kscans

Chapter 174 - The Raid on the Elven Palace and the Bond of Master and Servant (Part 1)

"So… what was it again? Mary-Anal Ruff-Ruff Style?"

I glanced over at Maryanne.

"My name is not so obscene! It is Maryanne One-Land."

Star Union and One-Land, huh.

"What were the names of the other Four Regent Families again?"

"…The human Air-Ally family, the dog-eared One-Land family, the dwarven Sky-Lot family, and the elven Star Union family,"

Marmi answered.

"You don’t think an Otherworlder came up with those, do you?"

"…Yes. Star Union was someone else, but the person who named the others was likely the same Otherworlder."

"I see. Maybe they were the type who took a lot of overseas business trips."

"…Overseas business trips?"

Marmi tilted her head. I considered explaining, but my attention had to be on Maryanne. She had been listening to our exchange with a faint smile on her face.

"Maryanne, why did you appear before me? And why are you with me now?"

She shifted her gaze to Famu, who stood beside me. Famu, taking it as a sign of hostility, stared right back at Maryanne.

"I believe you are aware of what happened to her about a year ago. I am searching for and gathering the people of her village. I had already received information about your party from the Star Union family, but I needed to confirm for myself what state the girl named Famu was in."

I remembered the dog-eared man we’d met in Heilon. He, too, had been trying to make sure his kin weren't suffering a terrible fate.

"I heard Famu’s village didn’t belong to any country or city. This has nothing to do with you, does it?"

"The One-Land family is one of the Four Regent Families that support Miglutt. But more than that, we pride ourselves on being the leaders of the dog-eared race. This incident is something we can never overlook. I have a responsibility to rebuild the village and to bring those who did this to justice."

Was this what tribal bonds were like? Or was it a trait unique to the dog-eared people?

"You can rebuild the village, but you can’t bring back the lives that were lost. I won’t say there’s no point in the survivors living on with their sorrow, but you can’t say that things have gone back to normal or that they’ve found happiness."

"That is true. This is but a single signpost on their path. I intend to ensure their safety and guarantee their status. From there, they must decide for themselves."

Famu’s eyes darted around at those words before she looked down. It was just like before. She felt guilty about her current situation. I put my arm around her thin, small shoulders.

"Mash, is that not what you are doing as well?"

Maryanne asked.

"I’m not thinking on such a grand scale. Mine is a much smaller goal. As long as Famu is happy, that’s all that matters to me."

"But you must understand, don’t you? If you truly want to make her happy, you must change the circumstances she finds herself in."

"…"

I looked down at the hand on Famu’s shoulder. Her shoulders were small, but my hand was small, too. There was a limit to how many people I could scoop up and save with it.

Maryanne placed her hand over mine.

"Mash, I was only three years old when I inherited the leadership of the One-Land family. It may sound strange—a regent for a regent—but my uncle has held the real power since that time, and even now, I am nothing more than a figurehead. It is a testament to my own lack of ability that I have failed to seize any political power by this age. But regarding this incident, I wish to fulfill my duty as the head of our people. So many of the dog-eared race are suffering. Are my duties and your desires not one and the same? Please, I ask you to lend me your strength."

"Were you the one who sent the army after the Crimson Brigade?"

"Yes."

After grasping the situation at Famu’s village, the One-Land family had dispatched troops to punish the Crimson Brigade. It must have been her decision alone. The Crimson Brigade was now hiding in the same mountains where Famu’s village once stood.

"So you know their whereabouts, and Sameim’s?"

"I do."

"Alright. But, as you can see, things are a little complicated right now. I’ll come ask about the Crimson Brigade and Sameim later, so could you please go home for now? Having you here is going to make things incredibly messy."

I’d brought her this far because I thought she was Sameim. I didn’t want to complicate the trouble between us and the Star Union family any further.

"H-How could you? Is it because I am of the One-Land family? It is too late for that! Many people have already seen me as part of this raid. If I leave now and you lose, things will become far more difficult. Besides, you said you would make me yours, did you not?!"

"You’re the one who challenged me to a duel without any warning and decided all the terms yourself!"

"How could you say that, after stripping me bare and sucking on my breasts! It’s too late now!"

I suddenly found myself surrounded by savages wielding clubs.

Famu, too, had somehow slipped away from me and was now gripping a club of her own.

"We’ve only been in Miglutt for a single day. And yet, after making a selfish promise to Mo, you go and find someone new…"

Famu said in a low voice.

"N-No, you’re wrong. Wait, Shizuka, Reeni, you two know what happened. So why are you holding clubs, too?"

"He didn’t suck mine…"

"Reeni’s either…"

"Come on, I woke up, and there were these magnificent breasts right in front of me! Is there anyone who wouldn’t suck them in that situation?!"

My excuse fell on deaf ears. Unable to quell the rebellion among my companions, I was beaten to a pulp with their clubs.

"Is Mash weak?"

Reeni asked Shizuka.

"Who knows? He seems pretty average, I guess? I never saw anyone walking around with weapons back in my world, so I can’t really say."

Hearing that, Reeni furrowed her brow with a grave expression.

