Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“How often must you dispatch a unit?”
“As I said, my lady, it depends on the time of year. During the warmest times, we can often send a unit out every couple of weeks. The expeditions take anywhere from a couple of days to over a month, depending on how far we must travel.”
“Does the Grand Duke always go?”
“No. His Highness leads the expeditions to locations with the most powerful monsters or those where there’s a greater number than usual.”
“What’s the case this time?”
He pressed his lips together. “A group of powerful wyverns have swarmed a small village in the mountains. Thankfully the snow had melted somewhat, so the residents were able to evacuate due to a well-timed warning. From what we’ve heard back from the unit, their village was destroyed before the knights arrived.”
“Did anyone die?”
“Thankfully, no. Everyone made it out alive and without serious injury, although many lost their livestock as well as their homes.”
I swallowed.
Oh, no.
Those people had lost everything.
Escaping with their lives was a miracle, but they had nothing else.
“Thank you for telling me, Sir Otto,” I said. “Please let everyone know I’m heading back into the castle now.”
He stood and bowed. “Would you like an escort, my lady?”
“No, thank you. I won’t get lost this time.” I laughed lightly and got up, then turned to Lydia, the maid who was on her first day of rotation with me. “Lydia, do you know where Ark is?”
She fell into step just behind me. “I expect he will be in the kitchen, my lady.”
“I can make my way back to my quarters; could you fetch him and ask him to come to my office?”
“Of course. Are you sure you can find your way back?”
I peeked over my shoulder and pursed my lips. “I only made one wrong turn on the way here this morning.”
She smiled, and her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. “And you corrected it yourself, my lady.”
“Exactly.” I stopped in the hallway. “Just to make sure, though…”
After I reeled off the route to my room, Lydia decided it was best to take me to the Grand Duchess’ office herself before going to fetch Ark. In the end, I really was still learning my way through this monstrous castle, so it was a good thing.
I did not, in fact, know how to get back to my quarters alone.
How had Bella and Annie memorised it already?
Did they get little maps from Ingrid to study? If so, I wanted one. If I kept this up, I was going to have to start leaving breadcrumbs behind me just so I could find my way back.
On the bright side, at least I had a maid to clean it up for me.
Damn it, no. That was mean.
I wonder how everyone would feel if I stuck little colour-coded arrows to the walls instead…
“My lady, Sir Ark is here.” Lydia appeared in the doorway with Ark just off to her side.
“I was told you wanted to see me.” Ark preceded her into the room. “Where would you like your tea, my lady?”
“On the desk is fine, Ark, thank you.” I sat down behind a desk so large it would dwarf my father’s. “Would you mind pouring three cups?”
“I—I only brought two, my lady,” Lydia stuttered, her eyes wide.
I smiled kindly. “Then please go and get yourself a cup of something warm. It’s quite cold outside, and you were watching the knights with me. In future when I have tea after we’ve been outside, make sure to bring a cup for yourself.”
“Of—of course! Excuse me, my lady.” She bobbed into a curtsey before almost running out in a panic.
Ark chuckled. “My lady, you’re quite different to most other noblewomen.”
“If kindness makes me different, then it’s a judgement I will happily accept. Thank you.” I took the tea from him. “She’s quite a strange one. One minute she’s stern but playful, but the next she’s a ball of nerves. I can’t put my finger on it.”
“If you’ll forgive me for speaking ill of a noble house, Lydia’s previous madam wasn’t known for her warm heart. She came from one of the few houses who refused to surrender to the empire. After the Grand Duke assumed his position, he began an investigation into the corruption amongst the nobility, and that particular house was exceptionally cruel to their staff.” Ark paused. “Their servants were the first ones he distributed to the new noble houses, and a good many of them joined us here.”
“What about the servants that were already here?”
“Some refused to surrender with the previous duke, and others left, seeking another path in life.” Ark sipped his tea.
“What about you?”
“Ingrid and I have worked here for fifty years, my lady.”
“Wow.”
“Indeed. We were mere teenagers when the then-duchess rescued us from the streets and took us in as her staff. It was thanks to her kindness that we were able to find our paternal family in the empire,” he explained. “Unfortunately, her son wasn’t nearly as kind, and Stein almost fell to ruin under his rule. One of my cousins works in the Imperial Palace as an advisor, and when I heard rumours of the war, I reached out to him and became a spy for the empire, and that’s why the Grand Duke kept us in our positions.”