kscans

1

“Things are getting interesting,” were the first words Barry Toad greeted Bard with. He had noticed the cheerful atmosphere in the royal capital. The city was buzzing with the news of Julelan’s victory. Rumors were circulating that Julelan had outsmarted the enemy’s strategy. The cities of Fargo and Ezite had surrendered, and contracts were made under conditions more favorable to the royal family than before the rebellion. This meant wealth was flowing into the royal capital, so it was only natural for the citizens to praise the warrior prince. Julelan had not yet returned to the capital. It was understandable that it would take time to clean up after conquering two large cities.

“Indeed, we have won the war, but our losses are also significant. We have lost two generals. The cheerful atmosphere in the capital is thanks to Lady Doriatessa.”

Doriatessa had arrived in the royal capital of Parzam two weeks ago. Her arrival was unusually swift, just two days after the return of the special envoy who had requested her dispatch in conjunction with the marriage proposal to Shernelia.

Moreover, her entourage was impressive. Count Manoust Falkenburn Fafarlen, the Foreign Lord, was the second-ranked official in charge of Goriora Empire’s diplomacy. Known as the living dictionary of diplomacy, his reputation even echoed in the court of Parzam, which had little interaction with him. He was the younger brother of Doriatessa’s father, the Marquis.

The entourage was unusually large for a single knight. However, Count Manoust was not just accompanying her. It was a demonstration of the Emperor’s intention to value diplomatic relations with Parzam. Also, while the formal response would come later, it could be interpreted as a de facto acceptance of the marriage.

The two major powers of the central plains were joining hands. The crown prince was welcoming his bride. It was no wonder the atmosphere in the capital was bright.

“The commotion since Lady Doriatessa’s arrival has been quite something.”

With the king bedridden and the crown prince on an expedition, the available responses were limited. To entertain this special guest, Parzam held a ball. The ballroom was the best place for interaction. The influential nobles tried to win the acquaintance of Count Manoust and extract as much information as possible. Of course, they would also gain considerable information. Moreover, the visit of a beautiful princess from one of the most prestigious families in the Goriora Empire, who also happened to be a wealthy landowner with her own viscount territory, had the young single nobles of the capital all aflutter.

Therefore, the shock when Doriatessa appeared at the ball was indescribable. She was dressed as a man. Rather than dressing as a man, it was her formal attire. In other words, in the Goriora Empire, the formal attire for female officers is armor, and when attending a ball, they wear formal military uniforms appropriate to their rank and duties. Since these are men’s uniforms adjusted for women, they naturally look like men’s clothing. Moreover, Doriatessa, being a knight and an officer, a daughter of a marquis, and a viscountess, wore the highest-ranking formal uniform. The deep navy fabric adorned with gold and silver decorative cords, the dignified shine of the turned-back sleeves, and even the sound of her boots were said to be chic.

This custom of the Goriora Empire was known in the royal palace of Parzam. However, because it was such an unfamiliar custom, they did not think it would apply in this case. No one had thought that a noble princess might appear at a ball dressed as a man. The young nobles, who had been jockeying for position to ask her to dance, were simply stunned.

After Doriatessa and Count Manoust made their entrance, the first concubine, who was the hostess, entered. Upon learning of Idora’s death, King Wendelland declared that he would mourn for a year and would not take a wife during that time. After a year passed last October, he decided to take three concubines from influential noble families. It is said that one of them will be chosen as the queen.

After a brief greeting from the first concubine, Doriatessa, guided by the hostess, greeted the hostess and the high-ranking nobles. Technically, Doriatessa is just a guide for female officers, so this treatment is overly polite, but as long as Count Manoust maintains his position as Doriatessa’s companion, representing the Emperor in essence, this is the only way to do it.

Then, it was time for the dance.

As the guest of honor at this ball, Doriatessa had to dance first. Count Manoust showed his tact by choosing a harmless partner and suggesting to Doriatessa that she ask the princess to dance. Doriatessa asked the princess to dance with perfect manners. The princess, though confused, extended her right hand in acceptance. Doriatessa kissed her hand and led the princess to the center of the room. Doriatessa was tall for a woman. Her hair, which had been cut short once, had grown a little, but it was not long enough to hang down or tie up, and it looked more like a man’s hairstyle. Dressed in a military uniform and standing tall, her beauty and strength surpassed any young nobleman.

As the musicians began to play and the hall filled with music, Doriatessa led the princess in a slow, gliding dance. As someone who had devoted herself to the martial arts, Doriatessa had good movement and rhythm. Her dance was not flashy with intricate techniques, but sincere and straightforward, just like her personality. Yet, it had an indescribable charm. She led the steps without hesitation, but also took great care of her partner. The applause that erupted when the dance ended was undoubtedly heartfelt.

With the first dance over, everyone was free to dance. However, no one moved. They were curious about who Doriatessa would dance with next. After a considerable amount of time had passed, a princess stepped forward, introduced herself to Doriatessa, and slightly lowered her waist. It was a sign of her intention to ask for a dance. In this country, it is considered somewhat indecent for a woman to make the first move. Especially since the ball had just begun, and her partner was a woman dressed as a man who was the center of attention in the hall. Barry Toad had known this princess for some time and thought she was rather shy. She must have mustered all her courage. He didn’t know what had driven her to this point. Doriatessa looked a little troubled, but she asked the princess to dance.

