WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 135: The Crumbling Boundary (3)

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Kyle opened his eyes as bright light stabbed into them. Late morning sunlight streamed in through the window, slanting across the inn room.

Morning already?

He sluggishly pushed himself upright. It was nearly nine o'clock. Considering they had entered the inn early yesterday evening, before sunset, he had slept quite a while. Winter had the drawback of making people sleep longer as the days grew shorter.

Then again, perhaps it was not entirely a drawback.

Taking things slowly was not always bad. Now that they had set foot in the Federation, reaching either Rier, where Grand Duke Rivelius was, or Renavik, where the council was located, was only a matter of time. No wyvern knights were chasing them anymore, either. There was no need to worry.

That had certainly been true until yesterday.

“...”

Kyle stared blankly out the window for a while before throwing it open. Icy winter air rushed into the room, and Elysia, still in bed, pulled the blanket over her head and instinctively curled up.

Kyle skillfully woke her and prepared to leave. Since all their belongings were in the Inventory Pouch, it did not take long. He changed clothes and fastened his sword at his waist. As he gave the room one last look, Elysia murmured softly.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“What that Council Knight said yesterday. That Duke Mortain, the Commander of the Celestial Knights, has arrived at the front with the wyvern knights under his command.”

As usual, Elysia wore a white robe. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stared silently at the floor. Her serious expression showed she was recalling their conversation with Matis in the dining hall downstairs yesterday.

“The Federation's mood is unusual, and everyone we meet talks about war. That Council Knight did not seem to be lying, either. If Duke Mortain really is at the border...”

Kyle let out a small sigh and stood in front of her. Her slender fingers were clenched so tightly that they had turned white.

“Elysia.”

“...”

“It is not confirmed information. It has not even been five years since the war with Hailen ended. The chances of the Empire invading are low.”

“But they must know that we arrived in the Federation...?”

“That does not mean they will immediately deploy the Celestial Knights. The risk is too great. Especially now, when the war with Hailen has reduced their number of Wyverns to twenty or fewer. For now, just focus on meeting Grand Duke Rivelius.”

Kyle spoke in an even tone. At his calm words, Elysia loosened her clenched hands and spoke more steadily.

“Yes. You are right.”

“...”

“I was worrying too much. It is only a slight possibility, one that may not even happen.”

Elysia quickly regained her composure. Kyle led her out of the room and down to the first floor.

The inn's first floor, which served as both dining hall and tavern, already had quite a few people seated inside despite the early hour. Like Kyle, they were travelers who had stayed the night and were preparing to leave. They had been chatting among themselves, but when they saw Kyle and Elysia descend the stairs from the second floor, they all fell silent as though by prior agreement.

“Ah... You are awake? I hope you slept comfortably...”

In the strange silence, the bartender forced himself to speak while standing rigidly straight. Yesterday, after seeing that Grand Duke Rivelius stood behind Kyle and Elysia, and that they spoke so freely with the Council Knight Matis, the bartender had suddenly begun treating them with great respect.

“It was not bad.”

“I, I see.”

“What happened with the feed I requested for the horses?”

“Ah, yes! We fed them enough to make their bellies burst. Yes...”

“Is that so?”

That ended the conversation. After looking around once, Kyle left the inn with Elysia. Behind them, he heard the bartender let out a breath of relief.

“Ugh... It is hard to adjust to the cold after staying inside.”

“Bear with it a little longer. Once we reach the next city, I will pay extra if I have to and find a Heating Magic Tool.”

As they chatted and headed for the stable, both stopped instinctively. A knight in a dark navy cloak and a squire wearing a brown coat were already there.

They were Matis, a Chevalier, and Noel, the squire.

“...Did you wait for us?”

Kyle asked. Matis smiled awkwardly.

“We just came out as well. We did wait, but it was not for long.”

“If you have more to say, say it here.”

