Volume 2 - CH 88

Chapter 3-3. Explanation

The both of us walked down the wide corridor, I and Uchikage were trying to find where Asure is.

That said, I don’t really know where I am currently, I’m thinking about asking the guards around there.

You see … this place is a really exquisite castle.

At most we passed some pairs of guards or maids just in this hallway.

I thought Uchikage knows where we are going, but it seems he doesn’t …

Well, he insisted on leading the way.

We passed another guards.

However, this time, Uchikage calls out to the guards.

“You guard over there, may I ask for directions?”

“Ouh, of course! What is it?”

“Where is Asure-dono?”

“If you ask where Asure-sama is, he might be in his room, but it’s already night, and if you want an appointment to meet him, tomorrow might be better- …”

“I really wanted to, but this is quite urgent.  Can you tell me the location of his room ?”

“Alright, follow me.”

The guards took the lead when he said that.

Apparently he will take us to Asure’s room.

There were other guards, but I was a little wondering why he talked only to this guard.

Maybe he was looking for a young guard.

And thanks to our status as honored guests.

If you are a young guard, it may be difficult to refuse the request of such a guest.

After following the guards for a while, it seems that we arrived at Asure’s room.

The guard knocks and calls out to the door.

“Excuse me for the night notification! Uchikage-sama request an urgent notice to see your majesty.”

When I thought I heard a rattling noise in the room, the door opened vigorously.

Asure is wearing nightwear, but he came out leisurely like walking in the park.

“Uchikage-dono! What happened? Please enter the room before that.”

“A- alright…”

“Hahahaha. I look a lot different from daytime. Ah, guards. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Y-yes! “

Leaving the relieved guards alone, we entered Asure’s room.

Asure advised us to sit on a chair and put a platter with fruits on the desk.

And he sat facing us.

“I’m sorry for my unsightly appearance …”

“No, it’s okay. But what’s wrong? You look a lot different from daytime …”

“I only have to plaster a dignified face as a king on a public matter. Uchikage-dono is like a benefactor to me. I can’t thank you enough. And … who is the person next to you? I didn’t mind it because he was brought by Uchikage-dono … “

“Heh- you didn’t recognize me? Well, I guess that’s understandable ~”

“…?”

I tried to be a little playful, but it seems that he really doesn’t recognize me at all.

Am I a bit too mean?

It’s actually fine with me to return to snake form, but if I do that, The MP consumption would be too much, so instead of doing that, I will create a water and make it emit light green.

This is the technique I used to make a model of Alena, but will he notice it?

“……… Eh? Ouren….-dono?”

“Pin pon! Correct answer!”

“What the he-!”

Asure is surprised with his eyes wide open with the expression as if his drowsiness has blown away.

Sometimes he rubs his eyes and looks at me again to make sure it’s not a dream.

“Don’t tell me you can turn into a human all this time?!”

“Well, just recently, I’m able to transform not that long ago … There were various conditions.”

“Hmm … I was surprised. I wonder if all snakes can evolve into humans?”

“I’m not sure but, I think I’m exceptional … We just came here to prevent unnecessary confusion. I’m sorry.”

“Is that so? I’ll tell Baltic-nii-sama later”

“’Aight, thanks beforehand.”

I tried to eat the fruits from the platter on the desk.

It tastes a bit strange but not bad.

Freshness spreads in my mouth and has a strong sweetness and a slight sourness.

It is a fruit with a strong taste.

“Delicious……”

“It’s Kokura fruit. It’s famous here …”

“Finally a good tasting food!”

For the first time I ate food with a clear ‘taste’.

It ’s really delicious.

My tension has risen a lot for a while, but they don’t seem to mind me.

I noticed it and suddenly became calm.

“Ahem… my bad. I was a little too excited.”

“Were you unable to taste anything in your snake form?”

“Uh, yeah. Everything is too thin when I’m a snake. Now I can taste any food no matter what I eat … Asure! Make sure tomorrow’s breakfast is gorgeous!”

“Hahahaha! Alright, leave it to me.”

“Thanks!”

It may look hilarious when a group of adult men are excited just talking about food.

It was the same for both Uchikage and Asure, so we laughed a lot.

But this is a very important event to me.

I ‘m unable to taste anything until now.

From now on, food will be a very important thing for me.

I slowly ate the Kokura fruit that I just bit.

I want to eat other foods, but I’ll do that tomorrow.

“Honestly … Ouren-dono’s character isn’t like what I imagine at all, I guess?”

“Omnomnom?”

“I mean, remembering that you are coming from the same place as Uchikage and Tenda, so I thought your personality would be strict.”

“Om nom- gulp … You said it, everyone is too stiff when they are facing me. To be honest I prefer this kind of comfortable atmosphere. Well, I don’t think it’s suitable for aristocrats to behave too loose like this. “

“Just as you know, the white snake is like a god to us. There is no way we treat you overly familiar.”

“Well, It’s not like I hate it. It’s just- everyone is too distant with me.”

This was often the case when I was in Zenki-village.

When I popped up when the Onis are having fun, they all freezed up as if they were afraid of me.

I didn’t go out to the castle very often because I thought I was in their way.

Maybe it’s just they don’t know how to handle me.

The kids often approached me, but in the end their parents often came out and got angry at them.

