This story returns to the protagonist’s point of view.
“Gordon, you must have gone through so much to get here,” Patty said with a worried expression after Gordon finished recounting the events at the castle. Unconsciously, she hugged him gently.
“Being held by you, Patty, makes me feel so safe. Thank you,” Gordon said, feeling a sense of relief from her soft embrace.
“Ah, oh my, I’m so sorry! Gordon, are you alright?”
“Alright? Ah!” Suddenly, Patty realized something and pulled away from Gordon. He also understood why she had pulled away, his face turning bright red.
“Patty seems to be alright. As expected of a fiancée, perhaps,” Kent teased.
“Kent, please don’t tease me at a time like this!” Patty protested. She had hugged Gordon in a way that pressed her chest against him. Gordon was not good with women, and being pressed against a woman’s chest could sometimes make him faint. However, since Patty’s similar action hadn’t affected him, Kent said it to lighten the mood and tease her. Patty retorted in protest.
“Putting jokes aside for now, I heard from Hanako that someone attacked the castle, but Cedric was among them. What in the world is going on?” In the original game world, there was no scenario where Cedric appeared as an enemy. Although not as engrossed in the game as his sister Rachel, Kent, who had reluctantly played it countless times, had a vague memory of having messed up the scenario, even if it was his own fault. However, the main character appearing as a soldier of an enemy country was an unexpected development.
“Lord Gordon, are the attackers really duchy soldiers?”
“Yes, Cedric himself said he was the副隊長 (vice-captain) of the Duchy’s Army Magic Squad.” Catherine asked Gordon again, confirming if the attackers were indeed soldiers from the neighboring duchy.
“So, the neighboring duchy has a unit specializing in magic. If that’s the case, they could easily infiltrate that castle, which has no magic defenses, using concealment magic, for example.”
“That’s what Mother said too,” Catherine said, touching her chin with her right index finger, a gesture of contemplation. Gordon conveyed that Margaret had said the same thing.
“So, it has become as the Queen feared. She apparently insisted that magic defenses should have been installed on the castle much earlier, but since those around her lacked knowledge of magic, she couldn’t secure a budget for it.”
“Ah, perhaps measures should have been taken sooner. Mother mentioned that after learning about this bakery’s existence, she somehow managed to persuade others, secure the budget, and the sanctuary that would serve as its base was built, finally setting the plan in motion. But it seems it wasn’t in time.” Gordon himself hadn’t given much thought to the dangers of magic until he learned about the bakery’s circumstances, so he hadn’t actively pushed for countermeasures. Now, there was nothing he could do, but he regretted not acting sooner.
“There’s no use regretting it now. We should pray for the Queen’s safety and consider what we can do,” Kent said, urging them to shift their focus to the next course of action.
“I agree with Kent’s opinion,” Josette said.
“I agree too,” Carol added.
“That’s right. What can we do? Ah, I know! How about baking bread and bringing it as a treat to the people taking refuge in the sanctuary?” Marie proposed using the bakery’s facilities to provide bread for those seeking shelter at the sanctuary.
“Mom, I think it’s a great idea, but considering Lord Gordon is here, there’s a possibility this place could be discovered by some means. I think our top priority should be evacuating Lord Gordon to a safe place as quickly as possible. In the unlikely event something happens to the royalty left in the castle, ensuring Lord Gordon’s safety could have implications for the fate of this entire country.”
“The fate of the country? That’s a big leap, suddenly. But I understand what Catherine is saying,” Marie replied, seemingly convinced after Catherine explained her reasoning for prioritizing Gordon’s safety.
“But where should we evacuate? Even the closest fortresses and strongholds from here are more than a day’s journey by carriage.”
“Perhaps hiding somewhere in the town would be the best option,” Josette and Carol discussed Gordon’s evacuation destination. As members of the aristocracy, they had a duty to protect royalty even if they lacked fighting skills. They brainstormed various ideas but couldn’t come up with a solution, despite their excellent academic records at the academy.
“I believe the sanctuary next door is the most suitable place for evacuation.”
