Chapter 257 (1/2)

The on board party was partially noisy but progressed peacefully on the whole……and before long, the music that was being performed changed to something calm.

The party approached its end, and Torcresta and Rokuna brought their amicable chat-style haggling to a complete stop.

「……Fumu. Today was a good time spent.」

「Same here. It truly has been meaningful.」

They exchanged smiling faces with each other……and it was there that Torcresta suddenly erased his smile.

「By the way, Rokuna-dono. Could it be that people of our country are being safeguarded in your country?」

「I don’t understand the aim the question. If you’re seeking a clear answer, please give a clear question.」

In response to Rokuna’s reply, Torcresta whispered while looking like he was choosing his words.

「That is, true……Someone called Borkio who was in the middle of returning to our country, there was an incident where he went missing along with his ship. It was a situation where even the safety of the ship was still unknown……And after seeing Margaret-dono, I thought that perhaps there was also the possibility that he arrived there as well.」

Thinking “so he’s starting it here huh”, Rokuna clicked her tongue in her mind.

However, it wasn’t a problem. Her reply was already prepared.

「Borkio, is it. I don’t know if he is the same as that person but……something that appeared to be like a ragged large type ship had reached our shores.」

Hearing Rokuna’s words, Torcresta’s brow moved with a twitch.

However, she couldn’t see any tone of agitation more than that.

「Hou. A large type ship you say.」

「Yes, I do recall that there was a total of thirty people including a person calling himself Borkio though.」

Torcresta cautiously scritinized those words. If he remembered correctly, there should have definitely been thirty names in the report.

「……I see. Most likely, that should be the Borkio that we are searching for. Where is Borkio’s group now?」

「We don’t know.」

Rokuna answered like that and shrugged her shoulders.

「One day, they just suddenly left our country. We don’t know as far as their life or death after that.」

She didn’t lie. It was a fact that they suddenly left the Zadark Kingdom.

She had heard that a Voltenix struck them and their ship was broken into small fragments, but since they hadn’t confirmed their life or death, it was unknown. Well, she didn’t think that they were alive though.

「……Is that, so.」

「Yes. Since there were also some injured people that seemed like they had received an attack, we thought that we would at least let them heal from that though.」

Torcresta quietly gazed at Rokuna who made a pained-looking face.

「An attack, is it. Did they say who the attack was by?」

「They were attacked by Alva. That is what he said.」

「Hou.」

Before they knew it, others were all also listening to Rokuna and Torcresta’s conversation and were steadily watching them.

However, the people themselves continued the conversation looking like they didn’t mind it at all.

「When it comes to Alva, they are recognized as Mazoku though. Your citizens are running wildly……is that what this means?」

「No, the Alva are not Mazoku that are under the Zadark Kingdom’s command.」

「And where is the proof of that?」

「Supposing that the Alva were our comrades, they would have made it look like the incident with Borkio’s group was the work of the Demi-Human hating St. Altlis Kingdom. Wouldn’t doing it that way be easier?」

「……Indeed.」

After Torcresta nodded several times looking like he understood, he held a hand out to Rokuna.

「Please forgive me for saying it in a way that sounded like I was suspecting you. However, it was something that I needed to ask.」

「There is nothing better than having worries be taken away.」

Rokuna said that, and grasped Torcresta’s hand back.

Rokuna didn’t speak out a single lie. It’s just that she simply didn’t say anything that would inconvenience them.

「Now then, shall we bring a close to this party with this?」

「That’s right. An on-site dispersal……may I take it as that?」

「Yes, I don’t mind. Since we will also be setting sail just like this.」

Rokuna nodded at Torcresta, and then called out to the members of the Zadark Kingdom delegation.

「Everyone withdraw! Do your own respective Transfer!」

Answering those words, Altejio carried Margaret in his arms.

Lumon, Arum……they Transferred one after another.

「Well then, I will excuse myself as well. Do take care until the next time we meet.」

「I am sure, that time will come soon.」

「I will be anticipating it.」

Leaving behind those words, Rokuna also Transferred and vanished.

And then, the only ones left on the deck of the Gresleta were only the Metalio group.

「……The Alva, huh.」

「Can we trust them?」

Hearing Baltroy’s question, Torcresta went silent.

「……Torcresta-dono!」