volume 2 - Chapter 132 (1/2)

TL: TAS’s next chapter ETA is next weekend. Things are going kind of smoothly for me in terms of art practice, and I’ll be putting more hours into it for the time being. When we get into Brendel’s next battle arc, I’ll up the translation rate.

Also this is the final chapter for this arc. Next chapter will be the start of Lord Brendel’s territory-acquiring arc.

Chapter 132 – The end of Summer

Count Barre stood in Brendel’s path.

[The h.e.l.l?] Brendel gave him a wide berth as he walked past the smiling man.

“Ser Brendel?” Count Barre called out to him in a solemn voice when he realized Brendel was avoiding him.

“What is it?” Brendel snapped with a displeased tone. He was in a rush to find the Nightsong Tiger to get the details from him about Amandina.

“Even though our viewpoints differ our goals seem to align. At the very least, I am certain that you are not on the side of our enemies, are you not?” Count Barre spoke in a rush, not giving Brendel the chance to cut him off. “Naturally, we have our own thoughts on restoring the kingdom, but surely there is no need for us to draw our swords at each other’s throats. I agree that Makarov’s actions are a little overbearing, but he’s a only a human who’s acting with limited resources.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Would you be willing to join us? If you hate our actions, then why not take control of the situation? I hope to have an outstanding youth like yourself on our side.” Barre invited Brendel with sincere words, as though he had forgotten the unpleasant exchange between them.

[That’s something the Count Barre I know would do.]

Brendel had actually given them enough leeway on this issue and avoided having an all-out battle with them, precisely because they were on the same side. If these people were against the crown, then he would have redeemed the Silver Elves’ promise and killed them immediately.

Because of Makarov’s plans, he and his men were put into danger. Romaine and Amandina were still nowhere to be seen. If he lost his temper and waged a battle to get Makarov’s head as an act of revenge, then duke Arreck might take the opportunity to capture the princess’s land in the nearby area. Freya might even be in danger because of that.

[It looks like he’s smart enough not to talk about the Golden Apple anymore, so I’ll put it aside. But joining your group is an absolute joke.]

“No,” Brendel looked at the count and shook his head. His reply was cold and hard, surprising the count with his tone: “You will see me very soon, but believe me, it would not be here, and not the way any of you would like to see—“

“… Then I shall await to see your future.” Count Barre’s eyes were fretful as he stared at Brendel.

============ Freya POV =============

In truth, the battle that she was supposed to be in was undertaken by the senior squires in the academy, led by the reserve officers in the graduating cla.s.s. When Freya and newer members like herself reached the battlefield in the forest, their task was taking care of the battle’s aftermath.

She immediately noticed a carriage filled with bolts and arrows like a porcupine in the center of the road. There were cavalry equipped with silver armor riding near the carriage, with many of their comrades’ dead bodies on the ground. They refused anyone from approaching the carriage, and insisted of taking care of their injuries as they cleaned up after their own.

There were two clear colors. Purple and silver. The bodies with these two colors were strewn everywhere. Heavy groans from the injured, mingled with low frightened murmurs from the newly arrived n.o.bles’ sons and daughters, could be heard everywhere. They were seeing this bloodied sight for the first time.

The reserved officers wanted to take prisoners, and gave the order for the older squires to intentionally maim the attackers, and had left many of them alive. However, once they took enough prisoners to be satisfied with, the remainder was ordered to be killed, and this task was also left to the new members of the academy.

Many of them found their weapons shaking, unable to swing it, and there were even a few who vomited as they saw the bloodied mess from the ones who were brave enough to attempt it.

Freya had fought enough in real battles not to be shaken by the sight and faithfully did her job. She had only paused in the beginning to guess the ident.i.ty of the people within the carriage. Sangany followed behind with a sick face. He had expelled everything he had for his meals, and he could only heave weakly after that.

He held himself against up a tree, while being impressed by Freya’s clean strikes to the enemies. She was certainly an admirable maiden.

“…… Do you know who that is?” He asked after catching his breath.

“What?” Freya looked back at him with incomprehension.

“The carriage.”

She took another look at the carriage, then shook her head, her clear eyes showing that she did not understand.

“The insignia on the carriage is a Holy Beetle. There is only one person within the kingdom who has this.”

“And?”

[You don’t even know this? How did you even manage to come to the academy— Wait, is she bluffing?]

The youth looked at Freya in incredulity, but he did not find any signs of deceit in her, so he shook his head and answered: “Grandmaster Fleetwood, the court’s First Wizard of Aouine.”

“What!” Freya was shocked.

But Sangany shook his head: “If that is truly Grandmaster Fleetwood, there is no need for us to go into battle. The person within the carriage is very likely to be someone else. And yet, Grandmaster Fleetwood has very few friends or people related to him. The people who could borrow his carriage, is either the king, or his student.”

“Her royal highness?” Freya’s eyes were wide. She still know this common knowledge even though she came from the borders.

The youth nodded.

Suddenly a black warhorse pa.s.sed by them quickly. The rider swiftly rode through the forest, before the warhorse suddenly stopped, turned around in a trot and moved back the two of them.