NOVEL NEXT Chapter 85
EP.85 The Strongest Maid (3)
First Princess Lruiel.
She blinked blankly.
For a moment, Lruiel was flustered. It rarely happened. Very rarely.
Lruiel was confident in her actions.
When that confidence wavered, Lruiel felt bewildered. Right now, Lruiel felt her confidence shake.
‘…This is unexpected.’
Lruiel looked ahead.
In front of her stood a girl dressed in a maid’s uniform. She casually dusted herself off as if nothing had happened.
Thud thud.
Blood splattered from her fingertips. The blood was mixed with some kind of flesh.
Slosh.
It was sacrilegious to spill filth on the floor of the royal quarters where the princess resides. Even if Lruiel herself didn’t care, it remained an affront.
“…Hmm.”
The girl frowned at the piece of flesh on the floor. It was a habitual action, but she seemed to realize the wrongness of it afterward.
Snap.
She flicked her fingers as if it was a bother.
Woosh.
Then, the blood and flesh entwined and vanished in flames. That motion was incredibly smooth. It was not her first time doing this.
“…”
There was not a trace left on the floor of the royal quarters. As Lruiel gazed at the untouched floor, she slowly opened her mouth.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“What was that just now?”
The girl answered the question.
She continued speaking very calmly.
“It’s a surveillance golem. Within the drawn circuit, it hovers above the designated person.”
“…The fact that it’s above my head means…”
“It means the target is the First Princess.”
She removed her blood-stained gloves. Then, she pulled out a new pair from her apron pocket. From that scene, Lruiel remembered something.
The shape of the movements was different. What she was holding was also different.
However, that figure reminded Lruiel of the knights she had seen sometime ago.
‘…Just like a knight on the battlefield.’
As if the battlefield knight was shaking off the flesh stuck to his sword and putting it back into its sheath. Lruiel sensed the scent of the battlefield from the professor in front of her.
Drawn by that scent, Lruiel asked.
“Are there many like that?”
“Such things are usually not hidden away just once.”
“…The court mages didn’t mention a word about this to me.”
“It’s one of two possibilities.”
The girl said as she lowered the arm clad in new gloves.
“Either they cleverly mixed it among the security circuits, and the mages truly didn’t notice…”
Lruiel took over her words.
“Or, it means they’re all in cahoots with my brother’s faction.”
“Either way, the future of the royal family is quite dark.”
“That’s sacrilege, professor. How can you speak like that in front of the royal princess?”
“Oh, how very surprising.”
The professor shrugged.
“…Huh.”
A smile spread on Lruiel’s lips as she looked at the scene. Bewilderment flowed swiftly into laughter. Lruiel felt intrigued by the girl in front of her.
Is that so?
‘Was she this sort of person?’
“Aha.”
Lruiel finally let out a laugh.
“This is quite something.”
Allowing her laughter to flow freely, Lruiel looked directly at the girl before her.
‘Just because she’s a mage and a professor doesn’t mean she’d be a calm and boring character…’
This was completely different.
Indeed, she liked it. Exceeded her expectations. It couldn’t be a more satisfying choice.
“Very well, professor.”
Lruiel turned her body back toward the front.
“Do keep it like that. I quite like it.”
—
The royal quarters where the First Princess resides looked somewhat different from my imagination. It wasn’t the scenery of the royal court I envisioned.
‘In the first place, the royal court I saw wasn’t like this.’
When I was acknowledged by the royal family and became a royal mage, the royal court I visited was… a bit brighter in atmosphere.
A well-maintained garden and warm sunlight.
For someone like me who remembers such cozy and warm vibes, the atmosphere of the royal quarters felt strange.
‘This is more like…’
It’s closer to the Tower.
Especially, the view from the office.
“…”
I silently turned my gaze.
In the office, Princess Lruiel was inspecting some documents. She hadn’t sighed even once since earlier.
“Take it.”
“Send it away.”
“It’s not worth reading. Dispose of it.”
She repeatedly received, passed, or tore the completed documents from her attendant beside her. The ongoing process seemed like it would never end.
‘…She’s fast.’
I stood beside the princess like a puppet, watching the documents she processed.
