"I'm planning to arrange a temporary residence for Miss Epheria within the Special Task Squad's headquarters."
I was having a brunch with Captain Julius while thinking about whether I should return to the mansion right away or play some more, when suddenly Ortzen came in and said that. Temporary residence?
"Is it necessary? I think I could just stay in Captain Jullius' room."
"Miss will stay at the temporary residence until the engagement ceremony. In short, I want you to get out from the Count's mansion."
"You want me to leave the mansion?"
Why does he suddenly urge me to run away from home? I fed some roasted ham and mashed potato into Captain Jullius' mouth then asked Ortzen,
"Didn't you ask me to spy on Epheria household?"
"The situation has changed… If you're already full, just leave it! Don't feed it to the Captain!"
"I feed him because he want to eat it! Anyway, what happened to the sudden change in situation?"
"Both of you were overly affectionate at the banquet yesterday and someone saw it."
Wasn't that the purpose? I stabbed one third of the remaining salmon with my fork and looked at Ortzen who was standing across the dining table.
"You even praised us for did it well."
"I'm not blaming you. It's just that you over did it a little. When the two of you got intimate in the balcony, the young lady of Marquis Ianne's household saw it."
Got intimate? We just ate some desserts in the balcony… Ah, was she talking about 'that'?
"She saw us when I was stroking Captain Jullius' head, didn't she? At that time someone did came to the balcony."
"Most likely that was the case. The rumour has it that Miss Epheria is getting engaged to Captain Jullius out of love, but even so the Count and Countess Epheria won't immediately believe it. Actually, they might probably think that this engagement is a camouflage for other hidden plans. But, after the young lady of Marquis Ianne's household ran her mouth by making up some unnecessary gossips here and there, the possibility of this fake engagement turns for real has also increased."
"Then, isn't that a good thing?"
Wouldn't it be better if everyone believe it as a real deal though?
"Well, it's indeed an advantageous situation for 'us', but that's probably not the case for you. It might put you in a threatening situation. All this time, the Count's family won't be able to avoid any suspicions if Miss Silla -as the true sole heir and the rightful descendant of Epheria family- suddenly died, so they've been very careful with their moves by not crossing the line that could endanger them. But the situation now is different. The threat of Captain Jullius might take over the Epheria family is way bigger, rather than getting themselves fall under suspicions."
"Is it that easy to acclaim the Count's family just by getting engaged to me?"
"It's hard to say if you're only being tied in an engagement, but on the other hand, it's easier to be done when you're married. That's why your situation is getting more dangerous for you. Initially the Count and the Countess might thought that Miss didn't have any thoughts on marriage. But it's a different matter if Miss really falls in love with Captain."
"I don't fall for him…"
I muttered under my breath while glancing at Captain Jullius who was skillfuly using his fork to poke the slippery pickled beans. Although he's indeed very skillful, but when will he be able to finish them if he just pokes them one by one?
"Use the spoon. Here, use this."
"… Don't fool around and listen to me!"
"Alright, I know. I'm listening."
This time I'm really listening to what Ortzen's going to say.
"Moreover Miss has stayed overnight in Special Task Squad's headquarters. If you return now, they'll never miss this chance to deal with you. It's possible that you won't be able to get out when you return there. That being said, they might at least either put you under confinement or try to kill you."
"Well, it's nothing new."
I had been kidnapped twice. I smiled while waving my fork in front of my face.
"The knights of Epheria family won't be able to restrain me. Isn't that right, Captain Jullius?"
"Their abilities are indeed low."
"Besides, most drugs won't have any effects on me and worry not, I'll set up some traps when I sleep. That's why you don't need to worry about me. It will be more advantageous for you if I stay inside the Count's mansion, don't you agree?"
Ortzen averted his eyes from my gaze.
"Actually, there isn't much information you could get even if you stay longer in that mansion…"
"You're the one who asked me to spy on them!"
"At that time, I didn't know that Miss is like this!"
