戴冠式を3日後に控え、城内は部署を問わず全員が小走りに移動している状況だった。宰相を始め、オーソングランデの国政に携わる者がギリギリまで式の内容を明かさなかったせいでもある。
これは一二三の指示で、相手に綿密な計画を立てさせず、準備の時間を持たせないためだと説明されている。逆に、防衛側は早い段階から一二三は護衛の為の技術を教えたり、必要な工事についても指示を出している。
城下で出店等の祭りの準備もあるため、式の開催日だけは先に触れが出てはいたものの、時間や式の内容については、三日前の現在でもまだ告知されていない。
「それで、なぜわたくしまでが仲間はずれになっているのでしょうか」
執務室で憮然としているのは、イメラリアだった。
同室で書類をさばいているサブナクは、イメラリアの呟きに顔を上げる。
「どうかご理解ください。主役はイメラリア様なのですから、儀式に集中いただきたいのです」
「どうせ、その言い訳も一二三様の入れ知恵でしょう」
おもしろくない、と正直にイメラリアは考えた。もはや一二三の影響を云々言ってもどうしようもないだろうが、彼の作った土台に支えられて王になるというのも妙な気分だ。
何も言えず、逃げるように書類の処理に戻るサブナクをチラリと見てから溜息をついた。
この数日、イメラリアはすっかり実務から離れていた。本格的にサブナクが護衛として付いて回るようになったが、いつの間にか重要な決済以外はさっさとサブナクが処理するようになっていた。
もちろん最終的な確認はイメラリアがやるのだが、全て文句のつけようも無い状態で上がってくるので、目を通してサインをする作業だけ。業務は随分早く処理されるようになり、文官たちも喜んでいるらしい。
さすがの処理能力とは認めるが、領地経営に声をかけるあたり、サブナクの能力にいち早く気づいていたらしい一二三の事まで頭に浮かび、ちょっと面白くない。
「失礼します」
執務室へ入って来たのは、宰相のアドルだった。
彼はサブナクがイメラリア付きとなった時点から、助言や処理についての手伝い等を徐々に減らしている。イメラリアには詳しい理由は知らされていないが、何か目的があるのだろう。
ちらり、とサブナクの仕事ぶりに視線をやってから、イメラリアの前で臣下の礼をとったアドルは、恭しく挨拶をしてから、イメラリアあての書簡を持ってきたと言う。
「どなたからでしょう?」
「ビロン伯爵からでございます」
「......拝見いたしましょうか」
ビロンからの書簡と聞いて、サブナクも手を止めてアドルに並ぶ。
書面に目を通す間、誰も言葉を発さない。
「サブナクさん」
「はっ」
「ホーラント王が此度行われるわたくしの戴冠式に是非出席したいと、自らミュンスターを訪れてビロンさんに交渉を持ちかけられているようですわ」
「た、他国の王が、戴冠式にとは......」
「前代未聞ですな」
三人ともが考え込むのも仕方が無い。基本的に王など国家元首同士が会うというのはこの世界ではまず考えられない。王が国体そのものである以上、国が滅びでもしない限りは王が国土を出る事すら珍しいのだから。
「何が目的でしょう?」
「ビロンさんが聞いた話では、わたくしと今後の交流や戦後処理についてのお話がしたいのと、一二三様を通じて技術交流をお願いしたい、との事のようですが......」
技術交流とはどういうことでしょうか、とイメラリアが首をかしげるのに、サブナクは右手で額を叩いた。
「あぁ~......。一二三さん、ホーラントに入る時に遅れて自領の軍を装備付きでホーラントに入れたんですよ。多分、ヴァイヤーと同じ部分に目をつけられたのではないでしょうか」
「......とにかく、お断りするわけにはいかないでしょう。サブナクさん、宰相と協力して警備も含めた受け入れの準備とビロンさんへの連絡をお願いいたします。一二三様にも伝えておきましょう」
そういえば、とイメラリアは気づいた。
「一二三様は王城に出入りされているというお話ですけれど、お姿を見ませんわ。心なしか、城内にいる騎士の数も減ったような......」
「ああ、一二三さんと訓練当番の騎士が使用人通路や隠し通路を使って訓練しているからですね。城内にあんな通路があるのを見抜くなんて、流石は歴史あるオーソングランデの王城ですね」
「......隠し通路なんて存在、わたくしも初めて聞きましたけれど?」
一二三は王城を何度か訪れているうちに、不自然な空間を何箇所か見つけていた。
使用人が使う裏通路があるのだが、それを踏まえても床下や天井、壁と壁の間に奇妙なデッドペースがある。
契り木の先でコツコツ叩いて調べるうちに、使用人通路意外にもホールや謁見の間、イメラリアの執務室や王族の寝室などからつながる脱出のためと思しき通路や隠し部屋があるのを発見した。
