TranslatorCorner
Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!
DISCLAIMER: There is noguarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I waswrong.
Author:
Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)
Translator:
Yukkuri Oniisan
Editor:
Online GrammarEditor
Enlightenment Arc
Interlude 7 – A Northern Encounter
Situated in the north from the FriedoniaKingdom was an a.s.sembly of medium to small nations, the 『EasternNations Alliance』[1]. In the past, the various medium to small nation thatcrowded this land sometimes allied with each other, yet sometimes they battledeach other. This happened again and again. A land without any unity nor order. However,some ten years ago the Demon Lord Territory appeared, and when this threatapproached their borders, they united and formed the 『EastNations Alliance』.
Though each nation inside thealliance governed themselves as their like, each nation is obliged to provide militaryforce according to their national power. The standard was for the small nationsto provide 10% of their soldiers and for the medium nations 30%. The militaryforce that they sent was organized into a cross-border transnational 『EasternNations Allied Forces (shortened as Allied Force)』. Ifa threat from another country or Demon Lord Territory approached a signatory membernation of the Alliance, that Allied Army will be dispatched to that nation.
At the northwest corner adjacentto both the Eastern Nations Alliance and the Demon Lord Territory is the small sizedcountry of the Dragon Knight, the 『Nothun Dragon Knights Kingdom.』[2]
『Rastania Kingdom』
It is a small monarchy with atotal population of around 20,000. Although it is a small insignificant country,its border touched both the Nothun Dragon Knights Kingdom and the Demon LordTerritory, so surely the citizen would be frightened of the flame of war that isunknown when it will spark…… or so what people normally think. But the actualsituation was slightly different. Certainly, there was an anxiety regarding theDemon Lord Territory, but the fact that the nation is adjacent to the DragonKnights made them feel relieved.
Although the Rastania Kingdom isa member of the Eastern Nations Alliance, it had long been in an alliance withthe Dragon Knights Kingdom. By signing a contract with the Dragons of the StarDragon Mountains, the Nothun Dragon Knights Kingdom endowed with powerfulDragon Knights which had capabilities to even contend with GranChaos Empire ina defensive battle. However, they didn’t utilize this power to enlarge theirrealm. This was also because of the contract with the Star Dragon Mountains.
The dragon becomes the knight"scompanion, and as his beloved dragon, they descended together on thebattlefield.
The knight receives the dragon ashis companion and cooperates to perpetuate their descendants.
However, if the knight uses thedragon power for his selfish reason, this contract will be annulled.
This was a contract between theDragon Knights Kingdom and Star Dragon Mountain. To put in a simpler term, itwas a contract where in exchange for the dragon lending their power to theknight, the knight took the dragon as his wife and have children with them[3].It is a contract that can only be done because the dragons from the Star DragonMountains could a.s.sume humanoid form. And if they use the dragon’s power for selfishgain and attempt to invade other countries, this contract will be annulled andthe Dragon Knights Kingdom will lose the Star Dragon Mountains’ protection. Forthis reason, the Dragon Knights Kingdom was a country with nonaggressivedefense policy. Even on the Demon Lord Territory Invasion Force spearheaded bythe Empire, this country stood as a bystander.
The basis for Rastania Kingdom’speace of mind was because that kind of country lies near its border. In anutsh.e.l.l, even if the Demon Lord Territory’s threat is imminent, since Rastaniaterritory is so small, the Dragon Knights could also protect it as well. Perhapsthis was the reason why the King and most of the citizens of Rastania Kingdom hada nonchalant att.i.tude. Since they were better than the ambitious people governingthe neighboring nations, the Dragon Knights Kingdom appreciate Rastania’s nationalatt.i.tude. Even in the Eastern Nations Alliances, Rastania also functioned asthe diplomatic window with the Dragon Knights Kingdom.
Now in the Royal Castle of RastaniaKingdom, a youngster was prostrating himself in front of the King Rastania. Theman who kneeled in that throne room had a darkish skin and was aboutthirty-years old. There was a paint on his face and dressed in clothing similarto that of a native American.
