kscans

1

“Jurchaga, you’re always breaking and bending tree branches like a child. It’s not becoming of you.”

“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it, Mister Godon. Even Mister Bard found some bamboo leaves and put them in his pocket. He threw them in the river earlier though.”

Bard listened to their conversation while staring at the Pochua leaf in his hand. He had just picked it while riding on Yueitan’s back. It was an ordinary Pochua leaf. They had left the misty valley, which was the residence of Lujura-Tiant, earlier that morning. The Pochua leaves in the misty valley were twice as large, much thicker, and had many fine hairs and a strong smell. The Fuki and bamboo were also surprisingly large. It was as if they had become dwarves. There were many trees that he had never seen before. Something was definitely different about that place. Perhaps the way the plants grew in the misty valley was similar to that beyond the Great Wall. He suddenly thought of that.

2

After leaving Shesa and parting ways with Ousa and his followers, the group headed northeast towards the highest pass. It took them five days to get there, covering about forty koku-ri. (t/n: not sure what is koku-ri. i checked wiki and koku is area measurement. ri is around 3.93KM so maybe an area of 160km in 5 days on horse?)

Looking down to the east from the pass, there was a deep and wide valley that looked like a giant had scraped the earth. It was covered in white mist. Lujura-Tiant’s village was in the middle of that mist. On the other side of the valley, the land rose again, and a peak was built even higher than this pass. The Great Wall ran north and south along the ridge of that peak. It was a magnificent view.

Jean Dessa Law (The Great Wall)

It was a wall that separated the world where humans lived from the forest where demonic beasts lived. It was over a thousand steps high and about two hundred steps wide. It surrounded the world where humans lived. It was a regular shape that could not be created by nature, but at the same time, it was a huge structure that could not be built by human power alone. According to fairy tales, an ancient king built it overnight to protect the people. If you looked away from the Great Wall and turned your head around to face true north, you could see something far away.

Mount Fyuza.

Bard, Godon, and Jurchaga had never seen Fyuza before, but they knew it was Fyuza at first glance. It couldn’t be anything else. Many mountain ranges overlapped and disappeared beyond the horizon, and beyond that, a beautiful triangular white peak peeked out. Fyuza’s summit was covered in snow that never melted. The fact that it could be seen from such a distance was already amazing.

“We’ve come to where we can see Fyuza.”

Bard stared at Fyuza for a while and was lost in thought. The other two also fell silent and stared at the sacred mountain.

When they descended into the misty valley, they were surrounded by a group of Lujura-Tiant. They were initially cautious, but when Maura explained the situation, the atmosphere eased a bit. Bard was about to leave, but Maura strongly insisted that he meet his parents, so they stayed near Lujura-Tiant’s village that night. On the morning of the third day, Maura brought his parents. His father was about the same height as Bard’s chest, but he was still very large for a Lujura-Tiant and exuded dignity and wisdom. Fortunately, Maura’s father could speak human language. There were twelve clans in Lujura-Tiant, and there was a hierarchy among them. Maura’s father was the chief of the fourth clan. Those in such positions were supposed to learn human language and the language of other demi-humans. Since the position of chief was inherited by the child, Maura had been learning human language since he was young. They prepared rare nuts and other things and entertained the three of them. They seemed to have been welcomed with kindness for rescuing Maura and Sui, who were being held captive in Lord Enzaia’s castle. On the morning of the third day, Bard and his companions left the valley, but Maura’s father said something strange.

“Human Bard Rowen, who has a heart of compassion. You must never come here again. But if the time comes when you must come here, and we can welcome you, humans and Lujura-Tiant may be able to form a friendship again.”

Bard engraved those words in his heart, even though he didn’t understand their meaning, and left the misty valley.

3

They headed northwest. On the third day, Jurchaga said, “We should arrive where humans live in three or four days.” Bard had also been paying attention, but he couldn’t see any signs of a town or smoke, so he was curious and asked how he knew.

“It’s the smell. The smell,” was the answer, but even after he took a deep breath, he couldn’t detect any signs of human habitation. Three days later, while walking through the mountains, Jurchaga said, “There’s something there. I’ll go take a look. Keep moving slowly,” and went down to the stream.

“Come over here! Someone has collapsed!” Jurchaga’s voice echoed through the woods shortly after that.

They searched for a safe place to descend and made their way to where Jurchaga was waiting. A knight lay fallen at the base of a tree, clad in full metal armor. He appeared to be a nobleman of high status, given his splendid equipment. His horse stood nearby, a fine animal. Jurchaga sniffed at the face of the armor and remarked, “He’s been drugged or something. It’s a strong smell. We should take off his armor right away”.

