I gather a ton of necessary ingredients from the warehouse and bring them to the kitchen. Garn is in charge of carrying about 80% of it. Me? I’m not that strong…
“So, what are you planning to do with all this? How do you intend to use up this mountain of food?”
Garn asks as he carries the ingredients.
“Well, you see, I’ve been thinking,”
I say as I collect every pot I can find.
“As I mentioned earlier, we need to weaken the power of both factions first. The unchecked expansion of opposing forces is ultimately poisonous for the territory or country.”
After all, both factions are running wild in their desire for power. If we leave them be, they’ll greedily consume all the resources and drain the land dry.
“So, we’re going to make them cough up everything they’ve been hoarding. In the form of charity for the people.” “Do you really think that’ll work?” “If you have doubts, it probably won’t.”
I can’t understand the intricacies of political scheming.
“But all I can do is cook. I’ll distribute charity to the people with the force of using up all the hoarded ingredients.” “But…” “If this was gold and silver treasures, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. But fortunately, the hoarded wealth is in the form of food ingredients.”
I don’t have an eye for aesthetics, so I wouldn’t know how to handle that stuff.
“But if there are ingredients, that’s my battlefield. From here on out, this is my fight.”
That’s right, in the arena of cooking, that’s where I fight. It’s my job to use the ingredients before me as weapons and face off against the people who will eat them.
“Besides, if they’ve been hoarding this much, the people in the castle town must be hungry, right? Let’s eat something delicious and cheer up!” “…Fine. So, what should I do?” “Well then, please wash these.”
I quickly hand over some pig innards. The moment he sees them, Garn is incredibly surprised. How surprised? He literally jumps.
“These are organs! What happened to the meat?!” “Huh? We’ll use meat too, but we’ll also use the innards. Where I’m from, we call them ‘motsu’.” “Are you crazy?! Innards just stink! Reconsider this!” “That’s why I need you to wash them… Oh, and make sure to drain them well after washing. The smell of innards is due to the moisture they contain.” “Uh, guh, damn it… Fine…”
Garn reluctantly starts washing the mountain of innards I’ve put in the pot. It’s troubling if you’re surprised by innards… In some countries, they eat dogs, scorpions, and even geckos… They’re considered medicinal foods… Well, I’ll leave that to him and start making the broth.
The concept this time is spicy motsunabe (innards hot pot). I plan to make a stimulating hot pot in large quantities using red vegetables that have a spicy kick. I’ve gathered an absurd number of pots. I’ll be using over a hundred large pots. I’ve secured cabbage, bean sprouts, and chives. This time I’ve also prepared red cabbage as a substitute for Chinese cabbage, so it should be pretty tasty. I’d really like some Japanese-style soup stock, miso, or gochujang, but since they’re not available here, I’ll make do. There’s no soy sauce either. I wonder if fish sauce will work… Just in case, I’m using green onions to remove any odors, like last time… After preparing the ingredients, there’s something I need to make first. It’s chicken bone soup. This makes a huge difference. I’d prefer to make it Western-style, but since I can’t find any celery, I’ll shift to Japanese-style. I prepare a whole chicken. I bring a large amount of water to a boil in a pot and add the chicken. I let it simmer thoroughly. Once the color changes, I take it out and this time, cut it into pieces. It’s good if you can divide the whole thing into three parts. Then, I grill these pieces, bones and all, for a bit. After giving them a fragrant, browned color, I replace the water in the pot, add the chicken, green onions, and sake, then let it simmer. I remove the scum as it appears and repeat the process.
“Hey… I’ve finished washing…” “Ah, thank you. Are you tired?” “Washing innards was a first for me…” “I’m sorry about that. Now, please put all these vegetables in all the pots.” “What?! You prepared all these vegetables by yourself?!” “Well, I’m used to cooking for large groups in the mercenary group.”
I used to cook for nearly a thousand soldiers with just five people. It’s not surprising that my cooking skills have improved.
“…Looks like it’s about time.”
After simmering for nearly an hour, I strain it through a clean cloth, then add kombu and bring it to a boil once. And with that, the Japanese-style chicken bone soup is complete.
“Garn, are you done?” “Yeah, I’ve stuffed the pots with vegetables.” “Be careful with the amount of red cabbage. We don’t know how spicy it is, so adding too much could be trouble.” “Oh, okay. Got it.”
I can hear Garn muttering, “I didn’t hear that… Is this really okay?” Don’t think I can’t hear you. I take a quick look, and yeah, there’s a lot. The red cabbage is so abundant that everything is bright red.
“Excuse me, Garn.”
I take one red cabbage and try a small piece.
“Hmm… It’s not that spicy. Sweet and spicy? I guess.”
It’s like the sweetness of boiled Chinese cabbage with a slight spiciness of chili peppers. At this rate, it should be fine even if we add a lot.
“The problem is color transfer, though…”
As a test, I put some in a pot of boiling water and heat it.
“…It transfers quite a bit…”
It’s bright red. It transfers more than I expected. Even if the spiciness isn’t too much, visually, this might be a disaster…
“Excuse me, Garn. Please reduce the amount of red cabbage a bit.” “The spiciness is fine, right?” “The problem is the color. It transfers more than expected.” “Who cares about the color?”
Oh boy, you’re going to talk about food like that?
“Where I’m from, there were indeed shops that attracted customers with bright red, spicy-looking dishes… But those were accepted because they had an incredible umami flavor despite their spicy appearance. This is just a hot pot dish for everyone to eat together. If it looks unappetizing, people might not want to eat it.” “Really?” “Let me ask you, do you want to eat something that’s bright red all over? Everything bright red, from the ingredients to the soup to the edges of the pot. I’d rather pass.” “…I see your point.” “I’ll teach you as we go along, so please remember.” “O-Okay! Got it!” “Now, let’s sort through the innards and put them in the pots.”
We need to hurry because organ meats spoil easily. They were just left out in the open like that.
“Please add these.” “Okay… Are we really going to eat this? Hearts, stomachs…” “You’ll understand once you taste it.”
This guy is really hesitant… By the way, this time I’m pre-treating the organ meats considering the storage conditions. I put them in boiling water, then cool them with cold water. It’s similar to the boiled pork used in Chinese cuisine, called “bai rou (white meat).” We kill bacteria with boiling water. We kill them thoroughly. Then, we add the meat, innards, and vegetables to the pot, add the chicken bone soup and fish sauce, and let it simmer. Once it boils, we sprinkle some chives on top, and it’s done.
“It’s… red, isn’t it?”
The red cabbage has given off more color than expected. It’s bright red. I cautiously taste it.
Hmm, it’s not bad.
The fishiness of the fish sauce is somewhat suppressed, and the spiciness of the red cabbage is just right. I see, so this is how it tastes. As a test, I try eating a piece of red cabbage, and I understand. The spiciness of the color-drained red cabbage is mild, and it has a sweetness similar to Chinese cabbage. Maybe the spiciness is in the color itself, and when it’s boiled and loses its color, it becomes similar to Chinese cabbage? It doesn’t seem like the flavor is completely lost. This is close to kimchi motsunabe.
“Garn, give it a try. Along with the innards.” “Eh? No, I’ll just stick to the vegetables.” “Come on, give it a go!”
I forcefully shove some innards into Garn’s mouth.
“Hafu, hafu! Ah, afu. …It’s delicious. What should I call this? I thought there’d be an offal smell, but there isn’t. The spiciness is just right, and the flavor from the vegetables and chicken that’s seeped into the soup is irresistible. The innards are good too. They have a unique texture and a different kind of deliciousness from regular meat. Some parts are chewy, others are crunchy. This is really tasty.” “See? The innards aren’t so bad, right?” “Yeah. I wonder why I’ve never eaten this before.” “Well, it spoils easily, and people don’t usually think of eating it.”
Motsu spoils really quickly. It goes bad in one to two weeks. I recommend everyone to eat it quickly or cook it thoroughly to prevent spoilage.
“Can I have a bit more?” “No, we need to finish all of this.”
I’m not going to let you eat it all under the guise of ‘tasting’. I keep an eye on Garn to make sure he doesn’t snack on everything while I continue working. Now that I’ve figured out the right proportions for the red cabbage and chicken bone soup, the work is progressing smoothly. But since the chicken bone soup turned out better than expected, it seems like I’ll be able to expand my cooking repertoire from now on.
『Make hamburger steak already!』
Huh! Was that an auditory hallucination?!
“Garn, did you say something?” “No, wasn’t it you? Something about hamburger steak or whatever.”
It wasn’t just my imagination?!
Feeling a bit nervous, I continue working, and as a result…
“It’s done!!”
I’ve made motsunabe in a hundred large pots. Well, if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!
“My arms… my legs… my back hurts!!”
Except for Garn next to me, that is.
“If you’re going to give up from just this much, you’d never make it as a cook. Usually, you’d have to help with the food prep from the beginning.” “Cooking is tough, huh.” “But it’s interesting.”
I give him a nihilistic smile.
“Creepy.”
That was a one-hit KO.
Feeling a bit down, I was putting the finishing touches on the dishes. I was going around covering the pots with lids and discussing where to place them in which areas. That’s when it happened. We heard shouting voices from afar.
“Huh? What’s that?” “This is… No way!”
Garn’s face turned pale as he ran out into the hallway. When he came back a little later, he told me with a blue face:
“It’s terrible! Gungrave and the others are attacking!”
Huh?
“What do you mean? Gungrave and the others are here?” “I had heard that Lord Gyngus was calling for Gungrave and the other captains.” “Really?!” “Yes, I don’t know the reason. He suddenly sent letters without giving any explanation. I only heard about it after the fact, but I never expected them to attack instead!”
Well, that’s actually quite predictable. I could totally see Gungrave doing something like that…
“So, are the castle people on defense?” “Yeah. But not a single person has died. Why? Why are they advancing without killing anyone?”
Garn is pondering, but I kind of understand.
They’re probably being considerate of me.
Actually, I’ve never seen a dead body while being in the mercenary group. I knew Gungrave was trying his best not to show me corpses or anything like that. Sure, I’ve seen the body of a relative at a funeral. But I’ve never seen a freshly killed murder victim. Obviously.
I think they didn’t want to scare me by showing me dead bodies.
“Garn, can you guess where Gungrave is heading?” “Probably to Lord Gyngus. Lady Aeclys should be there too by now. What are you planning?” “Let’s stop this commotion. If they know I’m safe, there’s no reason to fight, right?”
I don’t have a single scratch on me, after all.
“Do you think you can do anything by going there?” “We have to do something. We need to do something before Lord Gyngus angers Gungrave.”
I put the lid on the last pot and faced Garn.
“Let’s go. Please guide me.” “Alright… Your mind seems made up. It would be useless to try and stop you. But don’t leave my side. We don’t know what might happen.” “Understood.”
