A day had passed since Sebastian delivered the documents I asked for. The mountain of papers still sat on my desk. I wanted to keep reading, but Tanya begged me to take a break, so I decided to go stretch my legs and explore the mansion. I hadn’t been back in ages, yet still I hadn’t taken the time to look around.
The mansion in the capital was of fine construction, don’t get me wrong, but it was nothing compared to this place. First, there was the space. Oh, the space! If you asked me how big it was, it would be difficult for me to say, as I’d never measured it. I mean, it took fifteen minutes to walk from the front gate to the mansion itself, which was quite a shock to my past self. The path was lined with fountains spewing water, and depending on the season, the gardens bloomed with flowers. It was quite a sight for any visitor. When I’d seen it from the carriage last evening, I had been overcome with nostalgia and comfort.
The mansion was enormous, but the area behind it was easily double the size. Vegetation sprawled about, and there was a body of water too large to be a pond, yet too small to be a lake. Near this body of water, although you couldn’t see it from the mansion, was a stable. Beyond that was a forest. The grounds were so vast, I didn’t think I had ever walked every corner of it.
In any case, today I chose the backyard to explore. The wind brushed my cheek, gently shaking the trees. What idyllic weather. Basking in the calming effects of the scenery, I headed for the stable. The last time I visited, I had been a child, so I took care not to get lost.
“Is the stable really this way?”
After a few minutes I was, ironically, lost. My memories were so hazy. Still, you really wouldn’t expect to get lost on your own property, would you? I could still see the mansion, though, so in the worst-case scenario, I could always head back that way. Actually, I was itching to get back to work, so I supposed I would have to give up on the stable. It was my home, so I could try to find it whenever the mood struck me next. That was what I told myself as I turned around.
“Huh?”
In the corner of my eye, I spotted familiar blond hair. Lyle?
I decided to take a detour and stepped off the path. Before I realized it, I was in the thick of the trees. Could I still make it back to the mansion from here? What if it wasn’t Lyle? Worry filled me, but to my relief, I did indeed come upon my faithful bodyguard, who seemed to be practicing with his sword. He swung a heavy blade in a clearing, dripping with sweat.
“Is that you, my lady?”
I was beyond surprised that he sensed me without looking. “How did you know it was me? Do you have eyes in the back of your head?”
“It’s the result of my training, I guess you could say. I train so I can fight in pitch darkness and sense presences. I can identify a person even with the slightest of footsteps or smells.”
“That’s still impressive. Sorry, I must be intruding.”
“No, I was just thinking of finishing.” He lowered his sword.
“Well, if you say so,” I said, stepping into the clearing to glance around.
“My lady, what brings you out here?”
“Huh? Oh, I was looking over the documents Sebastian gave me, but Tanya insisted I take a break. So I figured I’d stretch my legs and walk to the stable.”
“The stable?” Lyle frowned. “That’s more to the west, I’m afraid. You must have taken a wrong turn.”
“I see… No wonder I was getting nowhere.”
The forest, thick with trees, filled my vision. In other words, I’d come to the northern corner of the estate. If memory served, the stable should have been right in front of the woods.
“It’s not often I see you walking around outside,” said Lyle.
“Right. Well, I haven’t been home in years, I guess. Say, Lyle, where are you headed now?”
Lyle chuckled, picking up on the implication of my question. Embarrassed, I glared at him.
“Forgive me. My duty is to be your bodyguard, so please allow me to accompany you back to the mansion.”
As long as he was headed there, he could at least show me the way. Of course, I was grateful for his willingness to help. Lyle knelt at my feet, paying respect to his liege. The overdramatic gesture elicited a smile from me.
“Yes, I’ll be counting on you.” Giggling, I took his extended hand.
“It would be my honor,” Lyle replied with the utmost seriousness, smiling as well.
“So, do you train out here often?” I asked as we walked back to the mansion.
“If I ever have a block of free time, yes, I mostly train out here, and you are welcome to observe.”
“But you train with the other guards as well, don’t you? You sure are passionate.”
The Armelia family employed a number of private soldiers to protect the property and serve as guards to its household. Lyle and Dida were members of this company.
“Dida trains in secret, too.”
“He does? I can’t imagine it.”
“He hates letting other people see him work hard. But every day, he steadily gets stronger. Perhaps I do so as well simply because I don’t want to let him beat me.” Lyle grinned awkwardly.
“Hee hee. I think that’s fine. Dida would probably say the same thing.”
“If you say so.”
“You two have always squabbled over everything. Some would call you good rivals.”
Ever since we were children, Dida would swagger into a situation, make a mess, and Lyle would come sweeping up behind him. But whenever they ended up truly competing, it became an outright slugfest. If memory served, Dida would often dive in headfirst. Then the competition would fizzle out, with no clear winner in sight.
“I hope I can count on you two for my protection on this trip.”
Whatever their reasons for training, if it made them stronger, then there was nothing for me to say. As long as this trip went smoothly.
“Of course,” he said.
I could feel the pride in his smile.