Earl Thelesia arranged the fief’s army as the base was being completed next to Golden Hill Mansion. It was late summer, and Rashiok had already grown to the extent where he could be left alone. It was an imposing building. It was only some time ago that I was watching it through my window. Right after the soldiers moved into their base and started working, the Earl threw me in there to learn martial arts.
I couldn’t believe that the army base would be the place I visited on my first outing. I want to believe that just being out was great. Anyway, a Viscount conducted the soldiers’ apprenticeship for over a season, to teach the foundations of how to use swords, lances and martial arts.
When one became a feudal lord, they would need to lead soldiers out into the battlefield in times of emergencies. I guess this means that I can’t stay a sheltered, spineless girl who never leaves the mansion. I also felt like the Earl wanted me to take control of the army a little. If this goes well, then I’ll be killing two birds with one stone.
Honestly, I didn’t expect Earl Thelesia to go this far. The Earl and the servants he had brought with him from the royal capital treat me as the feudal lord, but that was in name only, so I wanted to quickly find a husband and pass everything onto him.
It was customary for boys to receive inheritance in Arxia Kingdom. If the house had an eldest son, then it would go to him, if not, then his brother, next the head’s brother, then his son, and so forth… I, the youngest girl, inherited the Kaldia family because I was put in an abnormal situation and was the only survivor of my family.
… I was only two years old when I poisoned my family, so I thought that my house would be destroyed, but that wasn’t the case according to the laws of this kingdom. Thus, Earl Thelesia was sent here to be my guardian and acting feudal lord, and now here we are.
That was why I became the feudal lord, but, of course, remaining one was another matter. The inheritance right will be passed over if I marry. I had always thought that I would stay a feudal lord on paper, as the citizens focused their animosity towards me until my husband takes this title away.
――― But what is he thinking? Earl Thelesia seems like he wants to groom me into a proper feudal lord. That was why he was training me in martial arts. That was why he got me to repair my relationship with the fief army. Common sense was quite different in Arxia Kingdom, and that was quite convenient for me.
I want to ask the rational him about what kind of forecast he had for setting my education policy.
Now then. Fief armies are organised within the vast fiefs of Arxia to facilitate ruling and defence. Depending on the feudal lord, they were used to manage, operate, guard and control, and protect against bandits and beasts; also depending on the fief that the feudal lord controls, they repair and maintain buildings, and rescue citizens in the event of a disaster.
When my father was alive, the army was a more vicious group than slave drivers, to the point that I was treated as a traitor when I inherited the feudal lord position, and was suppressed.
The army right now consisted of those who acted like thieves back then. Earl Thelesia, who won over the hearts and minds of people, and the fact that they expected that I would hate to see the citizens die, changed the minds of the army and rebels in less than a month. How did I charge people who did what they did to protect themselves because they were threatened by my father? I questioned the Earl who had written a list of convicts and handed it to a two-year-old to approve, even though they hadn’t learned how to read or write yet, but his intentions were convenient for me, so I couldn’t complain.
According to the military regulations this time, the new recruits were village boys aged 12 and up. Combined, they made an army of about 100 people. From what I hear, most of them were boys who had lost their family under my father’s tyrannical rule.
… What I’m trying to say is that the military base has become a place concentrated with those who bore grudges against the Kaldia House.
Even I could tell that the Earl’s expectations are completely useless, but one question remains.
Will I survive being exposed to their hatred until the day I return to the mansion?
――― Half a month has passed since I started living in the barracks. For now, I’m barely alive.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?! You not gonna come at me?”
My wooden sword swung down and stopped two blows. It was absurd for me to come at him. My young and frail body did all it could to endure, and even that became hard when my breath rises. My arms went numb every time the wooden swords collided, and my legs staggered. My elbows would open when he put force into his sword, and I was already finished.
“Don’t open your upper arms!”
My flank was poked with the wooden sword along with a stern scolding. A dull pain ran through my ribs, and I had a little trouble breathing.
“Haa!!”
I thrust my wooden sword aiming for a counter-attack, but it just grazed his thigh, and he easily evaded. He kicked my foot while he was at it, and the wooden sword blew out of my hands. I tumbled to the ground. My back hurt as it hit the ground hard.
“Hey, hey. Are you already at your limit~?”
“Ah, you’ll have our hands full protecting you if we have to go onto the battlefield under such a fucking weak feudal lord. It wouldn’t be enough no matter how many lives we have.”
Sneers and jeers immediately flew at me from our surroundings. I didn’t even feel offended by what they said. I knew my shortcomings best. Someone might step on me if I remain on the ground, so I ignored the pain in my body and got up. Then, my practice partner, Gunter, stared at me, coldly.
“Pick up your sword now!”
“Yes, sorry.”
I dragged my staggering body, picked up the wooden sword, and took my stance.
“One more time please, Gunter.”
My small body, which had built up fatigue, was blown away again, 10 seconds after I bowed. My whole body hurt, but unfortunately, I wasn’t in a position to complain.
… After that, the one-sided fight continued several more times. I think I stayed on the ground longer than the fight in the last round.
“Thank you very much.” I turned to Gunter, and somehow bowed while breathing shortly and shallowly, and morning practice was finally over. The other soldiers were also putting away their wooden swords and began returning to the barracks. Gunter, who was practising with me, also threw his sword away without saying anything and left the practice grounds with them.
I had always been confined in the mansion and raised delicately, but this training completely covered me in sweat and sand and caused me to throw up every night. I keep my head down spiritlessly because I couldn’t even raise my head. I was frustrated because my body wouldn’t move how I wanted it to and grasped my fingertips tightly from anger.
“Tsar.”
Someone placed their hand on my head as if to blame me.
“Have you finished morning practice? It’s nearly time for breakfast.”
Of course, it was Kamil who patted my head, as if to comfort me. Prompted by him, I slowly picked up my wooden sword. I looked up at him with a stupid move, and he smiled gently, patted my back once. He took my hand and gently released the fingertips that I had been grasping.
“… I think you did much better than yesterday. You rushed at Gunter a few times.”
Kamil told me as if encouraging my depressed self. However, a growl came from a soldier passing by.
“Hey, Kamil. Don’t spoil her.”
A soldier from the army snarled, but Kamil smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m just saying what I think.”
“… Humph. It’s not good for you to accompany that brat.”
The soldier spat out, and I could hear my irritation boil like oil in my head.
My breakfast and light lunch were properly prepared for me by the army, but I had to provide food for myself at night. Maybe it was training to improve survival skills on the battlefield. Therefore, after afternoon practice, I wipe the spew that I had thrown up, and it was time to secure food for dinner.
Kaldia, where soldiers don’t even get candles, was poor. Night was short, and midnight was long. I probably wouldn’t feel hungry in the middle of the night if I didn’t throw up during training, but that was because of my weakness, so I can only desperately gather edible food. I have never felt hunger before, so I didn’t know how painful having an empty stomach was until now.
It was great that Kamil and Rashiok were allowed to help me, this was their consideration towards a five-year-old. Rashiok was beginning to grow scales and was the size of a small dog, and enjoyed hunting for food. Although Kamil hunted for different things, he told me what he would share with me in advance, and secretly split his spoils with me.
After I returned to the barracks, the ‘food’ I collected would be checked for edibility by Gunter and Kamil. Soldiers in training would have to check for poisons themselves, so it seems I was given preferential treatment. Of course, they properly taught me which food would cause instant death at the beginning. Still, the barracks were calm and quiet, and no one had upset stomachs, or fainted and bubbled at the mouth.
… For a fief in a powerful kingdom with no wars, I feel like they have an almost abnormal level of attachment to food. I wonder if this is the aftertaste of leaving their villages because of hunger and becoming bandits. I’m surprised that they didn’t go crazy. A girl with memories of her previous life won’t be able to endure that. There was no hunger in the daily life of that girl who lived in a highly developed world. Do people get weaker as civilisation advances, or had they thought up this training because they’d already gone crazy; I wonder which it is?
“So, what’re you looking for today? Are you going to gather mushrooms?”
There are many types of poisonous mushrooms, and this was driven into my body. Even if Rashiok can eat them without hesitation, they were poisonous to me, so there were many types I couldn’t eat, and the mushrooms I harvest will most likely go to waste. Kamil asked where I was aiming to gather food, and I shook my head. It was also troublesome to speak after spending hours at the training grounds.
