kscans

1

“Well then, sir.”
“Thank you very much!”
“I will never forget your kindness, sir.”

Expressing their gratitude with all their bodies, the three men bid farewell to Bard and he said,

“Well, take care of yourselves.”
“Be patient.”
“Don’t lose your temper easily.”
“If you work hard, good things will surely come.”

He spoke to them and the three men kept looking back as they walked down the mountain path. Eventually, Bard picked up his luggage and headed down the opposite slope. After a while, he arrived at the place where he had been attacked yesterday.

“It’s really foolish to attack in such a place with such a good view. Besides, I was even on the uphill side.”

If poeple on the uphill and downhill sides fought, it was obvious that the uphill side would have the advantage. The three men were so foolish that they didn’t even apply such common sense.

He met the three men yesterday. He had heard that there were bandits in the mountains just before entering the territory of the Lord of Podomos, where he had stayed before. It seemed that bandits wouldn’t appear if there were many people. He thought that it wouldn’t be bad to fight the bandits. They really appeared. Three men stood in front of Bard, blocking his path.

“Hey, old man. Leave your baggage and go. We won’t take your life.”
“If you don’t listen, something terrible will happen.”
“Even if you run away, it’s no use. We have fast legs.”

The three men, who looked terribly dirty, threatened him with rolling eyes and a gong sound. With their long hair and beards, they looked more like beasts than men. They had crude weapons.

If it had been a timid traveler, they would have trembled with fear, but Bard didn’t feel threatened at all.

A fight broke out. The outcome was decided in an instant. The three men who were beaten down by Bard became pitiful and helpless. At that moment, he intended to take their heads. There was nothing good about letting bandits go free.

However, he changed his mind when he saw the three men protecting each other. He asked them where they were born and why they became bandits. Eventually, that night, they drank and talked about their lives in the hideout where the three of them lived. The three men were impressed that they could drink alcohol.

The three men were lumberjacks from Tuorim territory. In the Tuorim territory, taxes were high, collection was strict, and the poor became even poorer. Houses that couldn’t pay the taxes had their children and women taken away and sold. If they resisted the tax collectors, they would be subjected to cruel treatment.

However, there was a man named Enba who had a sense of chivalry and protected the villagers from the lawless collectors. Men who admired Enba gathered and became a force, helping families without workers and sharing food with each other. These three men also fell in love with Enba’s strength and manliness and became his followers.

At one point, however, the lord hired two very skilled guards. Enba was killed by those guards, and his subordinates were also killed one by one. After many years of hiding, the three men finally escaped here and were barely making ends meet by stealing food and goods from travelers.

It was unclear how much of this story was true, but their eyes were not clouded. It seemed that the words “we didn’t kill anyone” were true.

“If that’s the case, maybe they can start over.”

He thought so and drank with them all night. Alcohol brings out a person’s true nature. This is especially true if you have had a hard life. Talking with them, he learned that all three of them had a pure hearts and were not hateful.

So, he wrote a letter of introduction to the village chief of a nearby village. These three men had fallen into banditry due to circumstances, but they had some good points, so he wanted them to work and if they made any mistakes, they could be punished. A few days ago, Bard had saved the village chief and his daughter from a monster. They were deeply grateful, so they would probably listen to his request.

When he told the three men about it, they cried with joy. They could wash their hands of a life of threatening people and waiting to be oppressed one day. They must be happy. The next morning, they cut their hair and shaved their beards,looking a little more presentable. Bard bid them farewell and returned to his journey.

2

“I found you, bandits. Where are your companions?”

In front of Bard stood a knight, his entire body covered in metal armor and a huge sword in his hand. His retainer stood behind him. When Bard said that he wasn’t a bandit,

“Hmph, you’re suspicious. There’s no one wandering around alone in this pass where bandits have recently appeared except for the bandits themselves. What’s that sword on your waist? It must be for attacking people,” he said so, but Bard said that he was a knight.

“Make me laugh! Is there a knight without a horse? It’s outrageous for a bandit to claim the honorable title of a knight. On top of that, that pelt must have been stolen from an old man in the village of Urarta. It’s undeniable proof!”

There was indeed a pelt tied to Bard’s luggage. But, it was the pelt of a demonic beast that he himself had defeated. “Is this the pelt you’re looking for?” Bard asked.

