Chapter 220
Thus, Ferda’s gaze fell once more on something that was presumably a fried egg.
“You must have been cooking for the first time, right?”
“Of course.”
“And you failed many times along the way.”
“That is correct.”
A smile naturally blossomed on Ferda’s lips.
“Luri.”
“Yes.”
“I have never eaten food prepared by someone else.”
More precisely, that had been true of the future Ferda, who no longer existed.
Food given to him by others had always contained malice, and that malice had tried to kill Ferda time and time again.
Because of that, whenever someone showed him kindness, he had grown suspicious first, sometimes even becoming obsessed with the possibility that the food contained poison.
“So this feeling is truly peculiar.”
If he ate this, he would surely suffer the agony of having his organs twisted into knots.
It would undoubtedly have the same effect as what was called poison.
And yet, no unpleasantness or bad memories rose within him.
Ferda’s hand moved.
One did not need to understand something in order to act.
Before he could even realize it, Ferda’s fork moved first.
In the end, Ferda put the fried egg (presumably) into his mouth.
“Ugh……”
Luri’s face turned pale on reflex.
She looked shocked, as though she had never imagined he would actually put that thing in his mouth.
But her surprise did not end there.
Ferda had not merely put it in his mouth. He was chewing it.
The crunching sound meant that his tongue was fully taking in the food’s flavor.
Even Luri, watching him, could not help but feel sorry for him.
Ferda swallowed it all down and shot to his feet.
His gaze fell on Valdrova, who was peeking in from outside the door, and he began walking toward her.
His steps were stiff and heavy, the tension never leaving them.
Valdrova felt an urge to run away, but she did not dare move.
At last, Ferda gripped both of her frozen shoulders and uttered four syllables.
“Eleanor.”
“Y-yes!”
Only when he called her name did she regain control of her body.
Valdrova asked him, pretending to be composed.
“H-how was it?”
“It tasted of inexperience.”
“That means…… it tasted bad?”
“That is correct.”
She was flustered.
She had expected it to taste bad, but hearing Ferda say it so directly felt like a dagger being driven into her heart.
“But that does not matter. I am extremely excited right now.”
“E-excited?”
“Because I know that you will become much better in the future. You were unable to do things like writing or dancing well at first, were you not?”
Valdrova quietly nodded.
“But you succeeded in the end. You danced beautifully, and you wrote beautifully as well. Cooking will be the same.”
Ferda recalled the taste he had experienced.
A concoction in which everything the tongue could perceive danced wildly on its own, creating disharmony.
Ferda saw something within it.
“Even if you are inexperienced now, you will succeed someday because you have the desire to do so.”
The conviction that she would never become discouraged and would certainly find her way.
And Ferda had to do the same.
Even if he was afraid and terrified, he had to move forward.
“And having met you, I realize once again that I am lucky today—.”
“M-Mr. Ferda!?”
Before he could finish speaking, Ferda went limp in Valdrova’s arms.
No, he had not embraced her; he had simply lost consciousness and collapsed against her.
Ferda had to rest for two full days with food poisoning before he finally recovered.
Valdrova was dejected by the realization that she had nearly killed someone with a fried egg, but Luri tactfully explained it away as a lack of sleep, so Valdrova did not give up cooking.
However, she would not learn the concept of tasting the food first until much later.
* * *
Hestia Village was bustling with preparations for departure.
Ferda was also preparing for the war, tending to his personal affairs and checking his available means and methods.
Just as the tension was reaching its peak, an unexpected guest came to see him.
“Hello, Regent Ferda.”
“Scribe Lize—or should I call you Adventurer Lize?”
“Yes, that’s how it turned out.”
The word adventurer embarrassed him, and his face flushed slightly.
Lize, the High Elf.
A woman possessing beauty and dignity surpassing those of most beauties.
No, a man.
“I heard that you are going to a place called the Kingdom of Heinkel.”
“Yes. The demons have resorted to trickery.”
“Do I really not need to participate in the war?”
Lize had repeatedly expressed his desire to join Ferda in the war.
It was Ferda who had refused him.
“There is no need. Stay in Hestia and head east. That is the most important task for us, and it is something only you, Adventurer Lize, can do.”
“I hardly know what to say when you put it that way.”
Lize rubbed his legs awkwardly, expressing his embarrassment.
“Um……”
“Please, go ahead.”
“I heard that Your Highness Valdrova held a ladies’ gathering.”
Before the tension of war had settled over them, Valdrova had said that she wanted to meet with her friends.
The situation was unfavorable, but for that very reason, they had pushed ahead with it all the more actively.
