Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 072: At The End Of The Adventure… II

Translator: Solo

The place we went to was the usual kitchen.

There were more chairs than usual.

King Lemuria, Otou-san, and Melm sat in a row. I ended up having to sit facing the three of them.

「Lanseal, alcohol is fine at least for today, isn’t it?」

「Yes, Your Majesty」

She set down a bottle of alcohol and cups for four people.

「Here are some snacks to go with the alcohol」

Lanseal provided snacks next. It was almost like we were at a bar.

It was stir-fried shredded bacon, and something that looked like pickled vegetable roots.

「Lanseal, what is this?」

I asked her, who was really into cooking recently.

「It’s smoked pork fried with curry powder. And this one is vegetable roots that have been pickled in sweet vinegar, which resembles the food called『Rakkyo(pickled scallions)』in Souya’s hometown. The pork will interfere with the drinking of alcohol if it’s hot, so it has been cooled. I’m told that eating them together is effective against the king’s disease」

There’s even Rakkyo, huh?

Certainly, eating it with pork helps the absorption of vitamin B1. It’s also good for digestion. Furthermore, it makes cutlet curry taste even better.

「This alone is enough to get me drinking」

Otou-san was only munching on the Rakkyo. As I thought, he seemed somewhat down, or rather, his drive was gone. It also felt like he had aged.

「Lanseal, what on earth kind of magic did you cast on this pork? It has a complex taste with a slight bitterness and spiciness. It’s extraordinary. You called it curry powder, right? What is that?」

King Lemuria was amazed.

I wonder if curry will be popular. Maybe I should sell it through the merchant company.

「Curry powder is something made by Ea. It’s a spice mixture made by mixing nuts, herbs, medicinal herbs, and various other things from the Lemuria plain and Heures Forest」

「I see. That Princess Ea made something like this, huh? That’s a surprise」

Upon hearing that, Melm, who had stopped eating, gobbled down the bacon.

「This is probably because the way Souya teaches me daily is good. Similarly, I believe Your Majesty can experience my abilities with your stomach as well」

「Umu, your food is very delicious. My health is also much better these days. However, compared to Souya, you’re still lacking something. You should continue to devote yourself to it every day」

「Yes, thank you very much for your kind words」

Lanseal bowed her head.

While munching on the Rakkyo, Melm threw out a question.

「Lemuria, what’s the relationship between the foreigner and Lanseal?」

Take the hint, you schmuck.

Oh, the bacon is delicious. When I eat it together with the Rakkyo, the oiliness disappears and it’s just right.

「Souya and Lanseal, they’re……… How far have you guys gone?」

Dear king, please stop asking such questions. It's your daughter's sensitive private affairs.

「Even if you ask me how far we’ve gone……right?」

「Right」

Lanseal is putting me on the spot by staring at me. I don't know about her, but I'm seriously troubled.

Wait a minute. Right now, in this place,

My (pretend) wife's father and my (future) mistress' father are sitting right next to each other.

What the heck.

While stealing the king’s Rakkyo, Otou-san muttered a few words.

「Speaking of which, Souya, it seems that you haven't done it with Tyutyu yet. It's a business, so properly do the business. I don't want strange rumors to spread」

「Hey!」

Now?! You’re bringing that up now?!

「So it’s Tyutyu. I’ve remembered that name」

Lanseal, your face is scary.

Melm, who was quick to notice odd things, spoke.

「Tyutyu……… Oh, Totomeranje’s daughter? I've seen her riding on Barfuru’s shoulders. She’s already old enough to work in the store?」

Otou-san answered vaguely.

「Already, you ask? That’s more than twenty years ago. Take a look at our appearances」

「You guys sure have aged」

「It goes for your appearance as well, but your humanity sure hasn’t matured」

「Of course. I, elves have been perfected. We don’t grow old easily like you guys. That goes for our humanity as well」

「I'm saying that sarcastically, you know?」

「Huhh?」

Oh, yeah. I can picture the exchanges between the two of them when they were young.

「Can the two of you stop it? At a time like this……」

The king stopped them.

I bet this was how it was like back when they were a party.

「So, Medimu, about the distribution of the possessions, are you sure that’s what you want?」

「It's fine」

「Their value is unknown, but it's not going to be small change, you know?」

The distribution of the possessions refers to the custom where the equipment of deceased adventurers goes to the people who find them.

But if the party of the deceased is still around, the equipment has to be returned to them. In this case, some of the items have been in Lola’s possession for a significant amount of time. There will likely be very few of the parties remaining.

Much of the equipment will likely be damaged from the passage of time, but they should still be in better condition than those inside monsters’ stomachs. In addition, there are the relics from the hidden portion of the 19th floor.

