“Doelgar-san, if you have freedom of mind, I leave this to you. It’s the part of the people related to commerce and industry who registered to have work experience among the residents who have completely drawn-up official papers after entering the country. I intended to sort them according to their type of industry, but… since you have leeway, there won’t be any problem, right?” (Paryu)
“… Yes.” (Doelgar)
“Miyukare-san, this is the part among the documents about those, who reported to have been civilians in military employ in the past, I considered it necessary for them to receive a secondary check. Since there are plenty of women included here, please check them as the one in charge of military affairs.” (Paryu)
“… Got it.” (Miyukare)
“I will go to pick up the documents at the border”, saying that, Paryu left the room. Immediately following that Doelgar and Miyukare spit out the air in their lungs and dropped their tensed shoulders.
“It’s the first time for me to feel frightened by a girl who’s more than 10 years younger than me.”
“… Aren’t you 20?”
“I’m younger than Caim.”
Due to Miyukare opening her eyes widely in surprise while unable to speak, Doelgar cursed with a brief comment and started to fight against the documents which had increased by more than twice.
☻
The ones struggling hard in front of documents aren’t just the civil officials who are on official business in Rhone.
“Gununu….” (Alyssa)
“Alyssa-sama, even if you groan, that doesn’t make you progress through the textbook.” (Caim)
Being cautioned by Caim, Alyssa pursed her lips which had a pen in-between them.
“Why do I have to do this?” (Alyssa)
“As noble it’s a necessary study to stand on your own as feudal lord. Alyssa-sama, you have to lead us for the residents, who are continuing to increase even now, as next head of the Earl household.” (Caim)
The smoothly explained details were ones even Alyssa had already agreed on.
At the time when she was told the gist of her being accepted as adopted daughter by Hifumi, Alyssa rejected it as it was far too sudden, but decided to accept it in the end as she was beginning to become vaguely aware of the fact that the emotions she felt at the time when she headed to Horant were reliance towards a senior rather than love towards a man.
Once it was decided that Alyssa will inherit the Earl household, Caim piled up his own textbooks which he prepared immediately and Brokra arranged for as many noble-like items as possible. Now they are looking for a private tutor to teach her the necessary etiquette for a noble lady.
There hasn’t been an official announcement to the residents about Alyssa becoming the heir, but those related to the territory’s management and the soldiers, who heard about it from the staff, spread the story in less than a day.
Since there are many people among the staff members of the feudal lord’s mansion who don’t know Alyssa well, there have been many bewildered voices. However, since it’s hard to imagine for Hifumi, who is still young, to retire, they were able to accept it with “Isn’t that one of his usual whimsical policies?”
The soldiers were greatly delighted.
There was also the feudal lord’s side until now. That suppressed the degree of enthusiasm towards Alyssa more or less. But now they were excited that they should mainly guard her even in exchange for their lives, not with the attitude towards a superior officer as until now but from now on towards the heir.
Setting aside such reactions of her environment, the person herself was simply happy about being able to become Hifumi’s family, but because the predecessor Hifumi was too far apart from a noble-like life, the idea that he had become a noble didn’t reach him at all.
The next day after she consented to become his adopted daughter, she was heading towards Hifumi’s office while racking her brain over an Alyssa-typical important matter of whether she should call Hifumi father and whether Origa will get mad if she calls her mother, but on the way she was caught by Caim and forced to study.
And there’s one more woman in the same room at her wit’s end in front of a textbook. It’s the one-eared rabbit beastman Viine.
On the day they returned while bringing her along, she was introduced to the staff members with the new title “Secretary” added. Right now she’s in the middle of systematically getting the documents prepared by the civil officials and staff members driven into her head for the sake of understanding the circumstances of the current Tohno Earldom and the knowledge necessary to support Hifumi’s work.
“It looks like my head’s going to explode…”
It’s documents filled with earnest schematic entries and content after such things as the population’s movements, the changes of industrial structures and the composition of the army were entrusted to Fokalore by Hifumi.
As they had apparently no feelings of avoiding her, the staff members reaction was that of very deep curiosity towards the beastman Viine as the person who was brought along by Hifumi and as someone unusual. Especially the female staff members are harbouring slightly dirty interest wondering whether they will be able to hear about Hifumi’s private life in a delicious manner.
As result of that, they drew up more-than-necessary, finely-detailed documents in high spirits at the time when they were ordered to present the territory’s documents of each department to Viine. Under the pretext of explaining those, staff members continuously visited Viine for few hours at start while changing places with each other.
Since she couldn’t concentrate in that situation, Caim had her move to the study room of Alyssa whom he is supervising.
No matter how much interest they might have; in front of Caim, who asks 「Your business?」 while directly looking at them with no expression, there were no staff members that were bold enough to try starting an idle chat round.
Thanks to that, it resulted in Viine being able to study with Alyssa’s groans as BGM inside the room with a feeling of tension hanging in the air due to the continuous monitoring.
“Please don’t hold back and ask me if there are any parts you don’t understand.” (Caim)
“Y-Yes.” (Viine)
Though she gave him an answer, Viine’s first impression of Caim was her considering him scary. Even though she was sending fleeting glances at Caim, far from asking a question, she hesitated to even call out to him.