折角なので、この通路を城内護衛に使えば良い、と一部通路をつなげたり新たな出入り口をカムフラージュ込みで新設したりして、オーソングランデ王城にはその主も知らない秘密の通路網が完成した。
各所には明かり採りを兼ねた覗き穴を儲け、通路から息を潜めて室内や廊下を見張ることができる。また、通路の途中途中には手槍や手裏剣を入れた棚を起き、緊急時にはここで武器を調達することもできるようにしている。
「で、怪しいと思う奴がいるならば、こういう所から言動を確認して、必要があればここへ引きずり込んで処分するわけだ」
数名の訓練当番になっている騎士を引き連れて、一二三は何度目かの同じ内容の説明をしている。すでにここまでの訓練で一二三の実力に疑問を持つ者はいなくなっているので、反発はない。
「表に出ずに裏で標的を消す事に、何か意味があるのでしょうか? しっかりと不穏分子が消えた事を証明するのであれば、堂々と倒すのが良いのでは?」
「それは目的によるだろうな。ある種のパフォーマンスも兼ねて、例えば民衆に悪が始末されたと安心感を与えたければそうするべきかもな。しかし......」
薄暗い通路の覗き穴を指差し、一二三は全員に外の様子を探るように指示する。
見えるのは、パーティーなどで利用される城内では中規模のホールだ。
「こういう場所で何かの式典なりの最中だったと仮定して考えてみろ。紛れ込んだネズミ一匹始末するのに式典を中止するか? 例えば今度の戴冠式でイメラリアの邪魔をして敵を一人倒したとして、そこで王女を差し置いて功を誇るのは騎士として正解だと思うか?」
「それは......」
もちろん、王女が女王となる重要な式典である。それを自分の功績を上げる為の踏み台にするような真似は考えられない。
「あくまで警備は裏方の仕事だと考えろ。“何も起きなかった”と、表向きには役に立つ機会が無かった、と思われるくらいで丁度いいんだよ。それに、どう死んだか表沙汰にならない方が良い時もあるだろう」
そんな説明を延々と続けながら、裏通路を把握するために端から端まで移動する。
ただ歩くのではなく、走ったり這ったりしながら、音を立てずに隣接する部屋や廊下の人物に気づかれないように動く訓練も兼ねている。
こういう部分に関しては、第二騎士隊出身よりも第三騎士隊出身の方が思い切りが良くて飲み込みも早い。最初に指導したグループに入っていたサブナクも、ためらうことなく這いつくばって移動する方法を覚えたほどだ。
「全員、声を出すなよ。今この部屋にいる連中の話を聞いてみろ」
一二三に言われて、さっと通路の壁に耳をあてる騎士たち。彼らの耳に、二人の男の会話が聞こえてきた。
「それで、戴冠式の計画はどうなっている?」
「わからん。まだ式の内容がほんの一部の者にしか伝わっていない。それどころか、王女ですら知らされておらんようだ」
覗き穴から見た騎士の目に映ったのは、小さな会議室で密談をする貴族出の文官らしい二人の中年だった。
「第一騎士隊が壊滅してから、行事の運営が完全に王女に握られてしまった。このままでは他の貴族たちに約束したポストを用意することができなくなる!」
「焦るな。それより何か考えろ」
「焦るなだと? お前こそもう少し緊張しろよ! もう金はもらってしまった。このままだと俺たちは依頼者に潰されるぞ」
「声を抑えろ。料理や会場の準備を考えれば、今日中には告知があってもおかしくない。騎士の人数も減っているから、警備をするのに騎士の数はまだ足りないはずだ。そこに臨時の警備として潜り込ませる事もできるだろう」
一人は冷静を装って話してはいるが、声がやや震えている。
「......だが、警備にはあのトオノ伯爵が関わっていると聞いたぞ」
「一人で何ができるものか。潜り込ませた貴族の子息なりには、仕込みのゴロツキでも退治させれば箔も付くだろう」
ここまで聞いたところで、騎士たちはお互いに顔を見合わせた。完全にクロだと見ていい会話をはっきりと聞いた。
そして、全員の目線が一二三を見る。
「聞いたな。じゃあ、仮にあいつらを秘密裏に処理して、依頼人を吐かせたらその依頼人たちも城内で仕留めてしまうとするか」
では手本を見せると言って、まだ二人の密談が続く部屋に、一二三は音もなく隠し扉から侵入する。
「それで、最低何人を潜り込ませないといけないんだ?」
「結構多かったと思う。ちょっと待ってくれ......」
問われた男が視線を落とし、懐のメモを取り出そうとした隙に、もう一人の男の口と鼻を片手で塞ぐ一二三。素早く机の下に潜り込みながら、空いた手で頚動脈を押さえて素早く気絶させる。
「おい、どこに行った?」
