Volume 6 - CH 4.1

That’s Disgusting

Romarikku, which was located southeast of Ahmad, bordered Bigelow on the south and Garumani on the east. However, because the precipitous Cardoso mountain range was in between them, it was almost impossible for Bigelow to send its army to the Romarikku region directly. Nevertheless, the stronger implication of a large-scale garrison being permanently stationed in Romarikku was that it was a preparation towards Garumani which, similar to Ahmad, was a legitimate member country of the Holy AllianceLiga Santourear rather than towards Bigelow.

Similar to Bigelow, Garumani’s eastern neighbouring country Beluran was a country where many barbarian believers lived, and with the assistance from Bigelow, it had been continuing its conflict with Garumani throughout several hundred years. Romarikku’s garrison, which numbered ten thousand, was an advance party that was supposed to rush to the rescue of Garumani when necessary. That was precisely why the equipment and proficiency of the Romarikku’s army was maintained extremely high.

A large silhouette got down onto the handrail of the balcony of the guest house soundlessly, with a nimbleness that was astonishing judging from its size.

「Hahan?」

It pulled the big window fitted with a thin glass open and crept into the room.

「This manly body odour, it’s faintly fragrant… it’s so nice; a boyishness that has yet to become an adult, how precious—」

Fatih, who had grabbed a big pillow up from the empty bed and hugged it close, then thrust his face into it and sniffed the smell of it, smiled a smile of satisfaction before long and looked around the interior of the spacious room.

「…So, where did the important pretty boy go? To have gone out in the dead of night like this, he’s truly an outrageous child」

「Fatih-sama」

A man, who had come jumping from the adjacent room to the balcony, informed Fatih in a low voice.

「—The Dominas also isn’t here. And I don’t see one of the maids either」

「Araran? Did everyone take a night walk all together?」

「No, the aforementioned attendant wearing the strange armour and the remaining maids seem to be sleeping in their own rooms」

「Hey hey~」

Throwing the pillow at the bed, Fatih showed a savage smile.

「I don’t know what they’re doing, but isn’t that bad~? The Dominas and her guard disappearing together in the middle of the night, isn’t that a scandal already? Guhe!」

Letting out an eerie laughter like that of a dying toad, Fatih added on immediately.

「—Well, it’s at least better than a Dominas on active service being assassinated though」

「Fatih-sama」

Another man came to Fatih, who had come out to the balcony. An owl, of which its golden eyes were shining glaringly, was perched on his shoulder.

「—A notice from the people who had been keeping watch on the Dominas has arrived. The Dominas and her guard had slipped out of the town secretly by the two of them and gone inside the southern mountains」

「Hahan?」

Caressing his lips which showed a gaudy gloss, Fatih titled his head to the side. He let the owl on the man’s shoulder stand on his own arm, then tickled the area around its throat while giving it small shredded rabbit jerky.

「…What do those two intend to do by going inside the mountains? This is becoming more and more suspicious」

「What should we do?」

「This is perfect」

Fatih kicked the handrail of the balcony and jumped up onto the roof, then stared fixedly towards the south and chuckled to himself.

「…I don’t know what they’re thinking, but isn’t this a good chance? It wouldn’t be strange for any accident to occur in the mountains in the dead of night, after all」

「But Fatih-sama, Galarina-sama—」

Another man interrupted him nervously.

「What about Nee-san?」

「Didn’t Galarina-sama severely instruct you not to make a move on the Dominas and to just keep watch on her movements?」

「So?」

「Therefore, I’m saying that you’ll get a scolding from Galarina-sama if you do as you please any further! Even if it’s Fatih-sama’s father—」

The voice of the man who was remonstrating with Fatih changed into a strange sound of the wind suddenly. The owl flew away while making “meow meow” sounds, then circled noisily above Fatih’s head.

「Good grief… don’t act as if you’re loyal」

The man, whose throat was cut open, collapsed at the feet of Fatih, who had spat out so. Small bubbles of blood poured out from the gaping wound which was like a crescent moon, but it stopped shortly thereafter.

「…To think that he’d order me, what’s his intention, I wonder? Throw this away on the way so that it won’t be found out」

Without even changing his expression, Fatih ordered the other man to clean up the corpse.

「For us who believe in Marido, the Dominas of Ahmad is nothing but our mortal enemy. What’s Nee-san thinking, to want me to just keep watch on her…」

「I, is that all right…?」

「I said that it’s fine though? Or perhaps you didn’t see the conversational exchange just now?」

「N, no…」

The other men didn’t raise an objection towards Fatih any more.

「Well~then… I’ll be relying on you to guide me, all right, little-bird-chan?」

When Fatih threw the jerky, the owl caught it in mid-air, and then it made sounds like those of a cat again and flew towards the mountains.

「—You guys, follow closely!」

Licking his lips, Fatih started running on the roof.

The corpse, which was being carried left and right by the men running after him under their arms, looked as though it was a pitiful hare or mouse that was carried off to a nest as the prey of predatory birds.