It had been two weeks since I was 'captured' by one Priscilla Barielle, and despite being treated as her part guard, part servant, I had not once been tempted to leave the place.
Again, it wasn't because I was attracted to her romantically, nor bound by an oath of loyalty, but rather, it was another feeling… at least, I think it was.
Either way, after only a week of being at the Barielle manor, Leip Barielle, the lord of the barony, and Priscilla's husband in name only, had left urgently for the capital.
His reason?
Well, with the turmoil concerning the royal family's apparent extinction, the Dragon Stone had decided on the next steps for the nation by handing down an order, and the very keeper of that stone was Leip Barielle.
It was incredibly ironic, considering my past.
I would have never imagined being in such close proximity to that thing again, especially in such a way.
It was almost as if it was fate.
"You seem lost in thought," Priscilla said from my side. "What is on your mind, fool?"
The two of us were once again touring through the town, which had become quite a common occurrence.
After all, there wasn't much to do around here, and if there was one thing I knew about the enigmatic woman known as Priscilla Barielle, it was that she absolutely abhorred the idea of being bored.
"I was just thinking about my past, is all," I answered her.
"Your past… I see," she said, nodding her head. "Tell me about it. It would surely be more riveting than the passing silence."
So she was curious…
But if she wanted to know, I guess I could tell her… although, I wouldn't explain the entire story.
"I… left my home when I was younger with my younger sister due to an… order, you could say," I began to explain. "Things happened, and we ended up living in the slums in the capital together for quite a while. It was only a couple of years ago, when I turned sixteen, that I decided to leave to explore the nation."
"Hmm… so you left your sister behind?" she asked, here eyebrow raised in curiosity. "That is awfully cruel of you."
"I had to," I said, frowning. "But I made sure she was strong enough to fend for herself, and I made sure she was happy. It just… things just happened that way."
She simply hummed in response, urging me to continue.
"After that, I didn't really do much except explore the country," I said. "However, I did have an interesting battle with the Great Rabbit nearly right after I left the capital for the first time."
"The Great Rabbit? That is quite surprising indeed," she said, her tone revealing some actual interest. "I understand you didn't die, but did you defeat it? Or did you simply flee?"
"No. I joined Crusch Karsten, the then heir to the Karsten Duchy, to ward it away from the nearby town," I said.
Thinking about it now, it was only a few months ago that I received the news of Crusch replacing her father and taking the title of 'Duchess' for herself.
It was quite an amazing feat, considering she was not even twenty years old at that point.
"The Valkyrie? Hmm… I have heard of her valour. I would think she would have rewarded you with something if you were so instrumental in such a battle," Priscilla said.
"Well, she did offer me the position as a knight, but… I declined," I said.
"Oho?" she exclaimed in interest. "For what reason?"
For what reason?
"Well… I just didn't think it suited me, is all," I said with a shrug.
"Is that so…" she said. "Well, even if you did not reveal your entire truth, I suppose that was enough information to keep me entertained for the meantime."
And with that, we once again returned to silence as we marched down the road, following the same path as the first day that we had gone out together.
As we eventually passed the outskirts of the city, I found myself locked in place, stunned silent at the sight before me.
"What is it, fool?" Priscilla asked.
"T-The fields… they're… healthy," I said, stunned.
"That is only natural, Selian. Did you forget that I declared it to be so?" she said, matter-of-factly.
"N-No… I didn't…" I muttered.
Still, I was amazed.
Did she actually do something? Or was this some sort of divine luck.
What was once a barren patch of depressed land was now flourishing with stems of young wheat plants, all painting the ground in a picturesque green that was pleasing to the eye.
And it seemed that I wasn't the only one to have noticed.
"Hmm… that explains why the town was so barren. Those commoners must have quite a dull life if such a field is so entertaining," Priscilla stated.
As she had said, many of the townsfolk had gathered at the edge of the dilapidated fence to look at the sight before them, their eyes wide with wonder and hope.
But I didn't blame them.
"It… it seems like with this, we'll finally have a good harvest," one of them said.
"The taxes have already been paid… so we won't have to worry about going hungry in the winter! What fortune!" another added.
"But wait. How is this possible? This field was supposed to be completely drained."
"I know. But wait… don't you remember? That woman…"
"The new wife of the lord?"
"Yeah, she said this field would grow plentiful. Do you think she did something?"
