《Little Baron & Big General》 1. Proposition by the Fire ¡°Brr.¡± The old man waved away the armored soldier beside him and hurried into the creaking house. It stood there solemnly and all alone, no one else willing to have a house built this far from civilization. Running away from the sudden blizzard, Duke Dalton went and warmed himself up by the forlorn fire that looked to be almost out. However, a gruff voice called out to him from behind. ¡°Oi, you¡¯re in the way of my heat. Git.¡± Chuckling, the old man nodded in a casual style of greeting and stepped aside, still choosing to remain near the fire, but now he was facing the individual who was speaking with him. ¡°Hehehe, I see General Ivan is as usual.¡± The disgruntled figure lazing about in the soft armchair in front of the fire scowled and tossed his empty wine bottle into a pile of broken glass, the sound of it breaking filled the nearly empty house. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I ain¡¯t no general anymore. Get out of my house.¡± The old Duke smirked and shook his head before clarifying. ¡°And you don¡¯t own this place. I do.¡± The man known as Ivan scoffed and looked away towards the window where nothing but white could be seen. He scowled before spitting out his own reply. ¡°It won¡¯t matter once I leave.¡± The old Duke sighed and pulled at his pointy beard. He looked into the smoldering embers of the fire and looked at the glistening shards of glass that littered the area in front of a gallant portrait of a manly young soldier wearing shining armor. Of course, now it had shards of glass sticking out of it and alcohol stains ruining the color. Suddenly recalling the event that could help this destitute person, the Duke became slightly happy. He put on a smug smile as he spoke.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Look, surely you heard about the Brittoli Family, yes?¡± Turning back to the Duke, Ivan¡¯s facepulled backin disgust. ¡°Heh, of course I heard about those scum bags. They got their just desserts. Poor girl should get adopted by the Landis Family. It would be better off for her.¡± The duke shook his head and smiled softly. ¡°No, I made a suggestion for you to be her temporary guardian. You need a backer for now, but if I take you, the others would rise up and pressure me. So, you watch over this girl until you are yourself again.¡± Ivan scowled once more, causing the grizzled scruff on his chin to make his expression seem more mature, even though he was close to a third of the Duke''s age. ¡°I ain¡¯t babysitting.¡± Duke Dalton smiled knowingly, as if he expected this reaction. He stuffed his hands into his sleeves, adopting the posture of an Eastern scholar he once met. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just teach her how to be a Baron. She inherited all of her family¡¯s wealth anyway.¡± Ivan choked back a laugh as he began ridiculing the poor girl¡¯s family. ¡°Peh, and baggage. How badly was their debt again?¡± The gristly young fellow scratched at his stubble and spat at the portrait, masterfully landing the dirty phlegm directly on the face. It was odd since it was also his face. Then he looked at the duke, thoughts whirling in his drunken mind. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Not dropping his soft smile, the Duke gave his answer. ¡°I owe the Brittoli Family.¡± For once, a smile came to the young man, who was only around twenty. His eyes sparkled for a moment, reminding the Duke of the young man¡¯s true age and attitude. But his reminiscing was cut short by the rude words the man spoke. ¡°You owe those dirt bags?! Hahaha!¡± The duke¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the provocation, but he kept a respectful air about him. ¡°I would think it unnecessary, since I already said so, but yes. If you would believe it, Baron Victor wasn¡¯t always¡­a prick.¡± He took a moment to choose his words, but he couldn¡¯t think of a more courteous term for his old friend, causing him to lose his smile. ¡°Heh. Whatever. I don¡¯t have anything else to do. Fine.¡± The ex-general crossed his arms and laid his head back, closing his eyes to rest. The Duke gave a small and quiet clap as he smiled once again. He left soon after into the freezing cold, but for some reason, it didn¡¯t seem to faze him. In fact, his body was covered in a red glow and his clothes were completely dry. The soldier returned. He saluted and escorted the Duke back to his mansion. Before leaving, he turned back towards that building and smiled to himself. His wise voice was nearly drowned out by the storm. ¡°Good. I hope he makes something out of this second chance of his. Hehehe, the family with only one member, using the army of only one man. If this isn¡¯t destiny, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± The old Duke chuckled to himself as he walked away, his silhouette slowly disappearing into the blizzard which soon died down as if it never existed. 2. Funeral at the Graveyard A little girl, about 7 years old, stood quietly by herself while dressed all in black. The weather was chilly and cold, and the rain made it worse. Thankfully, the magical umbrella she held kept her warm as well. Janet''s soft appearance was uncomfortable to others. Her entire family had somehow died of unfortunate causes, due to an assassin of unknown origins. She was the only one alive, but she wasn¡¯t confused, sad, or hurt. Instead, she stood silently, her face devoid of any expression. Her straight black hair made her look like some sort of foreign doll, but her features were strong and pronounced, like other westerners. In fact, her stoic look seemed much more mature than many of the other young adults here. Many of the passing nobles kept offering her possible adoptions and better conditions, but she calmly refused them all, claiming she would take care of it. Most of the adults scoffed or ridiculed her when they were far enough away, but she could still hear them. Only one person remained by her side, and they were but a simple maid. This was Abigail, the maid that watched over Janet for the past six years since she was fifteen. Essentially, she was more of a sister to the little girl. She either kept apologizing to Janet, or outright sobbing and expressing her concern. To be honest, it seemed that Abigail was the only one crying today. By the time the last person left the graveyard, Janet finally approached the place where her family was buried. Her father, Baron Victor. Died by strangulation. Her mother, Baroness Clio. Died by repeated knife wounds to chest. Her brother, Sullivan. Died by drowning in the bath. The only bath he had taken in two months. Her sister, Tanya. Died by head injury from falling downstairs. These were her family members. Abigail had stepped away, so Janet thought she was alone. Something like relief washed over her as she dropped her guard. She sighed softly, exhaling the turbid air from her body. However, a voice interjected. ¡°Heh, yeah. Good riddance.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Before Janet could be surprised by the suddenly present gritty young adult, Abigail rushed forward to protect Janet with her body. The young man in question shrugged before justifying himself.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°What? They were all garbage. It would be best to tell her now so she isn¡¯t corrupted by their trashy way of life.¡± Inwardly, Abigail agreed, but this was a little girl! Her short brown hair bounced as she took a strong pose, both hands on her hips. Her dress was covered in moisture from the run, so it slightly clung to her body. But this did little to dissuade her from admonishing the young man before her. ¡°You can¡¯t just say it is a good thing that a girl¡¯s family died!¡± Not taking kindly to being scolded, the young man argued back, a scowl building on his face. ¡°Yes I can. Otherwise, she would have ended up dead as well.¡± Fed up with this man¡¯s ugly remarks, Abigail lost her cool and stepped forward to slap him. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?!¡± ¡°General?¡± Janet¡¯s sudden interruption stopped Abigail in her tracks. THE General? The only one she could think of that had blood red hair was the mad man, Ivan the Nightmare! This was General Ivan?! The sole survivor of the ambush by the combined efforts of three kingdoms?! And he still lived through it after killing all of the enemies! Abigail felt that she might end up in one of these coffins today! Ignoring the frozen maid, Ivan scoffed in reply. ¡°EX-general.¡± Not daunted by the individual before her, Janet just expressionlessly said what was on her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was your fault.¡± The young man just sighed and threw his hands in the air as he gave up. ¡°Che, I am done explaining things. If I say I was the one who did it, no one can argue! I was the only one who came back! That means what I say goes.¡± He huffed, sending his breath outwards in a fog. He was wearing dirty military fatigues and had no care for the rain, though he wasn¡¯t even wet. In his hand was a bottle of wine. He popped the cork with one smooth motion, before downing all of the contents into his mouth, spilling some of it on himself. Abigail sniffed in disgust, reaching for Janet. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Huh? Go?¡± Abigail was confused and surprised by the disgusting man¡¯s sudden words. Go? Where? But he once again ignored the silly maid and spoke to Janet. ¡°To the Brittoli Mansion, where else? What, you have other business?¡± ¡°I have to see my mother and father again. Then I will take Janet to the family she wishes to be with.¡± Janet remained silent, but the sodded man scowled at the annoying servant girl, even though she was older than he was. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look to me that she wants to go anywhere. Come along.¡± Janet softly removed Abigail¡¯s hands from her shoulders and walked towards the man. For some reason, her lips were slightly raised upwards. ¡°Janet?!¡± ¡°Go home. I wish you luck.¡± Janet said some soft words before taking Ivan¡¯s hand. She put up her umbrella then he hefted her up and sat her on his back. ¡°Keep your head, hands, and feet behind me at all times. Close your mouth, ears, eyes, and nose. Whatever you do, don¡¯t move.¡± He patiently waited for Janet to get situated, her entire body somehow hiding behind his back. Then, without warning, he disappeared. No, a sudden gust of wind moved about, shaking the water away, causing Abigail¡¯s dress to fly about, though with its length, nothing important was seen. She gasped in awe and admiration, but then remembered where she was. She gathered herself and went home in a daze and soaked completely through. 3. Welcome to the Mansion Outside of a mansion that should have been empty, loud sounds of crashing and people shouting could be heard. In the next instant, two young people appeared in front of the main gate, their hair swept back comically. However, when Janet was let down, she almost fell over from the lack of feeling in her legs. Her hands continued to shake while her entire body felt something similar to a dull ringing sound. However, the man cracked his neck and smirked at the sounds of chaos within the mansion. No one was supposed to be here, as all the servants and guards were either relocated or went home. He straightened out his back and walked into the building, calmly and filled with authority. Janet could now see why he was given the title of General at such a young age. Some moments later, a man came flying out of the house and landed in a nearby shrub. He was soon followed by three other men, all landing in funny, but dangerous ways. Each one of them cried out in pain, but Janet didn¡¯t know why until she noticed the awkward way their arms and legs were bent. At this time, Ivan¡¯s voice called out from the front door. He had a frustrated expression on his face, contorting his eyebrows and making them look much sharper and angled than usual. ¡°Oh shut up. Stop being babies. If you had joined the army, you would have been put through much worse. Healing magic was meant to be abused this way.