WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Haruto

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Pushover Young Lord in a Romance Fantasy Won't Take It Anymore ◈

Chapter 58: Beneath the Ground

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So that was what she meant. It was something I had said during the departure ceremony.

‘She went back and watched that again.’

It was obvious why she had rushed ahead of us.

She must have been driven by a sense of rivalry toward me.

Whatever her reasons, I wanted to welcome her joining the expedition, but...

“You went ahead alone. That was too dangerous.”

“I didn’t go any farther. I waited.”

Selena replied curtly.

The entrance to the Ashen Forest was not particularly dangerous, but anything could have happened. She could have been caught up in an unexpected threat.

Of course, Selena was a knight who had proven her strength. Her outstanding service in the north was no exaggeration.

She probably knew that herself, which was why she had stopped at an appropriate point and waited for us.

Even so, I couldn’t help worrying as her younger brother.

“That’s unlike you, Sister. No more acting alone. If you’re joining us, follow my command.”

“I would have, even if you hadn’t said it.”

She sounded displeased, but she agreed.

Selena was a veteran with plenty of real combat experience. She knew better than anyone how important the chain of command was in the field.

No matter what she thought of me, respecting my authority and following it was a knight’s duty. If she hated it that much, she could leave the forest.

That was enough scolding.

Berating her any further didn’t suit my temperament.

“Adjutant Lucia, could you take the troops back into formation? I still have something to discuss with my sister.”

“Yes. Take your time.”

Lucia must have sensed something, because she immediately led the soldiers away.

The elven scouts dismantling the magical beasts, along with the Black Lion Knights, followed after them.

“Anyway, thank you for coming.”

Only after Selena and I were alone did I curl my lips into a teasing smile.

“I thought you weren’t coming. Even if you did, I expected you to follow behind us. I never thought you’d come first and clear the way.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t come to help you.”

“Then why did you come here?”

“For martial merit. To prove that I, not you, am Cardenos’s heir.”

Of course. She had come because she thought her accomplishments in the north would be overshadowed by mine.

It was only natural, perhaps, but Selena was still living under a misconception.

“If that’s really why, you’ve got the wrong idea. I never intended to become the head of the House.”

I remained with the family because I needed its strength.

I could establish my own foundation without becoming its head.

My goal was not the prosperity of the House, but the survival of the world.

The responsibility I already bore for the world was far too heavy for me to also lead Cardenos as its head.

For an instant, killing intent flickered in Selena’s eyes. She must have misconstrued my words.

Just as I thought she might grab me by the collar, Selena clicked her tongue.

“...What nonsense.”

It probably took a great deal of restraint for her to hold herself back.

I swallowed a sigh and shrugged.

“I can understand why you wouldn’t believe me.”

Even if she did, she wasn’t the type to accept a position handed over to her.

She would prove herself superior to me somehow and seize the position of head of the House with her own hands. That was the kind of person Selena was.

“But Sister, is that really all?”

“What?”

“Martial merit, succession to the House. Is that really the only reason you came here?”

I narrowed my eyes and slowly curled my lips into a smile.

Selena frowned and glared at me.

She thought she was hiding it, but I could see it all too clearly. She was my sister, but she needed to be a little more honest.

“Sister, tsunderes aren’t popular these days.”

“Tsun-what?”

“Never mind. Tsunderes are only my second favorite type. Mega-deres like our Celine are first.”

“...What are you even talking about?”

Selena gave my shoulder a light shove as she walked past. I watched her retreating back for a long moment.

She and Celine shared the same blood, even if they had different mothers.

Maybe one day, my sister would become someone who only had eyes for her little brother...

“Astin, you loser who ran away. I don’t think of you as my brother. Get lost. Never show your face to me again.”

Just like Celine.

Perhaps I craved my sister’s affection too.

* * *

In the forest, thick with fog and drifting ash, Astin clicked his tongue as he looked over the enormous camp before him.

“With this many people, even getting everyone settled is a job.”

