WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle

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◈ The Wandering Knight and the Moving Castle ◈

Chapter 11: Outside the World (1)

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“Someone's coming from the village. They're on horseback.”

At the words of the mercenary who spotted them first, everyone stopped chatting. In the distance, two figures approached along the road from Kingdom's End.

“That backwater doesn't get anyone coming or going, does it?”

Merchants only visited the village a few times a year, since it wasn't worth the trip.

“Bring Solin.”

Beard, the mercenary captain, gave the order.

The man who had hired them was Solin, a security official dispatched from Bonyard City.

“One knight and a Squire. Though the other one might be a servant.”

Beard reported as Solin arrived on horseback.

“Are you sure one's a knight? My eyes aren't what they used to be.”

Solin was over fifty. Strict self-discipline kept his back straight, but there was nothing he could do about his fading eyesight.

“I saw a flash of light reflect off his chest. He has an imposing build too.”

A sturdy man on horseback, clad in metal armor. On top of that, Beard's twenty years as a mercenary were warning him that the man was dangerous.

“More than anything, he's coming straight at us without the slightest hesitation, even after seeing us.”

In a world full of danger, the basic rule upon spotting strangers was to stop and stay alert.

Yet those two were approaching a mercenary group four times their number without even slowing down. That meant they didn't see them as a threat at all.

“That has to be a knight.”

The strongest killing weapon humanity had created in this age.

“What was that village called again? Kingdom Road?”

“Kingdom's End. The name's grand, but it's just a backwater. I've only been there once, and the beer tasted like filthy water.”

“Then why's a knight coming out of a place like that?”

The mercenaries whispered among themselves, their faces uneasy.

Knights frightened mercenaries more than monsters. During a mercenary's life, the enemy most likely to kill them was a knight.

At least they could run from a monster. Turning their backs on a mounted knight was no different from begging to be killed.

If they encountered an enemy knight while standing in formation during a battle, there was no answer either. Running from battle meant immediate execution.

But if they held the line, they would die to a lance, sword, mace, or hoof.

“What does the knight's face look like? Is he fairly old?”

Unlike the nervous mercenaries, Solin looked pleased.

His mission was to deliver Bonyard City's invitation to Sir Gopri, who was living in seclusion in Kingdom's End.

There was no way another knight besides Sir Gopri would be in such a backwater. This would make completing his mission much easier.

“No, he looks very young.”

Still, things didn't always go as planned.

“Are you sure you saw right?”

“Trust me. No matter how well you can fight, you can't be a mercenary captain if your eyesight's poor.”

It was a small mercenary band of only eight members, but being its captain meant Beard had sharp eyes and good instincts. Otherwise, he would never have survived.

“You're right. My apologies.”

“Don't mention it.”

Solin's face fell.

“Captain, he isn't going to attack us, is he?”

“It must be hard to make money out in the countryside. What if he suddenly turns into a bandit knight?”

“Don't worry, you fools.”

Despite his subordinates' concerns, Beard remained calm. He had something to rely on.

“We're officially carrying out a mission for Bonyard City. Anyone with sense wouldn't dare act rashly.”

“That's right.”

Beard agreed with the confident Solin.

“If that knight came from the village, he likely has neither land nor a lord.”

Knights were certainly terrifying, but this wasn't the man's territory, and the difference in backing was too great.

Unless he had truly reached the end of his rope, he wouldn't attack people carrying out the city's orders right in Bonyard City's front yard.

* * *

While Solin and the mercenaries suspected Eugene of being a bandit knight, Eugene suspected them of being bandits as well.

Their attitudes could not have been more different. Eugene approached the mercenaries calmly.

He had already fought the monstrous boar, his master Gopri, and Marcus's group. By now, he had a fairly objective idea of how strong he was.

A handful of mercenaries looking at him with equal parts caution and fear were no threat at all.

“I'm Solin, heading to Kingdom's End under orders from Bonyard City. These are the Beard Mercenary Band, who are escorting me.”

“Eugene Mayer. This is my Squire, Homi. What a coincidence. We were on our way to Bonyard City.”

Eugene introduced them with a smile.

It was a short exchange, but Solin immediately became certain that Eugene was a noble knight.

His words didn't blur together, and he pronounced certain consonants clearly. He even used formal words that commoners didn't. Like Posh English on Earth, it was a way of speaking that could only be learned through education.

Then there was his confidence as he approached without fear, his fine equipment, and his excellent warhorse. It was an air that only someone who had lived as a noble knight could possess.

