Chapter 25: Dancing with Orcs! (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 25: Dancing with Orcs! (6)
Was she surprised by my sudden gesture? Frillite's eyes went wide.
It was a rare expression for someone with her cool demeanor, which I found fascinating.
‘Is it that surprising?’
We’re fellow heroes, can’t we put our arms around each other’s shoulders? Come on, don't be so stiff.
“A friend...? Is this man a friend of yours, Lady Frillite?”
The Guard Captain asked Frillite, his expression hardening.
Frillite didn't even glance at him.
She looked at me with a puzzled expression and opened her mouth.
“Cla—”
“Haha! Don't tell me you've already forgotten my name. It's James. James.”
As I hastily cut her off and made up an alias, she gave me a strange look for a moment. But then, as if she understood, she nodded.
“Right. James. It's been a while. What brings you here?”
“Oh, you know, I've been busy with this and that. It's a long story to tell here. Let's talk over a drink later. More importantly, there's something I need to tell you...”
I deliberately dragged out my words, watching the Guard Captain's face. Just as I expected, he was shaking his head, his face pale as a sheet.
His desperate eyes seemed to plead, promising to fix everything if I just let this go.
Too late, you bastard.
I gave him a bright smile before explaining the Guard Captain's suspected embezzlement to Frillite.
Frillite's expression hardened as my story unfolded. When I finished, she looked at the carts, the orcs, and then the Guard Captain before speaking.
“Guard Captain, is what I've heard true?”
Frillite's voice was naturally a little lower than most women's, but now it was deep and heavy with anger...
It was no surprise that not only the Guard Captain but all the other guards tensed up.
The Guard Captain swallowed hard and began to grovel.
“No, Lady Frillite. I believe there's been a slight misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? Are you suggesting that Cla— ahem, that my friend is lying to me?”
“No, that's not it...”
“Hey, you there! Orc!”
Frillite ignored the Guard Captain and called out to Lugar, who was standing near the carts.
Lugar pointed a finger at himself.
“Are you calling me?”
“Any orc who can speak the imperial language will do. Come here.”
Lugar scowled at her commanding tone.
He was the chieftain of an orc tribe. He wasn't about to enjoy being ordered around by some human he didn't even know.
“Brother! She just has something to ask you. Give us a moment.”
Only after hearing my words did Lugar relax his expression and walk over.
Frillite, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes.
“Brother?”
“The orc you called over and I are sworn brothers.”
“...What on earth happened that led to you becoming sworn brothers with an orc?”
“I'll tell you later. Now's not the time.”
I gestured with my chin toward Lugar, who had approached us. Frillite sighed deeply and muttered.
“I have so many questions.”
Lugar spoke to Frillite, who was shaking her head.
“What do you want, human?”
“I have a question for you. You gave this Guard Captain 500,000 gold and requested provisions of equal value. Is that correct?”
“That is correct.”
“And in exchange for that 500,000 gold, the Guard Captain gave you seven carts of grain and seventeen head of livestock. Is this also correct?”
The Guard Captain tried to interject, but Lugar answered first.
“That is also correct.”
“And you were told that what's over there is worth 500,000 gold?”
“That's what I was told.”
“I see. Thank you for answering my questions. You may return to your people.”
Lugar's eyebrow twitched at her still-condescending tone, but thankfully, he returned to his tribesmen without another word.
He wasn't a stupid orc; he must have figured out what was going on.
“Guard Captain, do you have anything else to say?”
Frillite's cold gaze shot toward the Guard Captain. He trembled like prey before a predator.
“N-No, that is...”
“As you know, Guard Captain, there is only one reason the Empire sells provisions to the orc tribes: to prevent starving orcs from crossing the border and plundering our citizens.”
Frillite took a step toward him. My arm naturally fell from her shoulder as she looked down coldly at the bowing Guard Captain.
“And yet you, an officer of the Empire, have broken the strict laws of the nation for your own personal greed. Your unlawful actions could have endangered the citizens of the Empire. Do you admit to this?”
