Walter left me in the room after telling me his words of farewell that clearly sounded like a death flag.
Although I understand that there might be lots of things I need to do here and that having two higher-ups of this country that is still developing going on the same trip at the same time is dangerous, isn't it unreasonable for him to be always leaving me here every time he sets off?
I leaned at the desk and felt it on my cheeks.
"This desk is warm, ahh... that idiot left me again without even consulting me."
Why the hell is he so on the edge like that? Why won't he talk about it with me?
We could have prepared a bit, but he immediately gathered the men without any preparations. He isn't acting himself, as if he's restraining himself.
"Will he really be alright? Trying to act cool like that... "
Unable to bear it anymore I decided to stalk, no — watch over him
"Just in case, I'll keep watch of him. As payback for leaving me here again, plus something is bugging me, something feels odd about him today"
I left my desk and went to my room and donned a red robe I often use when going out, usually, when I dress up my personal maid Lizzy would do it for me, it is a custom for noblewoman like me, and even if it's somehow uncomfortable, I know I had to submit to it or else they would begin to notice the change in my attitude, my demon mother has been suspicious of me when I slip out of my ladylike manner.
The reason for not calling on Lizzy today is because, I don't want her to notice that I've escaped.
I dangled a sign at the doorknob that I would be resting and no one should enter.
I put my hands on my hips and stared at the mirror appreciating my hair and my average noblewoman look that suits any dress or robe that I wear.
"Okay, this should do it!"
In my old world I would have taken time to dress up, beauty is power after all.
Next, I opened the case under the wardrobe, this is something I secretly bought from the weapons shop when Walter was on his political trip. Knowing that they are setting off towards battle, and I would be watching over him for a bit, I decided to at least bring a weapon with me.
Of course, I used my own allowance for this, which was the reason that on the next days after I bought it, I chose to stay at the mansion because I don't have the money to go shopping and try out new food in this world, which I always do on my breaks with Lizzy accompanying me.
The man who sold me this had a surprised look on his face, I wore the same red robe and only showed my face when I bought it.
Recognizing that it was the fiance of the prince and the daughter of the duke, he gave me a huge discount and gave me a good suggestion for a good bow for ladies.
Judging by the quality the bow looked like a fine work of art, plus the color of it is burgundy.
Luckily, in the old world, I took up an archery and rifle shooting course with mom, with a startup company that wanted to brag their facilities and products.
That became the trigger for me learning archery on that facility until I graduated high-school, and when I first came to this world, knowing that I might have to fight, I practiced secretly in order to regain my senses.
Oh, how I miss mom. I wonder if she's okay knowing that I have died? I hope she stopped dieting and just ate what she wants.
Suddenly, I felt my heart hurt for a second imagining my parents crying in front of my grave.
But I know that my mother is a strong woman, I'm sure she will get over it someday.
"Okay, time to go!"
At the same time, I heard the door with Walter going out of the mansion, after arguing with Gavin on using the sword that was used as a decoration, I was also done tying up my blankets together to make it a rope in order for me to rappel down the mansion, and as my room is just on the second floor it wasn't scary at all.
I couldn't afford to be discovered sneaking out or the maids will be noisy and Lizzy might snitch on me, and I might get scolded by my demon mother in this new life. To be honest, I don't want any more of those lectures that take an hour to finish.
Just as I when I was able to get down, I immediately hid at the back of the bushes. Just on timing when Walter rode his white horse Kelpie with the old man Gavin, disappeared from the mansion.
I then went to the stables bringing my bow with me and followed him with my grey horse, Nessie, and rode at least a kilometer distance away from them as long as I am able to see them.
I didn't take the paths they would take, I went to the paths where I could see them from a distance and that would mean, the hills or the cliffs, its a dangerous path but I enjoyed climbing them its been a while since I went out.
Why do I know these paths? Because unlike that idiot Walter who only took trips on a carriage, when he away I would explore as long as I have my allowance — ahh I feel like a high-school student again.
Next time Walter pisses, me off I'm really gonna sell those strange-looking furniture at his room. I bet those will fetch a high price with the nobles. And why is he even keeping those monstrosities? How is he able to sleep in a non-minimal room?
As they passed the woods I already climbed a cliff where I could see them kilometers to the farms I can see far from them as I was on top of the cliff.
Well… nothing bad happened after all.
As I decide to turn back I suddenly notice something odd in the fields they were approaching.
There was a large unnatural movement in the fields that was odd as there was no wind, indicating that something was hiding under hiding it.
"It must be the goblins… but--"
When I looked closer the fields expanded so far and all of them were rustling.
This is bad.
I have to inform them!
"Walter! Don't go there! Retreat!"
I shouted.
"Walter!"
Strange... why is my voice not reaching them from here? Maybe I'm so far?
Using another path to see him go to battle, it only leads back to the town, also it would be impossible to go down the middle way because it is steep and dangerous for me and my horse Nessie.
In other words if I go down I would reach the town first. I won't be able to catch up to them.
Tsk.
There's no choice!
I slid down towards where I tied Nessie and rode immediately headed to the nearest town.
Please make it!
I saw one of the former rats that Walter hired waiting at the entrance as a temporary guard, as I rode he went pointed his ax on me, but when I immediately took off my hood he was surprised and immediately bowed to me.
"Boss'z wife, what's the matter? I almost thought of you as an intruder!"
Is he the only guard?
Unlike knights they are the type of people who lived in the underground for a long time, that their interaction with nobles doesn't make sense that much, but calling Walter boss already means something, they respect him and the people around him like me.
He is a strong-looking man in his 30's and was able to wear clean clothes thanks to Walters' funding and knight Wymer who is assigned to use this money to help them be able to make a living and provided them good housing.
The first deal Walter made with them was when arresting Zack's knight in exchange for money and loyalty to him, at the same time Walter also turned over the empty district to them on a condition that they will be the ones to renovate the houses with the jobs they will be able to find.
Walter believed that once they have a clear goal, with the guts that they learned in the underground they would be unstoppable when they move away from the darkness. Thanks to Walter's policies the lives of these people have been brighter than ever.
And now, it's time to test that loyalty.
"Can you spread the news immediately? I want your friends to help"
"Really?! Okay no worries! Boss'z wife is also our Boss'z! Now what news shall we spread?"
"Have all able-bodied men and women and tell them to equip any weapon, a bow, and a sword. To gather at the gate immediately"
"That's rather sudden Boss'z, did something happen? Calm down, even in the underground panicking causes you to die immediately"
"I am calm…"
I inhaled and gave my order strongly to show my seriousness and urgency.
"Again, tell all women and men who can wield a weapon this:
𝐴 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 ��𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑜𝑓𝑓 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑢𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒, 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠.
𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ. 𝑅𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦'𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛.
𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑢𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
𝑆𝑜 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦.
𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠?
𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠?
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑔𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡!
Then go! hurry up! We have no time!"