The meal concluded with a fragrant drink reminiscent of herbal tea.
"Jin-dono, was everything to your satisfaction?"
According to Elsa, table manners in the Kingdom of Franz were quite strict; conversation was essentially forbidden during the meal, only permitted once tea was served afterward.
Her research appeared to be accurate.
"Yes, every dish was truly excellent."
"I'm so glad to hear that."
With that, the social hour began.
"You've come from the Shouro Empire, have you not, Jin-dono? I've never visited myself—I wonder, what sort of place is it?"
"I'm told a female Emperor sits upon the throne. Does that not cause any unrest?"
The conversation meandered from these initial inquiries into more general topics.
"I understand Lake Tosmo is vast. Here in our Kingdom of Franz, we also have a great body of water called Azul Lake. It marks the border with the Celuroa Kingdom."
"The Reiko-chan and Edgar you have in your company... they are truly magnificent creations."
Small talk flourished, a pleasant exchange of trivialities. Amidst this, Elsa subtly began to steer the conversation toward the information Jin needed.
"...I heard a rumor in town that some of the demon race were captured. Is there any truth to that?"
"Oh, so the news has already spread."
Catherine, the former Duchess, offered a slightly troubled smile before speaking.
"There's no sense in hiding it now. Yes, it's true. Two or three days ago, the bailiff of Inaku sent word that he had captured some demons."
＊ ＊ ＊
They had come from the mountains to the north.
A range of peaks reaching two thousand meters formed the northern border of the Kingdom of Franz. Someone had crossed over from the other side.
"We belong to the species you call the 'demon race.'"
Inaku was a town located near a fortress watching over the Klein Kingdom. It was governed by a bailiff appointed by the House of Lafayette, which held the surrounding northern territories.
Given its proximity to the border, the town was always on edge. When strangers appeared out of nowhere claiming they had no intent to fight, no one was inclined to believe them.
Kutaaga Akutaa, the bailiff and town mayor, was a man who was prudent at best and cunning at worst. One had to be to manage a border town.
Feigning a friendly demeanor, Kutaaga welcomed the two strangers.
"You say you have no desire for conflict? That is most welcome news."
At that point, one of the travelers reportedly said:
"War brings only hatred to both sides. The land is scorched, and the spirits of the people are broken. National power withers, and the populace is left to groan in the depths of misery."
Without giving those words a second thought, Kutaaga maintained his hospitable facade while lacing their drinks with poison.
It was not a lethal dose, merely enough to paralyze the limbs. However, it also made their speech falter, rendering the poison effective even against magi who needed to chant.
＊ ＊ ＊
"They are likely being transported to Sanjerton now. The bailiff made quite a show of the escort to flaunt his achievement along the way, so a fair number of citizens are aware of it."
As Catherine finished her story, Jin glanced at his companion. Sion was trembling slightly.
"Calm down," Jin whispered, giving her shoulder a light, reassuring pat.
Sion snapped back to reality and lifted her head.
"Lucas, I'm alright."
The short phrase wouldn't have meant much to an outsider, but Lucas, who had served Sion for a long time, understood the underlying message. Even in this situation, Lucas maintained his silence and obeyed his master’s order—an impressive feat of self-control for someone of his temperament.
"Um, about the House of Lafayette..."
"Yes, the current Duke is my son. Since my husband passed, I've been enjoying a quiet retirement. Please, do not stand on ceremony with me."
Elsa stepped in to pivot the conversation again. Although she was naturally quiet, she was more accustomed to these high-society settings than Jin, making her a reliable ally.
"I... I heard that there are two ducal houses in the Kingdom of Franz."
"Indeed. To put it simply, the eastern part of the country is split north and south. The North is held by the House of Lafayette, and the South by the House of Orange. The lands following the main highways belong to the crown."
One never knew when such details would prove vital. Jin, Elsa, and Sion—and likely Lucas as well—made sure to memorize the information.
"Your health... are you feeling unwell anywhere else?" Elsa asked during a pause in the conversation.
"Oh, thank you for asking. My injuries have healed nicely, but my knees have been bothering me for quite some time."
