Hello, everyone!

Welcome to another Seitenkan story; this one is about an archeress (female archer) who is forced into becoming the prisoner of the Vanidar.

A few things you need to know before we begin though:

1. The story still retain its title, albiet with the "(Seitenkan)" right after it.
2. Some characters fetain their main gender; thus, this might get confusing for some people in some area, which is why I changed some "he" and "she" words to "they" (and to "s/he" later on in Chapter 6).
3. Since this is a light novel, I'm including the entirety of it (all chapters on one page).
4. This is NOT a teaser, so I WILL return to it (though not regularly).
5. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for anyone who hasn't read the story (you can most of the light novels on Baka-Tsuki).

Okay, that's it...

Enjoy


Volume 1

Prologue

The tip of the longsword was thrust forward.

The one wielding the sword was a handsome boy with silver-colored hair that stretched all the way to his shoulder blades. He looked down at the youth from the top of his horse.

"Throw aside your fucking bow."

The youth complied obediently, placing the bow that she held in her hands on the ground.

She did not feel like resisting. Her arrows were already exhausted.

In their surroundings were countless corpses lying on the ground. Broken swords, spears that protruded from the ground like tombstones, and the wind that carried the thick smell of blood.

"I am Eliasora Viltaria. And you are?"

The boy's refreshing voice resounded, as if it were blowing away the smell of blood. He was dignified, and despite that he possessed a radiance in those curious crimson eyes.

The youth answered his question, mesmerized.

"... Tigarivurmud Vorn."

After asking her several questions, he sheathed his sword in the scabbard at his waist, satisfied.

And then he smiled sweetly at the youth.

"From now on, you belong to me."

End of Prologue


Chapter 1
Encounter with the Vanidar

"Tigari-sama."

The voice of a boy that she had grown used to hearing reached her ears, and she felt her body being shaken. Because of the bright light shining through the window, she knew that morning had come. However, she was still sleepy.

"A little longer... just a little longer."

"How long is 'a little longer,' may I ask?"

"There aren't any plans to go hunting today, so until noon..."

"Cut it out and please wake up!" the boy roared out loud.

She was stripped of her blanket, her shoulders were grabbed, and she was woken up violently.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that the bright red face of the boy, boiling with anger, was in close proximity.

He had a child-like face, which had no intimidating power even when he was angry. His chestnut-colored hair was tied in a ponytail. His small body was dressed in a uniform with long black sleeves, black pants, and a white shirt with a bowtie that gave off a feeling of cleanliness.

"Ah... morning, Titto."

With a slow, drowsy voice, Tigari called out the name of the butler. Seeing that she seemed to be awake at last, Titto released his hand.

"The soldiers have already finished their preparations a long time ago, and are all waiting for Tigari-sama!"

Tigari was confused, and thought about what he had just said.

The blood rushed from her face immediately as the realization sank in.

"Oh crap!"

As though rolling out of her bed, she got up, and Titto held out a set of folded clothes for her. Beside his feet was a small pail filled with water.

"Thank you. You're well prepared, as always."

"That is because I expected this to happen. I will go and prepare breakfast, so please wash your face and get changed in the mean time."

With the anger gone from his face, Titto gave a cheerful smile and bowed, holding his arm over his chest in a cross, and left the room gracefully.

Tigari washed her face. The cool and refreshing feeling cleansed the lingering drowsiness from her. She dashed out of the room while putting on her clothes, buttoning them up as she ran down the corridor.

"Though I don't have any time left... I still can't slack off."

She originally intended to go straight for the dining room, but instead she headed towards the small room at the end of the corridor.

It was a room small enough that three adults would be unable to sit down inside together at once. Standing at the opposite end of the room to the entrance was an exquisitely decorated rack, and on it was a bow. The bowstring was drawn firm and taut, and it seemed like it was ready to be used at any time. If one were to describe the bow in a single word, it would be "black." The handle, the bowstring - the entire bow was pure black, without luster or shine. It would not be unbelievable to say that this bow was cut and made from darkness.

―― The mere sight of it gave off an oppressive feeling...

This mysterious bow was a family heirloom of the Vorn family, and was said to have been used by their hunter ancestors.

Tigari's father had left behind a last request regarding the bow.

"Use this bow only when you are truly in need of it. Do not use it under any other circumstance."

After hearing her father's will, Tigari had felt an indescribably eerie feeling from the bow, and decided not to touch it.

Tigari stood up straight, regulated her breathing, placed her clenched fist against her chest and moved it horizontally. Then she bowed for her ancestors. After finishing this action, she quietly left the room and headed to the dining room.

Tigarivurmud Vorn was sixteen this year. She had been born in an earl's house in the Kingdom of Brune, and had succeeded the family name after her father had passed away due to an illness. Her name had been passed down by her ancestors who had obtained the position of an earl. But because it was such a mouthful, she herself finding it to be too long and troublesome to say, she asked those close to her to address her as "Tigari."

Tigari stepped into the dining room, and smelled a delicious aroma.

There was ham with fried eggs, rye bread, milk, mushroom soup and others, all hot enough for a faint vapor to waft from them, set on a simple dining table. Titto stood on standby beside the table.

"Just the soup will do," said Tigari.

"That won't do," Titto replied. When it came to food, he was extremely stubborn. "Do you want your stomach to growl in front of everyone? It would be unsightly."

Titto placed his hands on his hips and glared directly at Tigari. It was an intense look, very unlike a butler. It was far more frightening than when he had woken her up. Tigari knew well that she could not win this argument, so she gave in readily.

After washing the bread down with milk, she grabbed the plate and gobbled down the fried egg and finished the soup in great gulps.

"Thank you for the meal," she said as she stood up. Titto immediately walked up to her, a comb and napkin in his hands.

"There is still a little bit left on your mouth. Please wipe it properly." He spoke as though he was a little angry, as he wiped her mouth clean with the napkin for her. "You have some bed-hair as well." He reached up with the hand that held the comb and thoroughly brushed Tigari's hair. "Look, even your collar's crooked." He placed the comb and napkin down on the table and arranged her collar neatly. Tigari quietly accepted this all the while.

" ―― Tigari-sama."

"What is it?"

Titto's voice had suddenly lost its strictness, becoming rather feminine. He called out to Tigari gently. Because he was a year younger than her, she had always thought of him as her younger brother.

"Why does Tigari-sama have to go out and do battle?"

Tigari's expression became a little troubled. She ran her hand through her dark red hair. There were times when Titto would ask these kinds of difficult questions, and she would find herself at a loss trying to come up with an answer.

"It's because of Her Majesty's military draft," Tigari replied. "It is only natural that the house of Diana Vorn do its part for the Kingdom of Brune."

"B-but..." Titto looked up at Tigari with teary eyes, and he argued back vehemently," It wasn't easy for us to muster even a hundred soldiers..."

There were many different types of nobles. Among them, Tigari's house, while not "poor," could be described as "simple." Other similar adjectives would not be far off the mark as well. Such was the state of the noble family of Vorn.

The territory House Vorn governed was called Alsace, which was situated in the countryside far from the central areas of the kingdom. Not only was it a small piece of land, but it was also dominated by forests and mountains, and thus there was little to reap profits from. As a result, Tigari's lifestyle was far from what one might expect from a noble. It lacked in both luxury and grandeur. The house that she lived in was not large. The fact that Titto alone could manage all of the domestic chores in the house was proof of that.

"Furthermore," Titto continued, "I've heard that the enemy is the Kingdom of Zhcted. If that's the case, shouldn't Tigari-sama stay here? After all, Zhcted and Alsace are only separated by a mountain."

"That may be so, but this is a place that's as rural as it gets. Not even Zhcted would think of invading here."

To Tigari, the fact that Alsace would not be turned into a battlefield was a good thing.

"W-what's more... don't they always make a fool out of Tigari-sama for your archery skills?"

"It is impossible to leave behind a chanson de geste with the bow, after all."

"It's fine even without a chanson de geste!" Titto insisted loudly, before burying his face into Tigari's chest. "My only... wish is that you do not push yourself too hard, and that no injuries should befall you, and that you return in good health, please."

The young butler embraced Tigari lightly.

"Don't worry too much," she said. "Didn't I return unharmed from my first battle two years ago?"

"That time, Diana-sama was..."

Titto's voice trailed off halfway. Urs was Tigari's late father.

In order to ease Titto's heart, Tigari patted him lightly on the head.

"In this battle, my unit will be located behind the main forces," she said. "It's a safe place to be. And no matter what happens, I'll think of something."

Tigari brought her hand up to wipe the tears from the corner of Titto's eyes.

"I understand," he nodded. Then he said, "L-listen well, Tigari-sama. Please don't oversleep on the battlefield."

"The way you say it makes it sound like I'm always oversleeping."

"It's true," Titto rebutted. "Isn't the only time that Tigari-sama wakes up on time is when you go hunting?"

Despite his words, Tigari knew that Titto was cheering for her with all his heart. Tigari hugged him again, while Titta relaxed his body and let Tigari hold him. She could feel the warmth of his body even through his clothes, and his chestnut hair gave off a faint fragrance. Although she would have liked to stay like this for a little while longer, she did not have time. Tigari reluctantly released him.

"I'm counting on you to watch the house, Titto."

Titto wiped his tears away with his sleeve and said, smiling:

"Please leave it to me, Tigari-sama. Take care of yourself too."


As Tigari walked out of the front door while hefting her bow and quiver on her back, she saw that the soldiers were already in formation waiting for her. A short old woman wearing leather armor walked up to her and bowed her head.

"Young mistress, everyone has been assembled. The preparations are also complete."

"Well done, Bernice."

This old woman was Tigari's aide. Compared to the young Tigari, she had far more experience in battle, and within this unit she was the only person besides Tigari who was trained in equestrianism.

As for the rest, they were all soldiers wearing leather armor with swords on their hips and spears in their hands.

"I sure have gathered a fair number."

