Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. – Chapter 56 – A Conversation Filled with Deeper Meaning

Author: Cireng

Chapter 56 – A Conversation Filled with Deeper Meaning

“I packed in a little bit of everything.”

The maid Charlotte, who looked as though she’d already had a drink first thing in the morning, helped her apprentice Abel sling a backpack over his shoulders.

The bag was stuffed full of camping cookware.

Since this would be Abel’s very first dungeon expedition after becoming a Chef, she had personally prepared everything for him as his master.

“Real combat is different from training. Follow what you’ve learned, but cultivate the insight to make different judgments depending on the situation.”

“Yes!”

Marlin, wearing the wide-brimmed hat I’d bought her as always, nodded attentively while listening to advice from her own mentor, the butler Sergius.

“Marlin, are you nervous?”

“…A little?”

It wasn’t her first expedition, but it was her first real mission since receiving proper adventurer training, so she seemed a bit tense.

Sergius smiled gently and began teaching her ways to ease her nerves.

“Cultist Karr.”

While watching the siblings receive last-minute guidance from their respective teachers, Odilon called out to me with a sour expression.

Standing behind him like a shadow, Rosalia was carrying three books.

All of their covers were bright red.

“Here. The books you asked for.”

[Novel Series: ‘Hero and Mother’]

[A work overflowing with bloodshed and rage, telling the story of a war hero who sacrificed his daughter as a living offering to calm an Evil God’s wrath, and a mother seeking revenge for her child. Everyone dies at the end, making it a perfect match for Odilon’s tastes. …Wait, don’t tell me you like this kind of thing too…?]

“Thank you, Young Master.”

After storing the novels inside my Spirit Domain subspace, Odilon spoke again in his usual curt tone.

“Cultist Karr. Swordsman Pendrick is an excellent expedition member… but he has one fatal flaw.

“Goodness… I’d better hear this. What is it?”

“He talks too much.”

The young master, who despised healthy interpersonal relationships, muttered with a frown.

“He’s already become completely friendly with Sergius, Charlotte… even those thieves from the Black Sword Guild, and he chatters nonstop without taking a single break… He certainly is exceptionally sociable. Give him enough time, and he’d become friends with a rock. He’s exhausting.”

“…Do you dislike me?”

As if on cue, Pendrick had just stepped out of the mansion and joined the conversation with a disappointed expression.

“I thought we’d become fairly close. Especially this morning, when we met in the training room. Didn’t you greet me quite warmly?”

“I didn’t say a single word.”

“But I believe hearts can connect even without conversation. When I lived on the Eastern Continent, many elves refused to learn the common language, so I had no choice but to master communicating through body language…”

“…”

Even as the young master’s face steadily twisted into a deeper scowl, the genius swordsman’s story continued without pause.

‘Bzzzt!’

The Exalted One expressed His opinion that the combination of a blunt, gloomy fellow and a charming social butterfly wasn’t bad at all.

I had to admit… their balance was surprisingly good.

“Have you ever heard of the druid Mirel? We became close while I lived in the East. She’s incredibly capable…”

Sensing that the chatter was only going to continue, Odilon quietly glanced toward me, wordlessly urging me to do something.

I nodded as if to say, ‘Leave it to me,’ then interrupted Pendrick, who had become completely absorbed in reminiscing.

“Sir Pendrick?”

“Ah, yes, Captain.”

“I’m terribly sorry, but you’ll have to postpone your conversation with the young master until after we return from today’s expedition.”

“He said he’d like to have a private talk with you later. You’ll be able to chat to your heart’s content all day then.”

“Really? Understood!”

“…Cultist Karr.”

Odilon shot me a glare, so I responded with a finger heart.

“Well then, we’ll be heading out.”

“Wait, just… Rosalia, you should hurry and come too.”

Rosalia gave the young master a slight nod before silently following behind me.

“See you later, Young Master! I’ll tell you all about our expedition afterward!”

Pendrick, who managed to completely drain Odilon’s spirit until the very end, hurried after us.

As we walked, Marlin quietly looked over each member of our group before whispering to me.

“Karr… are you planning to recruit only people like yourself into the expedition?”

“People like me? What do you mean? Capable and overflowing with charm?”

“…”

When his older sister kept her mouth shut, Abel hurriedly answered instead.

“Patron, are you planning to recruit only talented people like yourself from now on?”

“Of course. Everyone will be just as promising as I am. I’m rather looking forward to seeing what the Moonlight Expedition will become in the future.”

“So am I.”

Astrimia, who had silently listened to our conversation, let out a weary sigh.

“I’m certainly looking forward to the future as well… in more ways than one…”

***

We headed toward today’s destination.

Marlin, once again wearing the wide-brimmed hat I’d bought her, walked with cheerful steps.

“Which dungeon are we going to?”

“The A-Rank dungeon Tiger Extermination Hell.”

“…There’s no way a dungeon with a name like that exists!”

“I’ll take you there someday.”

“Look forward to it.”

While teasingly pulling down her hat to block her vision, we arrived at the dungeon’s location.

The southeastern district, between Cultist Town and the slums.

Beyond a low stone wall stood a collection of buildings colored in an elegant mixture of black and white.

Abel silently surveyed the surroundings.

Then his ears twitched.

“This is… the Harmony Church monastery.”

