The girl named Ingrid Grüle was a hard worker.

  Though those around her would say it couldn’t be helped given her circumstances, she herself never paid it any mind.

  Yet, sadly, she cked the talent to match her efforts.

  The Grüle family was a noble lineage that did not appear in the FBO game .

  To put it bluntly, compared to so-called "mobs" or "named characters," they could only be described as cking in ability.

  Even Libertà, upon hearing the name, could tell they were not a named character.

  Though they belonged to the Edelgard faction, their standing in terms of lineage and influence was, at best, lower-upper css—or more accurately, lower-middle among viscount households.

  A family with no past glory, no lineage of particur talent, whose only redeeming quality was their earnest dedication to duty.

  A diligence so thorough they could proudly boast of their ability to steadily build things up.

  That trait became their bloodline, carrying them into the present.

  "Father, what is this matter about?"

  The Grüle family had two sons and one daughter—an average number of children for a noble house.

  The wife consisted of a legal spouse and one concubine, with no mistresses. The sons were the legal wife’s children, while the daughter was the concubine’s.

  The one summoned by the Grüle family head was the concubine’s daughter.

  "Ingrid, sit here.""Yes."

  Her hair was a pale blue, inherited from her mother.She wore round gsses like her father, and her expression was simirly unsmiling.

  Fortunately, she had inherited her mother’s refined beauty, so she didn’t come across as eerie—though her doll-like artificiality was undeniable.

  "Actually, Viscount Hakubaal has made a request. He wishes for you to serve in a certain household.""I see."

  No emotion could be read from the daughter’s face, but her father, accustomed to her expressions, could tell she wasn’t opposed to the idea.

  As a noble’s daughter, it wasn’t unusual to receive proposals of marriage or service.For a daughter of a more powerful house, such things were inevitable—but the Grüle family had no such influence beyond the duke’s protection.

  Viscount Hakubaal was of the same rank as the Grüle family, but his lineage and power were superior, as was his standing in court.

  In other words, this request could hardly be refused.Understanding this, Ingrid nodded obediently.

  "Understood. Then, which household am I to serve?""……""Father?"

  Ingrid had expected the conversation to proceed smoothly, but her father hesitated, opening his mouth only to close it again.

  "…Ingrid.""Yes."

  A brief silence, followed only by her name.

  "Officially, this request comes from Viscount Hakubaal—but in truth, even he was acting on behalf of another.""…What do you mean?"

  "A request from someone high above—someone closely connected to an extremely distinguished figure. We’ve confirmed the legitimacy of this, yet it remains… peculiar."

  For her father, who normally got straight to the point, this roundabout expnation was unusual.

  He wanted to say more but couldn’t.His words carried frustration, as though wrestling with the dilemma.

  "No, I’ll say no more. We must simply carry out what we’ve been ordered to do."

  Suppressing his internal conflict, he took a deep breath before meeting Ingrid’s eyes and cutting to the chase.

  "You are to serve a certain commoner boy. The household has been arranged by a certain figure, so there will be no issues with lodging or provisions. Your duties will be managing the household, tending to the boy, and… surveilnce.""…Surveilnce?"

  Being sent to serve a commoner boy was already beyond common sense—but surveilnce on top of that?The st word stuck in her mind more than anything else, sparking Ingrid’s curiosity about the boy.

  Not curiosity in a positive sense—rather, wariness toward someone who warranted being watched.

  "Father, I’ve never done surveilnce before.""I know. The Grüle family has never had talent for combat. Even your brothers found no promise in the sword and instead work as civil officials in the castle."

  She had no intention of refusing her duty—but that didn’t stop her from questioning why she was chosen.Surveilnce was a job for experts, not amateurs like her.

  "Then wouldn’t it be better to ask someone from another house?""I thought so too. But with Viscount Hakubaal personally insisting, refusal is difficult. Besides, the boy in question is reportedly aware of the surveilnce and has accepted it. All you need to do is observe his movements and report them."

  The surveilnce target is aware and accepting of it?This only made the situation stranger in Ingrid’s eyes.Why was she being entrusted with this? She couldn’t fathom it.

  The more she heard, the more she felt this entire arrangement was absurd.

  "……"

  Her expression remained stoic, but her aura radiated confusion. Seeing this, her father gave a wry smile.

  "You look like you want to say this makes no sense.""That’s… yes.""Fair. I agree. This seems like a task for a house that produces military officers—not one like ours."

  The most pusible expnation was that this was an unreasonable demand from above.That was how Ingrid interpreted it.

  "But I must do it, correct?""Yes."

  Her father seemed to have settled on a simir conclusion.Nobility was bound by strict hierarchy.

  Defying those above required power.A poor, powerless house like the Grüle family couldn’t even do that.

  "Understood. I accept the assignment, Father.""My apologies.""No. If my service can aid this house, I gdly offer myself."

  With that resolve, Ingrid left the Grüle household.

  Several days after her response…

  "F-Father, what is this?""My, my… I never expected a ducal carriage to come fetch you."

