Gareth awoke to the sound of footsteps—heavy, deliberate, and synchronized. The moment he opened his eyes, the faint glow of morning light revealed the shadow of three figures standing by the doorway. They were not the same silent maids who usually brought him food. These men were armored.
Without even knocking, they swung open the doors of the shed, bringing everything in its interior into their view. Thankfully, Gareth had made appropriate preparations. By the time the door swung open, he was already getting out of bed, fixing his attire.
The guard in front stepped forward, his iron boots scraping against the floor. His helmet hid most of his features, but the silver insignia on his chest told Gareth everything he needed to know.
'Guards, huh?' he thought as his gaze glossed over them. There were four of them, and in their center was the same middle-aged woman that he had seen a week ago. However, there was something different.
Her gaze flickered slightly when it fell on him. Her momentary surprise was quickly masked, and her face was back to its cold visage. However, the scorn that was there previously was no longer present.
"Good. At least now I can see why the Countess wants you," she muttered to herself. However, in the cramped space, her voice was loud enough for everybody to hear, including Gareth.
His eyebrows raised in surprise, wondering what she was talking about. There were no mirrors in the room, so he hadn't had the chance to see his own reflection. All he knew was that he was tall and buff. Still, if the Countess wanted him, he had to be good-looking.
"Let's go. We can't keep her waiting for too long," she said. Immediately, two of the guards moved behind him. Even though they didn't do anything else, the unspoken pressure emanating from them was pressuring him to move forward.
Gareth complied and stepped out in the midst of four guards. Outside, a carriage was waiting for them, along with two horses. He didn't have the time to check out the luxurious design before he was quickly ushered in.
He sat on one of the seats with two guards flanking him, while the head maid had the other seat all to herself.
'Stingy,' he thought to himself as he stole a glance at her before quickly averting his gaze. Still, he didn't speak out. The carriage quickly made its way through the streets. After a few minutes, a castle-like building came into view.
In Gareth's vision, a manor stood atop a low hill, its pale stone walls gleaming faintly under the sun. Slender towers rose from its corners, their pointed spires capped with banners fluttering in the high wind. Ivy climbed the walls in winding patterns, framing tall windows that caught the light like shards of glass.
As they approached the wrought-iron gate that guarded the entrance, the carriage slowed down to a more comfortable cruising speed. They passed through the gates easily—the guards stationed there obviously recognizing one of their own.
The carriage finally came to a stop, and everyone on board alighted. As Gareth got down, he took a look at his surroundings in awe and wonder. The cobbled path curved through the manicured garden where flowers that he couldn't recognize were planted.
He could only appreciate the view for a little while before a voice snapped him back to attention.
"Follow me."
At first, Gareth glanced around, trying to see who the voice was addressing.
"Why are you looking around when I'm speaking to you?" The same voice came again, now noticeably colder.
Gareth's head finally snapped towards the speaker, and to his surprise, it was the head maid. And why wouldn't he be surprised? Despite their previous interactions, the woman had never addressed him directly before. She had always spoken around him as if he were little more than a waste of space.
Seeing that she finally had his attention, she turned on her heels and led him inside. Gareth quickly rushed to follow her so he wouldn't be left behind. He even stumbled a few times trying to keep up with her pace.
'Damn, slow down, you old hag,' he thought to himself. Of course, he wouldn't dare say such a thing outwardly. As they walked by various staff members, his military training kicked in. He involuntarily observed the various members, looking for... something.
As a member of the military, he was trained to see things others wouldn't. To see details most would ignore.
He noticed the slight tension that appeared in the staff members' bodies when they crossed paths with the head maid. Some slowed their paces, some stepped aside entirely, waiting for her to pass. Some maids even trembled slightly, though their faces were still masks of professionalism.
Luckily for them, the head maid didn't have time for them right now. She led him to a room on the second floor and ushered him inside.
"This is your room from now on. While the Countess is still interested in you, this is where you'll stay," she said tersely. The room was a standard one, far better than his previous one, but not anything special. However, there was a bath attached to it, and it was pretty spacious.
Gareth only took a cursory glance at it before facing the head maid.
"When will I meet the Countess?" he asked, his tone interested but not particularly anxious.
"Hmph! You think you can meet the Countess whenever you want? Look at your current state. Does it look like someone worthy of meeting the Countess?"
Gareth opened his mouth to respond, but before he could find the words, the head maid cut him off once more.
"When the Countess wants you, she'll call for you. Until then, you have to at least be prepared," she said, stepping out of the room. In a few minutes, she came back with two maids in tow. The two were the ones who brought him food, so he had some idea of them. However, what they were doing here now, he didn't know.