Lucia, standing close beside him, answered.

“There are seven thousand combat troops, plus three thousand in the supply and engineer corps.”

With ten thousand troops stretched out like a snake, the formation was bound to break apart.

Even building a massive circular camp consumed an enormous amount of manpower.

Astin and Lucia picked up their axes again and began cutting down trees.

The smell of sweat mingled with chopping and sawing from every direction.

“Maybe it’s because my father was a carpenter. I’m pretty good with an axe, huh?”

“Bullshit. At that rate, we’ll be working all night. We should’ve brought your father instead of you.”

For some reason, the camp construction was full of energy.

Astin deserved some of the credit for that.

Astin was both their employer and field commander. Lucia looked every bit the noblewoman.

When the two of them worked tirelessly, the mercenaries couldn’t help glancing their way.

‘Those two certainly are unusual.’

‘Most nobles just stand behind us cracking whips. Maybe that young lord really is different.’

‘As long as this isn’t just for show.’

Since their commander didn’t shy away from dirty work, even the centurions rolled up their sleeves as though pushed into it.

With the entire force working together, the logging was soon nearing its end, and the camp began to take shape.

They were in an open clearing, and the size of the force was visible even from afar.

It was a huge circular encampment.

The combat troops formed a ring around the outside, while the supply corps, engineer corps, and vanguard formed the center.

The soldiers then began pitching their tents.

Astin and Lucia inspected the engineer corps, which was busy at work.

“Stop the palisade here. Don’t tie together the remaining lumber. Load it onto the wagons.”

“Sir? If we leave this area open, magical beasts could get in during the night.”

“We don’t need perfect defenses. Blocking off this much is enough. We’ll have another use for the remaining lumber.”

Rather than focusing everything in one place, it was better to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

Astin knew the dangers of the Ashen Forest, even if only through records.

The engineer commander looked doubtful, but nodded for now. If the commander said to stop, they had no choice but to stop.

“Good work. Once the defensive line is complete, organize shifts and get some rest.”

Astin didn’t return to his tent afterward. He continued walking around the camp, with Lucia always at his side.

The two walked side by side, checking the areas where the supply and engineer corps were finishing their work.

Astin stopped and turned toward Lucia.

“Did I give the guard detail their orders?”

Lucia nodded.

“If you mean guarding the supply wagons, yes. You told them to organize a night shift and protect them.”

During the Ashen Forest Expedition, the horses had only one purpose: pulling the supply wagons.

Astin had emphasized the importance of the wagons and ordered the guard detail, led by Julian, to protect them closely.

Not far away, someone watched them from behind a tent.

It was Selena, arms crossed and silver eyes narrowed.

Her gaze followed Astin’s back as he busily moved about.

People never changed.

Selena knew Astin’s nature better than anyone.

‘That bastard has never experienced real combat even once.’

His nature aside, his leadership was far from trustworthy.

At most, Astin had been taught theory within the House.

Yet someone like him had planned and carried out this expedition, taken total responsibility for it, and even volunteered to lead the vanguard.

Astin’s experience as a warrior consisted entirely of sparring with real blades.

He had never once experienced a battlefield where blood sprayed and flesh was torn apart.

Selena wanted to stop Astin even now.

But it had already begun. There was no point throwing cold water on it now.

‘He won’t keep this up for long.’

He was engrossed in the position of commander, joining in the labor and inspecting the defensive line as though he wanted to control every detail.

It was all for show.

He was only working hard because it was the first day. Overworking himself without knowing how to pace himself wouldn’t last long.

Fatigue in the field was on an entirely different level from training on the drill ground. Astin didn’t seem to understand that.

The limits of an inexperienced commander would soon become obvious.

What Astin had planned and accomplished deserved praise.

He had secured funding, arranged ample supplies, and conducted systematic training for a month. That was why the expedition still thought highly of Astin and followed him.

But that was all.

Before long, Astin would collapse and come face-to-face with his limits.