Removing the armor wasn’t difficult, but it was strange that this knight couldn’t do it himself. We started by removing his helmet. Godon Zarkos lifted him up from behind, and he was surprisingly light. The armor and the person inside were both slender. He might still be young. We quickly untied the straps, unhooked the buckles, and removed the helmet. His glossy chestnut hair fell down.

“It’s a woman!” Bard was surprised, but he couldn’t just stand there in shock. He and Godon removed the armor. She was sweating profusely and had a fever. Jurchaga handed him a damp cloth to wipe her down. He didn’t remove the undergarments, but wiped down the exposed areas.

“She has a fever. Should we give her something to cool down?” Bard asked.

“No, mister Godon. I think it’s better not to lower her body temperature. It’s better to build up a sweat by making a fire. We should give her some water if possible,” Jurchaga replied, starting to prepare a fire.

It seemed they were going to camp here. There was a suitable leather mat in the woman’s luggage, so they laid her on it and covered her with a cloak. It was Jurchaga’s cloak. He had brought it with him on the Yueitan, but only used it to sleep in. Bard took out some herbs to neutralize the poison and boiled them in water. He diluted it with water and poured it into a bowl before lifting the woman knight.

“Can you understand? Be strong. Drink this”. He held the bowl to her lips, but she refused to drink it. They had no choice but to lay her down again. After a while, she began to moan softly. When they tried again, she drank a little. They repeated this several times.

Jurchaga made soup, and Godon Zarkos prepared firewood. The three of them took turns sleeping and keeping watch over the fire. By dawn, the woman’s fever had worsened, and she was sweating profusely. By the time the sun had fully risen, she was sleeping peacefully.

“It looks like you’re feeling better now”.

The woman woke up as the three finished their simple breakfast.

4

Her body still seemed stiff, but she was able to speak. At first, she was cautious, but after realizing they were not enemies, she thanked the three of them. The woman introduced herself as Doriatessa Il Pajie Covrien, a knight of the Goriora Empire, a large country located much further north than the Parzam Kingdom. Although they thought it was strange that someone from such a distant country was here, Bard and his companions had also traveled quite far north, so it was possible that the Goriora Empire was closer from where they were. In any case, it was a country far to the west of the Great Ova.

“Il Pajie Covrien” means “the baroness who rules the territory of Covrien.” In other words, this woman is the head of a baronial family with territory. Bard was surprised by this, but even more so when she intorduced herself as a knight. There was no way a woman could become a knight, and even if she did, it would be meaningless. Perhaps she intended to fight on the battlefield with her frail body.

Doriatessa had come to this area with two knights and a servant for a certain purpose. Yesterday, after lunch, she suddenly felt very ill. She got off her horse and drank the medicine that her servant had prepared in a hurry, but her body became numb and she couldn’t move. She realized that she had been plotted against when her knights and servant tried to take advantage of her, and managed to defeat the three of them. She then realized that pursuers were approaching from their conversation, so she tried to escape, but she lost consciousness and collapsed. (t/n: not sure “put her in their hand” means capturing or taking advantage)

Bard and Godon discussed it with Jurchaga and decided to head for a populated area anyway. They were concerned about the pursuers, but with Bard and Godon present, they were unlikely to be delayed. Moreover, they wanted to let Doriatessa rest for a while.

Doriatessa insisted on riding her horse, but she was in no condition to hold the reins. They tied her armor to her horse with vines and had Jurchaga pull it. Doriatessa herself was carried by Bard on Yueitan, wrapped in two cloaks. She resisted at first, but eventually gave in and entrusted her body to him. As they continued on, she dozed off.

“Master, is your right shoulder okay?” Jurchaga asked. Bard replied that his shoulder and elbow had been hurting lately. They arrived at the village before sun set. There seemed to be some commotion going on. When they asked the village chief for lodging, he was surprised by Doriatessa’s condition and offered them an empty house on the outskirts of the village. He seemed busy, so Bard asked him what was going on. He explained that a wild beast had attacked and caused harm to the villagers. A child had gone missing. They were searching for the child, but had not found him yet.

The sun was about to set. It was dangerous to search the forest at night. However, if they were to go, they had to move in a large group and have capable fighters with them. Some villagers were skilled with bows and spears, and Godon Zarkos and Jurchaga agreed to help with the search. Bard stayed behind in the village. He was worried about the pursuers and the possibility of the wild beast attacking the village.

