The butler has made up his mind
"How, tired..."
A night had passed since the pursuit of the previous night. I sat on a bench in the school courtyard, gazing up at the overcast sky that threatened to release snow at any moment. Today, I accompanied Milady to the academy again, but I couldn't help feeling the fatigue was becoming too much to bear.
I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Although I had already recovered from my injuries, the aftermath of using strengthening spells, enduring magical burns, and surviving a near-fatal attack left me physically drained.
On top of that, the extensive use of magical elixirs and healing spells had resulted in magical poisoning. Not to mention, I hadn't slept since last night, and sleep deprivation was making the situation worse.
To put it bluntly, I'm a complete wreck.
However, I tried to keep it hidden. But recently, Milady's observational skills have sharpened, and she quickly saw through my discomfort.
"If you're feeling unwell, you should have said so, you fool!"
... Milady scolded me harshly and ordered me to rest.
But it was true, I had reached my limit. Despite my role as a butler, I had to entrust Milady to Eins and take a break. She even showed concern for her subordinates. Milady truly was an exceptional person!
"I guess that's to be expected as the capture target, huh..."
As I admired Milady's greatness, my thoughts drifted back to last night's incident.
While it was mostly a self-inflicted ordeal, it was the worst condition I'd been in since Milady took me in. As expected, facing the capture target wouldn't be a walk in the park.
Technically, we won, but losing most of my magical tools was painful. We had spares, but parting with my cherished magical gun, which had fired its last bullet, was particularly tough.
To be honest, I didn't care much about Leon and his group.
What was more critical was the mysterious organization that interfered with Eins and the others.
The failure of last night's mission was a significant setback. The problem wasn't failing to capture Miss Serena.
While it would have been a bonus to obtain some information when collecting documents, those pawns were expendable, and they likely had minimal information.
The crucial point was that we were defeated by the enemy organization.
Even without being biased, my subordinates are excellent.
Most of the members are commoners, but there are also many talented individuals like Eins among them. Moreover, by limiting our activities to the capital, even among the spies of other noble families, our group's capabilities rank high. In fact, they have consistently carried out my orders flawlessly.
Dealing with such a capable organization would not be easy.
Additionally, regarding last night's incident, it might be a bit hypocritical coming from us, but the enemy's excessive force against a mere servant's escort is questionable. This implies that the enemy's intention was not to protect the escort but to obstruct us from the start. In other words, our actions were closely monitored. This is a serious problem.
If the enemy is plotting the downfall of the ducal house, our actions to thwart it will be seen as interference. Whether they hadn't noticed us until now or had left us untouched deliberately is unclear, but it's certain that the enemy will attempt to obstruct our activities in the future. In that case, with our inferior strength, things will become challenging. We need to come up with a strategy, but if Eins and the others can't stand against the enemy, our options will be limited.
Can we somehow obtain the Lord Duke's cooperation?
"You were here. I've been looking for you."
As I ponder various strategies against the enemy, I'm interrupted by a familiar voice. When I turn my gaze in the direction of the voice, it's Leon, the opponent I fought so fiercely against last night, heading towards me.
"Oh...? Lord Leon, I see your injuries have healed?"
"Grh... Are you really saying that?"
Leon grimaced at my inquiry. Seeing him for the first time in half a day, he had completely recovered from the injuries he suffered last night. It's natural for someone with magical abilities to have excellent self-healing powers, unlike me. He looked much healthier, which was a relief.
"His Higness has requested your presence. Follow me."
"Well, that's how it goes..."
"Did you say something?"
"No, nothing at all. It wouldn't be right to keep His Highness waiting, so let's go quickly."
It was expected when he arrived, considering that news of last night's incident had probably reached them. Leon's master, Prince Albert, had personally summoned me. Whether he intended to administer punishment to the rebels or give a warning, it was not something a mere servant could decline. I got up from the bench and obediently followed Leon as he led the way.
"Your Highness, I've brought Crow."
"...So you've come."
Guided by Leon, we found ourselves in the school garden. This was a place where various types of flowers bloomed year-round and was usually a favorite spot for students to relax. However, with the chilly weather, the garden stood deserted.
In this quiet garden, the male members of Maria's reverse harem, along with the prince, had been waiting for me.
"Ah, everyone's here... But Lady Maria isn't with you?"
"Oh, Maria isn't here. It's a rather sensitive matter, and I'd prefer she didn't hear about it."
"I understand."
I had wondered about Maria's absence. She was usually inseparable from this group. It seemed she was genuinely unaware of the situation, apart from what was noted in her journal.
"I've been informed about last night's incident. It appears there was a misunderstanding, but we should be able to move forward together."
"A misunderstanding, you say..."
What is this guy talking about?
Seems like he's just as clueless as Maria... That's right; it reminded me of her.
