Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (3)
Chapter 3. Were they such a high-ranking person? (3)
The existence of a beautiful knight captain is literally something out of a story.
If you were to scour the entire history of the Empire, perhaps such a person might have actually existed. But fundamentally, it's extremely rare for a woman to receive a knighthood in the first place.
Erna's existence is somewhat known even within the Duchy. After all, a commoner woman received a knighthood, and she's known to be beautiful on top of that.
I don't know about the other knights, but Erna almost always followed me around. I've been dragging Erna around like an accessory, after all.
Eyes are gathering.
How do I look to the commoners?
Do they also think the Blutrosenorden are just people who look the part?
Hmm.
"Look. They're more popular than I thought."
I said to Erna.
The number of knights is only six. Originally, it was seven including me, but since I'm not part of the order right now, there are only six.
There are other people around us, though. It's only natural for knights to have attendants.
But at the end of the day, the only ones fully armed and on horseback are the six beauties.
To other knight orders, they might just be nothing special, but to the commoners, they seem to look noble.
Then again, maybe they look even more so because I'm here. The next Duke of the Duchy. A young girl who ascended to the position of Duke.
As Rosalyn, my heart is satisfied by those expectant gazes. The more the things below look up to me, the more arrogant I become.
Seeing me hold my head high with confidence, Erna subtly followed suit. She held a flag in one hand. A stylish emblem with a black background, featuring a red rose and the profile of a beautiful woman.
"By the way, Gak-ha."
Erna said quietly.
The horses were spaced out a bit, but since the commoners watching us were very quiet, Erna's voice reached me clearly.
"At this rate... how far do you intend to go?"
"Well."
I thought for a moment before answering.
"Let's head to the monastery."
Since we're already out, maybe I should visit the orphanage again.
As Rosalyn, I did wander around here and there quite often. But most of the places I visited were 'shops'. And not just any shops, but high-end ones mainly used by nobles.
Like a cafe with delicious desserts, or a shop selling dresses so expensive that the price of a single one could feed a commoner family for a year.
After I became the Duke, I didn't go to places like that. Instead, I only visited the church to pray or places that required a direct visit from the Duke, accompanied by my aides.
As a result, there were only two places left that I could visit 'personally'. The knight order's garrison and the orphanage next to the monastery.
It had been two weeks since I talked about the recommendation letter, so maybe Arno had thought of something too.
Even though I have a few years, the truth is, I'm not exactly the patient type.
Erna followed me there often, but the other knights didn't. In the first place, our conversations couldn't be heard that far back.
"......Hehe."
Yes, good.
I had a good idea.
Aren't knight orders supposed to help those weaker than themselves?
Wouldn't it be fine for the knight order to do the volunteer work I did at that orphanage?
I don't know about other knight orders, but at least on the surface, we're all beauties. No, actually, it's not just on the surface. In reality, other than being pretty, they have no talent other than awkwardly swinging their swords.
"Hehehehe."
My laughter must have been heard clearly, as I could feel the young ladies behind me stirring.
Good.
I can't be the only one suffering.
Let them get some dust on their hands for once.
Thinking that to myself, I slowly rode my horse toward the monastery.
*
"It is troublesome in many ways to keep bringing beautiful ladies to the monastery."
"Oh my, forgive me if I was rude. But what can I do? It's just that the members of my knight order are beautiful."
With the tea table set up by the servants who followed me in the middle, Arno and I sat facing each other.
Well, Arno's words aren't wrong either. Monks are, by default, people who have sworn to live in celibacy for the rest of their lives.
But if pretty, young women keep loitering around, it would be troublesome in many ways. I heard that even masturbation is forbidden. Honestly, I can't really believe that. Wouldn't they all just take care of it themselves?
"Ugh!"
I don't know if it was Ella or Lila, but I heard someone retching. They wouldn't make such a fuss just seeing dust, so they probably got assigned to clean the latrines like I did.
Suppressing the twitching at the corner of my mouth, I looked at Arno.
"Have you come to hear the answer from last time?"
"If you have the heart to do it."
I felt a bit more comfortable in front of Arno. If he could hesitate at my proposal, then Arno just looked like an ordinary human with desires.
Arno thought for a moment before opening his mouth again.
"Gak-ha. I know that you find me uncomfortable."
"......Is that so?"
"That is correct. You've been that way since you were a child. You were someone who hated being told to live virtuously more than anything else."
"You are quite frank."
I tilted the teacup and took a sip of tea.
"That is why I thought it would be meaningless to beat around the bush in front of you, and that it would be better to ask you directly."
"Aack!"
I heard a young lady scream again.
Good, it seems I wasn't the only one who was strange. I suppose that's the average for a noble young lady.