Tigari heaved a sigh. Some of the more experienced soldiers said, half-jokingly:

"Milady, there's naught to be worried about. Though we've not fought in a war for three years, we've spent our days working with the plough, and as such our bodies have grown tough, aye."

"Going against Her Majesty's command would be like disobeying the ol' mister, no? In that case, we are left with no choice but to obey."

"Your words are much appreciated. Why don't we simply bring your husband along as well? A few angry roars from him would be enough to scare off even a thousand or two of the enemy soldiers, eh?"

The soldiers laughed uproariously.

"It would be best to give up on that, young mistress. This woman's mister differentiates not between friend and foe!"

Bernice had interjected with banter of her own, and Tigari ended this conversation with a shrug of her shoulders.

―― It looked like morale was not going to be a problem.

After waiting for their laughter to subside, Tigari saluted. Then she mounted the horse that Bernice had brought over and raised her right hand up in the air and gave a command.

"Our destination is the Plains of Dinant. En-route, we will be joining up with Lady Marcia's forces."

The soldiers raised the war flags up high.

They carried two different flags. One had a blue base with a white half-moon and shooting star ― the war flag of House Vorn. The other was of Bayarl ― a sacred horse with a black mane and crimson body, the symbol of the Kingdom of Brune.

"With that, let us move out!"


The Kingdom of Brune shared its eastern border with the Kingdom of Zhcted. The two countries have had their swords at one another's throats for over twenty years.

The reason for the conflict this time was due to the flooding of the river that served as the border of the two countries caused by torrential rain.

Firstly, the victims of the flood were quick to point fingers at the other country, saying "'Tis all because those fellows from yonder haven't been doing their job with the river," which served as the sparks that started the fire.

Next, both countries, having been petitioned to by the victims, maintained the stance that "there are problems with their flood control solutions," which fanned the flames of hostility even more, and finally resulted in a full-scale conflict.

If it was just that, Tigari should not have been summoned to the battlefield.

"The enemy forces number roughly five thousand, but our own forces number over twenty five thousand. 'Tis pleasant news, truly."

The one who spoke with sarcasm in her voice from beside Tigari was a knight that was already past her middle ages, Marcia Rodant.

Marcia was a friend of Tigari's father, and had often taken care of Tigari as her benefactor.

"Have you heard?" Tigari asked. "They say it's because Her Royal Highness is riding into battle for the first time."

"'Tis likely to be true. His Majesty does dote on her, after all."

Marcia's portly body was equipped with iron armor and helmet, and she stroked her upper lip in displeasure.

"The conflict this time round is almost like a squabble between children, resulting in their parents having to step in. It is not something that would drastically alter the country's future. Based on that, we are merely decorations for Her Highness's ― Princess Regin ― first battle. To be precise, this is for her to gain some experience."

For his beloved daughter's first battle, the king must have wanted her to win a glorious victory.

The king had sent out all of the knights directly under him. The nobles that lived near the Plains of Dinant had all received the call to war, too.

This included even minor nobles, like Tigari and Marcia.

Those assembled numbered over twenty five thousand. The forces commanded by Marcia were about three hundred men strong. Within that, there were around fifty knights. Though the number was not small, compared to the entire twenty five thousand strong army, they were but a drop in the ocean, and the same went for Tigre. It was for this reason that both of them had been assigned to the rear end of the formation.

"The odds favor those who gather the greater army ― 'tis but the basics of war. One day, Princess Regin will succeed the throne. His Majesty was not wrong to do so, was he?"

Tigari patted the old knight on the shoulder in consolation.

Those words that she had said was just rhetoric. If she did not say it out loud, she might have lost her will to fight.

"No doubt we are but minor nobles. We only have to wait obediently in the back. If everyone bears the same mindset that this is an assured victory and lunge headfirst into battle for glory... that reminds me, Tigari, have you heard of the Princes of War?"

Marcia asked as though she had suddenly recalled something. Tigari tilted her head.

"You mean the Seven Vanidar of Zhcted?"

"Yes, that's the one all right. It seems that the enemy forces are being lead by one of the Vanidar. Though only sixteen years old, he is undefeated, attaining victory after victory. An excellent swordsman, he stands at the forefront of battle, cutting down all before him. He is known and feared as the [(Meltis) Danseuse of the Sword] and the [(Silvfrahl) Wind Prince of the Silverflash]."

The Kingdom of Zhcted was ruled by a king and the Seven Vanidar.

―― The same age as me, huh?

Tigari had an inexplicable feeling about this yet unmet enemy general. Though they were of the same age, and since he was a male, he had far more battle experience and had performed many heroic feats, and commanded a five thousand strong army.

"What name does he go by, this Vanidar?"

"If my memory doesn't fail me, he's called Eliasora Viltaria. The rumors say that he's a real hunk."

"Is he really that handsome?"

"It's great that you're excited hearing about hunks, but remember to keep it in moderation. Otherwise, Titto'll get jealous."

Marcia's mouth trembled with laughter.

"Why did Titto's name suddenly get mentioned?" Tigari replied sullenly. "He's only like a brother ―― "

"Ever since you were kids, people have said that the two of you were like a lazy older sister and a capable younger brother."

Even though she put it that way, Tigari could not make a rebuttal. Scratching her dark red hair, she changed the topic.

"If the Vanidar is truly as great of a general as the rumors say, then we're in for a hard battle, aren't we?"

"That may be so, but the difference in military strength is simply too great. Even with a specialist of war leading them, they probably wouldn't be able to overcome this disparity."

No matter how hard the Vanidar fought, they would not be able to make up for the overwhelming difference in numbers.

Tigari would have liked to voice her agreement, but for some reason she could not do so. She had an ominous, foreboding feeling. In the region around the back of her neck, she felt a sensation as though she was being burned. This was not the first time she had experienced this kind of feeling. It was like the times when, as she was out hunting, she was surrounded by wolves due to her carelessness ― or when she ran into dragons while in the mountains.

Or when she woke up in the morning and was sporting some major morning wood, and Titto came to wake her up like he always did.

In any case, when she had this kind of feeling, something bad was about to happen.

"You don't seem too overjoyed."

She had been wearing her true feelings on her face, it seemed, and Marcia looked over in concern.

"Are you worried about something? You don't seem like your usual carefree self."

"What carefree self?" Tigari said unhappily. "Aren't there other ways to describe me, like imperturbable?"

Marcia smiled. "It's fine even if you try to brush it off with difficult vocabulary. As for me, I remember the day that you succeeded Urs two years ago as though it was just yesterday."

"I... did I say something then?"

"When the representatives of the towns and villages asked you how to manage Alsace, didn't you answer them with a 'well, it'll work out somehow?' If that isn't carefree, what is?"

Tigari did not reply. She only shrugged her shoulders. However, Maacia did not stop there.

"When Urs was still with us, he had always praised you as someone who was 'calm and steadfast, though a little optimistic. She makes good judgments and has a strong body.' Those were exactly the words of a father favoring his daughter, weren't they?"

"Even if you say that, I do have confidence in my way of doing things."

Only after Marcia had finished speaking, did Tigari answer.

It was the truth that no major problems had occurred in Alsace.

Though it was slow, their assets has been growing at a steady pace. Those representatives who had been stunned by his casual statement got along pretty well with him after that.

"Aside from those days where you go hunting, are you able to wake up on your own, without Titto's help?"

"... No, about that..."

"I've heard from Titto that if you have two or three days off, you grab your bow and quiver and head off into the forests or mountains to hunt."

Tigari's shoulder sagged in her silence, she could not refute that fact.

"Forget I ever said anything. It's good enough that you are performing your duties as a governor. That you can tell just by seeing their faces."

Macia looked over her shoulders, back at the soldiers.

Their fighting spirits were low due to being deployed at the rear, but not a single person had voiced her unhappiness or anger over it.

"Tigari, our job is to bring these men back home safely, not to think about how to win this battle. I'm not sure what you're thinking about, but don't worry too much about it."

"Thank you for your concern," Tigari expressed her gratitude.

It was as she had said: there was no point thinking too much about it. Although it was frustrating, they had only been called to the battlefield as decorations for the Royal Princess. No one expected them to contribute to the battle, nor did Tigari or Marcia expect anyone to make use of their forces.

A few days later, Tigari and company had arrived at Dinant.

The twenty thousand strong main force, the vanguard, was lined up at the foot of the hill. The five thousand strong rearguard was commanded by Princess Regin and was on standby at the top of the hill. Tigari and Marcia were part of the rearguard.

Just from these facts alone, the odds of them having to enter the fray were minuscule.


It was just before daybreak. Under the dark sky, a thousand soldiers were advancing in silence.

They dulled the metal of their swords and spears with mud to stop the reflection from giving them away, and made their horses bite on boards and wrapped their hooves with cotton cloth. These were extreme measures of caution. But in this manner, they arrived at the side of the hill, undiscovered by the enemy. If they climbed its gentle slopes, they would be able to see the enemy forces ― the rearguard of the Brune army had night sentries, after all. The flames of the campfires flickered and burned.

" ―― Let us rest. Begin the preparations."

The silver-haired boy at the forefront, the one leading all of these knights, smiled lightly. The soldiers did as he bade and started to rest, and they retrieved the boards and cloth from their horses.

Before long, the scouts that they had sent out earlier returned.

Hearing from the scouts that the enemies were sound asleep and had not noticed their movements, the boy turned around and faced the knights. Drawing the longsword at his waist, he raised it high in the air as a light wind blew.

"The enemies right before our eyes number five thousand ― five times our number. A rearguard it may be, but if that is where their supreme commander is positioned, then it would be reasonable to assume the presence of many elites." However, the boy's crimson eyes were filled with fighting spirit, and he continued. "Even so, I will go, and thus achieve victory. Will you follow me?"

The knights silently raised their arms, pointing their swords and spears toward the sky.

The boy turned his head in the direction of the enemy, driving his horse forward, and brought his longsword down in an arc.