We dashed out into the hallway and started running towards Lord Gyngus’s office. Along the way, we see injured people, injured people, and more injured people… No one is dead, but while some have only light injuries, others have quite serious wounds. It’s a scene that shows how angry everyone is. It’s clear that they’re not killing or severely injuring anyone, but they’re definitely making them pay. It’s a bit scary.
“Shuri, this isn’t your fault.”
Garn says as he runs ahead of me. Without turning around, not even out of breath.
“This is all our own doing. It’s punishment for our greed. You don’t need to worry about it.” “Is that so…”
Even if you say that…
“Ah, damn it! Shuri, we’re taking a different route!” “Huh?”
While I was lost in thought, Garn had stopped. Looking ahead, I see something incredible. What used to be a hallway is now twisted and blocking the path. Literally “twisted.” It’s like the entire space has been screwed up, leaving behind overwhelming destruction. This is more like a work of art, isn’t it?
“It’s Gungrave and the others! They must have blocked the path to prevent anyone from following them!” “Do they usually go this far?” “No way! This is an extremely difficult technique that’s beyond current magic and magic engineering! They’re showcasing it in a place like this! That’s how pissed off they are!”
Wow…
“Am I popular?”
Garn smacks me on the head.
“Don’t say stupid things. We’re taking a different route!” “A different route?” “It’ll be a detour! We’ll go back, head to the lord’s office, and then take the emergency stairs beyond that! Damn, it’s really going to be a long way around!” “Wait a moment.”
There was a phrase I couldn’t ignore.
“Come to think of it, what are the high-ranking officials and the lord doing?” “Huh? They’re probably hiding in some room somewhere. Calling it an ‘evacuation’ or something.”
Evacuation…
“You said Lord Gyngus called for Gungrave and the others, right?” “Yeah, but…” “Why did he call them?” “Well, to question them about your incident.”
Here, Garn stopped.
“That’s right, the timing is unnatural, or rather, this is the only place he could have called them. Soon, Princess Tevis will be coming from Nouviche. If Tevis comes, there might be sanctions due to a trade review. For unjustly capturing you. Was he planning to capture the captains and hand you over to Nouviche before that?” “Does that make any sense?” “Almost none. They’re only demanding ‘your custody.’ Even if we preemptively try to prevent a ‘trade review,’ it’s meaningless unless they play that card. Rather, if we suddenly play that card, they might get angry, thinking, ‘Are you going to resort to political measures just because we harmed a cook who’s close to Nouviche?’ It would give them an excuse to impose sanctions for ‘insult.’ The lord wouldn’t allow such a thing.”
Once again, Garn’s face changed to one of realization, then anger.
“I see, they’re being held captive! If the lord’s son detains the lord, even if it’s his father, he can’t escape the death penalty! He’s taken the worst possible course of action!” “The worst?” “Yes, he can’t escape the death penalty, and doing something like this will make the people think it’s a coup d’état, causing chaos in the domain! What should we do… Should we free the lord and others first? Or should we stop Gungrave?” “I understand now.”
Now that I finally grasp the situation, I make this proposal:
“You just told me the route, so I’ll go by instinct from here. Garn, please free the lord and the others. We can still make it in time, right?” “Are you crazy? I can’t let you go alone!” “But I’m the only one who can stop Gungrave. And you’re the only one who can free the lord and the others. It’s like cooking. Division of labor.” “You…” “Let’s stop this, Garn.”
I say as I start heading back the way we came.
“This stupid fight.”
I say it with a nihilistic smile again.
“…You idiot. Fine. I’ll go with you as far as the lord’s room. From there, it’s a straight path. Don’t get lost.”
Yes! The nihilistic approach worked! …Well, this is no time to be joking around. I can read the room too, you know.
As we hurry back the way we came, I suddenly notice someone in the corner of the hallway. It’s a person curled up small. Despite being a big man, he looks tiny.
“Garn, who’s that?” “Huh? That’s… Adra!”
Garn slams on the brakes and rushes over to the person called Adra.
“Hey, are you alright, Adra?!” “Hm? …Ah, Garn. It’s been a while. I’m fine.” “How can you be fine?! What happened? Did Gungrave and the others attack?” “Yeah, that’s right…”
Adra speaks in a voice that’s small for his large frame.
“At first, I thought it would be easy… When we tried to capture them in front of the castle, my comrades started falling one after another… I didn’t understand, I didn’t know what kind of magic they were using… At the entrance, with overwhelming archery skill, twenty-some soldiers were neutralized by just one person… I heard this from the messenger and tried to intercept them here as the last line of defense… And this is the result…” “What are you talking about? You don’t seem to be injured.” “That’s right, I wasn’t even injured, I couldn’t even put up a fight, I couldn’t even be considered an enemy!!!”
Adra suddenly shouted. Now he’s shaking, holding both shoulders. His eyes are unfocused, and he looks terribly frightened.
“That was a monster…! He blocked my attack with just two fingers, and my full-force strike couldn’t even cut the swordsman’s arm… I can’t forget those eyes…! Those eyes that looked at me like I was less than an insect… That’s not human…”
W-What’s this? This face like he’s seen some incomprehensible monster?
“Garn, who is this person?” “Ah. He’s Adra, one of my few acquaintances. He’s known as the strongest warrior in this castle. Actually, there’s no one in this castle who can beat him.” “How could someone like that end up like this?” “Well, you see… It must be Gungrave and the others’ doing.” “That’s right…”
Adra, who seems to have calmed down a bit, said.
“The one I fought was a man called Kuuga…” “Oh no…”
That’s just terrible luck. That guy has cut rocks with his sword before. He’s also crushed armor with his fist while saying “Ain’t it awesome!” I was so shocked by how inhuman he was, I was at a loss for words.
“Um, Adra?” “…Who are you?” “Well…”
If I say I’m from the Gungrave Mercenary Group here, things might get complicated.
“I’m an acquaintance of Garn. As for Kuuga, well, he’s kind of an acquaintance…” “Just leave me alone…”
Oh, this isn’t good. He’s about to break.
“Adra, is fighting all you can do?” “Huh?” “I mean, is there nothing else you can do besides fighting?” “There isn’t…” “Then, why don’t you come with me?” “Eh?!”
Garn next to me is incredibly surprised, but I continue.
“I was just looking for someone who could do heavy lifting. After this commotion is over, why don’t you quit being a guard and become a cook with me?” “Why the hell should I do such a wimpy job?” “Well, are you going to continue being a warrior then? Can you keep fighting?”
That’s impossible, right… Adra weakly shakes his head.
“The battlefield isn’t just about swords, bows, and magic, you know. Being a cook is also a war.” “A… war?” “That’s right. It’s a ruthless battle between the one who cooks and the one who eats. If you make them say it’s delicious, the cook wins. If they say it’s bad, the eater wins. Creating a dish that doesn’t allow them to be stubborn or find fault, that’s the cook’s battle. I find my purpose in this fight.”
Well, at the root of it all is the joy of seeing people enjoy the food, though.
“What do you think? If the current battlefield doesn’t suit you, why not try a different one?” “A different… battlefield.” “Everything in this world is a battle against something. Whether you seek that battle externally or internally is up to each person. I sought the battle within myself. The tension, anxiety, and concentration of cooking… they’re tougher than you can imagine. After all, it’s food for someone else to eat. You absolutely don’t want them to say it’s bad. The skills and courage I gained from that are still my treasures. Now they’ve become ‘weapons’ for my comrades.”
Actually, when I first had to cook for a company drinking party, I was so tense the whole time because I didn’t want to fail. I mobilized all my accumulated cooking knowledge and skills, and worked desperately. As a result, everyone was happy. But I wasn’t satisfied. I thought the soup could have been a bit thicker, the meat could have been a bit lighter. The more I noticed, the more flaws I found. That was my internal battle. As a result, I’ve been doing well so far and have improved.
“Adra. If you want to seek a different external battlefield. When you feel like it, let’s fight together. You don’t have to answer right away. We’re in a hurry too. Let’s go, Garn.” “O-Okay.”
We start running again. However, thinking back on that conversation, I realize: How embarrassing!!! What was I thinking, talking about external and internal battles! I just repeated words I’d seen in manga, but thinking about it now, it’s just pure cringe!
When we get back to the entrance, it’s a scene of pandemonium. People injured by arrows are receiving treatment, and many are groaning from the pain of treatment.
“Shuri, don’t think about it.” “Y-Yes.”
That’s right, I shouldn’t think about it. If I empathize too much, I might throw up.
“Also… Shuri. This is as far as I go.” “Huh?”
I realize Garn has stopped.
“From here, go straight ahead, up the stairs, turn left, and at the end of the corridor is Lord Gyngus’s office. Please. You’re the only one I can rely on now. The fact that even Adra couldn’t stop them means there’s not a single person in this castle who can match Gungrave and the others. You’re our only hope.” “…”
Seeing Garn bow his head, I nod.
“I understand. I’ll stop them.” “…I’m sorry.” “Oh, and after you rescue the lord, please bring him.” “What?” “You need to talk, right? Father and son.”
It would be sad if they remained at odds after being held captive.
“So please.” “…I can’t promise anything.” “Even just making an effort would be enough.” “Alright.” “Then, I’m off.”
I run. I run down the hallway, up the stairs, desperately following the route I was told. Fortunately, I don’t run into anyone or encounter any dangerous situations. Along the way, I wonder what I should say when I meet them.
Is it okay for someone like me, who’s unrelated to noble disputes, to say anything?
I’ve only been in fights a handful of times as a child. I got along well with my friends, and my relationship with my parents wasn’t bad either. In other words, it might mean I’ve been avoiding conflicts. Maybe I’ve never really fought anyone as a real enemy. But still, If I can put an end to this conflict. I feel I must do it. Words like that don’t come easily to mind. I realize that the wise sayings I’ve seen in manga and anime are shallow in the face of reality. Those words have meaning because they’re said by characters in those stories, in those specific scenes. They don’t have the same meaning when I say them. Still, there are things I want to say. I’ll say those things.
“I’ve arrived…!”
Just as I reach the door of the room and put my hand on the doorknob, I hear voices from inside.
“What I want to say is, return Shuri to us. We’ve had this long, convoluted conversation, but that’s all we’re asking for. We’re not particularly seeking your apology. But if you’re going to apologize, pay with something tangible. Like territory or money or whatever.”
This is… Gungrave’s angry voice!
“We’ve become criminals, been imprisoned, and had our comrade taken hostage. If you’re going to apologize, it should be commen—”
Oh no, the conversation is turning into a threat!
“That won’t be necessary!!!”
I was in such a hurry that the door opened faster than I expected and I fell. But I rolled in like a forward roll and showed myself in front of everyone.
“The fight is over!”
I ended up making an entrance like a third-rate hero. Cringe moment number two. But it seems to have had a huge impact on everyone, as they’re all frozen, staring at me. Huh? Is this a success?
“It’s been a while, Gungrave.” “O-Oh…”
Why is Gungrave trembling?
“Shuri!!! You’re safe!” “Shuri!” “Are you alright, Shuri?!” “Hambur… Shuri, Lill’s glad you’re safe.” “Geez, you idiot, making us worry like that!”
