Far from the questions echoing from the Baroness's lips...

Lucas wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a streak of mud behind. He had just set his hoe down beside Geralt, who looked equally exhausted but satisfied with their hard work.

"Phew... finally done," Lucas muttered, catching his breath. He glanced around, realizing something was missing. "Geralt, where's Silvara? I thought she was just here teaching Anya how to write."

They moved to the edge of the field, beneath the tree where Anya usually practiced her letters.

Elin, who was sitting nearby tidying up, spoke up. "Liona picked her up just now, Young Master. Said she was called urgently to the main manor. Liona's face was deathly pale; it seemed like a serious matter."

Lucas fell silent. His heart hammered a bit faster. Silvara was? Is this about my identity? Was that dagger test this morning just the opening act? he thought anxiously.

"Young Master!"

Anya's shrill voice snapped Lucas out of his reverie. The girl stood stiffly before him, clutching a mahogany box that looked completely out of place in the middle of a muddy field.

"What is it, kid?" Lucas asked, trying to sound casual.

"Young Master, inside here... there is bread!" Anya said in a secretive tone, her eyes sparkling.

"Bread?" Lucas raised an eyebrow. A box that expensive just for bread?

Anya opened the lid with extreme care. Immediately, the aroma of high-quality butter and fresh yeast wafted out. Inside were two round buns with a soft-looking texture, baked to a perfect golden brown and dusted with shimmering powdered sugar.

Damn, that looks fancy! This is high-tier bread, Lucas thought, impressed.

"One of these is for the Young Master later," Anya said, holding out the box. Her tiny face suddenly turned incredibly formal, her back as straight as a miniature knight reporting to a commander. "For the past few days, Anya has eaten a lot of delicious bread from the Young Master's manor for free. Anya does not like having debts. So, this one luxury bread is the compensation for all that bread! Now, we are even!"

Lucas looked at Anya, then at the bread. He almost burst out laughing at the child's sheer seriousness. What a weird kid. Her logic is so stiff, like a real knight.

"Hmm... I'm not interested in that bread," Lucas said with a wave of his hand, intending to refuse since he knew the bread must be a precious gift from the knights for Anya.

Upon hearing that, Anya reacted as if she were having a dramatic heart attack. She hugged the box tightly, her eyes widening in horror as she took two steps back. "Nooo! Don't refuse! If you don't accept, Anya's debt won't be paid! Anya will be haunted by interest forever like the crazy old lady buried alone in the story of the Iron Matron!"

Lucas sighed. Just how dark are the stories she hears? he wondered. However, he knew that if he kept refusing, this drama would last until sunset, and he simply didn't have the energy for it.

"Alright, alright! One for me! I'll eat it later," Lucas finally gave in.

Anya's mood flipped 180 degrees instantly. "Yeah! Safe!" She swiftly took out one bun, handed it to Lucas with a triumphant look, and snapped the lid shut as if securing a priceless treasure.

Lucas accepted the bread with a long sigh. "What a kid..."

Despite the silly interaction, Lucas's thoughts drifted back toward the main manor.

A few moments later, the sound of Silvara's footsteps approached, the lingering tension still visible in the corners of her eyes. The moment she saw Lucas, she gave a sharp tilt of her chin—a silent command that brooked no argument.

Lucas understood. He stood up and followed Silvara toward the edge of the forest, far enough away that their conversation wouldn't be caught by Geralt's sharp ears or Anya's curiosity.

"How did it go?" Lucas asked immediately, his voice low.

Silvara let out a long breath, staring straight ahead at the trees. "I lied. I told them your change in personality was due to head trauma. I said I accidentally struck you when you tried to do something inappropriate to me in a back alley behind the tavern that night."

Lucas froze for a moment, then swallowed hard. He looked Silvara up and down as if seeing this side of the knight for the first time. "You... you're actually a pretty good liar, aren't you?"

Silvara turned to him, flashing a sharp, cynical glare. "Maybe I caught it from you," she snapped. She stepped closer, her voice dropping into a heavy whisper. "Listen to me. They seem to have accepted that excuse for now, but you must keep playing the part. Don't leave even the slightest opening."

Lucas gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I get it. Thanks, Silvara."

