第３６４堀：奴隷姫の素性 (Part2)
For now, I’ve finished gathering the equipment, given a perfunctory greeting to Torneko, and returned to the inn.
Perhaps because I’d taken off the dress, I wasn't bothered by anyone on the way back, and I arrived at the inn without incident.
"Oh, Mauve. You're back!"
"Yeah, Rosetta. You don't seem to have a hangover."
"Of course not! You think I’d get drunk on that little bit of booze?"
"..."
What is this person talking about?
As I was thinking that, Nodon, who must have returned as well, walked over and whispered to me.
"Every time, her memory blanks out and she rewrites it to something convenient. She thinks she has a high tolerance for alcohol because she never has a hangover. If you carelessly point out the facts, she’ll just say it’s unbelievable and insist on another drinking party, so just bear with it."
"Wh-what a pain. Fine, I get it."
In the meantime, Rosetta’s interest had shifted to Dressa, and she was circling her, looking her up and down.
"Heh, so this is the one..."
"Wh-what do you want?"
"Nothing. That tanned skin, and that elegance. To think you’d actually pay to take in the ungrateful Princess Dressa."
The moment Rosetta said that, Dressa looked like she was about to explode with rage, but Raiya covered her mouth and pulled her back.
"Mmm!? Mmm!!"
"Spirited, isn't she? I see. With that kind of grit, she’ll probably be able to handle some tough training."
"Could you not bully my disciple so much?"
"My apologies. She’s a famous princess in the Ex Royal Capital, so I couldn't help it. Well, she’d better get used to it; if she doesn't learn to endure these kinds of jeers, there’ll be no end to it, Dressa."
"..."
When Rosetta said that, Dressa fell silent, hanging her head while shedding tears of frustration.
"Ah, you made her cry. For now, Raiya and Curse, take Dressa back to the room. I’m going to hear the details before I head up."
"Understood."
"Got it."
I waited until the two of them and Dressa disappeared up to the second floor before deciding to ask Rosetta for the full story.
"Let's sit down for now."
"Sure. I'll order two ales."
The moment we sat down, she placed an order with the man in the kitchen.
"You're going to drink?"
"We're taking it easy today anyway, so why not?"
"Well, I suppose so. So, what was that about her being 'ungrateful'?"
"Hm? You don't know? Well, it’s no wonder if you’re from another country; it was an affair within a small nation under the jurisdiction of the Ex Kingdom."
"Here you go, two ales."
"Oh, thanks. Let's toast first."
"Yeah, yeah. Cheers."
We both downed the ale in one go.
...Honestly, I prefer lager. It’s not that it tastes *bad*—I really don't think it's bad—it’s just that lager is better than ale.
"Two more, please."
"Coming right up."
"Hey, the story."
"I know, I know. I'll drink slowly next time. So, about Dressa. It’s a simple story. One of the small nations under the Ex Kingdom’s management fell into a famine. The Ex Kingdom provided aid. That was Princess Dressa’s country. Of course, aid isn't free. You have to provide something in return. That’s only natural, right?"
"I suppose."
"Well, it wasn't anything too grand. They just borrowed about 3,000 laborers. They do the same thing with other countries they provide aid to; it wasn't like Dressa’s case was an anomaly."
"Hmm. And what kind of laborers were they?"
"Word is they were for tilling new fields or clearing land. I’ve never seen it myself, though. Anyway, Dressa’s old man claimed the conscription was unjust, rebelled, and started a war to take the laborers back. Dressa went along with it, too. As a result, because of her foolish father, the small nation was occupied by the Ex Kingdom in the blink of an eye. She was branded an ungrateful princess who committed an act of disloyalty and was sent off into slavery. There are other rumors, too—like that her country was actually attacked by monsters. Either way, she should have kept a better eye on her surroundings. But maybe that will change if she gets trained by you lot."
"I see."
It’s a common enough story, I suppose. A foolish king getting too greedy and bringing about his own destruction.
I still don't have enough information to make a judgment. I'll have to ask Dressa herself for the details.
"Well, I'm heading back to the room."
"What? We just started drinking."
"Idiot, I'm going to check on Dressa, whom you bullied. We'll be back for dinner anyway, so we can continue then."
"Alright, alright. Babysitting is tough, isn't it?"
"You're the one who caused it."
I cut the conversation with Rosetta short and returned to the room, but...
"The King of Ex said that was happiness, but that isn't happiness!! People should exist alongside nature!! That’s no different from being kept like pets!! People aren't livestock!! No, it's worse than livestock!! They lock them in ruins and not a single person ever comes out!! Everyone, everyone is surely... Arne!! Waaaaahhh!!"
With that, Dressa burst into tears.
"Hey. Stop crying and explain it to me one more time."
Locked in ruins?
Oh boy, could it be...
So, the source of the opponent's resources—their DP—has been uncovered.
From here on out, a strategy to dismantle them from the shadows will unfold on multiple fronts.
Mauve and his group in the city, Hifie and her team inside, and the handyman team in the dungeon.
Snake!! Snaaaake!!
Something like that?
Ah, this is a game over, isn't it?
Is it time for "Sorry to keep you waiting"?
Ah, there are quite a few earthquakes, but Fukuoka is fine.
I'm alive.