5

Doriatessa was sleeping quietly in bed. She had also had some soup at night, and the village chief’s daughter had helped her change clothes and wiped her body. That was fine, but Bard realized that he was alone with a young woman. The search party seemed to have gone far from the village, and he couldn’t hear their voices. Bard felt uneasy.

Doriatessa moaned, “Uuu, uuu.” He thought she had woken up, sohe poured some medicinal hot water into a bowl and approached the bed. She seemed to be having a bad dream and was twisting her body with a painful expression. Bard watched her for a while, but she continued to suffer. He didn’t know what to do, so he put the hot water down and approached her even closer. He wiped the sweat from her forehead. She continued to suffer. Bard felt sorry for her, so he put his left hand on her back and rubbed it while saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay.” After a while, Doriatessa’s body relaxed. She must have fallen asleep again. Her forehead was resting against his chest. Bard felt a warm feeling inside him. When he tried to put her to sleep, Doriatessa twisted her body and his nose touched her neck. A strong scent of a woman emanated from her sweaty body. When Bard inhaled it, his whole body tingled and he felt the urge of a male instinct. He was surprised at himself and smiled wryly.

He gently put Doriatessa to sleep and adjusted her bedding. Her defenseless sleeping face was very beautiful. Bard wiped the sweat from her forehead and settled her disheveled hair on both sides of her face. Her lips were dry, so he moistened his finger with hot water and touched them. She sucked in the moisture while sleeping. He felt that she wanted more, so he put another drop of water on his finger and touched her lips again. She sucked in the moisture again. He repeated this about ten times, and then she licked her lips with satisfaction and began to breathe deeply.

Bard carefully took his sword and went outside the hut without making any noise. Sarie (Sister moon) was shining brightly above Bard. He took a deep breath of the cool night air and drew his ancient sword, slashing Sarie in the sky. By cutting what cannot be cut, he cleared my mind. Bard suddenly felt like Doriatessa was looking at him and turned around, but of course, that was not the case.

6

The search party returned at dawn. The missing child was found safe, and in addition, one adult was rescued. The search party not only saved the two, but also defeated a river bear and three mole monkeys, bringing their bodies back with them. It was quite an achievement. Of course, it was Godon Zarkos who fought them.

The incident began when the villagers drove away a river bear that appeared near the village. Some villagers were injured, but that was a common occurrence. However, one of the boys who were collecting nuts in the forest panicked and ran in the direction of the river bear. An adult who noticed this chased after the boy and escaped with him from the river bear, but they ended up going in the opposite direction from the village. The two were cornered on a tree, but eventually saw many torches approaching and shouted loudly. The search party, who had located their whereabouts by their voices, saw the river bear under the tree. It was in an excited state and difficult to drive away. Then Godon Zarkos approached alone, swung his battle hammer, and defeated it in just three strikes. Three mole monkeys then attacked. Godon defeated the new enemies without much trouble. Moreover, he declared that the beasts’ corpses should be considered the village’s property. Everyone was overjoyed and tied up the bodies of the river bear and mole monkeys before heading back. The villagers who were worried about the delay heard that they had trouble transporting the corpses.

The village chief’s daughter brought breakfast for the three of them. After that, she took care of Doriatessa. Godon Zarkos cleaned his weapons and then lay down on the roots of a tree in front of the hut, snoring. Jurchaga slept in the shade next to him. Bard checked on the three horses that had been entrusted to the village chief and then returned to the hut. The village chief was in a very good mood and had given plenty of fodder to the horses.

7

“Lord Zarkos, I heard that you defeated a river bear and three mole monkeys in no time,” said Doriatessa. She seemed to have fully recovered and was eating her dinner heartily.

“Well, it’s all thanks to Sir Bard’s training. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have used the battle hammer. Also, Jurchaga quickly noticed that the mole monkeys were coming. Otherwise, we would have been in trouble,” said Godon, laughing cheerfully.

“Jurchaga was also the first to hear the cry for help,” added Bard.

“Oh, Jurchaga has sharp eyes,” said Doriatessa.

“I’m embarrassed to be praised so much,” said Jurchaga, blushing.

Doriatessa didn’t seem to find it suspicious or unpleasant that Jurchaga, who had been introduced as a servant of the Count of Linz, Simon Epivares, was eating with them and speaking so familiarly. It was unusual for nobles in the central continent. She might have thought of him as a distant relative of the Count of Linz or a low-born illegitimate child. In fact, Jurchaga was a well-known thief in the south. He had joined Bard’s journey for some reason. As for Bard Rowen, he was an aging wandering knight who had left his lord’s service and was traveling freely to Mount Fyuza. Godon Zarkos had joined them as a companion who longed for a journey, but he was actually a small lord. They were a strange trio with a difficult-to-read relationship.

