Chapter 46
Strength was necessary.
The reason Caligo had built his power was to protect Frantor and the people he held dear. In the same way, Helena needed to gather strength to prepare for unforeseen events or to collect vital information.
However, building power within Frantor was inherently limiting. The information available was restricted, and it was challenging to respond to events as they unfolded.
“Hello, Madam! My name is Jane, and I’ll be serving you starting today.”
Right. Strength…
“I’ve been ordered to be your arms and legs! So if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“Thank you, Jane.”
Jane was nothing like the typical servant from Eskel. She was overly cheerful.
Eskel Manor was full of capricious and cruel people. The servants there tended to be excessively perceptive and reserved in their speech.
But Jane was the complete opposite.
“By the way, I heard the Duke is staying at the manor today. Aren’t you going to see him?”
“No.”
“Are you not on good terms with him?”
“We’re not particularly close.”
Helena noticed Jane silently counting on her fingers as if mentally noting this information.
“What about your relationship with young masters Jeremy and Joshua?”
“It’s not bad.”
After Helena’s brief reply, Jane folded another finger, murmuring to herself as if memorizing it.
“I heard you’ve been managing business in the North. Is it true that you’ve been handling everything yourself?”
The conversation felt more like an interrogation than casual chatter.
“Of course not. I only provided the funds. The Duke and others did all the work.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I even delegated much of my authority to others!”
“Oh, I see!”
What does she mean by “I see”?
“Madam! I’ll just go brew some tea for a moment.”
She was going to brew tea again—despite having already done so 30 minutes ago. And for no apparent reason.
Her behavior seemed suspiciously unnatural.
“Do as you please.”
A short while later, Jane returned with tea. This time, Helena caught a glimpse of a notebook tucked inside her jacket.
Could she have been taking notes?
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting! I brewed some tea—it’s called Honeyculus tea.”
“I know. It’s the tea you brewed for me 30 minutes ago.”
“Oh, I didn’t forget! I just thought you liked it, so I made more!”
The tray in her hands trembled slightly.
Helena sighed inwardly at the sight and thought to herself: it seems the new servant is a spy.
Of course, she had anticipated this when her father suddenly announced he would assign her a servant.
But to be this obvious?
“Honeyculus tea is said to be excellent for relieving fatigue! You must be feeling quite tired lately, Madam.”
“How would you know? You’ve only been here for a day.”
“W-well, it’s because you looked tired! And the knights mentioned it too!”
Helena still wanted Count Eskel to believe she was a naïve and simple-minded woman.
It was easier to move undetected that way.
If her father discovered she was plotting to bring down the family, he would undoubtedly take action against her.
Worse, such a revelation could put the children closest to her in danger as well.
That was why Helena had worked so hard to act discreetly and move in the shadows.
However, pretending not to notice such an obviously suspicious servant was becoming exhausting.
“I’m an excellent tea brewer, Madam! And I’m a great cook too! I had five younger siblings, so I’ve been looking after them since I was little!”
Helena couldn’t understand why her father had sent someone so inept, naïve, and unsuited for the role of a spy.
Perhaps it was because her father trusted her completely—so much so that he didn’t even entertain the slightest doubt about her. That might explain why he sent someone like this.
But even so, to send such an obvious spy to Frantor? That was just too much.
Helena held her throbbing head in her hands.
Fine. At first, she had decided to ignore it.
“I started working at Eskel to support my family. Oh, was that too much information?”
She couldn’t risk giving her father any reason to suspect her, so she resolved to close her eyes and ears and stay quiet.
But when Jane mentioned having a family to care for, Helena couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her.
How was someone so sloppy going to survive as a spy? How would she make it in such a harsh world, especially with a family depending on her?
“Um, where do you usually go on weekdays? Who do you meet with?” Jane asked.
Helena didn’t answer but instead found herself gazing at Jane with a pitying look she didn’t even realize she was making.
Jane grew flustered.
