Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 11 - Chapter 4.2

2

“What exactly is this all about?” Lefreya questioned as I stood there so dumbfounded I couldn’t even speak. Her voice, meanwhile, was trembling with so much rage it sounded like she was about to explode.

“I don’t see what there is to explain. Well, I suppose this ended up being something of a sneak attack, so I shall at least apologize for that much,” the young noble seated next to Ai Fa replied in an oddly cheerful voice. All the while, my eyes remained fixed on my clan head. “It seems that young man is Asuta of the Fa clan, the chef from the forest’s edge who was abducted by ruffians in the post town several days ago, causing quite a commotion. Were that not the case, tonight would have simply ended with me complimenting you on the delicious meal.”

“What exactly is this all about?” Lefreya repeated in the same tone.

“Well now. I would say that considering the circumstances, we should be the ones asking that question. After all, a chef from the forest’s edge of all places is here in the manor of Count Turan, practicing his craft. How exactly did such a thing come to be?”

“I’m free to employ whoever I please as a chef!”

“Yes, it’s just as you say. You may employ someone from Sym or Jagar, or even Mahyudra or overseas to make your food if you so wish. However, I do believe some form of explanation is required as to how precisely a man kidnapped by ruffians ended up cooking in this manor, wouldn’t you agree?”

His tone was perfectly charming yet also oddly indirect, vaguely resembling that of Kamyua Yoshu. However, his voice lacked the cunningness of Kamyua Yoshu’s, coming across as more pure and earnest. That was what I was vaguely thinking as my eyes remained fixed on Ai Fa.

“The truth of the matter is, I had a discussion with a certain acquaintance of mine earlier today. He informed me that apparently, Asuta of the Fa clan was being confined in Count Turan’s manor. And so, he asked if I could please go and confirm that fact in his stead. Of course I laughed the idea off as impossible, but he had nowhere else to turn, so I felt I had no choice but to assist him.”

“In other words, you deceived me... That woman claimed to be the daughter of a wealthy merchant with blood from Sym, but she was actually a person of the forest’s edge.”

“That is correct. This is Ai Fa of the Fa clan, a woman of the forest’s edge. I asked her to accompany me in order to confirm the identity of Asuta of the Fa clan, as the one closest to him. Perhaps it’s rude to say so, but it’s difficult to imagine a woman of the forest’s edge would take on such an elegant appearance, is it not?”

“So, the house of Daleim truly intends to oppose the house of Turan...?” Lefreya questioned in an ominous tone, her gaze torn from Ai Fa and myself.

The young noble lady just kept lounging on her couch. However, next to the fuming girl stood Mussel, looking every bit as enraged and gripping the handle of his blade.

“Do you intend to compound your crimes, westerner?” Ai Fa asked, her voice absolutely calm as she brought the man’s actions in check. “You are clearly one of those described in the wanted notices being distributed throughout the post town. That other Sanjura man does not seem to be here, though.”

“Who was it?! Nobody should have known this chef was here in the manor! Who betrayed us?!” Lefreya shouted, slamming her tiny fists on the table. The nearly empty plates and glasses atop the table rattled as she did so. “Diel! You tattled to someone in the post town, didn’t you?! You’ve got no problem with walking about that filthy place, after all!”

“Could you please stop it with the false accusations? I kept my promise to you and held my tongue. Even though I didn’t believe what you said about Asuta being here of his own volition in the least,” Diel nonchalantly replied. She must have been pretty shocked when Ai Fa first walked into the room, but it seemed she had successfully feigned ignorance up until this point. “Besides, I haven’t been able to step foot out of the castle town for the past several days anyway, so it’s not like I had a chance to tell on you in the first place. And I don’t exactly have any casual acquaintances in the post town I can chat up other than Asuta, either.”

“Indeed. I give my guarantee that my daughter is innocent. I took her pass away days back, so there was no way for her to leave the castle town,” Diel’s father added, speaking up for the first time. Fitting to his appearance, he had a real tough, obstinate-sounding voice. “I would also like to ask a question of you. Did you not tell my daughter that it would incite unnecessary anger in the people of the forest’s edge if they were to learn Asuta was working here of his own free will, and so it was best not to say anything?”

