Chapter 9: If a pursuer comes
「But, if enough carriages pa.s.ses through here to leave wheel tracks, the highway must be hard to get through, I wonder if the thundergra.s.s are increasing?」
To the Reggie who says this while looking out the window, Alan agrees.
「Maybe so, the person who rules this territory is Viscount Bertrand, are there not any countermeasure taken?」
「If n.o.bles don’t pa.s.s through here often, it probably will not get clean up easily?」
「In other words, it will be hard for us to talk with them about it」
「No mistake」
I see. The thiundergra.s.s are purposely not being subjugated.
While listening to the conversation of the two which smelled of politics, I was sitting beside Reggie.
When the unexpected situation occurred, it was judged that I would fall again if I was placed into the wagon, so it was unanimously decided by everyone including the escort guards, that I would be placed into the carriage of the young master Alan.
……Anyhow, I quietly got onto the carriage, I am sorry for the trouble caused.
I am mercilessly depressed and eventually I am interested in the scenery outside the window.
The landscape seen from the bird’s-eye view of the game screen and the background animation is actually now reality before my eyes.
I was told that it was a deep forest, but as expected even a nicely drawn picture does not match it. Withering ivy is hanging down, dead leaves on the ground.
A small figure appeared for a second and then ran away, I wonder if it was a squirrel?
Ah, this reality……feels refreshing.
By the way this forest. If you choose the correct option when you pa.s.s through this part of the game, in the game Alan can get a.s.sistance from the Thorn Princess.
Alan was out of the age range that the Thorn Princess preferred, but because she is related to the royal family, she cooperates with the blood relative of the royal family.
… But, there were requests to bring certain stuff, and a there is a battle that must be cleared for that.
In fact, even if the Thorn Princess does not become an ally, the game can be cleared. It’s fine if you raise the level somewhat and challenge.
For that reason because the Thorn Princess event can be excluded, it is fine even if you overlook that event, also I heard that there are many people to clear.
As I was thinking idly about the game, the knight besides the carriage suddenly looks back, I tried to follow his line of sight.
Apparently someone’s coming.
As the horse-drawn carriage stopped, Reggie and the rest also noticed something unusual.
「What?」
Alan raises his eyebrows.
「It seemed that someone stopped us」
When I said that, their expression becomes stern.
「Someone stopped the carriage?」
Then Alan raises the front seat of the carriage and explores the bottom plate which is hollow for loading.
He immediately found the handle and lifted the bottom plate. Of course, what is visible beyond that is the ground.
「This is in case of emergencies. You and Reggie go out from here, and keep hidden in the forest」
「Please pick us up later then」
Reggie says causally, then slides out to the ground and under the carriage like a cat.
I do not know what it is, but it seems like an emergency so I followed suit.
I noticed it when crouching on the ground, but if I was careless, Reggie would be able to see my drawers again.
Reggie is keeping a lower posture under the carriage, and was watching outside, and did not give that the slightest consideration.
I lined up with Reggie feeling relieved.
Under the carriage was narrow, we were almost crawling, but we can see the legs of the horses and the escort knight
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s out there. And I heard a conversation.
「Because a young ojosama went missing, if you were harboring her then……」
「If we were harboring her, then you would report to your house. To say that when you haven’t even confirmed yet, are you doubting us?」
Wentworth-san’s tone had a hint of indignation though it was suppressed, and the other party seemed daunted.
「No no! It’s just because I heard that the son of the Margrave left the school the same day, I just wanted to ask if he noticed something」
「Alan-sama cannot be bothered with this, besides, we went to pick him up. We would notice if there was anything strange」
「But you all could not have covered the entire the school? I am really troubled, She is someone who will become the bride of Viscount Credius who is the relative of the Queen. We have already finished preparations for the ceremony」
Though acting humbling, the words of the other party contained threats, I shivered.
Essentially he is saying if you make the relatives of the Queen feel uncomfortable, I do not know what will happen to all of you.
「If you say that, aren’t we the Everal house also the king’s relatives?」
Wentworth-san does not lost either.
That’s right. Alan’s house, his mother the wife of Margrave Everal is the king’s older sister, so Alan has the right to succeed the throne.
Even though the Everal house’s status is high, the other party is the Queen. It will be troublesome if they were to compete.
As I was thinking of what should be done, Alan looked out of the carriage. There was a sound of the carriage door opening.
「Oi Wentworth, What on earth happened? Why did you stop the carriage?」
「Yes, A person serving under Earl Patorishiel has doubted that we might be harboring their house’s reijo」
「What is with that? You, because you are doubting me, you must be prepared and have reasonable evidence?」
Though Alan’s tone was pompous, the subordinate of Earl Patorishiel did not relent.
