Vol 2 Chapter 5 (1/1)

[T/N: The chapter title is 国, which is country, but can also dom as in 王国] kin kin kin ”Hey! That's mine!” ”First come, first serve!” ”Needonto cookware fills the large roohting over the food and alcohol ”damn it kid, why the hell are you here in the boonie?! You should open a restaurant in the city an- Hey! Hands off!” The burly white-haired construction engineer ribs Kun while fending off his co-workers for the venison that's being served by the black-haired young man All the workers here are related to the Untouchables of the , “if you were ever part of the military, you’re either still a part of it, or are an Untouchable” Although the practice has been illegal for just over twenty years, the stig its existence Rather than concerning itself if a disgraced or retired soldier will sooverniven dangerous jobs where even if they die, no one would be the wiser, not even their family Of course, that was prior to the “Writ Ascension”, the populist revolution that supplanted the Council of Tribal Elders ritten, enforceable laws for all Nowadays, the Untouchables are just siovernovernment pay lip service to their sacrifice and claims to support them, but it’s really just to keep the ex-military members and their faun a reference to 部落民 - “Burakuroup at the bottom of the japanese social order that has historically been the victim of severe discrimeHarvest Moon!” A petite, muscular wo around a turkey leg “Hey hey, I don’t care if he’s a guy, I’d marry him too!” “What’d your wife think?!” “She’d be happy she won’t have to cook anyhter fills the room as the Harvest Moon Feast continues No one recalls why a feast is held during Harvest Moon, it’s just sie of Chaos Since the construction works had to be extended due to unforeseen trouble, Kun offered to host them Unexpectedly, that provided the workers with a motivation that would scare the Gods As a result, all the primary tasks were completed in record time, only minor tasks that’d need a handful of people to co up, with so in food and booze of their own to share Kun ss out the food non-stop As soon as one iteetables are prepared just before they run out He had been alone for years, it wasn’t too long ago that Gui and then Hank showed up to share the holiday with A happy feeling swells in his chest while he labours away “He, he’s doing what?!” “You heardthe likes of Corporal Pamuk” The red-faced, burly white-haired man sobers up at theof liquor in their hands, just outside the dining hall wherethemselves too much “Last I heard, he was sent to one of the Military Hooing to get the old Sarge out?” “Heh, Barthos, the bigwigs screwed up, hard Guess hoas able to get all you dumbasses to co a sip fro “Seriously Hank, who the hell IS this kid? A brother to a fox? That the Goddas are afraid of him? Fairytales are Fairytales for a reason you know Don’t tell uidance spirit from the Plane of Dreams that the old shamans tell the kids” “You know about the Twin Falls’ Conference?” “Isn’t that where the filthy Almans murdered everyone else at the Peace Conference?” “He’s a survivor from there, made it all the way back to Nampa Outpost on his own Some Goddamned son of bitch tried to steal his parents’ inheritance” The scarred , topping off his friend’s as well “Been almost a decade… the only kids were… wait, he’s THEIR kid?” Hank stares up at the fulla sip of his drink “Yep, bastards sent hi to take over everything as per the State Inheritance law” Barthos’ face turns red, not froer “Wait… can’t they just clai that did it?” Hank shory sned pickup truck for a certain overnor hidden away near here” The white-haired man stares at the reflection of thethe entire thing He grabs the bottle and drinks the reht from the bottle haaaaaaaaaa “Just to let you know, Kun took down a grizzly, apparently the one that the bastards tried to use to kill him with” “Oh come on! He couldn’t have been an adult then! Even we can’t say we can take down a Godda to tell s, “nonono, not going to believe you I don’t think I can handle all this, the next thing I know, the sky’s going to fall” He reaches over for the re both their reat leader, but he’s handicapped now” “He’s going to be helping out in training” “How?” “Have you heard of Second Phantasia?” “Who hasn’t?” “That’s where ill be training the greenhorns” “Wah…? Isn’t it just soht so too, well, until I tried it anyways It feels almost real, we can even use real weapons and actually try to kill each other, like on a battlefield” “damn…” “Why, you want to join?” “I’d think half the people here would juing the aba Wild wind stirs the curtains as two figures approach thefroures reach over to open the slightly ajar , a s thee man with a lean, muscular build and brown hair lowers the la the s for the stunned duo dressed in ht blue “Eh…” “Come on in, make yourselves at ho on a table nearby, causing his purple cloak to flutter The two girls shrug and enter through theThey ed a “No thanks” as they find a spot to stand tatatatatata gacha Sounds of quick footsteps can be heard followed by the sound of the door opening “Sorry, e, we didn’t expect you to wake up so suddenly!” A young squire suddenly appears after opening the door abruptly The youth drops to a kneeling position before looking up at his king, spotting the two suspicious figures “Gua-” “Quiet!” Thethe squire’s voicehis eyes for a uests, you are dismissed” The squire sta and the figures Seeing his king’s expression slowly turning into a scowl, he bows his head toward the floor before getting up and slowly back out the door, closing it slowly “Sorry about that, Till was it? And who ht you be? You must be either Isnic or Trovane Colass of ruby liquid after gesturing to the seats across the table The two of them hesitantly walk toward the table and seat the their faces that are hidden behind ahad expected the “Aaahhhhh” Thea sound of satisfaction His face turns into a face of concern when he looks at the two, then a relaxed look appears on his face as though he solved soure out that it was you Considering that uards never spotted any of you the first time, that means you two came as birds Very few people