The Missing Wine

“Erk. T-Too cold...”

Altina was shivering when she opened her eyes. Times like these were a stark reminder that she wasn’t in the capital anymore. Back in La Branne, the imperial palace, enough fireplaces were lit during the winter months that it was just as warm as spring.

I need to get used to it soon...

She sat up, her body weary, the cold air sweeping over her skin the moment she stripped away the thin blanket. Crude stone walls, a wooden plank ceiling caked in soot, and small windows that were anything but liberating—it was practically a jail cell.

All someone needs to do is lock that oak door and I really will be a prisoner.

At that thought, Altina suddenly grew anxious. She raced over to the door and gingerly pulled the handle. It wouldn’t budge. As her mind started to swim, she tugged it harder. Thankfully, this time it did indeed open.

“Phew... That’s good.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Princess. Are you not changed yet?”

Beyond the door stood an attractive brown-haired, hazel-eyed woman in a rouge maid uniform. She was Clarisse, one of the servants who had attended to Altina in the capital.

There had been a few others in Altina’s service, but when it was decided that she would be sent to the front lines, Clarisse was the only one who volunteered to accompany her. That said, the way she behaved suggested that she neither admired nor had any particular devotion to the princess. She truly was an unfathomable character.

“Morning, Clarisse.”

“You’re behind schedule.”

“It’s not that late, is it?”

“I thought you would look the part more if you woke up before everyone else, but the officers are already awake.”

“Ech... Okay, I get it.”

With that, Clarisse stepped into the room, firmly closing the door behind her.

Altina pulled off the gown she had worn to bed, leaving her body bare. She didn’t make a habit of wearing undergarments at night; the only soft fabric available was silk, which even nobles struggled to come by. From there, she wiped down her skin with the warm water Clarisse had prepared.

A white corset was then wrapped around Altina’s torso, serving not only to cover her chest and back, but also to cinch her waist and train her figure. As Clarisse pulled tight on the string that laced the back of the corset, it painfully strangled the princess’s stomach.

“Ghh. I hate this thing. It’s way too tight.”

“There isn’t much we can do about that, I’m afraid. I wouldn’t dare dress you as a gentleman.”

“Mn... You’re right. They’d laugh at me to no end.”

“I doubt that.”

“Really?”

“They’d just think to themselves that you’d gone mad.”

“That’s even worse...”

Over the corset went a dress that was also tight at the waist.

Now that she was clothed, Altina took a seat in front of her mirror. Staring back at her was a girl with red hair and crimson eyes—Princess Marie Quatre Argentina de Belgaria, fourth in line to the imperial throne.

It was madness; power struggles in the imperial court had resulted in a fourteen-year-old girl—a complete amateur with no real combat experience—being appointed the commander of Fort Sierck, one of the Empire’s most dangerous front lines located well away from the capital.

But it seems like the others are more opposed to this development than I am, Altina thought.

“I at least want to get along with the soldiers, but... they’re all acting so distant.”

“You’ve only just arrived,” Clarisse said reassuringly. “There’s no need to rush things.” She stooped over Altina and started running a brush through the princess’s hair, carefully parting the vivid sea of red.

“A commander’s someone you’re supposed to rely on, right? I think they’re treating me like some esteemed guest.”

“It’s because you’re so beautiful, Princess.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“It really isn’t. Your beauty is what earned you so much envy in the imperial court, and now, out here, you’re regarded as a mere ornament. You don’t have it easy.”

“...What should I do?”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine; they’re bound to warm up to you eventually. I mean, you’re so sweet, wonderful, and charming. You’re cute, my princess. You are very cute.”

As Clarisse continued to neaten Altina’s hair, her hand brushed along the princess’s cheek and down her nape. It tickled.

“Hey... C’mon, stop that. I don’t want to be coddled. I’m the commander. I want to earn their trust and loyalty!”

“Life might be harder out here than in the capital, but Princess, this fort is full of skilled soldiers and seasoned generals.”

“It is.”

“Which means it’s safe here—safer than anywhere we’ve been before. Perhaps you should make the most of that and just lay low.”

“I know what you mean, but...” Altina bit her lip. That’s no different from being stuck in a jail cell, is it?

✧ ✧ ✧

In order to earn the soldiers’ trust, Altina first needed to learn about the Beilschmidt border regiment. To that end, she decided to patrol the fort. She donned the minimal amount of armor over her dress and carried a longsword at her hip.

Certain circumstances had resulted in her leaving the capital with the massive Grand Tonnerre Quatre, a gift from the emperor, but it was much too troublesome to handle. The blade had been forged to the exact height of the first emperor, towering at 26 palms (192 cm). In the narrow confines of the fort, it would catch on walls, break things, and get in people’s way. Thus, with practicality as her priority, Altina usually walked around with a regular sword.

Clarisse jubilantly tagged along. “Going for a walk, Princess?”

“It’s a patrol. A. Pah. Troll. Get it right.”

