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Tonukapoli was perplexed.
It was because, despite everything, a feast had erupted.
They said it was to commemorate the birth of friendship between Pepe and Takuto.
Tonukapoli had wondered if there was some scheme afoot, but seeing Atou, the demoness, so wholeheartedly delighted while celebrating the occasion, he reluctantly accepted that it truly was just a congratulatory gathering.
While this was happening, dishes continued to be brought to the table.
They were things he had never seen nor heard of before.
Yet the aroma was supreme, enough to make even Tonukapoli, who was usually indifferent to food, involuntarily swallow his saliva.
"Please, eat as much as you like! Today is a joyous day! Come, come, Lord Tonukapoli!"
"Ah, ah. Thank you very much."
Doing as told, he first reached for a fruit.
It was a choice born from his habit of not eating much meat or grain.
The neatly segmented fruit glistened with a juicy orange hue, and the sweet fragrance wafting from it was clearly superb just from the scent.
Tonukapoli could not hide his astonishment that such a refined fruit existed in this world.
He asked the dark elf girl who had been helping serve—peculiar, with half her face rotted away.
She replied with a lovely, rosy-cheeked smile, "It's a special food called the Egg of the Sun."
I see. Calling it a gift bestowed from the sun in the sky was a bold and fearless claim, but for something this remarkable, such a name could hardly be called arrogant.
However, judgment could only be passed after tasting it.
Picking up a nearby silver fork, Tonukapoli stared intently at the pulp, dripping with juice, and finally, steeling himself, shoved it into his mouth.
(Wh-what in the world is this?!)
In that instant.
Every sweet flavor she had ever tasted in her life crumbled into nothing but gravel.
What a taste! What a treasure!
The sweetness that spread across her palate was beyond imagination. A softness so delicate it dissolved with the lightest roll of the tongue, and with every bite, juice surged forth.
Above all, the aroma that traveled from her mouth through her nasal passage held an enchantment that seemed to melt the heart on its own.
Her stomach, which had grown finicky with age, suddenly recalled the vigor of her youth and began clamoring for more.
Her hand reached instinctively toward the next plate, but she forced it back with sheer willpower...
Tonukapoli calmly analyzed the phenomenon she had just experienced, then pierced the Mynoghra contingent with her sharp gaze.
"This is... pardon the impertinence, but may I ask — is this the food of depravity?"
Glancing sideways at Pepe, who had been shamelessly stuffing his mouth since a while ago, Tonukapoli addressed Atou while trying to keep her expression as neutral as possible.
It was said that demonic beings corrupt humanity.
They quietly infiltrate every aspect of human life, ensnaring the spirit so it can never escape.
For instance, a hoard of treasure so dazzling it could never be spent in a lifetime.
For instance, a beauty so devastating that one glance rendered all others invisible.
...For instance, a food so extraordinary that a single bite would be an experience never forgotten.
She was not so senile as to lose her mind entirely, and yet even she — even she found herself greedily reaching for more, because that fruit represented the very pinnacle of the act of eating.
That was why she had asked.
What had they fed her.
That this sort of meal should exist in this world was, simply put, impossible.
However, the question, thrown out with tension and wariness, was immediately denied by Atou, who showed a slightly surprised expression.
"Food of corruption? Ah! I see, you thought such exquisite taste must come with some adverse effects. There is no need to worry." Atou denied it while waving her hands rapidly.
Even Tonukapoli tilted her head inwardly at this attitude with an "Oh?" but did not cease her probing.
After all, here lay an unreal, demonic, and deceptive meal.
The dishes on the table alone were so valuable that they could incite murderous conflict, depending on the circumstances.
If one were to throw them to some greedy clergyman from Quolia, it would surely spark an amusingly vicious quarrel all on its own.
Such was their worth. It was only natural that until she was explained the origins of these items, she could never be satisfied.
"Hmm. How should I put this? These foods are specialties that can only grow within our nation. I cannot answer in detail as it is a state secret, but I guarantee they are safe for your race."
Perhaps considering Tonukapoli's wariness, Atou added an almost excessive explanation.
Once it was declared a state secret, even Tonukapoli could not press the matter further.
Though impossibly delicious, they were physically present on the table, so they could not be dismissed as mere illusion.
"They're yummy!"
"So yummy you'll eat too much and your tummy will burst!"
"Oh my, oh my, that's quite something."
Two Dark Elf attendants, bearing innocent smiles, brought additional plates to Tonukapoli.
As she accepted them, she could not help but smile at the purity of these devil's subordinates, who looked so much like angels.
(Those are girls I'd like to trade for my idiot Pepe...)