「Ihear that you…… want to join our army?」(King Rastania)
King Rastania who had akindhearted looking face called out from his throne. The man replied whilestill lowering his head.
「Yes,Your Majesty. I am commanding the warriors of the northern people. My name isJirukoma.」(Jirukoma)
「Jirukoma-dono.Please raise your face.」(King Rastania)
When Jirukoma raised his face, KingRastania made a truly kindhearted expression. Next to him was the Queen who hasa similar kindhearted expression and the sweet, pet.i.te, and beautiful princesssmiling at him. King Rastania looked at Jirukoma with gentle eyes.
「We welcomeyou. This country is small. The number of soldiers is also small, that if thereis a war the common citizen will need to take arms. I heard about how brave thewarriors of the northern people ares. Even if it is only until you return toyour country, I feel rea.s.sured that you lend your strength to us.」(King Rastania)
「Thankyou, Your Majesty. Until the day when we will return to our hometown, we willreturn the favors this country gave to us by fighting for this country’s sake.」(Jirukoma)
On that day, Jirukoma gave hisposition as the chief of the refugee community that fled to the Friedonia Kingdomto his sister Komayin and then led the diehard faction, who had an especiallystrong intent to return back to their home countries, which brings them to the RastaniaKingdom. Applying themselves to become Rastania Kingdom’s soldier, to wait forthe day they could recapture their old hometown. King Rastania stood up andwalked to Jirukoma’s side. The King put his hand on Jirukoma’s shoulder.
「Isee. There is nothing much in this country, but it will gladden me if you couldthink this country as your second hometown until the day your wishes come true.I will introduce the commander that will lead you and your people tomorrow. Fortoday you will have a good rest.」(King Rastania)
Jirukoma prostrated himself. FromJirukoma’s view, King Rastania didn’t have a sense of stability as a statesman,unlike Souma, but he is a generously nice person. At least he didn’t seem likesomeone who would abuse Jirukoma and his people due to their refugee status andwork them to the death. While feeling relieved of this fact, Jirukoma’saudience with King Rastania ended.
◇ ◇ ◇
After the audiences with the Kingended, Jirukoma was walking in the corridor of the royal castle, he saw someoneleaning his back on the pillar. His figure is slender, but that person mostlikely is a man. The man covered himself with a white hood, so Jirukomacouldn’t see his expression. And just when Jirukoma tried to pa.s.s through, theman called out to him.
「Are youthe one leading the refugee soldier?」(Mysterious Man)
Jirukoma raised his brows.
「That’sright…… what do you want?」(Jirukoma)
The king seemed to be akindhearted person, but perhaps his subordinate is different? Perhaps he was a retainerthat wasn’t amused that the refugees joining the military and now he came to drivea nail at Jirukoma. Or so what he thought.
「Youguys are from Elfrieden…… No, it’s Friedonia now, right? I heard that you camefrom the Friedonia Kingdom. Is it wrong??」(Mysterious Man)
「……Yes,we are from Friedonia.」(Jirukoma)
It seemed that this person wasn’tactually cared about Jirukoma’s group. Moreover, it looked like he was morecurious about Friedonia Kingdom instead. Just who is he? Just when Jirukoma thoughtlike this, the man in the hood laughed half-mockingly at himself.
「Butyou also a curious bunches. That country…… though it’s annoy me to say this,should be stable at the moment, right? Even though you had fled to the FriedoniaKingdom, why do you deliberately become a soldier of this small frontlinecountry? I can’t understand this.」(Mysterious Man)
「…… Doesn’tthis something that a citizen of this nation wouldn’t say?」(Jirukoma)
「I amjust a guest general. I am not a citizen of this country, so I just honestly spokewhat inside my mind.」(Mysterious Man)
While giving his answer, Jirukomathought that he had encountered a rather troublesome person.
