(Side S. 7) Milady.

Even though my lord told me to scan the area… I don’t see the point… I understand he is worried about milady, I am as well. But, just telling me to scan the area while he forms an elite search party? It’s not like she is going to be anywhere near, it has been a few days after all. I think he is just being too hopeful, well I am almost done here anyway. I just need to check the gate, but it’s not like she will show up out of nowhere. 

I leisurely walked towards the main gates of the capital, it was my last task for the day so there was no need to rush. Some people looked curiously at the wandering butler but I kept my composure, it was what I was trained for. After some more walking, I was as close to the gate as I could get, guards would do something if I got too close. The part of the gate I was on was for entrance only. 

My gaze started wandering around all of the people that were in line, I could not see them too well due to the metal grid of the gate. 

‘It’s useless, there is no point. No matter who I look at, they all seem like merchants or adventurers’ I looked around some more without hope. Until my gaze fixed on a certain group. 'What’s with that group? White hair? Silver hair? Never seen such exotic hair colors, and two smaller girls with golden hair… Wait, could it be?’ I fixedly looking at them.

“Eh?!” I let out a surprised voice as I pasted my gaze on this peculiar girl, wearing luxurious clothes, golden hair and golden eyes. There was no doubt about it it was milady. However, before I could continue my thoughts I noticed the white-haired girl was staring me down, it felt like she was looking into my very soul; panicked. I escaped. I had to report. 

How was this possible? Milady is back? No, this makes no sense. Was that girl milady? I was too far to actually tell, but her height seemed to match. And her hair was as pristine and silky as milady. There was no other way. 

I increased my speed as I frantically ran towards the mansion, passing by civilians and some carriages. It did not take long for me to exit the plaza as I was heading northeast to the wealthier district. All of the other districts were of middle and lower classes. I was heading towards the mansion to report. I passed by the academy without batting an eye, I was running to the limits of my lowly level 20 status. I arrived at the mansion gate panting. 

“To believe despite being a scout-- I couldn’t get here faster-- haha…” I lifelessly muttered as I was recovering my breath. The guard was looking at me without saying anything, I noticed a drop of sweat was running down the side of his head and dropped to the ground. 

“Is there something wrong Mr. Gerard?” the armored guard worriedly asked while leaving his spear on standby. He extended his hand to help me out; I grabbed onto it. 

“T-Thanks.” I barely managed to muster after somewhat recovering from the hellish sprint, but I was not done yet. I still had to report. I thanked the guard and sprinted inside the mansion in a hurry, I did not worry about messing the carpet on the floor. This was something more important. I ran upstairs towards the studio. The other butlers and maids looked at me with worried faces. I was drenched in sweat but this was still more important. 

Despite my rapidly dropping stamina, I was on the final stretch, I only had to reach the two-black wooden doors. I sprinted with the last of the stamina I could muster and slammed the doors. 

“Lord Firil!” I rudely exclaimed as soon as I rampaged into the room. 

“W-What?!” He was recovering from the shock of having his doors suddenly slammed. He did not reprimand me seeing I was panting and bathed in my own bodily fluids. I took two-quick breaths, but that wasn’t enough to completely calm my breath and heart down. However, that didn’t matter. 

“My lord… I-I have come to report… I-- was by the gates and I think I saw milady!” I barely managed to muster those words through my ragged breath. I noticed my lord had his eyes wide-open and jolted from his seat. He grabbed the bell on his desk and frantically shook it with vigor, a vigor that I had never seen before coming from him. Soon enough I heard rushing footsteps towards here and another butler showed up.

“Y-Yes my lord?!” 

“Get my daughter back! She was seen at the city gates. Do anything in my power! And reprimand those people that took her!” he commanded a fuming red-face. He was tightly clenching his fist, I could tell. This mattered to my lord more than anything else that had happened before. Nobles valued etiquette, however that did not matter to him at this moment. For some reason, he did not command me even though I was the head butler. I could only assume it was because he was used to having reports made by other people and I was the one to jolt into his room instead... Well, it did not matter who got the order as long as milady is safe. 

“At your orders!” the butler hurriedly bowed and left the room in a rush and closed the doors behind me, making a sound resonate throughout the whole room.

I kept gasping for air and breathing slowly. Steadily; my heart calmed down and my breathing was returning to normal. As soon as I could I straightened myself; I was showing disgraceful behaviour. I was his butler, nothing else, nothing more.  I heard a breath of relief from across the room.

“Gerard… Did you really see her?” 

“Y-Yes, there was no doubt about it. However, there was something weird. She seemed to be there willingly,” he lifted his eyebrow hearing this. 

“Willingly?”

“Yes, willingly. She seemed to be chatting with three more girls,” I informed my lord. It was important information, I don’t know what happened but I truly doubt those girls captured her and planned to sell her or do whatever they were going to do with her. 

“I see,” he sighed. “Gerard, make sure they only capture those girls then.” he casually gave me an order. Rather, a request. I bowed and left the room. As soon as I was outside I noticed the butler standing there. 

“Gerard, what do I do?!” Ah, right. I was the head butler. Special orders like these could not be fulfilled by normal butlers. I was more of his right hand than an actual butler. But a butler nonetheless. I grabbed his shoulder. 

“I will take care of this.” Hearing my words the butler’s shoulders loosened and he quickly bowed. 

“Thank you very much!” he left in a hurry after finishing his words. 

