Chapter 41.2: Minstrel
While we continued chatting about several things, we heard a voice coming from outside our room.
When I opened the door, Rietto was standing in front of the door.
In front of her was a wheeled cart with lots of food in it.
It seemed that she brought our meal.
Honestly speaking, we should be dining with the king, but we have to dine in a separate place because of Regena.
「I! I! I brought your meal!」
Stuttered Rietto. Well, she might be nervous. And then, Rietto pusheed the cart into the room.
「Uhm, that's...」
She seemed to be hesitating to say something. She might be scared of us.
It's still fresh in the memories of the people of Algore how Reiji-kun wreaked havoc here sometime ago. I could still feel their fear when they saw us.
Rietto was arranging the dishes with trembling hands.
If I convert her age to the one in our world, she should be around the upper grade of an elementary school student or middle school student. In short, she's a cute little girl.
Being feared by this cute girl was rather saddening.
The dishes that had been served was a rather general dishes, even by this world standard.
Bean soup and turnip along with fruit and grilled chicken meat, and the small bottle on the corner of the cart might be the fish sauce.
Though the amount of our meal was on the larger side, it had less variety.
The difference is just like heaven and earth compared to the meal that was given to us in Veros kingdom.
Well it's not a surprise for me since I knew that Algore isn't a wealthy country. I mean we most likely won't go back to Algore if it's not for Regena.
「W-............ Well, I'll excuse myself..........」
Saying so, Rietto left the room as if running away from us.
It really couldn't be helped, even though I wanted to talk with her for a while longer.
Looking at our food. Though it simple and didn't seem to be delicious, I really couldn't say that it's luxurious either.
「Will you eat with us too, Regena? It's the dishes of your birthplace you know.」
I said so to Regena.
I meant last night aside, it seemed that she's really hungry right now since she doesn't seem to have that much appetite even during breakfast.
A lovely rumbling noise suddenly resounding. It's the sound of Regena stomach. It seems that the food here is stimulating her appetite.
We then looked at each other, grinning ear to ear.
「W-What are you laughing for! ! I-It's not like I'm hungry! ! 」
Regena was pressing her stomach with flushing red face.
「Fufufu, Regena-san. Kuroki-san will be sad if you're not as lively as usual when you meet him again you know.」
Kaya-san was baiting her using Kuroki name.
「You're right......... I shouldn't make my dear master sad..........」
Here you go, even Regena had no choice but to eat when Kaya-san mentioned Kuroki name.
Really, what is so good about Kuroki anyway?. There should be more disappointing side about him.
「.......Wow, quite a luxurious meal we got there aren't we? As expected, even uncle Montes won't have the guts to be so rude at the little sister of the hero.......」
Regena said so as she looked at the dishes.
「Is this luxurious meal for this country? 」
Asked Kyouka-san. Even though It sounds like sarcasm if it's said by another person but, Kyouka-san isn't that kind of a person. She simply wanted to confirm that fact from Regena.
「That's right. This is a luxurious meal for this country. They won't go as far as taking out fish sauce if it's not for important time.......」
Regena's replying so to Kyouka-san as if it's just a matter of fact.
The general seasoning of this world is involving salt, vinegar, and fruit oil. Fish sauce isn't included in there.
But by our knowledge, it shouldn't be too hard to obtain these fish sauce regardless of its popularity. It might be a valuable seasoning in Algore.
「It really is a poor country....... There's no fruit growing around this land. It's even poorer than Nargol in certain meaning.」
「Nargol is, a poor place? 」
「For human, that's it. Nevertheless, we got something to eat in there thanks to my dear master consideration. The meal in this country is even poorer than that of Nargol.」
Regena's replying so after hearing my question.
「U~hm, come to think of it, what is Kuroki daily meal? 」
「My dear master dai-........」
Regena was starting to tell us more about Kuroki.
Regena is really thin lipped in regard to bragging about Kuroki. She kept feeding us the information about Kuroki that we're dying to know.
In this way we managed to secure many information about Kuroki from her.
According to her, Kuroki didn't seem to be completely under someone control.
And despite that girl called Kuna dislike Regena, Kuroki was still keeping her by his side.
It seemed that Kuroki was really cherishing Kuna.
According to Regena evaluation, it seemed that Kuna was the Demon King daughter. She just suddenly appeared one day though she never appeared when Kuroki took Regena to Nargol for the first time.
And then there's a fact that she always told Regena that Kuroki is her man.
That's why she's definitely the one who was controlling Kuroki to act as the Dark Knight from behind the scene with magic. But then, from Regena testimonies, it seemed that her control over him wasn't perfect.
That's my conclusion after hearing her story so far.
Maybe it's faster to ask the girl about the truth than talking to Kuroki.
Where are they right now I wonder?
Maybe they're already in the vicinities of Algore.
Maybe I need to warn the citizen of Algore to keep their alert toward the sky. I mean Kuroki might come from the sky with his dragon.