“But there are many refugees in the sanctuary already? If those pursuing Gordon were to come, wouldn’t it endanger innocent residents?” Catherine proposed the sanctuary as an evacuation site, but Kent raised a concern.
“We discussed this before, but the sanctuary has a protective wall and can also activate a magic barrier. This would defend against physical attacks as well as magic. Additionally, Holy Knights are stationed there, so they only need to guard the entrance where the magic barrier cannot be cast. This should buy us enough time until the people out for training exercises return.”
“If Catherine says so, I have nothing more to add. Ultimately, Gordon should be the one to decide, don’t you think?” Kent, trusting Catherine’s confident assertion, urged Gordon to make the final decision.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be causing trouble for everyone, but please look after me,” Gordon bowed deeply in front of everyone and decided to move to the sanctuary.
“I wanted to bake bread and bring it, but if we’re moving, the sooner the better. Everyone, let’s lock up the shop and take the bread we have for sale with us.”
“Yes!” The group responded.
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Marie instructed everyone to lock up the shop, and they began securing the doors and windows. This naturally included the employee rooms on the second floor.
“The second-floor lock-up is complete.”
“The workshop lock-up is complete.” Josette confirmed the lock-up of each room on the second floor, while Carol secured the workshop area.
“Emily, is the lock-up all secure?”
“Everything is locked up except for the back entrance.” Once the lock-up work was finished, everyone gathered again. Kent asked Emily for a final confirmation. As a shop-attached fairy, she could grasp the shop’s condition as if it were her own hands, so if she said everything was fine, it was reliable.
“Well then, let’s take the bread from the shelves and head to the sanctuary.”
“Yes!” The group responded.
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Following Marie’s instructions, Kent and his companions began packing the bread for sale into bags and moved towards the sanctuary.
“Alright, I’ll open the door. It’s narrow, so be careful as you pass through,” Catherine said, placing her hand on the wall separating Marie’s Bakery from the sanctuary. A hidden door opened, allowing them to move to the sanctuary. Catherine passed through first, followed by Gordon, Patty, Josette, Carol, and Marie into the sanctuary grounds.
“Master, everyone has gone.”
“Ah, I know, but…” Al informed Kent that everyone had moved, but Kent was concerned about Emily, who remained inside the shop, and couldn’t move.
“Al, you go ahead first.”
“Understood. I’ll go ahead then.” Kent watched Al, who looked worried, and sent him to the sanctuary.
“Emily, what’s wrong?”
“Master, I am a shop-attached fairy. I cannot leave this shop and evacuate. Therefore, please lock the back door and leave me behind.” Emily answered Kent’s question.
“Emily, I can’t leave you behind.”
“But, ah…” Kent embraced Emily and said,
“Master.”
“Emily.” After giving Emily a hug, unable to leave her alone, they looked at each other and Kent lightly kissed her lips.
“But, it’s not allowed. Please leave me behind.” Emily pushed Kent away as if to refuse.
“I didn’t want to say this, but is it not allowed even by command?”
“If you say it’s your command, Master, I have no choice but to obey.”
“Emily.”
“Master!” Kent held Emily tightly, and they shared a passionate kiss. Their tongues intertwined, neither wanting to let go.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but everyone has left. Are you still here?”
“Ah, Catherine! When did you get here!”
“I’m so embarrassed that Catherine saw this!” Thinking no one was in the shop, Kent and Emily were reaching for each other, their hands about to extend to more intimate areas, when Catherine’s voice, full of exasperation, broke the moment. Surprised, Kent and Emily quickly separated.
“Well then, Emily, shall we go?”
“Yes, Master!” Kent and Emily left the shop and locked the back door. Holding hands so they wouldn’t be separated, they moved to the sanctuary.
“Alright, everyone has moved, so I’ll close the door.” Once everyone had entered the sanctuary grounds, Catherine touched the hidden door, and it closed, disappearing from view.
“Lock-up complete. Now, I need to get serious,” Catherine confirmed that the door connecting Marie’s Bakery and the sanctuary was completely sealed, and she steeled herself for the crisis that might be imminent.
