Ryuu Kusari no Ori

 Author’s note

Although this is a side story, in case you are wondering, it is connected to the main story.

***

 

Side Story : Beware of the Banquet, Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

It all started right after Nozomu was discharged from the hospital after a series of incidents caused by Ken that made him bedridden.

It all started when Feo and Mimuru, who both love parties, suggested celebrating Nozomu's release from the hospital at the Ushitotei.

Irisdina, Somia, Tima, and the others also agreed to hold this banquet.

Since it was a small celebration only for relatives, Mars, the (temporary) representative of Ushitotei, also agreed to provide a place.

After talking to Hannah and the others who were managing Ushitotei, they finished their preparations and invited Nozomu to Ushitotei without telling him about the celebration.

And the moment Nozomu, who visited Ushitotei without knowing anything about it, opened the door of the restaurant, he was surprised at once.

"Nozomu, congratulations on your discharge from the hospital!"

Along with Irisdina's shout, Feo and Mimuru scattered the confetti they had prepared towards Nozomu.

Irisdina and Shīna pulled Nozomu's hand and made him sit down, as he was still bewildered by the sudden occurrence.

As soon as Nozomu sat down, Mars and Ena began to place the dishes on the table one after another.

"... E-, eh? What's this?"

"As you can see, it's a celebration of your discharge from the hospital."

"Well, we kept it a secret because we wanted to surprise you. Feo and the others suddenly suggested it yesterday, and we prepared it in a hurry, but if you're this surprised, I think it's worth the trouble."

Shīna and Irisdina explained the situation to the still shocked Nozomu.

Meanwhile, the food brought in by Mars and Ena began to stimulate Nozomu's nose.

The chicken roasted with aromatic herbs and the soup that had been simmered for a day was making steamy air and stimulating Nozomu's stomach.

He had hardly been able to eat while he was bedridden, and even after he woke up, his stomach was still weak and he was mainly eating liquid food. Perhaps because of this, the mere smell of the soup made his saliva flow out of his mouth.

But most of all, it was the thoughtfulness of his friends that made Nozomu's heart warm.

"Everyone……"

"Nozomu, do you want to say a few words?..., but it doesn't seem necessary."

"Well, let's get started, shall we?"

Irisdina and the others smiled at Nozomu, who looked very touched.

No more special words were needed. Only warmth filled their hearts.

After a while, juices were served to everyone present. No alcoholic beverages were served on the table.

This was because Ena had informed Mars of the prohibition of alcohol.

This banquet was attended by the young Somia, and since they had previously caused a disturbance at the restaurant due to an alcohol-related incident, it was a natural step to take.

During the preparations, Mars, who had been secretly looking forward to being able to drink alcohol, was dissatisfied with Ena's notice of the alcohol ban but was naturally silenced by Ena's sharp eyes.

The feast was about to begin. Feo and Mimuru, the proposers of the banquet, were the ones to lead the way.

However, there was no way that these two would give a proper greeting.

"All right, then, thank you everyone for coming together to make a ruckus in the name of Nozomu's discharge from the hospital!"

"I was suddenly being put aside!?"

"Thank you for joining me and Tom for our pre-wedding celebration today!"

"What are you talking about, Mimuru? I've never heard of such a thing!"

""Well then, everyone! Let's drink, eat, and make noise today! Cheers~!""

"Listen to me!" 

"Listen to what I have to say!"

Even though the party hadn't started yet, the fox was going at full speed from the start. The cat wasn't much different either.

Nozomu and Tom were furious at them for suddenly neglecting the main purpose of the banquet.

However, there was no way the two of them would listen to such a protest.

The rest of the party, perhaps having given up on the idea of stopping them, smiled wryly and tilted their cups in their hands all at once.

Nozomu and Tom, who had suddenly been left behind, slurped down the contents of their cups in a single gulp out of desperation.

The faint aroma and sweetness of the fruit juice filled their mouths.

The moment they drank it, they felt a bubbling sensation hitting their throats, but it was not unpleasant at all, in fact, it enhanced the sweetness of the fruit juice.

The juice tasted like nothing they had ever tasted before, but it could be said that it was very delicious.

"Today I prepared a juice I got from a street vendor in town. It's called carbonated water."