¡± In the next breath, he knelt down beside each man and placed his hand on their head, emitting a soft white light into their body. Each person was able to easily move around as if they weren¡¯t just tossed into the air haphazardly. However, they all gave the man an evil glare. Then they got angry, one voicing his dissatisfaction. ¡°Hmph! And we thought the infamous Commoner General would have been nicer to people he used to be like!¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Ivan glared at the man who spoke and began talking in a voice seething with anger. ¡°You want to be like me? Go suffer. Join the army. That way, you can feed your family every month and if you die, feed them for three more. Trust me, I know how it works. If you want to get something, work for it. Stealing it like this makes you no better than the Brittoli Family. Get out of here before I break your arms and legs without healing them.¡± Just to add salt to the wound, Ivan clenched the hand he had used to heal them and stepped forward once. The men quickly left, crying out words of anger and abuse. However, Ivan ignored them. ¡°You are a hard worker.¡± Hearing Janet suddenly speak to him made him remember why he was actually here. He was still intoxicated, but he was good enough to understand a few things. For one, the girl just had to bury her family. She was probably exhausted. He took a deep breath and decided to let her get some rest. ¡°Look, you should probably go to bed. You want to run this place, right? Then there are things you need to learn. We will begin when you wake up, so I suggest you sleep in as much as possible.¡± He snickered, laughing at a joke only he understood. Then, he sighed and spoke again, though to himself. ¡°Heh, if I could go back, I would probably have gotten up as soon as possible. Maybe then¡­¡± He shook himself and downed another bottle of alcohol he took out of one of his pockets before walking inside. However, Janet called out to him before he could leave. ¡°Umm¡­what about dinner?¡± Ivan stood still as he was forced to think about things once more in the present. Then he smiled and turned around, reaching into another pocket. He pulled out a strange box. ¡°Here, an instant dinner we eat in the army. It gives you the stuff you need. Plus, it¡¯s cheap.¡± Inside the box were several strange looking bars, filled with unknown types of food, mixed and compressed into these brick shapes. They walked towards the door as he explained how to cook the soup. ¡°Use magic to produce water and fire, fill the container up to the line, and seal it before heating it for five minutes. Instant dinner. Alright, now go to bed.¡± Ivan walked into the building, leaving a bewildered Janet outside with her recollected umbrella in the rain. She had no expression on her face, but her mind was extremely overactive. ¡®How do I use magic?¡¯ However, no one was there to answer her quiet thoughts. The only other person had already gone upstairs. Janet stared into the empty mansion with some last remaining emotions before heading to her own room for the day. 4. Learning in the Study Ivan was in the study, getting work done and looking through the information of the small land the Brittoli Family was in charge of. The sun was not even in the sky yet, but you could tell it was morning by the moisture on the grass outside. He had his hands full thanks to the many things he needed to clean up. Especially the killer who finished off the Brittoli Family, though he knew now that this issue could wait. The other problems were the vast amounts of poverty, starvation, and hatred. People had resorted to banditry or moved to other domains, leaving the Brittoli Region vacant and in need of people. The only remaining civilians were those too poor or too weak to survive the trip. Then there were the children who had no families, so the first thing he did was pay the people to make a large building in the large town of Adervalt. The Brittoli Mansion sat atop a lonely hill overlooking the town. This large building would act as an orphanage and an academy. The children would be raised as soldiers or necessary staff to help make this region prosper. The parents were also given the ability to send their kids, in exchange for a bag of produce or grain every month. Things necessary for survival were more important now, so the demand for food and clothing were high, especially since it was early winter. He had asked some old veterans he knew to come in and help out, in exchange for payment, though many rejected the money. The mansion was practically swarming with old men and those with disabled bodies. These veterans were also to be the teachers of the children. Some were used as messengers, others as guards. Some were also given the chance to perform other services, such as cooking, cleaning, or running errands. The garden outside was renovated, the plants all moved to the sides of the courtyard. Thus, a large area was changed into a training ground. Of course, this was to happen at a later point. Right now, the mansion was still quiet, and unnervingly so. That is, save for the soft breathing in front of Ivan. He put down the papers and saw a still drowsy Janet rubbing her eyes and yawning silently. ¡°Oh? Good. We can begin.¡± He swept up the papers and stacked them off to the side. ¡°Take a seat.¡± As Janet walked towards the chair, Ivan shook his head. ¡°No, on the ground.¡± Perplexed, Janet obeyed. Ivan moved the furniture around so the chairs were along the wall and facing towards the center of the room, while the desk was placed against the large window, so it faced outside. Ivan took a seat in front of Janet. ¡°The first thing you must understand is how to breathe.¡± Janet cocked an eyebrow, confused at his words. ¡°This kind of breathing will keep you focused and strong. You will need this in whatever challenges you face, so take heed.¡± His back was straight, his knees were pointing outwards, the balls of his feet touching each other. His hands were placed in front of his gut and he calmly breathed in and out repeatedly. But the air around them was changing! It was like each breath caused the very air in the room to become sucked in, like water going down a drain!If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Mm, breathe like this for now.¡± He got back up and took a seat at the desk, sitting sideways, so he still faced Janet. As he worked on the papers, he suddenly smiled. It must have been an hour after they had started. ¡°Good.¡± Janet looked at him in surprise, so Ivan was confused as to why she reacted the same way his soldiers did when he said the same thing to them. ¡°Why did you stop? Now we can move onto the next part quicker. Now then, while you perform your breathing, you will answer my questions. However, you will have to answer them within 15 seconds, or face the consequences.¡± Janet gulped and shivered, but she nodded. ¡°Good.¡± After waiting for a while, so she could resume her breathing, Ivan asked the first question. ¡°You are in your carriage riding around the town nearby when you hear a ruckus outside. You look out and see that a woman was injured while trying to save a boy that had scared the horses. She is bleeding from her head and the children are all crying. What do you do?¡± She spent a moment thinking and spoke, her voice wobbling as she tried to continue her breathing. ¡°I would get someone to heal them.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t want the magic, they want money.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Janet momentarily stopped her breathing, earning a glare from Ivan. She caught herself and got back into the rhythm. ¡°Then I would compensate them for their troubles.¡± ¡°Too bad. They still think badly of you. The people¡¯s opinion of you has changed from ''member of the detested Brittoli Family'' to ¡®will toss money around to get rid of nuisances¡¯.¡± Her breathing faltered as she tried to calm down. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it was wrong. See, people have magic. It is easy to heal a wound. However, I never said that she was hurt by the horse. Think more. You must make a decision after finding all of the available information.¡± Janet nodded solemnly as Ivan began his next question. ¡°The Royal Family is celebrating the birth of yet another Prince or Princess. You, as Baron, must attend. However, your people are currently experiencing a famine. How do you proceed?¡± Janet gave a sly grin and answered quickly. ¡°I would let you stay behind to watch over the people, of course!¡± She looked to be proud of her answer, but Ivan merely shook his head again. ¡°Too bad, you died. This would be the best opportunity for you to be assassinated, letting your land be divided by the other disgusting nobles.¡± The sound of disdain littered Ivan¡¯s words, but he continued, as Janet was just shaken. ¡°Okay, then. Seeing as how you care about the people, let us have this kind of question. Two companies arrive at the mansion in order to promote their organizations. One seeks to focus on the people, growing a lot of food cheaply, while the other focuses on making money, investing in art, entertainment, and events the people can participate in. However, you can only afford to provide funds to one group. Which one?¡± This time, Janet thought more about the situation. She almost spent her entire time before she spoke. ¡°The group that focuses on money.¡± ¡°Too bad. They created vulgar sculptures, built brothels, and forced the civilians to participate in battles and duels. Sure, you earned a lot of money, but you lost the trust of your people.¡± It was then that a woman¡¯s yell entered their ears. ¡°You vile man! You can¡¯t go around saying that to a little girl!¡± Abigail had rushed here somehow, but she looked to be incredibly tired and pathetic. She was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Ivan glared at Abigail, who cowered slightly, then turned back to Janet. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask a question? You can¡¯t go very far by just spitting out answers. You can never learn without making mistakes, sure, but it would be best to never make those mistakes in the first place. Learn from others before you. If you had asked what their plans were, you would have selected the other one, but only because it sounded perfect.¡± ¡°It was?¡± ¡°Yes. You probably picked the latter option because you went with the opposite of what you expected, right?¡± Janet nodded slightly, causing Abigail to lower her guard somewhat. ¡°Well, if you had selected the former option, then your people would have been poisoned, you would have lost your lands, and you would have probably have been assassinated as well. Questions you should ask yourself about anything would have to be, ¡®who, what, when, where, why, and how¡¯.¡± Janet silently nodded again, but she had stopped her breathing. ¡°How do I produce a fire?