Lefreya hit the table even more, ignoring his words.

“Then who was it?! Anyone who would betray their employer deserves to be whipped until they lose consciousness!”

“I am also uncertain as to who it was. Perhaps it was someone who worked up the courage to go against their employer out of a wish to save you from piling on further crimes?” Polarth said with a grin, having apparently recovered from Mussel’s glare.

It was a perfectly innocent-looking smile, but also one that told me he would prove irritating as an enemy. Despite the fact that it was apparently unthinkable for the Daleim family to oppose the house of Turan, Polarth was standing here right in Lefreya’s way.

“Isn’t there another matter we should be discussing instead, though? It would be quite a scandal if it became known that the daughter of the peerless Count Turan had a man abducted from town by force.”

“Hmph! I doubt the other nobles would have the nerve to try to judge me for that!”

“Oh, is that so? But Sir Melfried, leader of the ducal guard, has been quite serious about enforcing the law and tightening discipline of late. When faced with that man’s determination to uphold the law, even the young daughter of Count Turan—”

“What, are you saying I’ll be detained and whipped?” At that point, Lefreya’s expression shifted again. Her face had been taut with anger, but now she broke out in an impish grin. “I see. That truly is amusing... What sort of face would my father make, were that to happen, I wonder?”

“I absolutely will not allow you to meet with such a fate, Lady Lefreya,” the ox-like Mussel stated in his muffled voice. And instantly, Lefreya’s temper exploded once more.

“Quiet, you! Who gave you permission to speak?! Be silent, Mussel!”

Hearing that, Mussel just hung his head.

While staring at the attendant’s hand that still gripped his sword even now, Ai Fa calmly started talking again.

“When dealing with criminals, such matters must ultimately be left to the laws of Genos. However, I ask that you allow me to return with Asuta.”

“You can’t! I can’t let that man leave until my father returns!”

“What does Count Turan have to do with this matter? I would imagine he would wish for everything to be resolved as cleanly as possible...” Polarth chimed in, sounding rather troubled.

And next to him, Ai Fa was staring resolutely at Lefreya. “I do not care about anything else but taking my clan member from this place here and now.”

“I told you, you can’t! Until father returns—”

“This is quite a commotion, is it not...?” a gloomy voice interjected from beyond the inner door, which soon opened.

Before long, a small old man accompanied by three robust soldiers appeared.

“What is this fuss all about...? And what are these unfamiliar people doing here in my manor?”

It was Cyclaeus.

The wicked noble himself was finally standing before me.

This was turning out to be such an insane night that I felt myself getting dizzy.

The man really did look just like Gazraan Rutim had described. Though his head was quite large, his body was small like a child’s. He couldn’t have been taller than Lala Ruu at most.

And around that small frame, he wore an exaggerated white frock coat. Plus, he had on more accessories than anyone else present. In fact, just looking from the neck on down, he was as ornately decked out as any woman.

However, his face was so pale he looked ill, and it was covered in countless wrinkles. Though when it came to wrinkly faces, the Sudra clan head took the cake in my mind. This visage was far gloomier and more obstinate-looking, like some sort of eerie beast rather than a proper human being.

His head was big like an eggplant, and his chestnut-colored hair was thin and utterly lacking in luster. But in comparison to the size of his head, his face was on the small side, with sunken eyes glaring like needles.

He had a smooshed nose, pale lips, flaccid skin despite how thin he appeared, and yet a firm jaw. The more I looked at him, the more eerie the man appeared.

However, that surely didn’t come just from his unusual appearance. His eyes were the same reddish brown color as his daughter’s, but they were filled with a powerful and piercing egotism that overwhelmed those who saw it.

“Why, if it isn’t Lord Cyclaeus... W-Were you not supposed to return tomorrow morning? That was what my father told me...”

“There was a matter that had me somewhat concerned, and so after treating those present at the meeting to one last feast, I returned early,” Cyclaeus replied with a truly enigmatic smile. Just as Gazraan Rutim had said, that grin hid the man’s true thoughts and feelings. “But, what business is it exactly that brings you here to my manor, son of Daleim? And you say you visited knowing that I was away...?”

“W-Well, there were some rather complicated circumstances that led me here...” Polarth mumbled.