“Since this is also a chance encounter, why not travel together? Rier, where His Grace is staying, and the headquarters of the Chevaliers are both only a few days away. If we are heading in the same direction, I would like to accompany you for a while.”

Matis did not hesitate to get to the point. Kyle murmured with a blank expression.

“Travel together...”

“I am not trying to force you. I simply thought it would be nice to have company.”

Kyle was not surprised, since he had expected the proposal. Now that they roughly knew each other's status, it was only natural.

An aristocrat exiled from the Empire and a noble knight of the Chevaliers.

There was no harm in building connections. That was how the world of nobles worked. They had their own network of relationships.

In a way, this had been somewhat inevitable from the moment Kyle showed Grand Duke Rivelius's crest. Grand Duke Rivelius was a member of the High Council, the Chevaliers' superior institution. Anyone important enough to carry the Grand Duke's crest was bound to draw interest. Of course Matis wanted to establish ties along the way.

It was not as though they would lose anything, either.

Kyle considered it. House Breil and House Serier were among the Federation's most prestigious families. One was a Chevalier, while the other was a squire with a promising future. There was a high chance they would meet again someday.

What should he do?

Without a word, Kyle looked at Elysia. She looked back up at him. Elysia did not object.

More importantly, they needed more information about the Celestial Knights, whom they had heard about the day before. During dinner, Matis had deliberately withheld some details. It was as though Matis had been waiting for this moment. There was a reason Matis was a knight from a high-ranking noble family.

After reaching a decision, Kyle spoke.

“All right. We can travel together for a while.”

* * *

Just like yesterday, Kyle and Elysia urged their horses steadily toward Rier. The only difference was that their group had grown to four.

As a result, there was no time to grow bored, for better or worse. Matis and Noel seemed close, and they talked often. That was not bad for Kyle, either. The information that came directly from a current Council Knight differed from what Gilbert knew. At the very least, Matis seemed to hold a fairly high position within the order.

“Just because the Chevaliers are one knightly order does not mean everyone belongs to the same faction. Before they are knights, they are nobles from all across the Federation. There is plenty of political maneuvering. Even the kings of each country, who serve as council members, try to expand their own influence within the Chevaliers however they can.”

Matis spoke freely about internal matters that could not be learned through ordinary channels after joining Kyle and Elysia. Kyle did not know whether Matis was trying to gain their favor or simply showing goodwill in hopes of building a good relationship later.

“People are the same everywhere.”

“That is true. Still, the Chevaliers are better than most. Other royal knight orders are worse. No matter what, the Chevaliers value skill as a knight above all else.”

There was a reason the Federation's top knight was a Council Knight. Noel, who had been listening, asked a question.

“You said you came through the south, did you not?”

“That is right.”

“What is your relationship with His Grace, Grand Duke Rivelius?”

This time, Elysia answered instead.

“He is someone who has helped me for a long time.”

“Since before your exile?”

“Yes. Without him, I might have slowly died in Archandia. Or perhaps been assassinated overnight.”

“You must be very close.”

“Close... I would not put it that way. It is a slightly different sort of relationship. More importantly, is it true that Duke Mortain, the Commander of the Celestial Knights, is staying near the border?”

Elysia turned to Matis and asked. Matis hesitated before answering.

“As I said yesterday, it is not certain information.”

“...”

“There is only a possibility. That is all. The withdrawal order was probably because of that as well.”

“Do you think war could break out?”

“I will say it again, I cannot be certain. But one thing is clear. Unlike those at the front, the rear is looking at the situation too optimistically. Only the lords guarding the border are under immediate pressure. The High Council, which must issue orders, cannot narrow down its opinions, so every discussion drags on without progress...”

Matis furrowed his brow and swallowed a sigh. After that, Matis spoke of various possibilities based on personal speculation.

Kyle and Elysia listened in silence. Whether the information proved useful immediately or not, there was no harm in remembering the words of a well-positioned Chevalier. Kyle suddenly looked up. It had become late afternoon before he knew it. The sun was beginning to dip, and early evening would come soon.

