229 - Blueprint of the Detached Palace
By lunchtime, my condition had recovered a little. Perhaps because it was the only thing I had not left over at breakfast, the fruit juice served at lunch was delicious too. While moistening my mouth with juice, I brought the egg sandwiches prepared for easy snacking to my mouth. There is no way the detached palace's cooks know my preferences, so Hermine must have arranged it. The four noble lady's maids do not seem to have the idea of consulting with the maid (Hermine), but the commoner servants are different. Knowing that if they act against their master's wishes they could be dismissed immediately, they actively tried to learn the new master's preferences on their own and apparently approached Hermine for advice.
...Eight laundry maids, two cooks, eight assistants, seven house maids, one gardener, two assistants... Huh? Three?
I organized the information I had obtained using Norakamu in my head. Alfred said it was the minimum necessary number of people, I think, but compared to the Fortress Lord's Residence, the number of servants was simply high. I even ran out of Norakamu partway through and handed out the snacks Leonardo had bought me during the trip. Bart and Tabitha, who had handled all the chores at the Residence by themselves until Kalisa and Salisa came, might have been caught by a black company.
...Or maybe there are just too many people here?
Normally, the Mandez Residence is managed by Iridal and the three sisters, but I have heard that during Leonardo's stays, they hire people from the city to increase the servants. Considering this is part of the castle, maybe this number is about right after all.
...Maybe the Fortress Lord's Residence could use a few more people too.
Bart and Tabitha still look healthy, but they are getting up there in years. You never know when their bodies might give out. I wonder if either Kalisa or Salisa could move to Grenore permanently instead of just for a one-year limited term.
In the afternoon, it was time for Hermine's lesson. Since we had the opportunity, today we moved to the detached palace's library. It was a lovely library filled with many books, but the previous master apparently had not used it much. I wondered whose collection it was, then, but apparently it was the collection of the person who was master of the detached palace before the previous master. I have also heard that the detached palace is a place given to minors or royalty who have not obtained a Royal Peerage, so the master before the previous one should also have been royalty.
...Huh? I am not royalty, but is it okay for me to be in the detached palace?
According to Nadine, I am apparently King Christoph's important guest. The four lady's maids receive explanations from Nadine, so they understand things the same way she does. They do not know who I am exactly, but they think that if they are discourteous, they will incur the King's wrath.
However, for those in positions like the lower servants who can only wait for information from above, they have no choice but to supplement information with imagination and speculation. The rumors were truly varied. That I was the King's illegitimate child because I had been given the detached palace, that I was the abandoned seed of the royalty who had used the detached palace before, that I was Alfred's new fiancee since he had escorted me... They were all rumors about me, but the fact that not one of them grazed even a millimeter of the truth is the frightening thing about rumors.
"Then, let us begin by reflecting on yesterday's tea party."
Hermine's lesson, which began with these words, was not much different from usual. The reflection on the tea party mainly supplemented the points Alfred had pointed out. Then the topic shifted to this morning's Norakamu pilgrimage, and I was scolded for handling the lady's maids and servants incorrectly as a master. I had wanted to quickly match faces and names and get accustomed to the detached palace, but it seems that for a normal master, remembering servants' names is something you only do for favorites. Keeping track of all the servants' faces and names is the job of the steward or housekeeper, and in this detached palace, that is Nadine's job, who was Dietfried's nurse. She has the highest status among the lady's maids and servants, and holds power in the detached palace. That being the case, memorizing the servants' faces and names is really not my job.
"I have been watching Tina-san since she was nine years old. Therefore, I understand what Tina-san was thinking and how she acted. Wanting to get used to things quickly and learn about one's surroundings is a good tendency, I think."
Hermine sees eleven-year-old me as an extension of nine-year-old me, so she understands the true meaning behind my actions, but the servants who began serving eleven-year-old me only yesterday are different. Even though I am a minor master, my actions apparently seemed strange for an eleven-year-old. A normal master might do this for their personal lady's maid at most, but they would not walk all the way to where the servants are and hand out candy.
"An eccentric master, so the servants were troubled, huh."
"The servants were confused by their strange master. That is correct."
I reflected while having my slightly disordered speech corrected. For me, I was in a new place and wanted to get used to it quickly, so I went around the entire detached palace, but from the servants' perspective, it must have been like being given a pop quiz by a new master whose ways they did not yet understand. Of course their livers would freeze and they would be at a loss.
"...However, I also believe knowing the backgrounds of the lady's maids and servants is important. I have had Nadine prepare documents, so please read through them."
The rest of the lesson was set aside as time to read through the documents I had been given. Leonardo seemed to be seeing these documents for the first time too, and we read them together, sharing the materials and cramming points of interest into our heads.
...As I thought, the people who would not tell me their rank or family name were all from Flower Peerage families.
