My lady is conducting an investigation
After school, just like usual, the students from the faction led by the Valiaz Duke's family gathered in the conversation room for a tea party aimed at fostering friendships.
Seated at the center, Isabella tilted her teacup, but her sharp gaze was fixed on one corner of the room.
"I don't like this" she murmured.
"Eh? Lady Isabella, what's wrong?"
"I need to step away for a moment. Please enjoy yourselves without me" she said discontentedly, ignoring the students who were seated with her.
As she got up and walked to a table in the corner of the room, she drew puzzled looks from the students around her.
"Why do you all have such gloomy faces? Didn't you enjoy my tea party?"
"Lady Isabella!? No, it's not that at all!"
"Then why do you all look so downcast?"
"That's because, Lady Isabella, it's not something we could discuss with you..."
Approaching the table mainly occupied by lower-ranked nobles, Isabella glanced at the faces of the students who were seated there.
Throughout the tea party, they had all consistently worn somber expressions.
However, these students rarely had the opportunity to speak with Isabella, who was an overwhelmingly superior presence.
Perhaps afraid of upsetting her, they remained silent in unison.
"I'm telling you to speak."
"......"
Milady grew increasingly irritated as she confronted their silent attitudes. Despite her insistence, nobody seemed willing to step forward and talk. They exchanged helpless glances, reluctant to take the risk.
Understanding that their behavior was only frustrating Milady further, no one wanted to put themselves in the spotlight.
"I will explain."
"Who are you?"
"Yes, my name is Nora, from the West Baron family."
In an effort to change the situation, a young girl walked up to Milady. She curtsied, briefly lifting her skirt. This girl, named Nora, initially appeared slightly surprised by Milady's gaze. Nevertheless, she swiftly regained her composure and met her gaze confidently.
"Nora? Well, that's fine. So, can you explain what's going on?"
Milady had a puzzled expression on her face, but fortunately, it seemed she hadn't recognized that she was one of the two people involved in the restroom incident from the other day.
"Yes, it's..."
Nora began, encouraged by Milady's prompting.
In a nutshell, Nora explained her concerns about the recent spate of disappearances among noble children. To make matters worse, her close friend, Miss Elina, had also gone missing recently.
"Even after seeking help from the Kingdom's knights, we have no leads... Please, Lady Isabella, I implore you! Help me find Elina, my friend!"
One of the students present couldn't contain their irritation and protested, "You're quite impertinent! A baron's child should know their place!"
Nora knelt before Isabella, pleading earnestly. It was evident that her worry for her friend had taken a toll, as there were visible signs of fatigue under her eyes, revealing her anxiety. However, it was considered impertinent for a lower-ranked noble to make such a request of the daughter of a duke.
Naturally, one student, angered by the situation, attempted to confront Nora.
"It's you who should learn some manners."
"Wha!? But, Lady Isabella!"
"Be silent."
"...!"
However, Milady silenced the student with a single glance and continued by crouching down and taking Nora's hand.
"You said your name Nora, right?"
"Y-yes."
"You've spoken well. Rest assured, I will do everything in my power to rescue your friend."
"Aa, aahh.....Th-thank you! Thank you so much!"
Overwhelmed by Milady's motherly kindness and assurance, Nora burst into tears. Milady gently continued to pat her back until she had calmed down.
"Good grief, Milady..."
After the tea party concluded, Milady returned to the mansion and immediately began preparations for the search for the missing student. Even though I was also called upon to assist with the preparations, I couldn't help but sigh at the trouble we were getting into.
After all, we had no idea whether the missing student was safe or not. I thought it was a waste of time to help in such a situation, but once Milady had made up her mind, there was no turning back.
(And besides...)
Just thinking about Milady's appearance from earlier filled me with warmth deep in my chest. Her dignified and beautiful noble demeanor had captivated everyone present in that room, myself included. That's why, if it was what Milady wished for, I wanted to make it happen.
"Milady, I've just returned... What's with that outfit?"
As I entered the room, I was taken aback by Milady's peculiar attire. She was wearing an Inverness coat and a hunting cap, striking various poses in front of the mirror.
"Oh dear, Crow, don't tell me you're not familiar with the adventures of Shirley Holmes?"
