Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Fourth Princess
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Rattle, rattle.
Five days later.
Krash looked up from the diligently plodding horse, just as always.
And there, in his sight, the walls of the empire began to come into view.
"We're almost there."
"Sure are."
Hearing the merchant woman's words, Krash raised a hand to shield his eyes from the dazzling sunlight.
The imperial capital lay at roughly the same latitude as Hardenharts in Staron.
Because of that, the air grew steadily colder the closer they got to the capital.
'Even so, we've still got a long way to go before we actually reach it.'
Still, he took solace in the fact that they were at least entering the empire.
"Whew, tomorrow's the end of the year already. Good thing I get to spend the new year with people this time."
"With your druggie pals, you mean."
"You know what they say? Sex on narcotics is out of this world."
"I'll be fourteen tomorrow. That's child sexual harassment."
"Pfft, nobles are all perverts anyway. Age doesn't matter to them."
How did her mind even work?
True to her rough life, she occasionally spouted shameless nonsense on a whole other level.
"Oh, Lord Valheim probably doesn't know much about this stuff. Want big sis to teach you for the new year? Since it's your first time, we can skip protection."
"Might be better to just split your lip open instead."
"Aw, worried I'll come knocking later with your kid in tow? Heh heh, just give me a mansion and I'll look the other way."
Krash decided talking was pointless.
"I'll report you for sexual harassment before I even touch the drugs."
"Hahaha! Come to think of it, I've never gone in that way! Let's check it out!"
Excited now that the end was in sight, the merchant woman whipped the horses into gear.
Thanks to her, the carriage quickly approached the imperial walls.
"Just stay inside for now."
There was no upside to getting caught by imperial brokers with a kid in tow.
So Krash opened the iron cage door and plopped down amid the sleeping narcotic-eroded beasts.
A short while later, he heard the merchant woman chatting with someone, and the carriage lurched forward.
Several hours passed like that.
As Krash waited patiently, the carriage finally came to a stop.
Soon after, the cover was lifted, and the iron cage door creaked open.
"Ta-da! We're here!"
She said proudly.
As Krash stepped out, inns and imperial streets came into view.
Judging by the walls, it seemed like a town near the border.
They'd made it in safely.
"You did good."
"Heh heh, after you saved me from those bandits mid-trip? No biggie. Heading out right away?"
"Yeah."
He planned to snag another carriage straight to the capital.
Seeing that, the merchant woman looked a bit disappointed.
Guess spending fifteen days together had built some attachment.
"I'm Krash Valheim."
So Krash gave her his name.
The moment she heard it, her eyes widened, then she broke into a bright smile.
"I'm Lara!"
"Take care."
"Come find me when you're all grown up and lonely! You're always welcome, Lord Krash!"
Even at the end, that was her style.
Still, if fate allowed, they'd cross paths again someday.
Krash waved goodbye and set off.
"It's been a while since I've been in the empire."
By then, Crimson Garden had perched on his shoulder.
"Didn't you plant quite a few seeds in the empire?"
"One's prepping for the academy, another's in the palace. I don't know much about these borderlands."
There was one of her seeds at the academy too?
"Heh heh, by the time you get there, it'll be your senior."
True, enrolling now would mean a year ahead of him.
"So who is it?"
"Isn't figuring that out part of the fun later?"
With that, she took to the skies.
What a fun-loving bird.
'One year from now.'
Krash looked up at the sky.
The winter heavens felt endlessly high.
'Not far off.'
Sensing that his confrontation with the Generation of the Sky was just around the corner, Krash went looking for a carriage.
Luckily, one headed to the capital wasn't hard to find.
The empire was vast.
Which meant Krash endured nearly a full month of grueling carriage travel.
'This ain't half bad.'
Maybe because he mainly used spatial magic back in the Generation of the Sky days.
He just couldn't get used to carriages.
"Oh, Crad, sword training again today?"
"Every day."
"Haha, hope you place in that martial tournament!"
Thanks to that, he'd gotten pretty chummy with the coachman.
The man grinned broadly, calling him by the temporary alias.
"We'll make the capital by tonight. Perfect timing for the tournament."
Hearing that, Krash wiped away a bead of sweat.
Relief washed over him at the end of the carriage journey.
Though the return trip already gave him a headache.
'Maybe skip it.'
The thought crossed his mind; the trip had been that tedious.
But he'd promised the chick he'd come back.
And so, as the carriage set off once more, Krash arrived in the imperial capital of Shiraan that very evening.
The world's richest, most advanced city, by some measures.
Upon arrival, Krash stretched lightly.
"What a drag."
Maybe because he had zero good memories of the empire.
Krash spat the grumpy remark first thing.
Then he started walking.
It was evening, but registrations for the martial tournament should still be open.
With entries closing tomorrow, he figured he'd sign up today.
'First things first.'
Krash dug into his pocket and pulled out the transformation potion Darling had given him.
He didn't know what it'd turn him into—as long as it wasn't his current face.
'Somewhere without people.'
Finding a secluded spot, Krash uncorked the vial.
The sharp medicinal scent stung his nose, but he downed it without hesitation.
Moments later, his face twisted and contorted.