“The pelt of a demonic beast! Stealing such a valuable item is even more unforgivable!” The knight in full armor refused to listen.

Reluctantly, Bard revealed his name. But this only fueled the knight’s anger even more.

“You scoundrel! How dare you defame the name of Lord Bard Rowen! I will not forgive you! Crush him!”

He shouted and closed the distance between them. He was a big man, a little shorter than Bard but broader and fatter. When Bard saw his weapon, he knew who the man was.

It was Godon Zarkos, the lord of the Zarkos family and the lord of the Mageia territory. Although Mageia was located within the Podomos territory, it lay further north. Perhaps the village at the foot of the mountain was a protected treaty area.

Godon Zarkos was famous for being a user of the “Wall Sword”. Bard thought he had an impenetrable defensive technique, but that wasn’t the case. He didn’t use the sword like a wall, he used a sword that was as wide as a wall.

The sword was incredibly wide, with the blade pointing sideways. Bard couldn’t see his face because of its width. It was so unconventional that Bard was stunned. Then, the wall sword was swung down. It wasn’t swung up, it was held horizontally and swung down carelessly. The intention was to crush with the broad blade, not to cut with the sharp edge. Bard couldn’t take the full force of that terrifying mass. He took a step back.

A huge gust of wind, reminiscent of a giant bird flapping its wings, hit Bard. The wall sword, swung with such a massive weight, was already a weapon of destruction. It was pulled back to its original position at a speed that was no less than the speed at which it was swung down.

What incredible power! Bard was confident in his strength, but Godon Zarkos’ strength was greater than Bard in his prime. Much greater. How much iron has been used in this sword? This man who wields it lightly is an extraordinarily strong man. How much muscle strength is needed to stop it in midair and quickly pull it up? The momentarily surprised Bard thought as he circled around his opponent.

Well then. What should I do? Since he’s coming at me, I might as well knock him down. In fact, I won’t be able to get him to listen to me unless I knock him down first. But how do I knock him down? He’s wearing a full body armor made of metal. It looks like a pretty good one. This cleaver sword won’t do any good.

Originally, Bard was good at using a big sword to knock his opponent unconscious through his armor. But he didn’t have that kind of weapon now. Even if he did, his shoulders and waist would hurt from swinging it. While he was thinking about it, the second strike came down. The wall sword covered his field of vision and roared. It was an impressive power. An ordinary warrior wouldn’t be able to face this weapon head-on. Bard dodged it again. The wall sword stopped in mid-air again and was immediately pulled back. The opponent closed the distance by one step. Bard thought as he moved his feet sideways.

“Alright. When the next strike comes, I’ll dodge it sideways instead of backwards. Then, I’ll cut his right hand that holds the sword. I won’t be able to escape the impact if I block the heavy sword.”

The opponent took a step forward and swung the wall sword down. Bard dodged to the side and tried to leap into the opponent’s pocket. The blade of the all sword struck the ground where Bard had been standing and swung to the right at a terrifying speed. The huge blade was approaching Bard’s right side. Bard jumped back hastily. Had he stepped in a little deeper, he would have received a fatal blow.

As he regained his footing, Bard broke into a cold sweat. It was unimaginable to have the strength to swing such a heavy sword at such a speed.

This is unexpectedly cumbersome. I can’t find a way to attack. Should I jump in from the front and hit the hand holding the sword? No. I won’t be able to avoid the sword swinging down. Even if I aim at his feet, it’ll be the same. It’s impossible to deal with such a heavy weapon swung at such a speed. However, it’s difficult to fight when I can’t see his face.

Godon Zarkos’ face was completely hidden behind the wall sword. That meant that Godon Zarkos shouldn’t be able to see Bard either. Yet, there was no hesitation in his movements. Bard was suspicious of how he was able to determine Bard’s movements. When the opponent stepped forward and swung the wall sword down again, Bard jumped back again.

“You can’t win just by running away, you know. Eventually, you’ll get tired and won’t be able to dodge anymore. If you don’t want to be flattened, drop your weapon and surrender!”

