Chapter 80
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 80 – Master of Masters and the Extreme Cold
“Ain-sama. Sorry to interrupt your meal.”
“Huh? What happened, Martha-san?”
After Dill had calmed the knights… Ain and his three friends were enjoying a meal in the knights’ dining hall.
Basically, the meal consisted of a large piece of meat, some side dishes, and soup. It was, in a word, hearty. By the way, after the training, the knights could use this dining hall for free, which was a good thing for them.
Martha suddenly appeared in the dining room, and Ain asked her what was going on.
“I’m sorry to inform you, but… you have plans for the afternoon.”
Ain had taken too much time. He had intended to come to the dining hall earlier, but he ended up making small talk and discussing his impressions of the day with the others. It was already past noon, and Ain’s plans for the afternoon were quickly approaching.
Martha had a hard time saying it, but since it was not her fault, Ain did not admonish her.
“Oh, I see… I was a little slow.”
“Yes, you should be ready now… And you, Dill, will continue to lead our guests. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Martha-dono.”
As expected, Dill did not call her mother, but Martha-dono. He was sorry to leave them, but Ain had to leave them and move on because of his plans for the afternoon.
“I’m sorry, everyone. Actually, I have plans for the afternoon. It’s okay as we’re in the castle, but as it’s an important matter, I have to leave first.”
Ain said apologetically, as he faced his three friends.
“Please don’t worry about it, Your Highness. We have already finished today’s tour, so there is no problem if you want to leave first.”
“Yes, that’s right. It was fun. See you at school!”
“See you at school!”
He’s relieved that his friends didn’t mind him leaving first, and after hearing their reactions, he spoke to Dill, who’s sitting next to him.
“Dill. Can I count on you?”
“Of course. I’ll be responsible for getting everyone to the gate, don’t worry.”
“That’s good to know. Well then, thank you all for your hard work today!”
At first, he just felt bad. But today, with Katima occupied as well, he was able to end the day without any major ha.s.sle.
If this had been inside the castle, things might have been different…
If there was an issue, it was the incident with Angel Mei in the dining hall.
The three friends did not see that either, which was not a bad result.
However, when he remembered that it had affected his mental health at that moment, he only hoped that he wouldn’t have to witness that again.
“Then, Ain-sama. Please come this way; Krone-sama is waiting for you.”
“I understand. Please lead the way.”
Ain left the knight’s dining hall for his next appointment.
Ain’s figure with his friends. The knights who saw it spoke about it. They bragged a bit that they had seen Ain’s appearance, which was a rare occurence…
＊＊＊
“Martha-san, where is Krone?”
Ain left the dining hall and started walking towards the castle. He asked Martha, who was walking ahead of him, where Krone was.
“She’s waiting for you in her office.”
“I see. That means we are going to Krone’s office.”
“Indeed.”
Ain’s question was answered immediately. A slight silence surrounded the two. Ain thought that was fine and asked about Mei.
“Um, Martha-san?”
“Yes? What is it, Ain-sama?”
“I didn’t know that Mei worked in the dining hall.”
“Oh, that’s what you were talking about…”
Why was Mei working there? He wondered about that, so he asked Mei’s mentor, Martha, about Mei. Her answer was much more profound than what Ain had thought.
“Actually, I did the same thing myself.”
“Martha-san did the same…?”
“Yes. My mentor gave me a job in the dining hall as well.”
This was new to Ain. In fact, he had never heard of Martha’s mentor. It was a surprise to Ain that Martha, now a first-cla.s.s maid, had once worked in the dining hall, just like Mei.
“Even in such a busy place, I was told to behave gracefully. …Mei has yet to learn how to behave gracefully, though she is still learning her job.”
Martha laughed and continued to speak with some nostalgia.
“It will be a good experience though. It’s a lot of work to listen to the wishes of so many people and to fulfill them in the best order, isn’t it? It’s quite difficult, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s definitely hard work.”
“But Mei enjoys the hard work. …I’m sure she does. Maybe in another decade or so, she’ll be a first-cla.s.s maid?”
“Oh, that’s a pretty high rating, isn’t it, Martha-san?”
Martha was a hard worker. Because of this image, it seemed impressive that she would praise Mei so highly. In fact, when she smiled while talking about Mei, she even seemed like Mei’s mother.
“A child who works desperately will be great at whatever she does. …Well, these are also the words of my mentor.”
“…So, who is your mentor, Martha-san?”
“H-huh? Ain-sama… didn’t I tell you?”
