Chapter 30: First Subjugation (1)
Chapter 30: First Subjugation (1)
Three riders were making their way out of the forest.
The ivory-colored horse Varda rode was named Elion. She said he was a friend who had accompanied her whenever she ventured out into the world.
"I'm uneasy about the mansion we're leaving behind."
"Are you worried the charm magic will unravel after I leave?"
"I am. It's a fine forest, so herbalists, hunters, adventurers, all sorts of people will keep coming in. I worry they might plunder a place steeped in your memories."
Homi nodded. She too felt a pang in her chest when she thought of the hut she had left in her homeland.
That precious home held the memories of Eugene and his mother, and of herself. By now, greedy thieves would have ransacked it.
"Forest magic springs from the cycle of nature. It is not as forceful as fire or steel magic, but its endurance is far greater."
Creeeak.
Varda reached out, and a branch from the tree ahead lowered itself, presenting a plump fruit within her reach.
"Forest magic asks small favors of nature that already exists, like this. The barrier that keeps intruders out will last quite a while too, so do not worry."
"That's a relief."
Just how long was 'quite some time' when an elf said it?
Crunch.
Homi happily bit into the fruit she'd been handed.
"You take one as well."
"You can just toss it."
Eugene spoke to Varda, who was steering her horse toward him.
"I've never thrown food before."
"Is it a discourtesy in elven etiquette?"
"No. I have simply never had occasion to give food to anyone."
The fruit Varda threw flew in a precise arc. Even judging the speed so it would be easy to catch hinted at excellent coordination.
Crunch.
Sweet juice coated his tongue, and a bright, tart aroma rose into his nose.
"It's good. I've never seen anything like this even in the Bonyard market."
"It is a special fruit that grows only in the wild. Whenever our journey takes us through a forest, I will pick some for you."
Contrary to the impression he had formed from rumors, Varda was easy to talk to. She was unpretentious and considerate of others.
When they emerged from the forest, they saw an old man resting before a potato field. It was the same man who had told Eugene the story of the girl walking on the wheat field.
"That old man is the very person you encountered in the year of the famine, Varda-nim."
"I remember. I ended up bedridden with a fever after acting on childish sympathy."
The old man's eyes flew wide when he saw the party, now grown to three. The moment he confirmed the elf upon the horse, his expression transformed into astonishment.
"I never dared think I should behold you again! The gods have granted my wish!"
Varda dismounted and approached the old man, whose eyes were brimming with tears.
"Thanks to you saving our field, the village survived. My children did not starve either. I longed so desperately to thank you."
"I know you have praised me constantly to travelers who came through the village. Thanks to you, the name Girl Walking on the Wheat Field spread far and wide."
"I could never repay such a great favor, so I at least wanted to spread word of your compassion."
The old man looked relieved, as though his last lingering regret had finally been laid to rest.
"I wanted to greet you once more before I died. Now I have no regrets."
"You still have ample time remaining."
Varda's face was resolute.
"Go to the son who loves you. I will not allow you to wither away here alone."
"I'll do as you say."
The old man accepted without protest.
You could not break an old person's stubbornness by force, but fulfill the longing in their heart and it melted away.
The old man turned and strode vigorously toward his home. He was probably going to pack his things for departure.
"Will he be able to reach the next village by himself?"
The moment Eugene asked, a goshawk's cry sounded from the sky.
"He'll be fine. It is close enough to walk, and thanks to you there are no dangerous people around."
Homi dismounted to help Varda mount, but Varda waved her off.
Hop.
She sprang up and mounted in a single nimble motion. Her smooth, economical movements looked like those of a ballet dancer.
It was a far cry from the usual image of a mage with poor stamina and little athletic ability.
"I have run through forests and smelled battlefields. I am used to physical exertion and sweat. I can handle most things myself, so there is no need to wait on me like a master."
Varda spoke preemptively, as if she perceived what was on both their minds.
That was welcome news to Eugene. He was delighted to have a rare talent like a mage traveling with them, but he had also been wondering how they were supposed to accommodate her.
