Chapter 123

“By the way, aren’t you curious about what the innkeeper was saying?”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Gazelle and Felix nod in agreement with my words. After the members of the lord’s knight order had left, we asked the innkeeper, “Is the lord’s knight order always like that in Gorera City?” However, even the innkeeper tilted their head with a puzzled expression.

“No, certainly Gorera City gathers various people from other territories and countries, so the members of the lord’s knight order are bold and, in a sense, often rather rough… but still, today they seemed more neglectful than usual,” said the innkeeper, his face clouded.

“There might have been some kind of disturbance with the lord. Recently, among those working below in the castle… rumors have spread that the lord’s mood is disturbed.”

“Is the lord perhaps ill?”

“No, it doesn’t seem to be an illness. However, the lord did recently visit the capital city of Ritzheim. Until then, they were a person of integrity, but it seems their personality changed somewhat since then…”

“To Ritzheim?”

Gazelle, Felix, and I exchanged glances. We didn’t know that the lord of Gorera City had been to Ritzheim. But why would that change their character? Hmm… Did they have a really bad experience in Ritzheim? Like being ripped off in a store, or getting short-changed…

“Furthermore, there’s a town called Belkarna far away from here, famous for its silver production since ancient times… It’s rumored that part of the lord’s knight order has been dispatched there, forcing the townspeople into labor and mining silver day and night,” the innkeeper added.

I widened my eyes. The town of Belkarna that the innkeeper mentioned must be Rido’s hometown. That alone wouldn’t have surprised me so much, but the details were subtly different from what I had heard from Rido. I wanted to ask for more details, but then the innkeeper’s expression suddenly changed, and they hastily fell silent.

“I shouldn’t speak of such boring matters to guests from out of town… um, I’m terribly sorry, but could I ask you not to tell anyone about what I just said?”

“Of course. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone,” Gazelle replied.

The innkeeper’s expression relaxed at Gazelle’s words.

“Thank you very much. Also, earlier, Felix-sama showed us concern, and we’re truly grateful. We’ll cover the cost of that wine and the room where Rido-sama stayed at the inn.” “Don’t worry about it. Both were done on our account.”

There was a bit of back-and-forth, but ultimately, it was settled that we would cover the wine cost while the inn would cover Rido’s lodging fee. Felix explained, “I bought about ten bottles of that wine because it was reasonably priced. But it seems I ended up making them feel uneasy…”

…Reasonable, huh? A wine that costs two hundred thousand per bottle… It’s a world I, who can’t drink alcohol, don’t understand… Will the day come when I do? Well, putting aside the wine. I was eager to hear more about Belkarna from the innkeeper… but even if I pressed further, they probably wouldn’t tell us anymore.

Gazelle understood that, which was why he said what he did.

“However, the slight discrepancy between what we heard earlier and what Rido told us bothers me,” Gazelle said, echoing my sentiments.

First, the story we heard from Rido. The development of the silver mines is being pushed forward by the townspeople led by the mayor, who’s aligned with the mayor’s faction. With the backing of a vigilante group, the mayor is driving the excessive development of the mines, resorting to harsh measures like whipping residents and showing no mercy to those who resist. As a result, Rido secretly left the town as a representative of the residents and came all the way to Gorera City. His purpose was to plead with the lord here about the town’s current situation. On the other hand, according to what we heard from the innkeeper, the lord’s knight order has been dispatched to Belkarna. Under the lord’s orders, they’re forcing the townspeople to work day and night in Belkarna. 

In that case… it’s likely that the mayor of Belkarna is following the lord’s orders and committing such atrocities with the backing of the lord’s knight order, isn’t it? But Rido didn’t mention anything about the lord or the lord’s knight order.

“If what the innkeeper said is true, then Rido lied to us. Gazelle, do you have any idea why?” I asked.

Gazelle crossed his arms, wearing a troubled expression. “Hmm… There are possibilities that come to mind, but I can’t say for sure.”

“Yeah, I guess so…”

Where was Rido really planning to go and what was he planning to do? He said he was going to Gorera City to appeal to the lord about the mayor’s tyranny. But in reality, it was the lord of Gorera City who was behind it all. There would be no point in appealing to the lord about the lord’s own actions. So, there must have been somewhere else he intended to go…?

“The Blue-winged Knights, perhaps. If there’s anywhere to turn to in Gorera City, it’s likely there’s nowhere else,” Felix seemed to have the same question as me. However, he seemed to have arrived at an answer I hadn’t reached. I inwardly admired Felix’s deduction. Meanwhile, Gazelle nodded firmly beside me.

“Yeah, I think so too. Takumi, what about you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I was also thinking there’s nowhere else.”

Caught off guard by Gazelle’s sudden question, I quickly aligned my story. It was quite a struggle to keep my expression composed. 

I mean, how could I possibly say, “Sorry, I haven’t thought of anything”? I’m more inclined to pat myself on the back for being able to quickly align my story!

