“I did not know, your Maid is that capable. You surprised me Drak.”
“All my Maids are capable. I feel at most secure around them.”
Going back to the Mensa, Eleonora and Drak were doing smalltalk. They did not eat before the Duel, as it was scheduled early so there would be more time for the Duel. Drak’s opponent had thought it would take longer, but was shocked by the result.
“With the Performance of your Maid, most will not mess with you any longer.”
“That was the plan, Princess Eleonora.”
Seria answering Eleonora made her realise how this event was planned already. Most upperclassmen mess a bit with the Newcomers, but most only try to reduce the aloofness of the Newcomers a bit before they get seriously hurt. Those Maids used it to show their prowess for others to not mess with Drak in any way.
“Ah, I see. You made an impression, that is for sure. Haha.”
‘This makes things even more stressful, as people might investigate him. Well no matter, they might not find anything. I hope it just does not get worse.’
While Eleonora prayed in her thoughts, the fight was quickly spread though the Students grapevine of gossip, as it was surprising in outcome and resulted in a shameful play afterwards.
- At night in the Garden of Drak’s Mansion
“Keep low and make sure the threat is understood. The Pig’s blood has to be put right in front of the door of the Brat.”
“Understood.”
Three people clad in black were ready to give Drak a warning to not be overly arrogant. Such a crime would be seen as ‘just a prank’ in most cases, and at worst would be punishment for the Mercenaries, while they get extra Money for this inconvenience.
Of course, if they were found out and killed inside the Mansion, it would be self defence, which makes such a ‘prank’ a serious Job for people like them, but risking their lives was always a risk for underground Mercenaries.
“No Magic on the Window, as expected. This Brat is totally unguarded.”
“Then hurry up and keep an eye out for Servants. Keep them alive if possible, we are only paid for smearing Blood.”
After entering the Mansion everything was quiet. Nothing was seen except later someone closing the Window from the inside.
-
The next Morning in a different Mansion the son of Count Chantler was awoken by a loud scream of his Maid. When he was about to scold her he saw her horrified look and followed her sight to his night table. On the table were three severed Heads and like in a Chorus both screamed in unison again.
-
“Reports?”
“The Maid Named Raja, is still unknown. While she has beaten the person named Bricksley, she should have used some Magic, as some magical residue was traced. She did not usher a release phrase, so it can only be some kind of intrinsic Magic.”
Intrinsic Magic unlike regular Magic is a Power that can be activated with just a thought. It is also called Bloodline Magic, as often Children of Users of a specific kind of Magic also gain this intrinsic Magic in some form. Eleonora for example is one of the Children of two Seers, especially bred to have a high chance of having this capability.
“This makes already two Maids with him dangerous. He also said to me all his Maids are capable, so better look into it.”
“As we have no Information about Seria we can not say anything, but Celia was confirmed to have no ability for Magic and should be the most frail. Her Family does not even want to remember her, for she was for them only a disappointment.”
“Such cruel Parents. Well whatever, keep an eye on them and maybe increase the surveillance back from minimum to the stand-”
A messenger barged into the briefing. While it can be seen as an annoyance, Eleonora already understood the necessity of quick and accurate updates on Information in this kind of business.
“New Information about Count Chantler’s Son!”
“What is it, did he do something?”
“As we have heard he paid some Mercenaries to make a statement. We saw them entering the Mansion but they vanished in a blind spot on our surveillance Crystals. Today their heads were found on the Night table by the Son of Count Chantler.”
“What?!”
-
While the Guards are interrogating everyone in the Chantler Estate inside the School City, they do not get many leads. The Student is not willing to say to whom those heads belong to, and also not tell on Drak, as it adheres to the unwritten Rule of not smearing another Nobles Son and also he was really terrified. If they could put three heads on his Night Stand, his head could have been draped on it too, and would rather not antagonise this crazy person any further.
As Guards knew about the secret rules, they were more exasperated. Even if they told him, this ‘prank’ had gone a bit too far, he was still not willing to say anything. In the end, they stopped asking, as they all knew the internal struggles of those children.
