"Fishy? Is that truly the best word you can find for Rudyard?" I asked, looking towards Louis.
"Indeed, my lady," Louis replied, his arms crossed. "I believe he is hiding something substantial. He is effectively prohibiting Your Highness from accessing the Baron's residence, and the appearance of his family... it is far too prosperous compared to the rest of this wretched village."
Cailean joined the conversation from his seat on the edge of the bed. "I believe he is attempting to cripple Your Highness's ability to govern. All the official paperwork and legal documents remain within the manor. By law, such sensitive administration cannot be moved to a building not affiliated with the Crown. Furthermore, we received no intelligence from the palace regarding any supposed 'renovations.'"
"So, what is his objective?" I asked, leaning back in my chair.
"Forgive my bluntness," Cailean said, his voice sharpening, "but I believe he is trying to make you appear incompetent. By keeping you away from the documents, he ensures you cannot act. He likely intends to wait a month and then inform the Count—or perhaps even the King—that the Princess is failing in her duties. He is trying to wash his hands of this village, banking on the Absolute High Crown Authority."
"Absolute High Crown Authority?" I blinked. "What on earth is that?"
A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone, save for Aalis and Ame, looked at me in genuine shock.
"Does Your Highness truly not know?" Louis asked, his voice low.
"I do not. Pray, enlighten me."
Cailean took a deep breath to explain. "Absolute High Crown Authority means all power of appointment resides with the Royal Family. In other kingdoms, a Duke can appoint a Count, and a Count can appoint a Baron. But here, only the King or Queen can grant or revoke titles. The Count and the Duke have no legal authority to appoint a Baron beneath them."
"I see," I mused. "Do the common folk understand this system?"
"I suspect not," Cailean replied.
"That explains why the innkeeper's wife was so confused," I said. "She believed the Count had the right to bring Rudyard here and name him Lord."
Louis looked at me with a curious glint in his eye. "I should like to know more of what you discussed with that lady, Your Highness."
"We spoke of how the village perceives Rudyard," I said. "They see him as the Baron simply because the Count brought him here. It is a deception of rank."
"Interesting..." Cailean whispered, his mind clearly racing with the implications.
Beside him, Elpis was watching him with a maternal sort of pride. "Oh, my dear Cailean," she teased, reaching out to stroke his blonde hair. "It is just as you thought after the commotion at the gate."
Cailean turned bright red and tried to swat her hand away. I leaned over to Louis, beckoning him closer. "The two of them," I whispered, "Cail and Elpis. Are they related?"
Louis offered a faint smile. "They are like brother and sister, my lady. They have a history that binds them quite closely. If Your Highness wishes to know more, it would be best to ask them yourself."
"But... if I ask them directly, I shall feel quite embarrassed," I admitted.
"Are they strangers to you?" Louis countered. "I think it is wise for a leader to know the history of her knights."
"I am aware of that," I muttered.
"If you are aware, then all is well," Louis teased. "Now, I believe you had something you wished to say to me..."
I opened my mouth to ask about the clothes he had bought for the team, but Cailean interrupted.
"Your Highness!"
I ignored Louis for a moment and turned to the boy. "Yes, Cailean?"
Cailean stood up, finally shaking off Elpis's hand. "Enough of that, Elpis! I wish to speak with the Princess."
I watched the exchange with interest. When Cailean spoke of politics, he seemed possessed of a great, ancient intellect, yet the moment Elpis teased him, he reverted to a petulant child. It made me curious about the others—Darryl, Aldea, Zoe—each from a different guild, each with a story I had yet to uncover.
"Your Highness," Cailean began, "I believe you must make a move regarding this situation immediately."
"I agree," I said, standing up and smoothing my tunic. My mind reverted to my previous life—the long hours at the Regional Development Agency. "Before I even stepped foot in this village, I was formulating a plan. If we are to fix this place, we need data."
I looked around the room. "First, I require a Census. I want to know everything about this village: the population, the goods, and the services. And I do not merely want current figures; I want the data from the previous year as well."
Cailean's brow furrowed. "Your Highness, what is this 'Census' of which you speak?"