From that moment, the commotion began. The princesses who had been watching came to Doriatessa one after another and started to appeal to her. Doriatessa was completely surrounded by beautiful princesses. Count Manoust had retreated to a safe place and was watching his beloved niece with a smile.

That night, Doriatessa stole the hearts of the princesses of Parzam.

2

“Lady Doriatessa has been inundated with invitations to balls from various noble families. As for Count Manoust, instead of focusing on diplomatic activities, he spends his days touring the famous sights of the royal capital.”

It had been rumored that a female officer from the Goriora Empire would be dispatched to guide the newly established female officers. The guide was said to be a female knight who had won the overall championship at the Frontier Martial Art Tournament, leading some to speculate that she must be a monstrous woman. Either way, she was perceived as a side dish to the marriage between the royal families of the two major countries. Unlike the flashy martial arts tournaments in the royal capital and major cities, the Frontier Martial Art Tournament received less attention.

However, this Frontier Martial Art Tournament had attracted attention because of the fact that Chantillion had lost. After all, he was a young nobleman who had won the rapier division of seven martial arts tournaments since being knighted at the tender age of eighteen, and had made a name for himself as a genius. Most people didn’t really believe that Chantillion had lost. When they heard that his opponent was a female knight, they thought it was only natural that Chantillion couldn’t hit her.

“Ah, I forgot to mention. Assistant Priests Coolie and Shimmer asked me to send their regards. With the money you donated, they were able to replace a lot of old equipment with new ones. They also bought a lot of stationery for the children.”

Assistant Priests Coolie and Shimmer were priests working at the temple in the Lower Town, which Barry Toad was in charge of. They also took care of the orphanage run by the temple. Bard had visited this orphanage several times since coming to the royal capital and had become friendly with the children. He often made donations and other contributions, and before this expedition, he had donated most of the gold he had received as preparation money from the royal palace. Bard didn’t have a family to support or a house to maintain, so he didn’t need a lot of money.

While Barry Toad was talking, Chantillion came to visit. The day before yesterday, upon arriving at the royal capital, Bard left the reporting to the relevant departments to Chantillion and took a rest at the Toad residence to wash off the grime of travel. There was no need for him at the palace without Julelan. Barry Toad, who greeted Chantillion with a smile, had prepared an array of exquisite sweets and tea.

The Toad residence was under the care of Barry Toad. The investigation of Count Zenburji was over, and they were now waiting for Julelan’s judgment. Until the treatment was clear, the important people of this mansion were under house arrest. The main house was closed, and the count’s family was living quietly in the annex. The upper servants were treated as suspects and were forbidden to leave the mansion. The number of lower servants had been significantly reduced. Even if the house was allowed to continue, most of the territorial property would be confiscated by the country. They couldn’t afford any extra expenses now.

However, the guest house was different. Bard was a guest of the king, and his expenses were paid from the national treasury. For the servants, they would want Bard to invite more guests. That would increase their work, bring more vitality, and enrich the ingredients for their meals.

Barry Toad and Chantillion had traveled together to the frontier two years ago and had a very relaxed relationship. Their conversation was lively.

After a while, tea and sweets were served. The tea in this house was incredibly diverse. Even the regular tea leaves had several flavors imported from the south. The tea made by roasting and brewing grains and nuts was also rich in variety. Today’s tea was black. Pitch black. A very rich aroma rose from it. It had a strong taste, but once you got used to it, you couldn’t stop. When you sip the hot tea, a rich flavor spreads in the mouth, like a distilled liquor that has been aged for many years.

Now, what about the sweets? Oh! Kamler, he had outdone himself.

The sweets were a soft cake with three layers of sponge, filled with fresh cream and crushed nuts, and the beautifully decorated top was adorned with a variety of beautifully colored fruits. It’s a mystery how such a stern face could come up with such a cute arrangement. But the sweets were innocent. Bard enjoyed their taste to the fullest.

Bard thanked Chantillion for taking the time to visit him. He was supposed to be busy, and he shouldn’t have had time to spare for him. As for Bard, as soon as Julelan returned, he would step down from the general’s seat and leave this country. He had no intention of meeting the weakened King Wendelland due to illness. He was planning to spend his days visiting food stalls. However, even when he told Chantillion this, Chantillion didn’t leave. It seemed he was worried about Bard, who had no friends in the royal capital. He was a very dutiful man, even though there was no need to accompany an old man like him. Barry Toad, who had business at the palace, apologized to the two of them and left the mansion.

On his way out, he asked about Kamler’s place of service. It seemed difficult. The servants probably won’t be charged with a crime. However, if they hire someone who was a senior servant in the mansion of the attempted assassin of the crown prince, they could be treated as accomplices to the rebels. There probably aren’t any nobles who would willingly welcome Kamler. Moreover, before being employed here, Kamler had angered several mansion owners. But Kamler’s knowledge and skills can only be utilized in a noble’s house.

Like other senior servants, he should be able to retire comfortably, but he can’t. That’s because Kamler has poured all his salary into researching ingredients. He’s a fool. A big fool. He thought about asking Chantillion for help, but decided against it after a little thought. His position should be delicate as he just moved to the Argolide main house. He can’t force him. Speaking of Chantillion, he’s been fidgety for a while now. If he has something to do, he should go home, but he doesn’t seem to want to leave even when he’s offered water. (t/n: the sentence explain that the host is showing hospitality and consideration to chanty by offering water, but he’s not taking the opportunity to leave despite the gesture)

While they were doing this, a visitor arrived. It was Doriatessa.