Bard thought to himself, “I don’t mind dying anywhere, but I don’t want to die being crushed by such a ridiculous weapon.” He considered surrendering and talking things out, but he didn’t want to do that either. He looked at the cleaver sword in his hand. He thought he had already used up its mysterious power, but in the battle with the demon beast before, it had once again shown its overwhelming sharpness. If this sword still had the power of a magic sword, it shouldn’t be in his hands. The Tercia family should have the weapon capable of slaying demon beasts. If this sword still had its power, he had to give it to the Tercia family.

With that in mind, he wondered if this sword was still a magic sword or not. He wanted to find out somehow. So he walked along the mountain path, thinking about it. This cleaver sword had shown its mysterious power twice before, but in the fight with the raccoon dog and the bandits, it didn’t show any power. Why was that? If this sword still had power, when and how would it appear?

Bard thought that this sword would only show its true power in a battle with a powerful enemy that threatened his life. So now was the perfect opportunity to find out. He made up his mind and called out to the magic sword.

“Sword. Magic sword. The sword that was forged by the ancient wisdom. I’m going to challenge a strong opponent now. Show your true form and slay my enemy!”

Then he jumped into the enemy’s guard and put all his strength into a horizontal slash. But the cleaver sword remained a cleaver sword. Nothing strange happened. There was a loud sound of steel clashing against steel. The enemy swung his wall sword down as it was.

Bard was thrown backwards. He had made a reckless attack and his right elbow and shoulder were numb and he couldn’t feel anything. His wrist was injured as well. He probably wouldn’t be able to swing his sword again.

But Bard had avoided defeat. The wall sword that hit the ground broke in half right where Bard had slashed it. It was probably already cracked from the beating it had taken.

“Uoooooooh! My sword! My beloved sword!”

Bard looked at the screaming Godon Zarkos, with a cold gaze and thought, “Nothing happened. Has the power of the magic sword really been lost?”

3

“I am terribly sorry. I can’t apologize enough. To think that I would be so rude to Lord Bard Rowen. I, Godon, have made a lifelong mistake. I’m so ashamed. Please punish me.”

The big man shrank and continued to apologized, and Bard smiled at his charming appearance.

“Really, my brother. I always tell you. First, listen to the other person’s story,” said Eureka, Godon Zarkos’ sister, who stood angrily beside him.

“Eureka. Lord Rowen has forgiven us, so we don’t have to worry about it anymore, right?

“My brother-in-law, if you keep apologizing like that, Lord Rowen will feel uncomfortable, you know.”

“Oh, the black prawns are ready. Let me pour you some wine, Lord Rowen. This prawn dish is our family’s specialty.”

Kainen, Eureka’s husband, tried to lighten the mood. He had married into the Zarkos family and was known for his skills in promoting the region’s industries and managing its finances.

Zarkos was stunned when his sword broke, but Bard showed him a letter of introduction from the Count of Linz. The Count of Linz was Godon’s uncle, and he knew that Godon admired Bard, the “Knight of The People.” He asked Bard to visit the Mageia region if he ever traveled north. He also wrote a letter to Godon, asking him to treat Lord Rowen, his savior, with great hospitality.

Upon seeing the letter of introduction, Godon knew that the old man before him was undoubtedly Bard Rowen. He apologized profusely and invited Bard to his castle. When they arrived, Eureka scolded her brother and apologized to Bard after hearing the situation. She then asked Bard to stay for a while, as her brother had been wanting to meet him for some time. Bard accepted the invitation.

Kainen interrupted Godon and Eureka’s conversation with Bard and offered to let him take a bath. While he was relaxing in the bath, an apothecary came in and cut his long hair and beard. After the bath, a maid applied fragrant oil to his skin and provided him with clean clothes. (t/n: the raw really say “kusushi” cut his hair. isn’t it supposed to be a barber?)

“I haven’t felt this refreshed in a long time,” said Bard, impressed by Kainen’s thoughtfulness.

4

Black prawns are large prawns that are caught in the region’s salt lakes. When they reach a certain size, their red shells turn black. Black prawns have a rich, deep flavor that can be boiled, grilled, or used in soup.

Bard was amazed when he saw the dish in front of him. He had never seen such a large prawn before. The shell was magnificent, like the armor of a great knight The prawn had been cut in half and grilled with the shell still on.

