Chapter 43
43 . Cold and inorganic iron bars, It looked like a dungeon!!
[ I reformatted the chapter 42 and made some changes . Check it out too . Essentially this is a Machine Translation with some novel specific pre and post processing . Let me know if there are some mistakes in names . Apart from this, if someone would like to proof-read it before upload, let me know . ]
It looked like a dungeon . Cold and inorganic bars creaked occasionally .
There was a rattling sound and someone cowered .
There were shackles on both ankles and chains were extending from them . A dim torchlight illuminated the stone walls and floor . A number of rusty chains extended from the windowless walls .
On one of them someone was lying on the floor, chained to the chain .
However, he was looking exhausted and unable to move . He was on his back with his bare legs thrown out in front of him, his arms pillowed on his back, and his Tsubagakairo Yamataka hat on his face . He looked as if he were taking a nap . There were several empty bottles lying around, apparently of spirits .
Before long, a squad of armed soldiers appears on the other side of the bars, making the sound of armor clattering against each other .
「Get up . 」
A man in black armor, who looked like a captain, said . He has a neat face, a little over thirty years old . His blond hair is cropped short and his blue eyes have a sharp gleam in them .
But the person in the cell just crossed his legs and did not even try to get up . The man in the armor kicked the bars in frustration .
「How long do you plan to stay like that? 」
「Forever . It’s not like I’m not gonna die . 」
The figure in the cell said this in an aloof tone . The voice was that of a man, but it was somewhat high, but faint . The man in the armor crossed his arms in dismay .
「You pathetic bastard… yet you’re still one of the great demons?」
「I’m not interested in what people call me, am I? 」
The man in the prison raised his upper body in a cumbersome manner . He put back on his high hat that he had put on his face .
He had the appearance of a forty-year-old man .
He is dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and trousers, which are very thin and skinny . His dull brown hair, which stretches from underneath the hat, is much longer than his shoulders . A thick beard that looked like it had grown out of too much laziness covered the lower half of his chiseled face .
「I was dreaming,」
The man in the hat muttered to no one . His voice was a little happy .
「The old dream … Ola and those guys, they were all young … and I was the youngest . It was fun, those were the days . 」
Then the man in the hat hugged his knees and breathed . The man in armor chuckled .
「Clinging to the illusions of the past the heroes of the past have fallen . Well, to our advantage . 」
「Hero… . . 」
The man in the hat huffed and giggled . It wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but a mocking laugh .
「A fool… . 」
The man in the armor scowled .
「Humph … well, that’s fine . Get out . Work . 」
「Fuck it . 」
「What did you say? 」
「I don’t feel good . I don’t want to do anything . 」
Then the man in the hat rested his chin on his crossed arms in his lap .
The man in the armor made a blue streak on his forehead and cobbled the ground with his toes . The soldiers behind him raised their weapons in unison, threatening the man in the prison .
「…… . . Don’t be silly . If you’re too arrogant . 」
「Do you want to get it? 」
The man in the hat stared at the soldiers with a stare .
「What do you propose to do if you’re going to take it? You guys think you can do what you want with me? 」
「You don’t think you can do it? 」
「Do you want to try it? Dying? 」
The man in the hat chuckled and turned his tipped-up index finger . The magic around him swirled and the wind stood and shook the cloaks of the soldiers, even though there were no windows . The soldiers gasped .
The man in black armor tied his mouth in a straight line and stared at the man in the hat for a moment, but then he gave one tongue lashing and raised his chin with a bite .
The soldiers unsheathed their weapons and turned on their heels, no longer making wild footsteps .
The man in the hat waved his outstretched index finger in a choking manner . His ankles came off and he rolled to the floor with a jerk . He picked it up with two fingers and released it into the distance .
He turned his eyes to the ceiling in a daze . The fire of the torch flickered the shadows on the ceiling .
The man gave a wide chipping motion and sighed sadly, wiping the tears that had floated around his eyes with his fingertips .
「………Percy, Sati…… . Bel I hope you’re all well…… . 」
He muttered and tilted his Yamataka hat towards his face .
The ears of the soon-to-be-harvested spring wheat were swaying in the wind, their weight increasing .
Belgriff touched a cluster of ears to check the weight and fruit content . This year’s results were not bad either . We are now looking forward to the harvest .
There will be more to come from the mountains soon .
Wild grapes, rock peaches, akebi, and mushrooms . If we are lucky, we will be able to get some natural honey . This is the time of year when we usually go into the mountains alone, but we often bring young people with us .
