Back at the Count's mansion, Albert stared blankly at the person kneeling in front of him.
His gaze was fixed on the beautiful blonde knight.
Excitement surged through his veins as countless thoughts raced through his mind.
If his suspicions were correct, many things would become much easier... including acquiring the Valkyries.
Suddenly, his father's hand landed on his shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie.
"Stop making that creepy smile," his father said firmly. "Now that the introductions are over, you may leave. I've prepared rations and daily necessities that should last you two months. They're inside this storage pouch."
He handed the pouch to Albert, his tone carrying clear authority.
"Gareth, and the rest of you... protect your young master with everything you have."
"As you command!" Gareth and the others responded in unison.
Gwen remained quiet, her eyes fixed on Albert.
Something seemed to be occupying her thoughts.
Albert noticed her stare and felt his face grow warm under the intensity of her gaze.
'So this is Young Master Albert', Gwen thought.
'As expected of the Count's son… he's very handsome. But more importantly… he doesn't show any disgust toward us.'
This was the first time Gwen had ever met Young Master Albert.
She had been trained at the camp and forbidden from meeting him until she turned eighteen... a rule imposed by the Countess due to her past.
Over the years, Gwen had developed a sharp sensitivity to even the slightest trace of disgust in people's eyes.
Yet from Albert, she detected none.
Because of that, her first impression of him rose significantly.
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Later that day, a carriage departed from the Count Spina mansion, heading north.
Gareth and Luke rode alongside it on horseback, while Lance had gone ahead to scout the path.
Inside the carriage, an awkward silence hung between Albert and Gwen as they continued to stare at each other.
Unable to bear it any longer, Albert decided to speak first.
"Gwen, right? We've never properly met before, so let me introduce myself. I'm Albert Spina, the current heir of Count Spina, and I love blonde—"
He suddenly bit his tongue, cutting himself off mid-sentence.
'Damn it… what am I saying subconsciously?'
Tears welled up in his eyes from the pain.
He couldn't help but blame himself for being so captivated that he lost control of his words.
But who could really blame him? Seeing such beauty up close, in real life, was having a profound effect on him.
"Young Master, is something wrong?" Gwen asked, her voice filled with concern as she noticed his strange behavior.
Albert tried to calm himself while reassuring her, but he still couldn't shake the strange feeling he had about Gwen.
'She really is beautiful', he thought.
Almost on the same level as the main Valkyries I saw in the game.
If she ever becomes a Valkyrie, her beauty might even rival theirs.
He searched his memory for any Valkyrie named Gwen or someone with a similar appearance, but found nothing.
He also recalled something that had never been explicitly stated in the game's lore: the more beautiful a Valkyrie was, the higher her potential usually tended to be.
'Father must have had her body checked for Valkyrie potential', Albert mused.
'And yet she's still only an Apprentice Knight… that doesn't make sense.'
While Albert was lost in thought, Gwen observed her young master's silence and flushed face.
A certain idea crossed her mind.
She stood up, then knelt in front of him. Her dainty yet strong hand reached toward his crotch.
"Young Master, if you are feeling pent-up desire… allow me to assist you," she said gently, already attempting to unfasten his trousers.
"Even though this is my first time, I have learned everything necessary from a book."
Startled, Albert snapped out of his thoughts as he watched her hand approach.
However, instead of reacting with the shy panic of a typical protagonist from the novels and anime of his previous life, he seized the opportunity.
'Shit… this is a real chance!'
In all his previous life, the only thing that had ever touched him was his own right hand.
...Now, it seemed he might not need that assistance anymore.
Albert's heart pounded wildly, but he forced himself to maintain a calm expression and gave Gwen a small, approving nod.