kscans

CHAPTER 7 CHALLENGE TO THE LABYRINTH – Episode 1 A New Journey

1

After the main force of the Shinkai army had withdrawn, Bard hurriedly loaded the dead and wounded onto horses and headed north in pursuit of the main force. The total forces of both countries that had advanced from the Goriora Imperial Capital this time should have exceeded twelve thousand. They were divided into more than ten legions, but the main force led by General of Greed was the sixth to advance. This meant that five more legions would be withdrawing next. These five legions were effectively composed of soldiers from the Goriora Empire. The senior commanders of these five legions might still be under the soul binding curse, and even if not, it was unclear what orders or criteria they were operating under. Bard judged that he should not let the knights who were clearly violating the Imperial Decree be reprimanded here. After passing through the valley, he hid in the shade of the forest and watched the invading army withdraw. The force of five to six thousand men was an astonishingly large number.

Some time after the seemingly endless withdrawal of the invading army had ended, a group of knights came rushing in. Their spirit was different. The previous legions had been a disorganized march, openly displaying their confusion and lack of vigilance. This group was filled with tension and exuded a strong fighting spirit. Seeing their military attire, Bard was startled. It was the Parzam army. The king’s direct army. Moreover, that… The silver-white knight riding third from the front. It was Chantillion.

Bard mounted Yueitan, leaped out from the shade of the trees, and signaled to Chantillion with a large wave of his hand.

“Lord Bard!”

Chantillion ordered the entire army to halt and approached Bard with two aides. One of the aides was Tsagarie Kikierito. He was a knight of the Argolide family and Chantillion’s aide. He had accompanied them in the rescue of Corpus Fortress and fought under Bard’s command as a capable knight.

“Lord Bard. What are you doing here? The Shinkai and Goriora allied forces that were about to surround Orbus Fortress have withdrawn, do you know anything about this?”

Even though Bard had already left the Parzam military and was no longer Chantillion’s superior, his tone remained polite and respectful as always. However, Chantillion’s eyes were cautiously surveying the surroundings. He must have noticed that the group hiding in the shadows were Goriora knights. From their dead and wounded appearance, it was clear that they had just been in a fierce battle. Bard told him the truth.

The twenty-two brave warriors here challenged General Lugurgoa Geskas to a duel and defeated him. Lugurgoa is undoubtedly dead. They withdrew, dragging his remains with them.

The eyes of the two aides widened. It was utterly unbelievable to claim that a mere twenty-two men had slain the commander protected by an army of twelve thousand. However, Chantillion’s reaction was completely different.

“As expected of Lord Bard! I wish I could have participated in that battle. But then, will the invading army regroup somewhere and resume their advance?”

Bard replied that he did not know. However, he added that since their fighting spirit had completely vanished, he would not be surprised if they retreated all the way back to Shinkai.

“I see. In any case, this is important information. We need to return to the fortress, report, and discuss our future response. We must also report to the royal capital. We will return to the fortress for now. Lord Bard. If possible, I would like you to accompany us and tell us more details.”

Bard readily agreed. However, he asked Chantillion to provide care for the wounded and a dignified funeral for the dead. This was a slightly difficult issue. After all, Goriora had just tried to invade Parzam. But Chantillion’s answer was truly unequivocal.

“Of course. I promise the warriors who defeated General Lugurgoa the highest treatment. We are not enemies, but allies.”

Chantillion said this in a clear tone, looking at Bard and Arflaburne standing beside him. Come to think of it, Chantillion was Arflaburne’s brother-in-law. Thus, Bard and the others decided to head to Orbus Fortress for the time being. However, Jog Ward said,

“Old man. I’m going home. See ya.”

He left with Colin Kruizer. He must have suffered a lot of damage, but his attitude was so brazen that it didn’t even seem like it.

2

Bard entered Orbus Fortress and first sent the wounded to be treated. Afterwards, he secluded himself in a room within the fortress. About ten senior knights from the Parzam side had gathered. First, Bard explained their movements. Arflaburne took on the role of explaining. Upon hearing of their noble intentions and the fierce battle with General Lugurgoa, the attitude of the Parzam knights visibly became filled with respect. Next, the movements of the Parzam side were explained. Natz Cajnel took on the role of explaining. Knight Natz was a knight of the Argolide family who had accompanied Tsagarie Kikierito in the rescue of Corpus Fortress. He had extremely high administrative skills and was a man who fought bravely with his magic spear. Bard had known him since Corpus Fortress, and during the defense of Lordvan Castle and the First War of Nations, Bard had borrowed him as his adjutant. In other words, he was a truly familiar face to Bard. What Natz recounted was as follows.

