Chapter 164

Chapter 164 - Tribe Girl Matilda's Day

Matilda is a 7-year-old Dark Elf girl brimming with curiosity.

Until just last year, an arduous wandering life was continued, but that is an old story. Now, she has completely adapted to life in the Moving Castle.

When she wakes up in the morning, the first place she goes is the bathroom present in every household. Here, she can use an unlimited amount of clean water anytime.

Splash splash.

Matilda liked the smooth and clean bathroom sensation touching her bare feet. That was the same for her grandmother and mother as well.

- This kind of thing can only be seen in wealthy mansions of the Eastern Empire. But unlike mosaic tiles, it endures impacts and the passage of time steadfastly, so it is truly incredible.

- I agree, Mother. I wonder what secret method it is that moss doesn't even gather. It's truly convenient to clean.

Whoooosh.

Matilda received the cheerfully spewing water a handful and washed her face. It's a luxury unimaginable during the days of wandering life.

A life of holding a mouthful of water in the mouth and spitting it out little by little onto the palm to wash the face. Matilda hated going back to that time ever again.

- Tsk. With this, won't the children grow up too weak.

- Shut up, old man.

Her grandfather frequently grumbled at the excessive convenience, but whenever he did, her grandmother immediately suppressed him. Matilda, who liked her grandfather more, didn't even side with him at times like this.

After washing up and going out, Matilda's older sister Frida is practicing for an interview.

"I am Frida Fox. I possess the fastest feet among those my age. Cassandra must have also seen that I won 1st place in the running race at the sports day Viscount held last week. And I also have good dexterity. While learning work from my grandfather who works as a stable manager, I also frequently heard that I am smart. Our grandfather is truly stingy with praises."

Although people of this era have little freedom in choosing a profession, it is especially severe for the Blackhand Tribe.

When they reach adulthood, they must choose either a warrior or a technician without fail.

Since there are multiple branches for warriors as warriors and technicians as technicians, experiencing this and that before deciding a career path is recommended.

Naturally, popular fields and unpopular fields are bound to be divided. Cassandra's Ranger Unit, which only women can apply for, is always highly popular.

"I am the eldest daughter of Knight Luden who fights shoulder to shoulder with Viscount. Strongly inheriting that blood..."

Even for experiencing, appealing to be ahead of others was needed to pass the competition.

Of course, to Matilda who is only a mere 7 years old right now, it's a distant story. Right now, it's enough to just play excitedly every day and grow up healthy.

Matilda discovered her mother maintaining the bow she used during her active-duty days in the living room.

"Ehehe."

When she hugged that embrace tightly, the bulging belly touched her cheek. It's the sensation of a younger sibling she couldn't taste until a few months ago.

"When does it kick?"

"The time has already passed, but it seems to be a slightly quiet type."

Tap tap.

"It doesn't kick just because you knock, you know?"

"Eung..."

"You or your sister kicked mom's belly this way and that way, wondering why you were so bored."

Smiling, her mother stroked Matilda's hair.

"Mom's hands are really soft."

"My feelings are complicated. I'm glad my daughter likes it, but it feels like I'm drifting away from being a warrior. Back when I shot arrows in full swing, there was never a day without calluses."

"It's okay! Even if your hands are mushy, here is still hard... eh?"

Matilda's eyes, who rolled up the bottom hem of her mom's top, widened. Because the sculpture-like abs that hadn't rested from training even after retiring had changed.

The 6 densely united mounds distanced from each other due to the uplifting of the ground entirely. It's a spectacular sight one can see when Blackhand Tribe women become pregnant.

It is the period when Dark Elf wives wield the most powerful authority in the household. Because even if a quarrel arises over household management, just showing this resolves it simply.

Whatever stubborn husband would bow down to their wife foolishly as if mesmerized.

"You can take good care of your younger sibling when they are born, right? Once your sister enters the path of a warrior (Agoge), she'll start training camp."

"No problem! Just leave it to me."

Matilda pounded her chest playfully with her small fist.

Dark Elves are a race that does not possess their own pastureland. They continue a wandering life in the territories of settled peoples. Receiving numerous checks and living arduously, their birth rate was also low.

However, after settling in the Moving Castle and receiving Eugene's political protection, their living environment such as safety, food, and medical care improved tremendously.

That led to the result of a birth rate several times higher. Normally, it would have taken a long time for Matilda to see a younger sibling.

