The Paladin of the Sacred Kingdom Part I

by Kugane Maruyama

  Neia looked down at the paved road.

  The path ahead wound between gently sloping hills. Far off in the distance, she could see a forest that had lost its leaves for winter.

  She remembered camping with her father in the blustery time of year. Nature was the same wherever one went. She had the feeling this scenery was no different than what winter looked like in the Sacred Kingdom.

  …What was it he said? That it was a pain to live in the human world?

  Her father’s words remained like a tiny thorn in her heart.

  He said it was for her mother that he went to live in the city. If he hadn’t had a family, he would have lived in a little village near the forest, surviving on the bounties of nature.

  When she was little, Neia thought living with nature seemed harder, but during this trip it hit her what her father meant. Is it proof that I’ve grown up? At this age she would have been able to have different conversations with both her mother and father.

  Those thoughts elicited another twinge from her heart. But the pain only lasted an instant. She was distracted by the scene that came into view beyond the road snaking eastward through the hills.

  A fire?!

  Neia squinted and took a more careful look.

  The milky-white clouds weren’t smoke but fog. Still…

  “Apologies for interrupting, but there appears to be fog up ahead!”

  “What about it?”

  When she called behind her, Remedios answered with her face guard up, looking dubious.

  “Neia Baraja, what bothers you about it?”

  “Ma’am, I just thought that since there aren’t any large lakes or the like in this area, it’s strange for so much fog to be around.”

  The creamy fog, growing thicker as they spoke, was spreading more and more, nearly reaching their party.

  Neia’s father had taught her a lot about natural phenomena, and according to that knowledge, too, this much fog appearing seemed unusual.

  “Squire Baraja. It’s not a special environmental shift, is it?” Gustav, who was quicker to catch on than Remedios, asked.

  A special environmental shift meant some sort of phenomenon that wouldn’t normally occur happening over a widespread area. For example, a region covered in rotten poisonous gas due to failed ritual magic, a desert where a huge storm occurred for a week once each year, or a place where rainbow rain fell during a specific season.

  He was asking if this fog was one of those totally mysterious phenomena. But Neia hadn’t heard anything about it during her research. She had the feeling she’d get complaints if she admitted it outright like that, but she had no choice but to be honest.

  “My apologies. I didn’t read or hear anything about this fog.”

  “Do you mean you didn’t do enough research?”

  Another question that was difficult to answer. Who was the one who would judge whether she did enough or not?

  “Commander Custodio. I think the most important thing right now is what to do next.”

  The horses had already stopped.

  The fog was too thick; it wouldn’t be safe to continue on horseback. According to her research, there weren’t any sheer cliffs on the outskirts of E-Rantel, so even if something came up, they should have been able to handle it at a trot. But something about this sudden fog made her hesitate.

  Neia sniffed.

  It smelled only like water. Nothing stuck out to her in particular. But that made her wonder about it even more.

  “Commander. Do you think it could be the work of some monster? My father once told me that some have the power to create fog and that they attack those who wander into it and get lost.”

  “…Everyone, draw your weapons! It’s dangerous to stand still in the middle of the road, so move off to the side!”

  That split-second decision was proof that Remedios functioned well in combat.

  Neia and the paladins obeyed the order, walking their horses to the side of the road. Then they all formed a defensive circle. By that time, it seemed like the whole world was enshrouded in fog.

  Even the person right next to her she could see only hazily. It was impossible to make out anything more than fifteen yards ahead. Anxiety swelled in her chest, and the swirling of the fog seemed almost like a parade of ghosts.

  If she could hear better that would help, but she was surrounded by knights in full plate armor. Even their slightest movement caused the metal to rub, which drowned out quieter sounds. Under the circumstances, if something were sneaking up on them, it would be hard to detect. The only person Neia knew who would be able to hear well in this situation would have been her father.

  Realizing how great he truly was, she desperately strained her ears.

  “This fog really is strange. It’s not even usually this thick by the sea.”

  “Aren’t we almost to the Nation of Darkness’s city? Could there really be monsters lurking this close? Or is it precisely because we’re in the Nation of Darkness that we’re in this weird situation?”

  “I don’t know, but…maybe it’s some sort of defensive spell the Nation of Darkness keeps active.”

  “…Quit talking about magic. It gives me a headache. Just tell me if you notice anything. In the easiest way possible. If it’s a monster, couldn’t we kill it and use that deed as a debt in the negotiations to dispatch Sir Momon?”

  “I wonder. It’s up to each country to get rid of the monsters in their territory, but…”

  Perhaps because she was focusing her ears so hard, she could hear the conversation between Gustav and their leader quite clearly. But she wasn’t confident she could keep it up from any farther away. What would her father do in this situation?

  You can’t be dependent on someone who isn’t here. I have to find my own way from now on!

  But it was true that if she stayed here, her abilities couldn’t be used properly. Then maybe I should ask if I can take up a position somewhere slightly removed from the others.

  Or maybe I shouldn’t.

  Her desire to propose something withered.

