by Dojyomaru
Honestly, I’m amazed that Souma can take this pressure. I’m sincerely impressed.
He was the king, and he would be gaining five at once, after all.
On top of that, he and Liscia now had two children at the same time. In terms of the number of things they had to protect, Halbert had nothing on Souma.
In terms of brawn, the difference between Halbert and Souma was like that of a grown man and a baby, but in terms of mental fortitude, the opposite was true.
“When I think I’ll be marrying Kaede and Ruby soon... I worry more and more about whether I’m all right like this. It’s like... will I be able to protect my wives?”
“...I see.” Glaive, who had crossed his arms, listening in silence, surprisingly grinned. “You were just a whelp before, but now it seems even you’ve finally started to develop some awareness of your responsibility as the family heir.”
“Don’t tease me. I’m trying to have a serious conversation here, okay?”
Halbert glared at him, but Glaive shook his head quietly.
“I’m not teasing you. First of all, what you’re feeling is something everyone feels before getting married. I don’t think the fears you harbor have all that much to do with Fuuga at all, you know?”
“Huh? Fuuga... has nothing to do with it?”
“He may be a contributing factor,” said Glaive. “However, your fundamental concern is whether, once you marry those two, you can defend this family as the head of the household. That’s a worry even an ordinary husband who doesn’t face powerful enemies on the battlefield has to contend with. There’s nothing special about it at all.”
When Glaive laughed it off like that, Halbert felt as if the scales had fallen from his eyes.
Halbert had thought he was afraid of Fuuga, but Glaive was saying a large part of what he feared was uncertainty about having a family. If that was true, it meant that uncertainty had taken the form of the phantom of Fuuga.
“Are you speaking from experience here?” Halbert asked.
“Well... yes, I suppose I am.”
Seeing Glaive turn aside awkwardly, Halbert was dumbfounded. Even stern-faced Glaive had panicked like him before getting married.
Glaive cleared his throat and told his son, “Ahem... Still, even if it’s not the root of your worries, you truly view this Fuuga fellow as a threat, correct? If you’re so uncertain, rather than do training that will not benefit you here, why not go somewhere you can concentrate and train seriously?”
“Train seriously?”
“Before you take those two as your life partners, it might do you well to spend some time alone in self-contemplation. Fortunately, with the rollout of His Majesty’s transportation network, getting around the country has become much easier. I’ll put the two of them up in the house here, so use your leave to go where you want, get in touch with a variety of people, and train to your heart’s content.”
Training alone. It was an appealing proposal for Halbert. He certainly wasn’t going to be able to focus here. In that case, this would be a good chance to take a fresh look at himself.
“But is that all right?” he worried. “Won’t Kaede and Ruby get mad?”
“Even if they do, you need to tell them yourself. Oh, I’m sure they won’t be happy about it, but they’ll believe in you and send you on your way.”
“Yeah...”
“But be sure you don’t do anything that would sadden those two girls. If you go traipsing through the flower quarters just because it’s the last time you’ll be single, you’ll be eating my and your mother’s iron fists of retribution.”
Glaive sounded desperate somehow as he made that last threat.
“I had no intention of doing anything like that...” Hal said. He paused. “Don’t tell me you did?”
Glaive broke into a cold sweat as he placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Remember that some things will not be forgiven as youthful indiscretion. If you anger the ones who are going to be your life partners, expect them to take a complete grip over your married life going forward.”
Hal was silent.
Was this the reason that, despite his mother’s gentle demeanor, the House of Magna was under her dominion?
Getting the feeling he’d glimpsed some of the circumstances of his own family, Halbert resolved to be careful himself.
When he returned to the house, Halbert did as Glaive had said, and revealed to Kaede and Ruby that he wanted to leave on a journey of self-improvement. When he did, their response was...
“Well, if that’s what you want, Hal, that’s how it has to be, you know.”
“When you’re satisfied, hurry back.”
...to accept it with wry smiles.
