kscans

Chapter 34 - The Neighboring Forest and the Little Person

"How did it come to this?"

The Little Person’s eyes narrowed as she surveyed the situation before her.

"That’s… that’s my line."

A phrase she had muttered to herself countless times before was met with an extreme overreaction.

Before the Little Person stood a boy. Or perhaps a young man? A boy of about fifteen or sixteen was standing there. Behind him were the familiar faces of the Flawers knights. All of them were covered in sweat, their legs were shaking, and they were gasping for breath, a strange sight as if they had just run a full sprint.

He glared resentfully at the tilting head of the Little Person and shouted, his pale blue hair flying wildly.

"Why didn’t you come to the royal capital? Why did I have to ride all the way to this remote place?!"

…Thanks for the explanation. Though you left out the subject and a self-introduction.

Apparently, the gentleman before her had ridden his horse all night from the so-called royal capital to get here.

Like I care. What’s that got to do with me? More importantly, don’t go waking up the innkeeper this early in the morning. The sky has only just started to lighten. What a nuisance.

The Little Person and her party were standing in front of an inn in a frontier town. The Frontier delegation had left the farming village the previous day, arrived in this town of Sfarana before dusk, and had stayed the night at an inn as scheduled. The plan was to spend the day sightseeing and return to Frontier tomorrow afternoon.

And yet, here she was, standing here before the night had fully lifted, having been woken up by the innkeeper.

Her sleepiness contributing to her foul mood, the little girl muttered.

"Didn't you explain?"

The Little Person shot a sharp, jirori glare at Gaius and the other Flawers knights standing behind the boy. His eyes darting away, Gaius answered haltingly.

"Well… I did explain, but… he insisted on hearing the story from the princess herself."

"Of course I did. Magic might be revived, right? Isn’t this a huge deal? Why didn’t you bring this thing to the castle?!"

This thing?

A wave of anger, buwari, erupted from the Frontier party. A sharp light glinted in their narrowed eyes, and in an instant, the air was filled with a touch-and-go tension.

Multiple swords rang out with a chaki as they were drawn.

Gaius, noticing this, hurriedly slipped between the boy and the Frontier knights.

"Wait. My deepest apologies. The prince does not yet know the full details. I apologize profusely for his rudeness, so please."

Gaius apologized profusely, almost prostrating himself. The prince, his face a picture of confusion, blinked his eyes.

Sighing and looking up at the heavens, the Little Person decided she had no choice but to make the introductions herself.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Princess Chihiro La Giorge of Frontier. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The young child performed a perfect curtsy and offered her greeting with a blank expression. The so-called prince’s eyes widened, and he looked back and forth between her and Gaius.

"Your Highness the Princess? Huh? Why? This shabbily dressed child?"

The next moment, the corners of the Frontier knights' mouths curled up in a uniformly cruel smile. Before Gaius could stop them, they closed the distance in an instant, a flurry of blades appearing around the prince. At his side, his throat, his feet. The prince gasped as swords were held perfectly still at every point, and a hyu sound escaped his lips.

"Such disrespect toward Chihiro-sama. To be taken so lightly. Frontier has certainly been underestimated, hasn’t it?"

Dolphen glared at Gaius, moving only his eyes. The Flawers knights were speechless, utterly flustered. Though they had more than twice the numbers, the Flawers knights knew that the Frontier knights could use magic and were unable to move. Moreover, the prince was clearly at fault. To openly insult the royalty of another country was the same as declaring war on the spot.

As if to poke at the Frontier knights, who were brimming with a fury that could explode at any moment, a carefree voice came from below.

"That’s enough. Don't be so childish. It’s just the careless words of a child, isn’t it?"

"…Chihiro-sama."

You’re one to talk?

The unspoken words were plain to see in their eyes. Though no one spoke, their eyes said more than words.

Disarmed by the grinning little girl, the Frontier party sheathed their swords, not even trying to hide their reluctance. However, the anger in their eyes had not subsided, and flames still smoldered there.

The prince, who had been frozen in astonishment, was brought back to his senses with a sharp jab to his side from Gaius’s elbow. Understanding the situation he had just witnessed, he quickly bowed his head.

"Though I was unaware, I was terribly rude. I am Marcello de Flawers, the second son of the King of Flawers. It is an honor to meet you."

