A Fluttering Heart

In the days that followed.

Rienta, Frieren, and Fern settled into the mansion.

They got a proper taste of noble life.

Stark, meanwhile, began learning the rather complicated rules of noble social etiquette.

From riding horses to dancing, even his tone of voice and choice of words.

And all sorts of knowledge, so he wouldn't give himself away when someone struck up a conversation.

Some time passed like that.

Fern was wandering through the corridor when she ran into Stark, who was in a daze from all the torment.

"Lord Stark, how is your etiquette practice going?"

"It's been hell..."

Stark walked up to Fern and stood up straight.

His practice over the past few days had changed him somewhat.

Then he dropped to one knee and raised Fern's hand.

Like a gentlemanly knight.

Then he asked, with some anticipation, "Well?"

Fern was silent for a moment, then said, "It doesn't suit you."

"That's so mean." Stark left, heartbroken.

His studies had left him exhausted in both body and mind.

"I'm going outside to get some fresh air."

Watching Stark walk away, Fern looked thoughtfully at the hand he had just taken.

In the gallery, Stark came across Alden standing in front of a portrait.

He decided to go over and greet him.

"Lord Alden..."

Alden said somewhat sternly, "Didn't I tell you to call me Father? What if someone hears you?"

During his studies, Stark had found Alden's thoughts difficult to fathom.

Since they had run into each other here, he asked, puzzled, "Isn't this a little heartless? Your son only died in battle two months ago, didn't he?"

"I'm merely carrying out my son's last wish." Alden looked at the portrait and said calmly, "I prepared a stand-in for that purpose long ago, but he doesn't look as much like Wirt as you do."

"You're quite right. Doing this does feel awful, but it was also Wirt's final wish."

"Please cooperate."

With that, Alden left the gallery.

The next day.

Stark's task today was to learn swordsmanship from Alden.

At the training ground.

A boy was practicing with a sword.

Seeing this, Alden said, "Mut, straighten your back a little more."

"Yes, Father."

As Alden walked, he introduced the boy to Stark beside him. "This is my second son, Mut. As my heir, he has been slow to make progress."

The familiar words left Stark somewhat silent.

After the two took their places on the other side, Alden said, "A swordsman's skill shows in his stance. I'll teach you the Alden Family's sword techniques."

Stark took out a wooden sword and assumed a stance, but his hands unexpectedly trembled a little.

"What's wrong?" Alden fell somewhat silent when he noticed.

He knew something of the Warrior Village's customs.

He walked over to Stark and said, "It's all right. Take a deep breath."

As he helped Stark adjust his stance, he said, "This isn't the Warrior Village."

Stark glanced at the boy practicing his swordsmanship and asked, "Lord Alden, what do you think of Mut?"

After adjusting Stark's stance, Alden said:

"Mut's talent can't compare to his brother's."

Hearing that, Stark fell somewhat silent.

But Alden continued, "Still, he works hard. The sweat he sheds in his struggles doesn't lie. One day, he'll become a knight even stronger than I am."

"I see."

Stark felt he ought to speak up for Mut, whose situation was similar to his own.

"You'd better tell Mut that."

Alden sighed helplessly and said, "I tell him all the time. That's why he gets carried away and can't make any more progress."

Stark: "...That really is a problem."

In the reception room.

Rienta and the others were enjoying a noble afternoon tea.

After setting Stark's training tasks, Alden came there as well.

This time, he had come for Fern.

Fern held a pastry in one hand and said in surprise, "Huh? I have to practice social etiquette too?"

"This is a social gathering. Do you think a young man of marriageable age could possibly attend alone?"

After saying that, Alden looked at Frieren. "Or would you rather have his mother take him?"

Hearing this, Frieren picked up a pastry too.

"Do your best."

The pastry in Fern's hand instantly lost its appeal.

She had seen Stark's miserable state many times already.

Before long, a month had passed.

The time for the social gathering had arrived.

In the hall.

Beautiful music played, and people gradually began dancing to it.

Rienta and Frieren sat to one side, eating to their hearts' content.

Fern sat in a chair, her long hair pinned up and a long white dress on.

"This month has been hell."

Stark, meanwhile, had slicked his hair back just like Wirt in the portrait.

Hearing Fern's complaint, he smiled faintly.

Once again, he knelt on one knee before Fern and gently took her hand.

"Since we practiced, why don't we have a dance too?"

"It really doesn't suit you."

Despite her words, the corners of Fern's mouth curved into a very subtle smile as she accepted Stark's invitation.

Stark took Fern's hand and led her to the center of the hall.

The others seemed to make a point of giving the eldest son of the Alden Family room.

As the music played, the two began to dance slowly.

Fern felt somewhat awkward, having never experienced anything like this before.

Although she had practiced many times, it was indeed her first time dancing in front of so many people.

Stark noticed that Fern's movements were a little stiff, but he didn't rush her.

He slowed the pace a little and quietly waited for Fern to adjust.

Looking at Stark so close before her, Fern found herself dazed for a moment.

Gradually, she forgot about the people around them.

They had eyes only for each other.

To the side.

As Rienta ate his dessert, he asked, "Lady Frieren, shall we go have a dance too?"

"Oh? You know how to dance, Rienta?"

Frieren cut off a piece of cake and put it in her mouth, her voice somewhat muffled.

"Um, let's just eat cake."

At a moment like this, Rienta had indeed wanted to go up and make a fool of himself.

But Frieren's question brought him to his senses. If he actually went up there, he really would make a fool of himself.

Alden had only appeared briefly at the start of the gathering before leaving.

After the gathering ended, Stark asked around and found Alden alone.

In the room.

Looking at Stark, whose hair had returned to its usual style.

Alden felt a sense of loss. He said, "It seems the banquet is over."

But Stark remained silent and didn't answer.

Seeing this, Alden said to Gabel, the butler standing nearby, "The commission is complete. Gabel, give Frieren and the others their payment."

Gabel knew that the head of the family had something he wanted to say to Stark, so he bowed and withdrew.

The door closed.

Only the current head of the Alden Family and Stark, who looked almost exactly like his eldest son, remained in the room.

"Stark, your abilities as a warrior are quite outstanding. If you're willing..."

Before Alden could finish, Stark interrupted him.

"I'm not a replacement for your son."

"Yes." Alden, who had only been giving it a try, breathed a sigh of relief at Stark's answer.

He wanted Stark to accept his proposal, but he was also afraid that he actually would.

Relieved, he said, "Wirt and I had a terrible argument over a trivial matter, and I said some very hurtful things. But I didn't mean them. When I first saw you, I thought a miracle had happened."

"Then I have even less reason to stay here."

Stark's voice was quiet, but firm.

"I also said some things I didn't mean to the person who raised me, so I have to bring back plenty of stories from my travels as a gift."

The library in the Alden mansion.

Rienta and Frieren had plunged straight in after the banquet ended.

They were picking out the grimoires they wanted.

It truly was a family with a long history. Even though they were a family of knights, their collection of grimoires on magic was astonishingly large.

Rienta and Frieren were practically spoiled for choice, wanting every book they saw.

Fern, who had changed back into her usual clothes, saw that the two still hadn't made their choices and began urging them along.

Gabel watched the scene helplessly.

He also grumbled inwardly about why the head of the family had fallen for the trick so easily.

Before long, Stark arrived too.

Rienta and Frieren finally finished choosing the grimoires they wanted.

Seeing Stark standing motionless as he looked out the window, Rienta put the books away.

Then he asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Looking down at the head of the Alden Family teaching Mut below, Stark chuckled and said:

"Nothing."

"At least Lord Alden won't have to worry about his heir."