And since a dragon is really conspicious, we'll be alerted immediately.
「Let's just wait........... Please come quickly, Kuroki...........」
I muttered so.
◆ Prince of Algore, Omiros
「Really, those women are just like pestilence god....... And to top it, they even bring this guy along........」
looking at the werewolf on the cart, Macgiusis was letting out his irritation.
Me and Macgiusis were transporting the werewolf with a cart.
The werewolf couldn't move due to the padlock that bind his limbs.
At first, we were locking him in the bunker, the toughest building in Algore but then, the manager of the bunker told us to send him to another place.
Algore doesn't have something like prison. Because the criminal were being banished or executed rather than sent into a jail.
But then, we do have a place to confine him for now. But then, even if that place could imprison a human, it's ill-suited to imprison a nonhuman lifeform.
「You shouldn't grumble like that, Macgyusis. She is the little sister of the hero who win the heart of the goddess you know.」
I rebuked Macgyusis who was venting his frustation.
Naturally, most of Algorians were of goddess Rena faith. And Macgyusis words could be considered as disrespect toward the goddess.
And it's natural for Algorians to believe in the goddess that was opposing the Demon King due to the geographical position of Algore which closest to nargol.
And due to his hostile act against the hero, Qupis lost the support of Algorians which then in turn became the trigger for the civil war.
「Oh, come on, not you too, Omiros....... I mean those guys were basically inviting the ogres and the Dark Knight to come to Algore too. If something goes wrong, Algore might be ruined you know.......」
I know what Macgyusis was trying to tell me. Even just one of those two already have enough power to destroy Algore.
「Macgyusis. We are the warriors of Algore. What are you going to do to protect Algore if you're afraid of the ogres and Dark Knight.」
All of us, Algorian were the descendant of the brave warriors who gathered to invade Nargol. What will you say to your ancestor if you're getting scared of demon.
「Oh come on, even if you tell me that...........」
The warriors of Algore might have weakened along with the passing generations. It's proven by Macgyusis being scared by the ogres and the Dark Knight.
「Don't worry Macgyusis. Beside, those girls will do something about the trouble that was invited by them to Algore. You've seen it yourself right? How easily one of them beating the Myulmidons.......... Though you're not there at that time, that girls told me that they're going to do something about the ogres.」
I meant those girl met my father, Montes just few minutes ago. At that time, the woman called Kaya had said to father that she would do something for those ogres.
「I see.......... In that case, I have nothing to say about that invasion matter, but Regena is a completely different matter.」
My heart sank in hearing his words.
As expected, it's not allowed huh.
Am I really unable to do something to protect Regena?
I became really sad when I recalled my helplessness. It's not just Macgyusis. Everyone was ostracizing Regena.
Many people died because of Qupis. Regena herself had nothing to do with that, but she was still treated as enemy of everyone because she was Qupis daughter.
Maybe it's better if Regena didn't live in Algore.
I'm really glad that I could meet Regena again. Is it just a pipe dream to wish for everything to be back to how it was before?
And then, I thought about the Dark Knight. The Dark Knight who saved Regena is an extremely kind person.
When her fellow human was trying to kill her, the Dark Knight from Nargol was the one who saved her life. What an irony.
But, I don't want Regena to be sad. That's why, I've decided.
I wonder where that Dark Knight is right now? Maybe he's already around the vicinities of Algore to take back Regena.
Thus we've arrived at our destination as I was pondering about such things.
There's an empty house appeared in our vision. It was originally an empty house that was currently under repair outside of the fort.
And also the house of Macgyusis families. This house was the only one that escaped the aftermath of the war, Regena was also confined in there for sometimes.
The wooden windows of this house was nailed with wooden boards, same goes with its two entrances.
Human aside, though I wondered a little whether this place could imprison a werewolf, we have no other available place. Thus we have no other choice but to use this place.
「Oh, if it isn't young lord. Are you bringing someone again? 」
The one who was standing on guard in front of this house was coming to greet me,
But then, why was he standing on guard, And I'm also curious about his previous statement,
「"Again" you say? 」
Then I asked so to the guard.
「Ah, my bad. He's referring to me when he said those words.」
The one who replied my question was Macgyusis.
「You see, we're capturing an extremely suspicious person when you guys were having an audience with the little sister of the hero.」
That's the first time I heard about this.
「I'm told that they caught that person when they're patrolling outside to look at the situation of the Myulmidons. That person said that he came from Rox kingdom which is located in the southern direction of this country.」
I know about Rox kingdom. I stopped by that place once before. He came from such far place huh. I wonder why did he came to this place?
「The person itself insisted that he is just an ordinary traveler. Thus we arrest him for formality reason.」
It's just as Macgyusis had said, we're now in an emergency situation. Everyone is filled with trepidation due to the incoming attack of the ogres and the Dark Knight.