“Then, are you going to hunt animals?”
Birds and rabbits are given to the citizens, and I haven’t eaten one even though I’ve hunted many with Rashiok’s help. Frog had small bodies, and there were very little to eat on them. The bigger ones live at the bottom of the river and in lakes, and there were a lot of monsters, so it was dangerous. I heard that their eggs are edible, but unfortunately, it isn’t breeding season. The snakes I could find were all rather large, and I was treated to a snow snake recently. Since they’re the main prey for draconis, its nutritional value must be high. Most spiders, even venomous ones, are edible when cooked. Lizards are the easiest to catch. The drawback was that lizards must be cooked very well done over a fire to prevent parasites, but well, I realised through my body that humans are omnivorous.
“Well, I think I’ll focus on snakes and lizards.”
“Then, you should head to the south of the mansion. I hope you catch something good today.”
Since my hunts haven’t been very good the past few days, the day before yesterday I boiled grass in saltwater, and yesterday I found an out of season cicada, so I had that and grass that grew around here. Who could imagine that a young noble girl would think that young silver grass is actually edible?
Wild grass can be powerful medicines or poison and was hard to digest, so they’re a last resort. I harvested a lot of nuts, but I couldn’t digest most of them and had diarrhoea. My training didn’t change the next day, even though I had loose bowels, and I quickly gave up on eating them.
“Then, I’ll do what I always do. Good luck.”
Kamil clearly stated, before going down the hill to the north. People didn’t live in that part, so there was a lot of food which could be harvested, but it was dangerous.
He can calmly force his way through there, and be completely fine even after practising; as expected, someone brought here by Earl Thelesia definitely isn’t an ordinary person. Even the army’s soldiers look tired at this time.
Well, it doesn’t matter who Kamil is.
“Let’s go, Rashiok.”
I dragged my exhausted body in the opposite direction. Rashiok squealed in response to my voice. For dinner that day, I had several lizards and grilled mushroom that Kamil had secretly shared with me.
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
I spent time at the base, and a lot of things changed near March.
“Tsar, you haven’t been to the river yet. You always rummage around for inferior food like insects, grass and snakes.”
“This grubby brat is supposed to be a refined noble, ten out of ten people probably wouldn’t believe it.”
The squires staying in the same room as me all started calling me Tsar. I don’t know if Kamil had spread this name before he graduated and left this room, or if it was an old name for something in this fief.
I have no idea if they were rebuking me or being affectionate. Perhaps, even they don’t know if they’re taking their emotions out on a hateful noble child, or if they were just bantering with a comrade who ate together with them.
“You’re probably like your blue-eyed pig of a mother, a gluttony.”
A soldier spat out. For a moment, the soldiers trembled a bit as if they were waiting to see what I would do.
“A blue-eyed pig? I see. That’s a good metaphor.”
I deliberated fixed my tone and nodded. The soldiers were openly relieved, and someone poked the soldier and yelled, “You went too far, idiot!”
They were more vocal when I had first entered the barracks, but these days, sometimes they would be confused because they couldn’t measure our relationship.
Their attitude softened as the days went by. Some days, they would speak to me in a cold tone, and some days, they would be warm towards me as if I were their own child. Human emotions were extremely complicated.
“Oh, the river, huh. Tsar, I think you know this already, but take Kamil with you if you go there.”
“That’s right. Otherwise, you might get lost, and won’t be able to find your way back. You’ll cry!”
They all treated me as a child with their language and suddenly got excited. Well, it was true, so I just nodded without minding what they said, and like always, a few of them lost interest, “She’s still unlovable.”
I won’t get in trouble, but I still haven’t left the area under the soldier’s control since I started living at the barracks. The area they controlled also included a small patch of wood and a pond. I haven’t gone far enough, to the point where the barracks and mansion wouldn’t be seen, because I knew I was still small and a noble, so it was safer to stay where the adults could see me.
“Isn’t it about time for the kid to go to sleep? You’re going to be beaten up by Gunter again early in the morning, aren’t you?”
When the laughter subsided, the oldest squire, who had listened quietly until now, raised his voice. Every morning before breakfast, Gunter instructed me on swordsmanship, and my sword has been blown out of my hands dozens of times. After that, I would receive martial arts training and get beaten up. I slightly felt that the soldiers were friendlier towards me because Gunter ruthlessly beat me up day after day. Seeing the daughter of their hateful enemy get beaten to the ground so much probably made them feel satisfied.
“Right. I’ll go to sleep now. Goodnight.”
I remembered the strength I consumed during practice when I thought about Gunter. It will be tough tomorrow if my fatigue from today is still there. I decided to go to bed early like the soldier had suggested. I quickly bid them goodnight and slipped into my bed of straw.
“… She’s really unlovable.”
Someone whispered in amazement, but I couldn’t even reply because I was so sleepy. I gradually got used to my consciousness slipping away the instant I laid down. I didn’t even jump up every time I felt someone move. I haven’t had any nightmares in a while, either.
The forest turned red and yellow, and I began feeling chilly in the shade. Autumn is coming. The wheat field which gave Golden Hill Mansion its name was swaying in the wind.
I was beaten to the ground by Gunter today as well and vomited. I still hadn’t had breakfast yet, but I had an impressively hard morning.
“Tsar, are you alright? Can you move?”
Kamil rubbed my back, and I shook my head in reply. It was hard to talk, let alone move. I put up with my unbearable headache and felt like the ground was shaking.
I was hit in a bad place today. Gunter’s kick hit the pit of my stomach. My head shook lightly when I hit the ground.
There were still a few soldiers in the training grounds even though they usually leave for breakfast straight away. The soldiers were split into half for morning practice. I don’t want them to look at me vomiting, and quickly go to the mess.
“Hmm, what’s wrong? You haven’t finished morning practise yet?”
Sure enough, the second group came bustling in and was confused to see that the first group was still here even though nothing was going on. We will get in their way if we stay here. I slowly raised my head and forced myself to leave the training grounds.
At that moment, my eyes met with a familiar young man.
“Ah.”
I recalled the pain from when my collar was grabbed. He looked at me in disgust just like on that day.
“――― Why is the feudal lord’s daughter here?”
Some soldiers turned to look at me when they heard the young man’s voice. They seemed surprised for a moment and suddenly lit up with anger and hatred. They exposed their animosity towards me. Many looked at me with fierce eyes.
I was stunned and could only receive their gazes. Their eyes shone with a glint more dangerous than the soldiers who I usually spent time with.
Didn’t they know that I was living in the barracks? Did the other half of the soldiers isolate me so that they wouldn’t notice me, and harm me?
The young man walked towards me. I couldn’t step back and just stared at him as if this was a repeat from the other time.
But then, my body floated in the air regardless of my will. Kamil had lifted me up.
“The feudal lord is currently living with the soldiers to train her martial arts. It’s not something you can blame her for.
I looked up at Kamil. This was the first time I had heard this cold voice from him.
Kamil’s eyes were cold and bright, like the first time I saw him; they were so clear it made me shiver. Is he really a merchant’s child? What does someone who studies business do to be able to make an expression like that? It was like I had lost all my heat.
“Shut up. Acting like you know it all, you outsider.”
The young man’s voice was just as eerie and cold. He glared at Kamil, who lifted his lips and smiled. “Kamil,” I grabbed his clothes with trembling hands, but he continued to stare coldly at the soldiers without budging. Even now, he looked like he was going to pull his sword, and a shiver ran down my spine.
――― Surprising, a soldier from the first group, who had been observing in silent, stopped their dangerous exchange of glares.
“You shut up, Igor. If a stranger butts in, then I’ll be the one to tell them off. Out of all of us, the ‘feudal lord’ doesn’t act arrogant, she doesn’t act selfishly even though she’s a child, and politely bows like an idiot even though Gunter beats her up every day. She’s training hard as a soldier.”
The man who often teased and criticised me said coldly. He also didn’t stop after pushing me a few times. So, I never thought that he would say such a thing. He attracted the attention of everyone in the training grounds. Some looked at him with eyes wide in surprise.
But even more surprising was when he stood with his back towards us as if protecting us, and the soldiers in the first group copied what he had done. Eleven soldiers stood between Kamil and Igor. Then, they spoke.
