TDAA Ch 29
by soapaNo matter how much he thought about it, it felt unfair.
“I may not look like it, but I’m a wolf….”
“A really weak wolf.”
“Luber!”
As Siol turned around and glared, Luber looked away and feigned ignorance.
Siol even felt a sense of betrayal at the transformation of the little puppy, who was usually so docile and sweet.
In the Land of the Beastmen, Siol had been treated as a weak wolf who couldn’t even jump from the third floor. Let’s just say that was understandable, since he couldn’t do something that anyone in that neighborhood could. But even here, in a land full of ordinary humans who struggled to jump from the second floor, let alone the third, Siol was still being treated as a weakling.
‘For a wolf, you can only do as much as a human, so you must be really, extremely, completely feeble’—that was the true nature of the sympathy the dog beastmen felt for Siol.
“But it’s true. The adults told me that wolves are really strong, big, cute, and lovely!”
Really strong, big, cute, and lovely.
Hearing those completely mismatched adjectives lumped together, Siol scrunched up his face.
“What’s that about? Who said that? That wolves are really strong, big, cute, and lovely?”
Except for strong and big, not a single word was correct.
“It’s a story about a wolf who used to live in this domain.”
“A wolf… lived in this domain?”
As Siol struggled up the stairs due to his thick coat, Luber offered a hand. Siol took his hand and, huffing and puffing, laboriously climbed the tall steps one by one.
Usually, Siol could go up and down with ease, as he had the body of a wolf, but wearing two layers of coats that came down below his knees, he couldn’t bend his knees properly.
“It was before I was born, so… about 15 years ago.”
Luber began the story with a look of someone trying to recall a memory.
Siol, inwardly surprised once again by the fact that this big puppy wasn’t even 15 years old yet, pretended to listen intently.
“Back then, the former king was still alive and would visit our lord. But one day, he brought back a dying dog he’d found. It was a small puppy, only about the size of a fist, but it was incredibly strong. They said it beat all the adults. But later, it turned out…!”
“It turned out to be a wolf?”
When Siol asked back as if it were absurd, Luber nodded his head.
“What? The wolf was a spy?”
“Gosh, you’re so suspicious! You’d be in big trouble if you said that in front of the other adults. I told you, he was a really strong, big, cute, and lovely wolf, okay? Who talks about a spy like that? Everyone really liked that wolf.”
“Then what was it?”
“The truth is, that wolf was originally a huge wolf, but he got caught up in some incident and became small. He thought he could never return to his homeland, so he was planning to just live here.”
“Hmm…. Dogs do look quite a bit like wolves.”
“That’s right. There’s a story that we’re distant relatives.”
It did seem plausible that if he woke up dying and surrounded by dogs, he would be reluctant to reveal his true identity. Siol felt a sense of kinship with that really strong, big, cute, and lovely wolf. In fact, when you thought about it, wasn’t Siol in a similar situation in the Land of the Beastmen? Just as Siol had wanted to be vague about his identity when he awoke as a beastman, that wolf must have wanted to do the same.
On Earth, there’s a theory that dogs are domesticated wolves, their appearances are that similar, so he probably could have passed for one.
“…So he pretended to be a dog and lived among dogs.”
“We used to really hate wolves. I mean, it’s true, isn’t it? They look down on us so much for living a non-wild life. We look similar, but they always act like they’re the only ones who are special!”
“Right….”
In truth, a moderate expression like ‘act like they’re the only ones who are special’ couldn’t fully represent the extent to which wolves looked down on dogs, but Siol pretended to quietly agree. Saying something like, ‘They use the word ‘dog’ as a slur,’ at this moment would do no good.
“Wolves are selfish, mean, self-centered, and have no manners. That’s how we see them. Their etiquette isn’t properly established, they just act based on intuition, don’t they? Their children probably don’t learn properly and just figure things out as they go, getting beaten whenever they make a mistake, right?”
He wasn’t wrong.
If Luber had been born a wolf, he might not have grown up as this coddled child and might have become a rough and violent wolf, beaten every time he made a mistake.
Siol thought it was a relief that the beastman who found him was a blue dragon. Ryufen had been violent at first too, but after Siol got sick once, he was thoroughly scolded by the blue dragon and had treated him cautiously ever since, hadn’t he? If Siol had just been entrusted to a regular wolf family, he might not have been able to endure it.
“But once we became friends, we found that Titi had a wild charm. Oh, Titi is the wolf’s name. The former king gave it to him.”
