My lady will disguise herself
"Send the standby troops to support the royal castle. In the meantime, tell the castle's defense forces to prioritize protecting non-combatants."
"Understood!"
The messenger left the commander's office, and Gunther, the Commander of the Royal Knights, sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
Just a moment ago, the Royal Knights' headquarters received a report that prisoners had escaped from the royal castle's underground prison. The prison was heavily guarded, making an escape seem impossible from the inside. However, it was likely that someone had helped them escape from the outside.
Even though they had gathered personnel for an execution in the castle square today, the castle's defenses should have been more than enough.
"It seems they've decided to attack here."
Most likely, it was the remaining members of the Valiaz family. Considering their skills and the timing of today, Gunther was quite certain. Their goal was probably to rescue Galious and the others in the execution courtyard. The disturbance in the royal castle was likely a distraction to divert attention from the execution courtyard.
He understand, but can't just ignore it. They've sent backup units from headquarters just to be safe, but it'll take time to bring the situation under control.
Even though they might be acting as decoys, the escaped prisoners are all dangerous criminals. Unfortunately, there have already been many casualties in the royal castle, mostly among non-combatants like maids and civil servants. And sadly, these casualties are likely to increase in the future.
"Your Highness, wasn't this a bit too rushed..."
The previous members of the Valiaz family wouldn't have taken such extreme measures. They were certainly a force of evil, but their presence also maintained a certain level of order within the kingdom.
That's why the King and his predecessors had gradually reduced their influence over time. But it seems the Prince found this approach too lenient. However, the methods used this time seem overly forceful.
Considering the Valiaz family's influence, the consequences of their downfall will likely lead to significant chaos within the kingdom. This incident is probably just the beginning.
"Hmm?"
With these thoughts in mind, Gunther felt uneasy and raised his head.
──Quiet, way too quiet.
Despite deploying many personnel throughout the royal capital, including the execution site and sending reinforcements to the royal castle, the Knights' headquarters was bustling with personnel coordinating information from various places. Normally, the sounds of their activities could be heard, but now, there was an unsettling silence.
"!"
In the unnerving silence, Gunther suddenly focused as a knock came from the door.
At this moment, who could it be?
"Commander, I've brought some tea."
"Ah, please come in."
Though he reflexively tensed, it was one of the maids who had come to serve tea. Gunther allowed her to enter and, simultaneously, reached for the nearby shield and sword.
"Excuse me."
"『Flame Slash』!"
As the doorknob turned slowly and the door opened slightly, Gunther's magical slash shattered it. He didn't think the threat was over.
With his sword at the ready and no room for complacency, Gunther stared at whatever might be lurking behind the dissipating smoke.
"Darn it! How did you find out?"
A red-haired maid emerged from the smoky haze.
Kicking the shattered door remnants in frustration, Drei, one of Crow's henchmen, glared at Gunther, who was on guard.
"I'm sorry, but I'm more of a coffee person."
"I don't care about your preferences! My master likes tea!"
All the staff working at the Knights' headquarters knew that the Knight Commander always drank coffee when doing paperwork. Bringing tea in the middle of this unusual situation felt like she was declaring herself an enemy.
"What about the others?"
Gunther calmly asked Drei, who didn't hide her irritation.
If she had made it to the Knight Commander's office, she must have run into her fellow knights along the way. With the lack of sounds for a while, Gunther gripped his sword, fearing the worst.
"Huh? If it's the folks outside, they're all peacefully asleep. They put up a fight, but... well, they're probably not dead."
"I see..."
Gunther felt some relief in Drei's words, which seemed sincere. If what she said was true, it meant that all the personnel at the Knights' headquarters were incapacitated.
Despite the main forces being away, the personnel at the headquarters were far from weak. Leaving them alive but powerless indicated that Drei, or her associates, were quite skilled.
"So, coming here means you're after me, right?"
"Well, that's correct. Your presence was causing problems for the plan, so it's an order from my master. I don't hold a grudge, but you're not getting out of here alive."
With a savage, predatory grin, Drei clenched her fist.
It seemed their goal was indeed to eliminate the Knight Commander of the Royal Knights and disrupt the command structure of the knights in various locations.
"Besides, I've always wanted to face you."
"What...?"
In this situation, it seemed likely that she had other allies beyond the Royal Castle and the headquarters.
Gunther had been focused on defeating the immediate threat to take command, but he couldn't hide his surprise at Drei's excitement and anticipation.
