Volume 13 Chapter 21 Craig's Proposal
It was in the evening, 5 days later, that Naresh finally had some free time.
"I'm sorry, Al. I had to discuss things like the well renovation and what to do about the secret base that Tempest Kingdom was building with Viscount Parker."
It seemed that Naresh was relied upon to the extent that he was consulted on such matters. Of course, if it had been urgent, the situation would have been different.
It wasn't a matter of life and death. Whether it was a good thing or not, Al himself was only asked to help with transporting supplies, so he wasn't tied up for too long.
He was able to spend his time leisurely, learning new spells from the spellbook he received as a reward. He also enjoyed shopping in the city.
"So, is the consultation about Baroness Tabasa?"
Al nodded at Naresh's question.
"Yeah, that's right. Is it okay to meet in Baroness Tabasa's room?"
"That's fine, but... hmm..."
One of the topics for discussion was indeed that. There were other things Al wanted to talk about, and Baroness Tabasa's room would be the best place since it limited the coming and going of servants.
However, Naresh seemed to hesitate a bit. Was there some kind of problem?
"Sir Naresh is always under the watchful eyes of others," Craig said. "If he visits the room of the widow, Baroness Tabasa, with a male friend, he might worry about strange rumors being spread by gossipers. If I accompany you, it can be said that it is for official business. May I join you?.
Craig, who was standing next to them, jumped in and said that. He was just a servant, but Naresh seemed to trust him, and he knew about Patricia's situation.
But did they really have to worry about things like that? Al had been alone for quite a long time, but was that really okay?
"Al, you don't get as much attention as Sir Naresh, so it should be fine. Plus, you still look like a kid..."
He was over 160 cm (5'3") tall and the same age as Naresh, yet he was treated like this...
"Well, for now, I think Mr. Craig will be fine. Just make sure to keep the conversation secret, okay?"
"Understood. I swear by the god of judgment, Olde."
Craig said this with a serious face, placing his left hand on his right shoulder. Then, the 3 of them──Naresh, Al, and Craig──headed toward Baroness Tabasa's room.
* * *
"It's been a while. Sir Naresh."
As the 3 were led into Baroness Tabasa's room, Patricia and Joanna appeared from the back door. Naresh and Craig's eyes widened in surprise.
"Your Highness Princess Patricia, and Lady Joanna. How did you get into this mansion?"
In response to Naresh's question, Patricia and the others looked at Al. However, Al shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Naresh. I'd like to keep that a secret for now."
The discussion about the 'Teleport' magic tool was important for Patricia's safety in the future. It seemed that Baroness Tabasa would prioritize Patricia's well-being, so there was no problem there.
However, it was difficult to decide whether it was okay for Craig to know, regardless of Naresh. If Guildmaster Levy hadn't informed anyone, it should remain a secret for now.
"I understand. For now, I'm just glad that Your Highness Princess Patricia is safe. Seeing you puts my mind at ease."
Naresh switched his feelings easily and smiled brightly at Al's words.
"Sir Naresh, thank you for taking the time today, especially when you are busy."
"No, if Your Highness Princess Patricia is waiting, I should prioritize that. But Al said it wasn't very urgent, so I put it off. I apologize for that."
Doris brought drinks. Al, Naresh, Patricia, Baroness Tabasa, and Joanna all sat at the table. Craig stood behind Naresh like a loyal attendant.
"I've heard from Tabasa about all the efforts you've made for Sir Naresh. Thank you so much..."
Saying this, Patricia bowed deeply. Naresh looked a bit surprised at her gesture and then lightly shook his head.
"Your Highness Princess Patricia, I believe Your Highness has been through a lot. However, you seem different from when we last met. I have always felt that you were troubled by many things..."
Naresh thought that Patricia had been crying a lot. For a time, Ruella was also really worried about Patricia.
"Yes, thank you for your concern. It must be thanks to Sir Al, Joanna, and Tabasa. And, I wanted to take some time to discuss something with you."
Saying this, Patricia glanced at Al. It made sense; Al was closer to Naresh, and it might be hard to know how much to share. Al nodded lightly.
"Can I explain?" Al asked.
Naresh nodded at Al's words.
"There are two things to discuss. The first is that I want to take Baroness Tabasa and Doris under Patricia's care. The second is that I want to inform about the survival of Ms. Joanna, who is serving as Patricia's bodyguard. Right now, Baron Quenner, who has escaped here under Viscount Powell's protection, is actually Ms. Joanna's real father. What do you think, Naresh?.
"About Baroness Tabasa, I don't mind," Naresh replied. "I've been worried about Your Highness Princess Patricia all along. But what about the other matter with Lady Joanna? It's unfortunate for Lady Joanna, but he was targeted by Lord Veil. To avoid that, Your Highness Princess Patricia was made to seem dead, right? Margrave Rain and Viscount Parker completely believe that. If it turns out that Lady Joanna is alive, then Your Highness Princess Patricia might be targeted again."
Naresh's concern was understandable.
"Well, she is usually in a pretty safe place. And I think Ms. Joanna's father is worried too. Is there any way we can let him know?"
Naresh said "Hmm" and crossed his arms.
