Frantic Feast Chapter 2

The original link:
http://natsutoge.fc2web.com/novels/utage2.html
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Chapter 2
"My destination is...the house of Kushuhal in Treno."
"Kushuhal?"
Who is that? Zidane inquired Tot.
Already through the tough mountains, they were now walking on the Ventini Plain.
"He is a governor in Alexandria."
Tot stopped pacing, and Zidane turned his head, looking up.
A few more meters, and they would reach Treno.
The surroundings had become completely dark.
He felt that Tot's eyes flashed in the darkness. He was not certain whether it was his glasses, or that he was hallucinating.
Those eyes, identical to the eyes he had in the morning, were staring at Zidane solemnly.
.....This is extremely important. Okay? Warning him like so, Tot said:
"I would present Master Zidane as a trainee. Please act like that too."
Zidane bulged his eyes.
What the hell?
"What..."
"Since we have no time, this is all I will say. So, let's go."
Interjecting Zidane's up-coming words, Tot turned his back on him and began to pace. Zidane dazed for a moment, wondering.
"What is happening...?"
Tot had already carried his feet in front of the gate. Zidane chased after him, and then they waited for the soldiers to open the gate.
What is wrong?
The gate opened slowly.
He felt there was going to be a crisis coming up, though not knowing what.
Zidane entered the gate with his anxiety.

* * *
The house of Kushuhal was built in the most expensive region in Treno.
Although it was not as ostentatious as the palace of a King, but it was surrounded by tall walls, and the eggshell white palace was standing in the middle, giving it a fairy tale impression. Talk about its volume, about a million normal houses in Alexandria could fit in there.
They were led by the female servant into a guest room.
Many artistic pieces were being displayed in the room, every one of them had a high value.
While sitting on the soft yet comfortable sofa and waiting for the owner of the house,
(If I sell this pot....we could afford about 20 dozen of the best theatre clothes...)
He estimated the value out of his natural habit of being a thief.
Idly, he looked down on the clothes he was wearing, sighing softly.
Zidane was not wearing his usual attire, but being wrapped around by the Alexandrian officer trainee's robe with a picture of the Alexandria symbol sewed in silver threats.
After entering Treno, Tot took him into a hotel and made him change into these clothes that he prepared earlier. Tot too took off his sportswear (Because no matter how Zidane looked at it, it did not seem like a sportswear so when he knew he was very surprised), and changed into his Commander wear.
After they had took a bath in the hotel, wiped off the mud they got while climbing the mountains, Zidane felt really uncomfortable putting on the robe. Although it was a good thing that the robe did not need many accessories, however the collar was high on his neck which made him a bit hard to breathe. Plus he could not move his arms freely in these.
His hair, though still tied up, the bangs were brought up by hair gel.
In addition, the fancy house made him felt awkward as well. Except for all of that, he felt fine.
He practically wanted to rip off these clothes and return to Garnet.
At exact that time, the door opened, and a man in his fifties stomped in. From his behind, a young man who looked like the heir followed.
Tot, standing up, bowed towards the man politely. Zidane imitated him.
"Welcome to my mansion, Mister Commander. You must be tired throughout the long trip. Do you wish to rest first?"
"I show my gratitude for inviting me here. Although in this old bones, I feel fine. Thank you for your concern."
Tot gave him greetings in his normal tone. Zidane appraised the man quietly.
According to their attitude to each other, there was no doubt that this was Kushuhal.
Kushuhal held a serious image, and he had a pair of sly eyes. Zidane turned his focus from him to the young man behind the governor.
The young man was looking at him too. Those four eyes met, the young man beamed.
He was a little older than Zidane. He seemed kind, and had a magically calm aura around him.
"Oh...let me introduce. This is my son, named Yuju."
The man beckoned the young one and he took one step forward, bowing. Even the movements were done in a perfectly divine way.
"I am Yuju. It is an honor."
The voice was in a calm, quiet and soothing pitch.
"You certainly have a wonderful son."
Tot commented, the friendly grin hanging on his face.
"No, he still has a lot to work on."
Watching Kushuhal's serious expression suddenly turning into a proud smile when he said those words, Zidane thought in his heart. It was not only that he adored his son. Perhaps this Yuju, was going to be a very successful person.
Catching his eyes, the young man lifted his eyes and smiled at Zidane once more.
"This is the trainee? You name?"
Kushuhal's pupils dropped on Zidane.
Zidane did the Alexandrian curtsey then.
Though he never did it before, he had seen a lot of people doing that.
Zidane mimicked the action perfectly. To a Tantalus actor like him, it was a piece of cake.
"My name is Marcus. Please excuse me for my immaturity."
He said his fake name out loud.
Tot told him to not use his real name, due to that the name Zidane Tribal was too well known. Nonetheless, he did not tell him why he had to hide his identity. He merely said that everything would be clear once they arrive the mansion.
Damn...I don't get it, Dr.Tot.
"Mr.Marcus is very fortunate to study under Commander Tot."
Meanwhile, some messy sounds came from the opened door. Not only Zidane heard it, Kushuhal looked at the door in anticipation.
"It is almost time, Commander. Let us go to the lobby. Yuju, go to Diana."
Obeying his order, the young man exited. A little behind Kushuhal, Zidane and Tot walked out of the room also. Following Kushuhal, they went through a long hallway, walked downstairs, and the lobby was in their view.
It was merely a lobby, and it occupied most of the first floor area. It was as wide as the one in Alexandria castle. No, it might be beyond. Because there was no such thing as daylight in Treno, there were plenty of candles decorated on the side of the wall, lighting the lobby. Even so, it was dark.
Inside this gigantic lobby, about two rows of maids and servants lined up on either side of the entrance. Zidane was stunned in his heart.
Heyheyhey...What is happening?
As if they were expecting someone. And that someone was big. Every servant was formally in their best behavior, waiting. Zidane and Tot were guided to the end of the long line, standing in the middle of the lobby, facing the entrance. As he thought, someone was slowly coming. Not one person. From the sound of the clothes friction, footsteps, and the whispering voices, there were approximately twenty people.
The atmosphere abruptly tensed in the room.
Zidane glimpsed at Tot.
Tot did not seem to be nervous in any way at all.
From the wide entrance, a figure appeared.
Saw the first person who showed up, Zidane suddenly had the urge to yelp in astonishment. Well, he was going to. If Tot did not realize it and cough awkwardly to warn him before that happened.
Garnet!!!
Half dazed, Zidane yelled out the name in his mind.
Although it was hard to see in the darkness, but Zidane knew at that instant.
Garnet, wearing a breath-taking red dress, was walking with her eyes downwards. Her beauty in the candle lights, it seemed like the lights were coming from her.
Zidane watched her with huge eyes.
She did not notice him yet.
The servants in the room lowered their heads as she walked by.
The lobby was dead silent, everyone was lost in her beauty.
Walking in the silence, Garnet headed towards their direction.
That figure, was absolutely like a Queen.
From her back, firstly Beatrix, then those maids and soldiers who were taking care of her in daily basis were appeared.
With a few steps away from them, she looked up.
Was it hallucination that when she saw Zidane, she widened her eyes and almost stopped?
Nevertheless the next second, she fixed her face to the previous one, then steadily paced to them.
"-----Welcome, Your Majesty."
Kushuhal stepped forward, bowed in front of her.
Garnet did the same beautifully.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I will be staying here for the next 3 days."
The voice that sounded like a song that was echoing in the entire lobby.