Roy Gallardo looked at Adi with a significant expression on his face. Adi couldn't understand what he was thinking about. Likewise, Roy had no idea what was going on in Adi Grimaldi's head.
- Although I said that this is my place...
Roy spoke first. Very quietly, almost to myself. But clearly enough.
- What do you want to say?
Adi asked. Roy moved his lips. He didn't know what to say. I wanted to thank you, but there was no gratitude. No, it was there, but I didn’t want to say it out loud.
Last night the Duke's servant came late. Then he told him a list of what not to do as a bodyguard. In the security service, such moments happened at every turn, but this was the first time Roy had received such detailed instructions. Listening to the servant, Roy Gallardo could not get rid of his doubts.
The fact that Adi Grimaldi had a bad character was known to all the knights, pages and guards of the Palace of Pales. All the pages - even before becoming knights and being appointed to one of the orders - lived in the northern palace, where the Third Order of Knights was located. Everyone knew each other, so rumors spread quickly.
Cases where someone came from outside, like Adi Grimaldi, were extremely rare. This only happened twice in Pales. Once - Adi Grimaldi, another time - about twenty years ago, prince.
Most of the pages lived in the palace from the very beginning, were trained in knighthood and were assigned here. Now, however, academies were appearing, but the best place for training knights was still the royal palace. Palesa and Jonad. Both argued for the championship, but in any case, in Dalcatir these two places were unsurpassed.
In addition, Adi Grimaldi did not come from among the palace pages. If he had been from Jonad, he would have been treated differently, but he did not even meet the basic criteria. At the same time, they say, he received a knighthood from the crown prince. This alone would have been enough to make his pages hate him, but there was another problem: Adi Grimaldi's father, Spencer Grimaldi, was himself a knight from among the pages of Jonad.
Grimaldi had no connections with Palesa. Perhaps this is why the knights and pages of Palesa disliked Adi Grimaldi so much.
But even with all this, Roy did not think that Adi Grimaldi was such a brainless fool that he would give up his place so easily. For Roy, this was a stroke of luck—he could finally take the coveted position as Duke Woodpecker's bodyguard.
- If you have something to say, say it directly.
But here's the problem.
-...If there were not enough people, it was necessary to warn earlier.
Adi Grimaldi was still Duke Woodpecker's bodyguard.
— This is also my first time working as a bodyguard,
- said Adi. It was still necessary to undergo training... No, he was not a page, so he did not undergo training when appointed to the knightly order.
“And the Second Order of Knights didn’t say anything.”
It was tantamount to bullying. The man, contrary to expectations, is not so simple. There is a lot of envy, jealousy and inferiority complex in him.
Roy, due to his refined appearance, suffered a lot when he was a page. Abuse came in many ways, but the worst was sexual exploitation.
Perhaps the superior skills of the Second Order of Knights of Palesa are due to the fact that its members trained hard to protect themselves as pages. Perhaps this is why the Second Order of Chivalry is so united. Even more than the Third Order of Knighthood.
If Adi Grimaldi had come to Palesa as a page from the very beginning, then perhaps everything would have been the same. And if he had survived the Third Order of Knighthood with such a face, then... Well.
Roy, feeling an inexplicable sense of belonging, immediately shook his head. Regardless, he was an outsider.
Then Bert came in. Seeing Adi and Roy sitting separately, Bert thought that they could sit at the same table like that. He was sure they were close.
“You two don’t get along?” What's with this atmosphere?
Apparently they were stretched. But how did he recommend it then?
- Your Grace...
- The servants are fine.
Bert, having reassured them that nothing would happen, pulled a chair to the table and said:
“Now let’s have our own meeting.”
Was there anything to discuss? After all, the Duke rarely moved.
At best, it was a matter of time management.
- There are three of us, so we’ll divide it into three equal parts - eight hours for each. However, if someone alone has to be on duty at night all the time, it will be difficult, so it is better to adjust the time according to the situation.
Bert made an inviting gesture to Adi and Roy, beckoning them closer.
“Every morning at eight, when His Lordship has breakfast, we will also gather.” Then we'll discuss the schedule. Exchange information. Especially who the Duke met. There are those who do not remember which bodyguard was next to them, but if the bodyguard did not remember them, they immediately become angry.
Roy nodded. This was new to Adi.
— Considering that the schedule may change, Adi, when is most convenient for you?
- I don't care.
- What about you, Roy?
- Me too.
They don't even look at each other.
“So how did you two even meet?”
“I have no idea,” Adi answered without the slightest hesitation.
Bert stared at her with a puzzled look. “What do you mean she recommended someone she doesn’t know?”
Roy looked at Adi with a stunned face. “What is this guy even thinking about... No, even if it’s nothing, but anyone who has ever participated in public life knows: it is necessary, at least for appearance’s sake, to coordinate the stories... Does she have any... no common sense at all?” Roy's fears became reality.
“He suddenly appeared and demanded to vacate the place because it was his.” But since there are still not enough bodyguards, I thought it wouldn’t hurt.
“Whether the one who demanded the place, or the one who later recommended it...”
Burt stared at Roy. The face turned pale and confusion was visible. Roy's behavior was suspicious. Bert and Jules agreed only because a superficial check did not reveal anything dangerous, but they did not think about it. While Bert was silent, Roy spoke up himself:
“I believed that this job should have gone to me.”
- Is it true? With your level, you could find a good bodyguard position. In any case, we are only for the season. Isn't it easier to guard some member of the royal family or a noble lady?
- No, I like this particular job.
“This work or Jules Woodpecker?”
- Do you prefer men?
- What?
- As a ward, I mean.
Roy was speechless. No matter how you answer, everything will be strange. No, he is not interested in men. But he also could not say that he was only interested in the Duke.
“Or is your goal our Duke himself?”
-......
What Roy feared, Bert said directly. Sometimes silence replaces the answer.
- If you took the surname that you had when you were the heir, it would be more convenient, don’t you think?
—……Did you know about this? Roy's voice trembled.
“Whatever it was, Adi was sure there was some connection between them.”
“The Duke knows too.”
“However, she was not going to find out anything.”
“They say His Lordship doesn’t pay attention to it.”
After all, there was no order about him. Adi just wanted this time to pass as quickly as possible. So who then will accompany the Duke this morning?
“In that case, this morning Roy, and in the evening Adi,” said Bert.
From eight in the morning to four in the afternoon - Roy, from four in the afternoon until midnight - she. From midnight to eight in the morning - Bert. Adi knew that Bert showed concern for her.
- Then let's try.
With these words Bert stood up. He entered the leftmost room and seemed to be getting ready to go to bed. Adi looked at Roy. The morning luggage remained unpacked.
“I occupy the right-most room, and Bert occupies the left-most room.” The middle room is yours. Since you came later than everyone else, you will have to come to terms with it.
Initially the middle room was inconvenient due to noise and location. Roy looked like he couldn't help it. Only:
- Hey.
- What?
- Do you... know that there are very bad rumors about you?
- I know.
As a member of the same gender, there are things you can do and things you can't do. However, Roy was saved by Adi's actions. That’s why, even though he didn’t want it at all, he still expressed gratitude.
- Okay, thank you.
Adi did not expect such words and looked at Roy in surprise.
“I needed this place.”
Meaningful words. “Has this bastard come to kill the Duke?” - thought Adi. But since both Bert and the Duke looked at it and approved of it, then everything is in order. Adi said:
“If you’re grateful, you’ll pay it back next time.”
-......
Roy didn't answer. Because I didn't want to pay. But he also didn’t want to act as if he didn’t understand the favor shown, or to lie.