Whoa?! Gungrave is patting my shoulder. Arius is tearfully saying she’s glad. Tegue is patting my back. Lill is drooling for some reason. Kuuga is ruffling my hair vigorously. Ah, I’m thinking about how loved I am by everyone, and how much I made them worry.
While Lill is wiping her drool, I escape from Kuuga’s grasp. I look at Aeclys and the person next to her.
“Um, are you Lord Gyngus?” “That’s right.”
Lord Gyngus looks more tired than I expected. He’s a handsome guy with short dark silver hair, lighter than Aeclys’s, and fox-like sharp eyes. And he’s lean and muscular. Damn it.
“Hello. My name is Shuri Azuma. Can we talk?” “What? There’s nothing to talk about. This will end when I die.” “I overheard a bit outside. About apologies in tangible form and such. That’s nonsense.” “What did you say?!”
Lord Gyngus flies into a rage at my words.
“I mean, it’s nonsense to try to die as a form of apology. Getting territory or compensation money. I’m safe, so why don’t we just end this?” “Don’t be ridiculous! This is a political issue! How can you suddenly appear and say it’s over? What do you know?” “Well, I, the victim, am saying we should end it. Isn’t that enough?” “Even if you say it’s over, there are issues that can’t be resolved so easily! Either I die, or you all quietly submit!” “Is that really okay? I’ve heard the story. About Aeclys being a woman, about you setting this up, about Gungrave getting angry. Choosing to die after all that, isn’t that the worst form of escapism?” “The problems that can be ended with the head of a lord’s family member… that’s not something you can dismiss with words like ‘escapism’! Responsibility issues don’t end unless the person takes responsibility, takes punishment!” “The moment you chose to die, you’re running away from responsibility.”
I know there are stories from the past about seppuku and such, but I’ve always thought, there’s no real responsibility in that. Death penalty as punishment for a crime. That might heal the victims or bereaved families a little bit. But it doesn’t heal everyone. Because what’s lost doesn’t come back. Or maybe it’s for the sake of closure for some feelings. But this case is different. I’m alive. I’m not dead. And I, the person in question, am not seeking death as punishment. That’s right. Thanks to Garn, being in jail wasn’t that harsh. So I don’t want Lord Gyngus to die. I don’t want a large amount of compensation or territory. I’m just happy to be safely reunited with everyone. You might say I’m naive. In this warring states period, in this world of competing warlords, such thinking might be fatal. But this is who I am.
This is who Azuma Shuri is.
“If you want to take responsibility, live. Keep apologizing. Even if you’re not forgiven, even if you’re cursed at. Do what you can for the other person. Keep apologizing. And wait for decades without expecting to hear the words ‘I forgive you’ from the other person. Isn’t that how you take responsibility?” “There’s no such foolish way-” “Yes, it’s foolish. But you’ll probably lose your right of succession as a member of the lord’s family. That way of taking responsibility will only satisfy the people in the castle. We can’t be satisfied with that at all. So you can only convey it with the words ‘I’m sorry.’ And please act in ways other than money.”
When Japanese politicians or company executives break rules, we often see footage of them bowing at press conferences. Personally, I’ve never been fully satisfied with just an apology and a fine. If they truly feel sorry, I’ve always thought there should be some action.
“That’s the ‘apology’ I’m asking for.” “…You’re saying you’ll be satisfied with such a method?” “No, I think that’s the better way too.”
Suddenly, another voice echoed. Looking towards the door, we see the lord and Garn standing there.
“Garn.” “Yeah, I managed to rescue him. As you said, I brought him.”
Garn gives me a thumbs up, which I return. The lord steps into the room, passes by me, and stands in front of Lord Gyngus.
“You fool!”
And with a loud thud, the lord’s fist comes down on Lord Gyngus’s head.
“How much trouble do you need to cause before you’re satisfied?! Not only me, but you’ve involved the mercenary group and even other countries! Do you understand that your thoughtlessness has put this domain in a critical situation?!” “…I’m sorry.”
Lord Gyngus apologizes, looking down without even rubbing his head where he was hit.
“How do you intend to take responsibility?! Tell me!” “Yes… My punishment-” “This isn’t a problem that can be solved with just your punishment! Stripping you of your succession rights is a given! The succession rights will go to Aeclys alone! Your punishment will be relegation to a sinecure and revocation of your authority over the military! The apology to Nouviche will be settled with Garn’s death penalty! Aeclys, you too! Prepare yourself for punishment for not stopping your brother’s rampage despite being the elder sibling!” “Okay, time out!”
As the conversation seemed to be heading in a terrible direction, I stop it.
“Lord, please wait a moment.” “Ah, Shuri. I’m sorry. Family shame should be dealt with within the family…” “It’s not about family, the cause lies with you too.”
I have to say this now,
“When Lord Gyngus was born after Lady Aeclys, why didn’t you restore Lady Aeclys’s treatment to what it was before?” “That’s a family matter, Shuri.” “No, we’re already involved and there’s no way to undo that now. Lord, I think that all of this stems from your carelessness.” “What…?” “I mean exactly what I said. You forcibly made Aeclys the heir, then kept things the same when Gyngus was born, creating discord between siblings. On top of that, you hid the existence of your firstborn and assigned him covert work. All of this was born from your shallow, careless decisions. Moreover, you actually noticed, didn’t you? That Gyngus’s gift included something you were allergic to.”
Everyone except the lord is surprised. The lord frowns slightly. It seems my guess was right. It was strange from the beginning. Allergic reactions cause suffering and pain that others can’t understand. For the person themselves to continue consuming something that causes an allergic reaction is like suicide. If just holding it caused an inflammatory response, there’s no way the person wouldn’t know. So I thought: One possibility is that he didn’t know he was using it and didn’t understand why the reaction was happening. But this is too unnatural. Judging from that reaction, it should be painful just to hold it. It’s impossible to keep a cool face at a banquet. Another possibility is that special processing made it unrecognizable. This is too far-fetched, so I excluded it. The last possibility I thought of was the most unlikely one.
He knew and was using it anyway.
He was enduring the painful allergic reactions and deliberately using it. When I reached this conclusion, I almost laughed it off and denied it. But since I couldn’t think of any other possibility, I decided to ask about it, and… It seems this was the correct answer.
“Why? It must have been incredibly painful. If you held it, that area would undoubtedly break out in an itchy rash. If you drank it, your mouth, throat, and stomach would be in pain and itchy. Why did you keep using it?” “That’s…” “Garn, what do you think?” “Huh? Me?”
Garn was confused by the sudden question, but after thinking a bit, he said:
“Well… Maybe there’s someone who would benefit from him collapsing. Or maybe there’s someone he wants to disadvantage by collapsing. Or it could be a death wish.” “Lord, which is it?”
I had considered these possibilities too. If it’s for someone’s benefit, whose? Who does he want to disadvantage? I couldn’t come up with any answers in the limited information I had in jail. Now, what’s the answer?
“…Shuri, you’re smarter than you look. I didn’t expect to be called out like this.”
Then, the lord spoke as if he had given up. Resignation. I could feel it from his whole body.
“The ones I wanted to benefit were the children. Garn, Aeclys, Gyngus. The only one I wanted to disadvantage, now and in the past, is just one person. My legal wife.”
Time stopped. What did he just say? He wants to disadvantage his legal wife?
“Gyngus. You didn’t come up with this plan alone, did you?” “Huh?” “You didn’t, right? You wanted to achieve military success after I collapsed and gain succession rights. But your mother was thinking of something beyond that.” “T-That’s absurd. Mother didn’t-” “She knew.”
The lord said:
“Your abilities were transparent to her. She was working behind the scenes, taking advantage of your plan. When you ordered your subordinates to make an iron wine glass, you originally intended to include just a little iron, didn’t you? That wine glass contained an excessive amount of iron. I decided to take advantage of that.” “W-Wait, Father. I didn’t know about that either. Sure, your wife is a bit jealous, but…”
The lord laughed. It was a scornful laugh.
“Jealous? No. She’s not just jealous, she’s too ambitious. When she found out that Gyngus lacked domestic political skills, she was overjoyed. Behind the scenes, of course. If she could install Gyngus as the lord, she could seize power as his guardian. And if Gyngus had military capabilities, there was a possibility of expanding the territory. If that happened, the amount of money coming to her would increase. That’s the kind of person she is.”
The lord’s expression changed from a scornful smile to a serious face, and I finally realized. This person has been enduring all this time. He’s been enduring and bearing with the distortions caused by the family’s rifts, even before the allergy issue.
“I truly loved Garn’s mother and the concubine. To avoid misunderstanding, let me say this, Gyngus. I love you too. But my legal wife suppressed the concubine and exiled Garn’s mother. By the time I realized it, it was too late. I hate her from the bottom of my heart. Why did she have to go that far?! So, I thought I could get my revenge if I could condemn her using this incident as an opportunity.” “So, where is your wife now?” “Ah, if you’re talking about her, she probably took advantage of this commotion and thought the situation had turned bad. She’s already run away. With the messenger from Nouviche coming too, she must have decided there’s no future for this domain.” “Then, what about me-” “You were abandoned. By that woman. Originally, I was planning to take advantage of this commotion further, pursue all of that woman’s misdeeds and condemn her… Shuri. Your actions have thrown everything into disarray. My wife has fled, my son is guilty of treason. The responsibility would fall on executing the hidden child. This situation is extremely bad.”
It seems I’ve done something terribly wrong…
“That’s your side of the story, Lord.”
Just as I was starting to feel down, Gungrave spoke up.
“Shuri acted out of concern for your well-being at that banquet. It’s unreasonable to expect an outsider to see through such schemes right away. Besides, Shuri was worried about your health. You should be thanking him, not blaming him.”
Wow, Gungrave is angry! He’s even dropped the polite speech.
“Then what should we do? About this situation? The conflict between the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction will change with the failure of the Second Prince faction’s rebellion. The Second Prince faction will almost certainly be eliminated by the bureaucrats of the First Prince faction.” “I-I could restrain them-” “It’s impossible, Aeclys. The bureaucrats of the First Prince faction have followed you because they believe your domestic political skills are what this domain needs. They have no reason not to attack at this perfect opportunity.” “This ain’t a peaceful conversation, is it?”
Here, Kuuga chimes in. He’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Wow, he looks so cool and nonchalant!
“Well, it’s no longer our concern. Right, Gungrave?” “Yeah, you’re right. Come to think of it, it is. We’ve rescued Shuri, so our job is done. Let’s go, everyone.” “Understood, Gungrave.” “Mm, got it.” “W-w-wait! Hold on a second!”
Hey, what are you all saying?! Everyone’s acting like it’s perfectly normal!