Effects of the potion, no doubt.
After a bit more waiting, the sensation faded from his face.
"Crim."
Calling for Crimson Garden, a crow landed before him.
"Can you see my face?"
At that, Crimson Garden tilted her head and pecked closer.
Can you see my face?
Krash looked puzzled.
"What's that reaction? What do I even look like?"
"Exactly what I said. You look ridiculously suspicious."
Not getting it, Krash stepped out.
Then he glanced at a nearby window and froze.
"...What the hell."
Nearly closed eyes, barely showing the pupils.
Fluffy, dog-fur-like pitch-black hair.
A boy who evoked images of a scheming villain stared back.
And with Crimson Garden as a crow on his shoulder, it was the perfect finishing touch.
[Looks like you can see fine?]
"Eyes are eyes."
Krash stared at his transformed self in disbelief.
For some reason, he could almost hear Darling cackling.
'She said she imagined my personality.'
And this was her idea of it.
Krash let out a long sigh.
The appearance didn't matter much.
It looked shady, sure, but nothing to fret over.
[You really look like a crow now.]
Crimson Garden snickered.
Easy for her to say.
[Now go register before it closes.]
True enough, Krash hurried off to finish up.
＊ ＊ ＊
The registration hall for the Epania Empire's martial tournament.
Hosted by the palace, it was held in a palace-managed building, swarming with people.
Being an imperial event, fighters from all over the world had flocked here.
The tournament was booming more than ever.
"Ahem, quite the crowd. Lots of interesting ones too."
A voice like tinkling jade beads rang out.
There stood a doll-like girl with sea-blue hair that caught the eye.
She wore expensive finery of fine fabric.
But she was practically plastered to the second-floor railing, peering down at the first-floor hall.
"So many fun kids gathered. This is intriguing."
"Princess Sizly, please mind your manners. His Majesty would foam at the mouth if he saw this."
"Hey now, don't mention Father. I can already hear him yelling in my ear."
The girl who snapped at her attendant was none other than the empire's Fourth Princess, Sizly Epania.
The youngest of the imperial siblings, she was turning fourteen this year.
Young as she was, the sharpness in her eyes was no joke.
Of course it wasn't.
Even among the empire's elites, she was renowned for her brilliant mind at such a tender age.
It was famous how, at seven, she'd solved a math problem that stumped the empire's scholars.
But she had one flaw matching her age: she was an utter tomboy.
She dove headfirst into anything that piqued her interest, using her genius to ditch attendants and sneak out of the palace.
Even those who praised her intellect shook their heads, saying she'd never make emperor material.
But that was for outsiders.
Sera Betelra, one of her lifelong attendants, knew the truth.
'She's just playing the tomboy to avoid the throne.'
A genius, yes—but her constitution was frail.
Throw her into the empire's brutal fight for the crown, and her body would break first.
So she amped up the act.
She wielded her smarts to ensure no one would nominate her.
Sera pitied her, yet was relieved by her cleverness.
She suited a free life over the throne.
"Heh heh heh, look at all these tasty morsels. I'll pick 'em out one by one and ship you all to Raheln Academy—be good prey for me!"
The problem was her tomboy streak seemed to intensify by the day.
"Princess, where'd you learn to laugh like that? Ruins your pretty face."
"Sera, the face is the most effective tool for expressing emotions. I'd say I'm quite adept at using it. Shouldn't I be praised?"
"I'd like to scold you."
"You dare scold the Fourth Princess? Fourteen years too early."
What a quirky princess.
"Huh? Oh, look over there!"
Suddenly, Sizly spotted something fun and pointed through the railing.
Sera reluctantly approached and saw a boy.
Squinted eyes, gloomy face.
A crow on his shoulder—he screamed black mage.
But the sword at his waist suggested swordsman.
"Doesn't he just reek of villainy? Like a total Valheim, the empire's arch-nemesis!"
"Why would a Valheim be here? Though he does look a bit shady."
Something told her trouble was brewing the day those eyes opened wide.
Sizly stood up straight and wagged her finger with a 'tsk tsk'.
"Now now, Sera. Judging by appearances alone is a flawed mindset."
"Didn't you just say he reeks of villainy, Princess?"
"That's why I'll check him out myself."
"Pardon?"
In Sera's brief fluster,
Sizly poked her tiny frame through the railing.
"Princess!"
As Sera cried out instinctively, Sizly slid down a groove along the railing.
Like riding a slide.
Sera gaped in horror as Sizly hit the floor in seconds.
"Alright, villain candidate. Show this princess what you're made of."
Grinning mischievously, she weaved through the crowd.
Just then,
Her frail, petite build—due to her weak constitution—bumped into a man's shoulder jutting out from the side.
"Ack!"
Her legs tangled, body pitching forward,
An arm shot out, tapping her stomach just before she fell.
Regaining balance barely, Sizly looked up in startle—and met squinted eyes.
It was the boy she'd targeted.
"What a tomboy."
The boy steadied her with a curt remark.
"Watch where you're going."
Then he walked off into the crowd without a second glance.
Sizly stood speechless for a moment, tilting her head.
"Tomboy?"
The words sounded like he knew her.