Since King Julelan had fallen after being stabbed with a poisoned dagger, the Parzam royal palace had become dysfunctional. Fed up, the Upper Army General Cedermont forcibly returned Chantillion from his state of self-reflection to the position of Middle Army General and sent him with eight hundred subordinates and deputy generals under his command towards Orbus Fortress. Chantillion launched a fierce assault, like a raging fire, and recaptured Orbus Fortress. This secured the green flame stones entering the royal capital via Ryde, greatly boosting Chantillion’s reputation.

Meanwhile, Cedermont led sixteen hundred Upper and Lower Army soldiers to attack Grismo Castle. Shinkai had stationed only a few soldiers there, and the castle fell quickly. Next, Cedermont surrounded Casse. This was a kind of gamble. If soldiers from Shinkai rushed in from Fargo and Ezite, the Parzam Royal Army would be immobilized and crushed. However, based on the gathered information, Cedermont predicted that Shinkai had moved a large army somewhere and had not left many troops within Parzam. And he was right. Casse was a stronghold and difficult to attack. But its inhabitants had long been familiar with the King of Parzam as their own people. The residents harbored resentment against the Shinkai army that had brutally killed the Parzam king’s governor and his family. Sure enough, in the first week, a spontaneous riot broke out and the castle gates were opened from the inside. Cedermont immediately advanced his troops into the castle, captured Shinkai’s officials and soldiers, and liberated the city of Casse. At this point, opportunistic neighboring lords rushed to support him. Cedermont entrusted them with the defense of Casse and returned to the capital with the royal army.

Fortunately, King Julelan had overcome the crisis thanks to the dedicated treatment of the medical expert Zenos Pinen. King Julelan summoned Duke Argolide and told him,

“Until this campaign is over, the sentencing for the crimes committed by the First Concubine will be suspended. Distinguish yourself and atone for your sins.”

Inspired by these words, Duke Argolide rose despite his old age and set out with his entire clan to recapture Fargo. In concert with this, Julelan ordered Cedermont to attack Ezite, giving him eight hundred regular soldiers of the royal army and twelve hundred feudal troops. With a month-long attack, they exhausted the enemy and recaptured the two cities.

Julelan desperately searched for the whereabouts of the main Shinkai army. Then, information came in that the main Shinkai army and the joint forces of the Goriora Empire were marching down to attack Parzam. Chantillion’s Middle Army would hold off the enemy at Orbus while hastily reorganizing the severely depleted royal and feudal armies. The Shinkai and Goriora allied forces headed for the Orbus fortress where Chantillion was stationed. With a terrifying large army. As he watched their advance with a chilling feeling, they stopped just before the Orbus fortress, turned back and left. Wondering what on earth had happened, Chantillion led his men to take a look.

Having roughly grasped the movements within Parzam, Bard left the wounded with Chantillion and returned to Lordvan Castle. Prior to that, Chantillion held a funeral for the fallen brave warriors. The deaths of Kirie and Gassara seemed to be a bitter blow for Chantillion as well. Chantillion’s promise of the highest treatment was kept. It was far too grand a funeral to be held in a remote fortress under wartime conditions. The wounded were also given attentive nursing and served high-quality meals. The knight Janssen, who lost a leg, temporarily developed a high fever and fell into critical condition, but fortunately recovered and shared a farewell drink with Bard.

Bard, who had returned to Lordvan Castle, closely watched the situation. It was easier to get information from the Goriora Imperial Capital here than at the Orbus fortress. Also, it was far enough away to not be immediately affected if something happened in the capital. What moves would the Shinkai army make next? How would the Goriora Emperor respond? He could not overlook this. He sent Jurchaga back to Fyuzarion.

While waiting at Lordvan Castle, Bard wrote letters to Julelan and Barry Toad. After all, Bard had suddenly left the group heading from Parzam to Goriora and disappeared. They must be worried. Since he had time, he conveyed plenty about Fyuzarion. Perhaps motivated by a desire to put them at ease, he may have exaggerated a bit about Fyuzarion’s development and future potential.

The blockade of the Imperial Capital seemed to have been lifted, and messengers arrived one after another to report on the situation there. Surprisingly, the Shinkai army had easily abandoned the Goriora Imperial Capital and withdrawn. The Goriora Senate made an astonishing announcement. On April 26th, when the Shinkai army invaded the capital and captured the Imperial Palace, the Emperor had died. In other words, all the edicts issued thereafter in the name of the Emperor were fabricated by civil officials under duress from the Shinkai army and were completely invalid. The dethronement and disinheritance of Crown Prince Cantierroy was also invalidated, and Cantierroy immediately ascended to the imperial throne. The new Emperor announced that he would execute three ministers and the military commander for the crime of fabricating edicts and military orders. He also publicly named the twenty-two knights who had defeated Shinkai’s General Lugurgoa and liberated Goriora from its yoke, praising their honor.

