Ch#117
For now, Ruska led Evi and Irene inside the mansion.
"Young Master Ruska, you're back! So those are the guests you mentioned!"
"Young Master Eric is here too!"
As they entered, burly servants swarmed around them.
They bowed deeply and greeted loudly.
"Welcome to the Marquis Ragselb Mansion!"
"Welcome!"
At the spirited, imposing greeting, Evi froze in place.
They were clearly servants from their attire, but the atmosphere felt like a gathering of intimidating men.
"Enough. You're scaring the guests."
Eric gestured for them to stop bowing and spoke to the startled Evi and Irene.
"Sorry about that. Our family hires a lot of sturdy young men, so the atmosphere here is a bit different from other mansions."
The two nodded at his words.
It was definitely different from other places.
It wasn't just the servants' vibe.
'The mansion is different too.'
Evi recalled the marquis's mansion she had seen on the way in.
This place resembled more a fortress seen on the road to the capital than a mansion.
'They are the empire's most famous knight family.'
Even their home reflected that trait.
"Goodness, move aside, all of you. Won't the young ladies be startled if a bunch of big lads swarm like this?"
Then a woman appeared, pushing the servants aside.
"...!"
The moment they saw her, Evi and Irene's eyes widened even more.
A middle-aged woman with a massive build—even the young men earlier looked cute by comparison—and solid muscles smiled kindly.
"Hello, young ladies. I'm Vanessa, the head maid of this mansion."
"Y-yes!"
The two unwittingly stood at attention and greeted Vanessa.
Taller than those around her by a head, she smiled brightly, picked up the bags the coachmen had unloaded.
Though the coachmen had brought them down in several trips, Vanessa lifted them all at once and walked lightly.
Then, as if remembering, she turned and said,
"Ah, young masters, go take care of the horses. You know how picky Elishia is, right?"
"Yes!"
Ruska nodded hurriedly at Vanessa's words.
In truth, even Marquis Ragselb yielded to her.
'She's enjoying a peaceful life as head maid now, but...'
Vanessa was also the mentor of Imperial Knight Hilde.
In other words, not even the marquis's son could say 'No!' to her.
As Ruska and Eric dashed outside, Vanessa smiled and said to Evi and Irene,
"There are plenty of rooms for you two. This way, please."
* * *
As Vanessa said, the rooms they were shown to were plenty spacious.
"Thank you for taking care of us on such short notice."
"Nonsense. If anything happens during your stay, call us right away. The maids of the marquis family can handle three knights each."
Vanessa chuckled as if joking, but seeing the firm muscles under the maids' clothes, it didn't seem like empty words.
Besides, when the maids glared once, the bear-like servants bowed their heads and quieted.
In this mansion, with an atmosphere different from both the Terins family home and Duke Kailun's mansion, Evi's heart raced.
'This place looks really fun too.'
While the maids unpacked their luggage, Eric returned first.
"Where's Ruska?"
"He has to handle Elishia, so it'll take a bit. You don't know how much he begged Father to bring Elishia because he had to give Evi a ride."
"Huh? Me?"
Evi's eyes widened at her name suddenly coming up.
"Yeah. He was quiet at first, but then he acted like he'd eaten something weird, saying he needed the smartest and best horse to give you a ride."
At his words, Irene coughed lightly beside them.
'That idiot must have thrown a fit after getting my letter.'
Irene clicked her tongue inwardly.
'But bringing the empire's most famous steed? What does he plan to do with that?'
Of course, it was nice.
'He wants to give Evi the absolute best, as expected.'
"Leave the hard work to Ruska and let me introduce you to the marquis mansion now."
"Yes!"
Irene, shrugging as if she had brought Elishia herself, followed Eric with Evi for the tour.
As they were about to head outside after hearing the basic layout, Ruska came rushing in, panting.
"Why are you so late?"
"You know how it is, bro! Elishia only takes the best apples! She spits out anything less sweet!"
Ruska grumbled, then pushed Eric away, saying he'd take over the tour.
"I'll do the introducing, so go back, bro!"
"Fine, I'm going. Go on! Evi, Irene. See you later."
Eric waved and left, and Evi and Irene watched him wistfully.
Seeing how close the three had gotten already, Ruska pouted.
"Everyone likes Eric. Well, he's the only one among my brothers who takes after Mom and is handsome..."
Then Evi shook her head.
"Not true. Ruska is more handsome."
"...Evi."