“Huh?! You’re leaving?!” “Of course. Our goal was to rescue you, Shuri. From the conversation just now, we know there’s no force left in this domain that can chase us. The rest will be the First Prince faction and Second Prince faction destroying each other, and Nouviche’s intervention will likely leave nothing behind.” “That’s right. Kuuga’s words make the most sense. Shuri, we’re a mercenary group. Mercenary groups value their comrades above all else. But we show no mercy to enemies. We need to live without giving any compassion. This time, Shuri, our goal was achieved the moment we were able to rescue you.” “No, no, even so, abandoning them here is a bit…”
Realistically speaking, it would be best to do as they say and leave this domain quickly. Staying here any longer probably won’t benefit the mercenary group. But I don’t want to abandon them here.
“…”
Aeclys is looking at me too. Her face is clearly asking for help. To ignore and run away from someone who has been enduring and trying so hard.
That’s just too much.
“Then, would it be okay if I could solve this problem? Gungrave?” “Huh? No, our issue is already over, Shuri.” “No, it’s not over. We haven’t received the territory.” “Do we even need it at this point?” “What if we could get it?” “Look, I don’t want to end up like Arturia again. If it’s a choice between land and comrades, I’ll choose comrades.” “That’s very manly of you… But this time, I have an idea.”
Ignoring Gungrave’s puzzled look, I face the lord again.
“Lord. Would it help if there were no more conflicts between the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction?” “What? Suddenly-” “Please tell me.”
Responding to my serious tone, the lord answers:
“If the factional disputes were to end, certainly 40% of our worries would disappear. But the remaining 60% – the military’s rampage and Gyngus’s punishment – would still remain. What are you thinking?” “I have an idea.”
Although it’s more like a kind of “shifting responsibility”…
When I explain my idea, the lord thinks for a moment.
“I see… Indeed, if we do it that way, it would solve another 50%.” “The remaining 10% is emotions, isn’t it?” “That’s right. However, emotional issues can potentially be resolved with time. Some people might change their minds after seeing Gyngus and Aeclys’s future accomplishments.” “What about you, Gungrave? Will you cooperate?” “…Can’t be helped, I guess.”
Gungrave scratches his head vigorously and laughs.
“You’re doing something pretty bold too, you idiot!” “Ouch! That hurts!”
Then he starts ruffling my hair vigorously too. It’s subtly painful.
“Tegue! Gather our subordinates from the castle town!” “Got it!” “Arius, gather the soldiers in the castle! They won’t resist if it’s you! Even more so if you take Gyngus with you!” “Understood.” “Kuuga, you’re on ‘cleaning’ duty! Round up anyone influenced by that woman!” “Got it. Not that I’m excited about it. We should just get out of here quickly.” “Lill, set up the venue! Do it quickly!” “Hambur…” “Do that later!”
While Gungrave is giving out instructions efficiently, I’m discussing with the lord.
“I’ll leave the content of the speech to you. Also, how to tie up loose ends and make things consistent.” “Very well. You’re doing something quite unexpected.” “But this way, you can get your revenge, right?” “It’s the perfect revenge. This way, she can never come back.” “Then I’m counting on you.”
I finish my conversation with the lord and stand in front of Aeclys and Gyngus.
“This will end 90% of the issues. We can finally put an end to this incident.” “You… Don’t you hate me? I’m the one who imprisoned you. Why can you do so much?”
Well, if you put it that way…
“Saying ‘Let me punch you once later’ doesn’t seem like me, and Gungrave and the others have already gotten revenge enough.” “Shuri. I’m curious too. How can you do so much?”
Aeclys…
“I just cooked, you know? The rest is your job. And…”
I look at Garn. Right now, Garn is giving instructions to his subordinate spies. It’s for something I asked him to do.
“I owe Garn a debt of gratitude. My time in jail wasn’t that hard thanks to Garn. This is my way of repaying that debt.” “Even so…” “Besides, Aeclys.”
We made a promise, after all.
“If we don’t resolve this issue, you won’t be able to leave this domain even if you want to, right?” “Huh?” “I mean, aren’t you coming with me?”
Aeclys is staring blankly, dumbfounded.
“In jail, you said you wanted to quit being the heir and come along. Was that a lie?” “…Pfft, hahaha.”
Huh? Why are you laughing?
“That’s right. We did make such a promise. I thought it was impossible now.” “Is it impossible? Oh, is it because Gungrave overheard or something?” “That’s right. I was careless. If it weren’t for that, it might have been possible.” “Is there a problem with him overhearing?” “Shuri, there’s a big problem.”
Gungrave grabs my head in his hand. Huh? I sense a smile, but I also feel a lion-like aura…?
“This person was trying to join our group without batting an eye. And that’s someone from the side that captured you, saying they want to join because they don’t like their position. How could we accept such a person as a comrade?” “B-But…”
Ahhh, he’s squeezing tighter…!?
“No buts. I won’t allow it.” “But, come on…” “There’s no room for discussion.” “Ow ow ow ow, it’s breaking, it’s breaking. Various things are about to burst out. Something flesh-colored is leaking from the cracks.” “Fufu, you look like you’re having fun.” “You should join me- ow ow ow ow!” “You’re still talking, you fool?”
Ouch ouch ouch.
After that, with the help of Gungrave’s subordinates, we transported the pots from the kitchen.
“How’s the placement, Arius?” “It’s going smoothly, Shuri. No need to worry. The rest is up to Gungrave and the lord.”
We’re now in the castle town square. We’ve had all the pots transported here and are arranging them in the square and the streets leading to it. Arius and I are ladling the motsunabe into plates and distributing them to the townspeople.
“Hey, is this bright red dish edible?”
The townspeople are also asking questions skeptically.
“This is a hot pot using red cabbage.” “Oh, that. It’s true that when you put that in soup, the color transfers. But it’s rare for it to smell this good.” “That’s right. We’ve used pork innards and such.” “W-What?! Is this stomach?!”
They’re really surprised. This isn’t good, at this rate they won’t eat it.
“Well, here you go, have a taste!” “Bufo?!”
So I put it directly in his mouth. The townsman was surprised and tried to spit it out, but… His movement changed a bit after chewing.
“…This is delicious. I thought innards would be terrible, but…” “It’s a bit spicy and has an interesting texture, right?” “Indeed… It’s chewy but still has the flavor of meat.”
The townsman snatches the plate from my hand and starts eating more.
“I see… This is a dish where the spiciness of the red cabbage and the flavor of the innards are perfectly balanced. The cabbage and bean sprouts absorb the flavors and are enjoyable too. The aroma of the chives is nice. Without it, it might be too heavy. But I don’t understand. The soup at the base of this dish. What is it? Some kind of meat and vegetables… No, vegetables? No, I can’t tell…” “And that’s the innards hot pot, a stew you can enjoy for its flavors. We’re serving it now!”
Seeing one person eating it deliciously, the others seem to have let their guard down. They’re receiving it one after another and eating it with gusto.
Arius says with a mix of exasperation and amusement, not stopping her work.
“Consuming the food supplies that were the source of power for both the First Prince and Second Prince factions to weaken them, creating a situation where they can’t afford to continue fighting. On top of that, capturing and punishing the soldiers under the influence of the legal wife among those we subdued. In the end, you’re pinning all the causes of the conflict on the legal wife.”
Haha, I might have gone a bit too far.
From what I’ve heard, in the end, it was the legal wife’s ambition and jealousy that tormented the lord. She twisted the fates of Garn, Aeclys, and Gyngus. And then she fled, abandoning her husband, children, and subordinates in the midst of chaos. There’s a limit to how despicable one can be. So, I thought it would be just fine to pin all the responsibility on her. She’s not here anymore, and she was the original cause anyway, so I figured it’d be okay. When I suggested this idea to the lord:
“I see. This way, my wife can never return.”
He happily accepted it. How much did he hate her? It must have been considerable. Currently, on the stage that Lill set up in the square, the lord and Gungrave are giving a speech, or rather, bestowing honors. They’re blaming the cause of this whole incident on the legal wife. Gyngus and Aeclys tried to do something about it, but couldn’t act because of their loyal subordinates. Gungrave and his group broke through and liberated everyone. To celebrate the domain’s rebirth now that the source of evil is gone, they’re serving this celebratory meal. They’re spreading this story, which, to those involved, sounds like “How convenient can this get? How on earth did you come up with such a story?” And as a reward for resolving this incident, they’re being granted land and medals.
That being said, the lord seems to think they can no longer run the domain by themselves. Well, in his own words:
“We had the castle’s elite forces taken down by just five people? It’s shameful, and it’s probably time for me to retire.”
That’s what he said. In other words, he’s actually going to pass on the domain to Gyngus, and have him serve under Gungrave. As for Aeclys…
“Shuri, can I help over here?”
She’s been leaving her post and coming over here. Each time, Gungrave sends a terrifying aura in this direction. It’s scary.
“No, please distribute the food at your post. You’re not done yet, right? We used quite a lot.” “I was not just distributing food, but also garnishes. I came because I had a moment free. These sky leeks turned out well, didn’t they?”
Aeclys looks at the townspeople. Yes, when I made the motsunabe, I also prepared chopped sky leeks as a garnish. We’re distributing them so people can sprinkle them on as they like. This way, the kimchi motsunabe can quickly transform into something closer to a jjigae. It’s not quite the same, but you can add sourness to taste. Look, that child over there is tearing up because they added too many sky leeks.
“But really, you ended the commotion with cooking.”
What’s this? Suddenly getting all sentimental?
“Thank you, Shuri. It’s all thanks to you.” “I might have just made the commotion bigger…” “No, even so, we were able to completely eliminate my stepmother’s influence. I don’t have to be the heir anymore. We can let Gyngus inherit, and we’ve encouraged the bureaucrats to cooperate with the military officials because they don’t have the resources to fight for power anymore. Thank you, truly.”
Ah… well… How should I put this, when such a beautiful person like Aeclys says so much, it’s embarrassing…
“I look forward to continuing our relationship.” “Yes, of course.”
Well, we’re comrades from now on, after all.
“Alright, I’ve got your word.” “Huh? Did you say something?” “No, nothing. Come on, it’s a celebratory feast. Let’s keep serving.” “Ah, yes.”
Why does she sound so evasive? Well, I guess it’s fine.
In the end, Gungrave has acquired a territory, a country. It’s been a long journey to get here, but… There’s just one more thing… If we can track down the whereabouts of the legal wife, it’ll be perfect. I just hope that woman isn’t planning anything sinister.
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Chapter 35
We’re going back in time a bit.
I gather a ton of necessary ingredients from the warehouse and bring them to the kitchen.
Garn is in charge of carrying about 80% of it. Me? I’m not that strong…
“So, what are you planning to do with all this?
How do you intend to use up this mountain of food?”
Garn asks as he carries the ingredients.
“Well, you see, I’ve been thinking,”
I say as I collect every pot I can find.
“As I mentioned earlier, we need to weaken the power of both factions first.
The unchecked expansion of opposing forces is ultimately poisonous for the territory or country.”
After all, both factions are running wild in their desire for power.
If we leave them be, they’ll greedily consume all the resources and drain the land dry.
