Servant's POV
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As the servant of the Duke. We are tasked to protect and serve our lord with our best.
That includes the command they give us.
Giving us some is an honor since they are directly given by the lord.
And now, as I am a servant of Duke Amaria. I was asked to escort and stay with the visitors until they're done.
It seems they will be having a brief search inside the palace, and so we were given this task by the Duke himself.
Only four of us were given orders, but when he did, happiness filled the eyes and face of my colleagues.
It truly is an honor.
And so, four of us, are currently following the visitors who will do the searching.
One of them is a high ranking noble, Earl Sergius.
Why do I know that?
Easy, it's because of his crest right at his chest hanging from his neck.
It is said that every official nobles in position carry such fine accessory to uphold their status.
By looking at it, you can truly see the majesty befitting of a nobleman. I wonder if milord has one?
The visitors will start searching in the dungeon.
The nobleman demand to search there first and, although somewhat oppose, his lord, Amaria, can only sigh and told us off. Because of that, we are currently walking down the stairs leading to the lowest part of the palace.
It is where most big time criminals were brought.
Why do I know that?
Because I'm once a guard of the former Duke. I became a soldier after that, but after we lose, we were forced to retreat and, I hate to admit it, I deserted.
I kept my secrets from his lord, but seeing the "I don't care" face of his whenever we met is somewhat reassuring.
"We'll be searching every room here, you can go now."
I stop my walk when I heard the suggestion of the visitor.
It's the Earl.
He had a grumpy look on his face as he look at us. With his face, he looks like a warlord whose trying to intimidate us.
However, we were tasked to "escort" and "stay" with them. So unfortunately, we cannot agree to that.
"I apologize if this is rude, your excellency, but we were given order to stay."
I respectfully bow in front of him as I decline his somewhat suspicious motive.
When I raise my head, the Earl, who had an angry face on him, have gone worse. He now have a red face, ready to burst anytime soon.
And so we, the servants, step aside for a little bit to avoid any further conflicts. However, order is still an order, and even if it risk our lives, we will not comply to them.
"It's fine, Earl Sergius. They are simply doing their job. Don't let it get to your head."
Thankfully, a somewhat timid guy, spoke to a coming spark. I feel a little bit of relief as I see the small change on the Earl's face.
It seems his lord surely anger this man.
Is all of us think as we stare at the nearing rage of a man in front of us.
"You're right, that fool simply knows no bound. I will be sure that if I find anything here. I will personally hand him over His Majesty."
"Yes yes, now let's start!"
Now that the atmosphere have gone better. The four us stand aside as we check the every room.
After that, the visitors have gone inside the cells located at the far front of the hallway.
We didn't mind any of that for a bit and just observe them as they do their job.
"Instead of just standing there, why don't you help us?"
Again, the Earl have given his suggestion for another time. And of course, it is also unfortunate that we can't.
"I am very sorry, but we can't"
A somewhat rude remark left my mouth.
But it seems the Earl didn't notice it and just mutter his complaint while checking every bit of one of the cells.
As they search, the four of us can't help but let out a gasp as we look at them. They simply don't even know how to search, instead, they look more like kids messing around.
The Earl searching through the bookshelves without touching it. The others looking turning the bed upside down. The timid guy simply observe them.
They will never found something in here if there is if they search like that. Can't they just look for some clue instead of searching randomly?
That's pretty common even when I'm a guard.
It is when the Duke's second daughter gone missing. We were given orders to find her no matter what, and we can't go back until she was found.
I remember it took us almost half a day just to find her outside the palace playing with the commoners. Because of that, we then given orders to find the place she used to escape and to our surprise, less than even an hour, we found it right at the back of an empty room near the palace's wall.
And it is thanks to me that we found it. But the clues are too easy that even someone playing can found it coincidentally.
And yeah, it's too easy when you find the clue first!
So, if I can just hold my forehead in front of them. I would've done so long ago!
And the same expression can be seen from my colleagues' face!
It took them almost entire hour just in that room. The room isn't that big, but you can't also call it small since 10 dungeon cell can fit inside it.
So it is somewhat reasonable for them to take an hour just to finish all of it.
But unfortunately, they didn't find it.
And so, we move on to our next destination. The one beside the dungeon cells.
The library.
Yes, a library, in the dungeon.
But it's pretty different from common one you see.
This one hides the interesting one they can find inside the territory, yes, including magic formulas!
But of course, since they are investigators directly ordered by his majesty, even without the permission of the Duke, they can enter it whenever they want.
But of course, they need permission if they will borrow something. Because if they don't, a complain will be given upon to the king and will surely bring disgrace to them for not respecting the privacy of his subject.
There's two guard sitting side by side, sandwiching the door. From the look of it, they seem to have been talking out of bored but when they saw us walking towards them, they immediately made a respectful greeting gesture especially when they see the crest of the Earl.
They tremble a little bit as they saw him and open the door without asking or even a hint of suspicion inside their eyes.
They're really afraid of them, huh?
And so, we entered the library without any intervention.
After that, the party take their time again searching randomly books after books as we hang out head from disappointment.
However, it is then. It is when I notice a suspicious gesture from the timid guy.
As I saw that, I look to the other which seem to have understand the instruction.
He then took our a crest.
And so it was. The crest of the Duke of Amaria.
It didn't take too long for all of us to notice it. So before I could even give orders to my colleague. One of us suddenly shout.
"Hey, you! What are you doing?!"
But the timid guy, without any kind of expectation from us, suddenly laugh.
"hahaha, you should've just quietly observe."
And before we could even notice, the one who shouted, drop off.
Given by the order of the Duke himself, I knew that even if it cost my life, I need to get rid of them.