Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

“Damn…”

With a rough gesture, he ran his hand through his hair, scrunching his face as if to say, ‘I’m not in a good mood right now. Don’t mess with me.’

This was the unmistakable aura that Caedwin Humbleton exuded at that moment, and his disposition matched the impression perfectly.

It was a time when he couldn’t afford to waste even a second, not even a minute. He wondered what on earth he was doing here.

Contrary to his restless demeanor, the young man with a gentle look sitting across from him leisurely sipping tea was Liber Cotra, and Caedwin could no longer bear it.

“Really, elder brother Liber! Why are you so relaxed? The tea is just going down?”

“Hmm? Caedwin, don’t you like this tea? We hardly get such things in our domain, so I should drink a lot of it now….”

“Oh, come on!”

Liber, who was already on his fourth cup, didn’t seem to be joking. Although Caedwin wanted to yell even more, he couldn’t bring himself to get angry, seeing Liber sip the tea with apparent delight.

Next to Liber sat a girl, Sonya Derin, who carefully placed a colorful plate in front of him and said, “Elder brother Liber, please try these cookies. A branch of Edwick’s Bakery just opened in our domain. I bought these myself.”

“Edwick’s Bakery?!”

Edwick’s Bakery, arguably the most famous in the Rondel kingdom, was renowned enough to have branches throughout the kingdom. However, there had been no branch in the Rangar region, nor were its products imported, leading to mere rumors.

The fact that Edwick’s Bakery had opened in the Derin Viscounty was surprising.

“Oh…”

“Why, elder brother Liber?”

Though Liber seemed as he would devour the cookies as he had the tea, his hand holding a cookie stopped before it reached his mouth. Instead, he looked at the pile of cookies on the plate with eyes filled with sadness.

“I just wish my parents could have them too….”

The eyes, filled with sorrow, began to well up with tears.

Ignoring Caedwin’s apparent bewilderment, Liber wiped his tears with his delicate fingers.

“elder brother Liber, your parents are perfectly fine and alive back in your domain….”

Caedwin was not the only one looking at Liber with disbelief. Sonya looked at Liber with her plump cheeks turning red and exclaimed, “I will immediately send servants to raid Edwick’s Bakery and send everything to Cotra’s domain!”

“Really? But that would take too long and might spoil….”

“Don’t worry about that. I will stuff everything into Dad’s cherished spatial magic-enabled backpack and send it. There would be no problem sending that much as a dowry, and I’m sure my father would be pleased.”

“Dowry?”

At that word, Caedwin looked at Sonya incredulously.

Yet, with her chest puffed out confidently, Sonya spoke without a trace of shame or falsehood on her face.

“Thank you. And the tea too….”

“Yes! I’ll send you the portion my dad set aside for himself as well!”

Don’t send it…

Even Derin’s family head might beat you black and blue.

“Sonya, you’re so kind.”

It’s theft.

What’s so kind about that?

“Hehe. My dream is to be a good wife and wise mother.”

“Hmm. You could achieve that, Sonya.”

“D-dear elder brother….”

What nonsense is this crazy kid talking about?

Why is elder brother indulging that nonsense?

Caedwin wanted to interject, but he felt like he might go mad too if he tried to insert himself into their conversation, so he gave up.

Instead, Caedwin watched Liber, staring emotionally at Sonya.

‘Is the Cotra family that badly off?’

Cotra Viscounty was located in the southern Rangar region. Families in the Rangar region had strong ties with each other and often visited, but only adults truly understood each family’s circumstances.

Even though exchanges were supposedly amicable, it was limited among adults. Caedwin and Liber only managed to see each other’s faces frequently because their domains were relatively close.

‘The Derin Viscounty almost doesn’t seem like part of the Rangar region anymore.’

As Caedwin glanced at Sonya, he couldn’t help but realize this.

Located in the Rangar region’s north, the Derin Viscounty connected Rangar to other regions of the Rondel kingdom, serving as the only passage. As a result, exchanges with other regions were active, leading to peace and prosperity, unlike other families impacted by past struggles. The Derin Viscounty’s mansion was luxurious and filled with expensive items.

‘The outward opulence and the weapons hung on the walls are mere decorations.’

Though the cities in the Rangar region were fortified to protect them, their manors were also ready to serve as fortresses or command centers during emergencies.

Guards in these manors were well-trained, fully armed, and supplies were always stockpiled.

The center of the Derin Viscount’s territory showed walls, though seemingly now merely for decoration.

‘At least the people here still see themselves as part of the Rangar region.’

The Derin Viscounty’s production was crucial for other families in the region. All external goods had to pass through the Derin Viscounty.

