WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle

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◈ The Wandering Knight and the Moving Castle ◈

Chapter 30: First Subjugation Campaign (1)

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Three riders rode out of the forest.

Varda's ivory-colored horse was named Elion. Apparently, it was a friend that had accompanied her whenever she ventured out into the world.

"I'm worried about the estate we're leaving behind."

"Are you worried the illusion magic will fade once I leave?"

"Yes. It's such a fine forest that herbalists, hunters, adventurers, and all sorts of people will keep coming through. I'm worried they might plunder the place that holds both your memories."

Homi nodded. Thinking of the cottage she had left behind in her homeland made her heart ache as well.

It had been a precious home filled with memories of Eugene, his mother, and herself. By now, greedy thieves had likely ransacked it.

"Forest magic comes from nature's cycle. It isn't as powerful as fire or steel magic, but it lasts far longer."

Creak.

Varda held out her hand, and a branch from the tree ahead lowered itself. It placed a plump fruit within her reach.

"Like this, it is magic that makes small requests of the nature already present. The barrier keeping intruders out will last quite a while as well, so don't worry."

"That's a relief."

Just how long did an elf consider "quite a while"?

Crunch.

Homi happily bit into the fruit Varda had handed her.

"You should have one too."

"You can just throw it to me."

Eugene said this as Varda turned her horse toward him.

"I've never thrown food before."

"Is it rude in elven etiquette?"

"No. I simply never had reason to offer food to someone."

The fruit Varda threw flew at exactly the right angle. She had even accounted for the speed so it would be easy to catch, revealing impressive reflexes.

Crunch.

Sweet juice wet Eugene's tongue, while a refreshing scent filled his nose.

"It's delicious. I never saw anything like this, even at Bonyard City's market."

"It's a special fruit that grows only in the wild. If we pass through forests during our journey, I'll pick some for you from time to time."

Unlike the impression he had gotten from rumors, Varda was easy to talk to. She was down-to-earth and considerate of others.

Once they left the forest, they spotted the old man resting in front of a potato field. He was the one who had told Eugene about the Girl Who Walks the Wheat Fields.

"That old man is the one you met during the year of famine, Varda."

"I remember him. I acted out of childish compassion and ended up bedridden with a fever."

The old man's eyes widened when he saw the party of three. The instant he spotted the elf on horseback, his expression changed to shock.

"I never thought I'd see you again! The gods have granted my wish!"

Varda dismounted and approached the old man, whose eyes had filled with tears.

"Thanks to you saving the fields, the village survived. My children didn't starve to death either. I've been desperate to thank you all this time."

"I know you never stopped praising me to those who came through the village. Thanks to you, the name Girl Who Walks the Wheat Fields spread far and wide."

"I couldn't repay such a great kindness, so I wanted to at least spread word of your mercy."

The old man's face looked unburdened, as though his last lingering wish had been fulfilled.

"I wanted to greet you before I died. Now I have no regrets."

"You still have plenty of time left."

Varda's expression turned firm.

"Go to the son who loves you. I won't allow you to wither away here alone."

"I'll do as you say."

The old man readily accepted.

An old person's stubbornness could not be broken by force, but granting their heart's deepest wish could make it melt away.

The old man turned and strode energetically toward his house. He was likely going to pack for his departure.

"Can he make it to the neighboring village alone?"

The moment Eugene asked, a hawk cried out from the sky.

"There's no problem. It's close enough to reach on foot, and thanks to you, there are no dangerous people around anymore."

When Homi dismounted to help her mount up, Varda waved a hand.

Hop.

She leaped lightly and mounted her horse in a single motion. Her clean, graceful movements resembled those of a ballet dancer.

She was the complete opposite of the usual image of a mage with poor stamina and clumsy reflexes.

"I've run through forests and smelled the stench of battle. I'm used to moving my body and sweating. I can handle most things myself, so there's no need to treat me like your mistress."

As though she had guessed what the two were thinking, Varda said it first.

Eugene was glad to be traveling with a rare talent like a mage, but he had also been wondering how he ought to treat her. This was welcome news.