This was what Bard had been most worried about. Not only had they acted against the Emperor’s orders, but they had also defeated General of Greed, the supreme commander of the Goriora and Shinkai armies. It was an act of turning a sword against the army led by the Emperor himself. Bard had been prepared for the survivors to be executed and even the families of the dead to be exterminated. That did not happen. They were spared. He did not know whose idea it was, but it seemed that there were still decent people in the Goriora Empire. The claim that the Emperor had already died on April 26th was an extremely bold lie, but that single lie saved countless lives and allowed countless mistakes to be corrected. However, in exchange, those executed for the crime of fabricating edicts and military orders paid the price. If they went to the execution platform with composure, they were truly remarkable men. In any case, with such a major event, it was impossible to settle it without any sacrifices at all. He had to pray for their souls.

In any case, the honor of the twenty-two brave warriors was protected. No, to be precise, twenty-two knights participated in the decisive battle of Padai Valley, but this referred to the honor of the eighteen excluding Bard, Godon, Karz, and Jog who were not Goriora nationals. The ten who died were Gassara, Ostosa, Zenas, Kirie, Sindh, Cain, Damon, Capet, Vhurin, and Tai Talus. The three who were left with Chantillion due to injuries were Janssen, Mijin, and Naritasca. And the five who returned to Lordvan Castle with Bard were Arflaburne, Banthuren, Eckel, Wolverd, and Kibitz. Their honor was protected. As well as their homes, property, and families. Not only that, they would likely be rewarded as heroes. This greatly reassured Bard. However, it was still uncertain. There was a possibility that the announcement praising their honor was a trap.

The soldiers’ wages were delivered to Lordvan Castle. The knights and soldiers who had been staying dispersed in nearby towns received this and returned home.

Wajd Entrante (Union Marshall) Lord Bard Rowen had been summoned to the Imperial Palace in the capital receive decorations and awards. Although he had intended to resign from his post, it seemed that Goriora’s logic dictated otherwise. Since his position had been appointed with the approval of the three nations, he could not retire without the approval of those same three nations, and Goriora had not given their approval. Thus, the reasoning was that Lord Bard Rowen was still Wajid Entrante. Notification of Bard’s resignation should have arrived from Parzam, but it appeared to have been nullified. In essence, they did not wish to admit that it was a knight of another nation who had led the command that defeated the invading forces of Shinkai. Bard declined the summons from the capital and remained at Lordvan Castle, keeping watch over the unfolding situation.

3

While waiting, Bard pondered many things. Above all, his thoughts kept returning to General of Greed. Did General of Greed truly begin his advance to conquer the world? Upon calm reflection, there seemed to be aspects that made this doubtful. Of course, if no one had stopped him, General of Greed would have invaded Parzam and rained blood upon it. Even in the Goriora Empire, there had been casualties. It was simply that for a war to topple a major nation’s capital, the amount of blood spilled had been relatively small. However. However. The more Bard thought about it, the less it seemed like a war waged for conquest and domination. Perhaps. As he continued to ponder, a strange thought occurred to Bard.

—Could it have been an advance to kill that Dragonoid called Uldruu?

Uldruu was a Dragonoid with special powers. He freely manipulated the hearts of many. In a sense, he was the trump card of the invasion, and arguably a more important asset to the Shinkai army than even General of Greed. But was that really the case? What was Uldruu the Dragonoid to Shinkai? The strength of the Shinkai army was not derived from Dragonoids. It came from General of Greed’s leadership, rigorous training, and a system where the strong rose to the top. The welling up of those so-called demonic beasts likely also contributed to that strength. From what Bard had heard from General Buntai, there seemed to be no situations in Shinkai’s military structure that required the special powers of Dragonoids.

So then, what exactly was Uldruu the Dragonoid to General of Greed? An ally? A collaborator? A capable subordinate who cast “soul-binding curses” on people of various nations at General of Greed’s command? Yet in a way, he may have also been a watchdog. They may have had a relationship of mutual exploitation and opposition. That much was unclear. However, had General of Greed not said it himself?

“There’s someone who wants to get his hands on you and that sword of yours.”
“That guy gave me the power to devour divine beasts.”
“I’ve come to want to interfere with his plans.”

The one who coveted Bard and the magic sword Stavros was the individual the Queen of Manuno had called the “King of Evil Spirits”. Since General of Greed had also said “King of Evil Spirits, huh? A fitting name,” that much was almost certainly true. This King of Evil Spirits had granted General of Greed immense power and longevity. While he was originally an exceptionally skilled warrior to begin with, the power he obtained was something ordinary humans could never attain. With that power and extended lifespan, General of Greed reforged Shinkai into a mighty nation. And while the details were unclear, General of Greed had acted on the King of Evil Spirits’ orders for the King of Evil Spirits’ benefit. It was a mutually advantageous relationship for both parties.