"You're the hero of this country, right? So, if I beat you, I'll be known as the hero slayer too."
"What...!?"
Gunther's eyes widened at her words.
What did she just say?
Her phrasing, saying "I'll be known as the hero slayer too," hinted at the existence of someone else who had slain heroes, much like him.
The only person that came to mind was the other hero who had fought in the war against the Empire twenty years ago. He had disappeared about a decade ago, and his whereabouts were still unknown in the kingdom. There had been unfounded rumors that he was killed by slum children at one point, but surely...
"Wait, what do you mean by—"
"No more talking. Get ready to die!"
"Gah...!"
Drei abruptly cut off the conversation and swung her fist, which Gunther blocked with his shield at the ready.
A surge of powerful magic between them sent shockwaves that pushed everything around them away.
◇◆◇◆
"Say, Crow?"
"Yes, Milady?"
Standing behind Milady, who sat comfortably in a chair, Crow answered as he carefully brushed her damp, golden hair after her bath.
During their captivity, it seemed she hadn't been allowed to bathe, judging by the rather damaged state of her beautiful blonde hair. It was painful to see.
After leaving Eins, they managed to escape from the royal castle unnoticed through a hidden passage. The exit of the hidden passage led to the garden of an old mansion that had long been considered abandoned in the noble district.
Despite its worn exterior, the interior was relatively well-maintained, showing signs of regular upkeep.
Considering the presence of a hidden passage, it was likely originally meant to be a royal refuge.
Since it was suitable for their use, Crow had prepared a bath in advance and thoroughly cleaned Milady, who was covered in dust. They also changed her into clothes prepared earlier, which had just been completed a short while ago.
"I understand that disguising yourself is effective in our current situation, and I did agree with that idea..."
"Yes, Milady, your beauty tends to attract attention, for better or worse."
While continuing their conversation, Crow adjusted her hairstyle by gently combing her silky hair and tying a black ribbon that had been prepared.
Although we had successfully escaped from the royal castle, many knights were still patrolling in the town below. Taking Milady, who was already conspicuous, out in the open would likely lead to her quick capture.
Therefore, I had disguised Milady to evade surveillance, and this time, I had sealed her trademark vertical rolls as part of the disguise.
Initially, Milady's grooming had always been handled by Eins and the others, but now they were all away, diverting the attention of the knights stationed in the region as part of a strategic diversion.
Naturally, there were other servants in the mansion. However, as soon as they were informed of their masters' arrest for treason, almost all of them fled, with only a few exceptions. This alone underscored the Duke's lack of popularity, which was almost comical.
Considering the outcome was that I had to take care of Milady all by myself, it was far from amusing...
"Well, I do understand. I do..."
With trembling shoulders, Milady muttered to herself in a hushed voice, as if reminding herself.
In the meantime, as I continued to brush her hair on the left side after tying the ribbon on the right, I worked efficiently.
Milady's fair neck, now exposed, quickened my heart rate, but I barely managed to maintain a composed demeanor at the last moment.
Even though I was already feeling quite stirred up from bathing with her, Milady remained oblivious and vulnerable, simply allowing me to continue.
I could feel my restraint waning as I touched Milady's body, and if it weren't for the urgency of the situation, I would have undoubtedly acted on my desires.
"Alright... we're done, Milady."
"But, you see..."
As I finished setting her hair, Milady suddenly stood up from the chair. She gazed at me in silence, then flashed a bewitching smile.
I was frozen in place by her smile at such close range, and Milady gently reached out to me──
──And then, she grabbed my collar.
"Why, of all times, must I, of all people, wear a servant's attire?"
"Ouchouchouchouch!"
Milady's pent-up anger burst out, her beautiful smile contrasting with the veins bulging on her forehead as she vigorously shook me.
In my shaking field of vision, Milady wore a maid's outfit, primarily navy and white, similar to what Eins and the others were wearing. Her golden hair was styled in twin tails and adorned with a white headband.
As for me, I had disguised myself as a merchant. I had originally planned for Milady to play the role of my maid, but it seemed she couldn't stand the servant's attire, despite it being part of our act.
"My apologies, Milady..."
"Hmph..."
After an extensive round of apologies, I was finally released, allowing me to observe Milady from head to toe once more.
Although it was a costume designed for our disguise, upon closer examination, it unmistakably resembled a "noble lady dressed as a servant." Milady's inherent nobility was so pronounced that it couldn't be concealed, making her look every bit the aristocrat she was.
"Ugh..."
