Departing Orsongrande early in the morning, Origa dashed towards Fokalore at high speed even while having large quant.i.ties of souvenirs loaded into the carriage.
“So, what’s your business?” (Origa)
“C-Can’t you at least stop the carriage!?”
“I have to refuse that.” (Origa) Copyrighted by Infinite Translations
The one galloping next to the carriage on his horse was Knight Midas.
Receiving Imeraria’s order, he, who chose ten knights, was able to catch up with Origa the next day, just when she was about to leave a small town where she lodged at, by racing from the capital on horse.“I have to return to the side of my husband right away. I can’t waste even a second pointlessly to accomplish my duty as his wife.” (Origa)
Origa, who bent herself forward in the coachman seat, indifferently reacts to Midas’ desperate appeal.
“Well, then please listen just like this.” (Midas)
No matter how much she might have been a commoner, he can’t behave too obstinately towards Origa who is now a countess.* (T/N: Earl and Count have the same kanji in j.a.panese, so I translated Hifumi’s t.i.tle as Earl. But with this it should be clear that the author means Count, so will change it from now on from Earl to Count, if I don’t forget
Quickly abandoning the hope of establishing a proper place for a conversation, he continues the talk while controlling his horse.
“Horant’s king has died. Hearing that news, a part of our country’s n.o.bles headed in the direction of Horant while leading their armies.” (Midas)
“Is that so? However, Horant is on the opposite side, isn’t it? Are you saying that there’s movement on Vichy’s side as well?” (Imeraria)
“It’s something else”, Midas shakes his head.
“In the current situation there are three worrisome points in total related to Fokalore for Her Majesty, the Queen.” (Midas)
“To our territory?” (Origa)
Origa’s voice carries strangely well among the sounds of the carriage’s wheels rattling across the highway.
“Let’s hear them.” (Origa)
Even so, Origa doesn’t show any inclination to stop the carriage.
Will I arrive in Fokalore like this? That’s fine since it will speed up my linking up with Nelgal who is supposed to be heading in the direction of the capital, Midas persuades himself forcibly. He continues to gallop next to her while worrying about his horse.
“First point is about Nelgal-sama who is studying abroad in Fokalore. Leaving aside within the territory of Fokalore, there is the possibility of the subordinates of the rebellious n.o.bles aiming for him while he’s on the way towards our direction. Second, there are the soldiers of Fokalore who are currently stationed in Horant to carry out tactics teaching. It might be fine to say that they are currently in a critical situation.” (Midas)
“What’s the third point?” (Origa)
“It’s you, Countess.” (Midas)
Midas skilfully keeps his balance on the shaking horse back.
“As the ability of Count Tohno is well-known, they should want to avoid the intervention of the Count as much as possible. According to the prediction of Her Majesty, the Queen, the n.o.bles, who are aiming at Horant, should be targeting to increase their influence by showing their competency to Her Majesty through achieving higher military gains than the Count.” (Midas)
“What a foolish notion. Did her Majesty actually bestow the t.i.tle after having seen Hifumi-sama’s military gains?” (Origa)
“From their viewpoint it might have looked like that.” (Midas)
“How disgusting”, Origa spat out.
“The prosperity of Fokalore as well as his strong influence on her Majesty, all of it is because it’s Hifumi-sama doing it. I wonder what kind of meaning it would have even if other people did the same.” (Midas)
“I believe so as well. Ruling this time’s matter as treasonous act, Her Majesty will be able to punish them at a suitable time. But, even so we have to avoid at all costs to injure the heir of Horant’s throne within Orsongrande.” (Origa) Reading this chapter anywhere but at Infinite Novel Translations means it has been stolen
This time Midas’ mission was to send Nelgal safely off to Horant and to escort Origa although he didn’t know whether to do that in one unit or to split up. Delivering Origa safely to her territory as planned, I will join up with Nelgal and accompany him to the capital. Going from the capital, the guarding will be carried out by far more knights and soldiers.
“I have understood the state of affairs. However, it’s not necessary for you to escort me.” (Origa)
“But&h.e.l.lip; if something happens to you, Countess, in the worst case, Count Tohno will&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
“Fufufu” (Origa)
Midas tilted his head to the side due to Origa’s smile which seems to be saying “I can’t bear this ridiculousness.”
“Something wrong?” (Midas)
“If I were to be killed, will my husband actually take revenge?” (Origa)
“T-That’s only natural&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
“It won’t happen.” (Origa)
“W-What are you&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
Suddenly opening her mouth, Origa leaks an ominous laughter from her lightly opened lips.
“If you want to know why, it’s because that wouldn’t be a “hostility” towards Hifumi-sama. Whether my husband would regard an intentional attack against me as hostile act towards himself, is it? He likely doesn’t worry in his mind what will happen to someone like me. Of course, it will be different if he realizes that it’s a powerful opponent. But at the very least, there’s no meaning even if they used me as hostage.” (Origa)
Midas grasped the reins while being speechless.
