Chapter 11
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Headgates (4)
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"I'm back."
The boy said as he returned to the room.
But the figure huddled under the blankets on the bed didn't respond.
The boy let out a quiet sigh, then spoke again in a sly, muffled tone.
"Hey, I saw a pretty decent knight in the hall earlier. Couldn't see his face clearly, but he looked pretty skilled. Impressive, right?"
A twitch.
Confirming the movement under the blankets, the boy's voice grew even more sly.
"From the emblem embroidered on his cloak collar and scabbard, he definitely wasn't a northern knight. Could be one from Alteria, maybe."
"Really?"
A pretty girl who looked three or four years older than the boy poked her head out from between the blankets, her eyes wide.
The boy barely held back a laugh and nodded quickly.
"Yeah, really. Sir Carlson went to talk to him, so he might even help us out."
"Really? For real?"
The girl fully emerged from the blankets and flopped down on the bed, urging him on.
"For real, I said."
"But will he help us? Even if he's from the capital, what if he knows the Lancaster Family?"
Her eyes sparkled for a moment before clouding over, and the boy's gaze wavered too.
"Well, can't be helped then... But come on! No way he knows every noble house in the capital just because of Lancaster."
"True. Hmph! A few years ago, they couldn't even look us in the eye..."
The girl pouted her lips.
The boy took her hand firmly and spoke with resolve.
"Just watch. We'll make it happen again. If we can just get a proxy knight... Win the honor duel, and everything goes back to normal."
"Got it. You have to. I'll do my best too."
"Yeah. Now eat something. You skipped breakfast. Want me to bring it?"
"You will?"
With a helpless grin, the boy stood up.
"Oh! Right!"
As he picked up the plate and opened the door to leave, he paused and turned back.
The girl, still brushing her hair in front of the mirror, chattered on.
"That knight who might be from Alteria? Get a good look at his face this time. And come tell me all about it, okay?"
"..."
Bam!
"Ow! You scared me! Hey, what's your problem?"
The startled girl shouted sharply at the closed door.
"Jeez..."
The boy who left the room shook his head habitually as he crossed the hallway.
Just then, someone burst out from a side room around the corner, blocking his path.
"Ah...!"
A massive shadow fell over him, plunging the area into darkness. The boy unwittingly opened his mouth and looked up.
"..."
He stared blankly at the deep blue eyes gazing indifferently downward.
The hair, grown wild, was neatly trimmed, and the beard that had covered half his face was gone, but it was definitely the giant from the hall earlier.
Those cold eyes and the thick scar across the bridge of his nose were unforgettable.
"You going?"
"...Pardon?"
Dazed by the low voice that matched the indifferent gaze so perfectly, the boy responded in a stupor.
"Asked if you're passing through."
"Ah! Yes."
Blake repeated himself, and the boy flushed red, hurriedly stepping aside.
But the shadow didn't move.
With a strange feeling, the boy slowly looked up.
Blake was still looking down with that chilling gaze.
"Why...?"
The boy swallowed hard without thinking.
Blake, statue-still until then, parted his tightly pressed lips.
"You said you were passing."
"Ah! S-Sorry."
Only then realizing Blake had been waiting for him to go first, the boy bowed his flushed face and slipped past.
'What an idiot...!'
Biting his lower lip, the boy stopped, smacked his own head, and hurried on.
This had never happened before.
He couldn't figure out why he'd done that.
"Whew! My head's just messed up. Get it together."
Muttering to himself, he lifted his head.
But another odd feeling hit him. A huge shadow loomed ahead in the hallway.
And it wasn't hard to guess whose it was.
"Not going?"
The low, heavy voice came from behind.
"..."
He'd blocked Blake's path again.
No matter how fast the small boy scurried, Blake caught up in just a few strides.
"S-Sorry. Really sorry."
Apologizing again, the boy pressed against the hallway wall.
"Not on purpose. Go ahead."
"Right."
Blake strode past with a curt reply.
Whoosh!
As the big man brushed by in powerful steps, a strong gust seemed to envelop the boy. A cold energy prickled his skin, sending chills down his spine.
Unthinkingly, the boy opened his mouth.
"Wait a second."
Blake halted and whipped his head around.
'Ah... Why did I call him?'
Panicking with nothing to say, the boy faltered briefly.
But quick-witted since childhood, he came up with something fast.
"Did you meet Sir Carlson by any chance?"
Doubting the impassive eyes and face would answer, he asked anyway.
But surprisingly, Blake replied readily.
"Met him. Exchanged greetings."
"I-I see. Did Sir Carlson make any... offer?"
"Don't know. I just greeted and left."
"Ah. Then where's Sir Carlson now...?"
"Talking with the capital knight. No, Sir Zaroph."
"Capital knight? You mean the one he's with? Is Sir Zaroph from the capital Alteria?"
