Oh, Lucy, what were you doing with Andres at that moment? Even after we finished our discussion, you had not arrived.

  Ah, because of your and your brother’s late arrival, we got a chance to ask Aria about that ‘gift.’

  After we finished the serious business, we tried to lighten the mood, so I decided to ask her about your brother’s coming-of-age ceremony.

  With a light tone, I asked Aria. “By the way, Aria, what are you planning for Andres’s coming-of-age ceremony?

  Do you know, Lucy? At that time, although Aria only gently replied to my question, I could hear a subtle change in her voice. “I am planning to organize a party similar to his.”

  I noticed that her cheeks turned a bit red when she mentioned that surprise party. At that moment, I quietly smiled and thought, ‘Oh, red cheeks, it was a good sign. ’

  Apparently, the thing he did was steadily having an effect on Aria. But when I stole a glance at Paul, his face told me that he didn’t like it. You should have seen his face. He did not hide his displeasure. I could see him sitting there uncomfortably with a face as if he had eaten something very bitter.

  Seeing him like that, I let out a soft laugh, then with a bright smile, I asked Aria about that ‘gift.’ “What kind of present are you giving him?”

  And do you know what Aria said that time, Lucy? Do you want to make a guess? I don’t think you would get it right even with your out-of-the-world intellect. It caught us off guard. We never expected that she would think of giving something like that to him.

  With a thoughtful expression, Aria calmly said. “I think about presenting him with a sword.”

  Are you surprised, Lucy? Your mother wanted to give your brother a sword. It was a sword, you know? If the previous time was an accident born from circumstance and ignorance, this time it would be considered as something set in stone, should she truly do that.

  She wanted to give a sword again, nonetheless, for his coming-of-age ceremony, moreover, in front of everyone. It was like a public declaration that she would ‘choose’ him as her Holy Knight; no, it would be further. It was more like a declaration that Aria ‘chose’ him.

  That was why I could not hide my surprise. As I immediately stood up, Paul did too, and we both raised our voices at the same time. “You should not.” “Impossible”

  You should have seen the face of your grandpa when she said the word ‘impossible,’ Lucy. It was as if the sky had fallen out. The look of disbelief was what he showed me then.

  And that moment, when Aria received our violent reaction, she began to panic. Then, she looked up at us, who were standing, and said with a confused tone, “Is it a bad choice of a present? I heard that it is a common practice among knights.”

  After we heard her say that, we slowly and weakly sat down. It turned out to be her ignorance again. She innocently wanted to give the sword to him. She might not intend to ‘mean’ it like that, but others would not think like that.

  Upon understanding that, I was relieved and slightly disappointed at the same time. So, I exhaustively called her name. “… Aria …”

  I angrily thought, what were those fools thinking? Who were those fools? I really needed to punish them hard.

  Then I began to think of the culprit behind it. It was fortunate that we asked her beforehand. Just imagine that we had not done that; then Aria would have carried a sword with a smile and handed it to him in front of everyone again. It might cause another backlash on her and him.

  I knew it. And I want Aria to be able to choose anyone she loves freely; however, at that moment, at that time, she was not allowed to do so in public. It would trigger a negative response from Duke Ellon… and from the Holy Knight as well. That guy would go berserk. He has not been stable to begin with. He had been aiming for the position of Aria’s Holy Knight. It would complicate the matter further. At worst, both Aria’s and Andres’ lives would be targeted.

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  Then, with a stern face and heavy tone, Paul said to Aria. “You don’t have to, milady. Duke Ellon is sending him a sword.”

  When Paul told her about the sword, she let out a relieved smile, “That is great.”

  And you know, Lucy? Do you know what Aria said to Paul next? Do you know what she said? Could you imagine it? Being innocent should have its limits. Being ignorant should have its boundaries. But that was beyond acceptance.

  I even thought that: Was she doing it on purpose? Did she really ‘feel’ like that for him?

  Then, she showed us a troubled expression as she began to list her ‘gift.’ Don’t be surprised, Lucy.