2

“Lord Bard Rowen. Congratulations on your appointment as the Grand General of the Parzam Royal Army.”

After greeting Bard and Chantillion, the first thing Doriatessa said was a congratulation on his appointment as a general. He was planning to resign as a general immediately, but he couldn’t mention a personnel change that hadn’t been announced yet, so Bard gave a vague answer. When he told her that she could speak as before because she was using unusually formal language, she got angry and said she couldn’t do that to someone who had risen to the position of head of the royal army. Doriatessa, who had taken off her sword and sat in a chair, asked if Karz and Jurchaga were absent. When he said that they were currently accompanying the crown prince on his expedition,

“Eh? So, have Lord Karz and Jurchaga served in the Parzam Kingdom?”

She showed a great surprise. Bard answered that they were not particularly serving, but temporarily serving by his side, and they would return to him after the expedition, and asked how Doriatessa’s work was going.

“Well, nothing has started yet. I’m supposed to guide three people. There are five candidates, but until the Crown Prince returns and makes his selection, there’s nothing for me to do.”

When he asked if she was busy because she seemed to have a lot of invitations to evening parties, she frowned and looked troubled.

“Did you hear about it? Even in my country, nobles love evening parties, but the people in this country love them even more.”

She thought she would be done if she danced with one person at the ball at the palace. However, unexpectedly, she was asked to dance by many princesses, and she didn’t know who to refuse, so she ended up dancing with all the princesses. Thanks to that, she was spared the trouble of exchanging words with unknown nobles, but she was hungry and tired, and it was terrible. She said she hated evening parties in the first place, so she was refusing all offers. She said she couldn’t do anything arbitrary until the crown prince returned and she officially took up her post.

“By the way, I was surprised to see Lord Chantillion here. When did you become friends?”

When she asked a straightforward question that was very much like Doriatessa, he explained that they had known each other since before the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament, and that they had accepted a mission and traveled together for about three months. He was vague in his explanation because he wasn’t sure how much of the content he could talk about, but Chantillion filled in the gaps.

“I would like to keep this confidential, but the forts in the north were attacked by a large number of demonic beasts. I accompanied Lord Bard, the general of the central army, and together we defeated many demonic beasts. Then we traveled around several villages in the south, investigated the people’s sentiments, and punished the villains.”

Doriatessa was very interested and asked various questions about the details. Chantillion explained in a way that generally made the events understandable, while omitting specific place names and people’s names.

“Oh, what a thing. There’s always an adventure around Lord Bard. There’s justice, and there’s a noble aspiration. Lord Chantillion. I, too, consider it a lifetime fortune and gratitude to have been saved and guided by Lord Bard.”

“I know, Lady Doriatessa. A man named Jurchaga told me about the adventure, and someone related to my family told me in detail.”

After that, the two of them got very excited talking about travel and adventure. When Doriatessa found out that there were records of Bard’s adventures at Chantillion’s place, she wanted a copy, but Bard sealed the topic with a cough and a glance. Also, when they found out that both their swords were magic swords, they showed each other the “Night Maiden” and the “Pale Lady” and admired the beauty of each other’s swords. When Bard asked if she hadn’t returned the “Night Maiden” to her house.

“I did return it once, but when my assignment to Parzam was decided, my brother gave it to me again. He said if there’s a rascal, cut him with this.”

That was her answer. For some reason, Chantillion made a slightly strained face and stammered, asking Doriatessa if she would accept a dress as a gift. Doriatessa, who looked surprised for a moment, declined, saying that she had no intention of attending evening parties in a dress while she was in this country, and it would be a waste. Hearing this, Chantillion seemed disappointed.

And he thought. Come to think of it, when he talked about Doriatessa before, Chantillion’s reaction was too good. Could it be that it was not the joy of meeting a worthy opponent, but the joy of meeting a woman who makes his heart flutter? He had come to visit today and was strangely dawdling.

However, Bard couldn’t fully believe in his own thoughts. Bard was known for his dullness when it came to the subtleties between men and women. In his youth, he had been asked to mediate in matters of love, but for some reason, things never went well when Bard got involved. Eventually, he earned the nickname “The Man Who Ruins Love,” much to his indignation. Despite his efforts to mediate, he consistently failed. In the end, he had no choice but to acknowledge his own insensitivity towards matters of love.

3

The conversation was in full bloom, so he suggested that they should have dinner. Dinner was prepared as if it had been planned in advance. The main dish was a fish dish. Perhaps because there were guests, a servant made a point of announcing.

“This is Daikez grilled in Bouille (milk oil).”

The dishes were served on plates, a unique practice in this house, or rather, a Kamler-style. Normally, the food is brought to the table in a large dish or pot, and the host serves the main guest. Here, the food is served on plates, beautifully garnished with an appropriate sauce and side dishes, and brought to the dining room. To avoid interfering with the running servants carrying the plates, those without business are forbidden from entering the corridor during dinner time. The servants, who serve the food, are even trained to run without spilling the food. This is because Kamler believes in “serving warm dishes while they are warm, and cold dishes while they are cold.” It is said among the servants that if you can handle serving here, serving in the army would be a breeze.