"He lost to Mizuki in swimming. Today he lost to Mizuki, then to Famu, then to us… I knew it. If I don’t protect Mash, he’s going to die…"

I wanted to say that losing the swimming race was Reeni’s fault, but I was the one who respected her wishes. I grit my teeth and held my tongue.

"Mash is weak because he hasn’t had sex with me."

"Is that right?"

"Yep. He just keeps storing it all up. He’s sexually frustrated and can’t think clearly, so he ends up thinking with his lower body instead of his head."

I thought Shizuka was the one thinking with her lower body, but I decided to keep quiet here, too. Then again, when I thought about it—Famu, Marmi, Maryanne—it was true that I was only thinking about the opposite sex. Had my brain migrated south when I came to this world?

"Then Reeni will have to do the thinking with her head instead."

They were having a conversation all on their own.

We peeked into the courtyard, but Marmi’s mother and Cecily’s group were gone.

Guided by Patricia, we were now walking toward the library in the north wing. I’d expected pursuers, but after we fled into the mansion, we hadn’t seen a single guard.

Just as I was thinking that, about ten guards came running from ahead. I turned to see more guards approaching from behind.

From among them, Wake emerged.

Maryanne gasped.

"You seemed surprised before, too."

"Several years ago, I witnessed him in a practice match with my master, where they fought with live blades. My master’s every attack was read. Even now, I can’t stop trembling just thinking about it."

"Is your master one of the dog-eared race?"

"Yes. He is a man who inherited the sword style of Okita Soji. He served as the captain of the Royal Guard when my father was alive, but he is old now and lives in retirement."

So there was an old man who could cross blades with Wake, a man even Myra feared. If he didn’t have a special skill, that was even more surprising.

"Like I said before, he’s just cheating. If your number of attacks can overwhelm his precognition, you should be able to win."

"Why me? I think it would be better if you fought him, Mash."

"...The thing is, the damage I took from being beaten up by my companions earlier…"

I cut my conversation with Maryanne short. Wake raised a hand, and the guards drew their swords in unison.

"No, I alone am enough. Half of you, guard Lord Augustus and Lady Marina. The rest, summon the Royal Guard and the magic unit."

"But sir, these people who have beguiled Lady Marmi…"

one of the soldiers asked Wake.

"It’s fine. I will dispose of them."

"Sir!"

The guards left, leaving only Wake behind.

"Now then, Lady Mo. What is the meaning of this?"

"…I’m going on a journey with Mash. I came to tell you that."

At Marmi’s words, Wake surveyed our group. Then, his eyes landed on Maryanne and he frowned.

"And this young lady as well?"

"…She’s different. We met by chance. She came here to defeat Wake."

"Huh? Whaaaaaat?! Me? What for?"

Maryanne backed away. It seemed she wasn’t quite prepared to fight Wake yet.

"That’s what I’m asking, isn’t it?"

Wake drew his sword.

"From the looks of it, this will all be over once I defeat you, young lady, and you over there."

He glanced at Maryanne and Mizuki.

"…Mash. He didn’t count you,"

Marmi murmured to me.

"Shut up. You were beating me to a pulp just a minute ago, too. My pride is in tatters."

I sent a look toward Maryanne.

"Maryanne, he’s just using a special skill to boost his own power. There’s no way you’ll lose to him in a straight sword fight."

"A-A special skill… what kind of power is it?"

Unsure if I should answer, I glanced at Marmi, and she nodded.

"He seems to be able to read a little bit into the future."

"The future… So that’s why you told me to overwhelm him with attacks, Mash."

Hearing my words, Maryanne stepped forward to face Wake.

She drew her katana slightly from its sheath and lowered her stance. Wake responded by raising his sword.

"Right now, I may not be able to unleash enough attacks to overwhelm his thoughts. But if I can just land one blow that he can’t stop, even if he sees it coming…"

She closed the distance with shuffling steps.

A defiant smile spread across Wake’s face.

"Is Maryanne strong?"

Famu asked.

"She is. You lost to her, didn’t you?"

"That was only because my blade was broken! Besides, she said she dueled with you, Master. Since she is following you now, that means you won, correct?"

"That’s right."

"Then isn’t she weak…?"

"Hmph… Don’t you forget that Wake didn’t count you as a combatant either. And it was her swordsmanship that broke Aidan’s blade."

"I see. So that’s what she meant by an unstoppable blow."

Famu nodded.

While we were talking, Maryanne continued to close the distance.

"Maryanne, you don’t have to close the distance yourself. Just cut him down when he comes to you."

At my words, she froze.

"Don’t you people have a time limit? I went to the trouble of dismissing the guards, but the knights will be here soon,"

Wake replied to my heckling.

"You hear that? He’s saying he can’t win if you wait."

"What an unpleasant fellow you are."

The moment Wake let out a wry smile, she closed the gap in an instant and swung her katana in an upward slash. The fierce clash of steel echoed around us. Wake had blocked her blade with his own by a hair's breadth.

"That was just a feint."

Maryanne gripped her sword with both hands and raised it high. "This next one is the real deal!"

With a piercing battle cry, her blade came down at a terrifying speed.

Once again, the sound of clashing steel rang out.

"You intended to break my sword, I imagine. A pity."

Maryanne’s second strike had also been stopped by Wake’s blade.

"Ngh!"

She leaped back and reset her stance. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead.