Chapter 178 – 17. The Way of the Far North (8)
At the limit of the far north, a procession of dozens of wagons stopped at the settlement under the peak of a snowy mountain towering high enough to pierce the heavens. In the aftermath of the war, in order to help those who lost their livelihood, they released the prepared supplies and set up a boundary with wooden fences.
“Temur, who is the courtier of Renoir?”
“A little while ago, I took my entourage and left for Ardennes. What’s so busy about it is that he hastily processed the paperwork reaffirming the alliance. From what I’ve heard, Gaul’s midfield seems to be quite fierce these days.”
“It was time for that man to return to the center.”
Responding calmly, Rom found a chair and placed it in front of the fire in the ger. Warming up the fire that warmed the room with warm heat, he slowly melted his frozen body from the cold at the limit line. The weather in the extreme north of the continent had a ferocious feeling that made me wonder if it was even beyond the frozen ground.
“How did the royal family notice the trade route pioneering business?”
“I thought it was the work of Uncle Leonard. Perhaps she was worried that her beloved wife would go to war alone. I told her wives that they could trust the nanny and the butler. He probably heard about the trade and helped make things a little easier.”
In front of the wooden chest of drawers, Temur tilted his head as he put the necklace of tusks on the seal. It was a natural reaction, if it was natural, because he had no way of knowing the man who served as a clerk from Renan and served as a butler for a long time in the central duchy.
“Nanny Anais’s husband.”
“Did Godmother Turgenene have a spouse?”
“The first meeting was when I helped him escape from captivity.”
“Huh, I think I should visit you someday and say hello politely.”
Temur moved the table and chair one by one to where Rom was sitting, then took out a bottle of wine and set it on top. Now, thanks to the addition of the trading corps, he was able to finish the post-war process earlier than planned, and he poured out the contents into his drinking glass as he wanted to put down the heavy responsibility of the chieftain for a while .
“It will take quite some time for those outside to succeed in pioneering trade routes and return. Because of that, I was very worried about Woldong. Bringing the twelve tribes together and receiving help from close friends, I couldn’t be more reassured.”
“I’m glad that’s the case. As they say, the key is from when the trade corps departs until they return safely, so let’s persevere. In the meantime, I will do everything in my power to help your abducted people return safely, so trust me and wait.”
“Don’t let that happen. In fact, it’s hard to imagine that my sister would be dead, if anyone else would.”
Temur pushed a glass of wine to Rom and offered it. It was a very impressive drink with a milky, milky color and a spicy, fragrant smell. He elaborated on his close friend who was looking down at his glass while blinking his eyes.
“Mayuju. In our language, it is also called an airac.”
“Irak?”
“Exactly. Among them, this is Shiming Arhirao, which has undergone distillation. The aftertaste is sweet and the tangy acidity is truly a gem. It’s a drink I’ve been saving to serve to precious guests all along, but if it’s you, it’s not a waste at all, so drink it to your heart’s content.”
Rom put on a troubled expression. If there is one weakness for Lumiere’s invincible knight, it is alcohol. Even a sip of beer, let alone a glass of beer that even women could drink lightly, could make him drunk in no time.
“I can’t drink. However, it would be difficult to decline even considering the feelings contained in this cup.”
“Well? What kind of boring jokes can a person who is a hero of the frozen land and the great snowfield tell?”
“No, is it really?”
Temur brought a leather bag with a sad expression. Apparently, he thought he was making a poor excuse for avoiding his tribe’s traditional liquor. Of course, that didn’t mean the friendship was shallow enough to break.
“That’s it. I will ask my friend outside to bring me another drink.”
“No, I didn’t say I didn’t drink.”
Rom grabbed the glass from the table and drank at once. Certainly, the liquor called Siming Arhi was very good down the throat of his. I thought that if it was a week, I would go crazy from the sweet fragrance filling my mouth.
“It’s a taste worth bragging about.”
“Huh, it’s the first time I’ve seen a person whose face turns red just because he drank one cup of that.”
“So you said you had no tolerance. How can a guy who says you’re only nineteen know what alcohol tastes like?”
“The only thing Tamir, who was often bedridden with a curse, taught me was alcohol. Just before going to the ancestors, he called me and poured me a glass of well-made mayuju and said, The meaning of life is contained here.”
Temur emptied his share of the cup. Soon, as if that wasn’t enough, he poured one or two more sips for Rom, then gulped down a drink with his bag.
“Mmm, that sounds good.”
“Drunk bastard…”
“Sometimes I dwell on what Tamir said. To be honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea to make such a grandiose expression, but what?”
Still, I seemed to know in what context he said that to me. Before being the leader of the nine tribes, the brave warrior was the father of two siblings.
“Perhaps he wanted to discuss the value of a glass of this easy-drinking mayuju. I think he wanted to let people know the truth that a life with someone to share it with is a truly meaningful and happy life.”
“If you say that, then I can’t turn down the next drink?”
Rom and Temur looked at each other blankly and burst into laughter. To commemorate the victory, they raised their glasses and sang a toast.
“Cheers to the future of Camag.”
“No, let’s toast to the future for all of us.”
Crack! It was quite a strong drink, but Rom, taken in by the mood, emptied two glasses. The two, who were usually hard to see because they were so talkative, started having a lot of conversations with a look no different from any other young man, perhaps thanks to their drunkenness.
“But why is a nobleman who drops birds so weak when it comes to alcohol?”
“I must say that my mindset is disturbed. It’s a rough life, so I usually feel like I’m having a hard time concentrating. But when I drink this guy’s alcohol, it feels good to be sloppy and blurry, so I keep losing my mind.”
“Isn’t that what it used to be?”
“Then I was stabbed in the back.”
“Oops.”
It happened in a past life, but it was. Rom, who had been dependent on alcohol for some time due to a feud with his then-wife Lucien Noir, was ambushed by the vice-countess Corvin, who was looking for an opportunity. This led to the death of his maid her, Jean-Marion, and to Orianne’s grief her.
“I haven’t even had a drink since that day.”
“What kind of madman stabbed you?”
“Cobain, who is that sneaky rat?”
“There is no such thing as the greatest achievement in life.”
Temur murmured lightly in passing. The man who didn’t get a single scratch even when the chieftains below him attacked him was Rom. Not kidding, perhaps the greatest achievement of the traitorous vice-count Corvin was actually stabbing him.
“Speaking of which, how did they deal with it?”
“I’ve left it to Sorgal and he’s working hard at the end. Since the tribe of the three Keshikten brothers joined us this time, I will give it to them. I’m from the upper class, so I’m quick at reading and calculating.
“You are very generous. I’m not the type to like killing people either, but if you touched my own people, you would not be forgiven and you would have been sentenced to death.”
“They are mean people. Just killing him is too generous. And you’re too weak to blame me. I heard from your wife before that you didn’t hold the family members of the Corbin family guilty.”
“Because I hate guilt-by-association.”
Rom shrugged his shoulders and yawned. He slumped over and enjoyed small talk, as if being weak from alcohol was no use saying it. Yes, it wasn’t difficult to wake up sober thanks to the mysteries that dwelled in my body while going through a regression, but I didn’t want to do that now.
“Did n’t that Nergu say that the reason he rebelled was because of your sister his?”
“Strictly speaking, it is one of the justifications.”
“Do not worry. If he’s still alive, I’ll find him and send him back.”
Temur nodded silently. And after quietly gazing at the calm fire of the stove for some time, he opened his mouth as if he had a good idea while watching the drunken Rom.
“My sister, Sansar.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s because your core isn’t hardened, but you’re several times stronger than me. And someday, he said that only a man stronger than himself would be able to marry me.”
“Are you at the top of the continent if you are several times stronger than you in terms of strength or skill?”
“But, Rom, if it’s you, I think you might be able to win…”
Turning his head to the side, Rom stared blankly at the equally drunk warchief. He scratched his head and sighed at the words I was spitting out so he finished his words.
“If then she pleases her her, she may be her wife her.”
“What is it, a step toward a better alliance?”
“It’s about acknowledging the strong. The way you are too.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Took, Rom lightly touched Temur’s shoulder and gave a small smile.
“Like you said, if you’re talented enough, you’re sure to be alive somewhere. I will try my best in every way.”
“Thank you. You didn’t just get the nickname of the beautiful sea of stars, so you won’t lose anything.”
“Whoever you see as horny, I’m going to do my best even if I don’t have that kind of motivation.”
“Wasn’t it? I heard Lord Peltier’s story earlier, that she pretends not to be the Baron of Ardennes and that she is a slut who reveals women ignorantly. She probably said that if it hadn’t been for Madame Le Moin, she would have had more than a few hits by now. Truly, if it were not for her, how could she have become a human being?”
“That old man, do you act like this…”
It wasn’t exactly wrong.
“So no?”
“What do you think?”
“I guess that’s right…”
“Mister Yay.”
It was the moment when the peaceful time of the far north limit had passed.