“That’s right! You’re the one who doesn’t know anything, but you speak as if you do.”
“Don’t call this kid the ‘feudal lord’s daughter’ ever again. I don’t want to treat that fucking dead bastard as the feudal lord forever. That fucking demon kicked the bucket three years ago. This damn unlovable brat is the feudal lord now. If you have complaints, then go tell the Earl who tossed her here.”
“You and you, I’m sure you whine every day! Say that kind of thing when you get a little better!”
All of them were roaring like tigers. The second group of soldiers were overwhelmed and became speechless. The first group must have seen them flinch because they scattered the second group to make it easier to pass through the entrance. Then, they left through the corridor.
“Hey, you damn kid! Stop fucking spewing up, and go have food.”
“Ah… yes.”
He also yelled at me in annoyance for some reason. Kamil and I were dumbfounded and nodded. Kamil had already returned to normal.
That night, I calmly recalled their words. My tears wouldn’t stop flowing, and it was a little annoying.
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
Kaldia’s winter is cold. It’s warm in spring and autumn, but Kaldia is located to the southern foot of the highest mountain, Amon Nohl, in the northern part of the continent; the temperature sharply drops in winter, especially in the northeast parts, where the rivers would freeze.
Kaldia, which extends to the east to west, is generally separated into the southwest and northeast regions, and the villages are concentrated in the gentle hilly area in the southwest. The Golden Hill Mansion is also at the centre of the west.
There are many lakes and rivers which flood easily in the east, so there were no villages there. In the old days, people often went to that area to fish, but the citizens were tied to the fields because of my father’s misgoverning and didn’t have time to go fishing. Now, the citizens left the area alone. Lately, Earl Thelesia was developing the area because he didn’t want to leave it alone, but it was difficult to set up villages there. Kaldia had a shortage of people because of my father.
Today, snow, which was a sign of winter, had stopped falling, and we had a break from afternoon training. We had special training in the snow for the past few days, and a lot of soldiers complained about it, so we got given a day off. The young soldiers went down to the village together, and I, who had suddenly become free, also took Kamil and Rashiok for a walk outside.
“Rashiok is full of energy as soon as winter came.”
It had been a while since we’ve taken Rashiok on a walk. Kamil said that as he placed the hot tea he had prepared at the base, on his cheeks.
It must have been fun to sink one’s feet in the snow. Rashiok jumped up and down on the snowy hillside. Draconis probably became more active in winter because their primary prey, the snow snakes, didn’t hibernate in winter. He didn’t hibernate even though he covered himself with his wings to look like a snake.
The snow that fell for the past two days was soft and smooth and was difficult to walk on. The woollen clock I used to keep out the cold was also annoying. It went up to below my knees, and was heavy, even at the best of times; thus, it became even heavier when the hem hit the snow, and it absorbed water. It was good to see Rashiok having fun, but I was fed up with the dark scenery covered by clouds, my stiff movements, and, above all, the piercing cold. I don’t hate the cold, clean air, but there was a limit.
There was nothing else besides buildings and a dark forest that blocked the view, because of the harvested wheat, and the snow-covered hill combined with the silence created a horribly desolate scene. Faint light shone down on the snow-covered hill, despite the dark and heavy clouds in the sky. Seeing a wolf that looked like a dragon play in the snow like this might be magical.
I followed after Rashiok while frowning at the cold air that made my eyes burn, and if Kamil didn’t stop me once in a while, then I might have strayed from the golden hill area. My senses were off because there were no landmarks.
“Cold…”
“We need to walk Rashiok more… Oh yeah, I’ll grill some dried meat when we get back to the base, so bear with it for a little longer.”
Kamil chided me when I uttered a complaint about the snow. Kamil, who is a wealthy merchant’s son and had travelled the world, was strangely good at calming people. To be precise, he excelled at all conversation skills; meaning his merchant blood showed.
It’s too bad that his wealthy merchant of a father had already passed away. Arxia had strict immigration regulations, and information on foreign cultures is scarce. He could tell me about the kingdoms he saw with his own eyes, I couldn’t help but think. Kamil was still young at that time, so he has almost forgotten about the kingdoms he visited. This was also a pity. I questioned why someone with such a great position would become a soldier in a poor fief, and associate himself with a girl who’s only a feudal lord in name. He could probably go to a better fief with his travelling experience, or, perhaps, work in the royal capital. In any case, he didn’t have to become a soldier who didn’t need the experiences he had gained as a merchant’s son at all.
When I thought about it that way, I questioned how he remained easygoing during training, and where he gained the ability to act nonchalantly. He also showed an eerie expression sometimes. He was a person who raised many questions.
――― Well, that doesn’t matter to me.
I shivered, and the questions disappeared when he paced himself in front of me. I felt like I was careless and sighed. A white haze dispersed in the air and faded away.
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
“Oh yeah, Tsar’s training ends tomorrow, right?”
I walked silently while shivering, and Kamil suddenly diverted the topic, probably to distract me. Tomorrow came early. I was thrown into the newly constructed base at the end of summer, and tomorrow, my training will end. It went by quickly when I thought back on it.
“That’s right. Winter came a little earlier this year, but four months have already passed. Time flies.”
“The people in the mansion are looking forward to your return, Tsar. The chef, Nathan, said he’ll prepare boiled eggs and surape for dinner on the day you return.”
He smiled gently, and I refused his words in my mind, that’s ridiculous. The people at the mansion and a chef who came from this fief wouldn’t be waiting for my return. They didn’t threaten my life, but we have been avoiding each other for a long time.
“… That’s rich. Surape aside, eggs are expensive, aren’t they?”
Surape was a bouillon vegetable soup, but the vegetables and the meat used in the soup weren’t produced in this fief, so it was considered as a luxury meal. Unfortunately, all the main industries are dying out because of my father. Also, eggs are a luxury ingredient in the first place and were served for celebrations. It was also considered lucky in Jugfena, and was served for dinner in Descending Festivals.
If he really made those dishes for my return, then it would be because Earl Thelesia ordered him to. The chef wouldn’t have willingly decided this on his own.
“This year, Claira village bought some chickens from Heznite fief. If they succeed in breeding the chickens, then I think we’ll be able to eat more boiled eggs from next year.”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Until now, Kaldia relied on importing eggs from other fiefs, but this year, we bought eggs to resume animal farms. This meant that the citizens had leeway to shift their attention to something other than growing wheat.
… I’m surprised that Kamil knew about this. I received information because I’m the feudal lord, but I wonder if he also gets information because he’s my attendant. Kamil is surprisingly well-informed; he knows about the other soldier’s schedules and about things happening in the fief. He seems sociable and good at gaining people’s trust, so he might have heard information from different people.
“And, it’s almost your birthday, right Tsar? Your birthday is in spring, but isn’t it normal to celebrate a little with a meal? At least, that’s what Nathan and the maids said they were going to do. They also said they did this every year.”
Kamil laughed mischievously. I looked up in amazement, and a muscular hand, for a boy, came down and gently stroked my head.
“Ah, Rashiok is…”
The excited baby draconis started running on the snow, and the warmth of his hand went away.
Emotions suddenly pierced at my chest. He said people were waiting for my return, and that they will be celebrating my birthday. I was confused by the euphoria that I was feeling, and was a little embarrassed by the tears that were flowing down. I linked my hands together and placed it on my head to cover my tears.
“… Tsar? Why did you suddenly start praying?”
Kamil, who had gone ahead, thought my actions were strange. The pose I took was a light prayer in this kingdom.
“I just heard that there will be chickens in this fief. It’s not strange, right?”
“Well, that’s true. Were you a religious person, Tsar?”
I lightly shrugged and answered Kamil’s suspicions. Praying, a gesture used to give thanks to the gods. I just used that to give thanks to those around me. That’s all. They acted foolishly soft towards a child who had sinned. I feel saved by them, and I am the one who is a hopeless fool.
“… Well, whatever. Leave your eccentric behaviour at that. Rashiok is getting further away, so let’s go.”
Kamil didn’t question my behaviour any further. Kamil beckoned me, and I followed him after I wiped my tears away.
“What do you mean eccentric behaviour? You’re rude.”