While they could identify the people as Mercenaries, their job and target was not revealed, but the Guards could still deduce that the Chantler Student hired them. This was definitely a retaliation, which was while tasteless also deserved.
Those Mercenaries are always on the edge of legality, so the Guards put it down as ‘accidental death’. The irony of it being written as an accidental death by decapitation and missing bodies is not lost on the Guards, but they long stopped to care about those highly dangerous games the young Aristocrats liked playing.
‘Just another revenge going too far. As long as he was not harmed, nothing can be done for losing a few lives of those Mercenaries.’
The Imperial Spy Network had more Information, but could not disclose anything, and started already on tightening the earlier Surveillance once again. Somehow they felt being played with, as they were changing the Status of that Berklin Kid almost weekly.
Different recordings were checked, the Mercenaries just vanished in a dead angle where not even a door existed. It is as if they just disappeared before they could use that leather pouch filled with some kind of Liquid, possibly Urine or Blood.
“Watch over the Mansion and the Maids. Drak Berklin is a secondary priority for us to see if he gets Money from the Black Merchant. Check the other Servants too, as there might be more unknown dangers.”
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
While Eleonora got ready for the new School day, the Spy network worked overtime to change things again.
In the Meantime Drak was riding his Carriage already to the School and was resting his head on Raja’s lap, as she worked hard through the night.
“Good work, Raja. I should be left alone for a while now.”
“Thank you, Master. I serve to the best of my abilities.”
“While the direct aggressions will be lower now, there will be a substantial increase in eyes watching us. The next meeting might need Alice again in the Mansion. Our Messenger already answered about the next Meeting place.”
“They are rather quick Seria. Fine, when do we need to visit?”
“It will be a School day, but do not worry it is at night and the day after has early in the morning practical Magic training, while History about the Empire is in the Evening.”
“Then I can nap in the Park and try not to sleep in History.”
“I will prepare a pop quiz, to see if you have paid attention in class.”
“It was a joke, please spare me!”
“...alright, but remember to work hard, as this plan was your own Idea, Master.”
“I understand…”
-
While the waves inside the School were not that high, the Guards heard about the dispute between Drak and the boy of the Chantlers, and asked about it. Drak obviously denied any knowledge of anything and explained the whole incident with his Maid. After understanding the reasoning they just thought of him as a rather nice, albeit not too valued Son of a Duke, who fought for the honour of his Servants. Alone for this, they were not too serious to find fault in anything, as it is rare to see a young Noble being conscious of his Servants being human beings.
On the other hand, the Mansion was again infiltrated and the place where the Mercenaries vanished checked. While already inside, the Spies were ordered to readjust the Crystals, and put some more in different areas.
There were some close calls with some Servants walking through the Areas, the infiltrators worked on, but nothing was noticed in the eyes of the Spies until everything was readjusted and the School was over.
- Inside the Carriage on the way home
“New Crystals were installed. Alice, you need to modify them again. Sorry for the extra work.”
“No worries, Seria~”
“We now all have Crystals in our Rooms and even in the Bathroom.”
“Unacceptable!”
“I think so too Celia, but what can we do?”
“...That is too much. While I want to lay low, break the ones in our Rooms. I do not care about the other Rooms, but this is already below my bottom line.”
“Master, I understand you are a bit incensed, but if we remove them, the whole Plan will change again.”
“I know and I am sorry, but if they peek at your bodies, I would rather make a different plan.”
“Master, you should understand, we are already in a quite problematic situation with the new direct approach. If we change again-”
“This has got to stop. If they were decent, I would have played along, but those places are off limits. My Chamber was already stretching it, but now yours too? No, I can not accept that.”
* sigh * “That will cause a whole lot of trouble.”
“I do not care. Call the Umbra and make it look like I am under Protection. Let them guess about themselves, if it comes out I am the Merchant, then so be it. You all are my bottom line.”
“This could work. Master, while we are grateful for your feelings, please stop being so impulsive. I know you are only twelve, but it just makes more work.”
