Chapter 4: The Day of Reunion

1

And so, the ninth day of the white month had begun.

It was now my fifth morning stuck here in this manor.

No matter how things played out, this would be my final day making food for them. What awaited me next? Was it my own destruction, or a fateful reunion with my comrades...? Come hell or high water, I was determined it would be the latter as I headed to the kitchen.

“You’re not supposed to make the same sweet as yesterday or the day before,” Roy informed me.

That was quite the troublesome order. What could I make other than hotcakes and cookies?

“Hmm... Um, there’s a question I’d like to ask.”

“What is it this time?”

“Here in Genos, do people fry food in highly heated oil?”

“Fried food, is it? It’s not all that popular.”

“Ah, but it should be possible with the equipment here, right?”

Personally, I found it difficult maintaining that level of heat effectively with a firewood-fed stove. But as long as I didn’t need to worry about how much firewood I used, it wasn’t all that tough. The real tricky part was finely adjusting things to keep the fire at just the right level.

Guess it’s time for my last resort: making donuts. With this my repertoire is pretty much emptied out...

Making the batter wasn’t all that different between cake and donuts. Actually, it was more that that was pretty much all I knew how to do.

Umm, I’m pretty sure you use eggs here, too.

After mixing together kimyuus eggs, sugar, and karon milk, I added in fuwano flour bit by bit. Since I didn’t know how to utilize the kind of butter they had here all that well, I made samples where I mixed in milk fat, panam honey, and both.

Next came preparing the oil. Borrowing Roy’s knowledge and assistance, I went ahead and poured plenty of reten oil in a large pot. I didn’t know how much the stuff cost, but this much surely wouldn’t be cheap.

And then, I had to just keep on adding firewood. However, I took care not to go overboard. Since I wasn’t used to heating oil with this setup, I had to be as cautious as possible.

When frying donuts, somewhere between a medium and high heat was appropriate, if my memory was correct. I waited a couple dozen seconds after the heated oil started wavering, then I stuck in one of the wooden skewers I had been using in place of long chopsticks to check the temperature based on the number and size of the bubbles produced. It made me a little uneasy knowing that the material used wouldn’t be identical to the chopsticks I was familiar with, throwing things off, but even so all I could do was eyeball it.

To start with, I fried up a single small sample at a high heat for around 180 seconds or so.

After flattening out the dough into a disk shape, I slowly lowered it in, listening to it make a satisfying sizzling sound. However, it seemed like it might have been going a little slowly. Thanks to the different qualities of the oil compared to what I was used to, though, I found it hard to ascertain.

From there I increased the amount of firewood bit by bit and added in more samples one by one. And since the level of oil went down each time I added more batter, it made maintaining the temperature a truly herculean task.

Still, the volume of oil we used held back the impact of those changes, so I managed to more or less get the hang of it before I could break down whining about how hard it was. The key point was the realization that it was fine keeping it at a high flame, just not high enough so that the donuts would burn, which brought my practice to a close.

Yeah, I could make fried food with giba fat too. So this training won’t be a complete waste, at least.

The ones with both milk fat and honey had the best flavor out of the samples, so that was what I went with.

And so, I set about molding the dough once more.

With my limited knowledge on the subject, I ultimately came up with four varieties: A ring shape with a hole in the middle, a rounded ball, a straight stick shape, and one made by twisting thin little sticks around one another.

Since I was worried about them coming out raw, I went ahead and made all of them on the small side. And since there wasn’t any baking powder to be had, they honestly came out pretty tough. If I made them too big, that’d probably be difficult for the pampered little noble lady of the house, since her jaw strength probably wasn’t all that great.

Then the question was what to do about the toppings. I still had skim milk left to make custard cream out of, but that felt like it’d make me come across as a real one trick pony.

Ah, there were simple ones where they just sprinkled sugar on top, too.

And by melting down sugar and spreading it on top, then letting it dry, that could give it the proper taste and appearance. But at any rate, for now I had no choice but to keep trying anything and everything that came to mind.

And so, I prepared myself to set about making the real deal... Only for a sudden, serious incident to occur. When I dropped the various lumps of dough in and kept an eye on them as they fried, one of them suddenly exploded.

“Whoa!”

The scalding hot oil wildly splashed upwards. Well, honestly it wasn’t all that much that made it outside of the pot, but it was enough to feel like a deadly danger when I was that up close and personal with it.

“Hot! Ah, hot!” I shouted, moving the vest away from my skin where the oil hit it. I really was lucky that it hadn’t hit my exposed hands or face.

“What are you doing, you idiot!” Roy yelled, tossing a hand towel he had dipped in the water jug and then wrung out.

Without a moment’s hesitation I slid that between my chest and clothing, then worked up my resolve to peer into the pot.

The one that exploded was the ball-shaped one, while the other three were sizzling away and turning a nice color.

With my long chopsticks, I went ahead and transferred them onto a wire mesh. Meanwhile, the ball-shaped one had taken on a strange form like a blooming flower as it danced about in the oil, so I fished it out too.

“Man, that was a shock... Apparently the dough expands too much on the inside with this shape, huh?”

I still didn’t know for certain what had caused it, but my best guess was this disaster had been the result of that shape being the hardest one to heat through.

“I’m the one who’s shocked here! Don’t go getting all crazy and dangerous right at the end like that!”

“I’m really sorry,” I said, turning toward Roy only to find him looking even paler than I was, with a hand gripping over his heart. Yeah, he really did look pretty darn shocked there. In fact, he was so rattled it made his face look a bit childish, and not so thorny anymore.

“It seems I was smart to make extra dough. I’ll be more careful with the second batch.”

“You’re doing it again?! Just make something else!”

“It’ll be fine. The problem must have been this rounded shape. I’ll go ahead and remake it into a ring instead.”

After removing the burning donut bits still left in the oil I adjusted the heat of the flames, then carefully submerged the fresh dough.

And sure enough, the disaster didn’t repeat itself. Apparently the ball shape really had been the issue.

“Geez, that was bad for my heart...” Roy muttered.

If you took it as fact that someone’s true nature showed in times of crisis, then maybe this young man wasn’t all that bad of a guy.

But at any rate, the second batch fried without incident, and so I set about trying all sorts of different toppings. And after testing the results, I decided that for the stick-and-twist types I’d cover them in melted sugar with a bit of panam honey mixed in, while for the ring ones I went with arow jam and custard cream.

If I had a bit more time on my hands I would have liked to try making some with jam or cream inside before frying them, but I couldn’t call it much of a lingering regret considering I didn’t even know when I’d be making sweets again in the future.

“Ah... These also have quite the mysterious taste...” Chiffon Chel stated with great satisfaction as she tested for poison.

Tonight’s dinner was now the only chance remaining for her to taste my cooking.

After she left along with the pages who delivered the food, I turned to face Roy.

“Um, would you like to try one too? I ended up making too many, after all.”

The young chef didn’t respond.

“I guess it was probably because they were fried in oil, but just taste testing was enough to fill me up. And since I’ll need to taste my own cooking experiments I’ll be making after this, I’d prefer to leave a bit of extra space in my stomach.”

“If you’re going to keep babbling about it, I guess I’ll accept. Still, you sure are different today...”

“Eh? Really?”

“Are you all worked up because you finally get to return home tomorrow? That’s the first time I’ve seen you make such a big mess of things, and yet you still look like you’re in a really good mood.”

According to Chiffon Chel, Roy was pretty much not acquainted in the least with his employer, Cyclaeus. And it seemed he couldn’t even imagine the old noble would be the complete monster that he was. Which meant apparently his impression was that even if Cyclaeus came back and realized what his daughter had done, the worst he’d do would be to send me home with some coins to keep me quiet.

As I thought to myself that I’d have nothing to worry about if that was the kind of conclusion things were heading toward, I replied, “That’s not true at all. That mistake earlier was entirely due to my inexperience. After all, I’m still ultimately just a novice.”

“If you’re a novice, then what does that make us...?”

I was a bit taken aback at hearing such a straightforward objection.

