What Is All This?
“What is all this?”
I stared at the magnificent two-horse carriage before me with a bewildered expression. The two horses pulling it gleamed with a glossy sheen at first glance—clearly top-grade steeds. And the massive, ornate carriage bore the Carpoem ducal emblem prominently displayed.
Who parades around like this, flaunting it everywhere? As I stood there flustered, Dominic approached.
“Lady Abigail, please board quickly.”
“You want me to ride in this?”
When I spoke in disbelief, Dominic's eyes widened round, as if asking what the problem was. I let out a deep sigh right in front of him.
“Dom, if you've got a brain, use it. Do I need to advertise that I'm heading out on an inspection? And this is an investigation team. We need to go discreetly!”
“B-but...”
“But what?”
Dominic hemmed and hawed before replying.
“Without such a large carriage, it would be uncomfortable for you...”
“...”
I looked at him with a pitying expression. Did he still see me as some spoiled brat who threw tantrums when inconvenienced? I whipped my head around and barked orders at the servants standing there dumbfounded.
“Remove the carriage! I'll ride a horse too.”
“Y-yes, milady.”
The servants bustled into action. I glanced at them dismissively, then turned to the maids beside me, who looked like they were facing death.
“Miss, even in midsummer, Volta gets cold at night, so please wrap yourself in a blanket when you sleep.”
“Make sure to eat well.”
“Sleeping outdoors will ruin your skin...”
The maids each voiced their worries about me. Yesterday they'd wailed and begged me not to go, but today they were merely teary-eyed—a relief, at least.
“Don't worry. I'll be back safe and sound.”
Then I looked at Annie, who had her head bowed deeply.
“...”
She stood before me without lifting her face, as if she were the criminal on trial. I hadn't told her I was going to fetch her siblings. I'd just told the maids it was a routine territory inspection. But for some reason, Annie seemed to have figured it out. She knew I'd granted Norman an audience not long ago.
“Annie, I'll be back soon.”
“...”
Annie asked me nothing. When Norman had requested the audience, and again when I'd announced the inspection afterward, she'd only gazed at me with a darkened expression. And I couldn't bring myself to say anything rash either. I couldn't bear to tell her her siblings had been abandoned by their parents and sold off. Nor could I promise I'd bring them back safely. If something had happened to them and I couldn't... Annie would be devastated.
“Please... come back safe. Safe and sound.”
“Got it.”
Finally, a tear dropped from Annie's trembling voice. I watched her for a moment, then turned away without a word.
“...Let's depart.”
I commanded the investigation team members waiting for me. Standing before me was a man with short dark-red hair and a massive build, eyeing me from his slouched posture.
“You planning to drag that runt along too?”
Agni Asper, commander of the 3rd Knight Order, Bellio. His face and body were covered in scars, and his exceptional size made him stand out. He seemed more suited to being a battle-hardened mercenary roaming war zones than a knight. His glare was fixed on Ian, standing shadow-like behind me.
“Of course. He's my guardian.”
Agni sighed openly at that.
“Fine, say the lady's okay. She's baggage either way. But that runt? No way.”
I glanced at Ian's expressionless face, then at Agni, who was scowling in dissatisfaction. Agni was so tall that I patted his thick forearm as I walked past with a laugh.
“Heard a good joke there, Sir Agni.”
“Lady!”
He chased after me, fuming. I wanted to ignore him, but his presence was too overwhelming.
“We can't take some greenhorn reeking of milk on a serious mission like this!”
“Sigh.”
I'd already briefed Agni fully on the situation. Annie's family story was heartbreaking. Partly because she was the lady's cherished maid, but no knight embodying justice could ignore a territory folk in peril. Norman was either a fool or utterly clueless about Volta. In a few years, it would become the epicenter of the monster surge at the northern edge. Even if monsters were quiet now, Volta was a hotbed where they spawned endlessly. And he'd tried to sell kids there? The duke and seasoned knights had pieced it together instantly upon hearing: monster hunters. Illegal poachers rampant in this world. Sure, targeting terrifying monsters instead of small game.
