Recognizing that Rea’s stamina was at absolute rock bottom, the baron and baroness gave her time to recuperate.
Only after sleeping a full day could Rea recover her condition.
It was not the monstrous stamina from her Earei days, but at least she had reached the level where she could wake to match the baroness’s early rising, tidy her bed, and wait.
The problem lay in the fact that Rea’s base stamina itself was poor.
“How much of her soul remains?”
When Yurien asked, the baron looked down at Rea below the second-floor window, practicing walking in a dress.
Even though it was not hot and the sunlight made for refreshing weather, she was sweating and struggling.
“When measured with the gauge the Mistress gave, the maximum is one-quarter.”
“One-quarter at most….”
Worry laced Yurien’s voice.
“Terribly small.”
“It is precisely because she has a strong soul, one of Rea’s caliber, that she can live and walk around despite being torn to pieces like that.”
Rea.
Did the baron realize that he was calling her by the nickname he and his wife had wished to give their daughter?
Yurien felt as though he had discovered a very faint thread of affection within the baron’s strict demeanor.
Smack!
“Where are you looking? Your gaze must always be on your opponent or the direction your opponent points.”
“…I apologize.”
Because they drew a clear line between public and private, sharp scoldings like the baroness’s just now were far more common, but—
“Have you made any progress in tracking where the torn-off soul fragments have gone?”
“The young lady of House Neras has dispatched people to locate the regions where anomalies are occurring.”
“Anomalies are showing signs in Derbeck and Hailan as well, are they not?”
“Yes. Once the social season begins, we will be able to recruit the nobles in earnest.”
Noble recruitment.
This was the greatest challenge for Yurien, whose support base was still weak.
The minor central noble factions had become a solid backing for Yurien, but the provincial notables had not.
A simple alliance would be difficult.
Because even if he became king, he would obviously be pushed around left and right, just like his sister.
It was the same now.
Had he not become king in a rebellion destined to fail, half of that success due to Earei’s strength, only to lose him to the scheming between Derbeck and Hailan?
What was even more absurd was that the queen did not even know that Earei, her love and sword, had gone missing.
Yurien let out a sigh.
Doing so would not make time pass faster, but he was inwardly anxious.
He, too, looked down at Rea below the window, struggling with her endlessly weakened body.
Even though she was scolded by the baroness at every turn, she did not try to give up.
For Rea, who clung to and strove toward the low-probability future presented by the baron and baroness, only desperation and earnestness remained.
That fact saddened Yurien.
“Only two and a half months remain now. Can you make Realie into a Lady?”
“You have already asked the same question many times, my liege. Do you lack faith in the gods?”
“That is not it. I am asking whether that inherent brilliance Realie Birensa possesses can be called a jewel, and if polished well, how much it can shine.”
Yurien remembered what the baroness had said.
Those words—that a rough stone born without light could not be made into a jewel, no matter how much it was cut.
“According to what my wife saw, the light she possesses is brilliant, yet her vessel is rough and crude, making it difficult to shine immediately. However, if she is polished gradually over time, there will be no young lady or young master who would not want to keep her by their side.”
“Does that mean it cannot be done in three months?”
“People must be observed over a long time, by nature.”
The baron pointed out a figure coldly, without a hint of a smile.
“Just as your sister observed Earei for a very long time.”
When Yurien specifically pointed out the sister who had not even glanced at Earei until after she made him king, his anxiety vanished instead.
He was different from his sister.
That self-confidence brought Yurien back to his senses.
“Though she may be immature and crude, only one who first recognizes the light within will keep Rea by their side.”
That would, of course, be him.
Yurien did not doubt it for a moment.
“Before the social season begins, you must also help with Rea’s mental training, my liege.”
“Gladly.”
Yurien rose from his seat and headed for the door.
“I am already used to being hated.”
Before leaving Rea’s quarters, he recalled a small incident from long ago.
Of the black-haired youth gathering the scattered book pages for the blonde boy and patting his head.
*‘I believe. That we can overcome this. It hurts now, it hurts so much, but because we long for happiness just as much, we will surely seize it.’*
*‘I have always been desperate and earnest, but the world, the heavens, have never once looked back at someone like me.’*
*‘I was the same. Ironically, those without leisure lose their eyes and ears. Even when the world grabs hold of them, telling them to think again, they often shake it off and leave.’*
*‘Then what should I do?’*
*‘When the moment comes that you think is an opportunity, come find me then. I don’t know much, but I’ll still worry with you for your sake. If I can help, I’ll help you for certain.’*
Yurien mounted his horse.
The weather was growing warmer by the day.
His enemies, too, would reveal themselves one by one, taking up arms in step with the season.
“I sought you out because I needed help. Yet it seems you are the one in need of help instead.”
Until then, the Baron and Baroness of Vashport and Yurien had to focus solely on raising Rea.
Yurien hated this world that could not even fully embrace that frail woman.
—
“Stand up straight.”
“Yes.”
“You have answered. Simply stand straight and assume the posture as I say.”
Rea was alone in her room with only the baroness.
Wearing only a thin sleeveless top and short shorts—underwear, essentially—she stood neatly at the baroness’s command.
“What are you smiling about? A lady should feel ashamed and embarrassed to show such an outfit to another. Find a fitting expression and wear it.”
But Rea only made a crestfallen expression at the rebuke.
Smack!
“Ha! Ooh….”
