kscans

Chapter 133 - Little One and the Banquet of the Gods

"A Lord’s Forest on that mountain..... It’s not impossible, I suppose."

Apparently, Romel was familiar with the spiritual peak in question. At Little One's request for an explanation, he willingly told her about the Table of the Gods. He had visited the spiritual peak in his teens. Intrigued by the peak that had bestowed blessings upon the continent since the age of myth, he had spent two years traveling through the countries of the central region.

"How should I put it. It’s a mountain surrounded by sheer cliffs that curve slightly inward. Water falls from high above like a waterfall, and the area around the mountain is a deep lake. Rivers flow out from that lake in all directions. That’s why it’s called the Table of the Gods, in reverence of the gods’ blessings."

Apparently, its exact height was unknown, but the stream of water falling from above had carved out the land, forming a deep, large lake around it. Of course, it was not a height one could climb, and the slightly inwardly curved cliffs were an untrodden land. It wasn’t that no one had ever tried to climb it. Perhaps they had grown arrogant due to the surrounding lake. They had fallen from tens of meters up and died. The modern theory that a fall from 50 meters onto a water surface is no different from hitting concrete is an exaggeration, but not entirely wrong. An experienced person might be able to survive by minimizing the impact area upon entry, but most people would be slammed against the surface with their entire body, resulting in bodily damage. Water is a substance with considerable hardness. After a series of such accidents, the central region had forbidden climbing the spiritual peak. Lightly spinning a pen with his fingertips, Romel looked at Little One thoughtfully.

"But you know. There’s a legend that humanity began from that spiritual peak."

"Honi?"

He told her that many blessings were brought by that magnificent waterfall. Nuts, flowers, seeds of grass, and various animals. There was a legend that all the creatures that now spread across the Arcadia continent came from that spiritual peak. In fact, many nuts and other things still washed ashore, forming a rich natural environment around the lake.

That means there’s a Lord there, right?

The magic in the central region should be completely depleted. If a rich natural environment could be formed in such a place, the only reason could be the presence of a Lord. The fact that the countries of the magic-depleted central region still survived was likely due to the blessings of that forest. Ironically, because that spiritual peak was at an untrodden altitude, it had become an invincible fortress of a forest, beyond anyone’s reach.

A spiritual peak that has survived even the lost age, standing majestically. How romantic, nyo♪

Little One’s interest was suddenly piqued.

Looking at her with a sigh, Romel drove his point home.

"Dark, was it? The Lord of the Plain Forest. Flowers must be weeping with unexpected good fortune."

Little One shrugged at the chilly air and turned her head stiffly, gichigichi, to look at Romel. There stood the Dark Lord with a serene smile. A chilly aura emanated from his surroundings like smoke.

At that time, Little One had been scolded to death by Romel.

"What are you thinking, letting other countries know you can create a Lord’s Forest! I don’t think Prince Marcello would plot anything evil, but you don’t know what those around him might think!"

Prince Marcello would likely keep it a secret. But as magic revived and people became able to use it, some would grow suspicious of the sudden change.

Why only Flowers?

Such questions could lead to the discovery of Little One’s existence, and there was a possibility that the world would turn against Frontier. It was conceivable that evil schemes would begin with the Golden King as their goal.

"And in the forest of the royal capital, no less? .....How many people witnessed the Lord’s descent? Every country has spies from other nations lurking within!"

That was true.

Frontier was no exception. Looking back at Japan’s history, it was a famous story how spies called shinobi had been flamboyantly active in the age of intelligence warfare.

"But~, Prince Marcello worked so hard, you know? He remembered my words from my past life and rebuilt the forest with his own efforts, nyo! If you saw that forest, Romel, you’d understand! Effort should be rewarded, mon!!"

Don’t give me that "mon." Not at all.

No matter how cute she was, what needed to be said had to be said.

That day, Romel silenced the kyan kyan yelping Little One with sound logic and lectured her for hours on end.

"Ah~, they seem to be doing fine? I heard Prince Marcello was flying on a young swallow the other day."

"Wait a minute! This is the first I’m hearing of this! That?!"

A human who wasn't the Golden King was on friendly terms with a Lord’s kin? That's impossible!!

