An Ominous Premonition
"Your Majesty, there is something I have been wondering about."
"What is it, dear?"
"Imperial escort knights... is it enough that they merely be of noble blood? If someone is the heir to a great house or already holds an important post in a knight order, wouldn't it be difficult to juggle both duties?"
In truth, imperial escorts were rarely appointed purely for the sake of protection. In the vast majority of cases, it was a political maneuver.
"Normally, yes, but an escort is almost never expected to remain at one's side around the clock. The palace guards or the knights rotate shifts for routine security anyway... So practically speaking, there are no real restrictions. Why do you ask?"
"...I just had an ominous feeling, so I thought I should ask."
And that ominous feeling promptly became reality.
Not long after, I grimaced as I watched someone march straight into my quarters with absolute confidence.
"Hey! I asked Father, and I'm going to be your escort knight!"
"..."
Good heavens...
I stared blankly at the man waving his hand—now completely healed and perfectly fine—in my direction.
Where on earth had he been? His cotton trousers were thoroughly crumpled and stained with dirt. He wore a loose white shirt with three buttons undone, exposing his collarbones and chest, over which he had merely thrown a vest without bothering to fasten a single button.
Even by the most generous standards, this was not how one dressed to enter the Imperial Palace—much less how someone claiming to be an imperial escort should look.
Even a common mercenary would not show up to guard a noble dressed like that.
Misinterpreting my stiff, frozen expression, the man gave a wink and beamed.
"Haha! Were you scared about going all the way to the southern edge? Don't worry anymore!"
"..."
I desperately wanted to tell him that my greatest worry wasn't the distant southern border, but the idiot standing right in front of me.
"And this here is the maid who'll look after you!"
"Greetings, Her Imperial Highness Princess Titania. It is an honor to meet you! My name is Debbie, and I will be attending to you from now on."
I looked with dead eyes at the maid bowing brightly and Lisianthus, who was puffing out his chest with a dazzling grin.
Barbara, the maid assigned from the Empress's Palace who had been tending to me during my stay, froze in place, having just walked in with a fresh tray of refreshments.
"...Who did you say was my escort?"
"Me! They were talking about sending some scrawny weakling like William, so I stepped up and said I'd go instead."
The way his eyes shone with pride made him look like a hyperactive dog begging for praise.
Ah... In more ways than one, he really is like a dog. I took a deep, steadying breath.
"...Lord Lisianthus. Aren't you affiliated with one of the knight orders maintained by the Castrein Duchy?"
"Huh? Oh, that! Technically both answer to Father, but I do serve as commander for one of them!"
Lisianthus rubbed under his nose with an immensely proud expression, looking almost bashful.
I wasn't praising you, you lunatic.
"...You're the commander of a knight order, and you're offering to be someone's personal escort?"
"Ah, Leff, the vice-commander, handles all the important stuff anyway! He said whether I'm around or not, my main hobby is driving him up the wall, so I might as well get lost where he can't see me and give his stomach a break!"
"I specifically asked for an errand boy to guard me around the clock... No, someone manageable... whom I could comfortably order around..."
"Don't you already speak your mind and boss me around anyway?"
Lisianthus tilted his head, genuinely bewildered by what could possibly be the problem.
"Are you out of your mind?! Do you ever think before you act?!"
Unable to endure it any longer, I let out an exasperated shriek.
"Seriously, have you lost your senses?! The second son of House Castrein, who's supposedly the commander of their elite knight order, acting as someone's bodyguard?! Are you serious?!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"I wanted a subordinate I can order around without hesitation! I don't want a bodyguard where I have to walk on eggshells just to ask for a glass of water!"
"I can bring you water anytime!"
I clutched the back of my neck as my blood pressure spiked.
You can't win an argument against someone devoid of logic.
The maid named Debbie, who had arrived with Lisianthus, piped up with sparkling eyes.
"I can bring you water whenever you like, Princess! You don't have to trouble the second young master at all!"
Barbara, who had been observing this circus in stunned silence, set down her tray of scones and poured a glass of cold water from the pitcher beside her. I downed it in one gulp.
At that sight, Debbie jabbed Lisianthus hard in the ribs. It made a distinct, audible thud-thud.
At first glance, she looked like nothing more than a cute maid with short brown hair and striking amber eyes, yet every poke of her fingers produced such a brutal impact. Was she trained with a blade?
"Oh dear, Her Highness really was thirsty, but the second young master is so dense he couldn't even take a hint! She must be terribly disappointed!"