“So, we’re going to make them cough up everything they’ve been hoarding.
In the form of charity for the people.”
“Do you really think that’ll work?”
“If you have doubts, it probably won’t.”
I can’t understand the intricacies of political scheming.
“But all I can do is cook.
I’ll distribute charity to the people with the force of using up all the hoarded ingredients.”
“But…”
“If this was gold and silver treasures, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.
But fortunately, the hoarded wealth is in the form of food ingredients.”
I don’t have an eye for aesthetics, so I wouldn’t know how to handle that stuff.
“But if there are ingredients, that’s my battlefield.
From here on out, this is my fight.”
That’s right, in the arena of cooking, that’s where I fight.
It’s my job to use the ingredients before me as weapons and face off against the people who will eat them.
“Besides, if they’ve been hoarding this much, the people in the castle town must be hungry, right?
Let’s eat something delicious and cheer up!”
“…Fine.
So, what should I do?”
“Well then, please wash these.”
I quickly hand over some pig innards.
The moment he sees them, Garn is incredibly surprised.
How surprised? He literally jumps.
“These are organs! What happened to the meat?!”
“Huh? We’ll use meat too, but we’ll also use the innards. Where I’m from, we call them ‘motsu’.”
“Are you crazy?! Innards just stink!
Reconsider this!”
“That’s why I need you to wash them… Oh, and make sure to drain them well after washing. The smell of innards is due to the moisture they contain.”
“Uh, guh, damn it… Fine…”
Garn reluctantly starts washing the mountain of innards I’ve put in the pot.
It’s troubling if you’re surprised by innards… In some countries, they eat dogs, scorpions, and even geckos… They’re considered medicinal foods…
Well, I’ll leave that to him and start making the broth.
The concept this time is spicy motsunabe (innards hot pot).
I plan to make a stimulating hot pot in large quantities using red vegetables that have a spicy kick.
I’ve gathered an absurd number of pots. I’ll be using over a hundred large pots.
I’ve secured cabbage, bean sprouts, and chives.
This time I’ve also prepared red cabbage as a substitute for Chinese cabbage, so it should be pretty tasty.
I’d really like some Japanese-style soup stock, miso, or gochujang, but since they’re not available here, I’ll make do. There’s no soy sauce either. I wonder if fish sauce will work… Just in case, I’m using green onions to remove any odors, like last time…
After preparing the ingredients, there’s something I need to make first.
It’s chicken bone soup.
This makes a huge difference.
I’d prefer to make it Western-style, but since I can’t find any celery, I’ll shift to Japanese-style.
I prepare a whole chicken. I bring a large amount of water to a boil in a pot and add the chicken.
I let it simmer thoroughly. Once the color changes, I take it out and this time, cut it into pieces. It’s good if you can divide the whole thing into three parts.
Then, I grill these pieces, bones and all, for a bit. After giving them a fragrant, browned color, I replace the water in the pot, add the chicken, green onions, and sake, then let it simmer.
I remove the scum as it appears and repeat the process.
“Hey… I’ve finished washing…”
“Ah, thank you. Are you tired?”
“Washing innards was a first for me…”
“I’m sorry about that.
Now, please put all these vegetables in all the pots.”
“What?! You prepared all these vegetables by yourself?!”
“Well, I’m used to cooking for large groups in the mercenary group.”
I used to cook for nearly a thousand soldiers with just five people.
It’s not surprising that my cooking skills have improved.
“…Looks like it’s about time.”
After simmering for nearly an hour, I strain it through a clean cloth, then add kombu and bring it to a boil once.
And with that, the Japanese-style chicken bone soup is complete.
“Garn, are you done?”
“Yeah, I’ve stuffed the pots with vegetables.”
“Be careful with the amount of red cabbage.
We don’t know how spicy it is, so adding too much could be trouble.”
“Oh, okay. Got it.”
I can hear Garn muttering, “I didn’t hear that… Is this really okay?” Don’t think I can’t hear you.
I take a quick look, and yeah, there’s a lot.
The red cabbage is so abundant that everything is bright red.
“Excuse me, Garn.”
I take one red cabbage and try a small piece.
“Hmm… It’s not that spicy. Sweet and spicy? I guess.”
It’s like the sweetness of boiled Chinese cabbage with a slight spiciness of chili peppers.
At this rate, it should be fine even if we add a lot.
“The problem is color transfer, though…”
As a test, I put some in a pot of boiling water and heat it.
“…It transfers quite a bit…”
It’s bright red.
It transfers more than I expected. Even if the spiciness isn’t too much, visually, this might be a disaster…
“Excuse me, Garn. Please reduce the amount of red cabbage a bit.”
“The spiciness is fine, right?”
“The problem is the color. It transfers more than expected.”
“Who cares about the color?”
Oh boy, you’re going to talk about food like that?
“Where I’m from, there were indeed shops that attracted customers with bright red, spicy-looking dishes… But those were accepted because they had an incredible umami flavor despite their spicy appearance.
This is just a hot pot dish for everyone to eat together. If it looks unappetizing, people might not want to eat it.”
“Really?”
“Let me ask you, do you want to eat something that’s bright red all over?
Everything bright red, from the ingredients to the soup to the edges of the pot. I’d rather pass.”
“…I see your point.”
“I’ll teach you as we go along, so please remember.”
“O-Okay! Got it!”
“Now, let’s sort through the innards and put them in the pots.”
We need to hurry because organ meats spoil easily.
They were just left out in the open like that.
“Please add these.”
“Okay… Are we really going to eat this? Hearts, stomachs…”
“You’ll understand once you taste it.”
This guy is really hesitant…
By the way, this time I’m pre-treating the organ meats considering the storage conditions.
I put them in boiling water, then cool them with cold water.
It’s similar to the boiled pork used in Chinese cuisine, called “bai rou (white meat).”
We kill bacteria with boiling water. We kill them thoroughly.
Then, we add the meat, innards, and vegetables to the pot, add the chicken bone soup and fish sauce, and let it simmer.
Once it boils, we sprinkle some chives on top, and it’s done.
“It’s… red, isn’t it?”
The red cabbage has given off more color than expected. It’s bright red.
I cautiously taste it.
Hmm, it’s not bad.
The fishiness of the fish sauce is somewhat suppressed, and the spiciness of the red cabbage is just right.
I see, so this is how it tastes.
As a test, I try eating a piece of red cabbage, and I understand. The spiciness of the color-drained red cabbage is mild, and it has a sweetness similar to Chinese cabbage.
Maybe the spiciness is in the color itself, and when it’s boiled and loses its color, it becomes similar to Chinese cabbage?
It doesn’t seem like the flavor is completely lost.
This is close to kimchi motsunabe.
“Garn, give it a try. Along with the innards.”
“Eh? No, I’ll just stick to the vegetables.”
“Come on, give it a go!”
I forcefully shove some innards into Garn’s mouth.
“Hafu, hafu!
Ah, afu.
…It’s delicious. What should I call this? I thought there’d be an offal smell, but there isn’t.
The spiciness is just right, and the flavor from the vegetables and chicken that’s seeped into the soup is irresistible.
The innards are good too. They have a unique texture and a different kind of deliciousness from regular meat.
Some parts are chewy, others are crunchy.
This is really tasty.”
“See? The innards aren’t so bad, right?”
“Yeah. I wonder why I’ve never eaten this before.”
“Well, it spoils easily, and people don’t usually think of eating it.”
Motsu spoils really quickly.
It goes bad in one to two weeks.
I recommend everyone to eat it quickly or cook it thoroughly to prevent spoilage.
“Can I have a bit more?”
“No, we need to finish all of this.”
I’m not going to let you eat it all under the guise of ‘tasting’.
I keep an eye on Garn to make sure he doesn’t snack on everything while I continue working.
Now that I’ve figured out the right proportions for the red cabbage and chicken bone soup, the work is progressing smoothly.
But since the chicken bone soup turned out better than expected, it seems like I’ll be able to expand my cooking repertoire from now on.
『Make hamburger steak already!』
Huh! Was that an auditory hallucination?!
“Garn, did you say something?”
“No, wasn’t it you? Something about hamburger steak or whatever.”
It wasn’t just my imagination?!
Feeling a bit nervous, I continue working, and as a result…
“It’s done!!”
I’ve made motsunabe in a hundred large pots.
Well, if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!
“My arms… my legs… my back hurts!!”
Except for Garn next to me, that is.
“If you’re going to give up from just this much, you’d never make it as a cook.
Usually, you’d have to help with the food prep from the beginning.”
“Cooking is tough, huh.”
“But it’s interesting.”
I give him a nihilistic smile.
“Creepy.”
That was a one-hit KO.
Feeling a bit down, I was putting the finishing touches on the dishes.
I was going around covering the pots with lids and discussing where to place them in which areas.
That’s when it happened.
We heard shouting voices from afar.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“This is… No way!”
Garn’s face turned pale as he ran out into the hallway.
When he came back a little later, he told me with a blue face:
“It’s terrible! Gungrave and the others are attacking!”
Huh?
“What do you mean? Gungrave and the others are here?”
“I had heard that Lord Gyngus was calling for Gungrave and the other captains.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, I don’t know the reason. He suddenly sent letters without giving any explanation. I only heard about it after the fact, but I never expected them to attack instead!”
Well, that’s actually quite predictable.
I could totally see Gungrave doing something like that…
“So, are the castle people on defense?”
“Yeah. But not a single person has died. Why? Why are they advancing without killing anyone?”
Garn is pondering, but I kind of understand.
They’re probably being considerate of me.
Actually, I’ve never seen a dead body while being in the mercenary group.
I knew Gungrave was trying his best not to show me corpses or anything like that.
Sure, I’ve seen the body of a relative at a funeral.
But I’ve never seen a freshly killed murder victim. Obviously.
I think they didn’t want to scare me by showing me dead bodies.
“Garn, can you guess where Gungrave is heading?”
“Probably to Lord Gyngus. Lady Aeclys should be there too by now.
What are you planning?”
“Let’s stop this commotion.
If they know I’m safe, there’s no reason to fight, right?”
I don’t have a single scratch on me, after all.
“Do you think you can do anything by going there?”
“We have to do something.
We need to do something before Lord Gyngus angers Gungrave.”
I put the lid on the last pot and faced Garn.
“Let’s go. Please guide me.”
“Alright…
Your mind seems made up. It would be useless to try and stop you.
But don’t leave my side. We don’t know what might happen.”
“Understood.”
We dashed out into the hallway and started running towards Lord Gyngus’s office.
Along the way, we see injured people, injured people, and more injured people…
No one is dead, but while some have only light injuries, others have quite serious wounds.
It’s a scene that shows how angry everyone is.
It’s clear that they’re not killing or severely injuring anyone, but they’re definitely making them pay.
It’s a bit scary.
“Shuri, this isn’t your fault.”
Garn says as he runs ahead of me.
Without turning around, not even out of breath.
“This is all our own doing.
