The town was a long way off.
Crishet-san and Gahlen-san were not to travel on foot; instead, they were to ride along in a carriage bound for the town.
The village’s specialties were rock salt and furs. While they sometimes sold a portion to traveling merchants, the majority was sold directly to merchants from other villages and the town. For this reason, carriages made regular round trips between the village and the town, and the two of them had arranged to ride on one.
It was a journey of considerable distance, and the highway could hardly be called safe. Usually, about four of the village’s most skilled fighters would serve as escorts, but with many having died, they were short-handed. The men in charge of transport were outwardly amicable about Crishet-san and Gahlen-san joining them, partly to serve as guards. The memory of Crishet-san’s display the other day sent shivers of terror down their spines. Yet, on the other hand, as an escort, there was no one in the village comparable to Crishet-san, and Gahlen-san’s own swordsmanship, as a former centurion, was known to all. Their presence was, if anything, reassuring.
Those who came to see them off were the women and children Crishet-san was particularly close to.
Though some children were frightened of Crishet-san, the first thing that came to their young minds was the image of a ‘hero who punished the wicked bandits that even the adults couldn’t defeat.’
Partly because Crishet-san had been good at looking after them, they remained attached to her. Some cried, others clenched their fists, holding back tears, as they saw Crishet-san off.
What浮かぶ (ukabu) – surfaced – on the women’s faces was guilt for not having been able to protect her.
If they had protected Crishet-san, she wouldn’t have had to leave the village like this.
No matter how one tried to spin it, Crishet-san was nothing more than a pitiful girl who had lost her parents only to be cast out of her village.
Because they had felt such strong affection for her, their regret was equally profound.
One by one, they bade Crishet-san farewell, handing her various parting gifts.
For Crishet-san, who was sensitive to the cold, most of these were furs, woven fabrics, and sweets that would keep for a long time.
It became so much that Crishet-san couldn’t carry it all herself, so Gahlen-san accepted them in her stead, packing them into the carriage with the rest of the luggage.
Crishet-san received the gifts with a smile and responded to their final farewells.
Watching her, the women clenched their teeth, determined not to show their tears.
“……Crishet-chan. If things get too hard, you can always come back. Don’t… don’t dwell on things too much, alright?”
“Yes, obasan.”
The woman wrapped a scarf around Crishet-san’s neck and gave her a final embrace.
Among the women who witnessed this, some couldn’t hold back their tears.
For those who knew the depth of their bond, the sorrow was all the more acute.
“……Gahlen-san, it’s about time.”
“Ah. Crishet.”
“Yes.”
The coachman spoke, and Crishet-san nodded to Gahlen-san.
Then, bowing deeply just once towards everyone, she said,
“Thank you for being so kind to Crishet. ……You’ve taken such good care of me.”
Finishing her words with a smile, she pattered lightly into the carriage.
After a short while, as the carriage began to move and gradually receded into the distance, they could see Crishet-san’s head, which had been sitting up straight, progressively bowing lower and lower.
Seeing this, the women finally began to weep openly, and the children, too, cried out in loud wails.
――It really… hurt.
The slight憧れ (akogare) – longing – Crishet-san had felt to ride in a carriage dissipated less than an hour after they set off. Now, she battled the pain from the jolting, rattling ride that seemed to stab at her backside.
Though she tried to maintain her composure, pain was pain.
Unconsciously shifting her center of gravity, Crishet-san gradually leaned into a slightly forward posture.
A small cushion had, of course, been placed beneath her, but for Crishet-san, who was naturally lean, there was little to absorb the shocks.
Seeing Gahlen-san sitting calmly beside her, it seemed only natural that this pain was something to be endured.
Crishet-san, who vowed to herself to be superior to others, convinced herself of this. She desperately bore the pain, pulling her hood deep over her head to hide her face.
Gahlen-san, seeing his beloved granddaughter, gently stroked her head and pulled her lightly towards him.
Intelligent, overflowing with talent, and remarkably composed—she was undoubtedly no ordinary girl.
Nevertheless, Gahlen-san believed that Crishet-san also possessed normal human sensibilities.