"Begin the assault!"

Their war flags billowed in the wind. The shape of Zirnitra ― a pitch-black dragon, the symbol of the Kingdom of Zhcted ― adorned the flags.

The air rushed as they advanced. The knights held swords and spears or bows as they followed the boy's lead, galloping on their horses to the hilltop.

Hearing the sound of the hooves striking the ground, as though the earth itself was crying out, the soldiers on sentry duty finally noticed the enemy assault.

"The enemy ―― "

With a flash of his sword, the boy changed what escaped from the soldier's throat from a warning cry to a fountain of spurting blood.

Against the background of the gradually brightening sky, the boy led a force of a thousand men directly into the enemy camp and created wanton destruction. The army of Brune fell into chaos. There were even those who threw down their weapons as they fled for their lives. And although there were still soldiers who bravely tried to mount a resistance, the difference in the impetus of their assault was too great.

But above all else, there was the valiant boy who led the forces of Zhcted. With his longsword, he stood at the frontlines of battle, overwhelming in his strength.

With just one assault, hordes of enemy soldiers had been slain or crushed beneath the hooves of horses. Even so, not a single drop of blood stained his body. Every time his longsword caused the wind to howl, the bodies that littered the ground increased.

His silvery-white hair swaying with the wind, the boy attacked the enemy camp in this fashion with the horde of knights that had followed his lead.

At this point, victory and defeat looked certain for the respective sides.


Her ears were ringing.

Screams, shrieks, death cries, hooves clacking on the ground and the sound of weapons clashing against each other filled his ears.

"... Ugh"

She woke up.

Spread out wide before her eyes was the blue sky, so vast that it seemed like it would suck one in.

Tigari pushed away the weight that was resting upon her body and got up.

When the ringing in her ears was gone, she could hear the sound of the wind and faint fading moans, and the rustling of the pieces of broken war flags and trampled grass. Dust crept along the ground in the wind, and the smell of blood reached her nose.

"Did I lose consciousness...?"

Tottering, she rose to her feet. What greeted him was the sight of corpses as far as the eyes could see ― a hill of death.

The grass was stained with blood, and the land was buried with hundreds or even thousands of corpses scattered about. A wave of nausea came over her. She covered her mouth with her hand. She felt a moist sensation, and she saw that her hand was dyed red.

―― Blood...?

She checked her face and her entire head, but it appeared that she was not wounded.

"Somebody else's blood, huh?"

It seemed that Tigari had somehow been buried underneath a few corpses. Because of that, she had managed to escape the eyes of the enemy.

"Bernice! Lady Marcia!"

She called out the names of her aide and the old knight she was close with, but there was no reply. She tried calling out the names of the soldiers that were under her, but as expected there was no response.

"If they got away, then it's fine, I suppose."

Wherever she looked, there were only corpses. Among the corpses were scattered swords, broken spears, and the remnants of ruined flags. Vision was limited by the morning fog that obscured the far distance, but nothing moved in her field of vision. No allies nor enemies.

Anger and hatred for the enemy did not gush out from within him. More than that, she was dragged down by the weight of fatigue and exhaustion. She sighed.

"It was a terrible battle..."

Roughly around dawn, a surprise attack had been launched against the Brune army. In the ensuing mayhem, their vanguard came under attack as well, and with that came the downfall of the army of twenty five thousand.

―― Yesterday, before midnight, our army had confirmed that the enemy forces were directly in front of us. In other words, Zhcted had split their army in two. A two-pronged assault on both the rearguard and the vanguard.

Tigari felt chills run down her spine.

The plan was simple. Even a child could have come up with it.

―― What was fearsome was their calm execution of the plan, against forces five times their number.

They had fewer soldiers, and, on top of that, split their forces. One small mistake, and their entire force would have been crushed. The soldiers must have been against it, to no small degree.

―― However, it was a splendid success.

The Brune army had been routed.

Washed away with the stampede of fleeing allies, Tigari had been unable to take command of the soldiers. Falling from her horse, she had then fainted.

It seemed like Tigari's unit had been done in more by their own allies than their enemies.

"Nevertheless..."

Tigari remembered. The one who stood at the front of the enemy forces, his longsword flashing, the silver-haired boy who cut down the Brune soldiers one by one without pause ― she had only caught a short glimpse of him.

"Was that the Vanidar?"

The Prince of War, the Vanidar, was always at the frontline of battle ― that was what Marcia had said.

The inappropriate memory of his handsomeness surfaced in Tigari's mind. She ruffled her dark red hair as though reflecting upon it.


Fortunately, her bow had fallen close by.

Picking it up, she plucked the bowstring while feeling a measure of uneasiness and anxiety.

"... It's working fine."

She was relieved. If the bow had been bent, the bowstring would slacken, rendering it useless.

There were still a few arrows left in her quiver.

She raised her head skywards and calculated the directions based on the position of the sun.

"That way's west, eh?"

From this battlefield, going west would lead one to Brune; east, to Zhcted.

Enduring the pain coursing through her entire body, Tigari slowly walked westward. Noticing something moving within her field of vision, she stopped.

A lone knight on a horse was galloping towards her, sword brandished.

Tigari entered a stance with her bow and drew a single arrow.

The knight's horse trampled on or leapt over the corpses lying all around, drawing closer to Tigari. When the distance between them had been shortened to thirty alcin (approximately thirty meters), the knight suddenly roared out.

"A survivor of the Brune army? I'll have your head!"

Tigari remained silent, nocking an arrow to her bow. Casually, she released the arrow.

It was a blur.

When the thud was heard, an arrow could be seen piercing the knight's throat.

It was with amazing speed and calmness.

Completely unable to respond, the knight's body spasmed and lurched to the side, falling to the ground with a thump.

Having lost its rider, the horse let out a high-pitched neigh. Before Tigari could even walk over to it, it had galloped away into the distance.

"I give up... things aren't going my way at all."

She sighed. If she had a horse, she could have escaped from the battlefield with ease.

Trudging forward, Tigari resumed her journey on foot. But it was not even ten steps before she came to a stop again.

"Are they enemies?"

Three hundred alcin (approximately three hundred meters) ahead, she could see a group of knights. If they spotted her, she would be chased down immediately.

"... There's seven of them."

Tigari was born with a pair of good eyes. Those eyes of her had been further trained by hunting, to the point that even at three hundred alcin, she could distinguish the facial features of a person.

She ascertained the contents of her quiver. There were only four arrows left.

Though she had confidence in her skill with the bow, she probably would not be able to take down two men with a single arrow. If all of them charged at her like that knight did earlier, there was nothing she could do.

―― Let them be my allies.

While praying that, Tigari observed the knights. When she saw the face of the leading knight, her eyes widened in shock.

"The Vanidar..."

When the Zhcted forces had launched the surprise attack, he was the one who led attack from the front.

Tigari was so charmed by him that she forgot to draw breath.

He was a young man of the same age as him. His silver hair reached down to his shoulder blades, uncovered by armor, and shimmering in the rays of sunlight. In those crimson eyes there was radiance and dignity. His arms were muscular, fitting for a boy his age, yet it seemed inexplicably suited for the longsword that he grasped in his hand.

―― Lady Marcia had once said that he possessed a handsomeness unmatched by all but a few.

It was just as she had said. To judge that handsomeness based on normality was out of the question. The more she looked at him, the more she had to agree with that statement.

Finally, Tigari snapped back to her senses. She shook her head, shaking off her idle thoughts, and calmly focused her sight upon the Vanidar's group.

The other knights were his escort, it seemed. As though protecting him, they moved their horses forward.

―― If she slew the Vanidar...

There was no reversing the overwhelming defeat suffered by her side. Right now, the Zhcted forces should be chasing down the fleeing Brune army in a large-scale pursuit.

"... But, should I strike him down, the pursuit would have to cease."

If Marcia, Bernice, and the other soldiers that came from Alsace had survived, then it would greatly increase the likelihood of them making it out alive.

Fighting spirit welled up inside her. The hand that grasped her bow filled with strength.

"I'll do it."

Tigari drew an arrow and nocked it.

"O Eris, goddess of wind and storm..."

The creaking sound of the tightening, tense bowstring filled her eardrums.


On this continent, the maximum range for the bow was two hundred and fifty alcin (approximately two hundred and fifty meters).

This number merely represented how far the arrow could fly ― a calculated distance. If one wished to inflict bodily harm upon the target, the distance would be far less than that.

At the moment, the Vanidar was still about three hundred alcin (approximately three hundred metres) away from Tigari.

Even so, she still released the arrow.

The arrow tore through the wind, and embedded itself into the head of a horse being ridden by a knight next to the Vanidar.

As the horse collapsed onto the ground, bringing the knight down along with it, Tigari let loose a second arrow.

That arrow pierced the area between a knight's brows.

"All right."

At last, with two of the escorts down, a path was cleared ― a path to the silver-haired, crimson-eyed Vanidar, an opening for an arrow to reach him.

"The real thing starts from here."

Tigari extended her hand into her quiver. Her breath grew heavy and hot.

Even while in the depths of the mountains, where sunlight did not reach, facing off against (Slō) Earth Dragons, which were over forty chet (approximately four metres) long, she had not experienced as much nervousness as she did now.

―― Assuming that the other knights wanted to protect him, they would be hindered by the fallen horse and knights. To get around them would take some time.

Although that time was rather short, indeed, it was enough for Tigari.

―― In this situation, the actions he could take was to either lie face-down on the horse or get off the horse entirely.

On both his left and right were escorts, hence he could not move in those directions. There was a route to his back, but only for a few steps; it was not a viable route for evasive action. And at his front were his fallen subordinates and a horse. It would be difficult to cross over them without a running long jump, and horses disliked that.

Even if this Vanidar managed that, from the start of the jump till the landing, there would surely be a small interval of opening.

And then Tigari, who had once again been focusing her gaze on the Vanidar, was assailed by an intense chill.

The Vanidar was smiling.

