Ch.272Chapter 272 – Domestica (1)

After retrieving the few valuables from the bandit camp, I brought the woman to the carriage.

She had immediately fainted, and Chris and Sera began examining her. Soon, Chris nodded and said.

“It’s overexertion.”

“Overexertion?”

“She’s accumulated so much fatigue that her body finally gave out.”

“Other than that, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong.”

Sera, who had been examining her with a serious expression after hearing she’d been captured by bandits, said this with a relieved face.

“She might have been captured just moments before we encountered the bandits.”

“This person was lucky.”

If our timing had been off by even a little, who knows what might have happened to her.

Soon, a warm golden light began emanating from Chris’s hands as she started healing the woman.

“I’ll cast a healing spell for now. After she wakes up, we’ll give her medicine and food, then let her rest. She should be fine.”

“I’ll drip some medicine into her mouth now to help her recover faster.”

As if she had anticipated this situation, Sera took out medicine from her pocket and dropped it one drop at a time into the woman’s mouth.

“If it works well, she might be able to get up by tomorrow morning.”

“Should we examine her more thoroughly just in case?”

“Let’s do that, Chris.”

Soon, the two began flowing magical and divine power through the woman’s body to check her health condition again.

Watching them care for the patient with such dedication, I quietly said:

“You’re both working hard.”

“This much is routine for us.”

Chris answered my comment with a smile.

And then the next moment.

She looked at me with slightly serious eyes and asked:

“…So may I ask why you brought this beautiful woman with you?”

For some reason, I felt like Ive and Sera’s eyes, which had been quietly observing, had also narrowed slightly.

‘…I need to be careful with my words.’

I hadn’t done anything wrong, but if I said the wrong thing, I didn’t know what might happen to me.

Especially since Sera was slightly moving her hand, making me feel like I’d suffer consequences if I misspoke.

With that in mind, I carefully chose my words.

“This person seemed to be an acquaintance of Beatrice.”

“Lady Beatrice?”

Chris immediately looked at Beatrice.

And Beatrice, who had been smoking a cigarette a little distance away, nodded and said:

“That’s right. She’s someone I know.”

“May I ask who she is…?”

Before Chris could finish her question, Beatrice raised her hand.

“Sorry. I’ll tell you after I organize my thoughts a bit.”

Beatrice was frowning as if troubled.

If she wouldn’t tell us, there was no way to find out.

In the end, the three who had been trying to discover the woman’s identity began conferring with just their eyes, and soon reached a conclusion.

“…For now, we should let her rest in the carriage.”

Everyone nodded at Ive’s suggestion.

After watching Chris and Sera transport the woman into the carriage, I quietly looked at Beatrice.

“Leave her be for now.”

“Sia.”

Sia stopped me, perhaps thinking I was going to approach Beatrice.

“She seems mentally troubled. I think it’s better to let her think alone for now.”

And soon she added with a light smile:

“Well, there’s no need to worry. I think she’ll explain the situation with a bright face tomorrow.”

“I see.”

Though I felt somewhat unsatisfied, I trusted Beatrice would do as Sia said.

Shortly after, Ive climbed onto the driver’s seat and began driving the carriage, while Beatrice, with a dark expression, went into her room.

+

The next morning.

Beatrice called us all to the room where the woman we had brought from the bandit camp was staying.

“Have you sorted out your thoughts?”

“Yes. Sorry for worrying you.”

Beatrice bowed her head in response to my question.

And soon she quietly folded her hands and said:

“This woman is called Domestica.”

Beatrice pointed at the woman as she spoke.

“She was one of the maids working in the royal palace.”

“She worked at the royal palace?”

Ive asked, sounding a bit surprised.

And Beatrice nodded and said:

“It’s true.”

I had thought her skin seemed too fair compared to her attire when we rescued her.

“But why was she there?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Beatrice answered with a troubled expression.

Then she continued her explanation.

“To put it differently, this woman wasn’t just an ordinary maid.”

“Not ordinary?”

