303 – Breakfast with the early rising vampire
The place where Mera led me towards, was a treehouse like the one I had slept in. The Demon King Army does have tents and so on for making camp, but even so it feels more comfortable to have a place with a proper roof after all. While one section of the region has become unusable, there’s still plenty of serviceable housing left in the sprawling elf village. Since the residents are no longer here, there’s no reason not to use them.
「Oh? Good morning.」
Inside the treehouse, vampire girl was elegantly eating breakfast. There were various dishes laid out on wooden plates, perhaps from this house. The volume of food was modest for breakfast, but you would never get bored just looking at the wide variety. Bread, salad, fruits, small pieces of steak and scrambled eggs. Vampire girl was using a knife and fork in a refined manner to eat the luxurious food that you wouldn’t expect to see on the morning after a war. Are you a noble!? Ah, she was actually born a genuine noble.
「Prepare some for two more.」
Mera gave those instructions to a subordinate inside. It seems that this place is for the exclusive use of serving food to commissioned officers and the like. The person who received the order quickly went inside. The kitchen is probably inside.
But then, “for two more” means that Mera is also going to eat with us? Somehow, it seems an incredibly long time since I last saw vampire girl and Mera eat together at a table. Mera is more or less vampire girl’s attendant after all. There’s a strange feeling of “what’s this guy doing eating together with his master?” Since we normally ate together during the journey from the country of Sariera to the demon territories, it’s a bit too late to be bothering about that though. Well, Mera actually has a higher ranking when considering things officially though.
Hm? Putting it that way wouldn’t it actually be vampire girl who is out of place then? Mera and I are both proper army commanders, but vampire girl has no role, right? I wonder what the rank and file in the Demon King Army who don’t know the situation think about that? Hmm, well, considering that she’s boldly receiving the treatment of a commissioned officer, I guess the common soldiers can presume various things?
While I was thinking about such pointless things, Mera had pulled out a chair for me to sit on. Woah!? I didn’t notice until I sat down! What an amazing escort job! So this is the power of a capable man!
After I had sat down, Mera also took a seat. Now that I look at him closely, there’s signs of fatigue on Mera’s face. After the combat with the elves was over, for him to then spend the whole night dealing with the aftermath of the battle, he would be tired indeed. It seems he didn’t get to eat properly either. Otherwise I’m sure that Mera wouldn’t try to eat together with vampire girl and I. He’d probably have refrained and eaten by himself later.
Since there’s nobody else but vampire girl eating here, I guess they’re all busy working or are tired and sleeping or something. It feels really odd to be eating an elegant breakfast early in the morning with two vampires though.
「Ariel-san is asleep. Kyouya-kun is guarding her. I don’t know about Felmina.」
Perhaps my thoughts were obvious, as vampire girl informed me about what the others were currently doing. However, she doesn’t know about Felmina-chan. Since this is Felmina-chan we’re talking about I’m sure she’s busily working, but her presence is as thin as ever. Or rather, Felmina-chan is my subordinate at least, so wouldn’t it be bad if I’m not aware of what she’s up to? It’s okay! There’s no problem! Almost certainly, perhaps, maybe.
「Oh, also, Kusama-kun went to visit the other reincarnators. Maybe by now they’re eating breakfast together or something?」
Kusama-kun, ah yeah, he was around wasn’t he. Kusama-kun the ninja protege of the pope who can’t conceal himself. As for why Kusama-kun has the unique skill of ninja of all things, it’s probably under the cheap motive of Kusama-kun having the given name of “Shinobu”. D would be quite liable to do such a thing.
Ah, I see. For Kusama-kun it’s been a long time since he could meet again with his classmates. Does it feel like a class reunion? In my case, I don’t really feel like wanting to go out of my way to renew old friendships, but I wonder how vampire girl and oni-kun feel about that?
「What?」
I’m sure there’s no way that she’d be able to understand my question though, as vampire girl’s sullenness shows through in her voice. Ah, right. Come to think of it vampire girl didn’t have a particularly good impression of her previous life, right? Well, considering that she is here eating food like this, maybe that’s clear.
Nonetheless, there will be compulsory participation in the briefing session for the reincarnators after this. For oni-kun as well. I’ll have Mera take over guarding the Demon King during that time. Since right now, the Demon King is significantly weakened after all. I must have reliable people guarding her. This does mean that Mera will have another job forced onto him after working all night, but this is one thing that I can’t leave to anyone else.
Ah, that reminds me. Thinking about the reincarnators, how is Yamada-kun doing? Perhaps it’s about time that he woke up? Does vampire girl know anything?
「Yamada-kun.」
「Huh? ……Let’s see. Ahh. I think he is still asleep. As far as I know at least, since I have not heard anything about him being awake.」
Since we’ve been together for so long, even vampire girl has become able to infer my thinking, but she still needs to ponder from time to time. It seems that this time as well that she couldn’t immediately understand the meaning of my brief question, and was hesitant to speak. Your ability to comprehend is still lacking. Follow oni-kun’s good example.
「Rather than him, it might be Hasebe-san who is worst off, with the brainwashing having being undone. Since she is apparently extremely confused.」
Ah. That is true, isn’t it. Amongst the reincarnators who were brainwashed by Natsume-kun, Ooshima-kun is fine since she cancelled the brainwashing on her own, but the other one, Hasebe-san, has been completely brainwashed all this time. Due to Natsume-kun’s death the brainwashing has been undone, so she should have returned to sanity? Ah. Maybe it would be better to erase the memories as an after care service.
「Since she was apparently forcibly put to sleep, if you are worried about her then maybe go visit her later on?」
Let’s do so. But, before that, food! I consume the delicious food that was brought over. Mmm. It’s just after the war yet I’m indulging myself. The privilege of being a big shot eh. Being able to have such a delicious meal even though I didn’t work all night. Ahh, I’ve sure gotten a cushy job.
Forget about Mera next to me, or Felmina-chan who is still working somewhere, or oni-kun who has been guarding the Demon King without being able to get a wink of sleep. Everyone, you must all keep on working hard.