EPISODE 208: PASION’S PRESENT CONDITIONS
The point of view changes by about two stories.
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The day before when Hiiro and the others were indulging themselves in the feast, when the [Beast King] Leowald returned to the [Beast Kingdom · Pasion] from [Valar Wilderness], everyone was speechless at the scene spread before their eyes.
TN Note: Valar Wilderness【ヴァラール荒野】was previously translated as【Valaaru Wilds】by Kiriko-sama (please refer to chapter 167). I’m going to stick to this one as it is easier to speak in the English tongue.
Before they have gone to the duel, the country was covered with natural spectacle of greenery, but now, that green was destroyed, burned till it’s carbonized.
Not only that, clearly you can discover traces. .h.i.t by a sharp blade. As if a fire extinguis.h.i.+ng event was over, soot and black smoke are dancing everywhere.
But what everyone being surprised the most, was the state of the Tree of Origin·Aragorn which was the symbol of Pasion.
The great tree possesses a fascinating green throughout the year, never withering, and with its enormous presence, it gives of a graceful feeling that wraps the heart of everybody.
But right now, the great tree which is supposed to be overflowing with vitality isn’t reflected before their eyes, but one whose life was totally cut down, and won’t live for another tens of years if left alone.
The young and vibrant thick leaves that has flourished could not be found, and the strong and thick branches, they seemed so brittle that they may break with little effort.
Everyone who had witnessed thought the same thing. And that is……
The tree is already dead.
All who had witnessed thought and want to deny it at the same time. however, this is without a doubt the reality, and to have done this……
“……Kokurou……”
Leowald muttered unconsciously. That mutter was mad with anger, with thirst for blood to the maximum.
“……You. deal with the medical treatment and rescue the wounded. Get it?”
As Leowald gave the soldiers who came back together with him orders, they began to move from their places.
“I will go to the Great Tree. As I have heard from the people, Kokurou seems to have infiltrated the Great Tree. I’m anxious about Blansa and the others”
And thus, Leowald faced towards Aragorn and went in a quick pace.
Muir and Arnold on the other hand, went opposite to rescue the citizens.
“……so cruel”
Muir who sees the injured and collapsed citizens all over the place gave a frown. Some among them are little children, and because the houses were made from the hollow of a large tree, some of them were crushed beneath when it was cut down.
There are some who lost his home by being wrapped in flames, and some are suffering from severe burns being caught by the fire.
“How could they do such a thing……?”
They thought that a person creating such tragedy is inscrutable.
“The one who would be able to do this is a madman”
Anger filled Arnold’s face. Grinding his teeth, he moved his eyes towards those who need their help.
Screaming and groaning is heard from here and there. A mother calling for her child, and conversely, another child seeking for her mother’s voice. Pitiful cries flit around the whole place.
“Unforgivable……”
“uncle……”
“And what’s more! According to the rumors, this was done by a beastman! One of our very own kin!”
The bonds of the [Gabranth] are strong. For the beastmen who value these bonds above all, one could never betray a person who was recognized as a friend once.
“Yet this person…… Has he never found a friend in this country at all?”
He only could think of it that way.
“……I don’t get it. No matter what happened, there is absolutely no reason to do these things”
“……that’s right”
“……Good grief, and to think that our long awaited alliance that we had attained in great efforts to be settled with this!”
After the many years of continuous fighting, an alliance was eventually formed between the [Evila] and the [Gabranth]. By the fact that it was formed, there is no mistake that they are near in achieving peace, even if it’s just a single step.
However, this time is an act of betrayal, by one of their comrades, of their very own kin. The joy that they have got in the forming of their alliance was totally ruined.
“A-anyway, uncle, we need to save them!”
“Ah, Y-yeah!”
The two swept away the anger in their chest, and gave priority of saving lives with great efforts as possible.
As soon as Leowald enters the Great Tree, he hurried to Blansa, his wife, at once. After reaching the place, he saw her currently nursing the injured older sister of Arnold in her arms.
“Mother!”
Mimir and Kuclear embraced their mother altogether. She felt relieved after seeing that her two daughters are safe.
“Blansa……”
“dear……”
Leowald and Blansa stared at each other, then made a small nod. Then he was informed by Blansa everything that happened in the country.
“Is that so…… so it was that guy after all……does Kokurou still bear a grudge towards me?”
Leni who was the second prince has picked up the matter.
“Father, who on Edea is that Kokurou b.a.s.t.a.r.d?”
But to that natural question, Leowald and Blansa gave back only a stern expression. It looked like they seem to be wondering how they should explain this matter.
Everyone was able to understand that that there is something serious going on between them and Kokurou.