At first glance, it looked like it had just been grilled, but it was probably more complicated than that. There was yellow oil bubbling between the shell and the flesh. When he tried to pick it up with a fork, the meat came off easily. Behind this seemingly simple grilled dish was the work of a cook. He cut off a piece and put it in his mouth.

“Mmm. What a wonderful smell. Is it the herbs or the oil?”

As soon as he put it on his tongue, he felt a vivid umami flavor. When he chewed it, it had a firm texture that didn’t feel like a prawn at all. However, it wasn’t too hard. He chewed it a few times, and the taste changed each time. After chewing it a few more times, he swallowed it. The meat was a very firm and rich. The unique texture of the large prawn was luxurious. The grill was exquisite, with a moderate char on the outside and a beautiful white color on the inside. (t/n: umami is one of the 5 basic tastes sweet sour salty bitter umami. usually means meaty or savoury)

What surprised him was the saltiness. When he put it on his tongue, he felt a strong saltiness. However, when he ate the whole piece, the salt that had penetrated deep into the meat was very mild, bringing out the unique flavor of the prawn. It wasn’t salty at all. It was strange, so he asked about it.

“Oh, Bard-sama is very knowledgeable about cooking. Heh. In our house, we sprinkle salt on grilled dishes twice. We call it umami salt and finishing salt. Or you could say salt you can taste and salt you can’t taste. In the case of this black prawn armor grill, we first sprinkle a thin layer of salt evenly between the shell and the meat. Then, we pour a little fruit juice on top to soak up the salt. After waiting for a while, we repeat the same process and wrap the half prawn in herbs, mixing the salt thoroughly. When it’s time, we put the prawn on the fire. As the heat penetrates, the salt draws out the juice from the prawn, creating the best sauce. Then, we brush it with palm oil. The juice, salt, and oil mix together to create a deep flavor that penetrates the prawn. Finally, just before the prawn is ready, we put it in a place with a strong fire and sprinkle it with finishing salt. Like this.”

Eureka raised her right hand higher than her head and rubbed her fingers together to sprinkle salt.

“To finish the dish, you need to sprinkle the salt high and wide. This way, you can use less salt and still get a strong salty taste. As I mentioned earlier, the salt used to bring out the umami flavor and the salt used to adjust the flavor after cooking are completely different things. Just because you used salt in the pre-cooking process doesn’t mean you don’t need finishing salt. Of course, you need to calculate the exact amount of salt needed beforehand and adjust the amount of umami salt accordingly. For a large black tiger prawn like this, you need a lot of salt to bring out the umami flavor, and you also need to match the cooking time needed to bring out the flavor with the cooking time needed to cook the meat properly. It takes skill to do that. When you take it off the fire, a skilled chef will quickly insert a knife between the meat and the shell to make it easier to eat and to remove excess oil from the outside so that the flavor doesn’t become too heavy. This flavor was created through trial and error.”

Bard nodded along to the cooking instructions and ate the prawns one at a time. When he dipped the meat into the sauce left on the shell, he could enjoy an even richer flavor. In between, he drank wine. Bard didn’t like white wine very much, but this locally produced wine was different. The taste of the wine itself was refreshing and not bitter, but what was even better was that it was chilled. It was said to have been cooled in a well, but drinking cold white wine while eating hot prawns was truly blissful.

Bard didn’t find Eureka’s cooking explanation of the cuisine annoying at all. On the contrary, it increased his enjoyment of the prawns. She was a worthy hostess. “This little sister is something else,” Bard thought. Seeing Bard completely relaxed, Godon was also very happy, and the conversation became lively.

5

“Damn it!”

With a resounding roar, Godon announceed his defeat. Bard, on the other hand, was sweating profusely. It was no wonder. This was their eighth match today.

It was their fifth day staying in the Zarkos household. On the second day, Godon had asked Bard if he could teach him some moves, but Bard had refused because his shoulder was not feeling well. At first, Godon didn’t push the matter and instead showed Bard around the territory. The Mageia territory consisted of eight villages nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. There were no notable resources or industries to speak of, but it was peaceful and beautiful. You could see that the people lived together and helped each other. And Lord Godon was well-liked by his subjects. Whenever people saw him, they would greet him with a smile.

