Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 13 - Chapter 3.6

6

Cyclaeus was being confined on the highest floor of the central building. Apparently, that place had been the bedroom of the former head of the house to begin with.

After passing through the door watched over by ducal guards, we first stepped into an empty antechamber. When it was later at night, the guards would take turns resting in here and keeping watch. And it was here that Marstein once again turned our way.

“Asuta and Lady Lefreya will deliver the food. We will also enter the room, but if a crowd of this size were to appear before him at once it would put Cyclaeus on edge. Instead we will lie in wait behind the partitioning screen or the like.”

The group present consisted of me and Ai Fa, Marstein and Melfried, Donda Ruu and Kamyua Yoshu, Lefreya and Sanjura, and two soldiers, for a total of ten. Perhaps as an extra precaution, Sanjura’s arms were bound, and the leather strap attached to the bindings was held by one of the soldiers. As he stood there bound, Marstein’s gentle gaze turned his way.

“This is likely the last meeting you will be allowed before the trial... Sanjura, do you still not have any new statements you wish to make, even at this point?”

“That is correct,” Sanjura replied, staring back at Marstein with an equally gentle look.

“In that case, why did you ask to accompany us to this place, even knowing it would require such treatment? Perhaps you desire to offer a final farewell...?”

“No. I simply wish to stay, by Lefreya’s side.”

“Is there not a different way entirely that you could shoulder Lady Lefreya’s pain and suffering?”

“No. There is no evidence, regarding that matter. But if there were proof, perhaps I would have chosen, that path.”

“Do you refer to that idle gossip that Sanjura is my older brother...?” Lefreya interjected, her voice incredibly quiet. “Where did such a wild rumor even come from, I wonder. Sanjura is simply an attendant my father hired, paying him for his services.”

“Sanjura himself confessed it to the people of the forest’s edge. After that, we investigated, and were able to determine that your father was housing a woman from Sym in Dabagg up until just four years ago.”

Lefreya shot Sanjura a suspicious look. However, he just wore his incredibly familiar gentle smile in response.

“My mother did not speak of the matter, before she died, and so I do not, know the details. However, I was raised to swear, my loyalty to Cyclaeus.”

“Hmph... But at some point, you decided to swear loyalty to me rather than my father.”

“Yes. I now offer myself, in your service, Lefreya.”

“Then none of this matters either way. However, I have no intention of calling a man ‘big brother’ after having him as an attendant for years, you know.”

“Of course. I am your humble servant, Lefreya.”

At that, Lefreya faced away, her short chestnut colored hair swaying along.

And after watching over that exchange along with everyone else, Ai Fa called out, “Duke Genos. It may be presumptuous for me to make such a request, but would you allow me to stay by Asuta’s side in order to protect him?”

“Hmm? If I recall correctly, you are Asuta’s clan head Ai Fa, aren’t you? You needn’t worry, since there are two ducal guards watching over Cyclaeus already. He may not even have the strength left to stand anymore, but we can’t let him harm himself.”

“But even though his illness was surely more severe than Cyclaeus’s, Zattsu Suun bit and tore through the throat of a Jeen man, set fire to the Dom settlement, and used giba summoning fruit to launch an assault on Kamyua Yoshu’s group. No matter who you are up against, I feel it’s best to never let your guard down.”

“Don’t worry. Melfried trained the ducal guards to always remain vigilant.”

Ai Fa looked a bit pained and bit her lip. And when he saw that, Marstein once again smiled.

“You’re that concerned for your family member? Very well. I’m certain Cyclaeus won’t be driven mad by the addition of a beautiful woman such as yourself. You may protect Asuta alongside the ducal guards.”

“I’m truly obliged...” Ai Fa said with a little bow of her head. All the while, Donda Ruu remained silent.

“Well then, shall we enter? Cyclaeus is quite weakened, so take care not to get him unnecessarily worked up.”

With that, Marstein shot one of the soldiers a look, and the man reached out for the door.

At their direction, we passed from the dim lighting of the antechamber into an even gloomier bedroom.

Though it was a rather large room, the only candles lit were the ones on the inner wall. And then on top of that there was a massive partitioning screen, so the majority of their light was obstructed too.

