Chapter 36.6: Capital of North
Though I feel bad for saying this to Omiros, I also want to dance with Reiji. Though I once dance with him, it wasn't for too long since there were many girls who wanted to dance with Reiji-kun were already waiting in line. I want to enjoy it slowly if there's another chance to dance with him. I want to dance with Kuroki, too. Kuroki isn't very good with this kind of gaudy and expressive buildings like this one and will leave at once. But, he might change his mind once he sees my current appearance.
Since Kuroki's appearance isn't that bad, I think that he should come to this kind of place once in a while. He shouldn't live in a dark place like Nargol.
Hence, I'm definitely going to take him back.
「It's okay, my lady. If he dares to do something insolent to you, I'll smash him by myself」
Corfyna and I smile wryly after hearing Kaya-san's words. Let's not ask her which place she's going to smash. By the way, we were not informed that Parsish-tachi received dance lessons in another place. But to be able to dance with a beauty like Kyouka-san, they should have that level of preparation. At any rate, tomorrow is the ball dance. I have to gather enough information about Kuroki as soon as this ball dance is finished.
◆ Former Governor, Echigos
「Damn it... What should I do now...」
I ponder about my future plans while walking on the streets of Velos kingdom. After that event, Daigan and I were tied by those ogre-like women with padlock, carried like a luggage with hippogriff, and came to this kingdom.
They let the hippogriff take a rest so many times along the way. The burden on the hippogriff became higher due to carrying us. I wanted to tell them to release us already if possible.
Daigan is in jail right now. They couldn't leave him out because they don't know what he's capable of if they leave him alone.
As for me, I was released after spending one night in the jail since I'm just a normal human, after paying the maintenance cost for letting me into jail. Though it was a good thing that I've been released from the jail, I'm penniless now.
What should I do from now on?
All my gold are hidden in the secret room in my mansion at Koki country. I have to take it back at all costs. But, it might take a lot of money to go back to Koki country. Currently, I have no way to gain some money in this kingdom. What should I do to get some money, then? This kingdom is kind toward merchants. The reason is because the queen of this kingdom is originally a merchant's daughter.
The queen is hailed as the textbook of a lady and the incarnation of virtue. But, she would receive different evaluation from me and my merchant comrades: Calculative woman. She ignored the hero in the past, but it's just natural. The queen is originally a lowborn daughter of a merchant. She was going to lose her hard won queen position if she were to ride along with the hero's invitation which would then ruin her family. The queen won't perform such dangerous actions because the hero won't always come to save the day.
Currently, she's governing this kingdom from the shadows by receiving the affection of the king.
Though I was a wealthy merchant in the past, my business collapsed and I lost everything including my patron due to that queen. Thanks to that, I became a wandering merchant.
Though the queen appears to be a calm and kind person at glance, she's in fact an extremely shrewd woman. And before I know, she has become as one expected of a queen. The trading rule of that queen is perfect without any loopholes. It might be true that I don't want to earn my income in an honest way.
What should I do?
「Wait」
Someone calls out to me while I'm pondering about that matter. When I turn around, I saw two large men with a seemingly elder woman between them. It seems the one that called me was one of those man. I don't remember seeing the three of them.
「Uhm, may I ask your business with me?」
I reply with a polite tone. I can feel signs of violence from those big men. Taking my life with those big arms of theirs might be an easy matter. Let's act humble for now.
「If I'm not mistaken, I saw you once before in Zengu's house. Your name is Echigos, right?」
Cold sweat trickles down my spine when I heard Zengu's name.
「It seems I was right」
The big man is laughing. It hit me once I saw something like a tusk in his mouth. It means that the trio, who know Zengu's name, could only be ogres. So they can assume human-like appearance, huh? There are some demons who can assume a human appearance. It's not like have I never heard about that story. And then, when I look at the old woman.
Thinking through the probable ogres who know about Zengu, the identity of the old woman might be that terrifying mother of his.
I must run away from this place.
「U-Uhm, could it be that you're mistaking me for someone else?」
After saying so, I step back, about to break into a run.
「GUHE?!」
Only to end up falling on that place. My feet felt like they were stuck to the ground.
「Your shadow is stitched to the ground. Do you think that you can escape from this Kujig?」
When I look at my feet, the cane of that old woman is pinned on my shadow. It seems like some kind of magic to seal my movement.
Kujig, I know that name. She's Zengu mother. And then, an ogre wizard hailed as the queen of the blue forest. The name 'Kujig the witch' is famous in the northern part of the continent.
The confectionary castle in which she lives deep inside the blue forest has an extremely sweet scent that it could reach the kingdom of humans that are quite far from it. And before they know, those humans would be drawn by that sweet smell and end up as Kujig's prey.
The old woman is coming closer. I can see the terrifying tusk growing out from her mouth. My body is trembling in fear.
「Now, spit out everything you know」
Kujig is laughing. It was an extremely terrifying laugh.