However, there was a distortion in that relationship. Or perhaps, over the long flow of time, a distortion emerged. Or rather. That’s right, General of Greed noticed the King of Evil Spirits’ hidden objectives. In any case, at the very end, General of Greed came to want to interfere with the King of Evil Spirits’ plans. That’s why he maneuvered things so that the Dragonoid Uldruu would die.

No, no. Wait, wait. That doesn’t make sense. It’s illogical. If he wanted to kill the Dragonoid Uldruu, General of Greed could have simply drawn his greatsword and cut him down. Even if Uldruu had combat abilities on par with General of Greed, there were many generals who would gladly lay down their lives at his command, so if he wanted to kill him, he could have. There was no need to go out of his way to trap and kill him.

But wait. Is that really true? Perhaps. Perhaps. The General of Greed may have also had some form of “soul-binding curse” placed on him. One that prevented him from going against the King of Evil Spirits’ orders. A curse that made him unable to kill the Dragonoid Uldruu or issue orders to have him killed. It wouldn’t be strange if that were the case. No, rather, based on the King of Evil Spirits’ methods, it would be stranger if he hadn’t done so.

Come to think of it, the circumstances of Uldruu’s death were unnatural. Why was the carriage placed in such a wide open courtyard? Prince Cantierroy’s archery unit apparently shot arrows from the building across the way, but why weren’t guards posted in a location where arrows could be fired in? It’s said the elderly Dragonoid Uldruu was weakened from the unreasonable march to the Goriora capital, but why make him push himself like that? For the continental invasion, Uldruu should have been an irreplaceable trump card. Yet the way they used that trump card Dragonoid, it’s as if they ran him into the ground.

Moreover, what was the meaning behind those words? When he faced Bard in Padai Valley, General of Greed said,

“Uldruu is dead.”
“The Dragonoid sorcerer.”
“He was already old and weak to begin with.”
“That somewhat unreasonable march to Goriora weakened him further.”
“With his weakened body, he couldn’t withstand that volley of arrows.”
“So he can no longer cast soul-binding curses.”

The General of Greed also said this,

“The curse that Dragonoid Uldruu placed on the Emperor and the Knights of Goriora was to obey the orders of Lugurgoa Geskas.”
“Since it was done in a hurry and on a large number, only a simple curse could be cast.”
“So killing me would essentially break the curse.”

Why did he purposely tell such valuable information to Bard? Isn’t this precisely the kind of thing that should be kept secret? Moreover, he even said that killing him would break the curse. It’s almost as if he’s telling them to kill him.

Foolish. Foolish. Even if General of Greed had intended to thwart the King of Evil Spirit’s aims, using two successive wars between nations as the method is too much. What did Seifert, Gorz, Gassara, and Kirie die for then? Was it not for none other than General of Greed’s unjust invasions? If it was to get Dragonoid Uldruu killed, there should have been many other ways.

Perhaps he tried them. Perhaps General of Greed made a bet against the world. Try and defeat me. Try and defeat me and Dragonoid Uldruu. He may have been screaming that in his heart. If General of Greed won that bet, the world would drown in a sea of blood and become his. If General of Greed lost that bet, the King of Evil Spirit would lose powerful pieces in Dragonoid Uldruu and General of Greed, and the world would gain a little more leeway. Leeway of time to uncover the King of Evil Spirit’s true identity and prepare to fight him.

No, no. This is too fanciful. It’s speculation without any basis. This can’t possibly be the truth behind the wars between nations. But it is a fact that General of Greed died because of the wars. It’s also probably a fact that Dragonoid Uldruu died. And it’s likely correct that those two things are a blow to the King of Evil Spirit.

However, having thought this far, Bard realized something. Regardless of the aim of the wars between nations, it doesn’t make sense that General of Greed would sacrifice Shinkai’s soldiers and generals for it. Shinkai is the country that General of Greed spent his life nurturing, and its soldiers are like his children and grandchildren. It’s precisely because he raised them with that much love that young heroes like General Buntai would follow him devotedly, not even valuing their own lives. In the two wars between nations, not a few of Shinkai’s soldiers died as well. It wouldn’t be strange if there were even more casualties. How should one think about that?

Wait a minute. Come to think of it, that withdrawal was strange. This time, when the Shinkai army invaded Parzam, they brought along the large Goriora army. The scale of the Shinkai army was definitely 1,200 knights. Since the Shinkai army has a very low ratio of infantry, those 1,200 must have had to monitor and manage Goriora’s 10,000 troops. In other words, they should have been quite dispersed. Despite that, the withdrawal was too quiet. The news that the undefeated general Lugurgoa Geskas had been defeated in a duel and died should have been completely unbelievable to them, yet they accepted it too calmly. Why? That withdrawal was as if it had been planned in advance.

