kscans

Chapter 57 - Little One and the Kodoku Curse

"Huh? From Prince Marcello?"

"Yes. A request for aid, for you."

It was a holiday, and she was helping Romel with his duties. He dangled a single envelope before the twins who had come to visit. It was a thick envelope with a gold border. The wax seal was broken, indicating he had already checked the contents.

Little One took the letter paper from the proffered envelope and ran her eyes over it.

"Hmm? So, there’s a cave beneath the town of Bastok, and it’s overrun with monsters, so they’re in a bind?"

During their pilgrimage in early spring, the topic of something possibly being under Bastok had come up. Upon his return to the royal capital, Prince Marcello had apparently organized a unit of knights and investigators to look into it. As a result, deep within a mine shaft that was supposed to have been exhausted and abandoned, they found the signs of an unnatural rockfall. When they dug it out, they discovered a cave that continued even deeper. But upon entering, they found a labyrinth of crisscrossing paths that disoriented them, and numerous ferocious monsters attacked. With the paths being so narrow, the knights and soldiers couldn’t fight effectively, leading to this plea for advice.

"To think a place like that existed in Flowers. Now, this has me curious. Do you remember the Queen’s Forest?"

Romel raised a slender eyebrow in a faintly sarcastic manner.

Queen’s Forest?

Huh? Little One tilted her head, and Romel, lifting the little girl into his arms, poked her small nose.

"Come now, you two found them, didn’t you? The monsters sealed within a barrier."

"Oh, the cave that was like a kodoku curse?"

"Yes, that one."

The monsters had been trapped in a barrier, driven to madness. At the request of the Knight Order, they had shattered that barrier. Keeping the part about Earth to herself, Little One had explained that there was an ancient curse where you make such creatures fight to produce a stronger one, which is then used as a sacrifice to fulfill a wish. When she also explained that this could have resulted in a terrifying mutated monster or triggered a stampede, the Knight Order had erupted in an uproar, as if they had kicked a hornet’s nest. They had apparently identified the person responsible from the magical traces on the barrier and questioned him, but he insisted it was just a simple barrier experiment. As he was a high-ranking mage, and there was no clear malice or evidence, they said an interrogation was the most they could do. A pitch-black smile appeared on Little One’s face.

"So, we were about to be in a whole heap of trouble over a ‘simple experiment’?"

Even if they couldn’t determine malicious intent, wasn’t there some kind of punishment, like a stern warning or a demotion? You’re just letting him go!

Little One thought she had only been thinking it, but the words had apparently tumbled from her mouth. As the little girl flared up with indignation, Commander Harold nodded gravely with a look like he had just swallowed a bitter bug.

"I share your sentiment. However, against a high-ranking noble, this is the best we can do."

From what she heard, the person in question was from one of only four marquis families in Frontier. Furthermore, he was a mage belonging to the Tower of David, and high-ranking mages are apparently allowed a certain degree of personal discretion in their magical experiments. But the location was the problem. He didn’t get off scot-free. He was punished by having to forfeit his salary for the next year.

"Hmph. Is a punishment like that even effective on a high and mighty noble-sama?"

As Little One stared with fixed, resentful eyes, everyone else awkwardly averted their gazes.

She had been placated with assurances that it was better than nothing, and the matter had been closed at the time.

As Little One mulled this over, Romel watched her with a serious expression.

"They’re similar, aren’t they? The situation in Bastok. A cave sealed by a rockfall, with ferocious monsters swarming inside. And the fact that so many monsters exist there means there has to be something with immense magical power somewhere in that cave."

Little One’s head shot up with a gasp.

That’s right. Just like in the Queen’s Forest, monsters can’t be born without something possessing immense magical power. Frontier’s land was originally rich in magic. Even now, though diminished, that blessing has not disappeared. Part of the reason is the existence of the Lords, who possess immense magical power. Though they lost their golden magic, the inherent elemental magic they possess is still tremendous.

There was no way a cave teeming with monsters could exist in Flowers, where magic was nearly depleted. Monsters die without magic. That was why, while Little One had feared a similar situation might be occurring, she had mentally dismissed the possibility.

She had hinted to Prince Marcello that such a thing might occur, just in case. But for him, the attacking magical beasts were likely the more pressing issue. Then, suddenly, Chihiro remembered the explanation she had heard from Chihaya.

Come to think of it...

"Nii-ni, during our last pilgrimage, you said there was something under Bastok, right?"

Chihaya, who had been watching Romel holding Little One with a dangerous glint in his eyes, blinked when the topic was suddenly thrown his way.

"Huh? Ah, you mean about the Gnomes? I think I said there was a large place underground, and they were trapped and suffering... Want to ask them directly?"

Little One nodded at Chihaya’s words and swirled her finger in the air. Two spirits appeared with a pop. Ignoring a wide-eyed Romel, Little One questioned Pockle, who was playing with Colon.