At night, Bard would dine with Godon, Eureka, and Kainen. They were served dishes made from local ingredients, cooked to perfection. Bard’s appetite was always taken into consideration, and he was served just the right amount. Bard appreciated the Zarkos family’s hospitality, as they didn’t believe in overindulging their guests with food.

When he mentioned this, Eureka said, “Our first lord said, ‘If someone is gluttonous, someone else will starve. Imagine what the poorest person in the village had for dinner tonight.’ In the last two hundred years, we haven’t had a single person starve to death in our territory. That’s something the Zarkos family is proud of.”

Then she added, “But we do have enough reserves to entertain our guests to their hearts’ content. Please enjoy our family’s cuisine to your heart’s content, Bard-sama.”

The Zarkos family was indeed wealthy. They must have accumulated their wealth over the years. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to produce such ridiculous weapons like the wall sword. That lump of iron alone was worth a fortune. A full-body iron armor was also a very expensive item. The furnishings in the castle were also of high quality.

The Zarkos family were a noble family. After all, their ancestor was one of the “First People” who settled east of the Ova River in ancient times. They were also a family that survived the “Great Collapse” caused by the massive outbreak of demonic beasts. There was no way to confirm such ancient events from the mythological era, but it was widely believed.

When the conversation turned to this topic, Eureka asked Bard, “Bard-sama, where do you think the ‘First People’ came from?”

Bard replied that they probably came from the west of Ova.

“That’s what they say. But in our family tradition, it’s the opposite. The descendants of the ‘First People’ created the western countries of Ova. So where did the ‘First People’ come from? It’s a strange tradition, isn’t it?” Eureka said. Bard thought that ancient families had different strange traditions. Both Kainen and Eureka were toughtful and knowledgeable people. Bard was especially surprised by Kainen’s erudition. He had traveled in his youth to broaden his horizons.

“Traveling is good. It really is. If you want to educate someone, send them on a journey. That’s true,” Godon laughed. Godon, who had taken off his armor, was chubby and didn’t look very muscular. He had a kind face and spoke in a cheerful manner. It was rare to find someone who didn’t seem capable of acrobatics. He was a truly honest and kind-hearted warrior, and Bard liked him very much.

On the third night, Godon’s cousin joined them for dinner. There were four knights in the Zarkos family. Godon, Kainen, Godon’s uncle, and his son. Kainen was what they called a “scholarly knight.” He had received the title of knight and had undergone some training, but he wasn’t good at martial arts. However, if he didn’t have the title of knight, he wouldn’t be able to command his vassals in times of crisis or negotiate with other families. That’s why he was given the title of knight.

Godon’s uncle and cousin had a mansion not far from the castle. His uncle was away on business, but his cousin, who was a knight, was present. He seemed to be a quiet person and listened calmly to the lively conversation around him.

The wind changed on the fourth night during dinner conversation. That day, Bard was shown the castle’s armory. There were many high-quality weapons, and there were even some that Bard didn’t know how to use. As a result, the conversation that night turned to weapons and armor. In the midst of it, Godon said, “Come to think of it, Lord Bard, you had the pelt of the river bear demonic beast, didn’t you? I have hear that the pelt of the river bear demonic beast is the best material for leather armor. It’s said to be a rare find, so where did you get it?”

He asked him. He didn’t want to brag, but he couldn’t lie, so he told him the truth. Godon was excited and asked Bard to tell him more about the battle with the demonic beast.

“Oh! How amazing! Hmm. The villagers were truly unfortunate to be attacked by three river bears and a demonic beast. But what luck that Lord Bard happened to be staying there that night! If it weren’t for Lord Bard, the village might have been wiped out. And yet, not a single person died. Amazing. This is what being a knight is all about! Helping people in danger as you wander around. Yes, indeed. This is the true form of a knight. Traveling is good. But Lord Bard, defeating three river bears and a demonic beast all by yourself, what incredible martial prowess! I wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t say so yourself. You were being modest about your age and weakness. That’s for sure! After all, you did cut that wall sword in half. I’ve never heard of swords cutting swords before. In that case, please teach me your techniques tomorrow.”

Godon insisted on a match. Bard, whose shoulder was feeling better, thought it would be okay to play a few games in exchange for the accomodation fee.