顔を上げると姿が見えない相手を探してキョロキョロとしている男も、足元を抜けて背後から襲いかかった一二三にあっさりと気絶させられた。
「出てきていいぞ」
ゾロゾロと出てきた騎士たちは、一様に青ざめた顔をしている。
相手が武官では無いとは言え、素手で軽々と二人を絞め落とす姿は衝撃が強かったらしい。
「重要なのは鼻までしっかり塞ぐことだ。それだけで“音”はかなり抑えられる。隠れるのは簡単に考えていい。相手が二人ならば最初の奴を落とす瞬間まで気づかれなければ上等だ」
一二三の指示により、気を失った男は薄暗い裏通路へと引きずり込まれていく。
「ああいう動きを三人ひと組で協力してできるように練習しろ。うまくできるグループに、こいつらの“依頼人”を捕まえる功績をやろう」
その言葉に、騎士たちは目に見えてやる気を出した。やはり騎士として手柄をあげたいという気持ちは少なからずあるらしい。
(うまく進めば、こいつらと戦う事になっても楽しくなりそうだ)
今のうちにたっぷり経験を積んでもらおう、と一二三も気合を入れた。
アドルの娘、シビュラ・ヴィンジャーは優秀な侍女として城内では割と有名だった。それ以上に、表情に乏しく同性に人気が無い女として、侍女たちの間ではかなり有名だった。
それでも城内勤務を続けられたのは、彼女が周りの評価など気にせず、自分の成果のみに固執する究極の個人主義者であるからで、父親が宰相であることはあまり関係が無かった。
「......清掃完了」
今日も今日とて誰の手も借りず、一人でサブナクの執務室の掃除を完了させた。
最近は王女の執務室へいる時間が長いこの部屋の主人だが、その事で掃除がしやすいとシビュラは考えていた。
ハタキがけから始まる清掃は、調度品の手入れや絨毯のブラシがけまで全て完了し、あとはまとめたゴミを捨てるだけである。
彼女の掃除の目標は“使っている人が気づかないまま綺麗な状態で利用できる”ことを理想としている。
処理の速さの反面、意外と整理が苦手なサブナクの机の上には、ペンや書類などが散乱しているのだが、机を拭きあげつつも書類の内容は見ずに位置は完璧に元の状態をキープしている。
掃除する前と後で、綺麗になってはいるが何も変わっていないという、この状態を完璧にできた時に満足するのだ。
「今日も帰ってこられませんでしたね」
執務室の端にある簡素な炊事スペースで今日も使われる事が無かったティーセットを洗い、棚へと戻す。
砂糖とお茶の残量を確認し、明日の朝に厨房から貰ってくる追加分を頭に入れておく。
これで、彼女の一日の仕事は終わりだが、時間はたっぷり余っている。彼女のように一定の地位の人物の専属となると、仕事の割り振りは自由に決められるのだが、朝一から黙々とやるタイプだと、ほぼ毎日1時間は時間が余る。
「......よし」
おもむろに毛足の長い絨毯に転がったシビュラは、両腕をまっすぐ伸ばし、右に左に転がって、こしょこしょと顔や手足をくすぐる感触を楽しむ。
それでも服は汚れないと自信を持って言えるほど清掃したのだ。
不意に声をかけられ、シビュラは仰向けでビタァッと止まった。
恐る恐る目を向けると、食器棚の影から顔を出していたのは、サブナクだった。
「ご、ごめん。見るつもりは無かったんだけど、裏から来て観察の練習をしていたら、出るに出られなくて......」
そろそろ止めた方が良いかと思って声をかけたサブナクだが、彼女が帰る迄隠れていた方が良かったと後悔していた。
「お帰りなさいませ」
絨毯に横になったまま、お辞儀をする。
「紅茶をお入れしますか?」
「あ、ああ......お願いします」
何事もなかったかのように紅茶を入れ始めるシビュラを見て、ホッとしたサブナクは机の書類を処理し始めた。
そこへ差し出された紅茶は、相変わらず見事な腕前だ。
「先ほどの事はご内密にお願いいたします。もし誰かへお話になられたなら......」
「だ、大丈夫! 誰にも言わないし、君のような優秀な侍女がそういう事をするなんて誰も信じないよ!」
「わかりました。では私も覗かれた事は秘密にいたします」
「人聞きが悪すぎる!」
After preparing for 3 days for the coronation ceremony, everyone was in a state of hurrying along regardless of their posts within the castle. The people, taking part in Orsongrande's national politics, didn't reveal the details of the ceremony until the very last moment either.