In the north, only licensed knights or mercenaries could hunt monsters. But monster parts fetched high prices unexpectedly. Killing monsters meant money. So unlicensed poachers bought people to use as bait, skirting the law. They lured out one or two monsters at a time with human bait, then hunted them—easy pickings without risking themselves. For Agni, this was a golden chance to wipe out the monster hunters he'd been itching to crush. That's why he was so worked up.
“I'll take full responsibility for Ian.”
“Still...!”
“Our priority isn't nitpicking my escorts, is it?”
Agni glared at me with genuine anger. No one in the ducal residence dared make that face at me anymore; it felt refreshingly nostalgic, like the prickly duke I'd first met upon possession. Agni clearly didn't think much of me. The knights of his Bellio Order behind him wore the same expressions.
“Hah, what, you think you're my master or something?”
Agni's ash-gray eyes, burned like spent coals, shot daggers at me. He looked like a snarling beast, laced with thick killing intent. If I weren't a Sword User, my legs would've buckled by now. But it had no effect on me, so I stood calmly before the furious Agni. How should I handle this guy? The thought flashed through my mind.
But before I could react, Serrian beside me spoke first.
“Sir Agni, mind your tongue before the little duke.”
Senior knights from the 1st Order had come to see me off despite my telling them to train instead. Now they were trading glares with the 3rd Order knights. While the 3rd was away on expedition, I'd trained with Serrian's 1st Order and grown close. They acknowledged me as a Sword User at my young age and accepted me as the Carpoem heir. But the 3rd Order saw me as just a brat lording it over parental wealth.
I sighed at the knights on the verge of brawling. Weren't there kids sold off whose fates we should be worrying about instead?
That was when it happened.
“Still not ready?”
“Father.”
“Your Grace.”
The duke, addressed variously, scanned the area with a stern face. He glared disapprovingly at the commanders, then approached me.
“Abi, is something wrong?”
His eyes were sharp as honed blades, but his tone toward me was endlessly gentle. A ferocious glint, as if promising to slaughter any troublemakers. I replied with deliberate nonchalance.
“No. Nothing at all.”
Then, to Agni:
“We were just about to head out. Right, Sir Agni?”
I smacked his much larger forearm. Agni's face twisted satisfyingly. But with the duke present, he couldn't snap back as viciously. Even as commander of the rowdy 3rd Order, he wouldn't defy his lord.
“I told you explicitly, Sir Agni. Treat Abigail well as the little duke.”
Agni's massive frame flinched at the duke's low voice. Kinda cute, huh? Seeing the muscled giant shrink like a scolded child nearly made me smirk. I pressed my twitching lips with my hand.
“Sir Agni! Time to depart.”
“...Yes.”
Tamed by the duke, Agni obeyed meekly. Satisfied, I turned to the duke.
“I'll be back, Father.”
“Yes, take care.”
The duke hesitated, then extended his large hand to ruffle my hair. I looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise. He withdrew with faintly flushed cheeks and an embarrassed expression. As the air grew awkward, a voice called out.
“Huff, huff, Lady Abigail!”
“Ah, Teacher Xavier.”
Xavier came running, laden with gear, panting heavily.
“All prepared.”
“Mm, you sure you'll be okay?”
I eyed him worriedly; he already looked exhausted. But he nodded vigorously, as if it were nothing. He wouldn't miss a research trip to Volta. I'd relented to his persistent begging, but I still wondered if bringing him was wise. He screamed bookish scholar; could he endure the forced marches?
“I'll keep up! Lady Abigail!”
His eyes burned with an incomprehensible zeal for research. I nodded reluctantly.
“Alright then, let's go.”
“Yes!”
The fully prepared group awaited me. I gave the duke one last look, then turned.
I absently fingered the hair his hand had touched.
“Depart!”
“Yes!”