BXBX NOVEL Chapter 54 - Volume 4
Since we’re more or less a party made up of the Royal Family and the Hero-sama, we can’t just pass through without stopping, and so we’ve been forced to stay an additional week or so for parties and parades.
Taterudo gave us an opportunity to go and visit their weapons workshops, I guess that’s par for the course for the Warrior Nation. Isn’t a new-model magic sword supposed to be a state secret?
Eh…? I can buy branded magic swords here cheaply………?
While suffering damage to my wallet and heart, I arrived at one of the three countries near the Daemon Territory, [Kolkopo].
Although the country’s name is pretty cute, it seems that they’re in quite a troubled state as a small country.
The royal family of this place had a pretty little boy who’s turning 10 years old this year.
“I a-am Ko-kokokokokoko-ko-Kolpo, Yu-Yuru-ru-Yuyuyuyu-Yurushia-sama, it-it-it-it’s nice to me-mehehehehehe meet you!”
…… Hah? It’s funny to meet me? Kolpo, who had suddenly said something ridiculous, turned bright red and was carried away to the medical quarters.
I’m used to being feared by older uncles, but being feared by a cute young boy, I was overwhelmed for a moment.
Oh, come to think of it, this child’s name was on the list of children who were proposing to me. I wonder if the marriage proposal’s been called off. Well, it’ll work out.
It was a light evening party with everyone who was involved with the war. After it ended, we stayed at the castle and I decided to go down to a small town by the front lines the following morning.
*Zupah!* Making such an onomatopoeic yell, Rick sliced through a monster.
“Noel, there’s one there!”
“Roger, [Wind that rules all, blow violently like a blade]…Wind Blade!”
Noel’s wind magic cut the giant raccoon Daemon in half, and Rick rushed over to deal the finishing blow with the Golden Magic Sword (No. 3).
Yup, I made Rick’s sword!
It was made with the soul of the [Daemon Race Female Black Knight]
…… I didn’t get that snack. *sniffle*
As one would expect of Taterudo that’s close to the Daemon King territory, it’s not rare to see [Monsters] spring up. Well, they’re weaker than a Hippo or Rhinoceros.
But even so, normal magic is still being used as needed.
By the way, that last word seems to be shouted. Invoking spells in the simple [Spirit Language] seems to be easier to activate if you pair the image with the words.
[……Splendid!]
When the battle ended, applause and cheering came from our [Guardians] behind us.
This time around the Guardians were 12 Holy Knights, 24 Royal Palace Guards, 15 Saint Guardian Knights, 80 Soldiers of the Royal Capital, 6 Royal Magicians, and 30 people from Bear-san’s mercenary group.
…… Are we intending to start a war? When we got to Kolkopo, the border guards’ faces were cramped.
From where the guardians were sitting, calls of [Your Highness] and [Steady, Boy!] were heard, and Rick and Noel’s faces went red.
…… What’s up with that?
As we went along, we were only allowed to fight the monsters and the younglings that showed up.
It’s training…… but it feels shameful.
The Holy Kingdom’s Hero party was a 4-man composition comprising Noel, Rick, me, and Nia, who had been praised by the Holy Knights in the fight against 【Him】.
Nia stood out in the end. But well, she’s mainly my guard.
“”………””
Rick and Noel, who were deeply embarrassed, came back to me with delicate expressions.
“It’s been hard on you two, would you like some tea?”
“……No thanks.”
“………What are you doing?”
Apparently the two of them want to say something to me.
However, after I apply the Holy Magic of Protection, there’s almost nothing for me to do, so I’ve just been drinking tea at the table Noa prepared for me.
“But the tea sweets are pretty and delicious, you know?”
“No, that’s not what I mean…… Haa…”
Rick, who tried to say something sighed lightly and Noel soothed him with a strained smile.
They’re at a delicate age. Rick is 14 years old, so maybe it’s something like [My demon sword seeks blood]?
As we were doing that, we slowly arrived at the town on the front lines that evening.
It’s a distance that we could have travelled and arrived at by the early afternoon if we had gone directly with the knights leading the front, but I promised not to complain.
Now then, here is the main event, ma’am.
There’s no single place that could accommodate such a large number in a small town like this, so Rick and the Holy Knights were put up in the local lord’s mansion. Noel and the rest of the mercenary group were preparing to camp with the soldiers. My close guardian knights and the children reserved a large inn room to spend the night.
Finally, we separated.
“Princess-sama, Vio and me are done with the inn arrangements~”
Deputy Captain Sara-chan came to report to me. Because they were dazzled by the new equipment, the snot-nosed children (little brats) were all running around her.
“Thank you for your hard work, please also tell Bree-chan to take a break. Please don’t drink too much, okay?”
“I-I understand, Princess-sama.”
“Honestly…?”
Well, since we’ve come to such a dangerous place, I won’t scold her much. But for the sake of warning her, I pulled Sara-chan’s cheeks softly since her expression was still fidgety after giving her report, but she flushed red and thanked me with ‘Thank you very much.’
I don’t understand exactly what she’s thinking.
“Tina, Fannie, prepare me some [Traveler]-like clothing.”
And this, I changed my clothes and escaped out the window of the third floor.
I was dressed like a normal traveler, but since I couldn’t do anything about my shiny hair I gave up and did it up in a ponytail.
