Volume 2 Chapter 31 Quest： Obsidian To Roses (Revisit) I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Have you been listening, Captain Guard? It’s just a possibility, but if you keep these in mind during the investigation, it might speed up the resolution of the case.”
”Y-yes.”
The Captain Guard bowed.
Behind him, his subordinates looked at Oswald and Kian with expressions of mild annoyance.
’It’s no surprise they look that way when another knight acts all high and mighty in their own jurisdiction.’
(It seems like both Oswald and Aisha might have gotten a little too involved, just like they did. Even though they mentioned cooperating with the investigation, they should probably hold back a bit to avoid causing friction.)
He had originally wanted to avoid coming to a place like this unless summoned by a warrant.
It was probably the right time for him to withdraw.
Perhaps Oswald had the same thought, as he nodded and stood up from the bloodstain.
”I’m sorry, Captain Guard. I’ve overstepped my bounds even though this is your job.”
”No, thanks to your support, the investigation has progressed.”
”I’m glad to hear you say that. ──So, after this, will the knight dispatched by Her Excellency’s steward arrive?”
”I’ve heard they will be arriving tomorrow. I was told to make sure the investigation is properly underway by then.”
”I see. In that case, do your best to achieve some definite results by then. I’ve made sure to inform Her Excellency Maribel to stay quiet within the fortress, so there shouldn’t be any further incidents. …If I recall correctly, Owl is watching over things at the moment, right?”
”Yes. Lord Owl is busy, so he said he wouldn’t be posting forever.”
”I wish Owl would quit the merchant guild and keep guarding Her Excellency. He’s a pain, but he’s strong against stewards and female magicians. Maybe they just find him annoying. Hehehe”
”Sir Oswald, please do not say such a thing in front of Lord Owl.”
”I know that, Aisha.”
Oswald brushed Aisha off lightly and looked around at the group.
”Well then, as a passerby ordinary knight, I’ll take my leave here. Good luck to you, Guard Captain.”
”Yes. I would like to find a new clue by tomorrow somehow.”
”Regarding the prisoners captured by Mr. Kian, if any new information comes up, I expect a report from the Izerland fortress. Please inform the knights coming here tomorrow that Sir Oswald and I──Aisha──are wishing for an early resolution to the incident.”
”Certainly.”
The Guard Captain nodded at Aisha.
Kian rose from the bloodstains.
Oswald raised his voice brightly, trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere.
”Alright, then Kian, Aisha. Let’s retreat from here. We shall return to our quest to fulfill our purpose.”
* * *
It was around midday when they exited the sewer with Oswald and the others.
Kian had already informed Esther in advance with crow.
In the end, it seemed she had to bake the bread for today at ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn’ until the very last moment.
After emerging from the water moat, Aisha lightly washed herself clean with her water magic.
Then, after drying herself with magic as well, they returned to the eastern gate.
There were no passersby near the gate, and the guard on lookout was yawning while holding a spear.
Esther was waiting properly behind the lazy guard.
”Oh, Mr. Kian!”
”Sorry, Esther. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
”No no, more importantly, were you okay? In the letter it said you went into the sewer. ──Ah, perhaps you two were the ones who were there?”
”Oswald of Ramsey. Knight, Lord, and banker.”
”I’m Aisha. I’m Sir Oswald’s squire. I also do some bank work and work as a steward at the mansion. There are many parts that I leave to the head maid, though…”
Esther stood next to Kian and bowed politely, swinging her ponytail.
”I’m Esther Pigfoot. I run a tavern called ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn’ on the central street of East End with my dad. I’m neither a noble nor a knight, but I’ve heard that my dad was an adventurer in the past, and during that time, he received our family name from the previous lord, Lord Godfrey. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
”Nice to meet you. You look quite young, but I’m very surprised at how politely you greeted me.”
Oswald extended his ring-covered hand to shake hands with Esther.
The rings on his hand were so extravagant that he could probably buy 2 houses in East End.
Esther’s eyes widened as she looked at his hand.
Kian seemed to have a similar reaction at first, so it appeared that everyone from the commoner faction shared the same thoughts.
”Nice to meet you, Lady Esther.”
”Nice to meet you, Ms. Aisha.”
”So, it’s already noon. What should we do?”
Oswald looked around at the 3 others and brought up the topic.
”Should we head straight to ‘Labyrinth of Roses’? Or find a suitable tavern in East End?”
”Um… excuse me, can I say something?”
”Go ahead, Esther. Just so you know, you don’t need to use formal language with me. I’m not that significant, even though I’m a lord.”
”Um… okay. Then I’ll try to be as friendly as possible.”
Esther looked incredibly troubled.
Even if a nobleman tells her not to respect him, a commoner has no choice but to respect him.
”I brought a lunch box. However, I’m not sure if it will suit your palate, Mr. Noble.”
”What I eat on a regular basis is not that different from you guys. In fact, when I go to faraway places, I eat awful smelling preserved food. Oh, I didn’t say that your cooking is on the same level as that horse shit-like preserved food, so don’t worry about it.”
