PLTSVA 17

“Have you been well?”

Duke Rayes was smiling, but only with his mouth.

Thanks to his years in the Imperial Palace, Luca could instantly tell that the duke was absolutely furious.

“I suppose there’s nothing keeping me from being well. Are you here to give a statement to the constable?”

“Yes. And also to pass on greetings from Ria.”

At the mention of Ria, Luca’s eyes lit up in a way that clearly meant, Go ahead, tell me everything.

How long had it been? To others, it may have seemed like a short time, but to Luca, it felt like a hundred years.

Had she said she missed him? Had she wished he’d come to her even now?

Luca couldn’t hide the hope glimmering in his eyes. Naturally, the experienced Duke Rayes noticed it and smirked.

‘…What is this?’

The duke wore the same handsome face that once made countless women swoon, and though his smile looked warm and friendly, to Luca it somehow came off as insufferably smug.

“Ah… I forgot. Your Highness will understand once you’re my age. Please forgive this useless servant.”

Luca nearly hurled the wooden sword in his hand at the duke’s face.

How dare he forget Ria’s precious greeting! Impossible.

Duke Rayes was a man who could recall in detail court records from 18 years ago and use them to sway the royal council to his will.

Calling him a monster in such matters wasn’t an exaggeration. Unless he had literally eaten Ria’s words along with his morning toast, there was no way he could’ve forgotten.

“Never mind. I’ll visit the ducal residence myself. Once swordsmanship lessons are done, I’ll come by. Consider this notice.”

Luca sighed and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, waving his hand in a shooing motion.

“Show some mercy. Surely you know what kind of flak this loyal servant who restored Your Highness to the throne is getting from the noble faction.”

Duke Rayes didn’t look like someone taking heat.

If anything, he seemed thrilled to have stepped out of neutrality and into the power struggle again.

A battlefield warrior is always a warrior. Duke Rayes was an aggressive man by nature.

“Besides, Ria is going out today, so that makes a visit even more impossible. Let’s aim for next time.”

“She’s going out?”

“Oh, are you sleeping well these days? Don’t tell me you’re still trying to hold my daughter’s hand—how dare you…”

For the first time, cracks appeared in the duke’s flawless smile. He suppressed his rising anger and continued.

“I sent a gift on Ria’s behalf, so check it later. And it would be wise to give up on those useless dreams.”

With that, the duke left the training ground.

Sleep…? Hand…?

Luca immediately grasped why the duke was so irritated.

“Luca, then… do you want to hold my hand instead? You’ll know I’m here even with your eyes closed.”

“Oh? You want to hold hands again today? I guess you slept well last night! That’s a relief.”

Luca clasped his own hands together.

She was going out today? That meant he absolutely had to be with her.

This was practically her first time going out. It didn’t make sense for him not to be there.

“Your Highness, have you already finished your academic lessons?”

Just then, the First Knight Captain, Chancellor, entered the training grounds. Dressed casually, he had about a hundred wooden swords slung over his shoulder.

“We have plenty of swords. Shall we begin the sparring? Theoretically, you’ve already mastered the material. From now on, it’s all about practical experience.”

Luca picked up a wooden sword.

“Today’s lesson will end only when I manage to bring my sword to your throat. Unlike yesterday, where just touching you counted, this will be much more difficult. If I fail by sunset, we’ll repeat this tomorrow… Oh, wha—?”

Before he could finish his sentence, Luca charged at him with the wooden sword—not recklessly, but with remarkable fluidity in speed and direction.

It was a style Chancellor recognized as uniquely Luca’s.

Clatter— Chancellor dropped the swords in his arms and quickly grabbed one to block Luca’s strike.

Crack—

Where was a kid getting this kind of strength? Today’s wooden swords were made from durable aron wood, but even they cracked on contact. So did Luca’s.

Clack! Clack!

The duel was intense.

Chancellor had joined the royal knights as the youngest recruit in history. In his twenties, he was already capable of manifesting sword aura, and was currently the third youngest person in the Empire to wield sword order.

The first youngest was none other than Crown Prince Agen Luca himself—who, at eleven years old, had shown unstable but monstrous talent for sword aura. Chancellor had been the one to help him stabilize it.

He still couldn’t forget that day. A genius like Luca had never been seen before on the continent. The thrill of making history with his own hands… was even written in his diary.

Despite his brawny appearance, Chancellor’s hobby was journaling. On that emotional day, he had carefully decorated his diary and even shed a tear.

