kscans

1

They decided to take the route that bypasses the Bobard territory and leads to the Havel Highway. The Havel Highway is a transportation route created by the lord of Bobard. Originally, it passed through the Great Lord of Yadobalgi territory to deliver Bobard’s specialty products to the Goriora Empire, but it took a long time due to mountains, forests, and rivers, and they were charged with tolls that were like harassment, so they decided to create a road in the northern plains. Although there are difficulties such as the difficulty of supplying water and the appearance of bandits, if you have a horse, you can reach Ova in surprisingly few days. Doriatessa said that she wanted to bypass Bobard because it would be troublesome to pass through and it would be good to continue camping.

It’s a story that is easy to understand if you listen to it. The Bobard lords of generations have longed to be ennobled by the Goriora Empire’s nobles. Now that they have developed sufficient economic power, they want connections no matter what. And then, a high-ranking nobleman’s daughter from the empire suddenly arrived. They will definitely try to keep her and win her favor. Moreover, that daughter is unmarried, in her prime, and a stunning beauty. It’s not hard to imagine what the lord of Bobard is thinking. There was probably some kind of “hospitality” that made Doriatessa fed up on the way there.

Wait a minute. If I were the lord of Bobard, what would I do? They must have heard that the unit that should have escorted Doriatessa has been almost destroyed. That means that some kind of instructions have been given to the nearby villages, and scouts have also been dispatched.

Bard thought so and asked Jurchaga to be careful and move around without attracting attention for a while. He also asked him to buy salt and preferably alcohol without standing out. Jurchaga smiled and showed his swallowing ability. They encountered soldiers patrolling twice, but Jurchaga discovered them quickly, so they were able to pass without being noticed. It’s strange to patrol such a place where there are no villages or people passing by. The target is definitely Doriatessa.

2

“When Princess Shernelia’s marriage is decided, Dora will quit her job at the palace. What will you do after that? Will you get married?”

“Normally, yes. It’s rare for someone my age to not even have a fiancé. But my father has allowed me to leave home. That’s the implication of letting me inherit the viscountcy. I want to be someone who stands on my own.”

“Does that mean you won’t get married?”

“No, it doesn’t mean that. On the contrary, I must marry to rule the viscountcy. Women can become lords in our country, but it’s just a formality. The head of the family must be a man. Women cannot negotiate with other nobles or merchants. However, the range of freedom that I can have between marrying into another family and welcoming a husband to my family is quite different. Well, I have to get married anyway, but there is currently no eligible husband.”

“What? Even though you’re so kind and considerate? The men in Dora’s country have no eyes. If you want, should I be your bride?”

“Ha ha ha ha. That would be appreciated. I’ll count on you then. No, it’s not like we haven’t talked about it before.”

Bard was impressed by Jurchaga’s bold question. This man’s strength is that he doesn’t feel any malice at all. It’s helping with information gathering.

“Anyway, I was impressed by Bard’s archery skills. I never thought he could catch fish with a bow.”

“This fish is delicious. It’s fatty and delicious. Do you know, Dora?”

“What?”

“Master Bard has a food virtue.”

“Food virtue? What is that?”

“Wherever master Bard goes, there is delicious food. There are rare fish in a shop he happened to stop by. The owner of the shop he brought ingredients to happened to be a master chef. It happened to be the best time to eat that dish. Anyway, when you’re with him, you can eat delicious food. Nice guys gather around him. Eating with fun friends is really special.”

“Food virtue, huh? That’s good. Yeah. That’s good. Eating with everyone is really delicious. I’ve always wanted to travel with everyone.”

Bard was startled as he listened. Does Jurchaga know? He thought for a moment, but it doesn’t seem like it. Godon Zarkos next to him nodded as if he agreed.

“Wow! This journey is great! It’s the best! Wahahaha!”

Karz remained expressionless as he bit into the back of a fish, steam rising from it. While observing everyone’s relaxed state, Bard thought to himself.

“I can understand the desire to be independent as an individual. However, there is a role to play as a high-ranking noble’s daughter. The battlefield for women is different from that of men. Despite this, her father is cooperating with her leaving home. There must be something going on. It’s strange that such a great marriage proposal for his daughter hasn’t been settled.”

