"No matter what anyone tells me, I will continue walking the path I believe is right. Sooner or later… I will restore the honor of the original Lawrence family!"
Eula downed her wine in one bold gulp, pride radiating from her expression.
"Cough, cough, cough! Cough—!"
She choked again, spluttering as her face flushed red from the drink.
Leon patted her back, baffled.
"The original Lawrence family…"
For a brief moment, his eyes sharpened. He could see that Eula was truly sincere about wanting to rebuild the honor of her lineage.
But he quickly realized she wasn't speaking about the present.
Eula was referring to the Lawrence family of old—back when they hadn't yet fallen from grace.
Hundreds of years ago, the original Lawrence household was famed throughout the kingdom for their skill in swordsmanship and their refined dances. They were nobles in every sense of the word… yet it was a pity they eventually fell into disgrace.
Eula took pride in being a Lawrence, but only in the true Lawrence family of the past.
"Haha, if you actually manage to bring back that noble, refined family from the history books, then I'll gladly lend you my support. Eula, I genuinely wish you success."
"Well, I will succeed—absolutely!"
"So, what's your plan?"
Leon asked with genuine interest.
If Eula succeeded, her life would become a true epic. Leon was deeply curious about her future ambitions—or rather, eager to get involved.
"Of course, I plan to join the Knights of Favonius first. It may take a long time, but I'll earn merit step by step, just like my ancestors did. Sooner or later, I will—"
Eula tightened her grip on her wine glass, eyes burning with determination.
"Ah. In that case, I advise you to give up."
Leon interrupted her without hesitation, as if throwing cold water directly onto her hopes.
Eula's eyes widened in shock and confusion. She nearly dropped her wine glass.
"What? Why?"
"Unfortunately, the current Knights of Favonius no longer provide the opportunity for you to earn merit. How can I put this…? That knightly order is no longer part of the kingdom's official military power—because I handed it over to Jean."
"Eh?"
"The current Knights of Favonius are Jean Gunnhildr's private property. Even if you join them, your role will simply be Jean's bodyguard," Leon stated calmly.
He had gifted the Knights of Favonius to Jean long ago as an engagement present.
While he still held ultimate authority, the order was nominally Jean's private knightly force.
Separate from the kingdom.
Therefore, even if Eula joined the Knights of Favonius, even if she achieved countless deeds, her direct superior would be Jean—not the royal family.
In short, no matter how much she contributed, the one who would reward her in the end would be Jean, not the king.
Although Jean currently held a high status—having risen to the peak of nobility—she was still unqualified to grant new noble titles.
After the Lawrence family fell, their aristocratic status was automatically stripped, and Eula's current standing was no different from that of a common citizen.
If she wished to restore her family's glory, she would have to become a noble once again. But joining the Knights of Favonius made that goal practically impossible.
Jean could reward her with money and land—but not a title.
"H-how could this happen?!"
Eula was instantly dumbfounded.
She stood abruptly, hands pressed against the table. Just moments ago, she had confidently envisioned her future—but in the next second, everything crumbled.
Dazed and overwhelmed, she drank heavily.
"Why does everything always end up like this…?"
For someone so strong, the sudden collapse of her dream struck deeply.
In that moment, she couldn't help but feel hurt and defeated.
Fate had been far too cruel and unfair to her.
She never once enjoyed the luxurious life of a noble, yet was discriminated against because of her family's sins.
After finally gathering the determination to reclaim her former glory, she discovered the path was barred.
By now, Eula was slightly drunk.
The injustices of her past flooded her mind.
Though she had done nothing wrong, she had been discriminated against, criticized, prejudged, scolded, and despised by those around her—all because of her lineage.
She always acted as though she didn't care.
But that was nothing more than a mask of strength.
Eula Lawrence was a rare gem.
To avoid being melted down by the malice around her, she had no choice but to become colder—but beneath that coldness lay kindness and vulnerability.
So yes—she, too, could feel wronged.
And now, freed by alcohol from the restraint she normally held, every bitter memory and every injustice overwhelmed her.
Her heart ached so deeply that she felt tears welling up.
But just as a teardrop formed, Leon caught it in a wine glass.
"All right—no crying yet, Eula Lawrence."
"…What?"
"Tsk. Is it just me, or does a single tear make the whole drink so bitter it's hard to swallow?"
Despite saying that, Leon downed the wine from the glass and stuck out his tongue.
His action left Eula stunned. He had captured her sadness—and then swallowed it whole.
"Don't worry. No need to despair. Now then… I formally invite you, Eula Lawrence, to become my personal knight."
Leon smiled as he spoke.
"…?!"
The sudden invitation made Eula's eyes fly open.
Leon… invited her?!
Everyone in the kingdom knew: being chosen by this prince was the same as being guaranteed greatness.
Esdeath, once an unknown nomad, was discovered by Leon and became a general overnight.
Alice Zuberg, once a criminal, was now the leader of the Integrity Knights.
Asuna Yuuki, once from a merchant family, had become the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath.
And Jean—first becoming Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, and then rising further to become a powerful duchess, ruling all of Mondstadt.
Every day, high-ranking nobles and wealthy merchants would exhaust their resources just to keep themselves—or their children—within Leon's line of sight for a second longer.
Because they understood: once favored by this prince, any effort would be rewarded a thousandfold.
He… invited me?
Eula blinked, completely overwhelmed.
In that moment, she was handed an opportunity that hundreds of millions could only dream of. For a brief instant, she wondered if she was dreaming.
---
(End of chapter)