Giselle's documents were mixed in too, so I read them a bit more carefully. She is the third generation of a Flower Peerage family, the youngest daughter. She apparently has three older siblings, but none of them have any particularly striking talent. Her uncle apparently has a habit of squandering money, and Giselle's father seems to be working hard to repay the debts her uncle ran up. The siblings who grew up watching their father like that, rather than helping him, have taken to wasting money themselves, and Giselle is the only one in any real job.
...No, but I am not giving Leonardo-san away, you know. He is my big brother.
The easiest way for Giselle to rebuild her family would be to take Leonardo as a son-in-law. As far as I can tell from the documents, that would be the worst possible match for Leonardo, who is easily deceived.
...No good. If Leonardo-san married into Giselle's family, the debt-king and good-for-nothing sons would not improve, they would just get worse.
I continued reading through the documents on the other four lady's maids and the cooks, but I got bored and looked up. Leonardo, who had already finished reading the documents, seemed to have started reading a book from the library.
"What book is that?"
Since I was reading documents as an extension of the lesson, I lowered my voice so Hermine would not scold me for chatting during class. Leonardo looked up from his book and tilted it so I could see.
"It is a floor plan of the detached palace and its surroundings."
Leonardo said he had been shown around inside the detached palace the day before by Aaron's explanation, but he wanted to read the documents himself and understand it. Since he had kindly tilted the book for me to see, I turned my gaze to the book with the floor plan.
"...Huh? The year the floor plan was drawn and the year the detached palace was built seem different, do they not?"
"So it seems. This is probably a newer floor plan from a renovation or something."
As Leonardo started searching the library, saying he wanted to look at the oldest one too, Hermine's lesson time came to an end.
"...Tina young lady, please take a look at this."
After dinner, I spent some time playing Saik with Leonardo, and when my brain was reasonably tired, I was thinking of going to sleep, but Giselle came to my room carrying an old scroll. I had assumed she was resting in the guard room, but apparently Giselle had gone to the royal castle's library.
"What is it?"
"These are documents on the detached palace kept in a section of the library where general viewing is prohibited."
I was surprised that the royal castle had a library, but I was even more surprised that she had brought documents from the no-general-public-access section. Giselle, who went to borrow the documents, is a noble's daughter even if from a Flower Peerage, but I, who plan to look at them, am a commoner. I am apparently technically also a noble's daughter, but since there is no plan for my grandfather to take me in, I count as a commoner, no mistake.
"...I think I would be classified as a regular person, but is it really alright for me to see these?"
"When I consulted that the master of the detached palace wished to see the blueprints from the time of construction, the librarian brought them out."
Since I am supposedly the master of the detached palace, it seems I get special treatment despite being a commoner. I wonder if this is really okay, but since I have no intention of misusing it, I will gratefully accept the kindness. Understanding the layout of the detached palace is necessary both for security and as the master of the palace.
...Besides, buildings like castles always have secret escape routes, right?
It would not be a problem if I used them myself to escape in an emergency, but there is no guarantee someone else will not misuse them. When the master changes, changing the locks on the entrance doors is common sense. As a resident of the detached palace, if there are hidden passages, I should know about them, and if they have locks, I should have them changed.
Leaving the cleanup of the Saik board to Hermine, I spread the old scroll on the table. As soon as I started examining the detached palace's blueprint, the impression changed considerably even at first glance.
"It is like a 'ninja mansion'," I said.
"Ninja...?"
Giselle made a puzzled face, a contrast to Leonardo, who was getting used to Japanese words suddenly popping out of my mouth. Hermine must have heard too, but she is my ladyship education teacher. Even if she was surprised, she would not show her feelings behind her lady's mask.
"Tina, what is a 'ninja mansion'?"
"Um... it is a mansion with lots of hidden passages and tricks."
"I see, a trick mansion. Certainly, this old blueprint does seem to have several hidden passages, but..."
Leonardo made a difficult face as he glared at the old blueprint. He moved his fingers without touching the paper directly, checking the movement, but I had no idea what he was checking.
"From what I saw walking around yesterday, the hidden door hidden in the pillar of the corridor leading to the Winter Room listed here was sealed shut."
"Huh? When did you check something like that?"
"I did not check it. Remember when we walked around the detached palace yesterday? There was a pillar that bothered me, and looking at this blueprint, I understood why it had bothered me."
Leonardo said there must have been a sense of discomfort because of the hidden door, pointing at a pillar in the corridor. Inside the pillar, a symbol that looked like a staircase was drawn, but it did not show where the staircase led.
"The passage in the floor of the Spring Clothes Room was also sealed when I checked the other day."
Aaron had apparently noticed something was off too. Comparing it with the blueprint, many places that made me think "oh, that is what that was" came to mind. It seems the blueprint in the library was apparently made when these hidden doors were sealed.
"Is a royal detached palace usually this full of hidden doors?"
"Normally there might be two at most, only for true emergencies, but..."
Whether it was done with a purpose or was the whim of the royalty who decided to build the detached palace remains a mystery. We could investigate the year the detached palace was built and the character of the king at that time, but I somehow did not feel the need to go that far. In short, as long as the current master, me, and my guards can grasp all the hidden doors and staircases, that is enough.