“Yes, a walk sounds lovely~♪”

“Grr... I’m starting to think I need to earn your respect, too.”

“Perish the thought! My princess, I offer you my highest respects and complete devotion. I would offer up my very life if you told me to. In fact, just say the word, and I’ll strip myself naked here and now!”

“That’s really not necessary!”

“Fufu... Just know that I adore you.”

Altina’s maid, six years her senior, had been around for as long as she could remember. A normal servant knew to do their utmost not to displease their lord, keeping their utterances to a bare minimum and remaining as distant as possible. But Clarisse was a strange one. She always seemed to be joking around, though only when the two of them were alone; the moment someone else was around, she reverted to playing the part of a normal maid.

The moment they exited the central tower, they could hear rending cries echo out from the courtyard where the soldiers were practicing swordplay.

“Hryah!”

“Uryah!”

“Can’t you attack any faster?! You’re so slow, dragonflies could rest on the tips of your blades!”

“Sir!”

Be it for training or weapon maintenance, the soldiers acted of their own volition without the commander’s input. They were clearly very highly disciplined. The only other army Altina had seen before was the refined and sophisticated capital garrison, so she had to wonder whether all the border regiments were like this.

She continued with her patrol, going to the eastern ward where the officers lived; the northern plaza and front gate; and the barracks for the common soldiers in the west, which were the largest and most disorderly part of the fortress. Finally, she started making her way toward the storehouses and stables to the south.

When they reached the southern plaza, Clarisse raised her hand and pointed. “Looks like a dispute, Princess.”

“That it does! Let’s see what it’s about!”

In front of the storehouse, ten-odd men were glaring at one another. A few soldiers were screaming at a young knight, their faces so grisly that they might have been mistaken for mere street thugs had they not been wearing armor.

“Think ya got it all figured out, eh?! You sure act high and mighty, but how d’you know you didn’t just count wrong?!”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that it was stolen, and you lot are the culprits!”

“Get yer head outta yer ass! You blubbering knights, always makin’ nonsense accusations!”

“Bastard! To speak ill of not just me, but the proud Black Knight Brigade, too! Think over your next words carefully, soldier.”

The air was so tense that it seemed either man might draw his weapon at any moment. Altina ran over, took a deep breath, and... “Stop this at once!” she exclaimed.

What followed was silence.

“Ahem.” Altina cleared her throat, somewhat nervous. “It’s shameful to see the honorable men of our Empire baring their fangs at one another like rabid dogs. Why not tell me what happened?”

Did I sound enough like a commander there? I did, right? She couldn’t help but feel a little proud of herself.

The thug-faced soldiers grimaced, while the knight in black-painted armor courteously lowered his head. “Oh dear... I do apologize for making such a ruckus. This is an internal problem—nothing worth the time of our princess.”

“I am not your princess; I am your commander. Please refer to me as such.”

“Ah, now that you mention it... Please, you must once again pardon my discourtesy.”

“You said this is an internal problem—that’s all the more reason for me to know what happened. I’ve been entrusted with this regiment, after all.”

“R-Right...”

“So, enlighten me.”

At the princess’s request, the knight reverently began to explain the situation. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Auber of the Black Knight Brigade, currently tasked with the management of this storehouse.”

With that, he held up the bundle of paper in his hands. It was a register, neatly detailing what should have been in the storehouse and what was permitted to be taken. The factory for plant-based paper had been set up fifty years prior, meaning paper had now propagated enough for even the masses to use in clerical work, but it had previously been as much of a luxury item as silk.

Altina tilted her head. “Why is a knight managing a storehouse?”

“That... Yes, about that. Our specialist is away at the moment,” Auber said, his expression bitter. By the look of things, he hadn’t taken up the position voluntarily. Given that he was a young knight, perhaps his seniors had shoved the role onto him. He then pointed at a particular entry on the register, outlining the problem. “This expensive wine is gone.”

“Gone?”

“Yes, the wine for officers—gone. The entire crate.”

“The entire crate?!”

“It would have been too heavy to carry alone, and that’s far too much to have been consumed by mistake. This is embezzlement, plain and simple!”

Altina’s eyes widened. Embezzlement. Theft. Why, the misappropriation of military supplies is a serious crime!

“Oi, don’t jump to conclusions!” came a throaty male voice. There were around five thuggish soldiers in light armor, and the one who seemed to be their leader stepped forward—the man who had been quarreling with the knight before. “Princess! Don’t believe a thing that bloody knight Auber says!”

“Very well, then. Tell me your side of the story. Also, please remember that I’m your commander, okay?”

“Name’s Deffand, head of the storehouse sentries. My men watch over this ’ere storehouse from dawn to dusk. Three four-person shifts. No way in hell a thief could get past us! Auber needs to get his act together; he’s too new at this, so he’s adding things up wrong!” the gruff man said with a scoff.

