Theorad Wants Revenge (2)

I bought a “monster-hunting weapon” from the merchant, who threw in some beef jerky as a bonus, and returned to my seat in the carriage.

“We're off!” the coachman called.

With a rattle of wheels, the carriage pulled away from the corner and joined the main street.

I was watching the townspeople through the window when someone yawned beside me. I turned to find Beynon rubbing his eyes, apparently having just awakened.

“Hmm… Aren't we there yet? This is taking longer than I thought.”

Unbelievable.

“We arrived, I finished my shopping, and we're on our way home, Beynon.”

“What? We are? Why didn't you wake me?”

“I hardly needed an armed escort to buy something in the shopping district.”

“Ah, true enough. Where would an assassin find the opportunity to attack our young master?”

“That's quite a leap. Why would anyone send an assassin after me?”

I had meant it as a sharp retort, but Beynon gave the question serious thought.

“Well, the head of House Deharem isn't important enough to become the target of some great political struggle. And even if someone wanted to make a scapegoat of you, they couldn't easily lay a hand on you. You see, the Deharem viscountcy is like a beehive.”

“A beehive?”

“Exactly. The house enjoys a great deal of trust. The villagers are fond of you, and His Excellency the Count has complete faith in you as well. Who would want to make an enemy of the entire County of Pelgaroin by attacking its young viscount?”

In other words, anyone foolish enough to reach for the honey would have a swarm of angry bees after him.

A beehive, though. I couldn't decide whether to take that as a compliment.

Beynon leaned back against his seat and smiled.

“That's why I enjoy being a knight in the service of House Deharem so much.”

“Because ours is a house people trust?”

“Of course not. I get my wages without having to risk my neck. It's a wonderful arrangement.”

My mistake for asking.

I called upon what patience I had left.

“You should understand that the salary I pay you also covers the duty to preserve our family's dignity.”

“Hmm? Have I ever done anything to disgrace House Deharem?”

“Can you say that while dressed like that? Keeping your armor clean and in good repair is one of the most basic duties of a knight.”

Beynon shook his head with maddening ease.

“You've misunderstood, young master. The noble knights who fuss over appearances might care about such things, but real knights like me, who honor tradition, consider every mark on our armor a medal. Each one proves we've survived a battle.”

I'd heard this argument so many times that I was sick of it. He was the sort of eccentric who wouldn't hear of replacing his battered armor, however often I raised the subject. There was no point trying to persuade him.

I admitted defeat and looked away.

“By the way, young master,” Beynon said, turning toward me. “Are you enjoying yourself with that elf slave?”

My cheek twitched before I could stop it.

Enjoying myself? The elf might be enjoying herself. I certainly wasn't.

“You seem determined to pry into everything.”

“Of course I'm curious! She's got a full chest and lovely hips, hair like silk, and a face that looks as though it's always blushing. And you, who normally avoid women altogether, took one look at her and brought her home. How could I not wonder?”

“I admit she's beautiful, but—”

“So? Have you done it?”

“Done what?”

“You know. This.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beynon holding his hands together. He pressed his palms against each other, pulled them apart, and pressed them together again. Each movement produced an unpleasantly distinct smack of skin against skin.

He was the one making the obscene gesture. Why was I the one feeling embarrassed?

“You idiot! Stop that!”

“Oh? You haven't done it yet?”

“I said stop!”

Beynon gave a sheepish smile and shrugged.

“I'm only concerned about you. You'll have to spend a night with Lady Ashley sooner or later. Why not get a little practice with the slave first?”

“Why would I need practice for that?”

“Well, men can turn into rabbits their first time. Imagine it: the woman has barely begun to enjoy the foreplay, and the man is finished already. You wouldn't want that, would you?”

“Rabbits? What are you talking about?”

“It's what women call a man who ejaculates so quickly that neither of them has time to enjoy it. I was a rabbit myself the first time. Three minutes and forty-eight seconds, exactly. It was with Tanila, a prostitute at the Red Rose Tavern.”

“How in the world do you remember the exact time?”

“How could I forget? It was a momentous day.”

Was this man actually insane?

“…Enough. Stop telling me these things. And Beynon.”

“Yes, young master?”

“Stop calling me that. I'm the head of House Deharem now. I'd appreciate it if you addressed me accordingly.”

Beynon blinked in surprise and stroked his dark beard.

“But I've called you young master for so long. I can still picture those bright eyes of yours when you begged me to teach you swordsmanship…”

“Isn't that a memory you ought to have forgotten by now?”

“Hmm. I still like calling you young master. Besides, it pains me to see you spending every day working for the prosperity of the house. Your father didn't care only about the family's prosperity. More than anything, he wanted you to be happy.”

He was changing the subject on purpose.

Was he so reluctant to call me the head of the house because he still saw me as a child? Or because he refused to acknowledge me as his lord? Neither possibility was particularly pleasant.

