Chapter 256 (1/2)

The deck of the Gresleta had turned into a bit of a party venue.

As for why it was 「a bit」, it was because there were only ten people with both delegations put together.

That being said, the fact that what seemed to be a band was playing music with a calm atmosphere was most likely a common spectacle in mankind ceremonies.

Rokuna thought “come to think of it, the Mazoku don’t have a culture with the thing called music either……”.

And then, although Vermudol had considered the introduction of minstrels before, she remembered that he was troubled over how it wasn’t going very well. For the Mazoku who don’t have stability, it was probably hard for the culture of concentrating their ears on the minstrels’ poems to take root.

「Oh man, we’re terribly sorry. It seems that the preparations met some unexpected difficulties.」

Torcresta appeared in Rokuna’s field of vision as she was surveying the area.

After accepting the glass that he offered to her, Rokuna expressed a smile and answered.

「No, we didn’t wait all that much.」

「Hahaha, it really helps for you to say that.」

When the glasses were distributed to everyone, Torcresta nodded looking satisfied.

「Today, we were able to have great discussion. How about we have a toast to our friendship with one another?」

「Yes, I believe that would be good.」

Rokuna nodded back, and everyone raised their glasses.

「Well then……To the friendship of both nations.」

Together with the cue for a toast, the glasses rang.

This sort of meal place was prepared in order to have conversations that couldn’t happen in solemn atmospheres like the one in the conference. And then, at the same time, it was also a place to make tongues slip easier with alcohol and pull out information.

……However.

That wouldn’t apply this time.

Rokuna, who grasped the most information on the Zadark Kingdom, knew to control herself.

Arum, who seemed like she would have a slip of the tongue the most, held almost no information to slip, and since Lumon was pushed to take care of her, it should be fine.

Margaret possessed a fair amount of information, but Rokuna could have a peace of mind by leaving her to Altejio.

That is why, even if the Cylas Empire were to try and pull out information from them in this dinner party, they wouldn’t be able to obtain anything.

Rokuna didn’t know if they understood that or not, but Melmeris quickly approached Margaret.

「Hello, Margaret-dono.」

「Eh? Ah, yes. It was M, Melmeris-dono, right?」

「Yes. I am Melmeris, the one entrusted with the Iron Fourth Seat.」

When Melmeris expressed a gentle smile, he immediately lowered his head.

「We are terribly sorry for how Azorto did something so rude earlier……I would like to apologize in her place.」

「Eh, ehh!?」

「Of course, I understand that there would be no recompense even if someone like me is apologizing. However, as long as Azorto is participating as part of the delegation, her impoliteness is our country’s impoliteness, and I cannot let you return offended like th……」

「P, please wait a moment!」

Margaret was flapping her hands about and interrupted Melmeris’s words.

「It, it wasn’t anything to apologize like that for……」

「No, I cannot just leave it like that.」

Margaret hurriedly stopped Melmeris as he tried to lower his head again.

「I, I wasn’t particularly bothered by it after all!」

「……Is that so. I am grateful for your magnanimous heart. In that case, I shall stop this kind of talk. Would you allow for a different talk?」

「Y, yes. Of course!」

Seeing Margaret say that with a smiling face that looked like she was relieved, Melmeris also replied with a smiling face.

Altejio nonchalantly guarded her, but Margaret gently touched Altejio as if to say “there’s no need to worry”. She was able to properly select what could be talked about and what shouldn’t be talked about.

「……Hーn」

Lumon, who was watching Margaret’s situation, concentrated on his glass at the edge of the ship.

He was told by Rokuna to watch over Arum, but there was no need to worry about her.

After attending to her a bit, he immediately understood.

Within Arum, there was the brilliance of sound intelligence. When things become troublesome, she would merely pretend to be an idiot. Moreover, since she would seriously not think about anything, no one could see through that.

It was like that even now. She was drinking glass after glass of alcohol and dancing on top of the table, but at the same time, she was investigating the area with magical power without letting her guard down.

Her flashy gestures that seemed foolish at a glance, they were for the sake of deceiving others.

Unless one believed it to be like that and saw it as such like Lumon did, they probably wouldn’t understand.

「……What’s going on, standing spaced out in a place like this.」

Being called out to, Lumon turned only his gaze to where it came from.

What was there was the figure of Azorto munching on some roasted beans.

After Azorto swallowed the beans in her mouth, she held wine in her mouth and made an audible gulp with a *gokuri*.

It was clear that she was waiting for Lumon’s response while doing that, so Lumon answered while expressing a smile.

「Well, I’m not too good with the lively atmosphere. So I ran away to a place like this.」

「Hmm? It doesn’t look like that though.」

When Azorto stood next to Lumon, she looked at the direction that Lumon’s gaze was turned to earlier.

What was there was Arum and Eirhart linking arms and dancing.

「Aーrara, that Eirhart. He ended up going with the flow, didn’t he.」

「Fufufu, it looks pretty fun, doesn’t it.」