kscans

Chapter 103 - Training and the Elven Scion

I stood facing Avea, holding a wooden stick. We were on the deck. The sun beat down, the humid wind was lukewarm, and sweat trickled down my cheek. It was the third day of our river journey.

"I get that this is training on a ship. I get that it'll come down to a swordfight in the end. But I'd rather you teach me how to use a crossbow."

I don't like pain. But Avea just grinned at my words and took her stance.

"I'll teach you that later. You need to learn what pain feels like."

No matter how many times I've charged at her, I don't feel like I can land a single hit. The more I challenge her, the fewer options I have. She surpasses me in both experience and skill. I attacked her from a textbook middle guard stance, but she easily parried it. As I stumbled, a kick sent me falling to the deck.

"Not a surprise attack today, I see,"

she said in a calm voice.

"Sh-shut up!"

She would follow up if I stayed down, so I quickly got back up and reset my stance. I was breathing heavily through my shoulders, but her breathing was steady. The moment I took a breath to steady myself, she lunged at me. I deflected it with my weapon, but she unleashed a rapid second and third attack. I retreated while dodging her blows, and in a flash, I was cornered at the ship's railing. The drop from the deck to the water was considerable. I leaned back to dodge a thrust from Avea, but I nearly fell off the ship. I hurriedly tried to circle around her, but she grabbed my clothes.

"Let go!"

I swung my weapon, but she grabbed my wrist too.

"Don't hold back. I'll give you an experience unique to the river."

She lifted me up and threw me. I flew through the air and plunged into the river. I hit the water with a huge splash and sank deep. I couldn't tell which way was up. Instead of struggling, I waited for my body to float. Eventually, my body slowly began to rise to the surface, and I regained my sense of direction. It didn't seem like I could hold my breath until I surfaced, so I tried to kick my legs to speed up, but the shoes I was wearing prevented me from getting much propulsion. I was running out of air. Just as I started to panic, my head broke the surface.

"Gasp!"

I took a huge breath. I looked around and saw the ship was further away than I'd thought.

"Master! Master!"

I could see Famu shouting from the deck. Next to her, Avea was looking down at me with a smirk. What an infuriating woman. Someday I'll set a horde of goblins on her and make her scream, "Ugh, just kill me!"

I tried to swim toward the ship, but my clothes clung to me, making it difficult. Treading water was all I could manage. Even if I got close, it didn't seem like I could climb back onto the deck. My only hope was for them to throw me a lifebuoy with a rope and pull me in. Famu must have thought I was drowning, because she leaned over the railing.

"Master! I'm coming to save you!"

"Hey, stop! I'm fine!"

Before my voice could reach her, she leaped into the river. It was a dive that made me worry she couldn't swim. A huge column of water erupted. Did she belly-flop? I watched her, and she started flailing, sending water splashing everywhere. Could it be that she really jumped into the river without knowing how to swim?

"Glub, Master! Glub, I'm coming to save you!"

"..."

She seemed to have a strong will to save me, but she was clearly drowning. I had to save her. I desperately paddled with my hands and made my way toward her.

"Glub, Master! Master!"

She was in a complete panic. I had to calm her down.

"Famu, calm down. It's okay, just grab onto me."

Just as I was about to hug her, she pushed my head down.

"Ugh, I can't breathe! I'm gonna die!"

Famu used me as a floatation device, clinging to my head to keep her own face up. The force was surprisingly strong. Immobilized, I was pushed under the water in her place. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even come up for air. When Avea threw me in, it was sudden, but I had time to fill my lungs with air before hitting the water. This time, I had no mental preparation.

"Gah!"

I couldn't hold it in any longer and opened my mouth, and a large amount of water rushed in. When I tried to cough, even more water flowed into my lungs. With Famu still clinging to me, my consciousness grew hazy and faded away.


A large amount of air was forced into my lungs. My chin was held, and my nose was pinched. The moment I felt something soft pressed against my lips, air was blown in. The thing pressed against my mouth was removed. I could breathe. I opened my eyes and saw Avea's face close by. I tried to act surprised, but my body wouldn't move.

"..."