I had only stopped to pray for a few seconds, but Rashiok had already run a few metres away. We quickly chased after him. Rashiok is smart and will come home at the appropriate time, even if he gets lost, but we will definitely receive a lecture from Earl Thelesia.
Rashiok didn’t care that we were desperately chasing after him, and started tumbling after a while. He stuffed his nose into the snow and started sniffing for something. He must have found something because he looked at the dubious us and began yelping. Then, he started digging at the snow vigorously.
“What’s going on?”
“He probably found some food or something. He sometimes digs at soil when we go hunting, and there were lisols1).”
“Huh? Lisols?”
Kamil raised his voice in hysteria. Of course, he would. Lisols aren’t moles like in my previous life, but a type of large lizard that lives underground. Their bodies can be used for food, and fairly expensive leather armour can be made from their skins.
“Oh yeah, you weren’t there at that time because you had things to do. I missed out on two lisols because of that.”
“They got away? What a waste!”
“How am I supposed to catch a lizard that’s larger than me? I can’t even stab it with a spear with my strength.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
We reached the place where Rashiok was digging while arguing. I put on leather gloves and pushed my hands into the snow without hesitation. Kamil watched as I did this and said in amazement, “I can’t believe a noble girl is digging in the snow…” but it’s already too late to say something like that now. How many nobles in Arxia would eat weeds?
Having two people and a draconis dig made it faster. We saw soil after a few minutes, and it took a few more minutes to dig the frozen dirt. My gloves touched the scales of the hibernating lisol.
“I found it.”
We dug around the lisol so we could see it fully, and checked our prey. It was short and stout, and a little bigger than me, and was sleeping as if it were dead.
“It’s huge… Is it as big as 12 erens?”
“Let’s dig it up after we kill it.”
Kamil said as he pulled out his sword from his waist and stabbed the lisol accurately in the neck. I looked up at him in amazement. The lisol’s existence vanished from my head.
It was actually quite different to aim at the place where the sword had stabbed because swords are bulky. If you move it slowly, then the tip of the sword will shake, and if you move it fast, then the weight will throw the trajectory off. I was surprised to see that Kamil could do it so easily. Even Gunter didn’t have that kind of mastery.
“Ah… It went surprisingly well.”
Kamil grinned when he noticed my gaze. I see, that’s obviously a lie.
… He probably doesn’t want me to ask about it. I was assaulted with the same strange carelessness from before, and let him lie to me.
“You killed it without damaging the skin too much. I hope you can always kill it like you do now.”
“… If it were this easy, then everyone wouldn’t go through the trouble of swinging their swords every day.”
“That’s true too.”
Kamil’s tone held agitation and relief. I pretended not to notice. Having our shoddy lies overlooked helped both of us. I don’t ask unnecessary things and don’t say anything. I don’t care about his circumstances.
And this is probably the same for Kamil, because circumstances from a remote area didn’t matter to him.
The base that Earl Thelesia had financed had a large bath built-in as well.
The construction of the bath was simple; two kinds of water tanks lined up on three sides of the walls, and they were filled with either hot water or cold water. The water came from the pond, which benefited me greatly, and the heat source came from the mansion’s and barrack’s kitchen stoves. The interior was hot with steam that rose from the hot water, and I probably could call this a steam bath.
A washbasin and hand pail was used for bathing. Adjust the water’s temperature with the hand pails, and use that to wash. Lavender was used in the water tank to disinfect the fresh wounds and bruises of the soldiers, and for sterilising the water.
Squires tended to be covered in vomit and excreta every day, so they took a bath here twice a day. I’m the youngest in the army and have no physical strength, so of course I came here a lot too.
“I also have to bid farewell to this bath today…”
It’s my last night at the barracks. I wiped my neck with a cloth soaked in warm water and remembered the things that happened in these four months. The training was hard, I was nervous because I didn’t want to agitate the soldiers, there wasn’t that much food, so it was harsh, but I quite like living in the barracks.
The image of a girl surrounded by more dishes than she could possibly eat rose in the corner of my mind. This girl was ‘Eliza Kaldia’, a game character I saw in my past memories. Eliza’s hair was neatly done up, she wore a gorgeous dress and elegantly smacked her lips at the luxurious dishes in front of her. She didn’t bear a slight resemblance to me, who had her hair in a ponytail while wearing a simple squire robe, and ate things like lizards and snakes.
These differences are valuable. I want to erase as many similarities as possible between the remnants of the abominable ‘Eliza’ and ‘I’. That Eliza wouldn’t even have to eat something like a snake until she died. I felt satisfied when I thought that, and a little relief and even pride.
“I wish there was a bath in the mansion. It would be better if everyone can take baths. The citizens will be cleaner. Oh yes, Tsar, make a bathhouse in the village when you start working as the Viscount.”
Kamil came over to wash my hair, and I replied vaguely, “I’ll think about it.” I don’t know how much it would cost, and I don’t know the finances of the fief, so I couldn’t estimate a budget for it.
I squeezed the hem of my robe, which had become heavy with water, and it was satisfying. The robe was woven thickly so that it wouldn’t be transparent and was nothing but inconvenient, but I couldn’t bathe in the nude. No one, including Earl Thelesia, cared that I, a noble girl, was bathing with the commoner soldiers. However, it wasn’t normal for him to throw me into the barracks where only men resided, so he can’t complain.
“I don’t think it would be difficult if you base if off the bath in Paktushuki.”
“How am I supposed to use that as a reference? Only you know about that place, and you don’t even remember it well.”
The place that Kamil had just mentioned was a kingdom far to the south. I wonder just exactly how many people in Arxia even know the name Paktushuki. Even Mareshan doesn’t know about that place, even though she’s very knowledgeable. The only reason why I learnt this name was because Kamil taught me it.
“You have a point… My father was from there, so he taught me a lot about the place.”
While laughing loudly, Kamil suddenly poured a pail of warm water on me. A large amount of water splashed on my face, and when I glared at him, he stared back with a feminine and teasing glance as if he hadn’t done anything. This bastard, he’s playing dumb. Even though he just poured water on me with the pail, now you’ve done it! I childishly returned the favour by throwing all the water from the washbasin at him.
“Son of a bitch. Using your washbasin isn’t fair!”
“So what? You started it, Tsar.”
“You’re the one who splashed me first!”
I started cussing without hesitation in the army, and our shouting and shrieking only lasted for a few seconds. A merciless fist descended from above, and I saw stars in front of my eyes.
“You’re annoying, you stupid brats!”
The first belonged to Gunter who had come into the bath without me realising. A vein was popping out of his forehead, and his irritated voice was low. Gunter is a leader despite being so young, and had an imposing aura to go along with his status… He, he was absolutely terrifying.
“So-sorry.”
“This raggedy brat thinks she can return to her stupid noble life tomorrow. Don’t get too happy. I’ll still be in charge of your training from tomorrow on as well.”
Training… what did he say? I involuntarily looked at Gunter with a shocked, idiotic expression.
From tomorrow on as well. I wonder if this means he’s going to be my official martial arts instructor. But, I heard from Earl Thelesia that I will be learning fencing with a rapier since it was befitting for nobles. Kamil had been frightened a moment ago, but he said in a carefree voice, “Eh, really?”
“Oi, what’s with that face?”
“Gunter-san, can you use swordsmanship for nobles?”
“Hah? Is that sort of thing even useful? … Ah, someone will be called from the royal capital to teach you pretty swordsmanship.”
So that means… On top of having to endure Guther’s gruelling training, I’m also going to have a ceremonial swordsmanship practice as well? I became a bit dejected, and Gunter even threatened me, “Don’t you dare make a fool of yourself and throw up in front of whatever weakling noble shows up from the royal capital.”
His expression, is like, um… a Nio Guardian? From my previous life’s memories, which were fading more and more with each passing day, I suddenly remembered those intense Buddhist statues for some reason. What’s more, way too clearly.
When I glanced around with fear, my eyes met with Kamil, who had fallen into a similar state. It seemed ridiculously amusing that we had been arguing about water before and now ended up like this. Kamil also felt the same. We couldn’t hold in our laughter and burst out laughing.
“Why’re you laughing about, you two stupid brats?! I told you two to shut up!”
Gunter punched both of us again.