At first, they both had swords. But Bard felt something terribly wrong with Godon’s swordsmanship, so he asked him what his favorite weapon was. The answer was a hammer and an axe. However, such weapons were not knightly, so he used a sword instead. The normal sword was too light to have any impact, so he had a sword made that was out of the ordinary.

Bard gave Godon a battle hammer. Bard himself had a stick. Godon had a different kind of power with the battle hammer. The battle hammer was a weapon that could knock a fully armored knight off his horse or incapacitate him with a single blow to the head. However, it was difficult to wield and had many openings. As a result, it was usually used on the battlefield in combination with a sword-wielding guard knight. However, Godon Zarkos was a hero who could fight several knights on his own. The super-heavy battle hammer flew with a groan. Swung up and down, the battle hammer was a deadly blow with each swing.

Bard managed to dodge Godon’s attacks, but he was sweating. Even if Bard had the strongest shield in his prime, he wouldn’t be able to withstand this attack head-on. He managed to deal with it through years of experience, but if Godon’s skills improved a little more, it would be difficult to dodge. Still, experience counts for something. He chose a stick instead of a sword because he could attack from a distance. Bard kept his advantageous distance and won by hitting Godon’s wrist, forehead, shoulder, and tripping him.

He won the match, but Bard was surprised. One reason was Godon’s boundless endurance and weapon speed. He may have had innate strength, but this man had also trained hard. Another reason was his resilience. His body was like armor itself. Bard felt that Godon would become an even more formidable warrior if he trained more and gave him some advice. Godon obediently followed Bard’s advice. The match became more of a lesson than a game.

After staying for two weeks, Bard left on horseback. He was given the horse of the Zarkos family. They offered it to him, but he couldn’t accept such a valuable possession for free, so he paid some money. It was a large chestnut horse. Bard himself was large, and he had luggage, so he needed a big horse.

Eureka, Kainen, and the prominent retainers saw him off. Lord Godon was not there. From the standpoint of the family’s status, it was not unnatural for the head of the family not to see off guests outside the building, but it was a little strange considering his attitude until yesterday. But, since Eureka and Kainen hadn’t mentioned it, Bard felt hesitant to bring it up. When he said, “Please give my regards to Lord Godon,” Eureka smiled subtly.

He left the castle, crossed the village borders, and entered the mountains where Godon Zarkos was waiting for him. He prepared for the journey and brought a small battle hammer with him.

“Oh, master. You’re late. Well then, shall we go?”

He was eager to accompany him on the journey. When Bard said, “You must be the lord of this place,” he replied, “Oh, is that so? I have written a letter to transfer the lordship to Kainen. It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t okay. The transfer of the lordship was not something that could be done easily. There were many things that had to be taken care of and handed over. When this was pointed out, Godon replied, “No, no. Originally, all the work was done by my sister and her husband. Even the Lord’s seal was left with Kainen.”

Come to think of it, Godon didn’t seem to be working during their stay. While the sister and her husband and the retainers were always busy, Godon was either practicing swordsmanship or going around the villages to exterminate beasts and villains. Eureka said that he also liked to go to villages that were not under the protection of the guardian contract. He went there with joy, and the Mageia territory was getting some convenience in trade with the surrounding areas. Since he didn’t want to say anything, Bard decided to let him follow for a while and went on his horse.

When they had gone a little further, Bard wanted to drink some water, and Godon said, “There’s a river down below, I’ll go fetch some cold water.” He took a water bag and went down the slope. As Godon disappeared among the trees, a voice called out, “Bard Rowen-sama.” Bard had noticed that he was being followed, but he realized that it was a vassal of the Zarkos family when he heard the voice. The man emerged from the bushes and said, “I have a message from Eureka-sama. ‘My brother wants to accompany Bard-sama. He is a person who doesn’t listen once he decides to do something, so it will be a great inconvenience, but could you please take care of him for a while until he is satisfied?’ That’s what she said.”

He then handed Bard a bag of gold coins and said, “This is for your travel expenses for the time being. It’s dangerous to leave it with my brother, so please take care of it for us.”

If he refused this, it would mean that he refused Godon’s company. It was a very clever way of saying, “Please take care of my brother for a while until he is satisfied.” Bard couldn’t refuse Eureka’s request after all the help he’d received over the past two weeks.

“Indeed, your sister is quite something,” Bard sighed.