From next to him, Ai Fa sharply interjected, “So, you are Cyclaeus? How fortuitous to meet you here. Cyclaeus, I came to this manor in order to retrieve my clan member, who had been abducted by criminals. This man, Polarth, simply lent me his aid in that task.”

Ai Fa really didn’t ever hesitate, no matter who she was up against.

Meanwhile, Cyclaeus’s eyes like poisoned needles slowly turned her way.

“You... You almost look like a person of the forest’s edge...”

“Indeed. I am Ai Fa of the Fa clan, a woman of the forest’s edge. All three leading clan heads are aware of my actions here today.”

Cyclaeus said nothing in response.

“You should have also heard tell of how a man from the forest’s edge was kidnapped. After all, Donda Ruu has requested an audience with you over and over again these past several days. But you never showed yourself, and all he got back was a response to leave everything to the guards... And here I find my clan member Asuta detained in your manor. How do you explain that?”

Still, Cyclaeus remained silent.

“It is not as if our suspicions have been solely fixed on you. In fact, some among us have questioned if this is in fact a crafty plot designed to form a rift between you and the forest’s edge... At any rate, up until yesterday we had been exhausting our efforts to search everywhere in Genos, the castle town aside. However, we couldn’t find so much as a single solitary trace of my clan member Asuta or the criminals in the post town, the Turan lands, or the farms. And so, we had planned to try to gain permission to enter the castle town today, no matter what it took.”

The crafty old noble just kept on listening.

“Before that could occur, though, we received news this morning that Asuta was being held in your manor. Following that lead, I headed here to confirm, and sure enough he was not only being detained in this place, but one of the kidnappers described in the wanted posters was even here. From what I hear, it was done under your daughter’s orders... But did this truly happen without your knowledge?”

Though Ai Fa’s face and voice remained calm, her eyes had the blazing light of a hunter’s glare in them. In fact, the soldiers on either side of me even gulped in response.

“The three leading clan heads stated that they could not accept you as the representative for Genos until the truth of the matter was made clear, and that is an opinion shared by the people of the forest’s edge as a whole. Cyclaeus, I would hear your response.”

In an eerily bold act, Cyclaeus wet his pale lips with his tongue.

“You say my daughter Lefreya kidnapped a person of the forest’s edge...?”

“The ones to actually carry out the act were that man there, as well as another by the name of Sanjura. But from what I was told, your daughter was indeed the one to give the orders.”

“Lefreya... You have heard what our visitor from the forest’s edge has to say. You did not truly do such a thing, did you?”

“I simply invited that man here as a chef. I can see no justification for this slander being laid on me,” Lefreya replied, haughtily puffing up her slender chest.

Cyclaeus, meanwhile, just silently and eerily grinned away.

“H-However, this officer here, Mussel, is in fact wanted as a criminal. No matter who gave the order, that doesn’t mean those crimes should be simply forgiven,” Polarth interjected with a twitching smile, his face having lost quite a bit of color.

“Young Polarth... Your father and elder brother must be enjoying the meal I considerately had prepared at the castle about now... Are they aware of all this?”

“Naturally, they do not know a thing. This is a personal matter brought about by a certain someone begging for my assistance.”

“Oh...? A certain someone, you say...”

“Th-That person is someone who also has ties to Sir Melfried. Since Sir Melfried is unable to leave the castle until tomorrow morning, I was asked to escort Lady Ai Fa of the forest’s edge to this manor in his place, a shabby replacement though I may be. After all, as someone without an official post, I was left with an excess of time on my hands as the meetings were being held.”

Though he maintained a smile on his plump visage, Polarth’s face had gone completely pale. He was clearly being overwhelmed by the mysterious pressure given off by Cyclaeus.

Before his nerves completely gave out on him, though, Ai Fa sharply interjected, “So then, what is your reply? Donda Ruu and many others are currently awaiting our return outside the castle gates.”

Cyclaeus gave a small sigh. And then, he slowly shook his large head.

“Jimon...”

“Yes, lord,” one of the officers attending Cyclaeus replied, stepping forward.

“Arrest Mussel.”

“Are you certain...?”

“Polarth of the Daleim house would not speak ill of another without certain proof... So for now, we must believe his words, and investigate the matter later...”