¡± Ivan nodded as a smile formed on his face. The rest of the day was spent teaching Janet how to use entry level magic, while Abigail started to work on cleaning up the mansion, still angry and scared at Ivan. 5. Eating in the Dining Room Several weeks had passed, and several things happened. The veterans had arrived and made their changes, while Janet practiced her magic and breathing, playing the Lord¡¯s Game at the same time. This was the question quiz that Ivan berated her with while practicing. It ended up being put to use with the children in the new academy, as well, though it was just as unfair as when Janet played it. But the next biggest change was Abigail. She had apparently only visited her family for a moment before grabbing someone to bring her back to the Brittoli Family Mansion. After that, she ended up bringing in some friends of hers to help keep the place neat and tidy, while also trying to stop Ivan from damaging Janet¡¯s innocent self. Of course, anything physical could be healed by magic and she never thought Ivan would lay hands on Janet, but what Abigail was more worried about was the mental aspect. Going through such arduous training would no doubt bring harm to such a young girl. And so, Ivan agreed with Abigail''s incessant arguments and gave Janet the weekend off for a break, but she still had to perform her regular training that a normal noble girl performed. These included but were not limited to posture, speech, manners, and even her letters. Of course, most of the kids in the new academy were learning the same things, too. They just had a less strict plan. Just like on a normal day, Janet was in the dining room, sitting at one of the small tables placed around the room. It used to be filled with one long and oversized table, but it took up too much room since no one was using it.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. When the veterans removed it and brought in several small tables, it made the room look like a mess hall. However, now more people would eat in here, and some servants and veterans could be seen chatting about random things. People would walk by and greet Janet, but she would only nod before going back to the things in front of her. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, to keep it out of her face, as she tried to focus a large enough flame to heat her meal. The Meals Ready to Eat required a lot of heat in order to boil the mixture into the water. Otherwise, it would become lumpy and weird. So, she was trying her best to evenly cook the package with her meager flame. She would stick her tongue out unconsciously, making it obvious that she wasn¡¯t paying attention to how she appeared. When the flame eventually flickered out, she collapsed in her chair and sighed heavily. ¡®It¡¯s hard. But it tastes better than I thought, compared to most of the food I have eaten.¡¯ Her thoughts remained hers, as she silently began to open the container and reveal her hard work. However, a single lump remained, floating in the instant soup. ¡°Yes, I did better.¡± Her soft voice sounded expressionless, but her tiny smile gave her away. With her fist pumped, she took out her spoon and began eating. She used wind magic to cause a breeze and cool the food off before eating, but she also used it to mix the contents of her meal so the lump wasn¡¯t as big. It eventually dissolved further, but she could still feel the gritty texture of the herbs, meat, and vegetables when she closed her mouth. As Janet reveled silently in her growth, the people around her moved on. The only ones who noticed the girl''s success were a young woman watching from the kitchen with a worried expression, and a man who was sitting in his office, listening to the events happening in the mansion using his super senses. However, unlike Abigail, Ivan was smiling as he returned to his work. 6. Reading in the Library Every other week, Janet was allowed to have a break, even from her normal studies. She could spend this time however she wanted, though that usually meant being accompanied by Ivan or several of the veterans who still had all their limbs. Thankfully, the only thing she wanted to do was read in the library. The men and women of the mansion had all brought their things, since their lives were to be spent here, which meant that they also brought books and reading materials for Janet to take a look at. Not wanting to always ask Ivan for questions, Janet made the decision to read a lot. The first time she went into the library, she had to dust everything off. Originally, the library held some unfortunate secrets for the Brittoli Family, so it was off limits. Now that Janet wanted to read, the maids were allowed to clean, though many unsavory things were brought to light. But that first day, nothing was clean. She had to use her own ability to dust everything off. And while she did so at the beginning, she eventually started to use wind magic to blow the dust off of everything. But the things she learned were fantastic. She learned of the various beasts and things roaming the lands outside the safety of the inner kingdom and also saw paintings of dangerous monsters from legends. She read stories of heroes and generals of old, how they battled enemy nations by themselves and conquered most of the fertile land. Only the freezing mountains and plains in the north, the burning sands of the south, and the barren wastelands of the west were left unexplored. To the east was the ocean. This brought in quite a few problems with storms and large aquatic beasts terrorizing the coast.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. But this also meant that most of the stronger fighters were stationed at the outer regions of the kingdom, or the Outer Kingdom. Towns and villages were few and far between, but in the Inner Kingdom, while monsters were few, the people were not. Many towns and cities dotted the landscape. So if monsters from the Outer Kingdom made it past the line of defense, then there would be a lot of people in trouble. But the Brittoli Family, as a Baron, didn¡¯t have the strength to survive in the Outer Kingdom, or the prestige to live in the Inner Kingdom. Thus, the Middle Kingdom was where the lower nobles called home. However, she ended up putting up the political and geography books in favor of stories of myths and monsters. One such book spoke of a strange individual that looked to be a large amalgamation of many different creatures. This beast had sensitive hearing, sight, smell, and taste. Its body looked like a quadrupedal animal, with a dog¡¯s snout, a rabbit¡¯s ears, and a hawk¡¯s eyes. Its body was covered in scales, while leathery wings extended from its shoulder blades. Its tail and the tips of its wings were topped with feathers, while tufts of fur stuck out of the neck, rump, and head. The entire creature was pictured to be black, as it perched on top of a large dead tree, its wings splayed outwards as if ready to fly at any moment. Underneath the image was a note. ¡®Taken from a recording crystal found in the wilderness.¡¯ The creature was simply called the Midnight Monster. No one had ever reported seeing one alive in their lives, but Janet was absolutely ecstatic for some reason. She marked the page with a piece of paper and went about making plans for her next day off, which surprised everyone. Except Ivan. He smirked as he went back to his work. 7. Scouting the Forest ¡°Captain Ivan, dinner is ready in the dining room.¡± An old veteran walked into the study while wearing a fashionable butler¡¯s uniform, though a sword was on his waist. He bowed slightly as he spoke, but turned around again as soon as he finished his announcement. ¡°Hah~ About time.¡± Ivan sighed heavily and stacked the remaining papers on his desk and pulled out a bottle of wine. He reclined in the chair and downed the entire bottle in almost an instant. He had dropped his hard working mode quickly, as he pulled out yet another bottle. This time, a different man walked in. He wasn¡¯t dressed in work clothes, nor was he wearing military clothes. Instead, he was wearing a suit, much like the ones nobles wore. Well, perhaps because he actually was a noble, the clothes he wore could be called a noble''s attire, but even then...it was rather eccentric and showy. He wasn''t as old as the Duke, but he had a mature air about him as he grinned deviously. ¡°I see you are quick to drink, as always.¡± ¡°Peh, I don¡¯t feel like myself otherwise.¡± The man chuckled and walked over to the desk so he could look outside while also standing next to Ivan. ¡°Yet as soon as dinner is over, you sober up and get right back to work. It was because of things like this that made you a General.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Captain now.¡± ¡°In name, that is. I am sure hundreds of thousands of soldiers would rise to your calls. Even if it was against this kingdom!¡± The man started a chuckle, but it turned into a sputtering cough. It wasn''t quite evident, but not only was the man''s garb awkward, but he tended to eat weird things as well, so he kept the fact that he could taste the chocolate covered cheese he ate for lunch to himself. ¡°Geez, don¡¯t die on me, old man. Besides, don¡¯t talk like that. You could end up getting us both in trouble.¡± Smoothing himself out, the strange man chuckled and waved his hand, a dangerous glint in his eyes. ¡°Hehe, why don¡¯t you instead just take over? If you keep doing pansy stuff like this, then you will only get involved even more so.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The old man gestured towards the stack of papers before pointing outside. When he used to be a noble, Ivan had trouble getting used to governing his own land. However, he understood exactly what he did wrong after the fact. Thus, this was his second chance. Before, he promoted the army and managed to have an astounding amount join him. However, when they all died in the surprise attack, the people back home hated him immensely. ¡°Earl Grayson, if you would be so kind as to let me be drunk in peace.¡± ¡°Of course. I will come see you again, old friend.¡± ¡°Che, you¡¯re the only one that is old.¡± ¡°Hehe, well, I will return, and hopefully with Dalton in tow.¡± His sarcasm was met with a promise of return, so he couldn¡¯t help but scowl. However, Ivan¡¯s attention wavered as he turned back to his desk. He focused his senses towards the dining room where Abigail and Janet were arguing about her next day off. ¡°I just want to visit it, that should be fine. With Ivan¡¯s help, it won¡¯t take forever.¡± ¡°No! It isn¡¯t safe for a little girl to go to such a place! The Gilded Glade is a monster spot!¡± ¡°But I wanted to see the falls. There is supposed to be a flower that grows along the side that helps increase magical power.¡± Ivan perked his ears. This was the first he had heard of this. He instantly circled his magical energy to ward off the drunken stupor and plan a day to go and check the place first. Otherwise, she would be undergoing a wild goose chase. In fact, after thinking about it enough, he couldn¡¯t help but call in a couple of guards to keep a close eye on Janet as he went to check. The Gilded Glade was located in a deep pit-like valley. It was a dense forest, almost to the level of being a jungle. At the Gilded Glade, a magnificent tree grew in the center. It was actually a large monster that used its pollen to make intruders and prey suffer from illusions and nightmares. By making it appear magical and amazing, the dark truth of the forest usually consumed all who entered. However, there was a magnificent waterfall that fell down the mountain and watered the Gilded Tree. This was such a steep cliff, that it was easier to say that the Gilded Glade was far below the planet¡¯s surface while the mountain was one of the tallest in the world. Sure enough, Ivan found several flora that contained high levels of magical energy along the cliff face, but they were not what Janet said they were. Instead, he recognized the location he was in just before he saw some monsters darting around to the side of his vision. Wasn''t this where that creature was reportedly seen? ¡°I see. So that¡¯s your plan. Fine, I see. I will play along.