If so, that’s it. The General of Greed had anticipated that he might be challenged to a duel, be defeated and die. And he had given orders in advance on what to do in that case. No, no. That’s ridiculous. But one can’t explain that withdrawal without thinking that way. One can’t explain how after that, the entire Shinkai army withdrew from Goriora without any casualties or confusion.

I see. Perhaps… The General of Greed thought that for Shinkai’s new future, he himself and Dragonoid Uldruu were in the way. Perhaps he thought that with the demise of himself and Dragonoid Uldruu, new possibilities would open up for Shinkai. If that’s the case… For the sake of Shinkai’s future to come, General of Greed must have made preparations. He must have left a will for the future. In time, following that will, the Shinkai nation will rise. Led by those fearsome generals. When that day will be… In what form it will take… That is unknown. But that day will come someday. That’s when they will make full use of the experience they gained in this war. Bard was convinced of that.

4

At the end of September, the former Emperor’s funeral was held. Whether the Emperor himself really ended up dying, or is quietly spending his last years deep in the palace, he don’t know. Parzam was also invited to this occasion, with the royal family and senior statesmen attending. The friendship between Goriora and Parzam managed to remain unbroken. Arflaburne, who succeeded the marquis title, also attended.

Prior to this, joyous news was delivered. Empress Shernelia had given birth to King Julelan’s child. It’s a boy. Upon hearing his name, Bard was taken aback. Bard Lant Seagars. That was the name of Julelan and Shernelia’s eldest son. Congratulatory envoys were also dispatched from the Goriora Empire, and envoys were sent in return. In this case, the exchanged gifts were not limited to items like treasured swords and jade. Human resources such as excellent technicians and artists were also exchanged. One could say Bard Lant was a bridge of friendship between the two countries from birth. Trade via Lordvan Castle also became more active than before.

In October, the new Emperor’s coronation ceremony was held. Bard repeatedly received invitations to the Imperial Capital, but he remained at Lordvan Castle, watching the situation as if he still couldn’t trust them. The twenty knights were each granted rewards, and Arflaburne was given a seat in the Senate.

Meanwhile, post-war management was also progressing in Parzam. Fortunately, Marquis Mados Arkeios of Ezite survived, so he was returned as the lord of Ezite. Fargo was also returned to the royal domain, but tax collection rights were distributed to several meritorious lords, and a royal army garrison is scheduled to be stationed there for the time being. A new order of knights for Ezite is planned to be formed soon, with Grismo Castle as its base, keeping watch over the entire western region.

As for Casse, Tyguert, the son of the late Seifert who was training as a knight in the Bador Viscount family, was knighted and succeeded the marquis title. Bard was greatly pleased and relieved to learn that Tyguert, the stepson of the late Seifert, was appointed as the new consul of Casse and would assume the position after turning twenty next year. This news made Bard very happy, and he let it happen.　Seifert’s eldest son, who was originally appointed consul of Casse to succeed the Marquis of Bowen, was not his biological son but his wife’s stepchild.　Due to certain circumstances, Tyguert and his mother were left in the care of Seifert’s ally, Viscount Bador. Bard had met Tyguert during the frontier tournament, where Tyguert and his close friend Longa served as Bard and Karz’s attendants.

On the night Bard reunited with Seifert in Try, he learned about the circumstances that led to Tyguert being entrusted to Viscount Badour, Seifert’s ally. During his stay at Lordvan Castle, Bard had the foresight to introduce Tyguert to Julelan. This inadvertent consideration seemed to have paved the way for Tyguert, Seifert’s biological son, to inherit the position of the consul of Casse, the title of Marquis, and most importantly, the Bowen family. Longa, as Tyguert’s close friend, would likely support him as a vassal.

The First Concubine, who deserved the death penalty, was spared due to the merits of the Argolide family. She was sentenced to lifelong confinement within the Argolide household. Simultaneously, Chantillion was granted the right to succeed the throne.

As Bard was preparing to return to the frontier, a knight unexpectedly visited him at Lordvan Castle. It was Banthuren Daye, the “Ally Slayer,” one of the twenty-two knights who confronted General of Greed and a veteran warrior wielding a magic spear.

“Hey, Sir Bard. Goriora Empire isn’t interesting these days. I decided to follow you.” he said.

This knight was an eccentric who didn’t have a fixed lord, home, or subordinates. He would stay at the mansions of his knight acquaintances and set out to fight whenever he heard of an interesting battle. He wanted to follow Bard with just himself, without even an attendant. Bard figured he could manage to feed one more person and welcomed him as a guest general of Fyuzarion.