‘It feels somewhat similar.’
The document work the princess did was hardly different from what I had done at the Tower.
“Go ahead.”
After sending off all her attendants, the princess took a breath. She sipped on her cold coffee and stretched her arm toward the corner of the table.
Her fingertips pointed toward a pile of documents. A stack of papers she had set aside.
‘…Huh?’
I saw a familiar emblem there.
‘…That’s.’
It’s the emblem used by the Knights Order Leader, Heinkel.
The princess pulled the stack of documents bearing the emblem to the center of the table.
“It’s a letter from the battlefield.”
As if aware of my gaze, the princess spoke.
“Seems you’re a bit interested in this letter.”
“…It’s a field I’m interested in.”
“By the way, was your brother the Ashen Mage? I suppose that makes sense.”
“Yes?”
“Since you are the adopted daughter of Duke Rosel. The first adopted son of Duke Rosel is the Ashen Mage, Sir Raniel… so your brother is Sir Raniel, right?”
…Could it really work like that?
“That’s true…”
“What’s with that response? It seems rather vague.”
The princess tilted her head and began checking each letter she pulled in. Primarily, it appeared to be a report on the situation on the battlefield and the condition of the troops.
“…You handle these too?”
“Why, is it surprising?”
“Yes, a little.”
“Well, it’s indeed funny for the princess, who is not stationed on the battlefield, to handle such matters. In reality, there aren’t that many tasks related to this that I deal with.”
Essentially, I just write a few letters.
While she muttered that, she tapped her quill a few times on a blank piece of paper to expel some ink.
“I send letters to the nobles nearby the battlefield or the baronates to ask for cooperation or to provide food supplies.”
“…Yes?”
“Of course, even without the princess saying it, they’d provide support. However, by sending a letter… they start to keep an eye on what the princess wants.”
“If they start to keep an eye on it…”
“They’ll send more items than they would have otherwise. It means they will send not just simple food, but a few more precious items along with that.”
She chuckled softly.
“The reputation of the mad dog comes in handy at times like this. If I were to handle things carelessly, it would be clear I’d be barking mad.”
…Support from the baronate.
Suddenly, I recalled an old memory. My days of tearing through hard bread on a daily basis came to mind, though sometimes knights would cheer.
Noble support.
Luxury items sent from the domain we defended.
Alcohol, tobacco, coffee, etc.
Things that seemed ordinary in society were quite extraordinary on the battlefield. There were days, after enduring a grueling day, that I’d pop open a bottle while gazing at the rising sun.
Though it was rare.
Rarenesses that left a lasting impression.
‘…Could it be.’
I glanced at the princess’s back.
She was writing letters to various nobles. Among them, I distinctly saw names of nobles who had sent support supplies for me while I was on the battlefield.
All of it likely wasn’t solely because of Princess Lruiel’s prodding. However, it was certain that some items would have been sent due to her prompting.
‘…Must you.’
I slowly opened my mouth and asked.
“Must you, Your Highness, do this?”
Is there a need to increase your notoriety like that?
She paused.
The princess’s quill came to a halt.
She set the quill down and slowly turned to look at me. Then she tilted her head and asked.
“Why not?”
She questioned me back.
“Why do you think I shouldn’t?”
She spoke.
“Before I am a member of the royal family, I am also a citizen of this nation. And every person in this nation owes a debt to the knights on the battlefield. You, me, and my brother, everyone.”
“…”
“As long as they endure on the battlefield, this nation will not crumble. I respect them. Those who sacrifice their lives for the country and humanity deserve honor.”
As if stating the obvious.
“If we enjoy a peaceful life due to their sacrifices, we must not forget our respect for them. I detest merely speaking empty words. If there’s something I can do, I must do it.”
She pointed to the letter.
“As mentioned, there’s not much that I alone can do for those knights. All I can really do is send a few letters or…”
She uttered under her breath.
“I can support the nation they valiantly protect, so it does not break down from within.”
“…”
Is that so.
“Is that your purpose?”
I squinted my eyes and looked at the princess.
As I mentioned earlier, I often meet people like the princess, often on the battlefield.
Sword Master Kuntel was one.
Knights Order Leader Heinkel was another.