He knew from Golka and Grace that she never let others see her cry.
She must have finally reached her limit, Gahlen-san thought.
The coachman seated in front and the mounted escorts nearby also cast sympathetic glances towards Crishet-san.
They hadn’t held a particularly favorable impression of Crishet-san.
Her abnormality was an idea especially prevalent among the men.
The image of Crishet-san expressionlessly beating down and pummeling her opponents lingered in their minds. Some among them even harbored baseless suspicions that Crishet-san might have killed those two children from before.
Furthermore, they had noticed that Garo, who had shown sexual interest in her and had touched her bottom and chest under the pretext of “guiding” her, had vanished at some point. It was secretly whispered that Crishet-san might have killed him too.
The two escorts accompanying them, in particular, had witnessed the recent spectacle. Based on numerous rumors, they had agreed with the assessment that she was a monster and had even played a part in spreading those tales.
But now, seeing her huddled under her hood, head bowed, with Gahlen-san’s arm around her shoulder, what welled up inside them was guilt.
There was a growing sense that they themselves had driven her into this situation.
Witnessing the women and children at the farewell, they could understand how deeply she was cherished.
If they were in her position, would so many people come to see them off?
Such thoughts only intensified their doubts about their own actions.
Given Crishet-san’s exceptional looks, it was natural for her to attract attention, become a topic of conversation, and for even trivial matters to make her stand out negatively.
Anyone would have flaws if one looked hard enough.
It was probably true that she wasn’t ordinary.
Yet, what she had done this time was simply take up her sword and save the village from a crisis.
She had truly saved the village, and they had been rescued by her.
She had done nothing for which she could be blamed.
Her treatment, after losing her parents and having no kin other than her grandfather, had been cruel.
As if to avert their eyes from their own powerlessness, they had all called her an abnormal person.
She had become an outlet for their directionless anger and emptiness.
And now, she was being carted away as if expelled from the village.
The men, who had little real connection to her, had wounded her so deeply with their scapegoating rumors and assumptions—a young girl, barely more than ten years of age.
They began to re-examine their own conduct.
During rest stops, Crishet-san would proactively busy herself, willingly tending to the horses and helping with meals.
Her true motive was, “I want to move because my bottom hurts,” but seeing her work so diligently, witnessing her earnestness and industriousness up close, only strengthened their feelings of remorse.
Travel was inherently more exhausting than usual.
Yet, her unwavering efforts, working diligently without showing fatigue or uttering complaints, were truly admirable. It was the very image of the ‘good rumors’ about her that Grace, Golka, and the women had spoken of.
The men started to feel ashamed of themselves. Without any specific prompting, one after another, they began to urge her to rest.
Crishet-san, wanting to forget the pain in her bottom, demurred at first, yet she continued to present a diligent figure.
A few days later, by the time they reached the town, the men’s attitude towards her had completely softened.
“……Gahlen-san mentioned it too, but if things get really tough, you tell me. I come here once a month, so I’ll take you back with me then.”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
“Do your best. ……I’m sure someone like you will do well anywhere.”
Though the men couldn’t bring themselves to apologize, they offered such words one after another.
But for her, whatever they said now, it was too late.
Vowing in their hearts to correct the rumors about her upon their return to the village, the men each bade Crishet-san farewell.
“……If they only knew the real Crishet, such rumors would never have spread, you know.”
“……?”
Gahlen-san spoke, watching the men as they moved away.
“Rumors, you see, whether good or bad, spread quickly. It’s normal for them to grow as they pass from one person to another. In relaying what was heard, one thing becomes two, then five. This whole affair was the result of such misfortunes piling up. ……They believed the rumors, but by actually interacting with you, they probably realized that rumors are nothing more than rumors.”
“Hah……”
“Crishet, you too must learn not to be swayed by rumors. And when you speak of others, be very careful, as such things can easily happen. You could unknowingly tarnish someone’s reputation and hurt them, you see.”
“……I understand.”
He was likely teaching Crishet-san the lessons to be learned from this incident.
Crishet-san was convinced, storing Gahlen-san’s words in an ‘important’ compartment in her mind.
I must be careful how I use rumors.