This is due to Hifumi's instruction. He has explained that it's for the sake of not giving the enemies time to prepare hindering them to make thorough plans. On the other hand the side of the defence has been drilled in the techniques required for their guard duty at a fast pace by Hifumi and he has also given the necessary directions for the construction works.
Although only the date of the ceremony has been officially announced, so that things like food stalls etc. could be prepared for the festival on the land near the castle, the time and the details of the ceremony, even now three days before the actual event, still haven't been released.
"So, why have even I been left out from the circle of the privy?" (Imeraria)
Imeraria asked in astonishment within her office.
Sabnak, handling paper work in the same room, raises his face due to Imeraria's muttering.
"Please do understand. Since you are the leading actor, we want you to solely focus on the ceremony itself, Imeraria-sama." (Sabnak)
"That excuse has been provided to you by Hifumi-sama anyway." (Imeraria)magic
By now it can't be helped anymore that he says such things due to Hifumi's influence, but the pillars of supporting me to become the ruler give off a strange vibe.
After giving a fleeting glance at Sabnak, who turned his back and sorted the documents without saying anything as if running away, she sighed heavily.
These last days Imeraria had been completely disconnected from any practical work. As it reached the point that Sabnak followed her around as bodyguard all the time, he quickly dealt with any official work before she became aware of it with the important financial affairs being the only exception.
Of course Imeraria has been doing the final checks, however since he finishes all of it in a way that leaves nothing to complain about, her only work is to look the documents over and sign them. As he handles all the work very quickly, the civil officials have apparently been delighted as well.
