, walked away like idiots to drink alcohol.

“Colt.”

“...Yes, Mother?”

“I will need to tend with the Count and the Marquis. You are to show the Manor to Young Lady Mina with Risa. Take Lyra with you. I don’t want the drunkards influencing her.”

“I will do as you say, Mother.”

The Countess followed the two bumbling idiots inside to tend to their needs. She could almost see the headache that’s about to unfold, yet she braved the challenge, ready to beat anyone who causes trouble.

By the time she entered, Colt had looked over to Risa and smiled. His meaning was clear, “please deal with it,” or so his smile hinted.

Risa did not know what their parents want to do by asking the wastrel to guide the Young Miss, but seeing that smile already made her aware that whatever it was he wish to do, it wouldn’t be pretty.

“Young Miss Mina, please, follow me.”

“Young Miss Risa, calling me Mina will do. It makes me feel distant when our families are so close.”

“If that is the case, please, refer to me as Risa as well...”

Their conversation entered one of Colt’s ears and exited the other.

His mind was somewhere else, ‘In the novel, these two were close friends until Risa was sadly forced to help cut Mina down.’

Colt was busy contemplating matters of life and death of others.

He was instinctively inching away from them, trying to find a path of escape. But alas, every time he tries to leave, Risa would throw him a glare, stopping him dead on his tracks.

He tried multiple times but still failed. In the end, he gave up.

Colt was not stupid, nor was he an idiot. He wasn’t doing this to act like an asshole, that might mean death; he merely wishes to leave and have little to no interaction with the she-devil.

But nothing really worked. Before he knew it, they arrived at a canopy prepared by Risa earlier today.

There, lunch was already set. Risa invited Mina, who accepted with a smile. The four youths began to eat with much delight. Colt was the most delighted as he gobbled up the food thrown to him without concern to how he looked.

It was just like this morning.

Mina observed Colt’s unrestrained actions with interest. But against everyone’s knowledge, this was a part of the plan.

By being his usual unrestrained wastrel ways, he showed the parts a nobleman should not have.

‘Good, she’s laughing at me, hehe, a little more, and it will become ridicule.’

“Older brother, please, mind yourself, we have a guest present.”

“I am merely acting the way I usually am, please, do not mind me and enjoy yourselves.”

A mannerless man that was his identity. And he had no intention of changing.

‘Avoid me, come on, avoid me!’

Lunch soon came to pass, and it was already teatime. Colt planned to do the same as before. He would let Risa do all the talking while continuing the act of a bumbling idiot.

‘Leaving a bad impression and having so little interaction is the key to being forgotten. She will forget me like the passing wind; thus, I will only get to see the light at the end of the tunnel after I die of old age.’

That was the plan.

But fate wouldn’t have it, one thing led to another, and soon enough, Colt was alone with Mina. Lyra was there, but she didn’t count for much.

Somewhere in the manor’s second floor. In a room where the back garden can be overlooked, Countess Faerith watched over the unfolding scene of Colt and Mina alone with nothing but a child to create a soothing atmosphere.

Together with her was Risa, who was having a headache after being called by her mother. She held head, a headache surfaced, and thought to herself, ‘What the hell is happening right now?’