It seemed they had both been worried about Halbert not acting like himself recently. Halbert was very grateful for their kindness.
And so, borrowing a war horse from Glaive, Halbert set out on a journey alone.
He traveled two days south from Randel on horseback.
Eventually, a deep forest came into sight. It was the self-ruled domain of the dark elves, the God-Protected Forest.
This was Halbert’s third time coming to the forest. The first time had been to provide aid during a disaster, and the second to be an escort for Souma when coming to pay his respects to Aisha’s father before marrying her.
When Halbert told the dark elf warriors standing guard outside the forest that he wanted to go to the village, he was quickly allowed through because he was a familiar face.
They said they would send out a messenger kui to inform the chief he was coming, so Halbert thanked the guards and proceeded into the forest on horseback.
During the bumpy horse ride, Halbert thought about things.
It sure was bad back then. Like something out of hell...
He felt as though the feeling he’d gotten watching Fuuga was akin to a natural disaster. As if something beyond human knowledge was wielding an incredible power, and he was but a fly before its might.
This forest was the place where Halbert was first made to keenly feel his own powerlessness.
That was exactly why he’d chosen it as the first place to go when taking a fresh look at himself.
Have I changed since then? I’m commanding the Dratroopers under Kaede now, yes. And I’ve gained a reliable partner and mount in Ruby. I also received an incredible weapon from the Turgish craftswoman Taru. But as for me, myself...
While he was thinking these things, he suddenly came out into an open area.
In the God-Protected Forest, which with its many trees was gloomy even in the middle of the day, this was the one place without any tall trees, the open sky spreading out above him.
It was where the landslide had happened. Because the landslide had mowed down all the tall trees, this was the only open place.
Halbert dismounted to look at that scene.
Back then, the dirt covering the ground had been a dark brown, but now it was blanketed with green, and there were young trees as tall as Halbert.
Sensing someone behind him, Halbert turned around to find a smiling dark elf warrior.
“Why, Sir Halbert, I haven’t seen you since Sir Souma came to visit.”
The young man was Aisha’s father and the chief of the God-Protected Forest, Wodan Udgard.
“It’s been too long, Sir Wodan,” said Halbert. “I’m sorry for coming on such short notice.”
Halbert was sorry to impose, but Wodan spread his arms wide to welcome him.
“Think nothing of it. You’ve done much for us, so you are always welcome. I’m sure Sur and Velza would have been happy to see you if they were here.”
“Are they away now?” Halbert asked.
“Yes. It seems they left the forest on some urgent business a few days ago.”
“I see... I’m a little disappointed to hear that.”
The twelve-year-old dark elf girl, Velza, had become attached to him after he’d saved her during the disaster. Since he was at the God-Protecte
d Forest anyway, it would have been nice to see her, but if she wasn’t here, that was that.
Wodan asked, “So, what is it that brings you to the God-Protected Forest?”
“...I’m in training now. To reevaluate and improve myself.”
“Training... is it? I believe I recall hearing you would be wed soon, am I correct, Sir Halbert? At the same time as my daughter is to marry His Majesty.”
“Well... yes, but...”
“Hm, it seems you have your reasons. Would you mind telling me them?”
When Wodan asked that with sincerity, Halbert related the sequence of events that put him on this journey. When he spoke about Fuuga, Wodan groaned with a difficult look on his face.
“There is a warrior out there who can even make my Aisha acknowledge his superiority? Honestly... It’s a wide world out there, isn’t it?”
For Wodan, who knew Aisha’s strength better than anyone, it was hard to believe there was a being out there that even she feared. However, when Halbert’s tortured expression told him it was the truth, he shuddered.
Halbert sighed and said, “I’m... afraid of that man. If he becomes an enemy someday, will I be able to win against him? Will I be able to protect Kaede and Ruby, my wives-to-be? I overthink that, and it even makes me start to doubt whether I should be marrying them at all.”