It’s punishment for our greed. You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Is that so…”
Even if you say that…
“Ah, damn it! Shuri, we’re taking a different route!”
“Huh?”
While I was lost in thought, Garn had stopped.
Looking ahead, I see something incredible.
What used to be a hallway is now twisted and blocking the path.
Literally “twisted.” It’s like the entire space has been screwed up, leaving behind overwhelming destruction.
This is more like a work of art, isn’t it?
“It’s Gungrave and the others!
They must have blocked the path to prevent anyone from following them!”
“Do they usually go this far?”
“No way! This is an extremely difficult technique that’s beyond current magic and magic engineering! They’re showcasing it in a place like this!
That’s how pissed off they are!”
Wow…
“Am I popular?”
Garn smacks me on the head.
“Don’t say stupid things. We’re taking a different route!”
“A different route?”
“It’ll be a detour!
We’ll go back, head to the lord’s office, and then take the emergency stairs beyond that!
Damn, it’s really going to be a long way around!”
“Wait a moment.”
There was a phrase I couldn’t ignore.
“Come to think of it, what are the high-ranking officials and the lord doing?”
“Huh? They’re probably hiding in some room somewhere.
Calling it an ‘evacuation’ or something.”
Evacuation…
“You said Lord Gyngus called for Gungrave and the others, right?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Why did he call them?”
“Well, to question them about your incident.”
Here, Garn stopped.
“That’s right, the timing is unnatural, or rather, this is the only place he could have called them.
Soon, Princess Tevis will be coming from Nouviche. If Tevis comes, there might be sanctions due to a trade review. For unjustly capturing you.
Was he planning to capture the captains and hand you over to Nouviche before that?”
“Does that make any sense?”
“Almost none. They’re only demanding ‘your custody.’ Even if we preemptively try to prevent a ‘trade review,’ it’s meaningless unless they play that card.
Rather, if we suddenly play that card, they might get angry, thinking, ‘Are you going to resort to political measures just because we harmed a cook who’s close to Nouviche?’ It would give them an excuse to impose sanctions for ‘insult.’
The lord wouldn’t allow such a thing.”
Once again, Garn’s face changed to one of realization, then anger.
“I see, they’re being held captive!
If the lord’s son detains the lord, even if it’s his father, he can’t escape the death penalty!
He’s taken the worst possible course of action!”
“The worst?”
“Yes, he can’t escape the death penalty, and doing something like this will make the people think it’s a coup d’état, causing chaos in the domain!
What should we do… Should we free the lord and others first? Or should we stop Gungrave?”
“I understand now.”
Now that I finally grasp the situation, I make this proposal:
“You just told me the route, so I’ll go by instinct from here.
Garn, please free the lord and the others.
We can still make it in time, right?”
“Are you crazy? I can’t let you go alone!”
“But I’m the only one who can stop Gungrave.
And you’re the only one who can free the lord and the others.
It’s like cooking. Division of labor.”
“You…”
“Let’s stop this, Garn.”
I say as I start heading back the way we came.
“This stupid fight.”
I say it with a nihilistic smile again.
“…You idiot.
Fine. I’ll go with you as far as the lord’s room.
From there, it’s a straight path. Don’t get lost.”
Yes! The nihilistic approach worked!
…Well, this is no time to be joking around.
I can read the room too, you know.
As we hurry back the way we came, I suddenly notice someone in the corner of the hallway.
It’s a person curled up small.
Despite being a big man, he looks tiny.
“Garn, who’s that?”
“Huh? That’s… Adra!”
Garn slams on the brakes and rushes over to the person called Adra.
“Hey, are you alright, Adra?!”
“Hm? …Ah, Garn. It’s been a while. I’m fine.”
“How can you be fine?! What happened? Did Gungrave and the others attack?”
“Yeah, that’s right…”
Adra speaks in a voice that’s small for his large frame.
“At first, I thought it would be easy…
When we tried to capture them in front of the castle, my comrades started falling one after another… I didn’t understand, I didn’t know what kind of magic they were using…
At the entrance, with overwhelming archery skill, twenty-some soldiers were neutralized by just one person…
I heard this from the messenger and tried to intercept them here as the last line of defense…
And this is the result…”
“What are you talking about? You don’t seem to be injured.”
“That’s right, I wasn’t even injured, I couldn’t even put up a fight, I couldn’t even be considered an enemy!!!”
Adra suddenly shouted.
Now he’s shaking, holding both shoulders.
His eyes are unfocused, and he looks terribly frightened.
“That was a monster…! He blocked my attack with just two fingers, and my full-force strike couldn’t even cut the swordsman’s arm… I can’t forget those eyes…! Those eyes that looked at me like I was less than an insect… That’s not human…”
W-What’s this?
This face like he’s seen some incomprehensible monster?
“Garn, who is this person?”
“Ah. He’s Adra, one of my few acquaintances.
He’s known as the strongest warrior in this castle.
Actually, there’s no one in this castle who can beat him.”
“How could someone like that end up like this?”
“Well, you see… It must be Gungrave and the others’ doing.”
“That’s right…”
Adra, who seems to have calmed down a bit, said.
“The one I fought was a man called Kuuga…”
“Oh no…”
That’s just terrible luck.
That guy has cut rocks with his sword before.
He’s also crushed armor with his fist while saying “Ain’t it awesome!”
I was so shocked by how inhuman he was, I was at a loss for words.
“Um, Adra?”
“…Who are you?”
“Well…”
If I say I’m from the Gungrave Mercenary Group here, things might get complicated.
“I’m an acquaintance of Garn.
As for Kuuga, well, he’s kind of an acquaintance…”
“Just leave me alone…”
Oh, this isn’t good.
He’s about to break.
“Adra, is fighting all you can do?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, is there nothing else you can do besides fighting?”
“There isn’t…”
“Then, why don’t you come with me?”
“Eh?!”
Garn next to me is incredibly surprised, but I continue.
“I was just looking for someone who could do heavy lifting.
After this commotion is over, why don’t you quit being a guard and become a cook with me?”
“Why the hell should I do such a wimpy job?”
“Well, are you going to continue being a warrior then?
Can you keep fighting?”
That’s impossible, right…
Adra weakly shakes his head.
“The battlefield isn’t just about swords, bows, and magic, you know.
Being a cook is also a war.”
“A… war?”
“That’s right. It’s a ruthless battle between the one who cooks and the one who eats.
If you make them say it’s delicious, the cook wins. If they say it’s bad, the eater wins.
Creating a dish that doesn’t allow them to be stubborn or find fault, that’s the cook’s battle.
I find my purpose in this fight.”
Well, at the root of it all is the joy of seeing people enjoy the food, though.
“What do you think? If the current battlefield doesn’t suit you, why not try a different one?”
“A different… battlefield.”
“Everything in this world is a battle against something. Whether you seek that battle externally or internally is up to each person.
I sought the battle within myself.
The tension, anxiety, and concentration of cooking… they’re tougher than you can imagine.
After all, it’s food for someone else to eat. You absolutely don’t want them to say it’s bad.
The skills and courage I gained from that are still my treasures.
Now they’ve become ‘weapons’ for my comrades.”
Actually, when I first had to cook for a company drinking party, I was so tense the whole time because I didn’t want to fail.
I mobilized all my accumulated cooking knowledge and skills, and worked desperately.
As a result, everyone was happy.
But I wasn’t satisfied.
I thought the soup could have been a bit thicker, the meat could have been a bit lighter.
The more I noticed, the more flaws I found.
That was my internal battle.
As a result, I’ve been doing well so far and have improved.
“Adra. If you want to seek a different external battlefield.
When you feel like it, let’s fight together.
You don’t have to answer right away.
We’re in a hurry too.
Let’s go, Garn.”
“O-Okay.”
We start running again.
However, thinking back on that conversation, I realize:
How embarrassing!!!
What was I thinking, talking about external and internal battles!
I just repeated words I’d seen in manga, but thinking about it now, it’s just pure cringe!
When we get back to the entrance, it’s a scene of pandemonium.
People injured by arrows are receiving treatment, and many are groaning from the pain of treatment.
“Shuri, don’t think about it.”
“Y-Yes.”
That’s right, I shouldn’t think about it.
If I empathize too much, I might throw up.
“Also… Shuri. This is as far as I go.”
“Huh?”
I realize Garn has stopped.
“From here, go straight ahead, up the stairs, turn left, and at the end of the corridor is Lord Gyngus’s office.
Please. You’re the only one I can rely on now.
The fact that even Adra couldn’t stop them means there’s not a single person in this castle who can match Gungrave and the others.
You’re our only hope.”
“…”
Seeing Garn bow his head, I nod.
“I understand. I’ll stop them.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Oh, and after you rescue the lord, please bring him.”
“What?”
“You need to talk, right? Father and son.”
It would be sad if they remained at odds after being held captive.
“So please.”
“…I can’t promise anything.”
“Even just making an effort would be enough.”
“Alright.”
“Then, I’m off.”
I run.
I run down the hallway, up the stairs, desperately following the route I was told.
Fortunately, I don’t run into anyone or encounter any dangerous situations.
Along the way, I wonder what I should say when I meet them.
Is it okay for someone like me, who’s unrelated to noble disputes, to say anything?
I’ve only been in fights a handful of times as a child.
I got along well with my friends, and my relationship with my parents wasn’t bad either.
In other words, it might mean I’ve been avoiding conflicts.
Maybe I’ve never really fought anyone as a real enemy.
But still,
If I can put an end to this conflict.
I feel I must do it.
Words like that don’t come easily to mind.
I realize that the wise sayings I’ve seen in manga and anime are shallow in the face of reality.
Those words have meaning because they’re said by characters in those stories, in those specific scenes.
They don’t have the same meaning when I say them.
Still, there are things I want to say.
I’ll say those things.
“I’ve arrived…!”
Just as I reach the door of the room and put my hand on the doorknob, I hear voices from inside.
“What I want to say is, return Shuri to us.
We’ve had this long, convoluted conversation, but that’s all we’re asking for.
We’re not particularly seeking your apology.
But if you’re going to apologize, pay with something tangible.
Like territory or money or whatever.”
This is… Gungrave’s angry voice!
“We’ve become criminals, been imprisoned, and had our comrade taken hostage.
If you’re going to apologize, it should be commen—”
Oh no, the conversation is turning into a threat!
“That won’t be necessary!!!”
I was in such a hurry that the door opened faster than I expected and I fell.
But I rolled in like a forward roll and showed myself in front of everyone.
“The fight is over!”
I ended up making an entrance like a third-rate hero. Cringe moment number two. But it seems to have had a huge impact on everyone, as they’re all frozen, staring at me. Huh? Is this a success?
“It’s been a while, Gungrave.”
“O-Oh…”
Why is Gungrave trembling?
“Shuri!!! You’re safe!”
“Shuri!”
“Are you alright, Shuri?!”
“Hambur… Shuri, Lill’s glad you’re safe.”
“Geez, you idiot, making us worry like that!”