“As for bravery, I can’t compare to Mister Bard. After all, he defeated three river bears and a river bear demonic beast alone and protected the villagers,” said Jurchaga.

“What! A river bear demonic beast? Is that true?” asked Doriatessa, suddenly turning pale.

Godon asked her to take a closer look at Bard’s leather armor. Bard’s leather armor was spread out on a pile of straw after being cleaned. Doriatessa asked Bard for permission before picking up the armor and examining it closely.

“This is the leather armor of a river bear demonic beast. The tailoring is simple, but it’s magnificent. I see. It’s not ordinary leather,” said Doriatessa, standing up straight and thanking Bard and Godon in a formal tone.

“Sir Rowen, Lord Zarkos, and Jurchaga-dono, I can’t thank you enough for helping me in my time of need. It’s too presumptuous to rely on your kindness any further, but could you tell me where I can hunt a river bear demonic beast?” asked Doriatessa.

Godon and Jurchaga looked at Bard. It seemed that Bard should answer this question. Bard explained that even in the frontier, it was rare to encounter a river bear demonic beast. However, the territory guarded by Bard’s former master, the Tercia family, was located at a gap in the Great Barrier, and about ten to twenty river bear demonic beasts appeared there each year.

“The gap in the Great Barrier. Is it really there? In the Pakula territory, huh? How far is it from here?” Bard looked at Jurchaga. This was Jurchaga’s area of expertise.

“Well, depending on the route, it’s about 250 koku-ri. If someone who knows the way well uses a horse and spends plenty of money on food and such, it would take about 40 to 50 days”.

“Fifty days one way…”

“Hey, Jurchaga. Didn’t you go from Krausk to Linz and back in 30 days before?” Bard asked.

“That was because it was me, Mister Godon. It’s not the same for amateurs walking with horses carrying travel luggage. The 50 days to Pakula is assuming you don’t get attacked by wild beasts, encounter bad weather, get lost on the way, have plenty of food, know where to find water, and are well-versed in camping. In reality, it might take twice as long for a single princess. It’s probably faster to make a fast ship and go down the Ova River or cross the river and run through the grasslands,” Jurchaga explained.

“This is… harsh. But I guess that’s how it is. Lord Rowen, if I were to go to the Pakula territory, would it be possible for me to join in on the demonic beast hunt and receive the head as a reward?”

Bard replied, “In the Tercia family, women are not allowed to carry weapons or stand in front of enemies. No matter how skilled the Viscount may be, as long as there is one Knight of Tercia alive, they will not expose you to the claws and fangs of demonic beasts. If you want the Kashira (head of a demonic beast), write a letter and have Jurchaga deliver it. You’ll receive the demonic beast’s head in two months.”

The head of the demonic beast is kept by the Tercia family as a symbol of honor and is not shown to outsiders. It is rare to find a head in good enough condition to be worth preserving. Bard thought that they would probably do the impossible if he asked, as it was an act of kindness that could not be considered for a newly acquainted foreign noblewoman. However, Bard suspected that this answer was not what the viscount wanted. Without hesitation, Doriatessa replied, “What a kind offer. I’m grateful. However, that won’t do. It’s meaningless if it’s not a demonic beast that I defeated myself. I must at least strike it once to make it my achievement. Moreover, I have to return to the imperial capital within this year. I don’t have time to spend two months on a round trip.”

Then she explained her situation.

8

In the Goriora Empire, there is a princess named Shernelia. She is the youngest of the 14 princes and 11 princesses and is particularly beloved. Shernelia is at the age where she should choose a partner, but due to her love of stories, she secretly wishes to be with a good man if possible. Of course, she knows that as a princess of the empire, she must seek a marriage that is in the best interest of the country and has never expressed her selfish desires. However, the emperor also wants to marry her to a partner who is beneficial to the royal family, and he has held two balls and one garden party to allow the nobles to assess her suitors. However, there has been no one who has touched the princess’s heart. Therefore, the emperor ordered her to attend the Frontier Martial Arts Competition as his representative next April. She may choose a partner from the knights of the Parzam Kingdom. It is not a matter of marrying the princess off to another country. The plan is to establish a new home for the princess within the imperial palace and marry the knight.