“Hmm...” Wodan seemed to think about what he’d been told for a little while. The silence was awkward, and while Halbert was waiting for him to please say something, Wodan suddenly came out with, “That’s weakness.”
“Huh?!” When directly confronted with his weakness, Halbert gulped.
Seeing the reaction, Wodan realized his poor choice of words and corrected himself. “Ahh, I’m not saying this as a criticism of you. We all carry weakness in us to one degree or another. What is important is whether or not we can face it.”
“Face our weakness, you mean?” Halbert asked.
“Yes. You’re doing that. Now it’s just a matter of whether you can look at the true nature of that weakness. ‘Weakness is never just weakness.’ These words have been handed down among the warriors of the God-Protected Forest.”
Wodan crouched down, running his hand along the moss on the ground.
“In that disaster, the grass and trees were mowed down by dirt and mud. We can say that they were weak when compared to the land. Our power, too, was small and insignificant.”
Halbert was silent.
“Yet, look. Now grass covers that same dirt. Grass is knocked over easily, but it has a strength that more than compensates for that. It sprouted just a few days after the disaster, and in mere months, the area was covered in green. Now that about a year has passed, new trees have begun to grow, too. There is a strength in those we think to be weak. The same is true of people.”
When Wodan stood up, he turned to face Halbert.
“The heart that knows fear is cautious and averse to recklessness. The heart that wishes to run away is thorough when it comes to securing its own safety. That is why we say in the God-Protected Forest that you should not reject your fear.”
“Don’t reject fear...”
Was it important to fear Fuuga?
It certainly may be true that caution is important. However, that said, when I stand in front of Fuuga, will I be able to fight? When I fight Fuuga, who I fear, will I be able to defend this country, defend my family?
As Halbert thought it over, Wodan chuckled.
“If you wish to know more of the heart that knows fear, is there not someone close to you who would be well-suited to teach you? Why not try asking them?”
“Huh? Who are you talking about?”
“There is, isn’t there? The one who bears the greatest fear in this country, and the one who must also act the most cowardly. In the capital of Parnam.”
When he said that, it hit Halbert.
It was true, that guy was in a position where he always had to be afraid of something. To fear, to prepare, and despite his weakness, to somehow overcome his terror.
They were supposed to be friends, so it might not be bad to go and talk.
While Halbert was thinking that, Wodan for some reason drew and readied his bow.
“Sir Wodan?” Halbert asked.
“Heh heh! Well, that aside, you came to this forest to train, did you not? How about it? Will you train with the father of the girl they say is the strongest in this country?”
When he put it that way, a warrior like Halbert couldn’t pass it up.
Halbert readied his two favorite spears, grinning. “Sounds good to me. Compared to using my head, this is way more my style.”
“You mustn’t abandon using your head. Even during this battle, keep thinking at all times.”
“Yes, sir!”
While they shared an exchange like instructor and pupil, the two started to fight.
Finally, having carried out combat training with Wodan, Halbert left the God-Protected Forest behind, turning his horse north-northeast.
The next place Halbert arrived was the familiar capital city of Parnam.
When Halbert reached the capital, he immediately headed for the castle.
The guards knew who he was, and he already had clearance from Souma, so despite the suddenness of his visit, he was led to the king’s governmental affairs office with only a simple check first.
When Halbert knocked, a listless voice came from the other side. “Come in...”
When he entered the room, the provisional king, Souma, was there on the other side of a mountain of paperwork.
Next to him were a number of bureaucrats and the Black-robed Prime Minister, Hakuya.
When he noticed it was Halbert, Souma, who looked a little exhausted from all his paperwork, cocked his head to the side.
“Hal? That’s unusual. You came all this way just to see me?”
“Well, I just wanted to talk with you for a bit... I can come back later if this is a bad time.”
He obviously couldn’t get in the way of Souma’s duties.
Souma let out a big yawn. “Hmm, I was just thinking I needed a break, so sure. Hakuya and everyone else, let’s take a short breather.”
