◇

"Heya, I"d like to extend my booking period, is it alright?"
"I-if it isn"t Chevalier Pendragon-sama. We"re glad to see you"re fine, w-w-we can extend the period yes. I"m very sorry, but we"re going to clean your room, so please relax yourself in the lobby for a while. Of course we won"t charge you the admission fee.

How do I say this, the inn owner looks suspicious.
Right at that time, Pochi and Tama who have gone to see the horses come back.

"The horses aren"t here~?"
"The carriage isn"t here too nodesu."

Hohou?
Glint, Arisa"s and Liza"s look toward the inn owner. I"m smiling like a j.a.panese person would.

"T-the horses are currently being let to exercise on the ranch. Since the carriage was dirty, it"s being cleaned in a studio that usually deals with high-cla.s.s carriages. Of course they"re free since it"s our inn"s service."

I see, he secretly sold them since he thought I had died huh?

"Hou? That carriage is something that I"ve ordered from the master craftsman in the duchy capital, it worths no less than 200 gold coins. It"s not a studio that would damage or peel the paint is it?"
"Y, yes. Of course it is not."

Let"s claim 200 gold coins if the paint really gets chipped. That"s the actual market price after all.

"Liza, Nana, I"m worried about it so could you go and see the carriage?"
"N, no, you don"t need to do that. Everyone must be tired since you all have just got back from the labyrinth. We have just acquired some good lambs, so how about some meal. We"ll pick up the horses and the carriage from the store, so please wait for it while you"re having the meal, that, er..."

How do I say this, he"s too small time. So small I can"t imagine he"s the owner of this high-cla.s.s inn. Maybe he"s the son-in-law taken by the family, and thus wanted some small sum of money?

"Everyone, the inn owner-dono will treat us to a meal, thank him properly."

I"ll make him treat us with plenty of lamb dishes as the compensation for his trick. That much should be fine. The youth troupe thank him unconcernedly. I"m not sure if the owner thinks that his trick has been found out or if he"s successfully deceived me, but he honestly treat us with dishes.

The horses and the carriage were safely returned to the inn when we had finished our meal. I guess I"ll forgive him since he didn"t try to change the horses. I"ll treat the horses to some specially-made feed later.
Now then, even though the horses and the carriage have been returned, we still shouldn"t stay in this inn for long. I"ve extended our booking period as intended, but I"ll check the current condition of the Ivy Mansion before we dive into the labyrinth next time, and if it looks habitable enough, we"ll probably move there.

◇

"What is the meaning of this, Heson!　What"s happened to my carriage!　After overcharging it to 300 gold coins, now you"re backing off from the deal, what is this."

There are people who don"t know TPO out there huh.
I see, so my carriage was going to be sold at 300 gold coins huh. He seems to be quite excellent at overcharging people.

"Baronet Dyukeli-sama, that mistake happened--"

The inn owner draws closer to the old gentleman who looks like a wire. Urged by the landlady, we went to a pa.s.sage guided by an employee.

I don"t intend to thrust myself into an unnecessary trouble, so I come back to the room and take a rest with everyone. While being covered by little girls on the bed, I read the Toruma Memo in the menu.

It seems that he has investigated Baronet Dyukeli too, but as expected, even Toruma couldn"t have personal connections with such faraway n.o.bles, there are only two informations written, [A follower of Marquis As.h.i.+nen], and [Deals with Magic Tools].

However, there are slightly more detailed information written about the current viceroy of Selbira, Marquis As.h.i.+nen. Information that sound almost like he"s badmouthing him; like how the previous generation had died unnaturally in the royal capital 20 years ago, or that the current marquis is stingy and like bribe money, or that he"s a hen-pecked husband and arrogant.

It"s written that Marquis As.h.i.+nen will soften his att.i.tude toward someone who"s brought him some expensive gift. Since it seems that it"s better for the gift to be of the vulgar [Looks Expensive] kind rather than work of arts, let"s present him with the gold nude woman statue I"ve acquired from my duchy capital acquaintance. Since that thing worths 20 gold coins, it should be enough. It"s also written that he"s into men, but since he likes the macho-type one, I should be safe as I"m outside his type.

I"ll bring some presents for the wife too since it"s said that he"s a hen-pecked husband. According to Toruma Memo, she likes jewelries and confectionery, so I"ve decided to bring some jewelries I"ve got from the duchy capital, and some castella. Since hotcakes seem to be all the rage in the duchy capital right now, I choose a slightly different kind of castella.

I slip out of the bed after confirming that everyone has fallen asleep, and ask an inn employee to deliver a letter that contains my wish to meet face-to-face with the viceroy to his mansion. Since I"m scheduled to meet the Labyrinth Army General tomorrow afternoon, I"ve made an appointment to do this one the day after tomorrow.

◇

"My, you"ve already collected the needed magic cores quota?"
"Yes, this is the achievement proof I"ve received from the staff-san on the labyrinth entrance."
"Quite a wonderful result isn"t it. Have you entered a labyrinth before?"
"Yes, another labyrinth for a bit."

I make which of the labyrinth vague. She seems to have asked about it casually too, she doesn"t seem interested to ask which labyrinth it is.

"Well then, please wait on the sofa over there while for the person in charge that will guide you."

Pestered by Arisa and the others, we went to the east guild after breakfast to raise our rank to bronze. By the way, the breakfast were dried white breads, potage pumpkin soup, and scrambled eggs with thick sliced roasted bacons. The line-up somehow feels like something that have been influenced by a reincarnated person.

