As the day of our departure to Seahealby for Princess Lysonna’s wedding ceremony arrived, Bertia stood at the palace entrance, bubbling with excitement amid a lineup of carriages. It marked the beginning of our journey to attend the royal wedding, with gifts and necessities already loaded and the knights assembled in formation. Now, all that remained was for us and our attendants to board the carriages.
“We’ll be on a carriage ride for some time, but let’s enjoy the journey together,” I replied to Bertia’s beaming smile.
“Yes!” she responded enthusiastically.
After exchanging smiles, we turned to those who had come to see us off.
Bertia’s father, the Marquis of Noches, along with my aides and Bertia’s friends, was among the well-wishers. My parents—the king and queen—were also expected to send us off and would likely be arriving a little later.
“Bertia, if danger arises, quickly hide behind his highness. This should cause most threats to back off. Never face it alone, understood?” The Marquis of Noches warned his daughter, concern filling his voice.
Marquis, I may not have those magical powers, but I will certainly do everything I can to protect Bertia.
“Lady Bertia, exercise heightened caution while abroad. The Love and Devotion Club members may be fewer in number, so stay more alert than usual,” Joanna urged, her brows knitted in concern.
The suggestion that there might be members of the unofficial fan club, The Love and Devotion Club, even beyond our borders hinted at just how far Bertia’s charm and influence extended.
Anne gave Bertia a booklet she had prepared about Seahealby, apparently having put a lot of effort into preparing it for the trip. Bertia’s delight was obvious, as was her gratitude for the work invested in compiling the information.
Silica, on the other hand, was concerned with Bertia’s habits—particularly her tendency to reach for a handkerchief after indulging in sweets rather than risk staining her dress. The exchange reminded me of how parents chided their children, and it was heartwarming to see the bond between Bertia and her friends.
Among Bertia’s entourage, only Cynthia, one of her ladies-in-waiting, would be accompanying us. She had taken over the responsibilities that would have fallen to Silica if she were present. This arrangement ensured Bertia’s needs were met and showed how well her friends worked together.
Cynthia and Kuro, both standing ready at Bertia’s side, were responsible for assisting her during the journey.
Valdo, a newly appointed knight who had chosen the path of chivalry after graduating from the academy, approached with the news that the guards were prepared for departure.
The reason he, rather than the knight commander, was delivering these reports stemmed from an earlier incident. After reviewing the initial security plan for this trip, I had pointed out numerous flaws and criticized its lack of rigor with perhaps too much severity, causing the commander to become somewhat wary of me.
While he still consulted me on important matters, he now observed my reactions with caution and often delegated simpler reports to Valdo, knowing the two of us were acquainted. I was lenient for now, but if the negligence became too blatant, I intended to have a proper discussion.
“Thank you for your hard work. Once we greet the king and queen, we’ll be ready to leave.”
“Understood! I’ll relay that to the commander,” Valdo responded with a grin and quickly returned to the ranks.
As I noticed the knight commander observing us from afar, I met his gaze with a smile, which unexpectedly caused him to flinch. How strange.
Turning my attention to Courtgain, who stood beside Zeno, I noticed that his usually composed demeanor was slightly unsettled. Following his gaze, my eyes landed on something small moving just behind the group conversing with Bertia…
Ah, one of Bertia’s maids—the younger sister of the former errand runner.
Her dark, greenish-brown hair and amber eyes, along with her subdued presence, made her appear younger than she was, though she was actually the same age as Bertia. In fact, her lack of distinctive features was what made her stand out.
If I recalled correctly, her name was Milma Kaimore. Now serving as Bertia’s maid in her sister’s place, she also quietly submitted reports to me whenever anything unusual occurred—something neither Bertia nor her companions were aware of.
“Is something the matter with her?”
Keeping my expression unchanged, I softly inquired of Courtgain, who had been tracking Milma Kaimore with his gaze, about his interest in her. He momentarily stiffened at my question, and then his expression turned somewhat sour.
“It’s nothing significant,” he began hesitantly. “It seems she has some business with Lady Bertia. She’s been trying to find the right moment to speak up but hasn’t managed to find an opportunity…”
Hearing his explanation, I redirected my attention toward Milma. Sure enough, I noticed her struggling in her attempts to catch Bertia’s attention.
“Um…” she began. “Lady Bertia…” she faltered, pausing before continuing, “I was asked to…”
Unfortunately, her soft voice, paired with her incredibly faint presence, rendered her practically invisible.
It reminded me of something the former errand runner had once said—her sister, for better or worse, was someone whose presence was remarkably easy to overlook. Visually, she blended into her surroundings, her features unassuming, her demeanor quiet.
I recalled her sharing a story from their childhood. Milma’s presence was so faint that during games of hide-and-seek, the other children would forget she was even playing and leave without finding her. She would return home in tears, still unfound.
“Your observance is commendable,” I said, offering Courtgain a nod of approval.
