Chapter 144 - The Potato Proliferation Plan and the Angry Summer Bird
Kuuria left the room, leaving Yanan behind. Before greeting me, Yanan greeted Fam and the others, one by one. They must have had plenty they wanted to say, but they seemed unable to say anything to the politely bowing Yanan. Finally, she came to me.
"Master Mash. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Yanan, a knight of the Earth Dragon Race. It is a pleasure to be in your service."
Yanan knelt on one knee and lowered her head. I hurriedly helped her up and had her sit in a chair.
"I'd like you to go back to how you used to speak and act around me."
At my words, Yanan glanced at Fam and the others before nodding. For the time being, it was decided that she wouldn't accompany us on our journey but would instead head to Migul as part of a diplomatic mission, where we would rendezvous later. In other words, we were just postponing the problem. I had a feeling I was bad at dealing with types like Claire, Karpana, and now Yanan, who all came with political baggage. Fam's gaze was terrifying.
"How old are you, Yanan?"
I looked her over. The Earth Dragon Race were small, generally a full head shorter than me. She was even shorter, which made her look young. Her face was round, her eyes large and bright, and she had a certain charm about her. Her chest was bigger than Cecily's.
"I am eighteen."
She showed me her character sheet. Adventurer Rank 'C', Name 'Yanan Mognart', Class 'Knight', Primary Job 'Earth Dragon Warrior', Primary Job Level '21', Race 'Earth Dragon Race', Age '18'. There was no party name listed. Maybe it doesn't show up if you're not part of one.
"Are you really okay with this? Didn't you have someone you loved, or a fiancé?"
I asked a question there was no point in asking.
"There is someone I love. But, if you will love me, Mash, then that is enough for me."
"No, it's not enough. I'm going to get an earful later."
Worried about Fam's reaction, I shifted my gaze to her.
"Master, please stop looking over here every two seconds."
Yep, Fam was angry. But this was Maira's fault. If she had a complaint, she should take it up with her.
"Is this person you love a prince from some country?"
At my question, Yanan hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Actually, I was fond of Kuuria. Therefore, once you've grown tired of me, please grant me to him. I ask that you do so after confirming my pregnancy."
"I don't want Kuuria to resent me. Besides, once I've held you, you're mine. I couldn't possibly give you to another man."
I wonder what Kuuria really thinks of us. And telling me to grant her to someone else… Karpana had said something similar. The value of a person in this world really was low.
"Kuuria and I were not lovers, nor were we having an affair, so it is fine. And if you would think of me as yours, that would be an honor."
"Yanan, I know it's not my place to say, but if there's a man you love, you should reconsider. I'll even put in a good word for you."
"You should consider your own value. Otherwise, not only you but those around you will become unhappy."
"..."
It bothered me that Yanan's tone had been so inconsistent. Was it that, given her position, she simply couldn't turn back now that things had come to this?
"Besides, even if I stayed here, Kuuria and I would never be together."
I learned that besides the Earth Dragon Kingdom of the great plains, there was also a federation of small city-states to the west. The Earth Dragon Kingdom itself was a small nation of only about a hundred households. Calling the others a federation of small city-states was just a way to save face; they were likely just a collection of hamlets too small to even be called countries. And though they had no contact, there was apparently another Earth Dragon city far to the east. She had been destined to marry someone from that federation of small states eventually. I wondered why they hadn't called for help from the federation during this incident, but she explained that it was farther away than Richelle and lacked the military strength to send reinforcements. When I thought about it, their lifestyle of living underground was what kept them safe. Considering this kingdom had only about 30 soldiers in total and the king's daughter was serving as the knight captain, combat personnel were probably more of a decoration for the Earth Dragon Race.
After spending the night at the royal palace, we were to return to Heilong. Aira had also returned, so all six members of Levante were now present. On the dinner table, besides soup and salad, were the rolled omelets Fam and I had made, and the croquettes Mizuki and I had made. We had borrowed a part of the kitchen to cook them. As for the omelets, Fam and I started making them together, but eventually, she ended up silently cooking one after another by herself. I was the one who suggested making croquettes, but Mizuki knew the recipe much better. Following her instructions, we mixed mashed potatoes, minced carrots and onions, and ground meat, then formed and fried them. They were a hit with the kitchen staff, and a batch was made for everyone as part of the palace's menu for the day. The king, Kuuria, Yanan, and the other knights were probably eating them right now. I hoped it would serve as a small reward for today's battle.
"What in the world is this?"
Maira stared at a croquette with a stern expression. Since it was coated in breading, she shouldn't have noticed the potatoes mixed inside.
"Mizuki and I made it. The proper way to eat a croquette is to pop it in your mouth without cutting it. I think it'd be tasty with some fish sauce, too."