“Very well,” the large man named Jimon replied, turning toward Mussel.

In the next moment, the ox-like Mussel leapt like some sort of bizarre bird. It was the sort of movement you wouldn’t expect from someone with such a dull-looking face, and he ended up atop the table in an instant.

The plates under his feet cracked, and red fruit wine spilled out from a toppled container.

Then, his fingers twisted like talons as he jumped at Polarth.

“Gyah!” the plump noble shrilly shrieked as he tumbled backwards, chair and all.

Before Mussel could reach the man, though, Ai Fa swiftly grabbed hold of his wrist and slammed his back into the floor.

Despite the plush rug laid out, it was likely still paved with stone underneath. And so, Mussel let out a moan like a dying toad as his whole body twitched.

“Such a fool...” Lefreya coldly spat out.

And yet, when she looked away with a huff, I felt like I glimpsed a sad look like a child who had had her precious pet dog mercilessly smacked, just for a moment.

“Is Mussel the only one whose crimes shall be questioned? I was the one who ordered him to invite Asuta of the Fa clan here to this manor, Father.”

Cyclaeus didn’t respond. And his eyes like poison needles didn’t so much as glance at his daughter.

“At any rate, we must first ascertain the truth of the matter, and then pass judgment in accordance with the laws of Genos... I cannot think of any other appropriate means for proceeding, but what do you have to say, Polarth...?”

“Y-Yes! I believe that is most wise! If we were to lose the trust of the people of the forest’s edge over such a matter, it would certainly have an enormous impact on our future, after all!” Polarth replied, despite still being down on the floor.

Once again, Cyclaeus slowly turned toward Ai Fa.

“Well then, please inform the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge as such... You have my word, I most certainly do not wish for a rift to be formed with your people in such a way... Still, my still young daughter’s crimes are the result of my own shortcomings as a father...” Cyclaeus stated, his eyes twitching ever so slightly as he did so. Was the emotion he was most desperately trying to cover up his own feelings of humiliation?

“So, you claim to have nothing to do with this wrongdoing, then?” Ai Fa questioned, shooting Cyclaeus a hunter’s glare.

“Of course... Assuming I had been involved in this plot, why would I bring a man I had kidnapped back to my own manor? Especially considering I have such important guests here at the moment...”

Those “important guests,” Diel and her father, had been cautiously holding their tongues for a while now. However, they both had a strong light shining away in their jade eyes.

“And my words to leave everything to the guards came from my trust in the militia captain’s skills, as well as my wish that the people of the forest’s edge continue to carry out their own work...”

“Yes, it did indeed seem that the guards in the post town were handling their tasks properly.”

“I swear on the name of the western god, Selva... There is no doubt that none in Genos laments these circumstances more than I do...”

Surprisingly, that might have actually been how Cyclaeus truly felt, in the sense that he surely had all sorts of plots in play for the meeting that would be held in six days, only for this to come out of nowhere and upset everything.

“I see. Very well, I will convey your words to the leading clan heads as you stated them,” Ai Fa cool-headedly replied as Mussel was bound with rope by her feet.

Lefreya, meanwhile, was glaring at her father with bitter tears in her eyes.

Cyclaeus, however, stubbornly refused to so much as look his daughter’s way.

And then...

“If that’s all, let us return home, Asuta,” Ai Fa called out.

That alone was enough to cause my heart to start pounding like a jackhammer.

“Ah, hold on a moment. If we’re leaving, I’ve got to change out of these clothes first.”

Wait, was that doofy statement the first one I had made since stepping into this room?

“From what I can tell, you are that foreign-born man of the forest’s edge who has been doing business in the post town, are you not...?”

It was then that Cyclaeus faced me head on for the first time.

What a truly sickening gaze. Just looking into his eyes was enough to send a chill down my spine. I didn’t think I had been looked at in such a revolting way since meeting with the late Zattsu Suun.

“You have my sincerest apologies... You will have to allow me to apologize again once Mussel’s crimes have been properly laid out in a trial held by the legal officers...” Cyclaeus stated, not hanging his head but instead placing his right hand over his chest and hiding his despicable gaze behind his eyelids.