¡± Ivan grinned as he pulled out a wine bottle and started drinking while sitting at the edge of the cliff, the beginning of the waterfall. He overlooked the land around the mountain and saw the hole the Gilded Glade sat in. If one could see from even higher, they would have noticed that the cliff face was unnaturally curved somehow. In fact, it matched the round hole the Gilded Glade was in. This steep mountain was more like a pole or an object that had penetrated the ground below, revealing the teeming forest to the surface. But Ivan didn¡¯t care as he was back at the mansion later that hour. 8. Climbing the Mountain It had been over a month since Ivan moved in and the place was far livelier than it was before. Janet was having fun while Abigail wasn¡¯t in fear for her life anymore. With the Brittoli Family gone, most of the people in the area started calming down. However, they just attributed everything being thanks to Ivan. People were applying to join his troop, but they would have to undergo a strict examination. Those who were too old to fight were given the basic training so as to teach the kids who didn¡¯t go off to the academies. This way, they wouldn¡¯t have to travel just to try and become a soldier without knowing what they needed. Two Unions were created within this time. The Veteran¡¯s Union and the Scholar¡¯s Union. The Veterans helped all elderly either find suitable jobs or helped provide aid for those that needed it. The Scholar¡¯s Union was a group that shared information, so they were a very close association that focused on organizing that information. They would pay for new knowledge and get paid for accurately studying the knowledge and proving its worth. By taking the information from all over, comparing ideas, and seeing which one works best, or if both could be used, the expansion of techniques spread throughout the region. Farmers combined the best methods to produce the maximum amount as possible. The blacksmiths, chefs, alchemists, and other such concoction-ers shared recipes in order to find the best ratio and make specialty items. These would become the region¡¯s exports and make them money. However, the system was just being implemented, so the amazing results wouldn¡¯t be seen for nearly another two or three years. But Ivan and Janet didn¡¯t have to worry about these. Instead, they were rock climbing. ¡°Feel the ground through your hands. Use the magic you developed as a sort of sense.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Ivan was teaching Janet more about magic while carrying her up the mundane way. She looked a little annoyed, as she probably wanted to head towards the forest, but she complied with Ivan¡¯s words. Only when they stopped to rest for lunch did Janet get a good look at the forest below. ¡°Wow¡­so deep.¡± ¡°Yep, don¡¯t fall.¡± And then, while smiling evilly, Ivan nudged her slightly, causing her to unfortunately tip over the edge. She became flustered, waving her arms and widening her eyes at the absurdity of the situation. However, no matter how much she waved her hands or bobbed about like a mad duck, she didn¡¯t move. She stopped and looked around to see nothing holding her in the air, but could feel something underneath her. ¡°A platform made of wind. Eventually, you can do something like this, too. Now get back here.¡± He tugged on her tunic, which looked more like boy¡¯s clothes, since she was liable to become dirty. She fell down next to Ivan with a plop and sat up with a dazed expression. ¡°Hahaha! Alright, tell me if you see anything strange over there.¡± He generalized the direction of the forest as he went back to the little alcove and began cooking lunch, which was two boxes of soup. However, when he opened his, a small red box much different in appearance to the regular white box, Janet looked over and sniffed. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Something from the east. They call it noodles. Personally, I think grain needs to become bread, but it doesn¡¯t taste so bad. Plus, it cooks in a similar way to the soup, so it¡¯s efficient.¡± Janet¡¯s eyes sparkled as she waited for Ivan to cook it. He smirked at her childish expression and let her have a bite as he began cooking hers. However, when he looked over, Janet had already eaten half the contents! ¡°Hey! You brat! Whatever. I can just get some more back home.¡± He looked a little hurt, but he ignored it. How many times had he been forced to eat this food? A lot. It was fine since he could just get it later. It wasn¡¯t like the food was a person. However, Janet had slurped up all of the food and sprawled out on the ground. She patted her slightly swollen belly and grinned at Ivan. ¡°Thanks!¡± For the most part, Janet¡¯s words were without passion or movement. They were monotone and boring, even though her expressions have gotten more lively and fun to watch. But now there was joy in her words, which caused Ivan to be surprised. He played the scene over and over in his head before realizing where he was. He shook his head and replied. ¡°Yeah. You owe me one, though, brat.¡± He gave his own grin before draining the soup in one go. 9. Adopting a Monster ¡°Look! What was that?!¡± Ivan and Janet were sitting on the edge of the waterfall, just like Ivan had done alone, a few days prior. She had spotted what looked like a black blur as it darted between the trees, but they were so high up, she had to use Ivan¡¯s magnifying vision magic. A large plate sized disc hovered in front of her that acted like a telescope. With it, she caught sight of many wonderful creatures, but not the one she was hoping for. However, she had now seen one! ¡°I didn¡¯t see. Where is it?¡± Ivan wasn¡¯t in a hurry, as he smiled to himself. He had actually seen it and many others when they had started, but Janet was limited in her senses and awareness. ¡°It looked like a monster out of this book I found!¡± ¡°I thought you were wanting a plant¡­was I wrong?¡± He arched his eyebrows in a weird manner, but he was implying that he already knew that she wasn¡¯t here for the plant with his tone. He chuckled before standing up, grabbing Janet by the waist. Janet blushed and a small smile crept onto her face, but then her smile distorted into a scream as Ivan jumped. ¡°Here we gooooo!¡± With the last word as a sort of signal, Ivan leaped, hurtling towards the forest below. They landed directly in a small opening in the canopy and found themselves within the Gilded Glade. ¡°Alright, follow me. I believe it was over here.¡± But before Janet could adjust herself, Ivan was already gone! She looked all over, but she couldn¡¯t find him anywhere!¡± ¡°Ivan! Ivan?! IVAN!¡± Suddenly, tears started streaming down her face as her breaths turned into sobs. Before long, the hallucinations started to kick in. She saw several faces before her, driving herself to run away while crying out of guilt. She ended up tripping on what she thought was the body of Ivan, but was actually the roots of a tree.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A very large tree. However, Janet was still in the illusion. Just before she ran directly into the gaping maw of the tree monster, a flying kick knocked its mouth shut. Ivan kept it under constant defense as Janet slowly exited the illusion. ¡°Ivan! Ivan! I was so scared!¡± Her face was dirty with mud, snot, and tears, but she wouldn¡¯t let go of Ivan¡¯s arms. ¡°Sorry, this big guy wouldn¡¯t let me close unless he was distracted. However, I wouldn¡¯t let anything hurt you¡­well, physically, anyway.¡± He noticed her tremors and shaking, causing his face to slacken in concern, but just responded with a strand of magical energy. She quieted down and began her breathing, just like he had taught her. Every now and then, she would catch sight of strange visions and nightmares, but with her breathing and being near Ivan, she could see them for what they were. Only after the large tree was forced to run away deep underground, disappearing like a mole digging through the ground, were they able to breathe easy. But it was at this time when several dark creatures were seen in the ground. ¡°Ah! The monsters I saw in the book!¡± She wiped her face off using Ivan¡¯s arms as punishment before rushing over to the nearest creature. He grimaced at the stain on his shirt but remained silent as he approached the strange monsters. He had never seen anything like them, but he wasn¡¯t that interested. There were many monsters with strange appearances in this world, why focus on only one? Most had their blood drained, but one female was kept alive as she was pregnant. An elated Janet helped the mother give birth, but she ended up passing on. In fact, only one child was born alive. It was also the runt of the litter. However, Janet looked at it with sparkling eyes, just like when she was looking at the noodles. She turned around to show Ivan, but he had disappeared. Nearly worried that the tree had returned, she clutched the ''pup'' closer and trembled. Thankfully, he wasn''t gone long. When he came back, he was carrying all sorts of items. They looked like blankets, toys¡­a bottle? Janet looked at Ivan with her eyebrows arched, but he just shrugged and responded. ¡°What? You will need these to take care of a pet, right?¡± Janet was confused until she reran the words through her head a few times. She broke into a wide grin and rushed forward, giving Ivan a sideways hug, so she didn¡¯t squish the monster. However, Ivan was visibly surprised by the contact. He awkwardly patted her head, but his other hand was just hanging in midair before he ran it through his hair. ¡°Alright, it is time to go home.¡± After making sure the two were securely fastened, he returned to the mansion. 10. Nightmare at Night Janet awoke late at night thanks to a nightmare. She had started getting them after seeing the illusion at the Gilded Glade. Thankfully, her new pet, Maddock, usually calmed her down. Maddock was still too young to even survive on his own, so Janet usually spent her free time taking care of him. However, tonight was a little different. She couldn¡¯t calm down, because the storm outside was too loud, and she had difficulty with the loud crashes of thunder. Winter was still going on, but thanks to the area being further south, most rain would still be wet. However, it would be a biting cold that practically ripped people to shreds if the wind was fast enough. So, with the rain pelting the window and the occasional crack from the clouds, Janet softly cuddled Maddock to her chest before putting on her slippers and walking down the hall. She eventually found herself in front of Ivan¡¯s study, Maddock quietly sleeping in her arms. She saw that a light was still on and knocked. ¡°Hm.¡± Ivan¡¯s grunt came from the inside, so she entered slowly. There he was, slumped over in his chair and staring at the fire, a bottle in his hand. His skin looked really yellow in the light from the fire and his hair looked darker thanks to the shadows. However, his eyes still had a sharpness to them. It was evident by the constant gaze she received as she walked in. She took a seat on the floor, just like she was used to, but Ivan raised his hand, causing one of the large chairs to float over. He patted it and sat up straight. He turned the chair to face outside so he could gaze at the storm. ¡°The storm wake you up?¡± Janet was startled at Ivan¡¯s abrupt question, but she shook her head in reply. ¡°I see. You had a nightmare as well?¡± Janet was confused, but she nodded silently, stroking Maddock¡¯s soft body to calm herself down. She saw those faces and dark events so clearly, as if she was reliving them each and every time. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± However, Janet continued to remain silent. ¡°Fine, then let me tell you mine.