Glancing sideways, she saw Pepe biting into some sort of meat sandwiched in bread.
For some time now he had done nothing but repeat how delicious it was, but since the man would say everything he ate was "delicious" regardless, it was questionable whether he truly grasped the abnormality of this meal.
At any rate, if Pepe was eating without worry, then perhaps that was all there was to it.
Tonukapoli let out a heavy sigh of great relief, realizing his concerns had been unfounded.
Beyond that, he offered an apology for having doubted Mynoghra, along with praise for a meal so magnificent it had warranted such foolish suspicion in the first place.
Hearing his words, Atou and the others from Mynoghra seemed to be in high spirits, as they brought even more additional plates to Tonukapoli.
However, it was a word of pure astonishment.
To be able to produce fruit and food of this caliber spoke volumes about the nation's high level of technological prowess.
Moreover, it indicated the nation's wealth.
Fundamentally, food was regarded as something one simply ate to sustain oneself.
Therefore, to be able to indulge in such luxury with food was proof of abundant productive capacity. He had subtly asked the twin girls, and they too said they ate like this regularly.
All one had to do was become a palace attendant. He had thought they would be reasonably valued, but even so, this was beyond normal.
Growing curious, he inquired further, and learned that while this meal was special, all citizens were given the opportunity to partake in such feasts.
If that were true, how fortunate and blessed must those citizens be?
He was made to understand just how low in status the food they had been eating until now truly was.
At the same time, he found himself thinking that now that he had tasted such exquisite flavor, how could he ever eat his homeland's food again?
That first bite had been that impactful.
"It is due to the King's divine radiance. To every citizen, the finest food, more than enough to leave them satisfied. Please, enjoy yourselves to your heart's content. This is the finest cuisine in all the world, of which Mynoghra is so proud."
"Ah, it truly is the best in the world. I've heard grand boasts in many places before, but this is the first time the reality has surpassed the words. I had been eating less lately, but with this... even I might have to start worrying about my weight."
Before he knew it, Tonukapoli noticed his stomach had become quite full.
He had tried several other dishes besides the fruit, each one a first experience, each one something he had never tasted before.
Thus, in the process of sampling this and that while smacking his lips, he had apparently eaten a considerably large quantity.
At his age, stuffing his face at the country that had invited him and putting on weight—if he reported that, he could only imagine the snide remarks and teasing from his homeland's staff-wielders.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he told himself this was the last bite and popped the small purple fruit into his mouth... yet, he found himself wanting a little more.
He resigned himself to the fact that he would have to endure some scolding during his report to the homeland.
"Grandma, it's fine if you gain weight—nobody here would mind. It's—" "Ouch! That hurts more than usual!"
"Are you okay?"
"That made a really loud sound..."
However, before his homeland's staff-wielders, he first had to deal with Pepe's gaffe...
Watching Pepe, who was poking out a tearful eye with twenty percent more force than usual, Tonukapori turned his gaze to Takuto Ira, the sovereign of the nation called Mynoghra.
Its presence at the dining table, calm and composed, was something one could never grow accustomed to, no matter how many times one saw it.
That was only natural.
After all, it was a being that appeared to be a Demon Lord. Remaining calm in its presence was a miracle in itself.
However, the die was cast.
As the old saying goes, one cannot obtain treasure without venturing into a dragon's lair.
While there was a risk of being deceived, forging friendly relations with them would prove exceedingly beneficial.
He did not know what sort of being the king truly was.
It was eerie, wicked, and seemed to possess emotions far removed from anything human.
Indeed, even now, it sat upon its throne, idly scattering an indescribable dread.
What was the king thinking? What was it attempting to do?
Yet, in the current situation, he had somehow managed to grasp that its mood was, for the moment, favorable.
The fact that this reasoning stemmed from Pepe’s words was something he could never comprehend, but still...
However, it seemed that the simple-minded Pepe had served Fonkavun in his own simple way.
With a grandfatherly pride in his growth, Tonukapori finally began to ease the tension just slightly.
"Right! Let us sell this food to them! I believe everyone will be delighted!"
But just then, additional fuel was tossed into the matter at precisely the wrong moment.
Pepe’s eyes had begun to sparkle as he made a preposterous proposal.
Here we go again with the trouble...
Tonukapori clutched his head, but there was nothing he could do.
He had been considering raising their most pressing concern after the meal, but now this tactless statement.
Praying to the earth spirits to stop this fool from speaking impulsively and to do something about him, Tonukapori gently redirected Pepe.
"Even if you say ‘let us sell,’ this is a fine product. They won’t just hand it over lightly. Moreover, they’ve only just begun diplomatic relations with us. I understand the sentiment, but you’re getting ahead of yourself, Pepe."
