SIDE:
Druid and the Drunkard
“You see, there was a noble family that caused some problems in this village a little while ago,” Captain Tableau explained.
“A noble family? That must have been a real headache to deal with. They just throw money and influence at all their troubles.”
Noble families tended to mock adventurers, even though they depended on them for protection and safe travel. There did seem to be good noble families out there, but the ones I had encountered weren’t among them.
“We knew they were involved in crimes, but the former guild master and captain of the watch couldn’t get any solid proof of it. In fact, their investigations cost them their positions.”
That sounds terrible. Ah, but that explains why so many rookies are in those top jobs now. I’d thought it was kind of strange. Towns and villages usually stagger the replacement of their leaders, but Hatow’s top brass are all inexperienced. So that’s why.
“I was so bitter about it. But I knew from experience that I couldn’t afford to do anything rash, or else I’d meet the same fate.”
This troublesome noble family must have been cunning. They’d immobilized both the adventurer guild and the watch at the same time.
“And after months of not knowing what to do, the adventurer guild and the watch received an important document. We were stunned by what it said. The noble family causing our problems
was among the leadership of a criminal organization that involved blood relatives of the royal family.”
A criminal organization that involved the royal family… Those must be the bastards Ivy helped take down.
“The report was only a few pages long, but its finally allowed me to vindicate the former head watchman. And Priya was able to clear the name of the former adventurer guild master, too.”
Tableau gulped down his wine. Then he looked at me and said, “Ivy is like a messiah to us. I thought I understood that better than anyone, but…listening to you, Mr. Druid, it sounds like it’s even truer for you than it is for us.”
It was hard to follow what he was saying. I think he meant that he knew Ivy was their messiah, but all the problems that were going on had made him push that information back into the recesses of his mind. But once he knew that those problems were resolved for good, he was able to sort through his jumbled thoughts and notice just how amazing that report he’d shoved into the depths of his memory had been. Hm? No, that’s not quite right. Ivy was always amazing… Dang, I’m drunk. My brain is turning into soup. Anyway, this much is clear: He’s wasting his time being nervous around me.
“Um, I’m sorry, but I had nothing to do with taking down those criminals. It was just Ivy.” I would hate to have someone be nervous around me because of her accomplishments.
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes.”
Wait…is he still nervous? And wow, he sure is drinking a lot. That’s my wine now, isn’t it? Captain Tableau’s bottle was already empty, so the wine he was drinking was mine. But he didn’t seem to notice, and he was slurring his words from time to time, too.
“Captain Tableau…when’s the last time you slept?” I had a bad feeling about this.
“I…haven’t really slept all week.”
“Have you eaten today?”
“Yeah…I think I did?”
“Captain Tableau…you’re drunk, aren’t you? Maybe you should stop drinking.”
No matter how well a person held their liquor, they would get drunk for sure if they drank high-proof wine while sleep-deprived and hungry. I noticed it too late because he didn’t show it at all in his face, but he was definitely drunk.
“Heh! I’m okay. I’m thinging cryssstal-clear and I’m verrry mush not drunk, sir. Hee hee!”
Uh, but you’re slurring your words and talking funny. And there’s some nervous laughter in there, too. Are you gonna be okay, buddy? Or do you just look really bad off because I’m drunk as well?
“So, I have a quession about Miss Ivy…”
He sure has been preoccupied about Ivy. He had only met her a few times, but had something else happened? We’d already cleared up the misunderstanding about her being in cahoots with the corrupt merchant guild master.
“Is she mad at me?”
“What?!”
Ivy? Mad? I’d seen her angry several times, but it was always over something impulsive or ridiculous that I’d done. Why would Ivy ever be angry with Captain Tableau?
“Ivy’s not mad at you, Captain Tableau, and not at Guild Master Priya, either.”
“Reeeally?”
Aha! Now I know why he’s so nervous. He was worried that Ivy would get angry because of the way he and Guild Master Priya had acted and demand that they return the magic stones. Just as that realization took a load off my mind, I understood just how nervous he must have been trying to interpret our behavior from the outside.
“Ivy would never demand the magic stones back. She isn’t that kind of person. Didn’t you say she was kind? Once you get a moment, you should both sit down and have a nice, long chat. Then I’m sure you’ll understand her better.”
“I will… Oh, shank goodnessh.”
Thunk!
“Hm?”
I looked toward the sound…and saw that Captain Tableau had smashed his head onto the table. I could hear faint snoring coming from his mouth.
“Pffft! Ha ha ha ha!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it. The poor bastard probably was so desperate to see how Ivy felt about him, even though he had pushed his body to the limit. If Ivy were a spiteful person, she never would have given Hatow the magic stones in the first place. Maybe the lack of sleep had impaired his judgment. Still, it was astounding to see that the organization Ivy helped take down had sunk its claws into Hatow as well. They’d ravaged my own town pretty badly as it was.
Knock, knock!
“Hm? Who’s there?” I switched off my magic item and called out.
“Please excuse me, but have you finished talk—Captain?” Dola had come to check in on us. That solved my little Tableau problem.
“After days upon days of fatigue, he finally just passed out.”
“Looks like it.”
“Is there somewhere he can sleep?”
“We have a spare room on the second floor.”
“Thanks.”
When I stood up, I wobbled a little. I must have been drunk, too.
“Are you okay?”
“Ha ha, it’s been a while since the last time I drank, so I’m a lightweight tonight. Actually, isn’t this wine a little heavy?”
“Yeahhh, it’s pretty strong.”
I thought so. So it wasn’t just because it had been a while. It tasted really good, though.
“Captain, can you stand up?”
No answer.
“I think that’s a no. Let’s carry him.”
“I’ll help.”
Dola and I brought Tableau up to the spare room on the second floor.
“I’m beat.”
Unconscious muscular men sure were heavy.
“Thanks for taking care of him,” a lady’s voice said. I looked up just in time to find Salifa handing me a glass of water.
“Thank you, ma’am.” The cold water felt heavenly as it streamed through my overheated body. “Phewww, I’m a new man.”
“Ha ha ha, let’s hope you don’t get a hangover tomorrow morning.”
“I think I should be okay.”
I bid goodnight to Dola and Salifa and returned to my room. I opened the door, peeked inside…and saw Ciel awake, staring critically at me.
“Ha ha ha. Sorry. You can go to bed now.”
Was it just me, or did Ciel have a menacing look in its eyes? Was it being protective of Ivy? Ahhh, I’m exhausted. My head is spinning…spinning…
“Tomorrow…I’ll have to—hic!—tell Ivy…”
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