The prosthetic leg that the count sometimes used was nothing more than a wooden post. Its simple structure strapped to the thigh with leather bands, and if worn for long, it left red marks and often rubbed the skin raw. The thick, tough leather padding where it touched the skin served as cushioning, but it was weak against sweat and moisture, rotted easily, and smelled terribly.

“We tried making a prosthetic out of iron, but it was too heavy and uncomfortable, so he found it even harder to use than the wooden one.”

“Where is the iron one now?”

“It’s hardly used, so we put it away in storage.”

“Then… would you give it to me as a gift?”

Cedric was baffled by her sudden request to take his father’s rotting prosthetic leg as a gift. But Estella’s gaze was so earnest that he nodded before he realized it.

Only after watching Estella quietly carry the prosthetic away to her room did Cedric realize he had never even asked her why she needed it.

She was truly someone who grew more mysterious the more you looked at her.

The next morning, the marquis’s party departed Britannia amid a send-off as grand as the banquet. Count Britton would have liked to ask them to stay a few more days, but knowing Wintfall’s circumstances, he set aside his regret and promised they would meet again.

The procession that had been modest when they first left Wintfall had doubled in size on the return. Estella found the feeling strange.

“Why did you bring that?”

Seated with Ciel in the carriage the count had prepared especially for him, Estella turned her head from the passing scenery outside the window at his question.

Ciel was looking at the prosthetic leg Estella had set neatly beside her. It was neither beautiful enough to be a keepsake nor useful to her in any practical sense.

“This? I plan to make something out of it.”

“With that?”

Ciel’s curiosity deepened. It was always like this with Estella. She made him wonder more, marvel more, and every moment something new seemed to appear as if by magic.

“I thought, what if we remade the count’s prosthetic using Nevrion steel?”

The wooden one wore down quickly, was vulnerable to damp, and molded easily. The iron one was far too heavy, making movement awkward. But Nevrion steel was far lighter than iron and infinitely sturdier than wood. With it, she thought they could make a prosthetic that would be far easier to use.

“You’d make it yourself?”

“No. Dolan has to make it.”

Her reply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, made Ciel let out a soft laugh.

“Why?”

“Nothing. I just feel like I can already hear Dolan groaning.”

“I’ll raise his pay.”

Perhaps realizing she was being too much, Estella turned her head away and let her words trail off. Most likely, as soon as they returned, she would have to greatly expand the forge staff.

Guns, prosthetics, and even the new weapons she was planning—there was no way the current smithy could keep up with all of it.

Seeing Estella’s face as though she were already plotting something new, Ciel found a smile tugging at his lips. That lovely woman, who could never stay still for a moment, seemed ready to create something great once again.

His chest swelled with expectation at things that had not even been made yet. The joy of knowing he belonged to the world Estella was building was beyond words.

“Eup-cha!”

Ciel, who had been sitting across from her, suddenly rose and moved to sit at her side.

“Why?”

Instead of answering, he cupped Estella’s round head with both hands and pressed a soft kiss against her round lips that had just asked the question.

At first startled, Estella faltered, but soon closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Soft, smooth lips touched and parted with moist sounds that filled the carriage again and again. As if there were nothing else to do in the cramped space but kiss, they hungrily chased each other’s breaths, gasping as if not wanting to miss a single drop of sweetness.

The rattling carriage filled with air so sweet it was suffocating.

“Oh? They’re here! Mother, they’ve arrived! The carriage is here!”

Ever since a messenger pigeon had arrived from Britannia, Luka had spent every spare moment peering out the window. Now, pressing his face against the glass, he shouted with a bright smile.

Leonora, sitting in the rocking chair placed in Luka’s room, had been calmly reading a book. At the sight of her son tiptoeing to look out the window, she rose to her feet.

“Shall we go out to greet them, then?”

“Am I allowed to leave the room?”

Luka pointed at the red dot Gerard had carefully stamped on him that morning.

“Now that Estella’s here, you don’t need to play the patient anymore, do you?”

“Yes! That’s great.”

He answered quickly, then scrubbed his face hard with the wet towel by his bed. Leonora walked over to him, gently taking the towel from his hands.

“Give it here.”

She wiped his chin and forehead thoroughly, the spots he had missed. Come to think of it, this was the first time she had ever wiped his face for him.

“There. All done. Shall we go out now?”

“Yes, Mother!”

His voice grew bright with joy at having his mother wipe his face herself. In their eyes as they looked at each other was a new, quiet anticipation and excitement.

“Sister!”

The moment Estella stepped down from the carriage, Luka ran and threw himself into her arms. Estella embraced him tightly, as if she had been waiting for this, and took a deep breath.

“Ah! Luka’s scent!”

At her words, Luka flinched in surprise and raised his sleeve to his nose, sniffing.

“Do I smell?”

He had woken early to bathe and change into fresh clothes just to meet his sister. There was no way he could smell—but already his face clouded with worry.

