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“Hmm…”
“Lord Bonifatius?”
“HMMmm…”
“Lord Bonifatius?”
“What is it? Can’t you see I’m busy?”
“Apologies, my lord. But you’re late for your meeting with Giebe Groschel.” My attendant says gently, trying not to disturb me too much.
I sigh, rubbing my temples as I put my pen down. My attendant is right. Though it does nothing to ease my frustration. In front of me lie several pieces of paper written by my hand.
It is not enough.
No matter how many drafts I attempt, the words fall flat. I haven’t felt this powerless since Rozemyne was poisoned. I should have known things weren’t as rosy as they appeared at the time. And yet, I failed to notice the danger surrounding her. It was so plain, so undeniable in hindsight. My dear, precious granddaughter… I failed you.
She ended up being treated in the temple, of all places. I protested, of course, but was denied. Unless the perpetrator is caught, the castle is deemed too dangerous. No one said such words, of course, but the implication was evident. Even now, we haven’t caught the culprit, which makes it hard for me to refute. Instead, I was left relying on Ferdinand’s sparse reports, which might as well have been rumors.
Oddly enough, the most detailed information I’ve received came from a completely different source. Word has it that Wilfried has been writing a book for Rozemyne for months. Apparently, he is trying to curry favor with her to gain her support once she wakes up. From his perspective, it is a clever move. He couldn’t compete with her for the seat of Archduke otherwise. Still, he must have known from the beginning that it would be a long time before she wakes up. I’ve never written a book myself before, but even I know it requires a lot of time even for an skilled author. It is curious how Wilfried knew, to say the least.
I furrow my eyebrows in thought. I must not fall behind. As soon as I heard about it, I began writing as well, but the words fail me. I thought that if she were presented with multiple books, it might lessen Wilfried’s sway over her. Yet I can’t bring myself to show her what I’ve written. I never imagined that writing a story, let alone a full book, could be this difficult.
It depresses me to fail her once again.
“Lord Bonifatius?”, my attendant asked ones again.
I glance up, forcing myself to focus.
“Fine. I’ll return to this after the meeting. Onward!”
“Yes, my lord,” he replies with a respectful nod.
As we stride through the castle halls, I am once again reminded of the lack of security. We don’t have enough guards, and the ones we do have are too weak. If an intruder as strong as I am were to attack, they could tear through this place and reach the Archducal family without much resistance. I need to push their training harder. Fortunately, Rozemyne’s compression method works wonders on them. Sigh. Even in her sleep, she outshines the other Archduke candidates.
When we reached the meeting room, my attendant announced my presence, and Giebe Groschel greeted me.
“May I pray for a blessing in appreciation of this serendipitous meeting, ordained by the harsh judgment of Ewigeliebe?”
“You may.”
After the pleasantries, I got straight to the point and asked about the Giebe’s reasoning for requesting this meeting so soon, even before winter socializing had begun.
Giebe Groschel looked me in the eye before he spoke.
“Leisegang is getting restless.”
I see.
Since the news broke that Rozemyne is about to wake up, the entire duchy is stirring. However, Leisegang has a particularly keen interest in her.
“Do you have any news about her condition? I won’t pretend I’m not getting restless as well.” the giebe continues with wry smile.
I shook my head. “Ferdinand is being tight-lipped as always. But I can’t fault him for being cautious at a time like this.”
“True,” the Giebe responded and kept silent for a few moments.
I smirked. “Was that the only reason you called for this meeting?”
The Giebe returned the smirk. “Does Steifebrise whisper to Dultsetzen that her patience grows thin?”
I must have been too easy to read today, with my own restlessness showing so clearly. I quickly composed myself and put on a more serious expression.
Giebe Groschel matched my change in demeanor and began to talk in a neutral tone,
“Not long ago, we were denied participation in the printing industry. They not only tried to conceal it, but that commoner Mila also had the audacity to insult us when confronted. Apparently, our province was the filthiest in the entire duchy, with water so unusable it was a wonder anyone survived.“ The Giebe shook his head and closed his eyes, seemingly trying to recall his memories. „If the workers are expected to use clean water, I would simply order them to do so. I recall well the indignation I felt when my daughter first conveyed the news to me. In that moment, I found myself sympathizing with those who desired Mila’s removal. Either she is far too naive to understand the bounds of her station, or she acts as a pawn under Lady Charlotte’s direction. If it is indeed the latter, then we are contending with more than a single impertinent servant. This may well be part of a broader, deliberate effort to exclude us."