After such an intense battle, there couldn't be a mere "misunderstanding."
"Is that all you wanted to discuss? In that case, I'll be on my way."
"Well, hold on. I've heard about your abilities from Leon. He's a formidable warrior, ranking among the kingdom's knights. To defeat him, your skills must be commendable."
"...And?"
"Come join me, Crow. You're not someone meant to wither away in a place like this."
As I tried to leave, the prince stopped me and extended his hand. His words sounded vaguely familiar, as if this was the latest trend among nobles, recruiting other people's servants.
But more importantly...
"Are you telling me to betray Milady?"
"That's the idea."
"Are you serious? You're her fiancé, for heaven's sake!"
What is this guy thinking, trying to poach his own fiancée's servant?
"After all, this engagement was arranged for the sake of our families. Besides, a rotten-hearted woman like her is hardly fit to become the mother of this nation. To be my partner, she should be someone pure like Maria."
".....What on earth are you talking about?"
I couldn't comprehend the meaning behind the man's words, and my tone slipped in response. He seriously believed that an empty-headed, former commoner, lacking proper noble manners, was more suitable than Milady, who had put in painstaking efforts, learning various knowledge and refinement to become a queen?
Enough with this nonsense.
"I know better than anyone how unruly that woman can be. She has always relied on her family's status and hurt others without a second thought! If I hadn't been forced into this engagement, I wouldn't even consider associating with someone like her! You've suffered plenty under her, too, haven't you?"
"What's the point of saying all that..."
Admittedly, Milady had a rather willful and troublesome personality. But more than that, she took pride in her lineage and had worked hard to live up to it. She was, by no means, the type of woman Albert was describing.
"Are you her fiancé, seriously? What have you even seen so far?"
"Ugh...."
In the heat of the moment, I grabbed his collar.
He hold the position of Isabella's fiancé, a position I could only dream of, and this guy acted as if he didn't want it?
Is he kidding?
If that's the case, then just hand her over to me from the start!
"Show some respect! Let go of His Highness!"
"Shut up, you weakling!"
"Ugh, you...!"
Leon immediately grabbed me in a stranglehold, pulling me away from Albert. In the momentary release of restraint, I swung my body against Leon and hit his face, making him loosen his grip.
Freed from his hold, I glared angrily at Albert.
"Well, well... I can't go into details, but retribution will catch up with them for their wrongdoings soon. Once that happens, you'll understand."
"So you expect me not to report this to Milady?"
"It doesn't matter either way. Whatever she tries now won't change the outcome."
Albert's words held a strong air of confidence.
It seemed that the preparations for the downfall had already reached an advanced stage.
Damn it, we don't have time for this.
"In that case, you won't get off easy either. But your abilities are far too valuable to waste here. Besides, it seems Maria has taken a liking to you as well."
"Are you telling me it's okay for another man to take a woman you're in love with?"
"Oh, we all discussed it together. We all love Maria, you see. We'd be glad to have you join us."
It seemed that despite their past squabbles over Maria, they had all fallen under her spell and were now part of her harem.
Now, making Maria happy was their top priority, even if it meant sharing her with other men. Who in their right mind would willingly share their woman with others? This guy was getting pathetic.
"Sorry, but I have no interest in sharing my woman with other men."
"That's a shame. Well, if we spend more time together, you might come to appreciate Maria's charms. Let me say it again; become my subordinate, Crow."
"That's..."
I was about to reject his offer again when I paused. In my anger at the insult to Isabella, I had been short-sighted, but thinking more calmly, this was an opportunity.
Our subordinates were lagging behind the enemy organization, and we hadn't even managed to grasp their tails. The situation was highly unfavorable.
However, if I accepted this offer, I might gain access to information known by the prince and his group.
Even if we couldn't prevent the Valiaz family from falling into ruin, if I could earn the favor of the prince and his group, there might still be a chance to save Isabella.
Looking at it from a purely practical perspective, the prince's proposal was an excellent opportunity to break through this situation.
However, in order to do that, I'd have to play along and bow my head to these infuriating princes, even if it's just for show. Handling that alone is bearable, but it essentially means betraying Milady.
Betraying Milady?
Me?
My mind was swamped with memories of moments shared with her. She was the noblest and most beautiful lady I had ever known. Yes, she could be whimsical, high-maintenance, and needy, but she was also the dearest and most affectionate woman I had ever encountered.
During that evening gathering on the palace terrace, Milady had made a commitment to become the queen. She had told me she wanted my continued support.
Could I really betray that vow, that trust?
"What's the matter?" Albert asked.
"I, am"
Albert regarded my hesitance suspiciously, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it. This choice wouldn't only impact me but could also shape Milady's future.
As his hand was extended towards me, the choice I made was—
No comments:
Post a Comment