After parting with Arc-sama near the east gate, I drive the carriage to the feudal lord’s mansion in the center of town. The people coming and going became sparse as the night dragged on.
Finally, the gates to the mansion came into view. Surrounded by 4 meter tall stone wall, the gate was made of wood and reinforced with iron. There were also three guards that maintained vigilance in the area.
Upon seeing the family’s crest on the carriage, a guard gave the order to open the gate. When the gate open, the carriage enters the garden in front of the mansion. I can realize that guards on watch are upset. After all, the feudal lord’s carriage is returning without any of the escorts. The 6 horse tied to the carriage, can only indicate a tragedy has occurred.
The news of our arrival must have reached here already, because the head butler of the Robert family was waiting for us in front of the mansion.
“Rita Farren. What on earth is this!?”
The head butler had thin white hair and a well groomed mustache. Without his usually gentle demeanor, he demanded a explanation from me. When I was going to answer such a question, the door of the carriage is opened with great force. Lauren ojou-sama jumped out the carriage and rushed into the mansion.
The action left a surprised expression on the face of the servants in her wake.
“We had encountered an ambush. Ojou-sama and I are the only ones that escaped. Maudlin-sama and the other escorts fell in battle. I need to report this to the master right a way. ”
The head butler was blue in the face, while the other servants were at a loss for world. However the head butler was quick to recover and started to give out orders.
“Rita report this matter to the lord! He should be in the usual work room! You lot, go check on ojou-sama’s condition! I will tell Bosco-sama about this!”
Said the past middle-aged butler as he ran to the detached residence on the property.
As I entered the mansion, I walked up the central stairs to the second floor, then travel down the connecting corridor. At the end of the western corridor, I stand before a splendidly decorated ornate door. I knock on the door gently, to which the lord gave permission to enter.
I quietly entered. A desk is centered in a room covered in bookshelves, and magical lamps are used to keep the room bright. The master of the mansion sat behind the desk, while in the midst of working on some kind of memo.
The thin oiled-backed hair, mustache, and round face gave the master a soft impression. However when one locked eyes with him, they would see the sharp glaze of a noble. I watch the moving quill and worry. That is because, reporting the results of the journey is not my normal responsibility.
“Rita, you’re just returned with Lauren from Diento? Did something happen?”
I answer the same way I did when the head butler questioned me.
“What!? Lauren?! Is Lauren safe!!?”
As soon as he hears my report, the master jumped up to confirm the safety of his daughter. He simply could not remain calm knowing that his daughter was attacked.1286Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBwIKoEpdD
A man in the prime of his life then entered the room. He had a slim body, and was about 180 cm tall. His features were a mixture of grey hair, long sideburns, and deep wrinkles on his forehead. Although in his 50s, his could still pass for a man in his early 40s. It was Bosco-sama, the directeor of the Robert house’s security.
“I heard the story from the head butler. The carriage was attacked by bandits……, to attack the carriage of a viscount family, what outrageous scoundrels. Earlier, I went to confirm Lauren-sama’s condition, but she refused to leave her room.”
Bosco-sama’s already deep wrinkles deepen farther in, as he holds his forehead and says,
“Let’s hear the exact details of the ambush.”
Hearing that Bosco-sama confirmed ojou-sama’s well-being, I regained a little composure and recount the events in great detail.
“So, after the the first attack you retreated at a top speeds. Nine of the escort stayed behind to confront the 20 bandits, leaving only Maudlin-sama and 5 others with your group, and once the horses stopped to recover you were attacked by a secondary force of bandits.”
“What!? There were 2 ambushes!? Then were Maudlin and the others defected by the second group of bandits? That is quite the considerable tale.”
While standing with his arms crossed, Bosco-sama asked me every detail of the ambush. I told him everything that I could remember from the incident.
“To think that one of the guard was involved with them……! Bosco do a background check on that Casuda, immediately. If he has any relatives bring them in at once!”
“Yes, right away.”
After Basco-sama’s reply, he left the work room. Buckle-sama returned to his desk and sat deeply in his chair.
“A group of bandits that owned six horses……, I haven’t heard of that before.”
It was beyond expectations, when one considered the maintenance and management fees. In addition to food and water, there would also be a need for saddles and horseshoes. It would be rather difficult for a small bandit group to maintain six of them. Only one of the rumored large-scaled groups could manage that.
“It seems that the purpose of the bandits was to take Lauren ojou-sama. It is possible that they were hired……”
“What? ……could it have been the second prince’s faction trying to cause disarray!?”
Buckle-sama’s face was warped in surprise and anger
Within the kingdom of Rhoden, noble factions are increasingly competing over who the next king will be, due to the current king’s old age. The first prince born of the second queen, the second prince born of the first queen, and the the third princess born of the first queen. These three factions have turned the royal castle of the capital into a war-zone. In my life, politics were nothing but idle talk, but to think that here at the northern border, the influence of the strife could be felt.
“Speaking of the second ambush, you say that the knight that appeared did not demand anything?
“Yes, because he saved ojou-sama, I told him that you would be willing to reward him ……, however he only took my copper passport and asked for nothing else…… Was that wrong?”
“If the person said he didn’t need anything then it is alright. Rather, I could breathe a sigh of relief because it doesn’t seem like his involved with the second prince faction. Anyway, I need to send out the order to retrieve Maudlin’s and the other bodies. You are dismissed.”
After bowing at those words, I leave the room.
To me, Arc-sama didn’t seem to be apart of any faction. That person carried himself like any traveler would. However, his body armor was something that even the Lebrun empire’s household knights could only dream of possessing, and his godlike swordsmanship could be counted as a military threat on its own.
In the end, I could not see his real face. Should we meet again I wonder if I would be able to see it? The fear that I carried all day suddenly disappears. On my way to ojou-sama’s room, my footsteps became lighter.
Oops, I shouldn’t be in such high spirits. I need to focus on having ojou-sama regain her smile.
I continued on to ojou-sama’s room at a quick pace.
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