It remained uncertain how the Shinkai army would proceed after their initial withdrawal and how the Goriora Empire, humiliated and ravaged by the Shinkai forces, would respond. However, worrying about that was not Bard’s job. The war had ended peacefully, and peace had returned to the Central Plains. Bard believed it was his duty to the fallen brave warriors to witness this.

In early January, Godon Zarkos arrived at Lordvan Castle. Godon had been invited to the royal palace, where the king personally praised his valor and achievements. When Godon declined the offer of peerage, the king bestowed upon him the honorary title of “Iron Wall Duke” in front of his many retainers. The Argolide family treated Godon as an esteemed guest, and their treatment was courteous and respectful. They eagerly listened to his travel stories for many nights. Bard learned from Godon about the love story and marriage between Seifert’s son Tyguert and Godon’s niece Leilia.

Bard, Karz, Godon, Banthuren, and Quinta set out for Fyuzarion. Thanks to Godon, there was no dullness during the journey. Banthuren was also a cheerful fellow and seemed to get along well with Godon. They often sparred with spears and battle hammers. Quinta continued to receive guidance from Karz. Recently, his sharpness had increased dramatically, and even the knight Banthuren was amazed by his sword skills. Godon and Banthuren also took the time to teach Quinta about swordsmanship and the ways of a knight. Quinta absorbed their teachings remarkably well. It was a delightful sight.

5

Upon returning to Fyuzarion, Bard was astonished. Where was he? The place had developed so much. Expanding wheat fields. Houses. It could no longer be called a village. This was a town. The newly cultivated plains with wheat fields and houses were areas where Egalsocia did not grow. In other words, Fyuzarion had now expanded beyond the area protected by Egalsocia.

With development came an increase in troublesome matters. The knight Heridan had been struggling to lead those with skills, but it seemed to have reached its limit. Heridan might have been the happiest about Bard and his companions’ return. As soon as they arrived, Bard and the others found themselves constantly on the move, hunting down beasts and ruffians and escorting salt-gathering expeditions. The knight Banthuren also showed great prowess, swinging his magic spear.

As Jurchaga had once declared, caravans from Bovard and the Yadobalgi Grand Lord deliberately came to purchase Egalsocia. Hearing about Fyuzarion from these caravans, poor people flocked to Fyuzarion, hoping to immigrate. Reaching Fyuzarion must not have been easy. But upon arrival, it was a place that lived up to its reputation, even surpassing it. There were lush grasslands untouched by beasts, vast forests nearby, an abundance of refreshing water, and work to be done. For Fyuzarion, the more people came, the more land was cultivated, the more construction progressed, and the more prosperous the town became.

However, with more people came more disputes. When Jurchaga returned, it seemed to be on the verge of exploding. With his clever mediation, Jurchaga brought the residents together, eased their discontent, and heightened his presence as the Village Chief.

There was a joyous event, the birth of Doriatessa’s child. In April, she gave birth to a boy. The child was called Arfla. However, his real name was Arflaenoxylin Orgazard. Upon hearing this name, Arflaburne was astonished.

“What a grandiose name you’ve given him, Dory. Are you planning to establish a new royal family?”

Arflaburne had rushed over with a small entourage as soon as he heard about the birth of Doriatessa’s child. While expressing his amazement, he cooed at Arfla with a relaxed expression. It was understandable. It was evident that Arfla’s name was derived from Arflaburne. Arflaburne adored this child born to his beloved sister. Four months later, Arflaburne’s own eldest son was born and named Dorianburn.

Seeing the extent of Fyuzarion’s development, Bard felt the need to train several young knights. Taranka had been a squire from the beginning, and Quinta had started his training two years ago. Seto and Nuva were probably around eleven and ten years old. After consulting with the knights Heridan and Banthuren, Bard decided to have Seto and Nuva trained as attendants. In addition, Bard selected five more promising young boys from among the residents. They would begin their training a year later. Some were a bit older than Seto and Nuva, but it was desirable for Taranka and Quinta to be knighted first, followed by Seto and Nuva, and then the other boys.

There were repeated requests from the Goriora Empire to receive rewards. Although Bard had declined the peerage, it seemed inconvenient for them if he did not accept the rewards. After discussing with Jurchaga, he said,

“You know what? I want something. Cows. The Goriora Empire has cows with incredibly delicious meat and cows that produce incredibly delicious milk. I want to raise them in Fyuzarion. Hey, hey. Could we get some cows with that reward?”