Although I have to admit his efficiency all the same, I'm slightly not amused that it has been Hifumi, who recognised Sabnak's abilities first and called him into the administration of his territory.
"Excuse me." (Adol)
It was Prime Minister Adol who came entering the office.
Since the time Sabnak is shadowing Imeraria, his help in dealing with the work and his hints have been gradually decreasing. He hasn't informed Imeraria of the exact reason for that, but he likely has some other goal in mind.
After giving a glance at the way Sabnak works, Adol made a retainer's bow in front of Imeraria. Finishing a respectful greeting, he brought out a letter addressed to Imeraria.
"From whom is it?" (Imeraria)
"It's from Earl Biron, your Majesty." (Adol)
"... Let me have a look." (Imeraria)
Listening to the letter from Biron, Sabnak also stops his hands and lines up next to Adol.
During the time she read through the letter, no one said anything.
"Sabnak-san." (Imeraria)
"Ha!" (Sabnak)
"The king of Horant has personally visited Biron-san in Munster to propose negotiations and wants to attend my coronation ceremony without fail on this occasion." (Imeraria)
"A-A foreign king, t-the coronation ceremony..." (Sabnak)
"It's unprecedented." (Adol)
It's inevitable that the three people are brooding over it. Basically it's unthinkable for a king to meet a fellow head of state in this world in the first place. Above a king being the national polity himself, it's even rare for a king to leave his country as long as his country isn't ruined.
"What's his aim?" (Sabnak)
"Going by what Biron told me, he wants to interact with me from now on and talk about the post-war procedures. It seems he asked to pass on a message that he wants to request an exchange of technology through Hifumi-sama." (Imeraria)
Although Imeraria tilted her head to the side asking "What kind of technology exchange is this about?", Sabnak stroke his forehead with his right hand.
"Ah~ ... At the time Hifumi-san entered Horant, the equipment of the troops of his own territory were delayed in getting into the country. Isn't it likely that he is aiming for the same parts as Vaiya?" (Sabnak)
"... At any rate, I probably can't afford to refuse him. Sabnak-san, please contact Biron-san and prepare to receive the king together with the prime minister and the collaborating guards. Let's report this to Hifumi as well." (Imeraria)
"Which reminds me", Imeraria realized.
"Even though Hifumi-sama is coming and going to the royal castle every day, I don't see him. Somehow the number of knights being within the castle decreased too..." (Imeraria)
"Ah, that's because he has the knights practising being on duty using the hidden pathways and the servant's passages. Seeing that there are such passages within the castle, the royal castle of Orsongrande has a deep history as expected." (Sabnak)
"... Though it's the first time I heard about something like hidden pathways existing?" (Imeraria)
While Hifumi visited the royal castle several times, he discovered a number of passages with an unnatural air.
There are the sideways used by the servants, but those are located in the ceiling and under the floor. There is a strange dead space between the walls.
While examining those by knocking on the wood used as cover, he found pathways and secret chambers, even apart from the servant's passages, apparently intended as connected escape routes in places such as the hall, the audience hall, Imeraria's office, the bedrooms of royalty, etc.
Since he found those at great troubles, it would be fine for the guards to use these pathways and he even established new camouflaged exits and entrances to a part of the pathways. He completed a network of secret pathways that even the master of Orsongrande's royal castle didn't know of.
Each place has a dormer window that also serves as peeking hole, which can't be spotted from the hallways and rooms if one holds his breath in the pathways. Also, he put short spears and shurikens in shelves, which were placed midway, making sure that weapons are available in times of emergency at those places.
"So, if there's some guy who can be considered suspicious, you can check his words and behaviour like this and, if necessary, drag them in here and dispose of them." (Hifumi)
Taking along several of the knights practising to be on duty, Hifumi is explaining the details for the nth time. Given that there are already no knight here who are holding doubts towards Hifumi's abilities, there isn't any refusal either.
"Do you believe it to have some meaning to erase a target behind the scenes without uncovering them in public? Isn't it alright to openly defeat them, if we can prove the disturbing elements to have properly disappeared?"
