Chapter 19 (1/2)
19.THE WORLD OF THE TALENTED
The kingdom of Ostoberg. It was a kingdom located to the southeast of Arcadia. They had about the same amount of lands compared to Arcadia and their climate was pretty much the same as well. If one was to say a difference, it would be that the temperature was slightly higher there. Besides that, to the south, they bordered with the superpower, the kingdom of Garias, a military country that was famous for how they kept Ostoberg´s invasions in check. The kingdom of Ostoberg was a country that was considered one of the seven kingdoms.
“Gahaha, congratulations, your Majesty!”
At the major power of the kingdom of Ostoberg, a change was happening. At the present moment, the hero of Ostoberg, the [Black Gold] Strakules, was lowering his head to a certain person…
“No, it´s nothing to be proud of. It was Strakules that did all the hard work. I believe it is very unforgivable that I asked a hero like you to lose a battle not many days after I had asked you to meddle with Garias.”
It was a skinny youth of fifteen years old. His l.u.s.trous hair made it feel like “a good person” aura flowed from his eyes and his whole body. In addition, this aura would dissolve any kind of suspicion against him. Everyone would come to like the youth and n.o.body would be guarded around him. If one was to describe him in a few words, it would be that he was a very likeable person.
The youth lowered his head to Strakules and the place became noisy.
“…You majesty, if a king thoughtlessly lowers his head, it sullies his reputation.”
Hearing Strakule´s advice, the youth showed a surprised expression.
“However, gramps…”
“Cough*!”
“Ho-however, Strakules. I have responsibility in having sent you to do unfavorable tasks. It is impossible for me to ignore that and keep holding my head high.”
The youth showed a smile. With just that, the place became calm again. Strakules sighed and showed a smile to the youth. In response to that, the youth made an even broader smile. Simply by that, despite all the people at the place being in the presence of their king, there could be felt a trace of a cozy feeling in the mood.
“Because the previous king has died and the domestic situation of the kingdom is unstable, it is now the time we need to be careful the most.”
“Uh, sorry Kimon, for not being so reliable.”
“…If your Majesty makes such a face, I will be the one looking like the villain.”
Strakules second in command, Kimon, who had been in his guard all this time, had immediately been charmed by the youth´s demeanor.
“Well, but since we saw through the instability, we´ve already cut out the most important factor for the instability. That place we were at disadvantage; all they value is honor.”
They had thrown away Raconia on purpose. This was something everyone present at the place had agreed on.
Originally, they didn´t have any reasons to attack, but the last command of the previous king was that they were to take back Raconia at all costs, which resulted in that big war. Even if they had taken Raconia, Ostoberg, which now had just changed kings, wouldn´t have the spare time to be able to hold onto that. Therefore, they had thrown it away. So their plans would not be seen through, and so their instability would not be clearly shown, they meticulously took measures…
“The previous king was a good man. He properly chose his successor and took precautions about the question of the succession line so that things wouldn´t get problematic. The last invasion at Raconia was reckless, but this too was for the sake of his Majesty.”
“I know that, Strakules. Father has given me the chance of prestige to the me who is still weak by having me have the chance to capture Raconia. Why would I have any reason to resent my father´s last act of love.”
Kimon listened to the conversation while having dreary thoughts in his mind.
The previous king wasn´t a fool, but he definitely wasn´t a wise person. The invasion of Raconia he ordered at his last moments was all for him to be able to leave his name in the history. He didn´t have any love for his son; only after all the efforts from Strakules and Kimon was that the youth was able to be elevated to the position of the successor of the crown. If Strakules had remained neutral, it wouldn´t be possible for the youth to be sitting at the throne now, and instead, much more now, he would have been caught at the dire affair the dispute for the throne was.
“Besides, even if father is not here anymore, all of you are here for me. You all are like my own father. I will be counting on you, everyone. Let´s all work together and have Ostoberg prosper!”
It was a voice that had no ambition in it. However, everyone in the place became filled with energy. This too was because of the virtue the youth held. Although this was the only weapon the youth had, it was the most potent of all.
“By the way, I have some sweets. Let´s eat them together.”
He was a swindler.(TL note: I am not sure if this is being said in the literal meaning. It might mean in the way that the youth swindled the people by “honestly being nice to them”, but it still being swindling because all those people yielded to him just because he was nice to them. Later on, in the text, it doesn´t say anywhere the youth is really deceiving the people. Rather, it feels more like the youth is really like that.)
Strakules had the belief of not partic.i.p.ating in the politics. However, that power was the reason why he had supported the youth to become the king to the point he would go against that belief.
At the present situation of his reign, there already weren´t any more political enemies. No, while there had been, all of them were drawn to the king´s side. This wasn´t something done by deceiving; all was simply him gathering his enemies and meeting them with the intent of naturally becoming friends, which ended up as all of them coming to his side. It was a power that didn´t have any selfishness, and moreover, it was the strongest and it was an unparalleled power.
