Chapter 64
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Ember (4)
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"I also heard about Sir Jenard from Father."
I added.
I'd been waiting for a chance to talk to Father all along, but Barkus had stuck to his side, chattering nonstop, making it hard to break away.
The unexpected answer turned out to be Wilton the administrator.
As soon as Wilton approached us from afar, Barkus bolted like a shot.
Wilton had been looking for Barkus to assign him the barrier work.
I quickly volunteered to handle it myself. That felt far more comfortable.
By the time I'd set up a small barrier pillar in the center of the campsite, Father—who had finished preparing the camp—walked over.
"This one's quite modest."
"I figured less conspicuous is better."
That would do until a better idea came to mind.
I'd once asked Barkus about the shape of the barrier's core, but he didn't even understand why it formed that way.
I couldn't tell if it was because our magic systems or applications differed, or if it was just Barkus's skill level.
"Father, I've got one question. How did you get close to Sir Jenard?"
This was my chance—no telling when Barkus might come back. Better ask now.
Father let out an "Ah" and smiled, looking pleased.
"You probably wouldn't know this, but Sir Alick Jenard is quite famous. Back when I was at knight school, he was renowned as a capable and loyal knight protecting Lesion Kingdom's queen."
After saying that much, Father glanced around and continued in a slightly lowered voice.
"His most famous tale is from when a magical beast appeared at the Edelia annex. He single-handedly guarded Queen Pionia at the end of that long corridor.
He was on guard duty at the annex despite his humble origins, and amid dozens of beasts surging in, he stood alone before the queen, taking them down one by one..."
His voice quickened and grew louder, his eyes sparkling as if reliving that dramatic moment.
I chuckled softly.
Seeing them like this, Father and Shuren had quite a bit in common.
Father cleared his throat with a "Ahem" and regained his composure.
"I've heard so many stories about him since knight school days.
When we met in the hall, I held him up for a while. After some time, he even brought up those old tales himself, as if remembering them."
Recalling the hall conversation, Father looked thoroughly delighted. They must have had a fun time.
"He was also very interested in the skills of our Prius knights. Once we reach Elgrace, he's agreed to help in various ways with the knight school branch."
"That's great. So, have you ever heard what Sir Jenard thinks of Duke Lesis? Whether he supports him or dislikes him?"
I tried to ask naturally, but Father saw right through what I was getting at.
"So that's what you were really curious about, huh?"
I laughed awkwardly.
"I just want to help Clemence..."
"I understand."
Father checked again that no one was nearby, then spoke even more softly.
"Sir Jenard is a classic knight. He sees the world through the lens of swordsmanship. People like that try to keep their distance from politics as much as possible."
"That's not always up to them."
"True, sadly. Sir Jenard said exactly that."
Father let out a small sigh.
"He wants nothing to do with Prince Raymond or Duke Lesis.
What worries him is that both factions are amassing excessive private soldiers under their command. He said it feels like two embers competing to grow bigger."
I sat with my legs stretched out on the tree root and relayed exactly what I'd heard from Father.
Ash had gone off on patrol, and my damp feet had dried enough to put my boots back on.
"Embers..."
Clemence murmured quietly.
She sat barefoot on a rock, water droplets still dripping from her wet feet.
"Meaning they have lots of private soldiers like the Lesis ducal family's retainers?"
Clemence nodded slightly at Wedin's question.
"Originally, a single family could only have a very limited number of private soldiers—a fixed quota, just the minimum to protect family members and assets.
But recently, the noble council overwhelmingly approved a law removing those limits. The king approved it as is."
"So now all nobles can keep as many private soldiers as they want?"
That... sounds kind of dangerous.
Clemence looked worried at my words.
"Yes. But talented knights with the right qualities are rare, and it costs a fortune, so numbers won't explode indiscriminately. Like with our Prius..."
She trailed off there, lost in thought for a moment.
"Clemence!"
A sharp voice cut through the quiet, peaceful streamside.
Clemence's head snapped up. Wedin and I turned in surprise too.
In the tree shade stood the duchess and two of her maids.
The duchess strode toward us—or rather, Clemence—with an angry expression.
"I told you not to leave my sight without telling me your whereabouts! And what's this mess? Did you go in that filthy river?"
"Mother. I just wanted a quick break to refresh..."
As Clemence started to stand, the duchess panicked.
"Sit! Your wet feet will get dirty! Kalia, Etna. Take Clemence."
What followed was lightning-fast.
The two maids named Kalia and Etna glided over silently, wiped Clemence's bare feet with their handkerchiefs, and slipped her boots back on.
