Chapter: 21
The matter with Godin was resolved without much trouble.
He fled in a panic.
Leaving behind even his heavy money pouch.
Antonio opened it and nearly fainted.
“Are all castle administrators this rich?”
“They’ve skimmed off plenty over the years.”
The deputy leader asked,
“Is it really alright for us to accept this money?”
“It wasn’t given as payment for anything.”
Of course, Godin probably believed he had handed it over in exchange for our silence regarding his corruption.
Meanwhile, I was busily writing a formal report.
It would be submitted under someone else’s name, not mine.
Godin had also left one more thing behind as he hurried away.
“…Um… thank you for saving me.”
It was the old blacksmith.
Leaving him behind had been my request.
I’m the Saintess. It would be ridiculous if someone else got captured in my place.
Godin had probably been ordered by Gaspar to bring back the Saintess, so he intended to satisfy the order by taking someone who vaguely fit the conditions.
Most likely to avoid drawing the attention of the other princes or the Church of Teretessa.
He had probably thought there was no way Gaspar would actually kill him.
He absolutely would.
The moment Godin presented the old man instead of the Saintess, that madman Gaspar would have cut off his head.
The innocent old man might not have survived either.
That was why I insisted he be left behind.
Antonio stared at the old man in surprise.
“So the old man knows how to say thank you? I thought all you knew how to do was scam people.”
“…When someone helps you, thanking them is only natural.”
The old man cleared his throat awkwardly and slipped a sheet of paper into my hand.
When I looked at it, it turned out to be a written oath.
It promised to grant me any one request, no matter what it was.
“This is fine.”
When I said that, the old man scratched the back of his neck.
“It’s the only thing I have to give. Please accept it.”
Then, looking embarrassed, he quickly ran off.
I simply blinked as I looked at the oath.
The deputy leader chuckled.
“Keep it. It will surely be useful someday.”
“Huh?”
“There isn’t a blacksmith in the Empire who can match his skill. Whatever you ask for, he’ll create something extraordinary.”
“In that case…”
I carefully stored the oath away.
“Are you leaving for the main castle tomorrow?”
At the deputy leader’s question, I nodded.
The other attendants had already gone to House Escarott’s main castle.
Naturally, they had to arrive before the princes did.
I had been appointed later under Luciano’s orders.
“I should leave before I’m any later.”
I had finished all my preparations before the official appointment letter even arrived.
Now all that remained was the trip to House Escarott.
I clenched both fists.
“I’ll do my best.”
“I believe you.”
The deputy leader smiled gently.
The next morning finally arrived.
I climbed into the carriage bearing San Miguel’s banner, bound for Escarott.
…Together with the leader.
Silence filled the carriage.
The leader quietly gazed out the window while I kept glancing at him awkwardly.
I understood why he was heading to Escarott.
He’s probably going so he can immediately meet the Duke once I create an opportunity.
If word had to travel all the way to San Miguel, someone might notice something suspicious.
Still, I hadn’t expected us to ride together.
As I was stealing glances at him, the leader spoke without taking his eyes off the scenery.
“You never ask me anything.”
I flinched and looked up.
“Pardon?”
His crimson eyes turned toward me.
“You don’t ask why I adopted you instead of simply buying someone for the mission. Or why I must meet the Duke so secretly.”
“Well… wasn’t adopting me meant to prevent betrayal?”
“And?”
He was asking why I wasn’t curious about the reason for the secret meeting with the Duke.
He was testing me.
A frightening killing intent flickered within his crimson eyes.
Anyone would have stiffened under such pressure.
But unlike before, I merely blinked.
Is it strange not to ask questions and simply do the job?
Of course, because I’d played the game, I already knew that the leader was actually the Duke’s secret child, born without even the Duke’s knowledge.
But…
“Should I be curious?”
“…What?”
“You gave me work when I showed up out of nowhere, and you saved me whenever I was in danger.”
“…”
“And I like the Irregulars. I want to stay here.”
“…”
“So even without knowing the reason, I’ll do whatever you ask me to do.”
Yes.
Even if I hadn’t known the truth, I still would have.
I had nowhere else to go.
To everyone else, the Irregulars were nothing more than ruthless murderers.
But to me…
They were like the campfire I had finally found after wandering through freezing cold.
They told me to return safely.
They greeted me every morning.
They spoke to me kindly.
“…”
The leader stared at me in silence.
After a long while, he turned back toward the window.
“The weather is nice.”
“…!”
He was changing the subject.
So I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
I smiled shyly.
“Isn’t it? The breeze feels wonderful.”
“…It does.”
“They say it’ll be a great cabbage harvest this year. Once they’re harvested, I’ll buy some good ones and make steamed cabbage for you. It’ll be delicious.”
“Anything you make will probably taste good.”
“I’m good at sewing too.”
“I’ve never once thought there was anything you couldn’t do.”
His replies were short, but he answered every time.
I’d never even shared conversations like this with my own father.
Just hearing him respond made me happy, so I chatted nonstop.