Whoa?!
Gungrave is patting my shoulder.
Arius is tearfully saying she’s glad.
Tegue is patting my back.
Lill is drooling for some reason.
Kuuga is ruffling my hair vigorously.
Ah, I’m thinking about how loved I am by everyone, and how much I made them worry.
“Ouch, ouch, I’m okay, I’m okay.
It hurts. Lill, you’re drooling.”
“Oops, sorry. slurp”
While Lill is wiping her drool, I escape from Kuuga’s grasp.
I look at Aeclys and the person next to her.
“Um, are you Lord Gyngus?”
“That’s right.”
Lord Gyngus looks more tired than I expected.
He’s a handsome guy with short dark silver hair, lighter than Aeclys’s, and fox-like sharp eyes.
And he’s lean and muscular. Damn it.
“Hello. My name is Shuri Azuma.
Can we talk?”
“What? There’s nothing to talk about. This will end when I die.”
“I overheard a bit outside. About apologies in tangible form and such.
That’s nonsense.”
“What did you say?!”
Lord Gyngus flies into a rage at my words.
“I mean, it’s nonsense to try to die as a form of apology.
Getting territory or compensation money.
I’m safe, so why don’t we just end this?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! This is a political issue!
How can you suddenly appear and say it’s over? What do you know?”
“Well, I, the victim, am saying we should end it. Isn’t that enough?”
“Even if you say it’s over, there are issues that can’t be resolved so easily!
Either I die, or you all quietly submit!”
“Is that really okay?
I’ve heard the story. About Aeclys being a woman, about you setting this up, about Gungrave getting angry.
Choosing to die after all that, isn’t that the worst form of escapism?”
“The problems that can be ended with the head of a lord’s family member… that’s not something you can dismiss with words like ‘escapism’!
Responsibility issues don’t end unless the person takes responsibility, takes punishment!”
“The moment you chose to die, you’re running away from responsibility.”
I know there are stories from the past about seppuku and such, but I’ve always thought, there’s no real responsibility in that.
Death penalty as punishment for a crime. That might heal the victims or bereaved families a little bit. But it doesn’t heal everyone.
Because what’s lost doesn’t come back. Or maybe it’s for the sake of closure for some feelings.
But this case is different.
I’m alive. I’m not dead.
And I, the person in question, am not seeking death as punishment.
That’s right. Thanks to Garn, being in jail wasn’t that harsh.
So I don’t want Lord Gyngus to die.
I don’t want a large amount of compensation or territory.
I’m just happy to be safely reunited with everyone.
You might say I’m naive. In this warring states period, in this world of competing warlords, such thinking might be fatal.
But this is who I am.
This is who Azuma Shuri is.
“If you want to take responsibility, live.
Keep apologizing.
Even if you’re not forgiven, even if you’re cursed at.
Do what you can for the other person.
Keep apologizing.
And wait for decades without expecting to hear the words ‘I forgive you’ from the other person.
Isn’t that how you take responsibility?”
“There’s no such foolish way-”
“Yes, it’s foolish.
But you’ll probably lose your right of succession as a member of the lord’s family.
That way of taking responsibility will only satisfy the people in the castle.
We can’t be satisfied with that at all.
So you can only convey it with the words ‘I’m sorry.’
And please act in ways other than money.”
When Japanese politicians or company executives break rules, we often see footage of them bowing at press conferences.
Personally, I’ve never been fully satisfied with just an apology and a fine.
If they truly feel sorry, I’ve always thought there should be some action.
“That’s the ‘apology’ I’m asking for.”
“…You’re saying you’ll be satisfied with such a method?”
“No, I think that’s the better way too.”
Suddenly, another voice echoed.
Looking towards the door, we see the lord and Garn standing there.
“Garn.”
“Yeah, I managed to rescue him.
As you said, I brought him.”
Garn gives me a thumbs up, which I return.
The lord steps into the room, passes by me, and stands in front of Lord Gyngus.
“You fool!”
And with a loud thud,
the lord’s fist comes down on Lord Gyngus’s head.
“How much trouble do you need to cause before you’re satisfied?!
Not only me, but you’ve involved the mercenary group and even other countries!
Do you understand that your thoughtlessness has put this domain in a critical situation?!”
“…I’m sorry.”
Lord Gyngus apologizes, looking down without even rubbing his head where he was hit.
“How do you intend to take responsibility?! Tell me!”
“Yes… My punishment-”
“This isn’t a problem that can be solved with just your punishment!
Stripping you of your succession rights is a given! The succession rights will go to Aeclys alone!
Your punishment will be relegation to a sinecure and revocation of your authority over the military!
The apology to Nouviche will be settled with Garn’s death penalty!
Aeclys, you too! Prepare yourself for punishment for not stopping your brother’s rampage despite being the elder sibling!”
“Okay, time out!”
As the conversation seemed to be heading in a terrible direction, I stop it.
“Lord, please wait a moment.”
“Ah, Shuri.
I’m sorry. Family shame should be dealt with within the family…”
“It’s not about family, the cause lies with you too.”
I have to say this now,
“When Lord Gyngus was born after Lady Aeclys, why didn’t you restore Lady Aeclys’s treatment to what it was before?”
“That’s a family matter, Shuri.”
“No, we’re already involved and there’s no way to undo that now.
Lord, I think that all of this stems from your carelessness.”
“What…?”
“I mean exactly what I said.
You forcibly made Aeclys the heir, then kept things the same when Gyngus was born, creating discord between siblings. On top of that, you hid the existence of your firstborn and assigned him covert work.
All of this was born from your shallow, careless decisions.
Moreover, you actually noticed, didn’t you?
That Gyngus’s gift included something you were allergic to.”
Everyone except the lord is surprised.
The lord frowns slightly.
It seems my guess was right.
It was strange from the beginning.
Allergic reactions cause suffering and pain that others can’t understand.
For the person themselves to continue consuming something that causes an allergic reaction is like suicide. If just holding it caused an inflammatory response, there’s no way the person wouldn’t know.
So I thought:
One possibility is that he didn’t know he was using it and didn’t understand why the reaction was happening.
But this is too unnatural. Judging from that reaction, it should be painful just to hold it. It’s impossible to keep a cool face at a banquet.
Another possibility is that special processing made it unrecognizable. This is too far-fetched, so I excluded it.
The last possibility I thought of was the most unlikely one.
He knew and was using it anyway.
He was enduring the painful allergic reactions and deliberately using it.
When I reached this conclusion, I almost laughed it off and denied it.
But since I couldn’t think of any other possibility, I decided to ask about it, and…
It seems this was the correct answer.
“Why? It must have been incredibly painful.
If you held it, that area would undoubtedly break out in an itchy rash.
If you drank it, your mouth, throat, and stomach would be in pain and itchy.
Why did you keep using it?”
“That’s…”
“Garn, what do you think?”
“Huh? Me?”
Garn was confused by the sudden question, but after thinking a bit, he said:
“Well… Maybe there’s someone who would benefit from him collapsing.
Or maybe there’s someone he wants to disadvantage by collapsing.
Or it could be a death wish.”
“Lord, which is it?”
I had considered these possibilities too.
If it’s for someone’s benefit, whose?
Who does he want to disadvantage?
I couldn’t come up with any answers in the limited information I had in jail.
Now, what’s the answer?
“…Shuri, you’re smarter than you look.
I didn’t expect to be called out like this.”
Then, the lord spoke as if he had given up.
Resignation.
I could feel it from his whole body.
“The ones I wanted to benefit were the children. Garn, Aeclys, Gyngus.
The only one I wanted to disadvantage, now and in the past, is just one person.
My legal wife.”
Time stopped.
What did he just say?
He wants to disadvantage his legal wife?
“Gyngus. You didn’t come up with this plan alone, did you?”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t, right? You wanted to achieve military success after I collapsed and gain succession rights.
But your mother was thinking of something beyond that.”
“T-That’s absurd. Mother didn’t-”
“She knew.”
The lord said:
“Your abilities were transparent to her. She was working behind the scenes, taking advantage of your plan.
When you ordered your subordinates to make an iron wine glass, you originally intended to include just a little iron, didn’t you?
That wine glass contained an excessive amount of iron.
I decided to take advantage of that.”
“W-Wait, Father. I didn’t know about that either.
Sure, your wife is a bit jealous, but…”
The lord laughed.
It was a scornful laugh.
“Jealous? No. She’s not just jealous, she’s too ambitious.
When she found out that Gyngus lacked domestic political skills, she was overjoyed.
Behind the scenes, of course. If she could install Gyngus as the lord, she could seize power as his guardian. And if Gyngus had military capabilities, there was a possibility of expanding the territory. If that happened, the amount of money coming to her would increase.
That’s the kind of person she is.”
The lord’s expression changed from a scornful smile to a serious face, and I finally realized.
This person has been enduring all this time.
He’s been enduring and bearing with the distortions caused by the family’s rifts, even before the allergy issue.
“I truly loved Garn’s mother and the concubine. To avoid misunderstanding, let me say this, Gyngus. I love you too.
But my legal wife suppressed the concubine and exiled Garn’s mother.
By the time I realized it, it was too late. I hate her from the bottom of my heart. Why did she have to go that far?!
So, I thought I could get my revenge if I could condemn her using this incident as an opportunity.”
“So, where is your wife now?”
“Ah, if you’re talking about her, she probably took advantage of this commotion and thought the situation had turned bad. She’s already run away. With the messenger from Nouviche coming too, she must have decided there’s no future for this domain.”
“Then, what about me-”
“You were abandoned.
By that woman. Originally, I was planning to take advantage of this commotion further, pursue all of that woman’s misdeeds and condemn her…
Shuri. Your actions have thrown everything into disarray. My wife has fled, my son is guilty of treason. The responsibility would fall on executing the hidden child.
This situation is extremely bad.”
It seems I’ve done something terribly wrong…
“That’s your side of the story, Lord.”
Just as I was starting to feel down, Gungrave spoke up.
“Shuri acted out of concern for your well-being at that banquet.
It’s unreasonable to expect an outsider to see through such schemes right away.
Besides, Shuri was worried about your health. You should be thanking him, not blaming him.”
Wow, Gungrave is angry!
He’s even dropped the polite speech.
“Then what should we do? About this situation?
The conflict between the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction will change with the failure of the Second Prince faction’s rebellion. The Second Prince faction will almost certainly be eliminated by the bureaucrats of the First Prince faction.”
“I-I could restrain them-”
“It’s impossible, Aeclys. The bureaucrats of the First Prince faction have followed you because they believe your domestic political skills are what this domain needs.
They have no reason not to attack at this perfect opportunity.”
“This ain’t a peaceful conversation, is it?”
Here, Kuuga chimes in.
He’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
Wow, he looks so cool and nonchalant!
“Well, it’s no longer our concern. Right, Gungrave?”
“Yeah, you’re right. Come to think of it, it is. We’ve rescued Shuri, so our job is done.
