Eris Boreas Greyrat. The favored granddaughter of Lord Sauros, the only child between Philip and Hilda to still remain with them in the Citadel of Roa... and now the betrothed of one Rudeus Greyrat.

Well, a soon to be Rudeus Notos Greyrat.

Which meant that Eris would soon be Eris Notos Greyrat as well in a few years.

That was what Eris learned last night after her pathetic father walked with the strange man.

Apparently, she didn't have to bother with her lessons anymore. She didn't have to deal with the stupid math or whatever. She also didn't have to do that boring etiqutte with Edona anymore.

That was great! Except, she was apparently going to be married to some kid called Rudy. And the strange man she met yesterday who knew Ghyslaine was going to be her new father in the future too.

Or something.

She didn't understand everything because it was too complicated, but Eris could figure out two things.

First, she could spend all her time practicing sword fighting with Ghyslaine now.

Second... she was apparently going to belong to some boy in the future and have to leave home. Some kid that she didn't even meet who was younger than her by a couple of years.

Like she would let that happen!

It was already late when she met that man... Paul or something. She didn't remember. But because it was late, Eris didn't do anything.

But the first thing she did when she woke up was march up to Grandpa's office.

Eris kicked open the door to the office and crossed her arms. "Grandpa! Why do I have to marry some dumb kid?!"

Sauros paused in the middle of writing a letter and then looked over, narrowing his eyes.

Eris instinctively flinched.

A stern and harsh face that only softened when he was taking Eris around with him. Black and white hair slicked back and carefully controlled. A sharp suit with medals and badges adorning it.

Lord Sauros Boreas Greyrat. The head of the Boreas family, one of the four noble houses of the Greyrat family that had served the Asura Kingdom for eons.

Usually, he relaxed when Eris came in. Usually, he laughed at her mimicking his usual actions.

But today he was serious. As serious as he was to other people.

"G-Grandpa?" Eris frowned and lowered her arms.

Sauros sighed and shook his head, for a moment looking soft. Completely different from his usual self. But then his eyes hardened and he stood up. "Eris!"

Eris straightened. "Y-Yes, Grandpa!"

"The betrothal contract is final! If you want to annul it, then go solve it with your own hands! If you don't have that strength, don't bother coming to ask me!"

"G-Grandpa?"

This was different. Grandpa usually gave whatever she asked for. But...

Eris shook her head and said, "I don't want to! I'm not a toy to be given away! Are you just going to let my weak father do what he wants?!"

"Weak? Hmph." Sauros waved his hand and said, "If that's what you see, then there's no point talking."

Eris stepped forward. "Grand-"

"Leave!" Sauros pointed at the door, glaring at Eris.

She flinched, gritting her teeth. But then she bowed her head, muttering, "Yes, Grandpa." With that, she stepped back and quietly closed the door behind her.

She also quietly walked down the stairs. But the moment that she reached the first floor, she stomped on the ground and screamed. "It's not fair! Why do I have to listen to some stranger and belong to some weak kid!"

At that time, a low chuckle echoed from behind her.

Eris spun around and then glared at the person, raising her fist. But then she paused.

It was him. That strange man that showed up with her weak father the other day.

If Eris was being honest, he looked pretty strong. Unlike her pathetic father, the man had a lot of muscles like Grandpa. He also carried a sword around with him everywhere and Ghyslaine seemed to respect him.

But his face, stupid brown hair tied in a ponytail, and green eyes just made Eris want to punch him.

The man... Paul, walked over to Eris and waved his hand. "Yo. How's my future daughter-in-law doing?"

"Tch." Eris ignored him and started walking towards the courtyard.

"Ooh, doing some neglect play, huh? Fine, fine. It's probably going to be something I'm experiencing a lot in the future anyway."

A grating and arrogant voice.

Annoying. For some reason, it reminded Eris of her father.

...Was that why he was going to be her father-in-law or whatever? Because he was similar to her father?

