In a World of Reversed Chastity, I Strive to Become an Honorable Male Knight, but Lustful Women Keep Targeting My Body - 262

Chapter 262: The Kukkoro Male Knight and the Extremists Faction?

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Guided by Dalaiya, we entered the Senate of the New Elfenia Empire. Calling it a senate was generous. At the end of the day, it was just a pit dwelling. The interior wasn’t particularly spacious. Woven straw mats covered the floor, and as was customary for this type of structure, a hearth had been installed at the center. A strong smell of smoke enveloped us, making me feel like coughing.

“……”

In that cramped space, a considerable number of elves had packed themselves in. There were also a few crow and sparrow birdfolk mixed among them. Some wore friendly expressions, while others eyed us with suspicion.

Incidentally, there wasn’t a single “Legitimate” elf among them. According to Dalaiya, the Legitimate delegation hadn’t arrived yet. Well, they lived deep within the Liseben Peninsula, after all. It probably took them quite some time to travel.

“Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. This here is Albert Blondin-dono, the lord of the Liseben territory of the Kingdom of Galea.”

At Dalaiya’s introduction, the elven elders began to murmur. I could hear comments like, “Just a little human lad,” “So Liseben lets a man be its lord,” and “That knight standing behind him looks like a formidable fighter. I wouldn’t mind crossing blades with her once.”

Well, I was a man who worked as a knight myself, so I was used to reactions like this. Ignoring it, I introduced myself, then went on to introduce Sonia and Bishop Fiorenza.

“I am Terisia, head of the Urza clan. A pleasure.”

“The honor is mine, Terisia-dono.”

After that, the elders began introducing themselves in turn. For a population its size, New Elfenia had an unusually large number of elders. Clan heads of this-and-that clan, elders of one sort or another. There were all kinds. Just remembering them was a challenge. Even so, I couldn’t exactly let it all go in one ear and out the other. I desperately burned their faces and names into my brain.

“I am Vanka Orisis. I have long heard rumors of you, Blondin-dono.”

Among them appeared Vanka-dono, the very person Dalaiya had said was the ringleader of the extremist elves. Among elves who mostly looked like young girls or at most in their early twenties, she stood out as visibly older. Judging by appearances, she was probably around my mother’s age. Still, being an elf, her features were exceptionally refined.

She gave the impression of a widow carrying quiet sorrow. What surprised me was that her voice was far gentler and calmer than I had expected. She didn’t look anything like the boss of an extremist faction. If anything, she felt more like a moderate.

“…So you are Vanka-dono. I’ve been hoping to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

That said, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. Smiling politely, I shook her hand. Vanka-dono responded amicably, then went on to shake hands with Sonia and Bishop Fiorenza as well.

Huh. Smooth. This is very different from what I expected.

I’d thought at least some insults would be thrown our way… But then again, she was said to be as cunning an old fox as Dalaiya. Acting skills like this wouldn’t be surprising. She might well be boiling with rage inside…

“There will be much to discuss, but for now, let us begin with a welcoming feast.”

Once the greetings concluded, Dalaiya said this with a broad smile. Attendants came in and began ladling the contents of a huge earthenware pot with legs—steaming away in the hearth—into bowls.

…Thinking about it calmly, the sight of a massive pot plunked down right in the middle of a senate chamber was pretty strange. Well, calling it a senate chamber when it was just a pit dwelling might be stretching it anyway. If anything, the earthenware pot actually suited the place…

Feeling oddly amused, I accepted a bowl from an attendant. As expected, it was potato soup. However, unlike what we’d been served at the Legitimate settlement, this one was fairly luxurious. The ingredients included elf potatoes, leafy greens (they looked like proper vegetables, not weeds), mushrooms, and what appeared to be beetle larvae or something similar.

…Huh. Surprisingly normal.

“Pii…”

As I was thinking that, Bishop Fiorenza beside me let out a small, almost scream-like sound. Looking over, I saw her trembling as she stared at the larva floating in the brown broth as if she were seeing something unbelievable. Come to think of it, in Galea and the western part of the Central Continent, entomophagy wasn’t very common. For someone like Bishop Fiorenza, who had grown up in such a culture, larva soup must have been quite a shock.

…Personally, even in my previous life I was the type who’d casually eat grasshoppers or cicadas, so it didn’t bother me at all.

“…Shall I eat it for you?”

Careful not to let anyone else hear, I asked Bishop Fiorenza. She shook her head rapidly.

“N-no, I couldn’t possibly let Albert-san be embarrassed on my account. I-I’ll do my best to eat it…”

She was probably still suffering from seasickness and had little appetite to begin with, yet she was still trying. I couldn’t help but admire her. No wonder she was called a saint. That said, food culture was a sensitive issue. During cultural exchanges, it was best to eat the same things as your hosts. Showing open disgust and refusing could lead to serious trouble. I felt bad for the bishop, but if we wanted to build friendly relations with the elves, I needed her to push through this…

“Is it that you do not eat larvae in Galea?”

Dalaiya leaned in and whispered this. Well, not just Bishop Fiorenza. Most of our side was staring at the larva with barely concealed horror, so of course she’d notice something was off.

“Of course they don’t, you fool.”

But when I saw who had spoken next, I was shocked internally. It was Vanka-dono. With a sour expression, she reached her spoon into my bowl and collected every last larva. In exchange, she shoved a thin package made of stretched tree bark into my hands.

“My husband also took quite some time to grow accustomed to insects. It is wrong to force our meager food culture upon people of other nations.”

Oh? So Vanka-dono’s late husband had been from another country? Well, another country… More likely a Galea native who’d been in Liseben. Hm. A marriage by capture, perhaps. More importantly, she took all my larvae. I wondered if she was going to eat them herself, but instead she transferred most of them into Dalaiya’s bowl. Puzzled, I opened the package she’d given me.

“Oh…”

Inside was a skewered, roasted small bird. It was still warm, and a delicious aroma drifted up.

“This should be more familiar to those from Galea. …If you distrust food given by barbarians, I can taste it myself for poison.”

“N-no, that won’t be necessary. Thank you for your consideration.”

W-what is this woman’s deal…? Why would she go this far?

This was the complete opposite of what I’d imagined. I didn’t understand it at all. Some kind of scheme…? But still… ugh.

…While I was wrestling with my thoughts, Vanka-dono left without another word.

Wait, what—did she really take the larvae purely out of kindness? That’s way too mysterious…

My head full of question marks, I looked over at Bishop Fiorenza. She was holding her bowl with both hands, glaring resentfully at Vanka-dono’s retreating back. Apparently, she’d wanted her own larvae taken too.

“…She’s nothing like the rumors I heard.”

“Y-yes. I am equally perplexed…”

At my words, Dalaiya nodded repeatedly. Considering she was the very person who had warned me that Vanka-dono was suspicious, there was no way I could hope to grasp her true intentions. The mystery only deepened.

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