"There's also the matter with Sir Stroud..."
The second son of Margrave Rain, who tried to propose to Patricia. If it becomes public that she is alive, that issue will come up too.
"And right now, Lady Nora from the Marquis Tagard family is also staying in Border City of Parker."
"Lady Nora?"
When Al tilted his head, Naresh smiled lightly.
"Yeah, Your Highness Princess Patricia's fiancé, Sir Jillian's younger sister. She has come as a diplomatic envoy from the Marquis Tagard family. I think I told Guildmaster Levy that Sir Jillian is still alive, but I wonder if Al has been properly informed about that? Her visit was the trigger for this news. I haven't met her yet, but I've heard from Viscount Parker that she is very sharp. She should be about two years older than us. If she learns that Princess Patricia is safe, I'm sure she will immediately offer to take her back."
He wanted to inform them somehow, but hearing that made him feel it was difficult. Al and Naresh were deep in thought.
"Sir Naresh, may I make a suggestion?"
Craig said as he lightly bowed. Naresh looked at Patricia and Al's faces before giving Craig permission with a nod.
"From what I've heard, it seems that the forces trying to oppose Marquis Prentis within the Tempest Kingdom are not necessarily united in their opinions," Craig continued. "There seems to be a particular divide between those, like Viscount Powell, who continue to resist and cannot follow the Marquis Prentis family, and the powerful nobles represented by the Tagard Marquis family."
Baroness Tabasa nodded at Craig's words, sensing their agreement.
"Of course, there are likely some in the knight order who are connected to the Marquis Tagard family," Craig continued. "So it might be best to keep the news of Lady Joanna's survival between just Viscount Powell and Lady Joanna's father, Baron Quenner. Even if asked about Your Highness Princess Patricia's survival, we should say we don't know and avoid giving any details."
He paused for a moment, considering their options.
"It would be better to wait until we can at least secure Count Senety to ensure Her Highness's safety before discussing it further," he added. "I believe that would prevent them from asking more questions."
It seemed like the plan was to keep Princess Patricia's survival vague until they could ensure a safe environment. Al thought it wasn't a bad idea. However, Naresh shook his head at Craig's explanation.
"If we only share information suggesting Princess Patricia's survival with people from another country, even if we have a cooperative relationship, and don't inform Margrave Rain, then..."
"I think it would be fine to share. If we don't specifically mention that Lady Joanna was Your Highness Princess Patricia's bodyguard, Margrave Rain probably won't know about that connection."
Naresh squinted slightly and glared at Craig. He was pretending not to notice. After a while, Naresh sighed.
"Fine. You kept the story about Your Highness Princess Patricia running away with Al a secret. What do you want to say now?"
At Naresh's words, Craig bowed deeply.
"How about Craig's suggestion? It seems like a good idea to me."
Al looked at the faces of Patricia, Joanna, and Baroness Tabasa in turn. Honestly, this complicated political situation was difficult for Al to understand.
"Can I ask one thing? If that's the case, what should I do now?"
Joanna asked. She seemed to be thinking that she would have to return to her father and work as a member of the royal knights before being assigned to protect Patricia.
"Perhaps, if you return to the royal knights, there will be many who know about Lady Joanna. Then the secret won't be a secret anymore..."
Craig said this with a slightly bitter expression.
"Is that so?" Joanna said, looking a bit down.
Being assigned to protect Patricia was an honor. However, her safety was almost guaranteed at the moment.
Joanna felt like she had little power to act and spent her days mostly training.
In an environment like the research tower, which was almost like an isolated island surrounded by castle walls and guarded by golems, there were hardly any opportunities for her to use the sword or spear she excelled at.
"Then, could you help me out?" Naresh asked. "Even if there are people we know, it should be fine as long as we don't talk too closely. That said, I'm not even a knight yet, so I can't pay you properly..."
Al thought for a moment. He understood that Naresh had been really busy and needed more hands. There were many things Joanna could do since she had knight experience, even in places where Al couldn't help.
Joanna and Patricia exchanged glances. Naresh added that, for appearances, it might be better to say she was an apprentice knight or something close to a squire.
"But if that happens, what about when the princess needs me..."
She probably wanted to say that her duty to protect Patricia hasn't been lifted. Naresh, of course, replied that it would be fine for Joanna to go to Patricia when the time comes.
"I understand, Sir Naresh. Even if I say I'll return to my father, I was prepared that until we can reclaim the land, there wouldn't be any pay or anything, no matter how much I act like a knight. If I can serve Sir Naresh, it would be an unexpected happiness."
Naresh suddenly stood up and exclaimed thank you. He must have been really happy.
Lord Radyard was a subordinate given to him by his father, and the squire he was currently with was also assigned by Lord Radyard. This means Joanna might be Naresh's very first subordinate. However, since Craig was there, it might come with a note that she is not a military officer.
After that, the discussion continued. Baroness Tabasa and her maid, Doris, decided that Al would stay in the border city of Parker for a while longer.
Joanna, after going through a disguise to escape, would live in the Levy merchant guild's mansion as Naresh's attendant.
It was agreed that the schedule for the secret meeting between Naresh and Viscount Powell would be arranged later.
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