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Before long, the harvest season passed, and winter arrived. The changing seasons, in a broader sense, were akin to the phases of a person’s life.

Everyone has a period of growth, blooms fully, ripens, and then cools down coldly.

Ricardt was at the stage of his life where the seasons were changing. Though it was still the beginning, a change was indeed a change.

In the mansion of the Caldebert family in Stormhertz, though it was the dead of night, there was a place where lights were on. From afar, light seeped out of two windows.

And, contrary to the time of silence, a woman’s agonized screams of pain echoed through the mansion.

“Ahhhhhhh! Aaaahhhh…”

In the hallway outside the lit birthing room, Graut, in his nightclothes, was pacing nervously while stroking his chin, and Abelich was silently standing beside him.

At the end of the hallway, two boys were holding hands and watching the scene in the darkness. They were Vilter and Ricardt.

In an era where maternal and infant mortality rates were high, giving birth to a new life was a matter of risking one’s life.

Vilter’s expression was filled with worry and anxiety. However, he himself did not know the source of that worry and anxiety.

He could not tell whether holding his brother’s hand was to comfort or to be comforted.

The midwife carried a basin filled with blood back and forth several times. And then, at some point, a sound that seemed to shake the world erupted.

“Waaaaahhhh!”

At this moment, even the usually stern Abelich couldn’t hide his expression. However, he could not enter the birthing room and shouted from outside.

“Hey! Hey!”

After a while, the midwife came out holding a baby wrapped in cloth after cutting the umbilical cord.

“Congratulations, sir. It’s a young master. The madam is healthy too.”

Young master. In other words, it was a son.

Vilter felt a sense of inevitability. It was like the feeling of a heavy stone settling in his chest when something he wanted to avoid finally arrived.

In contrast, Abelich and Graut’s faces were bright with joy.

“Ricky, it’s over for us now.”

“No. It’s just the beginning.”

“What?”

“The baby, us, and even our eldest brother. Father has become a grandfather, our eldest brother has become a father, and we have become uncles. It’s a strange thing.”

Vilter turned his head and blankly stared at Ricardt.

“Aren’t you afraid? Of leaving home?”

“I’m a bit sad, but I don’t think I’m afraid.”

“…You’re better than me. I thought you were just a kid. Well, considering you took down that big wild boar and stood up to Father… you do have some guts.”

“And Billy is smart.”

At his brother’s words, Vilter let out a small laugh. He then roughly ruffled Ricardt’s hair.

Vilter, who had harsh words for almost everyone, wasn’t like that from the start, and especially not with Ricardt, with whom he was four years apart but treated without reserve. From childhood until now.

Thus, Ricardt also considered Vilter more like a friend of the same age rather than an older brother.

“Want to sleep together like old times?”

Vilter asked.

“Why? Are you scared?”

“Don’t be silly, go get your pillow.”

Ricardt also smiled and went to his room to get his pillow. When the two of them lay under the same blanket, they couldn’t help but giggle even without doing anything.

Outside, the sound of a baby crying loudly could be heard, but Vilter and Ricardt found comfort in their own time and space.

They talked about embarrassing moments, funny things, amazing things, and when their mother was alive. They shared memories accumulated while staying in this place.

As time passed, even the noisy outside quieted down, and they fell asleep without knowing who dozed off first.

With the birth of the eldest son’s eldest son, the succession of Stormhertz was now firmly established. And, this also meant that the spare parts were no longer needed.

It wasn’t just that they were unnecessary; the brothers of the heir could become threats in the future.

Even without any wrongdoing, even if they just stayed still, that’s how things flowed in noble households.

There was no explicit hint or sign, but it was inevitable that all of Lord Abelich’s attention was directed towards his grandson. Not only Abelich, but also the servants and the villagers were all the same.

Ricardt could clearly feel the change from before in even the smallest details. Perhaps one could say they were a bit more neglectful towards him.

Sometimes, no one cared whether he had eaten or not. Moreover, he needed permission to see his nephew. He felt a sense of distance from his family.

Although it was winter, the whole estate was bustling with energy, yet Vilter and Ricardt felt excluded from the festive atmosphere.

From the people’s perspective, even if their true feelings weren’t like that, paying attention to the second son in such a situation could cause trouble or make the so-called next lord displeased, so they were being cautious on their own.