At that point, Selena intended to take over command and salvage this reckless expedition.

Step, step.

After finishing their inspection, Astin and Lucia headed back toward the vanguard camp.

Selena also returned to camp behind them, hiding her presence.

Her sharp silver eyes bored into Astin and Lucia beside him the entire way.

‘Lucia von Elzerna.’

Astin was a problem, but that woman was an even bigger one.

She was called the star of high society, was she not?

She might have considerable talent in magic and swordsmanship, but any recognition she had earned came only from a sheltered environment.

Why a precious young lady raised in comfort had joined this expedition remained a mystery.

Setting aside her reasons, how could such an inexperienced young lady hold the important post of the commander’s adjutant?

‘Astin decided it himself.’

Selena clicked her tongue in displeasure.

A commander with no real combat experience, and an adjutant from high society. This expedition was precarious from the inside out.

It was astonishing that ten thousand soldiers had followed them this far.

She only hoped things would go badly only to an extent that could still be salvaged before the losses grew too severe.

Then Astin, walking through the center of the vanguard camp, stopped.

“What is it?”

Lucia asked in confusion. Astin didn’t answer. He raised his head.

Sniff, sniff.

His nostrils twitched faintly.

The dry, stifling air of the Ashen Forest had somehow turned damp and heavy.

Each breath carried a faint moisture, and the air touching his skin felt sticky.

The ash floating in the air had absorbed the moisture and grown heavy, settling like snowflakes.

Astin swept up the ash piled on a tent with his fingertips and rubbed it between his fingers.

The dry powder that should have scattered in the wind clumped between his fingers like clay.

“The humidity is rising. It’ll rain soon.”

Pitter, patter.

No sooner had he spoken than raindrops began to fall.

Heavy drops washed over the dry ash. Rainwater soaked the ground, and the soldiers’ feet began to sink into the muck.

In an instant, the hardened ground turned to mud.

That was the warning.

Rumble.

A vibration shook the ground beneath the sound of rain. An unsettling tremor traveled up through the soles of Selena’s feet.

Selena’s instincts, sharpened by countless brushes with death in the north, sounded an alarm. Without hesitation, she drew her sword.

...A subterranean magical beast.

The vanguard had not realized it yet.

Just as Selena was about to take control of the formation.

“Everyone, grab your weapons!”

Astin drew his sword and shouted, half a beat faster than her.

The vanguard camp, whose soldiers had been resting, erupted into chaos. The soldiers scrambled out with their weapons in hand.

“W-Where is it?! The scouts said there weren’t any threats...”

A flustered commander with a shield looked around in every direction.

Yet there was nothing threatening in sight. If anything, it was eerily quiet.

The mercenaries, tense and confused, tilted their heads at Astin.

Was he making a fuss over nothing? There was nothing there.

“Below us! Watch the ground!”

Astin’s heated roar cut through the rain.

The mercenaries were thrown into an uproar at his words.

Selena was shaken as well, though for a different reason.

‘How did he...?’

A novice who had only swung a sword on the drill ground had sensed a threat from a blind spot.

A warning sign that even Selena’s energy sense had barely caught.

Splash!!

“Argh!”

The muddy ground beneath the soldiers’ feet exploded.

“Gah!”

“F-From underground!”

Scaled hands burst through the mud and reached for the soldiers’ ankles. A fishy stench filled the air.

Selena drew five or six Heart Paths up from her Core.

Raindrops falling toward her were repelled by Luna’s force.

Her chilling silver eyes began to shine with a moonlike light.

Even as Selena watched the ground below, her gaze slipped toward Astin for an instant.

Slash.

He was already cutting down the hands rising from the ground.

A remembered voice surfaced in Selena’s mind.

‘Sister, what will change no matter how much you struggle? Give up and prepare for the social scene.’

“...”

Selena tightened her grip on her sword hilt. With difficulty, she tore her eyes away from Astin.

Footnotes:

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