“I see.”
“So we came to understand that wolves weren’t just mean from birth, but that it was just a cultural difference… just a di, di… diver… diversity that wolves have! Diversity!”
Luber looked proud, as if he had just learned the word ‘diversity’ recently and had been itching to use it. Siol gave him a small round of applause. Little Luber’s nose shot up toward the sky.
The dogs’ response of deciding to consider even the way the wild wolves looked down on them as a form of diversity was a bit strange, but since it was a conclusion reached by such kind-hearted individuals, he decided to just let it slide.
“Anyway, Titi was super strong, cool, and just amazing! He could catch bears like it was nothing, and a single swat from his front paw would kill a ferocious tiger! But he had a really gentle personality, so he’d let it go even if someone stepped on his tail.”
“That’s incredible.”
Hearing about a wolf that was incredibly strong, big, cool, and a good hunter, Siol was unconsciously reminded of Ryufen. To call such a giant wolf by a cute name like Titi, the people of this domain were quite something themselves.
Siol, who secretly imagined himself calling Ryufen ‘Titi,’ pressed his lips together tightly to keep from laughing.
“So when you said you were a wolf, Master Siol, everyone was so excited… but when we first saw you, you were so frail.”
“Sorry I’m such a disappointment.”
“No, you don’t have to be sorry… it’s just that you seem weaker in comparison.”
“So that’s why you’re all making such a fuss. If you just think of me as a human, I’m just average.”
Siol pouted, blaming the wolf named Titi for raising the expectations for wolves so high.
In fact, Luber had a record of being dragged away with his snout clamped shut by other dogs after bluntly asking Siol, “What’s wrong with you, Master Siol?” when they first met. He hadn’t understood what it meant back then, but it seemed the question had been, ‘Titi was so strong, big, cute, and lovely, so what’s wrong with you, Master Siol, since you’re also a wolf?’
“Every species has different physical limits. Master Siol should be much stronger, but since you’re only about as strong as a human….”
Luber grabbed Siol’s hand firmly, pulling him back as he almost slipped and fell, and continued.
“Please be careful. Anyway, looking at you, Master Siol, it feels like a human having only the strength of a rabbit… it makes me anxious.”
“…Thanks.”
The fact that he was this weak despite having the body of a wolf was surely because of the blue dragon’s curse.
Siol remembered his body overflowing with strength, feeling like he could do anything before the curse. The body that had been full of energy like a child’s had gone limp like waterlogged cotton as soon as the blue dragon’s curse returned.
If he had received the curse in a human body, he might have really become a frail human with only the strength of a rabbit. And with a body as fragile as a rabbit’s, he might have been unable to withstand it and lost his life the first time the curse seized his heart. Thinking of it that way, becoming a young wolf wasn’t just a matter of being lucky not to have woken up as a sparrow or a bug, but truly a stroke of fortune.
The mystery of this body was a great blessing that had saved Siol’s life.
When he met Ladie again, after they shook hands and he took off his hood, she couldn’t hide her shocked face at the sight of Siol with wolf ears. But she soon nodded in acceptance and simply said, “It seems you’ve been through a lot, Master Siol.”
It was a great relief. The things he had experienced so far were too complicated to explain in such a place, and there was also the physical mystery of why he had become this way, which he himself did not understand. And to explain it all, he would have had to confess his love for the dragon.
Siol wasn’t ready for that yet, so he readily accepted Ladie’s consideration. When he promised to tell her the detailed story later, Ladie quietly nodded. Come to think of it, he needed to talk to Ladie about what happened in the Land of the Beastmen soon….
On his way out of the mansion, Siol passed by five humans and seven dog beastmen. The humans who saw his appearance stared with wide eyes and walked past without being able to compose their expressions, while the dog beastmen looked at Siol proudly, as if to say, ‘That’s more like it.’
And beside Siol, who was feeling ashamed of their reactions, Luber followed with a proud expression.
Still, after experiencing it a few times, it was more or less manageable to ignore. Siol left the mansion with Luber and began walking toward the distribution center, observing the lives of the domain’s people.
“But why the sudden outing, Master Siol?”
“I’m wondering what to make next, so I came out to see what people need.”
“Why are you wondering what to make next? You can just make my master’s eyes!”
“Luber.”
Siol looked at Luber as if to tell him to stop.
“That’s the most important thing in this domain right now!”
“Luber.”
“My master-.”
“Luber!”
