Edit: Sefl...edited?

 

“Good morning, Saya-sama.”

 

As always what meets me in the morning is a sight of my maid standing near my bed and looking at me.

 

“Aria, how many times have I asked you not to stand near my bed right in the morning?”

 

“Today is the 1846th time.” She answered calmly.

 

“*Sigh* You being so calm about it is the most surprising.”

 

As my personal maid Aria is the most professional in her job, so I can't really blame her to be a bit...eccentric. So most of her behavior is just a routine already. But still sometimes I wonder what makes her act like that.

 

But as it being our standard conversation I just got up without any extra words and Aria helped me with my morning duties as well as dressing up.

 

As we finished I left my room to have breakfast that was already prepared.

 

I was living in this remote mansion for more that 5 years already. It would be strange to see a noble daughter living by herself with just a few servants but as I am it’s just an ideal outcome. My title is only in name anyway and I inherited tons of possessions from my grandfather. I sold most of it and left with only one mansion to live in. It is good to live without extra eyes watching you and the main brunch of Adventurers Guild is nearby if I am in need of some extra hands.

 

After breakfast I had a ‘strategy meeting’ with my servants. It’s a rare occasion but for the last few days it was holded regularly.

 

“So, Thorwald, how is the situation?” I asked my butler.

 

“It’s still the same, Milady. Even if they try to hide their tracks it's still possible to guess that our mansion is being monitored.”

“*Sigh* How many times did I tell you not to call me ‘milady’?”

“It is exactly 5538th time, Milady.”

Sometimes I wonder if I was lucky or unlucky to get this kind of servants.

 

But still. If there is someone monitoring in our mansion it means nothing good. Whatever happens here is against the law as was also one of the reasons I choose to live in one remote mansion. At first I thought it could be some bandits trying to raid our mansion, but it’s not common for bandits to be that much cautious, especially as our mansion looks unprotected. So it is most likely that someone found out what is happening here and trying to find evidence.

 

“Well, alright. I guess this time we’ll move ahead of schedule. Thorwald, prepare the carriage. We’re going to the Guild.”

 

As always I’m going to hire some adventurers from the other side. At least this time I hope there will be at least some C-ranked party. I don't know who is monitoring the mansion but I am afraid it could turn out nasty.

 

While Thorwald was finishing preparation Aria worriedly asked.

“Saya-sama, will it be okay?”

 

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fast. And Thorwald can protect me if something happens. As if someone will try to attack the mansion while we’re out - just activate the defensive system.”

 

“But then Saya-sama and….”

“Do. Not. Worry. Please. I know what I’m doing.”

Should have known.

 

After a short while we departed. My carriage was a special one. It was faster than normal, more comfortable and armored for the case if someone attacks me on my way. While moving I had a small talk with Thorwald about our move.

 

“We will be there in approximately 2 hours, Mylady. Weather was good these days so the road is good.”

I was relieved a little. At least our pace won't be slow. There is a little road from our mansion that then leads to a crossroad with two ways. One goes to the nearby Vanessa city and the other to the Guild. As it was a short road that can be passed in just half an hour I never thought that we could actually be ambushed. I was traveling it for 5 years and never something like this happens. But what if there are enough people to actually take down Thorwald and destroy this carriage? What if they have some means to conceal in an empty field with a road? I never thought of it. I just rushed ahead of a schedule so I won’t worry about my plans being in danger. That was a mistake of mine.

“*Sigh” And how many times do I tell you not to call me ‘Milady’?”

 

“It is exactly 5….”

And so he never finished. Just in one second carriage was pierced with tons of arrows from all directions except for one I was sitting in. Was it just luck or was it the aim of the attackers - I never thought about it. I just was suddenly startled by a sudden sound and then a grotesque look of a tons of arrowheads looking at me. But at the next moment I saw that the same arrowheads in front of me were soaked in blood. Exactly from that direction where Thorwald should’ve been holding the reins.

 

“Oh God! Thorwald! Thorwald!”

 

Was it my lack of experience? Or was I actually too impulsive in my decisions? I don’t know. But the moment I saw that blood stained arrowheads I rushed out of the carriage without any thoughts that just now it was pierced with arrows and a new one may pierce me the moment I leave it.

 

Gladly I wasn’t pierced. But the moment I left the carriage my vision went black and I dropped unconsciousness. I was unable to see what happened to Thorwald...and most likely will never see.

.

.

.

When I woke up I was somewhere near the forest. My head feels dizzy as hell and I was wondering what had happened. The moment later I realized that I was tied up while laying on the ground and there were people in front of me. They looked just like some squad on a mission and I saw this armor before in the Capital city. It was the armor of recon squads.

 

“Hoo, I see you woke up, little girl.”

A voice snapped me of my thoughts and there was a guy, most likely the leader, who was standing in front of me with his sword unsheathed. As a fact I could see that I’m in great danger. But as the same fact as I know what I’m doing I’m not sure if it is possible to stay alive in this situation. I do not have any combat skills but the usual [Appraisal] is something a person from the noble circles should have. I didn’t have a chance to level it enough so I wouldn’t be noticed using it, but I still took a risk and picked at a man in front of me.