“Umm... Whether or not a chef is fully trained comes down to every aspect of our practice taken together, judgment included, right? I mean, I carelessly charged ahead and took on a challenging task like frying when sweets-making really isn’t my strong suit, and sure enough, I failed. So I’d definitely say I’m still a novice.”

“Your mindset isn’t even worth kimyuus feed,” Roy muttered, looking away. “In fact, having that sort of disposition won’t earn you a single coin, and can even get you killed. Chefs just need to think about making delicious food and nothing else.”

“Hmm, but wouldn’t you say that sort of spirit is important when it comes to cooking up tasty dishes?”

“If that ‘spirit’ of yours leads you to go up against the wrong person, you won’t be able to work as a chef at all...”

That statement of his seriously bothered me.

And it also got me thinking... Just how large was the scale of the culinary world here within the walls of Genos’s castle town?

The odds that this man, the first active chef I had met, and the man who used to be one knew each other... they honestly might not have been all that low.

“However, I’ve got no intention of trying to cook in an environment with no spirit at all. If you told me to get used to something like that, or else become unable to ever cook again in my entire life... I’d never want to choose either.”

Roy shot me an astonished look in response.

With that expression, I became near certain that my hunch had hit the mark.

In all likelihood, Roy knew Mikel... A tragic man who had his life as a chef cut short when he defied Cyclaeus’s orders and paid for it by having the muscles in his arm severed.

In that case, just how exactly did Roy feel about serving under that wicked noble? I seriously wanted to ask him, but I just barely managed to exercise self-restraint instead. After all, I figured that wasn’t the sort of thing to go talking about lightly right in the middle of the enemy camp.

“Well then, please go ahead and dig in. I’ve got to get working on my own cooking experiments.”

◇

And then, the afternoon rolled around.

Roy had temporarily disappeared from the kitchen, but he finally returned when the bell rang out for the third hour.

“For today, anything is fine as long as you use kimyuus meat. But this time... it’ll be for five.”

“Five people? The master of the house didn’t return sooner than planned, did he?” I questioned, stricken by a strange sense of unease, but Roy shook his head.

“Apparently a visitor suddenly showed up. The son of some noble.”

If we were just talking about some random noble, he wouldn’t have anything to do with me, assuming he wasn’t an ally of Melfried’s. This just meant I had to focus my attention even further so I didn’t hear any complaints.

Well then, what should I make? I’ve done cream stew, omelettes, piccata, and meatballs, so what would be fitting for the finale...?

Then, it suddenly hit me. I wasn’t sure whether or not it was a perfect fit for the capper, but there was a fried dish I was far more skilled at making than donuts: deep-fried chicken.

Let’s see, I’ve got tau oil for the soy sauce, myamuu in place of ginger and garlic, fruit wine to use instead of cooking wine, no potato starch but I should be able to make the fuwano flour work... I’ve even got sheel to substitute in for the lemon. So there’s no issue in terms of ingredients.

I’d made up my mind. To start with, the pages had tried to throw out the oil I had only used once earlier in the day, but I stopped them, only to be left wondering what to do with it. And so, I’d top things off for this final night with one of my specialties.

If I could just get a hold of something like panko and some eggs at the forest’s edge, could I try out giba meat cutlets too? This sure is opening up my horizons, I thought as I combined the fruit wine and tau oil, then tossed in some chopped myamuu to make up a marinade. Into that, I placed the kimyuus leg and breast meat I had carefully rubbed with salt and pico leaves. Since the meat had been pickled in salt to begin with, just 30 minutes was more than enough time to soak.

In the meantime, I went about making the side dishes. I wanted some sort of vegetable in order to add a bit of color, for sure.

What about shredded tino, acting as a cabbage substitute instead of lettuce? But from what I heard, they didn’t eat raw vegetables much here in Genos.

But doesn’t that make it all the more worthwhile to show them just how tasty fresh vegetables can be?

Since I had reten oil and mamaria vinegar, it would be easy to make up a dressing. And why not prepare some mayonnaise while I was at it?

My head and heart felt notably lighter than they had yesterday, and my thoughts and hands felt like they were moving more smoothly as a result. Jeeda acting as a messenger hadn’t resulted in any immediate change in my circumstances, but even so, I had been able to let Ai Fa and everybody else know that I was still alive and well here in this world. And that sure did do a lot for my mental state.

Still, if help doesn’t arrive quickly enough, I’ll have no choice but to try to talk my way to freedom with Cyclaeus. But I’m living through this no matter what, I thought to myself, feeling that resolve from the depths of my heart as I started on the dressing.

I sautéed up some myamuu and diced aria using reten oil, then added just a bit of chitt seeds. As I moved those to a deep dish and let them cool, I went ahead and grated raw aria and myamuu, and added a 7:3 ratio mixture of mamaria vinegar and reten oil. Next, I stirred it all together and seasoned it with salt and sugar to taste.

Since I wanted to differentiate it from the thickness of mayonnaise, I decided to focus on the acidity and refreshing flavor. To give it a bit of a kick and a unique flavor overall, I had added chitt seeds and myamuu, which were similar to red peppers and garlic. And the taste on my first attempt actually came out pretty satisfying.

After that, I made the mayonnaise, then I headed to the pantry to pick out vegetables.

Shredded tino alone would definitely feel lacking. And so, I decided to add aria and nenon. I thinly sliced the onion-like aria and chopped up the carrot-esque nenon, then roughly mixed them together with the shredded tino in a bowl. Nenon didn’t have as strong of a flavor as carrots, so I added plenty in order to grant the dish a brilliant orange color.

Once that was all prepared, the time finally came for deep frying.

The marinade had seeped in well, so after pouring beaten egg over the top, I sprinkled on fuwano powder. As for the temperature of the oil, I went with around 180 degrees, the same as with the donuts. Relying on the knowledge I had picked up during the day, I placed the kimyuus breast in the oil, and once more a satisfying sizzling sound filled the kitchen.

I carefully monitored the changes in color to the surface of the meat, and when the instincts I cultivated back home told me the time was right, I went ahead and pulled it out.

It had ended up a splendid golden brown. Yup, this was exactly how long we cooked it back at home and in the shop.

But since all the ingredients were different, there was no guarantee it would be best in these circumstances too. And so, I moved it to the wire mesh to let the excess fat drip off, and then I cut into it.

At the very least, it definitely seemed to have been heated through.

I gave it a taste... And the wonderful piping hot oil and meat juices soon filled my mouth.

Since the fuwano flour was closer to wheat flour than potato starch, it had a notably softer crunch to it. On a personal level I found that difficult to accept, but it was still plenty tasty.

As for the meat, it was wonderfully tender. And there were no issues at all with how the marinade seasoned the dish, so it seemed like the same amount of deep frying as back home worked just fine here, too.

Thanks to that, I was feeling a great sense of satisfaction as I turned and said, “Would you like a taste too, Roy?”

“Hmph... You sure are brimming with confidence, there. Like I already said earlier, fried food hasn’t been all that popular in Genos lately.”

“Is that so? Back in my home country it was enough of a staple that it never went out of style.”

With a seriously cautious look on his face, Roy picked up the remaining chunk of fried kimyuus and tossed it into his mouth.

With his eyes shut he carefully chewed it, swallowed, opened his eyes and said, “Damn, it’s delicious...”

“Thank you. Well then, I’ll go ahead and wrap up.”

As I said, I started adding the chunks of breast and thigh meat into the pot one after another. Using the resulting bubbles, I adjusted the heat, finishing up each one in as close to five minute time chunks as possible.

I then plated the salad in a similar round clay dish before finishing by garnishing it with sheel fruit.

Since the flavors would end up mixing, I prepared separate ramekins for the dressing and mayonnaise.

With that, tonight’s dinner was complete.

“This is the last time I will be testing your cooking for poison, Sir Asuta...” Chiffon Chel said with her usual fairy-like smile as she brought the chunk of fried kimyuus to her mouth. “Ah... This is my first time eating a fried dish, but it is incredibly delicious...”