"Ah, wait, I can do it myself..."
Their movements were so swift that by the time Clemence offered, it was already done.
The maids flanked Clemence and led her toward the campsite.
"Ah, we weren't done talking yet."
The flustered Clemence's words fell on deaf ears—the maids remained expressionless.
"See you later, Clemence."
We gave her a small wave goodbye.
She had no choice but to follow them back to camp.
The duchess stared fixedly at their retreating figures until Clemence and the maids vanished from sight.
Why isn't she going with them?
As unease flickered and I exchanged glances with Wedin, the duchess whirled toward us, her face still cold.
"You two. A word."
Unable to find an escape, Wedin and I stood side by side before her.
She looked down at us with piercing eyes.
Our height difference wasn't that great, yet it felt like she loomed from on high.
And even with half her face hidden by a purple fan, her sharp gaze pierced right through it.
"...I'm grateful that you've been Clemence's friends since she was little."
She'd said as much when we first met.
Now it seemed that's all she knew about us.
The duchess continued in a frosty tone.
"But you must understand that you and Clemence will walk different paths in life. Do you get what I mean?"
Both Wedin and I understood instantly.
It felt unfair and unreasonable, but protesting wouldn't change a thing.
She knew nothing about us beyond being Clemence's old friends.
I swallowed my words, just wanting to get away, but Wedin lifted his chin and met the duchess's gaze defiantly.
"You mean we can't be friends anymore?"
"That's not what I mean."
Her tone was gentle, but the look she gave Wedin was icy. She clearly saw it as insolence.
"If you become someone of greater worth, you could remain friends. Otherwise, I won't stand by anyone who hinders Clemence's future."
"Hinders her...?!"
"Wedin."
I called softly.
Only after he shot me a fierce glare did he calm a bit.
I knew exactly when his temper flared, so I timed my intervention perfectly.
Before Wedin could say more, I spoke calmly to the duchess.
"Thank you for the advice. We'll keep it in mind, Duchess."
"...You're far more polite. The Eldrian family is a noble knight lineage from Sernia, isn't it? Bloodlines can't be faked."
That jabbed at Wedin's nerves again. I tugged lightly at his sleeve.
Wedin, on the verge of snapping, took a short breath.
The duchess gazed at me steadily and continued.
"One more bit of advice for you. Luar aren't welcome in Elgrace. You're guests, so no one will say it outright, but it's best to stay out of sight as much as possible."
"...Yes. I'll remember that."
I managed to reply.
Having said her piece, the duchess turned away from us.
Wedin and I stood rooted like statues until her figure vanished toward the campsite.
"Ugh, that really pisses me off."
Once she was out of sight, Wedin spat out the words, pent-up anger bursting forth.
The tension drained from me, and a snicker escaped.
"We saw this coming anyway. But don't tell Clemence. No need to worry her over nothing."
"Got it... Still, isn't it impossible? How do you even persuade someone like that?"
Wedin grumbled, kicking at innocent pebbles.
His brow furrowed briefly—he must have regretted it instantly.
I giggled.
"Just different ways of thinking. If our interests align, there might be a way.
More worrying is that Luar aren't welcome in Elgrace."
"Oh, that."
I glanced at Wedin. He clamped his mouth shut awkwardly, like he knew something.
"What do you know?"
"...Probably because of that incident."
Wedin touched his forehead with a complicated expression and sighed.
"Heard it from Teacher Grain. A while back, trees in Elgrace city center got sick and rotted black.
Soon after, people passing nearby came down with a disease that blackened their skin, and it spread person to person."
"Did people die?"
"A few. But it wasn't that serious. The trees had a common plant contagion, and the human disease just looked similar—not the same, low fatality.
Some Denan used it as an excuse to claim Luar spread the plague."
Because it started with trees? For that reason alone?
I shut my mouth in disbelief.
Wedin groaned and went on.
"After that, many Luar were expelled from Elgrace, and not just them—other races got segregated from Denan living areas.
Later, the truth came out: it wasn't contagious like that, and Luar were innocent. But Elgrace Denan still think that way."
"Luar spread plague..."
So that's why Luar aren't welcome in Elgrace.
Anger bubbled up inside me.
"Don't let it get to you, Lib!"
Wedin slammed his hand hard on my shoulder.
It hurt so much it wiped my thoughts clean for a second.
"I'll chase off anyone who says crap to you there. C'mon, I'm starving."
Wedin slung his arm over my shoulder and headed to camp.
I clutched my aching shoulder, whining playfully, and Wedin cackled, smacking the other one too.
It worked like a charm—banishing all those useless worries I couldn't shake.