  Remedios wasn’t very fond of her as it was. What kind of punishment would she get if she failed again? She had no interest in any more trouble.

  And it’ll be a pain if she won’t accept my guidance on the rest of this trip…

  Neia frantically defended herself. But it wasn’t good for her mental state to be in a crisis and feel like she could handle it better if she were in charge but then say nothing.

  From somewhere in her head, she also heard the voice telling her that if this party were wiped out, there would be a delay in getting aid to the suffering people in Roebel, but the biting remarks Remedios hurled at her pained her more.

  Just then, Neia saw something out of the corner of her eye that she couldn’t possibly miss.

  A large, hazy figure had appeared in the fog in the direction leading farther into the Nation of Darkness.

  “Hey, can you take a look over there?” Neia poked the paladin on the horse next to her.

  “…No, sorry. The fog’s too thick. I can’t make anything out. Do you see something?”

  She heard the knight grip his sword harder.

  “Oh no, I thought I did, but maybe it’s just my imagination.”

  “I see. Well, if you think you see something, it doesn’t matter what it is, let me know.”

  “Okay, I will.”

  Neia thanked him with a solemn face and then turned her gaze forward again. If there was such a thing as women who look good smiling and women who don’t, Neia was sure she was the latter. She got a better response, even when saying thank you, if she kept her expression serious.

  She stared earnestly into the fog once more. The figure was some distance away, so it seemed she was the only one who could see it, but it definitely wasn’t her imagination.

  Perhaps she had improved her mood talking with the knight? Neia decided to try talking to Remedios, but she was busy conferring with Gustav.

  “What
should we do now?”

  “It’s dangerous to move in the fog. Let’s stand by a little longer, but then if nothing seems to be happening, we can dismount and take a rest. By the way, there’s a monster in the sea that creates fog, right?”

  “There is. But around here there’s no sea or lakes. Just like Squire Baraja said.”

  “Do you think she could have been mistaken or missed something?”

  “She doesn’t make that kind of mistake. Hasn’t she gotten us this far safely? We didn’t get caught by the subhumans patrolling the broken wall as we were leaving the Sacred Kingdom, either. That would have been impossible on our own, you know.”

  “I’m sure we could have brute forced our way.”

  Neia’s mood plummeted.

  Does she have any idea how hard I worked paying attention to every little thing as I guided them?

  She recalled having the party stand by and scouting ahead on her own in the cold rain, crawling through the mud because she didn’t have concealment abilities like a ranger.

  If she had been found—alone in that forward position—she would have been as good as dead. Still, if she could help save the people suffering in the Sacred Kingdom, she was prepared to risk her life.

  That’s right. I’m not out here doing this for compliments. She tried to convince herself. Even if the commander wouldn’t recognize her, the people would appreciate her hard work, though they weren’t likely to say it aloud.

  Only children feel like they need some consideration—a reward—for doing their best. This is what it means to serve as someone’s shield. It’s a paladin’s duty to bite their lip and protect people from the tough stuff. That’s what our commander has been doing in her career, too. Just…I wish she would at least talk quieter. Well, they probably think they’ve lowered their voices enough, but…

  Their conversation continued.

  Meanwhile Neia was thinking, Quit chatting and help keep watch already. Remedios, with her knack for smelling danger and her combat prowess, would be especially good at that.

  Suppressing her irritation, Neia focused her attention on the figure in the fog—because she couldn’t stand listening to Remedios and Gustav talk anymore, but neither had she recovered enough to interrupt them.

  Then perhaps the wind blew the fog? For just an instant she could make out the outline of a distinct form.

  But she couldn’t believe her eyes. What she saw was something that shouldn’t have existed there.

  Huh? No way. It’s…a ship?

  Yes, the shape she spotted was a seafaring ship.

  And it seemed quite large, like a galleass. But since it was only a moment before the veil of fog covered it again, she couldn’t be sure.

  Of course, common sense said it was impossible.

  Both the information she had collected and Gustav said there were no lakes in this area. But even if there was a lake, only a crazy person would build a ship as big as a galleass in an inland area like this.

  If this were an area near the sea, it was possible that they had brought an old ship up on land to repurpose as a fort or something. That practice actually occurred in Roebel. But this far inland, it just didn’t make sense.

  I must have seen it wrong.

  That had to be the best answer.

  Still, her eyes kept flicking in that direction.

  “…So you did see something?” the knight from before asked.

  “Huh?!” It caught her off guard.

  “In that direction you were looking just now—you saw something, right?”

  “Huh? No, I…”

  She had seen something that looked just like a ship. But if she said that, he would almost certainly wonder if she had gone mad. Neia would definitely be doubted. So what could she say?

  “Even if it was just your imagination. Could you tell me if you think you see something? That way, if it turns out to actually be something, it’ll be easier to handle.”

  He was so incredibly sensible.

  When she glanced around, she saw that everyone was listening to their conversation. All eyes were on her. Under those circumstances, she couldn’t just say it was her eyes playing tricks on her.

  “…Um, I had the feeling I saw a large shape.”

  “You mean like the shape of a monster?”

