Ashes and Kingdoms

Just out of the royal palace, Finn and Mac suddenly fell on the way. I realized I hadn't decided where to meet my people.

Even when it comes to the city, Winnea is the only one I know. Try them, they didn't have to specify a meeting place or anything. It's their common sense that if you hit a few houses, you'll find them, if you go to Central Square even if you don't find them, there 'll be someone there.

But this royal capital is too large. Of course, even the squares and temples they have marked in their lives are dozens of them large and small.

The servant of the guide perceived the confusion between the two, and he contracted that he would find them among his companions. I know you two headed to the royal palace, so if you decide to stay, you'll come and let me know, and if you're lucky enough, we'll probably meet you there.

Finn and Mac seemed shy, and so did that, I agreed.

Then the servant stands first and walks out. Finn spoke at ease because the other guy was the same age boy as himself.

"It'll help. You're used to your treatment."

Then the boy gave an odd look and got stuck in a response. Finn and Mac look at each other in the reaction and tilt their necks. The boy unnerved and grinned bitterly as the two were decent.

"I am not used to speaking up to His Majesty the Emperor"

"Oh, I don't know."

Finn laughed and offered his hand.

"We just happen to be taking on His Majesty the Emperor's job, originally just a northern countryman. Don't hesitate."

"But Master Phineas is at the Dragon Marquis."

The boy measured his true intentions with caution and did not attempt to take his hand. To the snotty fin, Mac puts out a help boat.

"This Dragon Marquis is not noble, he's with the common people because he's made up. I'm Maxentius, pretending to be a squire, but I'm actually Brother Finn's disciple. Greetings."

As I say, I take the boy's hand and shake it without letting him say yes or no. Then he turned his hand over to Finn.

"What's your name?

To Finn's question, he replies, "It's Mion" with his servant-like obedience. Finn thought a little about the unfamiliar sound and noticed as he shivered and stared at his opponent.

"The Dolphins."

It is a people living in a dry meadow stretching north of Nornicom, in the eastern part of the Empire. Myon also saw that characteristic. Black curly hair, obsidian eyes. Reddish brown skin with elongated hands and feet.

Mion lay down his eyelashes and said yes.

Dolphins who live free, casual nomadic lives do not usually unite. But at some point in the post-war period, the chiefs of the Ambitious have a history of putting the tribe together to challenge the Empire and defeat it. A large number of Dolphins were taken to the Imperial Capital as slaves. I guess Mion is a descendant of it too.

But, of course, Finn wasn't in the nature of caring about those blood muscles.

"Nice to meet you, Myon"

Lightly said, Mion looks up surprised. Mac chuckled as he was stuck in confusion.

"In the meantime, let's go eat something because I'm hungry. Mion, nice to show you around. A cheap and delicious place if you can!

Mion laughed at the order.

"We'll show you where we're going, if you don't mind."

"You don't have to be so naughty"

When Mac was stunned, Mion answered with a glimmer of prank.

"Because I don't want someone to see me and punish me for what I'm saying to my customers. And once you let go, you'll have a hard time fixing it."

"I know," Finn also agreed stubbornly. "I, too, am always nervous before His Majesty the Emperor and the General. Regardless, Your Majesty, General Glaus was a casual person, so it was difficult to avoid being accidentally attached"

"Oh, really? My brother is always polite to Kachikochi. I thought that was normal."

Mac surprises, Mion laughs. The three of them took together and turned their feet to the lower town of the Imperial Capital.

Off the surface streets, the atmosphere changes as soon as possible. Busy is no worse than surface streets, but there are many people who look overwhelmingly below downstream or midstream. The gaze of curiosity followed me around, as always, but so far no one has stopped by to talk to me.

"How old is Mion?" Mac asks as he walks.

"It's eighteen."

"You don't have to talk politely to me. I'm sixteen, and I'm younger. Oh, what's with the approximate face? You're surprised I'm here anyway."