".......In the recent popular detective novels in the capital?" I replied.
Milady turned to face me, wearing a confident and mischievous smile, as she proudly displayed her outfit. Despite it being an unusual choice, she wore it with such perfection that it seemed as though the clothes were tailor-made for her.
As expected of Milady.
The novel she was referring to was about Shirley, a young girl detective in the capital, solving various challenging cases. It seemed like a story I might have heard of in my past life, but I couldn't understand why Milady was dressed this way.
"Yes, this is the attire of the protagonist, Shirley!"
"I understand that, but may I ask why Milady is dressed like this?"
"Because I'm the great detective now! Is there a better outfit for an investigation?"
"Well, if Milady is satisfied with it, then it's perfectly fine..."
Could it be that she took on this request because she wanted to have fun like this? Just earlier, I was deeply moved by her request, but now, looking at her enthusiastic appearance, I couldn't help but shift my gaze and feel a little damp.
"Mistress, this."
"Nicely done, Eins. It seems Shirley isn't complete without this!"
In a somewhat exasperated tone, Eins handed something to Milady as she entered the room.
What Milady took in her hand was commonly referred to as a pipe tobacco.
Even in this world, tobacco was fairly common, as there were individuals known as tobacco enthusiasts. However, I had never seen Milady smoke before.
"Excuse me."
"During investigations, Shirley also smokes like this... Cough, cough!?"
As Eins lit the tobacco with a magical tool, Milady put the pipe in her mouth and took a deep breath, only to start coughing vigorously.
Well, it was to be expected if she suddenly tried smoking tobacco when she never did before.
"Mistress"
"ThANk yOU...."
Knowing this might happen, Eins had prepared water in advance and offered it to Milady, who quickly drank it and caught her breath.
I briefly considered stopping her if Eins had known, but even if I did, Milady probably wouldn't have listened. It was entirely her own doing.
"Ew... I had no idea tobacco could taste this awful!"
While Milady grimaced and tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, I couldn't help but be more concerned about something else.
"Milady, did you call her name just now?"
"What's with the sudden question? Even I remember the name of a maid who takes care of me."
"I see. Milady, you're quite remarkable."
Even so, until recently, I don't recall Milady ever addressing Eins by name; she usually referred to her as "maid." I didn't know what had changed in Milady's mind, but it was probably a change she welcomed. It made me happy, and I couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke Milady's cheek.
".....Huh? I'm not sure why I'm being praised, but it feels nice. Keep petting me!"
"Of course, Milady, you're amazing."
"Hehe!"
Milady had been in a bad mood after her failed attempt at smoking, but she seemed delighted with the petting. After removing her hat, she leaned toward me, as if saying, "Keep going." I complied, running my fingers through her golden hair, and Milady let out a satisfied sigh.
".......Wait, this isn't it! I'm supposed to investigate! That was close; I almost wasted another day..."
"Tsk... Looks like you're developing a tolerance."
Milady had been sitting on my lap on the bed, enjoying the attention. However, she suddenly started squirming and struggling as if she'd snapped out of it. It seemed that with each repetition, she had developed some resistance to the charms. Now, there was no choice but to proceed with the search for the missing student.
"Crow, didn't you just click your tongue?"
"You must be mistaken, Milady."
"Really?"
I smiled and brushed it off, lowering Milady from my lap. Although she didn't seem entirely convinced, she put on her hat, and I continued to stroke her head. Her attention seemed to shift, and she didn't press the matter any further.
"Now, let's refocus and go search for the missing student, Crow, Little Watson!"
"My name is Eins, not Little Watson..."
"Sigh..."
After getting herself ready, Milady headed out into the town without paying any mind to the two bewildered servants.
"Milady, I'm back... What are you eating?"
After completing her inquiries and rejoining us, Milady was munching on a piece of bread while holding a bottle filled with a white liquid.
"Hm? Of course, it's anpan and milk! Even Shirley would eat these while investigating for clues!"
"We've prepared them for you too, Sir Crow. Please, help yourself."
"Oh, thanks..."
Milady proudly displayed her milk and anpan, looking quite delighted. Investigating with bread and milk was a curious choice, more suited for a detective story than a real investigation. But arguing about it seemed futile, so I accepted the milk and anpan, somewhat perplexed.