"Wow, I've never had this before, but it's a stimulating drink."

"It's a pity that I can't drink alcohol, but this is good!"

Tom and Mars were struck by the stimulation of the carbonated juice they drank for the first time.

Although he had complained about not being able to drink alcohol, Mars' complaints had fizzled out with the new stimulation that popped on his tongue.

"I haven't had a drink in a long time, but this one sure makes my tongue tingle..."

"Have you ever had something like this, Irisdina-san?"

"I've been served it at parties in my hometown. The first time I drank it, I honestly felt like I'd just taken a lump of needles."

Irisdina slowly sipped her glass while adding, "I'm used to it now," in response to Shīna's question.

The gesture was, after all, like a noble lady, strangely full of elegance.

Even Nozomu couldn't deny that this soda was delicious. He gulped down his cup in one gulp, trying to shake off the fuzzy feeling coiling up in his chest.

"Glug, Glug... Puha ~! Damn it! Even though I've been made into an excuse to hold such a party, the food that was being served was strangely delicious so I couldn't bring myself to get angry!"

Good food can calm even one's anger. When Nozomu glanced at Feo, Feo grinned and stuck his thumb in the air with a good expression on his face. Apparently, Feo had even calculated that this drink would reduce Nozomu's anger.

At that moment, Mars, with a smirk and a thin smile on his mouth, approached Nozomu.

"Well, I think it's a good thing there's a surprise like this."

"You call this a surprise, eh?"

"School is enough of a place for formal greetings. The purpose of this banquet is to celebrate your discharge from the hospital you know?"

Indeed, Mars has a point, or else Nozomu would have been asked to help them make the preparations.

The smiles on the faces of his friends who welcomed Nozomu when he entered the Ushitotei were certainly genuine, and they were no doubt relieved to see him safe and sound.

"Besides, "Enjoy it while you can", right?"

Mars' mouth smiled in amusement while adding unnecessary words, 

"... If I remember correctly, weren't you also in charge of the 'Tsukkomi' role?"

Perhaps because of Mars' unnecessary comment, Nozomu also responded in a curt tone of voice, as if he was reluctant to express his honest gratitude. However, there was not the slightest hint of ill-feeling between the two, and it was a scene that brought a sense of relief.

"Who knows~. You're the star of the show today. So, I'm going to enjoy myself as the outsider."

With a wicked smile on his face, Mars returned to the banquet.

"Damn, I suddenly became the star of the show. Tom, you're ......"

"Mimuru! What do you mean by a pre-wedding celebration !? I haven't heard of it yet !"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing! Tom still wants to study alchemy. Leave it to me! I'll be a great wife and support you, Tom!"

The other side was apparently not joking.

Something was going on in the conversation that would send Tom straight to the graveyard of his life.

Nozomu decided to stop talking to Tom for the time being and see what would happen. It could be said he ran away.

"Of course, I'm not ready to be Tom's bride! So I think I need more bridal training."

"Hey Mimuru, are you listening to me! ...... What's this?"

As if interrupting Tom's words, Mimuru presented him with a dish on a plate.

A baked puff pastry was placed on top of the plate. At first glance, it looks like some kind of pie dish...

"I made this new dish for Tom to try! I put a lot of love into it!"

The aroma of baked puff pastry wafted through the air as if it had been prepared with the utmost care and skill.

Tom's face, however, was as pale as that of a convict sentenced to death.

"I made several prototypes, and this is the best I've ever made! Eat it!"

It certainly smells delicious. However, for Nozomu, who once tasted firsthand the dangers of her cooking, he honestly couldn't stop the chills down his spine just by looking at her food.

Besides, she had mentioned earlier that she made several prototypes. So, where were those prototypes now? ......

"Kyaaa! Dear! What's wrong!?"

"Could it be ......?"

At that moment, a scream came from the kitchen of Ushitotei.

Nozomu rushed into the kitchen and saw Del, the owner of this restaurant, lying on the floor.

On the kitchen table were a number of prototype dishes that Mimuru must have made. It seemed certain that Del had eaten this pie dish because there was a half-eaten prototype there.

"Ah, I knew it..."

A transcendental wonder dish that Mimuru sometimes created. Her miraculous skill at making all tastes coexist seemed to have been well demonstrated.

