Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 1.6

6

“Man, I’m just glad things got settled peacefully, right?”

For some reason, that oddball Kamyua Yoshu guy was still hanging out talking to us, even after the guards left with Doddo Suun. We were currently where we had decided to sit before, in the empty space between the stalls. Ai Fa was as deadpan as usual while I’m sure I looked seriously troubled, but of course Kamyua Yoshu was shooting us a relaxed smile.

“...Allow me to offer my thanks for saving me from that predicament,” Ai Fa reluctantly forced out, then she gave a similarly strained bow.

“Don’t be so formal,” the man responded with a chuckle. “And it’s not exactly like I saved you, there. I just reported what I happened to see. That’s the obvious course of action as a citizen serving the Western God Selva, right?”

We avoided getting dragged off to the guards’ station or whatever. Doddo Suun was the only one who got taken along, but it wasn’t exactly like he was going to be punished for his actions.

“Well, it’s all good, right? I mean, a man of the forest’s edge was acting outrageously, and a woman from the same place got him under control. It’s definitely bad that he drew a blade, but there’s no reason to make this a bigger deal than it has to be, right?”

With Kamyua Yoshu’s words, the curtain had been closed on the whole incident.

In fact, Doddo Suun was only taken away under the pretext of temporarily keeping an eye on him until he sobered up.

The guards’ eyes seemed to be firmly telling us, “At any rate, you should hurry up and go back to the forest’s edge.”

And yet we didn’t do that, and were instead still here talking to this suspicious character.

“Um... Didn’t you have some important business to take care of too?” I asked, only for Kamyua Yoshu to shake his head.

“Don’t think so,” he responded. “Oh wait, do you mean the thing about Duke Genos? That was a fib. I really do have an appointment with him, but it’s just that I was told to show up for dinner, so there’s no hurry there at all.”

He really was a crafty fellow.

As a shrewd smile broke out on his long face, Kamyua Yoshu suddenly glanced to the side.

“Still, that sure was quite a commotion. You’re not hurt anywhere, are you, little lady?”

“Nope! He saved me, so I’m fine!”

Naturally that had come from that Tara girl from before, and she was talking about me.

She smiled wide as she stuffed her cheeks further with the manju she was holding. Her first one had been trampled underfoot by Doddo Suun and that other guy, so Kamyua Yoshu had bought her this one as a replacement.

“Ah, right, there’s this, too...” he said, reaching inside of his long cloak. And then like magic, he produced a container of fruit wine.

He pulled out the stopper with his bony finger and took a swig, then placed the stopper back in and held it out towards Ai Fa.

“As you can see, it’s not poisoned. If you’d like, you can have it.”

“...I won’t accept your charity.”

“So stiff! I was moved by the way that you protected the order of this post town and the laws of the forest’s edge, not even thinking about what would happen to you! Isn’t that reason enough?”

Ai Fa was looking seriously annoyed.

Kamyua Yoshu, meanwhile, just kept on smiling wide as he gave Tara’s little head a pat.

“It’s the same for Tara here, too. I was deeply impressed by the way that she worked up the courage to try to help out her savior, so I felt like treating her to a kimyuus meat bun. Is it good, Tara?”

“Yeah! It’s really good, Mr. Kamyua!”

“Mister, huh...? Well, I guess I am almost 30, I guess.”

He still wasn’t 30? That actually shocked me a little. Still, if he just did something about that wild, unshaven face, he’d probably look pretty young... Or no, maybe he wouldn’t? I mean, that easy-going, aloof expression and way of doing things really made him feel like much more of an old-timer.

“So, how about it? Won’t you go ahead and take this fruit wine? Or are you upset because that scoundrel won’t be answering for his crimes? I just figured since he was part of the Suun clan, it was best not to let the matter get further out of hand.”

Those words seriously caught me off guard. Was this guy aware of the state of affairs at the forest’s edge, too?

“Hmm? Did I say something strange? I may not have ever been to Morga’s forest’s edge, but I’ve at least heard the name of the clan that runs the place. And I’m quite fond of this post town, so I’ve seen plenty of people of the forest’s edge... It’s just, this is my first time talking to any of you like this,” he said, the mouth under his long, slender nose breaking out into a big grin. “And that I get to do so with a beautiful female hunter like yourself brings me even more joy. I would really appreciate it if you’d accept this fruit wine, as a token of my admiration for that beauty.”

I nervously glanced over at Ai Fa to see the expression on her face. Ah, yup, there were indignant wrinkles in her brow forming above her nose.

