Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter 3.2

2

From what Gazraan Rutim would later tell me, they somehow managed to safely make it through the day’s meeting.

In total, there were six participants from the forest’s edge: The three leading clan heads, Gazraan Rutim, and the heads of the Fou and Beim. In the end, the men who were to accompany the Sauti and Zaza clan heads let the representatives for the smaller clans take their place.

Our side had announced they would be bringing six people to start with, and the folks from the castle didn’t seem to be concerned with anyone but the leading clan heads in the first place. And so, the change didn’t cause any issues.

Just like the time prior, the meeting was held at Cyclaeus’s private residence. However, it wasn’t in the castle town. Instead, it was in a region to the north of those stone walls, with a vast orchard surrounded by houses. That was the land ruled by Cyclaeus, completely different from the south of the castle town where we did business... The territory of Count Turan.

In one corner of that land stood Cyclaeus’s manor, which was exceptionally large. Since the man didn’t approve of allowing the people of the forest’s edge into the castle town, he had used this place for all essential meetings, even back when the Suun clan was still in charge.

It was a splendid and immense structure, constructed more from stone than wood. And it was in that building’s reception hall where the group from the forest’s edge waited for Cyclaeus, having arrived even earlier than agreed upon.

The time of the meeting had been set for when the sun hit its peak. Kamyua Yoshu and Melfried both showed up shortly before then, all on their own. Perhaps they were accompanied by soldiers waiting outside the manor, but regardless, only the two of them entered the reception hall.

Kamyua Yoshu was wearing his usual cloak, while Melfried had his white leather uniform. And unlike the people of the forest’s edge, who had their weapons taken at the entrance, the pair of them still had their swords.

Time crept on, and eventually the castle’s bell announcing the sun had hit its peak could be heard ringing in the distance. On that cue, Cyclaeus at last emerged into the reception hall from further inside, accompanied by nearly 20 guards.

And so, Gazraan Rutim told his tale...

◇

“Hmm... It seems I’ve kept you all waiting...” Cyclaeus stated as he sat down in a large leather seat.

Meanwhile, we all were left standing in the center of the room. The guards who accompanied Cyclaeus all carried spears even taller than they were, and around half of them lined up along the left, right, and rear walls.

The remaining ten stood on either side of Cyclaeus as the man glanced over towards Melfried.

“This is quite a whim on your part, Lord Melfried... I can’t see how being involved with such a trifling matter would be of any benefit to you...”

It was quite clear that he wasn’t pleased with Melfried’s presence.

“One day, I will have to be the one to rule over Genos. And I believe this matter is certainly not trifling when it comes to the peace and tranquility of this land, Count Cyclaeus Turan,” Melfried replied.

It was my first time meeting with the man, but he certainly seemed to be quite remarkable.

He had removed his helmet since we were indoors, and thanks to that I was also able to see his face. From what I could tell, he was a bit older than me, and his brown hair and perfectly proportioned face gave him a truly noble appearance.

But those grey eyes... Just like Asuta told me, they had a chilling shine like the light of the moon about them.

And I could also tell that he was quite skilled as a fighter. Well, I couldn’t be fully confident, as my observational skills just aren’t equal to those of Ai Fa or Ludo Ruu. However, I could at least say that he had undergone quite a bit of training.

But more important was Cyclaeus. The man sat there smiling away as he listened to Melfried’s words. He seemed the sort to always be wearing a grin. And in all likelihood, that was a way of hiding his true emotions.

“Well, I suppose the first son of Duke Marstein Genos covering his face with filthy rags and disguising himself as one of the townsfolk would be an even greater whim... And did those actions even take precedence over your duty as captain of the ducal guard, Lord Melfried...?”

“That is indeed painfully true, but it certainly isn’t as if I neglected my work. And I am free to spend my spare time as I please, Count Cyclaeus Turan. More importantly, this was meant to be a place for exchanging words with the leading clan heads of the forest’s edge. So perhaps you should focus on carrying out your own work before questioning mine.”

Cyclaeus’s face twisted into even more of a grin as he turned our way.

He truly was an eerie, unsettling man. No matter how many times I may see him, I cannot shake that impression.

