Chapter 68

This is a work of fiction.

The characters, organizations, and names are all fictitious and have no connection to any real entities.

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063 - Dwarf Slayer

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It's the 75th day since my reincarnation. Today is the day we set out for the capital.

Anneleise and I are in a carriage driven by Jewel. Gandalban, Jojok, and Rin are on warhorses, Rosalina and Solidia are on the driver's seat of the supply wagon, and Vars is on the roof of the carriage I'm in.

Vars and I have item boxes, so the supply wagon is a dummy. It's there to show that we're carrying supplies.

The duke is being escorted by about 600 men, a regiment commanded by his eldest son, Egeus, and is traveling in a luxurious carriage.

Egeus and the knights are on warhorses. There are over 100 warhorses.

The soldiers are not walking but are riding in the supply wagons. So, including the wagons carrying supplies, there are nearly 100 wagons.

The duke's carriages include one for the duke himself, one for his wives, and one for his children. There are eight carriages in total just for them. The duke has brought five wives this time. What a playboy.

Traveling by carriage is quite tough. By the end of the first day, I felt like the skin on my buttocks was peeling off. It's the worst.

The journey from the capital to Kelniff takes about 12 days by carriage. I think 12 days of continuous carriage travel is a form of torture. My buttocks might split from the vibrations.

The duke goes to the capital every year to meet the king and offer New Year's greetings.

Usually, he welcomes the New Year in Kelniff, holds a grand council, and then sets out, arriving at the capital on the 30th of the first month. This time, the grand council will be held after the duke returns to Kelniff.

Since the kingdom is giving us rewards for slaying the demon, we're heading to the capital earlier than usual.

Nobles under the duke's command also meet the king, but only half of them go. It's not good for all the nobles to leave their territories, so they take turns every other year.

This year, because of the demon incident, Balkan will stay in Kelniff. He met the king last year, so it's just right.

Other nobles also meet the king between the first and second months, so the capital is flooded with nobles during that time.

If there are noble estates or castles along the way, we stay there. On the first day, we're staying at the estate of a noble under the duke's command.

I think we've traveled about 100 kilometers. Still, it's within the duke's territory. It's vast.

"Welcome, Your Excellency."

At the entrance, the duke is greeted by Viscount Bacchus, the owner of the estate. He's not very tall but has a sturdy build, red hair, and a beard. He's a man in his 40s.

I was surprised, but he's a dwarf. I thought dwarves were short, but he's about my height, so not that short. I thought he was in his 40s, but he's actually 120 years old.

"Viscount Bacchus, thank you for the welcome."

"Hmm."

Bacchus's appraising gaze turns to me.

"Nice to meet you, Viscount Bacchus. I was recently ennobled as Baron Toy-Footsickle. Please remember me."

"I am Fshurum-Bacchus. Welcome."

We greet each other and shake hands. I thought dwarves would be more boisterous, but he's just a regular person.

Bacchus invites the duke into the estate. It's a large mansion. I thought my mansion was big, but this one is several times larger. It seems they prepare for the duke's annual visits, so it's designed to accommodate many nobles.

This time, only the duke, me, and a few nobles are traveling, but the other nobles will head to the capital later.

I relax in the room assigned to me. Anneleise, Gandalban, and Jewel are in the room. Rosalina, Vars, Rin, and Solidia are waiting in the soldiers' quarters in a separate building. It seems we can't all stay in the lord's mansion.

Jewel, with her blue-green hair, serves tea. It's delicious. Mondalque has trained her well.

At the mansion, Jewel does things like gardening and stable work, but she's actually a butler apprentice. I've told Mondalque to hire more staff, but it's hard to find someone who meets his standards.

I've also told Gandalban to increase the number of soldiers, but that's not easy either. We need at least swordsmen, spearmen, knights, and archers, so it's not simple.

I'm even considering buying slaves from the village and training them. It might be faster to do that for both staff and soldiers.

"How many years have you been a butler, Jewel?"

Jewel's job is not a butler but a Battle Butler. A butler who can fight.