¡± Ivan placed the bottle onto the desk and turned back around to face Janet, the storm to his back. ¡°It was before the winter, but it was a windy day like this. The scent of our enemies was constantly coming from every direction, so we assumed the wind was just being difficult. However, my men and I were completely surrounded by the time we entered the forest.¡± Janet tried to not shiver, as she knew what to expect. She had heard this story before, in a different place. ¡°They were my men. I brought them in from my region, training them with my methods. I raised several troops of men from when they were practically your age. Of course, thankfully, they weren¡¯t combat ready by the time we were sent to the border. However, I took their parents and brothers. They were my age, so I treated them like my brothers, like uncles, and like old grandpas.¡± It was true, the region Ivan was previously in charge of, the Fulter Region, still held a highly militaristic viewpoint, they were just under someone else¡¯s charge now. And the name Fulter was stripped from him, just as it was awarded to him. Now, he picked up the bottle once more and started to slosh the contents around while lazily looking through the bottle to the candle¡¯s fire. ¡°But I led nearly 10,000 men to their deaths that day. Three armies surrounded us. While we were fighting the one in front, the one we were chasing, the other two performed a pincer attack and destroyed us. However, it wasn¡¯t 10,000 men versus 100,000. They only consisted of 3,000 men. Just three troops took down an entire regiment of soldiers. I solely focused on the strength of my men, and not the strategy. We failed.¡± Yes, it was the stain of the entire kingdom. To be completely defeated by the enemy when your numbers were over three times stronger was a failure in everyone¡¯s books. Sure, the three troops were also destroyed, but 3,000 losses wasn¡¯t the same as 10,000 strong soldiers. ¡°I did my best, but I saw my friends and brothers die, over and over. I rushed to help, but the large numbers of men and the constricting environment limited my speed and power. Otherwise, I would have gone all out from the very beginning.¡± By now, Maddock had woken up and was yipping for a drink. Thankfully, a maid was close enough and was paying attention. Abigail walked in in embarrassment like she heard something she shouldn¡¯t have. However, if Ivan didn¡¯t want her to hear it, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to. She passed a cloth and the bottle over to Janet and stood by the door silently. ¡°While I tried to save every man in trouble, I had already failed as a leader. I should have focused on one side and forced a way out for the surviving men, but I wanted to save everyone. And because of that, I saved no one. That is why I say it is my fault I killed those men. I was given the title of General only because of my strength, not because of my leadership abilities. So now, I work on obtaining those qualities.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Janet sat in silence as she contemplated why Ivan told her this. He would have wanted to keep it a secret, but something seems to have changed. Before she could voice her thougts, Abigail spoke with slurred words. It was clear she was a little tipsy. ¡°You¡­don¡¯t think this forgives you for giving Janet bad dreams. It was your fault since you let her see terrifying things in that Gilded Glade! I knew she shouldn¡¯t have gone in there!¡± ¡°Hah?!¡± Ivan was not hammered, but he was a little buzzed. He stood up abruptly, skidding the chair across the floor. Maddock jumped in surprise, but Janet managed to calm him down. Abigail shuddered, but she had some alcohol to drink as well, so she felt inhibited to stand up to him. Apparently, she too had a bad dream. ¡°Because of your selfish actions of wanting to be a General again, you drug poor Janet into your mess and since I have to watch over her, I got separated from my family once again!¡± However, unlike Ivan, she was not in her right mind. She wasn¡¯t in complete control of her body. So, she took it out on Ivan. All of it. ¡°You force Janet into such a world that she doesn¡¯t belong to and include everyone else! These poor veterans probably want nothing to do with war anymore and want normal lives! They want to see their family and be safe! Even Janet wants a family! Yet you wanted her to take over this forsaken place?! Are you mad?! No, you have to be!¡± Ivan stormed across the room to Abigail and stood right in front of her face. ¡°Look here, woman. I was ready to just go off and die. However, because a friend of mine asked, I came here. And I am not the one who made Janet make that decision, she had already made it herself at the funeral! Do you not listen to her? Are you not the one who wants her to be happy?! You ignore her wants and desires and project yourself onto her! You want to go home, fine! You want to be safe? Fine! Don¡¯t stay here and get in the way all the time!¡± In her drunken madness, Abigail leaned forward, bumping her forehead accidently onto Ivan¡¯s. However, she just stood there like that, glaring into Ivan¡¯s face. Their eyes were inches apart and it looked like sparks were about to fly. However, to an outsider¡­ Ivan was the first to move away. His face was red, but it could have been due to the alcohol¡­but probably not. He coughed slightly and turned back around to see Abigail tottering slightly after Ivan moved away. She stabilized herself against the wall and started breathing heavily. She looked a little clearer, but she was still drunk. ¡°Maid!¡± Another maid came in and retrieved the foolish young woman before bowing and leaving again. Janet was stifling a giggle, but she was still concerned. Would Abigail be alright after this encounter? Would Ivan act out? However, he sighed and plopped down into his chair before downing the last of the alcohol in his bottle. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s sort of right. Though, only about treating you better. You did want this, right?¡± Janet brushed the tuft of fur on Maddock''s head and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a little late to ask, but yes. I want this.¡± Ivan sighed again, but it sounded more like relief than exhaustion. ¡°You¡¯re right, I am sorry. At first, I was against coming here, but after trying to implement new ideas, I got invested and wanted to do better than last time. So¡­forgive me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Captain Ivan. I trust you. I want you to be that kind of person that wants to save everyone. Next time, we will implement tactics into our military.¡± Janet didn''t seem upset, as she gave words of encouragement and kept smiling. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Ivan looked a little deflated, but he had a slight smile on his face now, too. ¡°I guess it is my turn¡­¡± Ivan looked over with a sort of surprised expression, but he put down the empty bottle and sat up straight. He planned on listening intently. ¡°I¡­dreamt of killing my family.¡± Ivan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest and she sighed a little. ¡°So you already knew.¡± Ivan sat back and pointed a finger to the ceiling. ¡°Of course. Everything in this place was scoured by me. My first plan was to find the assassin. However, you didn¡¯t do a good job of cleaning up after yourself. I could smell the blood practically wherever you went. So, I finished the job.¡± Janet nodded weakly, but was starting to shake all over. A load had been taken off of her shoulders, but she was now more worried than before. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one else knows. Plus, I am blocking this conversation from the outside.¡± Janet nodded again and clutched Maddock closely. In reaction, he yipped and licked her face, calming her down. ¡°They had done terrible things and¡­and it needed to stop. But I didn¡¯t want to die¡­¡± ¡°So you were the selfish one. If you had wanted them to get in trouble, you could have told someone. However, then you would have faced death with the rest of the family.¡± ¡°Yes. So I used father¡¯s sleeping pills and then¡­then I¡­¡± ¡°That is far enough. So you saw their faces back at the Gilded Glade?¡± Janet nodded, as she couldn¡¯t speak through her tears. Ivan ran his hand through his hair and then rubbed his stubble. He nodded and scooted his chair over in front of Janet. He looked her right in the eyes, his gaze practically boring into her soul. However, she wasn''t frightened. She gulped and blushed a little. ¡°Look. As someone who has killed people before, I wish I could say that you get used to it. However, I taught my men that they weren¡¯t allowed to be used to it. Life was¡­is precious. Now then, you ended your family¡¯s lives to save everyone else¡¯s, correct? Or was it just yours?¡± After hesitating, Janet gave an answer as she looked down in dissapointment. ¡°¡­both.¡± But instead of admonishing her, Ivan nodded and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Good. Thank you for being honest.¡± Janet had curled up into a ball on the chair, holding Maddock to her chest. His tail had yet to grow feathers, so it looked like a lizard¡¯s as it wagged like a dog¡¯s. Ivan reached over and tousled Janet¡¯s hair before he stood up and picked her up by her knees and shoulders. He carried her like a princess back to her room and tucked her in. She hadn¡¯t even known the storm had abated, but with the exhaustion from tonight and coming to terms with herself, she ended up going back to sleep. However, Ivan remained by her side all night, holding her hand. That way, she had a sound sleep. ¡°Good night, little brat.¡± A forlorn Ivan calmly kept a silent watch over Janet that night, and didn¡¯t sleep until she had awoken the next day. 11. Practicing in the Courtyard Janet had done a lot better after that night, so her studies had progressed. Several months had passed by and the facilities that were planned out were now being put to further use. Children were coming in from all over the region to attend either the academy or the training hall. Maddock had opened his eyes and played around with Janet often, quickly growing from a small size to that of a medium sized dog. Winter was ending and the status of the region was increasing slowly. Janet mastered the entry level magic she was taught and also learned basic swordplay. Now that she was nearing eight years of age, it was almost time to start working on tougher assignments. One day, while she was practicing the next level of sword moves outside from Ivan, Abigail had come outside. Ivan coughed a bit and tried to ignore her, but he kept looking over. For some reason, Janet was frowning. ¡°Captain, how does this look?¡± Ivan¡¯s attention was removed as he analyzed her skills. However, he shook his head and walked forward, adjusting her posture and moving her body around to simulate the movement of the strike. Without a care for where he touched, he taught her. For him, she was just a little girl, a brat. However, Abigail over reacted. ¡°You! Where are you touching?! She is just a little girl!¡± Ivan, thoroughly confused, released Janet and confronted the maid. ¡°I was teaching her.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You were obviously reaching for some intimate areas!¡± ¡°The groin is a major part of posture! If her legs aren¡¯t spread enough, she can¡¯t take up the correct stance! Her knees need to bend or else they will break under strong force! If you don¡¯t let me train her, and she has to fight, she could hurt herself more than the enemy could!¡± His words had grown louder, as his anger was growing higher. Janet giggled again, but then realized that the two were becoming closer like that night. She called out, but was quickly cut off. ¡°Wait-¡° ¡°You think you can yell at me because you are the captain here?! You don¡¯t have your authority anymore! You are just a regular soldier!