The current floor plan they had seen during the day seemed to be perfectly imprinted in Leonardo and Aaron's heads, and the conversation progressed in ways I could not quite follow. The confirmation work of "this was sealed, this is also sealed" proceeded, and Giselle and I just watched from the side.
"...The hearth in the Spring Room did not feel particularly off, though."
"However, according to this, the hearth also has a hidden door."
It seemed necessary to check once. Since Leonardo and Aaron seemed to have come to an agreement about that, I cheerfully volunteered.
"Then, let us go check right away!"
"Tina, it is almost time for you to sleep. Confirmation like this is the guards' job. It is not Tina's job."
My outstretched hand was gently lowered by Leonardo, and I was urged that it was almost bedtime. My eyes were wide awake now, but Leonardo also knew that I had had little sleep the night before, so he probably wanted me to sleep early rather than stay up late.
"I will not be able to fall asleep right away anyway. I think if we explore first and get a little tired, I might be able to sleep."
"Why do you only show your childish side at times like this..."
Leonardo sighed and held his head in his hands, and I felt sure this was the moment for one more push. If I could land some decisive blow, I would be able to go exploring the detached palace while staying up late.
...Anyway, since I cannot sleep, it is the strategy of playing until I pass out, you know.
Even though he is my guardian, if I am told I cannot sleep together anymore, I will just keep playing with him until I lose to drowsiness and pass out. Even if it is staying up late to explore, it is still inside a building after all. Even if I pass out somewhere, it is not that big a problem.
...Although I feel like it might be a big problem for a lady.
Now then, how should I talk Leonardo into it. As I pondered, Hermine, who had finished putting away the Saik board and returned, gently placed her hand on my shoulder.
...Oh no!? Am I in trouble?
I reflexively hunched my shoulders, but the words that came out of Hermine's mouth were neither a lecture nor a scolding. They were so unexpected that I could not understand for a moment, words so surprising I could not help but blink.
"If Tina young lady goes to sleep right now, your brother has apparently agreed to the duty of guarding the door from the waiting room tonight."
She said they cannot let me sleep in the same room, but she would allow him to be in a position where he could guard, just one door away. That is what Hermine said. A surprisingly indulgent treatment for me.
"Really? Is Leonyaldo Big Brother really going to be at the door?"
"Hm? Yeah. If Tina wants me to, that is fine."
In the end, I was perfectly hooked by Hermine's scheme. I cannot sleep with my guardian, but having him somewhere where he would answer if I called was a big deal.
"Let us explore tomorrow! I am going to sleep right now!"
Declaring the end of the gathering, I chased Leonardo and the others out of the room. If I have decided to sleep, I have to change into my nightclothes.
"Leonyaldo Big Brother, you are not allowed to go back to your room, okay?"
After pushing Leonardo out to the doorway, I made sure to stop him properly. If he went back to his room after the gathering broke up, I would have trouble not being able to sleep tonight either.
"At least let me go back to my room once to grab something to throw on."
"Well, I suppose that much is okay."
But please come back quickly, I declared with my thin chest puffed out, deliberately acting bratty. Leonardo gave a wry smile and hurried back to his room at a light jog.
...I still cannot sleep.
The Summer Room with its lights dimmed was still spacious and lonely. Just a little while ago Leonardo and the others had been here with me, spreading out the old scroll and making a fuss, so it felt even quieter. I had grown tired of tossing and turning, and I shuffled out of bed. Tonight, Leonardo should be outside the door.
...I should really confirm that Leonyaldo-san is actually there, right?
I do not think that Leonardo would break a promise, but confirming anything is important. If Leonardo's figure was not beyond the door, I might be able to launch a night raid on Leonardo's room, declaring what a traitor he was.
"...Leo, are you really there?"
After hesitating a little, I knocked on the door instead of opening it. The reply came quickly.
"What happened?"
"I was just checking if you were really there."
It seemed that it was not just an oral promise, that Leonardo really would be beyond the door for me tonight. If that were the case, I might actually be able to sleep peacefully.
...That is right. I just had a good idea.
I went back to bed and got my pillow and blanket. Then I returned to the front of the door, placed the pillow down, and wrapped myself in the blanket.
...I just have to sleep in front of the door, that is all.
This way, separated by the door, my guardian (Leonardo) was right nearby. If I knew Leonardo was somewhere he would answer immediately if I called, I felt like I could sleep well even in an unfamiliar place.
I felt like I could sleep well, and indeed I slept soundly. But perhaps I was too at ease. The next day, I had a definite fever. I had thought I had gotten a little stronger since I did not collapse the day after moving, but it seems I was simply too tense in the new place to have the mental leeway to collapse. The timing was a little off, but this time too, I ended up thoroughly collapsing in bed.
The housekeeper is apparently the highest-ranked female servant... yosh! But from the impression of "The Housekeeper Saw," the image of a humble hired servant is stronger though.
Typos and omissions again another day. Fixed any typos and omissions I found. I will take the 23rd update off.