“Yeah, I love it too.”

Once she had finished testing for poison, Chiffon Chel hung her head in a deep bow.

“Well then, I will transport this food to the dining room... I will assist you until tomorrow morning, of course, but you have my thanks for everything up until now...”

“I haven’t done anything you’d need to thank me for,” I replied, but then I realized... She must have been thanking me for all the food I’d made so far.

However, it wouldn’t be proper for a slave tasked with testing for poison to say such things. Even so, the look in Chiffon Chel’s eyes told me she felt the need to say so.

“So you intend to remain here in the kitchen, even on the last day...?” Roy asked after Chiffon Chel and the pages left.

“Yes. I can’t go wasting time, after all. So please let me stay, if it’s alright.”

Roy just silently set about starting his own work.

Normally there were cooking assistants or whatever around, adding up to six people cooking dinner, but people stopped dropping by once I started staying in here. Apparently Lefreya thought it best to limit my contact with folks from around the manor as much as possible. From what I was told, Roy was making the main dish for dozens of people all on his own, while the other chefs made up the side dishes in another kitchen.

As expected, Roy’s cooking had a really complex flavor to it. But according to him, he was quite restricted in terms of the variety and amount of ingredients and seasonings he could employ. Apparently the supplies here were ultimately prepared for their employers, while the servants were only allowed a small share of the scraps.

On the other hand, there were essentially no restrictions on the ingredients and seasonings he used for his experiments. After all, he was only using a small amount for that, and besides, there wouldn’t be any value in him staying here in this manor if it weren’t for the experience he was building up.

From his behavior and what he had said, it seemed that for Roy polishing his skills was his primary job, while making food for the servants was just something he did in his free time.

This is a bit of a digression, but he actually hardly used any aria at all in his cooking. I got the feeling that was related to the fact that Kamyua Yoshu had once told me that they were seen as an ingredient for commoners and were hardly sold at all in the castle town as a result. They were of course well stocked here in this kitchen, but it seemed Roy didn’t see them as something worth using.

They’re nutritious and delicious, so they’re a fantastic ingredient regardless of what they may cost... I thought to myself as I watched Roy cook while also doing my own experimentation.

“So it’s a stew for today?”

Roy had just added some fuwano dumplings with tree nuts kneaded into them to what looked like the milk fat and herb soup he usually made for snack time.

As he glanced my way, he whispered, “If...” only to hold his tongue.

“What is it?” I tried asking back.

“If I sautéed fuwano flour with milk fat and mixed it into this... How do you think it would turn out...?” Roy questioned while looking away.

It seemed he was asking how it would go, adding white sauce like I prepared for the cream stew.

“Hmm...” I responded, crossing my arms as I thought it over. “I’m not sure. This dish uses quite a lot of milk fat to begin with, and I get the feeling that thickening it will only make it harder to eat.”

It wasn’t as if every dish improved in flavor by making it into a stew.

When he heard my response Roy said, “I see,” and started stirring the pot. “Your skill must have earned you quite a reputation in the post town...”

“Well, the giba meat’s been a big help there.”

“Is giba meat really edible? Isn’t that stuff so tough that only the people of the forest’s edge can chew it?”

“That’s not the case at all. It’s just a bit tougher than kimyuus meat. And it’s certainly no less tasty, as it’s delicious grilled, boiled, stewed, and however else you may like it.”

“I find it hard to believe idle gossip like that.”

Now that I thought about it, I might never see Roy ever again after leaving this kitchen for the evening. Was he trying to talk to me now because he found that a shame?

In that case, he should’ve just treated me normally from the very start.

It wasn’t as if I found Roy especially hard to deal with. He might have been a bit arrogant and standoffish, but if we had met more normally and built up an ordinary relationship, I figured we could have been good friends as fellow chefs.

That is, except for one matter I couldn’t overlook.

“Um, how exactly do you feel about people from Mahyudra?”

“Huh? Why’re you asking that, all of a sudden?”

I had been prepared to take that question back depending on how he reacted, but fortunately he seemed just taken off guard.

“I mean, I was born in a foreign nation myself, so I don’t really have any understanding of the whole discord between Selva and Mahyudra. Do you hate northerners as members of an enemy nation?”

“You sure are hard to predict. But no, I don’t hate them. Slaves are just slaves.”

“I can’t say I fully understand that whole slavery thing either. This is an earnest question, but doesn’t it give you a guilty conscience, treating people you have no particular grudge against so poorly?”

“That sure is a gloomy issue to raise... Why are you bringing something like that up now?”

“There’s the matter with Chiffon Chel, of course. And also... I have an acquaintance with mixed blood from the north and west, too.” It had been a while since I had seen it, but Kamyua Yoshu’s aloof face sprung to mind. “I can’t quite say he’s the sort I can like and respect from the depths of my heart, but he’s a pretty charming guy. And I can’t help but feel he wouldn’t have ended up with such an inscrutable personality if it weren’t for the unfortunate treatment faced by people of mixed blood. So to be perfectly blunt, I truly can’t stand the idea of judging someone based on their birth.”

“But... citizens of Selva are used as slaves in Mahyudra, too. There’s no logic to just blaming us for that.”

“I’m not trying to blame anyone. I just question it. If folks still felt a deep hatred toward northerners even in Genos, located so far from Mahyudra, I could at least understand it on a logical level.”

Roy stopped cooking and turned to shoot me a real fed-up look.

“Let me just say, I’ve never gone and whipped a slave or anything. The only ones permitted to do something like that are their noble owners.”

“But you tried to throw a jar at one, right?”

“That was because she said all that ridiculous crap! Actually... Looking back now, I don’t think she said anything wrong at all...” At that point, Roy suddenly broke out in a childish wail, “What the heck? Since this is the last time we’ll be seeing each other, you worked up the nerve to complain at me? If you don’t like my way of doing things, then just come out and say it!”

“That’s not it. I really am just asking questions. I figure it’ll be good for me to have heard some opinions from westerners, for the future as well. But if I upset you, then I’m sorry.”

Roy stood there silently with a sulky look on his face.

And I was feeling bad about running my mouth when I apparently shouldn’t have, so I got back to my own cooking.

It was then that the door to the kitchen swung open, as if it had been waiting for a break in the conversation.

“Sir Asuta, if I may have a bit of your time... Lady Lefreya is calling for you...”

Naturally, that was Chiffon Chel.

“So is she finally going to give her impressions now that she’s had that one last dinner? If she would just release me afterwards, I’d certainly be glad.”

“No... It seems tonight’s guest is insisting on talking with you, Sir Asuta...”

“Huh? But he’s the son of some noble, right?”

“Yes... The second son of Count Daleim, Polarth...”

To me, every last noble but Melfried was an enemy. And even Melfried wasn’t a true ally so much as someone we had managed to form a united front with.

“I’d honestly like to refrain. I’m not in a position where I’d really like to become better acquainted with nobles.”

“You’re going to refuse a summons from a noble? That sort of thing will get you whipped for sure, even when we’re not talking about Lady Lefreya,” Roy chimed in, still wearing a sulky look. “Besides, he must like your cooking and want to pay you for it, right? You probably can’t expect a silver coin from the second son of Daleim, but there still shouldn’t be any issue accepting that, right?”

It seemed the ruling nobles weren’t all that loved and respected by the people here in this town, either.

Still, I couldn’t exactly go taking things quite that lightly.

“B-But I was kidnapped by force. Isn’t it sort of odd to have someone like that meet a guest?”

“I don’t know anything about that. Isn’t it possible the guest’s just been praising you and she wants to brag? Besides, even if he learns of that, it’s not like the second son of the Daleim house can go opposing the Turan household.”

This was all just sounding less and less advantageous to me.

“At any rate, if Lady Lefreya’s already granted her permission, I doubt you’ve got a right to refuse. So hurry up and get going.”

And so, after giving a sigh, I ended up accompanying Chiffon Chel and the soldiers down the hallway.

For me, the fact that Lefreya gave her permission under the circumstances was what was bugging me most of all.

Well, considering how simpleminded she can be, she may have just given permission without really thinking it through... She couldn’t be planning to hand me over to the count’s house or whatever, right?

Something like that, which Jeeda wouldn’t know of, would never make it to my comrades at the forest’s edge or Zasshuma. No matter how I looked at it, getting moved away from this manor would essentially be a death sentence for me.

If that really is what she’s plotting, I’ll lie my ass off as hard as I need to in order to stay here.

Sad as it might be, I just couldn’t imagine this being a rescue attempt from Zasshuma or Melfried. Though Kamyua Yoshu had told me Melfried had allies among the other nobles working with him, I figured they wouldn’t be able to move till tomorrow morning at the earliest.

Such thoughts ran through my head as we walked the labyrinthine halls, and before long a familiar set of extravagant doors stood before us. Apparently the lady of the house and her guests had been enjoying their dinner in that room with the chandelier and the four stone statues.

“Before we enter, allow me to make one thing clear. Though you will be conversing with the guest, you are absolutely not to reveal your name or background,” one of the soldiers guiding me stated, which I scowled in response to.

“If that’s what I’m being told, I’ll obey, but isn’t it rude not to introduce yourself when faced with a noble guest?”

“That isn’t for you to worry about,” the man replied in a monotone voice, then he called out through the doors, “I have brought the chef from overseas!”

With that, the doors opened.

There were indeed five people seated there, as well as Mussel standing guard.

Naturally, Lefreya sat at the head of the table. She was in a pure white dress like the other day, this one having just as many frills as before on the apron portion stretching up to her chest as she occupied that couch that could hold up to four people.

To her right sat Diel and her father. Diel had on a cobalt blue dress that was far simpler than Lefreya’s but still clearly of high class, and was sitting quietly in her chair. She was holding back her bangs with a silver hair accessory again today, and looked rather adorable. She wasn’t even looking my way, just sitting with a demure look on her face.

Since Diel was still here in the room, she must have been fed some sort of lie saying I had been properly hired or something.

At any rate, next to her sat a man I assumed was her father, who I was seeing for the first time. He had the small yet robust build you would expect from a southerner, and was wearing a high-quality collared tunic and pants that looked like slacks. His mustache and hair were plain dark brown rather than speckled like his daughter’s, and he had striking, stubborn-looking green eyes.

Across from them were today’s guests.

One was a man, and he certainly did have the appearance of a noble.

His outfit wasn’t especially extravagant, but he had an embroidered sash around his cream colored frock, and he nonchalantly wore shining accessories made with gemstones and silver around his arms and neck. The young man’s dark brown hair was combed down smoothly against his head, and while he wasn’t quite obese he was certainly a bit on the portly side.

His skin was naturally that of a westerner, and his eyes were a deep brown. This was undoubtedly the second son of Count Daleim, Polarth.

However...

To be honest, it took me a good while to look over the other people in the room in much detail.

And that was because my gaze was fixed on the woman next to Polarth, from the very moment I entered the room.

She was quite young, as well as extraordinarily beautiful. In addition to a silver breastplate, she had on a gorgeous long skirt that stretched from her hips downwards. And what could be seen of her legs through the slit in the side was positively captivating.

On her shoulders she wore a shawl embroidered with complex patterns, but her taut waist was entirely exposed.

Her long hair had silver and jewels tastefully braided into it. And the crescent-shaped bits of silver dangling from her ears were shining especially brilliantly in the light from the chandelier.

On top of all that, her fingers had numerous rings, and her wrists had thin silver bracelets swaying about them. If she weren’t so beautiful, that level of extravagance would have come across as unpleasant.

However, she really was stunning.

I had never met anyone so lovely as her before in all seventeen years of my life.

To top it all off...

The woman had long blonde hair, blue eyes filled with more strength than anyone else, and skin the color of creamy chocolate.

“It seems there’s no mistake,” the woman said in a voice that wasn’t especially loud, but was as firm as steel. “That man is a member of my house, Asuta of the Fa clan. With that fact made clear, I ask that you allow me to return with him,” Ai Fa stated in a commanding tone, clad in that gorgeous attire.

2

“What exactly is this all about?” Lefreya questioned as I stood there so dumbfounded I couldn’t even speak. Her voice, meanwhile, was trembling with so much rage it sounded like she was about to explode.

“I don’t see what there is to explain. Well, I suppose this ended up being something of a sneak attack, so I shall at least apologize for that much,” the young noble seated next to Ai Fa replied in an oddly cheerful voice. All the while, my eyes remained fixed on my clan head. “It seems that young man is Asuta of the Fa clan, the chef from the forest’s edge who was abducted by ruffians in the post town several days ago, causing quite a commotion. Were that not the case, tonight would have simply ended with me complimenting you on the delicious meal.”

“What exactly is this all about?” Lefreya repeated in the same tone.

“Well now. I would say that considering the circumstances, we should be the ones asking that question. After all, a chef from the forest’s edge of all places is here in the manor of Count Turan, practicing his craft. How exactly did such a thing come to be?”

“I’m free to employ whoever I please as a chef!”

“Yes, it’s just as you say. You may employ someone from Sym or Jagar, or even Mahyudra or overseas to make your food if you so wish. However, I do believe some form of explanation is required as to how precisely a man kidnapped by ruffians ended up cooking in this manor, wouldn’t you agree?”

His tone was perfectly charming yet also oddly indirect, vaguely resembling that of Kamyua Yoshu. However, his voice lacked the cunningness of Kamyua Yoshu’s, coming across as more pure and earnest. That was what I was vaguely thinking as my eyes remained fixed on Ai Fa.

“The truth of the matter is, I had a discussion with a certain acquaintance of mine earlier today. He informed me that apparently, Asuta of the Fa clan was being confined in Count Turan’s manor. And so, he asked if I could please go and confirm that fact in his stead. Of course I laughed the idea off as impossible, but he had nowhere else to turn, so I felt I had no choice but to assist him.”

“In other words, you deceived me... That woman claimed to be the daughter of a wealthy merchant with blood from Sym, but she was actually a person of the forest’s edge.”

“That is correct. This is Ai Fa of the Fa clan, a woman of the forest’s edge. I asked her to accompany me in order to confirm the identity of Asuta of the Fa clan, as the one closest to him. Perhaps it’s rude to say so, but it’s difficult to imagine a woman of the forest’s edge would take on such an elegant appearance, is it not?”

“So, the house of Daleim truly intends to oppose the house of Turan...?” Lefreya questioned in an ominous tone, her gaze torn from Ai Fa and myself.

The young noble lady just kept lounging on her couch. However, next to the fuming girl stood Mussel, looking every bit as enraged and gripping the handle of his blade.

“Do you intend to compound your crimes, westerner?” Ai Fa asked, her voice absolutely calm as she brought the man’s actions in check. “You are clearly one of those described in the wanted notices being distributed throughout the post town. That other Sanjura man does not seem to be here, though.”

“Who was it?! Nobody should have known this chef was here in the manor! Who betrayed us?!” Lefreya shouted, slamming her tiny fists on the table. The nearly empty plates and glasses atop the table rattled as she did so. “Diel! You tattled to someone in the post town, didn’t you?! You’ve got no problem with walking about that filthy place, after all!”

“Could you please stop it with the false accusations? I kept my promise to you and held my tongue. Even though I didn’t believe what you said about Asuta being here of his own volition in the least,” Diel nonchalantly replied. She must have been pretty shocked when Ai Fa first walked into the room, but it seemed she had successfully feigned ignorance up until this point. “Besides, I haven’t been able to step foot out of the castle town for the past several days anyway, so it’s not like I had a chance to tell on you in the first place. And I don’t exactly have any casual acquaintances in the post town I can chat up other than Asuta, either.”

“Indeed. I give my guarantee that my daughter is innocent. I took her pass away days back, so there was no way for her to leave the castle town,” Diel’s father added, speaking up for the first time. Fitting to his appearance, he had a real tough, obstinate-sounding voice. “I would also like to ask a question of you. Did you not tell my daughter that it would incite unnecessary anger in the people of the forest’s edge if they were to learn Asuta was working here of his own free will, and so it was best not to say anything?”