It should definitely not be a small amount of money. Why did Otou-san refuse it?

「Souya, there’s something I have to apologize to you for」

「Huh?」

I was a little surprised by Otou-san’s confession, but something did come to mind.

「The 19th floor, in truth, it could have been cleared easier and earlier. I had expectations of you and used you. That’s why I won’t take a share of the possessions. I’ll also reward you personally later」

I see.

I suppose this is the reason for why I felt that something was off inside the dungeon. If you ask me if I’m angry, then I’m indeed angry. However, considering what we accomplished, I can’t criticize him strongly for it. Rana had been saved. Lumidia had been freed from her obsession. As a result, I’m now able to get the information I desire.

Hmm, it comes out even, I guess.

「Well, that doesn't matter. Excuse me, King Lemuria, it's about time to talk about what we had discussed」

Otou-san had a hurt look on his face.

I’ll ignore him and focus on the main subject. It’s information that I wanted even if it meant dragging Rana into a situation that I knew was dangerous.

「Umu, Souya, I’ll fulfill the promise I made. ………Melm”-dono”」

「What?」

King Lemuria spoke to Melm in a formal tone.

「Tell this person, the foreigner Souya, our conspiracy」

「Can you bear the responsibility for this, King Lemuria?」

Melm also spoke formally. This was probably a rule that they had set.

「I’ll bet my life on it」

「Hmm. Very well then」

Don't bet something so outrageous.

Is the burden that Rana is bearing something that’s this heavy?

「Your Majesty, I’ll take my leave」

「It’s fine. This has something to do with you as well」

The king stopped Lanseal, who was about to leave.

She stood beside me. Perhaps she was feeling uneasy, but she grabbed my poncho where the three of them couldn’t see.

With a quiet, untold resolve, the king started speaking.

「It all started because of Elysium’s plan to expand the farmlands. Under the pretext of improving their allied nation’s production of food, they intended to invade the surrounding regions. And the first target they set their eyes on, was Heures Forest.

Using the merchant companies that were under their patronage, they pretended to purchase land from the elves. With the disagreements arising from that as the reason, the elves from Heures Forest would attack the people of the merchant company. It would result in people dying, and Lemuria would have to deal with this problem. That was the scenario Elysium had written」

It's a good plan.

If they prepared corpses, both sides would have been unable to back off because of their position.

「The one who caught wind of their plan was my son, Crown Prince Berhard. But he was already too late. There was a clan called the Hiruenhi, which had a feud with the Heures clan. They were so-called archaic, pure-blooded elves. They were a bunch that had always questioned the legend of Heures.

Elysium used them cleverly. They probably promised them status under their rule. By their hands, people of the Kingdom of Lemuria were killed. Berhard, who had cut in to stop them, met their attack……」

I naturally took Lanseal’s hand.

It’s about her dead brother. It must be hard for her.

She squeezed back strongly.

She's a strong woman.

「……and defeated them all」

Huh?

「Lanseal, your brother is alive」

「Huh? Eehhh?!」

Lanseal raised her voice because she was much too surprised.

「However, there was a problem. Among the Hiruenhi assailants was a knight-companion of St. Lyridias. No matter the reason, a prince of Lemuria had killed a knight of an allied nation. If things went badly, it would become the excuse for Elysium to break off the alliance and take direct control over Lemuria.

Therefore, after discussing it with Melm, we faked Berhard's death. The death of the knight-companion put us in a difficult spot, but we made it seem as if he had gotten drunk and drowned in the river」

Melm continued in King Lemuria’s place.

「The Hiruenhi bloodline was eradicated. It was easy because the prince had killed all of their fighting men. All that was left, was for a person from the Heures clan to take responsibility for killing the prince, suffer the appropriate level of consequences, and pay a certain level of compensation. That person would be rewarded by King Lemuria behind the scenes. That was how it was supposed to go, but――」

Lanseal couldn’t bear it any longer and spoke out, interrupting Melm.

「I'm sorry! Melm-dono! Your Majesty! Where is my brother right now?!」

「The western part of the left continent. He has concealed his identity, and is serving one of the Myriad Kings at the moment. That guy Georg will probably meet up with him in time」

「Have you heard from him?!」

「He sends word via shadow rabbits every now and then. I’ll show you the letters he sent later. You should calm down」

「Y, yes. I'm sorry. I couldn’t help myself」

Lanseal is thrilled. Her skirt has rolled up and her tail is wagging. ………………I'm jealous.

Without batting an eye, Melm continued speaking.

