kscans

Chapter 43 - A New Pilgrimage and the Little One

"Well then, I’m leaving the rest to you, nyo."

Chihiro created two more similar artificial forests on the outskirts of the borderlands, in the direction of the sea. After a long journey that took ten days one way and a three-day stay in the borderlands, she finally began her return trip.

"Then, take these sons of mine."

At Legion’s beckoning, two adult-sized oni and three child-sized oni appeared. They all had reddish-brown hair, their faces obscured by their bangs. However, just one of them had bright red hair.

"The one with red hair is my successor. If you grant him a forest somewhere, he will become one half of a pair."

One half. That meant there was another one. Homi, the Little One nodded. She entrusted the adult-sized oni to the spiders and had the child-sized oni get into the carriage. Then she instructed her guard knights to head for Bastok.

"We’re going to fly, so it’s up to you knights to show your true worth, nyo. Get to Bastok as fast as you can."

As she waved hirahira, the Little One’s carriage was lifted by the honeybees. Before the astonished eyes of the knights, the carriage made a wide turn and flew off into the sky, heading towards Bastok. Seeing it off in a daze, the knights snapped back to their senses and hurriedly chased after the carriage soaring through the sky. The honeybee flight was far faster than running on the ground. The knights, riding individually, were much faster than if they were escorting the carriage. Even faster than the knights were Canon and Fugue. And faster still were the oni, sitting cross-legged on the two spiders.

They were a truly bizarre party.

Since Dorfen was riding in the carriage, the vice-captain, Kazelias La Nelson, who had temporarily assumed command, couldn’t suppress the smile that rose to his lips, even as he gave a wry grin.

How delightful. It had been ten years since he had felt his heart dance like this.

He had also accompanied the pilgrimage ten years ago. He was a man who had witnessed the Little One’s various antics firsthand. He had been flabbergasted back then, but this time was even more absurd. His dark gray hair streaming in the wind, Kazelias chuckled softly, looking thoroughly amused. When surprise goes too far, all you can do is laugh. It seemed the other knights felt the same, as they were all laughing with their eyes sparkling like children.

I was born in an interesting time, he thought, unknowingly offering his thanks to the gods. They spurred their horses on, chasing after the Honeybee Carriage that was gradually growing distant.

"My Lady~~~"

Landing at the east gate of Bastok, the honeybees began to pull the carriage as if nothing had happened. The gatekeeper, mistaking the approaching flying object from the sky for a monster, had lost his nerve and instinctively sounded the alarm bell. The people of Bastok, who had gathered upon hearing the alarm, were dumbfounded when they realized the flying object was a carriage.

"Nyu? I’m home?"

This is no time for ‘I’m home’!

The soldiers wanted to shout at the little girl who poked her head out of the carriage and waved hirahira.

"You had us worried! Please arrive normally!"

"But this is normal for us..."

The calculated innocence of the little girl tilting her head.

Her innocent eyes disarmed them, and the soldiers felt a sense of deflation with a pushuu.

Ah, so this is what the Crown Prince was talking about.

‘That one knows no common sense. In her pursuit of efficiency, she will do the most outlandish things without a second thought. Just let it go.’

She knows no common sense... isn't there a limit to that?! Just having monsters as her servants is already outside the norm, but having them pull a carriage, and then flying through the sky on top of that, is just too outlandish!

A man who appeared to be a captain stared at the Little One with a stern face. Swallowing the words they wanted to say, the vexed-looking soldiers spotted a cloud of dust on the wilderness horizon. The gradually clarifying shadows were the Frontier knights. They, who had apparently been chasing the carriage, arrived at the east gate of Bastok with broad smiles on their faces.

"A journey that would take two days by carriage can be done in less than one. This is excellent."

Kazelias smiled, showing no signs of fatigue.

"Nyo. From now on, let’s check the roads and land on the way there by ground, and come back all at once on the return trip."

The little girl laughed, nishishi.

However, at that moment, Adonis, with faltering steps, muttered weakly.

"No, the spinning part... ugh."

Staggering out of the carriage, he was supported by Hyrulia’s back before finally kneeling beside the carriage. The honeybees made wide turns during takeoff and landing to gauge their direction or kill their momentum, but it seemed he couldn’t withstand it. The furniture inside the carriage was fixed in place, but the humans were not. Although the force was offset by the barrier created by Mugi-ta and the other frogs, it couldn’t mitigate the sense of floating that came with the loss of equilibrium during the turns. The twins and the familiars had enjoyed it, but it seemed to have been a bit tough for the older members like Dorfen and Adonis. Dorfen was maintaining his composure, but he couldn’t hide the beads of sweat on his temples.

