Chapter 230

Chapter 230 - Tournament (2)

Around the time Eugene and the knights were carefully picking out their weapons.

Gulp.

Valda was digging up an herb with a carefulness equal to all of them combined. Using the fine bristles of a topmost grade brush that even wealthy noble ladies would find hard to obtain, she gently brushed the dirt off.

Valda, who dug up the herb in a perfect shape, soaked it in the reagent inside a flask. This too is an expensive alchemy ingredient where you must pay one silver coin for 5 drops.

"Is it finally finished?"

Shasha, who was covering her mouth with both hands so as not to break her concentration, lowered her hands. She is acting as an assistant by Valda's side and learning herbology and plant cultivation.

A Rakshasa's sense of smell far surpasses a human's or Elf's, so they exhibit talent in this field. Especially Shasha's tribe which had become herbivores were extremely sensitive to the scents of plants.

- How did you find this?!

- It smelled though? Ehehe.

Treasures in the ground that can only be found by utilizing dogs or pigs wearing muzzles, Rakshasas just find them. The appearance of searching on all fours like a dog was cute rather than ugly too.

- This one isn't great. It smells crumbly.

- N-No! What are you saying? Where else is there an apple with such a good color!

When she went to the fruit merchant company wearing her hood pressed down deep, she uncannily realized the sweetness or crumbliness without eating it.

Thanks to that, Shasha is also in charge of the somewhat important task of selecting vegetables and fruits to be placed on Eugene's dining table.

"It's the first time seeing Madam this careful."

"Is that all? I even lied because of this."

The herb already had an owner who commissioned it. But the situation changed and it became desperately needed by Valda too. She has just sent a false telegram to the commissioner saying the herb died.

- It is an herb I've only seen in ancient books and have never cultivated even once. I recommend commissioning another place besides me.

- Understood. However, the herbs grown by the Magician of the Emerald Forest are the most trustworthy, you see.

Fortunately, thanks to the conversation exchanged when she first took the commission, it was easy to make an excuse.

"It's something you can't yield to another person, right? Because happiness is something you fight for and win!"

"...Right."

At the appearance of Shasha energetically throwing an uppercut, Valda smiled faintly.

Fairy's Crown.

The rare herb Valda was supposed to deliver is used to manufacture potions aiding pregnancy between different races.

While there are races that cannot reproduce with each other, there are also compatibilities where mixed blood occurs as easily as if they were the same species.

Humans and Elves are somewhat skewed a few steps from the middle towards the impossible side. It is possible for Half-Elves to be born, but considerable effort must follow.

Valda stroked her own belly. Even after getting married last year, Valda's abdomen remains unvaryingly slender and soft. There are no signs of a life germinating inside there.

"But why is the name Fairy's Crown? It doesn't look like a crown at all."

"Because it is an herb that began to be used as humans and Elves united in the distant past."

Usually when talking about mixed blood, it tends to give off a feeling of being half-baked. Even just taking military horses right away, pureblood stallions receive the most excellent evaluation.

However, Half-Elves are an exception. Just what would the probability of a human and an Elf connecting through love and uniting be?

The case where that is possible is only when a miracle-like fate connects them. The love between a human and a fairy was always the union of a great hero and a great bloodline.

"Half-Elves wore a crown without exception. Therefore, this herb aiding pregnancy was also named Fairy's Crown. Now the manufacturing method has spread so it's used for the conception of various different-race couples, though."

"And yet it's hard to cultivate. Then you can't yield it!"

Valda lied for the first time for the baby that would dwell in her womb. That tormented her noble soul, but she can endure it.

The flames of desire longing to give birth to her husband's child. That simply burned away the spiderweb of honesty that was strangling Valda's heart.

* * *

The Pierce family's territory is Barcia's eastern border region. As the tournament date drew near, foreigners began pouring in.

From the participating knights and spectators, merchants attempting to sell food or luxury goods to them, to laborers offering their labor for a series of commerce.

The line stretching from the checkpoint grew endlessly long. And at times like this, using good tricks with each other is the custom.

"Hehe. You are suffering much day and night. Please accept this and help us a bit faster..."

"Eoheo! Towards where are you giving a bribe?!"

But this time it didn't work.

- Is the Madam not here yet?

- There hasn't been any contact yet.

- It must be quite a precious herb. Do everything to ensure her path here is safe.

