Chapter 25: Varda (1)
Chapter 25: Varda (1)
Homi looked at him as if asking whether he intended to accept the invitation.
"I've always wanted to meet a mage at least once. And she's a mage famous enough to be called the Lady of the Forest. Aren't you curious about what reward she might offer?"
'She might turn us into frogs. Or when we come out of the forest, decades might have passed.'
Her hands trembled as she signed.
Homi was the squire who had bravely fought a pack led by a warg and served admirably through both the Hall War and the grand banquet.
Yet in moments like this, she still showed the side of a girl who had grown up in the countryside.
"If she were that terrifying, she wouldn't have been invited to a banquet in the city."
Eugene stroked Homi's head.
"It's true that this world is full of danger. Still, it can't be such a dreadful world that someone who writes such an earnest letter would harm a guest."
It was not a knight's intuition, nor that of someone who understood mysteries. He knew because he had lost someone he loved.
He could tell the letter had been written solely out of desperation to save someone precious. There was no room in it for any ulterior motive.
The next morning, Eugene visited the office of the city guard captain.
Nominally, Chief Magistrate Panis was his superior, but it was the guard captain who actually patrolled and defended the city and its roads.
"It is an honor that you have sought me out, Sir Knight."
When Eugene tried to speak politely, the guard captain practically begged him to address him informally.
"I heard you have visited the Emerald Forest before and know the geography of the area well."
"Yes. Ask me anything."
Flap!
A large map was spread across the reception table.
'This thing is a map?'
Given the limitations of the era, it could not be helped, but Eugene had seen enough military maps that he nearly blurted out, "Is this a joke?"
Contour lines or a quantitative scale were a luxury. It was closer to a sketch map, marking only major points like mountains, rivers, cities, and villages.
Still, the mountain ranges, river courses, major roads, good camping spots, and strategic points in wartime were marked in a fairly detailed manner.
"This is a map we completed over the course of ten years."
Judging by the pride in the guard captain's voice, it must have been an excellent map by local standards.
"This must be confidential material. Thank you."
Medieval maps were strategic assets that were not casually revealed. The difficulty of making them aside, their usefulness extended far beyond military purposes.
It was also a commercial weapon for monopolizing better trade routes, and a diplomatic weapon for gaining an edge in negotiations during territorial disputes.
"To you, Sir Knight, we can show this much without hesitation. It is right here."
A thick index finger pointed to a section of the map. It was a forest not far from the city, but one of considerable size.
"From the tree trunks to the rocks and paths, everything is covered in green, which is why it was named the Emerald Forest."
The guard captain carefully studied Eugene's expression.
"May I ask what business takes you to this place?"
"An invitation came from the forest."
"C-could it be from the Lady of the Forest?"
The guard captain was shocked. As far as he knew, the Lady of the Forest had never invited anyone into her dwelling before.
"She did not call herself the mistress of the forest in her letter."
"That is a title we gave her. She is called by various names. The Far-seeing Eye, the Witch of the Forest, the Girl Walking on the Wheat Field."
"Witch of the Forest? Has she ever brought harm to people?"
"Absolutely not! Those who lost their way in the forest feared her magic and called her a witch on their own."
He only mentioned it because it was on people's tongues; the guard captain considered the title of witch to be irreverent.
"In the past, a band of thieves rampaged through the area, raping and pillaging. The city mustered mercenaries and sent a punitive force, but the thieves all fled into the Emerald Forest. I took part as an adjutant."
"A game of hide-and-seek in a forest this vast must have been dreadful."
As marked on the map, it was possible to escape through the forest to various cities and villages.
"Yes. But the punitive expedition ended almost immediately. The bastards came charging straight into the arms of the troops encircling the forest and were skewered like kebabs on spears and crossbow bolts."
"...Were they all drunk or something? Or was there a dangerous monster in the forest?"
At Eugene's uncomprehending expression, the guard captain grinned.
"The thieves who surrendered said they had definitely fled into the forest, but when they came to their senses they were charging back out. Every one of them looked as though a ghost had bewitched them."
"The mage's work, then? A guerrilla war that would have taken months was ended in a single stroke."