Lefreya hit the table even more, ignoring his words.

“Then who was it?! Anyone who would betray their employer deserves to be whipped until they lose consciousness!”

“I am also uncertain as to who it was. Perhaps it was someone who worked up the courage to go against their employer out of a wish to save you from piling on further crimes?” Polarth said with a grin, having apparently recovered from Mussel’s glare.

It was a perfectly innocent-looking smile, but also one that told me he would prove irritating as an enemy. Despite the fact that it was apparently unthinkable for the Daleim family to oppose the house of Turan, Polarth was standing here right in Lefreya’s way.

“Isn’t there another matter we should be discussing instead, though? It would be quite a scandal if it became known that the daughter of the peerless Count Turan had a man abducted from town by force.”

“Hmph! I doubt the other nobles would have the nerve to try to judge me for that!”

“Oh, is that so? But Sir Melfried, leader of the ducal guard, has been quite serious about enforcing the law and tightening discipline of late. When faced with that man’s determination to uphold the law, even the young daughter of Count Turan—”

“What, are you saying I’ll be detained and whipped?” At that point, Lefreya’s expression shifted again. Her face had been taut with anger, but now she broke out in an impish grin. “I see. That truly is amusing... What sort of face would my father make, were that to happen, I wonder?”

“I absolutely will not allow you to meet with such a fate, Lady Lefreya,” the ox-like Mussel stated in his muffled voice. And instantly, Lefreya’s temper exploded once more.

“Quiet, you! Who gave you permission to speak?! Be silent, Mussel!”

Hearing that, Mussel just hung his head.

While staring at the attendant’s hand that still gripped his sword even now, Ai Fa calmly started talking again.

“When dealing with criminals, such matters must ultimately be left to the laws of Genos. However, I ask that you allow me to return with Asuta.”

“You can’t! I can’t let that man leave until my father returns!”

“What does Count Turan have to do with this matter? I would imagine he would wish for everything to be resolved as cleanly as possible...” Polarth chimed in, sounding rather troubled.

And next to him, Ai Fa was staring resolutely at Lefreya. “I do not care about anything else but taking my clan member from this place here and now.”

“I told you, you can’t! Until father returns—”

“This is quite a commotion, is it not...?” a gloomy voice interjected from beyond the inner door, which soon opened.

Before long, a small old man accompanied by three robust soldiers appeared.

“What is this fuss all about...? And what are these unfamiliar people doing here in my manor?”

It was Cyclaeus.

The wicked noble himself was finally standing before me.

This was turning out to be such an insane night that I felt myself getting dizzy.

The man really did look just like Gazraan Rutim had described. Though his head was quite large, his body was small like a child’s. He couldn’t have been taller than Lala Ruu at most.

And around that small frame, he wore an exaggerated white frock coat. Plus, he had on more accessories than anyone else present. In fact, just looking from the neck on down, he was as ornately decked out as any woman.

However, his face was so pale he looked ill, and it was covered in countless wrinkles. Though when it came to wrinkly faces, the Sudra clan head took the cake in my mind. This visage was far gloomier and more obstinate-looking, like some sort of eerie beast rather than a proper human being.

His head was big like an eggplant, and his chestnut-colored hair was thin and utterly lacking in luster. But in comparison to the size of his head, his face was on the small side, with sunken eyes glaring like needles.

He had a smooshed nose, pale lips, flaccid skin despite how thin he appeared, and yet a firm jaw. The more I looked at him, the more eerie the man appeared.

However, that surely didn’t come just from his unusual appearance. His eyes were the same reddish brown color as his daughter’s, but they were filled with a powerful and piercing egotism that overwhelmed those who saw it.

“Why, if it isn’t Lord Cyclaeus... W-Were you not supposed to return tomorrow morning? That was what my father told me...”

“There was a matter that had me somewhat concerned, and so after treating those present at the meeting to one last feast, I returned early,” Cyclaeus replied with a truly enigmatic smile. Just as Gazraan Rutim had said, that grin hid the man’s true thoughts and feelings. “But, what business is it exactly that brings you here to my manor, son of Daleim? And you say you visited knowing that I was away...?”

“W-Well, there were some rather complicated circumstances that led me here...” Polarth mumbled.

From next to him, Ai Fa sharply interjected, “So, you are Cyclaeus? How fortuitous to meet you here. Cyclaeus, I came to this manor in order to retrieve my clan member, who had been abducted by criminals. This man, Polarth, simply lent me his aid in that task.”

Ai Fa really didn’t ever hesitate, no matter who she was up against.

Meanwhile, Cyclaeus’s eyes like poisoned needles slowly turned her way.

“You... You almost look like a person of the forest’s edge...”

“Indeed. I am Ai Fa of the Fa clan, a woman of the forest’s edge. All three leading clan heads are aware of my actions here today.”

Cyclaeus said nothing in response.

“You should have also heard tell of how a man from the forest’s edge was kidnapped. After all, Donda Ruu has requested an audience with you over and over again these past several days. But you never showed yourself, and all he got back was a response to leave everything to the guards... And here I find my clan member Asuta detained in your manor. How do you explain that?”

Still, Cyclaeus remained silent.

“It is not as if our suspicions have been solely fixed on you. In fact, some among us have questioned if this is in fact a crafty plot designed to form a rift between you and the forest’s edge... At any rate, up until yesterday we had been exhausting our efforts to search everywhere in Genos, the castle town aside. However, we couldn’t find so much as a single solitary trace of my clan member Asuta or the criminals in the post town, the Turan lands, or the farms. And so, we had planned to try to gain permission to enter the castle town today, no matter what it took.”

The crafty old noble just kept on listening.

“Before that could occur, though, we received news this morning that Asuta was being held in your manor. Following that lead, I headed here to confirm, and sure enough he was not only being detained in this place, but one of the kidnappers described in the wanted posters was even here. From what I hear, it was done under your daughter’s orders... But did this truly happen without your knowledge?”

Though Ai Fa’s face and voice remained calm, her eyes had the blazing light of a hunter’s glare in them. In fact, the soldiers on either side of me even gulped in response.

“The three leading clan heads stated that they could not accept you as the representative for Genos until the truth of the matter was made clear, and that is an opinion shared by the people of the forest’s edge as a whole. Cyclaeus, I would hear your response.”

In an eerily bold act, Cyclaeus wet his pale lips with his tongue.

“You say my daughter Lefreya kidnapped a person of the forest’s edge...?”

“The ones to actually carry out the act were that man there, as well as another by the name of Sanjura. But from what I was told, your daughter was indeed the one to give the orders.”

“Lefreya... You have heard what our visitor from the forest’s edge has to say. You did not truly do such a thing, did you?”

“I simply invited that man here as a chef. I can see no justification for this slander being laid on me,” Lefreya replied, haughtily puffing up her slender chest.

Cyclaeus, meanwhile, just silently and eerily grinned away.

“H-However, this officer here, Mussel, is in fact wanted as a criminal. No matter who gave the order, that doesn’t mean those crimes should be simply forgiven,” Polarth interjected with a twitching smile, his face having lost quite a bit of color.

“Young Polarth... Your father and elder brother must be enjoying the meal I considerately had prepared at the castle about now... Are they aware of all this?”

“Naturally, they do not know a thing. This is a personal matter brought about by a certain someone begging for my assistance.”

“Oh...? A certain someone, you say...”

“Th-That person is someone who also has ties to Sir Melfried. Since Sir Melfried is unable to leave the castle until tomorrow morning, I was asked to escort Lady Ai Fa of the forest’s edge to this manor in his place, a shabby replacement though I may be. After all, as someone without an official post, I was left with an excess of time on my hands as the meetings were being held.”

Though he maintained a smile on his plump visage, Polarth’s face had gone completely pale. He was clearly being overwhelmed by the mysterious pressure given off by Cyclaeus.

