Chapter 39

Even though it had been over twenty years, Freire, knowing this, had kept silent until now. As he ate the lunch Ramona had packed for him, he was swept away by old memories.

“I didn’t even know you’d caught me, just tagging along behind me like a little duckling. It seemed kind of cute back then.”

“Isn’t that a bit much? If you knew I was following you, you could’ve at least said something. You pretended not to know until the very end. Is that all our forty-six years of friendship amounts to?”

“Back then, it was only twenty years of friendship.”

“It still is, but at that age, friendship was everything.”

“Don’t lie. You think I didn’t know you were following me because you didn’t want to get married? And then you went and got married right away and even had a son.”

The two bickered until they finished their lunch. When they looked at the clean containers, they fell silent. Freire poured cold water into a cup without a word and immediately washed the lunch box.

“Come with me.”

“No.”

“Go with me, and live comfortably from now on. Please? I’ll even assign you a personal attendant.”

“I said no.”

Adolf sighed deeply, watching Freire’s resolute refusal, which left him no time to think twice.

“If you were here, I could finally rest easy. Huu… You don’t know this, but my grandson was nearly killed recently.”

When Adolf told him about how Adrian and Raon had been abused by Count Neyno and his daughter, Freire’s eyes trembled slightly.

That explained why Ramona had once said he might not be able to come anymore after finding his biological father. Freire had been surprised when she later returned with Adrian.

“I told you multiple times not to associate with that man. I even warned you when I left Duke Cassius’ Household, but you just turned a deaf ear.”

“I’m sorry. I just… I don’t have the foresight to see what’s coming.”

“I told you he’s been sucking up to you since childhood while ignoring everyone else. I said he’d hurt you someday, so you should stay away.”

‘What’s the point of talking? He just won’t listen.’

“I thought you were saying that out of jealousy between me and Count Neyno.”

“You’re insane…”

Freire, who had spoken so boldly in front of a Duke, sighed and shook his head.

“What good is being a Duke if you can’t even protect your own family? You should be protecting your family right now, not the country. Tsk tsk.”

Adolf smiled wryly as he watched Freire click his tongue. His unwavering disrespect, just as it had been years ago, brought him nothing but joy.

“I couldn’t protect my own children, but I did protect another family member of mine.”

Freire’s eyebrows twitched when Adolf tapped his thigh. Though hidden by his clothes, he knew well the large scar that lay there.

“Does it still hurt?”

“What are you talking about? I’m fully recovered—enough to spar with you.”

It had been over a decade since then. The ache returned on bad weather days, but Freire never mentioned it.

“Why did I… Sigh, I should have just let it be…”

“If I hadn’t intervened, you wouldn’t even be tasting the bento Ramona made right now.”

“That’s… Sigh, never do that again.”

“I’ll keep stepping forward. What kind of person would just stand by when their family is in danger?”

“Ah, cut it out! I told you not to! Really, stop… please…”

Freire let out a deep sigh and looked at Adolf, who was still smiling. Though he’d been a bit strict with Adrian, he’d always smiled like this around Freire. Even when his thigh was pierced by a sword during the war, he’d still smiled at him.

‘Don’t worry.’

While fighting numerous enemy soldiers, a gap had opened in his defenses, and an enemy sword had shot through like an arrow. Just as he thought he was dead, Adolf had taken the blow in his place.

The artery was narrowly missed, saving his life, but the aftereffects left Adolf in a coma for several days.

When Adolf finally regained consciousness, he wiped away Freire’s tears as he sobbed with self-reproach. “I’m just glad you weren’t hurt,” he said. “Even if I’m injured, I can still become a Duke and do my duty. But you can’t.”

Freire couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his utterly tactless words. He should have been the one comforting him, yet Adolf was worrying about him instead.

“Ah, never do that again.”

Feeling guilty for being protected by the one he should have been protecting, Freire lowered his head. Then, instead of the immobilized Adolf, he swept through the enemy ranks.

Though recognized for his service and elevated to the nobility, Freire remained at the Cassius Ducal Estate, undergoing psychiatric treatment. He was utterly disgusted and heartbroken by the horrors he had witnessed and endured on the battlefield. Every night, he dreamed of young soldiers begging for their lives, and his days grew gaunter as he was plagued by nightmares of killing.