Homi. Room for improvement, kanyo.

The Little One pondered while sucking her thumb, chuchu. Zack picked up the little girl.

"Are you alright? You must be tired. Let’s rest at the inn."

Zack pulled down the Little One’s hood, smoothed her bangs, and smiled sweetly.

"Is Zack okay?"

"Hm? With what?"

Zack tilted his head nonchalantly.

Is it his youth? Hyrulia seems fine too.

Hyrulia was rubbing Adonis’s back, tending to him. Neither of them seemed to be affected. Even on Earth’s roller coasters, some people are fine with speed but can’t handle spinning. For now, let’s rest slowly.

Held in Zack’s arms, the Little One’s party spent the night in the town of Bastok.

And then, the next day.

"Next is Yaman. Let’s go all at once!"

The carriage, knights, and familiars all set off at once. As he watched the Frontier party become a tiny shadow in the distance, a soldier from Bastok muttered.

"They’re really enjoying life, aren’t they."

After a moment’s pause, the Bastok soldiers all burst out laughing.

"Indeed. They are certainly living life to the fullest."

"If you could do whatever you wanted like that, it must be a lot of fun."

Laughing heartily with a getageta, the soldiers felt a strange sense of exhilaration. When something is this over-the-top, all you can do is laugh. Laughing is important. It blows away most worries and doubts. At first, they were indignant at how bizarre it all was, feeling something close to anger, but once they were gone, they were a pleasant group of people. The refreshing feeling of moving forward as one pleased, unbound by constraints. At a glance, there was no sense of status, and the knights and attendants were bantering while being led around by the young lady. After a good, long laugh, the soldiers found that the resentment in their hearts had completely melted away.

The captain of the Bastok soldiers looked up at the sky with deep emotion and unconsciously saluted the Frontier party, which had already become a small, distant shadow.

The little girl who had swept through like a gust of wind.

If only Flowers had such a person...

After thinking that far, the captain hurriedly shook his head. What in the world am I thinking?

An unconscious thought he himself did not understand.

With a look of wistful longing in their eyes, the Bastok soldiers returned to the city.

"Is there no music or dancing?"

Having arrived in Yaman, the Frontier party was, as a matter of course, having dinner at Akitsu Farm. Adonis and Zack were in the kitchen to learn about various aspects of Washoku. Since the two who were always attached to the Little One were absent, Chihiro was relaxing on Banri’s lap.

"Music and dancing, you ask? We have them, but you’ll need some ‘flowers’."

The ‘flowers’ referred to payment. It seemed that Kilfan’s former licensed quarter, different from the common brothels of the world, had preserved its time-honored customs.

"You have maiko and geigi-san?"

"Ah. Separate from the courtesans, we have a geisha house that specializes in entertainment."

He explained that there were children who learned the arts to add a touch of elegance to banquets and such. Children who literally danced. Maiko-san. In modern Japan, laws no longer permit those under fifteen to work. Furthermore, because the geisha house is a special type of workplace, maiko can no longer work until they are eighteen. However, until that law was made, children called kamuro, who were not yet of age, worked as apprentice maiko. The reason maiko still wear kimonos with tucked shoulders and waists even in their everyday wear is a remnant of that time. It signifies that they are still children. Maiko, who are apprentice geigi, learn the arts and etiquette under their older sisters and are introduced as their younger sisters. That culture had been passed down in Kilfan.

Incidentally, the maiko is a unique culture of Kyoto. In Kyoto, one can become a maiko from the age of fifteen, but this is not permitted in other prefectures. The ozashiki is a place where sake is served. In other words, it is the nightlife business. Kyoto, which has long protected this culture, is protected by special ordinances. Therefore, outside of Kyoto, one can only work from the age of eighteen, and since they can hardly be called children at that age, they are called hangyoku instead of maiko.

It goes without saying that the Little One, whose eyes sparkled after hearing the story from Banri, charged off to the geisha house.

That night, Akitsu Farm was very lively, with the sounds of shamisen and flute echoing all around. The elegant shadows of Japanese hairstyles were cast on the paper screens. Among the dancing geigi and maiko, the shadow of a child doing the Bon Odori was also a charming sight.

Full of joy and fun, the Little One is full of energy today too.♪