At Ghislain's question, Elena answered nervously.
"I-I don't do anything like exercise."
Elena was a noblewoman. Unless they were from a completely fallen noble family, there was no reason for a typical noblewoman to exert physical strength in daily life.
Even though Perdium was a poor territory, it had been a margrave supported by the kingdom. They could afford servants.
Thus, Elena never had any need to engage in physically demanding tasks. She also had no training.
All she had ever done were lessons to cultivate grace and etiquette befitting a noblewoman. The most exertion she had ever experienced related to such lessons.
This was the first time in her life she had ever used all her strength.
"Uh, uh…"
Feeling uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, Elena began to look uneasy.
She had never even considered how strong she might be. She had lived without knowing her limits because she never had any reason to test her strength.
Ghislain stroked his chin with a serious expression.
'Come to think of it, back then…'
— "O-Oppa! Let's run!"
— "It's okay, let go. Wow, you're surprisingly strong."
— "Hurry, we need to run!"
When the assassins came to Perdium to kill Elena, she grabbed Ghislain's arm and begged him to run.
At that time, Ghislain found it difficult to shake her grip loose.
— "Why are you so strong? Have you been working out?"
Though he said that, he merely thought she was a bit stronger than the average girl.
He hadn't given it much thought since he was preoccupied with dealing with the assassins, and later, he assumed his own unstable strength after reincarnation might have made her grip seem stronger.
'There was another time…'
When Ghislain defeated Kane and collected his prize, Elena had slyly clung to his arm to feign closeness and gain some favor.
Even then, Ghislain tried to lightly shake her off but failed.
— "Seriously, do you work out? Why are you this strong?"
Memories of odd moments suddenly flooded Ghislain's mind. Instances he had brushed off as unimportant now seemed significant.
Belinda was equally baffled. She had always thought of Elena as an unusually healthy but otherwise ordinary girl.
'Come to think of it, the young lady has never been sick. Not even a common cold. Compared to the young lord, who was constantly sniffling and coughing…'
Back then, her attention was more focused on caring for the frailer Ghislain, so she had paid less attention to Elena's unusual health.
'But still, she wasn't this strong as a child.'
While she had been a bit stronger than her peers, Elena's strength wasn't at a level to rival an adult. Belinda had even dismissed her suspicions of any connection to Annette.
'Wait, come to think of it, there was also that time…'
When Alpoi and the mages first arrived at the estate, Elena had been scolded by Ghislain for making Vanessa carry heavy loads.
Alpoi and the mages had struggled to even lift their own luggage. Even the coachman had offered to help.
But Elena had appeared with the other servants and casually carried the heavy baggage in both hands.
Belinda had even clapped her hands in delight and teased her.
— "Oh my, is it not heavy? You must have been working out!"
— "Gosh, no. It's not even that heavy."
They had dismissed it as Alpoi and the mages being unusually weak, which they truly had been at the time.
Ghislain and Belinda both pressed their palms to their foreheads. The same thought crossed their minds.
'She has holy power. There's no doubt about it.'
'Lady Annette's holy power must have been passed down to the young lady.'
Why hadn't they investigated this earlier? Why had they simply assumed she was a strong girl and nothing more?
To be fair, holy power wasn't something easily inherited, so the idea hadn't even occurred to them.
'Confirming holy power takes time.'
'And I never saw her exert herself after she was little, nor did I pay much attention.'
Those born with holy power have a different muscle density and structure, granting them immense strength. However, this strength doesn't fully manifest at birth.
Usually, as the person grows, their muscles develop alongside their power. It takes consistent observation to confirm whether someone possesses holy power.
But in Perdium, no one had the luxury to monitor Elena closely. Everyone had simply grown accustomed to her gradually increasing strength and overlooked it.
Elena herself had no reason to notice. This was likely the first time she had faced a life-threatening situation that required her full strength, triggering her awakening.
Ghislain's eyes gleamed.
'To think such a gem was hidden in our family. We can't let this go to waste.'
To be honest, the assassin's arm breaking was sheer luck. The assassin had been caught off guard and couldn't react in time.
Even with holy power, Elena wouldn't be able to handle even a novice knight in a real fight. Without training in mana and techniques, raw strength alone has its limits.
'In my past life, the assassins succeeded before she could awaken…'
Perhaps even then, the struggling Elena might have broken an assassin's wrist or two without realizing it.
Ghislain's face brightened with a mischievous grin as he approached Elena, feigning friendliness.
"Elena, that must've been scary. You did great."