In truth, the food was highly attractive.
If it meant every citizen could have quality meals, it implied that Fonkavun likely had some surplus in food production.
Fonkavun’s food situation was strained due to circumstances. Even if it wasn’t top-quality, being able to procure it through trade would be extremely beneficial for the nation.
That said, as he’d reminded Pepe, they had only just started exchanges with Mynoghra.
This was not the stage for negotiations on equal footing.
"Sure."
"Su-sure? Takuto Ira, Your Majesty!"
"Mm."
But if Pepe was considered an anomaly in Fonkavun, then it appeared that Mynoghra’s anomaly was their entire existence.
King Takuto Ira readily agreed to Pepe's proposal,nodding enthusiastically as if presented with a wonderful opportunity.
"As expected of Takuto! It's an excellent plan!"
Even the retainers,who under normal circumstances might have raised objections or subtly urged reconsideration,now followed along, praising it as a brilliant idea.
The mystery only deepened as to why they could take such a bold step. Nevertheless,a negotiation had to take place. This was a chance. Tonukapoli mentally listed the items her country could export,determined to secure the best possible terms.
"Well,I'm delighted too,I can barely hide it. But what does your kingdom seek in return? Let me be clear,we don't have any particular specialties here. It's unthinkable for us to have anything of equal value to such wonderful food supplies."
"No special items are necessary. Metal goods,everyday sundries. Entertainment items,and consumables like paper and cloth. We will accept those as payment. The food we provide will also be priced quite reasonably."
Consumables.
Tonukapoli inadvertently furrowed her brow. The question arose: Where was the need for such things?
There was no problem exporting sundries or consumables. They weren't items of any confidential nature.
However,she couldn't understand why Mynoghra would require them.
"Hmm,if that's the case,we have enough surplus to export. But they don't seem to be lacking much from what I can see. Especially these beautiful dining sets. They're of an unprecedented quality. Even in Quolia,where technology is advanced,they wouldn't have anything like this. Naturally,for us,it goes without saying."
Staring at the plates and candlesticks arranged on the table,along with the prepared spoons and forks,Tonukapoli voiced her genuine doubt.
But to this inquiry,Atou smiled slightly and tilted her head,answering only,"We also have demand for items from other countries."
Tonukapoli stared intently at her expression,trying to discern what intent lay behind that smile,but understood nothing. Even a shrewd magician who had lived for centuries was facing a non-human entity. Soon,she sighed and raised both hands in resignation.
It wasn't a bad deal. In Fonkavun,farmland had been destroyed by barbarian invasions. Having to allocate personnel for defensive forces also meant that,in reality,there were problems with the food supply.
If she could be satisfied with something as insignificant as sundries—something unimportant and infinitely producible—it was more than she could hope for.
"Well,fine then. No problem on our end either. A good deal where both parties are satisfied."
In the end,several broad agreements were made on the spot,and for Tonukapoli,it yielded an unexpected harvest.
To be honest, importing food from a nation we've just met carried risks like contamination, but he judged that such issues could be handled through inspections as time went on. Regardless, food was in short supply. Even a minor effort was more than justified by the benefit. After the meal concluded and the dishes were cleared, drinks were served and everyone took a breath before Atou slowly introduced the main topic.
"I wasn't able to go into detail earlier, so I'd like to ask now: what is the reason for your visit to our territory this time?"
"Ah, of course. I'll handle that part myself. It's a bit too complex for Pepe."
Now, the real matter at hand. The phenomenon currently plaguing Fonkavun. Gaining even a glimpse of it would be ideal, and securing some form of cooperation through negotiation would be best of all. Based on their conversation, he believed their involvement in the sudden barbarian outbreaks was minimal. Mynoghra itself seemed concerned about the barbarians, and they didn't strike him as so malicious as to deceive them simply to watch them scramble.
Judging by the terrifying girl called Atou, she seemed more like the type to uphold contracts based on her own pride—a prideful sort.
...If that was the case, cooperation should be possible. Even if they were beings of the magical.
And no one else could conduct this negotiation but themselves.
This was the critical moment.
Tonukapoli was grateful to Pepe for setting a cordial atmosphere, and to King Takuto Ira. It was fortunate the setting wasn't overly stiff. She herself was an amateur in matters of state negotiation. In a tense situation, she had no idea what kind of mistakes she might make. Yet letting her guard down too much was also a problem.
To focus on the coming conversation, she swallowed the liquid in her glass.
The unknown delight, experienced for the first time as if it were the most natural thing, slipped over the tongue and flowed down the throat, yet strangely enough, at this moment alone, I could not clearly savor its flavor.