One day, an assassin attacked Adolf. Freire, who had been guarding him, confronted the assailant. As he parried the assassin’s razor-sharp blade—a weapon honed through professional training—another figure emerged from the shadows and stabbed.

Fortunately, unlike on the battlefield, Adolf reacted swiftly, deflecting the strike and leaving Freire unharmed. But the incident made Freire realize that his presence might endanger Adolf again. With this thought, he boldly left the Cassius Ducal Estate.

Freire sighed softly, recalling an event from long ago.

“I’m not of your blood. So I’m not family either.”

“Even if we don’t share blood, we were raised from the same breast. Freire, you’re the only one who knows me better than I know myself.”

Freire’s mother had been Adolf’s wet nurse. She had always smiled while caring for young Adolf. One day, while holding both young Adolf and Freire in her arms, she died protecting them from an assassin’s blade.

Wrapping her entire body around the two children, she closed her eyes after entrusting Freire to Adolf. Later, the knights killed the assassin, but the wet nurse never opened her eyes.

When Freire’s only blood relative, his mother, died, Adolf resolved to become family to the boy he had grown up with.

“The Secret Knights are all sorted out now. You don’t need to protect me anymore; there are plenty of others who will.”

Adolf extended his hand. His hand, as solid and dependable as the man himself, was the hand of a comrade and family, someone he’d grown up with and shared life and death on the battlefield with.

“Come on. We need to get going. My son, grandson, and Ramona are waiting for me at home. They’ll be happy to see you.”

Adolf, noticing Freire’s hesitation, made one last empty promise.

“I’m sorry to ask Ramona again, but could you ask her to make us one more meal?”

“Let’s go, what are you dawdling for? Get up already.”

Freire had hesitated when Adolf spoke of family, but mentioning Ramona had an immediate effect. I should probably ask Ramona for just one more meal when we get back.

Freire, who had forgotten his sword, said they should hurry along with their empty lunchboxes, and Adolf nodded with a smile.

Freire Zenon had returned after eight years of running away from home, lured back by the promise of Ramona’s lunch.

“Welcome back. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Adrian, who had been waiting at the door, bowed slightly with a faint smile. He was overjoyed by the return of his master, who had taught him swordsmanship for years.

“Master, I’ve missed you so much!”

Young Raon spotted Freire and ran to embrace him. Seeing this, Sir Onyx realized it was time to relinquish his title as Raon’s master.

“Have you been training diligently all this time? Who taught you, our Raon?”

“Sir Onyx did.”

Freire asked as he lifted the child into his arms. Raon answered immediately. Freire’s gaze swiftly found Sir Onyx. When their eyes met, Sir Onyx bowed his head in greeting, his eyes filled with respect.

Having served as a knight in this estate for many years, he knew Freire well.

“If Sir Onyx is your teacher, you must be learning well. His swordsmanship is more refined than that of other knights.”

Freire paused, his hand still stroking Raon’s hair. Until recently, Raon had been his student, but now that he was part of this household, he should properly be addressed as “young master.” It was inappropriate to touch him so casually.

“Just act as you normally would. My grandson would want it that way.”

At Adolf’s words, Freire glanced at Raon. Seeing him smiling brightly as usual, Freire could tell he didn’t mind his touch.

“You’re here. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Ramona smiled, as if she’d known Freire would come here all along. In response, Freire gave a slight bow.

“Raon and I are planning a barbecue to celebrate Raon’s teacher coming. If you’d rather not…”

“Absolutely not. I’m all for it.”

Freire answered firmly, and then, holding Raon in her arms, she headed toward the garden where the barbecue was being prepared. Just as the freshly prepared meat and vegetables were being set out, a shadow flickered in the tree above before revealing itself.

“Billion? What are you doing here…?”

Lord Billion of the Secret Knights casually lit the charcoal and placed the grill on top.

“Your Grace, Lord Zenon, welcome. Hahaha.”

Lord Billion laughed heartily and immediately began placing meat, sausages, and vegetables on the grill with tongs. His movements were practiced and effortless.

The man who was supposed to be secretly guarding them glanced at the sight of him grilling meat.

“Do you have any conscience?”

“If I had any conscience, I wouldn’t be the leader of the Secret Knights. Now, don’t just stand there—find your seats quickly. The meat’s burning.”

At those words, everyone immediately sat down as if they had never stopped walking. After all, no one wanted the meat to burn.