Every time I saw it, I felt like I was doing something wrong.

Will that be the case with this form?

Just being able to talk is already a big advantage for me, probably I don’t have anything to worry about when I go around this time.

I just wanted to have a casual conversation.

“Is that so … I’m sorry for the lack of consideration.”

“Don’t apologize. From now on, I hope we’ll be able to talk and get along.”

I tapped his shoulder on the slightly depressed Uchikage.

“By the way, Ouren-dono.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“What kind of relationship do you have with Alena …?”

I just realized, I haven’t told anyone because I’m still in my snake form at that time.

Actually, I’ve been able to transform  since that time, it’s just bad timing in my case.

I looked up at the ceiling and explained it as I remembered.

“Aah. It was when I hadn’t met with Uchikage yet … I was inadvertently caught in a trap set by a slave dealer … and I was thrown into the carriage on which the slave dealer was riding. It wasn’t until that time that I met with Alena. It seems that only Alena was moved to where the carriage I was because the carriages on which the slaves were riding were full. I was put in the next cage to her … I understand what she says. And she was aware of me at first. It feels like we’ve exchanged stories a lot. She also helped me to get out of the cage, so in a sense she is my benefactor. “

“So that’s it……”

“I really wanted to help Alena at that time … it was really difficult, and she told me to help Satella first. I heard about the jewels from Alena, just like what I showed Baltic.”

That was the most efficient strategy by Alena’s suggestion.

When I showed her the jewels, Satella knew immediately and I was able to rescue her.

Alena may still be trapped with the slave trader, but I believe she is alive.

I regret not being able to rescue her because I wasn’t strong enough, but I can’t help but regret that I can’t do anything at all.

Alena’s rescue operation will start tomorrow.

I must prepare and strengthen my mind.

“There was a treaty pack from a long time ago …. If Alena’s existence is lost, the Kingdom of Salettana will be in jeopardy. The worst war would be born, so please help Alena as soon as possible. “

“Of course I’m going to do that. How long until I get to the Kingdom of Salettana?”

“The destination time from here is around eight day by carriage, I think …?”

“It’s quite far uh …”

“Ouren-dono, eight day on a carriage isn’t as far as you thought, if you think so, then the other places are something more absurd to travel for you.”

“Is that so?”

“The country closest to Garrot is the demon settlement where Zenki-village is. Next is the Kingdom of Salettana. Next is the Kingdom of Palban. It takes about half a month to go to the Kingdom of Palban.”

I felt a little disheartened when I heard that.

I realized that I was thinking completely in the same way as in my previous life.

No matter how far you are, if you use an airplane, you will arrive mostly on the same day.

Even in Japan, if you want to go anywhere a cheaper way by using the train, or bus.

However, the available vehicle in this world is carriage.

Besides, not all roads are maintained, and monsters are everywhere.

I realized this is a world where I couldn’t buy food at a convenience store or stay at a hotel.

I had forgotten the senses of people because I had been living as a snake for a long time.

I reminded myself that civilization’s development is an amazing thing.

I can’t help thinking about what I can do, but I can’t help but beg for something.

I don’t have any choice but to get used to this.

“Let’s change the topic … Uchikage, is there any safe area where we are on our way?”

“… I’m not really sure, I don’t often travel around.”

“I just want to make sure. And there is Satella too. It will be hard for children to travel long.”

Asure who was listening to our conversation laughed.

“Fufufu, you are very kind, Ouren-dono. Tomorrow, I will give Uchikage-dono and Ouren-dono a reward for your achievements in this matter. I hope it will helps you in your travel”

“What did I do?”

“What are you saying? Didn’t you help Satella? And sometimes Gilnia.”

“Oh, that’s it huh. I used my recovery skills on Gilnia. That’s why he didn’t have to take a rest.”

Asure snaps his eyes to my words.

I wondered if I had said something strange, but I just said something around what Tenda said before.

Very few people can use recovery skills.

I have heard that at most those who have the skill to recover themselves will be used by those who have the skill to recover the other party.

That’s what I remembered, but Asure just laughed and carried on like usual.

“As expected of Ouren-dono. You have great skills.”

“… I forgot that Tenda told me to not reveal my skills to others …”

“Hahaha, I think it’s okay. I won’t let anyone know this information out of this romm, if something has happened, I’ll protect you from any harm in this country.”

Certainly it doesn’t seem like Asure will take advantage of me.

I can’t say I fully trust him yet, I would say I trust him a bit.

It seems better to hide that I have recovery skills.

“I guess if you need my help you can secretly ask me … Or rather, you can ask me if you want me to heal somebody.”

“Thank you. By the way, is that【Heal】? Or maybe 【High Heal】?”

“… No, it’s a 【Great Heal】.”

“Excuse me !?”

“!?”

Asure makes a strange voice astonishingly, and Uchikage trembles and is surprised.

The reaction between Tenda and the princess in the past is quite different.

They didn’t look so surprised at that time.

But Tenda said it was amazing.

Why is there such a difference in their reaction?

Asure and Uchikage looked at each other and nodded firmly.

Asure talks to me very carefully with his hand on his mouth.

“Umm, Ouren-dono … You really shouldn’t tell anyone about your skill. If anyone knows that, the country will try to restrain you.”

“The hell?”