¡± ¡°Woman! I will not have you disregard my concerns for Miss Brittoli!¡± ¡°Your concerns?! She is a young girl who needs care and affection!¡± By now, they were within inches of each other¡¯s faces. Now, Ivan looked away faster than that drunken night. However, Abigail took it as her win. ¡°Hmph! Come, Janet. We need to work on your manner classes again. We can¡¯t have you forgetting them.¡± But, Janet was upset. She crossed her arms and glared at Abigail and started stomping. ¡°Stop bullying Ivan! He is also doing what is best for me! My life is in danger if I want to rule this place, so I need to learn how to defend myself! I don¡¯t need manners to protect myself from a sword!¡± She abruptly turned around and began to quickly perform her sword moves again, but they were far better than before. ¡°Eh? Was she playing around before?¡± ¡°Janet, you¡­¡± Both were confused, but Abigail looked depressed. For some reason, a heated argument that felt like a dream was replaying in her head as she turned to Ivan and bowed. ¡°My apologies. I will take my leave.¡± She rushed out of the training area, but her eyes looked a little wet. Janet turned back around and faced Ivan with a beaming smile, as if to say, ¡®praise me!¡¯ Unfortunately, Ivan was completely unsure of what to say. He shook his head and returned to pointing out her flaws, though there were far less than before. For some reason, Janet pouted, but she happily let Ivan teach her. But Ivan now tried to teach her without touching her, which seemed to aggravate her. 12. Playing in the Study When spring arrives, people will celebrate their birthdays. Otherwise, if celebrated whenever they happened, celebrations could deplete the stock of food. But since he had never celebrated his birthday in the past five or six years, Ivan had completely forgotten his. However, Janet found out about it. She came to his study, a happy Maddock bouncing around behind her. Abigail followed, carrying a small, flat box. She smirked, as if she wanted to be somewhere else, but she kept her attitude in check today. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s this? Are you coming to me for practice again?¡± ¡°No! Abigail.¡± Janet turned around and lifted her hand out, but Abigail walked forward and presented the gift to Ivan herself. ¡°Ah! I said I would give it! Not fair!¡± Abigail admonished her, saying it wasn¡¯t presentable for a lady to give a gift to her captain personally. And Ivan had to agree. Giving gifts personally was a sign of a close relation. Thus, he got the gift from Abigail, though Janet was the one who picked it out and got it. However, when she walked up to him, Ivan couldn¡¯t help but think unnecessary thoughts and acted fidgety. Janet was contemplating whether to kick Abigail or not when his expression changed. When he opened the box, he quizzically looked at Janet for the explanation. She gave a clever smile and made an answer. ¡°I heard about it from one of the veterans, they call it the War Game.¡± ¡°War Game? Is this like that chess I hear so much about?¡± Ivan reached into the box and pulled out a carefully carved figure of a spearman. There were others, and multiple of each. ¡°You set up your army and move the pieces to how far they can go in a turn, or a day. So, unlike real life, it is turn based, like chess. However, the pieces are free to move however they want to, as long as their movement allows it.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow. These toys will move?¡± Janet picked up a strange shape, but Ivan quickly realized it was a man riding a large Midnight Monster. However, it wasn¡¯t like riding a horse, as the man was practically lying prone on its back. ¡°The Midnight Riders can fly, giving them a larger area of movement. So, if I want it to go over here, I wouldn¡¯t have to wait another turn, unlike using the cavalry unit.¡± Inside the box were several sheets of wood, each carved with a map. The pieces aligned to make a larger map, complete with terrain and environments. ¡°So¡­you want to play a game with me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Janet happily agreed to Ivan¡¯s question, ignoring the connotations he was sending. ¡®So she was lonely, huh? I guess this is fine. I can work on my strategies this way. But how long has she been putting this together?¡¯ Ivan quickly got into the hang of it, though for some reason, Janet always had strange moves that were nearly impossible to predict. ¡°Why would you go into the mountains, where it is harder to move? The Riders have a larger area of movement, but there are still problems with some of these places.¡± ¡°I know. That is what these little red circles mean. They indicate a monster! If I defeat them, while it may be dangerous, my men gain experience and I get materials for stronger weapons and armor!¡± Janet happily explained the game to Ivan, wasting the entire day away. Abigail watched, but didn¡¯t understand a single thing. She ended up sitting down off to the side and petting Maddock. Eventually, she fell asleep while Ivan and Janet continued playing until the little miss grew tired as well. Ivan summoned a maid to take Abigail out while he personally took Janet to her room, Maddock remaining quiet and aware. Thankfully, no problems happened, and Ivan returned to his room. From there, he inspected the pieces closely and wrote down in a little book about what each piece did, their offensive capabilities, and their area of movement. Then he realized something. ¡®Ah, I should have done this when I was a general.¡¯ As a source of inspiration, Ivan began running mock battles of that fateful night, wondering how else he could have kept his men alive. He didn¡¯t want to be caught in the same trap ever again. However, he also used it as a chance to simulate other dastardly plans the other kingdoms used over the years, as well as their own. He thought of the little girl who gave this to him and smiled. That rowdy maid could learn a thing or two from this girl, he thought. It was subtle, but the faint feelings he was having towards Abigail diminshed as Janet rose higher in his heart. Thanking her softly in his mind for her thoughtful gift, Ivan set to work. By the next day, Ivan had already wrote down possible units that he could get made for the War Game. With this, it would not only be a good practice, but also a defining instrument of war in the generations to come. 13. Shopping in the Capital Janet was in Ivan¡¯s study, sitting next to him on one of the chairs. She remained quiet, as Maddock rested on the floor underneath her chair. Spring and summer came and went, as it was nearly time for the harvest. In fact, it was almost time for Janet¡¯s birthday celebration. However, Ivan was dense and was too busy focusing on work. For some reason, Janet was getting more and more frustrated, pouting openly around Ivan. Finally, she could no longer stay quiet. ¡°You need to hire someone else to take care of this stuff. Stick to what you are used to.¡± Ivan turned to Janet with an expecting expression on his face, as he scratched at his beard. He had trimmed it, so his youthful appearance was a little more obvious. Not even twenty, it was still hard to see him as a General ever in his life. Of course, this was a guy that was called a Hero of the kingdom. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Instead of admonishing her or ignoring her, he decided to listen. He had been paying attention to more of what Janet had to say, ever since she somehow found the location of the Midnight Monsters and procured the War Game. Plus, her action of killing her family was completely suspicious, as she was only about seven, almost eight, now. ¡°I know a guy, but he is not here. He is in the capital.¡± Ivan scratched at his beard again as he reached for his pocket, only to stop when he found nothing. ¡°Eh, it looks like I ran out, too. Fine, we can make a trip to the capital. I need my booze, as well.¡± After telling some people, the two were off. Abigail was left behind so she could watch over Maddock.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. They were still dressed in casual clothes, which was a little better than the average civilian in their region, but in the capital, it was below the normal. Many people were walking around practically in formal ball wear. But when they walked around, Janet was riding on Ivan¡¯s shoulders as they walked up and down the large market street. Ivan asked around for the peddler that sold the alcohol while Janet kept trying some of the food at the stalls. It looked like a young man and his little sister, as Ivan¡¯s appearance was still not that old. It was a warm scene to whoever saw it. Suddenly, Ivan felt a tug on his shoulder. ¡°Mm.¡± Her mouth filled with a meat skewer, Janet pointed towards a shadowy alley and directed for Ivan to go down it. When they entered, the sounds of the main street ceased, as if by magic. No, it was definitely magic. With an instant reaction, Ivan readied his fists. Janet squeezed tightly, her legs clenching around Ivan¡¯s neck. However, an old lady arrived. ¡°Ah! Marcie! Hahaha!¡± Ivan released his tension and walked forward without any care as he reached down and gripped the old lady in a bear hug. ¡°Hehe, little idiot, you think you have the right to touch me?!¡± Though her words sounded angry, she was laughing just like Ivan. She reached into her robe and pulled out a single bottle. ¡°Ah, I knew you would be out soon, so I came back. And who is this? Miss Ivan?¡± ¡°Ahem, no, she is Janet Brittoli.¡± The lady smirked and looked at Janet. ¡°Is he too dense or what?¡± Janet sighed and weakly smiled at Marcie. ¡°I know, but he¡¯s cool that way.¡± Marcie laughed and Ivan went to scratch the back of his head, though Janet was still sitting on him. He reached over her leg to scratch his itch, causing the two ladies to just glare at him. ¡°¡­what?¡± Not realizing what he had done, Janet remained silent and bonked Ivan several times over the head. Marcie shook her head and led the two back down the alley. After Ivan got Janet to talk again, she was wanting to find someone named Alec. He was a superb merchant that she heard about while passing some of the veterans, she said. Marcie nodded and said she knew of him. When the two asked for his whereabouts¡­ ¡°Alec is definitely in the capital city, though it might be hard to accommodate him.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°He is in jail.¡± The two looked at each other before sighing. 14. Finding Help at the Prison Janet had changed her clothes, as did Ivan. The two of them were visiting the public prison, where many cages were erected to showcase various criminals as examples. In a way, it was similar to how some slave markets looked, precisely because prisoners of harsh sentences were treated worse than normal people, like sub-humans. As they walked along, Janet gripped Ivan¡¯s clothes tightly, as she was being jeered at by the scum of the city. Some remained quiet, while others claimed their innocence. However, Ivan could tell almost all were actually lying. The true innocents were quietly despairing about their future, while covered in dirt and grime. Dressed in rags, they looked no better than the poorest pauper. But when they came to a certain cell, the man in question still retained a certain charisma. He was calmly seated on the ground, his rags the least messed up and grimy. His posture was clean and his expression was even. He acted like he wasn¡¯t even in chains or in prison, but in his own home, waiting for guests. ¡°Welcome. I trust that you found what you were looking for?¡± At his quiet words, Janet peeked back around from behind Ivan and sneered slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t believe him, he is a major con artist.