Chapter 76

Cain, Ilvalenno, and Dianah, who had been freed from the tearoom, gathered in Cain's private room. Cain and Dianah sat side by side on a two-seater sofa, while Ilvalenno sat on a single-seater sofa on the opposite side of the table.

"Alright, let's have a strategy meeting."

Cain rested his elbows on his knees, clasped his hands, and placed his chin on the back of his hands. There was no trace of the tears he had shed when Dianah called him "weak."

"Dianah, your mother seems to dislike the idea of you becoming a knight or playing at being one."

"But Father said it was fine..."

Dianah still looked a bit dissatisfied. It wasn't easy for her to give up on the fun she had with Cain playing at being knights and the sense of accomplishment she felt when sparring with Alundilano.

"I won't make you suppress your desires. Let's work on efforts that don't require suppression."

"Big Brother?"

"A Dianah in knight's armor, wielding a slender sword, would surely be beautiful. I want you to pursue your dream of becoming a knight if that's what you truly desire."

Dianah was only four years old. She had started saying she wanted to be a knight after reading a picture book about a girl knight named Nina. Cain knew that her "dream job" would likely change many times in the future. He also knew that, as a noble and the daughter of a duke, her future would be limited to marrying into a noble family of equal status. However, the difference between "having no other choice" and "having many options but choosing this one" was significant. There was no reason why a noblewoman couldn't be skilled with a sword or magic. If Dianah had many skills, she wouldn't have to cry and submit to a domineering husband.

"Do you know this story?"

Cain told Dianah a story about a man who pretended to be a loafer, wandered the city, and caught a criminal. When the criminal denied the charges and demanded evidence, it turned out the loafer was actually a patrolman who had seen everything with his own eyes. Next, he told a story about a loafer who exposed the misdeeds of a low-ranking official. When the official tried to silence him, it turned out the loafer was actually the king, and the corrupt official was sent to jail. Finally, he told a story about a traveling old man who reprimanded a noble who mistreated his subjects. When the noble tried to silence him, the old man, who was actually a retired prime minister, revealed his true identity and punished the noble. Cain acted out the stories, using gestures and emotional voices to make them more engaging. Dianah listened with sparkling eyes.

"Dianah will pretend to be a commoner too!"

"Ah, I see where you're going with this."

"Given the flow of the story, it's inevitable."

Cain gently stroked Dianah's hair, which was half-up with a wooden hairpin. His mother, Elise, had arranged a job for the carver who made the hairpin, but she didn't like the simple accessory made of plain wood without gems or precious metals. Whenever she saw Dianah wearing it, she would suggest changing it. Dianah, however, loved it because she knew it was made by Selenosta, a familiar face and her stone-throwing teacher.

"If you pretend to be a commoner, Mother will be even angrier."

"But to punish the bad guys, it's better to pretend to be weak and make them let their guard down, right?"

"That's right. Even among nobles, there are those in weak positions. Can you guess who they are?"

"Hmm, someone with a low rank?"

Dianah and Cain had not yet had much interaction with other families. Cain had some interactions with Alundilano, a royal, and the sons of the deputy commander of the royal guard, as he was allowed to join their training. He had also played with some children at embroidery gatherings, but those interactions were limited to the moment.

Dianah seemed to sense that there were differences in status based on titles from the conversations of adults, but she didn't fully understand it.

Cain, while twirling a strand of Dianah's hair, turned to Ilvalenno and asked:

"What about you, Ilvalenno? Who do you think is in a weak position among the nobles?"

"Miss, of course. Once a lady marries and becomes a mistress, her position improves, but as a miss, she has very little decision-making power."

It was the perfect answer. Ilvalenno had understood Cain's intention and given the answer he wanted. Cain hugged Dianah and smiled at Ilvalen.

"Exactly, Ilvalenno. You get it. Dianah, you are in a weak position just by being who you are."

"No! Dianah doesn't want to be weak! I want to be a knight!"

Dianah pushed Cain away and looked up at him, protesting. Cain knew that if he told Dianah that a miss was weak, she would rebel, as she wanted to be a strong girl like Nina.

"That's right. So, you'll pretend to be weak, Dianah."

"Pretend to be weak?"

"Work hard on your lady's education and aim to be the perfect lady to deceive Mother. Pretend to be a quiet, gentle, and perfect lady who excels in embroidery, dancing, poetry, and etiquette. Deceive even Mother, Father, and even Parepantur. Behind the scenes, practice swordsmanship and magic to become strong in secret."

"Pretend to be a lady?"

Cain stood up, walked to the middle of the room, and turned his back to Dianah and Ilvalenno.

"My name is Dianah, the eldest daughter of the leading ducal family of the Limutbreak Kingdom, a renowned lady of the highest caliber. I am a lady so weak that I have never held anything heavier than a fan..."

Ilvalenno and Dianah stared at Cain, who suddenly started acting out this role, with blank faces. Cain turned his head to face them, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"But! That is just a disguise to blend in with the world! My true identity is a champion of justice who helps the weak and punishes the strong!"

After delivering this line, Cain took three steps back, ran a short distance, and performed a backflip, revealing a ruler he had hidden somewhere. He struck a pose.

"Girl Knight Dianah, at your service!"

He pointed the ruler at Dianah with a smug smile. Cain, who had been staring intently at Dianah, suddenly relaxed and smiled softly, lowering the ruler and shrugging his shoulders.

"How was that? Wasn't it cool?"

"It was cool!!"

Dianah clapped and leaned forward to praise Cain. Cain sat back down and gently held Dianah's hands, stopping her clapping, and looked into her eyes with a kind expression.

"In other words, you just need to pretend to be someone who will make the other person let their guard down. You don't have to pretend to be a commoner. Moreover, if you can pretend to be the perfect lady, you'll even get praise from Mother in your daily life."

"Even Mother and Father?"

"To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies, Dianah. If you can become a lady that even Mother, the epitome of a lady, would approve of, no one will see through your disguise."

Dianah seemed to have a bit of guilt about deceiving her parents, who had always been kind and gentle to her.

"I'll secretly teach you what I learned in the royal guard here in this room. I also need to learn how to behave as a gentleman, so let's work hard on lady's education together. Let's aim to be the strongest, both as a knight and as a noble gentleman and lady. The more perfect your disguise, the greater the shock when you reveal your true identity."

"Teach me the spinning move too!"

"Sure. But Ilvalenno is better at that."

"Really?"

Dianah looked at Ilvalenno with wide eyes. Ilvalenno, suddenly put on the spot, looked taken aback for a moment before glaring at Cain with a troubled expression.

"Hehe. I said earlier that to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies. Dianah, I didn't tell you, but Ilvalenno is actually a former orphan and my servant, a disguise to blend in with the world."

"Really, Ilvalenno?"

Dianah looked at Ilvalenno with hopeful eyes. Ilvalenno had a bitter expression, as if he had just bitten into a clove of garlic instead of a potato.

"Actually, Ilvalenno isn't just a servant. He's my bodyguard, stronger than me, the strongest ninja."

Cain proudly explained to Dianah, but the reaction he got was not what he expected.

"Big Brother, what's a ninja?"