However, serving Daikez grilled in Bouille is rather disrespectful. Daikez is a bland white fish, not the kind of ingredient you would serve to important guests. Moreover, in this house, they always use Bouille when grilling in a flat pan, which is like declaring that they are cutting corners tonight. Annoyed, Bard took a bite of the dish.

What is this?

Spices exploded in his mouth. It was a grand performance of bold flavors and stimulation. He scraped off the sauce on top of the dish with a knife to see what state the Daikez was in. The surface of the Daikez fillet was completely covered with spices. He had known for a long time that Kamler was adept at using a wide variety of spices. He was surprised to learn that there were so many types of spices. The surface of this fish was densely rubbed with a terrifying variety of spices. Then, flour was sprinkled on top and it was grilled. Not only the bottom of the fillet, but also the top was nicely grilled. He had once asked Kamler about this grilling method when he saw it in another dish. The man casually replied,

“I’m just scooping up the grilled Bouille and pouring it over and over again.”

Ah, the fillet. The Daikez fillet. For some reason, it’s plump. Isn’t it full of flavor? How did it get this taste? Is the Daikez from the central region different from that of the frontier? Moreover, this white sauce is good. Could it be a sauce made from milk with the fat removed, mixed with fish broth, and lightly grilled flour? Alternating between eating it with the sauce and without, the taste is even more enhanced. In between, he tears off a piece of bread and dips it in the sauce. This is also amazing! Tonight’s wine is white. It’s an early harvest from Arianfisse, extremely dry. It’s nicely chilled. The refreshing sensation that hits the back of the throat is irresistible. Chantillion and Doriatessa, too, are enjoying their dinner, exclaiming in surprise. Kamler is always thinking about cooking, even though he’s going through a lot.

“Damn it, Kamler. I wonder if there’s such a thing as chivalry in cooking.”

4

The young couple’s conversation had shifted to Bard’s heroic deeds. They were truly relaxed, yet their behavior was refined. They were beautiful to look at, and it was enjoyable just watching them talk.

“The depth of Lord Karz’s skills is beyond my comprehension. And Lord Bard’s strength is simply awe-inspiring,” Chantillion said something outrageous. ‘No, you’ve seen my skills over the past three months, so you should understand. Your skills are far superior,’ Bard tried to say, but Chantillion replied, “The more I see, the more I think so.” Even Doriatessa chimed in,

“I feel the same way. Lord Karz also said that your strength, Lord Bard, is a rare kind.” (t/n: she actually said ‘oyaji-dono’, but i can’t find the words in my limited vocab. so i changed it to lord bard)

Bard chuckled and said, “Didn’t he himself say that I can only fend off his attacks one in a hundred times?”

“I heard that too, so I was puzzled when I saw Lord Bard’s overwhelming strength at the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament. So I asked around on the way to the capital. Then, Lord Karz said this. ‘That was the case then. But Lord Bard now is different. Originally, Lord Bard was trained by a once-in-a-lifetime master swordsman. But then he trained in the tactics of a knight who fights with strength. Those who wield a sword must choose whether to fight with strength or skill. These two are difficult to balance because the training methods and the way they are on the battlefield are completely different. So the teachings of skill remained dormant in Lord Bard. But as he aged and his strength waned, he had an opportunity and his skills awakened. Even so, he hasn’t been training in skills for many years, so it might be temporary. Also, his physical strength will decline with age and he will eventually be unable to fight. But right now, Lord Bard is somehow rejuvenated in both physical strength and sharpness of response. And he knows the highest level of skill, so he’s an unbeatable warrior.’ When I heard Lord Karz’s words, I thought, ‘I see.’”

Listening to Doriatessa say this, Bard was surprised but also found some points to agree with. Chantillion even started saying this.

“That’s right. The sight of Lord Bard standing with a sword and shield at the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament. Just standing there, I felt an overwhelming martial aura. I’m sure everyone felt the same way. I was more impressed than when I first saw General Napara Fujimo. And the technique that defeated Lord Enes Karon. It was a strangely beautiful technique.”

Enes Karon… the name sounded familiar, but where had he heard it? When he asked Chantillion, he was told that he was the winner of the fourth division. Hearing that, he remembered. Bard had faced off against this knight, Enes Karon, in a demonstration match, and after taking two points, he knocked him unconscious with a light blow to the top of his helmet, securing his victory. It wasn’t a blow he had intended to strike, but one that his body had moved to deliver on its own. But the attack that inflicted a blow on the person inside the armor was something that Chantillion was particularly good at. When Bard said this and praised Chantillion’s technique, he looked extremely uncomfortable.

“I’m embarrassed to be praised. As you noticed, this technique involves estimating the movement of the bones and muscles inside the armor and striking, and the timing and location of the strike are very difficult. It worked well at the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament, but if the opponent is a little more skilled or on horseback, the success rate drops dramatically. In fact, this technique failed against the ruffians I met at Master Zendatta’s place.”

That’s right. He had been wondering why it had failed. So that’s what it was, Bard realized. Then, Doriatessa interjected.

“Lord Chantillion. I also found Lord Bard’s technique strange. So I asked Lord Karz. Then he told me this. ‘You saw Lord Bard drop a branch of Kachua by the waterfall, didn’t you? If you can do that, you can do the technique.’”