It seemed this world lacked basic statistical administration. "A Census is the systematic collection and analysis of a population's data within a geographical location," I explained.
"And what is the purpose of such a thing?" Louis asked.
"When we have the data, we can publish it to the public. It tells us who we are and what we need. It allows us to plan for housing, economic growth, and—most importantly—social welfare."
Cailean nodded slowly. "I see. But why the previous year?"
"To establish the rate of change," I said firmly. "If the population was higher last year than it is now, it signals an alarm. We can identify what went wrong—be it famine, disease, or migration—and prevent it from happening again."
"Oh, my..." Elpis whispered. "Your Highness has a truly remarkable mind for the people. But how do we gather such vast amounts of information?"
"We knock on every door," I said. "We interview them. We ask about their earnings, the condition of their homes, their nutrition, and their history. We need to know the state of every soul in Chambery."
"It will take at least a week to compile," Louis noted.
"Then we shall begin tomorrow. Cailean, I am appointing you as the lead interviewer. You shall be accompanied by Aldea and Darryl for protection."
"Is it truly alright for me to lead?" Cailean asked, looking a trifle overwhelmed.
"You have the intellect for it, Cailean. Do not worry." I turned my gaze to Zoe, who was leaning against the desk. "Zoe... I require you to 'borrow' something."
Zoe's eyes glinted. "And what might that be?"
"The documents regarding goods and services from the Baron's residence. You are capable of infiltrating the manor without being detected, I assume?"
"A simple task, my lady."
"Good. Elpis, for you, I have a different mission. I want you to research the soil and the local vegetation. This is crucial for our agricultural planning. Can you do this?"
"For the people? Of course, Your Highness," Elpis replied with a warm smile.
"And Louis shall act as my aide. He will supervise the overall operation."
Aldea began to grumble under her breath, a low, discontented sound. I looked at her. "What is the matter, Aldea?"
"Your Highness has given tasks to Zoe, Elpis, Cail, and Louis... but Darryl and I are merely escorts. I wish for a real task!"
"Very well," I said, suppressing a smile. "From tomorrow, the roles are as follows: Cailean is responsible for Internal Affairs. Zoe for Communications and Intelligence. Elpis for Agriculture. Aldea for Reconnaissance of unknown terrain. Darryl for Defence. And Louis is my Aide-de-Camp. You shall report to him if I am unavailable."
Ame raised her hand shyly. "And what of Ame's job?"
"You and Aalis shall remain by my side as my personal retinue," I said.
"Splendid! I shall always be with you, Your Highness!" Ame chirped.
"Thank you for your time, everyone," I said, dismissing the group. "Tomorrow, we begin the restoration of Chambery."
I woke in the middle of the night, my mind unable to quiet itself. I saw Aalis and Ame fast asleep in the bed beside mine, tangled together in a sisterly embrace. Moving quietly so as not to wake them, I slipped out of the room in my silk pyjamas.
As I reached the landing, a dull roar of noise rose from the ground floor. The tavern was packed. I descended the stairs, curious, and began to wander through the crowd. Despite their gaunt frames and ragged clothes, many of the villagers had smiles on their faces. Here, with a mug of ale in their hands, they could forget the crushing poverty outside. They laughed, they shouted, and they grumbled about the nobility.
I was wandering somewhat aimlessly when I accidentally bumped into a table, sending a glass tumbling to the floor. The tavern went deathly silent. Every eye turned towards me.
A figure sat at the table—a man clad in a dark, hooded robe that seemed to swallow the candlelight. He rose slowly, his face hidden in the shadows of his cowl. As he stepped closer, the hood shifted, and I found myself staring into a pair of vivid, crimson eyes.
A wave of pure, unadulterated terror washed over me. My body froze, my breath hitching in my throat. His gaze was like a physical weight, cold and predatory. I felt a primal instinct screaming at me that I was about to be killed where I stood.
He didn't speak. He simply walked past me, his cloak brushing against my arm, and vanished out the entrance. I remained motionless, trapped in a blank, terrifying void where I could hear nothing but the thundering of my own heart. I stared after him with empty eyes, barely noticing as a young boy scurried past me a moment later.