Chapter 267 : Chapter 267
Chapter 267
Warm sunshine, crashing waves.
Beautiful beach, endless laughter!
This place, like paradise, is the Hanchamus Islands.
Islands!
2 large islands, 13 small islands, and countless rocky islets and reefs.
Among them, the name of the largest island is Cesano.
Gold-toothed Kifkos is here.
“Gloriosus!”
Kifkos raised his voice.
He was once a centurion of Cordis 11th Legion.
Also, at one time, he was a gang leader called Gold Tooth.
All gold medicine transactions in the Sillemol Free Market were in his grasp and now, he is the owner of the most successful restaurant on Cesano Island.
“Did the whole roast piglet go out to guest number 56?”
“…….”
“I asked if it went out!”
“…….”
“Hey!”
He got angry and hurriedly finished stir-frying vegetables and meat.
Even while angry, his hand movements were good, so he whipped up a dish in no time.
“This brat, what are you doing not answering?”
When he put the well-stir-fried vegetables and meat on a plate, steam rose up.
A little finely chopped green onion on top, a little herring roe, and a swirl of Seram Tree oil.
And Gold-toothed Kifkos’s special secret, crispy stir-fried breadcrumbs.
It is a perfect Hobel Bay style spicy stir-fry.
This is for guest number 43!
Handing the dish over to the waiter, Kifkos huffed and puffed looking for his subordinate.
He found the man with bushy sideburns behind the shop, in front of the oven.
He is a man who pacified the Sillemol Free Market with two fists.
With sleeves rolled up, his forearms were muscular.
“The guest is waiting, Gloriosus! And you call yourself a manager!”
“…….”
“Why aren't you answering… what is this smell.”
A burnt smell vibrated.
Kifkos’s face crumpled suddenly.
Gold teeth flashed everywhere in his revealed mouth.
Gloriosus scratched his head laughing sheepishly.
“…Hehe, Brother, I burned it a little.”
“A little?”
Gold-toothed Kifkos put his hand into the oven.
It was hot enough to startle an ordinary person, but he is a former Imperial Centurion. He could endure this much.
He soon took out the whole roast piglet (which was supposed to be one) from inside the oven.
“It completely became charcoal, and a littl-e??”
“No, Brother, that is….”
“You just have to take it out, on time, is that so difficult!”
Kifkos could not endure anymore.
He swung his muscular forearm trying to beat up Gloriosus.
However, Gloriosus is also a man with pride in his fists, so he twisted his body this way and that to dodge Gold Tooth’s fist.
“B, b, but Brother…!”
“What, punk, what!”
“…I also had a reason, you know?”
“Huh?”
Gold Tooth narrowed his eyes.
“Right. Babble on. What reason?”
“…Do you see over there? Guest number 34.”
“Hmm? …Oh. She’s a beauty.”
Kifkos grinned without realizing it.
“But what about it?”
“That person smiled at me. Very precisely, made eye contact and grinned.”
“…So?”
“First would be good as a daughter. Second also a daughter, third a son…. Ah, what should I name them….”
“…….”
Watching his subordinate spreading wings of imagination, Kifkos struck the back of his head at once.
Even if he tried to endure, he couldn't.
“Ack!”
“…So, you mean you stared at a beautiful guest and burned the pig whole!”
“B, b, but I also need spring! Brother has Sister-in-law Ofenia…! Sister-in-law who is unsuitably beautiful…!”
“Do you call that, words!?”
Kifkos, who was about to beat Gloriosus more, pressed down his heart firmly.
It wasn't that his anger subsided or he sympathized with Gloriosus, but simply because he couldn't make guest number 56 wait any longer.
“…Damn it. Everything went out except for number 56, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“The whole roast takes a long time…. Put it in the oven for now.”
“Yes sir, Brother!”
“If you just burn it again while flirting with a guest this time.”
“What happens?”
“You wouldn't want to know?”