References
| 1. | ↑ | The kanji is mole, and katakana is lisol. |
Earl Thelesia arranged the fief’s army as the base was being completed next to Golden Hill Mansion. It was late summer, and Rashiok had already grown to the extent where he could be left alone. It was an imposing building. It was only some time ago that I was watching it through my window. Right after the soldiers moved into their base and started working, the Earl threw me in there to learn martial arts.
I couldn’t believe that the army base would be the place I visited on my first outing. I want to believe that just being out was great. Anyway, a Viscount conducted the soldiers’ apprenticeship for over a season, to teach the foundations of how to use swords, lances and martial arts.
When one became a feudal lord, they would need to lead soldiers out into the battlefield in times of emergencies. I guess this means that I can’t stay a sheltered, spineless girl who never leaves the mansion. I also felt like the Earl wanted me to take control of the army a little. If this goes well, then I’ll be killing two birds with one stone.
Honestly, I didn’t expect Earl Thelesia to go this far. The Earl and the servants he had brought with him from the royal capital treat me as the feudal lord, but that was in name only, so I wanted to quickly find a husband and pass everything onto him.
It was customary for boys to receive inheritance in Arxia Kingdom. If the house had an eldest son, then it would go to him, if not, then his brother, next the head’s brother, then his son, and so forth… I, the youngest girl, inherited the Kaldia family because I was put in an abnormal situation and was the only survivor of my family.
… I was only two years old when I poisoned my family, so I thought that my house would be destroyed, but that wasn’t the case according to the laws of this kingdom. Thus, Earl Thelesia was sent here to be my guardian and acting feudal lord, and now here we are.
That was why I became the feudal lord, but, of course, remaining one was another matter. The inheritance right will be passed over if I marry. I had always thought that I would stay a feudal lord on paper, as the citizens focused their animosity towards me until my husband takes this title away.
――― But what is he thinking? Earl Thelesia seems like he wants to groom me into a proper feudal lord. That was why he was training me in martial arts. That was why he got me to repair my relationship with the fief army. Common sense was quite different in Arxia Kingdom, and that was quite convenient for me.
I want to ask the rational him about what kind of forecast he had for setting my education policy.
Now then. Fief armies are organised within the vast fiefs of Arxia to facilitate ruling and defence. Depending on the feudal lord, they were used to manage, operate, guard and control, and protect against bandits and beasts; also depending on the fief that the feudal lord controls, they repair and maintain buildings, and rescue citizens in the event of a disaster.
When my father was alive, the army was a more vicious group than slave drivers, to the point that I was treated as a traitor when I inherited the feudal lord position, and was suppressed.
The army right now consisted of those who acted like thieves back then. Earl Thelesia, who won over the hearts and minds of people, and the fact that they expected that I would hate to see the citizens die, changed the minds of the army and rebels in less than a month. How did I charge people who did what they did to protect themselves because they were threatened by my father? I questioned the Earl who had written a list of convicts and handed it to a two-year-old to approve, even though they hadn’t learned how to read or write yet, but his intentions were convenient for me, so I couldn’t complain.
According to the military regulations this time, the new recruits were village boys aged 12 and up. Combined, they made an army of about 100 people. From what I hear, most of them were boys who had lost their family under my father’s tyrannical rule.
… What I’m trying to say is that the military base has become a place concentrated with those who bore grudges against the Kaldia House.
Even I could tell that the Earl’s expectations are completely useless, but one question remains.
Will I survive being exposed to their hatred until the day I return to the mansion?
――― Half a month has passed since I started living in the barracks. For now, I’m barely alive.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?! You not gonna come at me?”
My wooden sword swung down and stopped two blows. It was absurd for me to come at him. My young and frail body did all it could to endure, and even that became hard when my breath rises. My arms went numb every time the wooden swords collided, and my legs staggered. My elbows would open when he put force into his sword, and I was already finished.
“Don’t open your upper arms!”
My flank was poked with the wooden sword along with a stern scolding. A dull pain ran through my ribs, and I had a little trouble breathing.
“Haa!!”
I thrust my wooden sword aiming for a counter-attack, but it just grazed his thigh, and he easily evaded. He kicked my foot while he was at it, and the wooden sword blew out of my hands. I tumbled to the ground. My back hurt as it hit the ground hard.
“Hey, hey. Are you already at your limit~?”
“Ah, you’ll have our hands full protecting you if we have to go onto the battlefield under such a fucking weak feudal lord. It wouldn’t be enough no matter how many lives we have.”
Sneers and jeers immediately flew at me from our surroundings. I didn’t even feel offended by what they said. I knew my shortcomings best. Someone might step on me if I remain on the ground, so I ignored the pain in my body and got up. Then, my practice partner, Gunter, stared at me, coldly.
“Pick up your sword now!”
“Yes, sorry.”
I dragged my staggering body, picked up the wooden sword, and took my stance.
“One more time please, Gunter.”
My small body, which had built up fatigue, was blown away again, 10 seconds after I bowed. My whole body hurt, but unfortunately, I wasn’t in a position to complain.
… After that, the one-sided fight continued several more times. I think I stayed on the ground longer than the fight in the last round.
“Thank you very much.” I turned to Gunter, and somehow bowed while breathing shortly and shallowly, and morning practice was finally over. The other soldiers were also putting away their wooden swords and began returning to the barracks. Gunter, who was practising with me, also threw his sword away without saying anything and left the practice grounds with them.
I had always been confined in the mansion and raised delicately, but this training completely covered me in sweat and sand and caused me to throw up every night. I keep my head down spiritlessly because I couldn’t even raise my head. I was frustrated because my body wouldn’t move how I wanted it to and grasped my fingertips tightly from anger.
“Tsar.”
Someone placed their hand on my head as if to blame me.
“Have you finished morning practice? It’s nearly time for breakfast.”
Of course, it was Kamil who patted my head, as if to comfort me. Prompted by him, I slowly picked up my wooden sword. I looked up at him with a stupid move, and he smiled gently, patted my back once. He took my hand and gently released the fingertips that I had been grasping.
“… I think you did much better than yesterday. You rushed at Gunter a few times.”
Kamil told me as if encouraging my depressed self. However, a growl came from a soldier passing by.
“Hey, Kamil. Don’t spoil her.”
A soldier from the army snarled, but Kamil smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m just saying what I think.”
“… Humph. It’s not good for you to accompany that brat.”
The soldier spat out, and I could hear my irritation boil like oil in my head.
My breakfast and light lunch were properly prepared for me by the army, but I had to provide food for myself at night. Maybe it was training to improve survival skills on the battlefield. Therefore, after afternoon practice, I wipe the spew that I had thrown up, and it was time to secure food for dinner.
Kaldia, where soldiers don’t even get candles, was poor. Night was short, and midnight was long. I probably wouldn’t feel hungry in the middle of the night if I didn’t throw up during training, but that was because of my weakness, so I can only desperately gather edible food. I have never felt hunger before, so I didn’t know how painful having an empty stomach was until now.
It was great that Kamil and Rashiok were allowed to help me, this was their consideration towards a five-year-old. Rashiok was beginning to grow scales and was the size of a small dog, and enjoyed hunting for food. Although Kamil hunted for different things, he told me what he would share with me in advance, and secretly split his spoils with me.
After I returned to the barracks, the ‘food’ I collected would be checked for edibility by Gunter and Kamil. Soldiers in training would have to check for poisons themselves, so it seems I was given preferential treatment. Of course, they properly taught me which food would cause instant death at the beginning. Still, the barracks were calm and quiet, and no one had upset stomachs, or fainted and bubbled at the mouth.
… For a fief in a powerful kingdom with no wars, I feel like they have an almost abnormal level of attachment to food. I wonder if this is the aftertaste of leaving their villages because of hunger and becoming bandits. I’m surprised that they didn’t go crazy. A girl with memories of her previous life won’t be able to endure that. There was no hunger in the daily life of that girl who lived in a highly developed world. Do people get weaker as civilisation advances, or had they thought up this training because they’d already gone crazy; I wonder which it is?
“So, what’re you looking for today? Are you going to gather mushrooms?”
There are many types of poisonous mushrooms, and this was driven into my body. Even if Rashiok can eat them without hesitation, they were poisonous to me, so there were many types I couldn’t eat, and the mushrooms I harvest will most likely go to waste. Kamil asked where I was aiming to gather food, and I shook my head. It was also troublesome to speak after spending hours at the training grounds.