[Landmark — Artea Monastery]

[A terribly boring place where followers of the hypocritical goddess live humble lives. May the Wise One’s gaze someday fall upon this place!]

This monastery housed members of Harmony Church organizations such as Window of Order and Seeking Lantern, all living together in communal life.

Normally, only followers of Artein were permitted inside, but adventurers entering to challenge the dungeon were granted an exception.

“May Artein embrace the world with sunlight-like grace. Greetings… What brings you here?”

“Greetings, Holy Knight.”

“We’ve come to conquer the dungeon.”

After presenting our identification plates to the Holy Knight guarding the entrance, we entered the monastery grounds.

Marlin skipped ahead, sniffing the air repeatedly as she looked around.

“The air feels so much fresher than the slums.”

“Naturally, This is a place touched by the hands of the One Who Protects All.”

“Is that really the only reason?”

“A sacred relic that purifies all nearby pollution has been installed here.”

Such a perfect air purification system.

Artein’s sacred relics truly benefited the world.

Despite both being artifacts of equivalent rank, Sky Invader couldn’t compare in usefulness or versatility.

‘Zap!’

The Exalted One loudly insisted that if I simply offered Her better sacrifices, She could grant me splendid sacred relics too.

It was pure bluff.

She had already become an impoverished deity with barely any faith left simply from bestowing Sky Invader upon me.

“Let’s move slowly.”

Walking deeper into the monastery while enjoying the refreshing purified breeze, A magnificent tower built right beside the slums came into view.

Its rooftop glowed like a lighthouse.

It was used to monitor the poor.

I’d experienced it myself… Having someone constantly watch your every move wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

It practically forced you to live a more upright life.

“We need one warrior!”

“Any monster butchers available?!”

To the right of the watchtower, large, muscular adventurers reeking of sweat shouted while recruiting temporary expedition members.

“Ashmi, looks like it’s nearby.”

“Looks like it.”

Pendrick, who had been busily sightseeing around the monastery, suddenly pointed somewhere.

“Ah! I think it’s over there!”

Following the genius swordsman’s finger, Marlin blinked blankly.

Near an enormous tree flourishing under the blessings of Artein’s sacred relic, stood a piece of furniture that completely clashed with its surroundings.

“…A bookshelf?”

A bookshelf so tall it was roughly the height of three Rosalias stacked atop one another stood firmly in the middle of the grass like a gigantic tree.

[Entrance to the Library of Sin.]

“Adventurers! Please line up in an orderly fashion!”

A dungeon management priest belonging to Seeking Lantern shouted while trying to organize the waiting expedition parties, but there were simply too many people.

Abel, who stayed close beside me, tugged gently on my sleeve.

“Patron. Are this dungeon’s rewards particularly good? There are a lot of people.”

“Oh? Sharp observation, Abel.”

Before I could answer, Pendrick smiled down at him.

“I was wondering what kind of children would receive the captain’s patronage But both of you are so clever and spirited.”

“…We’re not that remarkable.”

Abel bit his lip and looked away after receiving the compliment.

Pretending not to notice the boy, secretly trying not to smile, I ruffled his hair while slowly surveying the surrounding adventurers.

Then… my eyes met those of another adventurer who happened to be looking around as well.

‘…He’s here.’

I knew instinctively.

It was him.

Though honestly, even without instinct, I would’ve recognized him immediately.

With clothing that conspicuous, how could anyone possibly miss him?

“Hey.”

The adventurer whose eyes had met mine strode directly toward me.

Blue skin… a trait unique to demons.

Eyes whose white and black portions were reversed. And, most of his face and upper body were wrapped in bandages, making him look almost monstrous.

“Ah…”

Marlin, who had been smiling while watching the adorable poisonous creature Maengmaeng bounce atop Rosalia’s shoulder, flinched and hid behind me.

Even Abel stiffened.

“A demon…”

“…”

Demons. For two siblings who had grown up in the slums, they could only ever be creatures of fear.

“Karr… Be careful.”

When the adventurer drew close enough, Marlin whispered so quietly that only I could hear.

“The moment you let your guard down, it’s over. Demons are ‘really’ sticky-fingered!”

Most demons were a poor race forced to live in the slums.

“What are you talking about? He looks perfectly kind.”

“…No matter how you look at him… he looks sinister and scheming.”

While Marlin innocently slandered the harmless-looking demon, The target of her accusations finally stopped before me, resting one hand on his waist.

“So… You’re the captain of that Moon-whatever expedition?”

[Black Mage Bartimir (Demon, age 22), dressed in an extraordinarily unique fashion. …What in the world is this? His entire body is overflowing with curses and diseases. He’s clearly insane and should immediately be sent to the temple of the hypocritical goddess!]

Bartimir.

The demon black mage looked at me with obvious displeasure.

I bowed politely.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Bartimir. I’m Karr, a Cultist of the Twisted Truth.”

“…A demon is joining your expedition? Isn’t that a little dangerous?”

Marlin made a remark that could easily have been considered extremely rude, but Bartimir ignored her entirely, studying only me.

“A half-elf cultist. So you’ve been cursed by the God of Nature, huh?”

I silently nodded.

A smile spread across the demon black mage’s lips between the gaps in his bandages.

“Want to show me?”

“Go ahead.”

Without hesitation, I lifted my clothes and revealed the sprout growing from my chest.