“What does that mean?” Chantillion asked, and Doriatessa began to explain. Listening to her, Bard remembered. Exactly one year ago. To train Doriatessa, Karz, Bard, Godon, and Jurchaga spent some time by a waterfall deep in the frontier mountains. One day, Doriatessa’s skills improved significantly, and Karz celebrated by skillfully cutting off a branch of Kachua flowers with his sword. The celebration was not the flower but the technique that cut the flowers itself. Seeing this, Bard remembered a technique shown to him by his master in the past. And he too, almost unconsciously, cut a branch of Kachua. The ancient, crude sword was swung casually, and after a moment, as if remembering, the branch fell lightly and danced on the water. It was a strange technique that he himself didn’t know how he had executed.

‘Yes, that was a technique shown to me by my master, Cantor Edda.’ The memory of Cantor Edda had allowed Bard to execute that technique. ‘I see.’ As the memory of Cantor Edda fades, Bard’s technique will also fade. Also, just because Bard knows the techniques, doesn’t mean he can move as swiftly as Cantor Edda or Karz. He hasn’t undergone such training. But now, for a while, the magic sword Stavros will provide him with physical and mental strength, and Cantor Edda’s teachings will provide him with skills. Bard once again realized how blessed he was.

After talking for a while, Doriatessa left. Chantillion seemed to want to see her off, but it was difficult to bring up since she had just said, “I appreciate that Lord Chantillion treats me not as a woman, but as a knight.” After seeing off Doriatessa, Bard asked Chantillion if he had come here to meet Doriatessa. Chantillion, blushing and flustered, replied, “No, um, no. I came to meet Lord Bard. But I thought, or rather hoped, that Lady Doriatessa might come.” He gave an honest answer. Encouraged by the topic, Chantillion asked for advice on how to win Doriatessa’s heart. Bard, aware of his ignorance in such matters, couldn’t say much and asked how his father had wooed his mother.

“I think he sang a love song under her window. Ah, a song! Lord Bard, you’ve given me a great idea,” he said, and left in high spirits. As Bard watched him leave the mansion, he thought it was dangerous to ride a horse so fast in the city. Then he murmured to himself, “A love song, huh.”

5

Late at night, Barry Toad returned home. He seemed very tired. When asked if it was a difficult meeting, he said it was, but there was also an incident afterwards. Apparently, there was an intruder in the harem. The intruder, a tricky character, had sneaked into the ladies’ quarters without being noticed by the royal knights and had audaciously sung a song in the garden. A sweet love song at that. The knights, shocked by the report of a man singing in the garden, sent a few of them into the harem. Their small number turned out to be a disadvantage. The intruder, using the darkness of twilight and the bushes, continued to sing while dodging the knights’ hands and swords. In the end, he knocked out two knights. When he finished singing, he disappeared into the depths of the palace garden. It’s been three months since Chantillion resigned as captain of the guard, and his successor has yet to be chosen. The Marquis of Paukrus, who just took over the responsibility of maintaining and operating the palace tonight, is the eldest son of the Duke of Argolide and is Chantillion’s stepfather, as Chantillion has moved to the Argolide main family.

“If Chantillion had remained captain of the guard, such a rascal wouldn’t have been able to infiltrate,” he said indignantly. The ladies’ quarters are connected to the palace and garden, and if the gate is open, servants who have lost their way or mischievous princes can enter. This time, it became a big deal because it was a busy time, but probably no one will be held responsible, Barry Toad said. Unable to keep it a secret, Bard explained his conversation with Chantillion. After a long silence, Barry Toad said, “Let’s keep this between us.” More importantly, Barry Toad whispered to Bard.

“The Crown Prince is returning very soon. Tomorrow, a decree will be issued to the royal capital, and the day after tomorrow, he will return to the palace with a triumphant parade. General Bard, you are requested to enter the palace tomorrow morning. The Crown Prince will meet with the General tomorrow night or the morning after.”

6

The next morning, Bard entered the palace as instructed. The capital was already filled with the atmosphere of a victory parade. The main street of the special district, Izanel, was crowded with people preparing. If he had left a little later, it would have been difficult to reach the palace. Riding a horse through the main gate of the palace is a privilege unique to active generals. It’s quite exhilarating, and it’s a bit sad that he won’t be able to do this once he retire as a general. When he pass through this gate on his way back, he will no longer be a general.

He was quiet in the waiting room that was prepared for him, but it was quite boring. But he didn’t know where he could or couldn’t walk, and without a guide, he couldn’t navigate this extremely complex palace. He spent his time sipping on alcohol. A rather luxurious meal was delivered in the evening.

The next day, he strolled around the garden with a page as a guide. Idora would have been delighted to see it. It’s a wonderful garden. Along the way, he met several nobles. Bard’s attire wasn’t very impressive, but since he was walking near the center of the palace in armor with a sword, they seemed to guess that he was a high-ranking military officer. Moreover, the page leading Bard did not give way. This indicates that Bard is of higher status. In fact, as a general of the Middle Army, he is given a seat equivalent to that of a senior marquis, so he rarely gives way to anyone. They gave way with a puzzled look, bowed to Bard, and passed by. A delicious tea and sweets were served at noon. It was delicious, but he felt it wasn’t as good as Kamler’s.

Julelan entered the palace in the evening. Bard was summoned when the sun had just risen the next morning.

7

He was guided not to a large hall or a formal audience room, but to a gazebo in the garden. Julelan arrived immediately and ordered his guards to leave. The guards moved away. However, they only moved a few dozen steps away and pretended not to listen to the conversation. Julelan also ordered the historian to stop recording. This means that the conversation to be held is private, not official. However, they have an amazing memory, and all the conversations are etched in their minds. And probably later, it will be recorded in the diary that their family secretly keeps. That’s why they can answer questions like whether the previous king promised a reward to someone, saying, “His Majesty said so at this place on this date.”