Paying no heed to the quiet warning, Luber kept pestering. Siol called his name firmly and came to a halt. Siol, who had always been indulgent and gone along with what Luber said, now stared blankly with a hardened expression before turning and walking away on his own. Luber, his face on the verge of tears, chased after him.
“No, that’s not what I meant, Master Siol…!”
“Making eyes is different from making a prosthetic arm or leg, where you just have to replicate the movement of bones and muscles.”
“Yes.”
“The brain has to be able to understand what the artificial eye sees. It’s difficult, and it’s dangerous.”
“Yes….”
“I can research it slowly and try it someday, but not yet. Do you understand?”
“I’m sorry….”
Luber nodded his head meekly. It was obvious he hadn’t understood a single word but was just intimidated by Siol’s rare sternness.
Siol felt a prickling on the back of his neck. For scolding the domain’s superstar puppy in the middle of the street, every passerby was glaring at him. Even without their gazes, Siol was bothered by Luber’s crestfallen state.
“…Luber, that’s something that takes time. Okay?”
“Yes! I’ll wait patiently! I’ll even offer you bribes!”
“No, I told you, I don’t need bribes….”
Seeing Siol sigh as if exhausted, Luber grinned slyly.
⋆୨🔮୧⋆
The distribution center was much neater than he had expected.
Siol, who had imagined a shabbily built tent with weary staff and meager meals inside, found himself reflecting on his own poor imagination. He even felt that his assumption that it would be about the same level as on Earth had been rude to Lord Meric.
First of all, the distribution center was set up inside a huge building called the domain’s central hall. Inside the hall, a roaring pile of firewood was in the center, with tables and chairs neatly arranged around it so people could eat comfortably.
As Siol stepped into the hall, the eyes of the people inside flocked to him. Fortunately, however, they were not gazes directed at the Alchemist of Death who had taken refuge in this domain, but rather at a strange human in ridiculously thick clothing.
Of course, that wasn’t exactly pleasant either.
“Here, please sit here! I’ll go get it.”
Luber led Siol to a table near the bonfire and then dashed off toward the distribution area as if flying.
Siol stretched his hands and feet toward the bonfire to warm himself and looked around.
Worried about carbon monoxide, he looked up at the ceiling and was relieved to see a hole at the very top. The ceiling was made of a pointed roof, and a strange, sun-like pattern made of metal adorned the center where the hole was.
Was there some meaning to it? Siol, pondering this like a true alchemist, soon caught himself with a start and turned his gaze to his surroundings.
He was here to observe the people today, this was no time to be distracted by such things.
The distribution center had an orderly and relaxed atmosphere. It seemed they didn’t kick people out after they finished their meals, as people were gathered around, chatting leisurely. Little kids were squatting near the fire, seemingly plotting something.
That orderly and relaxed atmosphere seemed to reveal the influence Lord Meric had on this land and the direction of his political actions.
The mayor who ruled the city where Siol had lived on Earth was a truly vicious person who didn’t properly feed the citizens who lacked special abilities. They were always starving, so they became extremely sensitive at the distribution center, fighting as if to kill each other over a mere bump of the shoulder or a stepped-on foot.
The fact that the food distribution center was this relaxed meant that Lord Meric was either providing food abundantly to his people, or, if not, that at least a fair distribution was being carried out, even if the rations were a bit small.
“It would have been nice if my mayor had been like this….”
Then things wouldn’t have been so hard.
Siol muttered blankly as he watched the domain’s people live out their days without agitation despite losing their protective barrier, then let out a bitter smile. Comparing the long-gone past and envying others was a truly meaningless act.
Turning his head toward the distribution area, he could see Luber, who had at some point transformed into a large dog, holding his neck stiffly and allowing his body to be handled by the staff handing out food. Not only the three or four staff members but also the domain’s residents who had come for their rations flocked to Luber, stroking his fur. Amidst them, Luber enjoyed the popularity, but when a hand slyly went for his belly, he slapped it away and glared with a stern look. Then, the people stroking Luber also gave the man a disapproving look.
“Wow…. He’s really popular….”
He had seen him being petted by one or two people at the mansion, but this was the first time he had seen him being adored while surrounded by so many people. Siol was genuinely impressed, truly feeling the extent of Luber’s popularity.
Luber turned his head away from the man who was stammering an apology, acting angry, but finally relented and licked the man’s hand a few times only after the man offered something like a sweet potato. Then, the other people around them also started sharing delicious-looking food with Luber. Surprisingly, Luber was giving special service, like letting them touch his paws or licking them, only to those who gave him food.
