Ch.15Pretending to Patrol Something #3

“—Jion, Jion. Wake up. It’s the ocean. You can see the ocean.”

Huh, what?

I’m not sure exactly when I fell asleep.

I clearly remember talking with Helena in the carriage, then a moment of silence came, and I recall being in a daze at that point. My memory stops right there.

“Ugh…! I apologize, Lady Helena. This servant fell asleep while his master was awake.”

I don’t know if it was because I was too relaxed or too excited.

What’s certain is that I carelessly fell asleep in Helena’s presence. So I apologized for that first.

And I felt the need to stay alert so this wouldn’t happen again.

“Hmm? You can sleep if you’re tired. Actually, I think I benefited from it, so I’m happy.”

I placed my hand on my throbbing head and looked at Helena’s face.

Seeing her bright smile, she genuinely seemed to be in a good mood.

It was clear she wasn’t just saying this out of consideration for me.

“Besides, Jion always gently accepts my childish behavior every day. So it’s fine the other way around too.”

“Even so… that’s a bit problematic.”

“You’re so stiff, really. Would you listen if I ordered you to act spoiled with me?”

“…That wouldn’t work either. Setting aside how it would make me look bad, it could also implicate you, Lady Helena.”

Helena clicked her tongue with a displeased expression, but it was still a request I couldn’t grant.

Partly because it would be embarrassing, but mainly because I didn’t want people to start viewing Helena too casually.

The Duke’s daughter and heir, and the youngest Sword Master.

Those high walls kept people from taking Helena lightly, but if they saw her showing too many openings like now, more people might try to climb those walls.

It would only fan the flames of desire for the beautiful Helena.

Of course, who she marries is entirely Helena’s choice.

I have no right to prevent that, nor do I want to.

Perhaps it might even be good if someone else could genuinely comfort her. She might be able to live more freely.

…Or at least, that’s what I sincerely thought a year ago.

“Well, fine. It’s not like your stiffness is anything new, so I’ll let it go this time. We’ve come all the way to this port city, after all.”

“Ah… that’s right, you mentioned the ocean. Shall we take a look?”

Drawn by the mention of the ocean, I shifted my gaze outside the window.

Beyond the window, an overwhelming world of blue was moving vigorously.

A sea cleaner and more beautiful than anything in the modern world, a sky without a single cloud.

And ships waiting at the harbor as if I were witnessing the Age of Exploration with my own eyes.

I felt my heart flutter anew as I stared absentmindedly at the seagulls flying over the ocean.

“This is… Count Barkan’s territory.”

The port city in Count Barkan’s territory was filled with a unique vitality.

From fishermen showing off their tanned muscles as they moved around the harbor, to women hawking fish in the streets, to fairly well-dressed merchants coming and going for trade.

When my eyes sparkled in amazement at it all, Helena teased me, saying I was like a child.

“You weren’t childlike when you were younger, but now that you’ve grown a bit, you’ve become like a child.”

“Did I seem too excited?”

“I could say that, but… I think it’s good. Much better than being indifferent, right?”

Helena said she was truly glad we had embarked on this journey, seeing how happy I was.

She even said that alone made it worthwhile, which was enough to make anyone blush.

“That’s a relief.”

Feeling fortunate that my embarrassment didn’t progress beyond blushing, I composed my expression as I noticed the carriage gradually slowing down.

Peeking my head out slightly, I saw that we had arrived right in front of a large mansion, as expected.

Assuming that was Count Albert Barkan’s mansion, I quickly pulled my head back into the carriage and sat up straight.

Not tensing up, but rather assuming the proper posture of an attendant.

Helena, too, seemed to realize what was happening, as she straightened her clothes and took a calm breath.

It was clear she knew it was time to show her public face.

“Excuse me. Are you Lady Helena Krauser?”

After we had composed ourselves and waited briefly, the carriage door opened quietly, and a knight in plate armor bowed respectfully.

He seemed to be a knight employed or trained with the personal funds of nobles.

“Yes. I am Helena Krauser.”

Helena promptly took out a token from her bosom and presented it.

The emblem engraved on the token was a sword thrust into the ground like a tombstone, the symbol representing the Krauser family.

A noble’s carriage bears the emblem of their family.

Thus, a noble’s carriage alone serves as sufficient proof of identity, and anyone impersonating one would be executed immediately upon discovery.

Regardless of the noble’s rank.

However, this knight wasn’t satisfied with just that and had stopped the carriage to verify our identity.

In some cases, this could be considered extremely rude, but from another perspective, he could be seen as someone extremely thorough in his duties.

Perhaps because even if someone didn’t impersonate a noble’s carriage, there was no guarantee that the person inside was actually a noble.

At least that’s what I thought, and accepted. Helena, who showed the token without any sign of displeasure, seemed to share my thoughts.

“I apologize for the intrusion.”

Only after checking the material and emblem of the token did the man bow deeply, as if apologizing for his rudeness.

To determine whether something is genuine requires a good eye, and I suspected this man was that type of person.

“Lady Helena Krauser. I sincerely welcome you to Count Barkan’s territory. The Count will be waiting, so please follow the guide from here.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

The knight bowed once more before carefully closing the carriage door. The fact that he didn’t bother to verify my identity was probably because Helena’s identity had been confirmed.

“He’s quite thorough.”

“Yes. I suppose since they frequently host gatherings with influential merchants, they’ve become strict about identity verification. When people come and go frequently, gaps inevitably appear.”

I nodded in agreement with Helena’s casual assessment, finding it plausible.