“Huh? Did I say something to upset you? I wasn’t just praising your appearance. I was including your noble actions in that beauty I was complimenting, too.”

Ai Fa didn’t say anything.

“No good, huh? Then how about you?”

“W-What?”

“I’d like to show you my respect and admiration for the way that you saved Tara from danger quicker than me, Kamyua Yoshu, the Northern Whirlwind. Will you accept it?”

I couldn’t exactly just say, “sure” and take it, considering the circumstances. Also, what the heck was that “Northern Whirlwind” thing about?

“Ah, that’s a nickname my buddies use. I mean, this hair color is pretty rare here out west, you know? And I was born in the north.”

Ai Fa’s expression shifted a bit upon hearing that. She still had her usual stern wildcat-esque glare in her eyes, but now she looked straight at Kamyua Yoshu.

“You were born in the Northern Kingdom of Mahyudra, Kamyua Yoshu?”

“You can just call me Kamyua. Actually, now that I think of it, I still haven’t heard your names. Could you tell them to me? I don’t even care if you lie.”

Man, speaking like that is just going to rub Ai Fa the wrong way. As Ai Fa’s eyebrows raised, she stated, “I’m the head of the Fa clan, Ai Fa.”

“Ah, and I’m attached to the Fa clan, too. My name’s Asuta.”

“Ai Fa and Asuta, huh? Those are nice names you’ve got there. Yeah, I was born up north... My mom came from Mahyudra, while my dad was from Selva. Relationships between those two countries have been seriously strained for over a hundred years now, but I have blood from both of them running in my veins. I spent my youth up north, and then when my mom died I came to live here in the west. Well, you can’t exactly get proper work with a background like mine, so instead I live by selling my skill as a bodyguard.”

Kamyua Yoshu had a somewhat slender but rather long blade just casually lying by his side.

“Now that I think of it, your hair looks a lot like mine, Ai Fa,” he threw out there as he looked at Ai Fa, his purplish eyes lighting up and narrowing just a bit. “I’d heard that the people of the forest’s edge were descended from folks who fled from the south to the west. I can’t imagine there’d be much blood shared between the distant north and south, but is there some sort of reason behind that hair of yours?”

“Not especially so. People are occasionally born with this sort of hair color at the forest’s edge, and my mother’s was the same as mine.”

“Is that so? My mom and I shared a hair color, too,” Kamyua Yoshu responded with an easy-going grin, but Ai Fa looked away like she found that annoying.

Somehow, I caught on to the fact that she wasn’t quite her usual self.

“Well, at any rate, I’ve been interested in the people of the forest’s edge for a while now. I mean, there aren’t many folks out there who change the god they offer their souls to during the course of their lives, you know? I feel a one-sided sort of kinship as a result. That’s why I’m so glad that folks like you ended up being the first people of the forest’s edge that I talked to.”

Ai Fa remained silent.

“So, just what do you want with us, anyway?” I finally asked, since Ai Fa didn’t seem likely to say anything. “I’m incredibly grateful to you for helping us out of that tough spot, but we have work waiting for us back at the forest’s edge. If you don’t mind, we’d like to get going soon...”

“Is that so? That’s a shame. Well then, shall I cut to the chase? The truth is, I’ve currently got a job to guard a caravan of Genos merchants on their trip to the eastern kingdom. I’d like to be allowed to pass through the settlement at the forest’s edge along the way.”

I was seriously caught off guard, but Ai Fa reacted calmly, bluntly stating, “Matters such as that are all handled by the Suun clan, as the leaders of our people.”

“Yeah, I’m of course aware of that. But I don’t exactly feel like asking them after today’s unfortunate run-in with that boy from their clan. I mean, I just can’t trust them,” Kamyua Yoshu lightly threw out there, making a face like he wouldn’t even hurt so much as a fly. “You see, I’ve actually been advising Duke Genos on the matter for a while now. Whenever there’s a quarrel here in the post town, the Suun clan is always wrapped up in it. The people of the forest’s edge are supposed to be stubborn, sticklers for the rules, and closed off, but the Suun clan keeps acting openly like scoundrels, which can’t be good for the duke, either, so...”

“It was the people of the city of stone who caused the Suun clan’s depravity,” Ai Fa stated, cutting off Kamyua Yoshu. There was a blue flame burning lightly in her eyes. “The people from the capital granted the Suun clan riches. As a result, they tossed aside their pride as people of the forest’s edge and don’t even hunt giba. They revel in wine, laze about, and give themselves over to sensual pleasures. That’s all the responsibility of the people from the capital.”

“By ‘fortune,’ do you mean the reward money that’s delivered once every three months? That’s supposed to just be a trifling amount, though.”

