Rebirth in a Ruined Nation! The Life of a New Strategist Starting From Now - Chapter 41

Drifting Ship Disturbance (7) – A Glutton

For the time being, we’d ignore the story of delicious food in the Rudek Kingdom.

“I’m going to tell Luzel about this information.”

Wickharlt exited the room after gaining Luluria’s approval.

Luzel should be standing guard outside. Luzel would probably dispatch his subordinate to report to Rays-sama immediately after hearing Wickharlt’s story.

“Why didn’t you tell this to other people before we came here?” I said, having easily completed the most crucial mission, digging information from Luluria.

“Your people never asked me anything.”

“Huh? no one asked you anything before we came here?”

“Yup. Even if you didn’t bring Rufa-chan here, I was going to tell your people everything, but no one asked me anything. Before you all arrived, no one spoke to me or asked me questions, so I was scared that your kingdom was going to execute me without giving me the opportunity to explain.”

Well, I understand how the knights of the 3rd Division feel. They captured a drifting ship flying an imperial flag and discovered an obviously high-ranking woman inside. The knights of the 3rd division must be puzzled as to how to deal with them. Perhaps they were intending to simply ask the Empire directly about Luluria’s ship rather than interrogating the ship’s passenger at first.

It didn’t take long for Wickharlt to return. For him to be this quick, was Luzel eavesdropping on our conversation from outside?

“Let’s continue our conversation! It’s now my turn to ask!”

The Princess spread her hand wide open as she spoke this excitedly.

***

“Hmm…so this continent has eight countries?”

“If you count the Federation of 16 Countries as one country, then yeah, this continent has eight countries. Do you know any of them, Luluria?”

“I know about the Greedl Empire…and, of course, the Rudek Kingdom. Aside from that, I’ve heard about the Great Zanadefol and the Lifrea Holy Kingdom.”

“It’s a little surprising that you know about Zanadefol,” I commented.

Zanadefol was a country located north of Lifrea. They didn’t have many interactions with the southern continent.

“I’m getting married to an Imperial Prince. Of course, I’ve researched the countries that border the Empire.”

I see. Zanadefol, Lifrea, and Rudek were the countries that bordered the Empire. The Empire had already absorbed other countries that bordered them.

Rudek’s relationship with the Empire was bad, but the Empire’s relationship with Zanadefol was also bad.

Unlike Rudek, who was simply fighting against the Empire’s attack, Zanadefol was actively attempting to invade the Empire.

Because the Empire was at war with Zanadefol, the Empire’s pressure on the Rudek Kingdom decreased.

Lifrea also has a tense relationship with the Empire, but I’ve been wondering whether it was all a ruse. When Lifrea attacked Rudek back then, the Empire immediately invaded Rudek as well. So, did Lifrea have a hidden alliance with the Empire?

Hmm…No, that didn’t make sense.

True, the Empire invaded Rudek territory when Lifrea attacked Rudek. However, the Empire barely profited from that invasion. It was more likely that Lifrea was using the Empire to weaken our military power than the two working together from the start. After Lifrea attacked Rudek, they may have invited the Empire to join forces with them.

The talk continued as I was thinking about the past.

“Let me explain about other countries then,” Wickharlt said after I stopped talking.

“West of our Rudek Kingdom is a kingdom called the Gorber Kingdom. This kingdom is at war with our kingdom at the moment. There are two other countries west of the Gorber Kingdom. Zanadefol is to the north of our kingdom, while the Federation of 16 Countries is to the west.”

(T/N: For the whole map, see Chapter 30.1 or 15.1.)

“The Federation of 16 Countries is similar to my home country.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“My kingdom, Fezaris, is part of a federation named the Six States. As much as I hate to say this, the Six States is a group of rather rural countries located in a particularly remote part of the southern continent. I can’t say that all 6 countries have a good relationship, but well, if we don’t want to be eaten up by other countries on the southern continent we have no other choice but to work together.”

…I didn’t know how to respond to that…

“You shouldn’t say something like that, milady…”With a sour tone, Luluria’s attendant said.

“But I’m right. That’s why we sought assistance from a great power on the northern continent.”

So that’s why Luluria was going to marry an Empire’s prince. Fezaris desired the Empire’s strength, while the Empire desired a trade route to the southern continent.

“Let’s put my kingdom aside for a moment. I’d like to learn about each country’s famous food.”

I believe the discussion about your kingdom was more important than the food information, Luluria.

Despite my feeling, Rufa, who was asked by Rays-sama to accompany Luluria, started the conversation about food.

“If you’re talking about Rudek’s specialty food…I think it’s pogee.”

I and Wickharlt agreed with Rufa’s choice.

Pogee. A stew that was made using torit, a type of vegetable that tasted both sour and sweet, as its base. Each region, town, and even family has its own version of pogee.

Pogee can be made with any ingredients. You could use beef, seafood, and even just with torit. It was pogee as long as it was a stew made with torit as its base.

My mother, for example, used to make a slightly juicy Poge with shellfish as the main ingredients. It was an extremely tasty pogee.

“Pogee…Is it available anywhere in this country?” 

“Yeah. There’s no place where you can’t eat pogee in the entire Rudek Kingdom.”

“Pogee…I’d like to eat it. Can’t you let me go to town now that I’ve given you the information you requested?”

We didn’t have the authority to make such a decision, but I knew our superior wouldn’t let her go to town.

“No?? Why…???”

She pouted. What should I do…

“But if it’s pogee…Since the ingredients are easy to find, we can just call a chef here to prepare it for us or even cook it by ourselves…maybe our superior will let us do that?”

Luluria’s eyes flashed when she heard Rufa’s words.

“Really? You can cook it? Then let’s get started! Let’s cook pogee!”

“Well, if it’s only pogee, I suppose I can cook it…” I responded

“I’m a terrible cook..” Wickharlt stated.

“I’m not from this kingdom so I don’t know how to cook pogee…” Rufa continued.

“Then, Roa, you cook it!”

Luluria said enthusiastically. I want to refuse…

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