Before his nerves completely gave out on him, though, Ai Fa sharply interjected, “So then, what is your reply? Donda Ruu and many others are currently awaiting our return outside the castle gates.”

Cyclaeus gave a small sigh. And then, he slowly shook his large head.

“Jimon...”

“Yes, lord,” one of the officers attending Cyclaeus replied, stepping forward.

“Arrest Mussel.”

“Are you certain...?”

“Polarth of the Daleim house would not speak ill of another without certain proof... So for now, we must believe his words, and investigate the matter later...”

“Very well,” the large man named Jimon replied, turning toward Mussel.

In the next moment, the ox-like Mussel leapt like some sort of bizarre bird. It was the sort of movement you wouldn’t expect from someone with such a dull-looking face, and he ended up atop the table in an instant.

The plates under his feet cracked, and red fruit wine spilled out from a toppled container.

Then, his fingers twisted like talons as he jumped at Polarth.

“Gyah!” the plump noble shrilly shrieked as he tumbled backwards, chair and all.

Before Mussel could reach the man, though, Ai Fa swiftly grabbed hold of his wrist and slammed his back into the floor.

Despite the plush rug laid out, it was likely still paved with stone underneath. And so, Mussel let out a moan like a dying toad as his whole body twitched.

“Such a fool...” Lefreya coldly spat out.

And yet, when she looked away with a huff, I felt like I glimpsed a sad look like a child who had had her precious pet dog mercilessly smacked, just for a moment.

“Is Mussel the only one whose crimes shall be questioned? I was the one who ordered him to invite Asuta of the Fa clan here to this manor, Father.”

Cyclaeus didn’t respond. And his eyes like poison needles didn’t so much as glance at his daughter.

“At any rate, we must first ascertain the truth of the matter, and then pass judgment in accordance with the laws of Genos... I cannot think of any other appropriate means for proceeding, but what do you have to say, Polarth...?”

“Y-Yes! I believe that is most wise! If we were to lose the trust of the people of the forest’s edge over such a matter, it would certainly have an enormous impact on our future, after all!” Polarth replied, despite still being down on the floor.

Once again, Cyclaeus slowly turned toward Ai Fa.

“Well then, please inform the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge as such... You have my word, I most certainly do not wish for a rift to be formed with your people in such a way... Still, my still young daughter’s crimes are the result of my own shortcomings as a father...” Cyclaeus stated, his eyes twitching ever so slightly as he did so. Was the emotion he was most desperately trying to cover up his own feelings of humiliation?

“So, you claim to have nothing to do with this wrongdoing, then?” Ai Fa questioned, shooting Cyclaeus a hunter’s glare.

“Of course... Assuming I had been involved in this plot, why would I bring a man I had kidnapped back to my own manor? Especially considering I have such important guests here at the moment...”

Those “important guests,” Diel and her father, had been cautiously holding their tongues for a while now. However, they both had a strong light shining away in their jade eyes.

“And my words to leave everything to the guards came from my trust in the militia captain’s skills, as well as my wish that the people of the forest’s edge continue to carry out their own work...”

“Yes, it did indeed seem that the guards in the post town were handling their tasks properly.”

“I swear on the name of the western god, Selva... There is no doubt that none in Genos laments these circumstances more than I do...”

Surprisingly, that might have actually been how Cyclaeus truly felt, in the sense that he surely had all sorts of plots in play for the meeting that would be held in six days, only for this to come out of nowhere and upset everything.

“I see. Very well, I will convey your words to the leading clan heads as you stated them,” Ai Fa cool-headedly replied as Mussel was bound with rope by her feet.

Lefreya, meanwhile, was glaring at her father with bitter tears in her eyes.

Cyclaeus, however, stubbornly refused to so much as look his daughter’s way.

And then...

“If that’s all, let us return home, Asuta,” Ai Fa called out.

That alone was enough to cause my heart to start pounding like a jackhammer.

“Ah, hold on a moment. If we’re leaving, I’ve got to change out of these clothes first.”

Wait, was that doofy statement the first one I had made since stepping into this room?

“From what I can tell, you are that foreign-born man of the forest’s edge who has been doing business in the post town, are you not...?”

It was then that Cyclaeus faced me head on for the first time.

What a truly sickening gaze. Just looking into his eyes was enough to send a chill down my spine. I didn’t think I had been looked at in such a revolting way since meeting with the late Zattsu Suun.

“You have my sincerest apologies... You will have to allow me to apologize again once Mussel’s crimes have been properly laid out in a trial held by the legal officers...” Cyclaeus stated, not hanging his head but instead placing his right hand over his chest and hiding his despicable gaze behind his eyelids.

“Hold on! You must eat that man’s cooking as well! The food he makes—”

“Silence, Lefreya...” Cyclaeus muttered with his eyes still closed, cutting her off. “I am disappointed in you... You are to remain in your room until I say otherwise, where you will behave yourself... After all, you shall be facing an interrogation as well...”

At that, Lefreya shut her mouth, trembling with fear as she did so.

And with his back still turned to her, Cyclaeus once more opened his eyes.

“You said that you wish to change? That can most certainly be arranged.”

“Right,” the soldiers on either side of me replied, grabbing hold of the handles on the doors behind us.

“Allow us to accompany him, too. And before that, would you mind returning the blade placed in your care?” Faced with Ai Fa’s words and Cyclaeus’s gaze, one of the soldiers went and brought out a splendid longsword from another room. It wasn’t the sort of savage blade used at the forest’s edge, but instead one held in an extravagant scabbard.

Polarth held it out and Ai Fa accepted it, hanging it at her hip. And watching that, Cyclaeus broke out in another eerie grin.

“I see you are indeed a hunter of the forest’s edge... No matter what gorgeous attire you may wrap yourself up in, the air about you is something else entirely...”

Was he scolding his soldiers, with the implication being, “Why did you let someone like that into this manor even so?” After all, the soldiers who had returned to my side had both gone pale.

“Will you tell the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge that I would like to offer my explanation and apologies tomorrow when the sun hits its peak...?”

“Very well. Ah, there is one more matter I must convey as well,” Ai Fa said, stopping and turning to look at Cyclaeus. “Though we searched everywhere in Genos aside from the castle town over these past four days, we were unable to locate that Sanjura man. All things considered, it seems clear he is an ally of Mussel there, and so we would like to see him swiftly arrested.”

“Understood...” Cyclaeus answered with a deep nod. Sparing one last look at Lefreya with her trembling shoulders and the worried Diel, we passed beyond the doors.

Then, with Chiffon Chel and the soldiers guiding us, we headed once more down those brick hallways. It still felt unreal to me that Ai Fa was part of the procession this time, though.

When we made it to the room, I asked Chiffon Chel, “Um, while I’m changing, could it be just me and my clan head?”

The soldiers were the ones to actually give permission for that request, and so Ai Fa and I entered the room alone.

I turned to face her immediately.

It really was undoubtedly Ai Fa, despite how utterly unfamiliar her attire was.

Though the way she was dressed was even more showy than what she wore for a banquet, she looked at me head on with the same gallant expression as always.

“Ai Fa...” I called out.

This really wasn’t a dream, right?

Her expression unchanging, Ai Fa steadily looked me up and down.

“You aren’t injured anywhere, are you...?” she asked in a tone that made it hard to tell what she was feeling, unsurprisingly.

“No. As you can see, I’m doing just fine.”

“Right...”

There were countless things I wanted to say to her.

That I was sorry for worrying her, and asking if she was alright too... But as soon as they made it to the tip of my tongue, they ended up sliding back down my throat.

“Ai Fa, I...”

If nothing else, I at least had to apologize. And thank her, too.

I still felt out of it, as if I was dreaming, but I tried to force out the words somehow.

However, Ai Fa lightly held up her hand to stop me, and gently looked my way. And before long, clear droplets welled up in those blue eyes of hers, leaving me taken aback. As I stood there unable to so much as get out a word, the tears started streaming down her cheeks. And then, all of a sudden, Ai Fa’s face was a wreck. It was like the expression of a young child having a breakdown.