Now that Marcus's special instructions fell, they cannot dare receive something like a bribe. Because taking the risk of getting the Lord's iron mace for some loose change is a crazy act.

Furthermore, Marcus was hunting roaming the forest not too far from the checkpoint.

Bbuuuu!

Bark bark bark-!

The sound of horns and hunting dogs barking echoed in the forest.

An ordinary noble's hunt is also sufficiently luxurious, but a Great Noble's is on a different level.

Just the mobilized hunting dogs are a whopping 50! Boys and girls appearing to be over 10 years old also wore various splendid attires and rode horses.

"Looking at their expressions, I see quite a few kids who came out forced?"

"Because the children of other vassals all participate, if only their child didn't go out, they'd fall behind. Whether it's to imprint themselves onto me, or the relation among vassals."

Marcus also doesn't enjoy hunting which just costs a lot of money, but things like this are the duty of a person who became a master. Because in feudal noble society, frugality is not a virtue but a symbol of being unvirtuous.

"Are you in a position to talk about others? If it's your level as Great Lord of Britannia you will do these kinds of hunts frequently."

"In my case, it's closer to military training. Because I go around catching bears or monsters close to that without hunting dogs or beaters."

Eugene only drops by his direct jurisdiction briefly and always travels around outside. The hunt was closer to training together with the tribal warriors.

"I heard you aren't participating in the tournament, is it true?"

"Eugene. Great Lords in the first place use proxy warriors; cases where they step out directly are rare."

"That's a story for nobles with oil and liquor flowing in their blood vessels. If you went out, you'd get into the final four without difficulty?"

Before being a monarch, Marcus is a person of amazing skill as a single knight as well.

"I did participate last time. I had gone up to the runner-up. But this time we are right before a war against our neighbor."

They cannot carelessly lower their guard even after the tournament and trial by combat end. It's a troublesome matter if the general commander is lying down due to injuries from the tournament in this situation.

"Anyways those Piranian bastards. Because they are less than a rat's tail of help? They aren't getting sliced down by bandit knights in Bonyard."

"Right. They're guys who aren't a help to life."

The Pierce siblings sent warm smiles to Eugene who cursed out their old archnemesis for them.

Just then, a noble entered Eugene's eyes. It is the person who staged a rebellion, was suppressed, and swore loyalty again.

"Is that guy entering the trial by combat too?"

"His skill as a knight is outstanding, you see. Why? Unreliable?"

"Because I didn't understand why you purposely forgave him and returned the land when you had occupied most of his territory."

During the process of eradicating Haven's corruption, Eugene disposed of the noble who rebelled due to connections with zero tolerance.

The confiscated territories were bestowed upon free knights who showed great merit and uprightness during the civil war. Currently, they have become a faction that is loyal to House Mayer more passionately than even the Cornwall nobles.

As time passes their heads will slowly grow thick, but they will offer their loyalty staking their lives for at least 3 generations.

"Because he shares bloodlines with the current King's family. Although it's 1/16th."

"With that much, isn't it just strangers?"

"He doesn't want them to catch on to even a trivial fault. Because a Dhampir leading a large territory is a tiring matter. With you being a Great Lord your face color is truly good. It doesn't seem like you rule half-assedly either, though."

Marcus came to know while staying together that Eugene isn't a typical brave general type monarch.

Eugene had amazing talent at cutting out money and administrative power being wasted in unnecessary places. In a word, he dances well with a sword. Even in systems or organizational structures aside from the battlefield.

"Because de facto, it's the same as me unifying Britannia once, you see. So it's comfortable in many ways."

It is Eugene who ended the civil war by directly and indirectly conquering everywhere except the North. His spouse is Valda, and he possesses the Shade Garden which is the best sanatorium and the largest city, Haven.

Within Britannia, he possesses the power and authority that no one can restrain even if he acts as a tyrant to his heart's content. Of course, he has no intention of doing so pointlessly, though.

* * *

Vicinity of Glory City, the place where the festival is held.

"I see His Majesty the King's flag over there."

Befitting a key transportation point connecting to everywhere in Barcia through waterways, it was also exceptionally suited for nobles to gather and hold events.

Likewise, when undertaking a conquest business in Barcia, it is also appropriate as a location for the King to convene the nobles' military forces.

The name Glory wasn't attached for nothing.