“Besides, it would be unpleasant, you know.” (Origa)
“Humph”, she breathes out as if ridiculing him.
“Didn’t I receive training in the basics of fighting from Hifumi-sama at the beginning? Do you think that I will be taken hostage that easily? Even in the unlikely event that I’m caught, I will deal with it myself using all means possible before anyone can touch me except that man.” (Origa)
“G-Got it. And, about the unit dispatched to Horant&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
“It’s pointless to worry about them, too.” (Origa)
Gently stroking her iron-ribbed fan, Origa answered without hesitation.
“Although it’s not to the extent as with me, they have also properly received Hifumi-sama’s coaching. They will neatly eliminate the enemy.” (Origa)
Midas even had no time to call out to her as Origa withdrew inside the carriage after saying “Please do as you like if you wish to accompany me since I will take a break for a bit now.”
“Just how the h.e.l.l will they identify those “enemies”&h.e.l.lip;?” (Midas)
The words, he muttered similar to a monologue, were drowned out by sounds of the wheels and hooves.
The commanding training officer of the Fokalore feudal army Ma Carme took up position at the national border on Orsongrande’s side with ten team members. The soldiers of both countries have taken temporary shelter at the fortress’ which are the pa.s.sage of the border.
What Ma Carme’s group has deployed are five spear throwers.
At that place a single messenger came rushing in on his horse.
“Gentlemen of Fokalore, I hold a letter from Count Biron-sama. Where’s the one in charge?”
“It’s me.” (Ma)
Suddenly appearing in front of the messenger who dismounted from his horse, Ma Carme accepted the threefold parchment.
Noticing Ma Carme’s unit already being prepared for war, the messenger was astonished. As the Fokalore feudal army is already armed at a point of time where the enemy still isn’t visible and moreover with the person receiving the letter not being negligent in his caution even towards a messenger, there are likely no other troops like that in not only Orsongrande but the other countries as well.
Even though he was suspicious of him, the messenger admired the man with his sloppily grown beard in front of him.
“I see.” (Ma)
Ma Carme put the re-folded paper in his pocket.
“I have received this letter. Pretty much it seems like we are required for the sake of protection.” (Ma)
The front teeth of Ma Carme, who smiled broadly, are lacking.
“It looks like Biron-sama intends to fight a battle with his own troops.” (Ma)
“Yes. There’s also the matter of your unit having too few numbers. It will likely be difficult with the opponent having 500 soldiers&h.e.l.lip;”
“Let’s stop that.” (Ma)
“Ha?”
“No, no”, waving his hands, Ma Carme pouted.
“As the other party has put together 500 soldiers, Biron-sama’s military forces will be below that even if he sc.r.a.pes up all of them, right?” (Ma)
The messenger confirmed it with a nod.
“Therefore, the end result will likely turn into an unreasonable loss if we met them from the front. Though it would be different if you fought 500 opponents with 5.000.” (Ma)
“However, you are just 11, aren’t you?”
“It ain’t like we will fight fairly from the front, you know? If my subordinates were done in, me, my friends and everyone would get scolded by Military Director Alyssa.” (Ma)
Raising his index finger, Ma Carme began to talk that he has one request.
“What is it?”
“I have one proposal. I’d like to request your cooperation in finishing off the enemy without us suffering any losses and without decreasing Biron-sama’s troops as much as possible.” (Ma)
“Well, then let me inform Count-sama about this.”
Watching the messenger swiftly taking out writing materials, Ma Carme explained the whole strategy to him.
“I see&h.e.l.lip;”
“If it turns out well, it will finish with the least losses. Since the number of opponents is a bit much, I’d like to ask for your a.s.sistance.” (Ma)
“Understood. I will directly inform Count Biron of this.”
“I leave it to you.” (Ma)
Firmly shaking their left hands with each other, Ma Carme smiled again with his teeth-less face.
“If we return to Fokalore after being successful with this, I will be able to get praised by Director Alyssa!” (Ma)
“H-Haa&h.e.l.lip;”
Is she such a beauty to rile up a man like him this far? The messenger imagined the appearance of the woman called Alyssa whom he hasn’t seen yet.
Of course it was totally different from reality as he imagined an adult woman.
“Uwaah!?”
With an arrow suddenly stuck in the horse who pulled the carriage with Origa on board, the female soldier of the Fokalore feudal army, who served as coachman, raised her voice in surprise.
Inevitably the balance of the carriage falls apart, too, and the soldier was thrown out on the road.
“Wa wa&h.e.l.lip; to to”
Although receiving a blow to her shoulder, she used ukemi, which she had been forced to train until getting fed up with it, and avoided a fatal wound. Even so she felt intense pain as she apparently fractured her right arm.
However, even apart from that, there’s something she has to do first.
“E-Enemy attack! Origa-sama, are you alright!?”
“Are you safe!? All hands, surround the carriage!” (Midas)
Jumping off the horse, Midas drew his sword.
