Episode 27.7-8-9

On the fourth day.

Amamir had desks brought to the lounge for the record keepers' use. The two of them also had their breakfast brought to the lounge. All the record so far was initially stored in the town lord's mansion, but starting today it would be put in the lounge. Probably a countermeasure for if the accompanying priests went ballistic.

Originally, Amamir was planning to let one of the record keepers disclose the record to those people.

But after hearing and seeing what the conversation was like, he ended up changing his mind, thinking it'd be best not to make it public recklessly.

Amamir is a gentle mild-mannered man, but he won't budge once he's decided on something. The accompanying priests and apothecaries are well aware of that trait. Hence they went for Kotojia instead.

They kept pressing on Kotojia from morning to noon. They knew the main gist of the talk, with Shira answering Skalabel's questions, so they're pressing Kotojia on what kind of topics have Shira brought up thus far.

The record keepers, two young apothecaries, get moved to the lounge early in the morning before those people arrive, and won't go out until night, they also have meals in the lounge, securing their safety.

Amamir deserted Kotojia. They cannot overcome this situation without a sacrifice. That's why Kotojia was nowhere to be found during breakfast that day, and only showed up at the guest house's lounge during tea time break after breakfast, looking all tired.

An official wearing an expensive looking outfit came over, led by Vouka town lord himself.

It's the domestic affairs secretary of Prime Minister Office.

He's supposedly two three stratum lower than the secretary who came to Vouka for the preliminary arrangement, but he's still way above Vouka town lord in standing nonetheless. It's one of the two officials who accompany the entourage to deal with expenses in this trip and to negotiate with lords in the regions they visit along the way. Supposedly they are not to intervene with the talk, just what is he here for.

A man wearing an unassuming attire follows behind them. The man must be an employee of the Prime Minister Office as well. He's got the same kind of aura as the man caught last night. He's all smiles but it's clear he's very nervous.

The secretary sat down and bowed at Skalabel.

"Guide Skalabel. I have a request to ask of you."

"Well now. What will it be?"

"Would you give the permission to allow a member of Prime Minister Office to quietly sit in the corner of the lounge during your talk."

"Well well. I believe our lineup has been determined during the early planning stage. I do not see how you want to add more now."

"My subordinate is very capable. I'm sure there will be no complications if we replace one of the record keepers with him."

"Uumu. I personally want this to be a once-in-a-lifetime lesson for our young apothecaries. In any case, we cannot decide it on our own. Lecan-dono, what do you think?"

"If we're having a change in personnel, I'd like one less person on your side and one more on ours. Yours got five, ours only got three. There's no balance. I want another member to attend Shira."

Lecan is talking about a Longarm Ape, not a human, but there's no need to specify that here.

Skalabel himself didn't want to spoil the mood they had so he brought the matter about personnel to Lecan, so he would deny it. For some reason, Lecan could infer that keenly. Thus his mild refusal.

"It is as you heard, secretary-dono. Lecan-dono bears a good point. A change in personnel should be a decrease on our side. Let's forget this talk ever happened, shall we?"

The secretary left after bowing.

Felt like the male employee who was following the secretary threw a glance at the maid standing next to the dining table.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

On the fourth day, the talk was about concrete effects of various medical herbs. But limiting it to one specific effect of a medical herb before moving on to next. Thanks to the topic they covered the previous day, Skalabel could clearly ask which specific effects emerges on which specific body parts, and what kind of functions that specific part should have had.

The topic has gotten to a part where Lecan could also grasp it to a point. He's not really good with abstracts, but topics regarding functions, parts and effects he learned at Norma's place came in handy.

It's lunch time. Which will be a buffet style dine at the guest house's dining room. Entourage priests and apothecaries are allowed to enter the guest house during this period.

These priests and apothecaries are staying at four noble houses. They asked their breakfast be packed and went to the town lord's mansion at a really early hour for a noble. And then they interrogated Kotojia. Which continued on until the guest house breakfast time almost ended.

Once Kotojia made her escape to the guest house, they would then eat their packed breakfast. And until the Halfbeak period whence they are allowed to enter the guest house, they would stay in the entry hall of the guest house, and crowd the dining room, waiting until Skalabel's group show up.

Shira declared that she didn't need lunch and retreated inside alongside Eda.

Amamir instructed the maid to carry the two record keepers' lunch to the lounge. He must believe that they can have a break since Shira isn't around anyway.

Skalabel has a good complexion on his face, his voice carries vigor in it, and his muscles and strength have returned. People were surprised and overjoyed when they saw Skalabel looked like he had been reborn anew a day after he arrived at Vouka, but then he got even better the following day. Then the day after and today, Skalabel's condition further stabilized. Over the past two days, it's clear now that this condition isn't just a transient happenstance. Everybody drew near Skalabel to inspect him closely and congratulated him. Priestess Marlia even offered her gratitudes to gods while bawling with both her hands over her face.

Amamir and Kotojia got assaulted with a barrage of questions by people sitting near them.

Many also talked and asked questions to Norma.

Some even came to Lecan asking him about medicine making crafts.

Lecan would offer his practical point of view on the matter while munching on meat and vegetable.