CHAPTER 62 – EAT IT“Magnificent results” (Caim)
As he listened to Caim, who was a person who rarely smiled, Doelgar was surprised while being on duty in the study hall.
“Hee, ojou-san is this excellent?” (Doelgar)
“That’s right. Bowing her head to Brokra, she had him teach her. A great difference to you who just somehow pa.s.sed.” (Caim)
“Shut up.” (Doelgar)
The two were quietly exchanging words in front of the desk where Phyrinion had fallen prostrating herself.
“I-I’m worn-out… It was the first time in my life that I studied this much.” (Phyrinion)
“Good work. Ojou-sama, here, please.” (Krinola)
Phyrinion, who received the cup with warm steam rising from it from the smiling Krinola, brimmed with a sweet smile by taking no more than a single sip.
“How sweetly delicious… thanks, Krinola” (Phyrinion)
Black tea sweetened with honey has been Phyrinion’s favourite drink since she was a child. Given that fine quality honey is very expensive, Krinola only takes it out at special occasions.
The sweet aroma tickling the nose and the faint bitter taste are able to heal her tired mind.
That’s when she was called out by Caim, who finished grading her.
“I confirmed that you have completed the part prepared as a.s.signment by Feudal Lord-sama without problems. In accordance to the ruler’s orders Phyrinion-sama will be welcomed as prefectural governor holding the same authority and rank as the feudal lord’s representative.” (Caim)
Caim bowed with a “Please treat me well” causing Phyrinion to stand up in a hurry.
“J-Just a moment! I have only been dispatched to simply help with the territory’s administration. No one told me anything about me becoming something like prefectural governor or the feudal lord’s representative!?” (Phyrinion)
“Is that so? Well, then you’ve been told about this matter now.” (Caim)
Phyrinion flares up as Caim tries to continue the talks with a smooth flow.
“That’s a joke, no? If it was such important task, I would have prepared a lot more diligently!” (Phyrinion)
“Furthermore, such critical task such as the feudal lord’s representative”, she sat down on the chair while feeling light-headed.
“Work and such is always something sudden. We, immediately after falling to the status of being slaves, changed into the feudal lord’s chess pieces in the blink of an eye while receiving education and practical work experience for merely a few days.” (Caim)
“Though I don’t consider it to be bad”, Caim tightened his mouth for an instant as he talked about their own situation totally out of character. Taking it this far, he changed the topic.
“At any rate, currently the only person holding a rank of n.o.bility in this territory is Phyrinion-sama. Since it is also the request of Feudal Lord-sama, please accept the post.” (Caim)
Phyrinion slowly shook her head at Caim, who is looking directly at her with his grey eyes.
“There is no other way.” (Phyrinion)
Phyrinion, standing up, brushes up her green hair.
“Phyrinion el Amazelo will undertake the duty of being the prefectural governor of this place from now on. … Best regards, Caim-san, Doelgar-san.” (Phyrinion)
Grasping the held out right hand in turns, Caim did it with his usual expressionless face while Doelgar smiled heartily as he replied that he was looking forward to it.
It was the likewise civil official slave, Brokra, who came rushing in at that point.
“Caim-san, A letter has been delivered from Pearson-san asking for support in their independence and alienation from Vichy…” (Brokra)
Hearing Brokra’s words, Caim scanned the letter and handed the letter over to Phyrinion without hesitation.
“You’ve got work right away, feudal lord’s representative. As one part of the enemy nation split away, they decided to send a letter without caring about appearances in their desire for help.” (Caim)
As Phyrinion read the doc.u.ment, her hands trembled due to the sudden, unexpected problem.
“Well then, what do you want to do?” (Caim)
And yet Caim mercilessly pressed her for a decision.
The Fokalore territorial army’s main occupation was to hunt for the sake of supplying food. They aren’t just military forces but also providers of the ingredients used by the staff members for the meals. They are putting great efforts into making luxurious meals with the scarce budget every day.
In reality, having directly competed with the enemy, it was basically daily training so that they could fight against an invasion from Vichy.
Even increasing their numbers by recruitment, they were in high spirits due to the expedition as it had been a while since they could actually fight. But, now that they came even as far as the national border, they saw how their leader, Hifumi, went wild as he pleases whereas the border guards scavenged for loot just like hyenas.
Without a replenishment of soldiers on Horant’s side, the substantial border area has become a captured territory of Orsongrande.
“It seems he rampaged flashily around once again, eh?” (Guard)
Alyssa, who caught the words of the soldiers from the border security, couldn’t help but smile bitterly due to the usual antics of Hifumi.