The outfit he wore appeared to be of quite high quality. It was one piece from top to bottom, with only his feet, hands, and neck sticking out from the soft-looking pure-white cloth attire. Honestly, it was difficult to explain, but when adding on the metal and stone accessories he wore on his arms and neck, it reminded me of the sort of showy outfits women wore at banquets.

Speaking of which, he was also small and frail like a woman. However, his head was excessively large and threw his proportions out of balance, so perhaps it was more appropriate to say that he had the physique of a child instead.

His skin had a bluish-black tinge to it, and his eyes were constantly bloodshot, causing him to look terribly unhealthy.

Gulaf Zaza had called him an old man, but his actual age may not have been too advanced. However, he was thin and sickly with an unhealthy pallor about him, which caused him to look extremely aged.

However, despite his ill-colored, wrinkly face, his pale eyes had a piercing glare about them.

I had trouble dealing with those eyes. Actually, to be completely honest, they stirred up an intense hatred in me, though I couldn’t say why.

The leading clan head said that he had a greedy look in his eyes just like Zuuro Suun. And I could certainly agree with that, but I didn’t think that was all there was to it.

My chest was filled with this strange irritation, as if I was dealing with some sort of beast that couldn’t understand words...

At any rate, I couldn’t help but feel that the reason we disliked dealing with this Cyclaeus man so much was likely rooted far more in that gaze than even his oppressive manner of speaking.

“Well then, I’ll take you up on that offer and get this bothersome work dealt with. Leading clan heads of the forest’s edge, have you decided on how you will handle the matter of punishment for the crimes of the Suun clan?”

“Our conclusion remains the same. Only Zuuro Suun deserves further punishment, for being the one to lead his clan astray,” Dari Sauti replied. Since Donda Ruu and Gulaf Zaza were at risk of letting their anger and disgust get the better of them, it was decided that he and I would handle most of the talking for the day.

With that, Cyclaeus’s smile shifted, causing him to look rather displeased.

“I gave you more time than originally agreed upon, and yet you still couldn’t do anything about that stubbornness... It seems there was no point to postponing after all, then.”

“Not true. We spent days thinking over and discussing the matter, and our feelings only strengthened further until we came here today. If you say the conclusion we reached is wrong, then we would like you to grant us a more proper explanation,” Dari Sauti calmly stated.

Cyclaeus just kept on grinning, though.

“As I told you when we last met, my opinion is that crimes must be met with their proper punishment. It’s self-evident that the crimes of the one in charge and those ordered to commit them hold different weight, but that can only be judged properly by the legal officers of Genos castle.”

“That is indeed what you told us the other day. But were we people of the forest’s edge not granted the right to judge our own criminals? Normally, there would be no reason for you people from the castle to complain regardless of how we handled them.”

“That was because your laws of the forest’s edge were even stricter than those of Genos. If you had said you were abiding by them and taking every last one of the criminals’ scalps, then we certainly wouldn’t have any reason to interfere,” Cyclaeus pressed on, ever persistent. “The people of the forest’s edge were judged to be capable of regulating themselves, and were granted the authority to judge and punish their ilk. However, we cannot overlook those rights being used to grant a lighter punishment than required by the laws of Genos, releasing them from responsibility for their crimes...”

“But why? Judging someone means weighing the severity of their crimes, does it not? That’s precisely what we did for the members of the Suun clan, laying out the proper path forward for each and every one of them.”

“But is it not precisely because your judgment of them was lacking that those criminals were able to escape from your grasp and commit further crimes?” Naturally, he was talking about Zattsu and Tei Suun. “If criminals are not properly punished, then we cannot protect the peace and tranquility of Genos. I would say this incident proved that quite clearly. If you cannot discard this weakness unbefitting of your people and work up the resolve to punish them correctly, then you should hand them over to us before you end up committing yet another such blunder...”

It was at this point that I felt the need to finally interject, as I could see Gulaf Zaza growing more and more furious beside me.

“Please allow me to speak my mind as well. You say we lack the resolve to judge our criminals, but do you mean the resolve to indiscriminately rob them of their very lives? After carefully examining the crimes of the Suun, we determined that only Zattsu and Zuuro Suun were deserving of death, while the others should instead be given a chance to reform.”

“Hmph... Wasn’t it supposed to be an unwritten rule that the laws of the forest’s edge were absolute? What I’m saying is that this uncharacteristic weakness of yours, bending your laws in order to forgive these criminals... I can’t help but have my doubts.”