If she cut it, she'd find out about the potato, so I gave her some bogus instructions on how to eat it. Fam started to look like she wanted to say something, so I handed her a glass of sparkling wine to silence her.
"Just one sip."
Incidentally, a pile of rolled omelets sat in front of her, since she'd watched us cook, but there were no croquettes on her plate.
"Yes. I must finish all these omelets, so I'll restrain myself."
Her tail, dangling from the chair, was wagging excitedly. It seemed my bribe was a success. She took a small sip, her eyes narrowing as a soft smile spread across her face. Mizuki also knew the croquettes contained potato. As my accomplice in this scheme to make Maira and the others eat them, I didn't think she'd say anything unnecessary, but I shot her a look just in case. It was then that I noticed a glass of sparkling wine in front of her as well.
"..." "..."
No words were needed. My message had been received, and I understood hers as well. I never thought the day would come when she and I could communicate so telepathically. It was a silly thing, but it made me happy. Today was a victory celebration for defeating the Earth Dragon King. One glass should be fine. Maira, having watched our exchange, finally took a bite of the croquette.
"Th-this is... delicious!"
Maira exclaimed. Then, she looked at the inside of the breading and was struck speechless.
"M-Mash. You tricked me! You're angry about what I did today, aren't you? But to think you'd try to poison me!"
"I feel bad for forcing you to eat it, but calling it poison is going too far."
"Ugh, I don't want to eat it, I don't want to, but it's so delicious I can't stop. This is so frustrating...!"
Watching Maira gobble it down, Fam, Cecily, and Aira stared at her as if they were looking at something terrifying.
"You try one too, Fam."
"N-No, I have to eat all of these rolled omelets, so..."
Her previously wagging tail was now curled up.
"Don't be ridiculous. Just have one bite."
I took a croquette from my plate and held it to her lips.
"Master, if I die, will you hold me tight? Please, let my bones be buried with yours..."
"You're not going to die. Just eat it."
"I won't be cursed or get sick?"
"You're already cursed and sick. Eat."
She took a tiny bite. The moment she did, her eyes widened.
"Amidst the crispy texture, there is a fluffy and flaky sensation. Is this the potato? The juiciness of the meat, the crunch of the carrots, and the softness of the onions all blend together."
Were her parents food critics? She polished off the rest and then snatched the remaining croquette from my plate onto her own.
"This time, I will try it with fish sauce."
"That's fine, but what about my share..."
Cecily and Aira were still watching Fam and me with the same looks, as if witnessing something indecent.
"How about it? You two should try one."
""We're not falling for such a transparent act!""
The two of them said in unison. Maira was staring intently at Aira's croquette.
"Aira, if you're not going to eat it, your big sister will have it for you."
Maira reached for her croquette, but Aira slapped her hand away.
"If you're going to go that far, I'll try it," Aira said.
"Aira, are you serious? But, if you're having one..."
The two looked at each other, then ate their croquettes at the same time.
"So, what are you going to do?"
Once the croquette commotion had settled down, Cecily asked me.
"Do about what?"
"About Yanan. Mash, what are your thoughts on children?"
"Children, huh..."
I remembered the conversation I'd had with Mizuki before. I never thought a woman who wanted my children would ever appear.
"Fam is first, and Mizuki is next. I haven't decided after that."
"Why are those two first! That's not fair!" Cecily protested.
"Mash, I haven't heard about this either! I'm supposed to be your second girlfriend!" Maira added.
"Sorry. I already told Fam and Mizuki. You heard us, didn't you, Maira?"
"Come to think of it, that's when it started. When you all started leaving me out."
It seemed she also remembered the incident at the Mateo Trading Company.
"No, that's not it. I've never once thought about leaving you out!"
"Then when will it be?"
"Huh?"
As I was trying to figure out what she meant by 'when', Aira interjected.
"But are you two really serious about having children with Mash?"
Aira asked Cecily and Maira for me. She drained the wine from her glass. She'd been drinking at a considerable pace, trying to keep up with Maira, so she might be drunk.
"It's a little late to be asking that. It's a stupid question," Cecily replied.
"...Cecily, does that mean you'll still be my girlfriend even when you go to magic school?"
"I don't know. I'll find someone new!"
"..."
I was at a loss for words.
"Even I..."
As I was trying to think of what to say to Cecily, Maira suddenly muttered something.
"Maira's just rushing. Because she's the older sister," Aira said. Was she worried about her age? Come to think of it, I don't think I'd ever seen her character sheet. I didn't think she was that much older than Aira. But was that just her appearance, and she was actually older than me? If so, I'd want to be doted on by her even more.
"My business is my own. By the way, Mash, when are you thinking of having children?" Maira said, cutting off my thoughts.
"Well..."
"Be clear about it. I have to prepare myself mentally!"
"Anyway, we have to solve the Demon Lord problem, and my and Mizuki's time limit problem. Also, it has to be after Fam stops growing."
