Agnes might shut her mouth tight like a clam again.
“You knew Elisha Maureen…?”
“Among those who wield the sword, there will be fewer people who don’t know.”
That was true for both the grandfather and the grandson.
Of course, the way the two of them became famous was different.
The grandfather was known as a great knight whom poets sang songs of, and the grandson was famous for following the Princess at a young age.
But in the end, their reputations were based on ‘loyalty’, so it wouldn’t be much different.
“When I see him later, I’ll ask Elisha if he enjoys the fame.”
There was a hint of longing in her voice.
“You think he’s special.”
There was unknown envy in Agnes’ voice. She realized now that she had said too much nonsense.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I enjoy talking about Elisha. I was hoping someone would listen, thank you.”
“No need.”
After those brief words, Agnes no longer opened her mouth, and the surroundings fell silent again. Rieta was still looking at the portrait.
Agnes was worried that because of her, Rieta’s freedom to mutter to herself was temporarily taken away.
“You can say more. Princess.”
She said it casually, but she soon regretted it.
What she just said was something a high-ranking person would say, not something a mercenary like her should say.
But, perhaps Rieta didn’t care about that, she spoke right away.
“I hope he doesn’t worry too much about me.”
“…”
“Elisha, he’s always overprotective of me.”
It sounded like a cute sort of whining. That kind of thing that can only come out of a really deep relationship.
“You really trust him.”
“Yes.”
There was a quick reply. Like she didn’t even need the time to think about it.
Agnes felt a little grumpy for some reason.
She didn’t know why, but she thought that she wanted to see this perfect Princess look bewildered.
“Do you like him?”
Agnes waited for Rieta’s words, thinking that if it was an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl, she might blush. If there was any romance between the Princess and the little boy who guarded her…
“Yes.”
Contrary to Agnes’ expectations, however, Rieta replied quickly this time as well.
“I like him.”
It was clear that the ‘like’ Rieta said meant something completely different from what Agnes was aiming for.
“Agnes.”
Then, this time, Rieta asked a question.
“Do you like my father?”
Agnes looked surprised.
“…”
She couldn’t answer anything.
She just didn’t want to accept him as the ruler of Liz.
Once upon a time, with a shallow sense of justice, she wished that such a pathetic King would die quickly.
However, just because he was an incompetent King didn’t mean he had a bad influence on everyone.
“If it hadn’t been for him…”
Agnes answered cautiously in a low voice.
“I wouldn’t even be here.”
“That…?”
“Literally so. There’s no other king who would let a lowly mercenary into the palace to serve as a knight.”
King Liz’s surroundings were always overflowing with beautiful women and various kinds of entertainment, but there was a shortage of soldiers to protect him.
The knights and soldiers who were disappointed with the King had long since left, and those who remained could not stand the low wages and ran away as well.
If King Liz had been an ordinary person, he might have tried to reflect on himself and keep the talented people by his side during this national crisis.
But he had no such circumstances.
King Liz was very satisfied with hiring cheap mercenaries who needed no training or supplies.
Agnes was also one of the cheap mercenaries he hired.
If an ordinary king had ruled, Agnes would not have dared to enter such a place, so she liked the King’s prodigality just a little bit.
So the answer to Rieta’s question, ‘Do you like our father?’ would probably be close to ‘yes’.
Even though the reason was messed up, the vague dream she has been holding since she grabbed the sword has come true.
Besides, not too long ago, King Liz ordered Agnes to keep an eye on Rieta, adding,
[If you manage to hold onto the Princess without any problems so that she can be sold at a high price, I might give you a knighthood.]
He said he might.
His promise was nothing but ambiguous words, but those were words worth devoting her all to.
Agnes saw it as an opportunity.
It was usually something only people born into special families could have. But now, it was right in front of her eyes.
There was no way she wouldn’t hold onto it for dear life.
… Although.
“. . .”
Agnes took her eyes off Rieta.
It seemed that Agnes didn’t want to say any more, so Rieta didn’t bother to ask further.
Another quiet hallway walk followed. Soon the morning sun rose, and Rieta’s ordinary day began.
***
Agnes would always squat in the hallway and write reports late at night when Rieta was sound asleep.
The contents were about Rieta, and it was simple.
That there were no health issues prior to the wedding, that she was well monitored so that she would not run away.
Although Agnes’ reports never received any replies, she did her best to write it down every day.
… That was what she had been doing.
She must have been a little tired today from the fatigue accumulated over the past few days.
When she came to her senses, she had dozed off with a pen in her hand.
Agnes smiled, dumbfounded at her first incident.
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