Seeker 234

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Chapter 234. Dinner With The King

"Do you have dinner plans? If not, I'd like to invite you to join me for a meal."

These were the words that awaited us as we entered King Eldrick's private room. 

Dinner? 

Was there a reason we were getting summoned? 

My premonition of a special mission that turned out to be incorrect

Despite such thoughts, when we conveyed that we had no plans, we were promptly escorted to a luxurious dinner table.

In a spacious dining hall adorned with a chandelier, a long table could accommodate nearly 20 people.

Laid out on a pure white silk tablecloth were various extravagant dishes served on large platters.

There were lobsters, roast beef, elaborately arranged salads, a mountain of bread, potage soup, and more. 

The ones that were in this seat were only King Eldrick and the three of us, in a lavish display of a private setting.

"Alright, let's begin the meal. Don't be shy. Eat without reservation; wasting such fine food would be a shame.", said the king. 

He's asking the opening remarks.

Following suit, we started eating. 

However, unable to shake off our curiosity, I finally asked the king a question that had slipped my mind until then.

"Um, Your Majesty Eldrick. Why did you invite us to dinner? We heard there was some business."

Kazane-san, sitting to my right, and Yuzuki, to my left, nodded along with my words. 

The king responded with a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha. I did have a reason, but mainly, I just wanted to deepen our friendship with you promising young individuals. Think of it as a politician's calculation in the politics world."

"I see..."

"It's not a lie that I have a favor to ask too. However, let's eat first. It wouldn't do justice to the skills of my castle's chef if the food gets cold."

"Understood. Then, let's enjoy the meal."

There shouldn't be any poison, right? 

Taking the king's words to heart, we indulged in the dishes.

"Delicious! Senpai, this lobster is amazing. It tastes like nothing I've ever had before."

"The potage soup here is incredibly smooth and has a melting sensation. It's quite sophisticated."

"This bread, with its fragrant aroma and buttery flavor, is exquisite."

"Kupic, Kupipii!"

The mini Griffin happily munched on roast beef, emitting satisfied sounds.

As usual, it seemed pleased with being allowed to join our meals.

While engaging in conversation during the meal, at some point, King Eldrick brought up the main topic.

"Now, let's talk about the real issue. What do you think of the Holy Knight Myarla?"

He's throwing us an unexpected question. 

Of course, Myarla, the cat-ear girl who had guided us until a short while ago, was the subject of discussion.

"Even if you ask how we feel... What specifically are you referring to?"

"As travelers from abroad, I want to know if you think Myarla is unsuitable as a Holy Knight. That's what I'm interested in."

"Unsuitable as a Holy Knight, you say?"

I glanced at Kazane-san and Yuzuki. 

Yuzuki took the lead in responding.

"I don't really know what it means to be suitable as a Holy Knight. From our perspective, Myarla is a good girl. More than that, I felt uneasy about the Holy Knights, especially the men who were bullying Myarla."

"Yeah, I agree with Hotaru-chan. Myarla-chan left a good impression, but I honestly got annoyed with those 3 we met in the hallway. I wondered what happened to the personality of Holy Knights; it felt off."

Kazane-san also agreed with Yuzuki's words. 

As the two of them talked about the missing premise, King Erdrick said, "What's that? Tell me the details.". 

I explained to the king the events I had encountered earlier.

The king listened and sighed, saying, "I see.". 

He then asked me to elaborate, and I explained the details of what happened.

"Understood. What I want to ask you to do is precisely related to that matter.", said King Eldrick.

"Is it about the bullying issue against Myarla?" 

"Yes. Of course, Myarla is a fully recognized Holy Knight who passed the test. Ideally, she should resolve issues, including interpersonal relationships herself. However, prejudice against the Beastkin, especially female cat-kin like her, is not just her problem."

Afterward, King Eldrick started to share some information. 

From his words, it seemed that he didn't view the prejudice the people in this country held against the Beastkin in a favorable light. 

However, even as the king, he couldn't change people's consciousness overnight. 

He mentioned that overcoming such prejudices is rooted in history and tradition.

It would be a difficult task that might take over a decade.

Myarla's recognition as a Holy Knight also required the king's decisive intervention. 

While her test results were excellent, it was an unwritten rule to fail Beastkin candidates in the final interview, according to tradition.

"It's a rotten tradition", King Eldrick spoke disdainfully. 

He seemed to want Myarla to become a symbol of improved status for the Beastkin.

Then the king continued, "Among those who show particularly strong animosity towards Myarla is one of her fellow successful candidates. As mentioned earlier, a Holy Knight named Gerald."

"Oh... Is there a reason for that?"

"Who knows? I've tried talking to Gerald directly. But it seems he believes I'm being manipulated by Myarla. Our conversation didn't go well."

Hmm... Isn't that disrespectful toward the king? 

I couldn't help but think. 

However, it seemed that King Eldrick had no intention of taking offense.

"So, Your Majesty, what's the matter you want to discuss with us?"

"Well, about that. What I want to ask of you is—"

But at that moment, the dining room door was hurriedly knocked.

We heard a voice from the other side called out to King Eldrick. 

"Come in."

When the king granted entry, it turned out to be Benedict-san, the captain of the Holy Knights.

King Eldrick left his seat, and Benedict-san approached, whispering something in his ear. 

After the conversation, the king's expression loosened.

Then he turned to us and said.

"Speak of the devil. A perfect opportunity has just presented itself. Once the meal is over, I have a task for you immediately."