Epilogue: An Unsettling Presence

Since coming to this country, there had been parties held whenever

there was an excuse, but this time, there were a large number of people in

attendance, so it was the largest yet.

It was unfortunate that one of the three leaders, Maria, who had

attended by Jewel Voice Broadcast, was unable to attend.

"Please, come to my country someday," she had said before

terminating the communication. "When you do, let's drink together."

"Yes. Someday."

Considering how far the Empire was, though, I didn't know if that day

would come or not. If the political situation in the world stabilized, we'd

eventually be able to travel to each others' countries for meetings, but...

there was no indication that would happen any time soon.

While I was thinking that...

"Bro! Are you having fun?!" Kuu broke in.

Kuu, who was already drunk, suddenly put his arm around my neck.

The impact nearly made me drop my drink.

"Whoa! That's dangerous... I mean, get away from me. I'm not into

getting touchy-feely with guys."

"It's 'cause you look so gloomy, Bro," he cackled. "You've gotta have

fun when drinking."

Kuu moved away from me with a cackling laugh.

"I'm enjoying myself," I said, relieved he had backed away. "At least as

much as anyone else."

"Hm? Well, okay then."

Because so long had passed since the start of the party, everyone was

off doing their own thing now. Juna was pouring drinks for Sir Gouran, who

was now our sworn friend, while Aisha and Hal were having a drinking

contest, and Kaede was watching and egging them on.

Leporina was taking care of Tomoe, who had been knocked out by the

smell of alcohol, and Roroa was talking to Taru, who had been invited by

Kuu.

It was turning into quite the chaotic scene.

"You seem to be in and awfully good mood yourself, Kuu," I said.

"Damn straight. I mean... You know." Kuu raised his thumb, and

indicated Taru who Roroa was talking to.

I see. He's in a good mood because of that...

"That" had occurred a few hours before.

When the meeting finished, Kuu took us to visit Taru's workshop on a

hill near Noblebeppu. It was to tell his childhood friend Taru that he would

be staying in the Kingdom of Friedonia for a while.

While we were there, we revealed our identities, too, but she wasn't

especially surprised. For a craftsperson like Taru, maybe the position of her

clients didn't matter so much.

"...So, that being the case, it's been decided I'll go to the kingdom to

study under Bro, and I'm only taking Leporina with me," Kuu finished,

resting his foot on a bucket that was lying around, and adopting the pose of

a sailor with his foot on one of the short posts used for mooring boats.

He might have thought it was a cool way of saying goodbye, or he

might just have been trying to act tough, but either way, resting his foot on a

bucket wasn't going to accomplish that.

While we all looked at him coldly, Kuu continued his speech. "Oh,

don't you worry, Miss Taru. Our parting will be a brief one. I'll stay with

Bro, learn from how he rules, and I swear, someday, I'll come back to you

as a real man. I look forward to the day when I return in glory to my old

home town."

Even though Taru wasn't saying anything, Kuu kept on giving his

parting speech.

Meanwhile, Taru was paying no heed to his words, and was pounding

on hot metal.

I don't know... It was the sort of scene that made me feel sorry for Kuu.

The lack of response from Taru made Kuu look upset. "Hey! Hey now,

Miss Taru! Here I am, giving you my farewell speech, so give me a little

response, would you? You'll be lonely without me, right?"

"Not particularly... I'm not interested in where you go, dumb master."

"Not interested...? Isn't that kind of harsh? Even if you aren't

interested, your childhood friend is here to say goodbye, so be a little...

nicer to me."

"Having you yammer on at me when I'm smithing is nothing but a

nuisance."

There was nothing he could say to that, so Kuu slumped his shoulders

in disappointment.

...Yeah, well, if the girl he liked was going to treat him that way, of

course he'd get dejected.

I guess I'll listen to him vent at the party tonight... I thought with a sigh.

But then I heard the sound of Taru putting the metal she'd been striking

into the water. She laid out a number of metal products on the table,

including the one she had just been working on. That shape with a small

blade on the end was nothing if not a scalpel.

"I tried making the thing you ordered with various metals," she said.

"Iron, copper, silver, and a number of alloys. Do you know which was the

best suited for it?"

Taru cocked her head to the side.

Ohh, so a sample scalpel was what she'd been working on.

Even if she asked me which was best, I wasn't a doctor, so I didn't

know. There were metal allergies and such to consider, too, so it couldn't be

decided on strength and cutting edge alone.

"I'll have to go back to my country and ask someone who'd know..."

"I see... Well, I'll go to the kingdom, too, then," Taru said offhandedly.

Everyone's eyes went wide. The most surprised of all, though, was

Kuu, who had been giving his parting speech until a moment ago.

"Huh?! You're coming, too, Taru?!"

"Not because I want to be with you, dumb master," Taru said willfully.

"I'm only going to the kingdom for my own reasons." Then she stared at

me and said, "I've heard that the king requested that, in case it becomes

necessary to make medical equipment for himself, he wants the republic to

send a craftsperson to offer guidance. I'll volunteer to be that craftsperson."

"You're going to come teach?" Kuu gaped.

"I'm interested in Friedonia's techniques, too," she said with

unswerving eyes. "I don't just want to teach; I also want to learn."

"...Fine. We welcome you, Madam Taru." I extended my hand to her.

"Let me prepare a dedicated workshop for you in the castle town. I'd very

much like to have you come to our country as a craftsperson."

"I'll be in your care." Taru firmly took my hand.

It looked like Kuu was dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events, but

he quickly pulled himself together and cackled. "Oh, I see! In the end,

you're coming, too! I don't care why. I'm glad we can be together!" And he

slapped her hard on the back.

"...Ouch. Don't hit my back." Taru had a bothered look on her face.

Then again, since she was just sitting there and taking it, maybe she

wasn't so unhappy about it? Maybe she was coming in order to be with

Kuu?

"How should I say this...? She has a complicated personality," Juna said

with a wry smile.

"Maybe it's actually for a really simple reason, y'know?" Roroa said

with a happy smile, standing on the opposite side of me.

In conclusion, it seemed that a woman's heart was a thing of mystery,

complicated yet simple.

So, with it decided that Taru would join us, Kuu was in high spirits.

He'd been downing his fermented milk pretty quickly since the start of

the party.

Kuu went over to where Taru was, and Roroa came over to me.

"Nyahaha," she grinned. "Ever since we came to this country, it's been

nothin' but parties."

"You're right... Hey, wait!"

Roroa had laid down and was using my lap as a pillow. Good grief.

I placed my hand on Roroa's head, and rolled her head around in my

lap. "It's unseemly, suddenly lying down like this."

"I ain't drunk. You've gotta keep things free and easygoing when

there's drink goin' 'round," Roroa said with a smug laugh as I rolled her

head around. "So, darlin', what next? More travels?"

"What's next"... huh?

"We have Kuu to consider now, so I think we'll go back to the kingdom

for a while," I said. "I'm sure I have work piled up that needs my attention,

and I'm concerned about Liscia, too. Besides..."

"Besides?"

"No, it's nothing."

"???"

There were question marks floating over Roroa's head as I continued to

pat her.

At last, Roroa smiled in satisfaction, and not long after that, she was

snoring. When the usually boisterous Roroa was asleep, she looked like a

sweet young maiden. While looking at her sleeping face, I thought about

what I had nearly said before.

Besides... What Maria was saying bothers me.

It had happened after the meeting, when I was saying my goodbyes to

Maria. Her previously relaxed expression had suddenly become serious.

Just I was wondering what was up, she had told me in a quiet voice,

"Lately, the monsters in the north have been becoming more active."