WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: nemui

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◈ The Forgotten Curse Knight ◈

Vol. 2 Ch. 5: Hey, Newbie, Go Buy Some Bread

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Theo left his personal belongings with Archibald, placed Lenny on his shoulder, and went down to the base's second floor.

Two of the large rooms on the second floor served as the men's dormitories. Only Commander JJ and Administrator Archibald had private rooms. Everyone else basically slept in shared rooms.

At the moment, several Gray Knights were away fighting in the defense of West End, so apparently only one other person assigned to Theo's room had remained behind.

"Excuse me."

Mew!

Six beds stood in the shared room. A boy lay sprawled across the bed farthest inside, reading a book.

He looked about Theo's age, perhaps a little older. He had orange hair, freckles, and a Gray Knights uniform worn carelessly. A red-black Curse Sigil marked his neck.

The boy sat up on his bed and gave Theo a sullen look.

"Huh? Who're you?"

There was only one thing to do when someone asked, Who are you? Introduce yourself. Since people always forgot him, Theo was good at introductions.

"My name is Theo. I joined the Gray Knights today. This is my partner, Lenny. It's nice to meet you!"

If he bowed like that, Lenny would fall from his shoulder. Theo held Lenny in both hands before bowing. A beat later, Lenny let out a "Mef!"

The orange-haired boy sat cross-legged on the bed, resting his cheek against one hand as he looked up at Theo.

"Oh, a newbie. How old are you?"

"I'm fourteen, more or less."

Theo added more or less because he did not know his exact age.

"Then you're one year younger than me. Huh..."

The orange-haired boy grinned across his freckled face and spoke in an oddly drawling, syrupy tone that made the ends of his sentences rise.

"I'm Hugo. Hey, newbieee. Go buy me some Brown Tail, will yaaa?"

Theo was confused. He did not know what Brown Tail was.

"Excuse me, but what is Brown Tail?"

"Huh? You don't know Brown Tail? Huh? What backwater did you come from?"

"Worg. It's a coal-mining town in Legato."

"Huh? So, the sticks. Me, though? Born and raised in Erington."

Hugo put strange emphasis on that upward lilt in his "Huh?"

Was that his accent?

"Anyway, get moving and go buy it. Not knowing Brown Tail would make you a laughingstock around here, huh?"

I see. In other words, Hugo was trying to teach Theo about Erington.

This must be an assignment, including finding out what Brown Tail was.

"Understood. I'll find some Brown Tail. May I take the money for it?"

"Huhhhhh? Why would I pay for it? You go buy it, newbie."

"But all my personal funds were confiscated..."

"Huh? Use your head, will you? Hm? Huh?"

Theo did as he was told and used his head, considering the intention behind his senior's words.

Administrator Archibald had said earlier:

"Gray Knights are required to leave all personal belongings and personal funds with headquarters upon joining."

But that applied only when joining. No one had said they could not build up personal funds or bring in personal belongings after becoming members.

That was why Beryl had candy on the steam train, and why Hugo was reading what seemed to be an entertainment novel.

（But right now, I have nothing that could be called personal funds. I don't even know what Brown Tail is. In that case...）

Hugo had told him to use his head. This was a problem that could be solved if he thought properly.

"Understood. I'll go find Brown Tail!"

* * *

Hugo watched the new recruit leave the room, saying he would go find Brown Tail, and clenched his fist.

（Yes! My plan to make an impression early so he won't look down on me was a huge success!）

When Hugo had heard a newcomer was arriving, he had been worried sick.

The Gray Knights were full of scary people with dangerous abilities. Hugo called those people big bro and big sis, humbling himself and buttering them up.

That was exactly why he wanted someone like an underling, someone he could act tough around.

That newcomer, Theo, looked every bit like a well-bred young master. Hugo figured that if he acted tough, Theo would get intimidated and not talk back.

（Well, he's new, so he hasn't been paid yet. And he probably doesn't even know how to apply to go out, so there's no way he can go buy Brown Tail anyway.）

When the newcomer returned looking troubled, Hugo would tell him, "Good grief, I guess I have no choice. Senior Hugo will buy it next time he goes out, so be grateful." Then he would teach Theo how to apply to go out.

Snort.

Hugo immersed himself in his novel for a while.

The Cinder House lounge had a bookshelf full of used books. It was crammed with books people had brought in and books left behind by the dead, and anyone was free to take one and read it. Some were rather racy.

Administrator Archibald did not approve of such things, but apparently turned a blind eye on JJ's orders.

（...If everyone here is so scary, why's the commander so lenient? He wears a paper bag over his head, too.）

Hugo had heard that the Gray Knights of old were not even paid and were made to fight Termea until they died. Hugo did not know that era, but apparently conditions had improved considerably under the current commander.

Their personal funds were confiscated when they joined, but after that, they received wages, and bringing in alcohol and entertainment was tolerated.

Apparently, they could even send money to their families if they wished. They could not receive money from them, but that meant nothing to Hugo, whose family had cut ties with him.

Flip.

He turned a page in his book. It was a story about beautiful familial love, and it irritated him. Why did people romanticize it so much just because they happened to share blood?

He considered stopping there, but he wanted to know how the story ended. That was the frustrating part.

As he wrestled with the decision, he heard the door open.

"Excuse me."

Hugo thought the newcomer had returned, but the person who entered was a black-haired boy in an apron.

His name was Noah, a junior staff member at Cinder House. He was thirteen, two years younger than Hugo, but he was not Hugo's subordinate.

Cinder House also housed people who were not Mad Walkers, like Administrator Archibald. The junior staff who handled cooking and miscellaneous duties were among them.

Noah was one of them, and at this hour, he mainly helped in the kitchen.

Noah looked at Hugo with openly displeased eyes.

"...Could you stop egging the newcomer on? Think about the trouble you cause us, too."

"Huh?"

At that moment, Theo appeared behind Noah, carrying a plate. A white fluffball played around at his feet.

"Lenny, don't stand in my way. It's dangerous! ...Oh, Hugo, sorry to keep you waiting! Cinnamon sugar fried bread... Brown Tail!"

Theo held out the plate to Hugo.

On it were oval pieces of fried bread dusted with cinnamon sugar.

They were unmistakably Brown Tail, crisp-fried and beloved in the capital of Grandrium.

Noah spoke with no attempt to hide his annoyance.

"This guy barged into the kitchen, asking what Brown Tail was and how to make it."

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