Chapter 132 - A Friend’s Disasradu
“Alright, with good food and drinks flowing... let’s do a Disasradu as a way of introducing ourselves.”
“Wait, we’re doing it here?”
“Oh, so President Rossetti knows about Disasradu. Guess I don’t need to explain then.”
Dorino narrowed his blue eyes and smirked mischievously.
“Dorino, we do this as a way of introduction among fellow knights, but is it appropriate with a lady present?”
“Nah, I really want to do this. So, let’s just dive into the Disasradu. I’ll start—I initially thought Volf was an insufferable guy!”
His confession, almost like self-sabotage, nearly made Dahlia choke.
She finally set down the glass she had been sipping from.
“His first greeting was all formalities, with a plastered-on smile. He’d return letters from women without even opening them, cut off confessions mid-sentence, and leave them crying without a second thought. I thought, ‘What a cold-hearted guy!’... but then I realized he’s like this on the inside.”
“Dorino, what do you mean by ‘like this’? Also, this is the third time I’ve heard this story.”
]
Volf added with a bitter smile. Apparently, this topic had already been discussed among friends.
“I’m just trying to help you be understood better. Plus, I don’t have many stories to share with Chairwoman Rossetti. You know my usual material, right?”
“Stop it, Dorino. That’s not something to talk about in front of ladies.”
“Then how about we talk about the women who have clung to Volf over the years? Or maybe the top three most shameless ones?”
“Please stop, you’re ruining the alcohol!”
Volf raised his voice and accidentally dropped the radish from the salad he was about to eat.
The flower-patterned radish fell back onto the plate, and mayonnaise splattered onto his hand and sleeve.
The content of the story became secondary to whether the mayonnaise stain would come off.
“Volf, um, should I help you clean that stain?”
“It’s fine. I’ll just go wash my hands...”
With a grimace, he quickly left the room.
“Chairwoman Rossetti, thank you for the delicious meal, even though I came here to apologize. It doesn’t make up for it, but is there anything you’re worried about or want to ask regarding Volf?”
“No. If I have any questions, I’ll ask him directly.”
Dahlia appreciated Dorino’s concern, but it was better to hear things directly from the person involved.
She’d learned from Volf how rumors can twist the truth, and she’d experienced it herself too.
“Got it. Well, since he’s not here, let’s continue Volf’s Disasradu.”
“Isn’t it a bit unfair to do it while he’s not here?”
“Um, I’d rather not hear anything that would make Volf uncomfortable.”
As soon as Dorino started speaking, Dahlia attempted to interrupt.
However, he downed his glass of wine in one go and continued talking.
“There’s a famous story at the royal castle I should share before someone else does. Last year, there was a rumor that Volf brought a woman into the barracks, but it was just some bold person trying to sneak into his room through the window at night. Oh, and his room is on the third floor.”
“...That’s some determination.”
A man heading to a woman’s room, confessing from outside—Dahlia had read about such things in stories, but this was the first time she’d heard of someone actually doing it.
She must have been quite the go-getter.
But the third floor? Did she climb up the emergency stairs along the balcony, or did she prepare a long ladder?
“Thankfully, Volf wasn’t there, and the woman didn’t fall from the window ledge. The only casualties were the tree she used to climb, which got cut down at the roots, and me, who opened the window and nearly had a heart attack.”
“...I feel for you.”
Opening a third-floor window at night and seeing a stranger climbing up was borderline horror.
If that happened to Dahlia in the tower, she’d probably scream and throw a monster-repelling magic stone at them.
“...I feel a bit guilty doing this while he’s not here, but Disasradu.”
“Looks like you’re doing it too!”
Dorino interjected, but Randolph’s expression remained unchanged.
He placed both hands on the table and turned to Dahlia.
“There’s a rumor going around that Volf and a junior named Kirk are quite close. Astorga-senpai has been covering for them. You might hear about it eventually.”
“Ah. Lately, Kirk’s always by Volf’s side. Since A Friend’s Disasradu was with him during the bicorn incident, he must have thought Volf saw Kirk at that time...”