¡± Suddenly, Alec¡¯s face shifted, revealing a quick moment of surprise and shock. However, he quickly righted his wrong and looked at Ivan with a smile. ¡°What a wonderful young lady. Is she the wife of my future master?¡± Ivan smirked and crossed his arms. ¡°What is it with everyone wanting me to be married with this brat?¡± A prisoner in a nearby cell responded, a chuckle escaping his throat.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Oh? Then I can take her.¡± Just then, Ivan¡¯s demeanor changed rapidly. All the nearby criminals shuddered in fear and retreated into the corners of their cells, silencing the words from reaching their throats. However, Alec was still calm and composed, though he looked to be sweating profusely. Janet giggled silently, hiding her smile with her hand as she got closer to Ivan, holding his side. Ivan looked over with an expression of disbelief, but then he turned back to Alec. ¡°Miss Janet, are you sure this guy would be able to run an entire region successfully? He doesn¡¯t seem all that reliable.¡± ¡°Indeed he doesn¡¯t. However, he has the gift of a glib tongue and that was probably why he was arrested. So the other nobles could get their hands on him.¡± All of a sudden, Alec¡¯s entire posture changed. He went from someone adopting a superior position, to a person bowing their head generously while prostrating. ¡°Oh, such magnificence! Such power and poise! If I don¡¯t take this hand today, I will surely fall in the future!¡± Ivan was disgusted by Alec¡¯s flimsy attitude, while Janet had been lifted back onto Ivan¡¯s shoulders where she rested on his head, running her hand absentmindedly through his hair. ¡°Alright, this should be enough. We can strike the wrath of the strongest man in the kingdom into him when we get back home.¡± Ivan nodded, accidentally bumping his head against Janet¡¯s nether regions. She blushed, squeezing Ivan tightly with her legs to stop his movement. Alec looked on with a bizarre expression, but he was a little happy. They had to spend quite a bit of money they had taken from the treasures of Janet¡¯s father, but later on, it would have been paid three times over. That was because Alec indeed had a good plan to run the region. There are several factors that can solve issues when rebuilding, gathering forces, or making trades. Those would be money, power, or connections. However, a sub category that falls under connections would be charisma. Alec was capable of shifting the stance of others when they were absentminded. Constant exposure to his kissing up will make anyone happy, and his endless supply of compliments would stir the heart of even the coldest woman. Especially so for the single Abigail. Even though she was a maid, she was still a looker. Seeing that Abigail was constantly near Janet and Ivan, he would try and be close to her as well. Unfortunately, his abilities would be super effective and end himself up in a lot of trouble, but that is for a different story. 15. Racing Through the Trees Almost another month passed. Alec was now hard at work repairing the region, giving Ivan the time to personally teach and train Janet. However, this left Alec with no time to flirt with Abigail, so that would happen later. But now that Ivan wasn¡¯t so busy, he had gone back to drinking. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t like before, where he tossed it all back. Instead, he would just upend the bottle while still looking at the person he was talking to. He didn¡¯t down whole bottles entirely anymore, so Janet was happier. She could now work on getting even closer to him. Maddock had grown once more, but he was now the size of a giant dog, just the right size for Janet to ride. With his wings tucked in and a strange saddle adorning his lower back, Janet performed a strange race against Ivan¡¯s war horse. Though not as quick, the Midnight Monster moved in a strange way, as if hopping from one place to the next. It was almost erratic and hypnotizing, as Janet moved with Maddock, bending her body slightly. If Ivan didn¡¯t know any better, he would have said she had already ridden one before. Even though he wasn¡¯t fast, Maddock¡¯s leaps kept up with the war horse¡¯s speed. It was astounding. It would probably be even better if Maddock could fly, but even though his wings could suspend him, he didn¡¯t want to. It would seem that there was a need to revisit the Gilded Glade. Forced to learn advanced studies and practice superior styles of fighting, at age seven, Janet could be said to be a natural genius, but she, for some reason, never let it go to her head. Then again, it could possibly have something to do with how Ivan had dominated several elite guards at only six with only his bare hands. Born with a superior body, Ivan had further increased his specs by accidently eating a strange fruit that had synergy with his figure. It got him started on the path of magic at an earlier age, snowballing his growth to where it is now. This was why he wanted to get Janet one of those plants high in magical energy. He had even tried to purchase one on the market, but they were either fake or traps. If someone had something that amazing, why would they sell it?This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Then, on one of their morning races, he spotted something. Over several hundred yards away was a strange lagoon. He slowed down his horse and trotted over. Janet had rushed on down her way, believing this to be one of Ivan¡¯s random tricks. In the end, she continued the race, as there was an apparent rule that stated the winner would have the loser do anything they wanted. However, Ivan had always cheated at the end, giving his horse a speed buff spell. After that, several bouts of multitasking would follow where Janet would have to play the Lord¡¯s Game, the War Game, and even practice her breathing all at the same time. Having to deal with the happenings in the region while also dealing with battles was a surprisingly difficult thing for her to muster, so she took advantage of this. Since he was alone, Ivan dismounted and surrounded himself with a strange layer of what appeared to be a rainbow light. However, this was a shield cloak of every element he knew. This wasn¡¯t just any plant, it was a treasure trove to the Damning Butterfly, a magical creature that loves this specific flower¡¯s scent. The worst part was that these butterflies were not only immensely poisonous, but also could use illusion magic, much like the tree from the Gilded Glade. Thankfully, there wasn¡¯t a swarm of them and he could easily take not only the budding Poison Stink Flower, but also the corpses of the Damning Butterflies. He set them aside so they wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone just by being there, which meant they were put away in his jacket of multiple pockets. When he returned to the mansion, Janet was a little confused, but she had a happy expression. ¡°Today, we get to hang out!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we do that every day?¡± Ivan didn¡¯t understand, but Alec just laughed as he watched from the study. While he was a slave for now, he didn¡¯t mind working for these people. They put him to use where he would shine, so he was having a lot of fun. Plus, since he was running an entire region, wouldn¡¯t that mean when the contract was over, he would be paid handsomely for his work? Abigail was upset that Ivan was getting closer to Janet, since she was becoming wild and tough, much how a girl should not be. However, she had heard tails of a dashing young man having been hired to help out, so her attention was elsewhere. And for now, Ivan almost forgot about his gift, but he needed to prepare it first, or else Janet would suffer greatly. But, he kept his attention on the young girl who was riding his shoulders as they walked around the capital city shopping. A strange feeling welled up inside him. Would she like his gift? How would she respond? He pondered to himself while following the girl as she tasted all the food at the stalls. He laughed, much like he used to when he was surrounded by his comrades. 16. Giving a Gift in the Library ¡°You know, I heard from some of the villagers that they saw something spooky in the forest.¡± Janet and Ivan were resting in the library, as she was looking at a map while Ivan was acting strange by himself in the corner. ¡°Oh? Which forest?¡± He was scratching his beard again, which now looked full, like a man''s. However, his eyes darted all over the place, not looking at Janet. He didn¡¯t want to spoil anything, after all. ¡°Yeah, they said they saw ghostly apparitions around here.¡± She pointed to a location that was really close to the lagoon Ivan had found a week ago. ¡°Hoh? And when was this?¡± ¡°When I had my break two days ago.¡± Ivan''s eyes narrowed and a slight smile crept onto his face. ¡°No, I meant when did they see it?¡± Ivan had dropped his anxiousness as he was curiously staring at Janet. ¡°The night before, I guess?¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ivan chuckled a little, as he was beginning to understand some things. ¡°Well, see, that is funny, since I took out a pack of Damning Butterflies around here.¡± ¡°Oh, you already got it? You definitely work hard, Ivan.¡± ¡°Yep, but that was a week ago, during our race. It was why I was late.¡± Janet stiffened, as she was caught in a lie. Then she relaxed. ¡°Ah, then I guess it must be something else.¡± ¡°It must be¡­¡± She made adult reactions, she knew how to perform certain things already, and she knew where the Midnight Monsters were located. Now she was trying to warn of an event. One that had already been dealt with, but a future event, nonetheless. If he hadn¡¯t cleared those Damning Butterflies out, they would have eaten the Poison Stink Flower completely and gone to find other sources of food, or the villagers.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. But the biggest thing was why she knew how to fight, but not how to cast magic. Surely, she shouldn¡¯t have known how to fight in the first place! But then he remembered that only the high nobles in the Inner Kingdom had the privilege to learn magic. Even at the royal academy, they didn¡¯t teach magic. So¡­she knew how to fight, ride a Midnight Monster, where they were located, and of future events. No, she also knew of special people that weren¡¯t all that famous. Alec was a good example. Had she¡­had she seen the future? Or was she from the past? Maybe she was someone else entirely? Ivan was beginning to overthink, so he calmed down and looked at the sweating Janet, who couldn¡¯t calm down. ¡°Well, I wanted to keep it a secret, but this was what I found there.¡± He pulled out the refined Poison Stink flower, which was now odorless and safe. It was a resplendent purple with lime green veins coursing through the petals. Then, it also had a strange shimmering pattern along the top, like silver flakes that looked like glittering stars. ¡°What do I do with it?¡± ¡°Eat it.¡± Janet gave a disgusted expression, but she went to take a bite. Just as she opened her mouth, Ivan moved, forcing the whole thing in at once, scaring her and almost making her choke. ¡°Sorry, but you wouldn¡¯t have eaten it if you had a taste. I know.