He was clearly looking at her, and in excitement.

"Kuh."

Tigari grit her teeth. Evidently, he was not taking her seriously. She drew the remaining two arrows from her quiver. One she held with her teeth; the other she nocked to her bow.

But what happened at that moment was an unbelievable sight.

The horse the Vanidar rode on gently soared into the air, far above the fallen subordinates. That height was about twenty chet (around two metres).

To Tigari, it seemed almost as if the horse had grown a pair of wings and flew. It was not a "jump," but closer to "flight."

"What was that, earlier...?"

Fear and dread wracked Tigari's body. She almost thought that her eyes were deceiving her.

A horse that carried a rider should not have been able to jump a height of twenty chet without a running start.

Yet the Vanidar had, and with a calmness as though nothing ever happened, he galloped in her direction.

―― Do not fear...!

She rebuked herself. I was merely seeing things.

Scowling at him, Tigari released the third arrow.

Riding upon the wind, the arrow traveled through the air. Just as it was about to hit dead center on his forehead, it was struck down by a flash of silver.

"... No way."

Tigari's eyes widened with her jaws agape.

He had struck down an arrow that came flying from over a hundred alcin at high speed with his sword. Feats of that degree came only from the likes of chanson de geste, legends of braves and heroes. It was not something normal humans were capable of.

She nocked the last arrow.

She had absolute confidence in her bow. To say nothing of the fact that the opponent was charging straight towards her and the distance of three hundred alcin had almost been closed...

―― It's impossible to miss.

She aimed the arrow straight at his forehead, like earlier. But in the same manner as before, it was deflected.

During this interval, the horse, spurred on by the Vanidar, did not slow even for a moment, and approached her as fiercely as before. In about ten seconds, he would reach her.

"Is this the end?"

She had used up all of her arrows, and she had no other weapon. Escaping from a horse on foot was also impossible.

Grasping her bow tightly, Tigari stood up and gathered strength in her legs. She did not want to look too unsightly.

The Vanidar came before Tigari, and stopped his horse.

The young man's silver hair was dirtied by neither blood nor sand. He had white skin that made him recall the perpetual snow that piled up at the mountains of her hometown. A refined appearance, with a well-featured nose and moist, bewitching lips that gave one the impression of a top-grade sculpture. However, the crimson eyes overflowing with vitality reminded one that he was a flesh-and-blood human.

He thrust the tip of his longsword at Tigari.

"Throw aside your fucking bow."

She had no choice but to do as told. Nodding his head as though satisfied, the Vanidar said, with a smile:

"You have good skills."

Tigari only realized after a while that he had been referring to her.

―― I'm being complimented...? Even though I'm someone who had been aiming her arrows at him just a moment ago?

More than being pleased, she felt bewildered.

"I am Eliasora Viltaria. And you are?"

"Tigarivurmud Vorn."

"Are you a noble? Of what rank?"

Within various countries, including the Kingdoms of Brune and Zhcted, those that bore surnames were of nobility. Aside from a few exceptions, those who were not of nobility had no surname.

Tigari answered that she was an Earl, and his smile widened.

"Very well, Earl Vorn."

While sheathing his longsword into the scabbard at his waist, Eliasora cheerfully told her.

"From now on, you belong to me as my prisoner of war."

While she was dumbfounded by those unexpected words, his escorts had finally caught up.

They completely surrounded Tigari, pointing their swords and spears at her, but when Eliasora waved his hand, they withdrew their weapons with a surprised look.

"Lang, let her ride behind you. She's my captive. I don't mind if you rough her up a bit, but don't seriously wound her."

The knight named Lang nodded in silence. Because the knight's entire head was covered by a helmet, Tigari could not see their reaction.

"Get on quickly."

Looking down at Tigari, Lang spoke in a low voice from within the helmet. Tigari quickly realized why she felt that Lang's voice towards her bore a degree of anger.

Lang was the knight whose horse she had slain earlier.

―― Was the horse borrowed from the other knights? Even amongst the other escorts, this person ought to be a step above them.

"Is it alright if I take my bow as well?" Tigari asked, pointing at the bow she had thrown down on the ground earlier. "It's important to me."

She pointed out her lack of hostility by showing her empty quiver. Lang extended a hand down towards her.

"Fine by me. However, I'll be holding on to it."

Tigari handed her bow over to Lang, and got up on the rear of the horse. She then placed her hands on Lang's waist.

Suddenly, Lang's neck bent backwards. The back of the helmet struck Tigari in the face, hard.

"What're you doing!" Tigari protested, suppressing her reddening nose.

Eliasora laughed, his shoulders trembling.

"Lang, for the time being, she's my captive. Be a little more gentle with her."

"... I hear and obey."

Although the voice was clearly oozing with dissatisfaction, Lang obeyed anyway.

"If you dare to do something weird, I'll immediately throw you off the horse and trample you to death."

Tigari sighed, partly because of Lang's tremendous anger towards her, but also because of her own uncertainty over her future prospects.

Turning towards the knights, Eliasora proclaimed exultantly:

"Though it was a dull battle, I was able to enjoy myself at the end. ―― Well then, let us withdraw."


The Battle at the Plains of Dinant ended with the one-sided victory of the Kingdom of Zhcted.

Zhcted suffered less than a hundred deaths, whereas Brune had a death count of over five thousand in the the war, with the injured counting for more than twice the number of deaths.

However, the losses were not limited to just that. Brune concealed something, a fact that would be difficult to keep secret no matter how hard they tried.

It was the death of the supreme commander in battle ― the heir to the throne, Princess Regin.

End of Chapter 1


Chapter 2
Leitmeritz

She was having a bad dream.

Our forces were gathered on a small hill.

It was meal time. The soldiers put a pot that was as deep as a barrel on a mound, which had been turned into a stove. They were preparing a fish stew.

There was a slight ridge before the Dinant Plains, which plateaued with no end in sight.

There were twenty thousand Brune soldiers sharing a meal with his own troops. Thousands of streams of heat floated upward, and the soldiers seemed as though they were imprisoned in the steam.

Tigari and Marcia were talking while stirring the food in the pot when a woman and a few young men appeared in front of their eyes with the colliding sound of their armor.

"So you came as well, Vorn."

The woman who said that with an openly mocking tone was Zoe Thenardier.

The Thenardier house held the title of Duke. It was a long and distinguished family incomparable to the Vorn household. It had many aristocrats who held enormous power, and the territory it owned was wide. It was said that the number of soldiers mobilized by their household could reach ten thousand. Even in this war, which had been organized in a haste, they commanded a force four thousand strong. Zoe was the Thenardier family's eldest daughter and heir. She was currently 17 years old. Though she wore decorated armor and bore a splendid sword at her waist in an imposing manner worthy of her lineage, she always had an expression as though she was looking down on others. At her back was an entourage of young men flattering her. Like Zoe, they were aristocrats born into families holding the rank of marquis or duke. They wore glittering armor with their respective household's crest. They looked at Tigari with a grimace, and did not seem to harbor any good intentions.

Tigari could not simply ignore them, and felt obliged to show a minimal courtesy.

"... I am here to serve as Her Majesty's loyal subject, so I came here as quickly as possible."

"Though it's quite admirable to say that, I'm not sure how helpful you'll be."

After Zoe ridiculed Tigre, the laughter of the other nobles overlapped with her own. Perhaps it was because their ages were similar, but Zoe frequently made fun of Tigari in such a manner.

"I told you before, your family has merely hunted for four or five generations. I can hardly recognize you as a noble."

She spat out those words arrogantly and immediately tried to stomp Tigari's bow, which was laying on the ground.

Tigari moved reflexively, picking up her bow as quickly as a wild beast.

"Uwah!"

Zoe stumbled, losing her balance and falling hard on the ground, taking one of her followers down with her.

"How dare you do that to Mistress Zoe!"

To the enraged followers who roared at her, Tigari yelled back:

"I was protecting my bow!"

"A bow? If it's a bow, so what, you coward!"

"That's right. There's nothing wrong in breaking this crap. You should be on the front lines with a sword!"

"I'm sure that the God of War, Trigraf, would never give his blessings to someone like you!"

The other followers expressed their approval one after another. Tigari grit her teeth in anger.

In the Kingdom of Brune, their complaints were acceptable.

"The bow is the weapon of a coward who does not have the courage to expose his body before a naked blade."

Such train of thoughts were deeply rooted in the Brune Army, which made little use of the bow. Not only were the achievements of archers disregarded, but archers in general were as well.

"Archers are all drafted hunters, farmers who do not own land, people who have committed a serious crime as a warrior - or those who aren't skilled with the sword or the spear, to fill out the ranks."

Due to such a status quo, those who used bows, even as soldiers, were regarded as criminals and useless failures that were looked down upon.

Although Tigari's ancestor had been presented with territory for hunting and the title of earl for her distinguished military services, Marcia had told her, "If she hadn't been a hunter, she'd probably have been promoted to an even higher rank."

"Calm down, you guys."

With some help, Zoe managed to stand up, and put a stop to her followers' actions. Though they were reluctant, they stopped blaming Tigari.

Zoe put on an act while getting rid of the dust on her armor. She crossed her arms and laughed scornfully at Tigari.

"The reason why you stick to the bow is because you can't handle a sword or a spear, right? You probably think that if you head into the battlefield with a bow, it would barely be enough to pretend at being a soldier, right?"

Tigari remained silent. It was true she was poor with the sword and spear. If she objected here, Zoe would ask her to take up a sword or a spear and demonstrate her skills, and laugh at her. This had already happened once before.

Zoe did not stop taunting her there.

"To begin with, you are an earl of the Kingdom of Brune, yet you can't use a sword or a spear and plan to head to the battlefield without wearing armor. Aren't you ashamed? Guys, look at her shabby appearance. She has a leather plate, leather gauntlets and even leather leggings. All her equipment is made of leather. At most, her mantle is decent, but if that's the only presentable part, then I really feel sad about the financial situation of her territory."

