◆ The Captain and the Former King Mercenary
ROGE Gregorio let out a loud sigh before his mug of beer topped with a perfect bed of foam. His dark skin and silver hair that couldn’t be tamed had a way of making him stand out with his burly physique that resembled a layer of armor. He was clearly trying to make himself inconspicuous and visibly shrank, causing Roxy to furrow her brows by the counter.
Roge, who normally sat at the counter with a bright smile, was gloomier than usual. As she took the orders of the other customers, she couldn’t help but notice his dreary demeanor.
“Mr. Roge, did you finally get scolded by your doctor for drinking too much?” Roxy asked, unsure if she should be angry or worried at the aura that Roge was emitting.
Seated beside him was the new recruit, former king Cyril Astria. The monarch was much younger than Roxy, and he had already abandoned his last name, Astria. Even she was a bit surprised when she saw Cyril brought into her diner with the other mercenaries. Roge had invited them all to host a welcoming party of sorts.
It didn’t take long for Roxy to get used to it, however. Adventurers, mercenaries, and those in similar professions often had complicated circumstances.
“Not to worry, Ms. Roxy,” Roge said casually, raising his head. “My doctor hasn’t scolded me. My liver is tougher than steel, capable of breaking down as much alcohol as I can ingest.”
Roxy gave a small sigh of relief—it seemed his issue wasn’t so dire. “That’s good to hear. I’m not particularly worried about you, but is something the matter?”
She placed a side dish that she’d been giving everyone to eat with their beer—a patty made of stewed beans, onions, and chopped-up sausage made from pig innards over a slice of thin bread.
The brawny men with intimidating expressions who often visited Roxy’s diner were always hungry. Alcohol and a few dishes weren’t enough to satisfy their appetites. And so, Roxy spent every day cooking up affordable yet satisfying dishes for her customers. Every single day, she visited the market to stock up on plenty of fresh meat, fish, and vegetables. Eventually, the people of the market gave her leftovers or scraps that they could no longer use, hoping it’d help her even a bit. Still, she didn’t turn a hefty profit.
Roxy didn’t mind; she didn’t open this diner to become rich. Her late husband had dreamed of opening a store like this.
“Ms. Roxy, what might this be?” Cyril asked, narrowing his eyes at the dish that she placed in front of him.
“Well, if I were to explain, it’s a patty made from beans, onions, and pig innards,” Roxy replied. “It’s delicious.”
The former king didn’t seem at all bothered by Roge, sighing repeatedly beside him, implying that Roge’s behavior wasn’t anything new. Cyril gracefully paid his respects for the food and hesitantly reached for the thin bread with his hand. He still wasn’t used to eating with his hands, a refreshing sight for Roxy. Speaking of which, Ms. Chloe wasn’t used to it either, way back when, she thought.
She thought back to the adorable alchemist, who now fit in quite well in this city, and chuckled.
Cyril took a bite, chewed it carefully, and swallowed. “It really is delicious,” he praised. “All your dishes are really quite lovely, Ms. Roxy.”
I always wondered what kind of man Cyril Astria, the fiancé who treated Ms. Chloe terribly, was, but he’s really honest. She dared not to vocalize her thoughts and thanked Cyril for his compliment.
Roxy was vaguely aware of Chloe’s circumstances. The young alchemist hadn’t said a word herself, but rumors spread, and a diner was the perfect place to discuss matters such as that. Roxy couldn’t quite remember who she’d heard it from. Was it perhaps from a drunk Roge, or his subordinates who were parroting what they’d heard?
In any case, she knew that Chloe was the daughter of a duke—that she was Chloe Sagrid, the poor girl who’d been cast aside by Cyril Astria. She was now a popular alchemist within the city.
The young lady was bright and diligent; it was difficult to believe that she shouldered such a dark past. Recently, she got herself a true lover.
His name was Julius Craft. He was handsome, a man of few words, and difficult to understand, but his actions made it abundantly clear just how precious Chloe was to him. Roxy, who was used to seeing romance of all kinds unfold from beyond the bar counter, couldn’t be fooled.
“You better eat this food preciously, Cyril,” Roge warned. “We’ll be going out on an expedition again tomorrow to defeat a monster from the Otherworldly Gates. We’ll be eating dried meat and bread as tough as rocks for a while. You’ll truly understand just how valuable delicious food like Ms. Roxy’s is.”
“I understand,” Cyril replied. “But are you sure you can drink before an expedition?”
“How else can we cope? We’re mercenaries. We could die tomorrow, so it’s best to have a pint.”
“I thought it’s your role as the captain to ensure that no one will die.”
“Hello? We’re all dumb and hot-blooded. You think I can just go, ‘Come on, everyone! Do your best so we won’t die!’ and expect them to listen? I thought you were in the same boat, Cyril.”
“…I don’t plan on dying. Protecting my kingdom is my reason to live.”
“I mean, sure, if you say so. Defeating the monsters by the gates is tough work, and humans can die in the blink of an eye. Best to eat the tastiest grub while you can, don’t you think? And of course, it’s better to drink while having fun.”
“I agree and certainly want you to enjoy yourselves, but you’ve been sighing a whole lot, Mr. Roge,” Roxy pointed out. She shot a scolding look at them as they discussed death while eating. Still, Roge had a point. It was a daily occurrence for an adventurer or mercenary to energetically eat the food at her diner one day and be dead the next.
“But Ms. Roxy, Ms. Chloe hasn’t returned from Rasheed yet,” Roge pouted. He looked like he’d burst into tears at any moment. In fact, tears were forming in his eyes, so he was already half-crying.
Cyril had a worried and melancholic expression on his face.
Roxy folded her arms in front of her chest. How could she quell the fears of these worried men? She wasn’t too well-versed about Rasheed and hadn’t even known that Chloe had gone to a different nation. She was good friends with Chloe, but they weren’t living together, and they certainly couldn’t keep tabs on everything the other party was doing.