Marstein’s elegant finger pointed, indicating the other side of the partitioning screen. With a nod, I pushed the cart carrying the meal further into the room. Ai Fa, Lefreya, and I continued on into the darkness, and eventually we reached a large bed.

To either side of the bed was a ducal guard in white armor, standing still as a statue. And lying atop it was a small man.

There was a thin blanket pulled up to his chest, and he was half buried in the soft down bedding. It was the former owner of this manor, Cyclaeus.

His face had a sickly, bruised look to it, and was coated in cold sweat. His arms hanging over the blanket were frighteningly thin. It had only been half a month, but Cyclaeus had shriveled up like a monkey’s mummy or something.

“Lefreya...is it...?” his dry, scratchy voice wrung out from his deathly pale lips. “If he sent you...then that accursed Marstein has finally made up his mind to execute me, eh...?”

“You will surely have a trial before any execution. That is the law of Genos, is it not?” Lefreya quietly replied, now standing beside the bed. “I simply came to bring you your meal... For today, I had your dinner specially prepared by Asuta of the Fa clan, the visitor from overseas living as a person of the forest’s edge.”

Cyclaeus’s nearly closed eyes then vacantly turned my way.

That venomous shine in his gaze had now completely vanished into the shadows. Instead, there was a faint light gleaming at me, like the bioluminescent shine of fading sea sparkle out on the nighttime ocean.

“Asuta of the Fa clan...? What sort of plot is this, exactly...?”

“It’s no plot at all. I just made dinner for you at Lefreya’s request.”

Marstein surely had some sort of motive of his own here. But I didn’t know the truth of that, and I got the feeling that it didn’t really have anything to do with the essence of my job here.

“Lefreya asked me to feed you my cooking before you’re imprisoned. Do you have the strength left needed to eat it, Cyclaeus?”

“My body will no longer accept any food whatsoever... At last, my illness of many years has bared its fangs... No matter how I may struggle, my life is surely at its end...”

“How gutless of you, father. Where is the man who lived a greedier life than anyone?” Lefreya asked, her voice having regained an ever so slight tinge of emotion. “From what I am told, you have committed a great many crimes. You coveted power and influence badly enough to push aside countless others, did you not? If you give up on everything at the very end, then just what sort of life did you even live?”

“Who can say... I simply grabbed hold of whatever strength I could... And with my death, I part with all of it... That is ultimately all a man’s life amounts to...”

“And what purpose was there to the authority you gained, at the cost of leaving mother and myself isolated and alone? Why did mother have to die such a lonely death?” More and more of the haughtiness Lefreya bore in her voice and the look in her eyes was bubbling forth. “I only ever had mother, and mother only had me. And so when mother died, I was left all alone. You neglected mother and me, used underhanded methods to amass a fortune, and gathered up more ingredients than you could ever possibly eat, but did that bring you happiness, father? I...I was not happy in the least...”

Cyclaeus offered no response.

“Even so, you are still my father... And even if you did not care about me in the least, I am your daughter. That is why I have arranged this final parting meal for you,” Lefreya stated, suddenly shooting me a glare. “Now then, I shall have you eat Asuta’s cooking, father. I can portion off the contents of this pot onto a wooden plate, correct?”

“Yeah,” I replied, removing the lid.

Instantly, the stagnant air in the room filled with the aroma of giba soup.

Gripping a ladle, Lefreya awkwardly scooped some onto a plate.

“What sort of farce is this...?” I could spy a gloomy flame flickering in Cyclaeus’s eye, through the gap between his eyelids as thin as a cut from a knife. “Dragging out not only my daughter, but even Asuta of the Fa clan... Just what is that damn crafty Marstein thinking...?”

“I told you, Duke Genos has nothing to do with it! I asked Asuta for this favor tonight of my own volition! Even if Duke Genos is plotting anything beyond that, it has nothing whatsoever to do with me!” Lefreya finally exploded with emotion. Still holding the plate, she bent over and glared right into her father’s face from up close. “Why not at least look at me now, in our final moment together? We’ll surely never be able to meet again, you know. You will be locked up in a prison, while I will be confined to this manor!”

