Chapter 12: Prince’s fate and job interview
……What should I do. I was at a loss.
Reggie……Prince Reginardo turned back to me and smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt.
I knew his intention but……what I remembered was too shocking, and I didn"t have the heart to join in on Reggie"s fun.
Right now, the Reggie who is laughing in front of me, will die.
During the past few days, the person had become something like a friend, but he is destined to die and vanish from this world.
But what can I do by myself?
The opening movie only consisted of 2 to 3 minutes worth of short content.
An overall picture of the game world, a state of the siege on the Everal castle to symbolize the start of the battle. A gate that is destroyed by the overwhelming soldiers. And I think there was a scene of Reggie and Margrave Everal leading the opposition against the enemy soldiers, but they were killed in no time, and then it turns into a scene of Alan rushing back.
From just those brief images only, I cannot find any material that can save him.
And then with that it starts, Alan who had lost his parents and friends then begins his fight to regain the kingdom.
That’s right……
In his『Friends』Reggie is in there.
…… It’s impossible.
He will come on behalf of the king, the schedule will not change with just a mere word from me.
In the first place, it is structured so that Reggie will come. Aside from the Kingdom of Salehald, there is also the crafty schemes of the Ruain Kingdom.
Then what if he left the castle with Alan?
Someone could attack the prince in that case……there is no way the Margrave would allow it.
As it would be the perfect opportunity since the defense around the Prince is lowered, also there is the possibility that Alan will be targeted too.
Even though I knew, to be unable to do or think of anything, I could do nothing but be shocked.
「Kiara?」
Reggie looks anxiously and over here and calls out.
「Ah, sorry」
Before I realized everyone here was looking at me.
Maybe he had tried to introduce me to the Margrave and his wife, and I did not respond for a long time, did something like that happen?
In a fret sweat began to appear on my forehead, but it seems that n.o.body was angry so perhaps I was not immersed in thought that long.
What a relief. Now I have to concentrate on the matters before my eyes.
「Your Highness, that girl is?」
「I picked her up along the way, though there is something I want to talk about regarding her」
As Reggie says so, he turns his gaze to the castle as if hinting that he would like the conversation to be taken inside. Margrave Vain took the hint and lead the way, and I was invited along with Reggie and Alan into the castle.
We pa.s.sed through one of the rooms in the citadel tower on the outer edge of the castle. We go up to the third floor as it is less likely for our voices to be overheard, outside the window lies just the sky so we only have to watch for eavesdroppers from the front door.
Then Reggie, Alan, the Margrave and his wife enter a room that was not very s.p.a.cious followed by me and Wentworth-san.
「Well then, I a.s.sume there are circ.u.mstances regarding that girl you do not want overheard?」
To Margrave Vain"s inquiry both Reggie and Alan nodded.
「She is the adopted daughter of Earl Patorishiel」
The moment Reggie said that the brows of Margrave Vain furrowed up.
「Why is that girl here?」
「It seems that she ran away from a marriage with Viscount Credius. …..there is also this as evidence that it is not a ruse. Probably because it was predicted that she would not like it, an attempt was made to forcefully bring her home by putting her to sleep, I have confirmed that the letter was laced with sleeping powder. Because of that, she stayed paralyzed for a while even after she woke up」
「Is it not a lie?」
He asked Alan and Reginardo, and then Wentworth-san made a bitter smile, while I was ashamed and looked down.
「……Can I say it?」
Reggie checked with me.
Actually I did not want him to talk, but if I can gain their trust with this, I nodded with a feeling of wanting to cry very much.
「Kiara had crawled into Alan’s wagon and after the medicine took into effect and she fell asleep, no matter how much I shook or called her she did not wake. Because I overheard her sleep-talking I ended up noticing Kiara had entered the wagon」
「Sleep……talking?」
To Margrave Vain"s question, Reggie nodded seriously.
「When she woke up near the next day’s afternoon, she was unaware that she was under the effects of the sleeping powder and said『Please forgive me I will pay the ride fee』while trying to stand up, only to realize her feet wouldn"t move and fell off the bed」
While listening to Reggie’s story, my hand trembled while clutching my skirt in shame.