“That’s why the Suun clan has kept it to themselves. They use it to live lives of idle amusement.”

I was probably the most shocked of anyone present.

Tara just sat there with a blank look, having finished eating her manju, while Kamyua Yoshu gave a nod that seemed to say, “That stands to reason.”

“Well, I figured it was something like that. So, even though it’s supposed to be a reward for protecting the Genos domain from the threat of the giba, none of that is making it to the folks who are working diligently, while the clan leading the people are living idly and lining their pockets, huh? I’m surprised that hasn’t led to a riot...”

“We don’t need charity from the city of stone. We hunt the giba so that we can keep on living.”

“How honest and full of integrity! But still, you really are overly rigid...” Kamyua Yoshu said with a bit of a strained smile this time around, then he rustled his unkempt blond hair. “If you perhaps want to restore order to the forest’s edge, I may be able to help you out, you know?”

Ai Fa didn’t respond.

“Of course, I’m not just talking about recklessly going after the Suun clan. After all, no matter what I may say, they’re still the ones leading the forest’s edge. And it would be a real serious issue if the people of the forest’s edge lost the ability to hunt giba after losing their leaders. The giba would come overflowing from Morga’s forest again and overrun a whole ton of fields... That’s why even if Duke Genos is vaguely aware of the Suun clan’s depravity, he hasn’t taken any drastic measures.”

My clan head still didn’t say a peep.

“And so, I’ve got a question for you. If the Suun clan were to happen to fall from power, is there another family that would be capable of taking charge of the forest’s edge?”

Naturally, the one clan who could stand up to the Suun, the Ruu, came to mind. However, Ai Fa still wasn’t so much as opening her mouth. And she was starting to get more and more of a hostile look in her eyes.

“At any rate, the only exchange between the capital and the forest’s edge has been through the Suun clan, so they naturally avoided bringing up any information that would be inconvenient for them. Besides, those folks from the castle hardly ever show their faces outside of the stone walls. Don’t you think that now that it’s come to this, me and you meeting may act as a new bridge between the capital and the forest’s edge, seeing how I’m someone down on the streets who also has Duke Genos’s favor while you also aren’t exactly close to the Suun clan.”

“What do you stand to gain from all that?” I asked, but Kamyua Yoshu just smiled back at me.

“What I gain, huh? I mean, we’re all citizens serving the Western God Selva, right? That makes us comrades. It only makes sense to help each other out when someone needs a hand, right?”

Ai Fa offered nothing.

“Well, that’s my official stance, at least. Just like I said before, I feel a sort of one-sided camaraderie with the people of the forest’s edge. Anyway, ultimately, I certainly respect honest folks like you, but I can’t say the same towards lazy slobs who drink in the middle of the day and don’t even bother trying to hunt giba.”

I didn’t get it.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say he was lying, but I just couldn’t tell what this man playing the fool was thinking on the inside in the least. Meanwhile, Ai Fa’s eyes were burning with clear refusal and violent emotion.

“Kamyua Yoshu, you’re a citizen of the city of stone. Therefore, if you choose to try to make a move against any people of the forest’s edge... that makes you the enemy of my people.”

“Hmm... Even if it’s the corrupt Suun clan?”

“If the Suun clan needs to be punished, then the people of the forest’s edge will do so. The shame of the forest’s edge should be purged there. And also... It is the people of the stone capital who caused the Suun to fall to such depravity,” Ai Fa stated, her words like blows. “I can’t trust... people from the city of stone.”

Her gaze burned with her pride as a hunter. But even so, Kamyua Yoshu still just shot her back a relaxed smile.

“Honest, and full of integrity... You truly are beautiful, Ai Fa.”

“...Are you mocking me?”

“Why would I be mocking you by calling you beautiful? Ah, look, now Tara’s all frightened, you see?”

I suddenly looked that way, only to see that sure enough, Tara was clinging to Kamyua Yoshu’s arm and trembling.

“There’s no helping it, I suppose. Let’s call it for today. If we’re careless, that son of the Suun clan may suddenly pop up again, after all.”

“...Today shall be the end of it. We won’t meet tomorrow or the day after, either.”

“I wonder about that... Opportunities are something you need to create, after all.”

With that, Kamyua Yoshu picked up his longsword in his right hand and took the young girl’s hand with his left, then he stood.

“Ai Fa and Asuta, I’m glad to have met you today. I’ll be leaving this fruit wine as my gratitude for this meeting, so if you have no need for it, feel free to simply return it to the earth. Well then, I’ll see you again...”