Bernard repeated the shocking words in his head again and again and finally understood.

–Agnes was kidnapped.

Although he always thought that such a situation was possible, he was shocked.

Instead of being angry or scared, as his sister-in-law, he was frozen, slowly he walked to the chaise lounge, sat and asked for a complete explanation of that happened.

“Agnes was making sweets with my children all the morning, and– until the afternoon–“

While baking the sweets, Ingrit’s daughter Marie said she wanted to see the flowers in the garden.

“I invited Agnes to go with us.”

In the garden, there’re beautiful flowers in full bloom because the spring is starting.
Marie, who was raised in the royal capital, was amazed for the forest’s beauty and started running from here to there without rest.
Ingrit was busy trying to catch her daughter, while shouting that it was dangerous.

When the incident happened…

Suddenly a man in a full black suit jumped out of a bush in the garden and caught Marie.

Put a knife around her neck and ordered Agnes to come with him.

“Marie was taken hostage–!! I– I didn’t know what to do!”

But Agnes knew what to do, she came close to the man as if she were going to follow him, but when she was near…
Without hesitation, she caught the knife of the man with her hands allowing Marie to flee.
However, Agnes couldn’t escape after her because there were another man hiding, he appeared and retained her arms, and they both took her away, before anyone could react.

“I’m sorry, because of us–“

Bernard shook his head and asked about Marie.
(It’s a relief that Marie is safe and doesn’t have injuries.)

Bernard looked serious but didn’t say a word, so they spent a while in complete silence.
Then Bernard said.

“… Sister-in-law, one question.”

“What?”

“Do you remember the criminal’s knife?”

“–!”

Ingrit didn’t understand at first, but then she remembered and said that there was something strange about the knife, they way the man handled the blade…

“The criminal had a knife but the blade was looking down! I was scared then, so I didn’t focus on that detail!”

The criminal used the knife to restrain Marie’s neck, but the blade’s sharp part was in a position where if Marie moved, it wouldn’t hurt her.
Listening to that, Bernard drops his shoulders.

He took out his notebook, wrote some words and handed the paper to Ingrit.
Looking at the sentence written on paper, Ingrit was breathless.

— That form of holding a knife is something only Knights does.

“What– that is…”

If you use it with the knife blade up, the possibility of accidental damage will increase.
In the discipline of knights, they learn how to hold the knife, in order not to hurt the subject more than necessary.

Bernard writes letters on a second piece of paper.

(After all, there’re knights involved in this case.)

When Agnes was looking for him, and they met, there were only knights present there.
No one knew that she was living on his house, the only way that the information leaked, was obtaining it from a knight that heard him offering her a job.

“Sister-in-law, it’s ok, it is not your fault. This is something that was going to happen. Sooner or later.”

“Wha– But!”

Even though she was told to not worry, she couldn’t just forget it, it was her daughter who gave them the chance to kidnap Agnes.
And she herself, couldn’t react at time to protect Agnes.
She looks at the ground unable to say anything more.

Meanwhile, Bernard wrote on a third paper sheet.
He needs to act now.
This last piece of paper is just to tell his boss about his early leave, he says that his mother is sick, and he needs to take care of her.

“Sister-in-law, go home first. I’ve something to do now.”

“Bernard…”

Ingrit has complex feelings, she can see in his face that he’s planning go to save Agnes.
She wants to accompany him too, but if he is telling her to return there must be a reason, and if the culprit is inside the Order, then it isn’t a good place to ask for explanations.

“Ah- Are you going alone?”

“No, I’m thinking of inviting some friends…”

“Okey…”

If there is someone better than her to help him, there’s nothing more to say.
Ingrit started walking to the door, then looked back at him for last time.

“You have to come back together!”

“Yes, be careful…”

In this way, the two said goodbye.

◇◇◇◇

Bernard walks to the office at a fast pace.
The boss who was in the room quickly noticed his subordinate’s face, something was wrong.

“What happened, Orlellian?”

“Right now, my sister-in-law came over to inform me my mother have fell ill…”

“What did you say?”

“I was going to ask you if I can leave early today.”

His boss told him to return home immediately and let him know if his mother needed something.

