After that little predicament, Inglis’ group headed to the cabin where they were supposed to wait without taking the wrong turn again.
「Is it here?」
There were both the armored soldiers from the Highland and the formal Knights of the Charalia Kingdom stationed on the entrance. When Inglis glanced inside, she saw the sight of an important-looking man being guarded by formal Knights left and right. It must be Prime Minister Althea, Liselotte’s father.
「That is the Prime Minister’s room. Ours is deeper.」 「So they separate the rooms. Even though I saw something delicious on the table there……」
Rafinha bit into her finger.
「Hahaha. I’m sure we got one in our room too.」 「Is that true, mister? Then let’s go! Glis!」 「Yeah.」
Rafinha took Inglis’ hand and headed for their designated room. It was smaller than the one they saw earlier, and although there was a meal provided, it wasn’t as luxurious.
「……They treat us differently!」 「You’re right——but this one is delicious too.」
Even while complaining, Inglis and Rafinha were quick to get their hands on the food.
「Well, they separate lowly people like us since there’s got to be something they want to talk about without our audience, so let’s put up with it. And I heard rumors about today’s deal is especially dangerous.」 「Dangerous in what kind?」Leone asked Faris.
「……Don’t tell anyone you heard from me, capisce? And it’s nothing more than a rumor, you got me?」 「Yes. Inglis and Rafinha are okay with that?」 「「Myehm.」」 「……Sheesh, you don’t need to reply with your mouths full——」 「W-, well, they’re still in their growing period after all. They must be hungry.」 「But that doesn’t do justice for them to eat as much as they want and not getting fat at all——Well, putting that aside, please tell us.」 「……It’s territories. We’re talking about the Kingdom handing over the entire town of Shazer and its vicinity.」 「……! Glih, ihn dhad……!!」1 「Hyup. Dhe sam wan widh Rene’s……!」2 「……Does His Highness Wayne even approve of this……?」 「Why do you think the deal is taking place when the Royal Capital’s security is at its thinnest? It’s because the opposing party, Prince Wayne, is currently away. The higher-ups aimed for this moment. But that means they’ll be short-handed, doesn’t it? It’ll be a disaster if people like the Ironblood Chain Brigade were to go after this deal.」 「……So, on the contrary, this negotiation is like a sitting duck for the Ironblood Chain Brigade——」
For Leone, that must be the most desirable development. She strongly thought she would surely capture Leon with her own two hands!
「Exactly. And the guy from the Highland that oversees the whole negotiation, Special Envoy Myynti, has some real bad reps going around. It’s pretty easy to imagine people who have bad blood with him going their way to kill him and make it look like the work of the Ironblood Chain Brigade. In short, anything can happen in this red zone.」 「Ah shee……」3 「Whi kand ledh our guadh down——」4 「Honestly, speak after you properly swallow. That’s bad manners, you two.」
Leone warned the two.
「Nmhm……So, it’s going to be fun, right?」 「A~ah, is it so wrong to expect for nothing to happen?」 「For that, why don’t you see him first?」
Whispered Faris to the three as his eyes darted to the entrance of the room. There, a figure of a human appeared. It was an extremely obese man with a stigma on his forehead, proof that he was a Highlander. Behind him was a large man with white, long hair who looked like his escort.
The escort had no stigma, but his build was stocky and his eyes were unnaturally sharp. His aura was quite peculiar, announcing to everyone in the room his considerable strength. In fact, Inglis felt that rather than the Highlander, the escort felt more special.
「Ho-hyo-hyo-ho. Good work there, Faris.」 「Sir! I’m glad that Master Myynti is happy. Thank you once again for receiving our offers.」 「Mm-hmm. It’s only fitting to look for boor goods from boor merchants like you, after all. I’m an open-minded man. Make sure to be useful to me.」 「Yessir.」 「And, who are your companions? I haven’t seen their faces around.」 「They are newly hired escorts. Students from the Academy.」 「Hohyohohyohohyo………!」
Then, the Highlander with the name Myynti came bitingly close to Inglis.5
「Ou ou ou……! What a lovely girl! This is one fine jewel!」
As he said so, Myynti reached for Inglis’ hair.
「!?」
Slap!
Naturally, Inglis brushed off that hand, but Myynti didn’t get discouraged at all.
「And what a lovely smell. Aah, I can’t stand it!」
Sniff sniff sniff, the obese man whiffed at Inglis like a dog.6
「Uuh……!?」
That of course made Inglis grossed out and stepped back.
「I haven’t felt this aroused in a while!」
And, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he reached out to Inglis’ chest.
「Hya……!?」
Inglis yelped in surprise, but of course she wouldn’t let that happen, so she grabbed his hand and twisted it up.
「AAAGGHHHH!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?」 「That’s my line……!!」
The white-haired escort grabbed Inglis’ hand to pull it away. Quite the formidable strength he had——but, Inglis wouldn’t pull away. It was just a pure contest of strength. He wanted to make her hands go. She wouldn’t let it.
「O-, oi, come help me quick……!」 「I, I am…… doing it, but——!?」
Falteringly, the man replied.
「S-, she’s even stronger than you……!?」 「Oi, oi, what a minute! Lord Myynti, you can’t do this to me! She is an escort, not a prostitute! I’m sorry for this, can you please let him go, Miss Inglis!」 「……Understood.」
When Inglis let go of her hand, the escort man also released Inglis’. Myynti blew on his aching arm after.
「Y, your name is Inglis, right girl? Do you have anything you want? Money, treasure, food, authority, name it. I’ll give you whatever you want, so be mine. Hm?」 「Fufufu……Then, can you give me your life?」
As Inglis answered so, Myynti raised a terrified hiss and fled the room.
- Garbled language translation: Glis, isn’t that…!
- Garbled language translation: Yup. The same one with Rene’s…!
- Garbled language translation: I see
- Garbled language translation: We can’t let our guard down
- Mab: Oh boy, this can only go one way.
- Mab : I’m so tempted to write it “Like the mutt he is.”