“Alright. Now we can talk comfortably. Karz and Jurchaga are amazing. If it weren’t for these two, this expedition would have been a disaster. I probably wouldn’t have made it back alive,” Julelan said out of the blue. Bard asked what had happened.

“Fargo and Ezite, who started the rebellion this time, were both powerful cities in the old Karizau country. After the royal family of Karizau died out, these two cities were effectively the rulers of the country. They were the ones who troubled our country until the end. Our current king subdued them and incorporated them into our Parzam territory, and the Karizau country disappeared. However, the two cities were arrogant and made high-handed demands. This rebellion was an old-fashioned one, with the date and place of the war clearly specified, and they wanted to show off their military power to get their demands met. They even announced the number of horsemen. We had no choice but to match the number of horsemen. That means we couldn’t fight the way our royal army is good at. However, there was also information that the Shinkai country has been acting strangely recently, so just in case, we mobilized the powerful lords nearby. We also brought all the soldiers we could move from the direct control army. Our royal army entered the city of Kasse with plenty of time before the war. From there, we planned to send an advance party to check the situation on the battlefield, a plain, and move the main force after confirming that there was no strange movement. But just before that, Jurchaga said something strange. I’m tired. Jurchaga, you tell the rest,” Julelan said, drinking water.

“Alright. Well, it’s not a big deal. I walked around the market and the main street in Kasse, pretending to be a fool. A fool with unfamiliar small gold. Then, as expected, the bad guys bit. Pickpockets and thieves. I had a skilled attendant knight from the Crown Prince, so I had them tie them up. Then, I paid them gold and got some information. And I found out something interesting. The amount of food being transported to Grismo has increased dramatically in the last two years.”

Julelan added a note here.

“Grismo is a city with a small but strong castle. It originally belonged to the Karizau country, like Fargo and Ezite. However, the Viscount of Grismo pledged allegiance to our country at a very early stage. The former king was pleased with this and elevated the Viscount Grismo to the rank of Earl in recognition of his achievements. Since then, Earl Grismo has been loyal to our country. That’s why I wasn’t worried about Grismo’s rebellion. Even if they were to revolt, Grismo’s military strength is insignificant. That’s why I was surprised when Jurchaga said he was going to investigate Grismo. ‘What a waste of time in such a busy period’,” I thought.

“Well, you allowed me to go, so I went to Grismo. I didn’t have time to investigate slowly, so I looked for the head of the scavengers.”

There are an incredible number of people and horses in the capital. The amount of excrement is also considerable. In the upper and lower towns, waste is scattered on the streets and sidewalks, but only the lower class citizens are allowed to pick it up and use it. Also, in the special district, it is forbidden to let horses defecate on the streets and leave it there, so the lower class citizens are used to handle horse dung. They are called to the mansions or stopped on the streets and paid to handle the horse dung. The collected horse dung is used as fuel by the lower class citizens. He was greatly surprised when he first saw the dirty children picking up horse dung with all their might.

What surprised him even more was the handling of urine. In the frontier, it is customary to wash clothes with water. Stubborn stains are removed by rubbing with the fruit of the Udo tree or soaking in ash. But in the central plains, where water is always precious, they wash clothes in an unbelievable way. They soak the clothes in urine, stomp on them to remove the dirt, and then rinse them with water. The royal palace and wealthy nobles seem to use special soil and ash from a certain type of wood brought from afar, but generally, laundry is done with urine. That’s why laundry is the job of the lowest class people. When washing leather armor, they use urine that has been stored and allowed to rot. It’s surprisingly effective.

In addition, the right to cut the undergrowth of the mountains near the capital is given only to the non-wealthy commoners. Such poverty relief systems have been in place since ancient times, but it wasn’t until large amounts of Green Flame stones were obtained from the Mordos mountain range that they were able to operate stably. This is not a unique system to Parzam, but in the cities in Central Plain where fuel is scarce, scavengers have been handling horse dung and other waste since ancient times. The ones who pick up the dung, buy it, and sell it are usually young commoners of low status. They work in groups of two or three, or at most six or seven, each with their own territory to collect dung. But Bard had previously learned from Jurchaga that there is actually a boss-like existence above them. This is because without someone to oversee them, the collection fees would collapse, and people who couldn’t make a living because their territory was taken away would appear.

“The head of Grismo’s scavengers is a guy named Ben. He was surprised when he found out I was a junior of ‘Red Nosed Marks’ in the capital. He taught me a lot.”

He wanted to ask who this Marks was and when he became a junior, but he decided to leave that for later and urged him to continue the story. Jurchaga waved his hand nonchalantly and gulped down the contents of the water bottle he was carrying at his waist.

“Phew. Delicious. It revives me. Oh, so, to cut a long story short, I found out that the amount of horse dung coming out of the castle had increased fivefold in two years. It seems they had it collected by various scavengers, but it was obvious to the head scavenger.”

From there, Julelan took over the explanation.

“When this guy reported that there are likely not fifty but two hundred and fifty knights in Grismo, it was just as the main force was about to depart. Jurchaga ran faster than a horse to bring us this information. Old man, can you imagine how I felt then? We had to pass near Grismo to get to the battlefield. If we were attacked from the side, our main force would have been annihilated.”