「——That was how it was supposed to go, but a problem cropped up. A knight of St. Lyridias used her private army to invade Heures Forest. She had even taken the time to prepare dwarven firearms. Who knows where she obtained them from and what she was planning to do with them」

Otou-san, who had been silent, took over.

「It was a personal grudge. That knight of St. Lyridias……was her name Elmina? She and that knight-companion who had died were probably lovers. She intuitively saw through our pretense and attacked the forest. That kind of woman is the most terrifying. Even though we tried to compromise with her, she completely lost her mind. I don’t believe that her actions were done as a member of an organization. She probably wouldn’t have stopped even if every single elf in the forest had been killed」

「So, who shot Ea?」

「It’s either Elmina herself or one of her men」

Melm answered my question.

「Then what about Rana?」

I've heard more than enough of the preamble. I want them to hurry up and touch on the main subject.

「Lemuria, does this guy know?」

Melm turned to look at the king.

「Umu, he knows. In fact, he defeated the hero Varner’s beast. Using a technique from the foreign lands」

「He looks to be a mediocre man though」

「I am a mediocre man. It’s just that the beast doesn’t amount to much」

The three dudes glared at me as one. Their stares were pretty spirited. Trying to get them to rise to the bait had failed.

Melm continued to speak.

「The knight of St. Lyridias called Elmina appeared in my forest as a beast. I don’t know what made her do it, but my daughter defeated that beast」

「Rana did?」

「That's right. She probably used some form of ultimate magic from Hohens. There was a problem with this. The flames she produced didn’t stop even after burning the beast to ashes, and they burned down the forest and the innocent people as well. It was a foolish act」

「If Rana didn't defeat the beast, wouldn't the damage have spread?」

「No, it wouldn’t have. If she had waited for me, it would have been dealt with」

「Was there any guarantee that you could have defeated it?」

「Guarantee, you say? Don’t ask me something so funny. As if one mere beast stands a chance」

His arrogance is very elf-like.

Or does he really have the ability to defeat a beast?

In any case,

「You’re telling me that an imbecile who couldn’t make it in time for his daughter’s moment of crisis can defeat that?」

「Hmm, a mediocre man dares call me an imbecile. Why don’t you show me the kind of technique you used to kill the hero’s beast right here and now」

「I don’t mind showing you, but let’s go outside. I won’t be able to go easy on you, so you’ll get torn to pieces!」

「Stop it!」

King Lemuria yelled angrily.

「Souya, watch your tone. No matter what, he’s the king of elves」

「That's right. He’s this kind of person, but he’s more or less the king of elves」

Otou-san also provided supporting fire.

「Excuse me, this kind of king of elves. As someone with an elven wife, there were many things you said that I couldn’t overlook. It’s with great reluctance, but I apologize」

At my words,

「Are all three of you picking a fight with me?」1

The king of elves got angry.

Now now, said King Lemuria, trying to placate him.

Everyone drank their alcohol and washed the anger down. This was the adventurers’ way of resolving disputes. The alcohol was spicy, bitter and strong. I felt it warm my belly.

Melm poured another cup of alcohol, and then spoke to me.

「My daughter burned down the forest, and the land that had been turned to ashes transformed into fertile farmland. Setting aside the public face of things, Elysium obtained a new place for the production of food. And the Margrave, who grew fat from the profits, kept his mouth shut.

The two knights who were in command were either dead or missing. As we had expected, Elysium made it look like a war between the Kingdom of Lemuria and the Heures Forest to all appearances, and suspended their plan for the present. All that remained was………the princess who burned her people, and the princess who was dying」

「Why didn't you help them? Reach out your hand to them? You must have been able to do it」

Melm smiled shallowly at my words.

「The thing called war requires an example to be made in order to show a clear outcome to the conflict. The burnt elves and forest, as well as the food that comes from it, all these are far from enough for the stupid Hemus to taste their victory.

Setting aside Rauaryuna, Ea is beautiful like me. When a person like her is reduced to a lowly adventurer, wilts and suffers, she will likely become an example that will let the Hemus delight thoroughly in their victory. If we go so far as to do that, we’ll be able to deceive even the agents of Elysium who are nesting inside Lemuria」

「If that’s the case, then you do it」

Anger was making my words turn harsh.

「The king is one of a kind. There are any number of substitutes for women」

If Lanseal hadn’t grabbed me by the shoulder, I would be laying into him.

He is……this kind of person is the king of the elves?

Those girls’ father?

「Souya, let me apologize as well. I hadn’t been able to keep an eye on them because of my illness」

To be honest, I want to send both of them flying.