"Anyway. We're strangers right now, but we'll be family soon enough- Ah, wait. That's creepy." Paul frowned and said, "Makes me sound like I'm going to kidnap you or something."

Eris glared at Paul and then looked away, continuing her march to the courtyard.

...It wasn't 'like' he was going to kidnap her. From what she understood, he *was* kidnapping her. And Grandpa let him. Just because he showed up and talked with Grandpa and her father.

Eris grit her teeth and then kicked open the doors to the courtyard.

Some maids just behind the doors leapt away in fright. After that, they dropped whatever chores they were doing and sprinted off.

Paul whistled and said, "I saw that you were feisty, but I didn't think you were *this* fiery."

Eris ignored him. The man wasn't important anyway. Instead, she focused on the only person in the courtyard who didn't move.

Leaning against a pillar supporting the courtyard overhangs, a busty woman with tanned skin and silver hair waited. A black eyepatch covered her right eye while a crimson sword hung at her left side. There were a pair of wooden swords leaning on the pillar nearby as well, the usual for their morning lessons. And like usual, Ghyslaine wore her fur coat.

Which reminded Eris that she forgot to bring hers.

The courtyard was covered in a fresh layer of snow. And it was cold too.

But if she went back, that man would probably laugh at her again. And Eris would rather be cold than have to deal with that idiot.

So instead, she ignored the cold wind nipping at her and called out. "Ghys-"

"Morning, Ghyslaine."

Eris froze, glaring at Paul.

This time, Paul ignored her, walking forward. "I didn't take you for a morning person."

Ghyslaine cracked her left eye open and said, "And I didn't take you for one either, Paul."

Paul laughed and said, "Yeah. Well... I figured I'd be getting an angry letter any day now, so I wanted to be up to grab it."

"Heh. Already preparing to apologize to your wives, huh?"

"Hey, it's necessary!"

"Keep telling yourself that. And get ready for that kid of yours to smack you in the face."

Paul winced. "Aha... Yeah. That's going to be... an interesting conversation."

Eris looked between Paul and Ghyslaine and then stomped her foot. "Stop hogging Ghyslaine, you creep!"

"Kuh!" Paul stepped back and clutched his chest. "C-Creep?"

Ghyslaine laughed. "Seems like your future daughter-in-law saw through to your nature, Paul."

"I am not a creep! ...Anymore!"

Ghyslaine raised an eyebrow. "Anymore?"

Paul coughed. "Long story."

Eris growled and then walked up to Ghyslaine, tugging her arm. "Ghyslaine! Teach me!"

Ghyslaine smiled and pushed off from the pillar. "Well." She looked at Paul and said, "Seems like I'm going to be busy now, Paul. We can chat later."

Paul frowned and said, "Is a musclehead like you even capable of teaching someone?"

Ghyslaine's eye twitched.

As for Eris...

"Don't make fun of Ghyslaine!"

...The moment that Paul finished talking, she jumped forward and threw a punch at Paul's head.

"Oho?"

It missed.

Paul stepped back, easily dodging Eris's blow.

She grit her teeth and then ran over to the pillar, grabbing one of the wooden swords leaning against it.

After that, she kicked off the ground, swinging the sword at Paul's shins.

"Pretty vicious, aiming for my shins like that."

It missed. No, Eris felt her sword brush against the man's legs, but they didn't connect. Instead, the man vanished.

No, if he wasn't in front of her, then-!

Eris's eyes widened and she quickly spun around, pointing her sword in front of her.

Paul hummed, rubbing his chin. "Not bad." He glanced at Ghyslaine and said, "How long have you been teaching her?"

Eris stomped on the ground and said, "Stop ignoring me!" She growled and leaped forward again, swinging her sword again.

This time for sure! That Paul guy was fast, but if she aimed for his chest, there was no way he could-

"Whoopsy daisy. Getting a bit too close there."