「No, I have no doubts. However, I was wondering if it could be a case in which you were taking along without knowing so, may I see the inside the carriage a little……」
While I was listening to the conversation, Reggie suddenly pulled on the hem of my clothes.
While thinking what was it, there is a knight who is beckoning while peeking under the carriage. The edge of the forest is beside the knight, apparently it seems that the subordinate of Earl Patorishiel is on the other side
Avoid making any sounds, I crawled carefully out with Reggie, and we are instructed by a fingertip to hurry into the forest.
Seems to be saying we should temporarily hide ourselves.
Currently the subordinate of Earl Patorishiel seems to be peering into the carriage. As he was looking, me and Reggie moved into the depths of the forest and hid behind the bushes for the time being.
Crouching down, I was relieved that I was able to safely hide away, but then static electricity ran over my fingertips.
Looking down under the right hand, a tiny little thundergra.s.s was trying to uproot itself.
The little thundergra.s.s which finally unroots itself and begins to walk, I seized it unintentionally and threw it far.
Sorry. After having fallen from the carriage and being chased by thundergra.s.s, it seems to have become pretty traumatic, I wanted to eliminate it from my sight as soon as possible even if just by one second.
While Reggie widened his eyes, as the tiny thundergra.s.s flew in a beautiful arc――and fell behind the carriage.
*crackle *crackle
It seems that tiny thundergra.s.s that fell down, scattered sparks as if it were angry, and thundergra.s.s on the side quietly responded.
In the situation where the sparks began to fall suddenly, the horses again made a fuss.
Neighs occur at the same time, horses that people were riding reared up, and the horse-drawn carriage started running.
「Hu-aaaaaahhh!」
I heard a scream from the horse carriage, but it was not Alan’s voice……I think it’s okay.
The horse-drawn carriage burst away at a great speed and the knights chased after it, a horse that seems to belong to the subordinate of Earl Patorishiel without it’s rider escapes to somewhere, what was left was a frightened horse with no rider, and only Wentworth-san who evacuated to the side of the forest.
Wentworth-san rides the horse quickly into the forest, and calls with a voice that is not too big.
「Reggie-sama, are you here?」
「I am here Wentworth」
Seeing Reggie who got up, Wentworth-san seems to be relieved.
「I am sorry, but please proceed to the outer edge of the forest for a while. I will leave a sword here. After retrieving the carriage, I will send another person to pick you up. Until then, do not come outside the forest」
「I know, You were talking to the other party, there aren’t that many people so it will seem suspicious as soon as they realize you are not there. Be careful not to get bothered by the Earl’s subordinate」
「I understand」
Wentworth-san leaves the sword that was tied to the horse on the spot and leaves immediately. Reggie quickly went to pick up the sword and fixed it to the waistband with the metal fitting attached to the sheath.
「Why does Reggie also remain?」
As for me, that was obvious.
Alan and everyone takes care of Reggie. Nevertheless, to leave without an escort.
Reggie who came back to me answered with a smile.
「It’s because I am stronger than you. Do you think we will be able to abandon one girl by herself?」
「…………」
To be honest, I do not think it’s an answer.
Because even if you left me, there should be no problem in particular. Not as a n.o.ble daughter, the other party was hired as a commoner, isn’t it strange to go that far.
But, you also hid with me a little while ago. That may have been to avoid trouble, but it was strange to let Reggie get out of the carriage at that time.
If I was still showing effects from the medicine, then it would make sense, but it seems strange now that I think about it.
Then, is there a reason why Reggie does not want to be seen by other people?
I inadvertently stare at the face of Reggie.
At school, I saw him going after Alan. So if he is a servant, there would be no need to stay hidden. But why would he be wary of adults that serve n.o.bles?
Church school is not obligatory.
It is for n.o.bles who want to make connections, in some cases it may be a place where children find marriage partners. Even though there are only a few, there are coeducational cla.s.ses.
n.o.bles who do not need these, can pa.s.s over.
Perhaps Reggie is…….
「……Hi~ya!」
Suddenly my eyes were covered by Reggie’s hand, all thoughts vanished.
「What’s are you s.p.a.cing out for? If you stay too long in the same place, beasts will come. Let’s go?」
Reggie who surprised me, quickly grasp my wrist after uncovering my eyes, and starts walking in the forest.
The feeling of his hands on my wrist, I was strangely tense.
It is not the first time that he held my hand. When I fell from the bed, my hand was grasped by Reggie when I was lifted.
However, because he suddenly touched my face, I became strangely conscious.
B-But as I will be deceived, I harden my mind.
Reggie probably had deliberately surprised me, because I stared at him, thinking that I seem to have notice and not wanting to be questioned.
But because I am already convinced of it within me, I will not forget it from being merely surprised.
……Reggie is probably a n.o.ble.
Thus it is likely that servant role is not actually true. But from the reactions of Alan and the rest, for now, I must content myself with “The role of a servant”.