“Then, are you going to hunt animals?”
Birds and rabbits are given to the citizens, and I haven’t eaten one even though I’ve hunted many with Rashiok’s help. Frog had small bodies, and there were very little to eat on them. The bigger ones live at the bottom of the river and in lakes, and there were a lot of monsters, so it was dangerous. I heard that their eggs are edible, but unfortunately, it isn’t breeding season. The snakes I could find were all rather large, and I was treated to a snow snake recently. Since they’re the main prey for draconis, its nutritional value must be high. Most spiders, even venomous ones, are edible when cooked. Lizards are the easiest to catch. The drawback was that lizards must be cooked very well done over a fire to prevent parasites, but well, I realised through my body that humans are omnivorous.
“Well, I think I’ll focus on snakes and lizards.”
“Then, you should head to the south of the mansion. I hope you catch something good today.”
Since my hunts haven’t been very good the past few days, the day before yesterday I boiled grass in saltwater, and yesterday I found an out of season cicada, so I had that and grass that grew around here. Who could imagine that a young noble girl would think that young silver grass is actually edible?
Wild grass can be powerful medicines or poison and was hard to digest, so they’re a last resort. I harvested a lot of nuts, but I couldn’t digest most of them and had diarrhoea. My training didn’t change the next day, even though I had loose bowels, and I quickly gave up on eating them.
“Then, I’ll do what I always do. Good luck.”
Kamil clearly stated, before going down the hill to the north. People didn’t live in that part, so there was a lot of food which could be harvested, but it was dangerous.
He can calmly force his way through there, and be completely fine even after practising; as expected, someone brought here by Earl Thelesia definitely isn’t an ordinary person. Even the army’s soldiers look tired at this time.
Well, it doesn’t matter who Kamil is.
“Let’s go, Rashiok.”
I dragged my exhausted body in the opposite direction. Rashiok squealed in response to my voice. For dinner that day, I had several lizards and grilled mushroom that Kamil had secretly shared with me.
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
I spent time at the base, and a lot of things changed near March.
“Tsar, you haven’t been to the river yet. You always rummage around for inferior food like insects, grass and snakes.”
“This grubby brat is supposed to be a refined noble, ten out of ten people probably wouldn’t believe it.”
The squires staying in the same room as me all started calling me Tsar. I don’t know if Kamil had spread this name before he graduated and left this room, or if it was an old name for something in this fief.
I have no idea if they were rebuking me or being affectionate. Perhaps, even they don’t know if they’re taking their emotions out on a hateful noble child, or if they were just bantering with a comrade who ate together with them.
“You’re probably like your blue-eyed pig of a mother, a gluttony.”
A soldier spat out. For a moment, the soldiers trembled a bit as if they were waiting to see what I would do.
“A blue-eyed pig? I see. That’s a good metaphor.”
I deliberated fixed my tone and nodded. The soldiers were openly relieved, and someone poked the soldier and yelled, “You went too far, idiot!”
They were more vocal when I had first entered the barracks, but these days, sometimes they would be confused because they couldn’t measure our relationship.
Their attitude softened as the days went by. Some days, they would speak to me in a cold tone, and some days, they would be warm towards me as if I were their own child. Human emotions were extremely complicated.
“Oh, the river, huh. Tsar, I think you know this already, but take Kamil with you if you go there.”
“That’s right. Otherwise, you might get lost, and won’t be able to find your way back. You’ll cry!”
They all treated me as a child with their language and suddenly got excited. Well, it was true, so I just nodded without minding what they said, and like always, a few of them lost interest, “She’s still unlovable.”
I won’t get in trouble, but I still haven’t left the area under the soldier’s control since I started living at the barracks. The area they controlled also included a small patch of wood and a pond. I haven’t gone far enough, to the point where the barracks and mansion wouldn’t be seen, because I knew I was still small and a noble, so it was safer to stay where the adults could see me.
“Isn’t it about time for the kid to go to sleep? You’re going to be beaten up by Gunter again early in the morning, aren’t you?”
When the laughter subsided, the oldest squire, who had listened quietly until now, raised his voice. Every morning before breakfast, Gunter instructed me on swordsmanship, and my sword has been blown out of my hands dozens of times. After that, I would receive martial arts training and get beaten up. I slightly felt that the soldiers were friendlier towards me because Gunter ruthlessly beat me up day after day. Seeing the daughter of their hateful enemy get beaten to the ground so much probably made them feel satisfied.
“Right. I’ll go to sleep now. Goodnight.”
I remembered the strength I consumed during practice when I thought about Gunter. It will be tough tomorrow if my fatigue from today is still there. I decided to go to bed early like the soldier had suggested. I quickly bid them goodnight and slipped into my bed of straw.
“… She’s really unlovable.”
Someone whispered in amazement, but I couldn’t even reply because I was so sleepy. I gradually got used to my consciousness slipping away the instant I laid down. I didn’t even jump up every time I felt someone move. I haven’t had any nightmares in a while, either.
The forest turned red and yellow, and I began feeling chilly in the shade. Autumn is coming. The wheat field which gave Golden Hill Mansion its name was swaying in the wind.
I was beaten to the ground by Gunter today as well and vomited. I still hadn’t had breakfast yet, but I had an impressively hard morning.
“Tsar, are you alright? Can you move?”
Kamil rubbed my back, and I shook my head in reply. It was hard to talk, let alone move. I put up with my unbearable headache and felt like the ground was shaking.
I was hit in a bad place today. Gunter’s kick hit the pit of my stomach. My head shook lightly when I hit the ground.
There were still a few soldiers in the training grounds even though they usually leave for breakfast straight away. The soldiers were split into half for morning practice. I don’t want them to look at me vomiting, and quickly go to the mess.
“Hmm, what’s wrong? You haven’t finished morning practise yet?”
Sure enough, the second group came bustling in and was confused to see that the first group was still here even though nothing was going on. We will get in their way if we stay here. I slowly raised my head and forced myself to leave the training grounds.
At that moment, my eyes met with a familiar young man.
“Ah.”
I recalled the pain from when my collar was grabbed. He looked at me in disgust just like on that day.
“――― Why is the feudal lord’s daughter here?”
Some soldiers turned to look at me when they heard the young man’s voice. They seemed surprised for a moment and suddenly lit up with anger and hatred. They exposed their animosity towards me. Many looked at me with fierce eyes.
I was stunned and could only receive their gazes. Their eyes shone with a glint more dangerous than the soldiers who I usually spent time with.
Didn’t they know that I was living in the barracks? Did the other half of the soldiers isolate me so that they wouldn’t notice me, and harm me?
The young man walked towards me. I couldn’t step back and just stared at him as if this was a repeat from the other time.
But then, my body floated in the air regardless of my will. Kamil had lifted me up.
“The feudal lord is currently living with the soldiers to train her martial arts. It’s not something you can blame her for.
I looked up at Kamil. This was the first time I had heard this cold voice from him.
Kamil’s eyes were cold and bright, like the first time I saw him; they were so clear it made me shiver. Is he really a merchant’s child? What does someone who studies business do to be able to make an expression like that? It was like I had lost all my heat.
“Shut up. Acting like you know it all, you outsider.”
The young man’s voice was just as eerie and cold. He glared at Kamil, who lifted his lips and smiled. “Kamil,” I grabbed his clothes with trembling hands, but he continued to stare coldly at the soldiers without budging. Even now, he looked like he was going to pull his sword, and a shiver ran down my spine.
――― Surprising, a soldier from the first group, who had been observing in silent, stopped their dangerous exchange of glares.
“You shut up, Igor. If a stranger butts in, then I’ll be the one to tell them off. Out of all of us, the ‘feudal lord’ doesn’t act arrogant, she doesn’t act selfishly even though she’s a child, and politely bows like an idiot even though Gunter beats her up every day. She’s training hard as a soldier.”
The man who often teased and criticised me said coldly. He also didn’t stop after pushing me a few times. So, I never thought that he would say such a thing. He attracted the attention of everyone in the training grounds. Some looked at him with eyes wide in surprise.
But even more surprising was when he stood with his back towards us as if protecting us, and the soldiers in the first group copied what he had done. Eleven soldiers stood between Kamil and Igor. Then, they spoke.