As the group continued their journey, they arrived at the edge of a mountainous area. Below them was a vast plain, with the faint outline of the Great Ova there. To the west, there was a rich forest where the territory of the Great Lord of Yadobalgi was located.

However, what caught the group’s attention was not the plain or the Ova. All five of them were looking to their right, at the end of the seemingly endless plain. Beyond the horizon, where the forests and hills disappeared, a giant made of earth was peeking out.

It was the Holy Mountain Fyuza.

Its grandeur was truly awe-inspiring. Even from this distance, Bard couldn’t capture the full extent of its base, but its size was still incredible. The mountain’s slopes were tinged with blue and white, and three clouds hung over it. Its peak, overlooking the clouds, was adorned with white snow and was divine and beautiful.

All mountains and rivers are the work of the gods. The earth god Ketcha-Li raises the land and hardens the rocks, the wind god Sochiera blows the trees, the sun god Korama gives warmth, and the water god Iesa-Lusa makes rain and creates rivers to nourish the earth. All living things depend on the gods’ daily sustenance.

However, this beautiful and terrifying mountain was not the work of the gods, but a god in itself. That’s the only way to think of it. It would protect you if you clung to it, but if you angered it, it could destroy entire countries. Are the souls of people from various countries flying into those clouds?

Bard realized he had been shedding tears without realizing it. While still moved, he picked some Soy bamboo leaves from the ground and put them in his pocket.

3

As they continued their journey, they practiced their swordsmanship. Fortunately, they still had plenty of time. Bard still didn’t fully understand the significance of a woman participating in a martial arts tournament and winning, but he knew that Doriatessa was undoubtedly a gifted swordsman. She had put in the maximum effort in her sword training.

“Well, in the end, Dora wants to win both the rapier and overall categories.”

“Yes. I will dedicate that victory to the princess. Also, in the overall category, the winner traditionally receives a reward from the host of the opposing side. I want that reward.”

“Are you going to receive a gift?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Then, are you going to make a wish?”

Doriatessa blinked and looked at Jurchaga.

“…Jurchaga. You’re sharp.”

“Huh? Really? Do you think so? Hehe.”

A wish. What was Doriatessa’s wish for the host of the Parzam Kingdom?

4

They entered the Havel Highway. The group rode their horses in the order of Bard, Doriatessa, Godon, and Karz. While they could only move at a slow pace on the mountain road, they were now moving at a speed close to a gallop. Jurchaga led the way, sometimes observing the surroundings from the side or behind. It must have been tough to keep up with the horses’ speed, but he didn’t show any signs of fatigue. His feet moved quickly, but it looked like he was walking. It was strange. He didn’t make any noise and talked to everyone with a happy expression, moving from Doriatessa’s side to Bard’s side. The atmosphere was pleasant.

Doriatessa’s equipment was of the highest quality, so anyone who saw the group would think of them as the Silver Knight and her retainers. Bard, Godon, and Karz wore matching cloaks. Jurchaga gave the cloak he received from the first lord of Krasuk to Karz.

“Here’s a gift from big brother to little brother!” Jurchaga proudly exclaimed as he presented the cloak to Karz. Jurchaga always kept himself light on his feet, likely to maintain his greatest weapon: mobility. Even a cloak was a hindrance to Jurchaga. Karz silently accepted the cloak and has been using it ever since.

In return, Jurchaga had loaded Karz’ horse with herbs he had found in the mountains. Jurchaga was knowledgeable enough about herbs to not cause any problems, like Bard. Speaking of which, Jurchaga was originally a thief who used paralyzing drugs. He usually only carried the bare minimum of herbs, but apparently there were many valuable herbs in those mountains.

Two knights came galloping from behind. They were fast, not just trotting but racing. They couldn’t keep up that speed forever, so they must have found Bard and the others and sped up. There was no place to hide nearby, so Bard slowed down a bit. If things got dangerous, they could just run away. For that reason, they should conserve their horses’ energy for now. Then, Doriatessa shouted loudly.

“That’s the battle coat of the Duke pf Fafarlen! Sir Bard, they’re allies!”