“Sorry Seria. I will work with you to make it as smooth as possible.”
“As you wish, Master.”
-
While Eleonora was bathing in her private Bath in the Estate, she was humming a song. Afterwards she took her time to brush and dry her long hair until she put on her nightgown. Finally finished, she opened the door and saw a rather pale looking Servant.
“What is it? Why are you standing here?”
“Miss, while we had an emergency, you also forbid me to disturb your beauty care. I was waiting for you to come out, to inform you.”
“What are you talking about? I especially said, the Spymaster is the second in command, and would be taking care of everything, if there is a problem while I can not attend. I am mostly in charge only in Name, aren’t I?”
“While… while this is true, you are needed for this, as it has to do with Miss and might be a bit… delicate to explain.”
Somewhat unsure about this answer she goes to the Library and opens the door hidden behind the Bookshelf to enter the secret Outpost. Normally all of them were working on keeping track with Information gathering, but right now they were all silently looking at Eleonora. She was rather uncomfortable about their looks, as if they found out about the Contract somehow.
“Why are you all looking at me? This is a bit rude, don’t you think?”
The Spymaster came to the front and started to explain.
“Princess Eleonora, as we already talked about, we had increased the Surveillance and also installed new Crystals to spy on every corner of the Mansion, but there was a sudden problem.”
While she knew about increasing the Manpower to watch the Mansion of Drak, it was the first time to hear about the change in Crystals to watch them through.
“So more Crystals were planted? Well if it was necessary, you can obviously make that decision. What is the problem?”
“Those Crystals suddenly stopped working.”
“Were they found?”
“Most likely, after a long time they started working again, but…”
“Why are you slowly explaining, just say it!”
* sigh * “The Surveillance Crystals were moved. While eleven of them were removed out of the Bathrooms of Drak Berklin’s Mansion, the Rooms of Drak, his Maids private Rooms and the Servants Rooms they started up again after a longer while.
“So, if they were removed, you can see where they are?”
“...yes.”
“So, just say it. Can we retrieve them or see valuable information or Persons of interest through them? Better review the recordings thoroughly for any details.”
“Those Crystals can be received, as seven of them are right now in your private Bathroom and four are looking directly at your esteemed bedchambers from all angles.”
Somehow those Sentences were repeating in Eleonora’s mind, but could not really be processed. What did her Spymaster just say the Crystals were pointing at and recording?
“Princess Eleonora?”
“They… they are in my Bathroom. And in my Bedchamber too. Looking at everything?”
“One of the Crystals in the bedchamber is especially looking at the wardrobe with your Underwear in it.”
“How do you know it is that specific wardrobe!”
“The Door is open. Did you close it after you were going to bathe while humming the Starshine Sonata?”
“You even know what I was humming in the Bathroom you PERVERT! How much did all of you see!?”
“We stopped the recordings, after we noticed the Person inside it and confirmed the positions.”
“WHY DID YOU NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY! YOU NEEDED TO CONFIRM POSITIONS OF WHAT, MY UNDERWEAR?! AND YOU WERE ALL RECORDING EVERYTHING!”
* smack *
The Spymaster got a heavy slap to his face and understood her dramatic outburst. Who would not freak out hearing they were recorded in the most intimate moments alone. He waited for her to become less hysterical, which luckily was quick and he did not get too many more slaps to his face.
“Get those Crystals out of my Rooms and make sure there are not any more anywhere! How shall I sleep if I might be watched like that! Wait, where did you say those Crystals were positioned?!”
“Bathrooms of Drak Berklin, Private Rooms and Servants bedchambers.”
“Do NOT do that EVER again! Find out who made those Crystals appear in our Mansion, but never place them there again! This is the most obvious warning I ever got, and also the most embarrassing! If any of you made a copy of what you have recorded, you will all have no Corpses for your graves! IS THAT CLEAR!?”
“Yes Princess!”
“And now get to WORK!”
In the end they found not only the Crystals but a small note: ‘Stop peeping on naked people’