Chapter 36
"Hey, Suur-chan. Helping with the shopping? I've got some good mutton today."
"Let's see... Oh, this does look good... How much?"
"About this much." Seeing the butcher spread his hands, Suur folded down one finger to indicate her offer.
"Whoa, now, the quality's guaranteed."
"I'll buy that amount, so give me a discount!"
The butcher crossed his arms and pondered, then gazed at the ceiling for a while before scratching his head and saying, "Can't be helped."
"Thanks, Buffe-san!"
"Good grief... Business is booming for you. I guess that's what happens when the king visits your inn."
"He did come, but he didn't dine here. He only came to bring us a little something. And that was just the one time."
"But the people he brought those refreshments for were big shots in the 10th Knight Order, right? And apparently Roa=Stein-sama favors your inn, too."
Nut Guy had become the most up-and-coming commander in the country. After crushing the traitorous First and Ninth Knight Orders, along with Riflerea's soldiers, he had apparently been the driving force behind the astonishing three-nation alliance with the Empire and Golbel.
...Was she really talking about that Nut Guy? Suur still couldn't quite reconcile it, but everyone was talking about the new hero whenever they opened their mouths.
"Still, welcoming such frightening people must make it hard for you to relax, Suur-chan."
"Frightening people? Who?"
"Why, Roa=Stein-sama, of course."
Buffe-san said it with a straight face, leaving Suur staring at him blankly. Nut Guy was frightening?
"He's not scary at all. If anything, I think he's a quiet, gentle sort of person."
"No way. He's the kind of man who commands knights like those and crushes traitors utterly. And they say he was running around behind the scenes of that new alliance, too... Of course, he's dependable, and I'm grateful to him, so I have no intention of speaking ill of him. But honestly, I'm still a little scared he'll take offense at something I do."
"Ehh, it's not like that..."
As Suur tried to deny it, Buffe-san turned his head and said, "Well, speak of the devil—the hero himself."
In the direction of her gaze, Nut Guy and the others were hurrying through the main street. Perhaps they were in a rush; they ran along while exchanging words with Lapiria-san and Wickhart-san.
The twins, Sazaby-san, and the others who often came to the inn were with them as well. Nut Guy also wore a slightly more serious expression than usual, making him look almost like a different person.
After watching Nut Guy and the others dash away, Buffe-san muttered,
"See? There's no way someone that stern-looking isn't scary, is there?"
Suur wasn't convinced, but she felt that explaining further probably wouldn't get through to him, so she gave up and accepted the meat.
She'd ended up with more meat than expected, so she was on her way back to the inn to put down the bags.
"Oh, Suur-chan!"
At the energetic, familiar voice, Suur peeked around the side of the bags she was carrying. As expected, it was Rufa-chan.
"Rufa-chan. Hello. Hello, Dick-san. Running an errand?"
This girl was mysterious in many ways, too. She was connected to the 10th Knight Order and, according to rumors, was the adopted daughter of a noble. Despite that, she came into town to shop for groceries as casually as this.
"Yes. That's a big load!"
"Yeah. I bought more than I expected."
"Yeah... Hey, Dick, let's help her!"
"Sure."
Dick-san took the bags from her in his laid-back manner.
"What!? It's all right! It's my job!"
While Suur was feeling embarrassed about Dick-san's help, Rufa-chan said, "You can't see in front of you with all that. It's dangerous. We've got plenty of time today," then turned toward the inn.
"Sorry. Thank you. Then I'll give you a freebie next time you come by."
"Really!? Yay! Dick, isn't that great?"
"Yeah!"
With the two of them taking care of her, Suur walked alongside Rufa, rubbing her arms, now suddenly free of the weight. Along the way, she casually told Rufa about her conversation with Buffe-san.
"Oh, Buffe-san wasn't saying anything bad about him! I just wondered if he was really that scary."
Suur told her this while tilting her head, and Rufa-chan giggled.
"It sounds like lots of people say that about Roa-nii-chan."
"Really?"
"Yeah. People are pretty afraid of him. ...Even though he's really like that."
"...Yeah, he is, even though he's really like that."
Saying that, the two of them giggled together.
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Not long after hearing what the butcher had said, Nut Guy and the others came in for a meal.
The members of the 10th Knight Order were in high spirits.
Suur gently set a bowl of nuts in front of Nut Guy.
"Oh, thank you. I was just about to order some."
"This is our way of thanking you for your continued patronage."
"Is that so? Then I'll help myself."
Nut Guy popped a nut into his mouth and took a sip of his drink, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Seeing him just as he always was, Suur found herself strangely reassured.