One person even handed Luber a rather special-looking bundle and got to touch his belly.
“…That’s a bit….”
Good grief.
Siol stared blankly at the bizarre scene with his mouth agape.
Of course, Luber was a dog, and all the people there seemed to be doing it simply because they wanted to pet a magnificent dog, without any strange intentions, but the dog in question was so blatantly offering special services only to those who gave him presents… no, bribes, that it didn’t look good.
At best, it was a case of accepting bribes.
So that’s why Luber kept talking about bribes. Because he was always receiving them.
After being absorbed in fan service for a good while, Luber transformed back into a human and came running over excitedly, holding a plate piled high with food.
In fact, Siol knew that Luber went around being adored and receiving various things, but seeing it with his own eyes felt different. He had imagined a cute scene of an adorable dog being petted and getting some tasty treats, but what he actually saw looked like a corrupt public official.
Siol asked with a weary face.
“…Does Eorzen know you go around doing this?”
“Of course, he knows.”
“And he doesn’t say anything?”
“Of course! …He tells me not to.”
Luber retorted with a pouting lip and pushed the plate in front of Siol.
“He tells me not to shake people down…. But how does this look like shaking people down? It’s just that I’m popular, so everyone offers things on their own! And I usually don’t accept from ordinary people, you know? I only accept from peo… people in power, like the head chef or the chief steward. I had no choice but to accept this time because there’s someone who needs to be fed especially well.”
“And that’s me?”
“I’ll be the one who gets scolded later if I really only fed you potatoes. So hurry up and eat.”
Siol was dumbfounded by the selfish shifting of responsibility, but he soon shook his head and reached for a sweet potato on the plate. Only then did Luber grin and whisper, “accomplice,” then started eating himself. It would be co-conspirator….
Fortunately, the gazes and attention that had gathered soon subsided once Luber stopped his fan service. Siol ate his breakfast in silence, secretly listening to the conversation the staff members were having. A wolf’s ears could hear the conversations of people sitting far away as clearly as if they were right next to him.
“…We need to be frugal with the firewood. We haven’t been able to gather wood properly this year. Is there any word from above?”
“I heard they’re planning to select some knights to send out with the woodcutters soon.”
“Hmm. Yes, we’ll have to do that at least. We can’t keep using expensive timber for firewood.”
“Still, it’s a relief that our domain’s specialty is high-quality timber. It’s a waste to burn it without being able to sell it, but it’s better than freezing to death, right?”
Haven’t been able to gather wood properly?
Siol tilted his head and whispered to Luber.
“What does it mean they haven’t been able to gather wood properly?”
As Siol whispered, Luber, without knowing why, whispered back in kind.
“Firewood. We used to be able to cut down trees freely inside the protective barrier. But now that the barrier is gone, we can’t just go out to gather wood carelessly. We’re so short-handed right now that we’ve been getting by sharing what was stored at the mansion, but it seems things are getting tight.”
“If we run out of firewood in this cold….”
“We could freeze to death. But it’s probably not that dangerous yet.”
It took days to starve to death, but only a single night, or even just a few hours, to freeze to death.
Siol thought that perhaps the answer to the problem he had been contemplating might be here. Something that could help the people of this domain and allow him to be recognized as an alchemist.
Lord Meric was preparing for a fight with the king, but he wasn’t neglecting the survival of his people. The two held similar importance, meaning that alleviating the cold and hunger of the people was just as important as increasing the combat power of the knights. The food problem was somewhat balanced under Lord Meric’s command, but the firewood problem was not.
From what he heard, they were planning to select knights to send out with woodcutters, but if the working-level staff were already saying ‘we need to be frugal with the firewood,’ the situation might already be a bit late. Because firewood isn’t something you can use right after chopping it; it needs a drying period.
“Don’t worry. If the firewood runs out, I’ll secretly get some.”
“…Like this food?”
As he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Luber grinned. That was a yes.
Siol shook his head and tried to exercise his imagination, wondering what methods there could be.
First, the easiest method to think of was making a dryer. If he could reduce the drying time for wood, which usually takes a good four or five months, to one or two months, that alone would be quite helpful. However, to dry enough wood for this entire domain, wouldn’t the dryer have to be the size of a building? The size itself wasn’t an issue since he could just draw runes on the floor and walls of a building, but the problem was the magical power it would consume.
Magic stones. He needed magic stones.