… what's wrong with me? Even if I'm like this, many people had called me a genius backthen. It's just that I'm a genius in another field.
"Besides, it's also possible that the Count might try to look for some reinforcements from the outside to deal with you."
"Reinforcements?"
"Yes. Actually, it'll be strange if we think that there isn't any mastermind behind the accident. Don't you think so? It's unlikely for a mere Count from the countryside to act alone in the assasination attempt of the Crown Prince without any powerful backer helping him in the dark."
"I-I also thought that it's somewhat suspicious."
I thought, at least the Countess' maiden family was somehow involved in this matter. But judging from Ortzen's way of speak, seems like the hidden enemy is someone from upper echelons. Hmm, is this a much more complicated and big conspiracy than I thought it was? The things related to the assasination attempt of the Crown Prince can't be that simple, right?
"Luckily, Miss didn't show much of your skills but the Count and Countess must have known by now about how Miss succeeded in hijacking horse-carriage. There're many witnesses who saw Miss sat besides the coachman heading to the Special Task Squad's headquarters at that night."
"… Then they also probably knew that I assaulted Viscount Schwart."
"We've taken care of it."
Huh? When was it? … Could it be Ortzen was the one who killed Viscount Schwart? If I think again about his past, it's possible that he did it.
"Based on what you just said, then the Countess must have known about the fact that any drugs won't have any effects on you. Is that right?"
"Uhh, yes."
I didn't say anything but how did he know? Did he read my minds?
"So they might have guessed that you're not an ordinary noble lady. In addition, they also know that you're under the Special Task Squad protection. In other words, the current military power of Count Epheria is likely to be different from before."
Well, I roughly understand most of it. All the deputies in the world are the same. They think about complicated things that could make people's heads hurt. I nodded my head and looked at Ortzen.
"Anyway, because it's dangerous, you want me to just stay quietly inside the Special Task Squad?"
"Yes."
That's not a bad news for me…
"Can't you let me return just for once?"
In respond to my words, Ortzen slightly frowned.
"Honestly, what have you heard all this time? That one time might actually lead into accidents."
But I have to bring Sofia out of that mansion, and I also have to take some jewelries that I've been hiding in secret. Besides, for me to leave just like that, made me felt like I was running away. It's as if there's a thorn stucked inside my throat. At the very least, I wish to directly confront the Count and ask him about the reason behind all the things he had done. The Countess is Silla's stepmother so let's assume that all her evil doings are within expectations, but the Count is Silla's birth father! I want to meet him and grab him by his neck but I have a premonition that Ortzen still won't let me leave.
"I've some unfinished business there. If you're worried about my safety, then have Captain Jullius accompany me back."
"The Captain can't go with you. Because of the trespassing incident last time, the Count has made a request to ban any Special Task Squad's knights from coming near to the Count's mansion. Although the request hasn't been approved yet, things will still get messier if Captain is seen loitering around near the mansion."
"It shouldn't be that hard to come along in secret, right?"
"You haven't get engaged for real yet, so don't think about exploiting him as you please. I'll reconsider it if Miss write a memorandum stated that you'll marry the Captain."
"Tsk."
He's too much. But still, I can't step back just like that without doing anything when I had already acquired Silla's body. And also, my money is still there. Besides, I don't know when the Count's family will be ruined and by that time all the properties will be confiscated, so at least I have to take a few valuable items with me to continue on living. The blue diamond necklace I received yesterday are indeed expensive but I can't sell it because it's a memento. I pretended not listening to Ortzen's long explaination and arrogantly raised my chin up.
"It won't be long. I'll just stop by for a while. If I sense any danger, then I'll escape right away. As long as Captain Jullius waits for me within the nearby area, then I can reach out for him. It's also good to have some archers on stand by. I can endure any shoots as long as I'm not being hit by ballista."