"It's good that it's a place touching the nose if you fall over. I was worrying how to bring Valda if it were far away."

"Because this festival also has a big meaning of mediating the dispute between our family and the Piranian family. One could say the Royal House accommodated that."

Normally such events would be held in the capital, but in Barcia the nobles' authority is strong while the royal authority is somewhat weak.

Furthermore, it's a dispute between margraves who have strong military power and are far from the center. To clearly tie this knot, there was no choice but for the King to dispatch himself directly.

However, the royal authority is only relatively weak; it's not like the Royal House's financial power is weak as well.

Through the waterways, merchant ships came and went endlessly, pouring out massive amounts of food and luxury goods.

Just looking roughly, there are as many as 5 large circus troupes. The temporary chapels established by religious orders were each like a small fortress.

"The tournament we saw in northern Roman is nothing compared to this."

Homi muttered as if sick of it.

"Not just the scale, it's not a target of comparison qualitatively either. Because they fight with real swords here."

Barcia knights treated other countries' tournaments as children's play, and knights of other countries treated Barcia as lunatics.

"Count will not lose to anyone. He will win the championship here too."

"That's something known when you open it. Maybe I might get eliminated absurdly too."

In Homi's heart, Eugene is an invincible knight. She did not doubt that he would win the championship this time too. But Eugene thought differently.

Due to Barcia's nature of using real swords, a judge exists and their authority is also mighty. Even if it's a minor injury, depending on the bleeding area, one could be judged eliminated in vain.

"The standard of the judge changes according to the host's disposition. Tournaments held by conqueror monarchs do not blow the whistle unless quite necessary. Blood-covered knights are carried out a dime a dozen, you see."

"How is the current King?"

"He's not a personality that enjoys war, but he's a person who craves the people's love."

"Anyway, he's a type that doesn't blow the whistle easily?"

Spectators inevitably want stimulating entertainment. Because it's not a matter where their own lives are on the line anyway.

Befitting a country with relatively weak royal authority, craving support and power from the people was also natural.

"And he also has somewhat of an eccentric facet."

It's said that because he suffered so much from the Great Nobles since he was young, his personality is also somewhat crooked.

Bark bark bark!

"Right! We caught it!"

"You guys, don't bite too hard!"

Around that time, the pursued deer tumbled and the hunt succeeded. Voices praising the two leaders shook the forest.

"Marcus! Please grant us glory!"

"O Invincible Knight. Your bravery to our child!"

Sighing, Marcus and Eugene got off their horses and approached the dead deer.

In front of it, boys and girls excited with nervousness and anticipation are lined up. Their appearances of lifting their bangs with bracken-like hands is incredibly lovable.

"Grow strong."

"Thank you. Lord."

Eugene dabbed the blood coming from the deer's heart onto his thumb and stamped it on the girl's forehead. Then the girl grabbed both sides of her skirt and lightly bent her knees.

"You will become an excellent knight."

"I-It is an honor!"

Upon stamping it on the boy's forehead, the parents who were a bit far away held both hands and rejoiced.

"Thank you. If I had to do it alone like usual, it would have taken forever."

'It's not like this is stamping a backlog of approval documents.'

At Marcus's joy-filled words, Eugene grumbled inside. However, seeing the boys and girls looking at him with sparkling eyes as if he came to a fan signing event, he couldn't do it half-assedly either.

Having received generous treatment as a guest, he also had a duty to repay for that.

* * *

With the arrival of Marcus and Eugene, the heat of the Glory area went up even further.

All banquets are like that, but for a tournament, its evaluation sharply rises according to the level of the participants.

A situation where far more famous knights than usual participated, regardless of whether domestic or foreign. Among them, Eugene's appearance was the finishing touch.

"To think the famous Great Overlord of Britannia is coming. The Gods are blessing me. Do you not think so too, Duke?"

"...Congratulations. Your Majesty."

Duke Louis fiercely managed his expression and answered.

The one who tried to stick a spoon into Britannia's civil war but got battered heavily by Eugene and chased out is the Louis family.

'Damn it.'

Yet to mention it like this in front of the person involved. It's the same as putting him to shame overtly.

However, the Louis family had sailed a ship ignoring the King's recommendation not to meddle in a foreign country's civil war. Returning having suffered a crushed defeat, right now there was no choice but to quietly suppress his anger.