“Of course it is important to value our laws. But, for example, if someone had their mouth pulled open and were forced to eat the fruits of the forest, would you still say they should be scalped? I most certainly would not.”

Cyclaeus’s grin twisted further as he looked over us in turn.

“I thought as much at our previous meeting, but you’re quicker and more skilled with your tongue than anyone else present, young hunter of the forest’s edge. Wouldn’t the future of the forest’s edge look all the more bright with someone like you in charge of your people?”

It certainly wasn’t surprising at this point to hear Cyclaeus say such things in order to fan the anger of the leading clan heads.

But before Gulaf Zaza could let out an angry shout, I offered a retort.

“I believe you’re mistaken, there. I only speak on behalf of the leading clan head, like how you act as proxy for Duke Marstein Genos.”

That was enough to get Cyclaeus to hold his tongue for at least a moment, though not enough to wipe the grin from his face.

“It is absolutely true that it was a failure on our part, allowing Zattsu and Tei Suun to escape. And as a result, the tranquility of the post town was threatened. As you say, if we had carried out the punishment for Zattsu and Zuuro Suun without any hesitation, the incident that followed could have been prevented.” We would never settle things if we kept going in circles with our conversation, and so I kept on talking in an attempt to move things forwards. “But because it did happen, we were able to learn a great many truths. Cyclaeus, what are your thoughts about that incident?”

“What do you mean, ‘that incident’...?”

“Naturally, I’m referring to how Zattsu and Tei Suun attacked a group disguised as a merchant caravan, after which they confessed to doing something similar over ten years in the past.”

The edges of Cyclaeus’s lips curled up even further, making for a truly eerie grin.

“What utter foolishness... That’s nothing but nonsense uttered by a criminal on the verge of death, wouldn’t you agree? We mustn’t go and take such words as truth so hastily...”

“Yes, it’s true that nothing has been proven yet in regards to that past crime. But, that they attacked that false merchant group, and that a similar incident also occurred ten years ago, these are undeniable facts. Also... have there not been rumors passed around the post town saying that the past incident was caused by a person of the forest’s edge?”

“Rumors are ultimately just rumors, not fact...”

“Is that so? Yet, I’ve heard that there was evidence left behind that someone from our forest’s edge was the culprit.”

Once again, Cyclaeus was stunned into silence for a moment.

One of the members of the merchant caravan that was attacked ten years ago had died clutching the necklace of a hunter of the forest’s edge. Apparently, the count had not expected us to have learned of that fact.

Kamyua Yoshu and Melfried had been the ones to bring us that information, but they simply stood there silently and listened to the exchange.

“On top of that, they say the people of the forest’s edge commit countless crimes but are never judged for them. Are you saying those are all mere rumors without so much as a hint of truth?”

“They’re nothing but hearsay... It’s truly unlike you people of the forest’s edge to let yourselves be misled by such things.” With that, Cyclaeus stopped and took a few breaths before continuing on. “I don’t know what those ‘countless crimes’ refer to, but I am of course aware of the attack on that merchant caravan ten years ago. But the villainous fiends behind that awful incident have long since been dealt with, young hunter of the forest’s edge...”

“I see. Is that so?”

Since I had heard about that matter from Kamyua Yoshu in advance, I wasn’t especially surprised.

But as he stared back at me, the light shining in Cyclaeus’s eyes grew even more intense.

“The criminals responsible were the Red Beard bandit group, who operated in the area around Genos. Every last one of them were arrested and had their sentences carried out. There is no room for doubt when it comes to that fact, young hunter...”

“A bandit group, is it? Then why was one of the attacked merchants gripping the necklace of one of our hunters?”

“I know nothing of such trifles... However, there is no shortage of giba horns and tusks circulating around our western kingdom. After all, you all sell them for coins, do you not?”

Though they’re never used around Genos, apparently the horns and tusks we exchanged were used in accessories sold in a number of towns. In other words, whether through a purchase or theft, it was possible for anyone to have a hunter’s necklace.

“That merchant group was attempting to pass through the forest of Morga and exit onto the eastern highway. And so, perhaps the Red Beard bandits planned to frame the people of the forest’s edge for their crime. It would have been a poor strategy, though, and anyone who was deceived by such a thing should be ashamed of their own foolishness...”

