Chapter 219
It was evening on the day Leticia was kidnapped.
After finishing her shopping, Mia had changed into a maid's uniform.
"I would have preferred something a little easier to move around in, desu wa..."
"Even so, it was designed to be easy to move in."
"Well, there's no point complaining, desu wa. I'll do my best in this, desu wa."
"Yes, do your best. And learn how to speak properly while you're at it."
"The way I speak...?"
I sighed at Mia's expression, which showed that she had no idea what I meant.
She apparently still believed that the way she spoke was how a proper lady spoke.
"Fine doesn't speak the way you do."
"That can't be true, desu wa! Surely it's the 'desu wa' way of speaking, desu wa!"
"How complicated... Well, you'll see for yourself."
When I said that, Mia muttered that she was looking forward to it, desu wa.
I hoped she wouldn't be too shocked, but she seemed to trust her grandfather quite a lot.
Thinking that, I opened the door to my room.
Fine was waiting inside.
"Welcome home, Al-sama."
"Yes, I'm home."
"Aaaaaaaah...!! She's the real thing, desu wa! She's too beautiful—she's practically divine, desu wa!? She's so dazzling I can't look directly at her, desu wa!"
"I should point out that, in terms of rank, I'm actually above you."
"The prince is, well, he doesn't have much presence, so—ah!? It hurts, desu wa! Don't pull my ear, desu wa!"
She seemed to be making fun of me, so I pulled Mia's ear.
She would be staying in the castle as a maid from now on. I had to drill the hierarchy into her.
"Remember this. You're a maid now, so even if you have to lie, say what the other person wants to hear."
"Y-Yes, I understand, desu wa... You are tall, desu wa."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"You are somewhat taller than me, desu wa! That isn't a lie, desu wa!"
When I tried to pull her ear again, Mia nimbly moved out of reach.
Mia and I were nearly the same height. Hearing her call me tall could only sound like sarcasm.
Honestly, anyone would realize at once that she wasn't an ordinary maid.
As I thought that, Fine began to giggle behind me.
"Is it really that funny?"
"Yes, very. My name is Fine von Kleinert. If you don't mind, may I ask your name?"
"...And?"
"And?"
"It's not 'desu wa'!!!!????"
Mia was so shocked that she seemed to be in a daze, as though her soul might leave her body.
Ah, as I thought, she was shocked.
After all, the thing she had believed in had just crumbled.
"D-Did I do something to offend you...?!!"
"No. She just realized she had been mistaken."
"Misunderstood?"
"Apparently your grandfather taught you that a proper lady speaks by adding 'desu wa' to everything."
"Desu wa...? I don't use it."
"Gaaah...!"
That follow-up blow made Mia collapse on the spot.
Then she muttered, utterly crestfallen,
"Y-You said it was how a true lady spoke... Grandpa, you liar—desu wa!"
"Well, everyone has misconceptions. Take this opportunity to correct yours."
"Huh? You're going to correct me? I thought it was a very cute way to speak... What a shame."
"Cute? Isn't it hard to listen to?"
"Really? It doesn't bother me."
Saying that, Fine smiled brightly.
She wasn't trying to humor Mia. She genuinely seemed to feel that way.
That was Fine for you.
Hearing Fine's words, Mia stood up.
She went over to Fine, knelt down, and took Fine's hand.
"My name is Mia! I'll follow you for the rest of my life, Fine-sama!"
"A lifetime is a little excessive, but I look forward to working with you, Mia-san."
"Yes! I will protect you without fail with my bow, desu wa!"
That bow and her martial prowess had supposedly been offered up to me, but apparently the object of her loyalty had changed in a very short time.
Well, she would be staying by Fine's side anyway, so I supposed it was fine.
As long as she did her job, I didn't care where her loyalty lay.
"So, from today onward, Mia is your bodyguard, Fine."
"Yes. Thank you. But what about guarding Al-sama?"
"I'll think of something. For now, I need to make sure you're safe. Mia, stay as close to Fine as possible. In the worst case, there may still be a dark elf left in the castle."