 

“The hell are you doing, brat?!” With an instant he reacted and hit me on my face with the back of his hand. Pain brings a great discomfort but as I was ready for it it wasn't much of an impact.

 

“So this is how royal soldiers meet a noble lady these days huh, Sir Roland?” I asked him.

 

“Huh, don't try to act though, little girl” he said and then grabbed me on my hair.

 

Annoying.

 

“I’ve investigated you enough, Miss Saya Welverose. Noble girl my ass. With your style I’m more of a noble girl then you, ha!”

 

“So is that a reason to meet me with kidnapping?”

 

“Tch.” he let go of my hair and started to walk around while playing with his sword. “You see, while doing some job around hereI heard some interesting and nasty rumors about what you are doing here in secret. Really, really nasty rumors. And so I put some surveillance on your mansion while investigating things. And you know, when I see such a tightly protected mansion with so many defensive systems at once I could not help but wonder, why does a little girl living by herself need a system that could protect her from the entire army?”

 

His words made me nothing but astonished.

 

“Ooh, I see your face just asking me why I can guess that. You see, I have worked in a recon for a long time and I know all the systems that rich people have been using usually. It's not hard to guess how everything works.”

“So you think this is enough to accuse me of some…” I wasn't able to finish as ke kicked me to the stomach. Instantly I felt huge pain while spatting half of my breakfast.

 

“Don’t you interrupt me! You see, I got enough info around here. In this ‘secluded’ area are much more extra eyes and ears that you can guess! And if I don't know all the details at least the one of you buying supplies from Vanessa which far exceeded any needs that one girl and a few servants may have is already good enough to confirm my info!” he was talking while still walking around, but then he stopped and crouched in front of me. “And now I’ll be using you as a stepping stone. Treason is a serious crime and me catching this kind of a criminal would get me a nice and sweet promotion. Don’t be sad, your overall cover up was great but you just unlucky that I passed nearbuy, while I was lucky instead. Ahahahaha!”

 

As he and all his men were loudly laughing I was laying while having a headache from all the sounds.

 

“Kha...kha….” as I coughed I tried to get up a little. “Sorry...kha...to disappoint you. But there is nothing to find there in my mansion. Even if you could get in while using me as a shield all you did is assaulted a noble. This looks like more of a path to drop out of your career, don’t you think?” I tried to play though while enduring the pain on my face and stomach.

 

“Ahaha! Ahahaha! Ahahahahahahaha!” he laughed loudly “Do you really think that you could get out of here? Even if everything was a one big mistake for me nobody will charge me for reporting a remote mansion with one little girl being attacked and burned by some bandits! Or even demons as you’re so close to a border!” he lifted my chin with his sword “So it’s for you to decide for being cooperative or not. While it doesn't really matter as my guys could have some fu….huh? What's that sound?”

 

For some reason he suddenly got distracted by something. As he took a few steps away from me while looking around I thought of trying to slip away. Even if I’m not really a good runner I still could get lucky and run to my mansion as I’m rather familiar with nearby terrain.

 

But as I tried to stand up I also heard something strange. Is that...a scream?

 

After a few seconds it wasn't hard to guess that it was indeed a scream that was getting lowder and lowder with every second. Like if the source was getting closer and closer. A few seconds later something appears above our heads. It that a person? As everyone was looking on it, I finally snapped out of this situation and decided to try and run away. As a gave one last glance to Ronald I saw the exact moment of when geta meets his face. The next second both him and the person dropped on the ground while I heard a strange “pop” sound and suddenly I was splattered with blood. I dropped back on my butt while looking as a figure continued rolling to the side leaving Roland with his head smashed on the ground.

 

What?

 

A second later with a loud sound a figure smashed into the nearby rock. Both me and all the other people from Roland’s squad watched this scene without any understanding. As the cloud of dust slowly faded a swaying figure appeared out of it. It that a girl? A demi? A fox? White?

What?

 

As she was struggling with moving one of the guys ran into her with his sword ready.

 

“Look ou…” I was going to warn her but I was too slow. But at the same time girl just grabbed a gou and...vomited on him.

 

What?

 

Well, she was rolling in the sky for some time so she could have some nausea but… A moment this girl just punched a guy in front of her so hard that his helmet just crumpled. I don’t want to imagine what happened with his head in that helmet as his blood spilled right into the girl's face as she started walking in my direction with unsteady steps.

 

W...what?

 

And she stood between me and my kidnappers. As I wondered what she is going to do next she…

 

“So!”

 

...started talking.

 

“I dont know what da fuck is going on here. BUT!” at this second she looked at me while smiling. As my head was already full of lots of thoughts her face gave me one more shock. What is it with her? Her cheerful smile with her face smeared with blood and her eyes...I see her eyes but no pupils. As she was completely blind but still I have a feeling like she looked right on me with this nothingness.

 

As if being satisfied with my reaction she then turned back.

 

“BUT! I see a girl in distress. Guess i gotta give her some help.”

 

What… What the hell is this development?!