Then…
Hm?
His hand was supporting his chin, hiding his mouth.
But for just a moment…
I thought I saw the corners of his lips curl upward.
It was probably my imagination.
Still…
I hoped it wasn’t.
The carriage arrived at the castle gate.
I stepped down and looked at the leader.
“I’ll work hard.”
“Take care.”
After exchanging our farewells, the leader departed to join the Irregulars’ elite unit stationed in Escarott.
I turned toward the castle gate.
“I’m Yustea of San Miguel.”
At long last, I entered Escarott Castle.
After showing my appointment letter and San Miguel identification at the gate, I was allowed inside.
A young maid seemed to have been waiting for me and led me to one of the residence buildings within the castle.
So this is where the attendants stay.
“Each room is shared by two people. Your ceremonial uniform and all issued supplies have already been prepared inside.”
With that, the maid left.
I entered the room.
Inside were several girls dressed in elegant gowns that appeared to be attendants’ formal uniforms.
Didn’t she say two people per room?
There were far too many people.
The girls ignored my arrival completely as they continued chatting.
“This is completely different from what I expected.”
“I know. We don’t even get a chance to speak with the princes. Even when we try to guide them around Escarott, they never make time.”
“And now some outsider has shown up. If she came from a distinguished noble house, maybe I’d understand. But San Miguel? That’s embarrassingly low-class.”
It seemed they really disliked me.
The girls selected as attendants all came from influential noble families of Escarott.
Meanwhile, I had come from San Miguel, the most underdeveloped territory in Escarott.
And I became an attendant without even taking the entrance examination, so of course they’d resent me.
Granted…
I’d accomplished something much harder than the attendant exam by successfully forming the alliance between the Second and Fourth Princes.
But from their perspective…
I was simply an outsider who had fallen into their midst.
Just then, the only girl who had remained quiet spoke up.
“Please don’t be so harsh.”
She was an elegant young lady whose refined posture immediately stood out.
The other girls grumbled.
“Miss Ayabel is just too kind for her own good.”
Ayabel?
The moment I heard the name, I knew exactly who she was.
Ayabel Balboa.
The granddaughter of the Count of Balboa, one of Escarott’s Three Elders.
A beautiful young noblewoman blessed with both looks and pedigree, admired by everyone her age.
So that’s Ayabel.
Ayabel stood and walked over to me.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ayabel.”
“Hello.”
“It seems we’ll be roommates. The others came to keep me company because they thought I’d be lonely. Everyone, please introduce yourselves.”
She turned toward the others, but they stubbornly remained silent.
Ayabel sighed.
“Everyone.”
One of the girls pouted.
“You don’t have to be kind even to someone like her.”
“We’re all attendants. It would be nice if we got along.”
She smiled gently at me.
“And besides…”
“I heard you’re Lord Andres’s eldest daughter.”
“…”
“Please don’t be offended. I only happened to hear it by chance.”
The other girls visibly flinched.
“Andres?”
That Yustea?”
Several looked shocked.
The rest frowned even more deeply.
“Unbelievable!”
Their expressions practically screamed:
How did someone as awful as her end up in Escarott?
The hostility in their eyes only intensified.
But Ayabel patiently tried to calm them.
“Rumors are only rumors.”
“If they were only rumors, would she have been expelled from her family?”
“Even so, she’s our colleague now. Besides, if she truly came from such a prestigious family, there must be plenty we can learn from her.”
“But think about it. Everyone knows the Second Prince and Yustea Andres are practically enemies. So why would he specifically summon her? He’s obviously mocking her after she hit rock bottom.”
“Perhaps His Highness pitied Miss Yustea because of their past connection and wanted to give her another chance.”
Even that failed to persuade them.
One after another, the girls stood up and stormed out of the room.
Only Ayabel and I remained.
She sighed.
“I’m sorry you had to experience that. I’d really like for us to get along.”
She smiled warmly and held out her hand.
“Let’s be friends.”
“I’d like that.”
I shook her hand.
Being an attendant wasn’t just about staying beside a prince.
Their duties included:
Inspecting places the prince would visit.
Checking on the prince’s condition.
Accompanying him throughout his schedule.
Responding to his requests.
Preparing tea for tea time.
And the attendants of Escarott…
“Servants can do those things just fine.”
“Absolutely not. Why should I have to prepare tea?”
…Absolutely hated doing them.
The maid assisting the attendants wiped away nervous sweat.
“We need you to specify which tea leaves you’d like so we can prepare the tea…”
“Just use the finest tea available.”
The maid looked completely at a loss.
I walked over to her.
“I’ll do it.”
Her face brightened instantly.
The other attendants ignored us completely, focusing only on their appearance.
The maid led me to another room.
The moment I entered, I looked around in amazement.
It appeared to be a room dedicated entirely to preparing tea.
Its size was enormous.
Cabinets filled with tea leaves lined every wall.
Some were so tall they required ladders to reach.
There were even processing tools and fermentation rooms used to maximize flavor and aroma.