They wanted at least to ensure that Valdrova would not be troubled by the war.
“Your Highness Valdrova, Lady Lyudmila of the County of Consilius, and a demon named Penelope are participating, correct?”
“That is correct.”
“And do you know that I am included among them as well……?”
Ferda glanced at Lize.
Lize wore an extremely troubled expression.
“I believe it is fine.”
“Since you called it a ladies’ gathering, I cannot help wondering whether there really has been some sort of mistake……?”
“There is no mistake.”
“You even prepared this dress for me to wear……!?”
Lize held up a flowing dress.
Lize looked as though he might burst into tears, but Ferda calmly answered him.
“It looks good on you.”
“Not that it suits me……!”
“You do not need to feel burdened.”
“But I am not a woman……!?”
Lize continued shouting as though he had been wronged, while Ferda answered as if he were half babbling.
It could not be helped.
Ferda recalled the conversation he had had with Luri the previous night.
“Your Highness Valdrova is planning to hold a ladies’ gathering.”
“Is that so?”
“The members currently designated are Penelope, Lyudmila, and Lize.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
“……Wait.”
Ferda realized that something strange had been mixed in among them and called for Luri.
“There seems to be something odd among them.”
“As expected, you think so too, Lord Ferda? I will remove Penelope from the list.”
“That would be good if possible……. But that is not what I mean. Lize is not a woman, is he?”
“That is correct.”
“Then why is he included in a ladies’ gathering? Was it His Highness’s request?”
“No. There seemed to be too few members, so I was planning to include him.”
“Include someone because there are too few members?”
A man at that?
Luri spoke as though she had been waiting for that reaction.
“Let me say it once more. These are the members of the ladies’ gathering.”
Luri spoke in a crisp tone, separating each syllable.
“Penelope.”
The child of Sitri and a demon of lust.
“Lyudmila.”
A schemer who would take whatever she wanted into her hands.
“And Lize will be participating.”
That was all Luri said, and Ferda did not reply any further.
It was already enough for him to understand.
“Adventurer Lize.”
Returning to the present, Ferda placed a hand on Lize’s shoulder and spoke.
“You are a woman.”
* * *
Valdrova Castle, garden.
Three people sat at a table prepared for the ladies’ gathering.
“So…… I am Lize, who has joined this ladies’ gathering. Since we are meeting for the first time today, I imagine this may be quite uncomfortable for you…….”
Lize let his voice trail off.
The looks directed at him were extremely interested and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Lyudmila spoke first.
“You said you were an elf, right? The most noble kind, a High Elf. You are very beautiful.”
“Thank you. You are also very beautiful, Lady Lyudmila. Your subtle perfume suits your atmosphere perfectly. Freesia and rose, with peppermint as well…… perhaps?”
“Oh my, oh my. Someone can actually identify it? Even someone interested in perfumery would have difficulty noticing that. As expected, an elf is an elf.”
“As expected of an elf……”
Lyudmila’s eyes shone even more brightly, and Valdrova also sent Lize a look of admiration.
Even as he said that, Lize awkwardly tossed in a few words.
“A-anyway, I am worried that I might make everyone uncomfortable at a gathering like this.”
“What could possibly be uncomfortable?”
“Since I am a man, I am not sure whether I should be at a ladies’ gathering like this…….”
“Is that so? What do you think, Your Highness?”
“I do not mind.”
“I do not mind either.”
Lyudmila blinked and took a drink of tea.
Her complete lack of concern only made Lize more uncomfortable.
“I-isn’t this strange??”
“Not at all. Your bearing, your dress, and your expression all suit you perfectly.”
“Yeah. It suits you.”
Lize felt as though he might go mad and leap up and down in frustration.
‘Just what about me makes me look like a woman?’
But he had no strength left to argue about it, so he eventually decided to accept his situation.
Luri checked the time and spoke to Valdrova.
“The members of the ladies’ gathering will remain as they are, and I will lock the castle gates.”
“But Penelope has not arrived yet.”
“There is no need to admit an insolent servant who makes her mistress wait. I will lock them without exception.”
“I’m here!”
Penelope opened the door and entered just as they were about to lock it.
Luri clicked her tongue.
“You are a little late.”
“Oh dear, this humble one was insolently late! But I have a reason.”
Penelope held up a bag.
“I went to fetch something for my pride and deeply beloved mistress, and her friends!”
“Oh my, what is it?”
“It is called……!”
Luri prepared to attack her.
If Penelope pulled out something vulgar, Luri intended to fly in and kick it away immediately.