At the time she was restlessly grasping a document tightly, the civil official Brokra knocked and entered the room.
“Excuse me. Alyssa-sama, since I was able to arrange for a private tutor, the time for education will start from the day after tomorrow.” (Brokra)
“… I want to train outside with everyone.” (Alyssa)
“That’s not allowed.” (Caim)
Not Brokra but Caim flatly comments with an indifferent voice.
“If I study while keeping sitting for such long time, my butt will get sore!” (Alyssa)
“Please endure it for a while. Since there’s also dancing in the general education course, you will have the chance to move your body.” (Brokra)
“That’s not the problem here”, Alyssa objects with teary eyes. Due to that, Caim repetitively explains just how important education and studying is for the bearings of a feudal lord in a dispassionate manner.
Due to the indifferent persuasion that seems to even tire out Viine who is just listening from the side, Alyssa threw the towel, 50% out of weakness, and returned to transcribing the textbook after saying “Got it.”
Viine, who saw Alyssa’s great efforts in Horant with her own eyes, wondered that such a strong person was talked down with words to a degree that she couldn’t even refute at all resulting in her having even more difficulty in dealing with Caim.
Because Brokra discovered her look searching for help by chance, she tried to resolve it by receiving Viine’s question, but the rabbit beastman, who will otherwise stay eternally afrai
d of Caim, might get locked up in the room without graduating the secretary curriculum.
However, since it developed into an endless clash of opinions regarding Viine’s education between Caim and Brokra, the pressure felt by Viine only increased.
“Is this the staff room here?” (Hifumi)
Hifumi, who came to see the situation of Alyssa and Viine, muttered that comment after hearing the dispute and ran away without entering the room.
Chapter 161 – Animals
Even while having his hatred towards Hifumi flaring up once again, the tiger beastman Malfas, who was persuaded by Gengu, returned to the beginning of the wastelands after being led by a soldier of Fokalore.
“Thank you very much ~ssu. On top of accompanying us until here, even souvenirs…” (Gengu)
A bundle with daily necessities and foodstuff given to him as souvenirs from Orsongrande is tied on the back of Gengu who bowed his head to the soldier of Fokalore.
Even the back of the gloomily silent Malfas next to him had a large baggage affixed to it.
“Don’t mind it. By nature we don’t know what Lord-sama is thinking. It’s a little apology because he acts like a bad person though he is a good-natured fellow.”
“Please take care of Viine-san and Puuse-san.” (Gengu)
“Yeah, Viine-san has probably arrived in Fokalore by now. Since she will be warmly welcomed if it’s our guys, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. If it’s Puuse-san, won’t she be popular anywhere, seeing that elves are strong at magic and that she is such a beauty to boot?”
“Then I’m relieved”, Gengu laughs alongside the soldier of Fokalore and pulls Malfas’ clothes.
“Ah, well then we will head out now ~ssu.” (Gengu)
“Well then, stay healthy. Come visit once again if you ever feel like it.”
“We will definitely come back one day ~ssu.” (Gengu)
Gengu lowered his head to the soldier of Fokalore who bid him farewell while waving his hand strongly and began to walk.
Malfas walks at a slightly quicker pace in front of Gengu.
After walking for around two hours, the environment completely changes into that of forests and wastelands with no traces of a human city visible.
Even though he sees the forests and wasteland which should be dear to him, after leaving the human city, Gengu can’t settle down his mind in all honesty. From now on we will continue to travel for some time while sleeping outdoors. Thinking about that, his footsteps become heavy.
“I guess I got completely used to the human city as well. Do we have to go to a place with as many ponds as possible ~ssu? Even if we do meet unexpectedly with the demons again… mmh?” (Gengu)
Gengu moves his ears with a twitch. What they picked up is a great number of footsteps.
“Malfas! A great number of footsteps is approaching! We have to hide!” (Gengu)
While saying that, Gengu grabbed Malfas hand and hid in the shade of a nearby rock.
He also lowers the baggage from his back for the sake of being able to escape without any burden when push comes to shove.
“Aren’t those beastmen moving in a group?” (Malfas)
“They are too slow-footed for that to be the case. There’s also the clanking sounds of armours. In all probability, it’s the demons.” (Gengu)
“We won’t fight? If it’s beastmen…” (Malfas)
Malfas breaks off and keeps silent after receiving Gengu’s stare.
“Malfas… if you speak any further, I will leave you behind here.” (Gengu)
The footsteps are still far away and they seem to be exhausted. Even for demons, the footsteps are too slow and too disconnected.
Gengu sat down and leaned against the rock.
“Why did the beastmen live inside the forest scattered all over? Malfas, did you never consider that?” (Gengu)
“T-That’s because they settled according to their tribes…” (Malfas)
“No, it’s different.” (Gengu)
Thrusting a hand in his luggage, he took our a sandwich with plenty of meat put in-between.
Splitting that into two pieces, he handed one piece to Malfas and bit into the other one.