Again, Cyclaeus was silent.

“Asuta, my apologies, but could I have you sit father up?”

“Ah, yeah. Got it.”

Slipping by the ducal guard, I approached, then slid my arm between Cyclaeus’s body and the bed. Ai Fa lent me a hand like it was only natural, but his body was so light that wasn’t even necessary. As I supported his body that practically felt like a cast-off husk, I slid in a pillow behind his back, sitting him up against the headboard. With that, I stepped back, while Lefreya moved in close with the plate and a wooden spoon in hand.

“Now then, even if you have grown weak, you should still at least be able to swallow soup, correct? If nothing else, it should certainly be less agonizing than drinking down those pungent, bitter medicinal herbs. As a final parting gift, eat the cooking prepared by this man from overseas, Asuta.”

She scooped up a bit of cloudy soup and thrust it toward Cyclaeus’s mouth. After staring at Lefreya’s angry expression for a bit, the man slowly parted his lips. And then, the end of the spoon disappeared into that dark abyss.

“It is delicious, is it not? There is simply no way that Asuta’s cooking could be anything but. After all, the food he prepares exceeds even that of Timalo, who was the former assistant head chef at the Turan manor,” she murmured, seemingly urging him on as she brought another spoonful of soup to her father’s mouth. And then, she shot me another frightening glare. “Asuta, this dish is all broth, and there doesn’t seem to be anything else in it at all.”

“That’s because you just scooped from the top without stirring it at all. You need to whip it around first and then serve it onto the plate.” I took the plate from Lefreya and demonstrated.

“You should say such things to begin with,” she shot back, puffing her cheeks as she snatched the plate back and scooped up a spoonful of ingredients. That included a chunk of ivory-white boiled giba meat, as well as some bits of transparent aria.

After she put it in Cyclaeus’s mouth he listlessly chewed...and then started trembling.

“What...What is this dish...?”

“This is a soup made using giba meat. I thoroughly boiled the giba thigh meat and aria together, then simply adjusted the flavor using rock salt and pico leaves,” I calmly responded. “It’s tasty, right? This was the first dish I made after being entrusted with the Fa house’s stove. Giba is a high-quality meat, so just boiling it is enough to get this much of a broth.”

“Giba meat...? Of all things, you fed me giba meat...?”

“Is it in any way inferior to karon or kimyuus? I certainly don’t think so. Tastes may vary from person to person of course, but I don’t feel it comes up short as an ingredient.” It wasn’t as if I was especially trying to reform Cyclaeus or anything. I was simply saying what I wanted. “Even with so few ingredients, you can still make a meal this delicious. And I believe what you needed wasn’t luxurious gourmet dishes, but rather meals like this one filled with plenty of nourishment.”

“What are you...?”

“Pretty much everyone the whole world over may have an interest in eating tasty food, but that’s exactly why I don’t agree with the idea of meals that will ruin someone’s body. And considering you’re suffering from an illness of the internal organs, I believe you should have thought even harder about what sort of meals you needed.”

I was fully aware that nothing would come of me saying this now. Even so, I couldn’t leave it unsaid.

A man only interested in fine dining had gone so far as to commit crimes in order to gather wealth and power, using that to purchase expensive ingredients to harm himself further... What sort of happiness was there to be had from such a destructive lifestyle?

While spreading unhappiness to others, he had also plunged forward toward his own ruin. It really was utterly ridiculous. That went for Cyclaeus...and Zattsu Suun too.

“You seem to be under some sort of misconception, Asuta of the Fa clan...” Cyclaeus replied as he looked at me, his eyes like a will-o’-wisp on the verge of flickering out. “I found pleasure in gourmet dishes alone... And there is no point to a life without pleasure, so I...”

“I don’t care about what brought you pleasure or the like, since it doesn’t change what I’m saying. Is my cooking not to your tastes, Cyclaeus...? You don’t need a fortune to make a good meal. With just meat, aria, and a pinch of salt, you can make a dish on this level. And what could be happier than sharing that with your precious family, gathered at the same dinner table?”

Cyclaeus didn’t answer.