"Huh, really?"
Did manipulating fire burn away his brain cells too?
Duke Castrein had definitely swindled me.
Your Grace, please send someone else... If you have a grievance with me, just say it to my face...
"...Barbara, do you want to be my personal maid?"
"My life goal was to live peacefully in the Empress's Palace, blending into the background like water..."
Barbara trailed off as she stared at the two idiots, who were now passionately debating who held the proper authority to pour water when both a knight and a maid were standing next to the pitcher.
True. I hadn't originally intended to drag someone from the Empress's entourage on such a long and perilous journey either.
"...If Her Majesty provides a generous travel allowance, I will accompany you."
"I'll match whatever she gives you and add more."
I pleaded with every ounce of sincerity in my heart.
"Did you come voluntarily, or were you ordered?"
When the princess summoned her alone into the bedchamber and asked, Debbie found it somewhat unexpected.
"They asked for volunteers among the candidates deemed suitable to protect Your Highness. So I accepted!"
"Why?"
"They promised generous pay, and I happen to adore pretty things. Tending to Lady Bibi is lovely, of course, but the competition there is far too fierce!"
"I see."
Princess Titania, whom she had only heard rumors about, was indeed breathtaking.
Her skin, still somewhat pale, resembled sculpted snow. With her blinking emerald eyes and hair reminiscent of spun silk thread, she was a picture-perfect princess straight from a fairy tale.
Yet had that been all, Debbie would not have given her a second thought.
"Between poison, medicine, and the sword, which are you skilled in?"
"I possess above-average skill in all three, but medicine is my forte. I can neutralize most ordinary poisons. As for the sword... I cannot hold off more than three knights at once."
"If I ordered you to kill someone, could you do it?"
The voice was chillingly calm. Debbie answered without missing a beat.
"Yes."
"Even if it were an innocent child?"
"I would still do it."
"...Though you would report it to House Castrein and await their subsequent judgment, wouldn't you?"
"Yes."
Debbie was a blade, a poison, and a medicine sent officially by Duke Castrein to Princess Titania.
Debbie understood her position better than anyone.
Debbie would execute whatever the princess commanded without hesitation, even if it meant sacrificing an innocent child.
However, she would faithfully report every single incident back to House Castrein.
Once Duke Castrein evaluated those reports, how he judged the princess—whether he recalled Debbie, left her in place, or used her to eliminate the princess—remained entirely up to him.
This was also a test posed by Duke Castrein to the princess.
Although Lisianthus had volunteered to be her escort, there was no way he could realistically stay by her side twenty-four hours a day permanently. He would likely remain as her escort only until the Offering Festival concluded.
Because of recent events in the Imperial Palace, the princess had drawn far too many eyes.
Whether on account of House Castrein or the princess herself, no one could predict what might occur during the upcoming Offering Festival. That was why no one had stopped Lisianthus from having his way.
Had the princess deduced all of this? The young girl who, just moments ago, had lost her temper and shouted at Lisianthus in sheer exasperation now looked back with frighteningly calm eyes.
"Were you given orders to eliminate me if the need arose?"
"No." Debbie smiled gently. "Regardless of what happens, Your Highness is Lady Bibi's benefactor."
"And what if all of that was a misunderstanding? What if I hadn't tried to save Bibi, but kill her, and everyone was mistaken?"
"That is not for me to judge."
"I see."
Ironically, in the princess, Debbie saw shades of both Duke Castrein and Lady Bibi.
'People do not change easily, but one who possesses the will to remake themselves cannot be judged by appearances alone.'
Duke Castrein had told her to keep a close watch on the princess who had unsettled his children.
'We cannot place a hand as powerful as House Castrein into the grasp of someone who does not understand the weight of what they hold.'
It was a reasonable assessment.
In other words, if Princess Titania proved she would not act rashly or wield the power of House Castrein solely for self-serving ends... was the Duke suggesting he might actually place that card in her hands?
'Big Sister Titania won't trust Debbie.'
Their adorable youngest lady had said something rather puzzling to Debbie before she left.
Debbie had expected Bibi to ask her to take good care of Titania. After all, when Princess Titania lay unconscious in the palace, Bibi had thrown such desperate tantrums.
'So Debbie, just... watch over Big Sister. Without any prejudice.'
Duke Castrein had also said to keep a close eye on her. Weren't they saying the exact same thing? Debbie found herself a little confused.