“Hmm... I can’t imagine that would be enough to satisfy the people of the post town, though,” Kamyua Yoshu chimed in, speaking up for the first time. With that, Cyclaeus’s eyes slowly turned and glared his way. “The Red Beards were famed as heroic outlaws who never killed, and instead robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. I was only just starting out as a bodyguard ten years back, but from what I recall, their renown could be heard even in neighboring towns. And I don’t believe most folks back then believed that the Red Beards would murder an entire merchant caravan and then try to foist the blame for the crime on someone else.”

“The term ‘heroic outlaw’ is nothing but nonsense... They were little more than a gaggle of bandits, in the end.”

“That may be the case for you nobles who were targeted, but the townsfolk didn’t feel that way. Looking back on it now, perhaps the fact that the Red Beards they had idolized were executed in place of people of the forest’s edge spurred on even greater feelings of scorn.”

Kamyua Yoshu was wearing the same aloof grin as always. But while Cyclaeus was still smiling too, there was now a clear look of annoyance in his bloodshot eyes.

“You’re Lord Melfried’s follower, aren’t you? You should know your place.”

“I’m simply here today to talk in place of my rather untalkative friend. But if my words aren’t in alignment with Melfried’s opinion on the matter then I’m sure he’ll butt in, so you’ve got no need to worry.”

Cyclaeus’s gaze then turned towards Melfried, but the man didn’t seem inclined to join in.

“Anyway, back to what I was saying, just as the young hunter Gazraan Rutim stated, there are rumors all throughout the post town that the people of the forest’s edge have committed all sorts of crimes. Kidnapping girls from town, pillaging fields, assaulting travelers... But strangely enough, those crimes were always attributed to the Red Beards, and they were then executed for them. And so, at the time, the rumor was that whenever a member of the Red Beards was executed, the people of the forest’s edge had committed another crime, which sure did make for an unusual state of affairs.”

Cyclaeus remained silent.

“Of course, the trickle of those crimes has pretty much dried up for these past ten years. But it remains a mystery whether that was down to the head of the Red Beards being executed ten years ago, or the former head of the Suun clan, Zattsu Suun, falling ill around the same time.”

It was then that Cyclaeus’s facial expression finally shifted. He still wore a smile on his face, but to me, that somehow reminded me of a grinning, carrion-eating mundt.

Not that I’ve even seen a mundt smile, mind you.

“So... What is it exactly that you wish to say, oh swordsman with the appearance of a filthy northerner?”

“As you can tell, I do indeed have mixed blood from the north. But even so, I serve the western god. Anyway, let’s put such trivial matters aside. After all, the point is that the people of the forest’s edge came under some incredible accusations from the townsfolk: No matter what wrongdoings they committed, their crimes would never be questioned; and those crimes were being paid for with the lives of innocents... Well, the name of the Red Beards has faded over these past ten years, but the rumors remain firmly rooted in place. And just the other day, Zattsu and Tei Suun openly confessed to their crimes.”

Cyclaeus still wasn’t saying a word.

“In the first place, it simply seems unnatural for the Red Beards to plan an attack right in the middle of the forest of Morga, where giba prowl about. If I were in that position, I would at least want to wait till right after they exited the forest and were heading for the highway. That way, the risk of being attacked by giba would be low, but it would still be possible to pin the blame on the people of the forest’s edge. Doesn’t it seem a lot more natural to think that Zattsu Suun was behind that incident from ten years ago, just as he confessed?”

“There’s no point in gossiping about such matters... After all, both the former Suun clan head and the members of the Red Beards have been dealt with. So even if you raise a fuss now, there should be no proof left to be found,” Cyclaeus replied, slowly moistening his pale lips with his tongue. “But what need is there for proof, anyway? It wouldn’t change the fact that they were all criminals regardless. The Red Beards were unscrupulous bandits who attacked nobles and wealthy merchants, while the former Suun clan head not only pillaged the blessing of Morga, but even went so far as to set fire to houses. Their crimes have all been judged, and the criminals are gone from this world. So everything has been settled, wouldn’t you say?”