The boy's eyes lit up as he rapid-fired questions, and Blake nodded faintly.
"Yes. Sir Zaroph is from the capital."
"I knew it. Then maybe..."
Muttering softly, the boy lowered his head.
"Guess I'll go then."
Blake glanced at him briefly, then turned and resumed walking.
"Ah! Wait, wait a second!"
Thinking the man was kinder than he looked since he kept answering, the boy called out again.
Blake stopped.
But unlike before, he turned his massive frame slowly, not just his head.
"Um..."
Excited that his guess was right, the boy started to speak.
But Blake raised a hand like a pot lid, cutting him off.
"I..."
Gazing down indifferently, hand raised, he spoke slowly in his flat tone.
"...don't like talking long with little girls like you."
Finished, Blake turned sharply and walked off briskly.
"How did he know...?"
Left alone, the boy—no, the girl in disguise—stared blankly down the hall where he vanished.
More than the shock of being outed as a girl, an inexplicable shame and hurt welled up, stinging her eyes.
"..."
But she quickly rubbed her reddened eyes, clamped her small lips tight, and stepped forward.
The hallway felt longer and wider now that Blake's huge shadow was gone.
After parting from the disguised girl, Blake asked the innkeeper for directions and headed outside.
Even as curious stares pinned him on the main street, he ignored them.
Recalling the girl on the second floor who'd watched him with that Brick Carlson knight when he entered the inn, and the recent exchange, left him feeling off.
-I don't like talking with girls.
He could've just ignored her and left.
But he'd said he disliked it outright.
There was a reason, of course.
'Why was it so uncomfortable?'
He couldn't say.
She wasn't a thief as he'd first thought, but talking to her had been deeply uncomfortable. Just facing her felt alien and awkward.
So he'd said it and left.
The problem was the feeling lingered.
That irked him too.
Like one discomfort breeding another.
"Hm."
He didn't want to get tangled with that little kid again. So the last words were probably for the best.
'A day of learning all sorts of things.'
Thinking that, Blake crossed the street and turned the corner.
There hung the sign with a horse painting, just as the Winterflower clerk described.
"Welcome! How may I help?"
The middle-aged owner, spotting Blake as a mercenary come to buy a horse, rubbed his hands and approached.
"Here for a horse."
"Of course! This way. Take this one—I swear... Oh! As expected of a fine knight with such presence. You've got an eye. This one's a proper charger..."
"Hm."
Half-listening to the owner as he passed the horses, Blake suddenly stopped at one.
The owner grimaced slightly.
"Sir, this one's..."
"This one."
It had high shoulders and a sturdy build, but looked utterly ordinary.
"No, leave the better ones and pick this plain thing? Doesn't make sense! A knight as imposing and brave as you needs something stronger, faster. So our warhorses over..."
"Not armoring up for battle or charging fast. Just need a durable mount for a few months. This one's the right height for me, and the only Northern Lutie crossbreed here. That's why I'm buying it."
"W-Well, if you insist..."
The owner backed down.
Spotting a Northern Lutie crossbreed at a glance meant this big customer knew horses well.
"Let's see... Price is 6 gold imperials..."
Pop!
Blake, who'd been still, reached into his pocket and snapped his head around.
Startled by the fierce glare, the owner quickly hid his surprise, rubbed his hands, and continued.
"...But! Spring special—saddle, stirrups, full tack for 5 gold 5 silver. Pay in gold? Just five coins. Heh!"
"Hm...?"
Blake paused, then pulled gold coins from his pouch and handed them over.
"Thank you! Thank you."
While bowing obsequiously, the owner swiftly counted the rare yellow golds, prepped the selected horse, and handed it to the stablehand.
"Your name and inn...?"
"Blake. Winterflower Inn."
"Yes, Sir Blake. We'll move it to Winterflower. When do you want delivery?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Perfect by then."
Blake brushed past the incessantly bowing man.
Once he was out of sight, the owner straightened up.
"Whew! Twenty years in the horse trade, first time for a guy like that. At least sold the old nag. Tch!"
His face soured, smile gone after failing to gouge.
With the horse bought, Blake headed to the bank.
The horse was middle-aged in horse years, but he wouldn't ride it long or into battle, so no issue.
The Northern Lutie crossbreed wasn't fast but had stamina and endurance, perfect for long trips.
His first solo deal went great.
Lindelmann's info pegged horse prices at 7-8 gold; this was way cheaper, and the owner even threw in tack.
Not bad for a first purchase.
The owner feared a scene, but Blake, oblivious, was satisfied.
Adapting to the world seemed doable.
But no complacency.
The bank ahead was unknown territory.
'Stay sharp.'
Avoid trouble if possible, he thought, striding toward the building marked "Imperial Central Bank Headgates Branch."
But as with all things, it didn't go smoothly.
(To be continued in the next part)