Chapter 5 – Search for a Collaborator
"Fran, we’ll be counting on you"
I was seen off by the prince as I exit the room.
For now, we need to gather information about the royal family of this country in this castletown.
It’s difficult, but I’m glad of the fact of being counted on by the prince.
Among the four, I am relatively the most inconspicuous, but I can still see the gazes from the surroundings while I’m walking.
I have never seen elves or half-elves so far in this town, so it must have seed unusual for them.
Still, it’s better than the pure Elven Prince and the others walk.
If it was a real elf, it might have been too crowded to proceed walking.
“However, it sure is crowded."
I said that while looking at the left and right sides of the road.
It is about a hundred tis the village I was in ... no, about one thousand tis? I wonder.
Really, there are just many human beings.
I’m getting dizzy by the amount of people .....
“Now that I think of it, what kind of collaborator should I look for?”
Speaking of people being close to a king, they have to be nobles.
But I do not think there are nobles in such a crowd like this.
It seems that those kinds human beings are usually staying in their houses.
I rember there are only few information about humans that I learned in my mother’s lessons.
She didn’t talk much about humans because shewas a person who didn’t talk much about my father.
Then I searched all day long, but I couldn’t find soone who looked good enough.
I talked to people in various ways, but it may be the first ti I talked to other people like this.
“It’s already evening ... This ti, where do these people usually gather?”
A bar cos to my mind.
Even in the village, when the sun started to set, n gathered there.
Plus the fact that so were likely to get talkative when drunk, and the information will also....
Thinking so, I head to a bar.
"Hmmm, If I rember, it’s in this direction......"
"Ehh? Kyaa!"
When I was walking while rembering the place in my head, I bumped into soone.
“Oh, sorry. Are you okay?”
I say that and I extend my hand to the other party.
A girl about in the middle of her teens?
She has beautiful black hair tied to the back and has a quite lively impression.
“Ouchies ..... Ah, yes. ’m alright ...”
Upon taking my hand, the girl stood up, and upon taking a good look at , she beca surprised.
"An......elf......are you?"
"Yes, but I’m just a half, though"
I answered the question I have heard many tis just this day alone.
"Uwaa, it’s the first ti seeing one. You have really sharp ears. By the way, I’m Helena."
"I’m Fran. Nice to et you, Helena"
"Fran......oneesan right?"
She said so, and we shook hands after.
I am the only child, so when she addressed like that, I was bewildrered.
But I do not feel bad.
“There are also half-species other than in this town. It’s kind of odd you are pretty surprised with it, you know?.”
“I usually stay in the castle, so I don’t go out in town that often. Sorry”
"The castle? You an the Royal Castle?"
“Yes, I am in charge of the cleaning roles now!”
Hearing those words, I was delighted inside.
I didn’t think I could et so people in the castle in such a place.
If I use this child as a key, I may be able to search for people who are related to the royal family.
“You are still young, but even so, working in a castle is an admirable job”
“That’s ... even though its grunt work?”
"You might say that, but it’s in the na you see. Working in the castle ans that you are trusted"
"That is, thanks to my mother"
Then I heard that her mother was a housemaid at the royal castle.
It seems that she was reassigned to another place now, and by that connection she was able to get the job at the royal castle right away.
Still, being able to work at the royal castle in a country where the security is this strict, she can be trusted.
"Even so, that is quite a big luggage"
I looked on what she is carrying.
It is an amount so big that she didn’t drop it while I knocked against her is a mystery.
With a luggage occupying both of her hands, she is even carrying a big bag on her back.
“These clothes are the uniforms worn by servants, you see.”
"Well, it’s the royal castle. But isn’t the clothes a bit excessive?"
"Well, the only servants who carry this many clothes are the ladies-in-waiting and maids who roam near the royal family and the noble families, you see”
Even though Helena cleans the interior of the castle, she must have presentable clean uniform all the ti, I see.
However, all the ti surely doesn’t include now, as she is wearing ordinary clothes currently.
"Because people on the outside don’t wear such clothes, all of them have to be nded personally. So I’m here looking to buy so clothing for nding purposes"
"I see.....if it’s okay with you, can I help with carrying your luggage?"
"Eeeh, you don’t have to!"
"It’s okay. I can do it to this extent. Though it isn’t visible, I have quite the strength you see"
I held the luggage she’s carrying with both hands with only one hand of mine.
If it’s the prince, he might be able to toss it around even more.
"Th-thank you very much!"
Helena adorably lowered her head to .
However, I feel like I should be the one to thank her instead. I’m using her to try to get close to the royal castle as her companion after all.
After that, we headed for the royal castle while chatting with Helena.
Co to think of it, I have to thank the Prince too, as I wouldn’t be able to reach up to this point without his help.
"Here is the back door of the royal castle. Thank you, Fran-oneechan!"
"Don’t mind it. Because after all I was also trying to-"
When I was about to say my intentions, soone approached us.
It was a middle-aged man with a ’fine’ belly.
"Ooh, Helena! Did you bought it? As always, thanks for the trouble"
"Oh, Minister-sama. I’m not deserving of your gratitude. I’m just doing my job"
To the words of the man who seems to be trying to be intimate with her, Helena responded in humility.
"Oh my. What we have here? An elf, no, a half-elf?"
"Yes. I and Helena have t in the town just recently"
"Oh my...... A long ti ago the elves have helped us in the developnt of this country, so we wish to express your gratitude to your ancestors"
He seems to be giving off a kind atmosphere in him, but I can’t seem to read his inner thoughts.
Since Helena was calling him Minister-sama a while ago, he might be of great position here.
"Then, Please excuse girls. I have business to do. Have a fine day"
Just like that, the Minister left.
“Do you know him?”
“Oh, yes. I heard that that person have taken care of my mother well”
“I see......”
Going all the trouble for a mother and her daughter? Helena might be this man’s aim.
If so, then I have to change my target here.
I actually intend to enter the castle to find connections, but to think there is a child here has connections woth a big shot in front of .
"Hey, Helena, Are you interested in real elves?"
"You an a genuine article? Not a half-blood?"
"Yes. I’m acquainted with soone, you see"
"W-wow, that’s great......I can only hear them from the old tales I heard from mother"
"If it’s okay to you, I would like to introduce Helena to them"
Unexpectedly, she responded to those words with excitent.
“Certainly, by all ans!”
"But before that, I have a favor to ask of you"
"What is it? I’ll do anything!"
"Well, this will be after eting with him...... in detail"
"Oh, a male, is it? Uwaaa, is he handso?"
Helena looked at like a maiden in love.
For her, it’s like eting a person in a fairy tale.
Having also dreamt of sothing similar to this when I was little, I understand her feeling sowhat.
"Fran-oneesan, I’m going to store my luggage first. Please wait for !
After that, she ran and went to the castle.
I wonder what will happen to that child from now on......
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