THIS KILLING INTENT COMING FROM UP AHEAD...
IT'S DEFINITELY AN ASSASSIN.
JUDGING BY THE PRESENCE I SENSE, THERE ARE TWO...
NO, THREE?
FOR AN ASSAS- SIN TO FOLLOW US ALL THE WAY OUT HERE,
MY MASTER CERTAINLY HAS A LOT OF ENEMIES.
FIRST, I'D BETTER REPORT THEIR PRESENCE TO THE GRAND DUKE.
RIGHT ON TIME, BUTLER.
...GRAND DUKE, YOUR HIGHNESS.
AND THE ASSASSIN?
HOW MANY IN TOTAL?
AS EXPECTED, THE GRAND DUKE ALREADY SENSED THEIR PRESENCE TOO.
THERE APPEAR TO BE ABOUT THREE.
I see.
COME OVER HERE.
WE'LL WAIT FURTHER IN AND DEAL WITH THEM ALL AT ONCE WHEN THEY ARRIVE.
UNDERSTOOD, YOUR HIGHNESS.
COME CLOSER.
HIM BEING SHIRTLESS IS A BIT DISTRACTING, BUT...
AT LEAST HE'S WEARING PANTS, SO-
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, FREYA?!
YOU'RE COMPLETELY DISQUALIFIED AS A BUTLER!
DID YOU NOT LEARN YOUR LESSON AFTER GETTING WRECKED ONCE ALREADY?!
COME CLOSER.
UGH... AND WHY IS HIS BODY SO WARM RIGHT NOW?
IS IT BECAUSE HE JUST GOT OUT OF THE BATH?
BESIDES, SINCE WE'RE SO CLOSE,
I FEEL LIKE I CAN EVEN HEAR HIS HEARTBEAT...
BY THE WAY, DON'T YOU HAVE A SWORD?
PARDON?
FROM WHAT ED TOLD ME, YOU HAVE QUITE THE TALENT FOR SUBDUING AN ASSASSIN.
EVEN SO, WHY WOULD A BUTLER CARRY A SWORD? IT’S NOT LIKE I’M AN ASSASSIN.
I’D BETTER NOT MENTION THAT I’M CARRYING CUTLERY...
IT’S NOT AS THOUGH YOU AREN’T FULL OF PECULIARITIES ALREADY.
HOLDING ONE MORE SWORD WOULDN’T MAKE YOU LOOK ANY MORE NORMAL.
ALWAYS GOT A QUICK ANSWER, DON’T YOU!
UNLESS YOU INTEND TO PROVIDE ME WITH A SWORD, I’LL CONSIDER THIS CONVERSATION OVER.
IF YOU NEED ONE, I’LL GET YOU ONE.
ARE YOU SERIOUSL-
YOUR HIGHNESS,
WAIT,
TOO CLOSE...!
...YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR WORD ABOUT THAT.
GET A GRIP, FREYA.
IS THIS REALLY THE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO THE GRAND DUKE?!
TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME I'LL BE IN REAL COMBAT BEFORE THE GRAND DUKE AS HIS BUTLER.
WHATEVER HAPPENS, I MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE TENASIS SWORDSMANSHIP.
TAKE THIS, BUTLER.
WHAT?
WAIT, THIS IS...!
IT'S DANGEROUS TO FACE AN ENEMY EMPTY-HANDED.
SO FOR NOW, USE MINE.
THIS IS... THE GREATSWORD THE GRAND DUKE ALWAYS CARRIED ON THE BATTLEFIELD!
THERE'S NO WAY I COULD FORGET IT.
I REMEMBER HOW DESPERATELY I HAD TO BLOCK THOSE MONSTROUS STRIKES.
STILL...
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HANDLE SOMETHING THIS HUGE, GRAND DUKE, YOUR HIGHNESS...?
HE EXPECTS ME TO WIELD SOMETHING THAT TERRIFYING JUST TO LOOK AT?!
LOOK AT THIS, I CAN'T EVEN GET MY HAND AROUND IT!
...I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS THAT BIG.
IT IS BIG, VERY BIG!
IT'S THE BIGGEST ONE I'VE EVER SEEN! DON'T YOU SEE?
SO PLEASE TAKE IT BACK.
I CAN JUST TAKE DOWN AN ASSASSIN AND STEAL HIS WEAPON.
OUR BUTLER SEEMS TO KNOW ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
THAT'S SOMETHING KNIGHTS DO ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
...I'M MERELY SAYING DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DES- PERATE MEASURES.
SERIOUSLY, HE'S QUICK TO CATCH ON TO THE WEIRDEST THINGS.