Matilda quickly ran to the 1st floor lobby before breakfast was prepared.

That place is guarded by the Dwarf guards her uncles call shorties. They are shorties to adults, but to Matilda, their shoulders looked as big and wide as mountains.

"Have you come again?"

"Wandering what's so fun about the castle gate opening that she watches like that."

Seeing her face frequently, the Dwarves waved their hands. The reason Matilda runs to the lobby at an early hour is to watch the castle gate opening.

"It's time. Open the gate!"

The Guard Captain shouted and operated something.

Kurrrrng.

Then, the massive castle gate that wouldn't even have a scratch if a Minotaur rammed into it moved.

- This castle is alive. Blood circulates in the castle walls, muscles pulsate, and it can feel you contained within its body.

- Yes! Lord!

Matilda remembered Eugene, who would stroke the hair of the dozens of Dark Elf kids, including herself, one by one.

While the other kids were busy giggling at the Lord's touch, Matilda focused more on the story itself.

'The Moving Castle is alive, and flesh is plumped up on the castle walls.'

Because this is the element Matilda was most interested in regarding this castle.

Bulge bulge.

The edge of the lobby. Muscle bundles seemingly resembling lengthened adductor muscles of a clam moved on their own and directly pulled the castle gate like ropes.

- I, it's a Lamia!

- Guards! Where did the guards go?!

During the banquet, a few Sicilyn nobles who visited the castle also caused a fuss. Because they mistook the giant snake lurking in the corner of the entrance.

Dududuk.

Ttuduk.

Muscle bundles the size of two adult men's spans curled around and pulled the castle gate.

If one looks closely, behind the muscle bundles is a mechanical device that is no longer used. The flesh lump that occupied it like a conch shell is the origin of the muscle bundles.

It is one of the parts the Moving Castle gained when reborn as a living creature from hell. Dwarves can only control it through devices, but Eugene can move it with his will alone.

- Dear residents. This right here is the true sea. It is of a different level from things like the inland sea of the northern Roman continent. Everyone, enjoy this warm sunlight and cool waves to your heart's content.

Whenever warping to exotic regions, Eugene personally opened the castle gate and introduced it, so everyone knew that authority well.

- This castle is also the Lord's body. Scribbling on the castle is no different from doing wicked deeds to him.

- I, I am sorry. I did wrong. Waaah...

Therefore, a kid caught scribbling on the castle was beaten by the teacher until his calves burst.

Kuung.

When the castle gate opened, the muscle bundles also stopped moving.

Around the mechanical device, several shell-like bluish eyes sprouted. Those eyes also looked back identically at Matilda staring at them.

Blink. Blink.

Girls her age hated them calling the eyes gross, but to Matilda, they were only fascinating.

"Interesting, isn't it? There is no particular need for us to control it. Because those eyes see and stop on their own. We strongly receive the feeling that it is truly a living castle."

"A castle gate possessing a will. Such a thing cannot even be found in the underground kingdom."

Those whose interests connect technically usually become close overcoming age and race.

"Recently Rampage mister gave me a piggyback ride on a ladder so I touched it once. The movement is soft like beef but suuuper hard. Like a rope twisted with iron."

"The castle gate has opened. Idle chatter ends here."

The idle chatter between the Dwarf guards and Matilda was cut off by the Guard Captain's low voice.

A soldier and a child. The two are a combination allowed a lot of flexibility by anyone. However, this upright Captain did not allow any exceptions while on duty.

"Aigoo, this mister is truly inflexible."

"Isn't he a vicious guy who doesn't react even when his young son toddles over and greets him? Pro spirit is also a disease at that level, a disease."

The Guard Captain did not bother replying to his subordinates who openly badmouthed him. He merely tapped the medal pinned to his left chest.

"..."

"Tsk!"

Losing anything to say, the subordinates clicked their tongues.

- Kellogg. I award this medal in recognition of performing flawless checks in the Catania criminal sweep operation. Thanks to you, we caught several bosses trying to slip away unnoticed. What a sentry needs is not flexibility. Continue to tightly secure the entrance of the Moving Castle in the future as well.

The medal directly pinned by Eugene effectively shut the subordinates up more than 100 rebuttals.

Matilda, who returned home waving at the blue eyes, finished breakfast and resumed exploring.

"Haap!"

"Yap!"

Boys and girls lined up in a large dojo are practicing the tribe's traditional martial arts.

They are Agoge trainees. It is a curriculum Blackhand Tribe members must complete without exception when they reach a certain age.