If the Derin Viscounty ever harbored other intentions, families within Rangar could be paralyzed.

‘Although other families wouldn’t simply let that happen….’

Should that happen, the leading family, the Worden County, would immediately act.

In Rangar, no family ignored Count Worden’s influence. The land itself was granted by the royal family to Count Worden.

The ancestors of the current Rangar families were vassals of Count Worden, receiving land and titles for their help with Rangar’s development.

Though such traditions had faded, the world always favored the strong.

Regardless of past ties, Count Worden remained the ruler of Rangar.

Knowing all that, Caedwin found the current situation annoying.

“Why must we go to the royal capital together? Aren’t you angry, elder brother?”

“Isn’t it a nice opportunity to tour the capital? Count Worden is covering our expenses, so travel, lodging, and meals are all taken care of….”

“Ah, really! Why are you suddenly so thrifty?”

When Caedwin yelled, Liber became moody.

Despite being the oldest, his behavior was perplexingly childish.

More so as he was the heir to the Cotra Viscounty, noted for holding the cursed war grounds of southern Rangar.

“Stop yelling! It’s so uncivilized! Like an ogre’s scream!”

“What, what?! I just have a loud voice! And look at the situation! Frankly, you don’t want to go to the capital either, do you?”

“If elder brother Liber wants to, then I’ll go to the capital willingly! Besides, what’s so special about it?”

“What’s special? You went to the capital last year and cried your eyes out, crybaby!”

“That was because I was so happy to meet our eldest brother!”

“That’s nonsense! Do you think I don’t know? Rumor already spread that you lost your temper after being teased by the nobles there!”

As Caedwin frowned and raised his voice again, Liber intervened by raising his hand in front of Caedwin’s face.

“Stop.”

He spoke to them quietly but authoritatively.

“Enough, Caedwin.”

Though Liber’s eyes were indifferent and his expression calm, the mood was tense.

Caedwin, able to read the mood, genuinely apologized to both Liber and Sonya.

“… I’m sorry, elder brother Liber. And Sonya, my apologies.”

“Hmmph!”

“Come on, Caedwin apologized. Won’t you accept his apology?”

“Well, if you say so, elder brother Liber…”

With the atmosphere somewhat relaxed, Liber turned to Caedwin.

“Caedwin, don’t you want to go to the capital?”

“Would you? Those damned central nobles always look down on us. Elder brother knows that, right?”

Caedwin had accompanied his father numerous times to the capital, primarily for family affairs, but secretly, he aimed to enroll in the royal capital academy, just like Liber.

Both had enrolled, but neither graduated due to choosing to withdraw.

With sour memories of the capital, the mention of the place was enough to evoke a shiver from them.

“It’s just plain unpleasant.”

Sonya, still too young for academy enrollment, had attended social events in the capital. Therefore, she fully understood the arrogance of the nobles they’d met there.

“Maybe Count Worden knew that and didn’t enroll his children for that reason.”

“Hardly. Unlike us, they have solid backing. The central nobles would be the ones shamed if they were treated the same way they treated us.”

It was known without being said who provided that solid backing.

The aristocratic powerhouse Marquess Ferdida, the famous Miles Viscount family known throughout the continent, and Count Worden’s influence in Rangar.

Together, they had the power to suppress any nobles, be they central or regional.

“Had we only enrolled with you, we wouldn’t have experienced that humiliation!”

“We just weren’t capable enough. On the other hand, Lito is doing well at the academy.”

“That might be, but…”

Unlike Caedwin and Liber, Lito Derin, heir to the Derin Viscounty, seemed to have adapted well at the academy, with tales of his good grades reaching their ears.

Feeling foolish for even bringing it up, Caedwin sighed softly.

“Anyway, whether I like it or not, I’m going because of father’s orders. Elder brother will handle the rest of the chaperone duties.”

“Sure, just hold your position.”

“Tch…”

Caedwin couldn’t help but think Liber was overly benevolent.

Despite being only two years apart, Liber seemed much more mature, making Caedwin feel like an immature child.

Out of spite, he grabbed a handful of expensive cookies on Liber’s plate and stuffed them into his mouth. Sonya glared at him with wide eyes but he ignored it.

As he continued munching to vent his frustration, there came a knock on the door followed by a maid who entered and spoke politely to Sonya.

“Miss, the children of Count Worden have arrived.”

“How long does it take on horseback? They’re fast!”

Caedwin, not Sonya, shouted as he rose to his feet. He was already out the door before anyone else.

“He seems the most excited.”

“So, shall we go greet them?”

“Yes, dear elder brother!”

Hand in hand, Liber and Sonya got up and left the room together.