Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~

Chapter 85: Swinging Scales (1)

(Patreon)Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~Chapter 085 : Swinging Scales (Part 1)

Early morning. The crisp, cold air was being split by the heavy, buzzing sound of a swiftly cutting wind. Even without witnessing the actual scene, anyone with knowledge would sense what was happening from the precise and rhythmic sounds. The repetitive action of making a heavy object swing down, making a continuous sound

"One-fifty One-fifty-one One-fifty-two!"

Ichi go rei Ichi go ichi Ichi go ni!

That is, training through sword swings.

Yuuto, now in the front yard of the Oubeniel residence in Volden, grasped his sword and devoted himself to morning practice. Since arriving in this world, this had become his habit. Back in Japan, he was often lax with morning club activities, but now, things felt different.

"One-seventy-four One-seventy-five One-seventy-eight!"

Ichi nana shi Ichi nana go Ichi nana hachi!

TL Note: Whyd he skipped 176 and 177?

A dark, muddy emotion nestled within his chestanxiety, frustration, a sense of powerlessness. In moments of idle thought, these feelings would rise and torment him. Staying still was unbearable. He had to move his body resolutely, allowing the sweat to wash away the sediment of inner turmoil, or else it felt like he might burst out.

"One-eighty-nine One-ninety One-ninety-one!"

Ichi hachi kyuu Ichi kyuu rei Ichi kyuu ichi!

As Yuuto approached the count of two hundred swings, a subtle layer of sweat began to appear on the boy's face. The breath of his warmed body created a faint mist in the still chilly cold air of the highlands. Though he had only been practicing this habit for about a month, he was already finding a hundred or two hundred swings insufficient. Unless he reached at least five hundred, he wouldn't enter the realm where exhaustion wouldn't cause him to be unable to think about anything.

"Two-eleven Two-twelve Two-thirteen!"

Ni ichi ichi ni ichi ni ni ichi san!

Swinging the sword like this, he would sometimes start to see the figure of an opponent standing before him. At times, it was Phantony, the commander of the Holy Knights. The large man, who, on top of restraining himself on him, had beaten him soundly when he took a sword for the first time, would come to mind with his unpleasantly prim appearance. On other occasions, it was Elisha, his usual sparring partner. The flashing thrusts and dancing slashes from her sharp blade made him feel as if he could never keep up, no matter how many times he tried.

Facing the imaginary foes in his mind, Yuuto continued to unleash the same technique without change. Of course, he could also picture the opponent avoiding, parrying, and deflecting, but he paid no mind and repeated the motion.

'First, try to master one technique until you are satisfied.'

Mazu wa hitotsu no waza o nattoku iku made kiwamete miro.

Elisha had advised him so when he expressed dissatisfaction with the repetitive training.

'What you need is to build a body for wielding a sword. Learning intricate tactics and maneuvers should come after you can handle at least one sword technique properly. Just keep swinging with that same move until you can confidently say that you have mastered it. Become a machine that can deliver that one strike without hesitation.'

Omae ni hitsuyou na no wa, ken o furuu tame no karada o tsukuru koto da. Kakehiki o manabu nado to itta komiitta mane wa, itchou mae ni ken-fuu no hitotsu mo tate rareru you ni natte kara suru koto darou ni. Tonikaku, kono ichigeki dake wa jishin ga moteru to ieru you ni naru made, sono kata de furi tsuzukero. Sono hito-tachi o kuridasu dake no kikai ni nare.

Would a sword confined to such a pattern be useful in actual combat? When Yuuto raised this question, she gave him a sharp glare.

'Don't speak arrogantly, boy. There's nothing more useless in real combat than a greenhorn's tactics. Besides, a form is designed to deliver techniques most efficiently when followed accurately. It's like an inheritance of wisdom left by countless predecessors. First, conform to the form. Conform, grow within the form, and break out from the inside. Once you can do that, you're just about half-baked. Before you start acting like a full-fledged swordsman away from the form, strive to at least become half-decent.'

