Cold-Blooded Irene
That night, after the barracks for Lucia and me were set up, a modest dinner party was held.
Originally, they had planned to host a grand banquet to coincide with our scheduled arrival. However, because we arrived much earlier than expected, nothing had been prepared. Instead, a small gathering of key figures was put together in the form of a simple dinner.
"Hahaha! Now that the Hero is here, our territory can finally breathe a sigh of relief!"
"Not at all, Lord Baltabar. The battle hasn't even begun yet. In fact, it is I who should be relieved, thanks to Commander Irene arriving here ahead of us."
Lucia, Irene, and I had been invited to dine with the Lord of the Baltabar territory and his family. The evening was unfolding in the exact same manner as any other dinner invitation from a noble household.
Step one: Invite the guest to dinner.
Step two: Shower them with endless flattery to gain their favor.
Step three: Bring up marriage prospects with one's own children.
"Sir Hero, I heard that you are still unmarried and do not have anyone special in your life..."
The Lord, who had been busy placing me on a pedestal and buttering me up since before the food was even served, finally got to the point.
"I have a daughter, you see. She has reached marriageable age, but we have struggled to find a suitable groom for her. So... if it pleases the Hero, would you be open to meeting her?"
"Pardon? Haha... Well, the truth is..."
I was frantically racking my brain for a polite way to decline when someone else spoke up.
"My Lord, we are gathered here to subjugate the Demon King's army that will soon appear, not to discuss your daughter's marriage prospects. Please leave personal matters until after the threat has been dealt with."
Irene, who had been eating in silence, finally delivered a sharp rebuke. The Lord shrank back, casting a few wary glances at her before shutting his mouth tight.
Instead...
"Oh, Commander Irene... It's not as if we are in the middle of a battle yet. My husband only brought it up to lighten the heavy atmosphere. Aren't you being a bit too sensitive?"
The Lord's wife, frustrated that a golden opportunity was slipping away, snapped at Irene with a hint of irritation. Terrified of offending the Commander, the Lord nudged his wife's arm, trying to quiet her down.
"What? Darling, did I say something wrong? For all we know, the Commander might have her own designs on him, which is why she's acting like this."
"What is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?!"
Fearing her daughter's chance at a grand marriage was ruined, the wife continued to press Irene. Eventually, the Lord lost his temper and shouted at his wife, completely ruining the atmosphere of the dinner.
"Forgive me. It seems I have ruined the mood. I shall take my leave first."
"Commander! Oh, no... that's not what we meant..."
With those final words, Irene stood up. The Lord, desperate not to incur her wrath, tried to stop her and apologize, but she had already swiftly exited the dining hall.
Since I was finished eating anyway, and Lucia beside me hadn't touched her food—likely because the menu wasn't to her liking—I had no choice but to stand up as well.
"S-Sir Hero! Dessert hasn't even been served yet. Where are you going...?"
"No, thank you. I have had my fill."
I bid farewell to the Lord and his wife and turned to leave, but the couple quickly stepped in front of me, practically begging me to stay.
It wasn't that I didn't understand them. In a remote, sparsely populated territory like this, the only path to advancement was through their children's marriages. Since a prime target like me had walked right into their domain, they were naturally desperate to secure a match and elevate their status.
"I am here solely for the subjugation of the Demon King's army. I will visit another time to discuss personal matters."
"But... still..."
"Let's go, Lucia."
At my call, Lucia eagerly hurried to my side. The Lord tried to hold me back until the very end, but I ignored him and walked out of the dining hall with Lucia, leaving his desperate cries echoing behind us.
"Sir Hero! Sir Hero!"
We left the Lord's castle and made our way back to the barracks. When we arrived, Irene had guided us, so we hadn't gotten lost. But trying to find our way back with just the two of us made the path feel completely unfamiliar.
"Um, Lucia?"
"Yes?"
"Could you summon a wind spirit or something to guide us back?"
Just as I was about to ask her, worried we might lose our way on this unfamiliar path, I spotted a figure. Irene, whom I assumed had already returned, was leaning against the castle wall, watching us.
"You haven't left yet!"
"...No."
"Hahaha, what a relief. The way back looked so different from when we came, and I was worried we'd get lost. Were you waiting for us?"
"..."
I had assumed Irene would be in a foul mood after the Lord's wife's rudeness, but she silently stepped up beside me and began leading the way back to the barracks.
"I'm sorry. You had to deal with that unpleasantness because of me..."
"...It is fine."
"Things like this happen all the time, not just here but in other kingdoms as well. Don't let it get to you."
"I do not mind."