"- Lady Zoe."

Marcia, who had remained silent until then, spoke sullenly.

"Your words have been insightful. However, since you said so much at once, surely you have become thirsty."

She continued while pointing in a certain direction.

"There's some rayion wine being distributed over there. Why not try drinking some, to relieve your thirst?"

Using a polite and humble tone, Marcia's attitude pressured the other side.

The dignity of this old knight, who had just turned 55, was intimidating to Zoe.

Zoe grunted and stepped back involuntarily as she became aware that she forgot her manners. She then snorted and turned around.

"Hey, let's go."

Tigari watched Zoe and the others walk away, and thanked Marcia after checking her bow's condition.

"Thank you. You saved me."

"It's nothing. I should be the one to apologize. It would have been better if I had intervened earlier, but I couldn't find an opportunity to barge in."

From Zoe's perspective, Marcia was a weak aristocrat no different from Tigari. If the former didn't get the timing right, she would simply snort with laughter.

While returning to stir the pan, Marcia looked about the area casually.

Whether soldier or aristocrat, all were concentrated on their pots, or were taking care of their arms while entertaining themselves with chatter. Not a single person looked their way, and that indifference reached an unnatural state.

They were all afraid of Zoe, so they avoided relations with Tigari.

"I now understand that handling the sword and spear is not proof of courage."

Marcia spoke in irony. Tigari wanted to say something to her, but shut her mouth at the end. Not far away, the barely audible voices of nobles gathered together reached her ears.

"By the way, did you hear about what Duchess Ganelon did?"

"Are you talking about her increasing taxes, using war preparations as an excuse?"

"That's right. If there is a young boy in a house that's not paying taxes, he will be taken away. If there isn't one, then the house is set on fire."

"It's really enviable. I'd like to have the authority to place a temporary tax too."


The aristocrat didn't look resentful. She was simply grumbling in dissatisfaction.

Duchess Ganelon was one of the most influential nobles of the Kingdom of Brune, on par with Thenardier. There were many powerful aristocrats amongst her relatives as well. Her power, too, was something not even the king could ignore.

When it came to territory, Brune nobles were allowed to govern pieces of land, but for certain privileges, such as setting taxes, the permission of the king was necessary.

Duchess Ganelon not only went against this rule and imposed taxes without consulting the king, but also did these inhuman things in her territory. Yet, the king still tolerated it.

"For a story like that, Duke Thenardier is not inferior. He ordered his people to stop drinking for as long as the war goes on. They had to hand over all of their alcohol as an oath to the gods."

"I see. But it's not hard to hide or make alcohol. What happens to those who are found guilty of violating the ban?"

"The part about kidnapping the family's children is similar to Ganelon's method, but as a warning I hear that swords are given to the husband and wife or to the father and child, and they're made to kill each other with it. It seems that they even bet on who will win."

Tigari clenched her fist after hearing the conversation.

Marcia placed a wrinkled hand on Tigari's knee as she was about to stand up.

"Calm down."

"How can I possibly remain calm!?"

"Though it may be harsh of me to say this, nothing would change, even if you said something."

She was right. Tigari sat back down, but her rage was still boiling inside her.

She desperately ground her teeth and held her tongue in order to restrain herself from acting on impulse.

She was angry because Ganelon and Thenardier did not regard the people within their dominion as humans. They did not hesitate in their cruelty. She was angry at the people who spoke lightly of such cruel matters and those who overlooked such things without any scruple. Finally, she was angry at her own powerlessness, as she knew she could do nothing.

"The story just now... is it true?"

"Though it is a rumor, there have been many others similar to this one. Still, the people in question have not denied it. You rarely come to the capital, so it's no wonder you didn't know about this."

Maybe this really couldn't be helped.

Tigari hardly left her territory, the land of Alsace.

She had no desire to rise in the world and gain fame or glory, nor did she have any ambition. That's why she was not interested in her status as an aristocrat.

Plus, in her mind, she had no intention of dealing with Zoe, who was one of the daughters of the nobles.

"His Majesty still tolerates such behavior...?" she asked fearfully.

She did not want to believe it.

"Certainly, His Majesty has said nothing to them at the present."

Marcia's stocky body trembled as she shook her head grumpily.

"I believe His Majesty has his own matters to settle. One day, if His Majesty can't control them anymore, at least Princess Regin should..."

Marcia's eyes clung to the slender hope. Suddenly, she looked up and stared at Tigari. Distracted, Tigari saw Marcia's finger coming towards her, aiming at her mouth, and poking her there.

"Fue...?"

It was too abrupt. No words could come out from Tigari's mouth.

Furthermore, the hand blocking her mouth was kind of cold, and had an indescribable iron taste.


When she awoke, a dim ceiling was in Tigari's view.

"- So you finally woke up."

Tigari heard a voice which lacked intonation. Immediately after that, she felt something withdrawn from her mouth.

What left her mouth was a sword.

The owner of this sword was a man with golden hair, who she had never seen before.

"... Where should I start?"

"By the way, this is my first time waking a person in such a way."

He returned with a look and frosty words. Tigari was at a loss and tried greeting him for the time being.

"... Good morning."

"It is one koku (two hours) through the day."

Tigari sat up and looked at the man while scratching her head.

He wore pants and a short-sleeved shirt. He had gloves and boots. At his waist was his sheathed sword. It was possible that he was taller than Tigari, and seemed to be two or three years older than her.

He was an unmistakably handsome man. However, his scarce expressions gave his face a hard look, leaving him with an unsociable impression.

There were three particularly eye-catching features:

His long golden hair, tied up behind his head.

His azure eyes, which were as cold as marble.

And though he was tall and well balanced, he had ample bulges which did not match his fit build.

Tigari inadvertently stared at the bulges from underneath his clothes. The man flashed his sword and threw an unkind remark at her.

"- If you don't wake up properly, I will skewer you."

"... I'm sorry."

Blushing, Tigari apologized properly.

She looked about the room. It was small, containing only the bed she slept on. Sunlight shined through the window, brightly lighting the room. The stone floor was bare, and the only door led to the hallway. Her bow leaned against the wall.

"Really, even with the soldiers shouting for your death, even though you are a prisoner... how can you sleep so well?"

"It's one of my special skills."

"I suggest you hold back a little. You lack tension."

Anger was mixed into his cold voice. Tigari looked at him in embarrassment.

"Am I really that bad?"

"To the extent that I recall my murderous intent."

The man turned about as he threw an answer to Tigari, pushing the door open in the meanwhile.

"Eliasora-sama has called for you. Please follow me."

Tigari put on her leather shoes and quickly followed after him.

"It's nice to meet you. I am -"

"This is not our first meeting, Earl Tigarivurmud Vorn."

He answered without turning around, his voice clearly rejecting her.

"My name is Langalisha. It is not necessary for you to remember it."


Leitmeritz was a principality under Eliasora's rule, and was located in the Kingdom of Zhcted.

Eliasora's troops had arrived at the capital the day before, ten days since they had departed from Dinant. After giving a word of thanks to the soldiers, Eliasora then left the men to his adjutant, Langalisha, and left for the king's capital with several men. It was necessary to report his victory to the king.

During the return to the public capital, Tigari asked the guards a few times, and each time the response was the same.

"We have no need to respond to a prisoner of our Vanidar-sama."

Even if she asked to meet Eliasora, it wouldn't be possible for them to accept. And regardless, there was no way for her to meet with Eliasora when he had departed for the kingdom's capital to meet the king.

Left with no other options, Tigari remained obediently quiet.

"... Guess I'll just go with the flow."

Tigari made that decision and looked at the sky until late at night. During the day, she dozed off on the horse.


Tigari followed Langalisha down the passage of the household.

"What are you looking about so restlessly for?"

Langalisha gazed back at her in amazement, as Tigari looked about like a child.

"I was just thinking that this is a splendid building."

"You are an earl. An aristocrat."

"I am a poor noble. There is no point comparing my small mansion to this one," Tigari replied without a hint of shame. She continued to look about, admiring the ceiling and floor.

Until now, Tigari had never left the Kingdom of Brune. Now, she was in the province's imperial palace. The mosaics which decorated the floor were new to her.

The side facing the courtyard was bathed in a column of soft sunlight. In that spacious area, soldiers were training hard. It was vibrant.

"It's a good atmosphere."

"That is because this is Eliasora-sama's official palace," Langalisha answered, as if it were natural.

Soldiers patrolled the corridors, and what she assumed were butlers and chamberlains strolled about, likely performing their jobs.

Tigari thought about the boy who was like her younger brother house-sitting her mansion in her absence.

- Titto must be worried.

When she saw her off, she did not expect such a thing to happen.

- Bernice, and everyone else as well, I hope you all made it back safely.

She was impatient. She wished to return to Alsace as quickly as possible. However, attempting to escape as a prisoner could be punished by death, so she could only remain silent.

They finally left the palace.

She walked for a while before Langalisha stopped his feet.

"... We are here."

She was brought to a training ground near the rampart.

Eliasora stood with three armed soldiers amongst the forty. He was clothed in shades of blue with his longsword in its argent sheathe at his waist.

"If you make any strange movements... no, please do so. It would save us quite a bit of time and effort," Langalisha said as he let the sound of his sword escaping its sheath at his waist be heard.

Though there was an obvious hostility, Tigari simply ignored it.

- It can't be helped. I'm a prisoner now. We were enemies just ten days ago.

"Hm. You came."

Eliasora noticed Tigari and walked up to her cheerfully. He smiled to Tigari first, then Langalisha.

"You've worked hard. Still, it took you quite some time to come here."

"I apologize. She did not wake up so easily."

"You didn't wake up?"

Eliasora looked doubtful hearing the story of her waking up only when she had a sword in her mouth. His shoulders trembled as she held back his laughter.

"Even as a captive, you slept so deeply."

"She is simply dull."

At last, Eliasora laughed and turned to Tigari.

