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“Are you certain this is all right? I’m told you are the daughter of the honorable Marquess of Trahn. You should hardly share a coach with a rogue like myself,” said the boy sitting across from Katarina inside the coach. He looked about fourteen, around the same age as her. He wasn’t very well-kept. The most striking things about him were his messy black hair and beast-like black eyes that suggested both intelligence and barbarity at the same time. He clearly wasn’t someone with an upstanding profession, but his manner of speech indicated that he at least understood proper etiquette.
Greg the steward, who was sitting next to Katarina, eyed the boy Noah with suspicion.
Katarina herself thought him very suspicious as well. His external presentation and the skill he had displayed in wiping out so many assailants were just completely incomprehensible. He called himself a rogue, but were any rogues this talented? Then there were his companion beastmen, and the small feline monster he said he’d tamed as a pet. That wasn’t unusual in and of itself, but it still struck a strange chord.
All these flags told Katarina that this group was accustomed to danger, and that under ordinary circumstances, she shouldn’t get involved with them. But she had to show her gratitude to them, including on a sentimental level. Thus, she had suggested that they accompany her to town.
Of course, Greg had disapproved at the start. But his opinion had changed when he saw the boy try to leave right away after claiming that he didn’t need a reward. Greg had suggested to Katarina that he utilize his competent steward skills of conversation and negotiation to hear out the boy’s wants and satisfy them. Doing so would be an extremely simple matter for someone in Katarina’s position, so she had agreed.
However, Greg’s suggestion had not included letting him aboard the coach. Katarina had decided that on her own. She wanted to talk to this boy. She wasn’t wholly conscious of it herself, but Katarina had taken a great interest in Noah.
“No, please don’t let it concern you. You say you are a rogue, but you saved our lives in the nick of time. After all that, I cannot treat you as a threat to my safety.”
“Yes, but...Mr. Greg? You’re her steward. Don’t you have any objections?”
“I simply follow the wishes of my mistress. Moreover, if you are headed to Midrogue, it would certainly be better to go together. It will be easier to explain to the guards that you are an official guest if you ride in the coach. I do not see an issue.”
Greg’s explanation was an interim response and probably wasn’t his actual opinion. But he was a first-rate steward for a prominent noble house, so he spoke and acted courteously, and showed no unpleasantness in his expression.
Normally, it should have been fine for the other party to take him at his word, especially if they were a commoner. Even among nobles, an unsympathetic young lord or absent-minded young lady would think nothing more of it. But Katarina noticed something in Noah’s expression at that moment. He opened his mouth to argue back at Greg, but showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, his eyes betrayed a tiny bit of emotion. It was as if he was thinking, “This house’s steward has it rough too.”
It might’ve just been her imagination. But if it wasn’t...
This person really is intriguing, thought Katarina.
Katarina didn’t notice that beside her, Greg’s face only grew more weary. Her interest in this boy was not very proper for a noble lady.
✦ ✦ ✦
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“You want to let these beastmen into town? Can I see their identification? ...I see, they’ll get that later. So they’re refugees... Yeah, that happens to beastmen a lot. Just happened to some others recently. Midrogue’s got plenty of beastmen already, but there are issues with just letting them in. Of course, if you say House Trahn will take some of the responsibility, that’ll do. Yes, otherwise there’ll be no end to them. All right, as long as we’re agreed.” The officer stationed at the front gate guardhouse spoke to Greg in a somewhat high-strung tone.
This was Midrogue, a provincial city in the Marquess of Trahn’s territory in the state of Altair. Katarina’s father had sent her here to learn governance. She wouldn’t be ruling on her own; she had just been given limited powers on the city council. Nonetheless, most of the other council members were under the patronage of the Marquess, so Katarina wouldn’t have to waste her time with incessant power struggles. Thus, it was a simple matter for her to admit a boy, his ten or so beastmen companions, and his pet cat as citizens of Midrogue. Regardless, Katarina was not completely devoid of political enemies, hence the officer’s mild crankiness.
Katarina apologized to the boy. “I’m sorry for the unpleasant experience. You may think it’s easy to accomplish something like this with the Marquess’s authority, but that is not actually the case.”
“Not at all. If I remember correctly, this city is governed by a council. Even if it is part of the Marquess’s territory, the power structure isn’t set up to allow them to get their way all the time. Being questioned like that was only natural. The political systems of federations really are intriguing with how complex they are...”
Both Katarina and her steward Greg were surprised by this response. It certainly wasn’t the kind of thing any rogue on the street would say.
The boy suddenly seemed to realize this as well. “Ah, pardon me. That’s just what I overheard from some merchants conversing at an inn I stayed at during my travels.”
Though he made this excuse, Katarina’s interest was only further ignited.