It seemed no matter what he tried to do, magic stones were the problem. Siol sighed deeply and filled his stomach with sweet potatoes, potatoes, and beans roasted on the bonfire.
The sigh wasn’t out of regret for his current situation of being unable to use magic stones, but out of shame for himself. He was once an alchemist who specialized in methods that used almost no magic stones, but after a period of profligate living, he had become an alchemist who could only think of convenient methods that used them liberally. It was embarrassing to even proudly call himself an alchemist.
As a result of receiving so much love from the dragon and the world, he had become an alchemist who could only perform luxurious alchemy. To have become incompetent from receiving so much love, what kind of nonsensical outcome was this?
Siol’s pride was hurt.
He was determined to solve this problem, no matter what. In particular, while he could argue that the efficiency and good results of his alchemy, thanks to the world’s love, were his own ability, the dragon’s love was entirely different. No matter how much the dragon lavished him with materials, including magic stones, he shouldn’t have taken it so for granted.
“Luber. The firewood here is different from the one in my lab, right?”
“Yes, the one used in the mansion is a higher quality firewood. It has a nice scent when it burns and produces less smoke.”
“Then…”
“Shall I go get one?”
Siol smiled bashfully at Luber, who asked with a twitch of his eyebrow, and nodded.
It was then. A trumpet sound, Pwooo, swept across the entire domain. Hearing the sound, Luber shot up and grabbed Siol’s shoulders.
He had a rarely seen serious expression as he seemed to be listening for sounds outside the hall. Not only Luber, but even the staff who had been handing out potatoes to the residents had their expressions sink with seriousness.
“What’s wrong, Luber?”
“It seems a visitor has arrived in the domain.”
A visitor from the outside at a time like this, who could it be? He had a premonition that whoever it was, it probably wasn’t good news. And that premonition became an anxiety that pounded fiercely on Siol’s heart.
“…Let’s go back, Luber.”
Seeing Siol’s trembling hands, Luber nodded and ran to the staff to get some firewood. He came back with two types, and when asked, it seemed the hall didn’t just use one kind of firewood either.
The reason for this was that Meric’s domain had a cool climate year-round, a place where high-quality, dense, and solid wood, typically used for fine furniture, grew in abundance. The sale of this high-quality timber was the domain’s main source of income. However, when the trade routes were blocked and firewood became scarce within the domain, they began to use the timber that was being dried for sale as firewood.
So, this hall had both ordinary firewood and firewood made by roughly chopping wood intended for furniture making.
“Give me one, too.”
“This is heavy.”
“I said give it to me.”
Feeling a surge of anger, Siol snatched a piece of firewood from Luber and immediately regretted it. It was heavier than he thought. But, his pride hurt, Siol couldn’t bring himself to show that it was heavy and headed for the hall’s entrance, hugging the firewood.
He heard Luber muttering softly behind him.
“Gosh. His forearms are like sticks.”
At those words, Siol felt an even greater surge of defiance and resolved that he would absolutely not hand the firewood over to Luber.
Once outside the hall, he could immediately tell that the atmosphere had changed. Unlike the relaxed mood from before, the square was now filled with a rather tense atmosphere. The children were gone, and only adults were gathered here and there, pretending to chat while observing the situation. The whole process was so utterly natural that Siol knew it was another proof of Lord Meric’s excellent influence. Without the training and education directed by Lord Meric, such a stable evacuation could never have taken place.
In the square, filled with a tension disguised as leisure, Siol’s anxious heart calmed down a little. Perhaps there was something like a sense of relief that came from knowing he wasn’t the only one who was tense.
Siol hid behind a pillar and peeked his head out towards the castle gate. He couldn’t see it, but from the creaking sound of the pulley turning, he knew the castle gate was opening. It seemed the decision had been made to welcome the outsiders as visitors. Who on earth could it be?
Siol was concerned about this first visitor he was encountering since taking refuge in this domain. An unidentifiable anxiety was squeezing him. It wasn’t just a simple feeling, but a sensation close to a premonition, as if a needle was pricking the tips of his toes.
He waited, pressed against the wall, for the approaching sounds from the castle gate to get closer.
“Who do you think it is, Luber?”
“I wonder….”
Luber tilted his head for a moment, listening, then whispered to Siol.
“Five of our knights. The captain… the captain is there too. That means it’s an important… or a dangerous guest.”
“How do you know the captain is there?”
“His footsteps sound different.”
“You can tell that?”