I need to thoroughly consider their efficacy and effects before deploying them.
Crishet-san committed this to memory and followed after Gahlen-san.
Unlike the village, which consisted solely of houses with wooden and earthen walls, the town featured scattered buildings made of brick or a white, alchemized stone created by hardening ash.
The roads were paved with stone, and on either side, houses and shops stood packed closely together.
Proceeding further, they came upon a street lined with houses that had gardens.
One of them, a particularly opulent house, seemed to be Gahlen’s destination.
Larger than any building in the village, its sturdy stone walls and structure resembled a small castle.
The garden had an orchard and planted flowers, and the path leading to the gate was neatly paved with cobblestones.
When he knocked on the large gate in the center of the symmetrical mansion, a woman in a black and white maid’s uniform greeted them.
A young girl with red hair cut to shoulder length—she looked to be in her mid-teens or slightly older.
The red-haired girl with well-defined features immediately discerned the reason for their visit upon seeing Gahlen.
Gahlen himself had been invited several times and was acquainted with her.
The two exchanged brief greetings, but when Crishet, who was beside him, removed her hood, the red-haired girl’s eyes widened significantly.
“Oh my…”
“This is the child I wanted you to look after, Berry.”
“…My, my, what a very beautiful young lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Berry Algan.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Crishet.”
When Crishet accepted the offered hand, the girl—Berry—smiled happily and bowed politely, saying, “I look forward to your stay with us.”
“Now, please come this way. I’ll show you to the drawing-room.”
Upon entering, directly ahead was a grand spiral staircase.
Passing through a door beside it, they entered a room with a large sofa and table.
On the shelves along the walls were glittering furnishings and several paintings depicting something.
A portrait was placed above the fireplace.
“It’s quite bright,” Crishet thought, tilting her head as she looked at the glass windows, then glanced up at the ceiling, which was the source of the light. Several round, glowing orbs were arranged there.
Berry, noticing this, chuckled softly and explained.
“Those are called Ever-Burning Lamps. They shine using magical power without fire, illuminating the room.”
“Jo-ma-tou…”
“There are quite a few houses in the city that use them, but they seem to be an unfamiliar sight in villages. In mansions like this, there are often rooms that don’t get much sunlight, so these are used instead of the sun. You see, houses are also densely packed, and many ordinary homes use them instead of candles.”
“Is that so? I’ve never seen them before…”
“Hehe, well then, it seems we’ll be able to show you many firsts today.”
Berry used a magical heating device, poured hot water into a pot, and then poured tea for Crishet and the others.
Crishet sensed waves of magical power from various places around her and became intrigued.
However, she didn’t ask any questions and simply stared intently at the tea in front of her.
The aroma was very much to Crishet’s liking, and she could tell it was a drink with honey poured into it, but with steam rising from it, she couldn’t bring herself to touch it.
Crishet had an extreme sensitivity to hot food and drinks.
“Here is your tea. Please, go ahead.”
“Ko-cha…”
Crishet picked up the cup by its handle, hesitantly brought it to her lips, and blew on it gently, “foo, foo.”
Seeing this, Berry laughed cheerfully, and Crishet’s face turned somewhat red.
“It seems you’re not very good with hot things.”
“Ah, um…”
Berry said, “Excuse me for a moment,” left the room, and returned shortly.
During that time, Crishet still hadn’t been able to take a sip.
“Drinking it as is is fine, but you can also enjoy it with milk. That might cool it down a bit and be more to your liking, Crishet-sama.”
Berry poured a little milk into the tea and stirred it.
“Here you go,” Berry offered, and Crishet, her cheeks still flushed, took a sip.
A faint tartness and sweetness, the aroma of honey and tea leaves, and the smoothness of milk.
Crishet smiled at the taste of the pleasantly warm tea and told Berry, “It’s very delicious.”
Berry chuckled softly and replied, “I’m most glad you like it.”
“Hehe, Crishet-sama, you look even cuter when you smile. I was looking forward to seeing what kind of person would be arriving, but with someone like you, Crishet-sama, my joy is doubled. Please, let’s get along well from now on.”
“…Yes.”