「Foreigner, you’ve made one fatal misunderstanding. Even if she’s ugly, Rauaryuna has the resolve of an elven princess. In order to save her people, she is prepared to sacrifice herself. For the sake of protecting her blood, she is prepared to kill herself. She has the resolve of royalty that a mediocre man cannot understand」

I can’t accept it.

How can anyone understand it? Parents throwing their children away like this. As if I’ll recognize something like this.

Suddenly,

I remembered one thing.

「Did Rana know about your conspiracy?」

She hates war and got engaged to me in order to foil the prince's scheme. If she knew about the conspiracy between both side’s parents, that response is weird.

「She doesn't know anything. I don't expect anything from her except to obey. Besides, Rauaryuna is already not my daughter. I’ve disowned her. To become the wife of the likes of a Hemu, it’s the absolute height of foolishness」

She had been tilting at windmills.

In her own way, she had raked her brain, and raked her brain, and was harassed by an ignorant idiot who had misunderstood, but even then, she selflessly tried to stop the war by selling herself to me. The elven princess had sacrificed herself to a so-called lowly Hemu.

「Thank you very much, king of elves. I’ve made up my mind」

Alright, I’ve decided.

I’ve strengthened my resolve.

With this, I can move on.

This unpleasantness was well worth it.

「What the heck, that’s disgusting. That’s right, I need to have a word with you about Ea. By no means did I think she could be saved from that wound. Do you have any intention of offering up that medical technique for the sake of elves?」

「None」

「Hmpt, foreigner, I'll leave Ea in your care for the time being. I’ll have you return her when the time comes」

「At that time, be prepared to lose the entire forest. I'll spread death all over」

Melm, this is the one guy I can’t get along with until the day I die.

I even feel nauseous at the fact that he resembles Ea.

「It’s really like I’m watching Medimu and Melm when they were young」

Good grief, said King Lemuria, who rolled his eyes.

「The three of you, I’ll take my leave for today」

I got up from my seat.

Oh, what a waste.

I shoveled all of the bacon and Rakkyo into my mouth, causing my cheeks to swell up like a squirrel’s. After some noisy chewing, I swallowed everything hastily. I drained the cup of alcohol in one go. My head spun.

「Thank you for your hard work, adventurer. Continue to devote yourself to adventuring」

「Understood」

I bowed in response to the king’s words, and then quickly left the kitchen.

Lanseal also came along with me.

「Lanseal, is Rana at the camp?」

「No, she’s staying in an inn. It’s the inn closest to the royal castle, and it’s called the『Shelter From The Rain Of The Two Moons Inn』. I’ve already informed the people of the inn about you」

I moved down the corridor at a half run.

I was feeling impatient.

「Where are my other party members?」

「Shuna and Bel are at Gladvain-sama's dormitory. Ea is at the camp. I'll return too. It’s not good to let your sister feel lonely」

After leaving the castle and walking a little, we reached the inn. I parted with Lanseal there.

As she was leaving,

「Souya, I feel that it may not be my place to say this, but please love and grab hold of Rana. If you don't, that gentle woman will disappear. In addition, it’s my turn next. Please don't forget that」

「Huh」

She disappeared swiftly into the night of the city.

Putting that aside, I entered the inn.

It was a cheerful inn. It had the look of a commoner’s house, but it felt neat. There were many inns that had a bar on the first floor, but this one seemed to be entirely an inn. It had a quiet and calm atmosphere. The maddening noise of the city didn't reach here.

Stuck near the inn’s entrance was a warning that read,『Don't disrupt the quiet sleep, or you’ll sleep like the dead』

「Excuse me, I heard that my wife is staying here」

I asked the little girl at the reception counter. She was a petite girl whose appearance resembled an elf. Perhaps she only looked childish because of her race.

「Yes, you’re Souya-sama, am I right? We’ve heard about you」

She had a mature-sounding voice. She was probably older than me.

I’ll show you to the room, she said, and then led me to the second floor.

「About the arrangements for your stay, we’ve received a large sum of money from the people of the royal castle. Thus, please stay for as long as you like. If there’s anything that you require, please let us know. We’ll bring your meals to you no matter the time as well.

If you have any orders for us, please ring the small bell provided. The sound-proofing of the rooms is quite excellent, so no matter how loudly you call for us by voice, we’ll be unable to hear you. Well then, please enjoy your stay」

The inn’s employee took her leave in front of the room.

I knocked using the metal door knocker attached to the door. After a while, a sleepy-looking Rana opened the door.

「Can I come in?」

「Go ahead」

As soon as I entered the room, I embraced her and devoured her lips.

She was surprised and resisted me weakly, but I disregarded her resistance roughly.