The two knights quickly caught up to Bard and the others. They dismounted and ran over to Doriatessa, kneeling and expressing their relief at her safety. They explained how they ended up there and delivered Doriatessa’s letter to the Duke himself. After reading the letter, the Duke was shocked and asked for more details from the knights. His eldest son, Arflaburnee, was furious and immediately prepared to attack the Vodres family. The Duke scolded Arflaburnee and told him that his job was to rescue Doriatessa. The Duke and his second son went to the imperial palace to report the situation. They heard that the envoy and the second son had gone to the Vodres family, but Bard and the others left before hearing the results.

Arflaburnee was in Bobard, but they couldn’t go there without meeting the lord of Bobard. Doriatessa didn’t like that idea. The knights understood and took a nearby village to stay in. One of the knights ran to deliver a message. The next morning, Arflaburnee arrived just as breakfast was ending.

“Dory! Doriatessa!! Are you okay? Are you safe? Thank goodness!”

The knight, wearing a well-made armor, dismounted and ran to embrace Doriatessa.

“Oh, brother. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m safe. It’s all thanks to Sir Bard Rowen and them.”

The knight finally let go of Doriatessa and turned to Bard.

“You must be Lord Bard Rowen. I am Arflaburnee, heir to the Fafarlen Duke and Count of Tilgeli. I heard from Knight Heridan. I am grateful. This is how it should be.”

Arflaburnee then clenched his right fist and placed it on his left chest, kneeling on his right knee. It was an unimaginable gesture of respect. This act alone showed how much he loved his sister.

Bard liked this man. It’s hard to dislike someone who speaks their mind so honestly. Plus, this man was quite skilled. Bard had thought that nobles in the capital were all weaklings, but this man exuded the aura of a warrior.

After thanking Bard and the others, Arflaburnee turned to Doriatessa.

“Alright, now you must be satisfied. Let’s go back to the country,” he said. Doriatessa reported to her brother that she had taken the head of the demonic beast. Her brother didn’t believe her, but when Bard pulled out the head of the Giant Red Bear from the bag and Godon Zarkos opened the fur to show it, he was speechless.

There seemed to be a knight in the group who could appraise demonic beasts, and after cutting and pulling with a small knife, he reported that there was no mistake in the head of the demonic beast. The audience was filled with astonishment. Bard offered to testify with Godon Zarkos. Arflaburnee nodded and had two high-ranking knights swear and listen to their testimony. After swearing to their respective gods, Bard and Godon testified that they had defeated this Giant Red Bear demonic beast with Doriatessa and that she had fought bravely and suffered a deep wound to her side. The testimony was then conveyed to the imperial palace and was considered valid without a doubt.

Bard felt relieved that the burden on his shoulders had been lifted. He had expected the Fafarlen family to send a search party for Doriatessa, but if you read between the lines and see that no knights from the Fafarlen family accompanied her on the demonic beast hunt, it was also possible that Doriatessa was being avoided by the powerful members of the Fafarlen family. However, if you look at the behavior of Arflaburnee, the eldest son and heir of the family, there is no doubt that he has deep affection for Doriatessa. Therefore, they were able to fulfill their duty of testifying to the demonic beast hunt, and there was no need for Bard and his companions to go to the Goriora Empire anymore. In fact, Bard didn’t want to go to the capital of a large country.

However, when he said he wanted to part ways here, Arflaburnee strongly opposed it. He wanted them to come to the capital and receive the courtesy of his father, the Marquis. Bard was about to refuse, but he looked into Doriatessa’s eyes. She was looking at him with pleading eyes, as if she wanted him to come with her.

Hmm. He was already protected by her brother and his knights, so there shouldn’t be any more worries. Why was she still afraid?

He thought suspiciously, but for now, he answered that he would accompany them until they reached a calm place.

