Vol 2: Chapter 20
「Reiji, it’s okay to answer.」
As I was feeling troubled by stares of the Holy King and high-ranking nobles, the young lady reached out a helping hand.
「Yes. First of all, I was worried about the eye contact between Your Majesty the Holy King and His Excellency the Border Earl. It seemed that you two did not know the other would join this banquet, but I suppose you already had information about this “sideshow” in advance. Or perhaps only the head of each House had been informed about it. Of course, I think that this “sideshow” was planned to be sufficiently non-risky, but it was informed just in case.」
「………」
Ooh, the gray bear is silently staring at me.
「Another thing is that the chandelier candles went out.」
「…Why is that strange?」
「If I was the attacker, I would’ve cut the chandelier and dropped it. That would lead to more confusion and panic. But it’s too expensive to drop the chandelier for just a “sideshow”, and broken pieces of glass can cause unnecessary injury.」
「Hmmm…」
「Other than that…」
「There’s still more?!」
「Yes. The attackers’ sword style was clearly from the Knights Order. And assassins wouldn’t abandon their target and run away. Well, these aren’t things I can notice in advance, though. Another one is, although I did not know this prior, Your Majesty and the Holy Prince were shining in the darkness. If you knew this in advance, you would try to snipe with a crossbow. Or at least throw your swords from a distance before escaping.」
「Wait a minute. The target might not be us.」
「Maybe not Your Majesty, but I thought the Holy Prince was the target.」
「Why? Because many of the attackers rushed to this table?」
「No.」
I then pointed at Prince Kruvshrat’s plate with 5 tasty-looking sauces.
「Because only the Holy Prince’s sauce is mixed with poison.」
【World Ruler】 still sends information that the sauce is “extremely harmful to the human body”.
Hearing my words, the Holy King’s facial expression turned grim.
(…Hmm? I thought the poison dish was also a form of “sideshow”, but it’s strange. Preventing poisoning wouldn’t be that entertaining. I guess it would be somewhat of a sideshow if Prince Kluvshrat played dead and we got to see people’s reactions, but you still don’t have to bother with actual poison.)
「Hey, escort.」
「Yes, Your Majesty.」
「Are you serious that it is poisoned?」
「Yes. I am certain.」
Following that, the Holy King’s face turned red with anger – which means, the “poison” is “unplanned”. Someone was seriously trying to kill the Holy Prince.
An escort has to get up early.
Even if there was an attempt to kill the Holy Prince the night before, and you were made to go through investigation until late at night, and afterwards you had to explain the whole situation to your employer, and finally go to bed even later at night, you still have to get up early.
A dormitory-like place is prepared for the servants of the mansion, but as an escort, I was given a private room. I got out of bed, and used 【Convenience Magic】 to produce water and washed my face at the basin. Slightly cool water in the morning is best.
There are no decent mirrors, so I checked my hair with a mirror made of a shiny iron plate. I was not trying to check if I was having hair loss, okay? Just checking if I would have to re-dye my hair. Plus, I don’t get bed hair. After that, I just have to quickly change clothes and I’m ready to go.
「Good morning.」
「Good morning.」
Many maids and butlers have already started their activities. The entrance hall seemed to be busy with people even though it was only sunrise.
「Please take care.」
「Please have a safe trip!」
A large number of servants bowed their heads and saw off the Earl and the chief butler. The Earl is leaving so early in the morning after hearing my report last night. Did he even get a wink of sleep? He’s gonna have a rough day tomorrow if he didn’t.
My “Sprouts and New Moon Banquet” report briefly touched on the “sideshow” and spent a lot of time on the “poisoning attempt” thereafter. The Earl jotted down all the information I observed. And he, who is also a “human lie detector”, was called by the Holy King today, so it is almost certain that they will try to flush out the culprit.
(My condolences. I wish you best of luck.)
Feeling sympathy in my heart, I looked at the Earl through the window of the horse-drawn carriage as it left the mansion grounds. The eastern sky seemed to be slightly cloudy today.
As I was checking the young lady’s schedule for today while grabbing a bite, I was notified that the young lady had woken up.
「Good morning, my lady.」.
「Good morning, Reiji.」
I went through today’s schedule with the young lady at the breakfast table. The young lady ate alone, as I stood across the table.
Her conduct and appearance was so beautiful that even though she was only having breakfast she looked like a work of art. How I would like to be born handsome in the next life….
「That is today’s plan.」
「Reiji, what happened yesterday? I returned earlier, after all.」
「I went through investigation until late at night. And the Earl seemed to have been waiting for me…」
「Mou, my father is so unfair. He told everyone to sleep early and yet…」
「I don’t think he was waiting for me out of kindness. Leaving that aside, did you have any bad dreams? You went through something scary, after all.」
「Stop treating me like a child. And besides, I wasn’t afraid. I knew I would be safe, since you were there, Reiji.」
「…My goodness, I think that is an overstatement.」
My lady, you trust me too much. I was so scared of what to do if that gray bear from yesterday went mad. It isn’t normal for a human to be wearing that kind of pelt, you know.
「So, who was the culprit?」
「Not found yet.」
「Eh? Even though you were there?」
「…I am your escort, and just a poison finder.」
「That’s right, but I was completely impressed with the way you handled the attackers yesterday and then spoke to His Majesty and the Holy Prince afterwards!」the young lady said, with gleaming eyes.
「Lady Eva. This is the first I am hearing of that.」
Oh, damn! The chief butler is glaring at me, while adjusting his glasses!
(My lady, please shut up! Shut up! Shhh!)
The butler was also present in the reporting with the Earl, but I omitted the parts which would seem like I was bragging about myself… If the chief butler knew that I talked to the Holy King, he, who is a fervent fanatic of the Holy King, would burn with flames of jealousy.
「What’s wrong, Reiji? Did you not report it?」
「I did! I reported all the necessary parts! Ah, right, I will be going out today, so please have a knight escort you today.」
「–What?」
Immediately, the young lady’s expression became gloomy.
「I informed you before that but I am allowed to be present for the questioning of the “Slave Merchant” that we destro– released, I mean. That would be taking place today.」
「Is that so…?」
I wonder what’s wrong with her? I was sure she would say something like “Take me with you!” (I planned to refuse her with the help of the chief butler), but this reaction is unexpected.
「The young lady is worried.」
Eek, chief maid!? Don’t come whispering in my ear out of nowhere!
And the chief maid stepped back with her hind leg, without making a sound, returning to her fixed position near the entrance. I wonder if she is a spy? Even when I trained after watching the chief maid’s movement, I couldn’t acquire any skill like that…
(Worried, huh…)
That’s right. The young lady is just a 12 year old girl.
Since I was there, she wasn’t afraid, but that can also mean, she would be afraid if I’m not around.
「…My lady, I will be back as soon as possible.」
「Really?」
My lady, please don’t make that face as though you were just scolded.
Who knows what will happen to me if the Earl sees this? Even at the best of times, the chief butler and chief maid glare at me like, “Bastard, what did you do to make her cry?”
「It’s true.」
「You promise?」
「I promise.」
I held out my right hand and crossed my index and middle fingers together. It’s like “not going back on your word,” or “pinky swear”. And in a sense, it’s also similar to a “vow.”
「…Okay. I am going to write a letter to Mira-sama today.」
「Yes, please do that.」
The young lady’s small hand clenched my two crossed fingers tightly. Her hand was warm and soft.
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