Without wearing any shield and armors, I can withstand arrow wounds by strenghtening some parts of my body for a while. Well, even though the downside is afterwards I'll definitely lay on my bed for couple of days because of sequelae. If it's possible, I would like to bring one buckler. I can also wear a padded leather armor and a robe… uh, doing so will only make me feel like dying in this kind of hot weather. Because of my stubbornness, Ortzen finally surrendered.
"…, will it really be okay?"
"I told you it's going to be okay."
"I didn't ask you, Miss. I was asking the Captain."
After hearing Ortzen's question, Captain Jullius who was staring at us after he has finished his meal, tilted his head.
"… I don't know the details, but she will easily escape from the Count's knights pursuit."
"What if we add another two knights whose abilities similar to that of official knights?"
"It's still an easy escape even if you add another few."
Ortzen seemed a bit uncomfortable after hearing Captain Jullius' replies.
"Turns out Captain thinks highly of Miss Epheria."
"Miss Epheria seems to have trained using various types of weapons and her habit when she rode a horse is almost the same as if she rode a military horse. Based on the order of how she chose her weapons, I think she's well-versed in using sword and shield."
W-wait a minute! Before I could think of any convincing reasons, Ortzen's suspicious glares felt like piercing my cheeks.
"…, Miss Epheria?"
"'T-that's why! That's how it is! There's nothing strange about it! I've told you before that I learned it from Sir Roel!"
"Sword and shield are obviously considered as basic weapons for Holy Knights, but…"
"That's right! That's why I learned it!"
Damn! I didn't realize Captain Jullius has a keen observational skills. I was also at fault for being reckless. It's truly… old habits die hard.
"After listening to what Captain Jullius has said, it has become your habit when you got the weapons in orderly manner. It seems like you've been taught for a long time as a disciple, and not just for awhile."
"Well, I'll join the Holy Knight Squad anyway, so there's not much difference."
"It's not like I can ask a dead person, I'll let it slide for the time being."
For the time being? He's really hard to deal with. Right at that moment, the kitchen door opened and Sana appeared while holding a tray in her hands. Oh! It's the same pudding as before! She walked closer one step at a time, then put a cup of pudding in front of Captain Jullius and put another one in front of me too. Although I'm happy to get a pudding, I'm still a bit worried about what happened last night.
"Uhh, Miss Sana. Is rat number 3 from yesterday alright?"
Miss Sana replied with a fresh smile.
"Sana is my older sister and I'm Ira."
Huh? I think I've never heard her name before.
"Are you twins?"
"Yes. Actually I'm more of patissier, but my sister also forced me to cook so we're both the head chefs."
"Then, where's Miss Sana?"
"My sister should be in the middle of making rat number 4 by now~"
Rat number 4…
"It's not a real rat, is it?"
In responds to my words, Miss Ira laughed out loud while waving her hands.
"Of course it's not. How could we let a rat stray in the kitchen? It's kind of an alarm to alert any intruders."
Ohh, so it's an alarm. That being said, I can't sneak into Special Task Squad's kitchen. That's too bad.
After we've finished eating our puddings, Ortzen beckoned to me and called me out separately.
"I allow you return to the Count's mansion just for once. And please do keep this one thing in your mind."
"What is it?"
"No matter what happens, you must run away and keep yourself safe."
"Of course I'll try to do so."
"Just trying isn't enough."
Ortzen continued to speak for quite while in a strict tone.
"Promise that you'll definitely run away no matter what!"
"I've already said I'll do as you say. Why would I engaged in an unnecessary fight?"
"Even if some unexpected situation occurs?"
"Alright. Even if the Goddess suddenly descends and asks me to stop, I'll keep running away."
This statement of mine is already equal to a vow. After I said so, Ortzen just sighed.
"Honestly, it's best not to go, but I only give the permission just because the Captain is confidence in your abilities. Make sure to return before the sunset."
What is this? Ortzen is many times noisier than my own deputy. After I've reassured him for another couple times, finally I can get away from him.