WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Abood

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◈ Friedrich's Battlefield

Chapter 65: After the End (2)

“...That face, and the name Yurika. There’s no doubt.”

“Yes. I never imagined she had survived. Moreover, to see her have grown so humanly, like that…”

The adjutant nodded in response to Rebecca’s words.

The Eisenhut Marquisate and its people were descended from a race that once lived confined along the mountainside. Exposed to harsh environments, they survived through a culture that prized toughness above all else, living, mingling, and raising generations shaped by this worldview. Even now, after having been integrated into the Kingdom of Edelstein and gradually assimilated, the values etched into their blood have not disappeared.

Perhaps because of this way of life, it is said that on rare occasions, those born within the Eisenhut domain would display an abnormal strength and sudden, ferocious outliers.

These individuals would exhibit violent tendencies from a young age, injuring their parents or siblings sometimes innocently, sometimes on impulse. As they grew, their physical prowess would continue to emerge, until they became uncontrollable.

Historically, some were able to gain self-restraint, learn how to live among others, and eventually find a place for themselves on the battlefield. But in most cases, they ended up harming or killing those around them, or falling into banditry, rarely living long.

Nowadays, it was said that most such individuals didn’t even survive to adulthood.

To their families, they were the most immediate and dangerous threat. A single lapse could result in grievous harm, and should they commit a serious crime, even their relatives could be punished as accomplices. Worse still, simply being known to harbor such a person would cause the whole family to be shunned.

And so, more often than not, the moment such traits revealed themselves, the child would be declared as ‘one who did not survive.’

To slay one’s own blood after they had grown too dangerous was too cruel for any parent or sibling to bear. It was far easier and more merciful even to return the child to God’s care before they developed a sense of self.

In a society where one in four commoner children didn’t survive to their first birthday, the loss of an infant raised no suspicion.

A little over twenty years ago, a baby girl with this very nature was born into the household of a direct vassal of the Eisenhut Marquisate. She was the first child of the couple.

To Rebecca, the girl was a distant relative. When she was only a few months old, she attempted to tear off the ear of the maid holding her, using both her mouth and hands. She nearly ripped the earlobe in half.

Even after that, her violent tendencies didn’t subside. With a face full of curiosity, she would destroy toy after toy given to her, and once tried to gouge out the eyes of a cat kept by the family. With a look of deep fascination, she would lash out at the faces and hands of anyone who picked her up.

Everyone in the household sensed what kind of child she was. The head of the family being her father, made the painful decision to have her put to sleep peacefully. But the one who stopped him was his wife, the girl’s mother.

To her, this was the long-awaited child she’d conceived two years after marriage, born only after a difficult labor. She had grown deeply attached to the child and pleaded with her husband to at least let her live for the time being.

The head of the family gave in to that plea, on the condition that should their daughter show no signs of developing self-control, they would eventually return her to God’s care.

Before she turned three, the girl came to live confined in a reinforced room. For the sake of appearances, the family claimed she was frail and unable to go outside. Stuffed animals were given to her not to soothe loneliness, but to allow her to vent her destructive urges. Furniture was kept to a bare minimum as whatever was placed would soon be broken.

Her mother tended to her personally, unwilling to put any servants in harm’s way. Guards stood posted just outside the room, ready to intervene at any moment.

Perhaps the girl sensed on an instinctive level that her mother was her only protector. When her mother was present, she behaved somewhat more quietly, but even then, there were several dangerous incidents. No one could predict when the girl might lash out at another human. Everyone except her mother feared her.

The father and head of the household did care for his daughter. But even he could not bring himself to approach her directly.

Physicians and priests were summoned in secret. Attempts were made at treatment, even prayers for divine intervention, but nothing produced visible results.

Several years passed. Then, her mother passed away.

She had borne another child, a new heir, and birth was difficult just like before. This time, the ordeal consumed the last of her strength. She died shortly after childbirth.

With the birth of a legitimate successor, and the death of the mother who had protected her, there was no one left to shield the girl. Yurika was now seven years old.

At last, the head of the family made his decision: he would no longer protect Yurika. Even so, he could not bring himself to lay hands on his own daughter, especially one who had grown enough to speak even if clumsily, and to possess a sense of self. In the end, he chose to abandon her instead.

