Chapter 40 - Karasuki Kingdom King Capital

This chapter is updated by wuxiaworld.eu

In the evening of the day they left the village, Rio’s group arrived at capital of the Karasuki Kingdom.

The size was around 360,000 square meters, with a population around 300 thousand; its size easily became the biggest in the Yagumo region.

By the way, when compared to the Strahl region, it only reached a medium scale.

Its surroundings were surrounded with ramparts with guards at its gates.

With the exception of the people who live in the capital, one was a need to pay a toll for peddling.

They issued a certificate of tax payment when Dora paid the tax.

With that, they could freely go in and out of the capital for a certain interval.

Rio, taking along the restricted Gon, along with Shin and Dora entrusted the coach to the lodgings of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group would be staying in a simple lodging for the evening.

The lodging quarters were a simple lodging, oriented for groups, which were under the management of the kingdom.

Though it didn’t come with dinner, you could save a considerable amount of money compared to staying in an inn with large number of people.

After promising to meet again later, they parted with the other villagers, lead by Dora, going towards the lodging house of the soldiers, bringing Gon along with Rio and Shin.

Various buildings stand in line inside the capital, the road wasn’t too wide.

The humans walking on it were quite lively.

But, they were not in a situation where they could slowly enjoy the capital’s atmosphere.

Gon and Shin started to throwing verbal insults to each other since some time ago.

With Shin snapping at each of those insults, even Gon was pleased as Shin fell into a vicious circle of insults.

After awakened from the sleeping spirit art, Gon, who knew he wouldn’t be able to do anything to Rio, didn’t say any abusive words toward Rio again.

Though he didn’t know why he had that change of heart, his attitude towards Shin was the same as ever.

Rio was astounded at Gon’s abusive language.

He couldn’t even measure what he would be in the future.

With Gon’s remaining life, after becoming a crime slave, it was unknown how many years he’d have left.

And despite that, he didn’t stop himself from gloating with the self-satisfaction of harming others.

Maybe it was just his optimism of his own situation, or else he just become defiant.

In any case it was befitting of his shameless nerves.

(Well, whatever is okay)

He was certainly unable to forgive Gon who tried to harm Ruri, who was his own relative.

But, that man, who was doomed to die in the not too distant future, didn’t even show any sign of correcting his attitude.

Though he might be able to live carelessly if he did not receive any punishment, it was already too late as he was surely going to get his punishment, so Rio isn’t interested in Gon anymore.

「Heh, Ruri’s soft skin is truly superb. Shin, I guess you’re never even touched her skin, right? 」

Gon said those words; maybe he thought he could incite Shin with jealousy.

That was a cheap provocation.

「What!? 」

But, the young men called Shin taking on that provocation.

Though Rio knew that he didn’t give a sh*t about Gon’s action, Shin, as usual, his expression changed and he fell into Gon’s trap.

「Fuhn, What. You’re also fallen in love with her, right? I’m really disappointed. I originally want to rape her only to dumped her afterward, Hahaha! 」

Being even more pleased with Shin’s reaction, Gon let out a broken laugh with proud expression on his face.

「You, bastard ……… 」

Shin was enveloped by a dangerous aura, as he glared at Gon.

With a feeling of displeasure enveloping him, it wouldn’t be strange if he hit Gon soon.

Their quarrel gathered quite a lot of attention from their surroundings.

Along with Rio unusual attire, foreign to that kingdom, leading Gon, who was bound by rope, they gathered quite a spectacle.

Sensing many lines of sight, from their surroundings, Rio sighed a little.

Though he didn’t know what was in Dora’s mind, they kept advancing to their destination.

「Geez, what the hell you lot talking about?. See, we’ve arrived」

Just when Rio began to think about whether to give a warning, Dora told them that they had arrived at their destination, with an astonished face, looking at the two people quarelling.

Their current location was near the heart of the capital, the royal palace.

In that place, there was a very noticeably large building.

It seemed that was where the soldier’s lodgings were.

「We’ll enter now. Follow me」

「Cheh！」

Rio entered that building while pulling along the rope fixed to Gon’s neck.