Time passed in such neglect, and a month after Ricardt’s nephew was born, during the peak of the harsh cold, Lord Abelich called for Vilter and Ricardt. The place he summoned his two sons to was a pond a little distance away from the mansion.

As Vilter and Ricardt made their way there, they sensed that their father had something important to discuss.

When they arrived, the pond was completely frozen. The surrounding trees had shed all their leaves, exposing their bare branches.

Their father, dressed in a thick fur coat with a cloak over it, was gazing at the frozen pond. The sky was grey.

Vilter and Ricardt approached their father hesitantly.

“You called for us?”

Vilter said. However, their father did not respond, as if he hadn’t heard his son’s words, and continued to stare at the frozen pond in silence. Only the sight of his white breath exhaling like sighs could be seen.

Then, suddenly, he spoke as if throwing the words out.

“Someone from the main family will be coming soon.”

By main family, he meant the Count Caldebert family. The Caldeberts of Stormhertz had branched off from the main house during their great-grandfather’s generation. At that time, it was common for inheritances to be divided.

In a noble family, there could be only one head of the household. And the head of the household decided the fate of its members: education, future, marriage, even death.

Therefore, strictly speaking, Abelich was not the head of the Caldebert family. He was merely a lord and patriarch within Stormhertz.

However, the main house rarely interfered with Stormhertz. Was it due to a sense of kinship as the same bloodline? Or was it simply a lack of interest?

But now, none of that mattered. Because the wife of the eldest son, Graut, was from the main house.

This meant that the couple shared the same surname, signifying complete integration. A branch of the same bloodline that had split off was now reuniting.

Thus, even without a strict primogeniture system, diplomatically speaking, Graut’s son had to, under any circumstances, inherit the estate.

All these events concerning the estate and family were subtly pushing the non-heir sons out.

“The person coming from the main house is a doctor who studied at the renowned Hanz University. He will help decide your futures. This is the best consideration I can offer as your father.”

In truth, it was a tremendous consideration. There were plenty of cases where sons were sent far away to monasteries without any discussion.

But Vilter and Ricardt didn’t look particularly happy. It was understandable. Ricardt, as usual, seemed absent-minded, blowing on his cold hands.

Seeing Ricardt like that, Abelich smiled gently. Then he softly patted his head.

“Let me hug you. Billy, come here too.”

“What?”

Abelich pulled his two confused sons into his cloak for a hug. The two sons felt awkward and bewildered, but they definitely felt the warmth. It felt different from their mother’s embrace.

After a while, Abelich unfastened his cloak and draped it over his two sons. Vilter and Ricardt now looked like a cute two-headed monster in one body.

Abelich sat on a nearby rock and gazed back at the frozen pond.

“I first went into battle when I was fourteen. I followed my father and brother. It was just as cold then as it is now. We were tasked with leading a small number of soldiers on a major flanking maneuver to strike the enemy. Arrows suddenly flew at us as we passed through a forest. When I came to my senses, I had already run far away. I was so ashamed that I went back to the battlefield. Injured soldiers and corpses were scattered everywhere. Then I saw my father carrying my brother, who was bleeding from his neck.”

Abelich shared a personal story with his two sons, something he had never done before. Listening while shivering in the cold gave them a strange feeling. Somehow, their hearts were racing, and they felt burdened.

Their father, who always appeared confident and indifferent in front of others, somehow seemed shrunken now.

“You coward. Your brother died because of you. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. From now on, I will seek revenge. You must do everything you can to recover the bodies and continue the family line. I’ll be waiting in the afterlife… These were my father’s last words to me.”

Abelich lowered his head, perhaps because the mere thought of it filled him with shame.

Although fleeing the battlefield was indeed wrong, those words were incredibly harsh. They were enough to torment him for a lifetime.

How many people can face death with composure? Especially in their first battle.

Yet, even so, one must not retreat but fight. At the very least, they should stand their ground. That’s why maintaining honor as a noble was such a severe task.

In any case, Vilter found it difficult to even breathe in the heavy atmosphere. He was still too young to fully understand his father, so he just listened.

“Billy, Ricky. Promise me one thing.”

Abelich looked back at his two sons as he spoke.

“If you have any resentment, direct it towards me. Do not resent your brother.”