"Aaack!"

"Hurry up and surrender! If you don't want your arm broken!"

"As if I'd surrender?!"

In another place, older students practiced grappling.

This technique, meticulously analyzing the joint structure and viciously digging into those weak points, is a gift bestowed by Eugene.

"Stop! That's enough! You'll get hurt anymore than this."

A girl who never surrendered even while sweating like a waterfall with a bright red face. The instructor, looking at that spirit as if admirable, intervened.

The Agoge cadets and instructors all wore bizarrely shaped white clothes. It's a clothing called a 'dobok' manufactured by requesting Catania weavers.

"The more I look at it, the more I admire the technical structure. To think that if the opponent resists, that strength reversely pressures the vital points more."

"Where did the Lord learn such techniques? I have never heard stories of the Prophetic Knight being proficient in martial arts wrestling."

The Dark Elf instructors were also confident they wouldn't lose to any knight of the continent when it comes to grappling.

However, the new techniques Eugene taught were on a different dimension in meticulousness and destructive power.

It is a natural result as it is the product of experts proficient in science and medicine refining it into military techniques over hundreds of years. Though the instructors only marvel because they are unable to know the secret.

"Your head only hurts if you ponder. Is it just one or two bizarre things the Lord brings?"

Even if it wasn't necessarily combat techniques, it's common for residents to pass it off this way. Because even if they think deeply, they won't understand and their heads will only hurt.

Meanwhile, not everyone views Eugene's gifts positively.

"The Lord has excessive mercy too. Raising them this weakly..."

"Tsk tsk! You have to properly instill venom in them since young, yet."

Originally, the Blackhand Tribe's Agoge didn't only consist of practical training. It also included multiple harsh treatments that could be called the medieval era's unique toxic military discipline.

"As expected, the body becomes sturdy only when flesh bursts and heals repeatedly."

"Stop it. You frown just bringing up the stone skin training, so don't get marked for no reason."

The Blackhand Tribe empirically understood that a broken bone attaches thicker and harder.

Therefore, they believed the skin would be the same. Under the pretext of training, they often inflicted beatings close to child abuse.

The reason Cassandra's Ranger Unit is popular is also because they don't do stone skin training if assigned there.

- It is the Lord's command. Stone skin training is strictly prohibited. I will not accept any rebuttals regarding this.

And by Eugene's command, various harsh treatments were permanently deleted from the Agoge curriculum.

Quite a few traditionalists harboring dissatisfaction emerged, but Rex crushed down the men, and Cassandra the women.

Stealthily.

Matilda's footsteps leaving the Agoge dojo became cautious. The next destination is not a restricted area, but a place where children are not welcomed.

"Everyone repeat after me! Beer is not barley tea!"

"Beer is not barley tea!"

"If you get caught drinking while on duty, you'll be beaten to death."

"..."

"Not repeating? You sons of bitches?"

It is none other than the brewery.

In front of the Dwarf brewers in a push-up position, half-empty beer mugs are placed one by one. In front of them, an old Dwarf is shaking a stone-like fist.

"Huhuhuut."

"Such lowly things."

The Dark Elf brewers passing by them snorted.

The Moving Castle brewery is a representative workplace where the two races work in the same space. Because the large-capacity brewing devices made in the ancient kingdom that aid in the fermentation and processing of alcohol are located only here.

"...Sigh. Everyone stand up."

At the old Dwarf's command, who hated being looked down upon by the Fairy Race more than military indiscipline, everyone instantly stood up.

Here, Dwarves brew beer and mushroom wine, while Dark Elves brew airag and fruit wine.

The warrior class, sharing joys and sorrows under Eugene and going through various battles, developed some love-hate attachment, but the brewers fought whenever they locked eyes.

"Milk-smelling pointy-eared bastards."

"What are those licking mold saying?"

"It's not mold, it's mycelium! Anyway, being ignorant is something to boast about, I see."

"The ignorant ones must be you shorties. Do you know how incredible this milk liquor is? With one bowl of this, one can easily fight for half a day. With one bowl of your mold liquor, could you swing a sword 3 times?"

"Taste and aroma are important for alcohol, why is calorific value and the like important..."

As if waiting, the Dark Elf brewer curled up the corners of his mouth.

"The Lord also praised it saying it is excellent as combat rations. Are you degrading his discerning eye right now?"

"N, no! Do not frame me with nonsense!"