At this remark, Auber the bookkeeper let his anger get the better of him. “I’m not wrong!” he cried out. “Aren’t the sentries the most suspicious?! They’re the only ones with the keys to the place!”

“Dumbass! When stock goes missing, we’re the ones who get punished! Why the hell would we steal it?!” Deffand yelled, eliciting various outcries of agreement from the soldiers behind him.

I see... Altina thought over the situation carefully. If Auber was to be believed, then the sentries would need to take responsibility for this mishap. But it was also possible that Deffand and his men were innocent, in which case the blame would probably fall on the temporary bookkeeper.

“Real sorry, but... can we leave yet?”

Before the exchange could devolve into another quarrel, three men who had up to this point been keeping quiet on the sidelines finally interjected. They were similarly clad in armor, claiming to be soldiers who helped move the supplies. Their representative introduced himself as Indri.

Then spoke another man, a middle-aged peddler called Trepner, who was known to frequent Fort Sierck. He had apparently come that day with cloth goods from the capital—curtains, tablecloths, clothes, and the like.

“My, oh my... This is troublesome. There is another deal that I must go and close. I would be ever so thankful if you could release me promptly.”

Altina scratched her cheek. “Guess I should hear you guys out, too...”

✧ ✧ ✧

They began by establishing a timeline of events from earlier that morning. First, Trepner arrived with his cloth. He had hired his own porters but requested that Indri help him load his things into the storehouse. Auber had accompanied them with his register in one hand.

At the time, Deffand and his men were on guard duty. Deffand opened the door with his key, and as they were looking for somewhere to put Trepner’s goods, Auber noticed that the case of expensive wine he had placed there around half a month prior was nowhere to be seen. “This has to be embezzlement!” he screamed, thus initiating their quarrel.

“Does that sound about right?”

Auber the bookkeeper responded with a nod. “Yes, Princess. I swear I have not miscounted.”

“Princess, nobody would ever be able to sneak past my men,” Deffand, the head sentry, asserted.

Indri, having helped carry the goods, spoke up next. “In all honesty, Princess, I really don’t see how we factor into this.”

“Um, I’m being serious here, Princess. I need to get going or else...” Trepner interjected.

Altina scowled, conceding to the barrage of polite addresses. Fine, “Princess” it is... Back to the matter at hand, though—why is the wine missing?

“Hm, I see...” she mumbled. What followed was a long silence spent deep in thought, until eventually— “Yeah, I don’t have a clue.”

Clarisse sighed, though she did not voice any opinions herself. Whenever other people were around, she became as silent and reserved as any normal servant. She held her tongue and waited patiently by the princess’s side.

Even when Altina knew what she wanted to say, she had a hard time putting her thoughts into words. She could swing around a sword that was longer than she was tall, but arm strength wasn’t particularly useful when it came to situations that required one to use their head.

“I-It’s not that I’m dumb or anything though, okay? No one else here has it figured out, so the question’s to blame! It’s just too complicated!”

Wait, of course! It’s a commander’s duty to make good use of their subordinates, right? So relying on someone smarter than me would actually be very commander-like!

With that thought, Altina poked her maid. “How about it, Clarisse? Maybe you know the answer?”

“...No.”

“No ideas whatsoever? You’re welcome to say whatever’s on your mind. Did anything stand out as strange to you?”

“Well, if you desire an easy solution...”

“Ah, yes! Go on! I’m all ears!” Altina was positively brimming with enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the four men all called out over one another.

“Is she being serious? Please, tell us!”

“Hurry up and help us out ’ere, would ya?!”

“We’ve got other work to do, so if you would...”

“Err, I really must hurry to my next transaction.”

Remaining completely expressionless, Clarisse raised a pointer finger to her neck, then jerked it along her throat. “The matter can be resolved at once by having them all executed,” she indifferently declared.

The men were at a loss for words. It certainly was an era where mass executions were considered a valid resolution to any ruler. The law offered practically zero means of protection, too, since nobles were allowed to issue punishment without trial within their territories. Such inhumane deeds were usually few and far between, as they elicited criticism from their populace and other houses, but there were some devilish lords who committed them regardless.

The young red-haired girl was both their commander and a member of royalty, and who was to say whether her young age would prevent her from issuing death sentences so easily?

Met with so many pale faces, Altina drooped her shoulders and sighed. “I’m not doing that. Innocent people would get punished as well,” she said, dismissively waving her hand.

“Of course. My apologies.”

Clarisse apologetically lowered her head, and for just a brief moment—the instant before her brunette bangs dropped down over her face—the men could have sworn an amused smile spread across her lips. Not that it mattered. Altina had made doubly sure to emphasize that she wasn’t going to execute anyone, so they simply patted their chests and exhaled long, tired breaths.

Altina folded her arms, causing her gauntlets to clink against her breastplate. No matter how much she racked her brain, no solutions came to mind. “For now, how about we investigate the storehouse? It’s possible the wine box was just moved, or maybe we’ll come across a secret entrance of some sort.”