Chapter 150 – Eh, I’m Going
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Translated by Sylph
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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I set tea beside me and prepared pancake-like sweets too.
In that state, I took up the lump of iron handed to me and made weapons. With the dwarven furnace still not yet in a condition where it was fully operational, the number one weapon production factory was me. While eating sweets and drinking tea, I intended to produce weapons in elegant fashion.
“Ah, Lord Van. The thirty swords, ten spears, and twenty shields for today’s order are about to be finished.”
“Have I made that many already? All right, once I’m done, I think I’ll personally try modifying the mechanical bow.”
“Lord Van. If you work that much without stopping, you’ll wear yourself out. Why not first go rinse off your sweat in the bathhouse once?”
“Ah, a bath sounds great! And bring me some chilled fruit water too!”
“Yes, of course!”
While continuing weapon production amid cheerful conversation with Till and Kamushin, I thought what a happy village scene this was, one filled with laughter. I’d be glad if days like this continued forever.
Then, on that peaceful afternoon, an unwanted intruder appeared. It was a middle-aged knight uncle riding a horse that looked as if it too were out of breath, and he himself was soaked in sweat. It gave the feeling of being suddenly thrown into a serious world. The reason he was able to seek me out alone was probably not only because I happened to be working in the adventurers’ town, but also because the royal army crest drawn on his knight’s cloak made it easy to ask where I was.
“L-Lord… Van…!”
The uncle on the half-dead horse called my name in a manner just as breathless as the horse itself.
“A-Are you all right? Did something happen during the march…?”
I forced myself to make a serious face and answered. This is bad. My feelings have already shifted fully into bathhouse mode and chilled-fruit-water mode. I don’t think I can endure being serious for very long.
While I was thinking that, the man dismounted and went down on one knee.
“My deepest apologies for disturbing you during your conversation! By order of His Majesty, I have come to request urgently that you come to where His Majesty is resting at one of the temporary bases…!”
“Eeh… right now? You mean from this moment? I’ve got preparations and various things, so I might not be able to leave immediately…”
At peak annoyance, I ended up whining without thinking. Normally, when it is a royal command from the king, there can be no answer besides yes. Proof of that was the way the knight uncle who had come to convey His Majesty’s command widened his eyes in shock.
Kamushin and Till were wearing worried expressions, and if possible I really would like to refuse.
But that probably won’t be possible.
“U-um… there has been trouble, and the march has come to a halt…”
“I’m joking. I’ll hurry and get ready. I’ll have the best inn in this town prepared for you, so please rest there.”
When I told him that with a wry smile, the knight seemed relieved and let the tension leave his shoulders.
“Ah, by the way, do you know the cause?”
“I do not know the details, but apparently some adventurers and a portion of the knights clashed…”
“Eh? Surely it wasn’t Orto-san and the others, right? It’s bad if they fought with knights…”
At the uncle’s report, I answered reflexively. If it’s Orto and the others, they wouldn’t do anything reckless against knights. It must surely be other adventurers.
“Kamushin. Show the knight over to Kusara Hotel. Tell them I’ll pay the fee later.”
“Yes! Understood!”
I asked Kamushin to look after the knight uncle, then turned my face toward Till.
“Till, go report this to Dee and Espada. Let’s confirm how many men are needed to defend Seat Village and the adventurers’ town. Also, since we’ll be going through mountain roads with lots of magic beasts, we’ll need to prepare armored wagons. We probably need food for the journey too.”
“U-Understood!”
At my orders, Till hurried off at a run.
Now then, this has become troublesome. To think I’d end up going to the front again… It’s not a battlefield where we’ll be crashing into the enemy knight order, but I can feel danger pressing in all the same.
Ahh, I want to live peacefully.
“I want to live peacefully.”
“Hah? What was that, my lord?”
“No, nothing.”
Apparently my inner voice slipped out of my mouth while the knight order was assembling and the supplies were being prepared. Dee, standing beside me, tilted his head.
The knight order of Seat Village, exposed as it is to frequent attacks by magic beasts, is abnormally fast when it comes to gathering and forming ranks. Before I had even finished muttering to myself, it had already taken shape. It was like watching a well-trained fire brigade deploy.
“Lord Van. The summoning of the knight orders is complete. The Seat Village Knight Order and the Espada Knight Order are all assembled.”
Dee gave the report on behalf of everyone and turned to face the knights. They really are fast. Their preparations are fast, and even their roll call is fast. Our knight orders are wonderful, aren’t they?
After looking over everyone in satisfaction all by myself, I opened my mouth.
“Everyone! Do you want to go to the Wolfsburg Mountain Range?”
I tried throwing out a random call as a joke. A number of them answered back with, “Oooh!” despite not really understanding what was going on. Great reaction. Anyone who answered just now gets promoted one rank. Just kidding, though.
“Wouldn’t you know it, we’ve received a royal command from His Majesty! It seems trouble has occurred on the march! So, since it can’t be helped, I think we’ll go lend a hand! Everyone, lend me your strength!”
Trying to raise the mood even a little, I threw out that strange sort of rallying cry. Dutifully, everyone matched the energy with another “Oooh!” A few of them couldn’t quite hide their confusion, but that can’t be helped. At a later date, I’ll personally educate them.
Thinking that, I cleared my throat and raised my face.
“Then half of us will remain behind to defend Seat Village and the adventurers’ town, and the other half will head for the Wolfsburg Mountain Range together with me! Adventurers, please take the lead! The second row and the rearguard will be the armored wagons and infantry units! In the center will be the mechanical-bow unit and the cavalry unit! Knight Commander Dee will command the knight orders!”
“Yes, sir!”
As a final check as well, I announced the formation and organization. When Dee replied with a roar, the other knights followed suit.
“All right! Then shall we get going?”
When I raised one hand and declared our departure, a great reply came back and the march began.
Now then, we’ve made all sorts of preparations, so let’s head into the mountains while taking maximum care for safety.