Normally, two to four foot soldiers, or infantry, accompany each knight or someone with equivalent combat power. So, a force of two hundred and fifty knights would be equivalent to seven hundred and fifty to twelve hundred and fifty in terms of troop numbers. It can be assumed that this would be a formation centered on fast-moving cavalry, but essentially, it’s a force capable of fighting a thousand-man army.

“I ordered the troops I had planned to leave in Casse to follow us at a safe distance and set off. As soon as we passed Grismo, the castle gates were opened and more than two hundred cavalry charged at us. We immediately fled to the west. Soon, the later troops arrived and attacked them in a pincer movement. Just as we had largely suppressed the enemy, a messenger from the vanguard arrived. The armies of Fargo and Ezite had attacked with a force several times the promised number. They had no intention of keeping the date, place, or number from the start. Their combined forces exceeded four hundred knights. In a simple numbers game, we were nearly equal, but we were tired and not in good shape. I judged it impossible to return to Casse and ordered to rush into Grismo. While the Lower Army and the Middle Army, which I had sent out as a vanguard, were holding down the enemy, I secured the castle gate. Once the castle gate was secured, I tried to rush into Grismo, but by this point, the enemy had completely infiltrated us, and enemy knights approached me several times. Karz was the one who shone at that time. Karz cut down and defeated the enemy knights who charged at him three times, slicing through their armor. Both the enemy and our allies were shocked. I somehow managed to escape into the castle, and soon the feudal lords’ armies arrived and dealt a heavy blow to the enemy. Our direct control army suffered significant damage. The most painful thing was the loss of two generals. But in the end, it was as if we had lured out the enemy army and hit them. Fargo and Ezite received their just deserts for their cowardly behavior. In the end, we renegotiated a much more advantageous agreement for the royal side. Also, by brilliantly detecting the enemy’s surprise attack that no one else could see and counterattacking, my position has greatly strengthened.”

Hearing about a force of over four hundred knights in two cities, Bard was astounded. The idea that one city could support two hundred knights was beyond Bard’s imagination. But later he realized that he had misunderstood. In many countries in the central plains, including the old Karizau, about half of the cavalry force is made up of rural warriors who engage in farming and livestock raising during peacetime.

“If I think about what would have happened if Karz and Jurchaga hadn’t been there, it gives me the chills. So, old man, give me Karz and Jurchaga.”

“Give me” means to give them to him, to officially take them in as royal subjects. Normally, this would be a great honor, and one would be overjoyed to accept. But the two of them are not Bard’s subjects or possessions. It’s up to them. He looked at Jurchaga. He was shaking his head. He looked at Karz. He was shaking his head. Bard turned to Julelan and shook his head.

“Damn it. That’s not fair, old man!”

Suddenly Julelan shouted. What was unfair?

“Isn’t it unfair to monopolize Karz and Jurchaga? Either one of them is a talent that any ruler would die to have. Do you know how much I’m suffering from a lack of talent right now? You’re monopolizing these two and just using them as companions in your wanderings! If you indulge in such a luxurious life, you’ll be punished by heaven!”

He was talking nonsense. Julelan must be tired too. He’s relying on Bard. Then Bard has to slap him on the back. Bard took a deep breath,

“Jule! Enough with the pampering!”

He shouted. The royal servants nearby were startled and shivered. Julelan opened his eyes a little, then slowly inhaled and exhaled,

“No, it’s true that I’m envious of you. I wonder how you manage to gather such people. I’d like you to tell me the secret if there is one. Well, I feel better after being scolded by you for the first time in a long time. Thank you.”

After saying that, he drank up his water, stood up, and said,

“I have several important meetings coming up. I think I’ll be talking to you again after they’re over. Go home for today and rest well. I’ll call you tomorrow or the day after.”

He said and started to leave. But he stopped, turned around, and said,

“It seems you’ve done quite a feat in the east. I can’t dismiss you now, I have to reward you. But I have no intention of giving you a title.”

This means that he will not treat Bard as a subject of the Parzam Kingdom, in other words, he will not bind Bard.

“If you’re willing to take a territory, that’s fine. But you’ve decided not to hold any territory anymore, haven’t you?”

Then, as if remembering something, he closed his eyes for a while and said,

“When Lord Hydra offered you the Zaliza Silver Mine as a territory, were you willing to accept it? Lord Vola regretted what happened that day until he died. He regretted that his foolish behavior has put my mother’s life in shambles.”

After saying that, he left. Bard silently watched Julelan’s retreating figure.

8

It was a shocking statement. But when he was told that, he thought it must be true.

That time. It was spring when Bard was twenty-nine. Hydra, the head of the Tercia family, asked him to accept the Zariza Silver Mine as his territory. The Zariza Silver Mine was a vital source of income for the Tercia family. It was unthinkable to hand it over to someone else. It meant that the Tercia family trusted Bard to an unimaginable extent, believing that it would be safe in the hands of Bard and his descendants.

And there was another meaning to this offer. Idora had turned fifteen, and her radiant beauty was becoming the talk of the town. She was no longer too young to marry. The cunning head of the family speculated that if he bestowed the Zariza Silver Mine, Bard would surely propose to Idora. After fulfilling his duties at the fortress for three months, Bard made up his mind and returned to Pakula. There, he heard the news that Idora was to marry Caldos Gwendell.