However, now that Duncan has come and given us a countermeasure against magical beasts, more and more young people seem to be going out to the mountains by themselves .
With the autumn festival coming up, the village is busy going up and down . There is a lot of work to do: harvesting the spring barley, harvesting the beans, preparing fuel and preserves, and making food for the livestock for the winter . It’s time to feed the livestock for the winter .
Belgriff doesn’t just go out to help in his own fields . Duncan has been doing the same .
While I was going over all the arrangements in my head, Mito plodded over and hung on to my leg . His long hair is tied up behind his head because the scissors can’t get through it .
「Oto-san… . 」
「”Hm . 」
Belgriff picked up Mito .
「What’s wrong? Where’s my grandfather? 」
「Grandpa, that way . 」
When I looked in the direction of Mito’s pointing, Graham was facing Marguerite and holding a wooden sword .
Even Marguerite, who is usually irreverent in holding her sword, was visibly nervous against Graham, holding her sword with a serious expression and looking intently at the opportunity .
This elven master and apprentice were now completely at home in Tornella .
Although they hadn’t set up this place as a safe haven, with Mito’s presence, it seemed that Graham had no intention of moving here for a while .
Marguerite also seems to have realized her lack of strength after the series of disturbances, and while Graham was training her, she was going into the forest with Belgriff and others to learn the basics of exploration as well .
He grew up in the forest, and the forest he saw as a mere elf and the forest he saw as an adventurer seemed to have a different perspective, and Marguerite seemed to enjoy it as well .
While she acted as crude and thoughtless, she also seemed to have something to think about from time to time, and these days she was sometimes walking on the plains outside by herself .
The troubled look on his face at that time seemed terribly fragile, partly due to the neatness of his race of elves .
Belgriffs, on the other hand, had drastically reduced the number of sword-swinging forges that they used to do . He only missed the early morning and evening bare swings, but now he was training more and more in meditation and breathing exercises .
At forty-three, it was clear that training the body was no longer directly linked to one’s ability .
It’s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you’re looking for . It’s a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you are young .
The sensitivity to the sword and the efficient movement of magical power within the body, taught by Graham, made Belgriff, who had been struggling to move forward, take a step forward .
From a dynamic sword to a more static sword, although it was hard to tell from the side, Belgriff himself felt the change for sure .
Ironic, Belgriff thought .
Ever since he had fought as an adventurer, he had felt his talents as a vanguard had come to a halt .
But the loss of his legs had forced him to wield a different sword than he had then . I didn’t expect it to blossom like this .
I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for you to be able to get your hands on a new one . Marguerite, who is that strong, looks like a beginner with a sword when Graham is around .
Mito made a strange face and pointed at it .
「Grandfather and Marie, are you fighting?」
「Well, it’s not exactly a fight, is it? 」
「But he was, and he was… 」
「What? No, it’s just the pain . 」
Belgriff re-hugged Mito, who was on the verge of slipping off .
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「Well, we have a job to do . Mito, what do we do now? Are you coming with your dad? Are you with your grandfather? 」
「I’m with my father . 」
「Okay . 」
With Mito in his arms, Belgriff walked down the side of the field . Sowing and plowing songs could be heard from everywhere .
We have to dig up the potatoes for the spring planting . The potatoes are one of the most important staple foods, along with the wheat . They grow well even in Tornera, which is a cold climate .
We have to dig up the potatoes and put them in the basket . It’s a job I’m used to, but it’s crouching work . I have to occasionally stand up and stretch my hips to do it for a long time .
Next to Belgriff digging the potatoes, Mito sits down and swims his gaze in the air . There seemed to be some insects flying around, and he followed them with his eyes .
Suddenly, one of the crickets popped up .
As soon as Mito found it, he caught it with his hand and tossed it into his mouth, munching on it .
Belgriff gave it a sidelong glance and went over to Mito with a furrowed brow .
「Hey, Mito,」
「”Hm . 」
「I told you not to pick them up and eat them . 」
「”M 」
「Did you think I didn’t see you? No . 」
「Uh… . . 」
Mito gave a small nod, albeit in a disapproving manner . Belgriff sighed .
I’m not sure if it’s because of this that Mito is not human .
It’s not just about bugs . I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that I’m not the only one who’s been in the middle of a meal and chewing on a plate with food on it, or eating leaves, branches and stones from the garden .