We"ve been guided to another room, and then we submit our IDs from Muno city, and sign the official registration deeds. I checked it with magic perception just in case, but there didn"t seem to be any magic-related trap. We were offered to check our status and skills with Yamato stone free of charge for the rank up, but I refused since there was no need to do that particularly.

"What would you like for the party name?"

Everyone began to argue from the words of clerk-san. Since it didn"t seem like it would be decided immediately, I asked the clerk-san some time.

"Chevalier Pendragon and His Mistresses."

Rejected.

"Pochi and Master."
"Ara, Pochi-chan, do you not like being together with us?"
"I-it"s not like I don"t like it nodesu. Pochi and Master and Tama and Liza and Lulu and Mia and Nana and Arisa is fine nodesu!"
"Long~?"

Lulu teases Pochi"s verbal slip. She corrected it immediately, but just as Tama"s said, it"s too long.

"It should be more concise. How about Demon Lord Slayers?"
"Isn"t that like a t.i.tle?"

It"ll be troublesome if there"s someone who believes that, and most people will probably laugh at us for trying to be like heroes.

"Young Organism Protection Corps, so I recommend."
"Eh~, then we would be obliged to protect the little girls in front of the labyrinth."
"I"d like to at least protect them from starvation though."

Is there no organization or something that distribute food in this city?

"Chevalier Pendragon and His Pleasant Friends sounds nice."
"Lulu, you really are Arisa"s big sister after all."
"Eh, Lizsan, what do you mean by that?!"

Looks like Lulu has been steadily dyed with Arisa"s Showa power.

"Friends of Fairy."
"Well they are our friends and all~ But it doesn"t sound like a party name~"

And, I guess Tama is the only one who hasn"t stated her opinion?

"Nn~? Eat Meat Corps."
"Eat Hamburg Steak Corps."
"Eat Roasted Whole Bird Corps."
"Eat Chocolate Parfait Corps."

Isn"t everyone just mentioning the thing they want to eat while pretending to suggest the party name? But, I"d like to eat chocolate as it"s been awhile. I feel that I"d find it if I search around the southern archipelago.

I had a feeling that we wouldn"t ever decide on it if it continued like this, so I registered my house name as the temporary one.

"Well then, it"ll be complete in three days, so please use these temporary bronze plates until then."

Each of us receives a temp bronze plate that"s carved with East-1~East-8.
The official bronze plate probably takes time to complete since it"s carved with the owner"s name and the party name.

◇

The General of the Labyrinth Army is a middle-aged man with hooked nose who"s the very picture of someone from a n.o.ble family with his arrogant air. It"s the younger brother of Duke Bishtall from back then, Honorary Earl Eltall.

After the greeting, we begin to apologize to him. For the time being, I"ve brought three kinds of smoked food and the dragon spring liquor as presents. I"ve also asked the inn to make the liquor store deliver several kinds of first-cla.s.s liquor in barrels to the soldiers.

"Hou, so he"s the outstanding talent who"s carrying the future of s.h.i.+ga kingdom huh?"

I harden a little from General Eltall"s words.
I don"t remember carrying that future you know?

"That"s right. Thanks to him, Muno City which had become the breeding ground of demons was saved, and even the lower demon in Gururian city was destroyed with surprisingly low amount of victim.
His and his retainers" abilities are probably equal to first-cla.s.s knights" prowesses.
And, in addition to his battle prowess, he"s also well versed in magic. He single handedly developed various magic, including the beautiful 『Fireworks』 magic that captivated people"s hearts.
Perhaps because of his personality, even among the factions that are spread in my lord"s domain, I"ve never heard any disturbing rumor like a.s.sa.s.sination"s attempt, thanks to his cooking and personality as the lubricants."

Please stop the excessive praises. Poker Face-san is dying.

Moreover, leaving aside the Barondom and Gururian city. What do you mean by lubricant? Have I done something?　Let"s ask the detail from the viscount later. Were there really factions in that carefree duchy capital.

"If you really can change someone with your cooking like that, I"d like you to do something to that Marquis As.h.i.+nen."
"He might be unexpectedly changed you know? His cooking has mediated that Marquis Lloyd and Earl Haku after all."
"What!　Those two who are like cats and dogs?"

Which Marquis Lloyd and Earl Haku are they talking about again?
Is it about the predecessors?　The two people that I know should be in a really friendly term. They were always smiling after all.

The boy page came while bringing the smoked meat that I had presented on a plate. He had prepared cups for several people. Don"t tell me we"re going to drink in the broad daylight?

Contrary to his appearance, General Eltall is an affable person.

"W, what"s this liquor? Chevalier Pendragon, where did you get this liquor?　It"s the first time I"ve drunk this liquor."
"It tastes like Toruma"s treasured liquor huh, so that liquor was really something you had brought."

Let"s fabricate some story since I can"t exactly tell them that it"s something summoned by the black dragon"s magic.

"That is something I obtained from a merchant called Heiron in the trade port of the dukedom. I heard that it was liquor from some distant land, so perhaps it"s from the archipelago or another continent."

I don"t know whether it"s because they comprehend that excuse, or because my Deception skill is at work, but it seems they"ve consented. The story flows, and I"ve been made to promise to give the two another dragon spring liquor later.

If I can get along with the military top position in the place where I"m staying with just one bottle of liquor in ton unit, I"ve got my money"s worth.