"Huh? Umm…"
"Sigh, it's partly my fault this happened. I feel bad. I'll buy you some new clothes and jewelry to make it up to you."
Elena took a step back, casting a suspicious glance at him.
Everyone in the kingdom knew that Ghislain was incredibly wealthy. However, he was also infamous for avoiding luxury and extravagance.
He poured all his wealth into developing the territory and preparing for war. Even the bribes he received were funneled into those efforts.
'Even though you're rich, you didn't buy me a single proper gift!'
"What's the point of all that wealth if I'm still a poor noblewoman?" she had often complained to Rachel. Her frustration at not receiving even a single decent gift from her rich brother had been a frequent source of grumbling.
Now, out of the blue, he was offering to buy her things? He was clearly up to something.
"What are you up to? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"
"Sigh, I just feel bad. I think I've been neglecting my little sister too much."
"Oh, stop it. That's not like you at all! Don't come any closer. You're being really suspicious."
Ghislain halted at her warning but spoke earnestly.
"I mean it this time. I'll get you anything you want. Just name it."
"Really?"
"Of course! Anything you want. This time, I'll spend big."
"Really, really?"
"Absolutely. But… you'd have to do me one favor."
Of course, it wasn't without a catch. Elena pouted and asked.
"What is it? What's the favor?"
Ghislain sighed deeply. This was the crucial moment. He had to persuade her.
He spoke with genuine sincerity, his expression more serious than ever.
"Join the Northern Army."
***
"Phew, it's finally over."
"Yes, everyone worked hard."
Ghislain slumped back in his chair, his face weary as he faced Belinda.
The past few days have been exhausting. The duchy had pulled out all the stops for this operation, even baiting with high-value targets.
Now that the crisis had been resolved, a heavy fatigue washed over him.
Belinda, her expression a mix of concern and resignation, asked.
"Are you really going to bring Young Lady Elena with you?"
"I have to. Wasting a talent like that would be a crime."
"But she really doesn't want to go."
"Hmm…"
A bright red handprint was visible on Ghislain's cheek. He had spent hours trying to persuade a resistant Elena, only to end up slapped.
He had willingly endured it for the sake of convincing her, but the force of the slap had nearly twisted his neck.
After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head.
"No, I can't let it go. A noble must fulfill their duty. Someone with her talent refusing to fight is a crime. I'll bring her along no matter what."
"Sigh…"
Belinda merely shrugged her shoulders. She had opposed the idea several times, citing its dangers, but Ghislain was immovable.
"It's not just because of her holy power. After what happened, I think Elena should at least be capable of protecting herself. The same goes for Rachel. Even if I don't send them into battle right away, I'll bring them along for training."
Belinda couldn't completely oppose this reasoning. Perhaps staying by Ghislain and herself was indeed the safest option for them.
If they could teach Elena and Rachel weapon skills and mana cultivation, it would be best for her to stay close and keep an eye on them.
Ghislain, worried that Belinda might raise another objection, quickly changed the topic.
"Alright, that's settled for Elena. Now, let's hear more about my mother. What's the full story? Something about this doesn't add up. If all of this happened twenty years ago, it doesn't align with the timeline of when I was born."
"It's not exactly twenty years. It's been nearly thirty years, give or take. I just said twenty because it felt easier."
"… Then how old does that make you, Belinda?"
"What did I teach you before?"
"… 'Never ask a woman's "real" age.'"
"That's right."
Her sly answer left Ghislain at a loss for words, and he shook his head.
"Sigh… Anyway, what's the story with my mother? How did she end up in Perdium? What happened that Melkir was hunting her down?"
"Phew…"
Belinda sighed and placed an old box she had brought with her onto the table. She had anticipated needing it when Ghislain called her.
"What's this?"
"It's something I've been keeping hidden in Perdium. I thought it would be best to first explain the organization Lady Annette and I were part of."
Belinda had hidden most of her personal belongings in Perdium before following Ghislain. Since Ghislain moved frequently—from Fenris to Cabaldi and then Desmond—she had kept the most important items there until things stabilized.
"… Inside here… lies my mother's secret…"
Ghislain swallowed hard and opened the box.
Click.
Inside were three books. Two looked relatively clean, while one appeared old and worn.
Seeing the distinct appearance of the books, Ghislain's gaze wavered as he looked at the first two.
The titles on the covers were anything but ordinary.
"… Are these my mother's secrets?"
"Yes."
Ghislain blinked several times, then read the titles again to confirm.
[My Ex-Husband Turned Out to Be the Crown Prince of the Empire?]