But because it will affect my future, I want to know what kind of reaction the Margrave and his wife have. So I gathered my courage and looked up but…
…..It was horrible, it"s like they were looking at a disappointing child.
It seems their vigilance against me has been solved, but it hurts…….
「Is it true? Wentworth」
「Unfortunately, I was monitoring her for a long time, and she certainly did take the actions His Highness just mentioned. Furthermore Earl Patorishiel seems to be looking for her, as we were stopped once by a pursuer」
After Wentworth-san"s guarantee, Margrave Vain exhales deeply as if he was tired.
「So then….. this slightly……you decided to take along this ojosan」
Margrave-sama, just now you were about to say『this slightly disappointing child』correct?
No, it"s fine. If that’s enough.
If even after this shamefully amusing incident was brought up and they still deemed me as an enemy, then all my enduring would have been for naught.
By the way, the Margrave"s wife who was behind him, even though she had on a straight face the edge of her mouth was quivering.
She is most definitely trying to refrain from laughing.
Well, it"s fine.
It is better to endure a hit than be hated, if this turns out smoothly then it will also be better for our future relations.
In the previous life I did not think about things like this. In this life, I cannot live without opening up to some of my own disappointments.
I mean doesn"t Reggie someone of the royal family also laughs a lot? Isn"t that right?
While I sulked, Alan looked like he was listening to a good story.
「So I decided to help her, as a young girl…..waking up like that must have been bad. Because there is no attachment as an adopted daughter to Earl Patorishiel and she says she doesn"t mind being treated as a commoner, I thought we could hire her at our house」
「Hire……hmm」
Margrave Everal"s expression looks as if he was lost in thought.
「But if you were really treated as a commoner, can you bear it?」
「Yes it’s fine! Because in my quasi-n.o.ble parent"s house my stepmother treated me as a servant, so I can do things like cleaning and skinning potatoes」
Even though I said it with high spirits, Alan"s family and Wentworth-san had on a highly pitiful expression.
It resembles an audience after watching a tragic movie.
Sorry, it sounds miserable. I did not meant to tell a story that made you felt that way.
But there is no point in telling lies if I want to guarantee them I am safe and not villainous, it is better to just lay everything out right now.
Besides, if I want to protect Reggie and Alan, I must stay in this castle.
And I have to find something I can do.
If there is a chance, because I was an enemy magician, I wonder if I can change cla.s.s to an ally magician as soon as possible. It will be useful in the upcoming siege.
The problem is how I can become a magician, first I should find out more about magic, as expected it would be better to have a powerful person on the side.
Then the Margravine asked me.
「You……can you use the sword?」
As a powerless 14-year-old girl I did not expect to be questioned about my sword skills for a job interview.
For the time being, it is impossible for me to swing a sword, so I shook my head.
「Do you have any discipline on self defense?」
「My adoptive father, the Earl, he seemed like he was trying to have me work in the royal palace, so he taught me how to wield a knife, but that"s all……」
「I see」
The Margravine nods and touches the shoulder of Margrave Vain.
「I think I will take over this child, dear」
「Do you want her as a maid?」
「Ee, Rona who was on my side before marriage has taken a rest. Since the other possible choices can only basically do outside activities, I thought I would at least employ one person who learned the etiquette of n.o.bles on my side」
When he heard Madam Beatrice’s conversation, Alan had on a bright expression.
Reggie is still smiling.
……By the way only Reggie, even after hearing the miserable story from a moment ago did not have a『Uwa』kind of expression. I feel relieve that a least someone listened normally.
「You will hire her then?」
To Alan"s confirmation, Margrave Vain affirmatively replied「Aa, since the wife said so after all」
「Certainly my wife is a lively person, I also thought that there were few women good with inside ch.o.r.es. I’m counting on you, Kiara-san」
I was relieved after hearing Margrave Vain"s words and lowered my head while saying「Thank you in advance」but…
「But here is the key to defending the border. I do not know when and what situation will happen, so I will have to at least train your legs so you will be able to run away」
I freeze to the words of the Margravine.
I am not really athletic…..so before becoming a maid, it seems that I have to work hard to make my legs faster.
……In the meantime, is there room to investigate how to become a magician?