Eugene was still a guest of Bonyard. Now that the visit to the Emerald Forest was concluded, he had to return to the honored guest mansion.
It was a city that offered the finest lodgings for free and was suitable for seeking out his next destination.
"We'll make camp here tonight."
When night came, they made camp and arranged the watch. On the way out, they had been able to rest comfortably thanks to Caliber's mercenaries, but now there were only three of them.
"Homi and I will stand watch in turns, so please rest, Varda-nim."
Even if she possessed a trained body, a mage was a mage. Eugene thought her unsuited to night watch.
"I too am a companion on this journey, so I have no intention of doing nothing."
Varda picked up a fairly large branch and began to whittle it with a dagger.
"What is that?"
"It is a kind of totem. Just as Grace created avatars, I am carving one that will act on my behalf."
"I've never seen anything like this either."
Varda sat demurely on a fallen tree trunk, working the knife as if peeling fruit. When the carving was finished, she used a quill to inscribe protective wards charged with magical power.
"What effect does this have?"
"It makes us harder to notice from outside."
"Similar to the magic that barred access to the center of the forest."
"It is incomparably weaker, but it will suffice to conceal the three of us for a single night."
Eugene's eyes lit up. He was seeing, right before him, something that perfectly matched his idea of what magic should be.
"Heh."
Varda gave a small laugh at the boyish reaction from such a large, valiant knight.
"It's nothing to be so impressed by. In terms of granting power to objects, that Blessing Prayer of yours is a far loftier power."
"It's not really helpful in practice, though."
The magic of the Eucharist was an imitation of the abbot's blessing. It purified food or drink and infused it with intense vitality.
It was an excellent tonic but useless in battle. As a knight, Eugene was far more interested in Varda's totem. It had obvious strategic uses.
"Does it also repel insects, by any chance?"
"Not to the degree it does people, but it will ward off dangerous venomous insects or snakes."
"Oh!"
"And you both needn't stand watch tonight. The watcher who slumbers by day and moves by night will keep vigil over us."
Hoo-hoo—!
When he looked up, the eagle-owl that had delivered the letter was perched on a branch with a clear view of the surroundings, its yellow eyes gleaming.
"None can hide from the emperor of the night, so you may sleep without worry."
"The journey ahead looks to be comfortable."
Camping with only Homi posed a significant physical burden, so he had been considering hiring mercenaries.
But mercenaries were money pits simply by existing, and their watch could never be perfect. If nocturnal birds could help them, he would not have to worry about surprise attacks.
"Unfortunately, those little ones can only look after us around here. I am a mage who handles the power of the forest, not a druid who commands animals."
"Are the two different? I thought forest magic naturally entailed animals as well."
Besides, Varda already had birds carrying out tasks for her.
"Of course they are different. Knights differ too: some use double-edged swords, some single-edged blades, some thrusting swords, and some curved swords. Is that not so?"
"That is true."
Varda pointed at the eagle owl.
"They are only doing me favors as friends, that one included. The Emerald Forest is their home. Each has a mate they care for, a favorite hunting ground, or eggs that will hatch soon."
"I should be grateful merely that they have followed us this far."
Eugene always went soft where family was concerned.
As night deepened, the three went to sleep, though both Eugene and Homi kept their senses alert.
It was not that they distrusted Varda. They simply had warriors' blood and were not the sort to sleep soundly outdoors without a care.
Of course, Varda's magic was the real thing.
Sniff, sniff!
A pair of stray dogs appeared near the campsite, but they failed to detect the party.
With their noses to the ground searching for insects and small rodents, the dogs came within six meters before naturally turning away.
Sniff?
Sniff, sniff?
The wild dogs cocked their heads and kept looking around. Perhaps they could smell something but were puzzled because they could not see anything.
Homi glared at the wild dogs, one hand resting on the crossbow on the ground. If she decided to fire, it would take less than a second.
"There's no need to kill them. They'll withdraw on their own."
Varda, who had been lying beside Homi, had apparently woken and gently took her hand. The twitch of her distinctly elven ears suggested she was a light sleeper too.