The Giebe sighs. “Brunhilde persuaded me against taking immediate action. She assured me that we had been promised the next printing press in the coming year and insisted that Mila's refusal was made in good faith. When word of Lord Wilfried’s retinue’s sabotage began to circulate, it appeared she had been correct. Even so, I find it difficult to set aside my doubts.“
Giebe Groschel seemed quite taken by the turn of events, I thought, given how freely he shared his thoughts with me. Granted, only we and our attendants were present, but even so, such frankness was highly unusual among nobles. Concealing my own thoughts, I gave a measured nod and asked cautiously, "
I understand your concern, but what course of action do you intend to take? And how exactly am I to be involved in this?"
„Now that word is spreading about Lady Rozemyne waking up, things are beginning to shift again. It is hard to say whether that shift will benefit us or push us even further away. That is why I asked for this meeting. I must ascertain who is truly on our side and who might be quietly working against us. Will Lady Charlotte and Lord Wilfried truly welcome Lady Rozemyne’s return to influence within the printing industry?“
I pretended to fall into deep thought, but I wasn’t too concerned about that. From what I’ve observed, they mostly follow on Mila’s advice. And that girl holds so much sway over them precisely because of her connection to Rozemyne. And yet, the more I ponder Mila, the more conflicted I become. Her behavior had puzzled most of the castle staff. Her existence alone is an anomaly. When I first heard of her friendship with Rozemyne, I assumed it was just another rumor from the temple meant to undermine Rozemyne’s standing. An Archduke candidate coming from the temple already casts Verbergen’s shroud on one’s reputation, but Rozemyne is young, so most involvement in temple matters can be dismissed with little more than a raised eyebrow. However, forming a friendship with a commoner in the temple could be seen as more involvement than is acceptable.
That is, when the so-called commoner is actually a commoner.
„I would say it has been fairly clear that they act on Rozemyne’s behalf. At the very least, they did not impose otherwise. From what I have gathered, both Haldenzel and Illgner have been thriving. Reunwalt, too, was named on Elvira’s list, directly following your own. In a sense, Rozemyne has always maintained her influence.“ I nodded with a proud grin.
The Giebe smirked. “And what of Joisentak?”
“I presume you are referring to Mila?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I would advise keeping your distance. She is far more dangerous than I had first assumed earlier this year.”
“Dangerous? In what way?” the Giebe asked, blinking in disbelief. “She is a merely mednoble child who has not even attended the Royal Academy.”
I gave a slow nod. His reaction was only natural. A warning like that must sound absurd coming from a seasoned knight like myself. But I'm certain of my assessment. My instincts scream at me whenever I'm in her presence, as if the gods themselves have cursed the air around her. This isn't even about her proclaimed "self-defense" training with Ernesta, or her performance at that archducal dinner. Nor is it about her ridiculous display of enhancement magic. Those are just the rational reasons to be wary of her. No, this goes deeper still. Each time I look upon her, I feel it deep within me. There is something that does not sit right. It’s as if her mana is crackling around her ready to burst in every direction. She most certainly is not merely a mednoble child. That supposed commoner background is a flimsy façade as well, convincing only those who choose to remain willfully blind.
Ferdinand’s silence on the matter is to be expected. He does not speak lightly on such affairs, and even a roundabout inquiry would likely alert him. However, Sylvester and Karstedt’s evasiveness is far more troubling. Whenever Mila proposes something even more audacious, they simply appear to indulge her whims. Any other troublemaker would have been dealt with long ago. Their unwillingness to offer clear actions suggests they are hiding something significant.
I must ensure that Lady Rozemyne is fully aware of Mila’s true nature. Yet I suspect Rozemyne already understands this better than most. If she continues to trust Mila, it may be because she sees beyond the surface or has her own reasons for doing so. Regardless, it is not my place to interfere openly. My duty is to protect Rozemyne and gather information discreetly.
„By the guidance of Anhaltung, I must withhold insight until Dregarnuhr weaves her thread. And until Ordoschnelli sees fit to deliver all that must be known, I am not at liberty to speak. You have my sincere apologies.”
I let out a quiet chuckle as the Giebe's eyes widened in growing unease. Perhaps I ought to have held my tongue, I thought wryly. In any case, I should ease his mind before any more unfounded rumors spark. “For the time being, I shall keep watch over her. Still, I do not believe she means any harm,” I said, hiding my own concerns.
The Giebe furrowed his brow. „How can you say that, when you are clearly so distrustful of her. Not to mention that her family has already attacked the archducal family once before. Would it not be wiser to have her removed altogether?"
Indeed, such a conclusion would seem entirely reasonable to an outside observer, especially when considering the known circumstances. Anyone unaware of the deeper complexities might easily assume that the archducal family permitted her entry into the castle only because we deemed her harmless.
But I knew better.
A simple removal was not an option—not anymore. Too many threads were already entangled with her presence. Her influence reached far beyond what her rank—or lack thereof—should allow. She had the ear of the archducal family, the trust of influential retainers, and a disturbing knack for slipping past suspicion.
She is not harmless in the slightest.