Brooke's Priority
Chapter 5's

Alexrod Bartus. He has no younger sister and does not know how to treat girls well. He had a handsome face with dark black hair and sharp eyes (his charm lay in that gaze). Reevi recounted that Alex did not like Brooke too much and spent a lot of time with books. Instead, she likes Grace who always smiles at her and asks what she is doing with Lucas.

Maybe I should take Reevi on my expedition later. I like his honesty.

“Brooke Cohenherb.”

That heavy voice came from Duke Cohenherb. My father is in this world.

“You think about something else while I'm talking about your problem?”

I stood while bowing my head in my father's study. Acting like a child who is being scolded by his parents for doing naughty things. I could feel my father looking at me with a cold look I couldn't read. Lucas was in the room. Grace and Duchess Cohenherb, who is none other than my mother, are back and know what happened. He was so shocked that he cried in front of me. I've really made a mess in this peaceful house.

“No, Dad. I'm sorry for what I did.”

I really have no regrets.

“Which made?”

“Be impolite to Alexrod Batros.”

Father was seen sighing long while peeking at his head. “Only that?”

I'm nodding. Dad hit the table hard.

“Medges. How about that? We've discussed it and Dad clearly said you can't hold a sword.”

I deliberately practiced swinging a sword in the park for everyone to see.

“I don't regret it.” I puffed my face and tried to show a face full of confidence. “I'll learn to hold a sword. I'll do it no matter what.”

Only in that way, everyone could see my already unanimous determination.

“Whatever happens?” Duke Cohenherb seemed unhappy to hear my words. The old Brooke may never have fought my father like I do now.

“Call Filley!” his orders were to one of the guards in the room.

Then, Filley faced and stood behind me.

“Filley Strauss, you'll get punished for violating my orders.”

“Wait a minute,” I interrupted the father who was talking. “My law. Not Filley Strauss. He just followed my orders according to his loyalty.”

I heard the sound of the table being hit again loudly.

“You don't think your actions were wrong?”

“I'm sure I've acted right, Duke Cohenherb.”

I have to win this debate at all costs.

If in the past, Brooke was just a nerd who could not defend his own bodyguard, then Shin Yoo Ri's version of Brooke would protect everyone closest to him. Not without reason I used to get my nickname the sharp tongue.

“The one standing in front of you today is Brooke Cohenherb,”. “Awfully pleads to be allowed to learn swordplay from Filley Strauss. Please allow him to regain his title as a noble of the Strauss family in the northern region of Kirkuz Kingdom.”

“Nona.” Filley flinched and I heard his voice without turning around. “My name is just Filley. Filley Strauss was just a name in the past.”

I got accurate information about Filley being a prisoner of war from the Kingdom of Kirkuz. One of Brooke's accounts recounts Duke Cohenherb's struggle to release Filley and make him a guardian of trust.

I bet.

I bet that dad didn't think the name existed only in the past. He respected Filley Strauss to the point of placing him as a knight who was in direct control of me. Filley was only a victim of the selfishness of the war between the northern and southern regions. That explains why he called Filley by his full name.

The fifth priority I made after reading the story about Filley. I will gain the Crown Prince's trust to change diplomatic relations between the north and south. Besides, I have to make sure the Crown Prince doesn't have as many enemies as the current King in order for Grace to live quietly.

“Lord of nobility? That's impossible.” Father stood up.

From the beginning I knew it was impossible. I'm just betting. My father was not the one who had the right to restore the noble status of a prisoner of war.

“Then let me give him a new name.”

“New name?”

“Haley. That's a new name for Filley starting today.”

I then took a deep breath. “Haley will obey my orders fully as Brooke Cohenherb. If you punish him, you punish me too.”

No one can describe the deep silence that occurred after I gave Filley a new name. I glanced at Lucas who was looking at me as if I had lost my mind. As if nothing could stop my will, whatever I want I will get even if I have to fight against the Duke who is respected by everyone.

“What is your offer to get that permission?”

I asked for something that wasn't easy. I'm trying to get his confidant and there's a price for that. Giving Filley a new name meant telling Duke not to interfere with any orders I gave Filley including if I asked him to teach me how to hold a sword.

“Give me a sentence of confinement for ten days in the cellar,” I said confidently. The warehouse's existence reached my ears thanks to Haley. It was an unused place that no one in this house wanted to enter.

“Are you crazy?” ask dad. As a father, he loved his children. Even though he loved them, he acted decisively if they did anything wrong.

My request sounds pretty crazy.

“No. I just think it's a decent price to get a talented knight like Haley.”

Dad looked at me with a piercing look but I pretended not to be afraid of him.

“Good. You got Haley to your liking. You'll be locked up in the cellar for ten days.”

I cheered in my heart.

“Dad!” Lucas shouted in disbelief. “Dad, Brooke just recovered. This is not true.”

“This order.”

After that, my father walked out of the room followed by Lucas who tried to persuade him not to lock me up in the cellar. Haley immediately pulled my shoulder and said to cancel my speech. He didn't want me to have a hard time and it didn't matter if I was punished for that wooden sword. However, I convinced him to stay calm and trust me. I had Haley bring a wooden sword and some books from the library, paper and ink to write.

Now, just gather a few more people and wait until the age of eighteen to go north.

“Haley, please tell Jane to bring me chocolate secretly. If he didn't dare to do it, just give it to Reevi. She is fearless,” I laughed lightly. “And tell Reevi to get information about Alexrod Batros' favorite food. I have to make up with him because he's my brother's friend.”

I have to do it for Lucas. A thank you sign for defending me.

Being in the warehouse for ten days was no big deal. I can take a break from the bad talk while drinking tea in the park with the ethics teacher, not learning to embroider and most importantly not serving people from noble families who pretend to feel sorry for me who lost this memory. I came to understand that Brooke was not very interested in socializing with other noble children. He must have been so meticulous that he knew they were insincere and could not bear to face that attitude. Grace is so innocent and simple to think badly or guess like Brooke. However, it was Grace's attitude that made the Crown Prince fall in love with her. The Crown Prince liked Grace because it made him feel like protecting her.

Let's relax for a moment in the cellar.

*****