Chapter 88

The woman who entered by opening the door looked exactly like Cain's mother, Sara.

Upon closer inspection, she was similar but a different person, and she appeared to be slightly younger than Sara.

"Sorry, I made a mistake. You just look a lot like my mother..."

Cain bowed his head in embarrassment to the two of them. When he looked back at Santos, Santos was staring at him with a serious expression.

"Cain, can I ask for your mother's name?"

Cain swallowed hard at Santos's serious gaze.

"Yes, my mother is named Sara."

At Cain's answer, both Santos and the woman who entered the room widened their eyes.

"Sit down first, I'll introduce you. So you're Sara's child... No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity."

Cain didn't quite understand what Santos was saying, but he greeted the woman and the girl sitting next to Santos.

"I'm Cain. I'm an adventurer, so I keep my family name hidden. I met Lord Santos on the road and have been traveling with him."

Cain bowed his head politely and introduced himself.

"I am Lara von Geretta. This girl is Leila. Leila, greet him."

At Lara's words, Leila stood up, pinched the hem of her skirt, and gave a slight bow.

"I'm Leila. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Cain."

After the polite greeting, Leila sat back down next to Lara.

"Still, do you know my mother?"

At Cain's question, Santos nodded, though with a furrowed brow.

"Sara... She is my child. And Lara's sister."

Cain was surprised at Santos's words.

"Huh!? My mother said she met my father while working as an adventurer..."

At Cain's words, Santos began to explain.

"That girl... I told you earlier that the Geretta family is a matriarchal line, right? When I tried to bring a son-in-law into the family and marry him to Sara, she refused and ran away from home. It's been over fifteen years since then. I never thought you would be her child... Is Sara doing well? The fact that you're an adventurer at your age suggests that perhaps Sara is already..."

Tears welled up in Santos's eyes. Lara, sitting next to him, was also crying. Leila, who didn't understand the content of the conversation, tilted her head.

"No, no, no, my mother is doing well. I think she's currently living in a mansion in the capital."

Cain, thinking that the two of them had misunderstood, hurriedly clarified the misunderstanding. Then, he decided to reveal his true identity and speak as a noble, rather than as an adventurer. After taking a deep breath, Cain began to speak.

"To be honest, my name is Cain von Silford Drinter. I have been granted the title of viscount and am currently governing the city of Drinter. My father is Garm von Silford Gracia, the Margrave of Gracia. My mother, Sara, is his second wife."

Cain placed the viscount's seal on the table. Santos was visibly surprised by Cain's words.

"Y-You're that Viscount Silford! The one who saved the princess and Lady Silk at the age of five, was ennobled, and became the top student in the capital's academy after destroying the examination hall... You're Sara's son... I always hear stories from Sir Eric! He always passes through this town when he returns to his territory."

Cain hadn't realized that his past was so well-known, and he certainly hadn't expected to have his embarrassing past explained to him.

(He's right, but it's embarrassing to hear it face-to-face.)

"Hmm... That's about it..."

Cain scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed.

"Still, to think Sara married into the Silford family... Even though she said she hated nobles, she ended up marrying into a noble family. She was always active even as a child. I see, I see... It makes sense that we couldn't take her as a son-in-law. Leila, Lord Cain is your cousin."

Leila nodded, understanding Santos's words.

"Lord Cain is my brother, then."

Cain, being the youngest, couldn't help but smile at being called "brother" for the first time.

"Can you tell me about Sara?"

As Cain was smiling, Santos's voice brought him back to reality.

"I don't know much. But I can tell you what I've heard from my mother."

Cain began to recount what he had heard as a child. When he was young, Cain had heard from Sara about how she met Garm. Of course, he had also heard from Garm. At that time, Cain's memories from his previous life had just returned, and he was gathering information by asking Garm, Sara, and Sylva various questions.

---

"Mother, why did you marry Father?"

Cain, lying in bed, asked Sara, who was reading him a picture book.

"I used to be an adventurer. I even reached C-rank. During a quest, I was hunting in the monster forest with a party of adventurers when I met Garm. Garm was hunting with a small group for training, but he was retreating from the forest while carrying an injured member. Since I could use healing magic, I healed Garm's companions on the spot. We started dating after that, and he proposed, so we got married."

Sara began to speak, recalling the old days in her mind.

"Mother, you were a commoner, yet you married a noble?"

"Yes. Garm was dressed as a knight, but I didn't know he was a noble. They said it was okay for me to be a second wife, but not a first wife. Garm must have been very persistent, as he convinced the family to let him marry me. Back then, Garm was quite proactive. But I guess you wouldn't understand that, Cain."

Sara blushed as she remembered.

Garm had told Cain a similar story. He said that going deep into the forest was a mistake, and he was carrying an injured member when he was rescued by Sara and her party. He was drawn to her regal demeanor, despite her being an adventurer, and proposed. Initially, his parents opposed the match, but they eventually agreed after seeing Sara's dignified presence.

"---That's how it was."

Santos listened to Cain's explanation with tears in his eyes. Lara was also wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I see, thank you, Lord Silford. At formal parties in the capital, only the primary wife would accompany, so I never met her..."

"No, you're my grandfather, so please call me Cain. Mother rarely attended such parties..."

Cain bowed his head slightly.

"I'm sorry. Still, I never thought I'd be saved by my grandson today... Please stay the night. If it's all right with Lord Cain, you can stay as long as you like."

Santos spoke with a smile, but Cain, as a lord, couldn't accept the offer.

"Thank you for your kindness. I'll accept your offer for tonight, but I need to return to the capital after visiting the Marveik territory tomorrow. I'll tell Mother and Father about meeting you all today."

"Very well. Then, I'll write a letter to Sara and Lord Garm tonight. Can you deliver it for me?"

Cain nodded happily at Santos's request.

"Of course. When you come to the capital, please visit Mother. She's currently living in the capital with her sister."

"I will. Thank you, it's a relief to have been helped by Lord Cain."

"Thank you. I didn't know I had a grandfather on my father's side. I hope we can continue to have a good relationship."

After that, they continued chatting until a maid came to announce that dinner was ready.

"Let's eat. This town is close to the mountains, and the mountain vegetables are delicious."

Cain's stomach growled at Santos's words. They were led to the dining room, where Cain was introduced to his step-brother, and they ate together. The table was set with sliced steak, stir-fried mountain vegetables, and other beautifully arranged dishes.

"Today, we are grateful to have met a new grandson. Cheers."

Cain began to eat, taking small portions.

"---Delicious."

The sweetness of the mountain vegetables and the perfect amount of salt brought out their flavor. Santos nodded with a smile at Cain's words.

"Lord Eric and Lady Silk also love the mountain vegetables from this town. They always stop by when traveling between their territories."

"Silk likes them too?"

Cain imagined Silk eating the mountain vegetables enthusiastically.

"Silk... Is the Lady Silk you mentioned earlier the second daughter of Lord Eric, who is engaged to Lord Cain?"

Santos asked with a broad smile.

"Um, that's..."

Cain wiped his face with a handkerchief, sweating and looking flustered.

"That's fine. If it hasn't been announced, there must be a reason. I'll wait for the right time."

"Thank you for understanding."

Cain bowed his head slightly at Santos's consideration.

"Alright! Today is a joyous day. Let's drink! Cain, you should drink too!"

Santos drained his glass enthusiastically.

"Father... Cain is still a child, you know?"

Despite Lara's sharp comment, Santos continued to drink with a smile.

---

Thank you as always.