kscans

Chapter 24 - The Little Person and the Pilgrimage, Part One

"There’s also this kind, you know."

Chihiro moved her needle as if knitting lace, weaving a beautiful pattern onto the surface of a handkerchief. Sighs of admiration drifted through the air, and the assembled ladies followed the movement of Chihiro’s fingers with intense gazes.

It was an embroidery circle, held in the royal palace’s sunroom.

Catherine had been asking Chihiro for a lesson for some time, so Chihiro, wanting to get it all over with at once, proposed the idea to the queen. The gathering was held with open participation, no invitations required.

As a result, a great number of ladies who had heard rumors from Catherine about learning three dimensional embroidery came flocking in.

There were not many stitches that Chihiro knew that were technically difficult. Unlike satin stitch embroidery, this style often used primary colors, and its charm lay in the dimensionality created by the clear, distinct shading. For small items, it could be a child’s first lesson, and for large ones, it could become a complex masterpiece. This three dimensional embroidery, which transcended the bounds of typical embroidery and incorporated anything to achieve its expression, fascinated many of the women.

"I should like to stitch this onto my shoes. I think it would be simply lovely."

"It would be wonderful on a hat as well. Stitching it onto a ribbon and changing it daily also sounds enjoyable."

"Embroidery on top of embroidery... I had never even considered such a thing."

"Please look at this. It truly looks as though a flower has been placed right there. If I stitched this onto the chest of my dress, it would surely be striking."

The ladies, captivated by the various embroidery samples, each began to practice the stitches that interested them. Unlike satin stitch, where a large piece is stitched from the very beginning, the stitches of three dimensional embroidery could be made from smaller pieces gathered together to form a larger work. It was a stitch prized on Earth as well for its versatility and wide range of applications. Once she taught them the basic stitches, they would probably develop the techniques on their own.

Eventually, a style of embroidery unique to this world might be born. The little person’s method was to plant the seed, water it, and then leave it be.

Come to think of it, hadn't she done something similar before?

Chihiro closed her eyes for a moment to think.

Ah, that's it. Udon.

The udon that Chihiro had taught Zack before had, after a winding journey, been passed down to the kitchen staff and even spread to the castle town. Perhaps their curiosity was piqued by the noodles, which were thicker and softer than ordinary noodles, because many dishes had been devised. Using them as noodles was the basic approach, but they were also being used in a wide variety of other ways, such as being chopped into one centimeter pieces as a substitute for beans, or woven together to be used as a base for pies and pizzas. Just like pasta, it was common to bake or boil them. Chihiro had eaten the woven udon pizza herself, and it was delicious in its own way. The surface was crisp, while the inside was soft and chewy. She had been strangely impressed, thinking that the plainness of udon made its potential for adaptation limitless.

She heard there was a sea to the south. Sometime she would like to get some seafood and make a dashi broth. She wanted to eat udon in its original form.

Time passed peacefully as she occasionally taught the ladies who asked about finer details, and the embroidery circle concluded without a hitch.

"Thank you very much for providing the location, Your Majesty."

The queen smiled softly at Catherine, who was bowing her head deeply.

"It was my pleasure. I also had a wonderful time, and the new embroidery was lovely. It will surely become fashionable, Catherine. That was quite an accomplishment of yours."

"You are too kind. It was all thanks to Chihiro-sama’s presence."

"Indeed."

Two pairs of eyes stared intently at her. Being suddenly brought into the conversation, Chihiro shifted uncomfortably.

"Chihiro, where did you learn that style of embroidery?"

"I should like to know as well. I simply must."

Feeling the pressure from the two of them, Chihiro broke out in a cold sweat. But it was something else that reacted to it.

A large eye peeked out from over Chihiro’s right shoulder. It glinted menacingly, and a sharp buzzing sound filled the room.

Frightened by the resounding bubububububbu, the two women before her began to act erratically. The color drained from Catherine’s face, leaving her pale, while the queen’s eyeballs were doing a magnificent crawl stroke.

"Oh my. Oh, my my, of all the things for me to do. My apologies, Chihiro. I wasn’t trying to interrogate you, you see. I was just a little curious, that’s all."

"Yes, yes, please don’t mind us."

Smiling wryly at the flustered pair, Chihiro left the royal palace.

"Thank you, Pochiko-san."

The honeybee on her shoulder snuggled happily against Chihiro’s face. Its fluffy hair tickled her neck. Chihiro had named the child honeybee that accompanied her Pochi. It was the name of the hamster she had kept in her previous life. However, she later heard from Merda that most of the child honeybees were female, so she renamed her Pochiko-san. A simple name with a simple addition. It seemed the little person’s naming sense was a bit lacking.

But the honeybee, unaware of such details, was with the little person again today, its compound eyes sparkling with happiness.

"A request for aid?"

Merda nodded emphatically.

They were at the baron’s residence. Naya let out a scream at Merda's sudden arrival, but Sasha, accustomed to it, greeted her casually and guided Merda inside. They were both women. And perhaps the two of them, both devoted to the little person, had something in common.

Though a little surprised by the unexpected guest, Chihiro listened to her story and tilted her head.

《Yes. A request for aid has arrived from the eastern forest, and I have come to ask for your assistance.》

Merda gave a courteous and detailed explanation to the little person, whose face was a canvas of question marks.