"Tigarivurmud Vorn, it's quite a long name for a person of Brune. Does it have an origin?"

"It is an ancestral name that I was given. If you find it difficult, you may call me Tigari."

Tigari cited the phrase she was accustomed to. She felt odd being called Earl Tigarivurmud Vorn.

Eliasora's face suddenly glowed. His dignity as a Vanidar the soldiers knew was gone; he held the expression appropriate of a boy his age instead.

"In that case, Elias is fine as well. I would prefer it if you use that name."

Tigari stared at him involuntarily. He spoke intimately with one who was supposed to be his prisoner. To put it another way, he was being overly familiar.

"Eliasora-sama."

Though Lanfalisha reproached him, he showed no sign of fear.

"She's my prisoner. This much is fine, Lang."

"Lang?"

Hearing the name, Tigari looked at Langalisha in surprise.

"I'll tell you now, he is one of my escorts whose horse you shot down, and he was the girl who took you here from Dinant."

Certainly, his physique matched.

Although she wasn't certain how she should react, she thanked him honestly anyway.

"Though it may be strange of me to say this, thank you for bringing me here safely."

Tigari had heard stories of prisoners being mocked and assaulted or killed by torture in a convoy. Some died without having a single meal. However, on their way back from Dinant, Tigari had never been abused. She had even been given proper food. Though it may have been because she was Elias' captive, Langalisha - that is, Lim - had been the one who properly took care of him.

Lang did not respond to Tigari. He did what he had to. He hid his anger as he was being thanked by Tigari by ignoring her and facing Elias.

"Eliasora-sama, there is still work to be done today. You should finish your minor errands early."

"I know, I know." Elias smiled bitterly and waved his hand. He faced Tigari and smiled deliberately. "I would like to clarify things first, Tigari... no, Lord Vorn. As per the treaty between our countries, you will be treated as a prisoner of war. If in fifty days time the demanded ransom has not been delivered by the Kingdom of Brune - that is to say, if a ransom has not been paid to me - you will formally become mine as per the agreement. What binds this contract is the name and honor of the god Radegast. Is this acceptable?"

Though it was hardly suitable, Tigari nodded reluctantly.

It was a contract held between every country on the treatment of prisoners of war. It was made to avoid abuse, humiliation, and, frankly, murder. It was a rule which allowed for negotiations between countries to advance efficiently.

"Well, you might be a bit worried about the ransom, though."

Tigari heard the number come from Elias' mouth and stood rooted to the spot with her mouth agape.

It was a number close to three times Alsace's total yearly tax revenue.

She felt dizzy from the impact.

"... Is it possible to reduce the amount?"

"No."

A flat response.

- Well, there's no reason for him to.

In many cases, the goal of taking an enemy captive was to retrieve a ransom. It was unlikely he would decrease it so easily.

"You will live here in the imperial palace. Needless to say, any attempt to escape will be met with the death penalty."

She was like a fish dying out of water. Tigari desperately searched her memory for the savings within her territory.

It amounted to approximately one year's worth of tax revenue, so it was hardly enough.

- If I could speak to Titto or Bernice, or perhaps Dame Marcia, who is more widely known, they might be able to raise the money.

The preparations for the ransom were, simply put, hopeless.

She felt a pain between her eyes as she thought about her gloomy future. She nearly fainted, but before it happened, Tigari somehow managed to gather strength in her legs. Supporting her body and limbs with all the strength she could muster, she looked back at Elias.

- I must return to Alsace.

I was born and raised there. It is an important land that I inherited from my father.

I'm worried about the soldiers' safety as well. I'm certain my people are worried.

And above all else, I promised Titto I would return.

I want to respond to their wishes.

"So... what business do you have calling me to a place like this?" Tigari spoke with impudent words and a tone to match. Elias' crimson eyes danced happily as he looked at her with admiration.

"Of course, that was not all I called you here for." Elias pointed to a training bow sitting along the wall. "Shoot an arrow from here and hit that target over there."

"Is that it?"

Tigari felt that it was rather anti-climactic.

The target was three hundred alsin (approximately three hundred meters) away. Even for those skilled with the bow, that distance would seem like a bad joke. Shooting an arrow that far was already a challenge in and of itself; to also hit the target would make it nothing short of impossible.

But for Tigari, that distance was not a big deal.

Although she didn't know what he was planning, she decided to do this quickly.

One of the soldiers brought a bow and four arrows. The man had delicate features and beautiful, shiny black hair that reached down to her shoulders.

After Tigari received the bow and arrow from him, his eyebrows knitted slightly.

"What a terrible bow..."

The material was hardly suitable for a bow, and the condition of the grip was poor as well. The stringing, too, was badly done. There was also some warping. It was clear what their intention was.

Elias was looking at her from a distance, and, like a child, was filled with expectation.

Is he not involved? Tigari wondered. If that's the case, it's unlikely that this is a standard bow for the Zhcted Army.

She wasn't sure if he knew about this. An unpleasant thought crossed her mind then. Thinking back, the bows in Brune were not that great either.

- It can't be an issue of the maker's ability... in the first place, there is no such profession as a bow craftsman.

Tigari's bow was made by her father when she was small. The materials were chosen according to the knowledge and technology of other countries, such as Zchted.

The accuracy of her arrow was not solely due to Tigari's skill, but the quality of the tool as well.

While pretending to check the condition of the bow, she glanced peripherally at the soldier who passed her the bow, and saw him and several other soldiers grinning.

Angered, a murmur leaked from Tigari's mouth.

"Such a petty trick," she said.

"What is it?"

Lang was standing nearby, looking at her dubiously. Apparently, he had not heard her words. Still, complaining about the quality of the bow as a prisoner of war was cumbersome.

"I wish to confirm something," said Tigari. "It is not necessary for me to hit the target with all four arrows; only one, correct?"

"That is a rather timid remark for a person who killed my horse with a single arrow."

Though he thought Tigre was being sarcastic, he remained expressionless. There was no sign of malice. It seemed that he had not yet noticed that the bow was inferior.

"If your physical condition is poor, I can tell Eliasora-sama to do this another day."

"No, I will do it," Tigari answered in a strong tone. She set the bow in her hand. "However, please allow me to hit the target with only one arrow. I am not as confident with an unfamiliar bow."

Lang bowed in assent and walked over to Elias. After speaking a few words, Elias looked at her without any dissatisfaction, as though he were saying, "Please begin."

Tigari nocked the first arrow and released it.

It stalled before it reached the target, falling to the ground less than two hundred alsin away. Laughter and sneers were heard amongst the soldiers.

She did not mind it and released the next arrow.

The hum of the arrow sounded as it flew in an arc. It hit the castle wall, far from the target.

The soldiers laughed loudly. Some shook their shoulders; others looked at her with pity or contempt. Many eyes were piercing Tigari.

"Are you doing this seriously?" Lang said irritably. He looked at Elias.

Elias appeared troubled as he watched Tigari, like a student who had been scolded by a teacher, though he was trying to properly solve the problem.

"I'll do it," Tigari replied and nocked the third arrow.

"Hey, are you going to keep going? You're really willing to keep making a spectacle of yourself?"

"Maybe you'd like a replacement. Even though you can reach the target, you can't even shoot straight."

"Vanidar-sama, did you really make a woman like this your captive?"

"This is quite a splendid show. I wonder if something new will be shown tomorrow?"

Although the soldiers deliberately spoke ill of her, Tigari was not bothered by it. She was accustomed to such abuse. She had been harassed much worse than this many times before.

Tigari took a deep breath, and looked up at the sky for a change of pace, moving her neck around.

That was when she saw a black shadow.

- What is that?

Her neck stopped moving and she looked more closely.

In an instant, she understood the identity of the shadow. Chills ran down Tigari's spine as she screamed at Elias:

"Get down!"

- An arbalest...!

The arbalest was a mechanical bow. Unlike the one that Tigari used, its bowstring was pulled by a winch and shot with a trigger. Although it was difficult to maintain and prone to failure, it was a powerful weapon that could fire a bolt up to 350 alsin (approximately 350 meters) away, and with enough force that it could punch through shields and armor and come out the other side.

The black shadow on the rampart was holding one.

A thick bolt was released from the arbalest, speeding through the air straight towards Elias. He had no time to avoid it.

However, Elias did not panic, nor did he move from his spot.

"- Arifal!"

Muttering those words like a spell, the sword at his waist gave off a spark, cutting the atmosphere and scattering particles of silver.

In a moment, the air rapidly swelled, like an explosion. A storm raged about him.

Him long hair of silver-white danced with the wind. The bolt, entwined in the intense storm, was thrown far off orbit.

It passed through the empty space away from him and fell to the ground weakly.

- What just happened?

Tigari stared in blank surprise at Elias.

It was not a coincidence; that was impossible.

While learning the bow, Tigari learned about the arbalest. She was knowledgeable about the power of the thick bolts. A wind could not conveniently blow it out of its orbit.

"Capture that fucker!"

Lang shouted. All the soldiers held a bow, however, far from hitting the shadow, they could not even reach the rampart.

The people with a sword or spear ran to the rampart.

The soldier guarding the wall, in response to the commotion, began chasing the shadow.

- This has nothing to do with me.

Tigari muttered to herself. Though she shouted on reflex, she was not Elias' subordinate, nor was she a woman of this city.

While thinking that, suddenly, Tigari remembered her first meeting with Elias.

"You're skilled."

He smiled as he said so.

Titto, Bernice and her men, my late father, when was I last praised for my bow arm?

"Should I capture him alive?"

Nocking the arrow, Tigari asked Lang in a flat tone.

"Is this really a situation where you can say that...?"

Grasping the sword with his hand until it went white, Lang stared at the shadow on the rampart in chagrin. He wanted to lead the soldiers, but could not leave Elias' side.

The shadow ran quickly across the wall. Once she reached the tower, she could quickly escape outside.

"I understand. I'll get his foot."