"This depends on the objective. Excluding some sorts of performances, if, for example, you dealt with the masses badly, you might end up failing to give them a sense of security. However..." (Hifumi)
Pointing at the peeking hole in the gloomy pathway, Hifumi instructs all of them to look at the situation outside.
What can be seen is a mid-sized hall within the castle used for such things like parties.
"Try to think there was some kind of ceremony going on in this kind of place. Will you interrupt the ceremony just because one rat has evaded the observation? Do you believe it to be right as knights to boast your accomplishments while neglecting the princess just because you defeated a single enemy, who obstructed the upcoming coronation ceremony?" (Hifumi)
"That is..."
Of course there will be important ceremonies once the princess becomes the queen. It's unthinkable for them to use these as stepping stones for the sake of raising achievements for themselves.
"To the very end, consider being a guard as job of working behind the scenes. Believe it to be just right, if there is no opportunity of publicly announce that "nothing happened." Besides, it would be probably better if you didn't go public on how they died at that time either." (Hifumi)
While endlessly continuing such explanations, they are moving around from one end to the other in order to fully grasp the hidden paths.
It's not just walking. While crawling around, they are training to move to not be noticed by anyone in the adjoining rooms and hallways by not producing any sounds.
Related to these things, the knights hailing from the former Third Knight Order are grasping the concepts a lot faster than those from the former Second Knight Order, too. Even Sabnak, who joined the first group to be guided, has learned the method of moving by grovelling on the ground without hesitation.
"All of you, don't talk. Let's now try to listen to the talks of the lot in this room." (Hifumi)
Upon Hifumi's words, the knights held their ears against the wall of the pathway quickly. The conversation of two men was audible to their ears.
"So, how's the coronation ceremony project going?"
"Don't know. The details of the ceremony still haven't been passed down to anyone but a selected few. On the contrary, even the princess doesn't seem to have been informed."
What the knights could see through the peeking hole were two middle-aged civil officials, appearing to be nobles, having a private chat in a small conference room.
"As the Second Knight Order was destroyed, the management of the event ended up being completely handled by the princess. As it is now, we will loose the ability to arrange the agreed positions for the other nobles."
"Don't be impatient. Rather than that, let's think about something else."
"Don't be impatient? You should be a bit more tense! We already received the money. At this rate we will be killed by our client."
"Restrain your voice. If you consider the preparations of the venue and cooking, it won't be strange for them to announce it by today either. Since the number of knights has decreased, the number of knights on guard duty shouldn't yet be sufficient. It's probably possible to slip in as temporary guards there."
Although one person is pretending to be talking with composure, their voice is gradually trembling.
"... But, I heard the guards have been influenced by that Earl Tohno."
"What can a single person do anyway? Those sons of nobles, who bought their way in, will be defeated by trained rogues, even if they are accompanied by prestige."
Having listened up until there, the knights looked at each other's faces. They heard a conversation that could be regarded as completely wicked.
And everyone's view converged on Hifumi.
"You heard them. Well, if you deal with them secretly for argument's sake, do you think you will be able to kill their clients within the castle as well, if they gave away their client?" (Hifumi)
Showing them a demonstration, Hifumi quietly intrudes the room, where the two are still continuing their private talk, by entering through a hidden door.
"So, how many people have to infiltrate the castle at the very least?"
"It would be reasonably for many to be there. Please wait for a moment..."
The man, who was being asked, dropped his sight. In the moment he tried to take out a memo from his pocket, Hifumi plugged up the nose and mouth of the other man. While quickly dragging him below the desk, he pressed down on his carotid artery with his free hand and made him faint that way.
"Oy, where did you go?"
As the man is looking around restlessly trying to find his companion, who can't be seen anywhere, after raising his face, he was easily made to faint by Hifumi, who attacked from the back after getting up on his feet.
"It's fine to come out." (Hifumi)
The knights, coming out in groups, had their faces turn pale evenly.