Even though they had explained it to the soldiers, they didn’t want to believe that such child was the commanding officer of the territorial troops. But as they saw the soldiers move briskly upon Alyssa’s order, they understood that they were far above in proficiency and treated her even more politely than their own superior officer.
“Earl Tohno has pa.s.sed through the border 3 days ago. After completely destroying the enemy, he departed aiming for the capital of Horant.” (Guard)
“Three days, huh…?” (Alyssa)
Before we arrive at the capital ourselves, the majority of the business will be finished, it seems, she thought.
Since Miyukare didn’t accompany her this time, she was told by Hifumi “Think about it and act appropriately.” In accordance with that order, she considered things properly.
“Yea… Anyway, let’s chase after Hifumi? There might be something we can help with.” (Alyssa)
“Understood! You heard her, everyone!” (Soldier)
With an “Aye” the voices of the burly men resounded frightening the guards.
“Get some rest here today and then let’s depart tomorrow morning. Guard-san, I want to borrow some camping site, but…” (Alyssa)
As Alyssa pleaded with upturned eyes, the guard had no other choice but to agree due to the territorial soldiers applying pressure on him in silence from her back.
The former soldiers of Horant, who regained their ego after being abused by Hifumi in the name of rescue, moved along the highway in groups heading towards Fokalore on foot.
In addition to a part of the Fokalore territorial army as escort, there were the survivors of the Second Knight Order, who were returning to the capital temporarily.
Of course, Vaiya is also one of them.
The travel takes two days. Without any particular problems occurring either, they quickly got on good terms as it had naturally became an easygoing mood due to being able to eat plenty as the Fokalore territorial soldiers went hunting for monster meat and as there was grain on the wagon.
“Then, you were in the group transferred from the capital?” (Vaiya)
“Yea, I was a soldier of the capital, but after hearing that it was possible to join a new territorial army, I volunteered as I have no family anyway.” (Soldier)
In order to listen closely to the story, Vaiya takes the bridle of his horse and walks together with the soldier.
The soldier was thankful for a knight expressly dismounting his horse first to walk alongside him. It reached the point that he showed a smile while they were talking about this and that.
“At first I was anxious hearing that it is the territory of a rising n.o.ble, which I didn’t know before, but after looking at the condition of the territory, I was amazed that it was a quite able Feudal Lord-sama, who dealt with the population in a carefree and impartial manner and who was a person treated even us common soldiers normally.” (Soldier)
“But on the other hand the training is pretty harsh and there are also various things I don’t get the meaning of”, Vaiya was caught in the grumbling of the soldier.
“What’s an example of the things you don’t get the meaning of?” (Vaiya)
“Let’s see…” (Soldier)
Listening to the story of the soldier, Vaiya received an impact as if being hit on his head.
They, the Fokalore territorial soldiers, received training using various imaginary situations such as group battles, one-to-many fights, one-on-one fights and fighting with the three types of weapons, sword, spear and bow. Furthermore they carried out repet.i.tions of moving as a small units and army corps learning how to move and at what time. They prepared even various patterns in different environments such as forest, downtown, buildings and prairie, and how to use spear throwers there.
Moreover he heard the unfamiliar word “style practise” when it came to methods of sword and spear training. He understood that they repeatedly practised although the pattern changed to using these weapons in serial combination moves, as he asked some questions due to his excitement.
“I see…” (Vaiya)
With the knight’s training being one-on-one to increase the ability in swordsmanship and spearmanship, it was typical to repeat nothing but practise swings for self-training.
It’s the same for soldiers as well. Their training is no more than learning to return running upon signals and yelling.
The training regimen of the Fokalore territorial army has advanced one or two steps ahead of the capital or the other territory armies, Vaiya believed.
If I think back now, after they finished setting up the camp last night, the Fokalore territorial soldiers, holding a sword in turns, were repeating motions facing against something. That has been style practise, I guess.
“I have a single request, but…” (Vaiya)
The soldier returned a smile albeit being surprised due to the abruptly started words.
“I wonder if it isn’t possible for me to take part in your training as well?” (Vaiya)
Vaiya thought that if he were to absorb the training methods of the Fokalore territorial soldiers here, he would be able to improve Orsongrande by a lot.
“Then, this and this. And also that. You guys have to eat plentifully as well. Our destination is still far away.” (Hifumi)
Urged on by Hifumi, Origa ordered boiled vegetables and soup following his example. Next the Fokalore territorial soldiers also ordered meat and bread.
The restaurant server, listening to the orders, showed a cramped smile with a pale face. As there were no other guests in the restaurant, he vanished into the kitchen quickly.