Everyone disembarks quickly and rushes to the toppled-over carriage while drawing their swords.
“Origa-sama! Ah!?”
Another arrow came flying and grazed the armour worn by a soldier.
Causing a high-pitched metallic sound, it raises the tension of everyone.
“Don’t you think you have gone a bit too far?”
“It will be more fun if they die”, a male voice said. Men, who wore armours appeared in groups from the thickets at the road’s sides. Translated by Infinite Novel Translations!
At their lead was a small man who wore a slightly dirty leather armour and grinned broadly.
“You b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are the subordinates of Count Aspilketa, eh?”
Midas asked for their ident.i.ty, but ignoring him, the small man surveyed the female soldiers of Fokalore.
“Hoo&h.e.l.lip; there’s only female soldiers, that’s unusual. Even if the n.o.ble’s wife dies, there will still be amus.e.m.e.nt left.”
Sensing gazes as if being licked all over, the female soldiers felt a chill run down their spines with a shiver.
“Uwaah&h.e.l.lip;”
“Uh-oh, don’t move. There’s still arrows left. If you make unnecessary movements, that person&h.e.l.lip;”
“Are you the leader of those filthy men?” (Origa)
The one who obstructed the words of the small man was Origa who came out from the carriage.
As the luggage has become a cushioning, she hasn"t suffered any major injuries.
“Origa-sama!”
“Hehee, that’s you, eh? You are younger than I expected.”
“Answer me. Are you the ringleader of this mess?” (Origa)
Origa pointed at the horse which has already died after receiving an arrow and collapsing.
“So? It’s just as you can see though, right?”
“Then, die.” (Origa)
Once Origa points her right arm towards the small man, a faint sound of wind comes forth and his short neck had a red line drawn on it.
“Ue?”
“Listen just like this.” (Origa)
While slowly approaching the small man, Origa faced him with a dark and muddy look.
“Your crimes are two. First, you broke the porcelain tableware which took me three days to carefully select for the sake of having Hifumi-sama use it. Even only that deserves certain death, but moreover you hindered a wife who is hurrying on the road home to meet with her husband. Even if you might have any kind of reason, it’s impossible for me to pardon this.” (Origa)
With a sharp sound, she thrusts her still closed iron-ribbed fan in front of the small man’s eyes.
“It’s a far too heavy crime. You should die right away.” (Origa)
Once she poked the small man’s forehead with her iron-ribbed fan, the head was cleanly detached from the torso and the round head rolled lightly on the road.
The headless body continues to stand on its short legs.
“Repent in the other world.” (Origa)
Midas, who watched her dumbfoundedly, surveyed the surroundings in panic.
“The arrows will come! All members&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
“There’s no need to worry.” (Origa)
Origa says while concealing her mouth with the opened fan.
“I checked the surroundings with wind magic, but there’s no one hidden in the thickets. The 16 men, who have come out, are all of them.” (Origa)
“I-I see&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
Rather than the mentioned details, Midas gulped due to the fact of there being magic which is able to grasp that.
Once they comprehend the situation somehow or other, Midas’ knight unit and the soldiers of Fokalore don’t hold back.
“All hands, arrest them&h.e.l.lip;” (Midas)
“Dispose of them.” (Origa)
“Roger!”
The female soldiers started to run upon Origa’s voice.
With a sound as if cutting gra.s.s, Origa’s iron-ribbed fan gouges out the throat of one of them.
One more dies due to Origa’s magic and the soldiers also reliably kill them one after the other.
“V-Vice-captain, we&h.e.l.lip;”
Due to the overwhelming scenery unfolded by the female group, whom they regarded as their target of protection, one of the knights sent his look at Midas.
“It can’t be helped. Even if it’s only one, arrest them for interrogation. Hurry or they will end up annihilated.” (Midas)
“R-Roger!” Copyright by Infinite Novel Translations
Finishing the battle within a few minutes, the a.s.sailants were completely slaughtered in the end.
“Well then, let’s abandon one carriage here. We will hurry our return with the remaining one.” (Origa)
Due to the words of Origa who made sure that the last one was dead, the soldiers quickly wiped the blood off their weapons and began the transfer of the luggage from the broken carriage.
“&h.e.l.lip; Vice-Captain, if what we do&h.e.l.lip;”
Midas sighed.
“We will continue accompanying the countess and join up with Nelgal-sama in Fokalore.” (Midas)
“What else can we do anyway?” Midas mounted his horse.
It looks like the soldiers of Fokalore will finish their preparations soon.
“One piece was safe!?” (Origa)
Origa, who discovered an undamaged item amongst the porcelain souvenirs, put it carefully back into its box and embraced it in her chest with great care.
“Ah, Hifumi-sama. Origa will be very soon at your side.” (Origa)
The entranced expression looks dreamy to a degree that one wouldn’t think of her as the woman who created a tragic, headless corpse not long ago.
She was such a girl, eh? Feeling a pain inside his eyes, Midas curbed his brow with his fingers.