“That’s right! You’re the one who doesn’t know anything, but you speak as if you do.”
“Don’t call this kid the ‘feudal lord’s daughter’ ever again. I don’t want to treat that fucking dead bastard as the feudal lord forever. That fucking demon kicked the bucket three years ago. This damn unlovable brat is the feudal lord now. If you have complaints, then go tell the Earl who tossed her here.”
“You and you, I’m sure you whine every day! Say that kind of thing when you get a little better!”
All of them were roaring like tigers. The second group of soldiers were overwhelmed and became speechless. The first group must have seen them flinch because they scattered the second group to make it easier to pass through the entrance. Then, they left through the corridor.
“Hey, you damn kid! Stop fucking spewing up, and go have food.”
“Ah… yes.”
He also yelled at me in annoyance for some reason. Kamil and I were dumbfounded and nodded. Kamil had already returned to normal.
That night, I calmly recalled their words. My tears wouldn’t stop flowing, and it was a little annoying.
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
Kaldia’s winter is cold. It’s warm in spring and autumn, but Kaldia is located to the southern foot of the highest mountain, Amon Nohl, in the northern part of the continent; the temperature sharply drops in winter, especially in the northeast parts, where the rivers would freeze.
Kaldia, which extends to the east to west, is generally separated into the southwest and northeast regions, and the villages are concentrated in the gentle hilly area in the southwest. The Golden Hill Mansion is also at the centre of the west.
There are many lakes and rivers which flood easily in the east, so there were no villages there. In the old days, people often went to that area to fish, but the citizens were tied to the fields because of my father’s misgoverning and didn’t have time to go fishing. Now, the citizens left the area alone. Lately, Earl Thelesia was developing the area because he didn’t want to leave it alone, but it was difficult to set up villages there. Kaldia had a shortage of people because of my father.
Today, snow, which was a sign of winter, had stopped falling, and we had a break from afternoon training. We had special training in the snow for the past few days, and a lot of soldiers complained about it, so we got given a day off. The young soldiers went down to the village together, and I, who had suddenly become free, also took Kamil and Rashiok for a walk outside.
“Rashiok is full of energy as soon as winter came.”
It had been a while since we’ve taken Rashiok on a walk. Kamil said that as he placed the hot tea he had prepared at the base, on his cheeks.
It must have been fun to sink one’s feet in the snow. Rashiok jumped up and down on the snowy hillside. Draconis probably became more active in winter because their primary prey, the snow snakes, didn’t hibernate in winter. He didn’t hibernate even though he covered himself with his wings to look like a snake.
The snow that fell for the past two days was soft and smooth and was difficult to walk on. The woollen clock I used to keep out the cold was also annoying. It went up to below my knees, and was heavy, even at the best of times; thus, it became even heavier when the hem hit the snow, and it absorbed water. It was good to see Rashiok having fun, but I was fed up with the dark scenery covered by clouds, my stiff movements, and, above all, the piercing cold. I don’t hate the cold, clean air, but there was a limit.
There was nothing else besides buildings and a dark forest that blocked the view, because of the harvested wheat, and the snow-covered hill combined with the silence created a horribly desolate scene. Faint light shone down on the snow-covered hill, despite the dark and heavy clouds in the sky. Seeing a wolf that looked like a dragon play in the snow like this might be magical.
I followed after Rashiok while frowning at the cold air that made my eyes burn, and if Kamil didn’t stop me once in a while, then I might have strayed from the golden hill area. My senses were off because there were no landmarks.
“Cold…”
“We need to walk Rashiok more… Oh yeah, I’ll grill some dried meat when we get back to the base, so bear with it for a little longer.”
Kamil chided me when I uttered a complaint about the snow. Kamil, who is a wealthy merchant’s son and had travelled the world, was strangely good at calming people. To be precise, he excelled at all conversation skills; meaning his merchant blood showed.
It’s too bad that his wealthy merchant of a father had already passed away. Arxia had strict immigration regulations, and information on foreign cultures is scarce. He could tell me about the kingdoms he saw with his own eyes, I couldn’t help but think. Kamil was still young at that time, so he has almost forgotten about the kingdoms he visited. This was also a pity. I questioned why someone with such a great position would become a soldier in a poor fief, and associate himself with a girl who’s only a feudal lord in name. He could probably go to a better fief with his travelling experience, or, perhaps, work in the royal capital. In any case, he didn’t have to become a soldier who didn’t need the experiences he had gained as a merchant’s son at all.
When I thought about it that way, I questioned how he remained easygoing during training, and where he gained the ability to act nonchalantly. He also showed an eerie expression sometimes. He was a person who raised many questions.
――― Well, that doesn’t matter to me.
I shivered, and the questions disappeared when he paced himself in front of me. I felt like I was careless and sighed. A white haze dispersed in the air and faded away.
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
Translator: Blushy
Editor: SenjiQ
“Oh yeah, Tsar’s training ends tomorrow, right?”
I walked silently while shivering, and Kamil suddenly diverted the topic, probably to distract me. Tomorrow came early. I was thrown into the newly constructed base at the end of summer, and tomorrow, my training will end. It went by quickly when I thought back on it.
“That’s right. Winter came a little earlier this year, but four months have already passed. Time flies.”
“The people in the mansion are looking forward to your return, Tsar. The chef, Nathan, said he’ll prepare boiled eggs and surape for dinner on the day you return.”
He smiled gently, and I refused his words in my mind, that’s ridiculous. The people at the mansion and a chef who came from this fief wouldn’t be waiting for my return. They didn’t threaten my life, but we have been avoiding each other for a long time.
“… That’s rich. Surape aside, eggs are expensive, aren’t they?”
Surape was a bouillon vegetable soup, but the vegetables and the meat used in the soup weren’t produced in this fief, so it was considered as a luxury meal. Unfortunately, all the main industries are dying out because of my father. Also, eggs are a luxury ingredient in the first place and were served for celebrations. It was also considered lucky in Jugfena, and was served for dinner in Descending Festivals.
If he really made those dishes for my return, then it would be because Earl Thelesia ordered him to. The chef wouldn’t have willingly decided this on his own.
“This year, Claira village bought some chickens from Heznite fief. If they succeed in breeding the chickens, then I think we’ll be able to eat more boiled eggs from next year.”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Until now, Kaldia relied on importing eggs from other fiefs, but this year, we bought eggs to resume animal farms. This meant that the citizens had leeway to shift their attention to something other than growing wheat.
… I’m surprised that Kamil knew about this. I received information because I’m the feudal lord, but I wonder if he also gets information because he’s my attendant. Kamil is surprisingly well-informed; he knows about the other soldier’s schedules and about things happening in the fief. He seems sociable and good at gaining people’s trust, so he might have heard information from different people.
“And, it’s almost your birthday, right Tsar? Your birthday is in spring, but isn’t it normal to celebrate a little with a meal? At least, that’s what Nathan and the maids said they were going to do. They also said they did this every year.”
Kamil laughed mischievously. I looked up in amazement, and a muscular hand, for a boy, came down and gently stroked my head.
“Ah, Rashiok is…”
The excited baby draconis started running on the snow, and the warmth of his hand went away.
Emotions suddenly pierced at my chest. He said people were waiting for my return, and that they will be celebrating my birthday. I was confused by the euphoria that I was feeling, and was a little embarrassed by the tears that were flowing down. I linked my hands together and placed it on my head to cover my tears.
“… Tsar? Why did you suddenly start praying?”
Kamil, who had gone ahead, thought my actions were strange. The pose I took was a light prayer in this kingdom.
“I just heard that there will be chickens in this fief. It’s not strange, right?”
“Well, that’s true. Were you a religious person, Tsar?”
I lightly shrugged and answered Kamil’s suspicions. Praying, a gesture used to give thanks to the gods. I just used that to give thanks to those around me. That’s all. They acted foolishly soft towards a child who had sinned. I feel saved by them, and I am the one who is a hopeless fool.
“… Well, whatever. Leave your eccentric behaviour at that. Rashiok is getting further away, so let’s go.”
Kamil didn’t question my behaviour any further. Kamil beckoned me, and I followed him after I wiped my tears away.
“What do you mean eccentric behaviour? You’re rude.”
