Aria of the Withered Branch
Chapter 8

Even if my father, a high-ranked noble from Chaive and the head of an old and esteemed family, were to come here, he would be hard-pressed to secure lodgings for a single night. I had long ago concluded that I would never have anything to do with the place. So why is Chandy standing at the entrance?

“Honey! Over here!” she said, gesturing.

A bunch of men standing nearby stared as I walked toward her, left with no other choice.

“What about Poppi?” I asked. Even though the creature had treated me like a snack, I was a bit worried about it—it was massive.

Would it be allowed in?

“You sleepyhead. Everyone else is already inside the hotel, except us three. Let’s go and eat something delicious. The others will come to the restaurant after they’ve stopped by the rooms we reserved. Jules will take care of Poppi, so don’t worry about it,” Chandy said.

“Wait for me!” Hellie said, scrambling to catch up from behind and taking my other hand.

An employee who’d been waiting nearby led us to a building next to the main hotel, where the restaurant was located. A fancy chandelier scattered warm light over the broad space that greeted us inside. This place was a far cry from the usual restaurant or dining space one would find in a normal hotel or inn. It looked like one of the high-end restaurants nobles liked to meet in or a small banquet hall, only nicer.

“What kind of food do you like, Al?”

A female employee wearing a red dress that was split down the sides for easier movement appeared with a smile, carrying a white plate. Chandy had noticed this and was pointing toward the food as she spoke. The food here was served buffet-style. When diners chose their food, two employees standing nearby would plate it and bring it to the table. I listened to the woman who had fallen in beside me explain this as we moved to the table that had been reserved for us. The three men who had arrived before us waved from their seats.

“The rooms seem to be perfectly in order. There’s a large bath, a small bar, and even a training room, all within the suite. Everything should be fine for an overnight stay,” Mahorren said.

“The suite isn’t the problem. It’s the animals walking around in this establishment that are the problem. They all seem to know a beautiful woman when they see one. In any case, I’m happy with the facilities, Ren. I can see why you insisted on staying here,” Chandy said.

“If you don’t like them, you can always slit their throats. That’s your job. What seems to be the problem?” said Mahorren.

“I only kill for money, and when the motive pleases me. If I were to kill every man who bothered me, there wouldn’t be many of them left on the continent. It’s not their fault that I’m so beautiful. Isn’t that right, Al?”

As I listened, I realized that though Chandy’s occupation was frightening, Mahorren was even more terrifying, what with the benevolent look he wore on his face as he suggested such an atrocious thing.

“I thought this place was only for royalty and high-ranked nobility,” I said quietly, looking at both Hellie and Jules who were seated on either side of me.

“It is. You don’t have to worry, though. Zugrenar is so infamous that even most kings won’t dare to cross them,” Jules said.

“Hmph! She has dirtied her hands at least once or twice, but infamy aside, Al, it’s the old man you should be worried about, not Chandy. All that matters to him is money. He doesn’t care about royalty or nobility. And if necessary, he will turn an entire country on its head or wipe out a dynasty. He’s done both before. Zugrenar is basically a bunch of polite aristocrats compared to the old man’s merchant group and his high-interest loan operation,” Hellie said.

No way… I could be rash at times, but Mahorren seemed to be on another level entirely. Hellie’s words came as a shock to me, since I had concluded that Phay and Mahorren were the most reasonable people in the group. It seemed I could trust no one, after all. There was still Phay, but based on what I’d seen so far, my suspicions that there was something I didn’t yet know about him either were growing. I couldn’t help but feel sad.

I didn’t know Ren also lends money on the side. Even in the dream, it had been obvious that Mahorren was surrounded by wealth. I was growing more and more afraid of what I’d find when it came time to see the new house they’d purchased in the Vichatzer Kingdom. There was still a long while to go before I was set to start work. But it would take only a day to get to Vichatzer from our current location, Chaive, if we took a passenger airship or a junction gate. Maybe I’ll be able to hang on somehow.

“Just eat. Is that enough food for you, by the way?” Jules asked.

“Yes… It is,” I said.

I get indigestion if I eat too much.

“What? Are you on a diet or something? You’re pretty scrawny. People won’t think well of you if you eat so little.”

I quietly lifted my fork, spearing some decorative purple greens that were famous for their bitter flavor despite their pretty color, then shoving them in Jules’ mouth. Jules shuddered, jumped to his feet, and fled to the bathroom. I laughed.

“Is the food not to your taste?” Phay asked worriedly.

“No. It’s great,” I said, showing him my empty plate. He narrowed his eyes. I really had enjoyed the food. It had literally melted on my tongue, and I’d never tasted anything so delicious. He continued to study me, however, as though he was trying to figure out if I was being truthful, or just polite. I decided to tell him the truth. “If I eat anymore, I’ll be sick. I’ve been this way since I was little. Medicine hasn’t helped with the condition, so I tend to be careful with my meals.”

“I see…” Phay said a moment later, glancing at Mahorren.

Mahorren was glaring at my empty plate after hearing what I’d said, looking rather gloomy for some reason.

Why does he look so angry, as well? I got the feeling he would slap me if I rubbed him the wrong way right now. I assumed I was the reason he was suddenly in such a bad mood, though I had no idea why that would be the case. It was time to clear the air.

“Chandy tells me this place is a must-stay,” I said. “Is there a special reason?”

It was nice and all, but a single night with meals included was worth the cost of a three-month stay at most inns. It was a little excessive. No matter how rich Mahorren was, I felt a little uncomfortable with letting him foot the bill for such extravagance.

“Don’t tell me you feel uncomfortable, honey?” Chandy asked.

“Hey, now! Don’t worry about it! Let’s buy everything we want. It’s on Mahorren,” Hellie said.

“That’s why I feel uncomfortable, Hellie,” I said.

“Oh! Hey, I like the tone you’re taking with me now. You’ve gotten more used to talking to me!” Hellie said.

“Well, um… I guess so,” I said.

“So you’re comfortable around me, too, like you are around Jules!”

Why are you so happy about that? I was noticing, however, that I was getting more used to speaking informally to the others. Perhaps it was proof that I was getting used to being around them.

“You have a timid side to you, I see,” Chandy said. “This is hardly lavish. Do you need anything? I can get it for you. Just say the word.”

There was a confident smile on her face. I heard forks dropping against plates all throughout the restaurant, as the other diners overheard Chandy loudly insisting this place wasn’t anything special.

She’s certainly a character, I thought.

“There’s no particular reason. This place just seemed to be the most suitable for our needs in these parts. Are you uncomfortable?” Ren asked.

I didn’t respond.

“It’s all right. Once you’ve made your declaration and become my declarer, you’ll never lack for money for the rest of your life. What do you think? Tempting, isn’t it?” Mahorren said in a coaxing tone. He sounded like a village ruffian trying to seduce an innocent young girl.

I smiled awkwardly, told him I would keep that in mind, then stood up. I’d kept eating everything the others handed me, and before long, I’d finished three plates of food. My stomach felt so unbothered, however, that I was a little upset.

I need some air.

The bathroom smelled nice and was completely empty. I quickly splashed some cold water onto my face. Then, raising my head, I looked in the mirror. A nonchalant, pale face stared back at me, water dripping down it. For some reason, the face looking back at me seemed different from the one I knew. My cheeks were pinker than usual, and my lips felt less firm. I rubbed at it for no real reason other than I was unsettled.

I was suddenly reminded of the meals I ate back home. Perhaps because I’d been raised in a loveless environment where I was unwanted, dinner with the entire family had always been a massive source of stress for me. Nobody even cared that I was there, but I was always extremely careful not to displease them. It made me unable to appreciate the taste of most things I ate. I remember being fully occupied with chewing and swallowing whatever was on my plate. As far as how much of it I actually tasted—it might as well have been made of rubber.

Food had simply been a resource that I needed to survive, and even slightly too much always made me feel ill. The years had gone by, and I no longer cared what other people thought, but enjoying a meal was still a concept beyond my comprehension. Today’s dinner, however, had tasted good, which was why I suddenly felt scared.

“What’s the big deal? It’s just food,” I told myself.

We’d sometimes eaten together at the inn we visited before this. I didn’t know why today I felt so unsettled. I’d considered myself numb to most things, but maybe that wasn’t the case. It hadn’t even been that long since my plans had been thwarted, and here I was, already so emotional. Memories were coming back to me, making me uncomfortable. I no longer wanted to think about the past, but it resurfaced from time to time against my will.

I heard the door open and turned around. A young man wearing a red jacket had stopped in the doorway. He stared at the sign outside and then at me. Shoulders tense, he carefully stepped inside. I nodded to him briefly, then wiped my face with a handkerchief before pulling my sleeves back down. The man wiped the water off his hands as he kept glancing at me. I was puzzled but left the bathroom without a word so I could go back to the others.

He followed behind me and said, “If you don’t mind, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?” I asked, eyeing him.

He began hesitantly, “I noticed the silver-haired woman who was with you earlier.…”

Ah. This is about Chandy. The man pressed his lips together, his cheeks slightly flushed. He looked to be in his early twenties, about my age. Despite looking quite aloof, he seemed to be quite timid in reality. He couldn’t even make eye contact with me. I got the impression he was quite innocent.

“I saw you coming in with her, too. A-are you her lover?” He must have come to that conclusion because Chandy kept linking arms and smiling at me.

I wondered what to tell him. I didn’t think lying would be proper, so I said, “No, I’m not. I don’t know if she’s in a relationship with someone else, though. I can’t tell you more than that.”

“Ah!” His lips moved as if he wanted to ask something more, but after making this noise of understanding, nothing more emerged from his lips. Then, perhaps in a burst of courage, he balled his fists and aimed a fiery look at me.

“My goodness, Myers, what are you doing?”

Someone had interrupted him.

“Oh, it’s you, Diana. It’s nothing,” the man said.

The girl who had interrupted him was lovely, with hair the same color as his. It had been teased and styled to give it volume and was decorated with scattered diamonds. Her cat-like, light green eyes glowed as she approached him. Behind her was a slightly calmer but similar-looking girl, following more slowly. I wondered if they were sisters.

“Hmm.”

The man frowned as if troubled by something.

The first girl glanced at the man, then looked me up and down. Her cat-like eyes narrowed, and the look in them was unfriendly. She spoke in a loud voice to the girl who was presumably her sister, as if speaking up for my benefit.