The Little Person’s eyes crinkled slightly, and she invited Prince Marcello into her room at the inn.

"The royal palace was in an uproar upon receiving the report that magic might be revived…"

With that preface, Marcello explained the situation.

Yesterday afternoon, after the Little Person and her group had departed for this town, a messenger on a fast horse had delivered the news to the Flawers royal palace. The news that the Forest Master had been revived, that greenery was returning to the wilderness, and that they would eventually be able to use magic had thrown the palace into chaos. They wanted to know the details, but they heard that the Frontier delegation planned to visit several border towns before returning home. When they were told that their schedule could not be changed despite being invited to the capital, Prince Marcello had hastily chased after them on a fast horse.

Listening to the explanation, the Little Person looked up at the ceiling, weary.

"There are no more details than what was in the report, probably. With the help of Queen Merda, King Molt’s forest was revived. As a result, the land was filled with magic and the breath of green life was brought forth. That’s all."

Marcello looked thoughtful at the little girl’s flat tone.

"That… is it not possible to move it to another location? To the royal capital, instead of a remote place like this?"

The Frontier party’s eyes widened for a moment at the prince’s hesitant words, then they all wore lukewarm smiles as if to say, "ah," and looked at Marcello with pity.

The prince, oblivious to the pity in their gazes, looked straight at the Little Person.

"Is there a forest around the royal capital?"

"Huh? Um… a little, maybe?"

"Then it’s impossible. A Forest Master cannot live in a forest that is not at least the size of the one in the wilderness."

"That can’t be…"

Marcello was aghast.

In Frontier, this was common sense.

You must not tamper with the forest where a Master dwells.

The forests they lived in were the size of a city. That much space was necessary. Merda’s forest alone covered the royal capital and its surroundings, releasing a vast amount of magic. The size of the forest equaled the range of the magic. The larger the forest, the wider the area it could fill with magic. In essence, it was the size of the faucet. Forcing a Master into a small forest was meaningless. They probably didn't know that.

The Little Person briefly explained this. The members of the Flawers party who heard her explanation once again hung their heads, their faces filled with despair.

"So, as you can see, there is nothing I can do to help. Please convey this to His Majesty the King."

He had no words to reply to the bitter smile of the little girl.

Dejected, Prince Marcello and the Flawers knights trudged out of the inn.

"Really… what a selfish request."

Dolphen spat out, his face twisted as if he had bitten into a bitter bug.

"It can’t be helped. They probably got their hopes up. They thought if it could be done here, maybe it could be done in the capital too."

She could understand how they felt. Everyone dreams. Whether it comes true or not is another matter.

But dreams can come true if you don't give up.

The Little Person smiled a wicked smile.

Her previous world was like that. The efforts of people who didn't give up were not in vain, but were passed on to their descendants, and some dreams were realized over many generations. Like the greening of deserts through modern science, or the story from the late Middle Ages of an old man who created a large forest in a wilderness all by himself. It was a famous story that had even been made into a picture book. The little girl knew it could actually be done.

But she wasn't kind enough to teach them that. Struggle, young man.

If they realize the magnitude of what they have lost and are able to make an effort, their dream will likely come true. If they are willing to try, she might even lend a hand.

With a wicked grin, the Little Person turned back to the Frontier party.

"We’re going sightseeing today. Let’s eat something delicious."

The knights nodded with beaming smiles at the Little Person, who raised her hands and shouted.

That day, the Little Person leisurely toured the city. The Frontier party, accustomed to this, changed into their plain clothes, did not carry their swords, and walked around in casual attire.

The guards for the Little Person, led by Dolphen, were elite knights. As nobles, their true strength lay in magic. Of course, as members of the knight order, they did not neglect their weapons training, but they possessed enough magic and skill that it was no problem for them to walk around unarmed.

The Flawers knights looked on with suspicion at their light, casual attire. The Frontier party gave them a nonchalant glance and followed the little girl.

If the Little Person wished to be inconspicuous, they would grant that wish, while still providing more than adequate protection. They were a group of powerful individuals capable of achieving such an unreasonable feat, but the Little Person of the present did not know that.

Protected by her kind and strong companions, the Little Person is doing well today.