  It was the person she wanted to be questioned by the least. No, don’t ask! she thought, but there was no way she could say that.

  She sighed dozens of times in her mind before finally answering. “No, it seemed more like a building.”

  “…You really saw it?”

  “I don’t know. I just had the feeling I saw it. It might be a better chance that it was my imagination.”

  “A building? Like a Nation of Darkness fort or something?”

  “I don’t know. But it’s true that so far we haven’t seen a single Nation of Darkness fort along the road. Or a village. You would expect to see those things along the border.”

  She told herself that it sounded better to say that it seemed like a building rather than just saying she saw a ship.

  “I see… What do you think, Gustav?”

  “It makes an awful lot of sense. But…we haven’t actually confirmed that it’s a building, right?”

  “Right. I only caught a glimpse of it, so it might be something else.”

  “Commander Custodio. I think our best bet is to standby in the fog for a little while longer. I doubt a Nation of Darkness fort would easily allow foreigners past anyhow.”

  “Ahhh. Well, shall we do that, then? Everyone, stay on guard.”

  The party acknowledged the order. That included Neia.

  Though they were supposed to be on guard, everyone’s attention ended up focused on one spot. They all wanted to see it with their own eyes.

  For a while, the fog was too thick to see anything, but just when they were starting to lose interest in the possibility of a building, something happened.

  “—Ngh!”

  Both Neia and the knight next to her gasped at the same time.

  They could see something clearly moving through the fog.

  “Wh-what is that?!”

  Neia couldn’t answer the knight’s question. If she said that ships were mobile, she would sound insane.

  “That’s the form you saw…? It’s moving! So it wasn’t a building?”

  The commander’s questions were natural. But since Neia hadn’t said what she thought it actually looked like, she was forced to insist that it seemed like a building.

  “It seemed like one to me…”

  “But it’s definitely moving! And…it’s getting easier to see. I think it’s coming this way!”

  She was right. If it was really a boat, it was sailing in their direction. So then…it was a boat that sailed across land?

  But…that can’t be.

  Eventually, it came close enough that others could discern its true shape through the thick fog.

  There was no longer any doubt it was a ship. It was sailing as if it were on open water. Thick, long oars jutted out from the hull and moved as if they were actually paddling.

  “This has to be some kind of joke.” Remedios’s astounded comment spoke for everyone.

  “Do boats in the Nation of Darkness sail on land? Landlocked countries come up with some fascinating inventions…”

  No, that can’t be it, Neia retorted in her head. She couldn’t have been the only one to think that.

  “A ship that sails through fog… I feel like I heard about something like that before…”

  “Nice, Gustav! C’mon, think! If anyone can do it, you can. You’re always teaching me things. Oh, should I shake your head up?”

  “Please don’t. And I’m not some kind of wise man, you know. It’s just that I’ve taken it upon myself to learn the things that you won’t.”

  “…Well, it’s ’cause I had you and my sister. Whenever I asked something, you always answered.”

  “I guess we spoiled you. Once we do away wi
th Jaldabaoth, I’ll make sure you catch up. Oh, and thanks to that I just remembered! It’s that ghost ship that shows up in thick fog. I heard about it from a sailor. He said it’s a ship that was supposed to have sunk, but instead it’s crewed by undead.”

  “Ohhh! I have heard something like that, about thick fog being the sign of a ghost ship’s arrival… Troops, get into a wedge formation! If it’s a ghost ship, we’re up against undead! They’re our enemies!”

  Their commander’s order caused even the paladins some consternation.

  “P-please wait, Commander Custodio! We’re entering the Nation of Darkness where an undead is king. Couldn’t it be a Nation of Darkness ship?”

  “What?! You mean they brought a ghost ship ashore and are controlling it…? What in the world…?”

  It was only natural that Remedios would be lost for words.

  Some undead did control other undead. But what kind of undead would be able to take a ship that normally sailed the sea under its power?

  Before long, the ship was fully visible.

  It really was a ghost ship.

  The whole thing was a wreck. There were gaping holes in the hull, and the boards were twisted up in places.

  It was huge—definitely bigger than the flagship of the Sacred Kingdom’s navy, The Holy King’s Hammer. If it weren’t falling apart, it would have imparted quite a powerful impression.

  The last of the three masts was rigged with a fore-and-aft sail, while the other two had square sails. But they were so ragged, it didn’t seem like they would be able to do their job. The ram jutted out to an unusually sharp point and gleamed as if it had been polished. Not only that, it had the dim glow of enchantment, and the entire ship seemed almost proud of it.

  But what was most eye-catching of all was the crest raised on the main mast. It definitely belonged to the Nation of Darkness.

  The ship was floating about three feet off the ground.

  Soon it was passing by, ignoring the party that was frozen stiff staring at it.

  As they all stood stock-still, the fog began to dissipate. Was it the ship causing the fog as it sailed along? No, if that were the case, the fog would have been thickest when it approached them, and they wouldn’t have even been able to see it. The ship must have been surrounded by the fog at a short distance, like a membrane meant to conceal it.