  On the day of her departure, the carriage that arrived bore no crest to identify its owner—but its occupant was the issue.

  For a higher-ranked noble to send a carriage for a mere viscount’s daughter was a sign of just how important the person she was to meet was.

  In other words—

  "You are Ingrid, correct?""Yes, Lady Esmeralda."

  For a ducal daughter to personally come fetch her was beyond unusual—it was unprecedented.

  "Then, Viscount Grüle, we shall take your daughter with us.""Of course. I entrust her to your care.""Very well. Let us depart.""Yes."

  The exchange was minimal.The arrival had also been at dawn, before sunrise.

  They clearly wished to avoid attention.Thus, Esmeralda never left the carriage, half-hiding her face behind a curtain as she instructed Ingrid to board.

  Once her belongings were loaded, the carriage swiftly departed.

  "Lady Esmeralda, where is this carriage headed?""The southern district. That is where the person you are to serve resides."

  Leaving the noble quarter, the carriage traveled through the royal capital.

  As a rule, one did not pester a ducal daughter with questions.Silence was the wisest course.

  Yet, defying convention, Ingrid steeled herself and asked.

  She expected reprimand—but Esmeralda answered pinly.

  "I would like to know more about this person.""I suppose there’s no harm in speaking here. Besides, you’ll need some expnation to perform your duties.""Yes."

  What Esmeralda then told her sounded like pure fantasy to Ingrid.

  A boy younger than her had fought alongside the ducal daughter and her guards to sy a drake.And during the recent stampede, he had given precise orders—albeit backed by the duke’s authority—to resolve the crisis.

  "A commoner boy… younger than me?""Hard to believe?""……""That’s fine. I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it myself."

  It was impossible to accept such a story at face value.Doubting a duke’s word could be fatal for a noble.

  So Ingrid chose silence.Her tacit acknowledgment—without outright agreement—was the safest response.

  Esmeralda smiled wryly at the noble custom.

  "We believe he may be the Sage from the legends.""A fairy tale?""No. Our personal opinion, based on his actions."

  A commoner recognized by a ducal house—what kind of person could he be?

  "Then why not take him under your wing directly, Lady Esmeralda?""You know why. A noble house elevating a commoner—let alone our ducal house, with no prior ties to him—would be unthinkable.""……"

  And the ducal house was accommodating the boy’s "position."In this kingdom, few could defy the dukes.

  The more she heard, the stranger it became.Then, the carriage gradually slowed before stopping in front of a house.

  "It seems we’ve arrived.""He is inside?""Yes. He should already be here."

  The carriage stopped at the back of the house.The coachman opened the door, letting Esmeralda out first, followed by Ingrid.

  With practiced ease, Esmeralda entered through the back door the coachman held open.Her luggage would be unloaded separately, so Ingrid followed behind.

  "Libertà.""Esmeralda."

  Esmeralda called out to a boy in the living room.Noticing her, he stood and addressed her by name—without honorifics.

  The casual exchange between them made Ingrid study the boy closely.

  His clothes were ordinary commoner wear.He wasn’t unattractive, but neither was he strikingly handsome.

  If anything, he carried an oddly composed air for his age.

  "This is the one you mentioned?""Yes. She’ll act as the liaison between our house and you.""And my watcher.""As long as you don’t run, it won’t be an issue.""If your house wouldn’t make unreasonable demands, I wouldn’t have to run."

  Their dynamic was strangely close.To Ingrid, it seemed like Esmeralda was the one pushing the familiarity while the boy resisted.

  "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Ingrid of House Grüle. I have come to serve you."

  Amidst their exchange, Ingrid carried out her role.

  Whatever the circumstances, fulfilling one’s duty was the Grüle way.

  "Though I ck talent, I shall strive to serve you to the best of my ability.""Ah, yes. I’m Libertà. Sorry for dragging you into this mess.""Not at all. Now, Lord Libertà, I have several matters to confirm regarding my service. May I proceed?""‘Lord’? Uh, just ‘Libertà’ is fine. I’m younger than you.""Unacceptable. I am a servant. A servant does not address their master so informally. My apologies, but you will have to grow accustomed to it.""Grow accustomed…?""That’s how it is. You’ll have to endure it."

  For a commoner like Libertà, this treatment was bewildering.Seeing his reaction, Ingrid caught a glimpse of his good nature and felt some relief.

  A female servant under a nobleman could face all manner of treatment—some so horrid they’d regret being born a woman.

  The fact that he was seeking Esmeralda’s help suggested she needn’t fear such things.For now, she had no choice but to trust Esmeralda’s story and act accordingly.

  That was Ingrid’s judgment.

  A master with secrets.

  Perhaps the Edelgard faction expected her to uncover them.

  No—they almost certainly did.

  But as his servant, she had no desire to pry.She had been ordered to surveil him and report only if he fled—but beyond that, she was free to act as she saw fit.

  For now, she decided to observe.

  A commoner boy who could speak to dukes as an equal.

  She had no idea that, after just a few days together, she would come to see him as nothing more than an eccentric, slightly odd boy.