“She was a maid personally selected by the king to serve the 7th princess of Firenchena. You can’t call such a maid ordinary, can you?”

Beatrice explained casually.

And then, as if she had just remembered something, she spoke again.

“I forgot. I should have asked this first. Does anyone know about the 7th princess of Firenchena?”

“I’ve at least heard of her.”

Beatrice nodded at Ive’s words.

“I thought no one would know, but the merchant guild leader’s daughter knows.”

“Though it’s in the past, I was once a count’s daughter.”

After saying this, Ive looked at Beatrice.

Soon Beatrice began speaking:

“This is about the previous king of Firenchena, not the current one. He was a king who had seven princesses.”

“Seven?”

I was momentarily surprised at the mention of seven children, but thinking about it again, it wasn’t that unusual.

As a royal family, they couldn’t risk their lineage being cut off easily, so having many children wasn’t strange.

Besides, to secure succession, they would have wanted heirs, so probably besides the queen…

“For your information, all seven were born from the queen alone. Unfortunately, there were no princes.”

“That’s still impressive.”

Honestly, I had thought there would be other wives.

The king and queen must have had a very good relationship.

Beatrice shrugged lightly and said:

“The Firenchena royal family is strangely good at having children… I’m getting sidetracked again. Let me continue.”

Beatrice smiled gently and then resumed:

“Although there were no princes, all seven princesses were intelligent and each had their own area of excellence. So the king adored them, and even considered naming one of them as his successor.”

“They must have been extremely talented.”

To be considered as successors, they must have been very capable.

Beatrice smiled and said:

“All the princesses were intelligent, but each also had their own particularly outstanding field. Court etiquette, magic, academics, beauty… Some might sound like they were just attached labels, but they were recognized not only by the people of Firenchena at that time but also by foreign nobles.”

“I heard rumors too. It was said that all seven were remarkably talented women.”

Though I suspected there might have been some flattery mixed in for the king’s sake, according to Beatrice and Ive, they were genuinely exceptional.

“Domestica’s role was to care for these princesses. She was a maid personally selected by the king from among those who passed various tests to look after the princesses who received the king’s affection.”

“But she’s so young?”

In response to Sera’s question, Beatrice nodded and smiled.

“That’s because they selected people who were similar in age to the princesses. Of course, Domestica was chosen because she was as capable as people who were older and more experienced than her.”

After saying this, Beatrice looked at the sleeping woman for a moment and continued:

“And she was a kind girl who enjoyed taking care of others. Thanks to that, she was recognized in various ways.”

Beatrice quietly added that she had been kind to her as well.

Soon Sia nodded quietly and asked:

“But Beatrice, how did you come to know her?”

“That’s…”

Beatrice was about to continue her explanation.

And at that moment:

“That’s because she was a member of the ‘Shadows,’ the unit that guarded the princesses.”

It was a voice I hadn’t heard before.

Looking immediately toward the source of the voice, I saw the woman who had been lying in bed was now getting up.

As Beatrice turned her gaze, the woman looked at her and said:

“I’m sorry, but let me continue the story from here, Captain Beatrice.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m fine. Rather, I’m a bit curious when you started speaking to me so casually.”

Beatrice looked slightly flustered at Domestica’s words.

But soon Domestica smiled gently and said:

“It’s alright. Such trivial matters don’t matter anymore. I’m no longer in the same position as before, so I’d actually prefer if you continued to speak to me casually.”

“…I’ll do that.”

Beatrice exhaled as if relieved.

It seemed she was a more strict person than she appeared.

“But wait, Captain Beatrice?”

“Yes. Didn’t she tell you anything?”

Domestica looked at us with a puzzled expression.

But soon, after seeing Beatrice’s attire, she nodded and said:

“That free-spirited outfit is… well, you must have been living while hiding your identity too. I understand.”

Beatrice didn’t say anything.

And Domestica looked at us and said:

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it seems you were discussing me and the princesses.”

“That’s right.”

At Ive’s confirmation, Domestica nodded.

