SWNOVELXO Chapter 148 - Divine Cat Mii-chan, the True Master of Brocken Mountain!?
148 Divine Cat Mii-chan, the True Master of Brocken Mountain!?
“Grand Wilhelm Nord” is one of the top five luxury inns in Wilhelm’s territory, renowned for its exquisite food. It’s famous not only for its cuisine but also for how hard it is to get a room.
Thanks to the Duke’s generosity, we had been staying long-term at this inn. Tomorrow, we’re departing, and the manager had promised a farewell party, which turned out to be a standing buffet in the grand hall, with other guests also joining in.
Since this inn hosts wealthy people, everyone around me was well-off. My only decent outfit is the one the gods gave me. I should’ve bought nicer clothes…
Mii-chan was adorned with a black pearl necklace, Perro wore his usual “knight” outfit, Sera had a white lace ribbon from Mii-chan, Lu-kun a green ribbon, and Ral-kun a blue one—everyone was dressed up. Except for me…
“Mii…”
Despite this, the manager was introducing me to the other guests. Most of them were from foreign countries: merchants who arrived by trade ships, soldiers and diplomats from allied nations, and nobles on sightseeing trips.
Even though I was being introduced, I wasn’t sure what to say. Still, I decided to engage in conversation and learned a lot about the political climate of this world and the countries I wasn’t familiar with. The most talked-about topic was, unsurprisingly, the goblin situation in the Lumiere Kingdom.
When wars break out, people move, goods move, and money moves. Whether for better or worse, it creates opportunities for merchants. Since the Lumiere Kingdom is a major power, those opportunities are even bigger. The merchants were keen to exchange information on such matters.
The buffet was fun, though a bit exhausting. Alex and Claudia were busy mingling, while Perro and the others were enjoying themselves with the children of the other guests.
Mii-chan was surrounded by the ladies of the group, looking composed. Some of them seemed interested in her black pearl necklace—I’d sell it if I could, but that wasn’t an option right now, unfortunately.
What stood out most to me was that, despite having such well-informed people around, not once did anyone mention the Kingdom of Lotharingia. Just as the Duke had said, there must be a strict information blackout in place. I wonder how to approach this…
The next day, after being seen off by everyone at the inn, we departed. Alex and Claudia’s accommodations were already arranged. They were preparing for their stall, so we parted ways at the Shinko Trading Company branch. They’ll be back soon, though.
As we traveled, Sumire was quite excited, charging forward as we took in the wide-open scenery. Flying beside her at a calm pace was Ral-kun, looking as adorable as ever. As expected of a dragon. It seems Sumire and Ral-kun have acknowledged each other as rivals. But still, they’re way too fast—it’s terrifying!
We stayed the night in the lakeside town of Nixe and by the next afternoon, we had arrived at Brocken Mountain.
“Oh, isn’t it Lord Mii? A warm welcome to you.”
“Welcome, Lord Mii.”
“Mii~”
As soon as we arrived, a group of little ones swarmed around Mii-chan, disappearing into her fluffy fur. Some even clung to my clothes, their eyes sparkling with excitement. Don’t worry, I brought plenty of souvenirs for everyone.
Meanwhile, Ral-kun sat in front of King Fang, looking up at him.
“This little one… is he a dragon?”
“He’s the son of Lord Raging King, named Ral-kun.”
“Kyuu~”
“You’re kidding me…”
“Well, of course, it makes sense since it’s Lord Mii.”
“Are you planning to fight the Demon Lord, Nero?”
“No, not at all.”
“But Nero, even though this dragon is still small, he holds unimaginable power, being the child of Lord Raging King.”
What am I supposed to say to that? Ral-kun is still a little guy, and he even has restrictions on his attack power. Isn’t that right, Ral-kun?
“Kyuu?”
Exactly. It’s not like we can understand such things.
“I’ll fend off any threats, but I don’t plan on starting any fights. Also, the fact that Ral-kun is a dragon is a secret.”
“A secret, huh…”
“Ral-kun is a dog! Just a dog with wings!”
“Kyuu!”
“…”
Even if they give me those judgmental looks, I can’t just blurt out the truth. Ral-kun is a very special dog, and that’s final.
That evening, we had a feast, of course. Mii-chan was stuck between King Fang and Rodem, looking a bit troubled, while Perro and I focused on grilling fish. Sera was breaking the fish into pieces and sharing it with the little ones. Lu-kun and Ral-kun were eating with the kids.
“Nyaa~! No matter how much I grill, it’s never enough!”
I was grilling the fish with a bit of miso for flavor. The delicious aroma attracted a bunch of fluffy creatures. When I gave them a taste, they even licked my hand clean. I’ll have to be careful not to overdo the miso, though.
The adult monsters, including King Fang, had their heads buried in barrels of alcohol, already drunk. By tomorrow morning, I’m sure the place will be littered with “corpses.”
Later, we visited a cave that had become a home for monsters who could no longer move freely—those who had lost limbs, bore scars all over their bodies, or were too old to move. But no one abandoned them; they all lived together and supported each other. Mii-chan and Perro handed out grilled fish and mineral water to them, hoping to bring them some energy.
King Fang also lent me a section of the cave to set up the transfer device. There was plenty of space, and being in King Fang’s territory meant it was safe.
I placed the crate containing the transfer device against the wall and secured it so it wouldn’t move. Tomorrow morning, I’ll try transferring back to Wilhelm.
“Mii~”