Startled, the Dwarf brewer jumped up. Even to young Matilda, they were adults fighting truly childishly. However, even this was a great stride of progress.

Grab!

Matilda, who was trying to hide deeper in a stealthy cat posture, was caught by the back collar of her collar. A middle-aged Dark Elf woman is glaring with fiery eyes.

"You brat! Kids shouldn't be here! Hurry and go back!"

"Hing."

The body of the Fairy Race surpasses even the Dwarves famous for being heavy drinkers. Thanks to that incredible detoxification ability, even when Eugene rescued the isolated tribe warriors, he didn't see a single skin disease.

No matter how much human alcohol they drink, they barely get drunk. It's the secret to how Valda in the banquet hall properly catered to the guests while frequently visiting the restroom.

Therefore, the Dark Elf brewers brew special alcohol for their race. A strong alcohol that would knock out even the Fairy Race.

"She said Valda will come soon."

"Hm? Why?"

Matilda pricked up her ears at the women's conversation even while being carried out.

"She said there's an alcohol she wants to make and asked for help."

"Don't tell me?"

"Exactly that 'don't tell me'. If she was going to drink it herself, she would just ask for it, why would she seek us out saying she'll make it herself?"

Among the Fairy Race factions, there is a custom of presenting alcohol they personally brewed to their lover on a specific anniversary. This was a culture shared by the Elf clan Valda belonged to and the Blackhand Tribe.

"Do not come again. A kid like you could get drunk just smelling the aroma."

"A, alright."

Matilda, who was kicked out, stuck her tongue out at the middle-aged woman's back and ran somewhere else.

She spends more time running than walking when moving around, yet her breathing didn't falter once. In a way, she's an even more suitable talent for Cassandra's Ranger Unit than her older sister Frida.

The last place Matilda headed to was the newly opened memorial hall today. On the nameplate hung at the entrance, 'Bone Yard' is written.

A name attached to commemorate the first city Eugene formed a connection with, while also matching its identity as an exhibition hall of bones.

A purplish carpet imported from the East was laid on the floor, exuding a luxurious atmosphere.

- Unni. Unni. What kind of place is the Bone Yard? I saw Dwarf misters constructing it last time.

- Matilda. You. At least when you go there, keep your wits about you. Because if you run without looking ahead and happen to bump into the spoils of war there, it won't end with just a switch.

- So what kind of place is it?

- It's a place exhibiting the monster bones the Lord and the Minor Chief hunted.

- Ooooh!

- Are you listening to unni? You absolutely must not run there, got it?

She heard that if one fails to become a taxidermy like the Gnoll mister and Mountain Goat mister guarding the lobby, they come here.

"Oh! The first guest of our exhibition hall has arrived. Seems she ran diligently right after eating?"

"Lo, Lord-niim?!"

There, Eugene, Worker, and his disciples were present. Under the gaze of the ruler looking at her, even Matilda, who feared nothing in the world, shrank back.

Even though she hadn't done anything wrong for no reason, somehow she felt like she would get scolded by her mom when she returned.

"Nothing to be afraid of. Come here."

"Y, yes-sir!"

At Eugene's gesture, Matilda approached hesitantly. And discovering the massive structure looking down at her, she became a blank face.

"Cool, right?"

"Wh, what is this?"

"It's a Hydra."

The body bringing a dinosaur to mind was pinned down utilizing the dynamism of when it was alive exactly as it was.

The massive foot has the momentum of snatching up a knight along with their warhorse and squeezing out meat juice. The sprouted claws were individually on the level of being no different from battering rams.

The large spine robust like an old tree divided into 7 branches like branching out past the back.

At the ends connected by each neck, skulls overflowing with viciousness are placed. From different heights, they have their jaws opened as if to chew up the whole world.

Right above where Matilda is, there's a head seeming as if it's about to pounce on the floor with its mouth opened wide.

"Haeuu."

The eye sockets of the skull are large enough for Matilda to go in and out. As if feeling an unknown gaze from that pitch-black darkness, Matilda shuddered.

"Nothing to be afraid of. Because it's a bastard that's already dead."

"S, somehow I feel a gaze."

"You have a talent as a witch. To notice the spirit dwelling in the bones at this young age."

Matilda did not understand what Eugene was talking about, but was glad he was stroking her hair and stayed quiet.

"Didn't your father, Sir Luden, recently return wearing a cool-looking armor? That's what was made by peeling this bastard's hide."

