Chapter 29: Ogre Subjugation (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 29: Ogre Subjugation (4)
With Lorian's party joining us, the ogre subjugation became much safer.
Now that things were safer, Count Raikel assigned us a hunter who knew the forest well to act as a guide.
With a guide secured, we felt no need to delay any longer and headed straight into the forest.
Me, Frillite, the eight members of Lorian's party, and the guide.
Our temporary subjugation party consisted of eleven people. Frillite and the guide walked at the very front of the group.
That was natural for the guide, who had to show us the way, while Frillite was asking him about the surrounding terrain to prepare for any surprises.
I observed Lorian's party.
In the game, they were a four-person party, but now there were eight of them.
I thought the maximum party size was four.
How are there eight of them?
Are they running an A-team and a B-team or something?
In many ways, this was different from the game.
If that's the case, the A-team would be the ones walking confidently at the front.
And the B-team would be the ones following behind them, looking slightly timid.
Seeing them act like that, even though there's no real reason for a 'B-team' to be so withdrawn, it seems this party has a strict pecking order.
For the record, Eri was in the B-team. She was walking at the very back, even among them.
It seemed her rank was dead last.
I was in the middle of analyzing Lorian's party when, speak of the devil, Lorian himself came up beside me.
It was surprising enough that he approached me, but he immediately spouted some nonsense.
"Cloud, let me give you a piece of advice."
"Huh?"
"I don't know how you got close to Frillite, but I recommend you don't get any closer."
"What's this all of a sudden?"
"It's exactly as I said. Know your place. You are not fit to be with her."
"?"
"It would be in your best interest not to ignore my advice. I'll say it again: know your place."
Lorian patted my shoulder a couple of times before returning to his party. I thought for a moment, then walked up and poked Frillite's shoulder. She turned her gaze from the terrain to me.
"Cloud? Is there something you need? I'm busy memorizing the terrain right now."
"Lorian told me not to hang out with you."
"..?"
Frillite tilted her head, seemingly not understanding what I said.
Realizing I had been too brief, I explained it in a way she could understand.
"He told me to end my friendship with you. Said he wouldn't leave me alone if I didn't."
"End our friendship? What does that mean?"
"It means to sever the relationship between friends. If we did that, you and I would no longer be friends."
Frillite's expression hardened. She even stopped walking, her red eyes fixed only on me.
"...So what did you say?"
Her voice, which sounded like it was squeezed out of her, held a hint of anxiety. Why would she get anxious over something like this?
The corners of my mouth curled up.
"I told him to get lost, of course. I always do my best to keep promises made while drinking. Unless you're the one to end our friendship, I'll always be your friend."
Only then did her stiff expression soften. She looked at me with a pleased smile.
Huh? Her reaction is more innocent than I expected.
With her personality, I thought she'd draw her greatsword and grab Lorian by the collar.
A little disappointing, but it can't be helped.
Time for Plan B.
"Well, since we've reaffirmed our friendship, how about we put our arms around each other's shoulders?"
"Put our arms around each other's shoulders? Is that what I think it is?"
"If you're imagining the act of placing our arms on each other's shoulders, then yes."
"I see. But why so suddenly?"
"I just wanted to strengthen our friendship a bit more. If you don't want to, that's fine."
"It's not that I don't want to, but..."
She glanced around.
I don't sense any strong monsters. Even if one appeared, Lorian's party could buy us some time. There's enough time to let go and get into a combat stance.
Frillite muttered to herself, then nodded as if she'd convinced herself.
"I suppose it would be fine."
"Great. Let's do it!"
I slung my arm over Frillite's shoulder. Her body flinched, and her hand, which had been moving toward my shoulder, froze.
"What are you doing? Hurry up and put your arm on my shoulder. If I'm the only one with my arm out, how is that putting our arms around each other?"
"Ah, I get it. Don't rush me, just wait...!"
Frillite's hand slowly started moving again until it rested gently on my shoulder. She cleared her throat lightly.
"...This is more embarrassing than I thought. Do all friends normally do this?"
"They do. Friends of the same gender."
"The same gender? Then..."
Frillite's eyes narrowed slightly. I grinned and said.
"Friends of the opposite gender don't really do it."
"You tricked me..."
"I didn't trick you. Besides, we're not just ordinary friends, are we?"
"Not ordinary friends?"
Frillite looked puzzled. I whispered in her ear.
"We're friends who might get married someday."
I winked at her.
Frillite stared at me blankly, as if at a loss for words, before letting out a dry laugh.
"Honestly, I don't know where you get this audacity."
"Do you dislike this? If you do, I'll let go right now."
"It's fine. We've already done it, what's the point of stopping now? You can stay like this for as long as you want."
"As long as I want... So, it's okay if we stay like this all day?"
Frillite replied with a smirk.
"Didn't I say so? For as long as you want. Just as you keep the promises you make while drinking, I keep my word. Especially when it's a promise to a friend."
