When Ardis and Rona arrived at the Imperial City while having such a conversation, they went to the Seseragi-tei, which is always used for lodging.
"Welcome--Oh! Aldis, right? Where have you been for more than a year?"
As she opened the front door and entered, the signboard girl of Seseragi-tei shouted at Aldis's face.
"It's bad. I was in a little trouble and couldn't return."
As he walks to a vacant seat in the corner, Aldis talks about Merrill. It's impossible to explain that world, so it's just an open story.
"Don't mess with a little annoying organization. I couldn't come back to the royal capital until the hotspot cooled because the aristocrat was involved.
"Is that so……"
I do not know that it is a 70% lie-covered explanation, and the color that notices Aldis appears on Merrill's face. When Aldis sat on a chair at an empty table, Rona crouched at her feet, as usual.
"Oh, but luggage ..."
As if reminded, Merrill slurs with an apologetic face.
"Oh, did you dispose of it? No matter what, I don't mind."
"I'm sorry because it's a rule."
As expected, there will be no way to keep the luggage left by a lost customer for more than a year. For Aldis, who had originally stayed only for a short period of time, there is no harm in disposing a little change of clothes or daily necessities for travel.
"Ah, but I'm sorry I'll give you a meal today! I just made a new dish today!"
In response to the words, Rona's ears fluttered.
"No, it doesn't. If you serve my father's food as usual-"
"Don't be shy, I'm confident today! I'll bring Rona's worth."
Intercepting Aldis's polite words, Merrill quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
"Al ..."
"I'm trying to refuse."
Aldis excuse his buddy, who is turning his eyes to grudge.
Merrill's creative cuisine, which some guests call the "Seseragi-tei's final weapon", is known for its strength. Unless there is such a dish that attacks the guest's stomach from the inside with unimaginable power, Seseragi-tei would have gained the reputation of a first-class inn long ago.
Because the father of Merrill, the owner of the najyuku, is a good cook, there are many new mercenaries and explorers who arrive at new prices combined with affordable rates. However, when the number of customers increased and the room was almost full, Merrill's culinary duty came as if it were clear. Naturally, there are countless people who fall down on the table with the creative cuisine, and as a result, it becomes a vacant room and welcomes new guests.
It's a good story if you don't let Merrill cook, but the innkeeper seems to be sweet for her only daughter.
The eyes of Aldis looking around are two young men who are sitting on a chair and are absent. The victim was once again sunk by Merrill's dish, which is offered twice a month.
"Well, if you can treat me, should I be grateful?"
"Thank you?"
"..."
Do you really think so? Looking away from Rona, who just turned her gaze, Aldis passed silently.
Meanwhile, Merrill brought a dish from the kitchen onto a tray.
"Don't hesitate to eat more and more!"
A plate with a deep bottom was placed on the table. It contained a stew-like simmer. Larger cuts of root crops and poultry are soaked in creamy liquid.
Aldis scoops it with a spoon and carries it to the mouth. Acidity that spreads to the mouth as soon as possible. Vomiting that rises at the same time.
Merrill begins to explain the dishes, noticing the expression of Aldis moving with a pickle.
Fermentation "Oh, you're still worried about the smell? But it's okay not to worry because the food is like that. Fermentation brings out the umami."
Aldis knows that fermented foods do exist in the world. But can this be called fermentation?
The body complains of a rejection like eating rotten vegetables. To put it simply, it is "something just before the corruption. This is not fermentation, Aldis swallows the words that go up to the throat with a simmer.
When Merrill left, Rona complained.
"Hey Al. Is this rotten?"
"... I feel like it's safe in a crucial place. There's nothing I can't eat ..."
"I wanted to eat something delicious ..."
"Don't complain, it's better than Nedulo's meat."
"It's sneaky to compare with that ..."
Bitches Rona flattens a fermented simmer, spilling in a small voice so as not to be heard on the other tables.
"Is this store okay? Will it break out with food poisoning over time?"
"That's okay because my dad is doing well. If it's going to be important, she will stop Merrill."
"I want Merrill to stop cooking before that ..."
Finally, Meryl returns to the Aldiss who have emptied the plates.
"It's Aldis! It's only Aldis who will eat everything with my dish.
"No, the replacement is good. I'm not hungry so much.
"Yeah, and it was delicious? Is it okay to add it to the restaurant menu?"
"Mm ... why wouldn't it be better to ask my dad than my opinion? I'm more professional in cooking."
"Well, even if I ask my father my opinion, I just say" Muh ... "or" Hum "."
Ardis accuses the innkeeper in his heart, saying that you can't do it.
"Oh no. It's time to be busy anyway, and the development of new menus will be off for a while."
"Is it busy?"
Fuyo Cup "Yeah, there's something coming soon! You have to enclose new customers!"
Fuyo Cup "What is it?"
"Huh? Don't you know, Aldis?"
Aldis asks questions he has never heard. On the other hand, Merrill smiles.
"You're doing it every year, but it was really canceled last year."
Fuyo Cup "What's the thousand swords, have you ever seen?"
Probably he had heard a conversation with Merrill. A mercenary sitting across the empty table called out.
"Well, if you aren't in the royal capital at this time, it's impossible to know.
Aldis recalls being told. It's been a long time since I moved from Tria to the royal capital, but every year during this time I was leaving the royal capital somehow. If it happens to happen, it is the story until then.
