Chapter 37
"May the Wind God Loref bless Lu Pu Zea."
"May the Wind God Loref bless the people of Las de Neit as well."
The members of the traveling troupe Las de Neit departed, waving to Zodia and the others again and again. They said they were headed for the former territory of Riflerea, a region now called Northern Rudek.
"It's nice being thanked and all, but we're not getting anywhere at all."
Denver, Lu Pu Zea's youngest member, quietly muttered his dissatisfaction. Belluman lightly admonished him, saying, "Hey, don't put it that way."
Belluman founded the traveling troupe Lu Pu Zea and served as its organizer.
"But still..."
"I understand what Denver's saying, but there's nothing we can do about it for a while."
"I'm sorry."
When Zodia joined the conversation and apologized to Denver, Denver pouted and turned away, saying, "It's not something you need to apologize for."
Indeed, there was nothing they could do about it. Lu Pu Zea was currently being praised as a savior by all the traveling troupes across the continent.
The unprecedented poor harvest that struck the continent should have hit the members of the traveling troupes—people who drifted from place to place like floating weeds—the hardest.
Most traveling troupes performed in towns and villages to earn their livelihood. But if the towns and villages had no surplus, there would be no food to distribute among rootless wanderers. If the entire continent fell into such a state, the traveling troupes would have no choice but to starve to death wherever they went.
It was Lu Pu Zea—and the great military strategist Roa=Stein—that saved them from that crisis.
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―― Someone named Roa from Rudek's 10th Knight Order is looking for Zodia and the others. ――
They learned that through fellow performers at the beginning of summer. Zodia and the others were in Golbel.
"This time, it isn't 'Loref's Scream,' then." Zodia gave a slight tilt of the head. At the same time, Zodia wondered if it might be connected to the fact that ominous stars had been appearing in the sky more often lately.
"Belluman, what do you think?"
Zodia addressed Belluman. Belluman was the one who decided where the troupe would go. Since he was not particularly good at dealing with people, Zodia served as the troupe's public face whenever they entered a town, but merely as his proxy.
"...Well. Roa=Stein, huh..."
Roa was famous by now. Whenever Roa made a move, something happened. Even among traveling troupes, which were easily swayed by the times, Roa was becoming someone worth watching.
"..."
While silently waiting for Belluman to finish his lengthy deliberation, Zodia wondered what Roa wanted. Then Zodia considered reading the stars surrounding Roa, but shook their head.
Reading Roa's stars might only confuse me.
In fact, the one time Zodia had looked at Roa's stars, it had disrupted Zodia's ability to read the stars for quite some time. Given Roa's unusual circumstances, that was only natural.
Only a very small number of people, Zodia included, knew that Roa knew the future. And now that very Roa was calling for them. This time, it might be better for the troupe to go to Rudectrad, even if it meant overriding Belluman's policy.
As Zodia thought this, Zodia realized that Belluman was silently watching them.
"What's wrong?"
Belluman, who had been staring at Zodia's face, nodded and said, "Yes," as though he had reached some conclusion.
"Let's go to Rudectrad."
After Belluman made his decision, the members of Lu Pu Zea who had been listening to their conversation immediately began preparing to leave.
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And so, they arrived in Rudectrad during the sweltering season.
"Ah! Thank goodness! I had something rather urgent to discuss!"
Roa greeted them in his room with those words. Though he appeared unchanged from before, he was beginning to exude a distinctive presence.
It closely resembled the aura surrounding Emperor Drak.
It was the presence carried by people known as heroes and exceptional figures. How far would Roa go?
"So, what seems to be the matter?"
At Zodia's question, Roa's expression grew more serious. Other than Zodia and Roa, only Wickhart, Lapiria, and Nelfia were in the room. Sazaby was standing guard outside the door, making the atmosphere unusually tense.
Given the circumstances, it was almost certainly something concerning the future. Zodia listened intently.
"A poor harvest will strike the entire continent. If things continue as they are, many people will die."
Zodia had been prepared for a fairly major matter, but even Zodia could only think, 'Surely not,' at Roa's words. However, if Roa said it would happen, then a poor harvest would occur.
"So, right now, I'm sounding out the southern continent about obtaining enough food for Rudek to supply every country."
"For every country on the northern continent? But if that's the case..."
Zodia was about to suggest that they simply announce the poor harvest, but stopped. How much would each country believe? If the countries responded in vastly different ways, neighboring nations might come into conflict. At worst, the entire continent could descend into war over food. In that case, there would be less confusion if Rudek handled the distribution uniformly.
Realizing this, Zodia felt a chill run down their spine. Had Roa anticipated all of that? Or was it merely a coincidence?
"Oh, I'll have the Empire help, too."
At Roa's breezy remark, Zodia managed to smile back at Roa.
"...That is important..."
"And one other thing has been on my mind: what will happen to the traveling troupes?"
Roa's words caught Zodia completely off guard. In the most extreme sense, people in traveling troupes were effectively nonexistent as far as countries were concerned.
Apart from personal connections like Zodia's, it would be fair to say that no ruler would spare a thought for traveling troupes under such circumstances.
As Zodia stared in surprise, Roa continued.
"I want to secure food for the traveling troupes and arrange for it to be made available somewhere, but I called you here to discuss things like how many people are in the troupes and how best to provide it."
Faced with Roa's smile, Zodia could only bow deeply.