“This just seems altogether too reckless. Isn’t it your responsibility to stop her, Mr. Greg?” I asked.
We were in the middle of a dark forest, watching a crackling campfire from a short distance.
Greg replied, “My master has ordered me to serve as Lady Katarina’s aide while in Midrogue. I am to obey her decisions to the letter.”
“I get it. So you can’t stop her unless her life is in immediate jeopardy.”
“Precisely.”
That was the typical master-servant relationship, especially between children who were assigned a challenging task and sent off to far lands and their stewards. Katarina and Greg were the very paradigm of this. Still...
“I still think this qualifies as putting her life in danger. We may be registered adventurers, but I’m sure you’re aware that we’re still only the lowest rank of iron. I intend to protect her as best I can, but I can’t take responsibility for whatever happens...”
We were currently in the ruins of Asyl, where the skeletons had appeared en masse. While there were no monsters at the moment, this was still no place for a noblewoman. But Katarina had insisted upon coming and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Her reason was that she desperately wanted to catch the mage’s guild leader red-handed herself.
She’d already informed the city council that the skeletons had been eradicated, so the mage’s guild leader was sure to return here after hearing the news. After all, as a council member, he would have heard it straight from Katarina’s mouth. We predicted that, given his character, there was no way he wouldn’t come to check up on his own schemes.
Greg responded, “I understand that. I know we are asking much of you. However, you have bested opponents that our knights struggled against. I believe in you. And if the situation truly becomes hopeless...you are free to abandon us. I’ve left a letter instructing that your party is not to be held responsible.”
Hearing that gave me some relief. They were being quite considerate, and were prepared for the worst. However...
“I don’t think it’s necessary to go quite that far. Certainly, having a necromancer on the loose is dangerous, and I believe he should be arrested as soon as possible, but can’t you let other people handle it?”
Like knights or soldiers, for example. Or adventurers, depending on the circumstances. Or me, if it came down to it.
But Greg simply shook his head. “I’m sure we could, if only they were an ordinary individual. However, our opponent is the leader of Midrogue’s mage’s guild. It would be difficult for a person of lower status to handle this. Of course, there is also the matter of physical strength. However, if both you and Lady Katarina are present, he can be pressured both ways. That is why...”
“...You’re willing to use any means necessary. Oh, all right. Besides, you’re here already. I shouldn’t be wasting time complaining at this point.”
I’d just wanted to say it for the record. I knew there was nothing more that could be done, so I decided to not pursue it any further.
“It’s no fault of yours,” Greg said. “And we haven’t had the chance for a private conversation before. Regardless, there’s a fragrant aroma drifting around. Are you certain about this? We’ve come to catch the mage’s guild leader as soon as he arrives, so that he can’t make any excuses. Won’t it be detrimental for him to know we’re here?”
True enough, it probably seemed that way to him. But I had an assortment of handy skills, and one of them was active at this very moment.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve set up a barrier around the area. The smell and light won’t escape to the outside.”
It consumed a fair amount of mana, but it didn’t need to be that strong, so it was still surprisingly energy efficient.
Greg’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “What?! We are only a short distance away, but that is still a considerable range. The average mage is capable of putting up barriers a few meters in radius at most.”
“Well, there’s a trick to it. And I’ve had a lot of practice. It’s an essential skill when traveling through the forest with such a large family.”
Thus, I’d had Aht relentlessly drill it into me. That was all there was to it.
Greg didn’t have the slightest idea about this, so he was persuaded that there must have been some special training method. “I see. Nonetheless, achieving it out of necessity must not be a simple matter.”
“There’s a lot you can do if you’re desperate enough.”
“Is that so?”
Greg fell silent, having gotten the hint from my expression not to pry any further.
Someone approached us with brisk footsteps. “Hm? Is something the matter, you two? The food’s done cooking. Although all I did was put the fish on skewers.”
Of course, that someone was Katarina. She’d been sitting beside the campfire a short distance away, preparing dinner with Cath, Mataza, and Liber. Apparently they’d just finished.
“No, it’s nothing. That aside, there is no need for you to do the cooking, Lady Katarina. I could have—”
“That would simply be boring, Greg. Besides, you two appeared to be talking in secret.”
“I... I am sorry for that.”
Unable to make a rebuttal, I offered an apology.
Katarina puffed out her cheeks in discontent. “If you are really sorry, then would you stop speaking like that? I’ll do the same,” she said.
Reminded of a certain adventurer’s guild leader, I asked, “You mean my formal register?”
Katarina seemed to already be aware, and continued. “Yes. I’ve heard that you speak to Master Fresco as an equal, correct? You could do the same with me...”
She seemed jealous, though I didn’t really understand why. I tried to refuse on the basis that doing so was unconventional. “No, despite your insistence, Mr. Fresco is just a commoner. There’s no issue with me speaking to him that way. Whereas for you, Lady Katarina...”
“Does it really matter? You’re nobility too, aren’t you? Or rather, you were.” All of a sudden, she stopped using polite speech and broached an extremely delicate subject.
Nothing I can do about it now, I figured. “Hey. I thought you weren’t gonna bring that up?” I remarked.
Katarina gave a thin smile. “I’d intended not to. Of course, I won’t pry any further. But you left me with no choice, since you hid behind the claim that you’re not a noble. Actually, now that you’re speaking this way too, I take it that means you’ll listen to my request?”
I decided I wasn’t going to gripe anymore. “You stopped using polite language too. Siiigh... Mr. Greg, I apologize. I didn’t start this, so please forgive me.”
“You have nothing to apologize for! This is exactly what Lady Katarina desires. Although...”
“Although what?”
“I believe it would be unusual for you to continue speaking so formally to me when you no longer do so with Lady Katarina. Please, if you would be so kind as to address me casually.”
“But to speak like that to the steward of a house of high standing would be...”
“Please, I implore you. It simply does not sit well with me.”
“Sigh...all right. But don’t come complaining to me later. Oh, I’ll still act formal toward both of you when other people are around, so please be understanding about that. Got it?”
The two of them agreed to my request with a nod. They aren’t related by blood, but like master, like servant, I thought to myself.