kscans

CHAPTER 6 FYUZARION – Episode 1 The Princess Knight and Suitors (Part 1)

t/n: the start of chapter 6. it’s the seventh arc though, since this is a zero-based array indexing. and i have an exam today. wish me luck.

1

Bard found himself in the midst of a storm. A storm of suitors vying for Doriatessa’s hand in marriage. How did it come to this?

2

Bard woke up on October 27th. It had been ninety-four days since the Battle of Hillpri Marche on August 17th. After collapsing, he had been taken to the city of Casse and then transported to the capital in a specially arranged carriage. Although he was supposed to be taken to the royal palace, Jurchaga insisted on taking him to the Toad residence, and Karz agreed, so Bard ended up sleeping there. Jurchaga seemed to understand Bard’s feelings well, for which Bard was grateful. Just like before, it seemed that Karz and Jurchaga had been taking care of Bard. Despite likely sustaining significant injuries, Karz had risen after the battle and acted as if nothing had happened.

Arflaburne, Kirie, and Jog also returned to the capital with Bard. Jog’s injuries were likely the most severe, yet he had managed to ride his horse all the way here. They were greatly praised by the king and then returned to their respective countries. Bard had intended to consult Arflaburne about the Toad household’s cook, Kamler, but that plan fell through.

Kamler had made nutritious juice and had Bard drink it while he was asleep, so his condition wasn’t as bad as it had been initially. However, he had lost a significant amount of weight and his body had become extremely weak, making it a struggle just to stand upright at first.

But sleeping for ninety-four days was abnormal. It was undoubtedly the backlash of releasing the power of the ancient sword. After pouring all his strength into unleashing the mysterious power of the ancient sword on the General of Greed, he was overwhelmed by an immense sense of exhaustion. He realized at that moment that falling into a deep sleep was the price to be paid for unleashing such great power. However, he had never expected to sleep for such a long period.

Back then too. The first time he unleashed the power of the ancient sword on a large scale. When Lordvan Castle was attacked by a massive demonic beast army. That time too, after using the power of the ancient sword, he had fallen into a long sleep. He had slept for almost two months. However, at that time, he had fought and exhausted his physical limits against the massive demonic beast army. Therefore, he had thought that it was the physical and mental fatigue that had demanded such a long sleep. But it seemed that wasn’t the case.

While dozing off, Bard pondered over this, but he could only think that it was because he had unleashed the power of the ancient sword. There must have been people who wields the sword before him, but if they ended up bedridden for dozens of days every time they used it, it would be considered an incredibly impractical treasure. However, Bard had encountered this weapon in his later years and had managed to unleash its true power, so perhaps it didn’t affect younger users in the same way. His body wasn’t accustomed to the mysterious power emitted by the ancient sword. His aged body no longer possessed the flexibility to adapt. Therefore, he had to be prepared to fall into a state of unconsciousness for two or even three months whenever he used the true power of the sword. It was powerful, but it was a weapon that could hardly be used. If used recklessly, his body wouldn’t be able to endure it.

A secretary was dispatched by the king to inquire about the Battle of Hillpri Marche. Upon learning that his Wajd Entrante (Marshal of the Alliance) status remained unchanged, Bard requested Karz to submit his resignation. This was promptly granted, and Bard felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. A substantial reward was offered by the royal palace, of which he received a portion and deposited the rest for future use.

Looking back while lying in bed, Bard realized how precarious the battle had been. The decision to lure the Shinkai army into mountain warfare near the capital had been a risky gamble. It had been an effective strategy due to the Shinkai army’s certain misconceptions about the capabilities, equipment, and tactics of the Parzam royal army. However, had Cedermont been killed or seriously injured as a decoy, both the vassal army and the royal army would have been thrown into chaos, resulting in an overwhelming defeat. Bard excelled in small-scale skirmishes in the mountains, but had the Shinkai soldiers’ breakthrough power been slightly stronger, they might have been individually defeated. It had been perilous without the secret weapon, the grappling spear. Nevertheless, victory in war couldn’t be achieved solely through calculated strategies. At times, it was necessary to attack with the force of a raging fire to overwhelm the enemy. If the Shinkai army had overextended their front and been struck, the momentum could have reversed, which was a matter of course.