"Ha. Don't be ridiculous. Something like this is on the level of the divine."
Priscilla then snapped her fan closed, gathering the attention of the people's attention.
"Are you insinuating that I myself am not divine? Such a foolish mistake is worthy of retribution," she said, giving them a stern glare.
"P-Priscilla-sama…" one of them said, eyes trembling.
In fact, almost everyone's eyes were trembling.
But not out of fear or anger, like before, but rather out of loyalty and adoration.
Well, it was inevitable.
Not only did it seem like she had somehow graced this land with a bountiful harvest, but she had also been touring the nearby villages, spending money to taste different foods, and even buy some random things that interested her.
Most of them just got thrown away once she was bored with them, but that didn't change the fact that she had given many people enough money to survive the winter, her generosity being a stark contrast to the hateful lord Leip Barielle.
It was completely unexpected, considering the image these people had kept of what a noble was like to commoners.
And then, there was also me, who accompanied her during her travels, and often healed some of the people's injuries with my basic healing magic.
Unfortunately, my skills in that department were quite bad even with my knowledge of human anatomy and biology, but it was enough to heal most injuries if I was given enough time, with many thanks going to my enormous mana pool and strong gate.
Anyway, with all those factors, word about the newest wife of the lord had spread, and with it, Priscilla had become quite admired among the populace.
"How unfortunate. It seems that the view has been tainted with those simpletons," she said, hiding her frown with her fan before turning around. "Let us go, Selian. Seeing that has spoiled my mood."
Ah, but despite the kindness that I knew she had hidden in her heart, as well as the growing love of the people, Priscilla Barielle was still someone like this.
"If you say so, my lady," I said, following behind her with a smile.
And with that, we began walking back into town, with Priscilla deciding to take a different route than normal.
"Why this way, Priscilla-sama?" I asked.
"I simply felt like it," she said.
I shrugged in response.
This part of the town, with the houses looking even more neglected than the main streets, must have been the slums of this place.
And the smell… it was disgusting.
Like a mix of piss and old garbage, it was a stench that made your nose quiver and bile threaten to rise in your stomach, but yet, Priscilla continued onward, although she did have her nose scrunched in displeasure.
I briefly wondered why she wanted to go this way, but I knew better than to ask questions.
As we continued walking, I slowly got used to the sights and smells before Priscilla suddenly came to a stop near a shack.
"Priscilla-sama?" I asked, confused.
Instead of answering, she simply looked down at the ground, and following her gaze, I noticed that there was a small child, no older than ten, sitting down.
With their dirty and strangled pink hair strewn across their face, and their large, dull red eyes staring at the ground, I felt my heart clench in sympathy.
Those tattered clothes… and those sunken cheeks… this child definitely wasn't in good shape.
"Selian," Priscilla said.
I guess she felt sympathetic to this child as well.
"What is it, Priscilla-sama? Do you want to see if I can get them some food?" I asked, crouching down to get a better look at them.
Hmm… at first glance, I thought that this was a girl, but I was pretty sure that this was a boy.
"No," Priscilla said. "Instead, I wish to have him brought to home."
I raised my eyebrow.
From how he was treated right now, I could only assume he was an orphan, and even if he wasn't, his parents either didn't, or weren't able to provide for him, so it wasn't as if it would be a tyrannical kidnapping.
But still…
"Why do wish to do that, Priscilla-sama?" I asked.
"Hmph. It's quite simple," she said, tapping my head with her fan. "While I have you for a guard, I still lack a butler. I believe he would be a fine addition to my retinue."
"I-I see…" I said.
Turning back to the boy, I gently held out my hand, watching as his face looked up at the two of us with confusion and emptiness.
"Did you hear any of that?" I asked.
He slowly nodded his head.
"Then… would you like to come with us?" I asked.
It would be quite troublesome if he said no, so I really hoped he would agree.
It took a bit longer this time, but he eventually nodded again, a little glimmer of life returning to his eyes as he did so.
"Well then… I can tell that you're hungry, so we can get something once we get back to the manor," I said, pulling him to his feet. "Make sure to stay close to…"
My words trailed off as he suddenly slumped against my leg, his eyes closed as he seemingly fell unconscious.
"Hmph. I suppose the sight of mine divine self was simply too much to bear," Priscilla said.