“Lord Rowen, this monster was defeated by you all while trying to save my sister. May I have its head? What are your plans for the fur?” asked Arflaburne. He replied that the head rightfully belongs to Princess Doriatessa, but they will take the fur. Arflaburne then requested that they give him the fur as it is a symbol of his beloved sister’s bravery and he wants to keep it as a family treasure. Bard had plans to use the fur to make leather armor for Karz and Godon, so he was hesitant to agree. However, after discussing with their group, we decided to sell it to him at a fair price proposed by Jurchaga. Arflaburne was surprised to see three common-looking young men talking to knights as equals, but he was grateful to Jurchaga for helping him obtain the fur. Jurchaga, as always, smiled and greeted them, but also added that he would appreciate it if they paid him the agreed-upon price.

5

The smell of the wind blowing through was different. It was unlike any other wind he had ever smelled before. It was vivid yet somewhat pungent. Even though it was open, it felt like it was wrapped in something.

Bard was on a sailboat crossing the great river Ova in the morning mist. He had never been on a boat other than a log raft carried by a stream, so it was a very fresh experience for him. The journey from Linz would take three days and two nights, but the river narrowed in this area, so it could be completed in just one day if the wind was favorable. He took out two bamboo leaves from his pocket and dropped them onto the river surface.

Arflaburne had brought thirty knights and thirty squires with him. Their equipment was top-notch, and their training was excellent. One might wonder which fortress they were planning to attack. However, there were no foot soldiers or supply wagons. It was probably because they valued mobility.

The group, which had been searching for Princess Doriatessa separately, gathered in the port of Himaya along the Ova River after receiving a message. Himaya was a small port compared to Linz, but it had excellent inns and was bustling with people. Although there was no boat that could accommodate all of them and their horses at once, they could still be transported in just two trips. The boat itself was large, and there was no need for food or lodging facilities, so many people could board it. They must have spent a lot of money because the group quickly boarded the boat and set off without waiting.

As the sun rose, the great mountain Fyuza appeared in the distance beyond the Ova River. Fyuza seen through the water was also a sight to behold.

Doriatessa was standing at the edge of the boat, gazing at the scenery without getting bored. However, her gaze was not directed towards Fyuza, but towards the east. She was looking at it with eyes full of joy and sorrow. Bard thought she was probably looking at the waterfall basin. Of course, it was impossible to see it from here. Nevertheless, the basin was probably reflected in Doriatessa’s eyes. It was a strange place where Doriatessa, a noble daughter of a great country, Godon, a local lord, Bard and Karz, both wandering knights, and Jurchaga, a thief, could all be friends without any barriers. It was a place of peace, joy, and surprise, as if embraced by the gods. They could never return to that place again. The moment Doriatessa was greeted by her brother, she returned to her original status. She had returned to being a mere mortal. Therefore, she probably looked back at that place with infinite gratitude and longing.

Arflaburne was watching Doriatessa from a distance. It was not the gaze of a brother looking at his sister. It was the gaze of a man who had fallen in love with a woman at the risk of his life. He did not even try to hide his gaze.

Bard learned in the past few days that Arflaburne loved Doriatessa as a woman. However, Doriatessa felt disgust towards her brother’s love, who was also her father’s son, even though they had different mothers. No priest would ever approve of their marriage, even if they had different mothers but the same father. Society would not accept their relationship as legitimate. It was well-known that Emperor Goriora, who lived a few generations ago, loved his sister and made their child the heir to the throne, but he was killed in a rebellion by powerful nobles just half a year after ascending the throne. The imperial line was almost extinguished.

If Doriatessa surrendered herself to her brother’s love, she would have to walk in the shadows. However, Arflaburne had the power, wealth, and determination to protect Doriatessa’s peace of mind. Arflaburne, who expressed his love for his sister with his whole body, without hiding it from anyone, looked dazzling to Bard. It was also a heroic way of life to pursue an impossible love. Bard himself could not live that way. Therefore, he felt like supporting those who wished for it. However, Doriatessa did not want it, at least not in Bard’s eyes. Upon realizing this, many things that he had previously found suspicious suddenly made sense.

Jurchaga was eating something while gazing at the smoke over the water. Bard felt a small anger and approached him.

“Hey, Jurchaga. You still have some oil-boiled food, don’t you?”

“Huh? No way, master. This is just bones with no meat left on them. There was a little bit of salt left on the bamboo leaves they were wrapped in, so I stuck them together and sucked on them. It’s delicious.”