It seemed I had been rescued and laid out on the deck.

"You're awake?"

Avea asked.

"Avea, I'm still not feeling well. Can we do that again..."

I coughed violently, spitting water from the back of my throat. It felt awful.

"Still some left in there, huh? Let this one take care of the rest."

Famu was pushed onto me. Her eyes were bright red. It surely wasn't from being in the river.

"Master, I am so sorry... But I thought you were going to die. When I thought that, I couldn't think of anything else."

"Are you okay, Famu?"

She nodded once. A tear traced a path down her cheek. I could feel my body starting to warm up. I was able to move my arm, so I stroked her ear. It was damp.

"You'll catch a cold. Have Cecily dry you off."

I looked around and saw that Myra, Aira, and Doris had been casting healing magic on me. Mizuki and Cecily were watching from a distance. I sat up, and Famu supported me.

"Anyone else besides Famu who can't swim?"

"Actually, I'm surprised you can swim, Mash. Most people can't,"

Myra answered. In Furufto, I saw kids diving and playing, so I thought swimming was normal, but apparently not. Come to think of it, there was a river in Richel, but it didn't look swimmable.

"...I can swim."

Doris raised her hand. It seems to depend on where you grew up.

"Mizuki can swim too, but... hand-to-hand combat on the water might be difficult."

If we leave ropes or lifebuoys hanging, enemy soldiers could climb up them too. Anyone who falls in will be left there until the battle is over. The only ones who can perform a rescue are me and Mizuki, but I just had a terrible experience trying to save Famu. Doris needs to stick with the members of Altair. I have to come up with a rescue plan in case someone falls in.

"Master, please teach me how to swim,"

Famu requested.

"I can do that, but it's not something you can learn right away. Basically, the human body floats. If you lie on your back, you can breathe. For now, just remember that."

"You also learned that you can't swim properly in that gear and those shoes. And when rescuing someone, approach from behind, not the front. A panicked person can sometimes exhibit surprising strength. Sometimes it's more efficient to wait until they weaken,"

Avea interjected. She was absolutely right.

"Did you sink me just to teach me that?"

"You didn't seem afraid of the water, so I figured you could swim. But I couldn't predict the actions of your loyal dog."

Avea gave a wry smile. She probably thought she had gone too far. If she thinks so, I'd like another round of artificial respiration as an apology.

"That's right. If you don't talk some sense into her, Mash, things could get really bad. She won't listen to anyone else,"

Cecily chimed in. I wanted to retort that she doesn't listen to me either, but Famu looked so dejected that I decided to keep quiet.

"Did you perhaps not dry Famu as a form of punishment?"

My mouth was wet from spitting up water earlier, but when I touched my hair, it was dry.

"She almost got you killed!"

"She was just trying to help. And she's reflecting on it. There's no point in complaining to someone like that. Famu won't make the same mistake again. Please dry her off."

"You're too soft!"

Cecily yelled. Mizuki placed a hand on her shoulder as if to stop her.

"I agree that these two are a mess, but don't forget that you were able to become a free person because of Mash's softness."

"...Fine. I'll just forget what happened as a little skit. For a life-risking performance, it wasn't funny at all. And there's no point in having a serious conversation with a pervert lounging around in his underwear!"

Cecily stalked off towards the cabin. Her words were right. Famu is reckless. She has something more important to her than her own life. That resolve is beautiful, but I don't think it's right as a human being, and I don't want her to live like that. But I didn't know what words to use to convince her.

"Master, I'm going to go apologize to Cecily."

I nodded, and she ran off after Cecily. Left behind, I realized from Cecily's words that I was in my underwear, my clothes folded neatly nearby.

"KYAA, SO LEWD!"

I tried shouting it, but the mood in the air was heavy.


As the sun began to set, we reached the dock. Three sailing ships were already in port. Several other high-speed boats with lateen sails were also moored. I disembarked with the members of Levante.

"Master, that sailing ship must be Mo's ship."

I couldn't tell the ships apart at all, but I guess Famu could. Her friends' fleet was a passenger ship that had departed a day ahead of us. It seemed they had decided not to set sail out of caution for the pirate ships.