“I’m sure I’ve never heard of it…”
Looking back, Ain had never heard about Martha’s mentor. But even for Martha, it was probably not something to hide. After a slight cough, she gave her answer.
“It’s Beria-sama. Beria-sama, who is now the head maid and exclusive maid of Laralua-sama, was my mentor.”
Hearing this, Ain was easily convinced. Beria… She’s an old lady in her late sixties, but she still served as Lalarua’s personal maid, the highest-ranking maid in the castle.
Since she was no longer young, she basically took care of no one but Laralua. Therefore, Ain never had many chances to see her.
But she… Ain also understood very well how great the head maid, Beria, was.
It was only natural that even if the same tea leaves were used, the taste would vary depending on the person who brewed it. But Beria made a cup of tea that even Martha cannot match.
Even though they look exactly the same, somehow, the taste and aroma change. …Even Martha, who had been a maid for many years, still did not understand the skill of Beria, the head maid.
She also prepared what was needed without Lalarua saying a word. …Beria was the monster of the servant world.
“Oh my, while we’re talking about the old days, we’ve arrived at Krone-sama’s office.”
“That was a very interesting story. Thank you, Martha-san.”
“No, no, no. I’m honored to pa.s.s the time with you, even though it was a boring story.”
It was not just to pa.s.s the time, but Ain would have liked to hear more about it… Well, he would have to wait for another time. While they were talking, they arrived at Krone’s office. He had no choice but to end the conversation now.
“It was a fun conversation. Beria-san is really an amazing person…”
“Yes, that’s true. Besides, there are a lot of secrets about her… I heard that she had a relationship with Warren-sama in the past. Oh… that was unnecessary. Then, Ain-sama, I’ll take my leave.”
“Eh, wait… Ma-Martha-san! What did you just say…”
Over the past few years, Martha had left behind some of the most disturbing words imaginable. That Warren was…? It’s hard not to be worried when you think about it.
“…N-no, that’s not good. I have plans today, so… I’ll listen carefully next time I get a chance.”
Ain made a mental note. Remembering that he had plans from now on, it would not be good to keep Krone waiting. With that in mind, he patiently endured the situation.
“Yes, come in.”
Ain knocked on the door and entered Krone’s office.
From now on, Ain and Krone would go to Warren’s place. And they would have several meetings regarding Baltic’s case.
＊＊＊
“Welcome, Ain-sama. And Krone-dono.”
After meeting Krone, Ain went to one of the meeting rooms in the castle. Warren was already waiting for them, so Ain and Krone sat down next to each other at a nearby table.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”
“No, you didn’t. However, Ain-sama, I’m glad you enjoyed the events of the morning.”
When Warren says this, his usual friendly face appears. Ain can’t deny that he was a little nervous about the event until today. But today was the big day, and he couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying it.
“…I’ll leave it to your imagination.”
“Fufu… Very good. That’s the best.”
There was no way Warren could not have known that, but Ain did not say what he really thought, as a bit of resistance.
“Then let’s get down to business and start the meeting.”
The meeting began. Warren handed some doc.u.ments to Ain, and he looked at them.
“The former territory of the Demon King. The area is still full of dangers. Normally, the Crown Prince, Ain-sama, would not be allowed to set foot in this area.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“But the situation is what it is, and we will target this area with all possible precautions. We will do so.”
Ain had thought that he would be forbidden to go to the territory of the former Demon King. He did not think that he would be granted permission.
“We will send more than half of the Royal Guard with you.”
“I see. If it’s them, I’ll feel safe.”
“That’s good to hear.”
As they were elites among elites, it was encouraging for Ain to have such a large number of Royal Guards escorting him. Krone, listening next to him, nodded her head in agreement.
“The rest is just Chris-san and Dill?”
“No. Chris-dono will not go to Baltic this time.”
“H-huh…? Chris-san is not coming?”
“Since she is the Marshal, we decided not to send her this time.”
When you put it that way, it made sense. It was true that Chris was the Marshal, and normally, she should not leave the royal capital so easily.
“Well, I don’t know if I can say this as a subst.i.tute. We’ll have Lloyd-dono with you, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
Warren had his usual mischievous smile on his face. His prank was successful since Ain was so stunned.
Krone, sitting next to him, also looked at Warren in surprise.
“Isn’t he supposed to be my grandfather’s personal bodyguard?”
“That’s all we can say about his position… And since His Majesty plans to stay in the castle, there’s no problem.”