GRAND DUKE, YOUR HIGHNESS, THEY'RE COMING.
INDEED.
THEY TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED.
DID THEY NOTICE OUR AMBUSH?
TOO BAD FOR THEM, THOUGH.
WE'RE FAR BETTER THAN AMATEURS WHO CAN'T EVEN CONCEAL THEIR PRESENCE!
STEP BACK, BUTLER.
SMALL FRY LIKE THIS...
...ONLY NEED A SINGLE STRIKE.
AAARGH!
Having him on my side is so reassuring.
ALL RIGHT, THE GRAND DUKE TOOK OUT TWO OF THEM, SO...
...THAT LEAVES JUST ONE!
UGH!
CONFESS WHO'S BEHIND THIS. WHO SENT YOU?
GHHK...
GAH...!
...DAMN IT!
DID HE PREPARE POISON IN CASE THE ASSASSINATION FAILED?!
...YOUR HIGHNESS, I APOLOGIZE.
I SHOULD HAVE FOUND OUT WHO SENT HIM, BUT I FAILED TO ANTICIPATE THIS.
THERE'S NO POINT KEEPING SOMEONE ALIVE WHO CAME HERE PREPARED TO DIE.
THEY'LL SEND ANOTHER ASSASSIN FROM THE SAME PLACE ANYWAY.
ARE YOU HURT ANYWHERE?
...NO, I'M FINE. ARE YOU UNHURT, YOUR HIGHNESS?
I AM.
WELL DONE. GO AND GET SOME REST.
PARDON?! BUT THE ROOM IS...
THE INNKEEPER WILL TAKE CARE OF THE ROOM AND THE CORPSE.
THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
BUTLER, JUST REST SO TOMORROW'S SCHEDULE ISN'T DISRUPTED.
...THEN PLEASE REST WELL, YOUR HIGHNESS.
TO THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED HERE BEFORE...
THOUGH, IT SHOULDN'T COME AS A SURPRISE.
WITH SO MANY TARGETING HIS LIFE RIGHT AT THE GRAND DUKE'S MANOR,
IT'S ONLY NATURAL
THERE WOULD BE CONSTANT ASSASSI- NATION ATTEMPTS WHEREVER ELSE HE GOES.
STILL...
...LIVING A LIFE WHERE DEATH FOLLOWS YOU INTO EVERYDAY MOMENTS CAN'T BE PLEASANT.
EVEN EARLIER, HE WAS SO USED TO IT...
GET A GRIP, FREYA!
THINGS LIKE THIS WILL KEEP HAPPENING, SO ARE YOU GOING TO LOSE YOUR COOL EVERY SINGLE TIME?!
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ANYWAY-
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VIRTUES OF A BUTLER!!!
YOU LOOK UNWELL, BUTLER.
WHY IS THAT?
I BELIEVE I GAVE YOU PLENTY OF TIME TO REST.
...DO NOT WORRY. I RESTED PLENTY.
THERE'S NO WAY I CAN TELL HIM I BARELY SLEPT BECAUSE OF HIM!
...BUTLER.
ONCE WE ARRIVE AT THE IMPERIAL PALACE, YOU WILL HAVE TO FACE MANY NOBLES.
WHICH MEANS THE RUMOR CIRCULATING THE EMPIRE ABOUT THE GRAND DUKE'S BUTLER BEING A WOMAN...
WILL NO LONGER REMAIN JUST A RUMOR.
KEEP THIS IN MIND, BUTLER.
YOU MUST NEVER LET THEM LOOK DOWN ON YOU.
REST ASSURED, GRAND DUKE, YOUR HIGHNESS!
I WILL NEVER BRING DISHONOR TO THE GRAND DUKE'S NAME.
GRAND DUKE VALLOT, YOUR HIGHNESS, IS ENTERING THE PALACE WITH A WOMAN?
I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S TRUE!
WORD IS SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE BEAUTY, TOO!
I HEARD SHE'S ACTUALLY HIS BUTLER.
WAIT, WHAT? THEN...!
THE GRAND DUKE'S NEW BUTLER, REALLY WAS A WOMAN?
The butler Freya senses killing intent coming from ahead, realizes there are two or three assassins, and reports the situation to the Grand Duke. The two lie in ambush and wait; the Grand Duke, shirtless, calls Freya to his side and hands her his giant greatsword. In the brief clash, the Grand Duke takes down two of them, and the last assassin dies by poison before he can be interrogated. After resting through the night, the Grand Duke warns Freya that the rumor of a female butler will be exposed at the Imperial Palace.
