Dinner and a Pleasurable Evening
When I returned to the mansion, Luchila, Milka and Gerberga were waiting for me.
“Mister Locke. Welcome back.”
“Welcome home!”
“Cluck-cluck.”
“Lord Gerberga, everyone. Thank you.”
“Cluck.”
“But I’m tired, so I’m going to go to sleep.”
Milka looked surprised when I said this.
“It’s still very early. What about dinner? I’m supposed to be making it!”
“Ah, yes, I will be eating. Just wake me up when it’s ready…”
“Understood!”
I returned to my room. Grulf followed after me.
Perhaps it was because I used a lot of magic energy, but I was very drowsy. And so I collapsed onto the bed.
Grulf jumped in too. I patted him on the back.
“Good work today, Grulf.”
“Groof.”
Grulf put his chin on my stomach.
He was large, but still a pup. And he liked to be coddled.
“Groof-groof.”
I ended up falling asleep while petting him.
“Mister Locke. Dinner is ready!”
“Groof-groof.”
I awoke to the sound of Milka’s voice. Grulf was licking my face happily.
It was already dark outside. I had slept for about three hours then.
“…Milka. Thank you. And thank you for waking me up too, Grulf.”
“Grr!”
I scratched his head and then got up.
Everyone was waiting in the dining hall when I arrived. Eric, Goran, Serulis, Shia, and Gerberga.
And then Milka and Luchila brought in the food. As host, I helped them.
“You made this, Milka? Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my job!”
Everyone took their seats and we ate dinner together.
The taste was definitely interesting. I wouldn’t say it was horrible. But I wouldn’t say it was good either.
But when you think about, it was a wonderful thing to have food that wasn’t horrible.
“Mister Locke. How is it? I don’t have much experience cooking, so I’m not too confident about it!”
“Is that right? I thought it was pretty good.”
“Really! That’s great.”
Milka said happily.
Serulis looked at Milka and said gently,
“Milka. It’s delicious. I like to cook too, so we can cook together next time.”
“Sister Serulis. Thank you!”
Eric, Goran, Shia, and Luchila were all smiling and eating as well.
Even Grulf and Lord Gerberga seemed to be enjoying their food.
After we ate, we finished cleaning up and everyone gathered in the drawing room.
I asked a question that had been bothering me.
“By the way, why did you come, Eric?”
“I had some free time, you see. And I thought I would test the secret passage a little and stop by your house for a visit.”
Once he had arrived, Luchila had told him about Marquis Mastafon, and so he had come running.
“I can imagine the shock of the citizens as they saw His Majesty running through the streets.”
“It’s fine. I was wearing a hood.”
“I see. Well, be careful.”
And then we came to the main subject.
“Eric. Have you decided on how you are going to deal with Kabino’s interrogation?”
“Yes. I decided to set up an investigation headquarters within the privy council.”
The privy council was an advisory body under the king’s direct control.
It answered the king’s questions concerning politics and issued the king’s orders.
But it also acted an intelligence agency for the king.
So the investigation headquarters being inside of it meant that Eric himself would be commanding it.
“What happened to the district manager?”
“He’s been temporarily moved to the privy council. We can’t be too sure he won’t be assassinated.”
“That’s good.”
We had been so busy recently that it seemed like a lot of time had passed.
However, we had only caught Kabino at around midday. It was from here that the investigation would really begin.
“Also, Locke. I have given you the office of councilor. Remember that.”
“What? That sounds like too much trouble.”
“Well, the king’s representative should have control over the privy council. So it would be easier for you to act if you had some sort of position there.”
“I suppose you’re right…”
“I won’t publicize it. Do not worry.”
“In that case, I don’t mind…”
Obviously, councilors were usually known to the public.
It was a great honor to have that position and was usually given to great nobles who had been ministers.
But he was taking care to protect my identity by not making it known.
Goran listened to this and said,
“But if it’s not known, then he won’t be able to use his power?”
“I thought you would say that. And so I brought the councilor ring.”
Eric put this ring on the desk.
It was a seal that could be used on wax for letters.
“But then everyone would know he’s a counselor if wears that.”
“Oh, yes, that’s true…”
“I suppose you can just keep it with the necklace.”
“I’ll do that.”
I attached the ring to the necklace, just like Goran advised.
I would have to strengthen the string with magic so that it didn’t break.
After this, I asked Goran,
“What about the investigation of the Evil God base?”
“I sent a party of A Rank Adventurers. They should make a report within two or three days.”
Two or three days was too quick considering the distance.
That meant that the party must be using teleportation circles to travel.
Eric nodded and then muttered.
“…To think that Marquis Mastafon’s house had been taken over like that…”
According to Eric, Marquis Mastafon has been lord of financial affairs a few years ago.
He was supposed to be a capable man. He had an important job even after leaving that position.
“But last month, he suddenly claimed that he was sick and needed to rest…”
That was when the steward took over the house and locked him and his wife up.
“Philly said she was a fifth daughter. But where are her brothers and sisters?”
“The Marquis only has five daughters. The other four have either married or are studying abroad. The fifth daughter is the only one who remains in the capital.”
It was the one blessing amongst their misfortune, I suppose. That meant their whole family were now safe.
“Currently, the privy council and Adventurers guild are doing everything they can in investigating Marquis Mastafon’s mansion.”
“And the family?”
“They are being protected within the palace now. Don’t worry.”
“That’s good.”
I was relieved.
Since we were all gathered, I decided to ask Eric and Goran something that I had been wondering about.
“It seems like the enemy had been planning this for a long time… But their execution was really careless. What do you think?”
“What I think is… The dark ones realized that Locke had returned…?”
“That’s possible. And so maybe they had to speed things up.”
“So it’s my fault…”
Eric laughed.
“It’s not your fault, Locke. It’s thanks to your return that they failed, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. Thanks to you, things are easier to deal with. Who knows what would have happened had they continued to slowly make preparations and managed to summon the entire Evil God.”
“I am very glad that you returned Locke. Not just as your friend, but as the king. From the bottom of my heart.”
“Thank you. I’m glad that you feel that way.”
It was clear that the dark ones were still plotting something.
We would have to continue to fight them.
As I was filled with a renewed resolve, Shia looked at me seriously and said,
“It would be safe to believe that there are other vampires working in the shadows.”
“In any case, we were able to take back Marquis Mastafon’s house, which they had taken years to make their bridge into the capital. This also means that we succeeded in robbing them of the ability to create the Fool’s Stone.”
Eric was right. It was a big deal that we were able to save Philly, the genius Alchemist.
“I will have to reward you again…”
“I just got a reward the other day. You can give them to me all at once some other time.”
“Sorry. Yes, the nobles will probably grow suspicious by so many rewards in rapid succession… Of course, don’t think that means I’ll forget your contributions.”
“Well, it’s really nothing.”
Just then, Goran seemed to remember something as he said,
“By the way, Locke. I heard that only Serulis and the others can open the door to this house. Is that really fair? Don’t you agree, Eric?”
“Yes. I wish you would allow me to open it as well…”
“Of course, I was going to register you two when you visited. Come with me.”
And so I took Eric and Goran with me to the gate to be registered with the magic lock. Eric and Goran laughed. They were in a good mood now.
We had killed the vampires that had actually invaded the city. We were safe for now.
This was a night to relax and enjoy ourselves.