Namaiki na koto o iu na yo, shounen. Namabyouhou hodo jissen de yakunitatanu mono wa nai. Somosomo kata to wa, sono toori ni ugokeba mottomo kouritsu yoku waza o kuridaseru you ni naru mono da. Iwaba, musuu no sendatsu ga nokoshita chie no isan na no da zo? Mazu wa kata ni hamare. Hamatte, kata no naka de ookiku nari, uchigawa kara yabure. Sore ga dekite, youyaku han-nin-mae da. Kata kara hanareta ichi-nin-mae o kidoru mae ni, mazu wa han-nin-mae-teido ni hanareru you hagemu ga ii.

Since then, Yuuto had silently continued practicing the same form, following her words. He had chosen the downward strike from abovea mental image of cutting through an obstacle that loomed in front of him, splitting it apart from the top. It felt most suitable for him, as if he were cutting away something dark coiled within.

"Two-forty-seven Two-forty-eight Two-forty-nine!"

Ni shi nana ni shi hatsu ni shi kyuu!

TL Note: By the way, I don't translate this line as two hundred forty seven and such, the same with the previous lines. That is because in the raw, the kanji is like this /ni-shi-nana and not like this /ni-hyaku yon-juu nana. Same with the rest of Yuutos lines previously. Its different, right? You get my point? Im not really good at explaining :>

In the imagined scene that played in his mind, the downward strike he executed went towards the imaginary opponent. Phantony, standing like a solid mountain, swatted it away. Elisha's dazzling thrust, as if blinding the eyes, disrupted his attack right from the initial movement. At times, even a stationary opponent would easily dodge by just partially opening their stance. None of the imagined moves seemed effective against the virtual adversary.

However, it was much better than the early days when he felt only a sense of impending failure, causing him to stop swinging for no apparent reason. Looking back now, he gradually began to understand how the opponent reacted, why certain strikes didn't work. Like, 'oh, the last one lacked half a step in the step-in, or downward strikes are incompatible when the opponent adopts this posture, or maybe fundamentally, my lack of muscle strength makes the sword speed too slow'his own shortcomings and his opponent's superiority were becoming clearer.

He was making progress. The tangible sense of advancement not only distracted Yuuto from his exhaustion but also provided a solid motivation. It was the satisfaction of getting stronger that fueled his training.

"Two hundred fif!?"

Ni-hyaku go-ju!?

TL Note: But instead of shortening the numbers like before, here, Yuuto suddenly uses the complete form (or whatever I don't know how to say it) so I was confused, cause, like, its inconsistent, right? Well maybe to some of you its just a trivial matter but Im quite a perfectionist in weird places here, you see? :>

His training came to an abrupt halt as he stopped the sword he swung with force midway, causing him to step awkwardly due to inertia. He was far from reaching his goal of five hundred swings. However, the reason he stopped was because he felt a gaze directed towards him.

Someone was watching him. Recognizing that intuition, he straightened up again and glanced around. It wasn't a familiar figure like Elisha, who supervised his training. Nor was it someone he didn't need to care about, like the other priests. It was a gaze that felt different from Irmaella's considerate look, a sensation akin to being targeted by an intelligent carnivore from the shadows. He felt as if he were being assessed by a vigilant opponent, a superior and formidable foe.

"Wh-who's there!?"

Da, dare da!?

As he raised his voice in a strained manner, a man emerged from the shadows in the garden.

He was large. While not as imposing as Phantony, he was a tall and robust man, clearly well-trained and muscular. Looking at his face, Yuuto suddenly remembered who the man was.

"Yoo, young lad. Did I interrupt something?"

Yoo, bouzu. Jama shi chimatta kai?

"You're the one from yesterday"

Anta wa, kinou no

The man was the bodyguard-like black-clad swordsman who served as Tullius' attendant during yesterday's audience. He carried a large two-handed sword that resembled a cross on his back. Despite his wry smile, as if apologizing for his peeping, Yuuto couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation from his imposing presence.

"Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Due Schwarzer. I'm technically the Chief Military Officersomething like an imitation of a knightin this Oubeniel family. Nice to meet ya."

Sou iya, mada nanotte nakatta na. Ore~a, De Shubaruts tte nda. Ichiou, kono buniru-ke de bukan no hittou, kishi no mane-goto mitee na koto o yarasareteru. Yoroshiku na.

"A-ah Um, I'm Yuuto Erimiya. Nice to meet you too."

A, aa etto, Yuuto Erimiya desu. Kochira koso yoroshiku.

"No need to be so formal. Talking casually makes things easier for both of us, right? I am a former adventurer from commoner origins, so all the fancy talk makes my tongue feels like it'll get crooked."

Tamekuchi de kamawanee yo. Socchi no hou ga otagai hanashi yasui daro? Kochitora heimin agari no moto bouken-sha dakara na. Kata kkurushii kotoba-zukai wa dou ni mo shita ga tsuri-sou ni nara~a.

"Okay Well, from now on let's just dispense with the formalities then"

Haa nja, kore kara wa enryo nashi tte koto de

Responding more casually than he expected, he found himself bewildered instead. Even though this rough-looking man acted friendly towards him, instead of feeling reassured, he couldn't help but feel anxious as if he'd be devoured before anything else. It felt like dealing with a slightly delinquent-like senior from a sports club.

The man who introduced himself as Due continued talking without minding Yuuto's hesitation.

"You were practicing quite earnestly. It reminded me of the past. When I was a brat, I used to swing my sword non-stop like that, never getting tired."

Omae-san, zuibun to nesshin ni keiko shiteita ja nee ka. Ore mo omowazu mukashi o omoidashi chimatta ze. Gaki no koro~a yo, sou yatte aki mo sezu ni bunbun to soburi bakka shiteita mon da.

"Is that, Is that so."

Sou nan de, sou na no ka.

TL Note: There's no difference in english But in Japanese Yuuto actually was about to reply in a formal tone but he quickly changed to a casual one.

"Yeah. After all, I lack education, as you can see. I didn't want others to look down on me, so I dedicated myself to becoming better with the sword day and night. Thanks to thatnot just that, but it played a partI managed to rise up in the world."

Aa. Mite no toori, kyouyou nanza sora kkishi dakara na. Hoka no renchuu ni nameraretaku nee, itsuka koitsu de nariagaritee tte, shirokujichuu ken no keiko sa. Sono okagebakari demo nee ga, kou yatte ikkado ni wa naretatte koto sa.

In short, he seemed to be recalling the hardships he faced when seeing Yuuto's diligent efforts.

(What can I say he's got an old man's way of thinking)

(Nante iu ka, jiji-musai koto kangaeru nda naa)

Reflecting on the days of his youth despite his young looks made Due appear like an elderly to Yuuto. Perhaps because of his stern demeanor, Due looked older than he actually was, but he was probably still in his mid-twenties. Maybe it was too early for him to harbor an old-soldier-like sentiment.

No, maybe not, he thought it over. After all, even seniors in his club used to reminisce, saying things like, "Back when we were first-years" despite being only a year or two older. Reflecting on one's past experiences when witnessing the struggles of those younger seemed to be a common habit that transcends age.

"By the way, changing the subject, can I ask ya something?"

Tokoro de hanashi wa kawaru kedo yo, hitotsu kiite ii ka?

"What is it?"

Nan da?

"Yesterday, you were summoned by masterthe duke, and had quite a lengthy conversation. What was it about?"

Kinou, go-shujinkoushaku ni yobarete, zuibun to hanashikondeita mitee dake do, nan no hanashi datta ndai.

Upon Due's inquiry, he recalled the events of the previous night. They had been informed that there were signs of rebellion in the Duchy of Armand due to the arrest of the duke, making it difficult to pass through. As a result, the delegation had no choice but to suddenly change its route to cross the mountains in order to head to its destination, St. Gallen, and stayed in Volden to prepare for the trip and to gather strength. Partly because of this, the young marquis had invited him for a chat without hesitation.