“You look down on the people of the forest’s edge as barbarians, but I can tell that they’re living happy lives. Maybe these words won’t mean anything to someone born into nobility like you, but still...I don’t believe delicious food is something you can obtain just by paying money.”

Cyclaeus’s mouth firmly shut.

In irritation, Lefreya gave a single stamp of her feet.

“Never mind all that. No matter what you say at this point, everything is already over and done with. Just let my father journey to Selva believing until the bitter end that he was correct.”

“Yes... Everything is indeed over... But my soul is dripping in vice, so it will surely be shattered to bits before Selva...” Cyclaeus’s lips weakly trembled as they formed a mysterious grin. “I have no intention of concealing anything at this point... And I do not care to try laying the blame wholly on Ciluel either... I committed countless crimes alongside my brother... The number of lives lost to our plotting surely eclipses a hundred...”

“That’s not what I want to hear, father.”

“No, but listen, Lefreya... And Marstein too... I am sure you are listening to me from somewhere nearby, are you not, Duke Genos...? I no longer have the strength needed to raise my voice, though, so I am sure it must be difficult picking up what I am saying from a distance...”

At that, a number of figures appeared in the darkness. And the slender man at the head of the group then jauntily strode over to the bed.

“I had no intention of intruding on this father-daughter chat, you know. Do you have something to discuss with me though, Cyclaeus?”

“I do... But before that, there is something I wish to ask... Now that Ciluel is being held, who is the militia being entrusted to...?”

“The second battalion leader is currently serving as the acting head of the militia. It is a rather unprecedented assignment, but we could not entrust future affairs to the vice militia leader or the head of the first battalion as they had ties to the house of Turan, albeit distant.”

“That was some keen insight, but it still is not enough... If you do not dismiss the vice militia leader and heads of the first and fourth battalions, there will still be the potential for more trouble to arise... Those three shared in our crimes, after all... If you leave them be, they could cause problems down the line...”

“Half of the heads of the militia were complicit in your wickedness? Were you all plotting to eventually use force to compel the ducal house of Genos to surrender to you?” Marstein asked in a perfectly calm voice.

“Who can say...” Cyclaeus replied, still wearing that same mysterious grin.

“Then, the ones who dressed in the attire of the forest’s edge and pillaged the Daleim plantations like bandits were members of the militia? I certainly pray that wasn’t the case.”

“Of course they were not... No matter how much Ciluel may order it, the vice leader and battalion heads would not sully their own hands so blatantly after climbing the ranks... No, that was the work of ruffians currently in hiding in the town of Behett...”

“Oh? So you really did hire ruffians then?”

“We did indeed pay them coins... However, that was not all... They are all criminals who escaped execution...”

“Criminals who escaped execution, you say?”

“Five years ago, the militia captured a bandit group known as the Winds of Black Death... Though they were handed death sentences, Ciluel used his influence to free them, at which point they became a group we entrusted with covert operations...”

“So your crimes went that far? Granting freedom to criminals set for execution is utterly unforgivable,” Melfried harshly stated from beside Marstein. “Still, if they were handed death sentences through a trial, that punishment should have been properly carried out. I cannot see how it would be possible to allow them to escape without the prison officers noticing.”

“Then I would assume those prison officers were also paid off... If you wish to know the details, you would have to ask Ciluel...”

“I see. I will most certainly do so.”

At that, Melfried held his tongue, but there was a chilly light shining away in his grey eyes.

“Goodness...” Marstein muttered with a shrug of his shoulders. “The former head of the house of Turan, the militia leader, vice leader, and two battalion heads, and then prison officers and criminals who should have been executed. To think I would be saddled with so many criminals all at once... This can all be placed firmly at my own feet, though.”

“That is certainly true... Still, the first of these crimes began thirty years ago... So perhaps the blame lies with my father for failing to sever the accursed Turan bloodline...”

“Oh? You go so far as to acknowledge the murder of the first son and head of the house of Turan before you?”