“Alright. If that’s settled, let’s go to the Blue-winged Knights tomorrow. Even if our thoughts are off the mark, if the lord’s knight order is behaving like that, for now, we have no choice but to rely on the Blue-winged Knights,” Gazelle declared.

“Got it.”

“Understood. However… I am concerned about the extent of the Blue-winged Knights’ authority regarding the search for Rido.”

The authority of the Blue-winged Knights? Once again, I was thrown off by a mysterious term. But Gazelle, seemingly understanding, nodded to Felix.

“Yeah, I’m curious about that too… Well, for now, all we can do is act. Either way, we have to go see the Blue-winged Knights,” Gazelle replied.

“That’s true… I apologize for my presumption.”

Meanwhile, Gazelle and Felix’s conversation had ended.

Hmm, once again, I was left behind… Well, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow when we go see the Blue-winged Knights?

Lost in thought, suddenly, Gazelle’s hand reached out from the side and lifted me up, settling me onto his lap.

“Man, those lord’s knight order guys are really something else. Drinking during the day, talking like thugs… Well, I can’t really criticize the latter too much myself!”

He chuckled to himself as he stroked my head and cheeks. It felt like I had become a stuffed animal rather than a person, transcending even animal therapy.

“Mm… Heh.”

Gazelle’s mouth curved into a smile as he playfully pinched my cheek with his fingertip.

“Ah, so soothing. At first, you were so tiny I was afraid I might break you… But as I’ve gotten used to it, being able to lift you up like this right away feels nice.”

Um, well… Gazelle might be enjoying himself, but is my consent not a factor here? But, indeed, today’s audacity of the lord’s knight order left me feeling quite overwhelmed. It was surprising to see them act that way not just towards us tourists but even towards the innkeeper, a resident of Gorera City. I understand Gazelle seeking comfort. Whether I’m actually comforting is another question altogether!

“But, watching you like this makes me want to see Takumi at other ages too… Maybe I should get that potion once a year!”

“Spare me, please.”

Gazelle laughed heartily. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Felix with a curious expression.

“Speaking of which, Felix. Can’t you find another way to address me instead of calling me ‘Commander Gazelle’?”

“Huh?”

Felix, who had been looking at Gazelle and me with an envious expression, was suddenly taken aback by his question.

「Um… What exactly do you mean by that?」 

「Well, I realized it during this trip… You’ve been calling me ‘Commander Gazelle’ all this time, haven’t you? The people at the inn, due to the nature of their work, didn’t pry, but still, some of them looked at us strangely.」

 「Uh…」

Felix wore an awkward expression. Yeah, now that he mentions it, Felix has been calling Gazelle “Commander Gazelle” all this time. I didn’t pay much attention to it because it’s the usual, but certainly, it would seem a bit odd to others. We haven’t revealed to the people at the inn that we’re members of the Black-winged Knights.

“No, well… for me, Commander Gazelle is Commander Gazelle.”

Felix was unusually flustered. Gazelle shrugged his shoulders in exasperation at him.

“What are you saying? It’s not like we’re on a mission for the Black-winged Knights now, so you don’t have to use such formal terms. Besides, if I’m called ‘Commander’ even during the trip, my shoulders will stiffen up.”

“But, but…”

“If you want, I don’t mind being called by my first name.”

“Your first name!?”

Felix startled and moved back. Then, he looked at me with a troubled expression.

It seems he wants me to help him. Hmm… I can’t say I don’t understand what Gazelle is trying to say. But certainly, Felix, who admired Gazelle and joined the Black-winged Knights, must feel reluctant to address him so casually, even in private. Or rather, I’ve always addressed Gazelle and Felix by their first names. Of course, in official settings, I properly address them as Commander Gazelle and Vice Captain Felix! But even if I were told now to address them as ‘Gazelle-san’ or ‘Felix-sama’ in private, it would feel strange… So, I understand Gazelle’s feelings, and I understand Felix’s feelings. In that case… 

After hesitating for a moment, I met Felix’s amethyst-colored eyes for a few seconds. Then, I turned back to Gazelle.

“If Felix is going to change how he addresses us, I should change it too, right?”

“Huh?”

“If Felix is going to change how he addresses Gazelle, I’ll make an effort to change how I address both of you too. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair, right?”

“What are you planning to call us?”

Gazelle stammered, looking troubled by my words.

After thinking for a moment, I replied.

“Gazelle-san, Felix-san, perhaps. Considering the age difference, wouldn’t that feel less awkward than addressing you casually?”

As I said that, Gazelle suddenly became flustered.

“N-No way! If you’re going to address us with honorifics in your current appearance, that would be strange.”

“Exactly! With Takumi’s current appearance, being addressed like that would be too formal… it might even cause discomfort to those around us!”

For some reason, both Gazelle and Felix grabbed my shoulders with a troubled expression.

Huh!? Why is Felix siding with Gazelle!? I thought I was on Felix’s side!? When did it become two against one!?