Fortunately, her dishes were completely random, and she usually made something solidly edible.

No, it might be more of a negative factor, considering the fear of never knowing when you'll hit the right one.

Leaving Del's care to Ena and Hannah, Nozomu returned to the banquet for the time being.

"The victim this time was Del-san..."

"I see. I feel sorry for that, but I guess in a way, it saved us..."

Tom's pale face showed relief.

If Del's pie was a "hit," then the other pies were probably okay.

With a sigh of relief, Tom began to touch Mimuru's pie.

He cracked the crust with a spoon, and hot stew leaked out from the inside. Apparently, she had made a stew pie.

The sauce, rich with mushrooms, poultry, and seasonal vegetables, soaked into the broken pie crust.

The crispy pie crust and the rich stew will surely create a wonderful harmony in his mouth.

The lively friends around him were also smiling and chomping on Mimuru's stew pie.

Naturally, Nozomu's throat rumbled at the sight of them.

"W-well, I think it's too soon to get married, but... for the time being, Bon appétit."

Tom brought the stew pie to his mouth. The light sound of the pie crust cracking could be heard by Nozomu.

However, the next moment, Tom's eyes widened at once.

"Guh~!?"

"……Eh?"

Tom froze with a startled look on his face and fell straight down on the table.

The way he was twitching and convulsing was exactly the same as Del's earlier.

"... Was it possible that this one was a "hit" too?"

Apparently, the pie Tom ate was also a hit.

Seeing as how the rest of his friends were still eating the stew pie with relish, it seemed to be okay over there.

*There's not always only one "hit".*

Come to think of it, the two previous sandwich victims were also Nozomu and Feo...

Due to the horror of the tragedy in front of him, Nozomu gently pulled the stew pie in front of him to the edge of the table and pretended he didn't see it for now.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mimuru said, "So it was so delicious that Tom fainted! I'm so happy~!" but of course Nozomu ignored it. He was still not in a good shape to deal with that miraculous dish. Well, he wouldn't want to eat it even when he was healthy...

At that time, a cheerful voice rang in Nozomu's ears.

"Nozomu-san. Congratulations on your discharge!"

It was Somia who ran towards Nozomu with a big smile on her face.

Behind her were Irisdina and Shīna.

"T-thank you, Somia-chan. Iris and Shīna too, Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

"We didn't help much to prepare for the party.

"No, not just that ... Including what you two did while I was bedridden."

Nozomu stared straight at Irisdina and the others with a slightly embarrassed smile.

Iris and Shīna looked away shyly from Nozomu's gaze.

"Umm……"

"The female doctor who examined me told me about it. She said you took care of me every day when I was unconscious. I can't repay you, but I would like to thank you at least. Thank you so much."

"D, don't mind about it. You know, we were saved by you, too..."

"Yes, that's right. As I said before, Somia and I owe you more than we can ever repay. This much is only natural."

The two of them felt their own faces grow hot at the unadorned, straightforward words of gratitude from Nozomu.

Trying to cover up their growing embarrassment, the two of them interrupted Nozomu's words. However, they could not hide their faintly reddened cheeks at all.

"What do you two mean by owing me and can't repay me back? ... at that time, I was saved too, you know..."

However, Nozomu's offensive didn't stop there.

He felt a debt of gratitude to Irisdina and the others that he could not repay because it was his true feelings without any falsehood.

They saved him when he was about to go out of control, even at the risk of their life. And they still accepted him even after they knew there was a bomb in his heart.

As for Nozomu, he couldn't ask for more than this.

However, Irisdina and Shīna couldn't stand to be attacked any more.

Now that they were aware of their own feelings after Nozomu fell unconscious, his safety and the thanks they just received were more emotional than a hundred gifts.

However, at the same time, the embarrassment that Irisdina and Shīna felt had pierced the sky and they felt as if they were going to die of fulfillment.

"Well, then, the feeling is mutual ..."

"I understand. Thanks."

In the end, Irisdina forced herself to end the conversation.

Her voice was small and unclear, but when Nozomu thanked her again at the end, she did not continue the conversation any further but simply covered her cheeks in embarrassment.

Well, from a third party's point of view, there was no doubt that it was a sight that made them want to shout abusive words at Nozomu .......