Hifumi, who leisurely entered the city after killing the guards, entered the restaurant he noticed by chance and had lunch.
The uproar has already spread across the city. Many shops and residential buildings have ended up closing their doors tightly and the people have vanished from the streets.
Hifumi entered the restaurant, which had bad luck for its paying guests running away in a hurry, before it could close up.
Since they didn’t know what would happen if they refused, the server and cook prepared the meals and dished them up in their desire to have them fill up their stomachs and leave as soon as possible.
“I-I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” (Server)
The server lined up one dish after the other on the table, but Hifumi tilted his head to the side.
“… Isn’t that somehow insufficient?” (Hifumi)
The plates aren’t any different in size to other countries, however the dishes on top of them are obviously lacking.
“Please forgive this. Although it is food rationing suited for restaurants, there are limits…” (Server)
While being scared the server mustered his courage with all his effort and explained the details to Hifumi, who discovered the part that bothered him.
“Food rationing? Then, aren’t ingredients distributed and sold in this city?” (Hifumi)
Tossing the cooking in front of his eyes into his mouth for the time being, he muttered that the taste was bad after swallowing it down.
“Such regulations are enacted in the entire country. All the goods like groceries and such are gathered by the n.o.bles once they are supplied to the territory and distributed to each household from there.” (Server)
Having the scared server forcibly sit at the table, Hifumi inquires about this and that to get the whole picture of the country called Horant.
By rationing the clothing and grocery, it has become a system of lending those from the n.o.bles without families or individuals having their own personal effects. And quite a big part of the money earned by individuals seems to be taken away as taxes in the name of residence expenses.
“It seems you don’t have to worry about not being able to eat, but there isn’t any meaning in doing one’s best either, isn’t that right?” (Origa)
The impression of Origa, who had the occupation of adventurer with distinct risks and returns, was that she wasn’t able to understand this system somehow. There isn’t an adventurer’s guild in Horant either. Apparently the task of exterminating monsters is exclusively allocated to the soldiers employed by n.o.bles.
“Since these types of security guarantee costs are included in the taxes as well…” (Server)
You can’t call it an insult in the least, but he isn’t able to hide his feelings of being bothered by it.
“Huuumph. And if you are given ingredients alongside money?” (Hifumi)
Hifumi, standing up suddenly, retrieved suitable ingredients from his darkness magic storage and placed it on an open table with a thud.
It is an amount that can easily feed dozens of people with meals.
“T-This is…” (Server)
Striking the shoulder of the shocked server, Hifumi smiles broadly.
“To be frank, server, prepare a lot more since you have extra ingredients. The taste isn’t bad.” (Hifumi)
“U-Understood!” (Server)
Hurriedly calling the cook, both of them carry the ingredients to the kitchen while being thankful.
Before long more dishes were carried in. The quant.i.ty as well as the taste were satisfying.
“Although the flavour changes if it’s a different country, you ate a considerable amount.” (Server)
“Yes, it was very delicious.” (Hifumi)
The server bowed with a smile from the bottom of his heart this time due to Hifumi’s words. Next to him was the cook, who appeared from the kitchen to give his grat.i.tude for the ingredients.
“For the time being, will this be enough?” (Hifumi)
As Hifumi wanted to pa.s.s them several gold coins, the server firmly refused to accept it as they had even received the ingredients.
“Besides, we won’t be able to use the gold coins from Orsongrande in this country…” (Server)
Due to the server saying this apologetically, Hifumi laughed about this matter.
“If that’s the case, it will be fine, if you hide it somewhere for a little while. Because this country will very soon vanish, the folks worrying about such trivial matters, like the shape of gold coins being different, will disappear.” (Hifumi)
“Ue?” (Server)
The server unintentionally released a strange voice due to having been promised a ruined country suddenly. He saw off Hifumi’s group quickly leaving in blank amazement.
Observing the cook, he is also looking in that direction.
“Did that person say that this country will vanish just now?” (Cook)
“Yea, he definitely said that.” (Server)
The story told by the people of this city informed them of an atrocious invader who ma.s.sacred the guards of this city, but with the exchange from just now, their impression of him turned 180°.
But his last words were completely those of an invader.
The cook called out to the confused server and hit his back with a smack.
“There’s no point in thinking about stuff we don’t understand. Also, leaving that aside…” (Cook)
He points at the other ingredients left by Hifumi.
“The restaurant has already been closed for today. Let’s stuff our bellies for the first time in a while.” (Cook)
“… Yea, that’s right.” (Server)
“There is delicious looking meat and fresh vegetables!” While the two discussed the art of cooking, it became a time of enjoying eating before long.