When his eyes met with Rio’s sidelong gaze, who was looking with cool gaze, Gon clicked his tongue and then turned his gaze away.

「What’s your bussiness?」

When entering that building, a soldier inquired at Rio’s group.

「We brought a criminal who attempted to rape. The three of us are the witness, and the criminal is that guy. The chief of tax collection staff, Saga Hayate-sama said that he would also become the witness」

Dora explained their bussiness in few sentences with a calm tone.

When he said Hayate’s name, the change in that soldier expression was pretty much noticeable.

「I see. If Saga-sama said that he’d become the witness, that incident must be true. May I inquire into the matter too? 」

「Of course」

Following the soldier, the four of them were taken into the interrogation room.

In that room they talked about Gon rape attempt.

「No way, to think that there really was an idiot who tried to commit a crime of creeping into a house where Saga-sama was staying ………… 」

To that foolhardiness, the soldier looked at Gon with shocked expression.

Though there was a need to ask Hayate to ascertain the credibility of that story, he knew that a false charge against another person by fabricating a story, and by saying that the tax officer was the witness, it would become a serious felony once exposed.

It seemed that the soldier decided to believe their story.

「For the time being, it seems I need to confirm the truth from Saga-sama, even if that person would show some retaliation, let’s treat him as guilty in this place*. We need to check regarding how much we’ll buy him for. Please wait for a while」

「Acknowledged」

He placed a collar on Gon’s neck with fluid movement and, the soldier left to another room while taking along Gon with him.

Though he wa still trying to spit on Rio’s face before he left, Rio easily warded that by forming an invisible wind barrier, with spirit arts, to protect himself.

Part 2

「Fu*k！ I hate those eyes which looking down on humans! 」

As if showing his last resistants, Gon shouted with the outburst of his emotions at Rio.

「Don’t look at me with those annoying eyes！」

「Oy, SHUT UP！」

「GA!」

The soldier hit Gon’s head, who was shouting loudly, with the hilt of his sword.

Gon’s balance was fairly disturbed as his head took a considerably strong bashing.

「God Daaamn iiitttt……」

Gon muttered in a low voice while hanging his head down, as if he was completely frustated.

Those were the last words they heard from Gon.

「Let’s go」

Roped with a rough rope, Gon, who was being dragged by the soldier, walked with unsteady steps.

SIlence descended in the room after that soldier and Gon were gone.

「Well, he’s young, has a good physique, and healthy. He’ll definitely be purchased with those points alone」

As if destroying that tedious atmosphere, Dora’s voice clearly resounded in that room.

「…… If you say so, it should be okay」

Sighing a little, Rio decided to follow the conversation while smiling wryly.

「Damn it, that bastard, I won’t feel refreshed unless he’s sold even little bit higher! 」

But, Shin was the only one who still held a grudge towards Gon, even till now. He was shouting loudly, as if helplessly trying to vent his anger.

「Well, the fact is that he’s already become a crime slave. He won’t meet a satisfying end. Furthermore, we even get consolation money from his village. Though I understand your feelings, let’s just leave it as it is. It’ll only make you tired on your own」

As a senior in life, Dora had some resistance to that kind of situation.

He knew how to ward the stress.

Though his foul mood was somewhat restrained with those words, Shin was still feeling discontent for the whole time.

And then, the soldier from before come back to the room around 30 minutes later.

「This is the money paid after that guy was sold. Thank god his price set a new record. He sold for 10 gold coin」

I gold was an amount of money which enable someone to live and play around all day long, even without working, for a whole month in Imoerial city.

Also, 10 gold was the amount of money which was enough for an average family to live in the capital for one year.

Though it was not that strange, that selling price was several times that of a normal slave. A crime slave was treated as a consumable goods forever, thus it was cheaper in the long run.

By the way, the price of a crime slave was decided by confirming the condition, according a manual, to get a grade, and then determining the price from the predetermined grade.

「Thank you very much. Let’s go」

After carefully took the important 10 gold coins, Dora left the lodging house along with Shin and Rio.

