Translator: Nox

2

Your Ryan

<Episode 2>

Blissbury Manor. Commonly known as Blissbury.

It was the only place in Feltham that could be called a manor.

But it was also more beautiful than any other manor in Cambon, or even the surrounding villages.

Originally built for quiet relaxation, it was smaller than other manors.

However, the natural garden and the beauty within the manor were in no way inferior to the famous manors of Newham.

Therefore, visitors to Blissbury were invariably impressed by the manor, which was far more beautiful than they had imagined.

“But a new caretaker? What about Father?”

The retired Sir Burton received a pension from the university and advised researchers of history or ancient languages, receiving consulting fees.

However, consulting fees, as always, were determined by the other party. As a result, his income was always erratic. Moreover, the pension was a little short to allow the three family members to live very comfortably with their maid, Emily.

In the end, even with the pension and consulting fees combined, they had to tighten their belts, but the Serverton family lived quite comfortably.

This was because the income he earned as the caretaker of Blissbury was very large.

Being a caretaker didn't mean repairing the manor or tending the garden himself.

It meant managing the employees who managed the place to ensure they were doing their jobs well. That was Sir Burton's main source of income.

Stanford Baron, a close friend of Sir Burton, knew his sincere character and entrusted him with the care of his cherished manor.

The fee was 500 pounds a year, equivalent to the annual income of a middle-class gentleman.

Naturally upright and sincere, Sir Burton carefully looked after Blissbury.

Because of this, Eloise also visited Blissbury frequently with her father.

She had no interest in the social circles of the capital, but seeing Blissbury inevitably made her yearn a little for a larger, more glamorous world.

There must be many such manors in Newham. Manors with long histories, portraits and sculptures of their owners, and many books accumulated over the ages...

Still, she still preferred Feltham.

Perhaps it was because she was captivated by the charm of the manor. Eloise cherished Blissbury as much as Sir Burton did.

But now a new caretaker was coming.

Eloise drooped her shoulders in disappointment.

“Then it will be difficult to visit Blissbury now.”

Although it was customary to open the manor to visitors when it was empty, the new caretaker might feel burdened if the former caretaker visited often.

So, once the handover was complete, she wouldn't be able to go except when invited.

“Oh, I don't think so. It seems that although he is a caretaker, he will only be staying for a year, or perhaps even less. The new person is a soldier who is friends with the Stanford Baron family and is coming to Blissbury for convalescence to heal the wounds of war.”

“I see.”

Eloise thought back to Stanford Baron, whom she had met briefly when she was young.

He was a man about the same age as her father. A friend of such a man would probably be a senior officer.

Perhaps he was a retired soldier coming here with his family to recover from the hardships of the war that ended last year.

While she was wondering if she should prepare for older people, Sir Burton continued reading the letter.

“The name of the person coming is Ryan, who belonged to the 57th Infantry Battalion…”

“Ryan? The 57th Infantry Battalion?”

Eloise raised her voice in surprise.

It wasn't ladylike behavior, but Sir Burton didn't scold his daughter for her reaction. He knew very well why Eloise was reacting this way.

“Calm down. The name of the person coming is Sergeant Ryan Thornton, and he is a collateral relative of the Stanford Baron family.”

Sir Burton folded the letter and smiled.

“It's not your Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Wilgrave.”

Eloise bit her lip at the name Ryan Wilgrave.

Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Wilgrave.

Was there anyone in Albion who didn't know his name?

From a territory in the north of Albion, whose name was unfamiliar, he enlisted to defend the country and fought more bravely than anyone else.

But that alone was not enough to make a name for himself. Among the soldiers of Albion, there were tens of thousands of honorable men whose patriotism was as deep as Ryan Wilgrave's.

His name began to be known from the incident in which he saved the life of the Duke of Kent, the commander-in-chief and the Queen's second son.

By deciphering the enemy's code and identifying the spy, he narrowly succeeded in turning the gun aimed at the Duke of Kent.