Let’s go, everyone.”
“Understood, Gungrave.”
“Mm, got it.”
“W-w-wait! Hold on a second!”
Hey, what are you all saying?!
Everyone’s acting like it’s perfectly normal!
“Huh?! You’re leaving?!”
“Of course. Our goal was to rescue you, Shuri.
From the conversation just now, we know there’s no force left in this domain that can chase us. The rest will be the First Prince faction and Second Prince faction destroying each other, and Nouviche’s intervention will likely leave nothing behind.”
“That’s right. Kuuga’s words make the most sense.
Shuri, we’re a mercenary group. Mercenary groups value their comrades above all else. But we show no mercy to enemies. We need to live without giving any compassion.
This time, Shuri, our goal was achieved the moment we were able to rescue you.”
“No, no, even so, abandoning them here is a bit…”
Realistically speaking, it would be best to do as they say and leave this domain quickly.
Staying here any longer probably won’t benefit the mercenary group.
But I don’t want to abandon them here.
“…”
Aeclys is looking at me too.
Her face is clearly asking for help.
To ignore and run away from someone who has been enduring and trying so hard.
That’s just too much.
“Then, would it be okay if I could solve this problem? Gungrave?”
“Huh? No, our issue is already over, Shuri.”
“No, it’s not over. We haven’t received the territory.”
“Do we even need it at this point?”
“What if we could get it?”
“Look, I don’t want to end up like Arturia again.
If it’s a choice between land and comrades, I’ll choose comrades.”
“That’s very manly of you… But this time, I have an idea.”
Ignoring Gungrave’s puzzled look, I face the lord again.
“Lord. Would it help if there were no more conflicts between the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction?”
“What? Suddenly-”
“Please tell me.”
Responding to my serious tone, the lord answers:
“If the factional disputes were to end, certainly 40% of our worries would disappear.
But the remaining 60% – the military’s rampage and Gyngus’s punishment – would still remain. What are you thinking?”
“I have an idea.”
Although it’s more like a kind of “shifting responsibility”…
When I explain my idea, the lord thinks for a moment.
“I see… Indeed, if we do it that way, it would solve another 50%.”
“The remaining 10% is emotions, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. However, emotional issues can potentially be resolved with time. Some people might change their minds after seeing Gyngus and Aeclys’s future accomplishments.”
“What about you, Gungrave? Will you cooperate?”
“…Can’t be helped, I guess.”
Gungrave scratches his head vigorously and laughs.
“You’re doing something pretty bold too, you idiot!”
“Ouch! That hurts!”
Then he starts ruffling my hair vigorously too. It’s subtly painful.
“Tegue! Gather our subordinates from the castle town!”
“Got it!”
“Arius, gather the soldiers in the castle! They won’t resist if it’s you! Even more so if you take Gyngus with you!”
“Understood.”
“Kuuga, you’re on ‘cleaning’ duty! Round up anyone influenced by that woman!”
“Got it. Not that I’m excited about it. We should just get out of here quickly.”
“Lill, set up the venue! Do it quickly!”
“Hambur…”
“Do that later!”
While Gungrave is giving out instructions efficiently, I’m discussing with the lord.
“I’ll leave the content of the speech to you. Also, how to tie up loose ends and make things consistent.”
“Very well. You’re doing something quite unexpected.”
“But this way, you can get your revenge, right?”
“It’s the perfect revenge. This way, she can never come back.”
“Then I’m counting on you.”
I finish my conversation with the lord and stand in front of Aeclys and Gyngus.
“This will end 90% of the issues. We can finally put an end to this incident.”
“You… Don’t you hate me? I’m the one who imprisoned you. Why can you do so much?”
Well, if you put it that way…
“Saying ‘Let me punch you once later’ doesn’t seem like me, and Gungrave and the others have already gotten revenge enough.”
“Shuri. I’m curious too. How can you do so much?”
Aeclys…
“I just cooked, you know? The rest is your job. And…”
I look at Garn.
Right now, Garn is giving instructions to his subordinate spies. It’s for something I asked him to do.
“I owe Garn a debt of gratitude. My time in jail wasn’t that hard thanks to Garn. This is my way of repaying that debt.”
“Even so…”
“Besides, Aeclys.”
We made a promise, after all.
“If we don’t resolve this issue, you won’t be able to leave this domain even if you want to, right?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, aren’t you coming with me?”
Aeclys is staring blankly, dumbfounded.
“In jail, you said you wanted to quit being the heir and come along.
Was that a lie?”
“…Pfft, hahaha.”
Huh? Why are you laughing?
“That’s right. We did make such a promise. I thought it was impossible now.”
“Is it impossible? Oh, is it because Gungrave overheard or something?”
“That’s right. I was careless. If it weren’t for that, it might have been possible.”
“Is there a problem with him overhearing?”
“Shuri, there’s a big problem.”
Gungrave grabs my head in his hand.
Huh? I sense a smile, but I also feel a lion-like aura…?
“This person was trying to join our group without batting an eye. And that’s someone from the side that captured you, saying they want to join because they don’t like their position.
How could we accept such a person as a comrade?”
“B-But…”
Ahhh, he’s squeezing tighter…!?
“No buts. I won’t allow it.”
“But, come on…”
“There’s no room for discussion.”
“Ow ow ow ow, it’s breaking, it’s breaking. Various things are about to burst out. Something flesh-colored is leaking from the cracks.”
“Fufu, you look like you’re having fun.”
“You should join me- ow ow ow ow!”
“You’re still talking, you fool?”
Ouch ouch ouch.
After that, with the help of Gungrave’s subordinates, we transported the pots from the kitchen.
“How’s the placement, Arius?”
“It’s going smoothly, Shuri. No need to worry. The rest is up to Gungrave and the lord.”
We’re now in the castle town square.
We’ve had all the pots transported here and are arranging them in the square and the streets leading to it.
Arius and I are ladling the motsunabe into plates and distributing them to the townspeople.
“Hey, is this bright red dish edible?”
The townspeople are also asking questions skeptically.
“This is a hot pot using red cabbage.”
“Oh, that. It’s true that when you put that in soup, the color transfers. But it’s rare for it to smell this good.”
“That’s right. We’ve used pork innards and such.”
“W-What?! Is this stomach?!”
They’re really surprised.
This isn’t good, at this rate they won’t eat it.
“Well, here you go, have a taste!”
“Bufo?!”
So I put it directly in his mouth.
The townsman was surprised and tried to spit it out, but…
His movement changed a bit after chewing.
“…This is delicious. I thought innards would be terrible, but…”
“It’s a bit spicy and has an interesting texture, right?”
“Indeed… It’s chewy but still has the flavor of meat.”
The townsman snatches the plate from my hand and starts eating more.
“I see… This is a dish where the spiciness of the red cabbage and the flavor of the innards are perfectly balanced. The cabbage and bean sprouts absorb the flavors and are enjoyable too. The aroma of the chives is nice. Without it, it might be too heavy.
But I don’t understand. The soup at the base of this dish. What is it? Some kind of meat and vegetables… No, vegetables? No, I can’t tell…”
“And that’s the innards hot pot, a stew you can enjoy for its flavors. We’re serving it now!”
Seeing one person eating it deliciously, the others seem to have let their guard down.
They’re receiving it one after another and eating it with gusto.
“However, you’re doing something quite bold, Shuri.”
Arius says with a mix of exasperation and amusement, not stopping her work.
“Consuming the food supplies that were the source of power for both the First Prince and Second Prince factions to weaken them, creating a situation where they can’t afford to continue fighting.
On top of that, capturing and punishing the soldiers under the influence of the legal wife among those we subdued.
In the end, you’re pinning all the causes of the conflict on the legal wife.”
Haha, I might have gone a bit too far.
From what I’ve heard, in the end, it was the legal wife’s ambition and jealousy that tormented the lord.
She twisted the fates of Garn, Aeclys, and Gyngus.
And then she fled, abandoning her husband, children, and subordinates in the midst of chaos.
There’s a limit to how despicable one can be.
So, I thought it would be just fine to pin all the responsibility on her.
She’s not here anymore, and she was the original cause anyway, so I figured it’d be okay.
When I suggested this idea to the lord:
“I see. This way, my wife can never return.”
He happily accepted it.
How much did he hate her? It must have been considerable.
Currently, on the stage that Lill set up in the square, the lord and Gungrave are giving a speech, or rather, bestowing honors.
They’re blaming the cause of this whole incident on the legal wife.
Gyngus and Aeclys tried to do something about it, but couldn’t act because of their loyal subordinates.
Gungrave and his group broke through and liberated everyone.
To celebrate the domain’s rebirth now that the source of evil is gone, they’re serving this celebratory meal.
They’re spreading this story, which, to those involved, sounds like “How convenient can this get? How on earth did you come up with such a story?”
And as a reward for resolving this incident, they’re being granted land and medals.
That being said, the lord seems to think they can no longer run the domain by themselves.
Well, in his own words:
“We had the castle’s elite forces taken down by just five people? It’s shameful, and it’s probably time for me to retire.”
That’s what he said.
In other words, he’s actually going to pass on the domain to Gyngus, and have him serve under Gungrave.
As for Aeclys…
“Shuri, can I help over here?”
She’s been leaving her post and coming over here.
Each time, Gungrave sends a terrifying aura in this direction. It’s scary.
“No, please distribute the food at your post. You’re not done yet, right? We used quite a lot.”
“I was not just distributing food, but also garnishes. I came because I had a moment free. These sky leeks turned out well, didn’t they?”
Aeclys looks at the townspeople.
Yes, when I made the motsunabe, I also prepared chopped sky leeks as a garnish.
We’re distributing them so people can sprinkle them on as they like.
This way, the kimchi motsunabe can quickly transform into something closer to a jjigae. It’s not quite the same, but you can add sourness to taste.
Look, that child over there is tearing up because they added too many sky leeks.
“But really, you ended the commotion with cooking.”
What’s this? Suddenly getting all sentimental?
“Thank you, Shuri. It’s all thanks to you.”
“I might have just made the commotion bigger…”
“No, even so, we were able to completely eliminate my stepmother’s influence. I don’t have to be the heir anymore. We can let Gyngus inherit, and we’ve encouraged the bureaucrats to cooperate with the military officials because they don’t have the resources to fight for power anymore.
Thank you, truly.”
Ah… well…
How should I put this, when such a beautiful person like Aeclys says so much, it’s embarrassing…
“I look forward to continuing our relationship.”
“Yes, of course.”
Well, we’re comrades from now on, after all.
“Alright, I’ve got your word.”
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“No, nothing. Come on, it’s a celebratory feast. Let’s keep serving.”
“Ah, yes.”
Why does she sound so evasive?
Well, I guess it’s fine.
In the end, Gungrave has acquired a territory, a country.
It’s been a long journey to get here, but…
There’s just one more thing…
If we can track down the whereabouts of the legal wife, it’ll be perfect.
I just hope that woman isn’t planning anything sinister.
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