It’s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you’re talking about .
The villagers also think of Mito as an ordinary abandoned child and love him, but I don’t know what their reaction will be when they see such a scene . You can laugh it off as a strange child, but you don’t want to be avoided as an unknowable entity .
That’s why Belgriff was always flabbergasted by this part of Mito’s life and never let the kids play alone or leave them with anyone other than Graham, Duncan and others who knew what was going on .
It didn’t seem to be something that could be hidden forever, and there was no end to the worries at hand, such as what to do when they were exposed to the light of day, but apart from this kind of bad eating, Mito was completely harmless . He is innocent, curious, and adorable . Even though she’s a bit younger in speech and behavior than she appears, the villagers also love her well .
「what will be, will be . 」
Belgriff muttered and threw the dug-out potatoes into the basket .
Mito glanced to the side, his eyes closed and swayed from side to side in a daze .
「Oi, Lord Bell」
Suddenly, Duncan appeared at a large scale . Belgriff looked up from his face, which was aimed at the ground .
「What’s the matter?」
「It’s almost lunchtime, you know . I’d like you to join us, Master Kelly . 」
「Oh, is it that time already… 」
It’s true, if you look up, the sun is close to the zenith . Before I know it, my basket is full of potatoes .
「Yeah, let’s go . Come on, Mito . 」
Belgriff called, and Mito came plodding over . Belgriff put the potato basket on the side of the field and picked up Mito .
「The Tornera wedding party is going to be a failure…」
In the guild lobby, Angeline plopped down at the table and muttered to herself . The man sitting across from her shook his head in relief .
「I don’t know what you were thinking, but I’m sorry for your loss . 」
「”…Mr . Ed, do you know of any good candidates for a wife? 」
「No, I don’t know . What do you mean by that, a potential bride? Aren’t you supposed to be my son-in-law? 」
「It’s not me my father… . 」
At Angeline’s words, the man called Mr . Ed nodded his head .
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「Your father, don’t you have a wife?」
「Well I’m a foundling, so… 」
「Yeah . 」
The man who was called Mr . Ed nodded in amusement .
This man with dark brown hair cut short, almost black, and a bandana wrapped around his head was called Edgar .
He was a former member of Lionel’s party and one of those who had come from the Imperial City .
He is an active adventurer in the imperial capital and has a rank of AAA, and since returning to the Orphen guild, he has been supporting Lionel by moving around in all directions, whether it be on the front lines or in negotiations .
It’s not that the range of activities of Angeline and I don’t cover much of the same ground, so we’ve been able to make light small talk since we came here, but this is the first time we’ve been able to sit down and have a leisurely chat like this .
The Belgryff’s search for a wife, which Angeline had planned, was already on the verge of aborting because none of the prospective wives who had decided on their own were willing to take the plunge .
Angeline herself has not yet given up, but she is not ready to give up on anyone, and she has been rejected by all the women she thinks she can marry, and she is no longer able to marry .
Angeline, who had hoped that she could have a mother, has been complaining to everyone she meets these days .
Edgar sipped his flower tea and said .
「Angie’s father is a red devil, isn’t he? What’s the same as me in terms of generation? 」
「How old are you, Ed? 」
「Forty this year . I’m with Rio . Ah, I’m getting old too… 」
Edgar said and leaned deeply into the back of the chair .
I’m sure you’ll find that the wrinkles around the eyes are noticeable and the white stuff in the hair seems to be starting to show through .
「”So, how old is your father? 」
「Forty-three… 」
「Hmm, just in time for the Olympics . I heard you were an adventurer . 」
「Yeah…」
Angeline sipped her flower tea . Edgar’s gaze swam as he thought .
「 I’ve never heard of it . Are you really an adventurer in Orphen? 」
「Yes . 」
「…hmmm… 」
Edgar crossed his arms and snorted .
He seemed to be looking for something to think of, but there was no way he could think of this alias, since Angeline had created it on her own in the first place .
Angeline’s eyes fluttered .
「What kind of person is famous in Ed-san’s generation…?」
「Ours? Hmmm, yes . There were a lot of strong guys, but I’d have to say “High King Sword” . It’s a good thing that you’re not going to be able to get a good deal more than that . However, he left Orphen early . 」
「Imperial City? 」
「Yeah, I heard you left Rhodesia . Not to Lucretia or Tildis, but to the Eastern Federation, or something . It’s a rumor, so I don’t know exactly what it is . 」
「Who’s stronger than your father…? 」
「No, I don’t know … but is your dad that strong?」
「Stronger than me… 」
「That’s great . 」
Edgar scratched his cheek with a dry laugh .