* * *

Eugene was still a guest of Bonyard City. Now that their visit to the Emerald Forest was over, they needed to return to the estate for honored guests.

It was a city where they could stay in the finest lodgings for free while looking for their next destination.

"We'll camp here tonight."

When night fell, they set up camp and prepared to stand watch. On the way there, they had rested comfortably thanks to Caliber's mercenaries, but now there were only three of them.

"Homi and I will take turns keeping watch, so please rest, Varda."

Even if she had a trained body, a mage was still a mage. Eugene did not think she was suited to keeping watch at night.

"I'm also a companion on this journey. I have no intention of doing nothing."

Varda picked up a fairly large branch and began carving it with a dagger.

"What's that?"

"A kind of totem. Just as Grace created avatars, I'm carving an avatar to act in my stead."

"I've never seen anything like it."

Varda sat primly on a fallen tree trunk, working her knife as though peeling fruit. Once the carving was complete, she used a quill pen to inscribe a protective charm containing magical power.

"What does it do?"

"It makes it difficult for outsiders to perceive us."

"Like the magic that kept us from reaching the center of the forest."

"It's far weaker than that, but it should be enough to hide the three of us for one night."

Eugene's eyes sparkled. He was seeing something that perfectly matched his idea of what magic should be right before him.

"Heh."

Varda gave a quiet laugh at the boyish expression on such a large, brave knight.

"It's nothing to admire so much. Your blessing prayer, which grants power to objects, is a far more advanced kind of magic."

"It doesn't help much in actual combat."

The magic of the Eucharist imitated the abbot's blessing. It purified food or drink and imbued it with intense vitality.

It was the finest tonic, but it could not be used in battle. As a knight, Eugene found Varda's totem more interesting. It had considerable strategic value.

"Can it drive away insects too?"

"It can't repel them as well as it does people, but it should keep dangerous venomous insects and snakes away."

"Oh!"

"And neither of you needs to stand watch tonight. A watcher that sleeps during the day and moves at night will guard us."

Whoooom!

When Eugene looked up, he saw the eagle owl that had delivered the letter. It perched on a branch with a good view of the surroundings, its yellow eyes shining.

"No one can hide from the king of the night, so you may sleep without worry."

"Our journey will be easier from now on."

Camping alone with Homi had been physically taxing, so Eugene had been considering hiring mercenaries.

Yet mercenaries consumed money simply by existing, and their watch could not be perfect either. If they could receive help from a nocturnal bird, they would not need to worry about surprise attacks.

"Unfortunately, you can only receive those children's care around here. I'm a mage who handles the power of the forest, not a druid who commands animals."

"Are they different? When I heard forest magic, I naturally assumed animals would follow as well."

Besides, Varda was already using birds like her own hands and feet.

"Of course they're different. Aren't knights also different depending on whether they use a double-edged sword, a single-edged sword, a thrusting sword, or a curved sword?"

"That's true."

Varda pointed at the eagle owl.

"That child and the others are only showing goodwill as friends. The Emerald Forest is their home, and each has a mate they care for, hunting grounds they favor, or eggs that will hatch soon."

"We should be grateful they followed us this far."

Eugene was quick to soften when faced with a family that needed protecting.

As the night deepened, the three tried to sleep. Still, both Eugene and Homi remained alert.

It was not that they did not trust Varda's abilities. They had the blood of warriors and simply were not the kind to sleep soundly outdoors.

Of course, her magic was the real thing.

Sniff, sniff!

Two stray dogs appeared near the camp, but they could not find the party.

They pressed their noses to the ground in search of prey such as insects and small rodents, coming as close as six meters away. Then they naturally turned in another direction.

Sniff?

Sniff, sniff?

The dogs tilted their heads and kept looking around. Perhaps they could smell something, yet could not see anything.

Homi was glaring at the dogs. Her hand rested on the crossbow lying on the ground. If she wanted to shoot, it would take less than a second.

"There's no need to kill them. They'll leave on their own."