"Pockle, you said there was a graveyard for magical beasts under Bastok, right?"

‘Hou!’

The Gnome nodded emphatically.

"And there are stones there made from the remains of magical beasts, right?"

‘Hohhou!’

The Gnome nodded emphatically again.

Little One recalled the small stone she had been given then. It was a mysterious blackish-purple stone that had faintly unsettled her heart. And he had said that the Gnome’s main body was deep underground.

"Is Colon’s main body under the Tower of David?"

‘Kyau!’

This one, too, nodded vigorously as if to say, that’s right.

What is it? It feels like something is about to connect...

It was the same feeling she’d had in Bastok, something she could almost grasp but couldn’t quite reach.

As Little One clutched her head, Romel spoke to her with a fixed gaze.

"Hey, Chihiro? Who’s that little person?"

"Nyu? That’s a Gnome, nyo. His name is Pockle."

The Gnome waved its short arms at Romel as if to say, nice to meet you. The corners of Romel’s mouth trembled minutely.

"Couldn’t you have told me about this sooner? Where did you find a Gnome?!"

Romel snapped his face toward Chihiro, his eyes sparkling as he demanded an explanation.

Huh? Didn’t I tell him?

Pressing back against Romel’s face with both hands as he leaned in with a furious expression, Little One explained the events in Bastok from start to finish. Once her long explanation was over, Romel clutched his head while repeatedly glancing at the Gnome.

"A spirit from another country. Hahaha..."

"It’s not my fault..."

"So, what are you going to do?"

Romel’s hand gently stroked Little One’s head from the side. As his delicate fingers combed through her hair, Chihiro pondered what to do. A country should handle its own affairs. As close as she was to Prince Marcello, if Little One were to interfere, it could be seen as meddling in their internal politics. The little girl was, in particular, carrying the banners of both Frontier and Kilfan. She had only recently become aware of it, but she could become the seed of an international dispute.

She had told them about the kodoku curse and the magical beasts, and they had a respectable army. They would just have to do their best themselves.

Just as Little One was reaching her conclusion, Romel spoke.

"By the way, this last line. What does it mean?"

At his words, Little One checked the letter again. Her eyes widened, and her lips quivered.

"Everyone, prepare to head to Flowers! We’re going by honeybee flight, as fast as we can!"

With her eyes shining brightly, she raised her right hand high and made the decision to go to Flowers.

The last line.

‘As compensation for your assistance this time, I am prepared to gladly consent to the matter of your request.’

The purchase of the land where the magical beasts’ graveyard lay.

It wouldn’t be easy for Little One to buy land in a neighboring country. Still, she had intended to acquire it somehow.

She had made a promise to Pockle, after all.

And now, that chance had fallen right into her lap.

Chihiro rearranged her lecture schedule, informed the academy she would be absent for about a week, and Chihaya similarly began preparations to go to Flowers. It was fortunate that they were exempt from many of their subjects.

"You don’t have to force yourself to come, Nii-ni."

"What? You think I’d let you go alone, Hiro? Or is there some reason you want to leave me behind?"

The older brother stared at his sister with a dangerous look in his eyes.

"It’s not like that... I just don’t want to interfere with your student life."

Chihaya wrapped his arms around the mumbling Little One from behind and stroked her small head.

Ah, when had they grown so different in height?

Chihaya, who resembled Drago, had grown even taller this spring. Chihiro, who resembled Sakura, remained small.

"I like being by your side most of all, Hiro. I want to be by your side. Just like how Father is always by Mother’s side. So don’t say things like you’re leaving me behind, okay? In fact, take me with you wherever you go, okay? ...Well, even if you did leave me, I’d just chase after you."

He hugged Little One tightly, and his eyes narrowed darkly.

There’s no way I could let such a small, cute sister go by herself to the Flowers army, which is full of men! Honestly, Hiro is such a child! That’s cute too, so I’ll forgive it, but telling me I don’t have to come is a bit hard to forgive.

Chihaya’s hand, which had been stroking her head, tangled in Little One’s hair, and he gently pressed a kiss to a lock of it. A faint scent of camellia oil drifted up.

"Nii-ni?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

She gave him a soft, innocent smile.

"Yeah..."

Ahhh, what a sight for sore eyes! If I can have this smile all to myself, I can do anything. I’ll make it happen. So...

"Always be with me, Hiro."

"Okay!"

At first glance, it was a heartwarming embrace between siblings.

Romel, watching from a short distance, looked up at the sky with a dubious expression.

Hmm. Let’s just pretend I didn’t see that. Yep. Scary. He’s a genuine siscon. Am I going to get stabbed by him someday?

For a moment, Romel glimpsed a blood-soaked future in Chihaya’s dark eyes, but he decided to set it aside.

And so, Little One departed for Flowers.

Would a demon appear, or would a snake?

But still, Little One is doing great♪