"If you would allow me, I would like to examine them."
The former Duchess graciously accepted Elsa’s offer. Elsa knelt before Catherine, who turned her chair to face her, and began a diagnosis.
"Heilung."
A faint light emanated from Elsa's palms and was absorbed into Catherine's knees.
"Oh, the relief! Thank you, Elsa-san."
"It was no trouble."
"Was that a Shouro-style incantation? The effect is remarkable."
Healers in this world typically treated knee pain with internal magics like Schmerzmittel or Healing. However, most such pain stemmed from issues like worn cartilage, which required surgical-grade healing magic. Since Elsa applied the optimal magic based on her knowledge of Earth science, the results were immediate.
Having further endeared herself to the former Duchess, Catherine insisted that the group stay the night. Jin and the others decided to take her up on the offer.
"Elsa, thank you. You were incredible."
Once they were shown to a lavish two-room guest suite, Jin expressed his gratitude to Elsa. While he didn't expect to find any eavesdropping devices, Reiko and Edgar performed a sweep of the room before the group sat down to discuss their next move.
"I wouldn't have been able to extract information that skillfully," Jin admitted.
"Mm. I'm just glad... I could help."
"The former Duchess seems like a kind soul. Though... I'm not sure how much she truly considers the plight of the common people."
It was a small criticism of the fact that she lived in such luxury while the rest of the town struggled, though Jin added, "Then again, I can't say much, having sat there and eaten it all myself."
"It couldn't be helped. Speaking up then wouldn't have changed anything."
"True. I'm worried about the state of this country, but our priority has to be Sion’s goals."
Sion reacted immediately to her name.
"Elsa, you have my thanks. But that Kutaaga... what a despicable man!"
Jin moved to soothe her anger.
"I understand why you're upset. But try to see it from the humans' perspective—they had no way of knowing if your people could be trusted."
"...Ugh, I know. I heard Marcosius did plenty of things to manipulate humans, so I suppose it goes both ways."
"As long as you understand that. I won't tell you how to feel, but remember—Elsa's father was also a victim of Marcosius."
"What?"
Sion looked at Elsa, who remained silent. While her father had merely been a pawn rather than a target of poison, he was a victim nonetheless.
"...I see. I... I can't ask you to forgive us, but... I'm sorry."
Sion bowed her head toward Elsa. Elsa gave a small, slow shake of her head.
"It's fine. It wasn't your fault."
"Still, I didn't want that hanging over us. And thanks to you, we know where to look."
"A paralyzing agent," Jin mused. "Even a demon can't do much if their body won't move. They can't even run away."
Sion looked at him intently. "Jin, what's our next move?"
"We'll buy the rest of the intel from Fernan tomorrow. Based on what Catherine said, we'll likely be heading to the capital, Sanjerton. We can't form a rescue plan until we're there."
Sion nodded. It was logical.
"Since they captured them instead of killing them, they probably want information. That means they're almost certainly still alive," Jin added, trying to bolster her spirits as her face clouded with worry.
"I hope so. I wonder what kind of poison they used. Elsa, are you able to cure poisons?"
"Mm. Some."
"It would be better if we knew the specific type."
Judging by the symptoms, Jin suspected a nerve-paralyzing toxin. That was all the speculation they could manage for now.
"Let's try to get some rest while we can," Jin said, keeping his tone as cheerful as possible for Sion's sake.
＊ ＊ ＊
"To think he can worry so much about the nature of the poison, yet give no thought to his own safety..."
Back on Hourai Island, Laojun let out a mutter that sounded suspiciously like a sigh. He was lamenting the fact that Jin had consumed the meal served to him without the slightest hesitation.
"That is simply the Master's way. He chooses to trust others. It is because he trusts them that they trust him in return... or perhaps, they simply find him charming."
"I suppose you have a point, Anne."
"And is it not our role to support such a Master?"
"Exactly as you say. Though, of course, I already knew the food was safe from the Secret Mobile Unit (SP) reports."
Jin was indeed fortunate to have such capable subordinates.