“Tigers and wolves… us and you, even those of the same tribe split up into several settlements. Putting it the other way, even humans and elves lived together, not to speak of the dispersed beastmen in the slums.” (Gengu)
Malfas also bites into the sandwich and enjoys the taste of the meat which was blended with a fragrant sauce. Suddenly he remembers that he never ate food, that was prepared like this, when he lived in the forest. He stares at the sandwich with complicated feelings.
“In the end it’s just as you said before, fight if you see another tribe and be simply satisfied with surviving from day to day. And that’s why the beastmen never progressed. … In reality I should have thought about that a lot more during my time in the slums. Seeing the humans’ cities… or rather, Hifumi-san’s city, I was forced to realize the real meaning for the first time.” (Gengu)
“However, since beastmen are strong, they can live in the wastelands. We even repelled the humans…” (Malfas)
Gengu laughed scornfully with a “Humph” at Malfas objection.
“Until now, that is. There’s nothing that never changes. Beastmen slaves decreased in number and we learned how to create a city and live in it. We also comprehended that it’s possible to live together with other races. Of course there are bad things. The demons, the lot that became free; there’s no doubt that they hate the elves. Even the humans learned various ways of fighting after being taught by Hifumi-san. We were taught as well, but if you ask me whether we are able to use that knowledge skilfully, I guess there’s still a long way to go for that to happen.” (Gengu)
He shows the remaining sandwich and swings it around.
“For us there are very likely many things that we haven’t learned yet and if we did, are unable to do. Being able to make delicious food is one of them…” (Gengu)
He tosses the remaining sandwich in his mouth and drinks some water from his flask.
“Probably the guys, who have been living in separate settlements until now, have been crushed by the demons or killed by the humans. Trying to enable the beastmen to use traps and group combat or having them take lessons in magic from the elves shows that Reni-san probably understands that not only the humans of Swordland are our enemies… Do you know why I decided to follow Reni-san?” (Gengu)
Malfas shook his head.
For an instant he wondered whether Gengu lost to Reni. That’s after all the most simple and basic means of deciding the relationship between fellow beastmen. However, the abilities between a sheep beastman and a wolf beastman are fundamentally too different.
Gengu held up his hand with its sharp claws and furrowed his brows.
“Beastmen are proud of their speed and strength, and thus there are only guys who think that everything can be decided by that. If there’s a guy who’s stronger than me, I either run away or succumb to them. Only those two options.” (Gengu)
“However, Reni and Helen are different”, Gengu remembers the time when he met those two for the first time.
“Reni-san lowered the amount of enemies by increasing her friends. Turning them into allies, she tried to create an even better livelihood. She showed us a method to get benefits by making friends without fighting.” (Gengu)
“… That is, wasn’t she taught that by that man?” (Malfas)
“You idiot. Don’t you use your head properly?” (Gengu)
Drinking one more sip of water, he puts the flask back into the bundle of luggages.
“I don’t think that a person who advances everything by using fighting strength to the degree of Hifumi-san exists. Whether it’s humans or beastmen, he will kill them if they become his enemies and he will use them as bait if they are his allies. What makes Reni-san amazing is that she only used the good parts of what she was taught by such guy. That ain’t normal. In a
good meaning.” (Gengu)
Even Gengu thinks that Viine’s reaction towards Hifumi as female beastman is more befitting than Reni’s. Thinking that she wants his children if he’s a strong male is a natural response for a female beastman. It’s her instinct telling her that it’s necessary to leave behind descendants.
“Once we return to the slums, try to look a bit more precisely at the things Reni-san does. And, maybe with what feelings the surroundings get in contact with Reni-san, I guess. Surviving and fighting one’s enemy aren’t necessarily the same thing. I think you know that.” (Gengu)
He quietly looked in the direction of the approaching sound from within the shade of the rock.
A group of demons is walking through the wastelands while scuttling.
A single one-armed demon, who was the only one on a mount, was advancing in the lead. Apparently for the sake of closing the arm’s injury, many bandages were tightly wrapped around his chest.
His expression is a mixture of pain and rage.
All of the soldiers had tired expressions. They were silent while having postures looking as if they were being crushed by heavy baggages.
“… The humans repelled even the demon soldiers… eh?” (Gengu)
The things which he had to tell Reni increased.
Just how much blood will flow from now on in the wastelands? Pondering about that sickening future even if it’s just a prediction, Gengu growled while baring his fangs.
☻
“Being appointed to Earl Tohno, I’m glad to see you in good health…” (Hifumi)
“Such a greetings is good. It also means that you remember my face.” (Phyrinion)
The former female knight Phyrinion, who’s the messenger that brought the handwritten letter of the queen, gave up on Hifumi, who completely ignores the customs of nobles as usual, with a smile.
“Besides, I thought that you stopped being a knight after getting married, but I guess you are still serving the country.” (Hifumi)
“To be precise, as the family status of my household is higher than that of my husband Vaiya’s, it took the shape of him being adopted into my family, that has only a daughter, as son-in-law. With me managing the territory, my husband has kept serving as knight.” (Phyrinion)
Summoned Slaughterer - Book 8 Page 7