“Gua-hahahah! You have my permission! Eat all you want, drink all you want!” Jerome roared with laughter, a bottle of booze in one hand.
In the officers’ dining room, the prominent senior officers gathered for a toast.
Altina was present, for what it was worth. She didn’t perform any conspicuous deeds this time around, so she sat at the foot of the table, but she seemed delighted from the very bottom of her heart that the plan had succeeded.
I’m glad I could make her smile—Regis breathed a sigh of relief.
Apart from her, he recognized the mass that was the knight captain, Everard. Despite his noble status, he dressed like a merchant and had assertively helped out.
The drinking bouts began. Brawny men cried out, laughed, and prattled a merry storm.
In the plaza around them, the rank-and-file soldiers who took part in the mission were surely sharing their tales of heroism with the others.
By all accounts, Regis was a junior officer who was meant to be in the plaza with them. However, as the one who proposed the plan, he was called to the dining hall for senior staff.
Not only that, he was seated at Jerome’s table where the most important faces assembled. The fact his seat was far from Jerome’s and that Altina was next to him provided some salvation, but his heart was that of a small dog that had wandered into a pack of wolves. Lonely and discouraged.
“Hey, Regis!!”
“Err... Do you mean me?”
“There’s only one Regis in my regiment!”
“Oh, that’s good to know... By the way, I’m technically in the princess’s regiment...”
“He’s right, you know,” Altina nodded beside him.
“Oh, just shut it.”
“......”
He was as unreasonable as ever.
“Hey, Regis... How did you think up that plan?”
You just told me to shut it, so why should I start speaking now? A childish counterattack did cross his mind, but he would surely die if the joke went misunderstood. He could never be the sort to stake his life on a quick laugh.
“...I once read about it in a book.”
“Oh? So they write books on catching bandits these days?”
“No, I’ve never seen a report on such a method being put into practice. Those who go as far as to write a book on their own strategy might have a stronger fixation on keeping up appearances—I doubt they are the sort to use such an underhanded plan. Rather, the book that gave me the hint was about pirates. Pirates often fly the flags of merchants, deceiving ports and other small merchant ships into dropping their guards before launching an attack. There are innumerable stories of victories earned through deceit. This might be a bit old, but a classic example is—”
“Yeah, we get it. Shut up.”
“Eep.”
As he hadn’t spoken about books in a while, he had forgotten his circumstances and inadvertently droned on.
Jerome had a pensive look on his face.
It was at that moment that the maid, Clarisse, brought in a plate piled high with thick slices of meat.
“......”
She really was silent now, and her face was completely devoid of a smile. As she placed the large plate on the table, the robust men cheered her on.
“Thank you kindly, Clarisse.” Altina spoke almost apologetically to the maid, who curtseyed and returned to the kitchen without a word.
That must’ve been a stranger who happened to look just like her—Regis had to doubt his eyes.
Jerome loudly gulped as the liquor passed down his throat.
“Hmph... Whatever. I reward success, no matter how much I can’t stand the recipient. Yes, even if he is an admin officer.”
Was that supposed to be heartwarming? Regis still felt he was being insulted.
“Hey, Regis! You scamp, don’t tell me this plan is the end of your bag of tricks! If you can’t think of anything else, you’re as good to me as a chicken who can’t lay eggs.”
“Oh... New plans? Whether I have a good idea or not will depend on the situation...”
“The best chickens give eggs even through the winter.”
“But there’s no need to strangle a bad one in fair weather.”
“Kuh, kua-hahah! You’ve still got some spunk in you, kid. All right, I’ll permit it. You can live another day.”
“Is that so? Thanks...?”
Jerome didn’t address him after that. However, the senior officers who had been practically ignoring his very existence got up to engage in a bit of small talk, a glass in hand.
As the night progressed, it was Altina who seemed to have no place; she timidly narrowed her shoulders.
✧ ✧ ✧
Regis finally managed to return to his room just as dawn was about to break.
He stripped off his coat and hung it on the back of his chair.
“Good grief, look at the time...”
The scent of ale had stained his hair. It would likely take more than a damp cloth to fully drive it out.
“Yeaah, well... I can take care of that when I wake up. Not that I have long to sleep, anyway...” he muttered before giving in to a deep yawn. He stretched out onto the bed and closed his eyes.
Almost immediately after, a knock came from his wooden door. It was quite a reserved tap.
Who could it be? He really wanted to sleep. As he hadn’t engaged the lock, he prayed whoever it was would just open the door and let themselves in.
As he hesitated over whether to sleep or get up and answer the door, the knock sounded again.
All right, fine. Regis dragged himself out of bed, trudged over to the door and opened it before it could be knocked on a third time.
There stood the girl with the red hair and crimson eyes.
He wondered whether this was a dream. She wore a fancy one-piece dress that would fit in at a ballroom, but had not put on her arm guards. It would have made quite a din had she knocked with those things equipped.
“...U-Um... Good evening, Regis. Or perhaps I should say good morning?”
“Altina...? Am I dreaming?”
“I don’t think so. Hey, can I come in...?”
She warily surveyed the corridor stretching out on her either side. Regis didn’t know why she had come by, but he had no reason to turn her away. He let her into the room.