Irisdina and the others sat down next to Nozomu and started chatting over drinks in their hands.

The four of them sat around a round table. Irisdina and Shīna were sitting on either side of Nozomu, and Somia was seated in front of them.

While they were chatting about various things, Shīna asked Somia a question.

"By the way, Somia-san, you have a magic tool in your soul, don't you? Is there any problem?"

"Are you talking about the Furnace of Spiritual Flame? Ummm ...... I had no idea that I have such a thing in my soul until my last birthday, but I've never suddenly gotten sick before."."

Although in a different form than Nozomu, Somia also had a foreign object in her soul. Shīna was probably concerned about whether it was having an adverse effect on her.

However, her concern was quickly drowned out by Somia's matter-of-fact words.

At that moment, Nozomu was surprised that Shīna knew Somia's secret.

"How should I say, did Shīna know about the Furnace of Spiritual Flame, too?"

"Yes, when I asked Irisdina about your power before, she told me about it along with your power."

Hearing Shīna's words, Nozomu looked convinced.

Indeed, she had heard about Nozomu's power from Irisdina when they were in a threatening situation over the previous incident with the Undead Dragon.

If Irisdina had explained Nozomu's power at that time, she would have had to tell Shīna about the secret agreement with the Waziart Household and the secret of Somia.

The secret pact that the Francilt Household made with the Waziart Household hundreds of years ago was something that the Francilt didn't want outsiders to know.

However, Irisdina gave priority to Nozomu even if she had to talk about it.

Nozomu was moved by her feelings, but at the same time, he felt sorry that he had put her at unnecessary risk.

But he didn't let those feelings show on his face. In fact, Irisdina's face showed no sign of regret as she listened to the conversation, and Nozomu felt that apologizing to her would be an act that would trample on her will.

Trying to swallow the words that had risen to his throat, Nozomu gulped down the contents of his cup.

By the way, what happened to the secret agreement?

Nozomu asked Irisdina a frank question.

"'Speaking of which, Iris, what happened to the negotiations with the Waziart Household?"

"When my father heard about what happened, he acted immediately. He said that he couldn't leak the information to the outside world, so he is negotiating in secret, but I heard that the matter is almost resolved. I was notified by a letter from my father's trusted maid."

"I see, I'm glad to hear that."

At Irisdina's words, Nozomu let out a huff of relief and dropped his shoulders.

"Trusted maid?..."

"She is a woman named Mena. She has served my father for a long time, and when she was younger, she also served at my mother's side. She's a very feminine woman, but she is also very strict."

"I was taught a lot of things, like my studies and etiquette, but she scolded me a lot. Come to think of it, she has been sending various things to Ane-sama recently ..."

"Ah, that ..."

Perhaps she remembered something due to Somia's words, Irisdina suddenly sighed and looked up to the sky. Her expression was somewhat dismayed. Because of her unusual behavior, Shīna called out to her.

"What did they send you?"

"Well, it's not a big deal. She's just sending me some letters regarding my fiancée candidate."

"Fiancée candidate !?"

A loud voice leaked out of Nozomu's mouth.

Irisdina, on the other hand, was not particularly upset and had an expression as if it couldn't be helped.

"It's nothing unusual. They also send some to Somia."

"Come to think of it, I think I heard something like that before ......"

Nozomu mumbled, remembering what he had been told on the previous date with Somia.

In response to Nozomu's appearance, Somia began to talk about the documents sent to her in a light tone of voice.

"Yes. I received about 5 of them this month."

"I received 20. I'm still an inexperienced person, and I'm not ready to have a husband..."

At 20 letters per month, that would be 240 per year. In other words, that many influential people would want to have a relationship with Irisdina.

Even for Somia, despite the fact that she was only 11 years old, she received 5 letters a month. Frankly, this was completely unimaginable to Nozomu.

"Mena says, "the sooner a good relationship is made, the better!". That's what I've been told."

Somia continued the conversation in a lighter tone, but even so, there was probably too much talk about marriage.

Despite the stunned Nozomu, it was unexpectedly Shīna who interrupted the conversation between the sisters, had no connection with ordinary people for a long time.

"I see you have things going on there too."

"Are you experiencing it too, Shīna?