Since we were now in the same party, I tried to strike up a conversation to get closer to her. However, Irene only offered brief, one-word answers, refusing to engage in a proper dialogue.
"Lucia, I noticed you barely ate anything earlier. Are you going to be okay without dinner?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
"I'm usually not a picky eater when it comes to meat or vegetables, but I just couldn't stomach the gamey smell of that meat."
To be fair, the chef's skills must have been lacking, as even I, a human, had left some food behind due to the strong, gamey odor. For a half-elf with sensitive senses, it must have been absolute torture.
"The officers' mess hall should have pre-made sandwiches for tomorrow's breakfast. Shall I fetch some for you?"
"Ah... No! I-I'm really fine!"
Perhaps worried about Lucia, Irene—who had only given short answers until now—spoke to her first. Upon hearing Irene's offer, Lucia looked startled, reacting completely differently than she did with me. She frantically waved her hands in refusal.
However...
Growl~
Contrary to her protests, her body was brutally honest. A very distinct growl echoed from Lucia's stomach, loud enough for both Irene and me to hear clearly.
"Wait here. I will bring some for you."
"N-No! I'll get it myself! Please stay here, Lady Irene."
Her face flushing bright red from the embarrassing sound, Lucia insisted on stopping Irene and hurried off toward the officers' mess hall alone.
"Pfft..."
Watching Lucia get so flustered and red-faced over a simple stomach growl, I couldn't help but chuckle. I quickly tried to stifle my laughter, casting a wary glance at Irene.
"Ahem..."
Feeling Irene's gaze on me, I cleared my throat and quickly composed myself. When she continued to stare at me in silence, I hastily apologized.
"Sorry. I couldn't help it."
"..."
Even after my apology, she just kept staring at me.
"Is there something on my face?"
"N-No, it's nothing."
Looking uncharacteristically flustered, she quickly turned her head away, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Um..."
"Yes?"
Irene looked back at me as if she had something to say, parting her lips.
"Ah... Never mind."
"If you have something to say, go ahead. We're in the same party now, so we should be open with each other."
Wondering if she was just shy like Lucia and struggled to speak up, I tried to reassure her. But she only blushed slightly and remained silent.
"You aren't feeling unwell, are you? Your face looks a bit flushed..."
Under the bright light, her pale complexion made her look almost sickly, which prompted my question. But Irene reacted with sudden shock, taking a step back, her startled expression refusing to fade.
"By any chance..."
"Yes?"
"Do you... remember me?"
The charismatic Commander who had commanded the soldiers earlier that day was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she stood before me like an innocent young girl, blushing and speaking in a soft, hesitant voice. Her voice was so quiet that I barely caught it and had to ask her to repeat herself.
"Remember you...?"
"Ten years ago... we met... once..."
"Ten years ago... Well, I'm not sure. I don't really remember..."
I could barely recall faces from three years ago, let alone ten. Besides, among all the people I had fought alongside on the battlefield, I couldn't recall anyone with silver hair.
"Ah... I see..."
"Did we really meet ten years ago? Where? Back then, I was just starting to fight the Demon King's army, so I don't remember the faces of everyone I fought with."
"...Well, it was..."
Irene hesitated, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly as she struggled to find the words. Just as she was about to speak—
"Sir Hero!"
Lucia, who had gone to the officers' mess hall, was waddling back, struggling to carry a tray piled high with sandwiches.
"Lucia!"
I quickly walked over and took the tray, which looked ready to collapse like a poorly built tower. Saved from disaster, Lucia let out a long sigh of relief.
"Whew~ Thank you, Sir Hero. You saved me."
"What is all this, Lucia?"
"Ah... well... I went to the mess hall and told them I was hungry and wanted some sandwiches, and they gave me this much."
I had a feeling I knew why they had given her so much. She had probably asked them with a bright red face, stammering shyly. Charmed by her sheer cuteness, the cooks must have piled the tray high with everything they had.
"Would you like some too, Sir Hero, if you're hungry?"
"No, I'm fine. You eat, Lucia."
"But this is way too much for me..."
Lucia stared at the mountain of sandwiches, wondering how on earth she was going to finish them all. Meanwhile, Irene turned around and began to walk away.
"Commander, weren't you about to say something earlier?"
"..."
At my call, Irene stopped in her tracks. She stood still for a long moment before turning back to face me.
"My name is..."
"Pardon?"
"My name is Irene Alsmeyer. It's the name I couldn't tell you that day."
"That day?"
"Please call me Irene from now on."
She introduced herself as if we were meeting for the first time. There was something strangely familiar about her, but before I could ask what she meant, Irene had already disappeared into her barracks.