Angeline’s ability was not unknown to the adventurers around Orphen . The slaying of the Demon King was also widely known, and even if he had actually lightly matched up with them, the more capable ones understood it better . Even if you gather all the adventurers in the duchy, you can be sure that they are the fastest adventurers if you count them from the top .
This was the man Angeline raved about . It sounds good even from the former S-ranked old soldiers who have returned . It’s called interest, even if you don’t like it .
Edgar poked his cheekbones with a curious look on his face .
「I wonder why such a great man is in the northern frontier…」
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「”…Is your homeland at war with the elves? 」
Just then, a voice called from the receptionist . Edgar answered, “Well,” he said, bidding Angeline goodbye, and stood up .
Angeline drank the remaining flower tea and leaned back deeper in her chair .
She looked around without a care in the world . The building is crowded today, with adventurers coming to take requests and people bringing in requests .
With so many people in the building, Angeline thought that it was no wonder she was being kept waiting .
Right now, she was in the middle of applying for a vacation .
It’s not like we had a mass outbreak of monsters in the past, we don’t need to be shy about asking for a vacation, but there are many systems in place in the process of creating an independent guild, and when it comes to S-ranked adventurers’ vacations, even if it’s a formality, it seems we can’t just say yes to them, so we’re waiting in the lobby .
Angeline rubbed her hands together in boredom .
Charlotte and Byaku are being taken care of by Anessa and the others, and there’s nothing to do now that they’ve finished chatting with Edgar, who came out for a break . I can’t move though, so I sit quietly .
At times like this, I have to play with my imagination .
I will return to Tornera when I have a vacation . I will decide when I get there whether I will return to Orphen before the winter, or whether I will return in the spring after the winter .
The vacation request calls for two months, but I’m not going to keep it . And there shouldn’t be any problems if I don’t keep it .
When I return to Tornera, I will introduce you to Charlotte and Byaku .
Your father will be surprised, but he will welcome you warmly . With Bergriff with us, Charlotte won’t feel lonely and Byaku’s navel-gazing will be cured .
Then we went into the mountains to pick up some rock cockatoos .
We’ll also collect wild grapes, akebi and mushrooms .
If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to catch some shorebirds .
I’m sure the potato harvest will be over by now .
What about the spring wheat harvest? If you’re done pruning, you can bake bread with the new flour . The kneaded dough can be torn into small pieces and boiled .
If you have lamb, you can put it with kriouls…… . .
「Haha……… . fun . 」
Angeline giggled to herself . A party of young adventurers walked past her with a dubious look on their faces .
As they were playing in the imaginary forest, they eventually heard a voice from the receptionist . Angeline stood up .
Yuri smiled and put the papers out on the counter .
「Yes, please go over them and sign here if you’re satisfied . 」
「”Hm . 」
Angeline runs her pen smoothly without any particular confirmation and returns the documents to Yuri .
There’s no way the guild of Orphen would do something like a deception after all this time, and I have enough trust in them . It’s a little annoying that the last thing you want to do is sign a single signature after being cheated on again .
「It’s a lot more complicated than that…」
Yuri nodded as if he was troubled .
「I’m sorry, it’s not a problem for the guild at all, but the aristocrats who financed us were pestering us about how we’re going to send our maximum strength elsewhere, so we have to at least strike a reluctant pose,」
「Well I’m human too . I’m not a device that kills monsters . When you need to rest, you need to rest . 」
「Yeah, I think that’s fine . I’m sure Rio will take care of the nitpicking . 」
Imagining a blue-faced Lionel, Angeline chuckled .
「Guildmasters are too feeble-minded…」
「Hmm, Rio is a coward by nature . That’s why he’s survived, you could say . 」
「Well your father also said that a certain amount of cowardice is necessary… Yuri, come and visit Tornera . 」
Yuri laughed in annoyance and patted Angeline on the head .
「Nah, not about that . Have a good time, Angeline . 」
「Mmm… . 」
The idea of going to visit Tornera without an arranged marriage was completely passed over .
Angeline’s mouth twitched, but there was no point in forcing her to go with him . She gave up and turned on her heel and went outside to head to her usual tavern .
The wind was becoming an autumnal thing, but the smell of summer lingered in the sunshine .