Chapter 94

That evening, Noein visited Lilith’s home, bringing along Mathilda and Clara.

Noein had instructed Lilith not to tell anyone about their visit, so her father, Russell, was understandably shocked by the sudden arrival of the lord.

“No… Noein-sama!? And Clara-sama too!”

“Sorry to surprise you. Please, stay seated.”

As Noein’s group, led by Admira, entered the house, Russell hurriedly tried to stand up on one leg, but Noein gently calmed him down.

Noein took a seat facing Russell, Clara sat beside him, and Mathilda stood quietly behind them.

Admira placed cups of water before Noein and the others.

“Thank you.”

“I’m terribly sorry; we are just humble farmers and cannot offer you any proper hospitality…”

“No, it’s us who came unannounced… This is your home. Please make yourselves comfortable.”

Noein spoke to reassure Russell, who looked uneasy and fidgety.

“Well… The reason I came today is for Lilith.”

Taking a sip of water, Noein got straight to the point.

“Did… did my daughter do something wrong…?”

Russell turned to glance at Lilith, who stood behind him. With the conversation turning serious, Lilith’s expression tensed with nervousness.

“I heard from Doctor Selfers that Lilith is aspiring to become a doctor.”

“I’m so sorry! My daughter’s ambition is beyond her means… I didn’t mean to trouble even you, Noein-sama…”

“No, that’s not it. I’m not here to reprimand her.”

Seeing the worried look on Russell’s face, as if he was about to be scolded, Noein responded gently.

“Actually, it’s the opposite. If Lilith wishes to pursue medicine, I would like her to study under Dr. Selfers and immerse herself in the field. However, I heard that her father, you, Russell, are against it, so I wanted to speak with you.”

Hearing Noein’s words, Russell fell silent for a moment with a conflicted expression, then began to speak.

“…If it is Noein-sama’s order, I have no choice but to allow my daughter to pursue becoming a doctor.”

His tone revealed his true feelings—that he was only reluctantly complying with the lord’s request.

“I’m not trying to impose my authority as lord. Doing so would only drive a wedge between you and your daughter… Also, as lord, I don’t believe I should casually interfere with the personal matters of my subjects.”

Noein continued, without reproach, calmly addressing Russell.

“So… Russell, why are you against Lilith becoming a doctor?”

“Well… I’ve never heard of a woman becoming a doctor… I’ve never even seen a female doctor. Even if my daughter could acquire medical knowledge, I doubt she could make a living as a doctor.”

Noein listened to Russell’s concerns directly.

It wasn’t that Russell was stubborn. Sticking to customs and norms because “that’s how it’s always been” is quite normal, especially for someone like Russell, a farmer who has lived his life within the limited world of the village and its surroundings.

“…We abandoned our homeland and barely survived to reach this land. And now, I can’t even walk properly. That’s why I want my only daughter, Lilith, to marry a good man and lead a stable, if modest, life. If she becomes a female doctor, she might struggle to make a living, and it could interfere with marriage prospects…”

“I understand your feelings. Given the world you’ve known, it’s natural to have those concerns. Indeed, female doctors are rare. Almost nonexistent, in fact. But that’s true in other parts of the kingdom.”

Noein continued, showing empathy for Russell’s perspective.

“This land is different from where you’ve lived so far—not just in geography but also in my own beliefs, values, and the social norms and systems that stem from them.”

Noein spoke gently yet firmly, so as not to intimidate Russell.

“Here, former mercenaries live as vassals, former refugees work as landowning farmers, and there are beastmen who have started their own trading companies. Slaves are protected by law, just like commoners, against crimes. This Mathilda, though a beastman slave, serves as my deputy. There’s also a women’s guild that supports each other. You no longer find such things strange, right?”

“Yes… At first, I was confused, but I accepted it as part of the new life granted to me here, a place to make a fresh start. Now, it feels natural.”

The people of the Earlkvist domain largely accepted the local rules, even if they deviated from the norms of the kingdom. They had no desire to cling to old customs and traditions at the cost of the stability they had found.