"May I go and check on my friends?"

She couldn't hide her fidgeting. I nodded, and she ran off. If Famu's friends are here, there's no need to force a fight with the pirates. I let out a breath as I watched her back.

"Cecily, you washed Famu for me. Thanks."

I lightly poked the back of Cecily, who was watching Famu's back just as I was.

"Mm. It might be me imposing my values, but don't use her feelings for you to turn her into your dog."

"I know. But I want to do something about it, I just don't know what."

"Honestly..."

Cecily grimaced and sighed. In the beginning, she used to call Famu 'dog-ears' and look down on her. Cecily had changed. That change made me very happy.

"What are you grinning about, Mash the Pervert!"

Cecily puffed out her cheeks.

"Pardon me?"

A voice called from behind. Mercedes, Claire, and the members of Altair had gathered as well.

"It seems a noble is traveling by ship to the city of Heilon,"

Mercedes said.

"A noble?"

I asked, and he nodded with a knowing look.

"In the city of Miglutt, there are nobles called the Four Regent Families who rule. A scion of one of those families is said to be traveling by ship from Furufto to Heilon. It seems the Demon Kingdom's pirate ships have come upriver past Heilon to abduct her."

"Four Regent Families... does that mean Miglutt is a city-state ruled by a king?"

A regent's role is to handle political affairs when the ruler is unable to for some reason.

"A king ruled a long time ago. The royal bloodline has died out now, and the Four Regent Families are the de facto rulers of the city,"

Myra explained. Miglutt is anti-Demon Kingdom. The scion has high value as a hostage.

"In that case, why don't they just attack the noble's ship specifically? Why attack merchant ships too? What a nuisance."

The pirates are a nuisance, but so is this noble's kid. Either bring an escort befitting the value of your life, or if you can't, just stay home and be quiet.

"I believe they are acting on a secret pact or secret orders from the Demon Kingdom, but they are pirates, not soldiers. Also, I don't think they have information on which ship she is on. In fact, we don't know either,"

Mercedes replied.

"Could she still be in Furufto?"

The daughter of a city's ruler would likely be traveling with a considerable retinue. She should stand out.

"...It's a possibility. It seems she is traveling disguised as a common citizen."

Is she on some kind of world-reforming journey with a family crest in her pocket? If Famu successfully meets her friends, I have no intention of fighting the pirates. In that case, we'd have to wait for the Furufto fleet to be dispatched. And the king who can move the army is in a castle in the mountains. We'd have no idea when we could set sail for Heilon.

"Do you know the scion's name?"

"Marmi Mume Mo Star Union. An elf girl."

I was strangely impressed to learn that there are people in this world too who give their children strange names.

"Wait. Mo? An elf? That girl was staying at our inn in Furufto. That's the name of Famu's friend."

It's the same as Famu's friend's name.

"She has three names. One of them is 'Mo.'"

"The same name... couldn't be a coincidence. What a ridiculous... no, a magnificent name. I can't imagine there are multiple parents in this world who would give their child such a name."

The fact that she was staying at the same inn means she was probably traveling incognito for some reason. And yet, information has leaked to the Demon Kingdom, and she revealed her real name to Famu. I don't get it.

"Where might this Lady Mo be now?"

"She was a day ahead of us down the river. That passenger ship docked over there is hers. Famu went to meet her. When she comes back, we can confirm."

"Could Lady Famu possibly have connections to the One-Land Family, one of the Four Regent Families?"

"One-Land Family?"

The name has a somewhat pastoral, fluffy ring to it.

"It is the family of the dog-eared race. They are of the same rank as the Star Union Family."

"No, Famu is a village girl from the countryside. She said she became friends with Mo while washing their faces at the inn. I don't think she'd lie to me about that."

When I denied any connection to the One-Land Family, Mercedes looked clearly disappointed. He's a man with a strong commercial spirit.

"So, has there been any update on the pirates?"

"They've set up a base on the sandbar we'll pass tomorrow. Another merchant ship heading downriver was attacked today."

Just as Avea answered in Mercedes's place, I saw Famu returning from the passenger ship. Next to her was an elven girl.