As Crishet spoke, her eyes sparkling at the tea, Berry offered her some baked sweets, saying, “Please have some of these too.”
Crishet took one with a face full of anticipation and experienced a culture shock from its taste.
Although there were sweets in the village made with sweet nuts and honey, what she was served was something that overturned Crishet’s entire concept of deliciousness up to that point.
A crisp texture, a hint of saltiness, and the sweetness of honey.
Seeing Crishet’s moved expression, Berry smiled happily.
“These are just something I made in my spare time, but seeing you enjoy them so much makes it all worthwhile. Hehe, how are they? Are they delicious?”
“They’re delicious! How do you make them? …Ah.”
The moment she replied, Crishet realized her own impoliteness and suddenly became embarrassed.
Blushing, Crishet looked at Gahlen and Berry, then lowered her gaze.
“Please don’t mind. I’m very happy to hear you say that. Are you interested in making sweets?”
“Ah, um… Yes, I used to make them at home too.”
“…This child has always liked cooking, you see. In that sense, it seems she could get along well with you,” Gahlen remarked.
“Yes, yes. The young mistress here doesn’t seem to have much interest in that sort of thing, so I’m very pleased. If there’s anything you’re curious about, please ask me anytime.”
“Yes…!”
In terms of cooking, Berry was clearly her superior.
Crishet was moved to have met such a person.
Crishet, who had a strong desire for self-improvement, was grateful to Berry for showing her a new perspective on cooking.
Berry talked about the tips for making cookies, and Crishet listened with great interest.
Gahlen watched his granddaughter’s demeanor and smiled with relief.
“It seems she’ll be alright here,” he thought.
As they were thus engaged in pleasant conversation, after a while, the door to the drawing-room opened.
A well-built man in his prime appeared.
His golden hair, just beginning to show a few strands of white, was slicked back, and he had a beard covering the area around his mouth.
He wore a white shirt, a black vest, and slacks.
It was a simple attire, adorned with a gold crest of a hawk and lightning on the chest, but his muscular physique was his greatest adornment, and his face, etched with countless scars and deep wrinkles, had an imposing presence.
After narrowing his sharp eyes gently at Gahlen, he looked at Crishet.
Even faced with a fierce countenance that would have frightened an ordinary girl at first glance, Crishet remained as usual.
Following Gahlen’s lead in standing up, she bowed deeply.
“…A pleasure to meet you. My name is Crishet.”
“Ah, a pleasure to meet you. I am Bohgan Chrishtand… I was indebted to your grandfather long ago. Well, please relax and sit down.”
“Yes.”
Wondering if it was alright, she glanced at Gahlen, and after confirming her grandfather’s nod, she sat down.
After the carriage ride, the feel of the sofa was truly comfortable.
“A well-mannered young lady. I thought she might be a little frightened… but just as I heard, she seems to have steady nerves.”
“…I am grateful that you’ve agreed to my request,” Gahlen said.
As Gahlen bowed his head, Bohgan approached him, shook his head, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, “Please raise your head, Captain.”
“Having you bow to me puts me in an awkward position. I simply wished to repay even a small part of my old debt.”
“A debt? I merely did what was natural. …However, I consider it the greatest honor to hear you say so.”
Bohgan nodded and sat in the seat opposite them.
Gahlen also sat down in the same manner.
“Nevertheless, I didn’t expect such a beautiful young lady. And she seems quite intelligent too.”
“…My daughter and son-in-law were a couple I was proud of, but even so, this child is exceptionally gifted. That’s what makes it all the more regrettable.”
“…My condolences. I cannot say I fully understand how you feel, but when it was my wife…”
“An untimely death is a painful thing, isn’t it,” Bohgan said, taking a sip of the poured tea.
Since Bohgan’s appearance, Berry hadn’t uttered a single word and merely stood upright with her hands clasped in front of her.
Her demeanor was that of a graceful and modest lady, and when Crishet glanced at her, Berry offered a tiny, mischievous smile.
“…So your name is Crishet. You’ve been through a lot too, haven’t you.”
“No.”
Crishet replied calmly.
Especially now, it wasn’t something she dwelled on much, just a slight degree of regret.