「Since it’s already dark, I think we should immediately go back to the lodging」

Said Dora, who was leading the way as the only one who knew about the roads inside the royal capital.

Rio and Shin followed behind him.

After walking for around 20 minutes, they finally entered the densely packed lodging facility area.

Inns weren’t the only ones there, there were also simple lodgings in there.

「Oh, looks like that’s the place」

Said Dora, who found the villager that was currently on a stand by the outside the lodging.

Though there were several simple lodging houses erected in this area, they couldn’t be used unless for a party with member exceeding certain number.

Some of the buildings were nothing but just a room which served as simple kitchen* and bedroom; on the other hand, it was possible for 30 people to sleep with just one room.

「Are you hungry? Wait a minute, today we’ll eat outside with everyone. You two drop your luggage and meet later」

It seemed they were waiting outside the lodging, waiting for Rio and co to come back.

Though they could use one simple lodging for one party, some people might come to steal something.

That was the duties of the watchmen.

「Ou. Thank’s for the hard work. Then how about we go eat Kamu tan

「Seriously? Yaaay! 」

When Dora said the name of the dish for Rio and Shin to hear, Shin raised his voice in delight, as if he had forgotten about his foul mood that had haunted him until then.

Dora smiled wryly, looking at Shin’s response.

「Kamu tan?」

「Ah, is this the first time you’ve eat Kamu tan? Though it can’t be easily made in the village, it’s a traditional dish of this region. It’s made by boiling the ingredients, made of processed thin wheat, and we eaten with soup」

「Hee, that sound delicious」

Though he had never even heard of the dishe called Kamu tan, he could somehow imagine what kind of dish it was.

After dropping his luggage and entering the lodging as it is, the three of them goes to eat that Kamu tan.

「How about that store?」

「Where ever is fine. Let’s enter it quickly! 」

Since they really didn’t know where a shop that was serving delicious meals, Rio decided to following Dora.

Though Shin also didn’t know the shop’s details, as this was his second time coming to the royal capital, Kamu tan was his favourite dish.

Rio and Dora smiled wryly, deciding to follow after Shin, who was hastily entering the store.

The business was prospering inside the store, the guests were also slurping noodles dishes using chopsticks.

Rio who had already predicted such a spectacle wasn’t shocked that much.

Though he didn’t know which was the recommended menu, he decided to leave it to Dora.

「Kamu tan for three please. Large serving and Please add meat toppings too」

「Roger！」

While waiting their dish to be served, he trying to ask about the characteristics of Kamu tan from Dora and Shin.

The answer for that was, RAMEN.

In addition, there was also some dishes that resembled Soba and udon.

Though both of that names were different from on earth.

Since it was a dish they’d eaten since olden days, it become the local cuisine of the region, just like the pasta he previously saw in Strahl region, it seemed the possibility that the creator of this dish was a reincarnator was low.

「Hai, three Kamu tan are done!」

Soon, the shop assistant brought Kamu tan in porcelain bowls.

Containing wavy noodles was transparent shouyu* base soup; it gave rise to a steamy and rich fragrant aroma.

The meat topping covered a large surface of the noodles, though it was a little different from charsiu*, it was not what was important, as it was already delicious as it was.

「You must make a slurping sound while eating Kamu tan」

After explaining to Rio with a triumphant face, Shin vigorously slurped the Kamu tan.

Since Rio was originally Japanese, he wasn’t repulsed by the habit of eating while slurping. Whether it was in Strahl or Yagumo regions, eating while slurping was a bad habit which was a breach of a manners, regardless of class.

But, in the Yagumo region, this Kamu tan was the only exception, where one could eat while making a slurping sound as a common exception.

Rio followed their example and ate the Kamu tan with experienced movements.

The soup was a very simple soup, without any condiment mixed in it.

The flavour was a little different from standard Japanese ramen and he preferred a more profound and rich taste as a young Japanese.

But, Rio’s chest fired up with passion as he finally ate ramen after a long time.

While slowly savouring the taste, Rio satisfied his hunger with a little rise in his mood.

Liked it? Take a second to support Novels on Patreon!