Siol, who had the ears of a wolf that rivaled those of a dog, also strained his ears, but they all sounded like the same footsteps. He could only discern that the knights’ footsteps struck the ground more heavily and that the guests’ footsteps were incomparably lighter than a human’s, but he couldn’t distinguish individual footsteps.
As Siol turned to look at him in admiration, Luber puffed out his chest and boasted.
“It’s a knight’s basic skill!”
“Distinguishing footsteps is a knight’s basic skill?”
Thinking that was a rather absurd knightly skill, he laughed, but Luber turned serious.
“Really. It’s true.”
“…Really?”
“Really. The captain and the platoon leaders all have different ways of walking. They do it on purpose.”
“So even in battle, they can signal where they are by the way they walk?”
“That’s right. There’s also a code conveyed through footsteps. Only simple commands, though.”
Is such a thing possible? Siol looked at Luber with eyes full of suspicion, wondering if he was being teased, but he saw no trace of falsehood in his eyes. Luber’s eyes would unknowingly waver when he lied, so one could tell the truth by looking at them.
“…How do you distinguish something like that?”
“I told you, it’s a knight’s basic skill. We learn it while getting scolded a lot. I even had to skip dinner for getting it wrong….”
For a knight order that usually made sure to protect a certain amount of meals, sleep, and rest during training, to teach something to the point of making them skip dinner meant that they taught it very strictly.
“So what are they saying now?”
“Right now, they’re just walking. No code or anything.”
“Huh? Why? Wouldn’t it be good to secretly order the knights nearby to quickly inform the lord of information before the visitors reach the castle?”
“Normally, we do that. But the fact that it’s quiet now means….”
Luber paused for a moment, then continued his deduction.
“It must mean the visitors are beastmen. They wouldn’t do it because they’d notice if the sound of the footsteps changed from a normal walk.”
The clanking sound of the knights’ armor was getting closer. In contrast, there was almost no sound coming from the visitors. Siol knew well those who walked so stealthily as a matter of course.
Siol, who had turned his head to follow the direction of Luber’s gaze, let out an involuntary gasp, sank down, and lowered his head. Siol, who was stealthily hiding behind Luber’s legs, stood the firewood up to extend the length of his barricade even a little.
“What, what are you doing?”
Siol, grabbing tightly onto Luber who was trying to back away in confusion, asked in a voice that was almost on the verge of tears.
“Luber, that’s a wolf coming in, a wolf, right?”
“Uh…. Yes. Is it a wolf you know?”
“Why is Muriel here…?”
He had never dreamed that he would meet a wolf he knew here.
Surely Eorzen isn’t mixed in with the group, is he? The thought that he might come face to face with the man he had left behind in the Land of the Beastmen after making such a big decision made it impossible for Siol to get a grip on himself. If he ran into the blue dragon again now, what would happen?
Putting aside the embarrassment of a simple reunion just a few weeks after leaving so dramatically, the problem was his unresolved feelings. In truth, Siol’s feelings about what had happened that day were not resolved at all.
He had thought that someday, after everything was over, he would be able to stand before the blue dragon, but that was something he could say because it was in the very distant future. Not right now.
Siol felt his heart pounding. To be honest, he missed the blue dragon. He couldn’t hide his longing and anticipation to see him. But if he saw him once, what then? What would he do after that?
Luber, observing Siol’s flustered state, cooperated in shielding him with his body and asked again.
“Is this someone you don’t want to be seen by?”
Siol clamped a hand over his own mouth and nodded.
“Umm…. Should I go find out why they’re here?”
There was no need for that. In fact, the moment Siol saw Muriel, he knew why he had come. It was almost laughable that he hadn’t thought of this possibility until now.
When he was at the blue dragon’s castle, Eorzen had already been determined to kill the current king and hand the throne over to the former king’s successor. The problem was how to go about it; he had no intention of letting the current king, who incited hatred against beastmen and led massacres, live. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before the beastmen resistance group led by Eorzen would come looking for Ladie.
Siol sank into thought calmly.
Due to the incident in Marsiga, it had already been revealed that Sizool was the Alchemist of Death. And because Lord Meric had greeted him at the castle gate and gotten angry when Siol came to this domain, the fact that the Alchemist of Death was in this domain was no secret within its walls. It was only a matter of time before Muriel found out that he was in this domain. At any moment, someone might use his story as gossip, saying,
‘Do you know the Alchemist of Death? He’s in our domain right now….’
“Master Siol. Master! Master Siol!”