Uh, I think this was more to do with him being tired and hungry rather than that, Priscilla-sama.
"Let us return, Selian," she said, turning around. "I won't be finding anything else of use in the dreary place, so let us leave as soon as possible."
"Understood, Priscilla-sama," I returned, looking down at the boy.
Well… I guess I would need to carry him back.
—
Now back inside the manor, I sat next to the bed that the young boy was laid out on, his body having been cleaned by the maids while he slept, and me having gone over to heal all the infected scars that he had.
And yes, he indeed was a boy, as I had confirmed after changing his clothing.
"Has he awoken yet, Selian?" Priscilla asked from the corner of the room, where she sat reading her book.
"No. But he's healthy now, so-"
I stopped as I noticed the sheets move from my side, and looking over at the boy's face, I watched as his eyes shifted before slowly blinking open.
"W-Wha? Where…"
It seemed that he was confused, just as anyone would be.
"You are at the Barielle estate," I said, leaning over so he could see my face. "Do you remember what happened before you fell asleep?"
"Umm… yes… I think so, mister…" he said, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "I… I feel… so warm and… comfortable. What… what happened to me?"
I felt my lips tug into a smile.
"Well, it wouldn't be good for a butler to look so unkempt, so we cleaned you up and healed all your injuries. I'm glad to see that there doesn't seem to be any lingering pain," I said.
"O-Oh… thank you very much, mister," he said, lightly bowing his head before he then took notice of Priscilla. "A-And you… thank you very much… for saving me…"
Priscilla narrowed her eyes, her lips quirking up in a smirk.
"Hmm… you are indeed cute, just as I thought. Like a gem buried in the dirt, you simply needed some care and polish to bring out your charm," she said, nodding her head. "Indeed, you are fit to be mine butler. Be glad to have been graced with the attention of the divine."
"The divine…" the boy said, his eyes glimmering with admiration.
I… was a bit worried about how this would go, but I guess as long as he was happy.
"Now, I think some introductions are in order," I said. "This is Priscilla Barielle, the wife of the lord of this region, and I am Selian. You could say I am something of a guard…"
"Or a plaything," Priscilla added.
"Or a plaything…" I said with a sigh.
The boy simply looked confused.
Right… let's keep this moving.
"Now, I don't want to keep referring to you as 'boy', so could you tell us your name?" I asked.
His eyebrows then scrunched up in confusion.
"I… don't have one… I think," he said.
"You think… did your parents not give you one?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"I… don't have parents…" he said.
I see. So he is an orphan.
"Still, it would not do for my butler to remain nameless," Priscilla said, tapping her chin with her fan. "Hmm… yes, that certainly works."
Standing up, she then pointed to him with a charming smile.
"From this day forth, your name shall be Schult. You will answer to me, and only me, as my servant. Do you understand?" she said.
He looked at her with wide, sparkling eyes before he gently nodded his head.
"Y-Yes, I am… Schult… your servant," he said. "P-Priscilla… sama?"
He then looked at me, as if seeking confirmation that he had done something good.
I decided to give him a pat on the head in response.
"Hmm… while better, there is still work to do," Priscilla said, snapping her fan closed. "Selian, can I leave his education to you?"
"Uhh, sure, but… why not ask a maid? I'm sure they would be better at those things," I said.
"Ha. While skilled, those maids lack what I seek in a servant. You, on the other hand, are quite interesting," she said, nodding her head with a smile. "Besides, I quite like how you prepare my tea, Selian."
Hmm, well, it just so happened that Priscilla liked it sweet, like me. I don't think I was particularly skilled at such things, though.
"Alright. Then I suppose we'll get started tomorrow, Schult," I said. "Do you want to rest, or for me to show you around the manor? Ah, and I bet you're hungry as well."
His eyes darted to Priscilla and back to me a few times before he answered.
"U-Uhh… the manor… please," he said, his eyes darting toward Priscilla one last time.
Actually, if I followed his gaze, it seemed that he was taking notice of Priscilla's impressive… assets.
Well… I couldn't blame him. Even I was surprised when I first met her, and while young, Schult was still a boy.
But… well, maybe we would need to work on manners as well.
But first, he should get a good meal in him.
Healing magic could only ward off the effects of malnourishment for a small while, after all.
—
A week had passed since Schult had come into the manor, and along with the return of Leip Barielle, he also brought some news from the capital.