“Oh it has, has it? Hmm... In that case, what about the other crimes committed before and after the attack on that merchant caravan?” Kamyua Yoshu asked with a grin. That smile had a beastly feel to it too, in its own way. “These are rather old tales by now, but I presume you haven’t forgotten, right? About the delegates from Banarm castle, which had deep ties to Genos, being wiped out, or how the former head of the militia was murdered? It was determined that the Red Beards were behind both of those incidents, right?”

Cyclaeus remained silent.

“That means the rumors around the town say they were committed by the people of the forest’s edge.”

Still no response.

“However, it just doesn’t make sense to me either way. If the Red Beards were behind them, then why did they suddenly discard their rule not to kill? But if they were Zattsu Suun’s doing, then what reason could he possibly have for attacking the head of the militia? Putting aside any delegates or merchants, there’s no way someone like that would be strolling around with a load of coins or treasure.”

“Then it must have been the Red Beards. It’s the militia’s duty to deal with bandits, so it would be no surprise at all for their captain to have earned a great deal of ire from them...”

“Ah, but it wasn’t until after the former captain’s death and the assignment of a new man to the post that the Red Beards really started getting punished for all those crimes. And I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that the post was given to your younger brother, Captain Ciluel, do I, Lord Cyclaeus?”

Again, silence.

“Thanks to Captain Ciluel’s efforts, the Red Beards were entirely wiped out. All that was left behind were Zattsu Suun and his ilk who foisted their crimes on the Red Beards, and a distrust for the people of the forest’s edge fostered among the townsfolk.”

“I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life...”

“Maybe that’s how it seems in the castle town. But for the post town, what I’ve said may as well be cold, hard fact. Even now that the name of the Red Beards has faded, the hatred and fear felt towards the people of the forest’s edge has only grown stronger,” Kamyua Yoshu stated, then gave a shrug of his shoulders. “Of course, there seems to have been quite a shift after Zattsu and Tei Suun admitted to the crime from ten years back, just like we discussed before... However, it’s certainly mysterious. You say the Red Beards tried to frame the people of the forest’s edge for their crimes, but it seems very likely that Zattsu Suun was the one doing it to them. Why is it, exactly, that Lord Ciluel declared it was all the doing of the Red Beards? Was some red hair or something found at the scene?”

“You would have to ask such questions of Ciluel directly...”

“Melfried did just that. However, sure enough, there wasn’t any evidence conclusive enough to satisfy my friend here.”

With that, the room fell silent.

Before long though, Cyclaeus started sluggishly talking again, the thin smile still clinging to his lips.

“I know nothing of all that... But regardless, all of the criminals have been dealt with. Whether the true culprits were the former Suun clan head or those bandits, what does it matter to us?”

“Now, that’s the question here. If all the criminals really have been judged, then sure, there’s no point in dragging the matter back up. But if there were a mastermind behind it all who still goes unpunished even now, then that wouldn’t be something we could simply overlook, wouldn’t you say?” There wasn’t even the slightest shift in Kamyua Yoshu’s smile, and Melfried still remained utterly expressionless. “To begin with, as a man of the forest’s edge, Zattsu Suun should have had virtually no knowledge of the outside world. So the idea of him attacking the Banarm delegates or the head of the militia outside of Genos territory sounds incredibly unnatural.”

“As I said, that must have been the work of the bandits, so...”

“The Red Beards suddenly gave up their convictions to never take a life, or Zattsu Suun had an outside collaborator... Which of those sounds more likely to you?” Kamyua Yoshu chimed in, gently interrupting Cyclaeus. “On top of that, a collaborator would have been essential for converting any treasure stolen from the merchants or delegates into coins. Perhaps someone tempted Zattsu Suun with those coins, with the primary objective being to wipe out the Banarm delegates. Was there someone in the castle town of Genos who would be disadvantaged by trade with Banarm advancing further, I wonder...?”

Cyclaeus offered no answer.

“And blaming the crime on the Red Beards would make it possible to get rid of those bandits, who had been a thorn in the side for the nobles.”

“I can’t call that anything but a reckless, foolish delusion on your part...”

“Oh, really? But I’ve come this far without my friend here interrupting even once. Well, such deductions are what led us to putting on the grand show of dressing up as a merchant caravan to begin with. We didn’t quite manage to reveal the mastermind, but I would say we did a rather fine job of establishing that incident ten years back as Zattsu Suun’s doing.”