can do that, and all of them are connected to my old friend And then the army that appeared frodo my old friend’s name How is that old witch anyways?” Thelike a faint so” Isnic gives a curt reply, causing an aard silence as the king’s happy expression turns blank before turning into a look of disbelief “You’ve lass toward the direction of the Acadeo He sits still for a lass He takes a sip and h the taste of the wine turned bad before putting the glass down “Let’s get down to business I have to ask, what’s that ar for…” “I see… that’s unfortunate” The king lifts the glass of wine, stares at it, putting it back down before getting another glass and fills it ater fro “I presume you two here are about the payment?” The two of thee, so we’d like two large hollow cylinders of your strongest e The first one just needs to be half your height and just as wide, the second needs to be two hands wider The rest should be made the saets up, walks over to his stationary, sliding out a sht side shelf on top of the desk revealing a small, dried black pool Directly behind it is a s turns slowly and deliberately Black liquid froraved path next to the cylinder and gathers at the previously dried pool Grabbing a quill that’s stacked on the left side of the shelf with his other hand, he sticks it into hisfor a vellu the handle after unrolling the velluht hand and dips it into the ink “Okay, two hollow cylinders, half ht, just as wide Second one is two hands wider And…?” The two snaps out of their daze and walk over “Umm… there needs to be two slots on both side, those two slots ht So two bars can slide through therees, with a sap between bottohtly ser than the largest cylinder” The king stops writing suddenly and turns to Till with a questioning look, “a grill?” “Hht be too hard to make… how about a sheet with many, many holes? More holes than ive us the heaviest treasure you have” The king stops writing again, “why the heaviest?” “We need soet the royal sold we can make instead? That’d be way heavier than any treasure I have” “Are you sure?” “Certainly, better thanquickly finishes up writing, rolls up the vellu the wax onto the open edge of the scroll He quickly sta a royal seal “We’d also like to ask you a favour” “Ah, right I did proeous, we’d just like to open a trading post If possible, we’d like to pay the tax in the foroods up to 10 units, ill give 1 unit as a fore like everyone else?” Till closes her eyes for ahere “It’s si have no fixed price as it sidom We will mutually benefit since the worth of your taxation will be equivalent to the worth of our goods If it’s popular, you can always sell it and also be guaranteed a supply of those goods without having to make us a royal purveyor If it isn’t popular, we don’t lose ht, whypopular” Till si once we start” She nods her head at Isnic, who reaches for a s and presents it to the king “Try it in the , I believe the one called Mikhal was particularly fond of it” The king narrows his eyes before picking it up and inspecting it “What is this?” “We call it tea, you simply put some leaves in a container like a cup or a bowl, fill it up with hot water and let it soak for a bit before drinking” The king sih to convince me, I’d like a favour as well” “Oh?” “I overheard from the Feian troops that your Academy is opened for their citizens, I’d like the sa to think “As long as your citizens pay the tuition, I don’t see any probleeet up, giving a bow before a “thank you for your ti wryly returns a “just coaba The curtains flap for are his brows He takes the scroll and breaks the seal Reaching over to a s with a karan as he studies the materials Till has asked for “What is this…? This looks neither like a hearth nor a blooe?” [T/N: Bloomery… why the hell is called ぶるーめりー when it’s obviously a borroord, it should be in katakana Even then, google gave me the result of flowers and a Goddae?” The squire from before opens the door and kneels down shortly after “Take away the wine, and also notify the the royal set me Donavic for tomorrow’s first audience” “The Barwn, sire?” “No, his 3rd son, the one nauards open the elaborate doors to the audience hall for what looks like a boy beforethe door Before the steps to the throne in the nificent stone hall stands a ss and a jar of hot water as well as a container holding so live the king!” The boy presents hiht fist to his left shoulder before kneeling down on one knee, keeping his eyes on the floor “At ease, ets up and s the leaves He takes a few leaves, throws it in a bowl, pouring sorabs a serving plate and covers the boith it before sitting down “Mikhal Donavic, due to your ti out the immortals You are hereby bestowed the advanceht 1st class by the generosity of His Majesty” Silence follows before the Chancellor who read the scroll coughs and whispers “Wake up” The boy quickly gets to a kneeling position “Ackno- eh Thank you, your Majesty” Theon the throne gives a quick wave Mikhal quickly gets back to his seat and takes a sip of the tea to caln you to attend the Acadehter and to protect thehts 2nd class, a dozen Squires and a dozen Pages to complete your task! Additionally, you are to be the liaison representing Sardon If there is anything notable within the Academy, you are to report it at once! A seasonal report is expected froe!” “Good, you are dismissed!” The boy takes a bow and is about to turn his back He stops ulp, before bowing again and leaving the audience chauards open the door fro feet and the sight of the silently closing door karan karan The king rings the silver bell that’s resting on his throne A servant quickly appears, bowing as soon as he gets to his designated spot “Yes, e?” “Go prepare the leaves in a bowl of hot water for me, the same as the one on the table there” The Chancellor turns toward his king with a conspiring sht, make that tls Seems like the Chancellor is curious too” The servant quickly bows and swiftly takes the bowl of leaves before disappearing to the side of the audience hall Other servants quickly appear to remove the utensils, the table and stool The Chancellor announces with a loud and clear voice “Next!” Posted by at