¡± Her mouth was instantly filled with a vile taste and texture, but she could feel strange power running through her body. While she fought the urge to throw it up, she gulped it down with regret. When she was done, Ivan carried her to her bed and laid her down gently. However, she wouldn¡¯t let go of his arm, meaning he had to stay the entire time. Ivan had called in some maids to bring warm and wet cloths to keep her stabilized, while he also helped her drink water so she wouldn¡¯t become dehydrated. For three days, Ivan watched over Janet, observing her changes. Her face had undergone a strange uplift, becoming more charming. Her skin paled and seemed to become clear. It started to shine when looked at in just the right way. And unlike the actual flower, she gave off a nice scent. Ivan was a little worried, but he managed to stay calm. He didn¡¯t realize what he had done, for sure. A budding Poison Stink Flower hadn¡¯t built up its system, so the smell itself was easily rid when refined. If it was an adult, then she would have had a noxious smell and possibly have even transformed from it. However, she took on more of the Damning Butterfly¡¯s effects because of its deficiencies. Sure, she had affinity with plant and poison now, but her Illusion magic and poison effects would be even better now. Now that she had not only affinity with poison, but also had increased effectivity, she would be a terrible assassin on the battlefield, defeating stronger opponents with very little effort. The worst part, though, was now she was hard to ignore. If it was probable that Janet would grow into a beautiful girl, now it was a sure thing. Ivan caught himself taking glances every now and then, making him feel weird. After being with Janet for so long, he developed close feelings for her. Yeah, they weren¡¯t completely romantic feelings, but as a young man without experience, he wasn¡¯t the man with the purest of thoughts. He even got to the point that he tried his best to keep his eyes closed. Seeing a pretty girl sleeping was a tough thing for Ivan to do continuously. Suddenly, he heard her wake up. ¡°Mm? Have I been ravaged? No? Do you want to ravage me? You can if you want, you know.¡± Ivan nearly passed out from the way Janet spoke! 17. Transformation in the Bedroom Her voice had taken on a mature feeling, something a normal child shouldn¡¯t have. Immediately, Ivan jumped out of Janet¡¯s reach and bolted for the door. ¡°Wait! Ivan! Please¡­¡± Hearing her sadly call out to him, his heart lurched. He couldn¡¯t see her as a little girl anymore. Especially now. She was definitely an adult on the inside, but combined with her outside, she was a double knockout. Ivan slowly returned to his seat as he was forced to look at Janet. He hadn¡¯t left her side since he fed her the plant, so his beard was a little scraggly. Janet reached out to rub it, something she normally did to tease him. However, this time, he flinched away! Then she saw her pale white hand. She saw her smooth and unblemished skin and felt a strange change inside her body when she breathed. She looked around and saw her hand mirror. She reached for it and looked at herself. ¡°Huh. With your expression, I thought I had become scarred or something. I guess since nothing happened, you just must have been worried¡­¡± Janet placed the mirror back, not noticing that her every action held a strong charm to it. Ivan had lowered his guard to Janet, so he still hadn¡¯t realized that he was under a spell. But when she acted like nothing changed, he shook. He shrouded himself in magic, cleansing himself of status effects. Her face never changed, but for some reason, she had reverted back to her old self. He then realized that the Damning Butterfly must have had a synergizing effect on her. Maybe it had something to do with that tree from the Gilded Glade. If she used it for equipment or ate a pill made out of that monster, would she get even stronger!? He sighed heavily and returned to his old self, though Janet did notice his change.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. She performed one of her childish looks at him, batting her eyelashes, but this time, even though he was guarded, his defenses shook. For the briefest of moments, she had transformed into her seductive self, causing him to take in a sharp breath in surprise. But when she stopped the glance in reaction to Ivan¡¯s startled expression, he returned to normal. So she did it again, watching as Ivan jumped each time. She couldn¡¯t help herself and did it again, wearing Ivan out. Eventually, he collapsed into his chair as he called in a maid to deal with the mischievous little girl. Abigail walked in and immediately covered her mouth in shock. To her without defenses, Janet appeared to be the most beautiful girl ever. She quietly got her cleaned up and ready, but when she was done, Abigail quickly left after Janet told her to. She didn¡¯t feel like seeing this beautiful girl get angry, as she felt it would ruin such radiance. Rumors would eventually travel, and the ¡®emerging¡¯ of Lady Brittoli would become a well-known topic in the region. She had thanked the unconscious Ivan by sitting in his lap, letting her sweet smelling body alter his dreams so he could sleep peacefully. When he awoke that night, the beautiful version of Janet seemed more tolerable now. He wasn¡¯t having to constantly cower away like a hurt puppy. But he didn¡¯t know why. In fact, he felt calm around Janet, which was weird. But he had given Janet a strong chance in her future, so he was happy. She liked the gift he gave her. A wave of relief covered him and he finally realized that he held feelings for this girl who was a little more than ten years younger than he was. He felt awkward knowing this, but he had tried to justify it by claiming she was older on the inisde, so it was okay. Still in denial, he let Janet hug him tightly. 18. Dreaming in the Study Winter had come again. It had been a full year since the event of the death of Janet¡¯s family, and also a year since Ivan came to help out. Once again it was a dreary and rainy night. For some reason, Ivan was going back to thinking of that night when he lost his men. He must have been thinking about it thanks to the last discussion he had on a stormy night. He silently drank by himself in his old study, which now was Alec¡¯s. However, a knock soon came to the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Just like last time, a tired Janet came in, followed by a diligent Maddock, who was finding it hard to walk around the mansion with his size. He would eventually be forced to either live outside, or have the people in the mansion renovate the halls and doors. For Janet, which do you think she would choose? However, instead of being afraid or nervous, Janet crawled into Ivan¡¯s lap and rested against his shoulder. ¡°I hate the storm. It¡¯s so loud.¡± Her quiet voice filled the room, but instead of agreeing with her, Ivan shook his head. ¡°My mother used to tell me all about how the rain and storms were helpful. In fact, just like right now, she held me like I held you. Of course, I must have been about four at the time.¡± Janet slowly came out of her sleep to listen to Ivan¡¯s past. ¡°She told me the rain would water the crops, help keep the rivers running, and help the animals survive. We all need water, she said. Without the rain, we wouldn¡¯t have water, it would always stay in the ocean.¡± ¡°The ocean? I have never been.¡± ¡°We can go in the future. However, she also said that rain could wash away the bad things. It cleaned the mud off our tools and put out fires. My mother would tell me all about the uses of water. There was something else, but¡­I always forget what it was¡­¡± Janet looked up when Ivan stopped talking. ¡°What was it?¡± However, she was greeted by a snoring face. She quietly giggled and snuggled up closer to Ivan. In her old world, hadn''t people loved falling asleep to the sound of the rain hitting the window? He was dreaming of his family, his younger and older brothers, and more importantly, his mother. She had to deal with seven rowdy boys who all ended up joining the army. She had to watch as her husband and children went to die. This eventually led to her passing away, forcing her youngest three into an orphanage. Due to the harsh conditions, the youngest ended up dying as well, leaving only him and his older brother to fend for themselves. Ivan¡¯s older brother ended up joining a bandit group when he left the orphanage, but he also ended up dying because of it.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Like his father and elder brothers, Ivan trained to join the army, though he had to train without a teacher. Because he always went off on his own, he was treated as a trouble maker and kicked out. While tired and hungry, he came across a large red fruit that looked extremely dangerous. However, he was hungry. He had eaten the fruit before he even knew what was around him. Ignoring the large snake that was guarding the fruit, he had dashed ahead and gobbled it up, angering the animal. However, because a passing mage in the capital was eyeing the fruit but wary of the snake, he had missed his chance. By saving the boy, he planned on having him become his servant, but he grew too fast for that. After being passed all of his teacher¡¯s knowledge for the next five years, when he became 12, he joined the army and gradually spent another 7 becoming a general. But one mistake caused his greatest downfall. To this day, he owed the Duke for his training, but now he had repaid it in full. The region was doing wonderfully, and Janet was strong enough to protect herself. But now that he was her Captain, he couldn¡¯t just leave. Besides, he was still wondering about her secrets. So he stayed. And life went on. With the both of them. >>><<< It was a bright and beautiful academy, splendid in its appearance. It was the learning place of the nobles, the gifted, and the great. Placed in the Capital, it held the highest prestige and authority when it came to finding good seeds for the future. But one such seed, one that need not appear, decided to wreck it with her presence. Baroness Brittoli, a dangerous and beautiful swordswoman who learned under the great and powerful General Ivan, decided she would attend the academy so as to not appear lacking in the eyes of the kingdom¡¯s people. She was gallant and unopposed, as she was nearly as strong as her General. Well, for now, he was merely a Commander. He had participated in several skirmishes over the years, so he had proved himself worthy of a promotion. However, unbeknownst to everyone else, Janet smiled as she walked down the corridors she had only ever seen in game. She saw the main characters of her favorite dating sim game in person, but they seemed to lack that special something. Well, she had already gotten the amazing P.E. teacher before he could even teach at the school, so her path was set. Not that she wanted anyone else. The Prince was too proud, the smartest student was too full of hot air, and the strongest was dumb as a sack of bricks. None of them were to her taste, save for Ivan. Strong, stoic, and with a dark past that haunted him. She always loved this route the best when she played as the unassuming peasant girl, the main heroine, the playable character, Annette, Abigail¡¯s sister. Yes, Janet was originally the antagonist in the story. A stuck up noble of the Middle Kingdom that was desperately attempting any way to get more attention and glory. But everything had changed. Annette actually worked at the castle with her sister, so she and Janet were already good acquaintances. Janet already had her love, so Annette could be with whoever she wanted. After all, Abigail had her own happy ending with a rich busybody, so why can¡¯t Annette receive happiness? No, Janet didn¡¯t come to spoil her friend¡¯s fun, she came to just dominate the opposition. Strong, beautiful, and smart, she wanted to show this world she was capable of anything. And each night, she would go home to her wonderful General and sleep soundly, blocking out everything that tried to stop her. She was content. He was content. The Baron and the General would remain famous for some time, becoming the Rose Couple, the crimson and the flower, the image of fiery passion, and complete with their dangerous thorns, too. But for now, they would just be the Little Baron and her Big General.