“I do... However, there is just one thing I wish to say on that matter...” Cyclaeus replied, an intense blaze now shining in his eyes despite the fact that he was still seated listlessly in the same position. “The one to murder my father and older brother was Ciluel... He and I should be judged equally for all our countless crimes after those... But as far as those abominable crimes from thirty years ago, Ciluel plotted them out and did the deeds all on his own... I beg that you believe me on that one point alone if nothing else...”

“Hmm? But when your father and brother were returned to Selva, you became the head of the house, Cyclaeus. If it was Ciluel’s plot, would he not have also murdered you as the second son?”

“Ciluel... While he was born into the house of a count, he lamented his position as one doomed to live a life in the shadows, and hated my father and brother due to his desire for power... As I was also set to live a life of obscurity, he did not have such feelings toward me...”

Cyclaeus’s pale eyes were now flaming intensely. They used to have a venomous look in them, and just a little while ago they seemed on the verge of flickering out, but now the look in them was as fierce as that of the hunters of the forest’s edge.

“On that night...a year after my elder brother lost his life when falling from a totos, my father passed from an unidentified illness... And then, with the smile of a madman, Ciluel told me that the fortune and authority of the house of Turan was now ours... Even without that implication from Kamyua Yoshu, I knew full well... The one who murdered my father and older brother was the youngest son of the accursed Turan bloodline...”

“And then with that younger brother of yours, you committed countless wicked deeds in search of even greater fortune and power, Cyclaeus? Could it be... Are you saying if you had not become his ally, you worried you would suffer the same fate as your father and brother?”

“Even if that were the case, it does nothing to change how much I have dirtied my own hands... Genos’s laws do not permit taking the lives of others in order to protect yourself, correct...?”

“Hmm, that certainly is true... Still, why bring up that matter from thirty years ago now? No matter how severe those crimes may be, it wouldn’t be possible to find any evidence at this point, so I cannot see any real purpose to discussing the matter.”

“There is no proof... That is precisely why I can only ask that you believe me... Even though I have committed numerous crimes, I did not commit the vile deeds of murdering my own father and brother...”

Cyclaeus’s eyes slowly moved. Still blazing bright, they stopped when they reached his daughter.

“Lefreya... My daughter... The cursed blood of the house of Turan flows through your veins... Your father and uncle were unforgivable criminals, while your other uncle and grandfather were helpless fools... Perhaps that accursed blood is what led you to committing the crime of kidnapping at so young an age...”

“My blood has nothing to do with it. I—”

“Listen well... Despite all that, you mustn’t cast away that blood flowing in your veins... You must keep on living for a long, long time, as the daughter of a criminal...” Cyclaeus practically groaned, reaching out his arm. His terribly thin fingers grabbed hold of Lefreya’s hand, causing the spoon she was gripping to fall onto the bed. “However...the house of Turan will surely lose its fortune and authority... But perhaps that misfortune will in turn grant freedom to your soul... One without a sword cannot cut anyone, after all... I celebrate you losing that blade... Thanks to that...”

Cyclaeus stole an ever so brief glance my way.

“Thanks to that...perhaps you shall become the sort of person who can find happiness from just a pinch of salt...”

“I cannot say I truly understand. After all, I was an insignificant, tiny person to begin with,” Lefreya stated with an angry look, wrenching free of her father’s grasp.

Then, she picked up the fallen spoon and slurped down a mouthful of giba soup.

“It may be lacking and plain, but it is perfectly delicious... If you cannot find happiness in such a meal, then you truly are an unfortunate man, father.”

“Yes... Your father was a truly unfortunate, terribly foolish man...”

Biting her lip, Lefreya glared at her father for a while, then said, “Duke Genos, there is still quite a bit of food left. Could you allow me to be alone with my father until this meal is finished?”

“I don’t mind. I’ll have the ducal guards on watch step back to the door.”

With that, Marstein turned around, and Melfried and Donda Ruu followed after him.

Nodding to Ai Fa, I also went to move away from the bed, only for Lefreya to quietly call out from behind, “Asuta?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you...”

“Right.”

After one last look at the small girl nestling close atop the bed, I exited the room.

It was a near certainty that I would never see Cyclaeus again.

I was certainly in no position to even consider forgiving the man. After all, crimes such as causing the death of Leito’s father and Milano Mas’s brother-in-law and driving Zattsu Suun to madness were utterly unforgivable.

