369 - Alf's Perspective The Prince's Return
Keep your posture ready so you can move at a moment's notice if you learn anything. I hammered it into them over and over, telling them not to neglect gathering information but above all not to act rashly. I share the same worry about Tina, but the kidnappers must have some use for Tina herself. Which means, for now at least, her life is not in danger. If Tina died, there would be no point in having gone through the risk of abducting her. After drilling into Leonardo not to panic and to recover Tina steadily and surely, I set out for the capital.
Not that I think I needed a guard, though.
Perhaps because I had revealed that I am actually a prince, right before my departure Leonardo brought Randol along as my escort. It is a bit odd to put a guard on a mere express messenger, but there is the possibility that we could be caught up in an accident or incident during travel, delaying the report I need to deliver. Considering that, there was some benefit to traveling in numbers. With the current shortage of hands at Grenore Fortress, I suppose the physically robust Randol was chosen. I do wish they would use every available knight to search for Tina, but I will gratefully accept Randol's escort. I will need extra hands for the investigation work in the capital as well. Being able to bring people from Grenore is helpful in that sense too.
Switching horses, I rode the highway to the capital without pause, and by the afternoon of the eighth day I finally reached the capital's walls. When I traveled with Tina as a prince's carriage procession, it took a full month one way because we had to choose wide roads for the carriage's size and the weight slowed us down, but using small paths and mountain roads on a nimble horse was truly fast. There were times when we absolutely had to rest the horses, but we dealt with that by using replacement horses. It is a method long used by express messengers.
Passing through the walls into the Outer Town, I then went through the gate to the inner city district. I wanted to deliver the news quickly, but I also needed to tidy my appearance before entering the royal castle, so I turned my horse toward the noble district.
"Alf Big Brother! What happened, suddenly..."
When I entered Alfred's residence in the noble district, or more accurately my residence, with Randol, Solana rushed over with a surprised look on her face. The steward who appeared in the entrance hall behind her had a sour expression, probably because Solana's actions were a mark against her whether as a noble's daughter or as a maid. But Alfred keeps Solana around precisely because he finds that sort of thing endearing, so there is nothing to be done about it. Solana, whom Alfred keeps by his side of his own will, is a special maid in that sense. Alfred, who spends his time as a prince in my place, has kept her close as a maid in the prince's service to ensure she is not taken by another man before his role is finished. Since I am the one who burdened him with the troublesome role of being my substitute, I think I should let him have his way to some extent, but sometimes I do wonder if he should have at least made her a lady's maid. The work of a maid is, essentially, menial work. It is certainly not a job for a noble's daughter.
There was a strange power dynamic at Tina's detached palace too.
Since Solana was the daughter of a Staff Peerage, in Tina's detached palace where Valerier had been kept away, she had the highest family standing among the female servants who served Tina. Lady's maids are ranked above maids, but it must have been difficult for the lady's maids to do their work knowing that Solana of the Staff Peerage, whose family held more power than Loyalty Peerage or Merit Peerage women like Rebecca and the others, was working as a maid.
"Leave the horses outside to the stable hands. I pushed them hard, so treat them well. Randol, take the guest room. Get some sleep."
"Yes, understood."
Saying "This way," Solana guided Randol. After watching her back recede, the steward spoke.
"Welcome back, Alfred-sama."
"Ah. I have had a forced march as well, so I will take a nap now. When I wake up, prepare a bath so I can wash off the sweat and dust."
"Very well. How should I handle informing Prince Alfred at the royal castle of your return?"
"Do not inform him."
If Alfred learned that I had returned to the mansion in the capital, he would drop his work and come running back. I could not let him abandon the public duties he carries out in my place.
"Good night, Alfred-sama."
I removed my cloak and coat, handing them to the steward. Loosening my collar, I slipped into the master bedroom instead of the guest room, and Solana, who had finished guiding Randol to the guest room, caught up and began closing the curtains. If I am going to take a nap, it is better to block out the sun so I can sleep comfortably. A question floated across Solana's face, the question of why I was sleeping in Alfred's bed, but she did not bother to ask it aloud. She must have understood that since I had returned on urgent business and said I needed a nap, she should not disturb me.
Damn, I overslept.
Waking up in a darkness that could hardly be blamed on the drawn curtains, I immediately realized my blunder. No matter how urgent the report, the king would not grant an impromptu audience, so I had intended to take a nap of two or three hours and then march in around dinner time, but I had slept a good ten hours or more. I did not know the exact time, but it felt like it was nearly dawn.
"Is it not a bit too disrespectful to occupy the prince's bed?"
"It is my room and my bed. There is no problem at all."
I had buried my face in the pillow over my own blunder, but at the voice that came from beside me, I slowly sat up and answered. Since Alfred is currently the master of this mansion, I suppose he could enter the bedroom freely.
I am the "prince," and Alfred is the "vassal."
As I answered, I lifted my head, still a little heavy from oversleeping, and Alfred, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed, stood up and knelt on the floor. Golden hair slipped down from his shoulders as he bowed his head reverently.
"I have been awaiting your return, my prince (Alf)."
"I will have to leave again soon. You have held down the fort well. I am grateful to you."
"You are too kind."
When Alfred went to inform the others that I was awake, Solana came into the bedroom right away. Since I had given instructions before sleeping, the bath was prepared and ready for use at any time.
"Right, I shall scrub Alf's back for you."
"Do as you like."
In front of others, he is the usual Alfred. Few people remember that Alfred's original nature was that of a quiet boy. When we switched places, he acted cheerful to play me, and clung to me more than necessary as I spent time as Alf to make it easier to create opportunities to switch back. For Solana and others whose impression of Alfred was formed after the switch, it would be troubling if he suddenly reverted to his original nature now.
Taking the chance to change clothes while bathing, and then switching places right after, is a well-used trick. Since using the bath allows us to exclude those around us, it is also convenient for exchanging information.
"I will have to speak before Father later as well, but..."
I briefly informed Alfred about capturing Chadwick in the city of Grenore and about Tina's disappearance. As for the details, I want to handle them all at once by speaking before Christoph.
"Thanks to the Sedovara Church's cooperation, he talked quite a bit, so the capital will be busy collecting evidence for a while. I would like to bring Solana to Grenore if possible..."
I want someone with a woman's meticulous attention to detail by Leonardo's side right now. Normally, Kalisa would have taken on that role in Tina's place, but unfortunately, those two are not in Grenore now. Tina was kidnapped, and Kalisa was found as a burned corpse.
"Solana is Prince Alfred's maid. If you need her, please take her."
"It would help if I could do that, but Solana will also be useful in cleaning up after Chadwick."
"For matters within the capital, we can rely on Ariel-sama. She is quite a resourceful woman, and if the prince has returned, we will need to spread the word that you have reconciled."
If Ariel alone is not enough hands, we can use Ulrika from Tina's detached palace, Alfred says. Since the lady's maids at Tina's detached palace are currently without their mistress, they seem to be relatively free to use. Let us leave the capital affairs to Ariel and Ulrika, then, I concluded, and changed into formal wear befitting a prince.
Since I have returned as a prince, from now on I will be "Third Prince Alfred" throughout. The casual name "Alf" I return to Alfred, who was originally called that.