"Wow, you're generous."
I smiled back at her and glanced behind me. Just as I expected, Lorian was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.
What would happen if I struck a gloating pose right now?
It seemed like it would lead to a pretty amusing situation, but I decided to hold back. Too many people watching right now.
I'll definitely try it next time.
Even after walking through the forest all day, we couldn't reach the inner lake before the sun set.
Once the sun was down, we could go no further.
The forest is dangerous at night.
Limited visibility is a bigger disadvantage than one might think. If we were unlucky enough to run into an ogre in that state? We'd have to be prepared for a total wipeout.
Therefore, the subjugation party decided to camp for the night and move out again the next morning.
"Hey. Fire."
A very high-handed tone, as if ordering a servant.
But the person who spoke had the right to do so.
She was Lorraine, the First Princess of the Carta Kingdom and the younger sister of the Hero, Lorian.
She resembled Lorian with her long, chestnut-colored hair and round, orange eyes. Her features were soft and round, giving her a cute appearance.
Her personality, however, was anything but.
Far from being gentle, she was vicious. Anyone who had been on the receiving end of her cruelty was sick to death of her.
"...Yes."
Eri used magic to light the pile of firewood.
"Cook!"
A large, rugged-looking man began preparing the ingredients. He placed the freshly trimmed food into a pot and started cooking.
It didn't take long for a delicious aroma to fill the air.
Lorian was the first to receive the finished soup.
As the Hero and heir to the throne, it was only natural that he be served first.
Lorraine received hers after Lorian.
She was the kingdom's First Princess. As the one holding the most power after Lorian, it was natural for her to be next.
Next was Princess Lisbeth.
After her, Princess Marietta.
As the food was distributed, Eri's turn came last. No one served her; she had to ladle the soup into her own bowl.
There's actually a good amount left today.
Usually, they left almost no soup for her, so she'd have to chew on jerky or hard bread. Or make her own soup.
But today, they'd left a fair amount. There was even meat among the chunks of vegetables.
It seems they couldn't show themselves discriminating over food with the other Heroes around. Especially Frillite.
Eri felt a small joy at being able to eat a proper meal for the first time in a while.
She ladled about half of the remaining soup into her bowl.
Even though she was last, she couldn't take all of it. It would be trouble if someone else wanted more later. Eri wasn't foolish enough to fall for the same trick twice.
Eri stood up with her bowl.
Her own party members were laughing and chatting just two meters away, but she walked to the opposite side of the camp.
She leaned her back against a suitable tree and slowly ate her soup.
Her meals were always like this.
It was heartbreaking at first, but now that she was used to it, she felt nothing. She just focused on each spoonful.
The meat is delicious.
Still, she was satisfied to be able to eat boiled meat today.
After finishing her meal, Eri looked up.
Her eyes fell upon Frillite and Cloud, who were talking and enjoying their meal together.
In that scene, Eri saw the past.
The days when she, Cloud, Neria, and Ophelia adventured together.
When it was time to eat, Neria would gather firewood for the campfire. Then Eri would light the fire, and Cloud would cook the food.
Before the meal, Ophelia would lead them in prayer. The moment the prayer ended, the girls would dive for the meat faster than anyone.
It made sense for Neria, a knight, but why was Ophelia, a nun, so obsessed with meat?
They would even bicker over who got one more piece.
Cloud would just watch them with an awkward smile.
Recalling that happy past, a faint smile bloomed on Eri's face. But it was fleeting. A sharp pang shot through her chest, and it began to ache.
Why did I do that...?
She'd had a chance to be happy.
She could have lived, smiling, surrounded by people who acknowledged and respected her.
If only she hadn't been so greedy.
Yes, greed. She had been greedy.
Honor, recognition, friends, family.
She had tried to obtain it all.
With only two hands, she had flailed about, trying to grasp everything, and ended up losing what she already had.
I'm an idiot...
Before she lost it all, she thought she was a very wise person.
A risk-taker who knew how to discard what was in her hand without regret to get what she wanted.
But like any gambler, she was just a loser who had mistaken herself for a high-roller.
I want to go back.
Back to the times when I'd wake up and nag Neria, who smelled of sweat from her morning workout.
Back to when I'd shake Ophelia awake, the devout nun who was so weak in the mornings.
Back to when we'd all go downstairs together, and Cloud, who had already ordered food, would greet us with a smile.
"Water."
A single word, not even a full sentence, shattered Eri's wistful reverie. Her reminiscence cut short, Eri turned her head toward the voice.
Lorraine's gaze was fixed on her.
"...If you want water, it's in the bag behind you."
"What was that? Sorry, I couldn't hear you."
Lorraine smiled and tilted her head.
Liar. You definitely heard me.
Eri turned her head away. Cloud and Frillite had stopped eating and were looking their way.
Eri understood Lorraine's intention.
By showing everyone that she could order Eri around, Lorraine intended to humiliate both Cloud and Eri.
Eri bit her lip hard.
Normally, she would have obeyed without a word, but right now, she would rather die than comply. She didn't want Cloud to see her like this.
"The water is right behind..."
Just as Eri was about to refuse Lorraine's request again.
"Eri."
A deep, calm voice cut her off sharply. Eri's gaze shifted to the person beside Lorraine.
Lorian was looking at her with his characteristic friendly smile.
"I'm thirsty as well. Could you please bring me some water?"
Eri, who had been about to defy Lorraine, had no choice but to obey Lorian. He was someone who usually ignored Eri as if she didn't exist. For him to address her now... if she ignored him, there might be unbearable retaliation.
"...Yes."
Eri had no choice but to comply with the royal siblings' request. She took a waterskin from a bag just three meters behind the party members and handed it to Lorian.
"Thank you."
"...You're welcome."
After handing him the waterskin, Eri tried to leave, but Lorian grabbed her wrist.
"Sit next to me."
"What? No, I'm fine..."
"Sit."
"...Yes."
Eri obediently sat next to Lorian. His tone had been unsettling. Sure enough, as soon as she sat, he spoke in a very low voice that only she could hear.
"Eri. This was just a simple request for water, something party members can ask of each other, wasn't it?"
"..Yes."
"Then why did you refuse? It was embarrassing. If you act like that, what will other people think of us? Have you considered that?"
"I'm sorry."
"From now on, try to think before you act. And Lorraine?"
"Y-yes, Brother."
"You and I will have a little talk after dinner. Understood?"
"Under...stood..."
Lorraine hung her head low. At a glance, she looked dejected, but Eri knew.
Behind that seemingly repentant facade, Lorraine was grinding her teeth. She would probably call Eri out tonight to take out her anger.
And just as expected, late that night, Eri was summoned by Lorraine.
Lorraine dragged Eri quite a distance from the campsite and immediately started shouting.
"Hey, are you messing with me? Because of you, I got scolded by my brother! Do I have to get scolded by my brother because of some lowly bitch like you?"
Lorraine knew that Eri was only half-noble. So whenever she wanted to insult her, she would call her a 'lowly bitch'.
"..."
Eri kept her mouth shut. She knew from experience that reacting would only prolong the humiliation.
"What's this? Not answering? Ha... has she lost her mind...? Hey, look at me. Look at me properly."
Apparently displeased by Eri's silence, Lorraine grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head up.
Lorraine met Eri's eyes and asked.
"What is it? What are you so unhappy about? You usually obey me instantly, don't you?"
"..."
"Why? Did seeing that commoner bastard Cloud again bring back old memories? Feeling nostalgic? Think you can go back to those days? Back to when you traveled around, laughing and having fun?"
"..."
Eri tensed her face, trying to keep her expression from crumbling.
Seeing this, Lorraine's eyes widened in disbelief before she burst out laughing.
"Wow. Was it for real? Ahahahaha! I'm one thing, but you're a real piece of work. How could you even think of going back after what you did? Don't you remember what you did?"
Lorraine, who had been laughing her head off, suddenly stopped and shoved her face into Eri's. Their foreheads touched as she stared into her eyes.
"In front of everyone, at the Imperial social gathering of all places, you declared it. That you were leaving Cloud's party to join my brother's. After politically crippling Cloud like that, now you miss him?"
"Th-that's because you people...!"
Eri's eyes darted around aimlessly. Lorraine's own eyes twisted into a cruel smile.
"Yeah, we told you to. So what? You were the one who agreed to do it. You were the one who actually did it, and you were the one who drove a nail through Cloud's heart. Am I wrong?"
She wasn't wrong. Eri, more than anyone, knew that Lorraine was right. That's why she couldn't argue back. All she could do was hang her head and clench her fists.
"Our little lowly bitch's wish was to belong to the Hero's party that defeated the Demon King and earn her family's recognition. Right?"
"..."
"Yes or no. Answer me."
"...Yes."
"Then you'd better act right, shouldn't you? You have nowhere else to go but to us. Isn't that right?"
Lorraine said, poking Eri's forehead repeatedly with her finger.
"..."
"What. No answer? Do you want to leave the party? I can make that happen right now if you want."
"...No. I'll act right. Please forgive me just this once."
"Haa... I shouldn't keep letting you off like this. Oh, well! I'll let it slide just this once. But you'd better do well from now on. Got it?"
"Yes..."
"And throw away that useless hope that you can go back to how things were."
"..."
"Answer?"
Lorraine tapped Eri's cheek with her palm.
Eri gritted her teeth and answered.
"...Yes."
"Good! A pet should listen to its master. Yawn... Anyway, I'm sleepy. What a pain, dealing with this in the middle of the night because of you. Don't cause this kind of trouble again. Well, I'm going back to sleep."
Having said her piece, Lorraine returned to the campsite.
Eri stood there for a long time. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her clenched fists trembled.