Rumors and Refills

Unknown location:

In the bars or even on the street, the refugees would be stopped and asked "Are you from Coda Village?" And because the villagers saw different things from different points of view, what came out of each of their mouths were naturally different. With this, their words painted a surprisingly realistic scene.

Just by telling their story, the people of Coda Village did not have to worry about food or lodging before returning to their village.

"Knight Norma, what do you think?"

In the Imperial courts, there were female knights who served as aides. One of them,  Hamilton Uno Ro, asked her senpai, who was also her colleague, about the tales from the street.

Several knights and their followers sat in the corner of the rowdy tavern, filled with guests. The bar was dirty, and it only had a little space between tables. The place was so noisy that one might not be able to hear what was being said at a nearby table, unless one shouted. Amidst this noisy atmosphere, the knights and their followers sat side by side reaching out with their hands for food and holding their cups full of wine.

Glancing over, there was a girl from Coda Village working as a temporary waitress who was serving her customers from a tray of ale. After she set the plate of dishes down on the table, she described what she had seen, and collected a good amount of tips.

Knight Norma, whose mustache was neatly trimmed, had an uncomfortable look on his face.

While he was at court in the sparkling clean palace, he enjoyed delicious meals prepared by the wives of the nobles or their daughters. Although he was part of the Princess's order of Knights, they were nothing but a decoration of the court and had nothing to do with the frontlines. And now, an aide like himself was eating crude dishes and murky alcohol.

Although it was a mission, it did not sit well with him

How the hell did I get myself into this mess…? Norma felt like cursing his superiors. Just keeping himself from doing so had taken all of his willpower. Since it was a direct order from the Princess, the mission of investigating Arnus Hill could not be helped. However, he had expected the Princess to lead the whole order of knights, so that his servants would have to wait on him hand and foot throughout the journey.

However, that willful girl issued orders to station her main forces far behind, only taking a few people to perform reconnaissance. They even hid their identities, intentionally dirtying their clothes, eating the crude black bread and murky wine of common peasants, which he considered unfit for a knight like himself.

Norma raised his hand to signal the waitress for a refill. Seeing how his kouhai did not recognize how bad the situation was for them, he sighed a little.

After he got his refill, Norma shrugged under the innocent gaze of Hamilton who was waiting for his reply.

"If there are that many refugees who said the same thing, then it probably isn't a rumor. It's not likely that so many people would come together to tell such a lie. Still, it's very hard for me to believe that it was a Flame Dragon."

"I think that if that many people are saying the same thing, then it wouldn't hurt to believe them."

The waitress put down a bottle of red wine on the table as she said "It's true, Knight-nii-san. ~It really was a Flame Dragon.~"

"I think that if that many people are saying the same thing, then it wouldn't hurt to believe them."

The waitress put down a bottle of red wine on the table as she said "It's true, Knight-nii-san. ~It really was a Flame Dragon.~"

"Hahahahahaha, you won't fool me so easily." replied Knight Norma Co Igloo. "Ancient Dragons, Dragonewts, Slither Wyrms, and Wyverns, they are all called dragons. It must be some sort of mistake."

In reply to his reaction, the waitress pursed her lips in displeasure.

"Now now, don't mind him. I believe what you just said, so tell me more." Hamilton said as she gave her a few copper coins. That was way too much for a normal tip.

The waitress's mood immediately changed. She smiled cutely while saying, "Thank you, young Knight-sama". Although her attire made her look old, she might be younger than she looked.

"After receiving so much, I'll tell you what I kept from the others."

Saying that, the waitress started her story