Chapter 229: Marquis Delphirius
Where on earth did this old man sniff us out from? There was a sign at the entrance of the Large Bathhouse that said “Closed for Private Use in the Morning.” No, if he came all the way here fully dressed, it means he knew and came to complain.
“I have obtained proper permission. If the inn that issued it is unreasonable, then that’s a different matter, isn’t it?”
I pushed Rio and Phonia behind the partition, attempting to counter the old man’s complaints.
“That’s not what I’m saying. Stop with the nonsense and lift the restriction immediately.”
Then what the hell does he want? This old man is utterly incomprehensible. I remember him saying he was the Chamberlain of some Marquis family. I should probably tell Mesaria-san to lodge a complaint. I could even have the owner back me up. The title of S Rank Adventurer should come in handy in situations like this.
“Honestly… I can’t believe this happened just because I happened to pass by the inn…”
While I was solidifying my resolve, the old man muttered to himself as he walked away. The inn’s front… Now that I think about it, the Large Bathhouse did allow day-use visits. They probably had a notice posted at the inn’s entrance to make it clear.
“I wonder if the Large Bathhouse and we just don’t get along…”
Once the old man disappeared from sight, Rio muttered softly.
“Is there someone who wants to meet me?”
A few days later, after finishing breakfast and taking a moment to relax, Mesaria-san informed me of this. If I had to guess, it might be the master craftsman. It’s about time the first katana I commissioned was completed, but I had told him that the other one could wait.
“Yes, the head of the Delphirius family has come to see you. He said he would visit if you could let him know a convenient time after lunch today.”
“Huh? So it wasn’t the master craftsman. But what could a Marquis want with us…?”
“Isn’t it unusual that he didn’t demand you come immediately?”
“Marquis Delphirius? That name sounds familiar…”
“Isn’t he the master of that perverted old man?”
“““That’s it!”””
Phonia has a good memory. I’d like to toss the old man’s memories into the trash bin and forget them. Speaking of which, I think I told Mesaria-san to send a letter of complaint.
“But what could it be about? Did he come to complain?”
“If that were the case, wouldn’t he just summon us directly? He is a Marquis, after all.”
“Then maybe it’s not such a bad thing?”
As the three of us pondered, Phonia tilted her head in confusion as well.
“What shall we do?”
While I was smiling at the little girl, Mesaria-san brought me back to reality.
“I don’t have any particular engagements, so I’m fine with today at lunch.”
“Understood. I will convey that to the other party. When the time comes, I will guide you to the inn’s reception room.”
Ah, so they’re not bringing him to my room. While I do have a small reception room in my quarters, it’s not suitable for welcoming a Marquis.
“Got it.”
“Your guest is waiting for you.”
After lunch, Mesaria-san led me to the inn’s reception room. The hallway was carpeted, exuding an air of luxury.
“I didn’t know the inn had a place like this…”
Only Rio and I were present in this room. Ivan and Phonia were staying behind to keep watch. Although I was the only one designated for the meeting, Rio insisted on coming along. If it were a problem, they would surely tell us.
“Excuse me.”
As I opened the door and stepped inside, a large man with white hair and a beard was seated on the sofa. He wore a tight-fitting blue military-style uniform adorned with numerous medals, giving off a general’s aura.
“Ah, so you are the ones…”
I remembered being kept waiting for a long time by some emperor, but this man was already in the room. A Marquis must hold quite a high position, but my first impression of him wasn’t bad.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Shuu.”
“I’m Rio. Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, how delightful to meet you both. I am Seaman Delphirius, the Marquis of the Kingdom of Faerdehelde.”
He stood up, spreading his arms wide as he turned his gaze toward me and Rio in turn. For a brief moment, a fish with a human face flashed in my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. Behind the Marquis stood the familiar old man and a knight, presumably his bodyguard, but they seemed to have no intention of introducing themselves.
The Kingdom of Faerdehelde was located just north of this mountainous region. I wondered if the hot springs here were famous enough to attract visitors from other countries.
As I took a seat on the sofa, Marquis Delphirius also said, “Then I shall take a seat as well,” and settled down. The old man behind him was furrowing his brow and twitching; I wondered what was bothering him.
“I heard you are Adventurers… but you are quite young.”
Just as the Marquis began to speak, Laila-san entered the room and served tea. Although tea had already been presented to the Marquis, she replaced it before leaving the room.
“Well, you see, anyone can become an Adventurer, even children.”
I had no idea what his purpose was for coming, making it difficult to respond. However, with every word I spoke, the old man’s frown deepened.
“I apologize. I had only heard that you were of a high rank, and I was surprised to see someone so young.”
“Oh, no, in our country, we are still considered minors. So please, don’t worry about it.”
“Is that so?”
The Marquis narrowed his eyes, perhaps trying to gauge who we were. I wondered if there were countries where one became an adult at twenty. No, while there might be differences among races, I felt there shouldn’t be variations between countries.
“So, I’ve been told you wanted to meet us. What is the purpose of your visit?”
“Indeed. Let’s address the matter at hand first.”
With that preface, the Marquis placed both hands on his knees and bowed his head deeply.
“I sincerely apologize for the rudeness of my Chamberlain.”
“““Huh?”””
It seemed even the old man hadn’t been informed, as our three voices overlapped in surprise.