"Ah! That's what it was. It was an extremely scary-looking armor. Dad got off work, but I couldn't run and hug him. I was scared, so my body trembled."

"Oh dear. Sir Luden must have felt sad."

"He hurriedly took off the armor and opened his arms. So I immediately ran over and kissed his cheek, and he hugged me tightly."

Directly under the glass tube light source on the ceiling, there were reflectors made by Worker and his disciples.

When pulling the string, the light moves at various angles, casting the Hydra's shadow everywhere. As if the shadow gained life and replicated the movements of when it was alive.

"Woaaah!"

Near the genuinely marveling Matilda, Worker also formed a broad smile.

"It is an incredible idea, Lord. How are you able to come up with such thoughts."

"I merely tossed the idea. You guys who suffered and completed the device are truly incredible."

In fact, the person who enjoyed this exhibition hall the most was Eugene.

'If it's this much, it's worthy of being recognized as a medieval version planetarium.'

It felt like reviving one of the entertainment venues of Earth fading away to the other side of his memories.

"It's far bigger than what I heard from grandmother. Did you catch this monster, Lord?"

"I didn't catch it alone. It was possible because my army moved with one heart. Look at this."

Around the skeleton, there is a plaque explaining the biological characteristics of the Hydra. Attaching even a painting capturing the moment of the historical hunt.

The backs of Eugene charging toward the Hydra and the knights following him were drawn. Eugene pointed to the 2nd knight from the right with his index finger.

"Matilda. This is your father."

"!!!"

"And this is the weapon your father used."

Behind the painting, the lance tips that were stuck in the Hydra's body are gathered neatly. Since the retainers engraved the names of the knights they served before deploying, distinguishing them was easy.

"Luden! Luden! Here too, Luden! And Luden!"

Matilda shouted joyfully looking at the 4 lance tips stained with blue blood.

"You'll have to hug him to the fullest when your father gets off work today, right? Because he's such an incredible knight."

"I promise! I will run and hug him even if he is wearing the scary armor!"

"Not only talent as a witch, but you have sufficient qualifications as a warrior as well."

Matilda, who viewed the Hydra skeleton specimen until her stomach was full, ran back exactly like when she came.

However, it's not like there was only heartwarming feelings in this space.

"..."

"..."

Valda and Cassandra were directly staring at each other with their arms crossed.

They had been arguing back and forth all morning over what angle and height to arrange the whopping 7 Hydra heads.

- Valda. Isn't it better to have them all glaring at one spot with their mouths open? The viewers will acutely feel that intimidation. The glory of the Lord who defeated the Hydra would shine that much as well.

- Even if it's not that, the dignity of my knight is already high, so it is fine. It is better to increase artistic diversity by dispersing and arranging the heads. It is a waste that the style only comes out if it must be viewed from a specific location.

"T, then we will be..."

When Matilda, who brought peace albeit briefly, disappeared, the Dwarves also tried to read the room and run away.

- Chief Technical Officer. What are your thoughts?

- Worker. Speak your opinion without reserve.

- ...

Being caught between two ladies was something even Worker, who had gone through all sorts of hardships, feared.

- Hang in there. Hehehe.

There was a reason Rampage smiled meaningfully with an expression of 'It's liberation!' when Worker and his disciples came to the Moving Castle.

Valda is the second-in-command of the Moving Castle needing no explanation and the highly renowned Mage of the Forest.

She has made great contributions in various battles and also gifted Eugene an ether-made sword. Even the tribe knights valued Valda's authority higher than Cassandra's.

However, Cassandra is also an influential figure mentioned as the next Chief of the Blackhand Tribe. Moreover, she is royalty of the only Dark Elf minor kingdom to successfully settle down.

Since her ability as a witch is also outstanding, she was scheduled to dedicate rituals and dances at the upcoming Sicilyn New Year festival.

The competitive air current that occurred like an event every time an incredible spoil of war was exhibited was considered a sort of natural disaster within the castle.

"Where are you going leaving the Lord behind? I also..."

Twitch twitch.

Flinch flinch.

The ears of the two Fairy Race ladies, which hadn't reacted when the Dwarves were leaving, immediately reacted.

"Eugene?"

"Lord?"

"Ah..."

He got caught completely.

"The ladder is right here."

Worker and his disciples placed the necessary equipment efficiently in front of Eugene and immediately fled.

Eugene had to spend a long and perplexing time caught between two stunning beauties.