Estella found even that look endearing and hugged him again.

“You smell wonderful. The scent of my little brother.”

“My scent?”

Luka tried to puzzle out what she meant, but he couldn’t quite understand. People did have their own unique body scent, but a human nose couldn’t distinguish that… could it?

Thinking it over, Luka reached a single conclusion.

'Sister’s sense of smell must be extraordinary!'

Even the way she flared her nostrils while hugging him made her seem the most amazing person in the world.

He was basking in the joy of reunion with his wonderful sister when another figure stepped down from the carriage.

It was Ciel, who until recently had been her subordinate as the commander of the Squirrel Mercenary Band.

When Luka first heard she would marry him, it had felt like the world was collapsing. To give his sister—too precious even for the emperor himself—to some mercenary commander!

But once his mother explained everything, Luka had no choice but to accept.

After all, a prince was not someone he could do anything about.

Still, that didn’t mean Ciel was acceptable as his sister’s husband.

No, Luka disliked him all the more for taking his sister away. Worse, he was a man so weak that his sister had to risk her life to rescue him.

A man who should be protecting her had dared to be protected by her! That was unforgivable.

While Estella had been away from Wintfall, Leonora had prepared a room within the main estate for Ciel to stay in. Now that he was family, it was only proper.

From the furniture and curtains to the smallest ornaments, everything bore Leonora’s touch. True to her distaste for useless decoration, the room was furnished only with what was necessary, and the decorations were elegant without being gaudy.

“I’ve prepared this, but if there’s anything you dislike or need, please tell me.”

Leonora showed Ciel the room.

“No, this is more than enough. Thank you.”

At his polite words, she gave a slight bow and summoned a servant to stand before him.

It was a short man, freckles covering his face. The moment he saw Ciel, he bent at the waist in a deep bow.

“This boy will be your personal attendant from now on, Your Highness. Go on, introduce yourself.”

“T-t-Tobin, sir. I’ll serve you well. I-it’s an honor.”

His face turned as red as his hair as he stammered out his greeting.

“His Highness isn’t well right now, so you must take particular care of him.”

“Yes! I’ll do my very best!”

Tobin’s eyes sparkled with burning determination.

Leonora observed Ciel closely. When she had first heard rumors of the Squirrel Mercenary Band’s exploits, she had thought him nothing more than a skilled wandering mercenary. But he turned out to be the second imperial prince—the very one Aslan so desperately wanted to kill.

His appearance was impressive. Even with faint green bruises still lingering and his limbs swathed in bandages, his natural dignity and solid build kept him from looking weak. Handsome too—both refined and manly. By looks alone, he was a perfect match for Estella.

But his title as prince was the problem.

Aside from the fact that he was a target of Aslan’s wrath, Leonora had never liked the imperial family. She found it ridiculous that they could manipulate the entire empire by the accident of their bloodline, and she despised their bottomless greed.

Still… perhaps he was the best of them, since he had abandoned the palace.

As she was about to leave, a thought struck her and she turned back.

“Your Highness, when you marry Estella, you’ll have to become the marquis’s son-in-law. Is that acceptable? The title won’t pass to a son-in-law, you know.”

It was a somewhat sensitive question, but Ciel answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“My long-held dream has been to become a son-in-law.”

“Good. Rest well.”

For the first time, Leonora found herself wholly pleased with her prospective son-in-law.

After the long journey, they returned to Wintfall, yet strangely, Gerard was nowhere to be seen.

“Ria, is Gerard ill?”

Ria was carefully brushing Estella’s hair after her bath. Though it was a task any maid could have done, she had insisted on serving her lady personally the first evening she returned home.

“No. I saw him this morning, and he looked perfectly well.”

“Really? Then what’s going on?”

She couldn’t help but worry. Normally, he would already be here, scolding her endlessly, finding fault whether there was reason or not. His silence was unsettling.

“I suppose I should go to the lab and check.”

“Won’t you rest a little first?”

Ria had hoped her lady might take a proper nap, but Estella, not looking tired at all, jumped to her feet and tied her hair back. With no choice, Ria went into the dressing room to find her something suitable to wear.

There were now far more trousers than dresses, so she quickly picked out a comfortable set of training clothes.

Stepping outside to find Gerard, Estella was surprised to see Luka lingering nearby.

“Luka, why aren’t you inside? What are you doing out here?”

“I thought you might be resting. But where are you going?”

Though he had just seen her earlier, he beamed as he came over and naturally took her hand.

The small, soft hand in hers felt like a missing puzzle piece found, and Estella felt at ease.

“To Gerard’s lab. Want to come with me?”

“Yes! Let’s go together. I have something I wanted to show you.”

Hand in hand, Luka skipped along beside her, his steps lighter than ever.

“Really? What is it?”

“While you were away, the mage and I made it together.”

Chapter 176

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