Chapter 70: Interlude (Leon Degrat 2)
“Welcome, Leon Degrat. It has been quite a while,” the lord said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Yes. Thank you for your warm welcome, my lord,” Leon replied, feeling a twinge of nervousness. He had not anticipated that his role as a herald would lead him directly to an audience with the lord.
It had been eight years since he last visited the city of Flatara, accompanying another delegation as the captain of the escort.
“Now, I must ask, what brings you here? I have not yet heard the details of your visit,” the lord inquired.
“Yes, my lord. We are organizing a delegation from Port Town of Terek to East Gate City, and I came as a herald to request a brief stop in Flatara,” Leon explained.
“Ah, East Gate City, you say? Is your destination the Forest Country?” the lord asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I apologize, but I have not been informed of the specific purpose of our journey,” Leon admitted.
“Ha! Well, that is understandable. I was a bit hasty in my questioning. I shall await the details from your leader. So, you are the herald, then?” the lord concluded.
“Yes,” Leon confirmed with a nod.
The lord gestured for his butler to approach. “Make arrangements for his lodging.”
“Understood,” the butler replied promptly.
“Leon, I will take care of your stay in this city. You plan to remain for about two days, correct?” the lord asked.
“Yes. If we arrive today, we would like to depart the morning after tomorrow. During our stay, we hope to rest and replenish some supplies,” Leon clarified.
“Very well. Given the current circumstances, I cannot provide much, but let us see what we can manage,” the lord said thoughtfully.
“Excuse me, but we may not have much in the way of food supplies. However, we can provide ample fodder and water. We have salt in stock. As for timber… I will need to check with the guild urgently. We have just organized our inventory of ropes and cloth, so we can provide some of those,” the butler interjected.
“Hmm. What do you think, Leon?” the lord asked.
Leon nodded in agreement with the butler’s assessment. “Thank you. I understand the situation, so we will prepare our own food. As for other materials, we have not consumed much, so I will confirm directly with the guild. A letter of introduction would suffice.”
“Very well. It has been quite some time since you traveled, I imagine you are facing some difficulties?” the lord inquired.
After a moment of hesitation, Leon replied, “If you wish for details, I would recommend confirming with our leader. We are accompanied by a very capable ally, which has made our journey considerably easier.”
“Is that so? A powerful ally, you say?” the lord mused.
“Yes. Currently, they are our most significant trading partner,” Leon affirmed.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Leon completed his duties as herald and scout. Fortunately, he managed to secure accommodations for the entire party. He had rented out an inn that had been idle due to the lack of domestic travel, and he had even left a fee for cleaning the dusty guest rooms. While it was an unnecessary expense, it was customary for delegations to distribute gifts along their journey, and the lord likely expected as much.
After a brief inspection of the market (which lacked vibrancy), Leon and Zwanzig departed Flatara City, urging their horses and Golems to hasten their return to the main party.
“Ten accompanying personnel. Three from the Paraiso, and one carriage… and three Golems? Quite a small contingent for a march,” Leon noted.
“Yes, the Golems we have are exceptionally efficient, which has been a great help. It is precisely because of their capabilities that we can dispatch our delegation even in these trying times,” Leon explained.
Meanwhile, in the lord’s mansion, Lord Radaeri Flatara was engaged in discussions with the delegation leader, Agritend Luvania. Although dinner preparations were not yet complete, there was a strong desire to meet as soon as possible, prompting them to head directly to the lord’s residence upon their arrival.
“Golems, you say? What are they like? I have heard rumors of such things,” the lord inquired.
“Unfortunately, I cannot provide detailed information, but they are undoubtedly crafted with intricate and delicate technology. They far surpass the magical tools we use. Larger than a carriage, faster than a horse, and capable of dispatching common monsters with ease,” Leon explained.
“Hmm… This is not the place for such discussions, but I cannot help but wonder if they could assist us in our struggles,” the lord mused, revealing the dire situation Flatara City faced. It was a direct request, but Agritend Luvania had no intention of involving their benefactor, the Paraiso, in a civil conflict.
“I have considered that possibility, but distance poses a challenge. It would be quite difficult. However, if we can maintain our exchanges, there may be hope,” Agritend replied.
“Is that so? I would like to meet these allies, if possible,” the lord expressed.
“Indeed. I will see to it. Leon, would you mind?” Agritend asked.
“Of course. I will inquire,” Leon responded.
However, he could not simply refuse the request for a meeting. After politely excusing himself, he called out to Dreißig, who was accompanying him. Fortunately, there was no objection, and they were granted permission to meet. Together with the butler, Leon escorted Dreißig back to the reception room.
“Representing the Paraiso, Dreißig Ringo,” he announced.
“Let her in,” the lord commanded.
As she entered, Dreißig wore goggles that seemed to possess some magical function, and her hood remained up. The unusual appearance caused Lord Radaeri Flatara to furrow his brow.
“My apologies. They are quite conspicuous, so we have asked them to maintain this appearance while in the city. Dreißig, would you mind revealing your face?” Agritend requested.
“Not a problem,” she replied.
Nodding, she removed her hood, revealing silken white hair and a pair of prominent fox ears. While her eyes remained hidden behind the goggles, her striking features were easy to imagine. She then reached for her goggles, and with a soft swish, they fell into her hand.
“Ah…”
Beneath the goggles were captivating golden eyes that seemed to draw in anyone who gazed upon them. Though her expression was neutral, her allure was undeniable.
“Pleasure to meet you. I am Dreißig Ringo, the captain of the Paraiso’s guard. I have been tasked with accompanying this delegation as a protector,” she introduced herself.
“I am Radaeri Flatara, the lord of Flatara City. Please, take a seat,” the lord replied, gesturing for her to sit.
“I shall take your cloak,” she said, handing it to the butler as she gracefully removed it. Beneath it, she wore a slender outfit of an unfamiliar style, tight-fitting trousers, a large knife at her waist, and a rifle slung over her shoulder.
“Excuse me,” she said as she settled next to Agritend, while Leon took a position slightly behind them, indicating her importance to the delegation.
“Surprising. A beastkin, is it? I did not think they truly existed,” the lord remarked.
“While we may not be the same as the beastkin of your land, it is true that we all share this appearance,” Dreißig clarified.
Upon hearing her response, the lord sighed deeply and raised a hand.
Feeling an unsettling tension from his gesture, Leon instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, a rather rude action, but one that proved to be justified.
Almost simultaneously, the door burst open, and several armed individuals rushed in.
“Don’t move! No unnecessary resistance. We have soldiers waiting outside,” one of them commanded.
“What is the meaning of this?” Leon exclaimed, realizing that this was an event he had anticipated but hoped would not occur.
It was an attack on the delegation, a robbery.
“I regret to inform you, Agritend, but this city is in a far more desperate situation than you realize. There is no turning back now. You will surrender everything you possess,” the leader declared.
“This is unacceptable, Lord Radaeri. You cannot demand we surrender everything!” Agritend protested.
“You have no way of knowing what will happen next. Besides, that girl is a stroke of luck. She would make for an excellent offering,” the leader sneered, ignoring Agritend’s objections.
Surrounded by soldiers with drawn swords, they found themselves at the mercy of the lord’s whims—
“Consider this an act of hostility.”