After watching him go, Reina Ruu smiled teasingly at me and said, “It’s funny how concerned that guy was on your behalf, Asuta. He seemed so arrogant when we first met him.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think that he’s a bad person or anything. He just looked down on the people of the forest’s edge at first.”
“Well, I can’t say the same wasn’t true of us. It’s not that we looked down on the townsfolk, but we thought of them as people without pride.”
“But that Varkas guy and everyone else here are all children of the western god, just like us!” Rimee Ruu chimed in with a bright smile.
“That’s true,” I replied as I patted her head.
After that, we were finally able to make it to the door, where we found that Polarth had already gathered all the hunters who had come with us as guards.
“Now then, shall we move to the next room over? I’ll make sure that you’ll be able to get the ingredients you want later,” Polarth said.
He then led us to the small room where we would sample the food we made when we cooked meals at this manor. He took a seat at the table there, so we chefs from the forest’s edge did the same, as did Bozl, Roy, and Shilly Rou. Ai Fa and the eldest Deen son had also entered the room along with us, but they remained next to the door.
Polarth then turned to face Reina Ruu, who was the member of the Ruu clan seated closest to him. “The Ruu clan are in charge of the friendship banquet to be held at the forest’s edge, correct? I would like to have one of you convey my exact words as a mediator to the leading clan head Sir Donda Ruu. Is that all right with you, Lady Reina Ruu?”
“Yes, I understand,” Reina Ruu said with a polite bow in her seat. At times like these, the rule was for the eldest person from the main house who was present to take charge.
“Firstly, your people have no issues with what was previously discussed in regards to what you are expected to do with the red savage at this banquet, correct?”
“We do not. She will be kept inside a house to ensure that nobody from town will see her.” Reina Ruu glanced at me, and I nodded to her. A festival of the hunt that only had people of the forest’s edge in attendance was one thing, but since a large number of townsfolk were being invited to the friendship banquet, we had already been told that it wouldn’t be proper to allow Tia to roam about freely. Tia had accepted that after we had explained to her that it was because of the laws of both Genos and the greater outside world. “But it isn’t forbidden to have anyone meet her at all, correct? After all, Myme has met her already.”
“Yes, that is not an issue. But if a red savage were to participate in a banquet that has the stated goal of deepening friendships, it could lead to some serious misunderstandings down the line, so we wish for you to be careful.” That was in line with what we had already heard that Duke Marstein Genos had decided. With a relaxed look on his face, Polarth turned to face Bozl and the others. “I ask solely out of curiosity, but do any of you fear the red savages? You especially, Lady Shilly Rou, as you come from an old bloodline, correct?”
“I do,” Shilly Rou said, her expression as calm as always, but with an ever so slight bit of tension showing. “I have heard that one of the three great beasts has come down from the mountain, but I am not especially concerned. Of course, I most certainly do not wish to see it.”
“Yes, I feel similarly. Still, in a settlement with so many hunters around, I cannot imagine there being any danger,” Polarth replied before directing his gaze at Bozl and Roy too. Neither of them had any issue with it either, though.
“I was born in Jagar, after all,” Bozl said. “I’ve heard people talk about Mount Morga being a sacred land lots of times, but this is the first time I’ve ever heard the term ‘red savage,’ so I cannot see any reason for me to feel afraid like the people of Genos.”
“Ah, I see. Well, I’m glad to hear that this will not interfere with the friendship banquet. I hope that you all enjoy it and are able to strengthen the bonds between you,” Polarth said. Then his expression shifted ever so slightly. He was still smiling, but his eyebrows had drooped somewhat. It seemed he was about to get to the main topic he wanted to discuss. “In that case, let’s move on to the second matter. Please keep that in mind that this is only a proposal and most certainly not an order from Duke Genos... Would it be possible to invite a noble of Genos to the banquet?”
I was sure that every one of us was shocked to hear him say that. Reina Ruu quickly composed herself, though, and asked, “You are asking to have a noble of Genos participate in a banquet held at the forest’s edge? Who exactly are we talking about?”
“The current head of the house of Turan, Lady Lefreya.” That caused even more of a stir than before. And it wasn’t just those of us from the forest’s edge who were surprised. The chefs from the castle town were too, unsurprisingly. “The people of the forest’s edge and the house of Turan officially reconciled the other day, correct? Lady Lefreya herself made this proposal, in the hopes of demonstrating that doing so was not merely for show.”
“I see... And Duke Genos gave his approval?”
“Yes. He said he has no objections, if the people of the forest’s edge decide to permit it. However, we do see how a noble attending such an event might make it difficult for others to enjoy themselves freely. As the people of the forest’s edge are so broad-minded, I don’t expect that you would be overly bothered by her presence, but I believe it is important that you take the feelings of the guests you have invited into account before answering.”