ASDM 44

Chapter 44

Should I be relieved… or not?

When it came to Eva, it was definitely the right move.

But—

“Women are scary. Totally untrustworthy.”

Along with Eva, Franz’s pure little heart had also been thoroughly dealt with.

Wrapped up like a cocoon in my blanket, Franz muttered into the fabric. I poked him in the back.

“I’m a woman too, you know.”
“…You don’t count.”
“What, then I’m a man?”
“You’re my sister-in-law.”

Oh. What’s this? That actually makes me kind of happy.

It felt like being chosen by a wounded little black kitten on the street.

“Stop smiling so creepily.”
“…Do you have eyes in the back of your head? How’d you know?”
“Hmph. Obvious.”
“For someone with such sharp eyes, you sure didn’t pick people very well.”
“Ugh, get out!”
“This is my room!”

After plenty of bickering, Franz finally sat up from my bed.

He didn’t even have the strength left to throw another tantrum. When I reached over to smooth his messy hair, he didn’t resist, just let me.

Poor kid. His heart must be really broken. Still…

“It’s okay. You still have your father and Levi.”

Besides, this was basically the development of, ‘Oh, the unwanted black sheep of the dukedom? Turns out Dad and big brother dote on him!’

Things were already patched up with Levi, so once Wolfgang came back, he could sit down and have a real heart-to-heart.

“…Then what about you?”
“Mm?”
“Where’s your family?”

Ah, the innocent questions of children.

I gave a wry smile and pointed to the door, just as it opened.

“They’re right there.”
“What…?”
“Say hi. That’s my husband. And Levi, this is my dear little brother-in-law.”
“Hello.”
“Franz, keep your head on straight.”

“Don’t get caught up in her mess,” Franz sighed, but I ignored him and asked Levi as indirectly as possible.

“Um… you put her away, right?”

Eva. In the underground prison. Along with a few of the servants who’d been acting as her lackeys.

Levi understood and nodded.

Honestly, I’d rather have tossed her a bag and thrown her out into the snow, but that wasn’t our call to make. Not yet.

Ugh, seriously, when is Wolfgang coming home? He needs to deal with the household matters too, not just the outside ones.

With three little darlings like us to handle—and four, if you count that troublesome one.

“Are you all right?”

That troublesome one, Benjamin, stumbled in behind Levi, looking far worse off than anyone he was asking after.

“If the head maid was the issue, you should’ve told me sooner. I could’ve handled it with my authority.”
“…You might want to deal with your own condition first. Who exactly are you talking to right now?”

That’s a white chair, not me.

Was he really okay? Still, while he was here, there was something I needed to ask.

“Um, Sir Benjamin, by any chance…”

Oops.

I glanced sideways at Levi and Franz, then motioned Benjamin closer.

Come on, lower your head. Quick.

He bent immediately, and I whispered into his ear:

“Is Father… and Eva… are they, you know, involved?”
“Eh? What does that have to do with me getting seven days of paid leave?”

Wow. Just wow. In every way, too much.

But at least I could breathe easy now. That was basically a guarantee of no chance whatsoever.

“Phew, thank goodness.”
“How on earth did you come up with such a ridiculous misunderstanding?”
“Well…”

Might as well show him.

Scratching my cheek, I called out:

“Betty, could you bring me that outfit from last time?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“No, not the window—use the door… Too late. Thanks.”

Betty vanished in a blink and reappeared just as fast, holding out a black jacket.

Benjamin, as expected of a proper aide, recognized it immediately.

“That’s His Grace’s jacket.”
“Exactly.”

Of course I knew it too. Back when I was running around as a maid, I’d seen it more times than I could count.

The clean, minimal design, the silver embroidery of the Bastion crest, and those broad shoulders it was tailored for.

Even if it rolled down the stairs, it belonged in Wolfgang’s wardrobe.

Benjamin inspected it, tapping his temple as though digging through his mental archives. Then his eyes lit up.

“Ah, that’s the jacket His Grace wore to the duchess’s funeral six years ago.”
“The funeral… Wait, how do you remember that?”
“Why wouldn’t I remember?”

We stared at each other, both baffled, until I gave up first.

“Anyway. Eva had this jacket.”

She’d cleaned and hung it by the sunlit window like it was some kind of trophy.

So she really had been a stalker, after all.

I grimaced, but Benjamin only shrugged.