Upon hearing the circumstances, Bard was furious. When the messenger came to propose, Hydra, unusually, was not at home. Instead, it was Vola, Hydra’s eldest son and Idora’s brother, who dealt with the messenger. Vola, in his naivety, suggested that they let the person in question decide and called for Idora. Upon hearing the proposal, Idora immediately agreed to marry Gwendell.

Vola had assumed that since Idora loved Bard, she would reject the distasteful proposal from Gwendell. What a foolish assumption. Why did he let her make the choice? As her brother, Vola did not understand Idora’s temperament at all. He didn’t realize how much Idora had been pained by the harassment of the Gwendell family towards the knights of Tercia. If faced with such a choice, there was no other answer but to accept the marriage. It was something anyone could see, but only Vola didn’t understand.

Bard was angry, hateful, and mournful. But he did not let his raging heart show. That would be a betrayal of Elzera Tercia, who had shown him great kindness. It would be a betrayal of Hydra, Elzera’s son, who had showered Bard with love as if he were his own child. So, he endured, hid his despair, and served the Tercia family as a loyal knight. He tried to erase his resentment towards Vola and endeavored to respect him. He thought it was going well. After that, there were talks of bestowing territories from Hydra and even after Vola became the lord, but he declined them all. He no longer needed to own a territory. He served the Tercia family to the end, and two years after Vola’s death, he retired and set out on a wandering journey. Bard thought his life as a knight was without a single cloud.

But. But, oh. Perhaps his attitude was what tormented Vola. Could the sharp-witted Vola have been oblivious to his anger and despair? The more he devoted himself as a loyal servant, the more his actions might have torn Vola’s heart apart.

Bard trembled at the weight of the sins he had committed.

9

He returned to the Toad house with Karz and Jurchaga. The dinner was wonderful, but it tasted bland. Eventually, Barry Toad came home. Bard apologized for the inconvenience and asked if he could receive the “Sparsha” (guidance). Barry Toad gladly accepted and placed a chair sideways and sat on another chair placed on the other side.

Bard clasped his fists together and touched his forehead, then leaned forward on the chair placed in front of him. Both knees on the floor. And he confessed his sins. The story started when he was picked up by the Tercia family at the age of ten and went on until he retired and set out on a journey at the age of fifty-eight. The high priest listened silently to the long confession. In the end, Bard asked how he could atone for his sins. After offering a prayer to God, the high priest told Bard.

“Your thinking is wrong. There is something you must do before you atone for your sins.”

Bard asked what that was.

“You must forgive Lord Vola.”

At the high priest’s words, Bard was surprised and said,

There’s nothing to forgive or not forgive. He has no right to blame Lord Vola in the first place.

“That’s because you’re thinking about it for your own convenience. Listen. The reason you want to atone for your sins is because you want to be forgiven, you want to be at ease, and ultimately it’s an action for yourself. Stop thinking about yourself. First, think about the other person. If you can truly think and act for the other person, the gods will take care of you. So, what does Lord Vola want? He wants to be forgiven by you and Princess Idora. He wants to be forgiven and released. It doesn’t matter whether you have the right or not. Now, forgive! Declare to the gods that you forgive Vola Tercia with all your heart and soul!”

It took a while to digest those words. Eventually, Bard tried to say, “I forgive Vola Tercia.” But he couldn’t. He tried to force it out. Then, a voice came from within him.

‘Why should I forgive? Why should I forgive Vola Tercia’s mistake?’

The resistance in his heart was strong, and Bard realized that while he was saying he had no right to blame Vola, he had been blaming him deep down all along. Why shouldn’t he forgive? Bard asked himself. And there was an answer.

‘If I forgive, what happens to Idora’s thirty years? What happens to the thirty years she had to live in the shadows? What happens to my thirty years of suffering? Then. Then. Isn’t it too pitiful for Idora, for me?’

When he arrived at that answer, Bard understood that he had to forgive Vola. And then, he soothed, comforted, and reasoned with his own heart. It took a long, long time. Eventually, Bard managed to squeeze out in a small voice, “I forgive Vola Tercia.” He repeated the same words in a louder voice. The third time, he raised his face and shouted in a resounding voice, “I forgive Vola Tercia, I forgive him from the bottom of my heart.” The high priest gently enveloped Bard’s head and pronounced a blessing.

“God’s beloved child, Bard Rowen. The gods have heard your vow. Well done for forgiving. Well done for loving. Blessings be upon you.”

When Bard woke up the next morning, the morning light that met his eyes was infinitely beautiful, and the air he inhaled through his nose was sweet, fragrant, and pure. Waking up with an unprecedented freshness, Bard knew he had already been forgiven.

Then he looked back on yesterday and noticed one thing. From the way he spoke, Julelan probably doesn’t know the last secret between Bard and Idora. Should he tell her? After thinking for a while, he concluded that he shouldn’t. The only ones who know that secret, besides the gods, are Idora and Bard, and Idora left this world without telling anyone. So he decided to do the same. Telling Julelan would only cause him pain. Besides, he thought, even though they couldn’t live together, they should be allowed to share just one secret.

Then he remembered the way back from the fortress that year. He couldn’t think of a good way to express his feelings, so he thought about singing a love song under her window. He wondered what kind of face Idora would make when she heard his clumsy love song. It’s a bit of a shame that he couldn’t see that, Bard thought.