A faint blur. The man's hand moving forward and then lightly tapping Eris's sword.

And suddenly Eris was stumbling off to the side, missing while the man hadn't taken a single step.

Eris spun around and growled.

Paul tilted his head. "A bit like a rabid dog... Seems like you've found a good student, Ghyslaine. She's just like you in the old days. All muscle, no brains. Well, I guess right now she's not even muscle."

Eris stomped on the ground and then looked at Ghyslaine. She pointed her sword and Paul and said, "Why aren't you doing anything, Ghyslaine?! I thought you said I was your student!"

Ghyslaine nodded. "You are. But this is a good learning experience." She glanced at Paul and her eye twitched. "This man's a master at breaking someone's composure. Try to land a hit on him if you can."

"Ooh. That's a good idea." Paul nodded and said, "Even Rudy hasn't done that yet. If Eris manages it, I can say that he lost to a girl. Here." Paul leaned forward and said, "You get one hour. Try to smack me-"

A brown blur. Eris whipping her sword at Paul's face.

But it missed.

"Hah! Nice try, but Rudy's done that a hundred times already."

Eris growled and then grabbed the other wooden sword next to Ghyslaine. "Shut up! You're annoying!"

Paul grinned. "So I'm told. But come on." He glanced at Ghyslaine and said, "I need to get in some training too, so I'll take over for your teacher here today-"

"I don't want you to teach me!"

"Well. To borrow something that Rudy would say... It sucks to su-"

Eris kicked off the ground and swung her sword at Paul's head.

It missed.

Paul did some fancy footwork and was suddenly on the other side of the courtyard. But then he paused and stared at Eris. "Huh? Are you not chasing me? Rudy would have done a follow up slash-"

"Stop talking about that guy!" Eris roared and ran after Paul, her sword raised high.

Paul laughed. "That's the spirit."

Eris stomped on the ground and kicked off to slash again.

And once more, Paul was suddenly far away.

"STOP RUNNING!"

"Oh, sorry about that." Paul sincerely apologized and then rested his left hand on his sword. "Keep forgetting that normal kids can't suddenly clear a courtyard in a single kick."

Ghyslaine sighed and said, "Just what kind of monster is your kid again?"

Paul walked towards Eris and laughed. "One who I need to really apologize to later... and also get ready to get beaten up by."

Eris ran forward, violently swinging her sword as fast as she could.

But she missed. Each time, it looked like Eris hit him. Yet she didn't feel anything on her sword.

Eris growled and said, "Stop playing around!"

"Well, get serious and hit me then."

"I HATE YOU!"

"Join the queue."

Eris screamed and ran forward again, swinging her sword.

Paul yawned and then placed his hand on his chin, lost in thought. "I wonder how Rudy's doing... I hope I didn't hit him in the head too hard."

Ghyslaine gave Paul a blank stare and said, "You hit him with a combined <Flow> and <Longsword of Silence>. I'm surprised that he survived that."

Paul coughed, casually dodging another of Eris's blows. "I made sure to hold back. Besides, Rudy's a tough kid. I've hit him with a lot worse in the past."

"...Are you sure that you're human, Paul? I thought your people were supposed to cherish children."

Paul ducked under one of Eris's slashes and said, "We do! And I cherish Rudy a lot! But I also know what he's capable of. And he's a lot stronger than me, you know?" He leaned back, dodging Eris as she charged at him. "I say give him like two more years and he'll be better than me in sword fighting. After all, unlike his old man, Rudy is smart and thinks over things a lot."

"STAY STILL!" Eris screamed and swung her sword again.

Paul stepped back, suddenly clearing a gap. "Whoops. Did it again."

Eris let out a strangled cry and threw her sword at him.

Paul grabbed it and laughed. "Good effort. But I think you should stick with Sword God, Eri."

"IT'S ERIS!"

"Sure, Eri."

"I HATE YOU!"

"Again, get in line."

"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ghyslaine sighed.