Oh no... I knew this could happen, but now my bad luck has overcome me...
Those were the only words that crossed Rikko's mind at that moment. In fact, there were several other moments that would easily surpass his current situation, but for him, they mattered little at that moment.
"It's him... that damn rooster..." - Jean said, letting a roasted chicken leg fall back onto his plate.
"It can only be him. And here, right in front of us..." - Axel said, completing his companion's words as he placed his mug of drink on the table.
"Let's get that damn thing!"
"This time I'm going to cut his legs off."
"Hey, hey! Where do you think you're going?" - Claire said, grabbing both of them by the arms.
"Tsk! Let me go! I have a score to settle with this fucking thing!" - Jean was not willing to stop at that moment, even if Claire tried to stop him.
"Who?"
"That rooster from the forest! He's right there, at that table"! - Axel said, trying to pull his arm away without hurting Claire.
"Hey, isn't there really a rooster there? Girl, are you sure you gave the waitress your order correctly? That one is still raw!" - Claire said, still in disbelief at what she saw.
"Huh? What are you talking about, miss?" - Inako replied, confused by the question asked.
"These two have been saying since morning that they were attacked by a rooster in the forest. But to me they're just going crazy."
"Wow, really? How str-?
When Inako looked at Rikko for an answer, she was surprised by his reaction. He barely moved as he glared at the angry duo and she could have sworn she saw beads of sweat running down his body if it weren't for the feathers covering it.
M-Mr. Rikko, are you okay? Do you know these people? - Inako asked him, whispering from the corner of his mouth so that no one would notice.
Awakened from the shock of being asked, Rikko answered while pinching some grains of rice that were left on Inako's plate. At least he didn't run the risk of being heard.
Those two crazy people tried to catch me to eat and so I gave them a good beating. If they're sure it was me, they'll cause a big mess in here. Stick with the plan we used at the gate.
Okay, but what if it doesn't work?
Improvise.
Improvise? Okay, then…
"Hey, are you okay? You suddenly went silent… - Claire asked.
"A-ah, yes, I'm fine. So, this is Rikko, my pet rooster. I understood what happened to the boys, but Rikko is very tame, there's no way he could have done something like that."
"That's a lie! She has to be lying! There's no way I can forget what I saw, it's still fresh in my head!" - Jean retorts.
"That's right! The colors of it feathers are the same! There's no way my sharp eyes could miss them!" - Axel continued, making it very clear that he was bragging about his vision.
At this point, everyone present had already turned their eyes to the group and heard the discussion. If Thanya, the Herald of Death, had been watching all this, she would already be pulling out all her hair until she went bald. Jean and Axel's persistence was becoming annoying, until…
"Jean. Axel. Enough."
"What? But Henri, there's no way we're going to-"
"I said. Enough."
Henri's gaze was fixed on them and he seemed really serious, and when they realized this, the complaining duo immediately fell silent. It had been a few years since they founded Coeur de Lion together and they knew Henri well enough to know how scary the leader could be when he spoke like that.
"Finally, Henri. It was taking you a while to say anything." - Claire said, crossing her arms.
"I wanted to enjoy my meal calmly. The steak was delicious."
"Oh, great! And now everyone is noticing us."
"It's okay, leave it to me."
Henri finished wiping his mouth with a napkin and got up from his chair. He calmly walked towards Inako who said nothing without reacting.
"Hello, Miss. My name is Henri Deschamps. I am the leader of the Coeur de Lion, and I would like to apologize for the behavior of my companions." - He said, with a hint of a smile.
"And I am Claire Laurent, the mage. Nice to meet you. These two idiots are Jean and Axel, and the one eating cake with strawberries is Amélie, our healer."
"M-nice to meet you."
"Ah, um... my name is Inako. It's okay, don't worry."
"Inako? Your name is quite different. Where are you from?"
"I'm from Sake."
"Sake? I think I've heard of it."
"It's a small country far from here."
"I see. Well, I don't intend to ask any more questions, I don't want you to feel like you're being interrogated. As an apology, I'd like to pay for your meal."
"Really? Thank you very much!"
"Sure, leave it to us. Guys, we're done here, aren't we? Let's go."
"Yeah, I agree. These two need a nice cold shower and a bed."
"But we…"
"No buts! Come on, come on!" - Claire interrupted Jean with a shove as she pulled Axel by the collar of his clothes.
Soon the three of them left through the main door of the tavern amidst the looks of the curious. Amélie, even though she was embarrassed, gave a brief bow to Inako before running awkwardly through the door. Henri was last.
"Well, Miss Inako, if you'll excuse us, good night!"
"Yes, good night to you gentlemen!"
"And a good night to you too." - Henri said to Rikko after running his hand over his back in a gesture of affection and leaving a handful of bronze coins on the table. And then he finally left the tavern.
"Phew, they're finally gone! I was tired of banging my beak on this hard table."