"While the mercenaries were cursing and interrogating the surrendered thieves, a sudden silence fell. Wondering what was going on, I looked and saw a young elf standing at the forest entrance."
Judging by the tone of the story, it would be the forest mage, Varda. However...
"Wait. An elf?"
"You did not know? The Lady of the Forest is an elf."
"I heard she lived in seclusion, so I assumed she was a mage who disliked people or was researching the secrets of the forest. I forgot she might be an elf."
His curiosity doubled.
Elves lived in vast forests difficult for humans to enter. Though some elves were active in human society, they were a rare sight in Bonyard on the fringes of the continent.
"She greeted us with a graceful curtsy, holding the hem of her skirt."
-Brave warriors, thank you for restoring peace to the forest and the surrounding villages. On behalf of the trees, flowers, animals, and farmers, I offer my gratitude.
"It was the first time that so many mercenaries had gathered and yet fallen so utterly silent. Some were even taking off their helmets and bowing their heads awkwardly."
Awe was only natural after an experience like that. As he reminisced, the guard captain looked dazed, almost like a boy lost in a dream.
"After that, there were a few more occasions where the city was indebted to her. That is why we honor her by calling her the Lady of the Forest."
The guard captain took a deep breath and clenched his fist. What he was about to say came from loyalty, but it might anger the knight.
"Someone may have sent it as a prank, out of petty jealousy or a grudge, just to make trouble for you, Sir Knight. There are more twisted people in this world than you might imagine."
Eugene chuckled softly.
"You needn't worry about that. I am certain the invitation is genuine."
"I-I see. If you say so, Sir Knight."
"May I make a copy of the map? I only intend to note the routes leading to the forest."
"You may take it as it is."
"I appreciate the offer, but no."
Eugene transferred the map onto the paper he had brought. Since he only needed to draw the route from Bonyard to the Emerald Forest, the work was finished quickly.
"There is a merchant caravan departing in a similar direction. Traveling with them will make it easier to find the way and camp comfortably. I shall speak with them so that you, Sir, may accompany them."
"..."
Eugene felt something strange. Before gratitude, he sensed a kind of fateful force at work.
It had begun with Goffrey. Then he had met Maria and Marcus, forged ties with the city through Sorin, won the duel and received an invitation—and now even found traveling companions heading the same way.
Connections branching from that first meeting kept spreading and linking together, as though they were guiding him somewhere.
"Thanks to you, Captain, the journey will be smooth. Thank you."
"Bonyard always welcomes Sir Eugene."
The guard captain came out of his office to see him off.
More than gratitude as one of the city's leaders, it was respect from one warrior to another.
Eugene and Homi left the city.
Snort!
Homi was riding a horse now as well. Its name was Sandy, a warhorse raised in the deserts of Samur.
"Do you like it?"
Homi nodded eagerly.
She kept stroking the horse's neck with obvious affection.
Desert warhorses trained from a young age by trudging through deep, yielding sand. As a result, their leg muscles were powerful, and they moved nimbly over dirt roads and through streams.
It had the drawback of being slow in a sprint, but it was an excellent horse that compensated for it. With superior strength and endurance, it was perfect for a squire who carried heavy loads.
Seeing how well-stocked his purse remained even after buying such an expensive horse, Eugene could not help smiling.
"That's an absurdly good return for only three fights."
'A knight's rise depends on who he fights, even if it is only once.'
"Huh?"
'Why do you ask?'
"I just wasn't expecting such a grown-up answer. You surprised me."
'My coming-of-age ceremony hasn't happened yet, but I am a proper warrior and squire now, you know.'
"All right, all right. My mistake."
Eugene apologized to Homi, whose fingers moved in an unmistakably sulky manner.
The desert warhorse had been purchased through a member of the council who owned a horse market. It was the only one in Bonyard as well, and originally it was meant to be sold to a Roman noble house.
"If we had come here on our own with nothing, we couldn't have bought it no matter how much we offered. Not that we would have had the money."
Eugene and Homi rode side by side, well armed and mounted on fine horses—a sight unimaginable just two weeks earlier.
Just outside the city gate, a group was waiting for them.