"So this 'royal selection' is what will decide the next ruler?" Priscilla said, raising her brow in question.
"Yes… and the order to search for the next priestesses has already been issued, with the Dragon Stone deciding that five candidates will be chosen, with one of them having already been found," Leip said, his teeth gritting in anger. "If only that damned Karsten wasn't there…"
Oh? So was Crusch was a supposed candidate for the throne?
How interesting.
"Selian, what exactly are you thinking about?" Priscilla asked.
"Oh, just about Crusch-san. I think she would be a good ruler, so I suppose it's only natural she was chosen as a candidate," I said.
Priscilla narrowed her eyes in what seemed like… anger.
"Well, stop thinking, fool," she spat.
How harsh, Priscilla-sama…
Leip narrowed his eyes at me before then taking out an object from his pocket.
"This insignia was granted to me by the Council of Sages. It will glow whenever it is held by a candidate, so here," he said, tossing it over to Priscilla.
"Oh? And you expected me to be a candidate?" she asked as the insignia's gem began to glow in her hand. "I suppose that is good foresight on your part, as rare as that is. It is only natural for any nation that wishes good fortune to be ruled by me."
So she was a candidate too… now, why wasn't I surprised by that?
Just like Crusch, I think that she could be a good ruler as well… even if she needed someone to soften her words for her.
Leip simply shook his head, an expression of relief briefly flashing across his face.
Hmm…
"Ha. What an insufferably arrogant woman," he said, shaking his head before he glared at me. "And? What of you, boy? I thought you would be gone by now after being with that woman for so long, yet you're still here… Are you planning to leave now?"
Huh. Now that he said that, before I realized, a month had passed since I had been at Priscilla's side.
To think time would pass so fast… and feel so natural as well.
To be honest, I could easily find myself spending years like this with her.
I… still wasn't sure that I adored her like Fourier had suggested I do when I 'find a woman', but I did find her nice to be around.
In fact… now that I thought about it… if I was forced to leave, even with the prospect of her being a candidate…
I would hate it.
"No, Leip-sama. I would prefer to stay, if Priscilla-sama would permit it," I said, turning to look at her out of the corner of my eye. "In fact… a candidate would need a knight at her side, no? If that's the case, I would like to fill that role, as my combat strength is more than adequate."
Leip's eyes widened, her expression leaking some emotions of unease and frustration.
Now, why would he be frustrated?
Odd…
But that wasn't the reaction I was most interested in.
Looking to the side, I saw that Priscilla was showing a face that I had only ever seen once before, when she first witnessed me training seriously one morning as I attempted to show off my skills.
An expression of surprise.
But as soon as that I took note of it, she covered it up with her fan in an instant.
"Hmph. Really now? Did you not explain to me before that such a title didn't suit you?" she said.
"No, it still doesn't. At least if we're talking about being a knight of the nation. Such a thing still doesn't suit me," I said, shaking my head. "But if it's being your knight, and spending time like we have the last month… I think that would suit me quite well."
Her eyes widened, and while I couldn't see her entire face as it was still veiled behind her fan, it was enough to know that I had shocked her once more despite her regaining her composure.
Usually, from what I knew of her, she would play her surprise off with a snide comment, or perhaps some form of praise at my loyalty, but instead… she simply turned away.
She… looked away… as if conceding to me, something the Priscilla Barielle that I knew would never do.
This… like the 'Princess' thing… was this a teasing opportunity?
It must be, right?
Haha!
How adorable, for her to-
"Bwack-!"
Feeling the sharp pain of her fan smack across my cheek, I looked over to see Priscilla glaring at me with fiery eyes.
"Wipe that idiotic smile off of your face right now, fool," she demanded.
"I-I got it… Priscilla-sama," I said. "But…"
Would… this be pushing my luck?
Perhaps, but I wanted to confirm it anyway.
"But what, fool?" she asked.
"But what is your answer? To me being your knight, that is," I said.
"Hah. Are you such a simpleton that I need to spell it out for you? I assumed you were better than that," she said with a smirk.
So… I guess that was a yes.
How wonderful.
"Now hold on-"
"Excuse me, Priscilla-sama."
Leip's words were cut off as the door opened, revealing Schult, standing as tall as he could in his new butler uniform, with a platter of cookies held between his hands.