”Mr. Kian. Are you okay with it…”
”Esther’s cooking is probably fine. Have you tasted it?”
”Of course”
”If Ms. Esther is bringing a lunch box, how about we teleport to the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ for now? We can have our lunch in the nearby wilderness.”
”Sounds nice, it’s starting to feel like a picnic. But will we be able to keep the teleportation gate stable?”
”It’s fine. However, if we overdo it, the staff at the adventurers’ guild in the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’ might get angry… Just to be safe, should we walk from the nearby wilderness?”
”Please make sure it’s a good plan.”
”Well then.”
Aisha nodded and began to recite a low ritual magic spell.
It seemed like it would take a little time until the teleportation gate opened.
”The ‘Boar’s Trot Inn’ is where Kian is staying, right?”
”Yes, that’s right. I’ve been staying there for about a month. The food is incredibly good, and many people come just to eat even if they aren’t guests.”
”Mr. Kian was like that at first, wasn’t he?”
”Ah, that’s right. I remember that time…”
He had flirted with Esther and ended up enjoying the food thoroughly.
”I’m sorry about that time.”
”No… it’s fine, Mr. Kian.”
”What exactly happened between you two…”
Oswald lowered his eyebrows.
He probably wouldn’t have thought that love could begin with rape.
”The Boar’s Trot Inn” is 2 stories and has ten rooms. It’s probably a pretty big tavern in the East End. …I feel like I’m promoting the place where I work, hahaha”
”It’s actually big, Sir Oswald. In the East End, there are high-end places for advanced-rank adventurers and formal taverns that cater to Guild staff of noble birth, but I think ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn’ is generally of a higher standard. They have ale, wine, mead, and some rare things like potato distilled liquor and liquor made from mare’s milk.”
”Distilled liquor made from potatoes, Kian!? And it’s made from horse milk? Can you really make liquor from horse milk…? I’ve tried horse milk before, recommended by a subordinate back in the day, and it made me sick to my stomach.”
Oswald said this and stuck out his tongue slightly in distaste.
Esther placed her finger on her chin.
”Ah…, yes, that’s true. If you drink horse milk straight, it’s easy to upset your stomach. But if you store it in a special leather pouch, it starts to smell sour, and it turns into liquor. Once it becomes liquor, you can drink a lot without getting an upset stomach. It’s quite sour, so those who aren’t used to it tend not to order it, but there are regular customers who drink as much as 2 liters a day.”
”Horse milk contains a lot of the ‘sweetness’ that becomes the basis for the liquor, which is why it can upset your stomach. That special leather pouch was probably bought from a traveling merchant, right?”
”Yes. It’s a leather pouch that I collected for livestock fodder on the grasslands… I heard that if you store horse milk in it, it can turn into liquor, and my dad bought it.”
”There were probably microorganisms on the inside of the pouch. These microorganisms break down the ‘sweetness’ into alcohol, so I think that’s why you don’t get an upset stomach from the ‘sweetness’.”
The latter part of her speech was directed at Oswald.
The blonde young man shook his head.
”I have a hard time with the image of horse milk. Cow’s milk is more than enough for me. I’m more interested in this distilled potato liquor. It sounds very rare.”
”Ah, yes. It’s a beautiful, clear liquor that looks like water. The vendor we deal with uses herbs like caraway, fennel, and anise. Fennel and anise have a strong aroma and are quite similar, so… it generally has that kind of flavor.”
”Esther, have you ever tried it?”
”Oh, I don’t drink it all the time. I just sip it a little! I’m not a heavy drinker!”
”Hmm… that’s very rare. I’ll go buy some next time. I’ve never seen it in the fortress. Those alchemists in Izerland only make liquors that are easy to sell. It’s boring.”
”The Boar’s Trot Inn is on the central street. If you walk around, you’ll definitely find it, and I believe anyone you ask on the way will know it.”
”No, Aisha must know the place. Let’s have her go get it next time.”
”──Sir Oswald… I’ve been working non-stop for over a month now. I’d like to take a vacation soon.”
”Of course, I understand. So as a substitute for your vacation, go buy my drinks. Just make sure to come back as soon as possible; you are the only magician among my subordinates.”
”────────”
(How awful…)
Kian and Esther cast sympathetic glances at the dark elf.
However, she seemed to have anticipated such a response and said nothing in particular.
’There are indeed those in the world who can continue to work without rest.’
(That’s true. I need to find a slave to take crow’s place soon.)
’You certainly are quite the fiend yourself…’
While the 3 were conversing, Aisha seemed to have completed her teleportation magic.
A distortion of space, the size of an adult man, appeared before them, starting to shimmer and ripple the scenery in front of the eastern gate.
”The teleportation gate is open. Please watch your step.”
”Alright!”
Oswald clapped his heavily adorned hand with rings.
”Well then, let’s transport to ‘Labyrinth of Roses’. When we get there, the first thing we need to do is eat.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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