"It wasn't anything significant. He just asked me a lot of questions, since he said people like me are rare and all. Like where I used to live, the kind of people there, what the food was like"

Betsuni taishita koto wa nakatta yo. Ore mitai na jinshu wa mezurashii kara tte, iroiro kikareta dake sa. Ore no kurashiteita no wa donna tokoro da to ka, donna hito ga iru no da to ka, kui-mono wa dou da to ka

Recalling being bombarded with questions for hours, he spoke with a sense of weariness. That ordeal was truly exhausting. After all, he didn't really like Tullius. Spending a long time talking in the same room with such a person was tantamount to torture. To make matters worse, in an attempt to explain about Japan in a way understandable to people in this world, he tried to compare it to things here, but

'Aah, you don't need to force yourself to adapt it. I'll verify it on my own later, so just tell me about your world in your own words.'

Aa, muri ni hon'an wa kuwaenakute ii yo. Kocchi no hou de ato kara kenshou suru kara, kimi wa kimi no kotoba de mukou no koto o oshiete kurereba ii.

He was told like that.

Honestly, it didn't feel good to have his consideration wasted. Though, Tullius wasn't a pleasant companion to begin with.

Furthermore, Tullius showed an unusually keen interest in Yuuto's belongings. He vividly remembered Turius diligently examining the smartphone that had remained silent without a charge since coming to this world. He attempted to cast a magic called "Detect" or something, and, in the end, even trying to dismantle it Since Yuuto wanted to somehow return to his original world and planned to use it upon his return, he couldn't help but worry because his precious item was almost damaged.

And also,

"I think the strange thing is that he even asked me about the year."

kawatta tokoro ja, nengou made kikareta ka na.

"The year?"

Nengou daa?

"Living in a land different from this continent means the culture must be different, he said. He seemed interested in how people from a different continent count their years or something like that."

Kono tairiku to wa chigau tochi ni kurashiteita tte koto wa, bunka mo chigau darou tte sa. I-tairiku no ningen ga donna fuu ni toshi o kazoete iru no ka kyoumi ga aru to ka nan to ka.

When Yuuto told him the current year in the Gregorian calendar, Tullius made a gesture of counting to his fingertips, and then he looked strangely convinced. Even though Yuuto asked for the meaning, it seemed like the other side had no intention of answering.

Just as he drooped his head, thinking about how exhausting it was to even recall it, Due's large hand patted him on the shoulder. It seemed like he was trying to comfort him.

"I don't really get it, but it must've been tough, lad. Dealing with that bastard must've been; a disaster."

Nanda ka yoku wakaranee kedo, sainan datta naa bouzu. Taihen dattaro, ano yarou no aite wa.

"Yeah, it was really tiring but is it okay to talk about the person you serve like that?"

Aa, hontou ni tsukareta tte, ii no ka yo? Tsukaeteiru hito no koto, sonna fuu ni itte.

"In normal cases, it might not be okay, but it's fine in our case. My status is the one that has various restrictions, but at least not being bound by words is some kind of relief."

Futsuu nara yo ka~a nee darou ga, ore to aitsu no baai wa ii nda yo. Iroiro to shibari ga aru mibun da ga, kuchi dake~a shibararete nee no ga semete mo no sukui da ze

There was a clear disgust in Due's expression. It seemed that this man, Tullius, was not a very worthwhile master even from the perspective of his subordinate.

"Sorry for bringing up such a gloomy topic early in the morning. As an apology, how about I accompany you in your training?"

Warui na, asappara kara shinki-kusaku naru you na hanashi shi chimatte yo. Wabi to iccha nanda ga, keiko ni tsukiatte yarou ka?

Suddenly, Due proposed such a thing. Given that Yuuto's practice was interrupted by him speaking to him from the side, it was a welcome offer. Even though they were both wielding swords, advice from an experienced practitioner would be beneficial, and it was also appealing to learn various techniques of many different types of swordsmen.

"Is it okay?"

Ii no ka?