"Gak-ha, how about you be honest about what you want? When it comes to a deal, it's more comfortable for both sides to speak openly."
"That is a wonderful sentiment."
I said with a wide smile on my face.
"This girl has no acquaintances outside the Duchy. Especially since I am quite far removed from the teachings of the Church."
"So you thought it would be better to have an acquaintance within the Order."
"That is so."
Originally, I just wanted to get rid of him quickly, but Arno seemed reasonably convinced by this explanation.
"I judged that you would not want to continue a life of just taking care of children in a place like this."
"......."
"Didn't you say it yourself? That children don't listen properly, so it's just unpleasant. But you're only helping them because they're pitiful."
"That was sincere."
"I believe you."
I nodded.
"So, I am saying that I will take charge and raise them. Although I won't be raising them with my own hands."
"I have one more question."
Monk Arno said.
"You and I have had almost no connection before. It is only very recently that we have started talking properly like this. Yet, is there a reason you specifically singled me out?"
"I may not know Monk Arno well, but I am close with the Hagen family. Above all, your niece is my maid."
"......Is that so."
Monk Arno smiled slightly.
"You intend to put a debt on my family rather than me."
"That is so. Whether the recommendation letter is useful or not, it's only a gain for me, isn't it?"
"......."
Monk Arno thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
"Are you saying you will accept it?"
"I am also of noble birth. If an opportunity that will never come again presents itself, I have no choice but to take it."
"You truly are a reasonable person!"
If he were a saint, he would just be annoying, but as a trading partner, he is welcome!
Oops, my tone and my heart changed.
"I will write the recommendation letter for you soon. If you receive it, how long will it take until you leave?"
"I will likely move positions soon. It is a recommendation letter written by the Duke, so I cannot leave it neglected for long."
"Excellent."
"It sounds as if you have been waiting for me to leave?"
Oops.
"Of course, absolutely not. I just want to support the idea of a virtuous clergyman in this territory wanting to go to a higher place."
"Is that so."
But as if he knew all my thoughts, Monk Arno smiled.
"It is a promise. At the very least, you will properly protect that orphanage."
"Of course. In the name of this Rosalyn von Artena, I will gladly...... well, maybe not gladly, but anyway, I will make sure to protect it without any shortcomings."
As I stood up from my seat, Monk Arno also stood up.
"Wait!"
And then, I heard that sound from nearby.
I turned my head and saw a child who had been approaching us being blocked by Erna. The child was not even half Erna's height.
In their hand was a single flower that looked like it had been carelessly plucked from a field.
"Erna."
I gestured for Erna to step aside. Erna bowed her head slightly toward me and stepped to the side.
I approached the child, who was hesitating and unable to come closer, and then paused.
It smells.
No, of course, it's not as bad as when I first came here. The child's clothes were much cleaner than back then, and the dirt that used to be on their face wasn't visible now.
It's just that there's a limit. Monks spend a lot of their day praying and studying scriptures. That's what they do in the first place.
But perhaps it was because I had approached a few steps. The child, while still hesitant, came toward me.
Their eyebrows twitched and their fingertips trembled slightly—
"Y-Your Grace, Duke."
The child called out while looking up at me.
"What is it?"
I said as briefly as possible. If I wasn't careful, I might get caught with annoyance in my voice.
Monk Arno was watching right next to us, and if that happened, the relationship I had worked so hard to build might fall apart.
The child held out the flower to me.
"T-this, I wanted to give this to you."
"......."
I blinked.
The child handed me a white flower with their small hands. It was a pathetic-looking flower, as expected of one plucked from a field, but it seemed they had chosen the one with the best-looking petals among them.
I hesitated for a moment before picking up the flower with my fingertips.
When I lifted my gaze slightly, I saw a group of children gathered in the distance, watching us.
"T-thank you."
The child said.
"I, I heard that it was all thanks to Your Grace, the Duke, that we were able to eat our fill."
"......Is that so?"
I stared at the flower for a moment, then turned to look at Frida.
Frida, quick-witted as always, immediately approached my side and carefully took the flower I was holding.
"I have only done what is natural as a noble."
I just said that.
"S-still, thank you."
The child bowed their head deeply once more. As a commoner to a noble.
"......."
I hate pure beings. Because purity is no different from being stupid.
To be honest, I almost entirely agree with what Monk Arno said.
But that doesn't mean I intend to get angry at a young child. That wouldn't be helpful in many ways.
"Frida. From today, this orphanage will be operated directly under the name of the Duke's household."
"Understood, Gak-ha."
"Let's draw up a budget. At least so the children can wash every day."
"Yes. Understood."
Yes, yes.
At least if it doesn't smell, it won't be as hard to come here.
I sighed lightly and thought.