“Even as a joke! It’s me, Gloriosus! Brother’s sworn brother!”
“You think it’s a joke? Hahaha!”
“Why are you being scared? Hahaha!”
Kifkos’s eyes became sharp instantly.
“Stop laughing and prepare the whole roast again!!”
“Yes sir!”
Thinking he would really lose a body part if he messed around more, Gloriosus ran off quickly. Kifkos sighed watching his back.
“…Tsk.”
Gold-toothed Kifkos glanced sideways.
There were male and female guests at table 56, and they were still waiting endlessly for the whole roast.
“…I should apologize directly.”
***
“…So that is what happened. If you wait a little, we will cook a new one quickly and serve it. If it is hard to wait more, please surely on your next visit….”
“It is fine, we will wait.”
He was a middle-aged man with a benevolent impression.
“Are there not always unexpected events?”
“Thank you for saying so. You are a truly good person.”
“…A good person? Me? You have seen something completely wrong.”
The middle-aged man laughed heartily.
It was a somewhat bitter face.
Beside the middle-aged man, there is a woman.
Looking closely, her right hand was a prosthetic and her left hand also had only three fingers.
Seeing a crutch placed next to the chair, she seemed to limp as well.
Moreover, half of her face covered by long hair looked melted by some chemical or something.
Because the unmelted half of her face had alluring features, she looked even more pitiful.
‘Ah, this. I was rude.’
Kifkos realized he was staring at the woman unconsciously and hurriedly turned his gaze.
Because it might be unpleasant to show too much interest in an uncomfortable person.
“Then I will bring it quickly.”
“You do not have to hurry.”
Kifkos changed the subject.
“Would you like to eat this for now? Of course, I will not accept payment.”
“Oh. We will eat thankfully.”
Kifkos placed a plate.
Although it was a hurriedly made seafood stir-fry, he was confident in the taste.
He disappeared into the kitchen again.
The middle-aged man smiled broadly and picked up a fork and knife.
“Here, Tibel, let’s eat this for now. The octopus is big so I will cut it for you.”
“…Thank you, Elder Kukulo. Originally I should be cutting it for you, Elder….”
“Until when do you intend to care about such things?”
The middle-aged man’s name was Kukulo.
With a very affectionate smile, he cut the octopus into small pieces and moved them to the woman’s plate.
“Here. Eat the octopus for now and I will cut other things too. Be careful of bones in the fish.”
“……Yes, Elder.”
Tibel picked up a spoon with her left hand.
With a left hand having only three fingers left, using a fork was also uncomfortable.
She scooped food with the spoon like a newborn baby and moved it slowly to her mouth.
Still, it seemed to taste good as she smiled immediately. Kukulo felt deep joy.
“Chew thoroughly, Tibel.”
“Yes. Elder, please eat quickly too.”
“Of course. I should.”
The man’s name is Kukulo Del Conti.
Although he had all his power taken away by Shion and the Verchello family, he was once a person who harbored ambitions to grasp the entire Bururade Peninsula in his hands.
However, it is all an old story. Of the three guest retainers he boasted of, only one remains.
He is only sorry even now to the two guest retainers he lost.
‘Brass Arm’ Onseu Om and Pneuve Freira.
Regret arose thinking it would have been truly good if they were here too.
Recalling regret, thoughts of the family he left behind followed immediately.
The lawful wife he only hurt by having affairs, the children he couldn't love properly while only caring about money…. But all past events.
Those lost because of his shamelessness.
Although he was upset, he cannot blame anyone since it is due to his own sin.
‘Thankfully.’
However, he was thankful.
It was thanks to the woman in front of his eyes.
Her name is Tibel Bartole, once a senior agent of the Cordis Intelligence Agency.
She offered her life to save Kukulo’s life, and although she miraculously lived, she became crippled and could not live without others’ help.
Thanks to that, Kukulo could also live.
‘…Oh, right, thankfully….’
If not for Tibel, he wouldn't have been able to live more.