"Yeah. I got inspired by you, or rather, you made me remember my initial resolution. This is an apology for getting in the way and also a thank you Come on, get ready. I'll coach ya."

Aa. Ore mo bouzu ni shokuhatsu sareta tte iu ka, shoshin o omoidashi chimatta nde na. Jama shita wabi ken sono orei tte yatsu sa Hore, kamae na. Icchou monde yaru.

The man in black spoke while unsheathing the two-handed sword on his back. Its glint reflecting the morning sun made his heart skip a beat.

"A serious match, huh?"

Shinken shiai, ka?

TL Note: The phrase (Shinken) in (Shinken shiai) can also mean real swords so another meaning of this line is a match using real swords.

He usually only used practice wooden swords with blunted edges, and he had never been involved in a serious sword fight. This was his first experience with a drawn blade pointed at him.

He then glanced down at the longsword in his own hands. It was given to him by Irmaella for self-defense during this journey. A practical weaponmeaning, it was also a real sword.

A single mistake could lead to someone's death. No, if things went poorly, they both might end up falling in a mutual strike. Smirking at his concern for such a possibility, Due reassured him.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to hold back, andI'm not the type to get cut down by a novice."

Anshin shi na. Chanto sundome wa shite yaru shihiyokko ni kira reru you na ore ja nee yo.

Given such assurance, Yuuto couldn't just back down.

(Even if it's light, he's wearing armor, anyway.)

(Koitsu, karume to wa ie yoroi o kikonderu shi na.)

As long as the opponent had armor, even if by chance his sword struck him, it wouldn't likely result in a disaster. With that thought, he readily prepared himself for what was to come.

"Alright, make sure to dodge, alright? It's nothing to boast about, but I still can't hold back, after all."

Jaa, chanto sakete kure yo? Jiman ni wa naranai kedo, ore wa mada sundome to ka dekinai kara na.

As he spoke with the longsword poised and his eyes focused, the man with the two-handed sword before him deepened his smile.

"Hah! It's ten years too early for ya to have thoughts like that Come at me."

Ha! Nna koto kangaen no wa juu-nen hayee yo ki na.