Indeed, I had heard that Barkan territory, with its active commerce, held gatherings more frequently than other places.

Though not all were lavish parties, it was undeniable that many people came and went frequently.

And it was entirely possible that some groups might try to use those opportunities to assassinate the Count or cause other mischief.

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Still, some people might find that itself unpleasant, depending on the circumstances. Being thorough is good, but…”

Helena didn’t specifically name anyone, but her comment suggested she had someone in mind.

While I wasn’t particularly interested, I imagined it would be somewhat uncomfortable if a noble from the same faction behaved improperly.

“Miss. We have arrived.”

As Helena and I were engaged in light conversation, a familiar voice came from beyond the door. It was Brown, the coachman who had brought us here and would continue to drive us.

“Yes. Thank you for letting us know.”

Upon hearing Brown’s words, I opened the carriage door and stepped onto the ground before Helena. I extended my hand to help her descend from the carriage.

At first, when riding in carriages, I was too short to provide any escort, but now I could easily manage it.

“Please alight, Lady Helena.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

While Helena spoke casually in private settings, her demeanor changed markedly in places like this where many eyes were watching.

She used formal speech with everyone, including servants, and maintained a composed manner when dealing with people.

Of course, she was always composed, but there was a qualitative difference compared to when she was in the Krauser mansion.

After the poisoning incident, she openly showed her obsession with me, which allowed her to relax her shoulders a bit within the Krauser mansion. It was a positive change in its own way.

“It is an honor to meet you like this. I am Reddy, Count Barkan’s butler.”

As Helena carefully descended from the carriage holding my hand, a middle-aged man in a tailcoat greeted us.

Judging by his attire, I had guessed he was a butler, but he looked much younger than Andy, the butler of the Krauser mansion.

“Yes. Pleased to meet you. I am Helena Krauser. It’s nice to meet you, Reddy.”

“The honor is mine, Lady Helena. To see with my own eyes the sword prodigy who has reached the lofty heights of Master.”

“My, you flatter me. I was just a bit lucky, that’s all.”

While I retrieved the bag and case I had placed in the corner of the carriage, Helena was creating quite a harmonious atmosphere with Butler Reddy.

He seemed to have taken a liking to her demeanor—noble yet somewhat unpretentious, yet still exuding dignity.

A noble who didn’t carry themselves with arrogance could certainly be seen as a refreshingly positive trait.

Of course, that’s just my opinion. There were also those who believed that nobility so lofty it was difficult to even casually address was the true virtue of aristocracy.

“You truly are an admirable person. I’ve kept you with my chatter and lost track of time, my apologies.”

“Not at all. I enjoyed it too, and I’m glad it helped me relax. I was actually quite nervous.”

“Haha, humble until the end! I would love to continue our delightful conversation, but the Count would scold me. Now, please follow me. I’ll have someone guide your coachman to his quarters.”

Reddy finally turned around and led the way to where the Count was waiting. As I silently followed behind Helena,

I whispered in a small voice to resolve a question that suddenly crossed my mind.

“By the way, shouldn’t you meet with the Count in private? I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to intrude.”

“There’s no need for that. No, don’t do that.”

Helena firmly dismissed the idea that there was any need for that.

I knew she disliked being separated from me, but there were times when it was necessary.

“But…”

As I trailed off, cautiously trying to argue, I ended up provoking Helena’s temper instead.

“…Jion. Is there really any need to be so concerned about a mere count?”

Suddenly, Helena turned her head sharply toward me.

With eyes like an abyss, her expression was so cold it was hard to believe she was the same person who had been smiling gently just moments ago.

It was fortunate that she still kept her voice low, but she seemed ready to cause a scene if left unchecked.

The calmness she had displayed publicly was completely gone, revealing the final stage of her gradient obsession.

Wait, why did her trigger button suddenly get pressed?

“He’s part of Duke Krauser’s faction… the so-called Royalist faction, isn’t he? It’s only natural to be concerned.”

“Is someone who makes Jion unnecessarily uncomfortable… really necessary?”

Living as a member of a noble family means accepting a certain degree of discomfort.

Helena knew this well, which is why she usually only showed slight displeasure, but this time was clearly different.

The formidable pressure of a Master naturally pressed on the surroundings, threatening enough to quickly terrify even those with dull senses.

So it was no surprise that Reddy, walking a few steps ahead, was sweating and glancing back.

In normal circumstances, when people’s attention is drawn, the typical response would be to suggest calming down.

But I knew that would be a terrible move with the unwell Helena.

In such cases, prioritizing and soothing Helena worked best. As always.

“It is necessary. I want to go on a date with Helena by the seaside. So it would be good if the Count could accommodate us.”

“…Huh? D-date?”

The destructive power of the word “date” was quite remarkable.

The razor-sharp atmosphere instantly softened, and light returned to her abyss-like eyes.

Moreover, her cheeks flushed as if to prove her vivacity.

Reddy, seeing this, sighed with relief as he stroked his chest, then quickly regained his composure and turned his gaze forward again.

I thought that regardless of the reason, he probably considered it important that Helena’s mood had improved.

It would have been rude to openly display personal curiosity anyway.

Thanks to this, I could use the tone I normally used when alone with Helena without hesitation.

“Yes. It might be a bit boring, but I’d like to go fishing in a secluded place, take walks along the coast, and go on a boat ride. Also, buying fish to cook, and eating together cozily… would you dislike that, Helena?”

To that, Helena, with dreamy eyes, softly said she would like that too.

I felt a bit cringy inside, but I was truly relieved that the situation had been smoothly resolved.