Nevertheless, Bard thought to himself. If there hadn’t been a special connection between him and the General of Greed, he might not have adopted such a strategy. Ultimately, defeating the General of Greed had led to the victory of the Joint forces. That was undeniable. However, if asked whether he would adopt the same strategy if faced with a similar situation again, he couldn’t possibly agree. It was difficult to express in words, but this battle seemed to involve not just a conflict between nations but also another clash behind the scenes. In the midst of that clash, Bard had been swept away. Now, the excitement had completely subsided, and he felt as if someone else had taken overall command of this battle. In any case, it was nerve-wrecking. Bard didn’t possess the ability to command a large army like the Central Plains. Even in this battle, he had formulated strategies and commanded in local battles, but he couldn’t claim to have commanded the entire army. One mistake could have led to the ransacking of Parzam’s capital and several influential cities, and he didn’t want to experience that again.

After a week, he was able to walk and ride a horse. On the tenth day, Barry Toad took him to the hot springs of Tobakuni Mountain. Karz and Jurchaga accompanied them. Doriatessa had expressed a desire to go, but Bard had declined. In this country, it was considered scandalous for unmarried women to go to the hot springs with men.

Doriatessa visited every day. Even while Bard was asleep, she came every day, albeit not all day, but in between her work.

Doriatessa had ten disciples. In addition, five government officials were also taking her classes. Doriatessa’s role was to educate female knight candidates. While she did provide practical combat training, it wasn’t the central focus. The ten candidates had honed their sword skills to a certain level in a country where it was difficult for women to openly learn martial arts. They would continue their sword training under specialized instructors. Doriatessa’s practical training focused on the application of those skills in various scenarios.

In the Goriora Empire, female knights didn’t have the role of defeating enemies. Their main role was to buy time until male knights arrived. Additionally, the primary role of female knights was to guard noblewomen, but it also included interrogating and watching over female suspects.

The Goriora Empire was a nation of assassins. Six out of the past ten emperors had died from assassination, with female assassins playing a decisive role in half of those cases. Doriatessa had been trained as a knight responsible for guarding nobles in such a country. The candidates and officials were left pale after hearing about the methods of female assassins from her and seeing the assassination weapons borrowed from the Goriora Imperial Palace and learning how to use them.

The officials were present to learn and discuss the system, equipment, and arrangements. They discussed the materials and structure of female armor, attire in places where armor couldn’t be worn, various equipment, room furnishings, carriage curtains, and coordination with male knights and maids. They also learned about dealing with high-ranking individuals, knowledge of poison, medicine, first aid, and beverages such as tea. They had to consider the appropriate methods for Parzam after learning about the practices in Goriora.

The Parzam side was very enthusiastic about the learning process, and it seemed that Doriatessa would be in this country for about six to seven months.

Chantillion also visited frequently. Almost every day since Bard had woken up. He managed to visit amidst his busy schedule. It always coincides with Doriatessa’s visits. It seemed he had established an information network to detect and relay Doriatessa’s visits to the Toad residence with lightning speed, leveraging the connections he had as the former captain of the royal guard. It had a hint of mixing personal and professional matters, but it was likely a form of growth.

3

Originally, Doriatessa, a high-ranking princess from the northern great nation with whom the knights had little interaction, had captured the attention of the knights. Her figure, clad in a thin garment and dancing the “Four Thanks Dance” barefoot, completely pierced the hearts of the knights. From that day on, a major counterattack began, swiftly repelling the Shinkai army that had invaded near the royal capital and placing two western cities completely under Parzam’s rule. Doriatessa was truly a goddess of victory. Doriatessa, the “Maiden Knight” and “War Goddess” is expected to return home in less than a year as her duties at the royal palace is going well.

Is it acceptable to let such a remarkable woman return to her country? Are there no men in this country who can win her over? It can only be said that the knight of the “City of Heavenly Milk, Tepetabaaru e Raichi,” known as the flower of the central plains, lost in terms of attracting women to the knights of the dark northern country. Is such a thing acceptable? No, it is not. It must not be allowed to miss this opportunity given by the heavens. As the interaction with Goriora becomes more and more active, marrying a daughter of a noble family from that country would promise advancement, and the dowry would surely amount to a huge sum, fueling the flames of love for the young knights.

This is a battle of love, not just a marriage proposal. However, there were those who resorted to underhanded tactics. On one of his visits to the Parzam Kingdom, Doriatessa’s uncle, Count Manoust Falkenburn Fafarlen, the Foreign Affairs Lord, proposed marriage to her. However, Count Manoust replied that it ultimately depended on Doriatessa herself, as her father and brother would not allow her to marry into another country. In the end, it all depended on whether they could capture the heart of the person in question.

