The next day, more workers arrived at the Ishpern estate.

The workers Joe had hastily gathered the day before were only capable of basic manual labour.

But those who had come by rumour were far more valuable – each of them had at least one or two useful skills.

Helena spoke to Joe.

“We’re still severely understaffed, but from now on we won’t take just anyone. If word gets out that we’re taking in all kinds of riffraff, it’ll be a headache. We’ll give priority to those with verifiable backgrounds and only hire them temporarily until we’re sure of their reliability”.

“You’re absolutely right, madam. I’ll do it that way.”

“Good. Then that’s settled…”

As Helena reviewed the list of workers and their basic personal information, she put it down and asked.

“Joe, have you ever heard anything from Mr Kurt about the estate’s former butler?”

At the mention of the former butler, Joe’s face twisted in displeasure for a moment.

It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, but Helena’s sharp eyes didn’t miss it.

‘There’s something here too.’

Joe spoke, now with a carefully composed expression.

“I met Mr Wesley a couple of times. He used to visit Mr Kurt occasionally.”

“Oh, really? Do you happen to know where he is now?”

Joe’s brow furrowed slightly at her question and a look of displeasure crossed his face.

Failing to hide his feelings completely, for a brief moment Joe no longer looked like the capable young steward of the Ishpern estate, but simply a naive boy.

Finding it amusing, Helena watched him with interest, curious to hear his answer.

After a moment’s hesitation, Joe finally spoke.

“I only have a rough idea.”

“Where?”

“I think he’s in the city of Goha.”

“Goha?”

“It’s a trading town in the wilderness between the borders of Berwood and Loire.”

Joe explained, looking slightly uncomfortable as he spoke.

“Hm…”

Helena continued to question him.

“Joe, I really need to meet this man called Wesley. If you know anything, tell me everything.”

Joe replied reluctantly.

“Madam, Goha is not a suitable place for someone like you.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“In the south, there’s a road that connects the east and the west, used by mercenaries and traders. It’s called the Road of Luca. There’s a part of this road that runs along the border between Berwood and the Loire. Goha is a town on this road.”

“Oh? So it’s a road that crosses the two territories. Then I suppose it’s crawling with mercenaries and traders.”

Joe nodded with a look of pure disgust.

“Yes, madam! The place is full of rough people. It has many entertainment districts and incidents and accidents are frequent.”

Helena grinned.

“Sounds shady.”

“Exactly. It’s a place that reeks of danger. And Mr Wesley just had to be in a place like that…”

“The smell of money.”

“…Pardon?”

Helena, momentarily lost in thought, looked at Joe and said.

“Joe, I’m leaving the cleaning and repairs of the estate to you while I’m away.”

“Pardon?”

“Just help me get ready for a short trip – a day or two. And call for Sir Aaron.”

“Pardon?”

“Hurry!”

“Ye—yes…?”

***

Summoned by Helena, Sir Aaron arrived—only to be met with a bewildering sight.

“Sir Aaron, what do you think?”

“Lady Helena… have I done something wrong?”

“No, you haven’t. Just tell me what you think.”

“I feel like either I’ve done something wrong or something has gone terribly wrong.”

That was Aaron’s honest reaction to seeing Helena dressed as a man.

She had pinned up her long hair and tucked it under an extravagant hat with a feather and bird ornament. She wore a man’s shirt and trousers, with a thick coat to hide her figure.

A confused Aaron asked.

“Whose clothes are these? Did the Count really own such things?”

“No, they’re mine. I once changed clothes with Crown Prince Rufus and attended a ball like this. We kept each other’s clothes as souvenirs. Rufus in a dress – it was absolutely hilarious.”

Aaron grimaced in horror.

“Please don’t talk about things I’d rather not imagine.”

“There’s more.”

Helena said, tucking a dashing false moustache under her nose and looking at him.

“Wonderful. Yes, I’ve seen it. Very ladylike indeed. Now, would you kindly remove that hideous thing from your beautiful face?”

“Sir Aaron, why do you think I’m dressed like this?”

“Well… if your aim was to tease me or shock the Count, I’d say you succeeded.”

“I’m going to Goha.”

For a moment, Aaron wondered if he had misheard.

“Sorry, what did you just say?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me. You’re a former mercenary – you must know the place, right?”

“Well, I know it, but…”

“I thought so. There’s no particular reason – I’m just looking for someone.”

“Someone…?”

“Anyway, can you come with me? If not, I’ll find someone. And if I can’t find anyone, I’ll go alone.”