I felt like pulling my hair out when I realized the situation. While we might be able to fool commoners and lower-ranking noble knights who didn't recognize Milady's face, there was a risk of being recognized by high-ranking noble knights. We needed to pray we wouldn't get caught.
But there was a more pressing issue to tackle.
"...Is there something wrong?"
Milady, who had been openly displaying her displeasure since earlier, maintained her stern gaze with her arms crossed in front of her.
Time was running out, and unless I managed to convince her somehow, we wouldn't be able to leave this place.
"Sigh..."
I took a deep breath to shift my mindset. In this situation, I had to praise and flatter Milady as much as possible, aiming to have her accept the role of a maid at least until we left the capital.
"Ugh....! My apologies, Milady! Your charm is truly outstanding. Regular attire can't hide your remarkable nobility."
I continued to offer exaggerated praise, with gestures, dedicated to being Milady's jester. As a butler to Milady, it was essential to set aside any personal pride or self-consciousness.
"H-hmph.... Well, I guess being too attractive might have been a problem. Being too beautiful can be a crime..."
Milady seemed satisfied, placing her hand on her cheek after my flattery had worn away my mental strength. It's clear she's easily swayed, as expected of Milady.
"Alright, I suppose I can tolerate it for now. So, what's the plan from here?"
"Well, I intend to head to the Empire."
"The Empire?!"
Once we successfully convinced her, we discussed our next steps. However, when I mentioned the Empire, Milady's face contorted. Her family's connection to the Empire led to their capture, so her complicated feelings toward that country were understandable.
But with Milady being pursued as a traitor, we couldn't stay in the Kingdom any longer. The only choices left were to go north or west. Between the two, going to the Empire, which at least rivals the Kingdom, seemed like the better option than dealing with the endless squabbles of the smaller western states.
In that sense, it could be said that meeting Dee in the academy was a fortunate encounter in the grand scheme of things.
"We've already made contact with people on the other side and negotiated to ensure they'll accept us. Milady, we must endure this for now..."
"Considering the current situation, staying in the Kingdom is difficult, and there doesn't seem to be any other choice..."
"Yes. We've arranged a carriage in the commercial district, so let's use that to escape from the capital."
Once we leave the capital, along with the disruptions caused by Eins and the others, the Kingdom won't be able to track us immediately. If we continue and meet up with the Empire's assistance along the way, the Kingdom will likely have no way to reach us beyond its borders.
With that settled, we should take action right away. However, Milady had a pensive look on her face, hesitating to move.
"Wait... What about my father and the others?"
"...."
I wished to escape without Milady noticing, but it seems it won't be easy.
The reason I succeeded in rescuing Milady was mainly due to the fact that many knights were deployed to guard the execution of Duke Valiaz. Without that, even with the skills of Eins and the others, we couldn't have outmaneuvered the Kingdom's knights with my limited force.
The situation remains the same, and it's crucial for my master to keep the guards' attention until the end.
"Crow!"
While my expression hadn't changed, it appeared she understood my thoughts. Milady raised an eyebrow and stepped closer.
With her current attitude, the persuasion I used earlier probably wouldn't work anymore.
"You... Are you planning to abandon my father and the others!?"
"I apologize. With my abilities, I can only do my best to save you, Milady."
Our gazes locked at close range, and within her emerald eyes was an anger I'd never seen before. Still, I didn't avert my eyes; I faced it head-on.
Milady must understand this logically. However, like a sulking child, she refuses to accept a reality where everything doesn't go her way.
Even though she no longer has the same power as before and not everything can go as she wishes...
"Don't be foolish! This is an order. Go help Father immediately!"
"I cannot obey that order..."
"Why not!"
Despite Milady's protest, the impossible remained impossible. While it might have been possible to take action if we could use the Duke's skilled spies, our current predicament prevented us from issuing any orders, given that the chief butler, the only one who could communicate with them, had been exposed as a traitor.
Even though they were individuals who would unconditionally obey any command, with our Lord, who should issue these instructions, currently captured, they were immobilized without orders. The organization of spies had probably never faced such a situation since its establishment and was likely in the midst of chaos.
"This useless servant! Fine, I'll do it alone!"
"Milady!"
Understanding that I would never follow the order, Milady forcibly pushed me aside and left the room. She probably went to rescue Lord Duke by herself.
However, the time for his execution was drawing near. Even if she went now, it was likely already too late.
"That spoiled brat!"
Muttering in frustration, I left the room to follow Milady.
TLNOTE: day off tomorrow
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