“Hold on! You must eat that man’s cooking as well! The food he makes—”

“Silence, Lefreya...” Cyclaeus muttered with his eyes still closed, cutting her off. “I am disappointed in you... You are to remain in your room until I say otherwise, where you will behave yourself... After all, you shall be facing an interrogation as well...”

At that, Lefreya shut her mouth, trembling with fear as she did so.

And with his back still turned to her, Cyclaeus once more opened his eyes.

“You said that you wish to change? That can most certainly be arranged.”

“Right,” the soldiers on either side of me replied, grabbing hold of the handles on the doors behind us.

“Allow us to accompany him, too. And before that, would you mind returning the blade placed in your care?” Faced with Ai Fa’s words and Cyclaeus’s gaze, one of the soldiers went and brought out a splendid longsword from another room. It wasn’t the sort of savage blade used at the forest’s edge, but instead one held in an extravagant scabbard.

Polarth held it out and Ai Fa accepted it, hanging it at her hip. And watching that, Cyclaeus broke out in another eerie grin.

“I see you are indeed a hunter of the forest’s edge... No matter what gorgeous attire you may wrap yourself up in, the air about you is something else entirely...”

Was he scolding his soldiers, with the implication being, “Why did you let someone like that into this manor even so?” After all, the soldiers who had returned to my side had both gone pale.

“Will you tell the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge that I would like to offer my explanation and apologies tomorrow when the sun hits its peak...?”

“Very well. Ah, there is one more matter I must convey as well,” Ai Fa said, stopping and turning to look at Cyclaeus. “Though we searched everywhere in Genos aside from the castle town over these past four days, we were unable to locate that Sanjura man. All things considered, it seems clear he is an ally of Mussel there, and so we would like to see him swiftly arrested.”

“Understood...” Cyclaeus answered with a deep nod. Sparing one last look at Lefreya with her trembling shoulders and the worried Diel, we passed beyond the doors.

Then, with Chiffon Chel and the soldiers guiding us, we headed once more down those brick hallways. It still felt unreal to me that Ai Fa was part of the procession this time, though.

When we made it to the room, I asked Chiffon Chel, “Um, while I’m changing, could it be just me and my clan head?”

The soldiers were the ones to actually give permission for that request, and so Ai Fa and I entered the room alone.

I turned to face her immediately.

It really was undoubtedly Ai Fa, despite how utterly unfamiliar her attire was.

Though the way she was dressed was even more showy than what she wore for a banquet, she looked at me head on with the same gallant expression as always.

“Ai Fa...” I called out.

This really wasn’t a dream, right?

Her expression unchanging, Ai Fa steadily looked me up and down.

“You aren’t injured anywhere, are you...?” she asked in a tone that made it hard to tell what she was feeling, unsurprisingly.

“No. As you can see, I’m doing just fine.”

“Right...”

There were countless things I wanted to say to her.

That I was sorry for worrying her, and asking if she was alright too... But as soon as they made it to the tip of my tongue, they ended up sliding back down my throat.

“Ai Fa, I...”

If nothing else, I at least had to apologize. And thank her, too.

I still felt out of it, as if I was dreaming, but I tried to force out the words somehow.

However, Ai Fa lightly held up her hand to stop me, and gently looked my way. And before long, clear droplets welled up in those blue eyes of hers, leaving me taken aback. As I stood there unable to so much as get out a word, the tears started streaming down her cheeks. And then, all of a sudden, Ai Fa’s face was a wreck. It was like the expression of a young child having a breakdown.

“Asuta...” she called out again, wrapping her arms around me. She buried her face in my shoulder and started sobbing. In no time flat my clothes were soaked with her tears, and I could feel the warmth coming off her body. It had been days now since I had felt that heat from her.

Before I realized it, I was firmly hugging Ai Fa back.

“I’m sorry, Ai Fa... Really, truly sorry...”

Rather than replying, Ai Fa just kept on sobbing. Though there was a definite strength in her arms, her body felt like it was slowly, steadily sinking to the floor. And so, I just hugged her all the tighter.

“Asuta... you unbelievable fool...” Ai Fa finally wrung out between her sniffling.

After being torn apart for nearly four whole days, we had at last been reunited.