“……Dear, I think the children have the right to know”
“But, Blansa…….”
“Thank you for worrying, dear, but it’s alright “
“Uh, yeah……”
Still, having difficulties to decide whether he should tell them or keep it silent, he stood still at the same spot. Everyone was watching him, waiting for his mouth to open.
And finally, Leowald started opening his uneasy mouth slowly.
“Kokurou is……the predecessor of the right hand man of the previous generation’s Beast King Lendock, Gareos Konigh. And he is……”
ガレオス・ケーニッヒ is the name in the raws.
Leowald paused for a moment, then,
“……my own, and Blansa’s little brother-in-law”
“Little……brother?”
Where did that mutter come from? He do not know. But those words are the questions that everyone here wanted to ask.
But, when he look at the state of Blansa, who was keeping silent as giving her consent, now they know that it wasn’t a lie, but the truth in itself.
However, there isn’t anyone who dared to ask.
“Kokurou, is an orphan whom Gareos had picked up in the battlefield”
Leowald explained plainly to everybody.
A story before Leo was crowned as the Beast King. The times when Lendock, his father, still ruled the country. The times where chaos still leads the whole world, when the everyday life of fighting hasn’t still died out and continued to torment people. And the time when a large scale war broke out between them and the [Humas].
As for what was done in the boundary between the beastmen and the humans, the beastmen were able to barely gain victory, but the damage dealt to them was serious, too. Many towns and villages are sacrificed, and many lives have lost.
A small village of [Egma], being engulfed in the war, was driven to its destruction. Gareos Konigh, who was leading the Three Beast Warriors that time, grieved about the village that they were unable to save.
But fortunately, he heard an Intel that a couple of a certain family was still alive. As they went to confirm it in a hurry, there was an older sister and younger brother being protected by their father and mother from the attacking [Humas]. The kids were still young, around five or six years old apparently. They had pure white hair like the snow.
But the moment when they rushed, the parents were already killed by the humans, and had started bearing their fangs towards the siblings. That’s why Gareos somehow managed to protect them from the detestable blades of the enemy.
“The older sister and her little brother were the only ones left in the village.”
The elder sister’s name is Nerei. And the younger brother’s name……was Kokurou.
“War orphans……aren’t they?”
A word with similar meaning flowed from the first prince Regulus’s mouth. Leowald gave a slight nod, then continued the story.
“Gareos decided to adopt these two who didn’t have any relatives left but themselves”
Coming from the debt of not being able to save their parents, this is the utmost of what he could do. Fortunately it can be done because he was not in the situation where increasing his attendants by two could endanger his life.
And also, he also has a seven year old daughter, all alone. In fact she is……
“my wife here……Blansa”
Everyone’s eyes faced Blansa. It is connected to what Leowald was saying a while ago. Then he becoming his brother-in-law is not strange.
With the adopted son’s story coming out unexpectedly, of course they were confused at Kokurou and Nerei at first. However, over time, they eventually became accustomed to it.
One time, accompanying the three people the young Gareos went to Lendock who was the king at that time to pay respects. Then, Leowald met Kokurou for the first time.
“When we met at first, Kokurou seemed to be a weak child at a first glance. I was already past ten at that time, and because I have been training harder than anyone else, Kokurou looked even smaller to me. However, his eyes hid a keen strength. Though it is weak, I could feel that they were the eyes of a challenger”
To Leowald’s words, Blansa partly closed her eyes in nostalgia.
“Nerei was also young and beautiful at that time”
“Yes, it is so”
Still with closed eyes, Blansa agrees.
“She was a very talented child. Bright, polite, and a child with a strong heart above all”
Blansa tells as she recalled, Leowald furthermore added.
“It was to the extent that you will be speechless in admiration”
Everyone recognized and acknowledged her as the brain of [Pasion], as she could infer the things a common man couldn’t understand.
After that, the four came over often to play with each other. Especially for the meagre Kokurou, he trained himself with Leowald with sword and fist as well.
Blansa and Nerei happily watched them. Though the world was at war, peace continued between the four people.
Ten years have pa.s.sed, and the four people matured in both their mind and body. Especially Kokurou, who had changed completely, and compared from the first time, he now has a strong figure, and reached the place that isn’t far from Leowald in terms of swordplay.
Kokorou who was able to partic.i.p.ate in the war, had reached the point where he was called the [White Blade] with awe by his allies and with fear by his enemies.
Nerei and Blansa opposed partic.i.p.ating in the war, but they declared that they will be defending the country.
Kokurou, in order to repay the country for saving him and Nerei took up the sword and with Leowald, they went towards the battlefield.
“But on a certain day……that incident happened”