However, the item she showed them was unfamiliar.
It had a texture that seemed to be made of leather and rubber, with a bumpy surface.
“Bubble wrap.”
“Bubble wrap?”
“If you press these raised parts……”
Pop.
“It makes this sound.”
“Oh my, I see. And?”
“Yes?”
“Is that all?”
“That’s all, nya?”
Penelope looked at them as though asking what more they could possibly want.
Lyudmila blinked, trying to hide the confusion on her face.
Penelope handed out the items as though she had expected this reaction.
“Try them for now! The Hestia Merchant Company’s flagship toy, the fidget spinner, seems sure to be a huge hit, and this is another ambitious masterpiece of mine!?”
Penelope handed one to each of them.
Lyudmila and Lize picked up the items and tried them, as though they had nothing to lose.
Once they began using them, their expressions changed.
Pop-pop-pop.
“Oh my, what an oddly addictive feeling.”
Pop-pop-pop.
“I like how it makes my mind go blank.”
“Your Highness, you should try it too! It is more fun than you would expect.”
“Uh, okay!”
Valdrova also cautiously pressed the bubble wrap, following their example.
Bang!
It was a harsh sound, not a light one.
The part touched by her hand had burst outright.
“As expected, ordinary items cannot withstand Your Highness’s strength.”
“Y-yeah……”
Valdrova’s complexion gradually became gloomy.
As the atmosphere began to sour, Penelope cried out theatrically.
“Hehe, I had a feeling this might happen, so I prepared a special one just for Your Highness!”
Penelope took out another item she had hidden and placed it in front of Valdrova.
“Bubble wrap for the Great Your Highness, made by mixing steel with ogre hide!”
Ogre hide was the toughest material humans could obtain.
It had been dyed a deep, luxurious color, so if its material had not been revealed, no one would have noticed.
Valdrova swallowed hard.
Would it burst with a bang this time too?
She gingerly picked it up and pressed the center.
Pop!
Instead of bursting, it made a powerful popping sound and eased the burden in her heart.
Valdrova’s face brightened in an instant.
Taking advantage of the mood, Lyudmila made a suggestion.
“Since Your Highness can use bubble wrap too, shall we pop it together?”
“Mhm!”
Pop-pop-pop.
Pop-pop-pop!
Pop-pop-pop.
The popping sounds echoed like frogs in midsummer.
After savoring the relaxation to the fullest, Lyudmila looked at Penelope and spoke.
“Perhaps it is because you are the head of product planning at the Hestia Merchant Company, but this item also feels like a surefire hit.”
“Nihihi, actually, I am using products like this to raise seed money.”
“Seed money for what?”
“Actually, you see, I am planning to make lingerie.”
She took something out from inside her clothes.
It was shaped like a handkerchief, but it was so thin and transparent that it could not possibly serve as one.
“I am planning a business making lingerie from fabric using luxurious lace and patterns like these!”
“Oh my, oh my. If you made it from something like this, it would be practically the same as wearing nothing, would it not?”
“Exactly.”
Lyudmila’s expression became serious at Penelope’s words.
At a glance, one might have thought she was angry, since there was not the slightest trace of a smile on her face.
“If you do not mind my asking.”
“Yes.”
“When a sample is ready, may I be the first to try it on?”
“Nihaha! Of course! But there has to be a give-and-take, do you not think?”
“What would you like? Money? If you need investment capital, of course I will provide it.”
“What a demon wants is more souls.”
Penelope whispered like a demon.
“Nothing is better than word of mouth among women. Make more beautiful women come looking for me.”
Lyudmila narrowed her eyes as well and spoke.
“Oh my, that is something I am good at too. If I turned the women bewitched by the words spilling from my mouth into bricks, could I build a wall?”
“Nihaha! In that case, the contract is concluded!”
“Ohoho! I will send you my measurements later.”
“No need. I scanned everything the moment I saw you!”
“What a remarkably fast conversation, ohoho!”
“Isn’t that a good thing, nihaha!”
Lize was dumbfounded.
He had no idea what to say as he watched a demon and a human concoct a vulgar scheme right before his eyes.
Blushing, Lize quietly spoke to Valdrova.
“Y-Your Highness Valdrova?”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you uncomfortable with a conversation like this?”
“Why?”
“Well, you see……”
He could not bring himself to say it.
The golden eyes of Valdrova shone with the light of pure ignorance.
Pop-pop-pop!
“It’s nothing.”
Lize obediently popped the bubble wrap along with them.
The story continues off the page
The Last Dance Before Midnight
A masked dragon asks the lanternwright for one slow dance