Unlike usual, the baroness did not strike her shoulders, arms, or calves, but her buttocks.
And with her own aged palm, no less.
Realizing she had let out a strange moan, Rea’s face turned red.
“Now you are worth watching.”
“…….”
“Relax and straighten your back, then press both knees below your pelvis together and stand.”
As she assumed the posture, straightening her back emphasized her chest forward.
Because of her plump thighs, a gap formed right below her groin even when her knees were pressed together.
It was only after two weeks of becoming a woman that Rea finally showed her figure properly to another.
“Your breasts… are moderate. You absolutely cannot call them small, yet among the large, they are small.”
“…….”
Rea, who wiped sweat from her cleavage and underbust every day, had held a subtle pride.
At the baroness’s cold evaluation, she regained a sense of humility.
It also meant another drop in self-esteem.
Grab.
“Hh…!”
The baroness, kneading Rea’s breasts with a still expressionless face, let out a small exclamation of admiration.
“They are so resilient. Soft and….”
Pulling up her sleeveless shirt to scrutinize the inside carefully, the old instructor nodded in satisfaction.
“The shape is truly pleasant. Perky and full, exactly the shape those ignorant men imagine and draw.”
Before Rea could figure out whether to feel pleased or embarrassed, the baroness’s hand slipped between Rea’s groin.
“Hiek!”
“Quiet.”
To be precise, the hand entered the gap below her groin.
Two fingers passed through easily, but from the middle finger, the flesh of her thighs made it difficult to go deeper.
“Hng…!”
“Quiet.”
She pressed firmly with her fingers toward both hip joints.
The inside of her thighs was soft like milk pudding, yet elastic and chewy.
After checking the thickness of the plump mound of flesh in her groin as well, the baroness finally rolled up her shorts and panties to check her buttocks.
“They do not sag like a loaf of bread, and hold their shape very stably. Perhaps because this was originally an athletic body, they look pleasant to hold, and you have a very birthing-friendly pelvis.”
Having thoroughly checked the waistline dropping from her chest to her lower abdomen and her lines as well, the instructor finally tidied her clothes and wore a very faint smile.
“You were born with a gifted body. If men knew how beautiful your body is, they would be busy raising their ugly sticks to win your favor.”
“I-is that so….”
Her frozen body and mind made it impossible for Rea to exercise normal judgment.
She merely wished for this embarrassing moment to end quickly.
“However, only when you cultivate your heart as much as your appearance can you be called a lady. You must not grow arrogant over a single praise from this old teacher and must devote yourself.”
“…….”
“Where is your answer?”
“Yes, Teacher. I will take it to heart.”
Becoming a lady.
Her sole goal at present.
And it was a goal forcibly instilled in her by Yurien and the baron and baroness.
Though her teacher had evaluated her proudly, Rea questioned what use there was in pleasing a man and being held in his arms.
Rea still loved Seorin and wished to receive her love.
That said, she did not harbor rebellious feelings toward her current goal.
Even if she rebelled, she could not subdue the baron and baroness with this body, and above all, Rea was starved for praise.
Extremely strict and violent as they were, the baron and baroness gave short, weighty praise if Rea properly met their expectations.
When she made mistakes or used the wrong methods, the whip flew, but after going through such processes and producing results, they expressed satisfaction by nodding very deeply and quickly.
Each time, Rea felt the reward of having accomplished something.
Sadly, there had never been anyone in her life who acknowledged and watched over her to that degree.
Someone might sneer at this simple behavioral principle, but for one whose soul had been torn away, merely living and moving was close to a miracle.
And there were many whose souls were not torn who also lived lives devoid of agency like this.
“Do you like children?”
Children.
The fruit of love she had so longed for from her relationship with Seorin.
She could no longer have it now.
Even if Seorin gave up her other two husbands, two women could not have a child together.
Rea nodded bitterly.
“I like them.”
“Good. Take this.”
“…?”
The baroness held out something in her cupped hands.
Rea received it without understanding, and upon looking, it was a very small puppy squirming.
Panting with its tongue out, it opened its small round eyes and looked at Rea.
“Oh my….”
Rea instantly felt maternal affection for the puppy.
“It’s so cute!”
“It is a reward for following diligently until now.”
Worried that this tiny young thing might get hurt in her grasp, Rea carefully took it into her arms.
In truth, Rea’s strength was not much different from the puppy’s, yet…
She had received praise and a gift.
Her chest tightened, and Rea bowed at the waist.
“Thank you. Thank you.”
“Very good. You must know to be grateful in all things to be loved by a man.”
“What shall I name it?”
She had meant to ask for the right to name it herself, but the baroness smiled broadly and spoke confidently.
“I have already named it.”
“Pardon?”
“That puppy’s name is Yuri.”
“Yuri, you say?”
“Yes, Yuri.”
“Yuri….”
It somehow felt like a name taken from Yurien, but Rea decided not to dwell on it.
The name itself did not sound bad, and above all, the brown-furred puppy was too cute.
“Yuri, Yuri.”
As if understanding it was being called, the puppy licked Rea’s cheek.
“A dog follows its master for life unless abandoned. A lady is no different, so just as Yuri follows you, you must always be prepared and willing to follow your husband.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Rea’s eyes were fixed on Yuri, barely paying attention to her answer.
For Rea, this was her first encounter with a being that loved her unconditionally.