"I didn't know what to say to them anymore. Those two scared me, but their leader seemed even scarier."
"Well, smiling and showing your teeth is just a matter of perspective. It doesn't always express your true intentions."
"Yawww, I'm getting sleepy... Mr. Rikko, shall we find somewhere to sleep?"
"Yes, I'm also dying to sleep."
A short time later, on the outskirts of the city, Henri and his companions finally arrived at the inn they used as their home.
"But damn, Henri! We were face to face with that damn rooster, but not only did you do nothing, you even paid for their food!" - Said Jean.
"I agree! I've never been so humiliated since I was ten years old when my father tied me naked to a tree during my training!" - Said Axel.
"Oh, I didn't need that explanation, Axel! And Jean, you also complain too much! You two behave like children! You should take Henri as an example. He didn't touch those two and he even paid for their food."
"I appreciate your compliment, Claire. I would never act so violently without being sure that there was a just reason. And that's why... I picked this up."
Henri reached up and between his fingers was an object. A chicken feather. A rooster feather, to be more exact.
"Henri, this is..."
"Yes. I took the opportunity to get a sample of that rooster for you. Can you do something with just that?"
"Of course I can, or my name isn't Claire Laurent, the best student at the Sauvignon Magic Academy. I'll analyze that feather today!"
"Now that's the Henri I know! Let's make some chicken soup with that rooster!"
"Jean, take it easy. We still don't know who or what we're dealing with. Remember, all of this happened because you tried to eat someone's animal."
"So you believe us?"
"It's not that I doubt you, Axel. It's just that the situation was too strange to be true. Besides, we only have doubts. We can't prove anything yet."
"That's right! Leave it to me, I'll find out what that rooster is once and for all!"
"Y-you know... I don't think those two are bad..."
"Amélie?" - The four of them responded at the same time to their friend's comment.
"Wow! What a scare..."
"Amélie, what did you base your statement on?"
"It's just... I didn't feel anything bad coming from those two. B-but it's just my impression."
"Wow, I lived to hear Amélie say more than ten words about something that isn't a prayer or a blessing..." - Jean said.
"Uhhh, sorry..."
"You didn't do anything wrong, Amélie. And I'm going to trust your intuition. Or is it the God Asclen who whispered that in your ear?" - Henri said.
"I don't know. Only the Gods know things."
"Oh, it's down to nine."
"Just shut up, Jean!" - Claire said.
"Oh my God, Mister Rikko! Look at this bed, it's so soft!
"Hmm, yes. Who would have thought that right above the tavern there were rooms for rent, and the price is pretty reasonable too."
The room wasn't spacious, but it was quite cozy. There was a good bed, some simple furniture, and a tub of hot water had been provided for Inako to take a bath before going to sleep. For the tired duo, overwhelmed with their personal problems, all of that was a real luxury.
"The miss from the tavern was very nice to us!"
"Maybe she felt guilty about what happened down there. Not that she did, after all they were after me for what happened."
"So they wanted to eat you too, huh? What did you do?"
"Remember the wind power I used against that huge snake? I was hiding inside a tree trunk. When they cornered me, I used the wind pressure to blow them away like a cannon. BOOM!"
"What's a cannon?"
"Oh, yeah... never mind, it's complicated to explain. Go take a bath before the water gets cold and then go to sleep. We'll have a busy day tomorrow."
"Okay. You won't peek, will you? I'm embarrassed."
"Peek? No way! I'm a gentleman! And there's a thick curtain where the tub is, close it to take a bath."
"Oh, okay! You can lie down on the bed, I'll come right after."
"… On the bed? No, you sleep there. I'll sleep on those pillows."
"Hey, don't you want to sleep on the bed with me?"
"We don't have all that intimacy. Accept my chivalry and respect in place of that."
"Oh, okay, then."
Rikko was almost falling asleep when Inako got out of the bath. She was wearing a second-hand nightgown given to her by the landlady.
"Mister Rikko? Are you sleeping?"
"Almost."
"I'm going to blow out the candle."
"You can blow it out. And good night."
'Good night to you too."
'…"
"Oh, Mister Rikko?"
"What's up now?"
"I want to thank you once again for being with me on this trip. Thank you very much."
"Oh, of course. I'm at your disposal. Now go to sleep."
"Ehehehe, yes."
Phew, thank goodness she went to sleep. Even though I'm a rooster now, it doesn't change the fact that I was a womanizer in my previous life. Sleeping in the same bed as a pretty girl is a terrible idea. I need to keep this chicken inside me in check. Julia wouldn't forgive me for this.
As she fell asleep, Inako's thoughts were filled with worries. She thought about her father, alone and busy at the temple; She thought about the adventurers of Les Intrépides, who died so that he could save himself; But, most of all, she thought about her sister Tenko, whose whereabouts and fate were still uncertain.
Tenko. Wait for me, my sister. I'll save you, no matter what.