The King even called over the Vampire knights who had departed for Khazad-dor and returned riding Moving Castle, and even asked various things about Eugene.

Duke Louis also felt more curiosity than resentment welling up at this topic. Because there were that many amazing things.

"The Dwarves blabber that Khazad-dor is the best architecture in this world. But that is obvious nonsense. My fellow knights and I saw the Moving Castle where the honorable Count Mayer Excellency dwells like a tiger."

The strongest knight of this era and the legendary magic castle where he stays. It's a topic that cannot help but stir up interest.

"How is it compared to my royal castle?"

"Forgive the disloyalty of not being able to say Your Majesty's residence is the best. However, the last legacy of the ancient kingdom exists alone incomparable to anything. It was an appearance like a knot symbolizing the end of an era."

The King has absolutely no displeased look. He even gulped his saliva and continued his questions.

"Hearing the rumors, I heard there is no monster that Count cannot slay."

"It is truly so. When subjugating the uncharted territory of the Dwarf Mountain Range, Count Excellency and that army were like a storm of steel. It was intense yet merciless."

"Merciless? From what I heard, I heard he is a generous knight."

"Of course, His Excellency is generous. However, the subordinates under him were oh-so wicked."

Frowning his face, the Vampire knight described the dozens of poison arrows lodged in the Dire Hog's testicles.

"Ugh."

"Anyways the wickedness of the pointy-ears."

"They are guys who don't know how to face squarely and fairly with sword and spear."

Aghast reactions erupted in succession from all directions.

"Your Majesty. You must have heard of the monster incident that made a mess out of Samur."

"Why do you bring up the tales of lowly things who sleep with goats?"

More than Samur disliking Barcia, Barcia regarded Samur as lowly.

"Those words are correct, but I must tell the story of the Lamia Queen. After subjugating the Champion who commanded hundreds of Lamias, Count made a stuffed specimen."

"...I truly want to see that just once."

A Champion of an Evil God is a major disaster. Once it appeared, the Great Lord of that area going was basic, and if push came to shove, even the King stepped out to subjugate it.

Furthermore, if it's around Lamia, isn't it a medium-to-small monster of considerable weight class?

"It is decorated in the lobby of Moving Castle, capturing the eyes of those who see it. Count executed the Queen when she was carrying eggs. Those eggs were preserved and placed upon the coiled stuffed specimen. Can you imagine that appearance?"

Around this time, the King of Barcia called his aide and ordered to prepare a gift to give Eugene.

He realized he isn't an opponent to just be passed over as a VIP of the tournament. He absolutely wanted to be invited as a guest to Moving Castle just once. If not for this opportunity, when else would he get to go?

The storytelling continued.

"But I truly cannot believe the rumor that he caught a Hydra. Isn't it a great achievement that even the great knights of Barcia failed at?"

There was a precedent 200 years ago where the Barcia King and the royal guards tried to catch a Hydra that appeared on the border and failed. It was a tragic incident where many of the knights, including the King, were killed in action.

"Forgive me for disappointing Your Majesty this time as well. That rumor is true."

"Ah! He is truly a cruelly outstanding fighter."

At the King's lamenting appearance, the Vampire knight bowed his head.

"Count Excellency and those knights are wearing armor made of Hydra leather. By the way, there is a place called the Bone Museum in Moving Castle, and the bones of the Hydra are assembled in their appearance when alive."

At this point, wanting to be invited to Moving Castle isn't a story for the King alone.

"Does Duke Louis not want to go visit once too?"

At the King's word trying to casually scratch the Duke as a palate cleanser, Duke Louis coolly nodded his head.

"If the Count invites me, I will gladly accept."

Before anyone knew it, leaving grudges aside, everyone in that place was longing to be invited to Moving Castle.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but you need to stay behind."

Grrrrr-!

"Differences in weapons or armor aside, you won't do. If I run out riding you, it's a foul."

Growl-!

Meanwhile, Eugene was busy soothing Might. Because riding a World Charger to participate in the tournament would be perfect for getting cursed at as cowardly.

Because equipping good gear or horses is also said to be the ability of a knight, but even that has its limits. If he rides Might, it's the same as taming a monster to enter the tournament.

But for Might whose first tournament with his master fell through, he was to the point of being terribly sad rather than just resentful.

"No, you're crying?"

Eugene had to sweat profusely to coax his comrade-in-arms shedding thick tears.