Breaking through the morning air, the sounds of blades clashing echoed.

~~~

"However, we're really stumped. Who would've thought we'd be delayed for a whole week just to prepare to cross the mountains?"

Shikashi, maitte shimatta na. Yamagoe no junbi no tame ni, isshuukan mo ashidome o kurau koto ni naru to wa.

After finishing breakfast, they were in the guestroom of the Oubeniel mansion. Elisha had barged into the room where Irmaella was staying. Being both women and considering her status as one of the top figures in Omnia, no, on the continent, leaving her alone in this houseTullius' territorywasn't an option.

On the other hand, Yuuto, the other target of her protection, had finished training, had a brief rest, and a meal, and along with the male members of the delegation, he went down to the town to purchase necessary supplies. If possible, Elisha wanted to stuff them to the same room so she could protect them both at once, but his current public role was as Irmaella's attendanta low-ranking position within this group. The current situation made it impossible for him to be treated as a VIP.

For the time being, he wouldn't lag behind any regular thieves, and she had instructed him to always stay with other personnel, anyway. Also, in case of emergencies, he was told to come back, even if it meant using others as a shield.

(Starting a match with that [Two-Handed Sword] all of a sudden got me nervous, but thankfully, it didn't escalate to a serious situation that required my intervention.)

(Ano [ryoute tsurugi] to ikinari tachiai hajimeta toki ni wa kimo o hiyashita ga, tome ni hairu hitsuyou ga aru daiji ni itaranakute nani yori datta na.)

Recalling his training this morning, she sighed. Due Schwarzer was a former B-rank adventurer and was also one of the trusted blades of the man who had made a name for himself in the Volden campaign, the infamous [Man-Eating Serpent] Tullius Shernan Oubeniel. She didn't expect Yuuto to engage in a serious match with such an opponent. She thought being constantly overprotective to such a grown man would make him uncomfortable, so she refrained, but staying in place and only keeping an eye on him from afar would end up backfiring.

TL Note: The previous translator TL-ed Tullius title as Snake, but I chose Serpent cause it sounds cooler, dont you think?

Fortunately, nothing untoward happened, but she was worried if they had any harmful intentions towards Yuuto. It was bad enough that he had somehow caught the interest of that Tullius. While she didn't want to believe that his identity as the hero had been found out, the man was known for slaughtering numerous slaves under the guise of research. It wouldn't be strange if he harbored thoughts of dissecting the body of someone of a different race for research.

(Spending a week in the territory of someone whom I can't let my guard down around. On top of that, I have two people to protect. Just thinking about it is depressing)

(Yudan dekinai aite no teritor de isshuukan mo sugosu. Omake ni kocchi no goei taishou wa futari. Kangaeta dake de ki ga meiru na)

For those tasked with protection, it was a nightmare scenario. If only Yuuto's status as the hero could have been publicly announced, it might have been possible to guard both Irmaella and him together. However, current political circumstances didn't permit it. In addition, Elisha was also under a troublesome obligation not to divulge the fact that she knew Yuuto's true identity. In order to train him with Phantony playing the role of the whip, and Elisha, the candy, it was more convenient for her to act as an "innocent well-intentioned collaborator who knew nothing." Frankly speaking, given their state of emergency, it would've been preferable to quickly discard such unnecessary conditions.

Even if she wasn't aware that things would turn out like this, Elisha had no desire to pass through Volden However, there was a compelling reason to take this route. Whether crossing the mountains or using the predetermined route through the eastern to northern parts of the kingdom, passing through here from Omnia was the shortest way. Intentionally skipping this route was the same as shouting out loud that there was something to hide from Tullius. If they implied that they harbored distrust towards a major aristocrat from an allied country, it would only serve as a seed of problems. In other words, it was politics.

(This is something even His Eminence Phantony couldn't help with, after all.)

(Kore bakari wa, Fantni-geika ni tanonde mo muri datta kara naa.)

Towards Phantony, who revealed the secret of summoning the hero, Elisha also shared details about the kingdom'sno, the secret feud between Lavallee and Tullius. The one Lavallee deeply connected to was Cardinal Callandra, who led the alliance between the two countries. But, apparently, the deceased old strategist also didn't view him as a reliable partner. In the will addressed to Elisha which was handed to her just before her departure, it was written that he would leave the final decision up to her, but if she were to ally with someone, Phantony would be more appropriate.

(As well as the fact that he threw me into the frontlines of Volden, that old man is unreasonable too.)

(Vorudan no saizensen ni hourikonde kureta koto to ii, ano jii mo mucha o iu.)

By cooperating with Omnia, they were going to eradicate Tullius, the kingdom's most significant internal threat. But there was no need to let Omnia attack Volden. That would make things too big. Using the doctrines of the Holy King's teachings, they would expose the dark side of that man. To do that, Callandra was no good. He was too inadequate to use even as a pawn. Having the nation's land consumed by the greed of snobbish people was putting the cart before the horse, and that it was better to use Phantony, who rang clear with integrity, driven by the desire to protect the country, etc.