[I Was Hit by a Carriage and Reincarnated as a Princess of the Kingdom.]
They were clearly the kinds of novels sold in bookstores. They reminded him of the Transparent Swordmaster novel Gordon had written—just typical fiction.
Still, if they held his mother's secret, he had to investigate.
Ghislain cautiously asked, "W-Was she married before?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Was she actually a hidden princess of the kingdom?"
"Where are you getting these ideas from?"
Ghislain, his expression flat, held up the two books.
"Then what are these?"
"Oh my! Why are those in there?"
Belinda, finally noticing the books, was startled and snatched them away.
They were novels she had occasionally read to relieve stress when she had been exhausted from raising Ghislain and Elena. She had apparently tucked them into the box and forgotten about them.
Embarrassed, she chuckled nervously and said, "Oh, those are just books I used to read as a hobby. Don't mind them. Focus on the other one."
"… Fine."
Composing himself, Ghislain picked up the remaining book. It was old and worn, clearly aged.
Inside were details about an organization and the techniques Belinda had learned.
"The Shadow Knights…"
He hadn't heard of them, even in his previous life. According to the book, their mission was to protect the Lutania royal family from the shadows.
It was a secret organization tasked with eliminating threats to the royal family. And his mother had been the leader of this group.
The Shadow Knights were a powerful entity that held all the kingdom's secrets and maintained a hit list of nobles.
However, there was no information on their origins or how and why they were established. The records seemed to end abruptly.
One peculiar detail stood out.
"A single family monopolized the position of leader? In this kingdom?"
"Yes, the position was hereditary. Only members of Lady Annette's family could learn the techniques and assume leadership of the Shadow Knights."
"Wait, but you inherited them."
"Lady Annette wanted to end the tradition with her generation. That's why she passed the techniques on to me. I don't know why she made that decision."
"Did my mother not have any other family members?"
"Not that I know of. She was a very secretive person… and she considered that part of her charm."
Ghislain realized that the techniques Belinda had taught him were ones she had learned from his mother. Annette's teachings had been passed down to him.
"… I see. But there's nothing here about why or when this organization was created."
An organization with such immense authority couldn't have been formed without reason. Moreover, there were signs of conflict with the Salvation Church even in the past. It wasn't something to overlook.
As Ghislain finished skimming through the book, Belinda added more context.
"I think it might have been established during the founding of the kingdom. That would explain why they protected the Lutania royal family. Of course, there's no way to be certain without records."
"Does the Shadow Knights organization still exist in the royal family today?"
"No. As far as I know, it was destroyed because of Melkir. There were no survivors. I'm not sure if they reestablished it afterward."
"So, Melkir was the traitor?"
"Yes, he was the vice-leader."
Belinda recounted the past calmly. Melkir, who had been the vice-leader, had ambushed Annette, inflicting severe injuries.
Most of the members were killed during the betrayal, and the Shadow Knights were disbanded.
At the time, young Belinda had simply thought Melkir had joined forces with other traitors for the attack.
"But looking back now, it seems more likely that he collaborated with external forces to attack Lady Annette. The Duke family and the Salvation Church."
"Did you hear anything about the enemy during the fight?"
"I was just a trainee back then. Lady Annette never talked about that incident, so I don't know the details."
"I see… Still, I think I'm getting the picture."
The Duke's family had only started revealing their ambitions in the past decade, but their contact with the Salvation Church and preparations to overthrow the kingdom likely began over twenty years ago.
Before that, the Salvation Church had shown no activity. Something must have caused them to start moving when the Shadow Knights fell.
Ghislain narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.
"They're so secretive… It's hard to know. And they don't seem like just a new religious order."
The black energy they used was unlike any mana or holy power he had seen before. Such power had suddenly appeared in the world.
While it could be assumed the Salvation Church discovered a new source of power, Erenes' reaction suggested it had existed for a very long time.
Yet there were no records or even oral traditions about them. It was undeniably strange.
'Seems like there was some massive cover-up…'
It was the only explanation that made sense.
'I'll have to question Erenes when I get the chance.'
It wouldn't be easy to get answers, so he'd have to approach carefully, bit by bit.
And… there was one more person he wanted to meet. It wasn't based on logic but rather a gut feeling.
'They must know something.'
The Salvation Church's involvement with Melkir appeared to be aimed at dismantling the Shadow Knights and targeting the royal family.
That led him to a decision: he needed to meet the King of Lutania.
His mother's family, the Salvation Church, and the royal family—there was undoubtedly some hidden connection between these three that he had yet to uncover.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]