He didn´t have any enemies. Therefore, he was invincible.
He was the eighth generation in the reign Ostoberg, Elunst Dar Ostoberg. He was the wise rule of their next generation that the hero, Strakules, had fallen in love with in the first sight. There was n.o.body that could oppose that jaded smile.
“By the way, Kimon. About that brat… Did you kill him or let him live?”
After having finished his report to Elunst, Strakules was now walking at a corridor at the royal palace together with Kimon. In respect to Strakules, Kimon was walking slightly behind him.
“He was able to stay alive by his own efforts.”
In a very simple way, Kimon simply stated the outcome of the test. Strakules became slightly surprised after hearing that.
“He had ran away from your hands? From the [Black Sheep]´s hands? Gahahahaha!”
As if he had become satisfied with the report, Strakules was showing a smile and started to imagine about the next battles that were to come…
“…I regretted having let him escape.”
Kimon was in a mood different from his usual. Compared to how he would usually be, he was lacking confidence.
“Perhaps, one day, he might become a poison to his Majesty and your Excellency. I am having the feeling it will. Each day I think about it, I feel as if I am becoming more certain about it.”
To Kimon, who would usually answer things in a simple way, those were soft words that didn´t come out of his mouth very often.
“I can have enough of it; I can´t! To think I would be able to taste new things even after becoming of this age! That´s why I can´t stop going to war! Guhaha, I can´t have enough of it!”
Kimon´s worries were wiped away in an instant. That unripe young man wasn´t someone that would be able to do as he pleased against the monster in front of his eyes; this monster that had been born just for the sake of war. At least, he wouldn´t be able to catch up in time while Strakules is still in good health. After becoming confident of that, Kimon was now certain.
“The black brat from Garius and the white brat from Arcadia, and then, his Majesty. Also, with those knights from the prospering kingdom of Arkland, even if the seven kingdoms are still going strong, I can´t read what is going to happen in the future at all. It is because of that that it is so great. It is really great!”
The existence of that man was too heavy. Would even this world in chaos be capable of shaking that man..?
“Will they be eaten by me, or will they eat me… Guhah, now it became interesting!”
Much more now that he grew old, the hero became even more domineering.
“Hey, Volf. Where are we going next?”
At the north was Ostoberg, and at the south was the central sea, which was the foundation of all commerce. To the east was a mountain range, and at the west, there was a conglomerate of small countries, which was the greatest nation of the world in this generation, Garius. (TL note: Would this be considered an empire? It was never stated in the story before-.- My guess is that it something similar to a commonwealth-ish kingdom)
Those people were a group that were now near the proximities of the borders of the western side. Their encampment was built to make s.p.a.ce for a hundred people. The night shone with the red of the bonfires. (TL note: The word used to refer to the red color is ->茜<- which=”” means=”” “madder”,=”” which=”” apparently=”” is=”” some=”” kind=”” of=”” plant.=”” i´ve=”” never=”” heard=”” of=”” it=”” before=””>
“Ah… For now, how about buying a beautiful nee-chan with the money we got from the war and going to paradise at some island at the central sea in the south.”
The one named Volf was a person that one couldn´t be distinguished between a man or a woman. His head was. .h.i.t.
“We had to come all our way to Garius to pay for all our debt because you did that the last time! B-besides, you took the money of the whole company all to yourself for that!”
Volf, who had his head beaten, looked at another direction from the eyes of the woman while saying “ouch ouch”.
“…It´s just because they are women that those slaves keep escaping.”
“…The reason my charm doesn´t reach them is because they don´t have any sense of beauty, yes.”
“You are always too greedy. Besides, you are too soft on women. If I was around at that time, I would have killed that slave woman.”
“Like I said before, I did it in the spur of the moment.”(TL note: ->だーから、一人でやったんだっちゅーに<- i´m=”” not=”” sure=”” about=”” this=”” line.=”” even=”” the=”” person=”” helping=”” me=”” wasn´t=”” sure=”” about=”” it,=”” so=”” i=”” can´t=”” say=”” this=”” is=”” really=”” right=”” t.t=”” at=”” least,=”” it=”” has=”” a=”” good=”” chance=”” of=”” being=”” it=”” because=”” it=”” makes=”” sense=””>
“Thaaat´s why I said you are too soft on women!”
The two quarreling was the usual sight. The people at their surroundings kept doing their business, treating that as something normal. Actually, there were pretty much n.o.body that was on guard duty. All of them were each relaxedly taking their time as they wished.
“Fine then. I can forgive that you are soft on women and that you are too negligent. …But there is no way I can for having been about to die.”