Given the mood, they had no choice but to promise, even if they didn’t want to. However, it didn’t feel like they were following an order as usual.

“Yes, I understand. I promise, Father.”

Vilter replied first with a serious expression.

When Abelich looked at Ricardt, he rolled his large eyes around with his red cheeks and answered.

“I won’t resent you. Not you, Father, nor brother. I’ll never have a reason to. Even if there’s no need for a promise, if my little promise is necessary, I’ll promise as much as you need.”

Abelich smiled gently again and reached out to stroke his sons’ heads.

“I’m not as skilled in battle as my father was, and I was inferior to my brother in every way. But I did my best not to disgrace my family. I tried my best my whole life. I never fled from the battlefield again after my first battle and always fought at the front. The truth is, I wasn’t brave; I was always anxious. You may not understand now, but inheriting the estate is not a great thing.”

Whether they understood or not, the mere fact that their father was sharing this moved them. No, it moved them a lot.

Ricardt, however, seemed lost in thought for a moment before he spoke to his father.

“Everyone has a time when they are a coward. The important thing is, when you realize you’re a coward, what you decide to do next determines whether you become a brave person or remain a coward. Father, you are definitely a brave knight. Grandpa would be proud of you. He probably said those words in the heat of the moment. So don’t hold onto it too much.”

Abelich’s eyes widened as he listened to his youngest son’s words. He knew Ricardt was extraordinary, but he hadn’t realized just how deep his understanding was.

“Hey, don’t talk out of turn.”

Vilter reprimanded Ricardt, feeling awkward.

“Was I out of line?”

“No, it’s fine. Ricky is right. Yes… I hope so.”

As if he had decided to be kind to his two sons today no matter what, Abelich just smiled calmly.

Today, he truly felt like a father addressing his sons, leaving aside the roles of patriarch, lord, and head of the family.

“Billy, you grasp things quickly but get bored just as fast. If you cultivate perseverance and patience, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.”

It was the first time Vilter had heard his father’s praise. He thought his father wasn’t interested in him, but he realized Abelich had been watching all along. Vilter felt an overwhelming joy.

Abelich then turned his gaze to Ricardt. After a moment of silent observation, he spoke.

“Ricky, you are undoubtedly extraordinary. Perhaps you are not just talented, but a truly rare genius. However, that worries me. I have seen many cases where excessive talent becomes a curse. You need not be humble, but you must avoid arrogance. By doing so, you can elevate our family’s name and save yourself. Who knows? You might even establish a new family line, like our ancestor, the hero knight Caldebert. If that happens, I would be very happy.”

“By elevating the family’s name, do you mean I should achieve military merits?”

“No. It means to act honorably in whatever you do. Do not lie, act honestly, and stay away from injustice. Some might call it foolish, but that is the path that will illuminate both your honor and our family’s.”

Ricardt pondered for a moment and then replied.

“That sounds easy. I can’t lie anyway.”

“Hey, stop fooling around.”

Vilter said, frowning. But there was no need to worry, as Abelich simply laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! That’s right. I’ve never seen you lie, Ricky. Hahaha!”

Seeing their father laugh so heartily surprised and fascinated Vilter and Ricardt. It was the first time they had seen him laugh so openly. Their father, too, could laugh so brightly.

After a hearty laugh, Abelich stood up and walked back to the mansion with his two sons. The two followed, sharing their father’s cloak.

From that day on, Abelich treated Vilter and Ricardt with genuine warmth. Graut and his wife also treated them kindly.

It was as if the final piece of a puzzle had fallen into place. Vilter and Ricardt sincerely prayed for their nephew to grow up healthy and strong.

It might have seemed like they were being treated kindly for the last time, as if they had a terminal illness, but this was still better than nothing. Many families would have cast them out mercilessly.

Perhaps perfection is relative. At least Ricardt thought he had perfect parents and siblings. And of course, his sister-in-law and nephew too.

Perhaps because his previous life was filled with darkness, Ricardt knew how to cherish even the smallest light.

That light was the care, memories, and love he received from his family. These were like the stars in the night sky he used to gaze at endlessly during his shepherd days.

Fire, steel, blood, and death. Instead of those, the warmth of his mother’s embrace, the bond between siblings, and his father’s acknowledgment shone like starlight in Ricardt’s heart.

Chapter 1 – Memories of the Past. The End.