It would've been excusable when he was alive, but even after death, he was like this.

Both Lavallee and Phantony, really, why do they always make my head ache? Wasn't it Alfred's role to dance around when unreasonable orders were given from above? Or perhaps, was it payback for having exploited him so much that was finally catching up? Elisha was half-seriously considering that.

Shaking off such idle thoughts uncharacteristic of her, she brought her focus back to the person in front of her.

"You must be troubled as well, not being able to fulfill your duties, Irmaella-dono."

Kijo mo nakanaka yakume ga hatasezu ni o-komari dearou, Irumaerra-dono.

"Y-yes. That's correct"

E, ee. Sou desu ne

Irmaella, when asked, responded with absentminded remarks. Since the meeting with Tullius yesterday, she had been in this state of mind. Lost in thought with a troubled expression, she seemed to be continuously contemplating and agonizing over something. Being defeated by Tullius in the matter of the slave issue in the Volden Province must have been quite a blow. After all, she had been confronted with the stark contrast between the ideals of the Holy King Church, which she had nurtured in Omnia, and the harsh reality unfolding outside.

She may be considered the Saint of the current era with extraordinary holy powers and charisma doubled with her beauty, but she was ultimately just a teenage girl. Faced with the actual society that couldn't be navigated with pretty words alone, she appeared to be considerably burdened by a sense of helplessness.

In such a situation, it seemed essential for her to experience a sense of accomplishment, to feel that her ideals and her own strength were not in vain. Otherwise, she would only break. However, the problem was that Yuuto and Irmaella were not in a position where such compromises were allowed. The girl was a female priestess bearing the expectations of the Holy King Church, a guide who conveyed ideals to the people. The boy, on the other hand, was a hero appearing once in several hundred years, the embodiment of an ideal savior fighting to rescue people in times of danger.

"If you want to suggest advising the cessation of the civil war, and if you are able to do it even here in Arquell, we'd be able to cross the borders immediately, though."

Naisen no teishi o kankoku suru to iu no nara, kono Arukru demo sore o yareba, sousou ni kokkyou o koeru koto ga dekiru no dearu ga na.

Elisha said, trying to sound nonchalant. The Holy King Church's stance was to prevent the people's hearts from becoming disordered, bringing darkness to the world that would be enough to resurrect the Demon King. The dispatch to St. Gallen this time was part of that stance. Then, they just had to settle the prelude to the internal conflict that was started with the capture of Duke Armandwhich the official announcement had not reached the region yetby marching into the royal capital or even Armand Duchy. As a plus, they could also quickly withdraw from such a dangerous area like Volden, everything would be working out as desired.

However, Irmaella shook her head with a powerless expression.

"Unfortunately, that's not possible We are, after all, messengers heading to St. Gallen. We don't have the right to negotiate with Arquell."

Zannen nagara, sore wa dekimasen Watashi-tachi wa akuma de Zankutogaren ni mukete no shisha. Arukru ni taishite koushou o okonau dake no kenri wa nai, no desu.

The peace proposal for the Kingdom of Arquell was the responsibility of the Archbishop, who played the role of an ambassador in the royal capital or another envoy assigned to handle this country. Irmaella, the daughter of the cardinal and a priestess, did not possess the privilege to interfere in domestic affairs without permission from her homeland, especially to the extent of meddling in the signs of turmoil. They could not involve themselves in this issue.

"Good grief. Then until a week passes and we can cross the mountains, we can only stay quietly holed up here. It seems like various things will be on my mind."

Yare yare. Dewa yama o koerareru isshuukan-go made wa, otonashiku koko de anagomori ka. Iroiro to ki ga tsumari sou da na.

Being cooped up indoors didn't suit Elisha's temperament, and remaining in the territory of a dangerous individual while still carrying the target of protection was uncomfortable. It was a situation that made her feel stifled in multiple senses.

"No, that won't do."

Ie, sore dewa dame desu.

Suddenly, Irmaella started saying something like that.

"What do you mean 'won't do'?"

Dame, to wa?

"It won't do to stay idle and holed up here like this."

Koko de nani mo sezu, tojikomori tsuzukeru koto ga desu.

And then she stood up. Despite carrying worries, she seemed to be struggling to accomplish something.

(Hmm, this is unexpected she might be a woman with a strong core after all.)

(Fumu, kore wa igai to shin ga tsuyoi josei ya mo shirenu na.)

Elisha had hoped to avoid dealing with someone who continued to lament and complain, going on and on about this and that while holding their head in their hands. From a security perspective, it would be easier if they stayed in one place. However, it was inconvenient if their mental state collapsed before any physical danger. Moreover, this residence was known to be a troublesome and dangerous place. Since she had decided that moving a bit was acceptable as long as she stayed close, Elisha made up her mind and decided to accompany her gladly.

~~~

To be continued

~~~

TL Note:

I miss Tullius PoV alreadyyy~

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