Varda, who had apparently woken at some point, gently held Homi's hand from where she lay beside her. The elf's ears twitched, suggesting she was a light sleeper as well.

Nod.

Homi obediently released her grip. Though they had not known each other long, she looked up to Varda as though Varda were her own older sister.

After the dogs left, the three closed their eyes and tried to sleep again.

"Sniff."

Then Homi realized that the elf lying beside her was trembling. Varda was quietly sobbing.

Trickle, trickle.

The sound of the stream concealed it, but it could not hide it from Homi lying right beside her.

It was the deep sorrow Varda had hidden beneath her composed expression since parting with Grace. She was trying to let it flow away with the water after suppressing it for so long.

When Homi checked on Eugene, he was facing away from them.

Gulp.

After swallowing nervously, Homi carefully embraced Varda from behind. Her long, thick tail rested across Varda's chest.

"...!"

Varda was startled for a moment, but quietly accepted the embrace.

The trembling in her body gradually calmed beneath Homi's warmth. Night's silence and darkness settled over them.

* * *

The next morning, the group broke camp, washed up quickly, and rode on.

"Sir Victor Knight?! W-welcome!"

When they arrived at Bonyard City, the city guards recognized Eugene and gave him crisp salutes.

"You may skip the inspection. Please enter as you are. The city is yours!"

"Thank you. Keep up the good work."

The group passed waiting carriages and travelers as they entered through the gate. Wagons loaded with preserved rations and weapons stood in long lines.

The city had changed completely during their brief absence. It was packed with mercenaries and merchants gathered from all over.

They had been called in to subjugate the bandits who had settled in the northern forest during the chaos of the trial by combat.

"Come on, easy money! Has everyone finished placing their bets?"

"The dice are rolling!"

As was usual wherever mercenaries gathered, gambling was underway. The lively atmosphere was nice, but there was more crude behavior and conflict as well.

"This is ridiculous! It's a scam!"

"Hey, if you lost, walk away cleanly. What's with this violence?"

A mercenary who had lost money in a dice game was making a scene.

Ptui!

A mercenary spat onto the road.

"So this is what a jujube is."

"Try it. It's incredibly sweet!"

A mercenary was fascinated by unfamiliar food.

Mercenaries with wildly different equipment, accents, and dialects were everywhere.

"Are you uncomfortable? Compared to the forest, this place must be far too noisy and filthy."

"It's fine. I've been to worse places. Besides, thanks to you, traveling the roads will be easier."

With the heavily armed Eugene leading the way, the crowd parted before them like Moses's miracle.

Whoosh.

The Wandering Castle fountain appeared before them.

"It's Bonyard City's famous attraction. It's still popular."

Travelers circled the fountain, voicing their admiration as they looked it over.

"It's an ominous thing."

While everyone else enjoyed the sight, only Varda frowned.

"Do you know something about it?"

"Long ago, I once sensed something that I believe was that castle."

"You sensed it rather than saw it?"

"The estate where I stayed was a place where the forest and magical power were extremely concentrated. There, my senses for detecting magic extended much farther."

Eugene knew this well. It was how Varda had noticed his Eucharist.

"Only once, I felt an immense mystery surging from far away."

"You're certain it was the Wandering Castle."

"It had such immense power that I could even make out its shape. It looked very much like that."

Varda pointed to the ark-shaped sculpture spraying water.

"No being in the world, not even a legendary dragon, could withstand a mystery of that scale. It would be like a single bee trying to swallow all the honey filling a pond."

"Did you call it ominous because it held such overwhelming power?"

Varda shook her head.

"Something terribly wrong."

Fear lingered on her face as she looked at the fountain.

"That was my impression at the time. It's difficult to put into words because it was the first time I'd encountered such a bizarre presence."

"..."

Considering Varda's feelings, Eugene quickly passed the fountain.

When they arrived at the estate for honored guests, there were many unfamiliar visitors.

Although quite a few invited knights had left, the arrival of famous mercenary captains made the scent of iron even thicker.

This was no longer a clean duel on a stage. A real war, where hundreds slaughtered hundreds, was drawing near.

Footnotes:

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