“Of course. His Grace draped it over her shoulders.”
“Excuse me?!”

Ugh. A man giving his jacket to another woman at his wife’s funeral?

Gross.

And to make it worse, that man was my father-in-law. Double gross.

“To be precise…”
“Ughhh!”

And then—

A chorus of howls split through the night, led by January.

The wolves never made a fuss like this. Why now?

Puzzled, I hurried to the window.

Listening closely, I caught the meaning behind their cries.

“…An intruder.”
“Pardon?”
“They’re saying someone’s coming. From that direction.”

I pointed where the wolves indicated.

It was supposed to be the rear garden, but aside from a few trees, it was nothing but bare ridges. In the dead of night, nothing could be seen.

A world without electricity or streetlights—so inconvenient. Though it had been handy for catching Eva.

Standing beside me, Benjamin narrowed his eyes and ordered Betty:

“Fire signal arrows to the southeast. Hurry.”
“Yes, sir!”

Why does she never use the door? Sure, climbing walls looks faster, but still.

Soon, flaming arrows shot into the sky from the roof.

Whoosh!

They soared far, flared brightly, then sputtered out. Not just sparks—more like small, crude explosions.

“…Is there gunpowder in them?”

Had that been invented already? Asha never mentioned it.

Well, she had been locked in a remote temple. If this was real, could they eventually make cannons? Wipe out monsters with them?

But weapons like that didn’t appear overnight. Even if they started now, it’d take ages.

Just as I was torn between hope and disappointment—

“There’s nothing—wait.”

Shadows. Or at least, something so black it could be mistaken for shadows, sprinting across the flames straight toward the manor.

Dozens of them.

“Monsters!”

From the rooftop came a roar of alarm and the pounding of war drums.

Doom! Doom! Doom!

The whole manor sprang into chaos. Servants dashed about like clockwork soldiers roused by the alarm.

So much for a moment of peace.

“Seriously. This damned house never has a quiet day.”

No sooner had we dealt with enemies inside than enemies outside came charging.

Through the frosty breath fogging the window, I looked up at the star-filled night sky.

Still the middle of the night. This day was far too long.

“…It really is unprecedented,” Benjamin muttered calmly before striding off to issue orders.

Only after he left did Levi and Franz shuffle over to the window.

“There’s a lot of them.”
“…How many usually come?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Franz answered, “During a wave, maybe six or seven at once. Ten at most.”

I’d counted at least thirty already.

My head spun. This was going to go down as one of the worst disasters in Bastion’s history.

Just how massive must the breach in the Wall have been, for so many to spill through at once…

Suddenly, Levi pried my white-knuckled fingers off the window frame.

“I told you—I’ll protect you.”

No matter what comes.

Our eyes locked. I nodded, then called out,

“Franz, don’t you dare throw up.”
“Uuurgh…”

I just said don’t! Way to kill the mood, kid.

Franz went pale as a ghost, gagging, and flicked his fingers.

At once, Soo appeared at the open door. Without looking back, Levi and Franz gave their orders.

“My sword.”
“And my bow. Ugh. Bring it quick.”
“At once.”

Soo bowed and left, soon returning with Nina. Each carried a long, rectangular case.

“We’ve brought the young masters’ hunting weapons.”

Inside were sleek black swords and bows. Too small to be adult-sized, yet far from toys.

“Hunting weapons? You mean… you actually fight monsters?”

Of course they did.

With steady hands, both Levi and Franz armed themselves.

Levi, sure, I could accept. But Franz—my age, wielding a bow nearly as big as himself?

I fidgeted, hesitant.

“…Isn’t it dangerous?”

I mean, I valued my life most of all. Eva I could handle, but monsters? That was a whole different nightmare.

“Dangerous or not, we have to go.”
“Why?”

Franz slung on his quiver with a curt reply.

That same old line.

“Because we’re Bastion.”
“….”
“Even if we don’t feel like it.”

Even a boy wounded by people, shedding tears over family, still wanted to uphold the pride of Bastion.

And I wondered—was there anyone less like Bastion than me?

Pride.

When just breathing felt like a struggle, I had no lofty pride worth risking my life for.

Which is why, deep down, I thought—

I envy them.

Because I didn’t have it, I wanted it at least once.

Someday, maybe…

“Bleeerrgh!”

…Yeah, no. Definitely not today.