They returned to the shade of the tree, where Silvara resumed teaching for a brief moment until Liona reappeared in her open-top carriage.

Liona had brought a large basket filled with lunch. The earlier tension quickly evaporated as the aroma of home-cooked food filled the air. However, as Liona began handing out portions of bread and soup, Anya suddenly froze.

The girl stared at the bread in her hand, then at her mahogany box, before glancing at her mother, Elin, who was watching her with a piercing gaze. Her mind was in a whirlwind.

Elin, ever the firm mother who knew her place as a worker, cleared her throat loudly. "Anya, why are you just sitting there? Eat. Don't trouble the Young Master with your strange behavior."

Anya squeezed the hem of her shirt, her eyes welling up with tears of indecision. "But Mother... if Anya eats... Anya's debt... then Anya will become the crazy grandmother from the Iron Matron story..."

Lucas, who was currently chewing on the luxury bread Anya had given him, paused. He looked at the chubby little girl who seemed to be going through a spiritual crisis over a single piece of bread.

"Oi, Iron Knight," Lucas called out calmly. "Just eat. It's not a debt. Rest easy, I am granting it to you in the name of honor."

Anya looked up, her eyes blinking in disbelief. "Not... a debt?"

"No. Eat up quickly. Remember, we have to harvest later, so you need to be strong! You can't get sick," Lucas added, pointing toward her bread.

Hearing the confirmation from Lucas, Anya's fears vanished instantly. "Un! Yes, Young Master!" She immediately began devouring her bread with gusto, crumbs sticking to her lips.

Liona, watching from the side, couldn't help but think, This man is so incredibly calm. I hope if the Baroness ever learns the truth, she can accept him as her 'new' son.

Meanwhile, Silvara let out an annoyed huff beside Lucas. She stabbed a potato in her soup aggressively. Why does he always seem so indifferent to the danger lurking around him? she thought irritably.

Lucas himself remained silent, simply enjoying the moment. Life is getting more complicated; might as well enjoy this peaceful moment while it lasts.

The midday break ended with full stomachs and a slightly lighter atmosphere. Lucas stood up, brushing the remaining dust off his trousers, then turned to Geralt and his family.

"Geralt, Elin, you two should head home first," Lucas said. "The heavy work is done; there's only some watering left, and that can be handled later. Anya needs some rest too, so she doesn't get any chubbier."

Anya pouted at the word 'chubby,' but Elin quickly nodded in obedience and pulled her daughter away to say their goodbyes. After the small family moved away, the field fell silent again, leaving only Lucas, Silvara, and Liona, who still appeared uneasy.

Liona approached, her voice barely a whisper. "So... how did it go in there, Lady Silvara?"

Silvara exhaled, briefly explaining the 'head trauma' scenario she had fabricated to cover up the drastic change in Lucas's personality. She explained how the Baron and Baroness seemed to accept the reason, though a cold premonition still lingered in the back of her mind. Hearing this, Liona felt a bit more at ease; at least they had some breathing room before any new suspicions arose.

However, that peace lasted only a few minutes.

A maid from the main manor came running toward them, breathless. "Young Master! Lady Silvara! Thank goodness you're still here!"

"What is it now?" Lucas asked, starting to feel that his peaceful day had truly come to an end.

"The Baroness... she has just made a sudden decision. There is an arranged marriage plan for you, Young Master! The candidate is a daughter from an allied noble family who will arrive tomorrow, and you are requested to report immediately!"

Lucas massaged the bridge of his nose. An arranged marriage? Right when my identity is hanging by a thread?

Without wasting any time, the three of them quickly boarded Liona's open-top carriage. The journey to the manor felt shorter than usual due to the hurried pace of the horses. Upon arriving at the grand building, the maid immediately directed them.

"The Baron is waiting in his study. Only the Young Master and Lady Silvara are requested to enter."

Lucas stepped forward firmly, though his mind remained alert. Silvara walked exactly one step behind him, her hand reflexively hovering near the hilt of her sword. They arrived in front of the large teak door of Baron Aleric's study. As the guard opened the door, Lucas and Silvara stepped inside.

Click.

The door closed firmly behind them.

Just as Lucas took his second step onto the red carpet in the room, a sharp hiss sliced through the air. Without warning, a grey arrow streaked out and—

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.