Save the Starving Frontier! The “Buyer” of the Reversed Chastity World - 34

Chapter 34: Let’s Welcome the Knight Order!

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With the matter of the dragon child Syldra resolved, peace of a sort had returned to the town. Until the Knight Order came back, we had to remain on standby and keep sending food supplies, so for a while I couldn’t move around.

During that time, I learned something unexpected. Syldra didn’t eat much. She ate more than humans did, but when she ate in human form instead of dragon form, she only came across as a slightly big eater—nothing excessive.

Apparently, the reason she kept devouring so much food back then was to replenish her stamina and magical power that had been drained by the “magic rampage.” Since stamina could generate magical power, in practice it was just stamina recovery. In other words, ever since the rampage, Syldra had been living constantly hungry.

By the way, Syldra’s scales and shed hairs contained massive amounts of magical power. As a natural spirit whose body could be said to be made of magic power itself, just “selling” her shed hair and fallen scales could yield an unlimited supply of food. In short, just by being with me, Syldra would never go hungry again.

The moment she realized that, Syldra stopped leaving my side. She clung to me so much that Etna and Pirika sulked about it, but eventually they got along. Their apparent ages were close, after all. Now, the three of them spent time together like sisters. Syldra already looked delighted to have made friends.

“Syl-chan, let’s play!”

“Yeah, Pirika!”

Etna watched over the two of them as they squealed and frolicked. It looked tough on her too, having her little sisters suddenly increase to two.

“Hey, don’t go too far! You’ll bother the Knight Order people!”

This was the Knight Order barracks, so the places kids could play were limited. With everyone working, there weren’t many places where they could run around. Still, the children’s innocent playfulness seemed to heal the hearts of the knights. They probably didn’t see that kind of sight very often. The atmosphere felt warm and gentle.

Given the devastation the town had been through until now, there hadn’t been much of an environment for children to play in, either. Before long, things grew noisy near the town gates.

“Is this uproar because the Knight Order is back?”

“Seems that way. It looks like they returned earlier than expected. Thank goodness.”

Vice Commander Mial breathed a sigh of relief. We couldn’t be certain yet, but if the knights had returned, they’d be coming to the barracks. Better get some meat dishes and hearty soups ready for them. On the march, they must’ve been living off nothing but preserved dry foods.

Soon enough, the commotion reached us, wrapped in the cheers of the townsfolk. At the center of it, sure enough, was the Knight Order. At the front, Commander Sharon strode proudly with her impressive chest thrust out.

Leading her knights, the Commander arrived at the barracks. I stood at the very front to greet them.

“Hey, welcome back.”

“I’m back, Kaito. Hold me.”

Right off the bat, huh. Not that I mind that.

As I thought that, the battered Commander gave a wry smile at the sight of herself.

“…Looking like this, though.”

“As long as you’re alive, that’s what matters. If you’re alive, you can still do naughty things.”

When I said that, the Knight Commander threw herself into my arms. I caught her and supported her, offering what comfort I could.

“Good work, Commander Sharon. Welcome home.”

“I’m back. Somehow, I survived.”

She must have fought desperately. You could tell just by looking at her. She had gone into a monster lair, protected her comrades from a dragon, retreated, and survived through hordes of beasts.

She seemed to have learned about Syldra from the supply unit that came to fetch them. They received food from the unit, searched for everyone, regrouped, and returned. No casualties. Everything settled with zero losses.

“That’s impressive. I’m glad nobody died. I’ve prepared warm food.”

“That helps. A hot soup dish is a luxury on the march. I want to eat quickly and rest both my body and soul.”

What I had prepared in a big pot was cream stew. I’d simmered monster meat and vegetables thoroughly in a pressure cooker, then stewed the tender meat in roux.

The knights received bowls of stew, tasted it, and let out deep sighs. Some even collapsed to the ground, their tension breaking and their exhaustion spilling out. With so many people, the cooks kept making dish after dish. If there was any left over, Syldra and the townsfolk could eat it.

“It’s delicious. My body feels at ease.”

“So yummy! Wife, gimme more!”

Syldra was eating before there was even any surplus. She ate about as much as a human, so she wouldn’t finish it all.

“This food’s for the knights, so at least hold back a little, okay? I’ve made enough to spare though.”

“If there’s gonna be leftover anyway, I’ll eat it now!”

Well, fine. It should still be enough.

“That dragon’s your wife, Kaito?”

“She says I’m the wife, actually.”

I answered Sharon’s question. Hearing that, Sharon let out a small laugh.

“Not bad. Then your wife’s seat is still open, isn’t it? Will you take me as your wife?”

“Sounds good, but I don’t plan to have a wife. Just let me off with making lots of kids.”

“That’s good enough.” 

Sharon said with a laugh. I had no intention of being tied down by talk of wives and such. But I already had things that mattered to me. I didn’t care if people saw me as a slut who’d sleep with anyone. As long as I could eat good food, do naughty things, and live happily, that was enough.

“Too bad, but I don’t plan on being monopolized.”

“I know I can’t. Even so, I’ll still sleep with you.”

She said something awfully heavy with a smile. It seemed she had resolved herself.

“Has Mial slept with you yet?”

“Nope. Nothing’s happened.”

“I see.” 

Sharon said, looking up at the sky. Then she muttered:

“Looks like we’ll have to decide the order. There are probably others in the Knight Order who feel the same way.”

“Just keep it within what my body can handle. Even with ‘Heal,’ don’t push me too hard.”

If I’m drained dry, there’s nothing left.

I had a feeling I knew why Vice Commander Mial hadn’t laid a hand on me.

“She probably held back as a kind of vow, hoping you’d all return safely. Now that it’s come true, things are going to get messy.”

“Expect not to leave the barracks for about a week.”

That’s practically imprisonment. How much are they planning to milk me nonstop?

“Don’t underestimate soldiers who’ve been abstinent on campaign. And now, having come back from the brink of death, their survival instincts are running high.”

“If everyone ends up pregnant, it’s this domain that’ll be in trouble. Keep it reasonable.”

Or rather, please do.

If I got mobbed by soldiers in top condition, I wouldn’t survive.

“That’s true.” 

Sharon said with a laugh, toying with her stew spoon between her fingers.

“In the spirit of this stew’s warmth, I’ll be gentle. Gentle… You know.”

“That’d make me really happy.”

And so, we chatted and laughed together. We were able to do this precisely because we were still alive.

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