Little One sighed at Romel's astonished face. Even someone as knowledgeable as him did not know. .....That the Lords of the past had a good symbiotic relationship with humans. That until humans began to shun the Lords out of paranoia, the two had lived together affectionately like a family, supporting each other. It was true that the Golden King was special. But that was a loyalty born from being kindred spirits connected to the gods. It was completely different from the past, family-like exchanges between the Lords and humans. So, if one served with sincere heart, the Lord would return it in kind. The relationship between Prince Marcello and Dark was likely that. Sincerity is returned with sincerity. Unlike humans, Lords do not lie. They see through falsehoods. The future of both sides is determined by the attitude of the human side. Humans are creatures that make mistakes. But because they know this, they are also creatures that can start over. They are creatures that can choose and grasp the best option through trial and error, going back and forth.

Little One believed in Prince Marcello, who had seized a happy future for himself. He would not forget the lessons of the past. He would surely continue to pass them on to his future descendants.

"If something is going to happen, it will happen no matter what. Just like how Prince Marcello became friends with the Lord. Conversely, there are also people you just can't get along with, nyo. That can't be helped. It's impossible for everyone to be best friends."

Little One declared with a blank expression.

"But isn’t it also important to act to avoid such things? I don’t think there’s any need to invite it upon yourself."

That was indeed a sound argument. But.....

"If I have to take away my neighbor’s happiness for that, I’ll gladly take on the trouble. Throwing away a chance to be happy would be putting the cart before the horse, a grand folly. I don’t want to choose a life of guaranteed regret."

Either way, she couldn't be at peace. In that case, it was easier to help a neighbor’s happiness and brace herself with a "bring on the trouble!" attitude. Seeing Little One puffing out her chest, funsu, Romel let out a sigh, for the umpteenth time, and reluctantly nodded.

"You really are that kind of creature, aren’t you."

"Yep♪"

"I’m not complimenting you, you know!"

To be so self-centered to this extent was not commendable, but it was impressive. Her figure, not even weighing her own disadvantages, was in a sense worthy of admiration. .....Though he could never welcome it. Looking up at the ceiling with a distant gaze, Romel brought the conversation back to the pilgrimage.

"So? When is the next pilgrimage?"

"I’m planning for early summer. We’ll zip over to the Claudia Kingdom in the Honeybee Carriage, and then aim for the border forest of the Chechuri Kingdom on the way."

The Lord's Forest in question was in a border region closer to the Chechuri Kingdom. It was the last border country. From there, they planned to circle around the Sucaraba Kingdom, then check on the Lords’ Forests in Donautil and Flowers before returning.

"It’ll take about a week to cross the first part of the Claudia Kingdom, and from there we’ll travel overland, so it’ll be about two weeks to the Chechuri Kingdom. After that, we can fly, so..... staying for two days in each place..... It’ll be about two months in total, I think?"

Little One murmured lightly.

Yeah, I already knew, but.

Was it really okay for her to think of two months as nothing? You’re a child who hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony, let alone her rite of passage.

In Frontier, the rite of passage was at thirteen and the coming-of-age was at fifteen. This was common throughout the world, and commoners, due to the necessity of working, held both at the same time. At the rite of passage ceremony, one would declare one’s future aspirations in martial arts, academics, and so on, and then devote oneself to that field to come of age. Only then would one be recognized as a full-fledged noble.....

Little One, who had long since skipped all that and was traveling the world.

Yeah, thinking about it is pointless. A few years ago, when he wished for her to live peacefully, seemed like a distant memory from long ago. Staring at the ceiling with a vacant gaze, Romel was oblivious as Little One devised various plans and looked up with a beaming smile.

"With this, we can settle things by autumn, nyo. At least the pilgrimage will be over. The Arts Theater will be completed in autumn, and there will be all sorts of festivals, so I absolutely can’t miss them! Yep♪"

So that’s what it comes down to!

Romel couldn't help but scowl at the happily smiling Little One. No matter how much Romel pleaded, Little One rarely budged, but if delicious food and fun were involved, her attitude would change in a heartbeat. In a way, it was the unshakeable Little One quality.

Are food and events more important than me? Are you?!

Swallowing the words that rose to his throat, Romel remained silent. Being silent did not mean being quiet. It referred to a situation where one had much to say but deliberately swallowed it. While embodying this with his entire being, seeing the innocent and joyful figure of Little One, Romel felt the bile he had swallowed begin to dissolve.

I can’t win, can I? Really.

If she was happy, that was enough.

With his eyes curving into a gentle arc, Romel resigned himself to being the troublesome one. No matter how happy Little One seemed, someone needed to keep her in check.

Taking on that thankless role himself, Romel continued to repeat the necessary admonishments to Little One again today.