"Yes, the number of elves has decreased so much because of the great invasion that the old men are desperate to get the young ones married. In fact, I have received an offer of marriage as well."

This was also unexpected for Nozomu. However, when he thought about it, it made sense to him.

"What kind of person was he?"

"He's one of the leading figures who now run the elven city."

"Hee, isn't that great? Well, considering Shīna's spirit magic, it makes sense."

Somia was curious and Irisdina nodded in agreement. At their reaction, Shīna waved her hand and smiled wryly.

"Rather than me, my sister and my mother are better than me, since they were both the shrine maidens who served the Great Tree Spirit."

Nozomu couldn't imagine what that tree would be like, but based on the name, she must be referring to the giant tree that towered in the center of the Foskia Forest.

The home of the elves. A forest that was so solid that it was just like an impregnable fortress wall until it fell due to the great invasion. It was the vital point of the forest.

According to Shīna's story, nearly 20 shrine maidens with strong spiritual powers took care of the giant tree and communicated with it through rituals to keep the entire forest shrouded in mist and prevent the invasion of foreign enemies.

Shīna's sister and mother were also chosen as its shrine maidens.

This explained her powerful spirit magic. Certainly, she had the support of magic tools and Tima, but she was still able to maintain a communication network that could cover the entire Arcazam in the previous incident.

“How should I put it……. It really is an aristocratic world…”

Nozomu, who felt like he was in an unfamiliar place, uttered these words without thinking.

Hearing this, the women all let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Why do you think it's someone else's problem?"

"Nozomu, this is also your problem. If word gets out about you being a Dragon Slayer, there will be people from all over the world who will try to arrange a marriage with you for various reasons."

"Ah……"

Nozomu couldn't help but let out a yelp when Shīna and Irisdina pointed it out.

"You weren't expecting that?"

"No, well. I was more conscious of human experimentation and being sent to the battlefield ...... But is the ability of a Dragon Slayer hereditary?"

It was a story occasionally found on the continent that Dragon Slayers successively had children with women, either as wives or concubines.

In some stories, the child inherited the father's mighty power and became a hero, while in others, the child disappeared into the masses without any talent.

There were various kinds of stories, such as one being said to have crossed to the East, while the others disappearing into a ghost city in the middle of the lake, and so on.

However, not only the stories of Dragon Slayers, but also those of their children have been retrofitted in various ways, and many of them have little credibility.

"There's no shortage of examples. And even if the ability is not passed down to the child, the child's existence will become a chain that binds other women and the unborn child."

In fact, there were countries that tell tales of Dragon Slayers who have built a country.

Such is the case with the Cremazione Empire, which is located next to Forsina.

It was said that there was once a nation where a Dragon Slayer became the first emperor about 1,000 years ago. The first emperor also took many wives and had many children.

However, after his death, the country was ravaged for several decades due to power struggles among his bloodline.

During the turmoil, the country repeatedly split, declined, and merged into the Cremazione Empire.

However, the blood of the Dragon Slayer was lost in the turmoil, and there was no one to carry on the bloodline today.

The elements that have bound many wise men and women, both brave and powerful, since ancient times.

Money, women, and power.

The strongest uncertain element in the human world, known as the Dragon Slayer, was also bound by one of these elements in the end.

"But the blood of a Dragon Slayer is more than enough for a trump card, isn't it?'

"Yes. But at the same time, there are risks. There is also the risk of uncontrollable power, external pressure, and internal disunity that may increase as a result of holding the trump card, and the possibility of unpredictable events caused by complex and intertwined interests. Some will be concerned about those things."

"It makes my head hurt..."

Nozomu had a headache thinking about such a future with so many uncertainties.

Even if he were to fall under the protection of some other nation, he did not know what would happen in the end.

"But considering what will happen when they actually find out, in some aspects, it's better to belong to a nation. There are many things that will bind you, but at the very least you can avoid being socially isolated."

"But, if I were suddenly told that I was going to marry someone..."

Marriage is the easiest and surest way to deepen one's connection to a particular nation. It is understandable why the first Dragon Slayer married so many queens.

However, Nozomu couldn't help but feel uncomfortable about it.

A feeling of uneasiness in the back of his chest. As if to shake it off, Nozomu grabbed a piece of chicken that was in his hand and bit it.