"I look forward to your company on this short journey."
"I will serve you to the best of my ability, All-Conquering Knight!"
Caravan master Caliber bowed formally. The party numbered fourteen people—mercenaries and laborers among them—and had two wagons. Caliber was their employer.
"Please leave out the 'All-Conquering' part. It is embarrassing."
Being stared at from every direction by bright-eyed mercenaries and porters alike made Eugene uncomfortable. Worse, every last one of them was a hairy man.
Eugene looked around at the group.
"Is there anyone here who has been inside the Emerald Forest?"
"I-I have been there."
A freckle-faced mercenary carrying an axe raised his hand.
"His name is Kalson. He used to farm in a nearby village before running off to become a mercenary."
Caliber introduced him.
"Tell me anything you know about the forest."
"It was when I was very young, so..."
Apparently introverted, Kalson immediately looked as though he regretted raising his hand when everyone turned toward him.
"Even the smallest detail is fine. Just speak freely."
The moment Eugene pressed a copper coin into his hand, Kalson found his courage.
A copper coin opens a mercenary's shut mouth, a silver coin makes him spill even the secret that would send a comrade to his death, and a gold coin drives him to make a reckless charge against a knight or monster. That was the creature called a mercenary.
After clearing his throat, Kalson began.
"When I was around eight or nine, I once ran away from home. I argued with my parents over nothing and stormed out of the house, but I was caught right away."
"If you were caught that quickly, you couldn't have been that upset."
Kalson scratched his head.
"Yes. I was jealous because my parents doted too much on the youngest, so I was making a scene. It happens. I planned to let my mother find me, pretend to give in, and go home—but then my father came after me with a club."
Snickers broke out here and there.
"I figured I'd get beaten if I went back then, so I just fled even farther away."
"And that place you fled to was the Emerald Forest?"
"That's right. I managed to shake my father off, but then I got lost. Whew, once night fell, I was terrified. And it was late autumn, so it was freezing too."
At first, the title of All-Conquering Knight had made him stiff, but Eugene's friendly responses soon loosened him up. Mercenaries were talkative by nature.
"I wandered around the forest sobbing until I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was at the entrance, and an enormous owl was perched on top of me."
"An eagle-owl?"
Eugene thought of the eagle-owl that had delivered the letter.
"I don't know the species, but anyway it was huge. It had spread its wings wide and was covering me like a blanket, and it was so warm. It's been nearly ten years, but I still remember that warmth vividly. It protected me from the cold all night."
It was clearly a fond memory; Kalson wore a dreamy expression.
"Once it saw that I was awake, it flew back into the forest. But before leaving, it half-closed its eyes and looked at me with pity."
"..."
"It felt like it was telling me not to upset my parents by running away, so I went straight home crying. My thighs and backside were beaten swollen, and I spent about three days in bed."
It was quite an interesting tale, so everyone was listening attentively.
"You're not making that up, are you? Eagle-owls are terrifying predators with no equal at night. And no wild animal should be that kind in the first place."
A mercenary who had been a hunter looked at Kalson with suspicious eyes.
"Would I dare lie in front of an All-Conquering Knight?"
"Who knows. You might have made it up to earn that copper coin you got."
Kalson looked aggrieved, but he couldn't talk back to the senior mercenary.
"I believe Kalson's story. He doesn't seem like the type to lie."
Kalson looked deeply moved.
"That's all I know about the forest."
"Thank you. It was quite helpful."
Between helping capture the bandits and guiding a lost boy out of the forest and sheltering him from the cold, Varda seemed kinder than Eugene had expected.
"I propose we make camp here for tonight. Would that be acceptable, Sir Knight?"
It was evening when caravan master Caliber raised the question.
The trip from the city to the Emerald Forest took two days, so only one night of camping was necessary.
It was a small clearing beside a stream—not ideal for keeping watch, but close to the road, easy to gather firewood around, and supplied with clear running water.
"You are the leader of this party. Do as you see fit. I am only traveling with you."
"Oh my, how could I treat the honorable Sir Knight so casually?"
Though he said that, Caliber looked pleased that his authority as caravan master had been respected.