Siol was startled and cautiously raised his head. Luber was looking down at him with a worried face.
“If you want to avoid being seen that badly, I’ll make sure you aren’t.”
“…How is that even possible.”
“Of course, I can’t do it, but my platoon leader will figure something out.”
“Eorzen?”
He might be the leader of a platoon, but how could he possibly prevent Muriel from learning something that everyone in the domain already knew?
As Siol looked up with disbelieving eyes, Luber stuck out his lips poutily and bent down, prying Siol’s fingers, which were clutching his trouser leg, open one by one. His hand, which had been gripping the fabric with all its might, had turned deathly white.
“It’s true. Our platoon leader may be a bit mean, but he’s an incredibly competent dog.”
He had thought Luber disliked Eorzen, since he was always running away from training and getting carried off on Eorzen’s shoulder when he came to catch him, but judging by his expression when he called Eorzen competent, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Somehow, the fact that this child could separate his feelings of hating training from the fact that Eorzen was a respectable superior was surprising. Siol nodded blankly, and Luber took off the robe he was wearing, wrapped Siol up in it, and lifted him up in a flash.
“Let’s go ask him. You have to do it yourself, Master Siol. The platoon leader will think I’m lying if I tell him.”
“…Okay.”
Luber was a cheerful dog who wasn’t the least bit hurt by his own low credibility.
He had a truly strange personality. Is this what they call being strong-willed? No, but seeing him whine and cry every time Eorzen came to get him, that didn’t seem right either….
As if Siol and the two logs of firewood weren’t heavy at all, Luber held them nonchalantly and started running toward the knight order’s training ground.
And behind them, there was a beastman watching their disappearing figures.
Among the group of beastmen being moved toward the castle under the guise of an escort by Ladie’s beastman knights, a gaunt, skinny man had stopped with a pale face, staring blankly toward the square.
“Is something wrong?”
“…No, it is nothing.”
At the subtle prodding, Muriel began walking toward the castle again, but his face was filled with worry.
⋆୨🔮୧⋆
To be honest, he hadn’t believed Luber’s words that Eorzen would figure something out. The fact that Siol was in this domain had already spread throughout the entire territory, so how could it be possible to hide Siol’s existence in such a situation? It was obvious that they couldn’t shut the mouth of every single resident. He had just gone along with it because he wanted to quietly get out of that place.
However, when Eorzen heard the news, he reacted more seriously than expected.
“You don’t want to be discovered by those who came from the beastman’s side.”
“Yes. I… I know it’s probably impossible….”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Excuse me?”
At the opening remark he’d made to indicate he wouldn’t press the matter further, Eorzen looked rather displeased.
He stared directly at Siol, who had a dazed expression, and said.
“Do not worry. If you wish it, Master Siol, no one will speak of you to those who came from the Land of the Beastmen. Not just the beastmen, but the humans as well.”
“Is that… possible?”
“Why would you think it is not?”
Siol knew very well how loose-lipped people could be.
From valuable military information that absolutely must not be leaked to funny gossip, most people would casually bring up other people’s stories. Weren’t people the kind of beings who would mock, ridicule, and chatter about someone even in the middle of a fight with a monster?
“Master Siol. I do not know how rumor-prone the place you lived in was, but this place is different.”
Eorzen began to explain the procedure to Siol, who still wore a look of incomprehension.
“First, I will go to the captain and request that information regarding you, Master Siol, be designated as top-level military intelligence. Of course, it requires the captain’s approval and then the lord’s permission, but once it is successfully designated, no one will be able to speak of you in a private capacity.”
“But all the residents of the domain saw me when I came here. How… how can you silence even the mouths of ordinary residents?”
“Master Siol. This domain is currently in a state of constant readiness for war. That means the residents are also treated as potential soldiers. Everyone has been educated on the importance of information, and there is no one in this domain who would disobey an order given under Lord Meric’s name.”
“Because it’s… Lord Meric’s order?”
“If you cannot trust it, then please watch this time.”
It was a provocative suggestion. From the confident expressions of Eorzen and Luber, he could tell it was a suggestion made with the absolute conviction that there would be no cause for disappointment. But how could they be so sure of such a thing?
“That’s right. You don’t have to believe it, just see how we get things done!”
Luber said, thumping his chest.
“…Alright. I’ll trust you, Eorzen.”
“I am glad to hear that, Master Siol.”
Siol’s distrust was not of any specific individual, but of the human species itself.