Fuyo Cup "What are you doing?"
The Fuyo Cup is a martial arts competition organized by the national army. The martial arts gathered from around the country decide the strongest person by fighting in a tournament style. Soldiers, mercenaries, explorers It's amazing because there are a lot of famous people out there, and Aldis should definitely go see this year! "
"Hmm ..., martial arts tournament."
"Well, maybe it's ostensibly."
"What does it mean?"
Aldis asks the meaningful words of the mercenaries.
"In fact, I know the guy who knows the race is to raise the reputation of Marquis Holguin."
"Marquis Holguin?"
Aldis recognizes the name. Because it was the name of a nobleman who had been heard from the mouth of Duke Nilesteria as the backdrop of the attack on Minerva.
"The organizer of the tournament is supposed to be the national army, but the actual division is that the army's heavyweight, Marquis Holguin, is doing it. It's not free to join, because mercenaries and explorers need the recommendation of the tournament organizer to enter, and there is no natural reason that the Marquis, the actual organizer, is inconvenient. It's only from the faction that the Marquis took his breath. ''
"But is that just a rumor?"
In general terms Merrill returns, but mercenaries easily deny it.
Kokai: I can't say it's just a rumor. In fact, it's the army and Marquis Holguin who win every year. Indeed, those who win may have the skills, but the world's more powerful mercenaries and searchers There are a lot of people, but they never come in. "
This time Aldis asks a question.
"Isn't he just not interested? Not everyone wants to make a name."
In fact, it was Aldis before.
Not all mercenaries and explorers in the world want to be famous. Some people may not want to be known for some reason.
"That's right. Winning a championship gives you fame and prize money of only fifty coins."
Fifty gold coins are a great deal of money for the average human, but it's not unreasonable for top-tier mercenaries. Depending on the nature of the job, Ted would be able to earn a single request.
Face: `` That's why even if the entrance gate is narrow, there is no much complaint, and since strong guys do not appear, the person who breathed Marquis Holguin wins every time, and most of the top prize winners are marquis. Soldiers who belong to the Faction. If you are a marquis of a family that produces a generation of military heavyweights, you probably need to keep that, but it's a good place to look at. It's just the best of each other. ''
"That's it-"
Aldis has a bad expression of a person.
"If a man who has nothing to do with the Marquis wins, will his face be crushed?"
"That's right ... nobody who can win won't be able to participate in the first place. The host army decides who to recommend to the contestants, and that army is dominated by the Marquis faction. You don't bother people who can threaten you? "
Hearing that, Aldis decided.
"It looks interesting. I'm going to play."
I don't need any more fame now. Of course, we don't want to win about fifty gold coins. But if Marquis Holguin is involved, the story is different.
The previous assault left Minerva missing for a year. As a result, he was said to have been prone to illness externally, and was invisible.
As a result, the royal family's garden tournament, which gathered the late candidates, was also absent, and was naturally removed from the list. In the past year, the two candidates have been narrowed down to one another, one of whom is the third daughter of Marquis Holguin, the mastermind of the attack on Minerva. In short, Marquis Holguin succeeded in successfully knocking down the most promising candidate, Duke of Nilesteria.
The Duke says he has "fought back", but he can't be convicted without clear evidence of only those who have a lot of influence in the military. Naturally, it would be difficult for the Duke.
Minerva has been down for more than a year and his reputation is not good. It was rumored that the curse was leaking from somewhere, and it was rumored that it was due to a curse, and it was unlikely that a decent bride could be found.
Of course, it is not interesting for Aldis. Although not so long, Minerva has been taking care of him as a student. If you are so clear-minded at the existence you have already pocketed, and you exercise your power, you can be an enemy to Aldis.
Of course, there is no shallow idea of crushing a high-ranking aristocrat, the Marquis, who has a great deal of power in the army, but there is no need to withhold if it can legally hurt him.
Marquis-bred prides can be beaten by just magical swordplays to Aldis, who is considered a magician by the public. How proud can it be for a marquis who has a great influence on the army and identifies himself as its leader?
In essence, Aldis thought that in return, he would be rampant and shame the Marquis.
"Eh ... No, Mr. Aldis. Can't you use magic at a martial arts competition? No matter how hard Ardis is, you can't do it against a soldier or a swordsman without a magic."
"It's exactly what Merrill says. You can't use your favorite sword magic because it's a tournament that competes in the fight with weapons. Don't stop because the magician just shame you.
The Demon The three major defeats and battlefield achievements make Aldis a renowned mercenary across the country. Devil But it was just that.
As you can see from the nickname of Thousand Swords Magicians, many people still consider Aldis a magician. It's no wonder Merrills try to discourage them.
"It's not easy to get out because I want to go in the first place. As I said before, I need a recommendation from the organizer. One mercenary will participate, and I will be dealt with when I say There's no reason. ''
"Well, there's a place to go."
If your opponent wants to protect your power with a shield, this is all you have to do to contradict power. Fortunately, Aldis has a crest called the Duke of Nilesteria. No matter how much the Marquis Holguin is in charge of the tournament, we can't make everything happen. With the power of a Duke, it would be possible to screw Aldis into a tournament in the form of a recommendation.
"I'll be rampaging without magic."
Despite the fear of Merrill, Aldis said to her.