That alone was enough to earn him the Order of the Black Lion, but his valor did not stop there.

He obtained the independent operation rights of his battalion and changed the tide of battle in unfavorable areas, traversing the battlefield.

In addition, he led negotiations between the two countries to ensure that the Treaty of Rezan was successfully concluded.

Tactics, force, and even diplomatic skills.

He was truly a man born to be a soldier, or rather, a hero of the age.

Everyone agreed that the recent armistice negotiations would not have progressed so quickly and cleanly without Ryan Wilgrave.

But all that honor was shattered when the war ended.

Just as rumors were circulating that the Queen would bestow a title and territory upon him, a statement accusing him was issued from within the military.

The accusations were not just one or two. They ranged from the minor, such as embezzling supplied goods, to the serious, such as deliberately ignoring orders from superiors and operating the battalion as he pleased.

Each one was punishable by severe penalties under military law.

Among them, the most problematic was the defeat in the Ingon Battle, which had caused the greatest damage to Albion.

The 57th Infantry Battalion was the only battalion that survived the battle, in which several battalions were lost and the entire army was shaken.

Although there were sacrifices, most of the 57th Infantry Battalion returned safely, and that fact rather boosted the morale of the entire army.

There was not a day when the name Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave was not printed in the newspapers, and everyone in Albion mentioned his name as often as the name of God.

However, a letter that began by denouncing the ugly side of the miracle stated that the lieutenant colonel had cowardly survived by deliberately ignoring orders from superiors and taking advantage of the damage to the surrounding infantry battalions.

It was only natural that the military was turned upside down. The superiors announced that they would investigate the truth and indefinitely postponed his scheduled award ceremony.

The title that the Queen had personally decided to bestow upon him had also quietly disappeared.

In the meantime, accusations against him continued.

Accusations of inappropriate behavior as a soldier, including threatening behavior towards other soldiers, as well as acts bordering on criminal behavior, poured in.

For those seeking new stimulation after the end of the war, the hidden side of the man called a hero was the perfect gossip material.

The newspapers that had praised him now published content criticizing him, along with ridiculous illustrations.

After a few months of this, the name Ryan Wilgrave had become the greatest disgrace of the army.

As a result, all of his portraits that had been sold throughout the capital had disappeared.

But Sir Burton knew that the one with the best quality was still hanging in Eloise's room.

Eloise was a staunch supporter of Lieutenant Colonel William, who still trusted him even though public opinion had completely turned against him.

“Treat the other Ryan with courtesy, though.”

While Sir Burton was advising Eloise, William, who had heard all the information, bowed and left, saying he had to go.

Lancelot hurried after him, threatening him to get lost.

Unlike when he came in, William pedaled vigorously.

A new caretaker is coming to Blissbury! And someone who is friends with Stanford Baron!

Now that news will spread throughout Feltham and Cambon within days.

It was as expected.

News of the new caretaker spread throughout Feltham six hours after William left the Serverton household.

The women of Feltham gathered at the Serverton household, without exception, at the attractive news.

“So, how old is he? What does he look like? He's coming for convalescence, so is he very ill?”

Mrs. Ogilvy, who was usually quiet, fidgeted and asked questions incessantly.

It wasn't polite behavior, but the women gathered understood her feelings.

A few weeks ago, her second daughter had been about to get engaged, but it had fallen through.

It seemed that Mrs. Ogilvy was hoping that her heartbroken daughter would find new love.

Mrs. Serverton leisurely took a sip of tea.

“As a matter of fact, when I heard that a new person was coming, I asked my husband for more details. Unfortunately, I didn't find out anything about his appearance or health, but I was able to hear other important information. That is that Sergeant Thornton is twenty-nine and still unmarried.”

“Oh my!”

Unmarried.

At that word, the hearts of Mrs. Ogilvy and the mothers with daughters fluttered.