"The meeting seemed to be going long, so I brought you snacks! Please enjoy them to your content!" he said, trying to keep his chin up, just as I had taught him.
Well done, Schult.
"Hmm~? Why thank you, Schult. I did find myself having a displeasing taste in my mouth thanks to a certain someone's words," she said, taking a cookie with a smile.
Whether that certain someone was Leip or me, I did not know.
"Wait a moment. Who is that boy!?" Leip shouted, standing up.
"Ah, the taste is back," Priscilla said with a frown.
So it was Leip…
"And do not raise your voice, old man. This is Schult, my newest servant and personal butler," Priscilla said, turning back to him.
"That damn mouth of yours… and what of this butler!? Ignoring the need for my permission, why wasn't I informed about this!?" he shouted, gritting his teeth.
"Why? Because he is my servant. Why would I feel the need to inform you of my retinue?" she said, covering her frown with her fan. "And do heed my words about your volume. It is intensely irritating. Akin to the sound of cutlery scraping across glass."
Leip's eye twitched as he slowly sat back down, his fists clenched together.
"Fine. Then tell me, my dear wife, where exactly did you find that boy?" he asked.
"Hmph. In the streets of this very domain, of course," she said. "Is there an issue with it?"
"A damn commoner… fine, if you wish to play such games, I will tolerate them. Just be sure that he retains a modicum of manners," he spat, obviously angered.
"Hah. I wouldn't concern yourself with what is mine, old man. But if you must know, my knight is already teaching him manners, so there is no need to infect my ears any further," Priscilla said before turning back to the confused and worried Schult. "You can go now, Schult. Prepare a bath for me for when I am finished with this."
"O-Okay… understood, Priscilla-sama!"
And with that, Schult shut the door behind him, leaving the three of us alone once more.
"Tsk. Just one thing after another… and that's not even getting into this mockery of a knight," he said, glaring at me. "You, commoner trash. I do not care if you're skilled with the spear and your magic. A knight, much less one of a candidate for the throne, has certain standards to uphold. Standards that someone of your lineage would never adhere to."
Well, I was actually part of the now former royal family by birth, but I digress.
"And what does that matter? My knight is of my choosing, and no one else's," Priscilla said, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't be ridiculous, woman! While I tolerate that butler, and even this one can stay as a guard or a servant, there are much better candidates for your knight!" he said, slamming his hand against his desk. "I have already created a plan for a tournament to be held in a few weeks' time. With that, you can select the one you wish to serve you amongst them. You like such things, correct?"
"Hah. While I do enjoy the sight of dogs fighting amongst each other, like I have told you before, I have already made my choice," she said, retracting her fan and pressing it against my cheek. "This fool is enough, both in strength and entertainment value, and I do not need another. Even if he has suddenly gotten quite impudent… that can be trained out of him."
…Shit, maybe I shouldn't have teased her.
No… wait, I didn't even tease her! I only thought of doing it!
…My lady was quite scary, huh?
"This is not something that can be argued, woman-"
"Oh, but it can, old man," Priscilla said, interrupting Leip with a smirk. "After all, while I may be living in your lands and under the chain of our marriage, it is not as if I have no autonomy. After all… I am a candidate for the throne, am I not?"
That was certainly one way to put him down, and really, it was extremely satisfying to see.
Priscilla Barielle was not a woman you could control, after all.
"Y-You!" Leip grunted, the veins on his face pulsing in anger.
"Come along now, knight," Priscilla said, moving towards the door. "Ah, and I wish to see the stars tonight. You mentioned having made drawings out of the sky?"
"U-Uh, they're called constellations, but yes…" I said, following behind her.
Mapping the night sky with constellations, just like the night sky of earth was.
It was something that I had ended up doing during the nights when I was bored during my youth, both when I was taking care of Felt in the slums, and when I was travelling the nation.
I suppose it was something I found enjoyable not only because I had an interest in the beauty of the stars, but also the fact that I could always do so, no matter where I was.
Well… as long as it wasn't cloudy, that is.
It made for a quite boring hobby to most people, but it seemed that Priscilla had taken an interest in it after having learned of it.
But Leip…
Looking back, I watched out of the corner of my eye how the man snarled in anger before the door eventually closed behind us.
That man… I don't know why, but he definitely felt suspicious.
I wonder what that was about.