“N-No! I've done no such thing! Today was just a mistake—”
“If you will not admit it, so be it. Guards! Arrest this man at once!”
At Frillite's shout, two dazed guards snapped to their senses and scurried over. They seized the Guard Captain by both arms.
“Wh-What?! Hey, you bastards! What do you think you're doing?!”
“S-Sorry, Captain. The Hero gave the order... what can we do?!”
“You sons of... H-Hero! Please, calm down and listen to what I have to—”
“Where is the Guard Vice-Captain?!”
“S-Sir? Yes! H-Here, sir!”
Was he worried he'd be swept up in this as well? The summoned Guard Vice-Captain's face was pale. However, Frillite did not hold him responsible.
“Since the Guard Captain refuses to admit his guilt and claims he is being wronged, he will be put on trial in accordance with imperial law. And that trial will be thorough and fair, conducted under the name of the Ferdiac Ducal Family. Do you understand?”
“Y-Yes, ma'am!”
“Good. While the trial is underway, you will temporarily assume the vacant position of Guard Captain. If the captain is found guilty, the position will be yours permanently.”
The Guard Vice-Captain's eyes widened.
He must have been shocked by Frillite's unexpected words, having assumed he would be held responsible along with the captain.
Even though she said if he was found guilty, there was no way he'd be found innocent. In other words, he'd just been promoted.
As the meaning sank in, the Guard Vice-Captain's face slowly filled with glee.
The Guard Captain's face, in contrast, was filled with despair.
“N-No! I'm being framed! I wasn't the only one who took a cut! He was in on it, too! And him!”
“If you knock over the bookshelf inside the Guard Captain's office, there's a hidden safe. All the assets he's embezzled over the years are hidden there.”
The moment the Guard Captain pointed his finger at the Vice-Captain, the Vice-Captain—so fast it was almost simultaneous—spilled the location of the safe.
The Guard Captain's last-ditch attempt to drag someone down with him had failed.
In the end, the Guard Captain was dragged away by the guards, screaming horribly.
After that, Frillite told the acting Guard Captain what he needed to do.
Confiscate the former captain's embezzled assets. Testify at the trial. Provide the orcs with provisions befitting the amount they paid. And so on.
While she was giving her instructions, I went over to Lugar and explained what had happened.
After hearing the story, Lugar said he would hide the truth about the captain's embezzlement from his tribe.
He figured telling them would only deepen their animosity toward humans, which might complicate future food trades.
-Chieftain. What did your brother say?
-He said the humans made a mistake and brought too little food. If we wait a bit longer, they'll bring four times this amount.
-Four times?! Chieftain! Does this mean our tribe is rich now?!
-Not rich, but we'll be able to live quite comfortably.
-Wow! Then let's have a feast as soon as we get back! A bigger feast than ever before!
-A feast? Don't be ridiculous! No matter how much food we have, it'll disappear quickly if we're wasteful. We're putting this in storage.
-What?! Chieftain, I didn't take you for such a stingy orc!
-You're banned from eating meat for a month.
-The Chieftain is a great warrior.
-...
-Chieftain...? Say something...
Seeing them so purely joyful, I felt like he'd made the right call.
They won't get scammed anymore, so it should be fine.
I was watching them with a pleased smile when it happened.
“Cla— James!”
Frillite, apparently finished with her instructions for the acting Guard Captain, called out to me.
I walked over to her.
“Yeah?”
“Is your business here finished?”
“I guess so.”
“Then let's go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Where do you think? To the nearby town.”
“...You want to go together?”
Frillite narrowed her eyes.
“...Don't tell me you're planning to run away again.”
“Run away? When did I... Ah.”
I remembered.
That day in the imperial capital, when Frillite had paid for my drinks and left.
She'd said we should talk the next day, after I'd sobered up. The next day, I'd slipped out of the capital as soon as I woke up.
“I had my reasons back then.”
“...”
“I'm serious.”
“...”
Even though I was telling the truth, her narrowed eyes didn't waver.