Jurchaga and Bard had stayed at different inns and ate at different places, so they didn’t meet until they got on the ship. After setting sail, Jurchaga offered Bard some diced pod potatoes and bone-in Colcordur meat.

Although they were cold, they smelled appetizing. Bard was surprised when he tasted them. They were incredibly delicious, and he felt like he had tasted them before, even though he hadn’t. When he asked how they were cooked, he was shocked again to learn that they were boiled in oil instead of water.

Oil was a precious commodity in the frontiers. It had many uses, including maintaining weapons and various tools, lighting, medicine, and treating wounds. While Linz used oil extracted from fish, the oil Bard was familiar with was all extracted from trees and plants. They used torches for lighting indoors as much as possible to conserve oil, and if they could avoid using it, they did.

Although oil was used in cooking, using oil instead of water to boil food was a luxury. Bard had drunk sheep fat boiled in the winter at the fortress, but he had never thought of boiling food in oil. It must have been made with fresh, high-quality oil without any additives.

“Oh, come on. You saw Bobard from the pass, right? The yellow carpet of flowers? Those are Chalia flowers. Bobard is a major producer of Chalia, so they have a lot of Chalia oil. Even commoners can buy oil cheaply there, so there are many dishes that use a lot of oil. Of course, there’s plenty of oil in this port too. I bought this from a street vendor. It was incredibly delicious when it was hot.”

The more Bard ate, the more delicious it became. The potatoes were probably just salted, but they were delicious. The Colcordur meat had been marinated in some kind of sauce before being boiled in oil, and it had an unknown flavor. Damn it, Jurchaga. He was eating such delicious food alone. But why didn’t such delicious food appear in their cooking?

“Well, you see, boiling food in oil is a common dish around here. Also, the inn didn’t have high-quality oil for guest dishes, according to the knight who said so.”

If Bard hadn’t heard that oil-boiled food was also available in the Goriora Empire, he would have returned to Bobard.

Doriatessa turned around and looked at them. She had taken a leisurely bath in Himaya and put oil in her hair. She had also applied makeup and put on lipstick. Her sharp chin, beautiful eyes and nose, and masculine attire accentuated her feminine beauty.

Bard’s heart fluttered when he saw her. He wondered why.

6

A strong wind blew. The wind pulled her hair out of her hairpin, and only the right half of her hair flowed forward. The fragrant scent exploded for a moment.

Something bad had happened. Count Arflaburne had forcibly commissioned a ship with money and power, but as a result, the oil barrels that were supposed to be transported from Himaya were three days late. The buyer of those oil barrels was the frontier knights of the Parzam Kingdom. They sent their subordinates to apologize, but it turned out that the knight commander himself had come. The other party was a count, a frontier knight commander, and the full proxy of the Marquis of Gadusha frontier who was absent in the capital. In other words, the count and the other party had the same title, but the other party’s position was much higher. He had come for an inspection as the newly appointed knight commander.

Count Arflaburne had to visit the other party to apologize himself. Bard knew the face of the other party. The other party also remembered him and spoke to him.

“Lord Bard Rowen! To meet you here is truly the guidance of the Star God (Zaien).”

It was Seifert Bowen, a skilled knight who had once accompanied the envoy of King Parzam. Bard had treated the envoy’s illness, which led to their friendship. They were also comrades who had conspired against Caldos Gwendell.

However, it was quite rude for Seifert to speak to Bard before Count Arflaburne. Bard thought this, but of course, Seifert was not a careless person. After exchanging greetings with Arflaburne and discreetly mentioning the delay of the oil,

“Thanks to that, my subordinates were able to enjoy a three-day vacation.”

Seifert forgave the other party and asked if it was okay to inquire about Bard Rowen’s presence. Arflaburne replied that he would like to entertain him in the imperial capital as a guest of honor due to his sister’s benefactor. Seifert then said something surprising.

“The guidance counselor and master of the one who has become the lord of the Hien Palace, Bard Rowen, has made a great contribution to our country. Therefore, His Majesty the King has ordered Bard Rowen to be invited to the capital as a guest of honor. We heard that he had gone on a wandering journey towards Fyuza, so we began making arrangements to search for him. We apologize for taking away your guest, but due to the imperial decree, Bard Rowen will be guided here.”