Although the opponents weren't military officers, it apparently caused a big shock to them how easily Hifumi strangled and defeated those two.
"It's plenty even if you only cover up the nose properly. With only that you will suppress "sounds" quite well. It can be considered good, if you stay completely hidden. It's very good if you aren't discovered until the instant you defeat the first guy, if there are two opponents." (Hifumi)
Following Hifumi's instruction, they dragged the two blacked-out men into the dim hidden pathway.
"Train to be able to do these kinds of movements with a group of three. The group, who is able to do this smoothly, will arrest the "client" of these guys." (Hifumi)
The knights showed a distinct determination due to these words. It looks like there is a considerable attitude of wanting to raise achievements as knight after all.
(If they improve well, it will become fun to fight these guys, too.)
I will have them accumulate plenty of experience for now
Adol's daughter, Shibyura Winger, was fairly famous as being an excellent maid within the castle. Above that, she was famous among the other maids for being a woman indifferent to people of the same sex and having scarce facial expressions.
Even so, she was continuing her work within the castle without minding the assessment of her surroundings. Accordingly she was an extreme individualist adhering only to her own accomplishments. The matter of her father being the prime minister didn't have much of an influence on that.
"... Cleaning complete." (Shibyura)
She finished cleaning Sabnak's office by herself, without borrowing the help of anyone today just as every day.
Recently the times of the master of this room being in the office of the princess have become long, but Shibyura considered this to make the cleaning easier.
The cleaning, that started with dusting off, was completed by even tending the furnishings and brushing the carpets. All that is left now is to throw away the trash.
The objective of her cleaning is the ideal of "the person being able to use it in a clean state without noticing it."
There are pens and documents scattering about on top of Sabnak's desk, that are unexpectedly difficult to sort in contrast to the speed of disposing of them. But even while wiping the desk, she perfectly keeps the things in the original state without having a single look into the documents.
She was satisfied the moment she was able to to keep the current state of before and after the sweeping without changing anything while cleaning it.
"He didn't come back today either." (Shibyura)
She puts back the washed tea set, which wasn't used today either, into the shelf in the plain cooking space, which takes up a small part of the office.
Checking the remaining quantity of tea and sugar, she memorizes the amount she has to take from the kitchen tomorrow morning.
With this her first job of the day finishes, but there is still plenty of time left. As far as people, who have a fixed and exclusive role attached to them like her, are concerned, they can freely decide the allocation of tasks, but as a type, who stays silent starting first in the morning, she has almost one hour time left every day.
"... Alright." (Shibyura)
Shibyura, who suddenly rolled around on the carpet with its long hairs, extends both arms straight ahead and rolls around to the right and left side. She enjoys the feeling of the carpet's hairs tickling her face and limbs.
And yet, her cleaning was to the degree that one can say she can keep up her appearance without getting the clothes dirty.
Being called upon suddenly, Shibyura came to a halt as she looked upwards.
Once she shifted her sight timidly, it was Sabnak, who turned up from within the shadows of the cupboard.
"S-Sorry. I didn't intend to look at you, but once I observed you from the back, leaving or staying..." (Sabnak)
Although Sabnak slowly believed it to have been better to stay silent, he regretted that he didn't stay hidden until she left.
"Welcome back." (Shibyura)
She bows while laying on top of the carpet.
"Do you want to drink some tea?" (Shibyura)
"A-Ah... please." (Sabnak)
Watching Shibyura, who starts to prepare tea as if nothing has happened, Sabnak began to deal with the documents on his desk in relief.
The serving of tea, she did, was as splendid as usual.
"Please keep the matter from before secret. If you told this to anyone, it would..." (Shibyura)
"I-It's fine! I won't tell anyone. No one will believe that an excellent maid such as yourself is doing something like that anyway!" (Sabnak)
"Understood. Then I will keep it a secret that you peeped at me as well." (Shibyura)
"That's far too scandalous!" (Sabnak)
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido