It's been a while. You're back earlier than I expected. Fenrir's nose could not be fooled?
"You'd better watch your tone. We're angry."
There was Dobb, who worked for the slaver Chad.
Indeed, Chad said he did not know why he had hired Dobb.
Maybe he has some kind of psychosensory skills.
"Don't worry. I know that mental magic doesn't work on Mr. Locke, and I'm so terrified that I want to slit my own throat at any moment because of that young lady's murderous intent."
"Patra."
Patra was more hostile than ever.
"Papa, take it easy. I will protect you."
I'll protect you." I slowly put my hand on Patra's head. If I hurry, I'll be at their mercy.
Besides, I can't let them kill her unnecessarily.
"Don't look so scared. I'll explain what happened. First of all, please sit down.
Unlike the last time I saw Dove, this time he is well dressed. He looks like some aristocrat. He must be a man of some rank to be here.
Dobb serves tea and sweets to me and Patra.
The tea was the same herbal tea we had had at the inn in Griz .......
"I heard that you like this tea, so I prepared it for you.
"Dove, first of all let me tell you that I am very angry about this. Grizz is a dear friend. If you don't give me a good reason why I should let you go to that village with your love, I won't forgive you.
"Yes. I'm sorry for what I did to Grizz. I will make up for this in due time. But we had our reasons.
Let me ask you why.
The reason I asked you to go this time, Mr. Locke, is to secure the dragons and to keep the Suidu Kingdom in check.
So you're saying I've been set up just the way you wanted me to be.
Dove's hands were shaking, as if he had always been so brazen and impersonal.
He looked to the side and saw Patra, who looked as if she was about to kill him.
"Don't look so scared. I don't like doing this either. You've heard about the robe of darkness, haven't you?
I didn't think it was possible for information about the robe of darkness to get around so easily... but you let it slip on purpose, didn't you?
Yes, I did. I'm sorry. There are several backroom organizations in this country, and the one who is trying to make a move this time is the fourth prince's faction. This guy is an idiot and there's nothing we can do about it. He's trying to start a war with the Suiju Kingdom on his own, and he's connected to a merchant named Karl Feldt behind the scenes.
I believe the merchant the chief was so polite to was named Karlfeldt.
If he was connected to the prince, he must have been a man of some standing.
So why me?
"I was against it. I was against it, but the aristocrats and others suggested that there was no one suitable for the job.
Do they know about me?
No, I didn't inform them directly. I planned this meeting on my own initiative.
That's a funny thing to say after all the opposition.
If we didn't do anything, we'd be at war with Suidu. I was going to leave it alone at first too. But then I heard that the fourth prince had secretly acquired the Kid, a former hero.
The Kid?
Yes. We could not foresee how he would get involved in such a situation, and we wanted to move our maximum strength as quietly as possible.
But that's none of my business.
Yes, I understand your concern. But there are not many people in this country who can stand up to the Kid. Fortunately, the passage has already been destroyed. The village of Anesa will no longer be targeted by the cloak of darkness. All we have to do now is to stop Kidd and we will be done for once.
I say again, it's none of my business.
Don't say that. When this is over I won't tell them that I have a dragon, or Domorte the Sage, or the Mermaid Queen in my group.
What good would that do me?
If that information gets around, you'll be hunted not only in this country but all over the world.
"Mr. Dove, you are trying to threaten Papa, aren't you?"
Patra smiled and drank out of her cup of herbal tea, and Dove fell to the floor.
"Wait, wait. I didn't mean it."
"Patra, it's okay."
"Papa, you have to train him! He doesn't seem to be aware that he is being rude to Papa and Grizz.
Patra is smiling, but she can't control her magic.