Shumea was already nearby since she needed to report something.
Pale closed the door and called Gi Go Amatsuki and Shumea to the king’s room.
She wanted to warn the king since they were meeting Vine on such short notice.
“Is she dangerous?” The Goblin King asked.
“One of the three most dangerous people I know,” Pale replied.
“Oh?”
The Goblin King smiled. He glanced at Pale with his blood-colored eyes and nodded.
A dangerous person, and yet despite that, meeting her was still worth it. If so, then there must be something to her that’s worth the risk. If not for that, then Pale wouldn’t ask for an audience. When the king thought that, his interest grew.
He sat himself on the sturdy chair and held his great sword as if it were a staff.
Just being there was enough to make that kingly aura strike awe into the heart of Gi Go Amatsuki the Sword King, who was waiting upon the king. Shumea was similarly awed, but she was a lot more relaxed. After all, she was an optimistic soul.
“Well, it will work out somehow,” Shumea said.
She leaned her short spear and back against the wall. It was dangerous, but there were even more capable people here.
As soon as the black haired woman entered, Shumea was immediately struck with a sense of deja vu. It was as if she’d seen this woman before somewhere.
A pair of fearless long slits for eyes looked at Gi Go, then the Goblin King, and then Shumea.
The moment her eyes met with Shumea’s, that fearless black-haired woman’s jaw fell to the ground while her eyes bulged out of of their sockets. Her whole face was practically announcing just how shocked she was.
“A, a, aaaa! Nee-san!?”
The black-haired woman, Vine Ashley, pointed at Shumea and cried out in shock.
“Hmm~?”
Meanwhile, Shumea, who was on the receiving end of that finger, was tilting her head, trying to remember.
“Ahh, Vine. How are you? Are you doing well?” Shumea asked.
“You’re alive? …I thought for sure you were…” Vine replied.
“Ahh, it’s thanks to the boss here.”
Shumea pointed at the Goblin King. Vine’s bulging eyes bulged out even further. Not a hint of the brave woman that was often described with words such as fierce, wild, cruel, and savage could be seen. In here was only a maiden that happened to reunite with an acquaintance from long ago.
“…You know each other?” Pale asked.
She looked as if the world had been turned upside down as she interjected into the conversation of the two women.
“Ah, yeah. The both of us were together during our time as slave children,” Shumea replied.
“Hey, miss. Can’t you tell me sooner if Shumea nee-san is here?” Vine complained as she puffed up her cheeks and looked at Shumea.
Her eyes were sparkling like that of a maiden in love. Yes, this woman, who normally killed people without mercy, was looking at Shumea with such eyes.
When Pale saw this unexpected side of Vine, she couldn’t help but find herself speechless.
This Vine was so different from the usual that it almost seemed as if she had two personalities.
“Can she be trusted?” The Goblin King asked Shumea.
Shumea tilted her head and asked Vine. “You won’t betray me, right?”
“O-Of course, nee-san. If anyone tries to betray you, they’ll become rust on my sword.”
Vine looked just like a soldier being scolded by her teacher in the way she suddenly straightened up her back.
“In that case, I’ll leave her to you, Shumea. You’re name is Vine, yes? You may rest here for awhile.”
Vine nodded lightly and Shumea approached her.
“Well, that’s how it is, so let’s go,” Shumea said.
“O-Okay,” Vine meekly said.
Seeing Vine act like a borrowed cat, Pale stood in place petrified. When Vine and Shumea left, the petrification spell was undone, and Pale answered the king’s questions blankly.
“What’s the matter, Pale?” the Goblin King asked.
“It’s just that… I can’t help but wonder if that’s really Vine Ashley,” Pale replied.
“What do you mean?”
“…Nothing. I just misspoke. Please forget it.”
It was rare to see Pale troubled so much, so both the king and Gi Go couldn’t help but tilt their heads.
◆◆◇
This was the center of the territory ruled by the Kushain Believers, Cultidian, where the queen, Mira Vi Burnen was.
Queen Mira Vi Burnen had to employ the Shadow of the New Moon Clan to fight in the unfolding information war with the gifted tactician, Carlion, of their previous enemy, the Red King.
Their contract was yet active, so she was able to know through them that dark hands were being brought in from the Holy Shushunu Kingdom. She had the Shadow of the New Moon investigate the issue since she found it odd that there were so many adventurers with the merchants.
“…This isn’t funny,” Mira muttered.
This intel was her opportunity to get the goblins into her debt, but she was frowning. The quality of the dark hands reported was a jumble of wheat and tares. The fact that even famous adventurers have been mixed in caused a seed of doubt to sprout within her.
The way she saw it these people were merely passing through the Kushain Believers’ territory. If she were to needlessly stir up conflict here with people who knew how to fight, Cultidian would end inviting unnecessary trouble.
In the first place, why were there such shoddy adventurers mixed in with the lot?
If they bring in such conspicuous people, even the goblins should be able to realize that the Holy Shushunu Kingdom is plotting against them. It was as if they weren’t trying to hide themselves at all.