What was truly terrible, Crishet thought, was that the pumpkins had been pulverized.
“A strong-willed child. But… this child, did she, um, really… the bandits…?”
“Yes. I knew she was skilled with a sword… but even I didn’t expect that much. That must be what they call innate talent. Against bandits who were former soldiers… I suspected it might have been due to what you people call physical augmentation.”
“…Magic?”
Bohgan narrowed his eyes and looked at Crishet.
A faint blue aura clinging to her body—the precise movement of magical power.
Surprise flickered in Bohgan’s eyes, and he frowned.
“I see… No, but…”
Bohgan seemed to ponder for a moment, then asked.
“Crishet, where did you learn magic?”
“…? Magic?”
“You’re unaware? …The art of manipulating the magical power your body is clad in, that’s what it’s called. Aren’t you using it right now?”
“Ah… yes. You mean this ‘wafting essence,’ don’t you?”
Crishet finally understood.
It was the art of controlling her body not with muscular strength, but with the ‘wafting essence’ drifting inside her.
Ever since she had acquired it, Crishet had relied on it completely, to the point where it was so natural for her she wasn’t even aware of using it.
That was why her reaction had been delayed.
While she did feel fatigue when she was still unaccustomed to it, once she got used to it, she didn’t use muscular strength, and her fatigue actually lessened.
Tasks that would be arduous for a normal person were not arduous for her.
The reason the hardworking Crishet could be so was also partly thanks to her having learned such body manipulation through magical power.
“…It’s such magnificent physical augmentation that one wouldn’t notice it at a glance. Since when have you been doing this?”
“…About nine years ago, perhaps?”
When Crishet vaguely searched her memories and replied, Baughan-sama’s surprise intensified.
Considering her age, which he’d heard was twelve, it was only natural.
“I see. I understand now. …Indeed, to those who don’t know, it must certainly appear peculiar.”
“I, too, had a faint feeling that might be the case,” Garen-san interjected, “but there was no sense of incongruity in her daily life, and I only became certain of it during the fight with the bandits. For me, who cannot see magical power, it was difficult to judge… Is it really that remarkable?”
“Yes… Even I cannot perform physical augmentation with so little waste, nor have I ever seen anything like it. It’s likely because she has utilized it as a matter of course in her daily life since she was a child. I was surprised when I received the letter asking to entrust your granddaughter to me, but now I understand.”
“Ah,” Garen-san nodded and said.
“I thought that her future, which would be limited in that countryside village, might expand infinitely if I entrusted her to you. Now that you’ve seen her, what do you think?”
“…Just as you say, if she’s this skilled at manipulating magical power at this age, her future will indeed expand limitlessly. I would very much like to see that myself. …However, are you alright with this, Crishet?”
Addressed, Crishet looked at Baughan-sama.
“If you wish to live here, I will accept you. However, it will be different from life in the village where you were born and raised; you might find it a strict life bound by rules. Moreover, you won’t be able to meet the villagers so easily. …Are you still fine with that?”
“Yes, Crishet wants to live here.”
It was an immediate answer without a hint of hesitation.
Baughan-sama was taken aback by such a clear reply, but he interpreted it favorably, thinking she must have already firmed up her resolve.
She was a pitiful girl, but she had completely recovered from her parents’ death and was looking towards the future.
“Understood. Then, I’ll be counting on you from now on, Crishet. Feel free to just call me Baughan.”
“Yes.”
“Now then, about your care—”
“Yes, Milord Head! This Berry will take charge with utmost sincerity!”
Berry declared, eagerly cutting in, and Baughan-sama gave a wry smile.
“…She will take care of your personal needs. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask her anything.”
“Understood.”
“Well then, Berry, show her to her room.”
“As you wish. Come, Crishet-sama, let’s go.”
Crishet glanced at her half-drunk tea and half-eaten cookie, but she endured, nodded, and stood up.
Seeing that, Berry chuckled and whispered, “Let’s have another tea party in your room.”
Crishet, blushing at having her inner thoughts seen through, vaguely nodded at Berry’s words.
After the two of them left, Baughan-sama took out a bottle from a shelf.
