Eric and the Secret Room

  Eric looked surprised.

  By his expression, he had probably forgotten to tell her.

  Refi hadn’t been surprised by seeing me, so she had at least known that I was here.

  However, he must have forgotten to tell her about how I was hiding my identity so that I would not be seen as a grand duke.

  The king was very busy. And while my return was a big deal, my alias was not, in the grand scheme of things.

  I suppose I couldn’t blame him.

  And so I decided to tell Refi myself.

  “Refi. There are many reasons for it, but for now, I am working under a different name.”


  “I see. So that is why.”


  That was all she needed.

  But I told her the other details just in case.

  After that, Eric said that he would pour us some tea.

  This room was next to their bedroom, and there was a simple kitchen attached to it.

  “It’s amazing. You have a kitchen right next to your bedroom.”


  “The palace really is an astonishing place.”


  Shia and I said in amazement. Refi laughed.

  “I don’t think it is normal at all. I was so very curious for a while as to why there was a kitchen in such a place.”


  Refi said, then she looked at the door to the secret passage.

  “Your grandfather must have wanted to taste the baroness’s cooking.”


  “I see……”


  Of course, she meant Eric’s grandfather.

  If he went through the trouble of making a secret passage to her mansion, then setting up a kitchen was nothing.

  As Eric prepared the tea, Refi began to talk to us.

  She had made Grulf sit next to her and was constantly petting him.

  “Ruck. No, I suppose I should call you Locke. Locke. I’m glad you came out alive.”


  “Well, it wasn’t easy.”


  “When I heard the news from Goran, I wanted to rush over to meet you……”


  “But you had a cold?”


  “Yes. And I usually take very good care of myself to stay healthy.”


  Personally, I thought it might have something to do with her walking around naked at night.

  Of course, I didn’t vocalize this suspicion.

  As we talked, Gerberga returned from his tour of the room.

  And then he flew up and landed on my lap.

  “But Eric. He was so excited when he heard.”


  “I’m glad to hear it.”


  I petted Gerberga as we continued to talk.

  It was rather pleasant to pet fluffy animals while having a conversation.

  “But still, Locke. It really is Eric’s fault that you’ve experienced so much trouble, isn’t it?”


  “Do you mean how he made me Grand Duke?”


  “That and the statue. And the currency.”


  “Yes, though being an S Rank Adventurer didn’t help either.”


  We talked and laughed together.

  Just then, Eric finished brewing the tea and came over to us.

  “Now, don’t be like that. I didn’t do it maliciously.”


  “I know.”


  I thanked him and took a sip.

  “It’s delicious.”


  “Hehe, isn’t it? I’ve been very particular about our tea leaves recently.”


  “Oh, Eric. You know, he has been busy making tea and pastries here recently.”


  “It’s one of my few hobbies.”


  “It’s a good hobby.”


  “This kitchen is one of the few things I can thank my grandfather for.”


  Eric said as he sat down. Then he looked over to Luchila and Shia, who seemed to be frozen.

  “Do you not like tea? Would you prefer something else?”


  “I like tea very much.”


  “Yes, I-I like tea as well.”


  Shia and Luchila were nervous.

  Gerberga looked at them and said, ‘Cluck.’


  And so I decided to help them.

  “You don’t have to be so reserved.”


  “Yes. You wouldn’t want this to go to waste.”


  “I-I am honored!”


  “Thank you!”


  Shia and Luchila were in awe that the king had poured them some tea himself.

  After they had taken a sip, Eric looked at them seriously.

  “How do you like it?”


  “It is delicious!”


  “It is most wonderful.”


  Luchila was so nervous, that he was starting to talk very strangely.

  “But dear, they are hardly going to say it tastes bad if you ask them like that.”


  “I see. Sorry.”


  Eric looked a little embarrassed after Refi remonstrated him.

  “Don’t worry. It is quite good.”


  “Thank you, Locke. That makes me very happy!”


  We continued to talk pleasantly for a while until Eric suddenly asked,

  “By the way, what happened to that girl that was with you yesterday?”


  “Milka? She is currently cleaning the bathing room with Serulis.”


  “The bathing room? Now? And with Serulis?”


  “Don’t ask me……”


  Serulis seemed to have some kind of fixation with the bathing room.

  But it would need to be cleaned at some point anyway, so I did not mind.

  But it was still a little odd.

  “You really don’t know?”


  Refi said with exasperation.

  “You understand then, Refi?”


  “Of course, I do. And you’ll understand too, Locke. Once you go home.”


  “I see.”


  If I would find out later, then that was fine.

  But more importantly, there was something I needed to tell Eric.

  “So, about Milka……”


  “What happened?”


  I told him about everything that happened this morning, from the disaster that befell Milka to everything about Kabino. That Kabino had his hands in the slave trade.

  Of course, I did not forget the details about the cursed ham and the storage of weapons.

  “My god……”


  Eric looked severe.

  “But what is even worse……”


  I told him that the investigation into Kabino had been halted in the past.

  I had to tell him that there were nobles with suspicious ties and officials who were corrupt.

  Eric listened to all of this with a serious expression.

  And when I finished, he continued to look serious as he opened his mouth.

  “Locke. I have a request to make……”


  Apparently, Eric wanted to ask something of me.