Chapter 85

EP.85 The Strongest Maid (3)

Princess Lyluel.

She blinked blankly.

Lyluel was momentarily flustered. It was rare for her to be flustered. Very rare.

Lyluel was confident in her actions.

When that confidence wavered, Lyluel felt perplexed. Now, Lyluel felt her confidence waver.

‘...This is unexpected.’

Lyluel looked ahead.

In front of her stood a girl in a maid's uniform. She casually flicked her hand as if nothing had happened.

Thud.

Blood splattered from her fingertips. The splattered blood contained pieces of flesh.

Splat.

It was a sacrilege to scatter filth on the floor of the princess's residence. Even if Lyluel herself didn't care, it remained a sacrilege.

“...Hmm.”

The girl frowned at the piece of flesh that fell to the floor. It seemed like a habitual action, but she realized it was wrong a moment later.

Snap.

She flicked her fingers as if annoyed.

Crackle.

Then, the blood and flesh burned and disappeared. The movement was incredibly smooth. It wasn't something she had done just once or twice.

“...”

There was no trace left on the floor of the princess's residence. Lyluel, who had been staring at the floor, slowly opened her mouth.

“...You.”

“Yes.”

“What was that just now?”

The girl answered the question.

She spoke very calmly.

“It's a familiar for surveillance. It floats above the designated person within the range of the drawn circuits.”

“...Above my head?”

“It means the target is you, Princess.”

She took off her blood-stained gloves and put on new ones from the pocket of her apron. From that scene, Lyluel recalled something.

The movements were different.

What she held was different.

However, the sight reminded her of the knights she had seen before.

‘...Just like a knight on the battlefield.’

It was like a knight shaking off the flesh from his sword and sheathing it. Lyluel sensed the scent of the battlefield from the girl in front of her.

Drawn by that scent, Lyluel asked.

“Are there many like that?”

“Usually, one wouldn't hide just one.”

“...The court mages didn't even mention that I had such a thing.”

“One of the two, I guess.”

The girl lowered her arm, which had just changed gloves, and said.

“Either they didn't notice because the circuits were cleverly mixed in, or...”

Lyluel continued her sentence.

“...Or they are all in league with my brother.”

“The royal family's future is indeed bleak, either way.”

“It's a sacrilege, Professor. To speak such words in front of a princess.”

“Indeed.”

The professor shrugged.

“...Hmm.”

A smile spread across Lyluel's lips as she looked at the girl. Her perplexity soon turned into a smile. Lyluel found the girl intriguing.

Is that so.

‘Such’ a person.

“Aha.”

Lyluel finally laughed out loud.

“Quite a catch, indeed.”

She let the laughter flow out of her mouth and looked straight at the girl in front of her.

‘I thought she would be a proper and boring person, being a mage and a professor...’

But this was completely different.

Indeed, it was to her liking. It exceeded her expectations. It was a rare satisfactory introduction.

“Good, Professor.”

Lyluel turned her body to face forward.

“Continue to do so. I find it very pleasing.”

2.

The residence where the First Princess stayed was a bit different from what I had imagined. It was different from the scenery of the royal family I had envisioned.

‘To begin with, the royal family I saw wasn't like that.’

When I became a recognized mage of the royal family, the royal palace I visited... had a slightly more vibrant atmosphere.

A well-maintained garden.

Warm sunlight shining down.

To me, who remembered such a cozy and warm atmosphere, the atmosphere of the residence was unfamiliar.

‘This is more like...’

It felt closer to a mage tower.

Especially, the office.

“...”

I silently turned my gaze.

In the office, Princess Lyluel was reviewing documents. She had been doing so without a break, without even a sigh.

“Take it.”

“Send it.”

“It's not even worth reading. Dispose of it.”

She repeatedly received, passed, or tore up documents from her attendants. The process seemed endless.

‘...Fast.’

I stood beside the princess like a doll, glancing at the documents she processed.

‘It seems somewhat familiar.’

The document processing the princess did was not much different from what I did in the mage tower.

“Go ahead.”

After dismissing all her attendants, the princess took a deep breath. She sipped her cold coffee and reached for a corner of the table.

There was a pile of documents where her fingertips pointed. A pile of documents she had pushed to one side.

‘...Huh?’

I saw a familiar emblem there.

‘...That’s...’

