Volume 5 - CH 2.06

In Ahmad, which possessed a vast territory, untouched dense forests still remained here and there. They were dark green seas that hid the frightfulness where one might have to wander about in darkness like that for several days if they carelessly strayed off the highways.

Taroma was a small island floating in such a sea—a post town built on a wide open land in the forest. In order to survive in the forest where threats such as bears, wolves and occasionally thieves lurked, people gathered at one place; moreover, travellers seeking safe inns would come there—such a cycle repeated itself and Taroma developed. That Taroma, which didn’t have any special agricultural products or special products, would grow into a town, of which the scale exceeded a population of three thousand, was solely because of the conditions of its location.

When Lucius’s party, which had been heading towards Taroma day and night, came to a place that was half a day more to the relay station in Taroma, they veered away from the highway slightly and made their horses rest at a quiet riverside.

In the end, Lucius, who had been told by Isaac that the selection of members to take along would be left to him, brought eight people who seemed to be particularly tight-lipped and Angel Saforcada, whose name was mentioned by Isaac, along with him and departed. Rather than assessing their sword and magic skills and then choosing them, it was a personnel selection that took account of their sincerity and loyalty to the royal family. It didn’t mean that Isaac said something to him, but Lucius thought such things might be necessary for the mission this time.

Lucius, who had checked whether the harness had become loose while quenching the thirst in his throat with a leather bag of ale, separated from the other members and looked at Angel, who was swinging his sword.

Honestly, it couldn’t be called skilful. The fact that he was still unskillful was conspicuous, but setting whether he had talent or not aside, it was certain that he was a beginner.

However, setting the sword aside, he had magic talent. He had shown it more than enough during the campaign in Heidelauta.

「Angel-kun」

「Ah, yes」

As if slightly surprised, Angel hurriedly kept his sword in the scabbard and looked back at Lucius.

「It looks like you’re not used to riding a horse, but are you all right?」

「Y, yes, I’m all right. I’m sorry for causing you to worry」

Arranging the forelock sticking to his forehead because of the sweat, Angel nodded, looking shy in some way. As long as this young man, who had an innocence just like that of a girl, didn’t wear this blue uniform, he probably didn’t look like a member of the Seal Chivalric Order at all.

「This is a good opportunity, so I have a few things I want to ask you, but is that fine?」

「What might they be?」

「What were you doing before you came to the chivalric order? I know that your magic skill is quite something, but where on earth did you train it?」

「I… didn’t train it anywhere, I simply practised it continuously in my own mansion. I like to study since I was a child, after all」

It went without saying that unless one was a possessor of a clear head, one couldn’t become a skilful magic warriorMarefikos. However, it wasn’t something that anyone could become if they were intelligent either. Even for the large country Ahmad, only one in ten people had magic ability; furthermore, an environment where they could develop it—an environment where they could receive professional learning and carve magic crests was necessary.

Of course, it had been confirmed that Angel wasn’t an unregistered magic warrior at the point of time when he was recommended to the chivalric order. In the branch of the magic academyMonasteria Marefikos in Gloom, the record of his magic crests being drawn by the Hiera Glaphicos of this place accurately remained.

However, that was why it could also be said that it was strange on the contrary. Angel, who had his magic crests carved at the branch and took the first step forward as a magic warrior, didn’t acquire training there.

Perhaps sensing that Lucius was harbouring doubts about those circumstances, Angel opened his mouth somewhat hesitantly.

「My house has fallen quite low during these hundred years or so… and it’s my family’s last hope that I succeed in life. Hence, my family supported me all together and invited a famous magic warrior to the mansion as my private tutor, and then I’ve been training diligently since I was seven」

Rather than a story heard somewhere, it was a common story. In order to rebuild their houses, fallen nobles would entrust everything to the excellent children within the families; for example, Valeria and Karin were also like that, and it was like that for Lucius who supported the House of Richternach, which couldn’t be called a great noble at all and was just ancient, as well. Such people were also in great numbers in the chivalric order.

In short, Angel was also one of such young people.

「Even though things may appear this way, the House of Saforcada is an ancient lineage that is a distant relative on Her Highness the Queen’s mother’s side of family」

「That’s… I’m sorry, I didn’t know」

「No, that’s normal. It’s really a fallen house that can no longer appear in the high society, after all…」

If they didn’t go in and out the high society of Roma, then their names wouldn’t be recorded in the directory, which was relied upon to confirm the nobles’ identities. Although Lucius must memorise the house names of many nobles for work, as one would expect, even he couldn’t grasp a house name that wasn’t in the directory.

「That’s the reason why Duke Bermudez recommended you, huh… did you come to Roma immediately after the training with your private tutor?」

「No, I was in Gloom for the last half a year or so」

「Gloom? So that means you’re Her Highness the Queen’s—?」

「Yes. To repay Duke Bermudez and Her Highness the Queen for their kindness at least, I took up the position of her guard」

「Does the Crown Prince… knows that you were Her Highness the Queen’s guard?」

「Yes. I’ve already talked to him about it」

That was to say, he knew but kept it from Lucius. This was indeed typical of the mischievous Isaac. But on the other hand, he also felt that the Crown Prince was too malicious a little. He had no conclusive evidence as he hadn’t read the decree yet, but he had a premonition that the mission this time would probably be too harsh to have a new member, who was still sixteen, accompany them.

Lucius informed the other members of the end of their rest and put his foot on the horse’s stirrup.

「…You」

「Yes?」

Lucius then spoke in a low voice so that the other people couldn’t hear him.

「Do you know what kind of town Taroma, which we’re heading towards after this, is?」

「I heard that it’s a large post town…」

「Is that all?」

「Yes…?」

「It’s fine if you don’t know. I’ll explain when we reach there」

Sending the newcomer, who had guarded the queen in Gloom, to Taroma on a top-secret mission this time—if the details of the mission were as Lucius had guessed, then it might be possible to say that Isaac’s sarcasm had gone a little too far.