By the way, the [Black and Silver Saint’s Dress], has been transformed into a choker around my neck.
When I tried to take it off, it transformed into that…… This is cursed equipment, isn’t it…!
There are a large number of mercenary groups in this town at the moment.
There were those employed by the country, those who were hired by other countries to collect information, and there were those who were here to gain military accolades when battles happened, there were even some who just hunted monsters for materials.
All these people were gathered here in mercenary groups, so the city was full of life, even though it is at war… the security’s getting worse, though.
Because there’re so many muscle-brained rascals around, many of the bars in this town are completely filled up… or more precisely, because there weren’t enough for them, the public halls and communal spaces have been opened, and the merchants came down to sell food and alcohol , so it was almost like a simple food court.
It’s a place where information tends to gather. It’s also a place where materials that I haven’t seen before are sold.
It’s also a place where the spies from other countries and the Daemon King were mixed.
Ufufufu, isn’t it a fun place?
The bar is for 15 year olds and above, but my height is between a 12 and 13 year old, and Noa and Nia are 14 years old so it won’t be so obvious.
Giii~… *Gatan*…
As I opened the door and walked in, some mercenaries that saw me fell off their chair, and the sound of a glass of ale dropping to the floor was heard.
…… That’s an intense reaction. Although if you think about it properly, it’s normal?
For the time being, I suppressed my [Presence] and proceeded inside without stopping to take notice of anything. Only Noa and Nia were accompanying me; Tina and Fannie were left back in the room.
If anything happened at the lodgings, there wouldn’t be any problems, as Fannie would come pick us up while Tina dealt with the problem. Also, it’s just my luck that I left the two troublemakers behind.
The building was larger than it looked from the outside. Although I was able to conceal the signs well, it seems that I astonished several people near the entrance with my appearance.
“Little Miss, hold up.”
Someone stopped me on my way to a vacant table.
Is this that thing? The “This isn’t a place for kids” moment, and the signal for the start of a legitimate [Bloodbath]!?
While I was thinking that way as I turned around and gave him my best smile, the older guy who’d called out to me turned red and froze in place.
“…What’s the matter? Hey.”
“……N-no, sorry Miss, …… it’s just that-…… please forget it.”
“……Is that so.”
As I uttered my disappointment, a younger older guy who was at the same table as that other guy suddenly spilled his ale through his nose while looking at me.
The older lady at the next seat also stared at me with her mouth wide open as she accidentally poked her forkful of chicken into her nose instead of her mouth. …… Is that a custom in this neighborhood?
“Gallus, what are you doing?”
“…ah, boss…”
Looking back at the older guy who first called out to me, there was the form of a good looking young man in his late twenties.
When the youth who called out ‘boss’ saw me, he had his breath taken away a little, and I gave him a *proper* refreshing smile.
The [Properness] is important. I don’t give these to the young greenhorn upstarts.
“Excuse me, Miss. I am Elmer, the head of the [Hawk’s Eye Mercenary Group]. Did my members do anything rude to you…?”
“No, although they seemed to have some business with me……”
When I responded in my [Prim and proper Young Lady]-mode, he glanced at Gallus and sighed a little.
“I’m sorry. Also Gallus isn’t a bad fellow, but he must surely have been thinking that it’s dangerous for an adorable lady like yourself to come to a place like this…”
“So that’s what it was… I appreciate your advice, but……”
“So young and yet you’re so proper. Are you here for [A Meal]?”
“Yes…… and I am also here for some [Shopping].”
Playing back and translating the current conversation,
[“There’s no way you came to such a place just to eat, is there?”] [“Of course not, I’m here to buy and sell information.”]
That’s what it was.
“Well, then, why don’t you have a meal at my table as an apology? I’m also a merchant, so I think I can advise you.”
“Thank you. Forgive my late greeting, my name is Lucia. I will accept your generosity.”
Elmer’s [Hawk’s Eye Mercenary Group]-which is not a very apt name- seems to be a major mercenary group on the scale of 100 people.
With a friendly demeanor, his group members spread out the table as he called out, and he took us to our seats on the second floor, which was lightly partitioned and looked over the first floor.
“Does Miss Lucia drink alcohol? If tea is alright with you, there is some good eastern tea, how about that?”
It’s different from the tea from the Dream World, but a mercenary that was this considerate was unusual.
“I like both. I am sure that whatever Mister Elmer chooses will be the best.”
“Hahaha, that’s quite a heavy responsibility. In that case I will have them serve this sweet regional fruit wine that was stocked just the other day. It tastes better when chilled. Will the two of you be alright with that?”
He interacted with Noa and Nia properly too. Is this a success?
“As the war continues, it would be difficult to continue shipping special products…… I hope the war will end soon.”
“I agree…… It wouldn’t be a problem if the [Hero] could hurry up and defeat the Daemon King. Oh yes, Miss Lucia. Did you know that there’s been talk of the [Hero] recently in this region?”
Well…… talk of ~which~ Hero?
Author’s Notes:
Supplementary information that can be left unread:
Why is the price of a magic sword worrying?
Normal magic sword: costs as much as a light car ~ normal car.
Second-hand magic swords: costs as much as a domestic used car.
High-grade magic swords: costs as much as a luxury car.
The 15 swords that Yurushia bought today is about the same as buying 15 C-class Mercedes.