Amazing.
It rivaled the Imperial Palace…
No, in terms of tea alone, it actually surpassed the palace.
The palace only served teas bearing the Royal Warrant.
Here, they even stocked teas commonly drunk by ordinary people.
Then maybe…
I quickly climbed the ladder.
The maid looked startled.
“I can get it for you.”
“No. I want to examine the tea leaves myself.”
With sharp eyes, I carefully inspected every container.
Eventually…
I found exactly what I was looking for.
After searching for quite some time, I finally smiled.
“Let’s use this tea today.”
“Um… that tea hasn’t finished processing yet.”
“That’s alright.”
Although she looked worried, the maid didn’t object further.
I devoted myself to preparing the tea.
Simply preparing the leaves took a long time.
Then I carefully selected the perfect tea set.
Watching me, the maid murmured without thinking,
“You’re incredible…”
“Hm?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just… this is the first time I’ve ever seen an attendant prepare tea personally.”
“The others never did?”
The maid smiled awkwardly.
Nobody did.
They must have pushed all the work onto the servants.
“When we prepared the tea, they would only come afterward to hear a brief explanation.”
Because explaining the tea was the opportunity to impress the prince.
Those who didn’t understand tea probably thought preparing it was just bothersome work.
But among palace maids, tea time was considered the most important part of serving one’s master.
Since nobles drank tea at least twice a day, a maid skilled at brewing tea was highly valued.
As I finished arranging the tea utensils on the tray—
Bang.
The door suddenly opened.
The attendants entered.
“If everything’s ready, bring the tray.”
They immediately took the tray I had prepared.
Then one of them warned,
“Don’t even think about showing off in front of Their Highnesses just because you prepared the tea. Explaining it is Ayabel’s responsibility.”
In other words…
Keep your mouth shut and stand quietly in the back.
“I think it would be better if I explained this tea myself.”
The attendants laughed in disbelief.
“Look how arrogant she’s become after relying on Prince Luciano’s favor.”
“I told you we never should have given her a chance to speak.”
Ayabel let out a small sigh.
“I understand why you’d like to explain it since you prepared it. But we already divided our responsibilities before you arrived.”
“…”
“I’m sorry we couldn’t ask your opinion, but please understand.”
“…”
“If you’d become an attendant through the proper process, this situation wouldn’t have happened.”
She was clearly referring to the fact that I’d never taken the examination.
Ayabel looked toward the maid who had helped me.
“What tea was prepared?”
“Moonlight.”
Another attendant immediately scoffed.
“Moonlight? Isn’t that the tea commoners drink?”
The attendants looked appalled.
One of them flared up.
“Replace it with Ceylon immediately—”
“Moonlight is excellent for relieving fatigue.”
Ayabel interrupted calmly.
She looked at me.
“The princes have surely enjoyed enough Ceylon and Darjeeling in the Imperial Palace. Trying a tea beloved by the common people would be refreshing. And since its flowers only bloom in the northern mountains, it’s also a fitting way for Escarott to welcome them.”
When I nodded, Ayabel smiled.
“Don’t worry. I’ll explain the tea properly.”
Then she left with the other attendants.
The maid glanced at me worriedly.
Are you really alright?
It doesn’t matter.
I simply followed behind them.
Today’s tea time wasn’t reserved only for the princes.
The retainers of House Escarott had requested permission to join them.
Before the retainers arrived, Ain sighed.
“Why do they insist on intruding even during our break?”
“It must be the Duchess’s orders.”
“The Duchess?”
“She probably wants us to support her son’s claim as heir.”
Although the Duke’s only son with the Duchess was already over thirty, he still hadn’t been named the official successor.
“The Duchess is relying on the Imperial Family? She must really be getting desperate.”
The Duchess was the late Emperor’s daughter and the younger sister of the current Emperor, Augusto.
She had also been the late Emperor’s most beloved princess.
There had once been a time when her influence within the Imperial Family surpassed everyone else’s.
Ain sighed irritably.
Nothing good has come from visiting Escarott.
The Duchess was being troublesome.
Even after placing tracking devices on Luciano’s subordinates, there wasn’t the slightest sign of the Saintess.
At least Gaspar had been too busy searching from dawn until midnight to bother him.
Just then—
Escarott’s retainers arrived.
“It is an honor to be invited to tea.”
All of them were distinguished retainers serving House Escarott.
Not long after they entered, another knock sounded.
“We’ve brought the tea.”
The attendants entered carrying trays.
The platinum-blonde girl at the front smiled politely.
“Today’s tea is Moonlight.”
“Moonlight?”
One of the retainers frowned, as though asking why such a tea had been chosen.
The platinum-blonde girl answered respectfully.
“It has not received a Royal Warrant, but it is highly effective at relieving fatigue. More importantly, its flowers bloom only after enduring the harsh cold of the northern mountains, making it a perfect symbol of Escarott’s resilient spirit.”
Hearing her explanation, the retainers looked at Ayabel with approving expressions.