"Stops growing?"
"Pregnancy takes a heavy toll on the mother's body. In my world, there was a prime age for childbirth. Considering that, it'll be in about six years."
I glanced at Fam. I hadn't gotten her consent on this.
"I-I'm ready for it! I accept your challenge!"
Fam declared with a strange sort of enthusiasm. Next, I looked at Mizuki.
"I might be fine waiting a little longer. I want to try going to college and maybe get a job."
She seemed to be thinking on the premise that we'd return to our original world. I think getting a job is the beginning of hell, but there's no point in saying that, so I kept quiet.
"Alright, you two. I've got your word. If you say 'just kidding!' later, I'm going to cry."
"Just kidding!"
Aira said, perfectly mimicking Mizuki's voice. She made bunny ears with her hands, trying to look cute, but because she sounded so much like Mizuki, it just hurt and made me angry. I had a feeling she was quite drunk. After hearing their replies, I turned my gaze to Maira.
"Is it really that far in the future...? And I would be after them?"
Was she worried about her own biological clock?
"If that's what you want, Maira."
Hearing my words, Maira buried her head in her hands.
"Maira, now I'm curious about something. I want you to show me your character sheet."
"Wh-what are you planning to look at?"
It was hard to just say 'your age'.
"Your three sizes. You looked through my entire character sheet, didn't you!"
"That's not written on there!" Maira retorted. But she seemed determined not to show me her character sheet.
"Could it be... you're older than me...?"
Was she one of those 'beauty witches' who maintain their youth forever? As she remained silent, Aira continued to drink wine beside her.
"There's no way she's that much older. She's only two years older than me. Maira worries too much."
Maira's shoulders slumped at Aira's words. Then, she drained her wine glass again. They were refilling each other's empty glasses. I couldn't tell if they were friends or rivals. As I thought, people in this world marry young. And Maira was probably considered to be getting past her prime. Come to think of it, Aira had been quite hung up on Reed. Maybe her age had something to do with it.
"...I'm going to stop taking my birth control pills. I won't lose to a bunch of little girls!"
Maira slammed her glass down on the table with a thud. Then she pointed at Fam and Mizuki. She seemed pretty drunk, too.
"Hey, stop saying scary things. Maira, you're the only sane person in this party, you're the brains, the healer, and the strongest one here. If you have a child, we won't be able to continue our journey. Let's discuss this when you're sober."
"So, what's the plan?"
Cecily's tone was sharper than before.
"What plan? I told you already."
"If that's what you've decided, that's fine for us. But what are you going to do about Claire, Yanan, and Karpana? And Moos, too."
"Wait, Karpana is different. ...And Moos is different."
"You're going to do it with them eventually, right?"
I was at a loss for words, unable to answer Cecily's question.
"Think about it. Even if they're fine with waiting, the people around them won't wait for six years. That's more than enough time for them to lose their standing in their own societies, you know."
Before coming to this world, the idea of getting a girlfriend was a pipe dream. Now, the conversation had moved beyond romance. In fact, the romance part had been skipped entirely.
"Can't they just love freely?"
This world's society was built on dense human relationships. It was impossible to live isolated from society. There was no automation by machines; everything was done by human hands. This was true in villages, and those connections were just as important for the upper class. They build mutual relationships, stabilize their positions, and prevent useless conflicts. They were seeking me out while carrying the burdens of their families, organizations, and nations. I thought I understood that on an intellectual level, but in the end, Cecily was right. I hadn't come to terms with it, yet I had already accepted them. However, I hated being sought after in such an unavoidable situation. That's why I freed Fam, Cecily, and Aira from slavery. I may be blaming it on Fam, but my lack of enthusiasm for Claire and Yanan is for the same reason. That's not to say I'm not happy when they pursue me; in fact, there's a part of me that wants to hold them right away. I want to hold them. Fam probably sees through those feelings. That's why she's against it.
"What are you dreaming about, old man? Everyone is tied down by something. There's no such thing as freedom. It's not normal to end up with the person you love."
"...But does that mean personal feelings should be secondary? What about you!"
I said something to Cecily that I shouldn't have. She was, in fact, trying to correct my course.
"Power dynamics affect everything. No one is looking at your personal feelings. It's just your title as a hero from another world and your connection to Racshell-sama that are attractive. You carelessly approach girls just for sex, so everyone jumps on the bandwagon and this is the result. It's not for you to say that things have gotten difficult!"
"Cecily, so what about you!"
When I said it, she shook her head.
"I pretended I didn't hear you, but this is unbelievable! Why are you asking me that?"
"...My bad. But I can't just accept this 'go forth and multiply' plan."
"Well, that's obvious," Cecily replied. "But if you don't start thinking about it now, things are going to get really bad."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Protect what you've gained with your own hands. Act like a proper hero."
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