Episode 23.2 (1/2)
”Ah, ow ow. My head, the pain.”
”<Recovery>.”
”Ah, that's better. Sorry about this, Lecan.”
”Yea.”
”Lecan. It's been made clear to me how much Shira-dono means to you. I could have worded it better.”
”Yea.”
”Shira-dono is important to me as well. She's been helping this town in so many ways since my father's days. She even made it possible for us to hold a big clean up in the town just the other day.”
The other day, a good-for-nothing noble, Midosco, was executed. Even Lecan knows that Shira had hands in exposing the proof of that noble's attempt at raising a rebellion.
”Shira-dono's medicines are superb, they are the main attractions of this town's medicine stores. She has taken root as member of this town. I myself have absolutely no intentions to harm or offend Shira-dono.”
”Yea.”
”But please do understand that this is a serious affair for this town. Upsetting the envoys from Royal Capital will not result in a preferable outcome to Shira-dono either. She will have a hard time living anywhere in this country.”
”Right.”
”And besides, Guide Skalabel appears to look up to Shira-dono, as strange as it may sound. No, the truth remains a mystery since that's but a rumor, but he is certainly coming here in order to meet Shira-dono. That is a sign of respect, he definitely is not trying to harm Shira-dono.”
”That sounds about right.”
”The envoys dispatched by the Prime Minister are surely bringing Guide Skalabel's messages with them. They are not Shira-dono's enemy. On the contrary, I'm sure they will respect Shira-dono's sentiments and circumstances.”
”That might be so.”
”Peacefully welcoming them here, and peacefully sending them home would be the best course of action. Is that much clear to you?”
”Fine.”
”Good. So now I ask you. When did Shira-dono leave this town? Where did she go?”
”Shira was teaching me medicine making until late at night yesterday. By the time I got there this morning, I was handed those letters.”
”Handed? By whom?”
”Jericho.”
”Who is this Jericho.”
”A Longarm Ape. It's living with Shira.”
”An ape? Ah, ow ow. My head.”
”I have no idea where she went. I'm also quite surprised at Shira's sudden disappearance. To be honest with you, I'm a bit miffed myself.”
”Miffed?”
”When I read your letter and got to the part where she told me to substitute for her, I thought this. 'That damn hag'.”
”We're finally on the same page. But, I see. So she was still at this town last night. Then she must have gone out of the town this morning when the gates first raised. And she can't have walked on foot outside the town at her age.”
The gates being shut or not probably don't matter one bit to Shira.
That she couldn't have walked is also a completely wrong guess.
”Commander Tesla!”
”Sir.”
”Send messengers to the west and east gates, and ask for reports of carriages that went out this morning. No, just in case, send ones to the north and south gates too. She might have hitched a ride on a cart. Check if there's a cart that had an elderly woman riding on it.”
”Sir. Acknowledged.”