As Kamyua Yoshu smiled away, Melfried just stood quietly by his side, his gaze fixed on Cyclaeus.

The room went silent once again. And it felt like a very uneasy silence, at that.

Eventually, though, Cyclaeus uttered in a strangely hoarse voice, “It’s... It’s as if you’re trying to slander me by claiming I’m this mastermind you seek...”

Kamyua Yoshu offered no response.

Cyclaeus’s eyes, meanwhile, were shining like a mundt prowling in the dark.

“Banarm is known for producing high-quality mamaria and fuwano... If trade with that town were to advance further, then my Turan house’s orchard would suffer a significant loss in profits...”

Kamyua Yoshu still remained silent.

“And my younger brother Ciluel is head of the militia, while I myself am in charge of mediating with the people of the forest’s edge. If a mastermind behind these incidents that you mentioned truly exists, then would anyone but me fit that part?”

“That is indeed the most likely possibility,” Melfried responded in a chilly tone. With that, Cyclaeus’s gaze slowly drifted his way.

“This is certainly a surprise... Lord Melfried, are you truly intending to slander me so? Me, the head of the Turan house?”

“I offer no slander. I simply stated that the possibility seems strong. But of course, I cannot go so far as to accuse you of any crime without proof.”

Melfried’s inhumanly emotionless grey eyes shot Cyclaeus a calm yet threatening glare.

I felt like I was watching a massive madarama snake stare down a mundt.

“Of course, as long as there is evidence, a crime is a crime. That’s true whether the culprit is a noble or a commoner, and I will cast judgment on them in accordance with the laws of Genos regardless.”

“As long as there is evidence, you say... How splendid. A wise saying from our captain of the ducal guard, the watchman for our laws...”

In all likelihood, the tension had drained just a bit from Cyclaeus at this point. It was as if the mundt had determined the madarama was full, and was preparing to flee back into the thicket.

This was ultimately as far as Melfried and Kamyua Yoshu’s investigation would make it for the day.

That just left our negotiations with Cyclaeus. I shared a glance with Dari Sauti, wondering who should be the one to speak up.

Before we could decide, though, Donda Ruu moved just a bit as if to clear away the unease hanging about the room, then calmly stated, “Are these the laws of Genos you speak of, as representative for the lord of this land?” Hearing that, Cyclaeus slowly, steadily turned to face him. “That all was a bit much for me to follow. However, I definitely couldn’t sense any logic behind your words.”

“That’s certainly regrettable... So, you’re foolish enough to be moved by nonsense utterly lacking in evidence to back it up, leading clan head of the forest’s edge...?”

“Then do you claim to have evidence that the incident from ten years ago was the work of those bandits? A necklace from one of our hunters was left there, and Zattsu and Tei Suun even admitted to their crimes. So what’s your basis for still insisting it was done by the bandits?”

“It wasn’t I, but rather the captain of the militia who decided it was the work of the bandits...”

“And that captain is your younger brother, related to you by blood, isn’t he? Then go ahead and summon him here.”

With that, tension once again filled the air throughout the room. It seemed clear that the spear-wielding soldiers were starting to lose their composure.

That likely came down to the incredible presence that Donda Ruu was asserting. After all, though his voice remained calm, he was now grinning away. And that was the sort of smile one wore when faced with a formidable opponent.

We hadn’t moved so much as a single step, and yet the soldiers looked ready to thrust out with their spears at any moment.

“Zattsu Suun was suspected of crimes even back at the forest’s edge. Our Ruu clan had been polishing our fangs and preparing to strike at them for 20 years. However, it wasn’t as if they were openly committing any wrongdoing, which is why we were left grinding our teeth in frustration for so long.”

“Oh, is that so...?”

“However, you all had gotten a hold of evidence, but did nothing to carry out judgment against the Suun. On that point at least, I wouldn’t say the laws of Genos are any better than those of our forest’s edge.”

There was no shift in Cyclaeus’s expression.

He was as small as a child and looked weakened from serious illness, yet he still had the nerve needed to not falter when faced with Donda Ruu. Perhaps that was because he had met with Zattsu Suun countless times before the man fell ill, and was thus used to the intensity of such hunters of the forest’s edge.

However, I could also see a cold sweat creeping onto his sickly-looking, grinning face.