“These new principles are based on my belief that people should be evaluated by their abilities and achievements, regardless of race, gender, origin, or social status. I will continue to govern this land based on this belief, and I will pass it on to my children and grandchildren.”

Growing up isolated from society, Noein had never accepted the kingdom’s social customs, which distinguished and discriminated against people based on their inherent status.

He intellectually understood that society worked that way, but deep down, he found it unreasonable and inefficient to restrict people’s roles and positions just because they were women, beastmen, or slaves.

This principle ultimately shaped the progressive spirit of the Earlkvist domain.

“So, if Lilith becomes a doctor, she won’t be discriminated against or persecuted simply for being a woman. She will be respected and appreciated as a doctor who supports and helps the people. I will make sure of that.”

Noein looked straight into Russell’s eyes and continued speaking.

“Russell, you made the difficult decision to leave your birthplace and have embraced new values here in the Earlkvist domain. You had the courage to do that. So please, trust me once again and open your mind to new ways of thinking. I’m asking you, sincerely.”

“P-Please, Lord Noein, raise your head,” Russell stammered in a fluster as Noein slightly lowered his head.

For a noble lord to bow, even just slightly, to a subject was an extraordinary gesture—one that left Russell understandably feeling humbled and honored.

“…I understand Lord Noein’s thoughts very well,” Russell said, his face reflecting both acceptance and inner conflict.

Though he understood the reasoning, there was still a natural unease at overturning yet another familiar belief.

“…Lilith, what made you want to become a doctor?”

“That’s because… Dr. Serfas saved my father,” Lilith answered, as Noein prompted her to speak as a final, persuasive step. Hearing this, Russell’s face showed surprise.

“When my father lost his leg in a fight with bandits, I thought he wouldn’t survive. I feared I’d lose him so soon after we’d just found a new place to live. I thought I’d never see him again.”

Despite her nerves, Lilith continued to speak earnestly.

“But Dr. Serfas saved him. Because of him, I can still be with my father today. That’s why I want to become a doctor, too. I want to help the injured and the sick so that people in this domain don’t have to feel that sadness.”

“…”

Listening to Lilith’s words, Russell’s eyes filled with tears.

“Russell, as the lord of this land, I promise to protect Lilith’s wish. So, won’t you allow her to follow her dream of becoming a doctor?”

“…Yes. Lord Noein, please grant my daughter a place where she can serve as a doctor. I beg you,” Russell said, bowing deeply.

…

Later that evening, after returning to the manor, dining, and bathing, Clara and Mathilda spoke to Noein as he relaxed in the living room.

“I was moved by your words tonight, Noein. Isn’t that right, Mathilda?”

“Yes, I was deeply impressed. Even standing behind you, I could feel your compassion, Lord Noein.”

“Thank you. I think I did a pretty good job myself… but in the end, it was Lilith’s words that truly made the difference. It seems that love can move hearts more than logic.”

Sipping the tea Mathilda had made, Noein reflected. It wasn’t solely for Lilith that he had made this effort. He also aimed to break rigid social conventions and cultivate the next generation of doctors for the domain’s stability. Still, he didn’t mind the praise from the women he cherished.

“For a father to shed tears over me… it’s something I’ll likely never experience in my lifetime. Although, maybe if my father sees how successful I am in frontier development, he might shed tears of frustration,” Noein remarked with a sly grin.

Clara offered a slightly pained smile, and Mathilda let out a small, dry chuckle.

“Oh, did I miss the mark with that joke? I thought it was pretty funny.”

“Well…”

“It may have been a bit too sarcastic,” Mathilda said, taking a seat to his right, while Clara sat on his left. Both women leaned gently against his arms.

“We’ll be by your side for life. We’ll shed tears at your words, and we’ll feel love through them too.”

“So you’re never alone.”

“…You caught me. Thank you, both of you.”

Watching the bond between Lilith and her father had made Noein feel a tinge of loneliness, recalling his own childhood. His remark about his father had been an expression of that hidden sentiment.

It seemed Clara and Mathilda had seen through him.

“…Shall we go to bed?”

“Yes, the three of us tonight.”

“Please treat us kindly.”

With Mathilda and Clara clinging to his arms, Noein rose and headed to the bedroom.