CH ss - 16

[Gile : The Frustrated Royal Guard Knight Commander]

※ 3rd Person POV

While Frick and co were heading to the beastman city of Inbahanes, in the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Hartford, Vigo, the former butler of Alfine, was called to Gile’s mansion.

When Vigo entered after knocking on the door of the reception room, Gile was sitting on the sofa without hiding his displeasure.

“What is happening with the search of Alfine! Didn’t you say that you’ll find her immediately!? It’s been almost a month! Every time I see the King, he would asked ‘How’s Alfine’s condition?’!”

“I’m in the midst of searching her… Since this is a secret investigation, the number of people I can mobilize is limited, so the result is disappointing… But Alfine-dono will surely appear in Youg Hannotes. I have already dispatched my subordinates and several tight-lipped people of the Royal Guard Knight Order for the search. However, the report about her trace…”

In response to Vigo, who reported the situation ashamedly, Gile’s irritation did not seem to subside; he was tapping his foot on the ground unconsciously.

It’s been 20 days since Alfine escaped from Gile’s secondary residence, and it started to be difficult to persist with the ‘in the middle of medical treatment’ thing.

“I didn’t call you to hear such a meaningless report! What should to do, Vigo! ‘Alfine escaped when I tried to have my way with her’, should I give such a report to the King!”

Without concealing his anger at the problem caused by his own blunder, Gile slammed the reception desk to intimidate Vigo.

“Gile-sama, please refrain from yelling because there are eyes and ears of others even at your own home.”

At Vigo’s appearance, who showed a terrified attitude but didn’t seem to be really scared, Gile clicked his tounge,

“Tsk, whose fault is it that put me in a situation where I have to yell like this. So, how long do you need to find Alfine? There is a limited period of time that we can use medical treatment as an excuse.”

“That is… I do not know. Since she is an adventurer devoted to sword, I thought that she is lacking in wit, perhaps someone complemented her in that department.”

“The reason she couldn’t be found yet is because she got a witty traveling companion – is that what you mean?”

“Yes, I’ve been serving her for about two years, and Alfine-sama was a kind of person who moved without thinking… She must’ve gone straight toward Youg Hannotes, where there is the last information of Finn-sama. The fact that there is no result yet; I judge that she has a companion.”

Hearing the report from Vigo, Gile’s handsome face distorted unsightly.

“Even though she was just about to fall into my hands…”

“It is presumptuous of me to say this, but I think it wouldn’t be good for Gile-sama to prolong the lie about Alfine-sama’s medical treatment any more than this. You have already put a lot of effort for the other party, but I think you should cut your attachment. Gile-sama should end the search and put Alfine-sama on the Kingdom’s wanted list, with the charge such as Sword Master Alfine lost her lover, went mad, slashed and injured you.”

When Vigo made a suggestion regarding on how to deal with Alfine while bowing to Gile, Gile’s countenance changed rapidly as if calculating the loss and gain.

“But… all the trouble I took, the two years that I sacrificed… In order to get that beauty, I asked the King to give her the title of Sword Master, promoted her as a noble to be a swordsmanship instructor, sent you as a butler, and even put time and effort to separate her from her lover, Finn; and you want me to give up on getting her?”

Gile, who had the expression as if it was regrettable to give up on the efforts, was trying to ignore Vigo’s suggestion to postpone the decision.

“But if the search is prolonged, the King may become suspicious of Gile-sama’s conduct, and begins to investigate Alfine-sama’s whereabouts; by then, it is likely that Gile-sama will lose all the trust you have built up from the King. Are you saying that you want that woman at the cost of that?”

“But you see… it was just a little more. Besides, the other person is Alfine, the most beautiful woman in this world. Are you saying that I should give up on her?”

Vigo, who had his face down to Gile who was still having a lingering attachment to Alfine, raised his head and approached Gile.

“With the charge of an attempted murder of the Royal Guard Knight Commander, you will make a large-scale declaration in the Kingdom to capture Alfine-sama. In that case, at the discretion of Gile-sama, I should be able to move freely. Which one do you want, is it Sword Saint Alfine-sama or just Alfine-sama?”

Gile, who was pressured by Vigo’s atmosphere that seemed to neither accept agreement nor refusal, was terrified for a moment.

“W-why are suddenly being like this!? Isn’t it unusual for you to give me your opinion that strongly?”

“It would be tough even for me to produce results with my limbs tied up. In the first place, this matter is beyond the scope of my discretion. I was given an order to support you from your esteemed father, but even I have things that I’m unsuitable for.”

Vigo speaks in a quiet voice, but he didn’t try to hide his dissatisfaction at Gile, who imposes a selfish request.

For Vigo, he is just doing this to help Gile’s father, Prime Minister Boris.

He honestly wished to be retired from babysitting his selfish prodigal son.

“Don’t say such things… I am counting on you.”

“Well then, is it fine to declare that Sword Saint Alfine should be captured alive with the charge of attempted murder the Royal Guard Knight Commander?”

“Wait, don’t be hasty… Prepare Alfine’s substitue. Procure a black-haired woman of the similar age as her, we’ll use an excuse that because she lost Finn, she went mad and burnt herself. Like that, I can turn down King’s visit. In that case, we can buy some time. You go find her in the meantime.”

Gile was forced to make a decision by Vigo, but he couldn’t make decision to make Alfine a criminal who tried to murder himself, so he tried to put an end to the situation by making a proposal that could be called a compromise.

“Understood. Well then, I gratefully accept the short time to look for Alfine-sama.”

Gaining extension of the time to search, Vigo changed his atmosphere and bowed reverently.

Gile looked at his appearance with an unpleasant face, but he himself was the one who said that he would get through the problem with a substitute, so he couldn’t rebuke Vigo.

“This is riskier for me as well. I don’t want to hear reports that you couldn’t find her any more than this.”

“Understood. I’ll step up the search one level higher; I’m sure that Alfine-sama is in Youg Hannotes.”

“I expect your good report.”

“Well then, I’ll excuse—”

Vigo bowed and tried to leave Gile, who had resumed to tap his foot on ground to show his irritation again.

However, as if remembering something, he turned on his heels, and proceeded to the front of Gile.

“Forgive me, I forgot about it because Alfine-sama’s case, but I found the whereabouts of the horse. I heard it escaped from the branch of the Royal Guard Knight in the beastman city of Inbahanes, and I have told them to search for it, but it seems to has escaped to the grasslands in the vicinity of the city. Apparently, it became a leader of a group of monster horses there, and the request to capture it alive has already been put up.”

Hearing about the horse, Gile’s countenance, which looked frustrated until then, changed to that of a child who was told that he was going to get a new toy.

“Is the horse the giant horse you said able to understand human speech!?”

“Yes, it is the horse that my subordinates found in Inbahanes. When it was about to be given to Gile-sama, it ran away and went missing, but I’ve received a report that it has been rediscovered. If you wait for a while, the captured horse will be transported to you.”

“I see… I also heard that its body is splendid and dignified. With this, the foolish people who ridicule me as the weakest knight commander of the Royal Guard should diminish as well.”

Vigo kept silent at Gile’s frivolous talk.

He thought Gile’s tantrum would relapse if he gave a poor response.

“Please look forward to that as well.”

Only saying that, Vigo bowed toward Gile and went out of the reception room.