Tigari said those words as she strongly drew her bow to the limit.

After shooting the previous two arrows, she understood its condition perfectly.

- At this distance, I won't miss.

Lang looked at him in doubt.

Then his gaze changed to one of surprise.

The bowstring trembled.

The arrow resounded with a sharp buzz as it drew a large arc, piercing the leg of the shadow.

The shadow fell on the rampart and was caught by the soldiers who finally caught up.

"What... was that?"

One of the soldiers on the rampart looked down at Tigari. No other words would come out.

The other soldiers, too, looked at Tigari in amazement.

"Impossible. She shot over three hundred alsin (approximately three hundred meters) from that position to the rampart..."

"No, if you think about the height of the tower, it could be even more. No way."

"I can't believe it... Is that a human skill, or can all people of Brune do this?"

Though the voices showed astonishment and shock, there was clearly admiration in them as well.

There were those rooted to the spot, others looked to the sky, and some covered their forehead with their hand and recited the names of the Gods.

The malice in the training area no longer remained.

"She did something like that... with such a terrible bow..."

The soldiers who passed Tigari the bow were pale with fear.

"- You got me."

Tigari shrugged her shoulders. Though she held no emotions in her chest anymore, she was puzzled. She noticed she was bathed in gazes all at once.

The fourth arrow remained in her hand. Though Lang had seen it before, he did not look any differently than the other soldiers. When her eyes met hos, she understood his body was tense.

She looked back at Elias.

"I'll ask you now. What about the fourth shot?"

"It's enough with this. I'd rather not lose this."

Elias' argent hair moved gently as he shook his head.

"You did well."

Elias smiled at Tigari with sincerity, his sword still sheathed at his waist. A wind blew from somewhere, tickling Tigari's hair.

- Just now...

Tigari placed her hand in her hair involuntarily. She thought Elias had somehow used his longsword to produce the wind.

End of Chapter 2


Chapter 3
The Vanidar's Invitation and the Butler's Prayer

Tigari was called by Elias the next morning.

After the events from the day before, she immediately returned to her room.

While being guided by Lang, Tigari spoke in embarrassment, her red hair a mess.

"... Too many split ends."

She glanced about anxiously. The soldiers, chamberlains, and butlers who passed by all looked at her oddly.

Whether it was out of awe or in interest, she could not tell. Tigari had never been looked at with such eyes, so she was confused.

"Why is everyone staring at me?"

She asked Lang when it became unbearable. He twisted his neck a little and looked at Tigari with a side glance, responding with an aloof tone.

"Eliasora-sama will explain."

- Well, whatever. I guess I'll find out shortly.

Before long, Lang stopped before a certain door.

"Eliasora-sama, I have brought Earl Vorn."

He spoke as she knocked on the door. A response was returned immediately as they heard "Enter."

Lang pushed open the door and told Tigari to follow him.

It was an office.

Though it was a small room, a regal carpet was laid on the floor. The candelabra, the desk, and the chair were all golden knit rattan. The windows were large.

"Please wait a moment. I will be finished shortly."

Elias sat at the desk, his pen running across the document.

The documents were piled up like a mountain at the side of the desk and were likely already processed. Tigari leaked a breath of admiration seeing the large amount.

Two flags decorated the wall behind him.

One on display was the (Zirnitra) Black Dragon Flag, the symbol of Zhcted Kingdom.

The other was a flag with a sword of silver on a black background. This was Elias' flag. Tigari remembered seeing it on the battlefields of Dinant.

Beneath the flag, the longsword in its sheathe leaned against the wall. It was placed in a position where Elias could grasp it immediately.

Elias looked down at the document and suddenly frowned.

It seems he wrote something incorrectly. He crumpled the paper in a ball and threw it into the waste basket in the corner of the room in a violent manner.

The ball of paper dropped to the floor beside the waste basket.

Elias stared at the paper, perhaps out of anger, or perhaps he was not thinking of anything at all.

Tigari was not sure why Elias had such an expression. He looked down at the other papers, his expression now hidden. Lang picked it up.

"Paper is a precious resource. Please do not waste it."

Elias was scolded like a child. He returned to his documents and completed his work quickly.

"Did it take time to wake her up today?"

"No, she awoke when I called for her."

Lang responded. Tigari diverted her eyes awkwardly.

Actually, she jumped out of bed the moment Lang stood in front of her room.

- It was the same feeling... as if confronting a feral creature while hunting in the mountain or woods at night. I felt signs of a dangerous beast.

In other words, Tigari's instinct recognized his dangerous existence. Of course, because she could not say such things, she remained silent.

"Are you now conscious that you are a prisoner of war?"

Elis stood up, laughing like a child. Taking the longsword in his hand, he walked around to the front of the desk and faced Tigari.

"I apologize for yesterday."

He lowered his head seriously, surprising Tigari. She looked back at Lang who remained silent. It seems he was telling her it would be fine to turn around.

"What do you mean?"

"The bow given to you. I did not think they would give you such a poor one."

- Like I thought, it was badly made.

Though Tigari was relieved, she was amazed by the words which followed.

"The three who did that will have their heads taken-"

"No, wait a moment."

Tigari interrupted Elias' words in a panic.

"Certainly, they played a terrible trick, but isn't that going a bit far?"

"That fucking trick... Aren't you angry?"

Elias looked at Tigari curiously.

"Those three laughed at you before many others and tried to dishonor you. They will compensate with their deaths."

- That's overdoing it.

Certainly, she was angry at the time.

However, when she looked straight at Elias, Tigari could not say so. She would not feel good if they died for something like that.

"Will you allow me to forgive them?"

Elias looked dissatisfied, though he did not refuse.

"If you wish it, I will do so. It will not happen again."

His pants moved as he turned back to the window frame and sat on it. Elias held his longsword in his arms and crossed his shapely legs.

Her eyes were attracted to his buffed thighs. Tigari consciously looked.

His pants came into sight, and above it, his belly. She could not afford to stare at his chest – after all, she was a prisoner in enemy territory.

Tigari looked further up. A simple face stared at him.

"By the way, why did you have me do such a thing yesterday?"

"That's right, I never told you... Lang."

Lang's name was called. His blue Irises held an unfriendly expression as he reluctantly responded.

"Including me, many of the soldiers expressed frustration that our commanding officer and general, Eliasora-sama, who has not once taken a prisoner in his many campaigns, decided to hold you captive."

"So I'm your first prisoner of war."

"Yes. Because of that, a foolish rumor went about the soldiers."

"Rumor?"

"The rumor was that I fell in love with you at a glance."

Tigari went wide-eyed hearing Elias' words.

"A love in the battlefield, a love that arose between enemies... It seems like something out of a drama, everyone enjoys talking about such things. Well, perhaps it wasn't a mistake. It was not quite love, but I was certainly charmed."

"You were charmed... by me?"

"Your skill with the bow. Unfortunately, it was not you."

Elias responded with a radiant smile. Tigari returned the joke with a shrug of her shoulder.

"Thank you. It would be embarrassing since we had not spoken."

"Can a man like me not fall in love without speaking to you?"

"It requires time to see my merit."

"Though your peculiar habit of sleeping late was noticed immediately."

Lang attacked her known weakness. Elias continued pressing Tigari relentlessly.

"So, how many men have you fallen in love with until now?"

Tigari silently raised both hands in surrender.

Unless she was particularly beautiful or a wealthy noble, she would have no reason to encounter a young noble boy. It was impossible for her.

"In any case, many soldiers have overreacted to the rumor. We hoped to stop it at its source."

Elias turned his ill-natured yet joyful eyes to Lang, like a cat teasing a rat.

"I merely stated there was a rumor."

Lang's expression did not change, but he caught Elias' glance and responded.

"I simply needed to have the associated parties come out. I figured the quickest way to shut them up was to show them your skill. It was more effective than I anticipated."

"You only had to explain it to me when we met."

"It's fine, since the result spoke for itself. Was there a need to tell you? You are a prisoner I took from Dinant for a ransom. Of course, it was my benevolence that kept you alive, though really, you entertained me for a bit."

"I entertained you?"

Tigari frowned hearing the unexpected words. Elias nodded, his face showing his sincerity.

"To begin with, that battle was terrible. It was disappointing and trivial."

His face was full of disappointment. Elias spat those words out.

"We had five thousand troops. You had five times that, twenty-five thousand. Before entering the battlefield, I used all my wisdom to prepare many plans, since I thought it would be a difficult battle. Still, it ended in only half a day."

"Isn't it good to win that easily?"

"Lang said the same thing."

Tigari noticed Lang half-glaring at Elias. His eyes unwillingly turned away.

"I also think it never hurts to have an easy win; however, we won with only the initial plan. It was boring."

"The first plan, I see, the surprise pincer attack from behind at dawn."

This was confirmation rather than a question. Though Tigari judged it to be the case at the time, she did not see the entire battlefield.

Sure enough, Elias nodded.

"I scouted the area beforehand. The Brune Army was divided into the forward and the rear guard. Though the vanguard's morale was high, the same could not be said of the rear. I attracted the forward's attention with four thousand troops and attacked the rear with the rest. It was more fragile than I expected, since I could fight after dividing my troops. The Princess died as a bonus as well."

"Her Highness died...?"

Tigari spoke up involuntarily. It was her first time hearing this.

"Were you close?"

"Impossible."

Tigari shook her head after collecting herself.

"I spoke to her once long ago. That was all."

As an Earl who lived at the edge of the kingdom, it was impossible for her to become intimate with the Princess. Tigari was hardly shocked, though.

She was not meant for war.

Looking at things from a distance, the Princess had always given a delicate impression.

"Do you hold a grudge against me?"

Because his voice was earnest and he looked at Tigari seriously, Tigari answered sincerely.

"It would be a lie to say there were no ill feelings, but it was a battle. I, too, killed soldiers of Zhcted."

However, she may not be able to maintain such a firm attitude should she hear of Marcia or Bernice's death.