However, there was no room for maneuvering for Doriatessa. She conducted daily training for female knight candidates, attended to Princess Shernelia, and did not neglect intense training. There was no room for leisure in her life. She consistently declined invitations to evening gatherings. It was said that she visited the Toad mansion almost every day to visit Lord Bard Rowen.

By this time, it had become known what Bard meant to Doriatessa. He was her savior, her protector, and the person who had guided her in swordsmanship, leading her to win the overall championship at the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament. Rumors had spread through the princesses, and there were even clandestine copies of the “Lord Bard Rowen Biography” circulating. It was said that the original source was a certain duke’s house. Therefore, it was not unreasonable for everyone to think that Doriatessa’s frequent visits to him were natural. This meant that if Lord Bard Rowen could put in a good word for them, it would open the way for Doriatessa to become close to them. Those who went to visit Lord Rowen would not be resented by her. The young nobles thought so.

However, they did not visit while Bard was asleep, and even after he woke up, news of his poor health spread, so the year passed peacefully. The situation changed after the new year. At the request of Julelan, Bard attended the New Year’s party. As the supreme commander of the Tri-Nation Joint Forces and the hero who had brought victory in the wars of the various countries, he could not afford to miss this banquet. Seeing him there, people thought that Lord Rowen had regained his health.

Thus, the onslaught of the young nobles began. Bard had already relinquished his position as the Marshal of the Alliance and was no longer a royal vassal, which made them bolder. When they learned that Chantillion had been visiting Bard early on, they became even more enthusiastic. As expected of the man of divine speed. His ability to discern weaknesses and his quick actions were extraordinary. However, social status did not matter in the battle of love. They thought they would be the victors.

It was not only the young nobles who flocked to him. Many influential figures wanted to gain Bard’s favor. After all, Bard had influence with King Julelan. The Emperor of Goriora called Bard a hero. In the decisive battle, General Jog Ward of Gaineria rushed to his aid. In other words, Bard was a knight with significant influence in the three major countries. Although he was currently without title, his achievements were remarkable especially in military matters, and his words were not taken lightly. They could not interfere during the war, but now they could visit him as much as they wanted. There were surprisingly many who thought so.

4

Bard had become thoroughly fed up with the tsunami of self-proclaimed well-wishers who flocked to the mansion.

The master of the mansion was still imprisoned, and the lady of the house had taken her daughters back to her family home. Her sons were in the reduced territory. The main house was closed, and only a few servants remained. However, due to the commotion, the main house had to be opened, and temporary servants had to be hastily hired. The space in the carriage house was completely insufficient, so a part of the fence was broken to allow carriages to be parked in the courtyard, and even trees in the garden were cut to widen the pathways. Those who had business with Bard would leave once their business was done, but those who wanted to meet Doriatessa would not leave. They needed rooms and sofas to stay, and tea and sweets had to be served. However, the sweets were a failure, and those who had tasted the delicious sweets of the mansion would linger and ask for more. Some would engage in long conversations with someone they met while waiting. Some would come here specifically to meet someone they knew would be here. Perhaps there were those who would deliberately arrange to meet here, enjoy the delicious sweets and tea, and then have necessary discussions before leaving. Some even referred to this mansion as the Rowen mansion. In truth, Bard was merely staying in this mansion as a guest of the king, but Bard has no choice but to give instructions to the servants.

Bard wanted to be able to think calmly. About the demonic beasts. About Queen Manuno. About what Queen Manuno called the “rotten lizards.” About “creating” demonic beasts. About the “stones” that seemed to be necessary for that. About the existence that Queen Manuno seemed to have forced to do so. About the “Patarapoza calendar.” (t/n: hint the next two enemy is mentioned in this paragraph)

He also wanted to think about the General of Greed and his words. Ultimately, who was the General of Greed? What was the deal with that body and strength? How could he live for hundreds of years? Although “divine beasts” probably referred to divine spirit beasts, what did it mean to be the “last wielder of the divine beast’s sword”? What did it mean to have “absorbed five divine beasts”? He had also mentioned “eating the sword.” What did it mean for a sword to be “unclean”? He had said, “Should I just kill you? That would be interesting.” Was Bard someone who should not be killed? He had also said, “He seemed quite pleased.” Who was “he,” and what was he pleased about?

There were so many things he wanted to think about, but the fools of this country were getting in the way. Even now, a young knight was standing in front of him, talking endlessly about the excellence of his lineage and the magnificence of his territory. Did this guy not realize that with each word he spoke, Bard’s headache and anger only increased? Finally, after the man left, Bard muttered, “Can’t something be done about these people?” To which Jurchaga replied, “It’s not impossible.”