Chapter 45

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Elies and Mars stopped in their tracks.

"The first floor houses the cooking team, medical team, equipment team, and blacksmith team, along with a few other small rooms."

"Equipment team and blacksmith team?"

"There are dedicated material storage areas and special workshops underground for each. That's why their rooms are located next to those stairs."

"The rooms on the first floor are mainly for order reception, item storage, and workspaces for team members not on duty. There were various opinions about hygiene, but the medical and cooking teams now have their own spaces due to the special magic of the Northern Demon King Castle and the magic team."

While listening to Elies and Mars, I suddenly noticed something odd.

We had come down from the third floor, then the second, and now the first... three teams, two teams, and four teams, making a total of nine teams. Wasn't the Northern Demon King Castle supposed to have fourteen teams? Only the palace guard team has appeared so far. Where are the remaining five teams?

"You noticed, didn't you?"

"There are five missing."

"Yes. They're not in the main building but in the annexes to the east and west. Those are the bases for the external teams."

"The name 'external teams' comes from that."

"...Oh, I see."

"Yes, they are responsible for a part of the Demon King Castle."

I thought we had walked quite a bit, but there's still more. When will I be able to see each team? The castle is so vast that I'm already feeling discouraged.

When we left the entrance and moved away from the stairs, there were indeed two impressive two-story buildings on either side.

...On the day I arrived at the Northern Demon King Castle, I was carried by Dilnan and was too hungry to pay attention to my surroundings.

Incidentally, the eastern and western annexes house not only the three external teams but also the riding beast team and the farming team. The internal teams are positioned based on the location of the fields and stables behind the castle: the riding beast team to the east and the farming team to the west. The external security team is to the east, and the mobile and magic teams are to the west.

Right, I don't think I can remember all of this at once. Can I take notes?

When I asked Elies, she said no. "It's okay to learn a little at a time," she said with a charming smile that left no room for argument. I can't resist her.

"Since it's about time, let's take a final walk around the fields and stables before lunch."

"Okay!"

Checking the time on her pocket watch, Elies' words instantly lifted my spirits. The thought of a delicious meal waiting for me after the walk made me respond enthusiastically.

Ah, what a simple thought process. Where did I lose my adult composure?

As we started walking around the western annex, we came across a beautiful garden filled with roses of various sizes and colors—red, white, pink, and yellow. A gentle breeze carried their fragrance.

"Beautiful! It smells so good!"

I got to touch the petals and compare their scents, something I don't usually get to do. Other flowers were casually planted among the roses, though I didn't recognize their names. The contrast of colors was stunning, and the sight was a feast for the eyes. The weather was beautiful, and the climate was pleasant. Walking with these handsome gentlemen was the ultimate luxury.

But after a while, the beautiful flower garden suddenly changed into a vegetable garden.

"Vegetables are growing."

"From here, it's not visible from the guest rooms, and we rarely guide guests this far. Still, various preparations are necessary."

The vegetables looked delicious, but the reason they were grown was a bit ominous. More ominous was Elies' smile.

"Hey, Elies!"

As I was thinking about this, a voice called out to Elies from the vegetable garden.

Turning around, we saw a man walking towards us from the field. He was dressed in a brown work outfit, a straw hat, and a neck towel, the perfect attire for a farmer. His short brown hair and stubble looked good on him. When he smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were charming, and his bright green eyes were striking.

"You guys look like a family on a day off. The father, mother, and little kid all dressed the same, it's hilarious."

Oh no, what is this uncle saying!? Elies' smile turned completely black, and it was scary!

By the way, who is this uncle who seems so familiar with Elies?