Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Fortress City (5) - Meal
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1.
A wide dining hall was filled with people, including maids, all eating their meals. It was quite crowded, yet so quiet that only the occasional clink of dishes echoed through the room.
'It's obviously because of us.'
"Doesn't this food suit your taste?"
As I sighed deeply at the awkward atmosphere and stirred my spoon absentmindedly, Anne, sitting across from me, spoke up.
"It's edible."
The evening meal consisted of soup with beans, vegetables, and bits of meat, pickled cabbage, and hard bread.
"Edible, you say. Back in the day, you'd have scarfed this down without a second thought. What a change of times."
"Come on. We had meals like this every now and then too. That stew from before was just special to begin with. And what, it's only been a few days."
"I suppose. I've never lived the mercenary life myself."
"Do you always eat like this?"
"Yeah. Surprised?"
I nodded quietly.
"When we met at the mansion before, and during the meal in the village, you ate far more extravagantly than this."
Even then, resources were scarce, and everyone had to ration. Yet she'd eaten like that, and now here in the mansion, this was the fare.
"That was all for Amelia-nim's sake. As a knight, I love liquor and meat, but that's for times of plenty. When we have to conserve like now, even I hold back."
"I see."
She really was the epitome of a knight.
"More importantly, are you going to keep using formal speech? I'm used to it, but it sounds odd coming from you."
"Maybe if it were just us, but with all these eyes around, is that okay?"
"What does it matter? Respect for a knight comes from their conduct, not polite words. Besides, you're in the Count's favor, so it should be fine."
"I'm in his favor?"
She let out a hollow laugh at my casual tone. Probably amused by my quick switch.
"Why else would the Count give you an elixir? It was all consideration for you."
"Really?"
"Yes. No offense, but would he hand a mere mercenary riffraff a pure elixir and mana cultivation method out of the blue?"
"That sounds like an insult no matter who hears it. And that was because of the blood contract."
She sipped her wine and smirked.
"Playing innocent? If the Count wanted you gone, he could've killed you the moment you paid up. The fact he didn't means you're in his good graces."
"Maybe he just needs a janitor?"
"Could be. But even so, what does it matter? It's still a win for you, right?"
"Fair enough."
But had I really done anything to earn the Count's favor?
"Don't overthink it."
As I started to sink into thought, Anne's voice pulled me back. I looked up to see her calmly eating her bread.
"The human heart is hard enough to fathom, and nobles' hearts even more so. Anyway, I heard you started work right away today?"
"Word travels that fast?"
"It's important. So, how far did you clear?"
She pulled a map from her bosom and spread it out beside us. Why did she even carry that around?
"Spill it."
"From here to here. Why?"
"Ho, that's quick. No wonder the Count favors you."
"Quit teasing."
"I'm serious."
"Yeah, yeah, sure you are."
Hearing that from the knight adored by the Count's most precious daughter just sounded like ribbing.
"The Count will be pleased with this. He'll be thrilled."
After a moment's hesitation, I asked Anne carefully.
"Hey, then could you ask the Count for another lower-grade elixir? If he really favors me like you say, he might give it gladly."
"A lower-grade elixir? Well... even lower-grade ones are precious. Didn't you just get the blue one recently? Even if you drank it, you couldn't have fully absorbed it yet."
"I absorbed it all."
Her eyes widened slightly at my words.
"For real? If you're lying for another elixir, stop. Eating one before fully absorbing the last yields no benefit."
"Why would I lie about this?"
"Hm."
Anne's dark eyes stared straight at me. For some reason, I couldn't look away and met her gaze.
"Looks like you're serious. That's truly impressive..."
"Is it that big a deal?"
"Yes. Elixirs don't make you stronger instantly. You know that, right?"
"Of course."
Actually, I had no clue. Mine had boosted my stats right away.
"It's true for any elixir, but especially mana-based ones—it's even harder. You have to harmonize the internal mana with the new influx."
"What happens if you fail?"
"The elixir's mana dissipates entirely. If you cling to it desperately, the mana clashes wildly and eventually explodes, killing you."
"Explodes? How?"
"Literally. Blue veins bulge across your body, it cracks open bit by bit, and finally..."
She tapped the table lightly and continued.
"Boom. The blast is so powerful even grand mages won't touch it. Back in the day, they fed elixirs to prisoners and catapulted them at city gates."
"Insane."
It was a strategy beyond imagination.
"Yeah, too cruel and inhuman. All empires and kingdoms banned it, but wars were easier then, apparently."
"So, can I get the elixir or not?"
"I'll mention it. If it goes through Amelia-nim, your odds might improve a bit."
"Thanks."
"It's for the city's sake, no need to thank me."
With the conversation over, so was the meal. I cleared my tray and left the dining hall. Only then did voices rise from behind.
"Is that all?"
"Yeah. Wasn't it just till dinner?"
I nodded silently.
"Then I'll head out. You've got work tomorrow, so sleep early."
"Got it. Take care."
I saw her off and turned away. As I climbed the stairs, a question popped into my head.
'Why'd she suddenly want to have dinner?'
Nothing crucial came up in our talk. Most of it she could've heard from the soldiers anytime. Did she really need to come all this way?
'Building rapport? We didn't exactly part on good terms at that party, and now?'
Was I being too suspicious of her sudden kindness? Or did she have an agenda?
"No way..."
A hypothesis surfaced in my mind, then sank.
'Nah. If she knew, she wouldn't have left me alone.'
Yeah, it couldn't be that. It had to not be.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A week had passed since I started cleaning the residential district. The area's vastness and labyrinthine layout had eaten up far more time than expected.
'Only about 25% done?'
On day one, I'd thought a week would wrap it up. What a joke. I'd underestimated the Fortress City.
"Back to work today?"
The soldiers at the wooden gate greeted me with smiles. A week of encounters had warmed us up a bit.
"Yep. Gotta put in the effort."
"You could take a day off. Things are much calmer now. A bit more cleanup, and we could even help."
"For real?"
"Yes. Before, we spaced guards along temporary walls. Thanks to you, the perimeter's shrunk a lot."
"Then I'll push harder."
I grinned and approached the gate.
"Right. We'll open it. Open the gate!!!"
With his shout, the massive doors creaked open. The interior looked markedly different now.
"Good luck."
"Thanks. See ya."
I exchanged farewells and stepped through. I glanced at the closing walls, then moved on.
'Plaza cleanup starts today.'
The religious district was farther, so I'd aimed for the plaza. But I was worried. Soldiers said it bordered the commercial area with shops galore.
'Means lots of foot traffic, so plenty of mutants possible.'
Few mutants would be ideal, but too few might spell other troubles.
'Damned if you do, damned if you don't.'
I sighed and followed the road. Thanks to my cleanup, only corpses and bloodstains dotted the surroundings—no lunging fiends.
'Maybe pop an elixir.'
I rummaged in my pocket and pulled out the one Anne had given me this morning. A glass vial sloshing with white liquid.
⚔ ITEM ⚔ Ogre's Elixir
A concentrated extract boiled down from the bloodline and testicles of an ogre brimming with strength and vitality. Upon consumption, the skin toughens, while virility and muscle quality improve. It was the elixir Anne had passed to me this morning. Not lower-grade, but mid-grade, from the description.
Everything sounded great, but ogre testicles? Made it hard to stomach. Somehow, the white liquid now looked like semen.
'Ignorance is bliss, huh.'
I sighed, uncorked it, and braced for the stench. Eyes squeezed shut, I chugged it down.
Gulp—
"Holy shit."
The moment it hit my throat, I couldn't help but marvel.