I had only stopped to pray for a few seconds, but Rashiok had already run a few metres away. We quickly chased after him. Rashiok is smart and will come home at the appropriate time, even if he gets lost, but we will definitely receive a lecture from Earl Thelesia.
Rashiok didn’t care that we were desperately chasing after him, and started tumbling after a while. He stuffed his nose into the snow and started sniffing for something. He must have found something because he looked at the dubious us and began yelping. Then, he started digging at the snow vigorously.
“What’s going on?”
“He probably found some food or something. He sometimes digs at soil when we go hunting, and there were lisols1).”
“Huh? Lisols?”
Kamil raised his voice in hysteria. Of course, he would. Lisols aren’t moles like in my previous life, but a type of large lizard that lives underground. Their bodies can be used for food, and fairly expensive leather armour can be made from their skins.
“Oh yeah, you weren’t there at that time because you had things to do. I missed out on two lisols because of that.”
“They got away? What a waste!”
“How am I supposed to catch a lizard that’s larger than me? I can’t even stab it with a spear with my strength.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
We reached the place where Rashiok was digging while arguing. I put on leather gloves and pushed my hands into the snow without hesitation. Kamil watched as I did this and said in amazement, “I can’t believe a noble girl is digging in the snow…” but it’s already too late to say something like that now. How many nobles in Arxia would eat weeds?
Having two people and a draconis dig made it faster. We saw soil after a few minutes, and it took a few more minutes to dig the frozen dirt. My gloves touched the scales of the hibernating lisol.
“I found it.”
We dug around the lisol so we could see it fully, and checked our prey. It was short and stout, and a little bigger than me, and was sleeping as if it were dead.
“It’s huge… Is it as big as 12 erens?”
“Let’s dig it up after we kill it.”
Kamil said as he pulled out his sword from his waist and stabbed the lisol accurately in the neck. I looked up at him in amazement. The lisol’s existence vanished from my head.
It was actually quite different to aim at the place where the sword had stabbed because swords are bulky. If you move it slowly, then the tip of the sword will shake, and if you move it fast, then the weight will throw the trajectory off. I was surprised to see that Kamil could do it so easily. Even Gunter didn’t have that kind of mastery.
“Ah… It went surprisingly well.”
Kamil grinned when he noticed my gaze. I see, that’s obviously a lie.
… He probably doesn’t want me to ask about it. I was assaulted with the same strange carelessness from before, and let him lie to me.
“You killed it without damaging the skin too much. I hope you can always kill it like you do now.”
“… If it were this easy, then everyone wouldn’t go through the trouble of swinging their swords every day.”
“That’s true too.”
Kamil’s tone held agitation and relief. I pretended not to notice. Having our shoddy lies overlooked helped both of us. I don’t ask unnecessary things and don’t say anything. I don’t care about his circumstances.
And this is probably the same for Kamil, because circumstances from a remote area didn’t matter to him.
The base that Earl Thelesia had financed had a large bath built-in as well.
The construction of the bath was simple; two kinds of water tanks lined up on three sides of the walls, and they were filled with either hot water or cold water. The water came from the pond, which benefited me greatly, and the heat source came from the mansion’s and barrack’s kitchen stoves. The interior was hot with steam that rose from the hot water, and I probably could call this a steam bath.
A washbasin and hand pail was used for bathing. Adjust the water’s temperature with the hand pails, and use that to wash. Lavender was used in the water tank to disinfect the fresh wounds and bruises of the soldiers, and for sterilising the water.
Squires tended to be covered in vomit and excreta every day, so they took a bath here twice a day. I’m the youngest in the army and have no physical strength, so of course I came here a lot too.
“I also have to bid farewell to this bath today…”
It’s my last night at the barracks. I wiped my neck with a cloth soaked in warm water and remembered the things that happened in these four months. The training was hard, I was nervous because I didn’t want to agitate the soldiers, there wasn’t that much food, so it was harsh, but I quite like living in the barracks.
The image of a girl surrounded by more dishes than she could possibly eat rose in the corner of my mind. This girl was ‘Eliza Kaldia’, a game character I saw in my past memories. Eliza’s hair was neatly done up, she wore a gorgeous dress and elegantly smacked her lips at the luxurious dishes in front of her. She didn’t bear a slight resemblance to me, who had her hair in a ponytail while wearing a simple squire robe, and ate things like lizards and snakes.
These differences are valuable. I want to erase as many similarities as possible between the remnants of the abominable ‘Eliza’ and ‘I’. That Eliza wouldn’t even have to eat something like a snake until she died. I felt satisfied when I thought that, and a little relief and even pride.
“I wish there was a bath in the mansion. It would be better if everyone can take baths. The citizens will be cleaner. Oh yes, Tsar, make a bathhouse in the village when you start working as the Viscount.”
Kamil came over to wash my hair, and I replied vaguely, “I’ll think about it.” I don’t know how much it would cost, and I don’t know the finances of the fief, so I couldn’t estimate a budget for it.
I squeezed the hem of my robe, which had become heavy with water, and it was satisfying. The robe was woven thickly so that it wouldn’t be transparent and was nothing but inconvenient, but I couldn’t bathe in the nude. No one, including Earl Thelesia, cared that I, a noble girl, was bathing with the commoner soldiers. However, it wasn’t normal for him to throw me into the barracks where only men resided, so he can’t complain.
“I don’t think it would be difficult if you base if off the bath in Paktushuki.”
“How am I supposed to use that as a reference? Only you know about that place, and you don’t even remember it well.”
The place that Kamil had just mentioned was a kingdom far to the south. I wonder just exactly how many people in Arxia even know the name Paktushuki. Even Mareshan doesn’t know about that place, even though she’s very knowledgeable. The only reason why I learnt this name was because Kamil taught me it.
“You have a point… My father was from there, so he taught me a lot about the place.”
While laughing loudly, Kamil suddenly poured a pail of warm water on me. A large amount of water splashed on my face, and when I glared at him, he stared back with a feminine and teasing glance as if he hadn’t done anything. This bastard, he’s playing dumb. Even though he just poured water on me with the pail, now you’ve done it! I childishly returned the favour by throwing all the water from the washbasin at him.
“Son of a bitch. Using your washbasin isn’t fair!”
“So what? You started it, Tsar.”
“You’re the one who splashed me first!”
I started cussing without hesitation in the army, and our shouting and shrieking only lasted for a few seconds. A merciless fist descended from above, and I saw stars in front of my eyes.
“You’re annoying, you stupid brats!”
The first belonged to Gunter who had come into the bath without me realising. A vein was popping out of his forehead, and his irritated voice was low. Gunter is a leader despite being so young, and had an imposing aura to go along with his status… He, he was absolutely terrifying.
“So-sorry.”
“This raggedy brat thinks she can return to her stupid noble life tomorrow. Don’t get too happy. I’ll still be in charge of your training from tomorrow on as well.”
Training… what did he say? I involuntarily looked at Gunter with a shocked, idiotic expression.
From tomorrow on as well. I wonder if this means he’s going to be my official martial arts instructor. But, I heard from Earl Thelesia that I will be learning fencing with a rapier since it was befitting for nobles. Kamil had been frightened a moment ago, but he said in a carefree voice, “Eh, really?”
“Oi, what’s with that face?”
“Gunter-san, can you use swordsmanship for nobles?”
“Hah? Is that sort of thing even useful? … Ah, someone will be called from the royal capital to teach you pretty swordsmanship.”
So that means… On top of having to endure Guther’s gruelling training, I’m also going to have a ceremonial swordsmanship practice as well? I became a bit dejected, and Gunter even threatened me, “Don’t you dare make a fool of yourself and throw up in front of whatever weakling noble shows up from the royal capital.”
His expression, is like, um… a Nio Guardian? From my previous life’s memories, which were fading more and more with each passing day, I suddenly remembered those intense Buddhist statues for some reason. What’s more, way too clearly.
When I glanced around with fear, my eyes met with Kamil, who had fallen into a similar state. It seemed ridiculously amusing that we had been arguing about water before and now ended up like this. Kamil also felt the same. We couldn’t hold in our laughter and burst out laughing.
“Why’re you laughing about, you two stupid brats?! I told you two to shut up!”
Gunter punched both of us again.
References
| 1. | ↑ | The kanji is mole, and katakana is lisol. |
