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“Brother! Brother is back!”

Belladonna exclaimed joyfully once she saw the carriage.

She was 12 years old now, and there was only less than a year left before she becomes thirteen and legible to have a Triannum test.

In Ronin’s eyes, nothing much really changed for her over these past two years.

She was still the same Belladonna in his eyes, though she did grow taller and a little more reserved over the years.

She was no longer a crybaby but she was still ecstatic as ever whenever he arrives. She was literally jumping with joy from her shortened dress, and ran to tackle hug him.

Ronin avoided her hug, but gave her a fake smile. “Good day, Donna.”

Upon hearing this polite greeting that sounded distant, she calmed herself and stop.

But at least he remembered her preferred nickname this time, and acknowledge her with respect similar to that of a proper lady.

“Brother, welcome home.” She nodded and stopped.

Her hair was braided up the same way as the Goddess’ Freja’s, though much messier. The braid was on one side of her shoulder, and a short bob was cut on the opposite side._.

Ronin grinned at this hairstyle, and asked. “What did Father think about your new haircut? I am sure he must have gone ballistic.”

“Oh, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.” Donna scoffed. “He disliked it so much he almost summoned his sword and insisted on cutting the other side so it would be equal.”

She crossed her arms then, gauging his brother’s expression. “Do you also dislike it, Brother?”

“No. Not really, I think it suits you. Wear your hair and clothes however you like.” He just said, carrying his luggage inside.

Belladonna was pleased by this response, and was back to smiling happily around him.

“How was your second year, Brother? I heard you did a presentation of your research already and the science society learned about it.”

Ronin just nodded. “Mn. My second-year was so-so besides that, nothing out of ordinary.”

Belladonna expected that he would at least elaborate on the project since it should be his passion, but her brother seemed disinterested in talking about it at all.

In fact, he was acting disinterested in talking to her at all.

She felt a little hurt, but shook it off. Her heart was not fragile ice, whats there to worry about her brother not being talkative?

Ronin had never been the talkative type away, and he must be tired from the travels.

“Well… I plan to join you this year, Brother.” She revealed to him.

Ronin raised an eyebrow. “So soon? Your Triannum wasn’t over yet, wasn’t it? You’re only 12 years old.”

“I’m prepared for the test already. And I’ll be 13 anyway in the middle of the school year, what’s a little more months to worry about.”

“I see. And what does Father have to say about that?”

She shrugged. “You said it yourself. I can wear whatever I please. I can also do whatever I please, why must I gain an old man’s permission for anything?”

Ronin can see now what’s happening. ‘Ah, she’s turning into a teenager after all so she’s rebelling.’

“It really as hilarious when he reddened so much like a tomato and complained about all his sons and daughter being a bunch of rebels.” She chuckled.

“Hm, but his health wasn’t as pleasant as before. So I avoid teasing too much or else I might end up burning his heart.”

‘Heart burn’ was more of a term for ‘cardiac arrest’ in Magecia. The Flames can get too much to the point of burning the flesh of the heart and other nearby organs.

“Does he still do those daily training with Mavretri?” He asked.

“Not as much. He mostly spent his days gardening now, to tell the truth.” She told him.

“Gardening?”

He found it strange for a moment for a noble to take up gardening, but then Duke Taevas was unlike other nobles after all and was much more brutish and rough around the edges.

Not to mention he slightly remember Maellan telling him that his family sold blue corn.

“Brother… Our finances are going down.” Belladonna revealed in a somber tone.

“Father is not as strong to do his job anymore, and I never had him tell me exactly what that was. Why he and Mavretri goes out in town so early in the morning and return so late at night.”

“So Father does not only take up gardening as a hobby, but to lessen the expenses by having the produce be cultivated by him.”

Ronin never really cared much to know either, but he did get even more curious. For them to become so poor that the duke had to take up farming….

He also did notice there were significantly lesser servants than before.

In fact, he only saw about five to seven left.

“At night, my room had leaks that could only be resolved by putting buckets. Because we could not afford to have it repaired.” Belladonna told him.

“Not that I really mind. I’m not much of a haughty pretty princess to complain about leakage. But father’s room have it worse, yet he declines to move to the guest room.”

“He insists on staying in that room, the same one he once shared with mother….” She had a conflicted expression.

Ronin heard her thoughts.

(He’s a bastard, alright. Like most men besides brother Ronin… But I do commend him for his loyalty.)

She then turned to him and asked. “What was mother like? Father once said that if mother was still here, the house would not have degraded to such a state.”

Right, she never knew what Duchess Akasa was like. It was a little pitiful, to think about it.

Ronin thought about it. “Mother was a… Clever and promising woman of her own right. A little headstrong and foul-mouthed, but still a good lady to the house and her family.”

She chuckled at this. “Hm, I guessed as much. Or at least, I secretly wished it must be so. That she was like me.”

“You never talked about her much, brother. Or maybe, you must have assumed that I do not want to talk about her because I was the cause of her death.”

She smiled sadly. “I do not mind if you talk about her. In fact, I would like to get to know her more, even Father or the others wouldn’t do it.”

Ronin shook his head. “No, it’s not that. I just simply….. never took the time to know Duchess Akasa that much. While she was still alive.”

“Why? Did you not like your mother?”

She was asking about Duchess Akasa here, but instead, a different image appeared in Ronin’s mind.

Not a woman with blue skin.

It was a woman with normal human skin, smiling at him and handing over some candy.

“I’ll be back, alright? Just stay there and eat some candy before Mommy gets back.”

He can’t recall anything else. It was all so vague and blurry.

And yet the longer he thought about it…

He felt like he disliked this kind-looking woman very much.