「…… Certainly,King Souma had shown a way to become a Friedonian citizen in exchange of for temporarilygiving up on returning to our hometown. But some of the refugees couldn’taccept that plan. They are people who wished to return to the homeland andjourney north no matter what. Leaving this kind of people in the Kingdom couldbecome a hindrance for the other refugees who tried to obtain a peaceful life asthe Kingdom Citizen. Therefore, I led them and returned back to the north.」(Jirukoma)
「Iunderstand your reason and hardship in purposely threw away a chance of peacefullife…… But, why did you choose this country? This is a small country. The paycouldn’t be said as good, you know? Furthermore, though King Rastania is a kindheartedperson, he has no ambition. A mediocre person reminiscent of the previousElfrieden King. Even if you wait in this country, a day to invade the DemonLord Territory won’t come.」(Mysterious Man)
「……At the present, there is no country that has enough power to invade Demon LordTerritory. No matter what country we choose, we will be kept as a defensiveforce until we die. Then in that case, at the very least, we chose a countryclosest to our hometown.」(Jirukoma)
「Hometown……Hometown, isn’t it?」(Mysterious Man)
The hooded man groaned while crossinghis arms.
「Isit…… worth enough to pursue that you abandon a shot for a peaceful life?」(Mysterious Man)
「? Whatare you talking about? Don’t yourself have a hometown too?」(Jirukoma)
「I had…………No, I still have one, but …… I am someone who had been abandoned by myhometown……」(Mysterious Man)
The man in the hood said thatwith a coldness in his voice. There weren’t any hint of sorrow in his voice,but confusion and feeling lost could be felt. Then the hooded man murmuredsomething as he fell to his own thought.
「Surely,we have done everything for our hometown ……. Even so, my hometown had forsaken me…… No, isit different? Had we not devoted ourselves for our hometown’s sake? Surely, we haveacted like what our hometown wished. Or perhaps…… that wish, was actuallysomething else? Actually, what did the people of our hometown wished for? Is itsomething that we wished for? Since we didn’t know this, that’s why…… That’swhy we lost……?」(Mysterious Man)
Jirukoma completely couldn’tunderstand what the man said, but he understood that the man was only wishing forsome kind of answer as he repeated the question and answering it by himself.
「Youare…… you are quite shaken. Do you not have any confidence in yourself?」(Jirukoma)
「…… Confidence?Such a thing had been broken a long time ago.」(Mysterious Man)
As he said this, the hooded man madea self-deprecating smile.
「Ionce was full of confidence. However, that confidence was crushed into pieceswhen I was abandoned by my hometown. What I thought was for my hometown’s sake,my hometown didn’t desire, the people who I loved and cherished had betrayedme. At first, I resent…… the people and the hometown that betrayed me. However,as I continuously question and answering it myself, I don’t know anythinganymore. I don’t know if what I believed is righteous. I lost confidence inmyself. What is a nation? What is a King? Isn’t the King the nation’s will? Whatis a citizen? What is the citizen’s will? Are the citizen and the citizen’swill different? Why did the King’s will and the citizen’s wasn’t the same?」(Mysterious Man)
As he watched the hooded manrepeating his own questions and answers, Jirukoma felt as if he was someone whowas seeking a way. A person who have lost his bearing and was seeking for a way.From the content of the words he had spoken, he realized that he wasn’t justsomeone who was seeking for a way. A man who could think even about things like『King』 or 『Citizen』…… Perhaps,he was originally someone of a high station.
「Just……what in the world are you?」(Jirukoma)
When the puzzled Jirukomainquired, the man moved the hood covered his face.
「…… Thoughmy family name had lost any meaning by now. An idiot man who was defeated byFriedonian King Souma and had his country s.n.a.t.c.hed away by his imouto. I amJulius Amidonia.」(Julius)
AUTHOR NOTE:
Julius’ movement.
Fleeing the rebellion to the Empire → Even when he wished to return to his home country, hecouldn’t since the Empire established a secret alliance with the Kingdom → lost his temper and absconded, came to the Eastern Nations Alliance to makea name for himself, but lost himself after seeing various nations → while losing his life direction, he was in the RastaniaKingdom.
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Next chapter:
SPECIAL 100th Chapter!