"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry."

"... wouldn't that be disrespectful?

"It is the privilege of the servant"

Finn laughs at the interaction between the two. Mac was disappointed.

Immediately the three arrived at a tavern. There are plenty of spiced, warm wines and stewed beans and vegetables in a number of jars mounted on the counter. The neighborhood also has butchers and bakeries, and it looks like you can get out of anywhere. An appetizing scent drifts from there.

Finn caught the attention of the guests and blurred his shoulders. I know the splendid "Dragon Hou Lady Clothing” is out of place, but still, if you want to eat where your clothes deserve, your wallet will be emptied.

Mion put the two of them in their seats, then ordered them the way they were used to, bringing plenty of wine and simmering in the bowl, plus bread, lettuce and even shredded smoked meat.

Handily slice into the bread and pinch the meat and lettuce, please, Mion offers. The two bumped into each other without hesitation.

"Good."

Raise your voice of surprise, and the two of you round your eyes. I never met bread so soft and aromatic in the north. Besides, having lettuce in the middle of winter would be unique to a warm country.

They had some intimacy with the two eaters and the guests around them. The atmosphere of the shop, which was white to misplaced guests, soothes and the usual buzz returns.

"Did you like it, Dragon Hou?"

The pavilion owner calls from across the counter. Finn, whose mouth was full of cheeks, was unable to reply, and nodded cozily. That childish trick makes me laugh more and more.

"Are you sure you're Dragon Marquis?

"I guess it wasn't just the clothes that got caught up from somewhere."

Several people who were nearby made fun of it without offense. Between eating, Finn manages to convey the fact that "he is indeed a dragon marquis but not a nobleman". It just so happens that the dragon likes me, that I'm the son of a powderer.

"Until I actually became myself, Dragon Hou was such a fairy tale. I don't know about the Dragon Horse Elecia in the East."

Turning subtly to the water, one drunk nodded, yeah, like he found out.

"That's the Flaming Dragon Marquis over there. General Glaus wanted to be burned all over the place. It's horrible."

"There's nothing worse than a woman's grudge. Master Genus should have cleaned thoroughly anyway. The Nornicombs are mostly making fun of their country."

"Sure. I can't help it, so I'm cooperating with my own country. I hope General Glaus breaks their nose columns on this occasion. I can't rely on the next emperor..."

That's it, the drunk remembered Mion's presence and hurriedly shut his mouth. I luxury a glass of wine because it looks bad and I can't tell you what it is right now. Mion took it for granted, as he always said.

Finn observed such a sight with interest, but when he realized that Nellis and his uncles had put it on something delicious, and so on, he thought of something else at some point.

The pavilion owner calls all the more cheerfully to deceive the awkward place.

"No, Master Phineas, by which birth?

Finn wanted to correct the fact that he didn't need to treat the son of the miller, but he gave up and decided to listen to him anyway, wondering if this would be the case all the way ahead.

"It's the north. Divara, it's the city of Nanais facing the sea."

"Heh, are you serious with Master Islev? You don't have this kind of food?

"I don't think so... because there were more seafood than meat in Nanais. Master Islev?

"You're one of the councillors. You look good in Lower Town, too, and we know it. Where was it... was it Winnea? He said he was from the north. I guess it's colder than home country."

An unexpectedly familiar place name popped out of the pavilion owner's mouth, and Finn, for a moment, frightened.

They don't know anything. I don't know exactly where Nanais or Winnea are, what kind of city,... what kind of situation they might be in right now.

A nearby guest looks odd at Finn, who shut up during the bundle. Finn laughed bitterly and deceived.

"Oh, of course, it's much colder. If it were by now, the snowstorm would continue, and the ocean would be dark and rough, and often you wouldn't be able to get a step out of the house."

"Well, that must be tough."

"Sort of. But instead, in winter, there are lots of delicious things to eat."