“My family has many siblings, and one of my sisters always struggled to make herself heard—much like her,” he replied with a wry smile. His expression softened in a way usually reserved for Bertia, revealing the classic demeanor of an older brother.
“It seems she’s about to… Ah, there it is. Despite being a fully grown adult and a competent maid, she still finds herself in these situations,” Courtgain remarked, just as Milma halted her hesitant movements. Her gaze dropped, and she bit her lip, clearly holding back tears, frustration written across her face.
“Um, Your Highness…” Courtgain hesitated to continue, but I already understood what he was about to ask.
“It’s fine. Go ahead,” I encouraged him.
Relieved by my permission, Courtgain bowed slightly and walked briskly over to Milma.
I usually don’t observe how he interacts with his siblings, so I’m not entirely sure, but it’s rare to see him taking care of anyone other than Bertia like that. Watching with a bit of curiosity, I saw Courtgain address Milma with an expression that was almost admonishing.
Initially surprised, Milma soon offered a faint smile—perhaps pleased that someone had noticed her distress. After a brief exchange, Courtgain let out a sigh that seemed to say “can’t be helped,” then took Milma by the hand and led her to Bertia.
Courtgain, you do realize you’re guiding a fully grown lady, not a child, despite her petite, youthful appearance, right?
It seemed he hadn’t noticed. Milma’s cheeks reddened slightly from being led by the hand, a detail Courtgain obliviously missed, showcasing his usual lack of awareness in such situations.
“Lady Bertia, may I have a moment?” Courtgain returned with Milma in tow. His voice, clear and resonant, immediately captured everyone’s attention—a stark contrast to when Milma attempted to speak up.
“Lord Courtgain, what brings you here?” Bertia asked, tilting her head in confusion. Then, noticing Milma peeking out from behind Courtgain, her expression brightened. “Oh, Milma, you’ve returned!” Indeed, Milma had been there for quite a while, unnoticed even by Bertia.
“Um, Your Highness, this is for you…” Milma hesitantly presented a small rectangular box, which Bertia accepted with a radiant smile.
“I was told to bring this from your room, the ‘Unyan!’” Milma announced, perhaps to confirm that she had brought the correct item. Bertia, visibly pleased and nodding in approval, reassured Milma.
Even so…
“Tia, what exactly is this ‘Unyan’ thing?” I asked, unable to determine from the box what the item was or its purpose.
“This, you see, is a type of card game,” Bertia explained enthusiastically. “It’s regarded as a staple for journeys by ‘bus’ or ‘train’… Oh, my apologies, I misspoke. I meant it’s a classic companion for carriage rides!”
Bus? Train? These were terms that felt foreign, possibly remnants from Bertia’s past world instead of our own.
“I see. But it has quite an unusual name for a game, doesn’t it?”
The name itself resembled a cat’s meow, lacking any obvious meaning yet captivating with its distinct sound. My casual remark prompted Bertia to suddenly divert her gaze.
“Tia?”
“Well, it’s just… that… Actually,” she hesitated, her face a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. “The truth is, the game’s original name was different. While I was walking and considering changing the game’s name after the manufacturer asked me, I nearly tripped…”
“Oh?”
“And so, I had only gotten as far as the first sound ‘U’ when I nearly fell and instinctively cried out ‘Nyan.’ The person in charge of production must have misunderstood that as the name, and it was recorded as ‘Unyan’ on the production order form.”
So that was the story. My wife never ceased to amuse with her antics.
“Couldn’t you have clarified the misunderstanding?” I probed further.
Her gaze dropped, appearing a touch disheartened. “I was informed it was ‘a perfectly charming name that aligns perfectly with the princess’ image,’ and I just couldn’t find it in me to correct it.”
Bertia’s demeanor was dejected, but honestly, it seemed fitting for her. After all, she often exclaimed ‘nyaah’ in a way that was reminiscent of a cat. Perhaps this unintentional name wasn’t such a bad fit after all.
“It’s certainly a cute name… just like Tia.” I chuckled as I said this, causing Bertia, who had been staring at the ground, to suddenly let out a surprised squeak.
“Feh?!” Her face flushed bright red.
Yep, my wife is undeniably adorable.
“Since this is a game to play in the carriage, can I join in too?”
“Of course! I collaborated closely with the craftsman to ensure we could enjoy our journey together.”
“Then, you’ll need to teach me how to play later, okay?”
“Yes, certainly!”
Though her face was still slightly flushed, Bertia nodded eagerly, clearly pleased. In this warm atmosphere, the arrival of my father and mother was announced.
The crowd around Bertia parted to the left and right, creating a clear path from the entrance to where we stood. The knights straightened their posture, preparing to welcome the king and queen.
Well, once the greetings are over, it’ll finally be time to depart. Hopefully, everything goes smoothly… but then again, a little trouble might make the journey more interesting. So, either way, it’s all good.