“Asuta...” she called out again, wrapping her arms around me. She buried her face in my shoulder and started sobbing. In no time flat my clothes were soaked with her tears, and I could feel the warmth coming off her body. It had been days now since I had felt that heat from her.

Before I realized it, I was firmly hugging Ai Fa back.

“I’m sorry, Ai Fa... Really, truly sorry...”

Rather than replying, Ai Fa just kept on sobbing. Though there was a definite strength in her arms, her body felt like it was slowly, steadily sinking to the floor. And so, I just hugged her all the tighter.

“Asuta... you unbelievable fool...” Ai Fa finally wrung out between her sniffling.

After being torn apart for nearly four whole days, we had at last been reunited.

3

“My, I wondered just how things would turn out when Count Cyclaeus appeared! I certainly am glad that everything ended smoothly!” Polarth exclaimed as we rode in his totos-drawn wagon.

It was a box-shaped carriage made entirely from wood, so there was no concern of the driver eavesdropping.

“I suppose in all likelihood the meetings in the castle came to a close and they were all prepared to enjoy a celebratory banquet, only for Sir Cyclaeus to receive some sort of report. That man values dinner parties above all else, so I cannot imagine him leaving one to return to his manor otherwise. Thinking back on it, that Zasshuma man’s judgment that this matter absolutely could not wait until tomorrow turned out to be entirely correct, did it not?!”

Polarth seemed to be in something of a manic state now that he was freed from Cyclaeus’s intense gaze. However, I honestly still knew nothing about what this man was thinking or what his goals were. Still, since he referred to Zasshuma as “that Zasshuma man,” they couldn’t have been too close. I asked him about that.

“Indeed. Sir Kamyua is the only one that I have ties to. I only heard of that Zasshuma man’s name through him. And he said to take the man’s words as though they were his own.”

“Ah, so you helped us out because of your connection with Kamyua?”

“Yes, indeed. He’s a truly amusing man, is he not? It’s intriguing hearing the tales of his travels to various countries, and even when dealing with a noble he never resorts to flattery. He even earned the approval of the infamously straight-laced Sir Melfried.”

Honestly, Polarth himself really seemed to lack the characteristic arrogance I expected of nobles. It wasn’t as if this little interaction we’d had was enough for me to truly know the man, but he came across as earnest and lacking in any sort of hidden darker side.

Since Ai Fa was just sitting there in polite silence next to me, it had just been my voice and Polarth’s filling the inside of the carriage for a while now.

“Still, I can’t say I enjoy placing myself in the midst of such trouble lightly. Who knows what would become of me if I were to openly defy Sir Cyclaeus?! Yes, that was certainly the risk of a lifetime!”

“I really am grateful. If it weren’t for your help, it’s hard to say where I would’ve ended up.”

“Think nothing of it! Though I may be a noble, I’m merely a second son, after all! If I didn’t take risks like this now and again, I’d spend my whole life living in the shadows!” Polarth stated, bringing his flushed face in closer to mine. And as the carriage swayed, his plump cheeks jiggled along. “At any rate, it seems we’ll be sharing the same lot from here on out! And so, let’s help one another in order to carve out a brighter tomorrow! Can I count on you for that, Sir Asuta of the Fa clan?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah.”

What exactly was he expecting of me, there?

I mean, he saved me from that whole dilemma so I certainly was willing to do anything I could to help him... But I honestly couldn’t tell what he was thinking, which left me feeling a bit uneasy.

“Well, let’s keep the tricky stuff for some other time. After all, we should be arriving at the castle gates soon. You’ll be reunited with your precious comrades at last!”

The carriage had certainly already been running for a fair enough while now. But when I pulled back the curtain over the small window, I couldn’t even make out the buildings of the castle town.

“Ah, but isn’t the drawbridge up at night, so you can’t go in or out of the castle town?”

“No worries! All my faults aside, I am still a member of the Daleim house! Though I’m merely the second son, managing that much is no problem at all!”

“Really? I’m seriously glad to hear it.”

Ai Fa might have already been by my side, but I wanted to let as many other people as possible know that I was alright. Dora must have already long since headed home, but at the bare minimum I wanted to go see the inn owners and stop by the Ruu settlement.

“By the way, Lady Ai Fa... What shall we do about the clothing and accessories I loaned you? I don’t believe there should be anywhere to change between here and the castle gates,” Polarth said as he turned to face my clan head.

There really wasn’t so much as a hint of disdain toward the people of the forest’s edge in his gaze. And he fortunately didn’t seem to be shooting Ai Fa any lecherous looks either, which was definitely a relief.

“Then would you not mind if I waited till tomorrow to return them? Though I entrusted my comrades with my clothing, I would not feel at ease changing in this carriage.”

“Right, you may be a hunter of the forest’s edge, but you are indeed still a young woman! At any rate, I don’t mind in the least. However, I did borrow them from the manor’s treasure storage without permission, so it would prove quite troublesome were even a single ring missing.”

“Understood. I will make certain everything is returned to you.”

“Right! Please do!”

Polarth looked to be in quite a good mood, while Ai Fa remained perfectly expressionless.

After her tearful reunion with me, Ai Fa had regained her composition, once more seeming like she had nerves of steel. The area around her eyes was admittedly still a bit red, but with only a lantern to rely on for light, that wasn’t the sort of thing anyone would notice.

“Sir Polarth, we have arrived at the main gate,” the driver soon announced through the window, having brought the carriage to a stop.

“Right!” Polarth replied with a hearty nod, stepping outside.

Was he negotiating with the guards manning the gates? At any rate, after just a few minutes a gatekeeper with a massive spear peered vacantly into the carriage.

“I’ve indeed counted two passengers. Those two will be leaving the castle gates, while the rest will be returning shortly, correct?”

“That’s exactly right! Now then, go ahead and lower the bridge!”

This carriage was currently being guarded by three soldiers riding totos, but apparently once we made it past the gates, Ai Fa and I would be returning to the post town alone.

No wait, Donda Ruu’s supposedly waiting outside, right?

Just how angry would he be at me for this massive screwup? Honestly, I felt glad just to be in a situation where I could worry about such matters.

“Now then, time for your triumphant return!”

I had figured Polarth’s words were a bit overblown there, but at any rate, we were ready to move again. The drawbridge descended with a heavy clank, clank, clank and then the carriage resumed rattling along. And in less than ten seconds, it stopped again.

“We’ve arrived. I can’t imagine you would be in any danger, but please do take care on your way home. And give my regards to that leading clan head fellow, too!”

After Ai Fa and I each thanked Polarth, we descended from the carriage.

We were still atop the bridge at the moment. It was a big one, probably four or five meters wide, and had railings coming up to around chest height installed on either side. Since it was a drawbridge, it naturally stretched out over a deep moat.

Because the passenger door to the carriage was in the rear, I was facing toward the gate to the castle town, as well as the surrounding walls as I stepped out.

Those stone walls were as tall as a two-story building, or at least six to seven meters high. Though the sun had already completely set, there were countless flames lit atop the castle walls, making it easy to see just how imposing they were.

The castle gates were carved right into those walls, and looked like a massive pitch black cavern. Were the gatekeepers holding up torches and observing us? After all, I could spy some red flames flickering within that dark gaping mouth.

Glancing around, it seemed those flames continued to dot the top of the walls well off into the distance.

Those sturdy structures protected the castle at the heart of Genos, as well as the castle town inhabited by nobles and wealthy merchants. And they were also what had isolated me from my comrades.

So Jeeda climbed over those? That’s seriously impressive, I thought as Polarth waved to us from inside the carriage.

“Well then, we shall meet again in the near future! May the Daleim house and the people of the forest’s edge prosper together!”

The three totos-riding guards and the totos pulling the carriage then made a graceful U-turn and headed back over the bridge.

With that, the world outside the castle walls came into view, and what was revealed was a truly unexpected sight.

And at the same time, cheers exploded forth.

“Wh-What the...?”

It was such a storm of cheering that it felt like it might make my ears ring.

But that was no surprise, since there were dozens of folks awaiting us there on the other side of the drawbridge.

