16-35. Earl Seryuu's Foster Daugther (1)
※ The part before departing off Garleok City in the previous chapter has been revised, please have a look if you're curious
Satou here. There was this time I was surprised to see the scenery in my hometown changing more than expected when I came back after a long time.
Especially when places you often went to play as a kid turned into a mansion or a skyscraper, feels like your memories have been polluted doesn't it.
◇
"Master, look over there!"
Arisa who's bending her body forward at the coach seat box shouted out loud while pointing at the megalith formation ahead.
It's a ruin from the era of ancient Orc Empire that looks like three-stranded torii-like stones.
We found it when we began our journey off Seryuu city back then.
"A broken Travel Gate huh.... This takes me back."
We're currently heading to Seryuu City after receiving Zena-san's messages.
After confirming the situations using the Map and through space magic, it didn't seem like an emergency so we decided to go on a wagon like when we departed Seryuu City per Arisa's suggestion.
Only the same members who left Seryuu City back then are coming with me.
Lady Karina wanted to go with us too, but she was dragged somewhere by the princess and Sera, saying that they needed a fitting adjustment for a new dress or something.
"The way Master now, you could fix it right?"
"Well yeah, I could."
I can fix or even make a new one, but I don't plan to do so for the time being.
A Travel Gate would need a vast amount of mana to activate, and since the mana from Seryuu City's Source is currently being siphoned by the [Devil's Labyrinth], doing so would be bad in many senses.
"Think we can see Seryuu City soon?"
"Oh we still have around a hour left."
Wagons are slow after all.
◇
"Show me your ID--Hm? You look familiar."
Knight Soun was the one who stopped us at Seryuu City's gate.
If I'm not mistaken, he was also the one who processed my entry when I first came here.
"I remember now! You're Miss Zena's friend aren't you."
Knight Soun who smiled manly had a look like he recalled something and then he sent a pitying look at me.
"Well, this world doesn't consist of only bad things, don't let it get to ya."
"--O-ok."
Not understanding what Knight Soun who whacked my back was meaning to say, I involuntarily tilted my head in confusion.
"More importantly, let me have your ID."
I give my ID to him.
"Silver ID?"
Knight Soun look puzzled for a second but that quickly changed into shock.
"E-earl-sama? O-on top of that, Earl Pendragon? That Demon Lord Slayer, Pendragon?"
The shaken Knight Soun's eyes make repeated round trips between the ID and me.
"--Ah, no. Please excuse my impoliteness. Your excellency Earl Pendragon! Allow me to guide you to the castle!"
Knight Soun apologized for his rudeness, sent a gatekeeper to deliver a message to the Earl Castle, and called another gatekeeper to bring his horse here.
"No, just send a message there. I still have some business to take care of, I plan to visit the Earl once it's over."
I firmly refused Knight Soun who was still trying to guide us, then we brought our wagon to the Gate Inn.
The inn that was destroyed by monsters during the Divine Punishment has been completely rebuilt now.
"Yuni~?"
"There's Yuni here nodesu!"
"Eh? Tama-chan? And Pochi-chan too!"
Tama and Pochi found the maid Yuni who was sweeping the front door, they jumped off the wagon and ran to her.
"What's wrong Yuni? Why'd you throw your broom--Satou-san! Mom, it's Satou-san!"
The Gate Inn's poster girl who came out of the door, Martha-can hugged me as I got off the wagon.
She's still the same--no, she's grown up nicely in the last two years.
It shouldn't be long till she surpasses Gate Inn's landlady (Morta)-san.
"It's been a while, Martha-chan. Did the inn undergo a renovation?"
"Un, many things happened while Satou-san wasn't around. You're staying here right? Let's talk a lot inside!"
Martha-can pulled my arm into Gate Inn.
She's as forceful as always.
"Lulu, please park our wagon in the courtyard. Mia, you can go ahead and greet the Manager if you want to."
"Yes, I understand."
"Nn, I'm going."
"Mia, I will go with you so I inform."
Looks like Nana will be Mia's escort.
"Oh my, long time no see. I'm really grateful for the other day."
Gate Inn's landlady said her thanks for the souvenirs I sent along with the letter for Yuni.
"No no, it was just an extra with the letter. Do you have rooms for eight people today?"
"A-aah--I'm sorry, but we only have rooms for four today."
The landlady looked awkward as she said that.
By the way, according to the Map, half of the rooms here are available.
--Ah, right.
I had forgotten since we were able to normally stay in inns everywhere we went to, but demi-humans besides Fairykin are persecuted in Seryuu City and can't even stay in a lodging.
"--Liza."
Liza silently readied her spear when I called her.
The landlady and the other girls got frightened when they saw that.
"Not that. Your ID."
"I-I'm sorry."
I got Liza who interpreted me wrong to put her spear back and urged her to show her ID to the landlady.
"ID? --Honorary Viscountess Kishresgalza? Are you serving as a retainer of a noble somewhere?"
The landlady is looking restlessly to behind Liza.
"That's not it, that's her ID you see."
I showed my own ID as I said that.
"Earl? Satou-san--no, Satou-sama was a noble all along?"
"Amazing! Earl, it's that earl right? Satou-san, you're amazing!"
The landlady's face went pale, but Martha-chan is looking ecstatic.
Martha-chan takes my ID and reads the words one by one.
"Tama too~?"
"Pochi too Pochi too, she's a hororary barrelnet nanodesu."