He grabbed two glass cups and, smiling at Garen-san, said, “How about it?”
“…I’ve been refraining from alcohol lately.”
“It’s fine once in a while, isn’t it? Have you forgotten? It was you, Captain, who taught me the taste of alcohol.”
“Kuku, I’m not that senile yet.”
“That’s good to hear. …Besides, sometimes it’s not bad to distract oneself with alcohol.”
A brown liquid was poured. Garen-san tilted his head at the drifting scent of alcohol.
“I haven’t seen this before.”
“It’s liquor from the northern countries, a distilled spirit, apparently. Well, please.”
Garen-san did as told and poured it down his throat, suppressing a cough.
He had never experienced such a burning sensation in his throat.
A rich, distinctive aroma assailed his nostrils, and his stomach felt as if it were on fire.
“Not bad at all. But it’s strong.”
“Apparently, it’s also good diluted with water, but I prefer it straight. I thought you, Captain, might prefer something like this.”
“Ah, no doubt. …It looks rather expensive.”
“Yes, well. That said, it’s not that much.”
Baughan-sama also tilted his glass. He let out a rough breath.
“Once it becomes a habit, this stuff is just… Really, for this alone, I have to resent you, Captain.”
“Even if I hadn’t taught you, you would have ended up like this sooner or later.”
“Kuku,” Garen-san chuckled, and Baughan-sama also smiled.
“…It reminds me of when I fought as your subordinate. Those were good times.”
“Your lifestyle is different now, isn’t it? …Besides, your current position as General suits you better than those kinds of gritty places.”
“General… huh. Back then, it was something I aspired to, but now I feel like I’m about to be crushed by the weight of its responsibility. If I could, I would have wanted to keep fighting under you.”
As if exhaling deep exhaustion, Baughan-sama sank into the sofa.
“Or perhaps, like you, resign and return to the countryside…”
“It wasn’t a bad life. …Truly, not bad. But peace is something that can sometimes crumble in an instant… I had forgotten that.”
“…Captain, what do you intend to do from now on?”
“Me, you ask?”
Garen-san fell into thought, swirling the alcohol in his glass.
Baughan-sama said,
“Won’t you serve alongside me once more, as my adjutant? I have that much power now. Of course, only if you wish it, Captain.”
“To the battlefield, again?”
“I won’t let something like what happened back then occur again. …Now, I am the General.”
This was a story from when Garen-san was once a soldier.
He had been ordered to burn a village that had sheltered enemy prisoners, as an example.
Naturally, Garen-san refused.
He argued that, at the very least, punishment should be limited to those directly involved.
His subordinates, including Baughan-sama, agreed with him—or perhaps that was the problem.
Their superior officer at the time threatened to punish not only Garen-san, who was a Centurion, and Baughan-sama, his adjutant, but also their soldiers for insubordination.
Most of the soldiers were men who had come from poor villages to earn money.
Insubordination was a grave offense—leading not just to detention or stripping of military rank, but in some cases, execution.
—His men and the village.
Garen-san, weighing the two, ultimately obeyed the order, and after that, he left the army.
“…It’s an unpleasant, a truly unpleasant memory. Those screams and cries still linger in my ears.”
He had let many escape. But even so, there were casualties.
How those whose homes and storehouses were burned lived afterwards.
Just imagining it made his chest ache.
“I was weak, Baughan.”
“…Captain, you are a strong person. You left the army to take the blame so that it wouldn’t fall on us, didn’t you?”
“Taking responsibility is a matter of course. But… it wasn’t just that. I simply couldn’t bear it anymore.”
Garen-san sighed and said,
“…This recent incident, too, when I think about it, might have been an inevitable consequence of what I did back then, come full circle.”
“Captain…”
Baughan-sama shook his head and stood up.
Then he patted Garen-san’s shoulder.
“She will be lonely by herself too. Returning to the army is merely one suggestion. Even if not, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like.”
“…I’m sorry. May I have some time to think about it?”
“Yes, as much as you need. Are you going to the village tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Then, please relax today. Use your usual room.”
“…Thank you.”
Garen-san showed a smile on his wrinkled face.