act13side

卡西米尔2 1-1

Greetings, Madam Droste... What are you reading there?

A wayside poetry anthology, Mr. McKee.

Ah... you've always been keen on the like.

I still remember my first time seeing you, stood in that blood-soaked arena with the stench of iron, carrying a book like this too. Your surroundings were every bit out of place with you.

You recall the details quite vividly, it seems...?

Ah... haha, ashamed as I am to admit, I'm one of your fans too. If you're not busy, I must have you sign something.

It would be my greatest honor.

Excuse me, Mr. McKee.

I'll leave the wine you requested right here.

Thank you. Send my regards to the other staff.

Let's take a moment to celebrate, Madam Droste.

I would be dearly happy to.

A toast!

A toast.

*sigh* Truly, a fine wine. It's a coveted Gaulish bottling, and its value would boggle any mind. A worthy tipple for a day such as today...

And for a knight such as you.

You flatter me. I've simply been of good fortune.

This poetry anthology...

Authored by a poet of little name from my hometown. I very much adore the verses he pens.

Ah, a Leithanian anthology... the title means 'Twin Moons and Marigold'?

Your Leithanian is superb as ever.

Haha, it was simply necessary to learn for diplomacy. I'm guessing you like marigolds? We've very few Kazimierzians nowadays who know how to appreciate poetry.

In the end, the letter can't break free of our mind's eye. These are all but marks for imaginations.

To the contemporary man, poetry is no more than warrens of words lacking aesthetics, too self-assuming, too pretentious.

Perhaps Kazimierzians are accustomed to a different sort of consumption now, a kind poetry could never match. It's a very typical course of things.

Might you be... insinuating?

I'm merely discussing poetry, Mr. McKee.

Don't you have something else you'd like to talk to us about, Madam?

Oh... I wonder what.

Ah. Your new glasses suit you very well.

Haha... w-well, it's sharp of you to notice such things. What a surprise, haha...

*ahem* However, that's not quite relevant to you. No, there's been some prior rumors going around the intercity net and print presses...

Ah... The red wine baths?

Yes, it's been slandering your reputation...

Do people really bathe in red wine? Wouldn't it stick to them so?

Excuse me? I assume... I'm not sure.

*sigh*... And who would believe such news?

Some would, Madam Droste... many would believe it. Sure as they know it may not be the truth, they'll still let the information color them.

Could we not clear the air?

Ah, you always do take non-knightly matters too lightly...

I've gotten in touch with the Rose Paper Union HQ; it turned out to be some entertainment editor's doing.

It seems it had already drawn considerable attention by the time it was noticed, and with all the factors at play, no retraction came...

This is the way they work. I give them no mind.

You're very forgiving, but that strengthens my feeling you've been wronged.

You've donated practically all your income to the poor of Leithanien, to build schools back home, to set up nomadic platforms.

But even if you deny the rumors now, the masses know the taste of delirium already, and they won't care what the truth is.

Hurting and slandering are simple things. They'll grab hold of the rumors and spread the news.

And how many times have you seen, after the truth came out, those who'd worked against you turned to help you wash away the lies, to make the facts clear?

Gossip can be fresh and exciting to people, while the truth is an all too boring thing. By all rights, this is how it is.

*sigh* How are you so unconcerned?!

Others should see an example in an upstanding, honorable knight like you! This ought to be better for your reputation, and besides—

McKee.

Erk...

I'm touched.

You're all too thoughtful a person... and all too tender.

As a Chamber spokesman, ensuring no external factors are of disturbance to any knight is part of my duty.

That said, I'd like you to care more, please, about what happens to you.

Oh, I have a question for you.

When will we have the competition schedule?

*sigh*... How can not even your own matches concern you?

Provided nothing happens, your next opponent will be Graybeard Knight, followed by... the Radiant Knight.

Are you that shocked, Madam?

Of course. The Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl... I've heard this name many, many times. Such beauty, firmness, and grace too.

The Chamber wishes you victory.

Mm... and yet...

A 'Candle' to the 'Radiant.' What chance do I have of winning?

Don't be like that. Knight titles nowadays are more for catchiness than anything else. They've got nothing to do with true power, Madam Droste.

You're very strong.

Oh—I've won!

Dammit! You cheater!

Ahahah, ol' V's still top of his game~♪ You're the big fat loser tonight, Kowal~♪

You belched on purpose calling 'start,' didn't you?!

Put the stool down, Kowal, that one's not built good. Get another one.

I win, Kowal~♪ You big fat loser~♪

What did I walk in on?

Arm wrestling. What are you carrying there?

Some medicine I just picked up...

Oh, for Młynar?

But he'll turn me the other cheek, I know that. Besides, I don't even think he'll start taking it on time...

They couldn't be more different, personality-wise. But there are some areas where he and the sisters are very much alike.

I heard him and Margaret had a real, proper duel once. Margaret won.

Who knows, maybe that's how you wake Młynar up some.

Pfeh, I don't reckon that boy's got anything to wake up to. He's awake as can be. Too awake, he is. That's what turned him so funny these days.

Oh, Młynar...

...No, never mind.

Hi, everyone! Oh, Zofia's here too.

Maria? What are you doing here alone?

Someone came looking for Margaret just now, so I came over ahead of her.

There aren't a lot of cases where someone's been exiled and then allowed to return as a full citizen. They need to check over so many legal documents...

Funny, that. Their bunch went to hell and back to catch Margaret out, and now they welcome her back with open arms?

Plotting something, aren't they?

That's what was haunting me before. Can't you two talk something nice for once?

We're just worried, you know...

If things really do go belly-up, we'll pack our bags and leave Kazimierz, head to that... Drohes Island whatsit to take a looksee.

...Rhodes. Rhodes Island.

Maria, how's your uncle?

Ah... I think Uncle Młynar's still at work. His shift might be over soon?

The Radiant Knight gave that boy a harsh talking-to, didn't she?

Hah, been a long time coming. If Old Man Nearl was still around, he wouldn't have stood for Młynar letting himself go like this—