So Bard conveyed this request. Amazingly, the new Emperor delivered a hundred cows to Fyuzarion. To be precise, it was ninety-eight. One hundred and twenty were sent out, and ninety-eight arrived. Twenty-one were bulls, and seventy-seven were cows. Half were for meat, and half were for milk. They were sent over three months from the eastern city. The effort, manpower, and money spent must have been astounding. Moreover, they lent three people who knew how to raise cattle and three who knew how to make dairy products for a period of three years. This generous treatment conveyed the new Emperor’s sincere gratitude towards Bard. From a cynical perspective, perhaps he wanted to maintain the appearance of owing nothing to Parzam by rewarding “Bard of Fyuzarion” instead of “Bard of Parzam.”

Jurchaga also obtained Colcordur from Krausk and started raising them. Their numbers increased rapidly, and Colcordur eggs began appearing on the dining tables of Fyuzarion households.

In the meantime, six horse-drawn carriages arrived from Parzam to visit Bard. One of them was Kamler. He came to Fyuzarion with a rickety carriage loaded with cooking utensils. When Bard told him there was no need for noble cuisine here, he retorted,

“What are you saying? Fresh and novel fish, poultry, and game meat. And above all, this ingredient called Egalsocia. Are you going to deprive me of the opportunity to cook with them?”

He then started working as a cook. Kamler’s entry greatly advanced the land reclamation and construction. Why did the arrival of a cook lead to progress in reclamation and construction? Here’s the reason. Three days after his arrival, Kamler suggested, “Let’s make lunch.” Usually, unless you’re a farmer during the busy season or a knight during wartime, a day consists of two meals, morning and evening. However, the people of Fyuzarion were reclaiming grasslands into fields and planting various vegetables, including Egalsocia. The planted vegetables had to be harvested one after another. There was more work to be done after the harvest. Grinding wheat by hand with a stone mill was hard labor in itself. Cutting down trees from the forest, dividing them, and making new houses, fences, and furniture was also hard work. Seeing their health condition, Kamler thought that a midday meal was necessary. Kamler had brought three large pots from the royal capital of Parzam. Each pot was large enough to cook meals for fifty people. Kamler skillfully cooked freshly harvested vegetables and the meat of beasts slain by the knights. After this lunch started, work efficiency increased dramatically. There were so many people wanting to participate in the communal work that it became a problem. This custom of lunch became common in Fyuzarion and came to be called “lunch.” Although it was unique to Fyuzarion with its abundant food, the people’s health greatly improved after the custom of lunch took hold. This is the reason why the people of Fyuzarion would later be known for their good physique among the countries of the Central Plains.

Also, old man Pinen and young Torika came along. Old man Pinen had served Bard Nora cuisine in a frontier village when Bard was wandering, but he was originally a medical scholar named Zenos Pinen from Parzam. He had been called back to the country to examine the poor health of the former king Wendelland, but by then it was too late due to the poison. Bard had heard that he later saved the life of Julelan, who had been stabbed with a poisoned dagger, but what had happened?

“Well, well, it was astonishing. The court physicians were quite displeased that I had detected the poison they couldn’t find when His Majesty the former king was ill. Even after King Julelan was stabbed with the poisoned dagger, they insisted that he was fine and interfered with my examination. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and forcibly examined him, but it was a close call. Then, when I saved King Julelan’s life, the harassment increased even more than before. I thought I couldn’t stay in such a place. At that time, I heard about Fyuzarion from Lord Barry Toad. I thought that was it. That was the place I should go. I formally adopted Torika. I’ve taught him the basics. Lord Bard. Please allow me and Torika to serve as doctors in this Fyuzarion. As a gift, I’ve brought plenty of books.”

Bard had no objections. There were many injured and sick people, and the situation was too much for Zariya alone to handle.

And also, the swordsmith Zendatta and his apprentices, the engineering scholar Auro, and the leather armor craftsman Nitei came along. They brought many tools with them.

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. So many nobles are sending orders that we have no time for researching magic swords. Apparently, a book called ‘The Great Deeds of Lord Bard Rowen’ is circulating among some people, and the latest edition seems to mention my predecessor Zendatta and me. Because we’re the swordsmiths favored by General Bard, they’re sending orders recklessly. Some even make ridiculous requests like wanting a sword in the same shape as the magic sword Stavros. It’s absurd to make an ordinary sword in such a strange shape; it won’t have any sharpness. But they don’t care as long as the shape is similar. It’s beyond foolish.”

