第２８７堀：和気あいあい (Part3)
"That’s right. It tastes just like the fried chicken from the innkeeper."
"…Now that you mention it, you’re right."
"Yes. Come to think of it, it really does."
Labyris and Shera agreed with their words, and I finally found the missing piece of the puzzle.
"Excuse me, Village Chief. I have a question, if you don't mind?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"This bird—is it only found here, or perhaps just in the vicinity of this village?"
"Well... I couldn't say for sure about other regions. My apologies. However, as you can see, this bird is quite large. It doesn't fly, but it’s incredibly swift. Not many hunters in the forest care to chase them; if you aren't careful, you’ll end up lost or fall prey to other animals or monsters."
"I see. Then, is it common to serve this dish to travelers?"
"Indeed. When we manage to catch one, the whole village celebrates. We honor the good fortune of the catch and the hunter who achieved it. Naturally, if there are travelers present, we share the joy. It has only happened a few times, but there were travelers who were blessed with that luck. Ah, come to think of it, three of those times were the same person. He fell in love with the taste of this bird and visited the village often. If I recall, he said he ran an inn in the city of the Magic Academy."
Bingo!
So, the roots of that old man’s fried chicken were in this village.
"He even went so far as to follow the hunters himself one day, saying he wanted to catch one. We told him it was dangerous, but he wouldn't stop. To our surprise, he actually brought one back alive."
"Alive?"
"Yes. And he told us, 'This bird is delicious. If you’ll allow it, I want to take it back to my inn so my guests can know this taste.'"
The old man even went to the trouble of catching them himself?
Man, I can’t help but be moved by his dedication.
"Since he was the one who caught it, it was his to do with as he pleased. We were proud that he would spread the word about our village’s delicacies, so we readily agreed. Ever since then, for some reason, he’s been delivering salt and daily goods to us at a low price. He says the success of his inn is all thanks to us."
Amazing.
That old man is a real man’s man.
But to catch a bird of that size... was he a former mercenary or something?
He certainly had a sturdy build. And considering he has a decent relationship with Principal Poni, it wouldn't be that strange.
"Come to think of it, you all came from the city of the Magic Academy, didn't you? Have you heard of his inn?"
"Yeah. The old man’s fried chicken is delicious!"
"It’s the best in the city!"
Aslin and Firia were the first to answer.
"Is that so? I’m glad to hear it."
Children’s smiles carry more weight than any adult’s testimony.
While discovering this unexpected connection between the village and the Magic Academy, we continued our meal and conversation in a friendly atmosphere until the day came to an end.
The next morning, when it was time to leave, the entire village came to see us off.
"Please feel free to stop by if you are ever passing near the village again. It’s a humble place, but we will offer you the best hospitality we can."
"Thank you. I will make sure to deliver the letter you wrote to the innkeeper, so please rest assured."
I exchanged farewells with the Village Chief and tucked away the letter he had written for the old man the previous night.
"Yes. Thank you for granting the wish of a country bumpkin. If you see him in person, please tell him we are doing well."
"I will. I’ll hand it to him directly. Please, stay healthy."
"Yes. Dragon Knight, Vixen, soldiers, and mercenaries—I pray for your safety on the road."
"Yes. You take care, Village Chief."
"That bird was delicious. Like the innkeeper, I want to go hunting again. I will definitely visit this village once more. Please, everyone, stay well."
With that, I boarded Wy-chan and we lifted into the sky.
"Take care!!"
"Come back again!!"
"Let me ride the dragon again next time!!"
Those voices drifted up from the village.
"See you later!!"
"Let’s meet again!!"
My wives called back to the villagers as well.
Ah, this really feels like a journey, doesn't it?
Is this the first time since coming to this world?
A moment where, regardless of politics or troublesome affairs, I’m simply feeling the bittersweet sting of parting from a village I happened to visit.
We spotted the two soldiers who had departed ahead of us, and as Wy-chan approached, Vixen called out to them.
"We are heading to the Royal Capital ahead of you with Lady Amanda!! Leave the horses to us!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Don't push yourselves on the road!! Safety is the priority above all else!! We’ll see you in the Royal Capital!!"
"Understood!!"
Apparently, the original plan was for us to meet up and travel together, with the soldiers handling the horses. I’m glad; it would have been cramped if they told me to bring the horses along too.
"Now, Lady Amanda. The Royal Capital lies beyond this road. At our current speed, we should arrive by noon."
"Yes, I understand. Wy-chan, fly along this path."
*Gyaaaas.*
Wy-chan replied.
I often wonder, is it strange to ask a monster that can speak to reply with a cry? Is it a form of animal mimicry? Or is it just a casual "got it" or "sure" in this case?
Hmm, I’m curious. I’ll ask her later.
Though, in Wy-chan’s case, she has to act because there are various problems if people find out she can talk.
If she can talk, that means she can negotiate without a Dragon Knight. If someone were a bit clever, they’d skip over Dragon Knight Amanda and try to negotiate directly with Wy-chan for their own profit.
In other words, they’d conclude that a Dragon Knight who controls the dragon as a mediator is unnecessary.
While idly thinking about such things, I peeled a mandarin orange inside the *kotatsu*.
The weather remained clear, just like yesterday. It wasn't a deep blue, but the clouds were brilliantly white. There wasn't a hint of rain.
There isn't much to do in the Royal Capital anyway. Now that the matter of the Holy Sword Users is settled, this visit to the capital of August is really just a formal introduction for Dragon Knight Amanda.
"Come to think of it, we never had a honeymoon, did we?"
I muttered that suddenly. Firia, who was on my lap, looked up at me and opened her mouth.
"Honeymoon?"
"Yeah. A honeymoon. It’s when a newlywed couple travels together right after getting married to deepen their bond and grow closer."
"Huh, that sounds like a story from your world, doesn't it, Yuki?"
Ratz, who was nearby, joined the conversation, having overheard. Since Vixen is here, she was careful to keep my origins vague.
"Yeah. That’s right. It’s a bit late, but since we’re going to the Royal Capital anyway, why don't we take some time to enjoy sightseeing with everyone?"
"Yes!!"
It seemed all my wives were listening, and they gave me a great response.
"You are a loving couple. If you don't mind, I can arrange a list of recommended sightseeing spots?"
"Would you, Vixen?"
"I don't mind. It’s a good opportunity to get to know the Royal Capital. Everyone will agree, and no one will object."
"I see. Then, please do. As you can see, I’ve been dragging my wives into battles, and I haven't been able to do anything husband-like for them."
"Leave it to me!! This is a man’s time to shine!! As a fellow man, I will support you!!"
Vixen thumped his chest. He really is a passionate guy...
As I was thinking that, for some reason, my wives gathered behind me.
"Yuki hasn't been able to do anything husband-like?"
"If we use Yuki as the standard, every husband in the world is a failure, you know."
*Nod, nod.*
"More importantly, can I be the first one to go on a honeymoon?"
"What are you saying, you fool? Everyone is aiming for that, Deryu."
"That’s true. Yuki is kind, so he’d go with us even if he got tired of it, but I want to enjoy it with him, and I want to be first too!!"
"I agree with Ria. We can decide who goes first with cards or something when we get home today."
"That’s right. That’s fair. Darling, wait for me!! Rurua will make sure to be the first one!!"
And so, the battle for the "first honeymoon" spot among my wives had begun.
...Is it wrong to say we should all go together?
A journey has to be fun, after all.
By the way, what do you all do when you stay the night?
Ah, leave out the "sleeping" part.
I mean ways to play. Indoors only.
I’m thinking cards or something like that.
I don't really play mobile games at inns during trips.