"Mistress, there's some leftovers around your mouth. Allow me to clean it for you."
"Well... it's not a big deal. I can handle it."
"Please, stay still."
"Ugh..."
While Milady enjoyed her meal, Eins noticed the smudges around her mouth and attempted to wipe them away with a handkerchief.
Milady hesitated briefly but ultimately yielded to Eins' gentle insistence.
Due to Milady's height advantage over Eins, it almost seemed like a younger sister caring for her older sister, despite Eins being older in actual age. It was a heartwarming scene.
"So, what did you find out?"
"We gathered some eyewitness accounts. It's quite certain that Miss Elina passed through here."
"Her residence shouldn't be too far from here, right?"
"Yes, according to the map, it's right around this area. However, she vanished somewhere along the way... The potential area of uncertainty is roughly like this."
With Milady done with her meal, we resumed the investigation.
As we leaned over the map, the three of them collated information to pinpoint where Elina had gone missing.
There were no indications of detours in her route, and she had disappeared while heading straight to her residence after school.
Taking this into account, we marked the map, and the possible area of her disappearance turned out to be quite small.
"Hmm... Let's start by exploring the area since it's not too large. There might be some clues."
"Yes, Milady"
With the search area narrowed down, we followed Milady's lead. To be honest, I hoped we wouldn't find anything troublesome. I simply wished for this investigation to conclude without any issues.
"...Hm?"
As we continued our investigation and entered a particular alley, I felt an unsettling sensation that made me stop.
It was an uncomfortable feeling, hard to describe, but I had an instinctual sense of not wanting to be there.
"What's wrong, Crow?" Milady asked.
"Milady, don't you feel anything unusual?" I inquired.
"What kind of unusual....."
She turned to Eins, who also shook her head, indicating that they didn't sense anything unusual.
It seemed I was the only one without magical abilities who felt this way.
"....Milady, could you check for any traces of magic in this area? Even the tiniest hint could be significant."
"Understood, I'll investigate" she replied.
"Eins, keep an eye on Milady" I said.
"Understood!"
Milady, who had been playful moments ago, took on a more serious stance, perhaps sensing the gravity of my words. While she concentrated, Eins and I remained vigilant.
"......I've found it, a barrier designed to repel people! But, what's this?" After a while, Milady successfully detected a trace of magic but looked puzzled.
"Is something bothering you?" I asked.
"Yes, there's a people-repelling barrier around here, but it's incredibly weak. It's so feeble that it wouldn't affect someone with even a bit of magical ability, like Crow. If I hadn't been told, I might not have noticed it"
"I see... So, this confirms that this place is indeed the scene of the disappearance case" I concluded.
The earlier sense of discomfort must have been due to this barrier. If the barrier was so weak that even individuals like Milady with magical abilities couldn't sense it, it was understandable that the Royal Knights wouldn't have noticed it either. Simultaneously, this location became evidence that Elina was abducted here.
"Why do you say that?" Milady asked.
"Who are the victims in this case?" I replied.
"Well, they are nobles, aren't they?"
Seeing that Milady still didn't fully understand, I reluctantly began to explain. After all, this was an unprecedented case, and it was understandable if she didn't grasp all the details.
"Commoners are involved too, so, to be precise, it's people with magical abilities" I explained.
"And what does that mean?"
"Do you not understand? This barrier is designed to exclude only those without magical abilities, right? Therefore, the people who entered here must be individuals with magical abilities that the culprit sought. Moreover, thanks to the barrier, there are few other witnesses" I elaborated.
This alley was originally not very crowded, making it easy to abduct a girl with little effort. Likely, similar barriers were placed in other similar alleys.
"I see, so this is the culprit's hunting ground!"
"Yes, it appears so."
"Sir Crow" Eins called out with a heavily cautious tone after Milady grasped the situation.
"I know......... So, what about those who've been watching us from earlier? How about coming out now?" I addressed our hidden observers.
"They've figured us out. Alright, that's enough! Everyone, get them!" In response, a group of burly men emerged from hiding, surrounding us.
"We're surrounded!"
"Hmm, this is a tough spot"
"Why are you so composed in a situation like this?" Milady exclaimed.