There was no way to instantly turn the instinctive distrust, born from experiencing countless betrayals on both Earth and in this world, into trust. But the words, ‘just watch and see,’ rather than ‘please trust me,’ calmed Siol’s fear.
That was why Siol could say that he would try to believe.
Siol quietly nodded his head, facing the two confident-looking dogs.
⋆୨🔮୧⋆
Ever since the day he learned that almost all the information he had been receiving had been manipulated, Muriel had desperately searched for the mastermind.
His guess was that since there were those who had intentionally spread false information in the Land of the Beastmen, there must also be those who had been bribed by them. However, that guess soon turned out to be a complete misunderstanding.
The informants had not been bribed.
They had been taking a witch’s drug, were under hypnosis, and had been relaying falsehoods to the Land of the Beastmen, believing them to be true.
Moreover, they were in a state of addiction, and as soon as they stopped receiving the drug, they came to their senses and simultaneously began to suffer from terrible withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms like hallucinations, suicidal urges, anorexia, and violent tendencies meant that it would likely take even more time to extract any meaningful truth from them. They couldn’t even find out when they had started relaying the lies.
In a situation where there was no guarantee that such a thing would not happen again, the easiest solution for the land of the beastmen was for the leader group to go directly to the land of humans and distinguish truth from falsehood.
However, for the blue dragon or Ryufen to visit another land, a proper legal procedure was required.
If the sole purpose was just to read the atmosphere and confirm the truth, it might not be necessary, but since the blue dragon had a plan to help the former king’s successor become king, he could not take any action that would provoke the human side.
Thus, Muriel departed first for Meric’s domain, Ladie’s main base of operations.
“So, what is the reason for your visit from the Land of the Beastmen?”
The woman sitting on the ornate chair on the stairs, where the lord’s seat would normally be, asked with a cold expression. As he had heard, one of her eyes was covered with an eyepatch, and she wore a prosthetic arm and leg.
Lord Meric stood beside her, as if guarding her. This man, Lord Meric, was a close friend of the former king, a renowned lord in the land of humans, and at the same time, a strong and valiant knight. He was not of a rank to personally stand guard for the princess, but seeing him standing there so conspicuously, it seemed the rumors that he was deeply loyal to the princess were indeed true.
Muriel bowed in courtesy and smiled brightly.
“I greet Your Highness, the princess who will rule the land of humans. I am Muriel, brother to Ryufen the wolf who stands by the blue dragon’s side. We have come to this land as envoys of the blue dragon.”
Ladie gestured with her chin for him to continue, so Muriel went on.
“As Your Highness knows, a terrible nightmare has continued in the Land of the Beastmen since the current king ascended the throne. If the new king guarantees that she will not be hostile to the beastmen, the blue dragon is willing to lend his full strength for Your Highness.”
“Lend his full strength, you say.”
“Of course, you may not be able to believe it easily. And you must be worried.”
The beastmen lending their full strength meant that a group of beastmen would be staying in the land of humans.
The suspicion that a terrible thing might happen if the beastmen they let in were to have a change of heart was a reasonable one. It was a matter that required caution, as it could be like welcoming an enemy into one’s own arms.
“We have no intention of rushing, Your Highness. In that sense….”
Muriel gestured with his eyes to the five subordinates who had followed him, and they walked forward holding the boxes they were carrying. As they each began to open the boxes, gold, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and magic stones sparkled from within.
“These boxes are a sign of the blue dragon’s goodwill.”
Just then, Lord Meric suddenly interjected.
“Your Highness, this is an excessive gift. Who sends five chests of such expensive gifts as a mere sign of goodwill?”
Lord Meric, who had been wearing a displeased expression from the beginning, did not even bother to hide his distrust.
His face was full of suspicion, and even a hint of displeasure could be seen. As if he had no intention of trusting the beastman side from the start.
However, Ladie was thinking something else as she looked at the chests pushed before her. The jewels inside the chests were, surprisingly, all perfect offerings for alchemy. Gold, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and magic stones. All were in the form of raw, unprocessed stones. If they had simply wanted to win favor with expensive items, they should have brought more processed products. Since Ephania, one of the blue dragon’s allied cities, was famous for its handicrafts, it wouldn’t have been a difficult task.
Moreover, all the gifts matched the list of offerings Siol often used when he made a ‘deal with the world’ through alchemy.
As if, it was intentional.
“Lord Meric, you are overly suspicious. This gift is truly just a sign of goodwill.”
“In the first place, what reason does the blue dragon have to bow down to us like this?”