The Drifting Ship Incident (7): A Voracious Appetite

Setting aside the discussion of Ludeck's delicious food for the moment,

"I'll go tell Ryuzel what we've just heard."

I saw Wickhart off as he said this. After obtaining Rururia's permission, he left.

Ryuzel should be waiting in the hallway on the other side of the door, partly to keep watch. Upon hearing Wickhart's report, he would probably send a subordinate hurrying to Rays-sama.

My most important mission had ended far too easily, leaving me feeling a little deflated, so I asked, "Why didn't you tell the soldiers who came before?"

"Why? Because... nobody asked?"

"Nobody asked?"

"Yes. I was more than willing to talk, whether or not someone from my own people—or Rufa-chan—came, but nobody asked. It actually started to frighten me. I wondered if they were going to kill me right then and there."

Well, I couldn't exactly blame the Third Knight Order. When they captured an Imperial drifting ship, a woman who exuded an air of nobility from her clothes alone emerged from inside. They must have been at a loss as to what to do. Perhaps they had decided to question the Imperial prisoner they'd captured alongside her first.

Whatever the truth, Wickhart returned fairly quickly. Ryuzel must have been listening in.

"Now then, shall we continue our conversation? This time, it's your turn to fulfill my request!"

The princess declared this with a huff, spreading her arms wide.

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"Oh, so there are eight countries in all on this continent?"

"If you count the Sixteen Despotates as one, that is. How many do you know, Rururia?"

"...Um, first there's the Greedle Empire, of course. I know about the Kingdom of Ludeck, too, and then the great northern power, Tzanadefor... and I suppose the Rifrea Holy Nation."

"I'm a little surprised you know about Tzanadefor." I asked out of simple curiosity. Tzanadefor was a great power north of Rifrea, but it should have little contact with the Southern Continent.

"Naturally. I studied at least the countries surrounding the one I was going to marry into."

That made sense. The countries bordering the Greedle Empire were Tzanadefor, Rifrea, and the Kingdom of Ludeck. All the others had been absorbed by the Empire.

Ludeck was obviously on hostile terms with the Empire, but Tzanadefor was hardly any better.

Unlike Ludeck, which was more often on the defensive, Tzanadefor was pushing aggressively into the Empire.

At present, Tzanadefor and the Empire were locked in a fierce battle with neither side gaining ground, and Tzanadefor's presence was a major reason the Empire was putting less pressure on Ludeck.

Rifrea was also on passively hostile terms with us, but what was the situation there? Given that the Empire had invaded our country when Rifrea had schemed to bring Ludeck down, was it possible they were secretly working together?

Hmm... No, that seemed a little hard to believe.

It was true that the Empire had invaded too, but in the end it had gained almost nothing. If anything, it seemed Rifrea had used it to its own ends. If so, perhaps Rifrea had invited the Empire to join the fight after launching its own attack.

While I was thinking, the conversation continued.

"Then let me explain the other countries," Wickhart said, taking over for me when I fell silent.

"To the west of our country, Ludeck, lies a country called Golber. We are currently at war with them. Farther west are two more countries, and north of those two, to the west of Tzanadefor, is the small confederation known as the Sixteen Despotates."

"The Sixteen Despotates sound rather like my country."

"What do you mean, similar?"

"My homeland, Fezaris, is one of the small-country confederations known as the Six Provinces. I hate to say it myself, but it's a backwater country in a particularly remote part of the Southern Continent. It's not as though the six countries get along particularly well, either. They quarrel among themselves, yet ultimately huddle together out of fear of the larger countries nearby."

I hardly knew how to respond to that.

"My lady, you really shouldn't say things like that..." Her attendant was the one who voiced the objection.

"But it's true, isn't it? I sought aid from a great power on the Northern Continent in an attempt to change that situation."

I see. The picture was becoming clearer. Rururia's country wanted the backing of a great power. The Empire, meanwhile, wanted a new trade gateway in one of the southern countries.

"Enough about my country. Now, tell me about the specialties of each country."

I wouldn't say my country was irrelevant, though. Rururia, don't you have a pretty important role to play?

Ignoring my feelings, Rufa, who had also been ordered by Rays-sama to entertain Rururia, began talking about Ludeck's specialties.

"When you say Ludeck's specialty... it has to be Poge, right?" she said, seeking agreement from Wickhart and me. I had no objections.

Poge was a stew made with Tritt, a vegetable with both tart and sweet flavors. There were an astonishing variety of Poge dishes, differing by region, town, and household.

Any ingredient would do—meat, fish, or even none at all. As long as it was simmered with Tritt as the base and seasoned, it was Poge.

My mother, for example, used mostly shellfish and simmered it into a somewhat soupy Poge. The shellfish stock made it especially delicious.

"Poge... Is it something you can eat anywhere?"

"Yes. I don't think there's anywhere in Ludeck where you can't eat Poge."

"...I want to try it. Hey, since I've told you everything you wanted to know, shouldn't I be allowed to go outside now? What do you think?"

Her question put me in a bind; I thought that was absolutely out of the question. At the very least, it wasn't something we could decide.

"What!? Why not?" she demanded with a pout, leaving me at a loss.

"Ah, but since you can find the ingredients for Poge anywhere, maybe we could call in a cook and have them make it for you..."

Rururia's eyes lit up at Rufa's suggestion.

"Really!? Then I want some! Hey, can you all cook this Poge thing, too?"

"Well, more or less..." I replied, but Wickhart said, "I'm hopeless in the kitchen," while Rufa added hesitantly, "I'm not from this country, so..."

Seeing this, Rururia declared in a tone that brooked no refusal, "Then it's settled! Roa, you make it!"