It was about time to prepare camp.

Just in case, Kyle asked Matis whether there was a village nearby where they could spend the night. Matis frowned as though searching through old memories and let out a low hum.

“I think there used to be a village around here. I cannot remember the exact location, though...”

“We will keep going and see. If we do not find it, we will camp.”

The other three agreed with nods. The four riders continued diligently across the snowy plain. With every trace of green gone from the landscape, it felt as though they had entered a world without color. Above the land of white and black, the blue sky was slowly turning red.

After they climbed a hill, a slightly different scene spread out before them. Gentle mountains, conifers rising here and there, and a group of people rushing from a nearby forest down toward the snow-covered plain.

“Wait. Stop.”

Kyle, who was at the front, raised a hand. The other three immediately pulled their reins and stopped their horses.

“There are people over there.”

“People?”

“Are they being chased by bandits?”

“Bandits? But the security around here should not be that poor.”

The four watched the desperate group running toward them. Even at a glance, they were in a terrible state. Their clothes were torn beyond repair and worn thin. Scabs covered their bodies. Those who were injured ranged from young children to young parents and elderly people.

They gritted their teeth and tried desperately to get farther away from the forest. That was when another group emerged from the conifer forest. Unlike the first group, which appeared to be ordinary villagers, the second was armed with swords and bows, and they wore thick clothes despite the grime. Fresh blood stained the weapons in their hands.

They were bandits, without question.

“Run! Run!”

“Argh!”

“Mom! Dad!”

“Go! Do not look back, just go!”

Desperate screams rang in the four travelers' ears. Matis turned to Kyle.

“I will handle this. Protecting Federation citizens is the duty of a Council Knight.”

“No. There is no need.”

“What?”

Matis froze just as they were about to charge at the bandits. After exchanging a glance with Elysia, Kyle drew mana from his ring and swung his hand through the air. A cold chill raced through the atmosphere, passing the fleeing people before rising in front of the bandits to block their path.

Crack!

The wave of ice that suddenly surged upward trapped the bandits' feet. The one running at the front was pierced through the chest by ice and coughed up blood.

The despairing faces of those who had been fleeing became blank with shock. The bandits looked no different.

Slash!

Red blood sprayed across the pure white snowfield. The bandits, their entire bodies shredded by blades of wind, fell one after another and struck the ground face-first. Matis and Noel turned to look beside them with stunned expressions.

Elysia stood there, one hand raised just like Kyle's.

“You are not knights, but mages...?”

“That is not important right now. Let us go.”

Kyle and Elysia pulled their reins first and rode down the hill. Matis and Noel came to their senses a moment later and followed.

“K-knights and mages...?”

“Thank you. Thank you...”

The group that appeared to be ordinary villagers shed tears and thanked them when they saw the four. Sadly, several people had already died. They had lost too much blood.

“I am sorry. If I had acted faster...”

Matis muttered bitterly while watching the villagers weep quietly.

“No, Sir Knight. You saved us.”

“Thank you. How could we ever repay this kindness...”

The villagers repeatedly bowed their heads. Noel, who was looking around with a grave expression, asked, “Bandits do not usually run wild in an area like this. Where did you come from?”

“Ah, we came from a village near the border...”

“A village near the border?”

The faces of all four, including Kyle, suddenly hardened. At the abrupt change, not only the man who answered but also the villagers behind him flinched.

“Y-yes. Is something wrong...?”

“Why did you leave a village where you were living peacefully and come all the way here?”

Kyle asked in a low voice. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the man murmured in a shrinking voice.

“The Imperial Army suddenly invaded, so we were fleeing east. Then we encountered bandits in the mountains, and...”

The man could not finish. An intangible pressure flowed from Kyle standing before him.

Without realizing it, Kyle gripped the hilt at his waist with his left hand in a reverse hold. A creaking sound came from between his pale fingers.

Footnotes:

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