After that, I went downstairs and went to the guards. Seeing I did not have much time I just gathered six guards from around the mansion. While the defenses were as low as ever, I think my lord would have preferred this over taking the time to go for more knights. Even though I had gathered six guards they just looked at me. Holding their spears on standby. 

“Umm, Gerard why are we all here?” the head knight James questioned. We were in front of the mansion. This is where I as the head butler had to take control. 

“James, as you know milady was… Captured,” I bitterly said. I noticed a lot of the knights gritted their teeth hearing those words. While milady was a girl of few words, she was loved by everyone across the mansion, however, she seemed to be rather depressed lately so we had been hesitant to approach her. 

“Well, not anymore. We are going to get milady today. I spotted her today at the gates. This is an order from Firil.” 

“””Wooo!””” their energy rose as they let out pumped shouts. While it was disgraceful to use my lord’s name without his presence it was for the better. The reason to why the guards did not doubt my words was my lord’s name. Using his name in his absence to lie was… A death penalty to put it simply, I had their absolute trust.  

We marched towards the gates. The armor was more of an obstacle for the knights under the scorching sun. They were heavily sweating however, that did not shake their unwavering eyes nor their conviction to fulfill the order at hand. People looked at us, but that did not matter either. 

“Wait!” A kingdom guard ran into our way, we had no time to waste with him. He was an obstacle and in our way. Despite the rather dire situation, we could not forcefully move him aside; all of us knew better. I had something to deal with this kind of situation. No matter how many rules that I had set for myself, I break, I will bring milady back. I took out the silver medallion from inside my bosom. His eyes grew wide. 

“T-That’s the-the Cereslin’s family--” 

“Move,” I commanded the guard. He moved aside and let us pass. He was still looking at us, that did not matter, it was better than seeing him freak out for minutes wasting our time. 

I also realized that all of the civilians that were ignoring us now had their eyes pasted on us. Every single human being on the plaza was now looking at us due to the knight’s reaction; we continued marching towards the gates. ‘Sigh, I want to get milady back but this would go faster if people stopped getting in our way,’ I muttered as I rubbed my face with my glove in frustration. 

Soon enough even the gate guards took notice of us, I noticed one of them was talking to the white-haired girl. A commotion was rising on the streets. 

“Stop!” A gate guard halted our process. This time we were not as impatient because we could see milady. Or two miladies? Both of the girls looked almost the same, well. We would figure out eventually. I flashed the medallion again, which yet again, made the guard’s eyes shake. However, this guard was much more experienced. He coughed and moved aside. I noticed the girls were entering the plaza. 

“Wait!” I got in their way. The six guards followed behind me. I noticed the silver-haired girl narrowed her eyes and looked at us, her presence was… Intimidating. It was the first time I had experienced such a thing. I started shaking and the guards behind me instantly pointed their spears. 

“Umm,” The white-haired girl awkwardly broke the tension between both parties. I froze for a second not believing her casual and carefree behaviour while having weapons pointed at her. I also noticed there was a wolf casually wagging his tail next to her. For some reason, despite it being clearly visible I did not notice him at all.  

As the white-haired girl was about to speak. 

“Gerard?” I looked at the source of the voice, it was milady wearing a sailor uniform. Her hair was incredibly messed up and seemed to be forcefully cut. She came towards me without any of the other girls doing anything about it. I knelt down to receive her. 

“Milady, I am glad you are fine.” I was truly relieved. 

“Umm, I am sorry Gerard, it was all my fault,” she dejectedly said as she closed in to hug me. I hugged her back, however, the more I looked at her hair the more it bothered me. What could have caused such a thing? I doubt it was the girls that were in front of me, but to be sure I needed to know. 

“Did they do something to you?” I quietly whispered to her ear. 

“Umm…" she started thinking and her eyes brightened. "I learned mana perception and manipulation with them!” she joyously informed me. They were glorious news, I felt my heart pounding in my chest from excitement. 

"That is marvelous milady. If you don't mind me asking—How did they teach you?" I softly asked. The guards were getting relaxed and lowered the spears. The atmosphere was clearing up. Milady separated herself and looked at me with sparkling eyes. As she opened her mouth she began thinking about something. 

"Is there something wrong?" I asked out of concern. But she just shook her head.

"I just don't know how to begin," she dejectedly informed me. 

"Well, I am willing to listen to everything." Hearing me, she nodded and began talking. 

"It all started with me mentioning not knowing perception or manipulation," I nodded. "And then Aizen said if it was just that she could teach me." I did not know who Aizen was but it was certainly a good thing. "So, she grabbed my hands and I started feeling this strange energy that was roaming. After a few minutes, I managed to learn it. Isn't it amazing?!" She excitedly ended her explanation. 

However, strange energy? That was mana, yes, but. Grabbing hands? The only way that could work would be by injecting mana into someone's body, at least from the methods I know of. But, that's... No. It's just an impossible development. Who in their right mind would do that? It makes no sense. There must be some sort of mistake, I am not very knowledgable in this ambit, thankfully there is a way to clear my mind. 

"Milady, did you feel mana entering your body before you learned it?" It was the only way. 

"Well, yeah. Does it matter?" She asked with a puzzled expression. However, it did matter. 

"D-Did you really feel it? Entering your body?!" I was in a panic as I asked out of reassurance. Milady just slowly nodded in awkwardness. 

That was all I needed to know. These girls were dangerous... No, they were insane… 

I quickly stood up and forcefully dragged milady behind the guards. I nodded towards James the head knight. These individuals had to be captured. The guards stepped in front of milady and me; pointing their spears at the girls.