June, 762
We were wandering around a place not far from the ducal territory’s capital.
A peaceful plain stretched out before us, with a small stream flowing a little distance from the road. If you looked far into the distance, you could see villages dotting the landscape along the road.
I had a reason for wanting to see it with my own eyes, not just relying on the information from the Golden Sheep Trading Company.
But there was another reason too.
“Lady Leila, are you feeling tired?”
“I’m still fine.”
I had brought Lady Leila out for a change of pace. She rarely left the castle, and I thought she might feel suffocated there.
Of course, bringing her outside wasn’t favored by the main family. But since I needed a guard while exploring, and Lady Leila needed protection while at the castle, it made sense to solve both problems by having her join me.
Lady Leila curiously gazed around at the sights.
“You don’t come around here often, do you?”
“That’s right… I hardly ever left the castle before.”
I was genuinely surprised.
She was really raised like a sheltered princess…
“So this is a bit of an adventure for you.”
“Yes… I’m a little nervous, but it’s exciting to see the state of the territory like this.”
“Don’t worry, Lady Leila. With me and the other knights as your guard, no one will dare touch you.”
I tried to reassure her by quoting a famous line from a knight’s story.
“Sir Aine, you’re not exactly the most reliable guard, though.”
“Hey, old man, I was trying to look cool here. Don’t ruin it.”
The surrounding knights laughed at our exchange.
Seeing that, Lady Leila let out a small giggle too.
Recently, she had started to show more of her emotions around me. There were still moments when she felt distant, but I hoped that, with time, she would become more comfortable.
Soon, we reached one of the lakes scattered throughout the territory. We decided to rest there, letting the horses drink from the lake.
Lady Leila seemed deeply moved by the sight of the lake.
“Feel free to play if you’d like.”
When I said that, Lady Leila blushed with embarrassment.
“That would be unseemly, wouldn’t it? For a lady of a ducal family…”
“It’s fine. There’s no one here but us.”
Mimi, the cat-eared beastman maid, eagerly encouraged her, saying, “Let’s go, my lady!”
Lady Leila hesitated for a moment but then allowed herself to be gently pulled toward the lake by Mimi.
Aren’t cats supposed to dislike water…?
The sight of the two of them splashing around, playing with their feet, was truly heartwarming.
Really, it was so radiant.
Wait a second.
It’s literally sparkling?
I moved closer to the lake and scooped up some sand.
Peering at it closely, I spotted tiny, glimmering particles within the grains.
Is this… gold dust?