With that said, Arflaburne had no choice but to accept it. He had no way to object to Bard’s actions. Bard and his companions accompanied Seifert. First, they went to the root of the Parzam Kingdom’s frontier knights, the Lordvan Castle, to contact the capital. Later, he learned that the Hien Palace was the residence of the king’s heir. If he was officially crowned, the same palace would be called the Shien Palace. Julelan was currently living there.

“I thought you were not an ordinary person, but he were someone who was entrusted with the guidance of the king’s eldest son and the oath of a knight. It’s a shame to say goodbye here. When your business is done, be sure to visit the Marquis of Fafarlen’s house in the imperial capital. It’s a must. The fur payment will be delivered to the frontier marquis’s castle.”

Arflaburne said to Bard. He didn’t really want to meet the high-ranking nobles in the imperial capital of Goriora, but it wasn’t a bad idea to visit the capital of the Parzam Kingdom to check on Julelan’s situation. Therefore, it was okay to part ways with Arflaburne and his group, but Doriatessa was looking at Bard with a sad expression.

“Are you abandoning me?” her gaze seemed to say.

Feeling a lump in his chest, Bard blurted out,

“Lord Doriatessa. I will allow Jurchaga to accompany you. If you have any messages, please tell Jurchaga.”

Doriatessa’s face shone brightly. Jurchaga nodded as if to say he understood.

7

“Hey there. It’s delightful to be able to share a drink with Bard once again. Lord Zarkos and Lord Karz, please don’t hesitate to raise your glasses. It’s been a while since we parted by the lake. After that, I went to Gwendell Castle, and everything went exactly as Bard predicted. If I had gone there without knowing anything, I would have died. You are my benefactor.”

Bard asked about what happened to Lord Caldos, who was apparently invited to the capital. Seifert explained the details.

Caldos Gwendell was summoned to the capital and given the title of Count and a mansion as a reward for the favor he once did for the Wendelland King. He was to stay in the capital as the King’s conversation partner for the time being, which meant until he died, and he was not allowed to leave the mansion. On the other hand, the establishment of the Jiguenza Lordship was officially recognized, and a protection agreement was signed with the Parzam Kingdom. However, the Gwendell family was unable to take the position of the Lordship due to the crime of setting up a fake heir to the King’s eldest son. Caldos’s eldest son, Zeon, was sentenced to death. The Gwendell family was required to return the embezzled child support for the next thirty years.

At first, the Wendelland King intended to give the Lordship to the Tercia family. However, when he consulted with Prince Julelant, he was advised that it was not appropriate. According to Prince Julelant, with the extra burden, it could interfere with the duty of guarding the Great Barrier. Also, if the Tercia family had political power, it would be an obstacle to their mission in the long run. The King deeply agreed with this opinion and asked who would be suitable for the Lordship.

Prince Julelant suggested that the Nora family would be appropriate. The Nora family is a famous family that has been competing with the Gwendell family for the Lordship for many years. Most of the family, including the head, were killed by the Gwendell family, but the youngest son escaped to Pakula and was secretly sheltered by Prince Julelant’s advice. It is a suitable family for the Lordship in terms of family status and historical background, and they have many relatives and friends. If they were appointed as the Lordship in this situation, their loyalty to the Parzam Kingdom would be strong, and they would feel a strong sense of gratitude to the Tercia family. The surrounding families would also learn more about the nobility of the Tercia family. In this matter, the Tercia family would gain the greatest benefit by not gaining any benefit.

Upon hearing this, the King laughed heartily and called three knights to carry out the punishment in the eastern frontier according to Prince Julelant’s instructions.

Bard was suspicious of Seifert calling Julelan “Julelant.” This is a unique custom of the Parzam royal family, where only male names ending in “Ran” or “En” have “To” added to the end when called. (t/n: he is Juururan, Seifert called him Juururanto)

Prince Julelant was said to have a quick understanding and high adaptability. He used his excellent educators well to blend in and gain trust and familiarity with those around him, behaving as if he had been in the palace since birth.

That’s why he’s Julelan.

Bard felt extremely proud.