The mercenaries, meanwhile, couldn't take their eyes off the large crossbow Homi carried.

Owl, a former hunter, was the only member of the Beard Mercenary Band with a ranged weapon, and even he had only a weak shortbow.

The large crossbow Homi carried, on the other hand, looked powerful enough to kill a boar in one shot. It would punch straight through their shabby wooden shields and cripple an arm.

“We've rested enough, so we'll be leaving soon. Still, Sir Knight, I recommend you prepare to camp here.”

Solin spoke cautiously.

“Would you tell me why? There's still time before sunset.”

“On the road toward Kingdom's End, there are plenty of places suitable for camping. Beyond here, though, there won't be any for half a day. You may have to spend the night somewhere unpleasant.”

Choosing a campsite was extremely important when traveling.

Setting aside whether there was water, there was the visibility needed to guard against ambushes, the ease of securing an escape route, and somewhere to shelter if it suddenly rained.

Where they slept could mean anything from catching a cold to losing their lives. Even a cold was no easy enemy in this world.

“Thank you for the advice. It's my first time traveling this way. I've lived in Kingdom's End for a long time.”

“I see. It's such a peaceful village. The people are honest too.”

Solin's eyes gleamed, and Eugene didn't miss it.

“If there's anything you're curious about regarding the village, feel free to ask. There should be something in return when something is given.”

The mercenaries took a liking to the knight's easygoing manner. They felt foolish for having worried he might be a bandit knight just moments ago, but they didn't lower their guard.

“Do you happen to know Sir Gopri? I've heard he was living in seclusion at the monastery there.”

“I know him well. Though I'm curious why you're looking for him.”

Without showing it, Eugene prepared himself to move at any moment. The only one among them carrying a bow would be his first target.

“Bonyard City wishes to invite him. This is an official invitation from the city.”

Solin took a rolled-up sheet of paper from inside his clothes. It was an official document stamped with the seal of Bonyard City's Chief Magistrate.

Both sides relaxed at once.

Eugene had confirmed that they were not enemies, while the mercenaries had learned the true purpose of the job.

They had been worried because they were paid so well and told to ask no questions, but all they had to do was deliver a letter. They would welcome a job like this anytime.

“I'm sorry, but I recommend turning back. Even if you go through the trouble of reaching the village, you won't find him.”

“I heard he was there until just a few months ago. Did something happen?”

“He left recently. Since you didn't meet him, it seems you passed each other.”

“Damn it!”

“Even if you had met him, he would've refused the invitation. He set out on a pilgrimage, so he won't want to become involved in worldly matters.”

Solin nodded, disappointed but relieved.

Failing the mission stung, but at least this knight had given him a reasonable excuse.

“You seem to know Sir Gopri well. May I ask what your relationship is?”

“I was knighted by him. I'm his direct disciple, and I inherited not only his swordsmanship but even his armor.”

Eugene thumped the breastplate on his chest with his fist.

“Oh! You're his honorable successor. This is perfect. It must be divine guidance. Would you please read it?”

Solin held out the invitation.

“I'm not my master.”

“If you're his direct disciple, you're more than qualified. The city will welcome you warmly as well.”

News traveled painfully slowly in this age. It was common to reach a destination only to find that the person they meant to invite, or the object they meant to retrieve, was no longer there.

For that reason, setting a secondary target was essential when sending an envoy.

Gopri's direct disciple more than qualified.

“In that case.”

As Eugene nodded, Homi accepted the invitation. She knelt on one knee before Eugene and offered it to him with both hands.

‘He can read.’

Solin became certain that the knight's claim was true.

Fine equipment and build, a noble air, long years spent in Kingdom's End, and the education to read. That combination was impossible unless he truly was Sir Gopri's disciple.

“Hmm.”

Eugene fell into thought after reading the invitation. About eighty percent of it was ceremonial greetings and praise for Gopri's honor and achievements, while the remaining twenty percent was the actual point.

‘We wish to host a knight of great renown. We will treat you to the best of our ability, so please honor us with your presence.’

That was the gist of it. Yet it didn't say why they wanted to invite him.

Perhaps they needed martial strength, or perhaps they wanted to uphold the city's prestige before receiving an important guest.

“Is the city in danger?”

Solin took a deep breath before answering.

“To be honest, things have been unsettled around us lately. The nobles of Gord, who have long coveted the city from the west, have finally shown their true colors.”

War had become little different from a sport played across the entire continent.

Marcus had come secretly with a small force to rescue Maria because his house was also in a near-war with rival noble houses.