“Very well.” Hakuya bowed and then left the office. The bureaucrats departed, too, leaving only Souma and Halbert in the room together.
“So? You came here because you had something to talk about, right?” Souma said, indicating that he should speak.
Halbert resigned himself and said, “Fuuga’s been on my mind ever since we came back from the Union of Eastern Nations.”
“Oh, yeah? Have you awakened to the way of the warrior now?”
“Don’t be silly... I’m trying to talk seriously here,” Halbert said resentfully.
Souma shrugged his shoulders. “It was a joke. He’s been on my mind, too. He comes after my newborn children, Liscia and the others, and this mountain of work, though.”
“He’s pretty far down on the pile.”
“What is it about Fuuga?”
Halbert suppressed his desire to keep up appearances, and decided to be forthright. “If we end up fighting Fuuga at some point down the line, I’m the one who’s going to be facing him, right?”
“...You would be, yeah. I think that, probably, the only ones who could put up a proper fight against Fuuga and Durga would be you and Ruby. If Aisha was the one who’d made a contract with Naden, I could have relied on them, but I’m not going to cut it myself. I don’t see the other wyvern cavalry being able to stall him, either.”
Souma crossed his arms and rested them on the back of his chair as he spoke.
“Honestly, I’m worried the soldiers will flee just because Fuuga and Durga charge them. It’d be bad if they ended up doing the, ‘I-It’s Lu Bu!’ thing.”
“Lu Bu? What’s that?”
“...No, never mind. Anyway, in order to prevent that sort of situation, we need a great man of our own who’s just as majestic as Fuuga. Like, ‘If Wei has Zhang Liao, Wu has Gan Ning.’�
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“Zhang Liao? Gan Ning?”
“It’s a shame that no one gets my Romance of the Three Kingdoms references,” Souma said with a straight face after spouting a bunch of nonsense no one else understood. “For my part, I have high hopes for Hal the Red Oni. I need you to become someone the people will think of when they’re afraid of Fuuga, saying, ‘Well, we have Hal the Red Oni.’ I’m never going to have that sort of flowery presence on the battlefield.”
“Flowery presence? You mean, like, charisma?”
“Yeah. If you and the other vassals could make up for what Fuuga has but I don’t, that would be a huge help. To keep the people from being dragged in by the atmosphere around Fuuga.”
“...” Halbert pursed his lips.
Those expectations would weigh heavily on him. Just when he was thinking he needed to do something about himself, he was having to shoulder the people’s expectations, too. He would be expected to win against an opponent he didn’t know for certain he could best. By all of the people, too. That was an incredible burden.
Please... Don’t make me carry that...
Then, Souma stood up and clapped Halbert on the shoulder.
“So, Halbert, I’m counting on you.” With no way to know what Halbert was feeling, Souma said, “If Fuuga charges us, hold him off for a minute at least, would you?”
“...Huh?” Halbert blinked. “Is just a minute okay?”
“Hey, if you can last five, ten minutes, or even longer, hell, even win, that’d be a great help, but I can’t expect too much, can I? Battles can be decided by the luck of the moment. Nothing is absolute.”
“Well... Yeah, I guess.” Now Halbert felt confused.
Souma scratched his head. “Even Fuuga and Durga can’t possibly take on the whole of the National Air Defense Force. Even if no one can take him on one-on-one, if we surround him and keep beating on him, he should concede.”
“Surround him and beat on him... Huh? Is it okay to do that?”
“He’s not a guy we can be picky about how we beat. The issue is if we can set it up or not. In the previous war, we had a situation where we couldn’t stop Gaius’s charge and things got dicey, after all. Wyvern cavalry using our treasure, the Little Susumu Mark V Light” (a lightweight Maxwell-type propulsion device) “are good at hit-and-run attacks, but they aren’t suited to pinning an enemy down. That’s why, in order to encircle Fuuga, I want you and Ruby to do your best holding him in place.”