It’s a lot to ask, but Sylvird didn’t really go out much. So, it was understandable that he thought about whether he needs an exclusive bodyguard.
“Lloyd-dono was very enthusiastic. His Majesty has given me permission, so there is no problem.”
“By the way, what did Chris-san say?”
Lloyd and Sylvird must be thrilled with the idea. He could see the two of them having a good time together.
And what about Chris? As for Ain, he was sure that Chris liked him. It made him wonder what she said about this personnel change.
“Actually, I haven’t told her yet.”
“Eh?”
“I can’t help it if she looks sad… It makes me feel hard, too, so I was wondering if you could tell her yourself, Ain-sama.”
“Oh… you can’t just impose such a hateful task on me…”
Warren waved his hand deliberately. Maybe he was convinced. Ain thought so, but there was nothing he could do about it.
“Well, well. Let’s leave the matter of Chris-dono for now. Ain-sama will tell her about it later.”
“You just dumped it on me, didn’t you? Warren-san? Hey?”
“Next, please explain the number of people who are going to Baltic with Ain-sama.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, I’ll tell her myself later,” Ain decided. Having decided that, Ain listened to Warren’s words.
“There are 122 people in total. That’s a big group.”
“W-we’re going with that many people?”
“I hope you understand that it’s a risk we’re willing to take.”
“I guess it can’t be helped if it is. It’s a dangerous area.”
In fact, even Warren was not fully aware of how dangerous it was. After all, the former Demon King’s territory was an undeveloped area that had not yet been explored. Warren did not know what to expect.
“So, Krone-dono?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I will leave it to Krone-dono to take care of Ain-sama as his personal attendant. Is that okay with you?”
“Yes, of course. You can count on me.”
During the trip to the Baltic, Krone would take care of Ain’s personal needs. That was what it meant. But it was strange. If it was such a large group, why didn’t they take servants with them?
“Warren-san? Is there any reason not to bring servants?”
“No. Of course, the servants will come as well. But Krone-dono will take care of Ain-sama’s personal needs.”
“I-I see… I feel like I understand, but I don’t.”
But for Ain, Krone must be more comfortable. Although there are parts he was not convinced of, he knew that Krone would do the job to serve him.
“Ain? The servants have to also take care of the Royal Guard. If they take care of Ain, they won’t have time to rest, will they?”
Krone, sitting on Ain’s left side, grabbed Ain’s left arm and began to explain. It was such a natural gesture that Ain was not even bothered.
“Well, when you put it like that, I guess it makes sense.”
“That’s good to hear. But you went first, didn’t you? You said, “My Krone.” So you don’t mind if I act like a servant, do you?”
“You can’t say that here…”
Warren, who had been watching the exchange between the two, smiled at them. They were much friendlier now than the day Krone had arrived in Ishtalika.
Warren was deeply moved by this.
“I know that Krone will do the work of attending to me. I also know that we’re going to have a big group. …And I also understand that I will be the one to tell Chris-san to stay home.”
There was a bit of bitterness in his words. Like a dog that has been told to stay, Chris would show him her sad eyes and face. Thinking about it made Ain feel heavy.
There was a reason why Warren asked Ain to do this. For example, he thought she would be less discouraged if Ain told her instead of Warren telling her in a bureaucratic way.
As the Marshal and as a knight… selfishness was secondary. Everyone knew that, but if it could make things a little less sad, the better.
“Hahaha! That’s the best. …Now, then, next. We would like to discuss the timing of Ain-sama’s departure to the Baltic region.”
“Oh, have you already decided on the timing?”
“Of course. This will be the first time that I will inform Krone-dono about it, so please make the necessary arrangements.”
“Thank you, Warren-sama.”
In addition to the doc.u.ments, Krone opened her notebook and prepared a memo. By the way, to elaborate a bit more, all these little things were prepared by her grandfather’s trading company.
“I was thinking of asking you to leave in two months, which is about the time autumn approaches.”
“That’s pretty soon again, isn’t it?”
“We have considered the availability of the royal guards, servants, and researchers, and we have decided that this is the best time for you to leave.”
Because of the large number of people involved, it was difficult to coordinate the schedule. Ain had a flexible schedule, but this time, it was not so easy.
“The detailed personnel and schedule will be decided by the beginning of next month. At that time, Krone-dono will also be invited to the meeting.”
“Then I will also make the necessary arrangements.”
“I’m counting on you. …By the way, Ain-sama?”
“Hmm? What?”