Even Bonyard City, which had avoided war through its borderland location and every bit of diplomatic influence it could muster, had reached its limit.

“Then if I accept this invitation, I might end up going straight to the battlefield?”

“That's not the case!”

Solin cried out in alarm.

“This invitation is only meant to host an excellent knight and share in his renown, even if only a little.”

Inviting and hosting an outstanding knight was enough to raise a city's standing.

Having a noble person eat and drink for free in someone else's home was something to be grateful for, and something worthy of gratitude in return.

“If the city faces a crisis, we may ask for your help. But I swear that the choice of whether to accept is entirely yours, Sir Knight.”

It would not be a sponsorship arrangement where he received money or equipment. He would simply stay as a guest. If that was all, then even if he did nothing in return, no one would have grounds to criticize him.

Gopri had often told him stories of how he had found food and lodging in various places that way while avoiding troublesome matters.

After considering it carefully, Eugene looked at Homi.

‘As you wish.’

She formed the words with her lips, and Eugene made his decision.

“Fine. I accept the invitation.”

“Thank you!”

Solin's face brightened. Now he could report a completed mission instead of making excuses.

The mercenaries were pleased too. They would receive the same pay without having to go all the way to Kingdom's End.

Eugene felt the same. Rather than venturing blindly into an outside world where he had no connections, it would be more convenient in many ways to receive a formal invitation from a city.

Even if they asked something of him, he could make the city owe him a favor if it was easy enough. If it seemed life-threatening, he could politely decline.

“Then I look forward to your help over the next few days on our return journey.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“Beard, prepare camp!”

The mercenaries answered in booming voices.

“Leave it to us!”

Everyone smiled as they began setting up camp.

With Homi's help, Eugene removed his armor and leaned against a tree. The mercenaries gathered branches and roasted potatoes.

“What will you have for dinner, Sir Knight?”

Beard, the mercenary captain, came over and asked. He was a man with a thick beard, just like his name.

Eugene guessed it wasn't his real name. What parent would name their child Beard?

Mercenaries carried all kinds of stories with them, so it was common for them to hide their real names and start anew.

In such cases, they used a nickname as though it were a name. It was an unspoken rule not to ask people like that about their past.

“Don't ask, even if you're a knight and the other person is only a mercenary. Among mercenaries, it's a rule considered as important as the customs of hospitality.”

It was one of the things Gopri had taught him.

“If you haven't prepared anything separately, it's nothing much.”

Beard bowed and offered two steaming potatoes.

“I'll accept them gratefully. Homi, we should offer something in return too, shouldn't we?”

Eugene had intended to treat them from the beginning and was now boiling tea in a pot. He had ground up a plant similar to a yam and added it, giving it a thick, strongly sweet flavor.

“Oh, thank you kindly.”

When Homi carried the pot over to the mercenaries, they hurriedly took out their dirty wooden bowls.

Warm soup might seem easy to make while sleeping outdoors, but it was surprisingly precious. Mercenaries, used to waking covered in cold dew, never passed up the chance to warm themselves from the inside.

“Sweet, so sweet!”

“Ah, it feels like my throat's opened right up.”

“I'll sleep well tonight.”

Sweet flavors were scarce enough in this world already. Sweet, steaming soup while camping!

The mercenaries felt the fatigue in their bodies and minds slowly melt away.

* * *

Night fell.

Naturally, the mercenaries handled all the night watch. Homi also contributed, using the keen senses unique to beastkin.

It was early dawn, perhaps. Homi suddenly sat upright from where she slept and growled in a certain direction.

“W-What's wrong, Squire?”

A novice mercenary on watch asked in panic. The veteran mercenary, on the other hand, took the hint and looked in the direction Homi was glaring.

Soon, two pairs of yellow eyes appeared in the bushes about eighty meters away.

“Wolves!”

The veteran mercenary wondered whether he should wake the group. The creatures only hid among the dense trees and blinked, and there was still enough distance between them.

Homi stepped forward.

“Grrrrr-.”

Using a distinctive vocalization that carried far ahead, she issued a warning. A moment later, the yellow eyes vanished.

“D-Did they leave?”

Homi nodded.

After answering the veteran mercenary, Homi casually returned to her spot, curled up, and fell asleep. Her cute lips held her thick tail between them.

“See that? A Squire serving a great knight can do things like that.”

The veteran pretended to know what he was talking about. Mercenaries never let even a small opportunity to impress a novice pass them by.

“Wow, that's amazing.”

The misunderstanding was absurd, but the novice, who knew nothing, could only stare in admiration.

Footnotes:

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