Dorino muttered, but Dahlia couldn’t quite follow.
“Sorry, I mixed in some squad talk. Kirk is a junior in the squad, a good guy who cares about his comrades. He looks up to Volf and follows him around. Volf also trains him and looks out for him.”
“It’s good that they get along, isn’t it?”
Volf stood out no matter what.
It was inevitable that even the smallest things about him become rumors.
“Chairwoman Rossetti, I can assure you that Volf prefers women. Not that my assurance means much, but...”
“Um, I don’t have any biases regarding gender. It’s good to have close friends, and it’s not something I’m concerned about.”
In this kingdom, while the proportion was small, love and marriage weren’t bound by gender.
Besides, she wasn’t in a position to care who Volf was in a relationship with.
The conversation suddenly paused.
She noticed Randolph’s reddish-brown eyes staring intently at her.
“I see. So this is what they call the ‘composure of a lawful wife’ in this kingdom.”
“Huh?”
“Randolph, shut up for a bit. Later, Volf will explain it to you in terms you’ll understand.”
Dorino pressed his hand to his forehead and turned back to Dahlia.
“Chairwoman Rossetti, my apologies. Randolph’s language and sensibilities are closer to those of the neighboring kingdom’s. I think he just misunderstood the meaning of that phrase.”
The ‘composure of a lawful wife’ didn’t apply to Dahlia since she was not married.
She also didn’t understand the neighboring kingdom’s language, so she couldn’t guess what Randolph was trying to say.
“It’s alright. Actually, being called ‘Chairwoman’ makes me feel a bit... unsettled.”
“Then just call me ‘Dorino,’ no honorifics. Can I call you Dahlia?”
“Ah, sure.”
The title of ‘Chairwoman’ and even ‘Rossetti’ faded away, though it felt a bit late for that.
Dorino was also a close friend of Volf’s. Now that the misunderstandings were cleared up, Dahlia would like to maintain a good relationship.
“Thank you. Now, to bring this up again, I’m really sorry about today. Um... From my perspective, Volf right now seems like a dog that’s finally found a warm bed and food.”
“Comparing Volf to a dog...”
“Not in a bad way. He used to be a real lone wolf. He never talked about himself, and even if he got injured during missions, he’d hide it. It took him three years to open up to us like this. So, I overreacted. My apologies.”
The mention of three years stirred a faint memory.
Dahlia had been friends with Volf, but she hadn’t spent as much time with him as these two had.
They’d supported each other through long years in the Monster Subjugation Force, both as comrades and friends.
It was only natural they’d be wary of someone like her, who appeared out of nowhere.
“Please don’t apologize anymore. I really don’t mind.”
“Thank you. Oh, by the way, did you manage to get the stain out of that skirt?”
“Um... I dyed it.”
“You dyed it? Yourself?”
“Yes, I had some dark green dye. It turned out to be a nice color.”
After returning to the tower, she tried to remove the ink stain but couldn’t. Then she remembered Dorino’s words and agonized over it.
So, to shake off the frustration, she quickly dyed it while taking a break from cooking.
It turned into a deep, rich green, and now it was hanging to dry.
“Was that ink stain from a chair?”
“Um... I bumped into a maid, and when she wiped my skirt, the cloth she used must have been dirty.”
“As a member of the Monster Subjugation Force, I apologize. If you can identify the maid, let me know. I’ll discuss it with the captain and handle it. We’ll compensate you too. Um, there’s also a chance that it might be related to Volf...”
“Thank you, but I don’t remember her face clearly, so it’s fine.”
Honestly, all she remembered was her brown hair and maid uniform. That was not enough to identify her.
“We can line up all the maids. A few knights who can use ‘Intimidation’ can join us, and we’ll see who flinches. If a maid disrespected a visiting chairwoman, it’s grounds for a pay cut or dismissal.”
Randolph spoke calmly, but his voice was colder than usual.
Feeling a bit tense, Dahlia shook her head.
“Thank you for your concern, but it might have just been an honest mistake. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Just as Dahlia finished speaking, Volf returned.
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