The Demon General

Dreams and Duties

“Father, Father, can you believe what happened today?” Ella bounded up to Baron Ichabud just as he sheathed his sword. Her excitement was palpable, and it even made the usually stern Baron crack a rare smile.

“Carry on with your training,” he commanded his retainers, waving them off with a flick of his hand. He turned to his daughter, his expression softening as he patted her head gently.

“My Lady, don’t run into Master’s trai—” Mia, who had been trying to catch up with Ella, nearly collided with the Baron. She quickly curtseyed, her cheeks flushing pink. “Good morning, my Lord.”

“Mia, how are you doing?” the Baron inquired politely, then turned his full attention back to Ella. “Now, what is it?”

“Father, I have become a martial arts instructor! Can you believe that? An instructor! I am so happy. I think I’d like to be an instructor. What do you think, Father?” Ella's words tumbled out in an excited rush, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“Well, my little Baroness, you can become anything you love. You just have to know that I will always support you,” he said, smiling down at her with pride.

“Thank you, Father, for your commitment and support. I promise not to let you down,” Ella said as she curtseyed with exaggerated flourish.

Baron Ichabud bent down to her level, placing his large hands on her small shoulders. “I don’t doubt you, my dear. I know that whatever you put your mind to, you will achieve it.”

“Thank you, my Lord Baron Ichabud Krane,” she teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Oh, what’s with the ‘My Lord Baron Ichabud Krane’ now? So, who is the student?” he asked, raising an eyebrow in mock seriousness.

“It’s a secret, at least for now. After all, I can’t hide anything from the Estate owner, can I?” Ella said with a mischievous smile.

“Okay, for now. If you need any help, you can come to me or Sir Levi, alright?” he said, patting her head affectionately.

“Okay, Father. I will go see Mother now. Bye, Father. Bye, Sir Levi. I’ll see you later for our training session,” she said, rushing off with the energy of a whirlwind.

“Goodbye, my Lord. See you later, Father. Little Miss, wait for me!” Mia curtseyed to Baron Ichabud and Sir Levi before dashing after Ella, her skirts fluttering behind her.

Mia, also known as Mia Lincoln, was the daughter of Sir Levi and a direct descendant of the prestigious Lincoln family. According to family tradition, the direct successor of the Lincoln family was to serve the direct successor of the Krane family. However, Baron Ichabud had chosen Mia to serve Ella instead of his firstborn, William, due to their similar ages and gender. This decision had initially been met with resistance from Sir Levi, but he eventually agreed after much persuasion from both the Baron and the Baroness.

“Little Mia is growing up fast. Soon, you’ll be planning to marry her off. I hope there will be suitable suitors then. How time flies, right, Sir Levi?” Baron Ichabud said, chuckling at the thought.

“My Lord, I don’t think that’s what you meant to express. I believe you wanted to say that the Little Baroness is growing up fast and finding suitable suitors for her would be both a headache and a heartache,” Sir Levi replied, his tone somber and thoughtful.

“Yes, you’re absolutely right, my friend. It is both a headache and a heartache. I just hope I have enough time. Otherwise, the Krane noble title might end with my generation. How did the Krane family reach this point? Why can’t we produce any generals since the Great General era? The outstanding ones either die before blooming or the rest, like me, are mediocre. I need to find a strong backer when finding a suitor for Ella, but why worry too much? Only time will tell…” Baron Ichabud said, almost tearing up at the thought of his family's decline.

Sir Levi patted Baron Ichabud’s shoulder reassuringly. “I believe a miracle will happen, my Liege. You just have to keep believing, remain steadfast, and never give up.”

“Thank you, Levi, for staying with our family during these trying times. All the other knights have left. I know if you had gone, with your talent, you would have found a better, richer, and stronger Lord to serve,” Baron Ichabud said sincerely, his voice filled with gratitude.

“I swore to serve your family loyally. My father did the same, and his father before him. Our families have stood and fought together for generations. I don’t see myself serving anyone else, and your family has always treated mine well,” Sir Levi said seriously, his loyalty unwavering.

“I’ll hold you to your word. Now, what should we do about these retainers?”

“What about them?” Sir Levi asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

“Do we keep training knights only for them to be stolen by other nobles? How can I maintain my nobility if I can’t even keep my retainers?”

“I’ve thought about this issue countless times, and I can only come to one conclusion.”

“Which is?” Baron Ichabud asked, intrigued by his friend's insight.

“Death. No one wants to die a useless death. They don’t see us coming out of this, so instead, we’re used as a stepping stone. No one wants to fight a losing battle or sail on a sinking ship. We need to nurture hope in them; they need to see that they aren’t entirely on the losing side.”

“Then how, if I may ask, do we nurture hope in them?”

“That itself is indeed a miracle. We need a talent who would hoist the Krane household flag.”

“Don’t make fun of me, old friend. You know William is talented in books and has the worst martial arts talent the Krane family has ever seen. I admire his talent, but unfortunately, it can’t save us from what’s coming,” Baron Ichabud laughed sarcastically, shaking his head.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be William.”

“Hmmm… I don’t think it’s possible, is it?”

“Come closer. I think if you…” Sir Levi whispered to Baron Ichabud, his voice low and conspiratorial.

Baron Ichabud’s eyes widened as Sir Levi’s words sank in. “Are you serious? That’s quite the audacious plan.”

Sir Levi grinned mischievously. “Sometimes audacity is exactly what we need. Think about it. If we can rally the household and inspire them, we might just change our fate.”

Baron Ichabud nodded slowly, contemplating the idea. “Very well. We shall see how this unfolds.”