“Asuta...!”

“It’s Asuta! He’s really back!”

I could just barely make out those words.

“Let’s go. It will make the gatekeepers in the castle town uneasy if we force them to wait much longer to raise the bridge,” Ai Fa said, grabbing hold of my arm and walking briskly forwards. But even as she half pulled me along, I still couldn’t grasp the situation at all.

“Asuta...!” a figure shouted out, running up from the crowd. The slender girl of the forest’s edge wore her long black hair in braids... In other words, it was Reina Ruu.

“Oh Asuta, I’m so glad you’re alright...!”

Once again, the clothing from the forest’s edge that I had only recently changed into was soaked in fresh tears.

However, Ai Fa didn’t slow her stride in the least, so I ended up being pulled along by my arm, with Reina Ruu getting dragged along with me.

“Asuta! You’re okay?! Those nobles didn’t do anything weird to you, did they?!” a large man shouted out, grabbing onto me as soon we made it over the drawbridge.

As a grinding sound announced that the drawbridge was raising back up behind me, in my shock I exclaimed, “D-Dora? What in the world is going on here?”

“Do you really need to ask?! Good grief, you really are something else...” Dora said as he wept manly tears.

And at his feet, Tara was smiling and crying as she said, “Asuta!”

“All those with ties to you here in the post town were informed that I was borrowing the aid of a noble in order to enter the castle town. Of course, they were also strictly ordered not to speak a word about our plan until after the sun fell, so that the guards wouldn’t catch on. That much was necessary, to make certain that Cyclaeus and his daughter could not possibly slither out of this,” Ai Fa explained, as she was the only one still calm and composed. “And then, once the sun set, everyone came running here to the castle gates. That’s nothing to be surprised over. After all, everyone was thinking of you, Asuta.”

Now that I was getting a better look at the crowd, saying there were dozens seemed like underselling it, as there had to be over a hundred here... At the most, it might have even been 150 or so.

Half of them were people of the forest’s edge, while the other half came from the post town. And since a number of them were carrying torches, they were dyed in an orange light.

The majority of them were shouting with joy, and those who weren’t had tears in their eyes.

Sheera Ruu was there.

So was Lala Ruu.

And Vina Ruu.

Li Sudra.

Milano Mas.

Nail.

Naudis.

Yumi.

And a great number whose names I didn’t even know.

And from the crowd, two young boys slowly approached: Ludo and Shin Ruu.

“Asuta... So you’re okay?” Ludo Ruu questioned with a hearty sigh. “That’s a huge relief. I thought I’d end up regretting being so careless for the rest of my life.” Then while deeply hanging his head, he whispered, “I give my thanks to the forest...” That was the first time I had ever seen the boy look so meek and docile.

And then, there was Shin Ruu.

“Asuta...” he said as he staggered forward. When she noticed, Reina Ruu pulled back from me, still crying.

Shin Ruu was always so calm and composed, but now he grabbed hold of both of my shoulders and looked on the verge of tears.

“Shin Ruu...”

“I’m sorry... I just wasn’t strong enough...”

Shin Ruu was just a bit shorter than me, and so it wasn’t all that different from when Reina Ruu had hugged me as he wrapped his arms around me and sobbed. He was a man of the forest’s edge, but here he was weeping in public.

And wracked with the thought of how much guilt I had made the boy feel, I felt like I was going to start crying too.

“It’s fine. I’m the one who couldn’t protect himself, after all. Please stop worrying yourself, Shin Ruu.”

Even so, Shin Ruu just kept on sobbing for a good while longer.

Eventually, though, Lala Ruu walked over and slapped him on the back.

“That’s enough, don’t you think? And just so you know, if you keep weeping away like that tomorrow, you’ll get me angry at you.” And then, she looked my way and shot me a smile. “I’m glad you’re alright. And you look like you’re doing fine, Asuta.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Lala Ruu.”

Though her smile looked the same as always, Lala Ruu’s eyes were clearly red.

Meanwhile, folks from around town approached from behind her.

“Even my daughter managed to escape harm, but you went and got kidnapped, you damn fool,” Milano Mas grumbled angrily with a scary look on his face.

“Seriously. And to think, you were worrying about me,” Yumi chuckled with an indescribable expression.

“Asuta... I was just so careless... I don’t even know how to apologize for that,” Nail said, looking like he was about to break down crying, too. It was the inn owner’s belief that he should behave as emotionlessly as possible, so this was definitely the first time I had ever seen him this out of sorts.

“At any rate, I’m just glad you’re alright,” Naudis called out while flinching a bit from all the hunters of the forest’s edge shouting and hollering away.

Yes, both people of the forest’s edge and folks from the post town were all jumbled together there, celebrating my return. It truly was an extraordinary sight.

There couldn’t be that many folks out there who were as accepting of the people of the forest’s edge as Milano Mas and Nail, for example. But driven by the same shared feelings, they had all gathered together around me.

Thanks to my own carelessness I had fallen into a noble’s hands, and even afterwards I could only wait around to be saved, not even coming up with any effective plans on my own. I really was a total idiot, and yet they had all gathered here, laughing and crying, and some even getting angry.

The group of southerners raising up containers of fruit wine and laughing boisterously were surely the carpenters who had helped out Pops.

As always, the easterners had their hoods shadowing their faces to the point that you couldn’t tell what expressions they were making.

And the westerners were definitely the fewest in number, but there were still around 20 or so present. That included both regulars I often saw at the stalls, as well as folks like the cloth and metalware sellers.

Lastly, there were just as many people of the forest’s edge present, all laughing and swinging about torches and the like. There were men and women in the crowd, and both familiar faces and ones I didn’t recognize all that well. But all of them had bright, reassuring looks on their faces.

Also, looking closely into the background, there were over ten soldiers surrounding them at a distance, holding long spears. This was the sort of huge gathering that could easily end up on the wrong side of Genos’s laws.

Still, I ultimately just stood there like an idiot, not knowing what to do... Before long, though, three figures approached as if realizing that.

Two of them were massive, while the other wasn’t. It was Donda Ruu, Gazraan Rutim, and Rau Lea.

“Asuta, I’m glad to see you’re alright,” Gazraan Rutim called out, gripping my hand tightly.

“You too, Gazraan Rutim...? I really am sorry for worrying you.”

“Don’t be. Just seeing you alive and well is enough,” he shot back with a gentle smile.

And from beside him, Rau Lea leaned his face in.

“Geez, don’t go worrying me like that, Asuta. I mean, we were already right on the verge of our showdown with the nobles... Well, still, I guess it made things interesting in its own way.” Rau Lea was just the same as always, too. He had the same smile and air about him, and his pale blue eyes remained sharp like those of a hunting dog. “These past few days, we’ve been running all around the post town from morning till night. So you’ll need to feed us something awfully tasty to even the scales.”

“Right, sorry. I’ll make you as much food as you want.”

“I’m just kidding, dummy. It’s only natural to go running about like that for a comrade,” Rau Lea replied, reaching out and rustling my hair.

And then, there was Donda Ruu.

The man looked down at us with eyes like a wild beast and snorted, “Hmph, you don’t seem like you’re injured in any way. You’ll have to inform us of the details back at the forest’s edge.”

Then, not even giving me time to reply, Donda Ruu turned to face the crowd gathered there. And in a thundering voice, he shouted, “Asuta of the Fa clan has been safely retrieved from the noble’s manor! My apologies for the commotion we have caused in the post town over the course of these past five days! As one of the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge, Donda Ruu, you have both my gratitude and sincere apology!”

The townsfolk all shrunk a bit as they listened to those words. But they soon stood back up straight, and the cheers once more exploded forth.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Asuta!”

“Make us up some tasty food again, too!”

“If this made you sick of the town and you decide to hole up in the forest’s edge, then we’ll all come barging in after you!”

With that, I felt my chest tighten up and I couldn’t bring myself to respond. And so, I put everything I was feeling into a deep bow of my head instead.

At last, I had made it back to these people, all so very precious to me.