The emblem used by the Knight Commander, Uncle Heinzel. The princess pulled the pile of documents with that emblem to the center of the table.

“A letter from the battlefield.”

The princess seemed to notice my gaze and spoke.

“You seem interested in this letter.”

“...It's a field I'm interested in.”

“Now that I think about it, your brother was a Gray Mage, right? If so, it makes sense.”

“Yes?”

“Weren't you adopted by Lord Roselle? Lord Roselle's first adopted child was the Gray Mage, Sir Raniel... So, isn't your brother Sir Raniel?”

...Is that how it is?

“Yes... I suppose.”

“What? It's a rather subtle reaction.”

The princess tilted her head and then began to check the letters one by one. They mainly reported the situation on the battlefield and the state of the army.

“...Do you handle these as well?”

“Why, are you surprised?”

“Yes, a little.”

“Well, it's actually quite ridiculous for me, who doesn't stand on the battlefield, to handle such matters. In reality, the tasks I handle related to this are not many.”

Basically, it's just writing a few letters.

She muttered and tapped her quill pen a few times on the blank paper to remove the ink.

“I often send letters to the nobles or border lords near the battlefield. Asking for cooperation or food supplies.”

“...Yes?”

“Of course, they would provide support even if I didn't ask. However, by sending a letter... they start to read my intentions.”

“If they start to read your intentions...”

“They send more than they would have. Not just simple food, but more valuable items as well.”

She chuckled.

“The reputation of being a mad dog actually helps in such situations. If they mishandle it, they know I'll bark like a mad dog.”

...Support from the border lords.

I suddenly recalled an old memory. Although eating hard bread was a daily routine, there were times when the knights would cheer.

Support from the nobles.

Luxury items sent from the territories we protected.

Alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and such.

Things that were common in the world but precious on the battlefield. There were days when we would open a bottle of alcohol and watch the rising sun after enduring a tough day.

Though rare.

But rare enough to be memorable.

‘...Could it be.’

I glanced at the princess's back.

She was writing letters to various nobles. Among them, I clearly saw the names of nobles who had sent supplies when I was on the battlefield.

Not all of it was due to the princess's pressure. But some of it must have been.

“...Necessarily.”

I slowly opened my mouth and asked.

“Necessarily, does the princess have to do this?”

Is it necessary to do this even at the cost of her reputation?

Hesitation.

The princess's quill pen stopped.

She put down her quill and slowly turned to look at me. Then, she tilted her head and asked.

“Why not?”

She asked me back.

“Why do you think it's not necessary?”

She said.

“Before I am a member of the royal family, I am a citizen of this country. And every citizen of this country owes a debt to the knights on the battlefield. You, me, my brother, all of us.”

“...”

“Because they hold the line on the battlefield, this country stands firm. I respect them. Those who sacrifice their lives for the country and humanity deserve respect.”

As if stating the obvious.

“If we enjoy a peaceful life thanks to their sacrifices, we should not forget to respect them. I dislike just talking about it. If there's something I can do, I should do it.”

She pointed at the letters with a snap.

“As I said, there's not much I can do for such knights. At most, I can send such letters...”

She spat out the rest of her words.

“...Or ensure that the country they risk their lives to protect doesn't crumble from within.”

“...”

Is that so.

“Yes.”

That was your purpose.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the princess.

As I mentioned before, I often met people of the same type as the princess. On the battlefield.

Sword Master Kuntel was like that.

Knight Commander Heinzel was like that.

They dedicate their lives to a single purpose. They stake everything on it. All their actions are designed for that one purpose.

‘Even at the cost of their dignity.’

Living for a single purpose.

Sword Master Kuntel spent his life honing his sword skills to avenge the death of his family by the Death Sword Ganikart.

Knight Commander Heinzel stands on the battlefield, dedicating everything to protect humanity.

‘And the First Princess Lyluel...’

I felt like I was seeing a clue.

It might be a mere guess, but I felt like I understood the person in front of me a little better.

“...What kind of look is that, Professor?”

I looked at the princess, who asked me.

After looking at her, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I'm going to work.”

“...Aren't you already working?”

“I need to clear the outside first.”

I pointed to the corridor of the residence.

“I'll be back soon.”

* * *

As Raniel stepped out of the office, she flicked her fingers. The stored spell activated.

Silence.

Stealth.