"Alright, girls! Bath time!"
The voice was already familiar to Tenko. It was Germain, the jailer responsible for the captivity where she and the other girls were being held. But it was the first time in days since she had arrived there that she had heard him say the word bath. What kind of bath was he referring to?
"Come on, take off all your clothes and throw them in this basket! Take everything off!"
The whip in Germain's left hand indicated that resistance was useless. Little by little the girls undressed, revealing their young bodies that were already showing signs of weight loss caused by the poor diet of two meals a day. Some bore the mark of the said whip on their backs as a painful reminder for the disobedient and daring.
"Hahahahaha! You have no reason to be ashamed of me. I can only look with my left eye, the other one is made of glass." - He made a point of removing it to show them, returning it to the dark hole that was left in his face." - Besides, I would have to be crazy to ruin the merchandise just for a few minutes of pleasure. Now finish putting the clothes in the basket!
"What are you going to do with our clothes?" – One of the girls asked.
"Burn them."
The girls were in despair. Even in rags, their clothes were the only physical thing that reminded them that they had once owned someone who had made an effort to give them something to wear. Something to eat. A bed and a hot bath. That they had once been loved.
"I WILL NOT DO THIS! I WILL NOT LET YOU – OW!"
"YOU DON'T GET A SAY AROUND HERE!
One of the girls tried to protest only to be whipped by Germain in the ribs next. Falling to the floor, she writhed in pain and began to cry. Tenko could not bear to see that and intervened before a second blow could come.
"Please, stop! I'll put her clothes in the basket myself! Don't hit her anymore!"
"Oh you... shit. Go to that corner right now and take that damn girl with you!" - Germain lowered the whip and forcibly took the rags from the girl's hands.
"I want all of you in that corner, and I want you now! Go!"
After witnessing another beating, it was impossible for the poor girls to refuse the order given. Soon they were gathered and naked in a damp corner full of mold marks from humidity
"Now turn your backs!"
"AAAAAHH!!"
"NO!"
"STOP!"
The screams had a reason and were inevitable. As soon as the girls turned against the wall, buckets and more buckets of ice water hit them. Thrown mercilessly by Germain, the water came from a deep well near the captivity, which did not mean that the water that came from there was so clean, although it did not have a smell.
"Now face forward! Come on, I don't have all night!"
Once again, ice water drenched them. In addition to the cold, they had to endure the pain caused by the lash wounds when they came into contact with the water. Germain seemed very happy to know the suffering he was causing, but soon the water stopped coming.
"Hmm, that should be enough. Now, take these cloths here to dry yourselves!" - He said, throwing a bunch of cloths that looked more like market sacks for carrying vegetables on the floor. The girls barely managed to pick them up before they got wet by the remains of the water that was running down. The sensation they caused when they were passed over their bodies was terrible, but it was better than staying wet in the cold of the night.
"Germain! I brought the clothes you asked for!"
Another man entered the captivity. He was tall and burly, his clothes smelled of sour drink and there were still scraps of food stuck to the strands of his long, dirty beard. He was carrying another basket with a pile of clothes, clearly slave clothes, made in a haphazard way with a fabric of almost as poor quality as the ones the girls used to dry themselves.
"Leave it there. Take those rags and burn them far away from here. The usual place, you know."
The man answered immediately, picking up the basket with the old clothes, but before leaving, he gave the girls a more than sinful look.
"Hey! Go away now! You know very well that they are not for us!"
_I know - He answered with a grumble, but when he looked one last time, he saw Tenko and then approached Germain to speak to him.
"Hey, is that the one over there? The one with the brown ears?"
"That's right. Of all of them, that's the one who's going to get really screwed."
"She's fucking screwed, hahahahaha!"
"That's right. Now go ahead!"
The door to the prison, which had been wide open, soon closed again. But even so, it was impossible to see what was happening outside beyond the darkness. As soon as the man left with the basket, Germain turned his attention to the girls.
"Now that you're dry, put on those clothes and go back to your cages!"
One by one, the padlocks on the cages were locked. After checking that they were all locked, the jailer Germain arched his back trying to adjust his spine amidst a groan and then yawned.
"Yaaawnnn. That's all for today. Go to sleep and I don't want to hear a peep, understand?"
"…"
"Heh, you're starting to learn. Better this way. I need a booze."
The door slammed once more and now the girls were in the dark, as Germain carried the only source of light they had during the night, an old and rusty oil lamp. All they had left was to try to sleep amidst the filth and suffer in silence.
What did they mean by that? What's going to happen to me?
Tenko wasn't sure of her fate, but the fact that her underwear had been ripped off days before didn't leave her feeling good at all.
I'm cold. I wonder if Inako is sleeping properly? She always ends up leaving her feet outside the futon...
With great difficulty, Tenko finally fell asleep thanks to the memories of her sister whom she might never see again.