"Even if you say that...."
As Eins and Milady remained vigilant, I calmly analyzed the enemy's strength. There were five in front and five behind me, making a total of ten. They all seemed to be commoners, like me, as they lacked any ornaments or decorations. Magic users, especially when dealing with nobility, are a formidable force to reckon with. However, there is no trace of fear or hesitation in their expressions when facing them.
So, they must have some hidden strategy up their sleeves. After making this assessment, I temporarily suspended my thoughts.
"Let me ask you one thing; there's no mistake that you people are behind the recent disappearances in the capital, right?"
"Oh... if you know that much, you must understand what will happen to you from now on, right?" The man I presumed to be their leader turned his gaze towards me, grinning broadly. I recognized that look; it was the gaze of someone who considered themselves the predator.
To display such an attitude against nobles, they must have some kind of advantage.
"Man, the catch today seems to be quite extraordinary, wouldn't you agree? With these two, we could get a pretty penny" the leader remarked while eyeing Eins and Milady behind me, wearing an even more repulsive smile than before.
As I had suspected, they were probably kidnapping individuals with magical abilities to sell. They were disgustingly straightforward, which was somewhat comforting.
"Well, I suppose that's about it. If you people surrender quietly, I'll spare your lives" I suggested, though it was likely futile. Milady protested with an incredulous expression, but this wasn't a slum. Killing them out of frustration would only lead to more trouble.
"""Gyahahahah!"""
"Hey, have you not grasped the situation? You all are the ones caught in our trap! If you quietly hand over those women, I might just kill you without making you suffer!"
I knew their intentions, but their response was nothing but mockery towards me. They were even demanding we give up the women. Anyway, it seemed like they planned to kill me, so it didn't really make much difference.
However, I was reaching my limit.
"Heh..."
Unable to contain myself any longer, I burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"AHHAHA! HAHAHHA!"
"C-Cro... Crow?"
"What's this? Have you gone mad with despair?"
As I gave up on keeping my composure, I laughed loudly and heartily, leaving everyone around me with puzzled expressions.
Well, there was no helping it. Dealing with these fools seriously was out of the question.
"Do you not understand the situation? Trapped prey? Those are my words."
"What did you say!?"
"Do you seriously believe that the daughter of a Duke would come to a place like this without any guards?"
"Ugh...!"
Facing the individuals in front of me, who still seemed oblivious to the situation, I decided to explain it to them in the simplest terms. I thought I heard a strange frog-like sound from behind, but it was probably just my imagination. Regardless, I had achieved my objective; that should be more than enough.
"You can come out now."
"What...? From above!?"
With a signal pointing upwards, knights clad in pure white armor descended from the top of the building, surrounding us. Their armor bore the emblem of scales and a serpent—a symbol of the Duke Valiaz' family.
"The Third Knights Order have arrived!"
In unison with their leader, Jerald, the knights drew their swords from their hips, instantly changing the atmosphere in the area. Even though they usually served as maids for Milady, they were undoubtedly elite knights. They were in a completely different league compared to the street thugs.
"You mean you set this up from the beginning to capture us!?"
Perhaps feeling it firsthand, the leader of the group, who had lost his composure and was sweating profusely on his forehead, checked behind him as an escape route. However, knights had already landed behind him and were deploying, leaving the men no choice but to pale in the face.
"That's right! Using herself as bait, Milady's plan was to lure out the culprits who would come out in the open. You were dancing in the palm of her hand from the very beginning."
"Huuuuuh!"
Their belief that they were the hunters, oblivious to Milady's perfectly executed plan, was so ridiculous that it was hard to contain my laughter.
Milady didn't need to put on an act anymore. Wait, she still modestly insisted otherwise? She truly was amazing!
"Milady"
"E, eep! W-what is it?"
"Please, give them your orders."
As I called out from behind, Milady flinched slightly. The stage was set, and all that remained was for Milady to issue her orders. The loyal knights were eagerly awaiting that moment.
"........Kh! Unleash the brave knights of House Valiaz! Become my swords and capture the bandits disturbing the capital!"
"""Yeeeahh!"""
With Milady's command and a swing of her arm, the knights roared and charged forward.
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