"Nozomu ... so you're not good at talking about this kind of thing after all?"

"It's not that I'm not good at it, it's just that I can't imagine it...... No, I can understand it in my head, but there's still a part of me that's still not convinced. Besides, I'm ......"

"What's wrong, what's wrong~, you've got a bitter look on your face.  This is a party, after all, so let's put on a happy face."

"Whoa!"

With a loud voice, Feo came crashing down on Nozomu's back. Nozomu almost dropped the cup in his hand.

"Hey, Feo. It's dangerous."

"Now now~. Governor-sama, another round!"

"Who are you calling Governor?..."

While ignoring Nozomu's protests, Feo refilled Nozomu's cup with more juice, then refilled the cups of Irisdina and the others.

After that, he sat down on the seat between Somia and Shīna.

"It seems like you guys are talking about marriage and marriage proposals, So, who are you talking about? Nozomu or the black-haired princess? Or Shīna? Don't tell me, is it about the little princess? ......"

"Well, if I had to say, it's about everyone?"

Feo leaned forward with a curious look on his face, which made Nozomu feel a little uneasy, but Nozomu told him regardless.

"I see, I see.  I can certainly understand the story of the black-haired princess and Shīna. But I'm a little surprised that the little princess gets five offers a month."

Feo, with a satisfied look on his face, continued the conversation as he reached for his food.

He didn't seem to be behaving wildly due to the fact that it was a party for his friends, though that wasn't the most flattering way to describe his manners.

"So what kind of guy was one of your fiancée candidates? Shīna seems to be pretty famous, but I'm curious about the black-haired princess and the little princess' fiancée candidates."

"Feo, you ..."

Nozomu complained to Feo, who asked without hesitation, but Feo didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"Because I'm just curious! Doesn't Nozomu curious about it?"

“…………”

At Feo's words, Nozomu choked for a moment.

Their future partners. What kind of man would that be?

Indescribable emotions were rising up in Nozomu's chest.

"... but I don't think it's necessary to force this kind of thing out of them."

Nozomu sipped his cup as if to shake off the emotions that were rumbling in his chest.

Feo shrugged his shoulders in frustration at Nozomu's lack of interest.

However, Feo's mouth turned into a smile and he asked Irisdina and the others an outrageous question.

"Then! What kind of partner do the three of you want to marry?"

"Bufu~!"

The question was so direct and straightforward that Nozomu involuntarily spurted out the juice he was about to drink.

"Well ..."

“…………”

A moment of silence flowed through the noisy Ushitotei.

Irisdina leaned her back with her slender legs crossed, but for some reason, her mind was swimming through the air.

Shīna was shrinking like a small animal, her mouth resting on the cup in her hands, frozen like a statue.

The two of them showed different gestures. But their cheeks were beginning to turn slightly red.

"Oi, Feo ..."

"Yes, Nozomu, shut up for a minute~."

"Mugo~!"

Feo shoved a piece of bread that was close at hand into Nozomu's mouth as he tried to intervene.

Nozomu was unable to spit out the bread, which had been baked hard to preserve it, and could only let out a mumbling voice.

Nozomu desperately struggled to get the bread out of his mouth in an attempt to breathe.

While looking at such Nozomu, Feo softly whispered in Irisdina's and Shīna's ears.

"Well, the two of you seem to have someone in particular on your minds these days..."

At these words, their cheeks, which had begun to turn red, turned vermilion all at once.

Irisdina's obsidian eyes widened and swayed. Her gaze glanced over at the boy squirming next to her.

Shīna's face was even lower than before, so small that it was almost hidden under the table.

"W-well, let's see ... I want someone I can leave my back to."

"Puha~! Feo, I thought I was going to die!"

"Tch~! You're back already ..."

Nozomu managed to swallow the contents of his mouth and secure his breathing.

Feo, looking deeply disappointed, clicked his tongue. A vein popped up on Nozomu's forehead.

Nozomu was too suffocated that he had no idea what Irisdina was talking about, but he managed to open his mouth to at least say a word of complaint.

At that moment, the girl next to Feo dropped an unbelievable bomb with her cute voice.

"I-, I want someone like you, Nozomu-san."

"... Eh~?"

At that moment, the air inside Ushitotei literally froze.

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