Nod.
Homi obediently took her hand away. Despite having known Varda only a short time, she had already taken to her like an older sister.
Once the wild dogs left, the three closed their eyes and went back to sleep.
"Sob."
But Homi noticed the elf lying beside her was trembling. Varda was quietly stifling sobs.
Trickle, trickle.
The sound of the stream masked the sobbing, but not from Homi right beside her.
Since parting with Grace, Varda had hidden deep sorrow beneath her composed face. Now she let the grief she had pressed down so tightly spill into the sound of running water.
When Homi checked on Eugene, he was lying turned away.
Gulp.
After swallowing, Homi carefully embraced Varda from behind. Her long, plush tail came to rest across Varda's chest.
"...!"
Startled for a moment, Varda quietly accepted the embrace.
Varda's trembling gradually subsided in Homi's warmth. The night's silence and darkness settled over them.
The following morning, the party broke camp, washed up briefly, and rode on.
"All-Conquering Knight?! W-Welcome!"
When they reached Bonyard, the city watch recognized Eugene and saluted him smartly.
"No need for inspection. Go right in. The city is at your disposal, sir!"
"Thank you. Keep up the good work."
The party passed the waiting wagons and travelers and entered through the gate. Wagons loaded with preserved provisions and weapons stood in a long line.
In the short time they had been away, the city had changed dramatically. It was busier than ever with mercenaries and merchants gathered from all over.
A bandit gang had taken advantage of the chaos surrounding the trial by combat and established itself in the forest north of the city. These men had been summoned to wipe them out.
"Come on, money makes money! Everyone got your bets in?"
"The dice are rolling-g-g-g!"
As was ever the case wherever mercenaries gathered, gambling was going on. The liveliness was fine, but uncouth behavior and quarrels had also increased.
"This is absurd! This is a scam!"
"Hey now, if you lost, take the loss and walk away. What's with the tantrum?"
A mercenary who had lost money at dice and was causing a scene.
Hawk! Ptui!
A mercenary spitting onto the road.
"So this is what a jujube is, is it?"
"Try it. It's incredibly sweet, I tell you!"
A mercenary showing curiosity about exotic food.
Mercenaries with wildly different gear, accents, and dialects were everywhere.
"Are you not ill at ease? Compared to the forest, it must seem terribly noisy and filthy."
"It's fine. I've been to places worse than this. Besides, thanks to you, the way ahead is easy."
With the heavily armed knight Eugene leading the way, the crowds parted before them as if by a miracle of Moses.
Shhhhh.
The Wandering Castle fountain appeared before the party.
"It is one of Bonyard's landmarks. Still popular, I see."
Travelers circled the fountain, examining it and exclaiming in admiration.
"That thing is ominous."
Even as everyone else was enjoying the sight, Varda alone furrowed her brow.
"Do you know something about it?"
"In the past, I once sensed something I believe was that castle."
"You sensed it? You didn't see it?"
"The mansion where I lived was saturated with the power of the forest and magic. There, my ability to sense magic extended over a wide area."
Eugene knew that already. It was how Varda had detected his Eucharist.
"Just once. I felt an enormous Mystery surging from far away."
"So you are certain it was the Wandering Castle."
"The presence was so vast I could even make out its shape. It was very similar to that."
Varda pointed at the ark-shaped statue spraying water.
"No being in this world, not even the dragons of legend, could withstand Mystery on that scale. It would be like one bee trying to swallow a pond full of honey."
"Is it ominous because it contains such overwhelming power?"
Varda shook her head.
"Something terribly wrong."
Fear shadowed Varda's face as she stared at the fountain.
"That was my impression at the time. It is difficult to put into words. I had never encountered such a bizarre presence before."
"..."
Out of consideration for Varda, Eugene quickly passed by the fountain.
When they arrived at the guest residence, they found many unfamiliar visitors there.
Even though a fair number of the invited knights had departed, as renowned mercenary captains continued to stream in, the scent of steel grew thicker still.
Real war had drawn close: not a clean duel on a stage, but hundreds slaughtering hundreds.