Lucius leapt down and greeted the servant with a wide flourish. “Good evening, young man. My, isn’t this such a pleasant day? It’s a great day to make acquaintances. My name is Lucius Rose, how about you?”
The boy tilted his head, confused by Lucius’s sudden enthusiasm, but at least he wasn’t as wary as before. “Oh, I’m not important enough to be acquainted with a man such as yourself. But if it pleases you, then call me Karolus.”
“Perish the thought, Karolus! I treasure all those I meet, may they be the richest king or the lowest pauper.” Lucius took the boy’s hand and firmly gave it a shake in a show of jolly friendship. “Would you look at that? Now that we’ve exchanged pleasantries, let us foster a camaraderie free from social status.”
Karolus was taken aback so much that Lucius could practically see stars whirling around his eyes. When he recovered, though, the boy broke out into a big grin and laughed. “Are all otherworlders as polite as you, Lucius?”
“Perhaps some, perhaps none. I am a rare breed of man; it’s unlikely there’s anyone as dashingly handsome as me.”
“That’s a shame. I think the castle would be in a better mood if everyone were like you.”
“Really? The other servants have been nothing but cordial ever since I arrived.”
Karolus hesitated for a second. “I hope you don’t take offense, but rumors have been spreading about your people. Some of the castle wards who assisted the banquet said that you wore monstrous and bizarre-looking outfits, and that your manners were lower than even the unruliest of beasts, and that you looked frightening enough to lunge at the slightest sign of—”
“I believe I understand the sentiment, Karolus," Lucius said.
The boy’s cheeks flushed bright red, and he stumbled over his words in an attempt to apologize. “O-Oh, that doesn’t mean I believe it, of course. You’ve been nothing but a gentleman. Although… I must admit it did surprise me to see someone on the ceiling.”
“Hm? Oh, that? Merely an evening stroll. Where I come from, it’s quite common to walk across the tops of our homesteads,” Lucius blatantly lied to Karolus’s face. “Do your people not do so?”
Karolus’s eyes sparkled with innocence. “Really? Wow, how different. Here we only walk on the floor.”
“You absolutely must try it sometime. Great for clearing the head, I assure you.”
“Hm… maybe I should. But why were you in Sir Roland’s study?”
“Oh, is that who it belonged to? I had no idea,” Lucius said, and then expertly changed the subject. “Nevermind that, how did you know I was an otherworlder?”
Karolus giggled and pointed at Lucius’s suit. “The style of your garb isn't uncommon, mostly worn by the more affluent priests, but none of them are as strikingly purple as yours. We usually wear gold, black, and white to resemble the Imperial Eagle.”
“Is that the God you worship?”
Karolus pondered for a bit. “It’s rather complicated. How do I say it… the eagle is an aspect of the Lord - a single part of a much grander existence. They are originally a being without a physical form, and so Their word is spread through manifestations that represent different facets of Themself.”
Ah, Lucius had heard of something similar to this before: The father, the son, and the holy spirit. The religion of this land seemed very similar to the Christianity practiced by the original Charlemagne and his Frankish people. That made this easier then—he knew how best to flatter the clergy.
“I assume there are two others?” he said.
Karolus’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “How did you know? Yep, other than the Imperial Eagle, there’s also the Chivalric Star and the Hallowed Blade. Are you interested in the faith, Lucius?”
Lucius smiled. “But of course I am! It would be rude of me to not accustom myself to the culture of this land. Even though we shall need part in the future, I should like to remember my time here: to cherish it and keep it in my heart like a dearly beloved.”
His words seemed to touch Karolus greatly. The boy fiddled with his hands and wracked his mind over something, until eventually he nodded in conviction and beckoned for Lucius to come closer.
The gentleman obeyed and crouched down. The moment he did, Karolus put his finger to Lucius’s forehead and then signed the same movements that the other servants made earlier.
Now that he could physically feel it, Lucius was able to discern the actual shapes now: a star, a cross, and a talon.
“May the values of chivalry guide your hand…” Karolus whispered, as if reciting a sermon. “Hold close the blade and shield, and pledge steadfast to protect our land, the faithful, and the preachings woven into our bone. Cherish thine bonds of blood and covenant, and seek thereafter the blessed harmony - to prosper throughout the land as equals, beheld under the maternal and the imperial: the Eagle of which all was birthed from.”This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
After he finished, Karolus rose up and held out his hand. “I bless you, Lucius Rose. Stand now and swear to forever uphold honor and goodness.”
Lucius didn’t know about that, but what was the harm in following along? He stood up and let forth the words that came naturally to his lips. “I do.”
Soon, a warm light began to wrap around his body, bathing and swaddling him in an embrace full of love. He felt stronger. His flesh felt fuller. It was as if something had taken root inside, supporting him from a place far out of sight.
>[You have been blessed with the Sacrament of the Almighty. Until you leave the World of Charlemagne, all of your stats will be buffed by 10%. Paladins and priests of the Sacred Order will also be more friendly towards you]<
“Oh my, whatever is this, young Karolus?” Lucius asked.