But now, Crown Prince Luca had lost his ability to wield sword aura. Though his instincts were sharp enough to land fatal hits on Chancellor, every blow was defended—proof that Luca was no longer using aura.

Had he used it, these wooden swords would’ve shattered in an instant.

“Hey, look, the Captain and His Highness are sparring again.”

Some knights nearby began to gather, drawn by the intense clash of wooden swords.

“I saw them yesterday too. His Highness is incredible. He’s much smaller than the Captain but covers his weaknesses flawlessly.”

“The Captain’s going easy. He’s not using his aura at all.”

Clack! Clack! Crack—!

After a prolonged exchange, Chancellor launched a powerful strike, which Luca blocked—breaking his wooden sword in half.

Luca quickly retreated, grabbed another from the pile, and launched again.

One by one, wooden swords broke. When ten had already snapped, Luca murmured—

“Time to end this.”

Though the words were soft, Chancellor understood instantly.

Suddenly, Luca rushed at him with a speed no one had seen before. It had already been 50 minutes since they started. He shouldn’t have had the stamina left.

Clack!

With all his might, Luca knocked Chancellor’s wooden sword out of his hand.

Chancellor could have blocked it, but Luca was too fast. One moment he was in front, the next he was behind, striking at Chancellor’s arm.

Before anyone could process it, Luca was holding a wooden sword to Chancellor’s neck, panting.

“It’s over.”

Chancellor had left a vital spot—his neck—completely exposed.

Though Luca hadn’t used aura, his swordsmanship had reached a peak midway through, and Chancellor had found himself giving it his all.

He hadn’t gone easy.

Chancellor chuckled awkwardly.

“Yes, it’s over. You really are a monster. I’ll overlook the fact that you added speed magic this time.”

At his words, Luca lowered his sword and adjusted his clothes.

A swordsman who could wield both aura and basic magic—that was the ideal combination.

In that sense, the crown prince had limitless potential.

Chancellor smiled.

“You seem busy today, so let’s wrap it up here.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Master.”

As Luca turned to leave, Chancellor felt proud knowing he had something new to write about in his diary.

“I should pick up some sword-themed stickers this afternoon,” he thought, wiping his sweat under the brilliantly blue sky.

“Miss, everything’s ready.”

“Okay, I’m coming!”

Today, with Father’s permission, I was going outside the mansion for the first time. Of course, I still had to bring Miller for safety, in case the group that once kidnapped me tried again.

Still, unlike the orphanage, the simple fact that I could go out when I wanted was enough to make me tear up.

When I came downstairs, Garnet, Miller, and Sister Serin were waiting.

We boarded the carriage and headed to Leryu Street, Block 14.

From what I heard, it was the trendiest street right now—I imagined a place like Myeong-dong. Until now, I often questioned whether I’d really reincarnated, or if this was all just a play. But today, it finally felt real.

Year 15 of Reincarnation: I was finally setting out to explore this world!

Serin, smiling at how excited I seemed, said,

“Ria, this is a first for me too!”

“Everything’s a first since we escaped that crappy orphanage.”

She giggled, then seemed to remember something.

“Oh, right. I really should stop speaking so casually…”

“Huh?”

Serin looked at Garnet nervously.

Right—Serin was now an apprentice maid under Garnet’s supervision, and her improper status had made others wary.

Her close relationship with me likely wasn’t welcomed by the other staff.

Still… Serin practically raised me…

Garnet was a strict stickler for rules. I didn’t think she would’ve ever allowed someone of Serin’s background to serve in the mansion.

Just as I was about to cautiously ask her to go easy on Serin, Garnet spoke first.

“The young master and I both know about your relationship with the lady. So you may speak more freely in private. The young lady prefers it. But in front of others, you must use proper form. It’s our duty to uphold her dignity. Don’t forget that.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

Serin nodded quickly.

I was surprised. Garnet’s gaze toward Serin was unexpectedly warm.

I remembered her once saying she had several younger siblings. One of them, her second sister, had died young from a monster attack.

If that sister had lived, she’d be about Serin’s age.

Serin’s kind heart must have melted even Garnet’s steely one.

As good people like her entered both our lives, I couldn’t help smiling.

Watching me fondly from the front seat, Miller said,

“If anything catches your eye today, just say the word. I’ll buy it for you.”

He seemed to be trying to act like a cool older brother, but he was only seventeen.

Younger than me in my past life. His swagger was kind of adorable, so I replied playfully,

“Let’s see the power of House Rayes, then.”