Yurika was taken far from the marquisate lands and left in the forests of the distant Viscounty of Dofen.

No matter how strong or violent her nature, a seven-year-old girl couldn’t possibly survive long alone in the woods. That was what everyone believed. Yurika was considered dead. Her only remaining trace in the world was her name, engraved among her family’s graves.

But they were wrong.

A girl matching her age and name, said to have grown up as an orphan in the Viscounty of Dofen, eventually emerged.

Rumors had reached them that a strangely strong young woman had come under the protection of the House of Hosenfeld, alongside Friedrich. And last year, at a social gathering, Rebecca had sensed it: the female knight standing behind Friedrich must be her.

At the time, she’d only felt a vague familiarity in the girl’s face. But when she reached deep into her memory and recalled the woman, a distant relative, who had supposedly died more than ten years ago, it all made sense. The resemblance was unmistakable.

It had to be the same girl who was once cast aside. Rebecca could say that with certainty.

To think she had matured emotionally to the point of being able to care for someone, to be loved in return, and to live as a soldier among many comrades… Rebecca had never imagined such a thing.

“Will you reveal the truth of her origins?”

“…No. Not now, at least.”

Rebecca slowly shook her head in response to her adjutant’s question.

“The Yurika who was once my kin died young, long ago. Even if we were to speak the truth now, it would only confuse her and her family. Besides, what right do we have to call ourselves her kin, when we once cast her aside? She has learned to master her nature, and found her own way to live among others. If that’s the case, then her life belongs to her alone now.”

“Then unless there comes a time when the truth must be revealed, we’ll keep this matter between us.”

The adjutant replied, and with that, the topic of Yurika was closed.

・・・・・・

“Yo, Friedrich.”

On his way back to Count Matthias Hosenfeld after leaving the office of Marchioness Rebecca Eisenhut, Friedrich was suddenly called out to.

“…Diethelm.”

Standing in the corridor as if he had been waiting for him was Diethelm Brightkreuz, who had led the reinforcements from the Hildegard Regiment.

“My unit’s set to return to Arnsberg Fortress tomorrow. Walk with me for a bit just for a chat. We haven’t had a proper talk since all this started.”

With that, Diethelm fell into step beside Friedrich.

Between leading his own troops and Friedrich’s duties as a staff officer at the Ferdinand Regiment headquarters, both had been busy. Aside from exchanging brief greetings upon reuniting, they hadn’t had the chance for any real conversation.

“Seriously though. I rushed here all the way from Arnsberg Fortress, and didn’t even get a chance to fight. A rebellion that dragged in a foreign army under the banner of royalty… to think it ended this anti-climactically.”

“History’s shown that wars often end that way, haven’t they? The side that burns out first usually just surrenders to the one with more strength left.”

“Heh… I see. I guess that makes this the most realistic ending we could’ve hoped for. Well, I didn’t get a shot at any glory, but you sure did.”

“…Just like we promised. My third war merit.”

“Yeah, your third. Leading only twenty men and setting the stage to retake Ostburg Fortress, no one could argue that’s anything less than a major victory. You really are a man of your word.”

Diethelm slung an arm around Friedrich’s shoulders with casual ease, drawing a wry smile from him.

“With this, you’re one of us now. A promising heir to a noble house. People will start seeing you differently. How you’re treated in noble society will change too. That’s why what comes next is the real test. Keep your guard up so no one takes you lightly. Keep proving yourself so no one ends up disappointed. That’s what I’ve been doing all along. You do the same. That’s what it means for a noble heir to protect their family name. Got that, Friedrich Hosenfeld?”

Receiving that advice from someone ahead of him on the path, Friedrich nodded sincerely.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Diethelm Brightkreuz.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Keep it up, my dear apprentice!”

Leaving those joking words behind, Diethelm walked off.

I never said I was his apprentice, Friedrich thought to himself, but still watched him go with a smile.

“…Let’s head back, Yurika.”

“Yeah, Friedrich.”

When he called her name, Yurika replied with a voice like a bell softly ringing.

The two walked side by side. Once again, they had survived a battle together.

Footnotes:

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