  She listed out those things as if they were a grocery list. “What should I present to him? A handkerchief? A brooch? A necklace? I think a scarf is better. Since Father will bestow him a sword, how about a lanyard for his sword?”

  Were you surprised, Lucy? We sat there in horror. Was Aria serious about it? We thought.

  Paul’s expression grew darker and darker as the list grew longer and longer. If the expression he showed when Aria talked about the sword was akin to the sky having fallen, the expression he showed us was akin to the world being about to end before him. He really acted like her father.

  Sword is already a bad choice. Who on earth suggested those ideas? Handkerchief? It is as if you are telling him you accept his confession. A brooch? It's as if you are declaring to the public that he is yours. Necklace? It is like telling him that you are obsessed with him. A scarf? I am crazy about you. A lanyard? We shall die together. Who are those fools?

  Then, with a trembling voice and shaky hands, Paul tried his best to appear calm as he asked Aria. “Milady, who gave you those ideas?”

  If there were no constraints, he would go and strangle those who planted that idea in Aria. That was what I truly felt from him.

  Facing Paul’s murderous intent, Aria fell into confusion. She cutely tilted her head and hesitantly replied to Paul. “Oh, it was suggested by other sisters. I was having trouble choosing the present, so I consulted with them. Was it not good?”

  “This is wrong.” With a frown, Paul sternly said to her. I could see his hand curled into a fist. He was furious at the people behind it.

  Only then could I understand Paul's ‘principles’ a little.

  Lucy, do you remember what I told you last time about that ‘principle’? It was the principle of not giving too much advice, the principle that Aria should not receive advice from those who were close to her. Indeed, it turned out to be correct. Some opportunists did indeed wiggle their way in and lead her astray. Your grandpa was not wrong. Those fools truly desired punishment.

  Aria tends to be stubborn with her beliefs. She never easily opened up to anyone. However, when she opened up, she would place unwavering trust in that person. It was both her strong point and her flaw.

  Yet, the most critical flaw of all was her trust. She would follow their advice if it were convincing to her. That was why Paul tried not to give her advice. He tried to train Aria not to accept advice from those close to her. He was afraid something like that would happen.

  So, Lucy, you should be careful in that regard. We must safeguard Aria from it.

  Then, after Paul said that, we exchanged gazes and understood each other without exchanging words.

  After Paul gave me his acknowledgement with a heavy nod, I also added my support. “Aria, how about this? You do not have to give him any presents. Instead, just standing behind me during the ceremony? You do not have to prepare anything. Just leave it to us.”

  We could not risk it. So, the safest option was to make Aria do nothing. That was what we agreed on at that time. Yet, she still went behind our backs and gave him ‘something.’

  Deep down, I know the thing she gave him was not on the list above. However, we could not eliminate that possibility, right, Lucy?

  Ah, do you know, Lucy? After our conversation with Aria that day, Paul and I began investigating the mastermind.

  You may remember that time, the time I summoned all the saintess candidates, the nun, and the nun apprentice for a sermon. Eh, at that time, you ran away again because you did not want to listen to my boring sermon, you mischievous child.

  That ‘sermon’ was the ‘interrogation.’ Paul and I interrogated them one by one. Yet, everyone was tight-lipped. We could not pinpoint the real mastermind behind it. They were too united to protect them.

  So, at the end, I ‘equally’ handed out the punishment to everyone. I learned from Duke Ellon. I preferred to punish everyone rather than let the real culprits escape. To my eyes, everyone was equally guilty.

  After all, my instinct told me that everyone had a hand in it.

  Ah, because of that incident, Lucy, you misunderstood that I was strict. So, you began skipping my sermon since then. Don’t think that I didn't notice it, Lucy. So, you'd better behave like a good girl and diligently join the training. Look at your mother, Aria; she never skips her training.

  By the way, in this regard, Lucy, while you are at it, could you help Grandma and Grandpa investigate those fools? Could you tell us who suggested those ideas to Aria? We could not leave them unpunished, right, Lucy? Don’t you agree with me, Lucy?

  We need to punish them hard so that they learn their lesson. They were leading Aria astray.