Tama and Pochi tout out their own IDs as they line up next to Liza.
Pochi got honorary baronet wrong but since no one came forward to correct her, I'll tell her about it later.
"I-I can't believe it... Lizardkin and beastkin, nobles?"
"Uwaa! Mom! Mom, hey mom! It's amazing! Pendragon! Satou-san was Earl Pendragon-sama!"
Martha-chan beat the landlady's shoulder who seemed to find it unbelievable.
I know that you're excited and all, but now the neighbors are peeking here curiously due to the commotion you're making at the Inn's front door.
"By Pendragon--you mean that Demon Lord Slayer?"
"Yes, that's correct."
I gave an affirmation to the landlady.
"Then, one of Earl Pendragon's Knights, the lizardkin who won over Julberg-sama is--"
"That's me."
"Tama is a ninja~?"
"Pochi is a samurai nanodesu!"
Tama and Pochi made an appeal next to Liza who nodded.
"Which means, you girls are the demon lord slayers?"
"Yes, we were granted peerage as a commendation for the feat."
Looks like she's acknowledged that Liza is Honorary Viscountess Kishresgalza.
"And so, would it be alright if we stay here?"
"Y-yes, since you're nobles, anyone who has a problem could be silenced--"
Just as I thought, some people would have a problem with it huh.
"--But, wouldn't it be better for noble-sama to stay at a high-class inn at the other side of the inner wall instead of our commoner inn?"
"No, we're planning to visit the castle tomorrow so--"
We're probably only staying for one night anyway, I'd rather stay at a place with memories than somewhere slightly more luxurious.
I follow after Martha-chan who's showing the way to our room and head to the stairs, but Pochi and Tama aren't coming for some reason.
"--Pochi, Tama. Over here."
"Nyu~?"
"Not at the stable nanodesu?"
They looked dejected somehow.
Later when I asked them, apparently, they wanted make a bed of straws at the stable and bounce around in it.
"Will maid-san stay in the same room too?"
"Y-yes!"
Lulu reflexively answered Martha-chan.
"Ahaha, Lulu is a noble too like us you know."
Arisa corrected her in Lulu's place while laughing.
"No way! She's a noble yet she drives the wagon?"
"We usually have a dedicated employee for it, but she asked to hold the rein for today since she was feeling nostalgic."
"Hee, really."
Martha-chan who got it apologized to Lulu, "I'm sorry for my mistakes."
After leaving dummy baggage in the room, we went to the [Handymen] where Mia and Nana were waiting.
"Long time no see, Satou-san--no, your excellency Earl Pendragon."
Handyman Nadi-san bowed like a court maid after saying that.
Looks like this knowledgeable girl is well versed in such etiquettes too.
"Satou."
"It's been awhile, Manager."
The manager of Handymen, Elf Yusalatoya-shi saluted while sitting in the sofa.
"Gratitudes."
The Manager gave his thanks while lifting up a bundle of letter and souvenirs.
All of them are stuff his relatives and friends entrusted to me when I came to Boruenan Forest to visit Aze-san.
Nadi-san offered us chairs and everyone had tea together.
By the way, the tea cake was my handmade.
After a bit of pleasant chat, the door was flung open and a boy in military officer outfit jumped in.
"Is his excellency Earl Pendragon here!"
He looks familiar.
The military officer boy muttered, "Black hair, foreigner-like features--no doubt about it", and then he bowed at me.
"Long time no--"
Oops, not good.
"--No, this is the first time we met face to face isn't it."
I gloss over my blunder with the help of [Poker Face] skill sensei, get off of the sofa and turn to the boy.
"Nice to meet you, Yukel Marientail-dono."
That's right, this military officer boy is Zena-san's younger brother.
I've met him before as Kuro, but this is our first meeting with me as Satou.
"I've been hearing a lot about you from your sister, it didn't feel like this was our first time meeting."
After saying that, I introduced myself with full name.
"I have been tasked by Earl Seryuu to welcome his excellency Pendragon. Would you be willing to grace us with your presence?"
"Yes, of course."
I gave an affirmation to the nervous-looking Zena-san's younger brother and turned around to the girls.
"Well then, I'll be heading out for a bit to meet Earl-sama."
"I will accompany you Master."
"Leave it to me~?"
"It's like having 100 men with Pochi around nanodesu."
"Proceeding to escort Master, so I announce."
"Ah no, I'll be fine without an escort."
All of them immediately offered their company, but since there should be nothing dangerous about this, I tell them that there's no need for escorts.
It may be a bit cold, but I need them to do something else.
"Should I go with you? It won't look good on you if you don't have any escort with you, you know?"
"Then, I will go."
Arisa was right, so I took her and Lulu with me.
Mia looked like she wanted to go too, but since it had been awhile since she met the manager, I told her to stay at the [Handymen] for.
"Now then, let's go."
We got on board an open wagon parked outside the Handymen and I urged Yukel boy who was riding a horse to depart.
Now then, just what is waiting for us at Earl Seryuu's castle.
Judging from my conversation with Zena-san through Telephone, she sounded hesitant about something, so it's probably something to do with either Yukel boy's engagement or Zena-san herself.
Well since a pointlessly vast amount of capital and authority have been falling my way lately, I can generally guess what it is about, and I won't hesitate to use them if it's for the sake of my friend, Zena-san and her family.
It'd be nice if it's something simple and easy to solve though.
I muttered quietly while looking up at Earl Seryuu's castle that had come into view.