The boy beamed with pride. “It’s a blessing. Don’t worry, everyone in Francia receives it as a child.”
Perhaps so, but could such a thing be granted by a simple servant? Although Lucius had his doubts, there was no reason to refuse the goodwill of another. It made Karolus happy and that was all that mattered.
“Then I will treasure it always. Thank you, my charitable friend.”
The boy nodded and was about to say something, when movement outside the hall caused him to jump up in surprise. He peaked around the corner and waited for it to pass, before sighing in relief and turning back to face Lucius.
“It’s getting quite late,” he said. “I need to finish my duties or else the head maid will scold me. Sorry for leaving you so abruptly, Lucius, but I can at least point the way back to the rooms if you want.”
“No need for that. I’m sure I’ll find my way eventually. However… I don’t suppose it’d be alright if I could watch you work, would it?”
Lucius was quite curious. He had yet to see a boy of Karolus’s age among the castle staff, so what did they have him do that he needed to be out here at such a late hour?
Karolus blinked and pointed at himself. “Me? My work? It’s just simple things like cleaning. I was on my way to the last chamber of the night when I met you.”
“Then that works out perfectly! Perhaps I may even be of assistance - I’m a professional when it comes to housekeeping.”
Karolus rubbed his chin and considered Lucius’s proposal with great hesitation. “Well… I suppose it’s alright. But we can’t have you being seen by anyone else.”
“You need not worry. I will follow you from above.”
“Oh, I forgot about that! Okay, let’s do it then.”
With a smile on both of their faces, the pair marched out into the hall and made their way through the castle. Karolus hummed to himself a jolly tune as he walked, but whenever they’d come across the other servants, he stopped and hid himself from view. The boy was quite good at it—no wonder he managed to spot Lucius amidst the darkness. The two were kindred souls in their stealthy capabilities.
Eventually, they reached an isolated part of the castle. It was odd here. Unlike the others, this section seemed… dead, as if scarcely a soul had set foot upon these steps in some time.
Karolus opened the door, and revealed a quaint room. The inside was filled with children’s toys, books, and dressers stuffed with little dresses. It seemed to be the living quarters of a girl in her teens, but the bed and furniture showed no signs of wear. It was as if Lucius had just entered a memory - a remnant long forgotten by the occupants of the castle.
Even so, faint traces of upkeep could be seen throughout. Someone, although barely, was keeping this place alive.
Karolus walked over to a nearby cabinet and pulled out some cleaning supplies. He hadn’t said a word since they entered. Whatever secrets this place contained, the boy would tell none of it. His face scrunched tight, solemn and respectful, and he motioned for Lucius to dust the floor.
The two of them cleaned in silence for some time. It was peaceful, and they moved from task to task like a well-oiled machine. Before he knew it, Lucius finished, and Karolus inspected his handiwork with a hint of surprise.
“You really are quite good at this, Lucius,” Karolus said in awe. “Normally this would’ve taken me an hour to do, yet we cleaned everything in only a third of the time.”
“A gentleman never overestimates nor undersells himself. It’s what I do,” Lucius said.
Karolus giggled and put away the supplies. The two headed back outside into the empty corridors, refreshed after a hard day’s work.
“I suppose this is where I must say goodbye.” The boy drooped his head, saddened by their parting. “It really was nice to meet you, Lucius, but we probably won’t run into each other again after this. I had fun, though! It’s nice to have some company every once in a while, and I… I wish you the best of luck in slaying the Demon King.”
Karolus bit his lip and quickly turned around to flee, but Lucius caught his shoulder before he could.
“I would like to suggest a proposal,” Lucius said, consoling the teary-eyed boy. “Why don’t we meet here, every once in a while?”
“... Really?” he asked.
“Of course. It’s inevitable that the people here would be wary of us, but you are different. I have seen nothing but kindness from you, young Karolus, and if you’d allow, it would honor me greatly if we could call ourselves friends. Perhaps we can talk more of our differing cultures over a cup of tea - exchange stories and tales as two mutual fellows of faraway lands.”
Such an arrangement would benefit Lucius, of course. Obtaining a confidant native to these lands would make gathering information much easier, but more than that, the gentleman saw something special inside Karolus. He couldn’t quite make out what exactly it was. The boy had a different air compared to all the rest: an aura he had only seen from the brightest and most beautiful of souls.
Karolus had potential.
“I… I would like that,” he said. “I am, um, rather busy most days, but the last sunsetting of the week is when I should be free. If something occurs, I could leave a letter on the table here. Oh, but you don’t know the path…”
“Worry not, I have an excellent memory. Finding my way back to this chamber shall be a simple task.”
“Great! Okay, then that’s settled. I’ll make sure to bring my best stories when we meet again.”
“As will I, Karolus. Take care.”
The boy ran off with a face full of joy, leaving Lucius to briskly stroll away into the quiet night. He had gained enough; it was time to rest. Come morning, a new day full of amusement would await him.