“How much do you know about the Baltic climate?”
Climate? Ain recited it in his mind.
There are a lot of adventurers, and there are a lot of monsters in the area as well. He understood such details, but he had never paid attention to the climate.
“Sorry. I guess I haven’t studied enough. I’ve never heard of it.”
“Oh… I apologize for that. …Then do you know, Krone-dono?”
“Yes, of course. You see Ain. Baltic is, in a word, a cold region.”
“How cold is it?”
Krone put her finger to her lips and began to think. She seemed to do so for a few seconds, and then, perhaps having gathered the information in her own way, she immediately resumed her explanation.
“It snows approximately half the year in this region.”
Why were so many monsters and people gathered in one place? He thought frustratedly. But there was no point in complaining to Krone. He left it in the back of his mind.
“Compared to the distance to Ist, it is indeed about ten percent closer. But to get to the Baltic, it is almost a straight line on a flat road, so it will be in the so-called northern part of the country.”
“I’d rather be hot than cold.”
At Ain’s cute complaint, Krone teased him with a smile.
“I understand. In that case, let’s put on a lot of clothes to make you feel hotter. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure you’re properly clothed.”
“…I feel like something feels different.”
“Thank goodness you have a competent a.s.sistant, Ain-sama.”
Even Warren started to tease him, so Ain quickly changed the subject. If this trend continued, there was a possibility that he would be made fun of more often.
“Well, joking aside, does that mean you’re going to prepare a new winter gear for me as well?”
“That’s right. By the time Ain-sama goes to the Baltic, it will have already started to snow.”
“That’s too early.”
It would be snowing by the time fall arrived. He had no idea that it was such a region. It seemed that he had to watch out not only for monsters but also be careful so as to not freeze to death. …Ain learned that the climate in the royal capital was quite favorable.
“By the way, this time, since the Crown Prince will go to the Baltic with a limited number of personnel, we will make an announcement. As for the content, the Crown Prince will be investigating the former Demon King’s territory, which was an undeveloped area like it is now. That’s the premise… Well, it’s not even a premise, but that’s how we plan to make the announcement.”
“Does that mean it will be like an official mission?”
“That’s right. It’s easier for us to make a schedule that way.”
“I guess so. Then it will be with royal trains only?”
The royal train was quite a ha.s.sle to get on and off. Ain didn’t like it very much because it attracted a lot of attention. Of course, it’s not a problem he could complain about, but whether he got used to it or not was another matter.
“Of course. So I would appreciate it if you could just show your face for a moment and then wave your hand.”
“I won’t ignore it though.”
To be honest, he was also curious about the n.o.ble car from White Rose to the Baltic. The interior of the train, what kind of train is it? The train was also of great interest to Ain, but the ride on the royal train was the most comfortable. Looking at it that way, there was no inconvenience for Ain either way.
“But, Warren-sama. I didn’t expect Lloyd-sama to be Ain’s escort…”
“I can understand Krone-dono’s doubts. It is true that Lloyd-dono is the best in command and personal arms. In every respect, he is the strongest person in Ishtalika today.”
Without a doubt, Lloyd was the strongest person in the capital. That was why he should have always been at Sylvird’s side. Krone thought so.
“Even His Majesty must have been worried… To tell the truth, it was His Majesty who put Lloyd-dono in charge in the first place.”
On the contrary, Sylvird had planned it first. He wanted Chris to go to the Baltic as well. But as expected… Lloyd and Warren were against it.
In fact, Sylvird never left the castle. So, to put it bluntly, there was a part of him that felt useless. And having Lloyd do the investigation would undoubtedly give Ain a new motivation.
So Lloyd was the best choice for this one time.
“Besides, we had actually asked Professor Oz to cooperate with us. But he said he couldn’t adjust his schedule, and we received numerous apologies.”
“Professor Oz would have been a great help, wouldn’t he?”
“That is true. But this time, the survey team is also quite competent. So don’t worry, Ain-sama.”
Ain remembered what had happened in Ist. Oz helped Ain many times, and in the end, he even prepared a Red Fox magic stone for him, and was the ultimate material for Ain. He would have been very grateful if he had accompanied him to the Baltic as well. It is a pity that he is so busy.
“The professor is also busy. It can’t be helped.”
“I would have liked to meet him since Ain-sama had praised him so highly, but… let’s give that up this time.”
After that, the three of them continued their meeting for about two hours.
Ain didn’t know that Baltic was an extremely cold place. It was not long before Ain left for the Baltic.