Admittedly, the odds were low.
The dark elves were a race that had participated in the Great War against the Demon King five hundred years ago. Their kind could not reproduce. In other words, the ones alive today were survivors from that era, and their danger had made them wanted by every nation and the Adventurers Guilds alike.
In other words, their numbers were small. The number deployed this time could be considered quite large for dark elves. Besides, it was hard to imagine they had also managed to plant someone inside the castle.
But we still had to remain vigilant. After all, we had already been outsmarted once.
"Understood, desu wa!"
"Fine, make good use of Mia."
"What do you mean!?"
"Exactly what I said. This time, we can't just blow things up from a distance. We need brains."
"I'm not very confident in that area myself..."
Fine drooped, her whole body seeming to shrink a little.
Compared with someone like Sebas or Linfia, she left much to be desired, but that also meant the enemy would be less wary.
That was what mattered right now.
"I'll make up for that somehow."
Just as I said that, someone knocked on the door.
When I answered, the door opened.
Alois stood there.
"Prince Arnold. I heard you had summoned me, so I have come."
"Yes. Sorry to call you over, Alois."
Alois had remained in the castle the entire time, studying under various people.
Apparently, his efforts were paying off. One of the Imperial Guard knights had praised Alois's swordsmanship, saying it was remarkably calm for a child.
"Excuse me. It has been a while, Fine-sama. And..."
"My name is Mia, desu wa. It is an honor to meet Gels's hero, who drove back ten thousand Imperial soldiers, desu wa."
"Please, don't say that. I didn't do anything. However, I am trying to live up to that reputation... Is this an opportunity to put those efforts to use, Prince Arnold?"
"Something like that. Unfortunately, there are few people I can trust. The castle is practically a demon realm right now. I have no idea who has allied with whom behind the scenes. There are people I can predict, but there must also be enemies among those I cannot predict."
"Enemies...? Do you mean enemies in the struggle for the throne?"
Alois asked as though seeking confirmation.
Alois wasn't stupid. He must have understood already. But he wanted to hear it from my own mouth and make certain.
"No. The Empire's enemies. Once the Saint was kidnapped, it was easy to predict that there was a traitor inside the castle. Unfortunately, we still haven't identified them completely, and we have no proof. We'll probably be forced to react instead of taking the initiative."
"So we're preparing for that?"
"Yes. Among the people I can mobilize, the only ones I can trust completely are those here. Naturally, there are trustworthy people outside the castle and among those I cannot mobilize myself, but the only people who can prepare in advance are the ones in this room."
Leo's retainers could probably be trusted in that sense, but I wasn't sure they would obey me completely. Leo was their leader, and many of them disliked me.
That left me with no choice but to rely on personal trust.
"It is an honor. Your trust in me will surely become a source of pride for my House of Gimmel."
"Don't take that as your greatest pride. You'll seize a much greater source of pride someday. To make that possible, we cannot allow the Empire to be destabilized. Father has the chancellor at his side, and the Empire has many capable officials. But there will be places even they cannot reach."
We needed people who could act relatively freely, unbound by their positions.
Since no one occupied such a position, I had no choice but to do it myself.
"Well, in the end, this just means doing what we always do."
"Indeed. We'll do what Al-sama always does, together with everyone here. Is that right?"
"That's right. I'm afraid I'll be putting you to work. We're short-handed."
When I said that, Fine and Alois nodded at the same time.
Mia alone tilted her head in confusion.
"Um... What exactly is this 'thing you always do,' desu wa?"
I gave a wry smile at Mia's question.
It was only natural that Mia didn't understand. She had seen what I did, but I had never explained it to her.
So I grinned and told her,
"――Working in the shadows."
Mia's expression showed that she understood.
The festival's final day was tomorrow. If we were going to make a move, should it be then? Or when the important figures were leaving?
Whatever the timing, I would stop them from behind the scenes.
Don't think you can betray your country and do as you please.
I would make sure they paid the price.
With that resolve, I began discussing what we would do next.