Fish get fat on them, and vegetables buried in snow get sweet... When we talk about other things without love, the customers listen to each other funny. For a common man who is not a merchant or a soldier, who travels to a neighboring village or town at best, it is a different world, such as the north of the mountains.

Finn felt a tingling pain that he had come a long way.

For a while then, after exchanging information with each other on an unusual topic, the two full men left the store after making payment. Mac, surprised by the high prices in the Imperial Capital besides his thoughts, said bitterly, looking honestly worried.

"You're starting to miss the North, brother"

"Oh. I have to go home as soon as I can."

- And suddenly Myon got a strange look.

"Welcome home? Aren't you going to live in the Imperial Capital?"

Of the moods contained in the complex voices, what Finn clearly understood was' disappointment '. Finn couldn't understand what he was disappointed in. The person I just met, who I thought I was going to be close to, will be lightly gone - disappointed about that? But I can't see the loneliness on Myon's face, nor the fine dust.

On behalf of Surprised Finn, Mac replied.

"We've only been escorting His Majesty the Emperor from Quanos. When I get my gear and food ready in the Imperial Capital, I plan to take a boat around the west to get back to the north. Of course, I'm not leaving immediately, so I'll be in the Imperial Capital for a while."

"Were you there?"

Mion nodded with a convincing flair. But as always, a faint disappointment surrounds him. Finn was slightly uncomfortable with the signs. For, I never even thought of words of apology.

After that, Mion, as polite as ever, guided the two of them around the Imperial Capital. Magnificent temples, squares and grand theatres built by the great emperors of old, and above all, grand libraries with precious books, etc. The explanation is polite, and if this one joked, it wouldn't have changed returning a carefree word, but obviously the first intimacy had disappeared from Myon.

It took me until the sun tilted to look all the way around, and when I returned to the royal palace, I was informed that the use of the inn was waiting.

"You were right about Mion."

When Finn said cheeky, Mion was not good at it, but carefully bowed his head.

"It's good to hear from you. I won't have the chance to see you again, but it was an honor to show you both around today. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Saying goodbye to the pale white, Mion leaves shortly after stopping. Later the signs lingered, whispering in Finn's ear.

(There's no point in being involved)

Instead of good and evil emotions there, there was not even a sense of contempt. The same judgment as choosing and discarding worm-eaten nuts from a cage, as a task.

Finn stood stunned. On the side Mac snaps his nose with a nagging face.

"Oh, my God, it's cold. Well, not for long anyway..."

"I guess I was hoping you could pull me out if you were close."

Finn sighed and explained to Mac's questioning.

"I don't know what Mion's current position is, but I can imagine a lot of dissatisfaction with the servant's life. I guess he wants to replace an easy job at all. When I arrive in the Imperial City, I will naturally need a new mansion and a servant. If you stay close within the present, or,"

"Oh, I see.... right. I grew up in Tetna, so I never saw a mansion or a servant or anything like that. Everyone worked just as wildly, taking care of cows and sheep, baking and caging and doing their own work, though. A servant like Myon isn't."

Mac snaps, relaxes and bites his lips. Every day, instead of working at your own discretion, you work for others, commanded by others, at the convenience of others. If it doesn't come true to get out of it, or if you can't even imagine it, it's natural that you want to at least make it easier within the scope of its work.

Finn shook his head small.

"If you were with me, you might lose someone who would be purely my friend. If we're gonna cut the edge, we're in now, Mac."

"Horse deer, what are you talking about!

Mac raises his bareback as if by accident. Decently cursed, Finn looked deliberately surprised. Mac blushes a little, but is outraged at how unsatisfactory he is.

"I know exactly how Nellis feels right now. I never told you, brother can be a hell of a fool sometimes! Not at all! You can't just leave me alone like that!

"Thank you."

Finn is clear and thankful. Mac had a fist in Finn's stomach when he sat on his face. Eighty percent, take a serious blow.