Published: January 12, 2026
For now, I can't keep them waiting.
With that thought, I moved to the reception room prepared on the second floor of the lord's manor to meet the visitors.
The reception set consisted of three pairs of sofas arranged around a low table, but since there were three carriages, there might be more than three guests.
Should I rearrange the sofas a bit? No, if I make it four pairs against two, it might look awkward if there are fewer than three guests.
I pondered.
Espada, Dee, and Kamushin wouldn’t be sitting, so I would be the only one sitting on this side.
By the way, Til was hurriedly preparing light refreshments and tea.
Would it have been better to ask how many guests there were?
While I was troubled by such a subtle dilemma, I heard a knock on the door.
I gave up.
"Please come in," I replied, deciding to sit firmly in the middle of the sofa and wait. Well, I’m just a local lord without a noble title, so depending on the visitors, it might not be appropriate to sit, but I can decide that after seeing who they are.
Being a child as I am, if I get underestimated just by my attitude, I’d be treated even more lightly than helium gas.
Just as I settled in, the door slowly opened.
Two people appeared: a beautiful woman who looked like she was in her mid-twenties and a beautiful young girl who appeared to be about ten years old.
The woman was tall and slender but with a well-proportioned, attractive figure, her long wavy blonde hair swaying.
To put it simply, she gave off an "OH! it's an American dream!" vibe.
In contrast, the girl looked gloomy to the point of seeming unfortunate. Her hair was white, her skin pale, and she slouched with a timid upward gaze that seemed to show her lack of confidence. A worried expression seemed to be her default.
Looking at the girl, I felt like a parent or a teacher, worried she might be bullied.
… Should I have stayed seated?
These two were hard to read. No, if such a child was sent, there was no way she was just an ordinary kid.
Reconsidering, I stood up.
"Nice to meet you. I’m Van Nei Fertio. I’m entrusted as the lord of this village."
After introducing myself with a slight bow, the woman and the girl both bowed. Then the woman put her hand to her chest and spoke.
"My name is Panamera Carrera Cayenne. I was just recently promoted to Viscount. I’m a self-made noble who rose from being a knight marquis."
Panamera smiled confidently, introducing herself with a tone that seemed self-deprecating but still radiated confidence from every word.
That made sense. Though she said it casually, rising from knight marquis to baron and then viscount in one generation was no small feat.
This American dream-like beauty was definitely a formidable figure with a sharp mind.
On the other hand, the white-haired girl with her contrasting atmosphere lowered her chin timidly and spoke.
"I, I am Arte von Ferdinand, the youngest daughter of Count Ferdinand… I heard that someone from the Marquis Fertio family came to this village, so my father, Count Bariat Sirocco Ferdinat, told me to come and greet you… P-pleased to meet you."
After her hesitant greeting, Arte bowed deeply.
Reading between the lines, it looked like: one of the sons of the marquis Fertio, whom they consider a rival, was sent to the frontier. So they decided to send the youngest daughter, who wouldn’t be a problem even if something happened, to spy?
But that made Panamera’s presence a mystery.
Looking at her, I caught Panamera’s lion-like, intense gaze directed at me. It was intimidating, so I invited them to sit and sat down myself.
There was no friendly vibe from Panamera’s eyes; it felt like she was trying to gauge my true intentions.
That’s when I realized.
Though it was the king’s decision, Count Ferdinand, whose territory had been reduced, harbored both anger and fear towards the marquis.
So he was curious why the prodigy boy Van was sent to the frontier. In other words, he suspected that Van’s unfortunate treatment might all be a scheme by Marquis Fertio, and he worried that a surprise attack might come from the frontier.