Chapter 46

I undid my travel gear and boiled water for four people. After each of us wiped our bodies clean in our respective rooms, we gathered in the dining room for dinner. The meal consisted of salted boar meat, a soup made with lentil-like beans, unleavened bread, and wine. It was quite a feast by our standards, but I wondered if it would suit Diana's taste.

"I'm sorry, this is all we have. I hope it suits your taste."

I thought she might be a bit hesitant to try it, but Diana put it in her mouth without hesitation.

"...How is it?"

Seeing this, I asked her cautiously.

"It's delicious!"

Diana's eyes sparkled as she said this. However, noticing the surprise of those around her, she quickly became dejected.

"Ah, I'm sorry..."

"No, if it suits your taste, that's good. We were all just worried if it would suit a young lady from a good family."

"Such a thing, a young lady from a good family..."

"Well, being able to enjoy a good meal is the most important thing. If the food is bad, you lose the will to do anything."

I said this with a sigh. Even in my previous world, when work was tough, a good meal could make things bearable.

"Have you ever had bad food, Eizou?"

Sermia joined the conversation.

"Of course, many times."

"Really? I thought you only ever had good food."

"Not at all. For example..."

I started to tell a story from my previous world, making sure not to reveal its origin. The dinner conversation that evening revolved around "the worst things we've eaten." Diana also contributed by sharing a story about a mysterious meat she had tried, which was quite terrible.

As the pleasant dinner came to an end, I decided to bring up the topic. I had hesitated about whether to delve into the details, but at this point, it seemed necessary.

"Alright, can you tell me why you were forced to leave the capital, Diana?"

Diana hesitated for a moment but then said, "Alright, I will..."

Diana and Marius' family were governed by the Earl Aimur, whose domain included the town we were in. Earl Aimur had three sons and one daughter (Diana). The three sons were the eldest, Leon; the second, Karl; and the youngest, Marius. Naturally, the eldest son, Leon, was to inherit the earldom. About a month ago, Earl Aimur and Leon set out with their private army to slay a group of monsters that had appeared near the border.

While it was unnecessary for the earl to go himself, it seemed he intended to retire soon and hand over all authority to Leon, making this a demonstration of Leon's capabilities. Conversely, if the monsters could be defeated by the private army alone, without involving the national army, it would not be a significant event.

However, this expectation was completely shattered. Both the earl and Leon were killed, and the private army was nearly annihilated, retreating in defeat. According to the survivors, "an exceptionally strong monster had destroyed everything." However, when Marius, who had returned upon receiving the news, investigated, he found several suspicious points. From his experience as a guard, the wounds on the earl and Leon did not appear to be from claws or fangs, and the very existence of the monsters was questionable.

This made Karl highly suspicious, but he was not about to reveal his true intentions easily. If he remained silent, the inheritance would go to Karl... or so it seemed. However, a significant problem arose. Upon checking the records, it was discovered that Karl and Marius' succession order was reversed. Karl was a bastard son, while Marius was a legitimate son, so Marius' birth changed the succession order. This fact was recorded by the registrar, but since Karl's mother died in childbirth, all four children were raised as legitimate heirs within the family.

Thus, Karl, to secure his inheritance, tried to frame Marius for various things. However, Marius had been serving as a guard in another town, making it difficult for him to orchestrate such schemes. As a result, the two were in a stalemate, with Karl occasionally provoking Marius. This situation could not last long, as the prolonged absence of Earl Aimur could lead to the revocation of the earldom, so one of them was likely to make a move soon.

Diana was targeted because, as a legitimate daughter, if she were to marry a nobleman's son, it could change the succession. Therefore, Karl wanted to eliminate her before that could happen. Marius, suspecting this, sent her to me for safety while he dealt with Karl. Karl, realizing this, attacked her.

"Hmm..."

I pondered. If this was the case, Diana would not be staying with us for just a week or two. Financially, it was not a problem, but I wondered if Diana could handle it. Besides, both Marius and Diana were from the earl's family, which explained Marius' unusual discernment and his familiarity with the town's inner workings.

"The capital... or rather, Marius' and Diana's situations are clear. However, is it alright for Diana to stay with us?"

Even though I knew they were nobles, I didn't want to change my attitude now.

"What do you mean by 'alright'?"

"Well, if it were to be known that a young noblewoman had taken refuge in a simple blacksmith's house, even with other women present, it might not be acceptable in noble circles."

"That's something my brother will handle, so you don't need to worry, Eizou."

"Also, this situation might last longer than a week or two. Can you handle that?"

"I've only been here for a short time, but I've seen that Sermia and Rike are good people, and I'm not worried. Of course, Eizou as well."

"Hmm..."

If that was the case, there was no problem with her staying with us.

"So, the real question is whether you really want to stay with us?"

"From what I've seen, there's no better place to hide than here, so I think it's almost certain."

"Well, that's true, but just to be sure..."

I wasn't reluctant, but if she had another place, it would be almost like kidnapping.

"If there's something that can confirm this..."

Diana reacted to my muttered words.

"Oh, right, I have a letter addressed to Camilo."

"Can we read it to confirm...?"

"Yes, probably."

"But it's not right to read someone else's letter..."

"No, it's about me, so it's fine. I'll go get it."

Diana quickly stood up and disappeared into the guest room.

Watching her, I couldn't help but think that she might be enjoying this new life.