Musou Knight: Crow of Cinders-Chapter 14: Persuasion

Chapter 14 - Persuasion

"Nope. I just happened to find dead bodies, and I took their equipment." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Lenitia fixed her gaze upon me, and the air grew heavy with her killing intent.

"That was most immoral. In my realm, to steal from the dead is a crime. Had you trespassed upon my lands, I would have clapped you in irons."

Her true nature slipped, and her speech patterns changed. Her followers also glared at me. Some of them already grabbed their weapons.

Picking a fight with Lenitia was not my intention. I was trying to survive.

I meant, what was wrong with her?

I rolled my eyes and grumbled.

"We were starving peasants, ma’am. In wartime, moral integrity doesn’t exactly fill our stomachs. We can’t earn money by collecting taxes from our neighbors. Our parents aren’t rich. The first thing we worry about is what’s for dinner."

"Forgive me. I did not think it through." Lenitia flinched and lowered her eyes. Her people also put away their weapons.

"It’s fine, ma’am."

I sighed and turned my attention to my dinner. I realized I hadn’t touched my leftover turkey yet. A bit of wine remained in the jar, which I diluted with boiled water.

To change the mood, I warmed the meat. Lenitia and her people fetched their jerkies, but their eyes lingered on my food. The princess was the worst offender, as she actually drooled.

Looking at these hungry bozos, I felt the urge to smash another vase and summon another meal. However, revealing my secret to strangers, especially the scheming wench of a princess who had a pair of fake boobs, would be a stupid move.

I tore into the turkey breast and chewed. The meat was tough. Maybe because a whole day had passed since I created it, or the fire had removed all the moisture within?

"Umm..."

Lenitia’s voice was pitiful. I glanced at her.

"Yeah?"

"May I purchase the food you are eating? I shall give you my jerky... and some coin."

I paused, staring at my precious turkey. If I traveled with these idiots, I risked exposing my secrets. Plus, this might be my last chance to enjoy proper food.

Negotiate?

Probably not?

Lenitia pushed on, "P-Please."

Her teary eyes reminded me of the pitiful phantom "Speaki" from a certain gacha game. Unfortunately for her, she lacked the creature’s cuteness.

Still, I could negotiate an advantage. I gave her a meaningful look and tested the water.

"I don’t want your money. I need something else."

Lenitia blushed and covered her chest. "I cannot give you my body."

She had no shame. I had no interest in her silicone-filled breasts.

"I don’t want your body, ma’am." I facepalmed.

Her followers cackled until her glare silenced them.

"Then, what do you require?"

"Give us a Constantia citizen token."

"Oh, just that? Is that all you desirest?" She looked surprised, as though it were too mundane.

"One more thing. Do not travel with us tomorrow."

"We part ways on the morrow. You need not fret." Lenitia turned to her men. "Bring me two city tokens. Give them to him."

They rummaged through their belongings and produced two metal plaques. She handed them to me.

"Anything else?" she asked.

I resigned myself to starving tonight. I gave her the food but kept the wine, since it was tied to the musou bar. She might notice something strange if she drank it.

Lenitia accepted the plate with glee and devoured everything, including the bones. For a moment, I thought she was a canine incarnate. In less than a minute, the plate was bare.

Catching my stare, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand before returning the plate.

"Thank you. T-That was delicious. I have not eaten a proper meal in long days. Pray tell, where did you catch this pheasant?"

There was no way that I would reveal the truth. I lied. "Up the stream."

"Oh, I see. Did you see others? Pheasants often travel in flocks."

"Sorry. We ate them all yesterday. This is the last one."

"Alas, a pity. We discovered several fat black fowls the other day, but they were too swift. Have you seen them?"

Cow-Cow and his gang? Hell no. I wasn’t eating them or selling them out.

"Don’t bother. They’re mutated crows from the battle ruin west of here. Eating them is like eating vultures. They fed on corpses. You’ll catch random diseases."

Lenitia and her subordinates turned pale. A man at the back vomited.

Wait. Did they eat one?!

I glared at him. Lenitia noticed and demanded, "Did you eat one?!"

"N-No, Your Highness!"

"Then why did you retch?"

His friends vouched for him. "This fool mistook a vulture for a pheasant and ate it, Your Highness. He knew not that vultures feast upon carrion... and men."

"...."

Idiots exist in every world. I sighed in relief. Hopefully Cow-Cow and the gang were fine.

Since I had achieved my goal, I changed the subject.

"Do you mind if I sleep? I didn’t get enough rest last night, and I’m exhausted from the journey."

"Of course. You are yet young and growing. Rest is needful. Tell me, how old are you?"

"...I never counted. I don’t know."

Truthfully, I was curious too. I knew this body was that of a teenager, but I hadn’t inherited his memories.

"Never mind. I forgot not all folk attend the academy."

’Just say I’m illiterate, you canine woman!’

I almost facepalmed and screamed at her.

"Anyway, I’m going to sleep."

"You are very trusting. Do you not fear I might steal your belongings?"

"There was nothing I could do to stop you from stealing my stuff if you truly wished to. I’d rather get some sleep than stay up all night paranoid and wreck my health."

I spoke from the heart. Even with my skills, it was impossible for me to defeat Lenitia, given her lifelong training in martial arts, unless I had a dragon seal.

Thus ended the conversation, and I excused myself to get some shut-eye. Yet just as I was about to sink into the dream world, she drew a sword and pointed at my neck.

This bitch! I was playing nice because you were one of the protagonists of this game! How dare she?!

Lenitia’s cold voice echoed.

"One more thing. I am curious. Who taught you the musou cultivation method? How did you reach level two?"