At her answer, Ruska hugged her in感動.
"You're the only one! Even if it's a lie, I'm happy!"
"Hey! Hey! Let go of Evi! You're sweaty!"
As Ruska hugged her tightly, Irene freaked out and smacked his back hard enough to make a clapping sound.
* * *
Feeling great from Evi's words, Ruska led them to the back of the mansion.
A normal mansion would have a large garden there. But the Marquis Ragselb family was different.
"Oh my gosh. What's all this?"
Irene looked appalled. Evi also peered over the terrace railing in surprise.
"They made a training ground instead of a garden...?"
Ruska shrugged at Irene's mutter.
"Of course. What kind of family are we? We have to have this much."
The Marquis Ragselb family was famous for producing outstanding knights for generations.
They started as regular knights but rose to count through merits over several generations.
In this generation, for guarding Clois until the end, they were granted marquis rank.
Though they could have aimed for imperial cabinet positions, the Ragselb family only served as knights protecting the imperial family.
We shall be the empire's straightest, sturdiest, sharpest sword.
That was the Ragselb family motto.
Not just those bearing the Ragselb name, but everyone training body and mind here engraved it in their hearts.
"Not just my brothers and me, but collaterals, the family knights, and even those aspiring for other knight orders train here."
"Other knight orders?"
At Evi's question, Ruska's eyes lit up. It was a topic he could explain well.
"Yeah, you know each family has their own knight order? We have ours too. Normally limited to 50, but ours can go up to 1,000."
1,000 knights was enough to plot rebellion easily.
Permitting that showed the emperor's deep trust in the marquis family.
"But 1,000 knights is too much, so we fill the rest with trainees. Some aspire to the Imperial Knight Order, others the Imperial Knights."
"What's the difference?"
Irene tilted her head, unfamiliar with it.
Evi felt the same. Imperial or empire—weren't they the same?
"Big difference. Like the knights who escorted Evi during the Izriella fuss. They're the Imperial Knight Order. Knight Rommel, Knight Hilde, those people. They pledge loyalty only to the imperial family and never leave His Majesty's side. They stay in the Imperial Palace too."
"Ah, Knight Hilde."
Evi beamed at the familiar name.
"She told me to call her big sis! I want to see her again."
Ruska shook his head at Evi's mutter.
"That was really lucky. Normally, the Imperial Knight Order doesn't meet non-imperials or provide escorts."
"But they escorted me that day."
"That's why it was amazing. His Majesty ordered them to treat you accordingly. That's why the Count Aradman family couldn't say a word and shrank back."
"I see..."
She knew they were high-ranking and she'd received excessive treatment, but not that it was so extraordinary.
"Then what about the Imperial Knights?"
"As the name says, they're under the empire, serving the whole empire. From border management to the capital—their range is huge. Their reputation fell a bit for loyalties to the late emperor, so His Majesty appointed our mother as captain since they couldn't just disband the empire's largest knight order."
Hearing that, Evi and Irene subtly stepped back.
"What? Why?"
"No, you suddenly look like a noble young master."
"I am one! Fine for Irene, but Evi, why you too...!"
Ruska grumbled for a while, then leaned on the railing wearily, propping his chin.
"Anyway, both orders' top leaders are under His Majesty the Emperor. And His Majesty is the first emperor to have beaten both knight order captains."
"Wow!"
Evi's eyes sparkled at Clois's mention.
"Really? So His Majesty is stronger?"
"Probably since he roamed battlefields himself... He stays in the palace now, but back then, enemies often fled just seeing his face."
At that, Evi recalled Clois teaching her foreign languages.
No matter how she thought, the always brightly smiling emperor didn't seem able to beat these fearsome knights...
"Anyway, I'm going into the Imperial Knight Order too. I want to serve His Majesty later."
"Doesn't Ruska want to be emperor?"
"Nah, like I said before, no interest. Let Arsel do it."
"Hmm."
Evi recalled Arsel's subtly cold expression whenever succession came up.
"Then if Arsel becomes emperor, you'd have to kneel before him?"
"Uh... Never thought of that. Hate doing it in front of that guy."
Ruska made a disgusted face, then suddenly knelt on one knee before Evi.
He extended his arm forward formally and bowed his head.
It was the knights' greeting Evi had seen at the Imperial Palace.
Then Ruska looked up smiling and said,
"Feels okay doing it for Evi, so you should be emperor, Evi."