Doriatessa is a princess of the Fafarlen Marquisate. Her mother is a concubine of the third rank, but her father loved all his children equally. The marquis’s legal wife was a bride from the royal family, and it was through this connection that Doriatessa was chosen as a schoolmate when Shernelia was born. They actually became schoolmates when Shernelia was three years old and Doriatessa was five. The two became good friends, and at the same time, Doriatessa developed a strong sense of duty to protect the princess.

In the Goriora Empire, there is a position called female officer. It is a position to protect noble ladies in places and situations where only women can accompany them. About 200 years ago, there was a queen who stood on the battlefield and protected the country when the king was bedridden. After the king’s death, the queen supported the country as an empress for several years. Because of this tradition, there is still a culture that allows women to practice martial arts. Doriatessa trained in martial arts and was eventually knighted.

The imperial princess must always be accompanied by at least one knight wherever she goes. Thanks to her favorite Doriatessa becoming a knight, the princess can now go anywhere in the vast palace. Currently, there are four female knights in the Goriora Empire, and the other three are guarding the empresses.

“I have been serving in this way for a long time. I entered the imperial palace at the age of five, became a schoolmate and female officer at the age of twelve, and became a knight at the age of sixteen. And for another three years, I served by her side as a protector.”

“Wait. That means you’re nineteen now!”

Bard was shocked. He had thought she was twenty-two or twenty-three, or maybe even a little older. He praised himself for not showing his surprise. Women don’t like to be seen as old. But there was a man here who was oblivious to such considerations.

“Wow. The princess is nineteen. I thought she was twenty-two or twenty-three. I was really surprised,” said Godon Zarkos, nodding his head.

These idiots, Bard thought, but Jurchaga continued, “Because she has an adult atmosphere, or rather, she’s in full bloom. She’s a really beautiful woman.”

She smiled. It was a pretty good way to wrap things up. Doriatessa continued the conversation without getting angry or embarrassed.

“During that time, nothing happened. I am proud of that. It is a happy thing. But…”

Doriatessa lowered her gaze and her voice.

“Somewhere in my heart, I think I want to offer the victory I grasped with this sword to the princess. I want her to be pleased with something I won with my own strength. Is that presumptuous?”

Bard didn’t answer.

“Even if a female knight is trained, she cannot participate in matches. She cannot go to war. I let slip that I wanted to participate in the Frontiers Martial Arts Competition. The princess heard about it and recommended me as a participant. His Majesty the Emperor received this unprecedented recommendation, but to become a participant, I needed achievements. If I can defeat a demonic beast, that’s an undeniable achievement. I need its head. If the princess’s wedding is decided, I must leave her. This is my first and last chance.”

Bard was extremely unhappy. In the forty-eight years he had served the Tercia family, there were hardly any years when no one died. In the Goriora Empire, there must be a considerable number of knights and soldiers sacrificing their lives. She regretted that she had not had the opportunity to make a name for herself while living in the country’s safest place. To say that she wanted to grasp victory with her own sword was evidence that she did not really understand the value of safety.

First of all, what kind of knight becomes a knight at the age of sixteen while working in the royal palace? Moreover, as a woman. He had never heard such a ridiculous story.

He was so angry that he couldn’t stand it. But suddenly, he wondered why his heart was so restless, and closed his eyes to ask himself why. Then he saw his own heart.

In his heart, there is an image of what a knight should be. There is an ideal image that he have been striving for. If he recognize this woman as a knight, he feel that it will be damaged. There is also anger that she does not understand the gratitude of being protected, even though she is a woman.

But why not put aside whether she is a knight or not, whether she is a man or a woman? The desire to be useful to someone she respect. The desire to seek a sign that she can be satisfied with her own way of life. This young woman has such a heart and is trying to live with that heart. He used to be like that too. He was reckless and selfish. Lady Elzera always recognized him for who he was.

It’s okay. Whether this young person’s ideas are naive or not. Whether this young person is a knight or not. In any case, this young person has come to a point of no return. Even so, betrayed by the allies she believed in, she became alone, and still did not give up, asking where she could hunt demonic beasts. It goes against the way of the knight not to respond to this. Anyway, this young person is still the princess.

When he opened his eyes, everyone was silent and looking at Bard. Bard took a deep breath, exhaled halfway, and said briefly.

“I will assist the Viscount. Let’s find the demonic beast.”

Godon Zarkos barked, “Yeah!” and Jurchaga nodded with a smile. Doriatessa bowed deeply. It was a challenge with low expectations, but it was the best they could do.

But still, he can’t believe his heart is so disturbed. Bard chuckled.