Bernard was sorry for telling a lie to his boss, who was really worried about Bernard’s mother health.

(I trust Lazare, but this time I can’t let my guard down with nobody.)

Even if his boss isn’t involved, there is no guarantee that someone isn’t hearing their conversation or that his own movements aren’t being monitored.

(The possibility of information leaking must be reduced as much as possible.)

“Thank you”

(I need to be careful, even if I don’t feel that someone is following me right now)

He went to the changing room, changed into normal clothes, and went out from the entrance for exclusive use of special forces, where there’re no knights posted in watch.

(New clothes… It would be better to sell this fine coat and buy some cheap clothes with the money. A worn-out attire, would be perfect)

After going to his usual carriage platform, he didn’t take the carriage to his house, but the one that goes to the central district.
The destination is a mansion that is extremely large in the residential area.

Marquis of Barthelemon’s mansion…. Ernesto’s home.

Bernard disguised as a poor commoner, went to the back door, only for servants. When the gatekeeper asked what did he need, he told him he was a merchant bringing Ernesto the new product he bought yesterday.

“Wait a few minutes, please.”

It seems it was a convincing story, because a few seconds later Ernesto came himself to the backdoor.

At first, she showed a disgusting look at the stranger that didn’t bring what he was expecting, but when Bernard slightly shift his hat, he noticed the merchant’s real identity.

“Ornellian!”

Bernard had an impulse of punching the big mouth Ernesto, but he looked like big happy dog waving its tail after hearing his owner come home.
So in his mind, it became the impulse of telling him ‘ Please mature! ‘

After some signs he understood some part of the situation and guided him to the guest’s room of the mansion.

---

Saying them that I was his guest, the servants served me a freshly brewed tea and brought to the room high-quality sweets.
Ernesto also recommended them to visit my shop, but I was not in a psychological condition to continue with the play.

After the servants retired I looked at Ernesto’s face, he was for first time very quiet.

This is one of the reasons I think he is not involved, first he’s so talkative that the knights won’t bother in spying him.
Of course, at the same time, they won’t trust him.
He is the best election for me in this case.
There is no evidence, but I’m convinced of his innocence.

Ernesto asks a question to Bernard, who has a serious look.

“So what happened?”

“–Are you free?”

When Bernard asks, Ernesto nodded, after discharged of his post, he was sent home to practice swordsmanship and reflect on his actions.

“There is something I want you to cooperate with.”

“I? Oh”

(First time Bernard relies on me!! I’m so glad and happy.)

Bernard noticed Ernesto’s face and was uncomfortable, but decided to have patience, he was the only one that can help him now.

“If I can, I will cooperate as much as possible but… as you can see, my actions are limited now.”

“Are you allowed to leave the mansion?”

“Only if the place I go is inside the royal city, yes.”

“Enough”

Ernesto was wondering what is the problem with his residence, but Bernard said without more roundabout.

“I want to use the connections of your house”

Ernesto’s eyes open.
However, immediately replies.

“That’s my specialty.”

“Right…”

Bernard, being careful of talking very low so no one else hears them, he explained the basic part of situation to Ernesto.

‘It can turn out bad if I say too much, but …’

Ernesto nodded firmly and looked around serious.

‘So what should I do?’

‘I need to see the father of Agnes Le Verges’

‘The former minister, Sherrard Le Verges?’

‘Yes.’

Bernard wanted to know if that was possible or not, but the silence of Ernesto seems to say he has no problem for that.

‘From my perspective… Orlellian, you don’t want the Knights to know?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘Well, it’s a relief.’

He said that with the help of the Marquis’s house, it would be possible but only in secret.

‘I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s an emergency. We need to go as soon as possible.’

“Okay. First, I ask our guide to make arrangements. Can you wait here for a while?”

“Oh, wait!”

Bernard stopped Ernest from leaving.

“Please don’t say I asked you for this… And don’t tell anyone about the reason!”

“You don’t want your name involved in this?”

“Yes.”

“If so, you never talked with me.”

“Isn’t there any problem with that?”

“No, no problem. I’ll just say that I want to meet him as soon as possible.”

After saying so, Ernesto left the room.
For the first time, he seemed reliable.

Translated by Djurasico (dot) home (dot) blog