They dedicate their lives for a singular purpose. They stake everything. Every action taken is designed for a single goal.
‘Even at the cost of their dignity.’
They live for only one purpose.
Sword Master Kuntel dedicated his life to the sword to avenge the Death’s Blade Ganikalt.
Knights Order Leader Heinkel stands on the battlefield, sacrificing everything for the protection of mankind.
‘And, the First Princess Lruiel…’
It feels like I’m starting to see some clues.
Perhaps it might be a baseless conjecture, but I felt I understood a little more about the person before me.
“…What kind of eyes are those, professor?”
Looking at me, the princess asked.
I stared at her and slowly began to speak.
“I’ll go do some work.”
“…Aren’t you already doing that?”
“I think I should clear out the outside things first.”
I pointed to the corridor of the royal quarters.
“I’ll be back shortly.”
—
Raniel stepped out of the office and flicked his fingers. The stored spells shone brightly.
Silence.
Stealth.
None of the maids passing through the corridors of the royal quarters cast a glance at Raniel. He strode confidently down the hallway.
Standing at the end, he turned back.
He read the circuit engraved along the corridor leading from the entrance of the royal quarters to where the princess resided.
‘…They’ve laid it out quite extensively.’
At a glance, it seemed like a circuit meant to protect the royal family. However, if one squinted a little, hidden circuits became visible. Quite a few, in fact.
‘I was thinking of keeping an eye on it a bit longer before removing it.’
The thought changed.
Raniel turned his wrist and exhaled.
‘First Princess, Lruiel.’
Originally, he had no intention of interfering with the royal family’s politics. He had no intention of doing anything beyond his assigned duties.
‘What the princess entrusted was to protect against death.’
This and that had no direct correlation.
The circuits laid out were for monitoring her. If it were merely to protect her, then there was no need to remove these things.
‘For now, I’ve gotten rid of the things that eavesdropped closely.’
What remained were things that wouldn’t particularly interfere with the mission. Things that didn’t need to be destroyed.
“…”
However, Raniel stood at the front of the corridor to eliminate them.
Non-mandatory tasks.
If there is a reason to go out of one’s way to do it, it would fall under the category of personal goodwill. Standing at the end of the corridor, she smiled bitterly and closed her eyes.
‘Damn it, the alcohol I’ve had was certainly excessive…’
Occasionally receiving luxury items from the battlefield.
Whenever it got too tough to endure, she’d recall the bottles of alcohol, the harsh ones she choked down.
Things that are common in society yet precious on the battlefield.
In return for having been treated well.
Things that are precious in society but commonplace for Raniel.
There was no reason she couldn’t treat them well.
“Phew.”
She exhaled sharply.
With her fingers pressed against the corridor of the royal quarters, Raniel sent out mana.
Mana flowed through the circuits.
A picture of the circuit configuration painted itself in Raniel’s mind. It showed how to disable it.
‘First, I’ll need to draw them out.’
The circuits hiding in the protective measures of the royal quarters. First, hidden ones needed to be drawn out.
It wasn’t a difficult task.
Compared to the things she had done until now, it was so easy that she could yawn.
It was only natural to feel easy.
For the past five years, Raniel had faced numerous circuits on the battlefield. She had to dismantle them, crush them, and sometimes even identify hidden circuits.
Whose circuits were all those?
The circuits crafted by the Ancient Lich, Skebal.
For five years on the battlefield, Raniel had been assigned to the circuits of Skebal, known as the nightmare of mages.
Compared to that, what lay before her was…
Considering the difference in levels, it only brought a smile to her face.
‘This is child’s play.’
She nudged the corridor of the royal quarters lightly.
Just that was enough to reveal the hidden circuits.
Following the circuits leading to the princess’s quarters, Raniel began to walk. She walked down the corridor. With each step she took, ashen mana billowed forth.
Rustle.
The rising mana annihilated the circuits.
That process was not noisy. The moment the ashen mana touched it, that was the end.
Crackle.
The circuits piled up by the court mages crumbled, splintered, and began to scatter.
“That’s not how you inscribe a circuit.”
With a smirk, Raniel chuckled.
In her eyes, they were nothing but pathetic circuits.