In short, the forest in the neighboring country, which had no magic, was the only one where monsters lived. It seemed the monsters were being hunted to extinction by adventurers who came day after day, and the forest was on the verge of dying. For the adventurers, it was a perfect hunting ground where they could obtain monster materials without having to travel to the distant frontier. Located in the middle of a wilderness near the border of Frontier, the forest had only barely survived on the magic flowing from Frontier. If a Forest Master was lost, the forest would wither. Therefore, the master could not act openly, yet could not bear to just watch as the monsters living in the forest were overhunted. As a result, a request for aid had come, asking if they could borrow Merda’s children as reinforcements.

"Is that possible?"

Merda nodded in response to Chihiro’s question.

《It is possible. However, I can only operate in places under the influence of my own forest. If I am away from my forest for too long, it will wither. That is why I wish to borrow your power, Chihiro-sama.》

According to Merda’s explanation, her forest’s influence extended to the royal capital and its surroundings. It would apparently take Merda more than half a day to fly to the border where the forest in question was located. A forest that lost its master would begin to wither in a single day. There was no way Merda could go. However, the child honeybees were constantly being born and replaced. They were creatures with a lifespan of only a few decades, and they did not know the location of the neighboring country’s forest, with which they had last had contact several hundred years ago. So, she wanted Chihiro to lead the child honeybees.

《Someone from this country would surely know the location of the other forests. I implore you for your assistance.》

Someone from this country?

Feeling an unspoken implication in Merda’s words, Chihiro decided to consult with Romel first and headed to the royal palace with Merda in tow.

".................."

Romel’s mouth twitched as Merda appeared, carrying the little person.

As usual, Merda flew in through the skylight and landed in front of Romel. His aides and attendants’ eyes widened, but it had happened many times before. They had developed some immunity, and though they were awkward, they continued with their work.

...They're professionals.

As expected of Romel’s subordinates.

"Welcome, Queen Merda. What business brings you here this time?"

Skillfully concealing his twitching face, Romel listened to Merda’s story with the little person acting as interpreter.

Then, he furrowed his brow with a troubled expression.

"Would it not be possible to have someone else act as a substitute? Sending a member of the royal family to a neighboring country is somewhat problematic. Even though the area around the border is a wilderness, they will not look kindly upon it."

Since magic had been lost, the land of the surrounding countries had become barren. To say barren meant it was like Earth, where agriculture was possible if one put in the effort. Back when the world was full of magic, they said there were abundant harvests without any effort. In those days, people were healthy and lived vigorously without illness, but now diseases were common, and the unstable life was apparently devastating the countries. That was why Romel said he would rather not let Chihiro go.

Something about that story caught Chihiro’s attention. She thought for a moment, then unearthed a piece of knowledge from a corner of her past life’s memory.

"Ubusuna."

Chihiro clapped her hands together.

"Ubusuna?"

"Yes. It’s called local production for local consumption. The idea is that living things born in a certain land will grow up healthy and strong if they eat things produced in that land. The blessings of the land where one is born are said to give a special kind of protection."

《I see. That may be what magic is. Just as we consider magic the finest nourishment, it may have some effect on humans as well.》

Chihiro gave a small nod.

Romel’s face showed understanding as well.

"I see. If that is the reason, then the decline of each country makes sense. Because they lost their forests, the lack of magic that should have been there is weakening their bodies."

Merda, who had been listening to their conversation, lowered her head slightly and began to murmur.

《That is precisely why... I wish for the king to go. If you form a pact with me, and the king forms a pact with the master over there, the ancient bonds will be revived.》

Pressed by Merda’s earnest gaze, Chihiro prompted her to continue.

In other words, by connecting the forests, a supply of magic could be established. That was the pact with the master. If Chihiro formed a pact with the masters of the two forests, she could send sufficient magic to the barren, magicless forest of the neighboring country. Connected by the golden magic, the forest would be revived. For that to happen, Chihiro herself had to go.

"I see. Is this that pilgrimage thing I heard about before?"

《That is correct. It will be especially necessary to visit the neighboring country’s forest with haste. It has been a long time since the pact of the previous generation was lost. On land so lacking in magic, it may wither at any moment.》

She learned that once the ring of pacts was complete, the masters could move within that range.

Romel, who had been listening to the conversation with Chihiro interpreting, felt the color drain from his face.

Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait.

"Please wait a moment, Queen Merda. If what you are saying is true... then, is it also possible to move a master to a new land?"

《It is possible. It is not uncommon for a master to pass their land on to a child and move to another land to become the master of a new forest. The condition is that the ring of pacts must be complete.》

The legend of the pilgrimage, where the Golden King travels through the forests of the world, was preserved in the royal family, but he had not known its detailed meaning. He had thought of it as merely a part of his official duties, to enrich the land with magic.

But if what she said now was true, it would be possible to revive new forests in the surrounding countries that had lost theirs. If she made a great circuit around the frontier at the ends of the earth and completed the ring of pacts, the countries within it would be filled with magic. And by creating new forests in this way, the lost magic and sorcery would be revived.

If this became known... Chihiro would be in danger. She would be stolen, or used up. There was no telling what measures the already desperate surrounding countries would resort to.

If he thought about it calmly, it was a good thing. If it could be done carefully, over time. Magic would be restored to all the countries, and a peaceful life would return.

But humans are selfish creatures. There are those who pursue their own interests over others and resort to foolish acts. There are not a few who would keep it secret, monopolize it, and wish to be superior to others. In fact, he thought the majority were like that.

If this became known, there was no doubt that the little person would be targeted by heartless people.

I must consult with my brothers.

He had newly learned the little person’s value.

Clutching his head, which was splitting with pain, Romel let out a low groan. Queen Merda and the little person stared at him, looking puzzled.