Battle Butlers fight with knives and hidden weapons, so they're more like assassins than actual assassins.

"About five years."

Jewel is 17 years old, so she must have changed jobs at 12. She was probably a butler apprentice before that. It's quite strict of Mondalque to still call her an apprentice.

"Maybe it's time to take off the apprentice title."

"I'm still not ready."

Jewel smiles wryly but doesn't seem entirely against it. When we return to Kelniff, I'll talk to Mondalque about it.

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In the evening, Bacchus hosted a banquet. The duke, Bacchus, and other nobles gathered for a meal, and the food was quite hearty.

There were whole roasted birds and pigs, and the chefs carved them up. It was a feast of meat and wine, with no vegetables.

This kind of meal matches my image of dwarves. It's a bit exciting.

Bacchus was eating the meat with his hands, but the duke and other nobles were using knives and forks. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so I also grabbed a piece of meat with my hands.

"Delicious."

It was coated with a sweet and spicy sauce, like teriyaki.

"Baron Footsickle, you can handle it!"

"I'm just imitating Viscount Bacchus."

"I like it. Drink! Keep drinking! This wine is only made in my territory outside of the dwarf kingdom. It's delicious!"

A silver mug was filled with amber-colored wine. The alcohol smell was sharp.

"Here goes..."

I never thought the first drink of my life would be the one called "Dwarf Slayer."

Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp... Delicious.

Ugh!? My throat is burning!

At first, it was easy to drink, but then I felt a burning heat in my throat.

"Hahahaha! Not bad, but a human drinking half of that is impressive!"

Don't serve a drink that humans can't handle! I wanted to say that, but I couldn't make a sound!

Damn, might as well go all out!

Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp.

"Hey, not bad! I'll have some too!"

Bacchus tilted his silver mug. He drinks well.

"Hah! Delicious!"

I kept up with him.

"Hey, Baron Footsickle, are you okay?"

The duke said something. You should drink too. It's delicious at first. Just at first.

Hey, the room is spinning.

"Hahahaha! You drank the Dwarf Slayer. Baron Footsickle, no, Toy, you're my friend!"

Bacchus said something, but I couldn't focus on it.

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"......"

This is disgusting. Where am I? I don't recognize the ceiling.

"You're awake."

Anneleise looks down at me.

"You're beautiful."

Even though I feel terrible, my sense of beauty still recognizes Anneleise's beauty.

"Thank you. But we need to get up soon, or we'll miss the departure time."

Departure? What's that?

"I'll wake you up."

Anneleise puts her arm under my neck and lifts my upper body.

Her breasts press against my face. Normally, it would be a great moment, but not now.

"Ugh, I feel sick..."

"It's because you drank the Dwarf Slayer."

"Dwarf Slayer..."

I remember. I drank that to keep up with Bacchus.

My head is pounding. I feel terrible. I want to stay in bed all day.

"Can I just stay in bed?"

"No, you can't. Please don't drink excessively again."

Is this the "chest squeezing" punishment? It should be pleasant, but I feel awful.

"...I understand."

I force my body to move, but each time, the contents of my stomach threaten to come up. I wash my face and change clothes, vomiting a few times.

I feel a bit better after vomiting, but I still feel terrible.

"You probably don't want to eat, but please have this."

Anneleise has grated an apple for me.

"I don't want it."

I have no appetite.

"Please eat it without being picky."

Anneleise scoops up some apple with a spoon and brings it to my mouth.

"Open up."

"...Open."

I can't taste it. I don't even feel it going down my throat. But I can feel it in my stomach. It might come back up.

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"Hahahaha! You look terrible, Toy!"

Bacchus was in a good mood. Why is he calling me by my first name?

"Here, have this."

He handed me a lemon. I'm not pregnant, you know.

By the way, don't pat my back. It might make me vomit.

"You seem to have made a good impression."

Anneleise, who saw Bacchus get into his carriage, spoke.

"Dwarves call those who drink with them friends."

Gandalban looked at me with a bemused expression.

It seems I've become friends with Bacchus. Spare me.

---

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