“That bastard Chantillion,” Bard felt angry for a moment. No doubt, that nonsensical book called “The Great Deeds of Lord Bard Rowen” was the work of Chantillion. Bard had heard some rumors about it. Chantillion was present when the previous Zendatta had unraveled the mystery of the magic sword for Bard. Also, on that occasion, Bard had spoken about the magic sword Stavros, his encounter with it, and the events that followed. He also witnessed Stavros, the magic sword, slaughtering the demonic beasts one after another. Chantillion had written down what he had seen and heard in the so-called “The Great Deeds of Lord Bard Rowen”. Well, he probably didn’t reveal the secret that the sword was inhabited by a divine beast spirit. In any case, it was already well-known that Bard’s sword was a special magic sword, and there was no point in hiding it now. Besides, Bard himself was happy that the character of the previous Zendatta would be preserved for posterity.

After indulging in these sentiments for a while, he turned his gaze back to the current Zendatta. It was good that he had come, but it seemed unlikely that they could attempt to create a new magic sword here. Bard said to Zendatta, “No, there is no iron ore or furnace here. You won’t be able to conduct your magic sword research in this place.”

“No, no. From what I can see, there are several mountains that look like they might yield iron. And I don’t intend to forge a steel sword right away. I want to immerse myself in the pioneering spirit here, calm my mind and body while maintaining farming tools, and then try to forge a sword with a fresh mindset. My disciples and I will be of service to you,” Zendatta replied.

When he put it that way, Bard couldn’t refuse. Both Auro and Nitei wanted to participate in the development of the new town that was taking shape on the frontier, using their own skills. They would be powerful allies for the pioneers. Auro immediately put his skills to use repairing farming tools and equipment. Nitei found himself buried in a large amount of fur, busy making shoes and clothes for the residents.

Then, priest Kuri and twelve children from the orphanage arrived. They were all familiar faces to Bard. The priest Kuri and priest Shima had been promoted from assistant priests to full priests this time. Priest Shima* had also wanted to come to Fyuzarion, but he had become the deputy head of the temple and was now supporting Barry Toad, the senior priest who was often absent from the temple. The children ranged in age from twenty-five to sixteen. They could all read and write and had skills. (t/n: should probably use shimer instead of shima)

They had all heard about the situation in Fyuzarion that Bard had written to Barry Toad about, and had become so restless that they had come. Barry Toad had arranged for their escorts and letters of introduction to the towns along the way. Surprisingly, the expenses had been paid by the royal palace. In other words, these people were also a send-off from Julelan to Bard. The influx of these young and energetic people was more than reassuring.

Among them was a carpenter. There was also a flour miller. A waterwheel-powered flour mill was quickly built, allowing much of the labor that had previously been devoted to flour milling to be diverted elsewhere. There was also a baker among them. There was a barrel maker, a candlemaker, an ale maker, a plasterer, a cord maker, a tanner, and a weaver. Some of them were mere apprentices, but they were invaluable to Fyuzarion.

Thus, the year passed in a flurry of activity, and the new year began. Bard turned sixty-six. And in March, he finally decided to set out on his journey. A journey to uncover the true identity of the being called the King of Evil Spirits and its intentions. To do so, he would have to investigate the Dragonoids. He also needed to find out what was happening to the demonic beasts and spirits. Even if he investigated, what could one old man do in the face of such a huge event? He didn’t know. But if there was anything he could do, even a little, he would do it. That was what this journey was for. First, he would go to the settlement of Lujura-Tiant. Then he would visit Jameen’s warrior Yemite. He also intended to talk to Engdahl, the clan chief of the Gerkaast’s Zoe clan. After that, he would probably need to meet with the Queen of Manuno again. It was going to be a long, long journey.

At first, he had planned to go with just Karz. But, as expected, Godon insisted on accompanying them. Godon also said that they should take Taranka and Quinta with them. These two were at an important time when they needed to finish their training as knights, so Bard thought they should not accompany them. But Godon insisted that this was precisely why they should go with them. Knight Heridan and Knight Banthuren were of the same opinion. So Bard finally agreed to take the two of them.

When they were about to leave, a girl named Carla insisted on coming with them. This girl had come to Fyuzarion at the end of the previous year. She didn’t say where she was from, but her face, words, behavior, skin, and limbs all indicated that she was from a noble family. Moreover, she had come to Fyuzarion on horseback. She seemed to have some knowledge of swords and bows. Of course, she didn’t seem to have the strength that comes from being tempered in real battle, and it was no more than an accomplishment. But for a young woman, she had good muscles and no hesitation in handling weapons. She had probably received martial arts instruction from a good teacher. She said she was only eighteen years old, but she looked much more mature.

Carla had been strange from the beginning. When she first met Bard, Carla’s eyes were fixed on Bard’s arm. On the bracelet of Yana that he wore on his arm. She quickly averted her gaze, but it was clear that she was interested in this bracelet.

Heh. What is she after? Well, it might be better to take her with him and keep an eye on her than to leave her in Fyuzarion.

With that thought, Bard allowed her to accompany them.