“Tsk. Do as you please.”

I clicked my tongue. Beynon scratched his cheek, looking rather bashful.

For a while he fell silent and gazed out the window. Then he snapped his fingers, as if a thought had just struck him.

“Oh! Since it's been ages since we went out together, how about stopping somewhere for a meal?”

“An unnecessary expense. We can eat at the mansion.”

“I suppose so. What a shame. I wanted to introduce you to a place I know. The cooking there is superb.”

Ignore him.

“The instant you bite into the meat, the juices burst across your tongue. The vegetables served alongside it are wonderfully fresh. Even the seafood, which you rarely find around here, is so fresh it practically wriggles as though just caught. And the texture of their seasoned shrimp—there are no words for it.”

I have to ignore him…

“Then there's the macaroni, all covered in grated cheese. Such fine ingredients, prepared by such a skilled cook. Everything comes together perfectly in your mouth.”

Without my permission, saliva flooded my mouth.

I held out for a few moments longer before lifting my head with an air of resignation.

“Well, if you're going to beg me so insistently, perhaps we should visit. I might learn something useful to pass along to the mansion's chef.”

“Heh. Of course, young master.”

I hated that sly smile of his.

Unfortunately, I wanted the food more than I wanted to wipe it off his face.

---

By the time Beynon and I had finished eating and returned to the mansion, the sky was already glowing with sunset.

“Thank you for your work today. Go and get some rest. You too, Beynon.”

I stepped down from the carriage and dismissed both the coachman and the knight. As I started toward the mansion, however, something made me stop.

A woman was flying toward the estate on a broom, silhouetted against the setting sun.

The wide-brimmed hat on her head, hung with all manner of decorations, made it obvious she was a witch.

What's a witch doing at my mansion?

Curious, I waited with my hands clasped behind my back. She floated down to the pavement, landed lightly, and picked up her broom. A badge on her chest read Apprentice Witch.

“Hello! You're Lord Theorad, the head of House Deharem, aren't you?”

“You know who I am?”

“Of course! You're the person I'm delivering a letter to. It would be rather awkward if I didn't know that.”

Ah. Someone had paid for a witch's express delivery.

I nodded, and she smiled as she took a letter out and offered it to me.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you for taking the trouble to bring it.”

I accepted the letter with a polite word of gratitude—then caught my breath.

The seal bore a swan with a piercing gaze and wings spread wide.

Count Pelgaroin's crest…

The swan was the emblem of the count's family. And if a letter had come from that household, there was one obvious reason.

They must be furious about how I treated Ashley.

If Ashley had gone back to the castle and told her father about my disgraceful behavior, this was exactly what I could expect. His Excellency, disappointed in me, must have written to rebuke me.

With tears in my heart, I broke the seal and read.

Dear Theorad,

How have you been? I hope you'll forgive me for not visiting the mansion lately. I've been caught up in all sorts of business.

I'm writing because my sister Ashley has been acting strangely ever since she saw you, and I wondered what might have happened.

Normally, on the day she visits you, she comes home in such high spirits that she can hardly stop talking. It's embarrassing to admit, but most of what she says is praise for you.

This time was different. She seems absorbed in her thoughts, as if something is weighing on her mind. When I ask her what's wrong, she won't tell me.

Did something unpleasant happen between the two of you? If there's anything I can do to help your relationship, please don't hesitate to let me know.

With love,

Fred

It wasn't from His Excellency the Count after all.

Relief washed over me as I finished reading. Thankfully, Ashley appeared to have kept quiet about my rudeness. I couldn't have been more grateful.

“Finished reading?” the witch asked brightly.

I nodded. She sat astride her broom, which hovered a little way above the ground.

“If you've got a reply, tell me now. I'll stop at the count's estate on the way back, then I'm off duty.”

“Ah, in that case, let me go up to my study and write something—”

“That won't do. The sun's nearly down. Witches only run errands until the moon rises. Humans and witches agreed to that on Walpurgis Night. It's a proper pact, one even His Majesty the Emperor can't break.”

What a difficult witch.

But I couldn't do anything about it.

I thought for a moment before answering.

“Please tell him there was a small misunderstanding. I'll explain everything to Ashley when I visit the castle soon.”

“Understood!”

The witch smiled, kicked off the ground, and shot upward with a whoosh. Her broom carried her higher and higher until she became a distant figure against the sunset, almost swallowed by its glow.

I watched her go for a moment before collecting myself and resuming my walk.

I can't go on letting her torment me.

The incidents involving the elf had amounted to little misunderstandings so far, but one day they could swell into a scandal serious enough to ruin the family's standing.

I have to put a stop to this before that happens.

Unless I dealt with the elf at the root of it all, my life would remain in danger.

Tonight, I would hunt an elf…

No. I would hunt a demon.