“W-why are you looking at me like that?” she stammered.
The way she even stumbled over her words made Helena sigh.
“That’s not how you’re supposed to do it,” Helena finally said, unable to hold back her frustration.
“W-what do you mean?”
“The most important thing about being a spy isn’t gathering information. It’s hiding yourself. If you can’t completely conceal your identity, you’ll be exposed before you even get any useful intel.”
Helena had been under surveillance and even attacked many times before.
But she had never encountered such an amateurish attempt at espionage.
“S-surveillance? What are you talking about?”
“You’ve already been caught before you could get any information out of me. You need to learn how to have a smooth conversation if you want to be a decent spy.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, ma’am.”
“Show me that notebook you’re hiding in your jacket.”
“Gasp!”
Jane gasped, tears welling up in her eyes. Helena was so taken aback she couldn’t even continue speaking.
“…You can’t just start crying already,” she said finally.
“B-but I can’t help it! The tears just come out!” Jane sniffled.
“You want to respond calmly and rationally, but you cry instead? That’s been happening since you were little, hasn’t it?”
“Y-yes. It’s just the way I am. But I’ll try to learn how to stop crying and stay composed.”
Helena sighed, handing Jane a handkerchief.
“You’ll get the hang of it with practice. You’ll need to if you want to become a good spy and earn that fat paycheck.”
The mention of the word “spy” seemed to snap Jane out of her tears. She dropped to her knees.
“Madam! Please spare me! Don’t kill me, I beg you!”
“Why would I kill you? That’s barbaric.”
But then, Helena paused, lost in thought.
“Come to think of it… eliminating spies on the spot is standard practice.”
“Eek! I have a family! I’m practically the head of the household… If I die, my family will starve to death!”
Helena, now thoroughly exhausted, asked, “Why on earth did my father send you as a spy?”
“I-I don’t know! I was just working hard at the manor!” Jane wailed.
“I spent my days cleaning, cooking, and working hard to support my family! I even got along well with my senior servants! But then they told me I’d get four times the pay, so I jumped at the chance. And then they told me to spy on you!”
Her voice was filled with anger and despair.
“Look, I’m good at cleaning and cooking, but I’ve never done anything like spying before! I don’t even know why they thought I could handle this! Sniff… I was just following orders, but I didn’t realize how hard it would be!”
“….”
“I just want to go back to cleaning and cooking in peace.”
It was a story that tugged at the heart.
Of course, Helena could understand why her father had sent Jane. She was loyal, hardworking, and reliable—qualities that made her seem like an ideal candidate.
But a spy was still a spy. Just because someone was a good servant didn’t mean they’d excel at espionage.
“So please, my lady, just spare my life! I’ll do anything you ask of me!”
Helena thought it over carefully.
Jane had only just arrived from Eskel. That meant she was likely to know quite a bit about recent events in Eskel or things that weren’t widely known.
Moreover, she seemed capable and wasn’t completely lacking in awareness.
She was someone who would be better kept close. Not as a spy, of course, but…
“This was my father’s order, wasn’t it?”
“Yes? Yes, it was!”
“How do you report back?”
“I’m supposed to send a carrier pigeon every weekend.”
If there was no need for Jane to deliver information in person, that was a relief.
“Jane.”
“Yes, my lady!”
“I’m not going to kill you. I’d rather you continue earning your salary from Eskel.”
Her eyes widened at the unexpected statement.
“But there’s something you must do for me.”
“What is it?”
“You’re going to become my spy.”
“…Your spy?”
Jane repeated, blinking in confusion. Helena nodded calmly.
“I’ll dictate what you send with the pigeon.”
“….”
“This way, everyone benefits. You get to live and keep your pay. I get my freedom. And the person receiving the pigeon gets their information.”
There was nothing more useful than a hunting dog with a clear understanding of the enemy’s movements.
“What do you think? You’ll never be in any danger.”
“Alright! From now on, I’ll do whatever you tell me to do!”
The deal was struck.
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