“What in the world…”

Still staring in disbelief at the moustache on Helena’s face, Aaron nodded reluctantly.

“I’ll go. I can’t let a lady like you go to such a dangerous place alone.”

As he said this, Helena reached out and gave him a few firm pats on the shoulder.

“Wise choice. I couldn’t possibly go to such a dangerous place without you.”

“What an honour, Lady Helena.”

“Oh, when I’m like this, call me Lord Heren.”

“You almost seem like you’re used to situations like this, Lord Heren.”

“I’ve had a few experiences. The glamorous capital has its dark underbelly, you know – places a delicate lady simply cannot go…! Shall I tell you the details…?”

“I didn’t ask and I’m not curious, Lord Heren.”

***

Helena’s male disguise was so natural it was almost over the top.

“Ugh, this is exhausting! Southerners have such a strange sense of distance. If something is ‘just around the corner’, it’s still two or three hours on horseback. And if they say it’s ‘a bit far’, it somehow takes a whole day to get there?”

Riding a beautiful white horse and complaining loudly, Helena looked every inch the spoiled young noblewoman of the north.

“It took so long because you, Lord Heren, insisted on getting off your horse every hour to rest.”

He looked every bit the weary knight who had to serve a spoilt young lord.

“Well, at least the journey was worth it. This place looks a lot more fun than I expected.”

Helena said, rubbing her fake moustache with her fingertip as she looked around the road with interest.

Surrounded by wilderness, she hadn’t expected much – but Goha turned out to be a surprisingly prosperous trading city.

At the entrance to the city was a trading post where merchants from the south bought and sold goods, surrounded by luxurious inns that catered to wealthy merchants.

Merchants usually rented entire inns to guard their goods, so the buildings – usually one or two storeys high – were spaced out with gaps between them.

Each had an extravagantly decorated exterior to attract guests, making them a sight to behold.

“Ooooooh!”

Helena gasped in surprise upon seeing a woman carrying an armadillo.

“Is—Is that a monster?!”

“It’s an animal, Lord Heren. It’s called an armadillo.”

“That’s an animal? I can’t believe a creature like that exists…!”

Aaron couldn’t help but smile as he watched Helena, practically buzzing with childlike excitement.

‘So the lady has an adorable side too.’

Just then, Helena spoke.

“All right, so… where do we even start looking for this Wesley guy?”

Aaron was surprised.

“You don’t know anything about him except that he’s in Goha?”

Helena replied cheerfully.

“Nope.”

“Haah.”

For a moment Aaron felt his vision go dark, but he quickly pulled himself together.

“…We’ll have to ask the street vendors. They’re probably the best connected people in the city.”

Helena looked impressed.

“Wow, you really know your stuff! I’m glad I brought you along, Sir Aaron!”

Aaron rubbed his face with one hand as if to ground himself. He could hardly believe he was having this kind of conversation with the Countess.

“I don’t ‘know my stuff’. I’m just stating the obvious.”

“Why are you getting angry? Hahaha!”

“Haah…”

After passing through the upmarket tavern district, where there were no street vendors, they soon came to a part of town where there were.

As soon as the colourfully dressed hawkers saw Helena on her white horse and Aaron beside her, dressed like a knight’s escort, their eyes lit up. One by one they began to sneak past.

It suddenly dawned on Aaron – we must look like complete idiots.

Sure enough, the hawkers swarmed around them like flies attracted to a fresh pile of dung, rubbing their hands together in excitement.

“Ooooooh! Young Masterrrrr!”

“A noble guest to grace such a shabby place! You must have had quite an adventure to get here!”

“Let me take care of you today! Just give me a chance, sir!”

Helena cracked her riding crop against her leather boots with a sharp smack and shouted arrogantly.

“Eee! You vulgar lot! Do I look like someone who would want to come to this filthy place? I’m here to find someone!”

Aaron’s mouth fell open. Helena’s banter with the hawkers was so natural that it left him speechless.

“I’m looking for someone called Wesley. Of course, if I find him, I might not leave right away. Ahem!”

Her performance as an unsuspecting young noblewoman visiting a dangerous city on the pretext of looking for someone – when she really just wanted to explore – was so flawless that Aaron couldn’t help but be impressed.

One of the merchants quickly stepped forward.

“Young master! I know Mr Wesley. He lives in a house with a yellow roof. I can take you there!”

“Oh, how lucky I am! To find someone who knows Wesley so quickly – I will be able to finish my business in no time.”

“Hehehe, and once you’re done, you must experience Goha’s culture. I’ll be your guide for that as well!”