Winter had come again. It had been a full year since the event of the death of Janet’s family, and also a year since Ivan came to help out. Once again it was a dreary and rainy night. For some reason, Ivan was going back to thinking of that night when he lost his men. He must have been thinking about it thanks to the last discussion he had on a stormy night.

He silently drank by himself in his old study, which now was Alec’s. However, a knock soon came to the door.

“Come in.”

Just like last time, a tired Janet came in, followed by a diligent Maddock, who was finding it hard to walk around the mansion with his size. He would eventually be forced to either live outside, or have the people in the mansion renovate the halls and doors.

For Janet, which do you think she would choose?

However, instead of being afraid or nervous, Janet crawled into Ivan’s lap and rested against his shoulder.

“I hate the storm. It’s so loud.”

Her quiet voice filled the room, but instead of agreeing with her, Ivan shook his head.

“My mother used to tell me all about how the rain and storms were helpful. In fact, just like right now, she held me like I held you. Of course, I must have been about four at the time.”

Janet slowly came out of her sleep to listen to Ivan’s past.

“She told me the rain would water the crops, help keep the rivers running, and help the animals survive. We all need water, she said. Without the rain, we wouldn’t have water, it would always stay in the ocean.”

“The ocean? I have never been.”

“We can go in the future. However, she also said that rain could wash away the bad things. It cleaned the mud off our tools and put out fires. My mother would tell me all about the uses of water. There was something else, but…I always forget what it was…”

Janet looked up when Ivan stopped talking.

“What was it?”

However, she was greeted by a snoring face. She quietly giggled and snuggled up closer to Ivan. In her old world, hadn't people loved falling asleep to the sound of the rain hitting the window?

He was dreaming of his family, his younger and older brothers, and more importantly, his mother. She had to deal with seven rowdy boys who all ended up joining the army. She had to watch as her husband and children went to die. This eventually led to her passing away, forcing her youngest three into an orphanage.

Due to the harsh conditions, the youngest ended up dying as well, leaving only him and his older brother to fend for themselves. Ivan’s older brother ended up joining a bandit group when he left the orphanage, but he also ended up dying because of it.

Like his father and elder brothers, Ivan trained to join the army, though he had to train without a teacher. Because he always went off on his own, he was treated as a trouble maker and kicked out. While tired and hungry, he came across a large red fruit that looked extremely dangerous.

However, he was hungry. He had eaten the fruit before he even knew what was around him. Ignoring the large snake that was guarding the fruit, he had dashed ahead and gobbled it up, angering the animal. However, because a passing mage in the capital was eyeing the fruit but wary of the snake, he had missed his chance. By saving the boy, he planned on having him become his servant, but he grew too fast for that.

After being passed all of his teacher’s knowledge for the next five years, when he became 12, he joined the army and gradually spent another 7 becoming a general. But one mistake caused his greatest downfall. To this day, he owed the Duke for his training, but now he had repaid it in full.

The region was doing wonderfully, and Janet was strong enough to protect herself. But now that he was her Captain, he couldn’t just leave. Besides, he was still wondering about her secrets.

So he stayed. And life went on. With the both of them.

>>>

It was a bright and beautiful academy, splendid in its appearance.

It was the learning place of the nobles, the gifted, and the great. Placed in the Capital, it held the highest prestige and authority when it came to finding good seeds for the future.

But one such seed, one that need not appear, decided to wreck it with her presence.

Baroness Brittoli, a dangerous and beautiful swordswoman who learned under the great and powerful General Ivan, decided she would attend the academy so as to not appear lacking in the eyes of the kingdom’s people.

She was gallant and unopposed, as she was nearly as strong as her General. Well, for now, he was merely a Commander. He had participated in several skirmishes over the years, so he had proved himself worthy of a promotion.

However, unbeknownst to everyone else, Janet smiled as she walked down the corridors she had only ever seen in game. She saw the main characters of her favorite dating sim game in person, but they seemed to lack that special something.

Well, she had already gotten the amazing P.E. teacher before he could even teach at the school, so her path was set. Not that she wanted anyone else. The Prince was too proud, the smartest student was too full of hot air, and the strongest was dumb as a sack of bricks.

None of them were to her taste, save for Ivan. Strong, stoic, and with a dark past that haunted him. She always loved this route the best when she played as the unassuming peasant girl, the main heroine, the playable character, Annette, Abigail’s sister.

Yes, Janet was originally the antagonist in the story. A stuck up noble of the Middle Kingdom that was desperately attempting any way to get more attention and glory.

But everything had changed. Annette actually worked at the castle with her sister, so she and Janet were already good acquaintances. Janet already had her love, so Annette could be with whoever she wanted.

After all, Abigail had her own happy ending with a rich busybody, so why can’t Annette receive happiness?

No, Janet didn’t come to spoil her friend’s fun, she came to just dominate the opposition. Strong, beautiful, and smart, she wanted to show this world she was capable of anything.

And each night, she would go home to her wonderful General and sleep soundly, blocking out everything that tried to stop her.

She was content. He was content.

The Baron and the General would remain famous for some time, becoming the Rose Couple, the crimson and the flower, the image of fiery passion, and complete with their dangerous thorns, too.

But for now, they would just be the Little Baron and her Big General.