Because she needed Kukulo’s help, he could be greedy to live more.
If not, how could he have been greedy to try living more despite that terrible shame.
‘Just like this….’
Kukulo regarded himself as a bug.
No, he was certain he was a human worse than a bug.
It was natural since there were so many lives he hurt and broke because of his ambition.
He was also a shameless person who left his old father, wife, and children in Merion and ran away alone.
Of course, this was due to Shion’s coercion.
‘…Just like this, God. Please just like this.’
Smiling, wrinkles form around his eyes.
After realizing that everything he had was not his, his body and mind aged quickly.
However, he is peaceful.
Realizing that he has absolutely no ability to take responsibility for all the things he has to take responsibility for, he rather became peaceful.
‘I will not dare to hope for more. Please let me enjoy life just a little more like this and die….’
A jingling sound was heard.
It is a signal that a new guest has arrived.
“Here, here.”
A man with a stylish mustache entered.
Judging by the accent, he seemed like a person from Cordis.
“In Cesano Island, you must come to the Gold Whale Tavern! You must trust this Cornelius!”
“I got it, I got it. When did we ever doubt Mr. Cornelius.”
“Here. Please sit!”
“Thank you.”
Three men and women followed behind the mustached man.
They all looked like nobles.
One man, two women.
Seeing two of them holding hands, they seemed like a couple.
And one, the last woman….
‘…Ah….’
Kukulo Del Conti’s face turned dark and dull. He knew that woman. Glossy black hair, raspberry-colored pupils, bold spirit despite young age….
‘…How, how, in a place like this….’
It felt like the most shameful memory of his life abruptly came holding a knife.
Kukulo Del Conti trembled his hands holding the fork and knife and ended up dropping them.
Tibel Bartole also discovered the woman’s face and turned pale.
They knew that woman.
She was one of those to whom they constantly atoned, a person whom they especially hurt greatly and took many things from.
She is a woman to whom they behaved so terribly that if asked to give up their lives, they should give them up right away.
Kukulo Del Conti eventually muttered the woman’s name with a voice powerless like wind escaping.
“……Serena, de Verchello…….”
***
Serena de Verchello was in the Hanchamus Islands.
It was because her husband Shion had ordered Cornelius to send her.
Actually, she didn't want to come at all, but there was no way to deal with a mage of four stars.
‘Shion, when I see you next time, I will scold you severely.’
Serena made up her mind like that.
‘So, just come back alive, Shion….’
She also knows.
With what heart Shion evacuated Serena.
The name hero of the West would be a weight she dare not imagine.
And probably, Shion would be carrying things more terrible than the name of a hero.
Thinking like that, it was understood, but her heart did not follow.
“…Excuse me….”
“What is the matter?”
A middle-aged man approached from the next table, and Cornelius stood up hurriedly to block the man.
He had a duty to protect his party.
Shion was paying a very expensive price for that duty.
“…I have words to convey to one of your party….”
“I am sorry but that will be difficult. As they are precious people.”
Cornelius touched his mustache with a haughty attitude.
The three accompanying him are Serena, Gwaemos, and Santia in order.
The first two are heads of the first and second families in the Bururade Peninsula, and Santia is an Imperial Princess. The second daughter of Great Emperor Continua.
They were not people just anyone could talk to.
“…One word, one word is enough.”
“Ahem. Elder, I said no.”
“…Please, just one word with the Verchello Head….”
Serena reacted to the words Verchello Head.
“Me?”
She raised her raspberry-colored pupils.
“Do you know me?”
“……Of course, My Lady. Would you not know me?”
“Well. I think it’s the first… meeting…….”
Serena’s face turned white.
Because of white hair and fine wrinkles, she hadn't recognized him.
However, seeing up close, it was a face impossible not to know.
The very person who caused the downfall of her family once.
Not satisfied with that, the insidious cuckoo who tried to trample her.
“……Kukulo Del Conti?”