“This is a small matter compared to all that, but I’ve heard those fools from the main Suun house drew blades, destroyed stalls they disliked, and committed other crimes of that kind without ever being judged for them. And even when their crimes were called into question, someone from the castle would appear and everything would be settled with coins. Is there some sort of reason you were unable to judge the Suun clan for their crimes, perhaps?”

“That is also a matter that has nothing to do with me. The militia is tasked with keeping order in the post town.”

“Like I said, go ahead and summon that brother of yours here. No, wait...” Donda Ruu stated, his smile growing even more intense. “Call for the lord of Genos instead. Or perhaps should we all just head to the castle?”

Cyclaeus then placed his arm upon his seat’s armrest and leaned his body to the right. It gave the impression that he was earnestly searching his thoughts for what to say.

“Leading clan head of the forest’s edge... Duke Marstein Genos granted me full discretion in handling negotiations with your people. It is disrespectful in the extreme to tell me to call for the lord of land like that, wouldn’t you say...?”

“We people of the forest’s edge offer our blades in service to the lord of Genos, not to you. If our words aren’t getting through to you, then what option is left to us but to demand to speak to him directly?” Donda Ruu retorted, his voice rumbling like a tremor in the earth. At last, his smile was now fully that of a hunter. “Thanks to the lack of evidence, we ended up allowing the Suun clan to do as they pleased. And as a result, a great many people suffered. Not just from the forest’s edge, but from the post town, too... But we have no intention of repeating that same mistake.”

“In other words... You are stating that you cannot trust me, then?” With that, Cyclaeus’s smile became more of a smirk. “Well, if I were to say I find it difficult to trust you as well and would like you to choose a different representative, would you understand at least a little of how I feel hearing such things?”

“What?” Donda Ruu questioned, the fire in his eyes now burning even brighter.

The soldiers started to brandish their spears, but Cyclaeus gave them the order to halt.

“Of course, I would never state something like that, which I do not truly feel. However, it isn’t as if I trust all of you from the depths of my heart... I can’t help but have my doubts as to whether you heads of the Ruu, Zaza, and Sauti clans are truly qualified to lead your people...”

As I gestured to an infuriated Gulaf Zaza to calm himself, Donda Ruu questioned, “What do you mean by that?”

“I’m saying that I have concerns, clan heads... You not only fail to judge the criminals of the Suun clan, but even allowed Zattsu Suun to escape on top of that... And if Zuuro Suun slips through your grasp too, then no one’s blood will be shed. Is that what you are plotting?”

“That’s ridiculous! Are you trying to say we let Zattsu Suun escape on purpose?!” Gulaf Zaza angrily bellowed, no longer able to restrain himself.

With that, Cyclaeus broke out in a triumphant grin.

“I certainly don’t wish to doubt your words. However... you are showing weakness unbefitting of your people and offering forgiveness to criminals, and you even shamefully let Zattsu Suun get away. That is all very far removed from my image of the people of the forest’s edge. And that’s not all, as you’re even allowing yourselves to be deceived by thoughtless remarks, and have gone so far as to slander me...”

“So that is your response, as representative for the lord of Genos?” Donda Ruu quietly asked while holding back the raging Gulaf Zaza with one raised arm. “It seems like neither side here can trust the other in the least, so how about we bring these talks to a close?”

I honestly felt rather flustered upon hearing that, as it sounded to me as if Donda Ruu was trying to say that we would have no choice but to go meet the lord and feel out his true intentions, even if it meant taking up our blades to do so.

Cyclaeus seemed like he may have been thinking similarly, too.

But at any rate, the man was silent for a few moments, then in a deadly serious tone stated, “It’s far too rash to jump to such a conclusion... The number of times we’ve met could be counted on a single hand... I believe it takes more time than that to build up an appropriate level of trust.”

“Hmph. Then what are you proposing? Wait for another day and go into the same old back and forth all over again?”

“Time to think is important, but there’s no meaning to simply having the same exchange... But let me make a concession, as proof of the trust we should share.” Cyclaeus stated. “I will trust your decision and overlook the crimes the members of the Suun branch houses were forced to commit by their clan heads. But the six members of the main house, who stood by the clan head’s side, are to be handed over as criminals. This compromise should serve to demonstrate the trust I hold in you all...”