“Beatrice. Are these people trustworthy?”

“Yes.”

When Beatrice answered without hesitation, Domestica’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Then she smiled lightly and said:

“I trust your judgment.”

Domestica soon began speaking again:

“Beatrice was one of the captains of a unit called the Shadows of Firenchena.”

“Shadows?”

“Yes. Shadows. It was the name of the unit that protected the seven princesses from the shadows.”

Domestica spoke with serious eyes.

“It was a unit formed by gathering people from across the country who were renowned and similar in age and appearance to the princesses. And it was famous for its brutal training.”

“Why people similar in age and appearance?”

In response to Sera’s question, Domestica smiled and said:

“To die in place of the royal family, especially the heirs, in case of emergency.”

“…Is that true?”

When I asked Beatrice, she averted her gaze.

And seeing her quietly nod, I knew it was true.

“…You seem ashamed. For failing your mission.”

“Let’s leave it at that.”

Beatrice avoided answering, but Domestica looked at her as if she understood.

Leaving Beatrice alone, I turned to Domestica and asked:

“What do you mean by failing the mission?”

“I just told you. The Shadows were a unit meant to die in place of the royal family members in case of emergency.”

After saying this, Domestica looked at Beatrice and continued:

“I can’t tell you the details as they were confidential, but basically, the Shadows would dress and disguise themselves to look like the royal family members, and in the worst case, use whatever means necessary to die in their place.”

After saying this, Domestica glanced at Beatrice once and quietly said:

“However, our princesses, except for the youngest princess, were all killed along with the queen a long time ago. The Shadow unit guarding them at that time was Beatrice’s unit.”

“……”

“That’s what it means when I say Beatrice failed.”

Beatrice didn’t say anything in response to Domestica’s words.

She merely avoided the gaze of Domestica, who was staring at her intently.

“…I don’t intend to blame you, Beatrice. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Beatrice remained silent.

With a slightly sad look in her eyes, Domestica quietly rose and said:

“That’s enough for now. It would be better for you to hear the rest from her another time.”

“Let’s do that.”

Considering Beatrice’s current mood, it wasn’t the right time to ask more about the past.

Besides, if she didn’t want to share, I had no intention of prying further.

However, since the atmosphere had grown heavy, Chris quickly stepped in to change the subject.

“Um, excuse me. We’re on a journey, so could you drop me off at the next town?”

“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask where you all are heading?”

At her question, we looked at each other for a moment.

Soon, having made up my mind, I took the lead and said:

“We were heading to the nearest port.”

“The nearest port would be Port Fiume.”

Domestica seemed to be thinking for a moment.

And soon she looked at us and said:

“…If it’s not too much trouble, may I accompany you there?”

“Why?”

“…Actually, I was on my way to that port too.”

However, she added that she had finally collapsed due to exhaustion after not sleeping properly for days, and when she regained consciousness, she was in that bandit camp.

“In return, I’ll take care of various tasks along the way. I’ll also compensate you when we arrive. May I ask this favor?”

Domestica bowed her head as she spoke.

We stepped away from her for a moment to discuss among ourselves.

“What should we do?”

“…What do you all think?”

It seemed difficult to reach an immediate conclusion, so I gently asked, and everyone seemed to feel the same way.

Then Sera carefully asked me:

“…What about you, Kay?”

“If Beatrice is okay with it, I’m fine with it, but…”

I was concerned that having Domestica and Beatrice together might be difficult for Beatrice in many ways.

I felt it might be better to ask Domestica for understanding, but…

“Helmet.”

“Beatrice?”

Beatrice, who had been in a dark mood since earlier, suddenly called out to me.

Looking at her directly, I saw Beatrice bow her head and say:

“Please take Domestica to her destination. I’m asking you.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“I’m fine.”

Beatrice spoke quietly.

And then, she bowed her head again and said:

“Please.”

Seeing her bow her head and make this request, I couldn’t refuse.

In the end, we agreed to let Domestica accompany us.