But still, even so, I couldn’t help but feel glad to have spoken to him on this night.

“Well then, go ahead and proceed as such...”

“At once.”

In the antechamber, Marstein and Melfried were quietly having some sort of conversation.

Melfried then swiftly exited the room, and Marstein turned toward Donda Ruu.

“We are moving to immediately detain the vice leader of the militia and the battalion heads, as well as dispatching soldiers for Behett. There’s a chance those criminals once set for execution have already fled to some other land, but we should at least be able to find some traces to follow up on. And if we can clear away all the traitors in one fell swoop, that should help everyone sleep at least a little easier.”

“Let’s pray that’s the case...”

“Right. As the ruler of Genos, I promise to spare no effort in fulfilling this task. Well then, it’s about time for me to get going...but since it seems like a good opportunity, allow me to add just one more comment,” Marstein stated with a cheerful smile, staring up at Donda Ruu, who was around half a head taller. “I have a fondness for strong people. Perhaps it is only fate that Cyclaeus attempted to force the people of the forest’s edge to yield and threaten my standing. Despite being born the mere second son of the small Turan house, he managed to climb as far as he did on talent alone, with no concern for appearances. And if nothing else, that’s certainly something.”

Donda Ruu just silently listened.

“And yet, he ultimately fell before your people and Kamyua Yoshu. I’m quite fond of you all, Donda Ruu. You people of the forest’s edge are extraordinarily strong. And it makes me proud being able to call folks so brimming with strength my comrades.”

Even still, the leading clan head didn’t chime in.

“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t have any interest whatsoever in the people of the forest’s edge until this incident came to light. You obediently followed the unjust orders placed upon you by the lord of Genos eighty years ago, and Cyclaeus ended up holding the reins to do as he wished with you. Though you had the strength to hunt giba, you seemed cowardly when dealing with other human beings... That’s what I thought.”

Though Marstein was grinning away, Donda Ruu remained expressionless.

“But ultimately, it seems that your people are strong and proud. And I would certainly like to have you all continue to wield that strength as citizens of Genos from here on out. I hesitate to be so open about my feelings in front of my son or vassals, so I’d like you to go ahead and convey that to the other leading clan heads too. And Asuta of the Fa clan...” Marstein stated, turning my way. “I caused you quite a bit of trouble as well. Though the head priests may frown on it, regardless of what your background may be, I would like to welcome you as a citizen of Genos. I hope that you will continue living in this land as a person of the forest’s edge.”

“R-Right. Thank you.”

“And your cooking truly was delicious. I realize I can’t go constantly summoning you to the castle town, but I would love to have you use your skills for me every now and again. At any rate, though, take care.”

With one last look at my face, Marstein shot me a big smile and then took off after his son.

Kamyua Yoshu then added a wink and followed after, leaving just me, Ai Fa, Donda Ruu, and Sanjura plus the two guards who restrained him.

“What a ridiculous ruler...” Donda Ruu grumbled, finally grinning. It was the daring smile of a hunter. “But if his words meant that we should grab hold of happiness through our own strength, then that’s just fine. We’ll see it through in our own way.”

That grin seemed to say he thought of Marstein more as a worthy opponent than a ruler.

But at any rate, Sanjura then stepped in front of me.

“Asuta, I would also like to, give you my thanks. You saved, Lefreya.”

“Ah, I didn’t do anything worth thanking me over.”

“No, your presence saved, Lefreya...and perhaps even Cyclaeus, as well.”

There’s no way that’s true, I thought to myself.

If Cyclaeus was saved by anything, it was by finally starting to walk a path that had always been there.

And though our paths were completely and utterly different, we met for just a brief moment, only to grow distant again. That was surely all it was.

“Well then, how about we start heading back too...?” Donda Ruu said, moving toward the room’s exit with a swish of his hunter’s cloak.

Though she had remained silent the whole time, Ai Fa now turned to me and said, “Good work, Asuta.”

“Yeah, you too, Ai Fa.”

With that, we left behind the city of stone and returned to the settlement at the forest’s edge.