- Though an aristocrat of Brune, I hardly have a strong loyalty to the Royal Family...

"I see."

Elias exhaled slightly and gave an expression of relief.

"Let's continue our conversation. When the death of the Princess was spread, the vanguard collapsed. The enemy ran away, and we routed them out. It was disappointing."

Though she could not understand his disappointment, she felt it selfish. Still, Tigari nodded slightly.

"At that time, I met you."

A pair of bright red eyes gazed softly at Tigari.

"I was impressed you could accurately shoot an arrow from a distance of three hundred alsin... In a situation where all your allies were dead or fleeing, you retained your will to fight and acted without signs of desperation. You acted calmly. I was surprised you were trying to kill me. Really, I liked it."

Lim, hearing those words, gave a sigh.

"Even so, please do not rush forward on your own."

"Well, it would have been dangerous if we didn't approach him, right? We were lucky he only had four arrows."

"It is as you say, but that is not your role, Eliasora-sama."

Lang coldly rejected Elias' protests.

The brows of the Vanidar with silver-white hair looked troubled as he looked to Tigari for help.

"If it was someone other than me, are you certain they would survive?"

- His expression changes so much.

During battle, she saw him as a dignified commander. Until a moment ago, his expressions were like a child, and now he was looking for a companion in his mischief.

"Is this really the situation to say that?"

"An arrow shot from your bow would be fatal, I think you can say that."

"If you're the one saying that, it sounds sarcastic."

If Elias said it, it sounded sarcastic to Tigari. If Tigari said it, it sounded sarcastic to Lang. Lang exuded a strong silence. Though Tigari appealed to him with a glance, she was ignored. Not understanding why, Tigari looked to Elias.

"When you rushed at me, what I needed to do did not change. I only aimed at you and shot. Even if I could not move from my position, the arrow should have reached you. That is why the result would not change. It was my defeat."

"You obediently accepted your defeat."

"You struck down an arrow with your sword, it was my first time seeing such a thing. I thought only heroes of legend could do that."

"Your arrow accurately hit the forehead of Lang's horse. I thought you would aim at mine as well."

Though he thought he would be victorious, his attitude was not unfitting. Elias tenderly stroked the sheathe of the sword in his arms.

"When I struck down your arrow, my heart was beating violently. When you shot your second arrow, I couldn't help but admire your skill in being able to accurately shoot at the same position in such a short time; I was impressed. If you had a third arrow, you really may have hit me with our distance shrinking."

Elias took a deep breath, his throat now dry.

Lang poured water from a pitcher into a ceramic cup on the desk and presented it to him. He drank it down in one gulp and turned back to Tigari.

"I thought it would be regrettable to kill you. Since it's not my hobby to spend my time leisurely talking on the battlefield, I brought you to Leitmeritz for negotiation."

He crossed his legs, now entirely off the floor. Elias wore a smile, his red eyes looking straight at Tigari.

"Will you serve me?"

This time, Tigari looked at Elias' face in surprise.

"I will treat you as an Earl of Brune. You will be given an appropriate salary and title. Though I can't give you territory, that may change depending on your work. You can also earn a peerage and high-ranking title. Unlike in Brune, your distinguished services will not be discriminated against."

"... Are you serious?"

It was an attractive proposition. It was difficult to believe.

Due to the tension and excitement, her face turned red.

Her palms were sweaty, her chest pounded violently.

Though small, Elias firmly bowed his head in assent.

"I want you."

Tigari's face turned even more red. She played with her bangs to hide it.

There were no signs of a lie in Elias' words.

For a lie, it was far too convoluted.

- In Brune, I can't expect such treatment.

In that country, there was contempt for the bow, and it was a large obstacle. In battles against other countries, the aristocrats who consisted of archers had to help.

That much was a given.

However, when the war ended, not a single word of appreciation was given, nor was there a reward.

"Far beyond the reach of the enemy's swords and spears, you can shoot an arrow. Compared to the soldiers who fight up close, what can you do?"

An aristocrat who organized an archery unit could not overturn the situation.

What more could Tigari, a minor aristocrat, do?

It was different in this country.

Elias, at least, evaluated her fairly.

For an archer, it was desirable.

"I refuse."

However, Tigari answered in such a manner.

"I am thankful for your invitation. I doubt I will ever receive such an invitation again, even if I lived another century."

"Then why have you refused my hand?"

Elias did not show any disappointment, he simply asked for a reason.

"There is a place I must protect, a place I must return to."

Tigari continued with a strong tone.

"Alsace. It is a territory I inherited from my father. It is far from the center of the country and is amongst the forests and mountains. There are only four villages and a small town... However, I cannot throw it aside."

"Alsace...?"

Hearing that word, Elias' handsome eyebrows knit slightly.

"Doesn't that territory border this country?"

"It is separated by only one mountain."

Tigari nodded and responded. Elias sat on the window frame once again.

"Your spirit is praiseworthy, but will you not think of the future?"

Elias spoke up, his expression thrown off.

"You are here now, and you could lead a good life... however, if the ransom is not paid by the deadline, I will sell you to a merchant from Muozinel."

A cold sweat spread on Tigari's forehead.

Muozinel was the kingdom of heat which lay to the southeast of Brune and south of Zhcted Kingdom.

The peoples' skin was dark, and it was established one hundred years after Brune and Zhcted.

If a ransom was not paid, in order to receive money, a prisoner of war was sold to Muozinel. It was a time-tested method.

"So you understand. Even then, are you prepared to live a miserable life?"

"If, if the ransom is not paid, the decision is yours."

Though she started strong, Tigari's voice still trembled.

"Oh? Yesterday, you had the negotiation skills to demand I reduce the ransom. Seeing that, I thought you were prepared, even for death. I thought it would be a shame to let such a brave woman die a pitiable death. I'm surprised."

Sure of his superiority, with his arms crossed while gripping his sword, Elias glared at Tigari. She had difficulty responding.

"... I can hardly lower my head superficially and look for a chance to run away."

Lang, who refrained from intruding, looked on in silence.

Though Tigari was exhausted from Elias' attacks, the expression he had was unusual as he turned to Lang and blinked several times. Afterward, he silently shrugged his shoulder.

Lim looked at Elen questioningly for a moment, but said nothing.

"The business from before, have you heard anything?"

When asked, Tigari recalled momentarily.

"Yesterday, who was the man I shot?"

"He was an assassin after my life."

Tigari opened her mouth widely hearing Elias' careless answer.

"It's hardly unusual. They appear every month. I've become quite bored of them."

"You're bored with assassins..."

Given Elias' buoyant attitude, it really was a frequent occurrence. He spoke of it as if it were an animal call or insect making noise.

It was humorous seeing how tense she was yesterday.

"However, it was quite dangerous yesterday. I wish to express my gratitude."

"Who is the mastermind?"

"He committed suicide after that, so we don't know. Even though you took the effort to capture him, that happened. Sorry."

"It's not a big deal, but is it okay not knowing? His partner, that is."

"So you're worried."

Surprised by her response, Elias' bright red eyes blinked. After that, he smiled sweetly.

"How cute, you."

"No... It's something unrelated to me, but it's your enemy..."

She was embarrassed and immersed in his smile. Tigari, in confusion, tried to return to the conversation.

"Even if you say that, there's more than one or two. The power of the Vanidar is something exclusive to the King, it is a large power. It's not like I particularly caused anyone a grudge."

- Is it courage? Resolution... It really must be a big deal, then.

Tigari gave a sound of admiration. If the concerned party said that much, she would not pursue any further.

"In the end... The assassin's bolt, why did it not hit you?"

"I wonder why?"

Elias tilted his head cutely and played dumb.

"You should understand just by looking. Fortunately, the wind blew the arrow away."

"Then Arifar, is it some spell which changes the movement of the wind?"

She clearly heard it. Though Tigari returned Elias' gaze, he did not flinch or show any sign of worry.

"If you're interested, you should investigate yourself. I'm not so kind a teacher that I would teach a poor student."

"... Are you giving me the freedom to act?"

"It would be troublesome if you got sick from staying in your room all day. I will permit you to walk around in public, so long as you are supervised. However, should you approach the ramparts near the Imperial Palace, I will consider you to be attempting an escape. Anything else?"

Tigari shook her head. In her situation, only a desperate future awaited if she tried to escape, but if she remained, she would not be confined.

"I see. Then you may return to your room."


Tigari left the office and followed Lang.

"Ah, are you taking me to my room?"

"No, I must speak to Eliasora-sama, so I shall leave it to another person."

Lang denied her question with an unfriendly face.

"Please tell me one thing. Why did you not accept Eliasora-sama's condition, even if only in form?"

Lang's blue eyes looked at Tigari with a quizzical gaze. She answered his question seriously.

"To do so would mean betraying Alsace. Then I would also be betraying the Vanidar."

"You are a captive. Eliasora-sama is your enemy. It would not be a betrayal."

"Even then, it would be deception."

Tigari simply shrugged her shoulders.

"He was earnest in his offer, so I considered the proposal honestly."

"I see."

Doubt disappeared in his blue eyes and was replaced by another emotion.

Lang called the nearby soldier on patrol to a stop and ordered her to send Tigari to her room before returning to the office.

Elias sat before the desk, pouring water from the pitcher.

"Lady Tigarivurmud has been seen off."

"Good work."

Taking a sip of water, Elias spoke words of appreciation. Without any introductory remarks, Lang asked a question.

"Is it fine to give her the freedom to move about?"

His eyebrows showed him doubt. Elias watched the face of his unsociable subordinate.

"I restricted it to public places. Are there any problems?"

"Alsace is her territory, directly across the mountains. She might escape from Leitmeritz."

Lang did not think Tigari would try to escape.

- Still, others may think differently.

From her conversation with Elias, Lang held those thoughts about Tigari. If nothing else, he thought she would remain quiet.

However, it is impossible to predict the future.

"Certainly it is bordering our lands, but the distance is not so short that she could reach it within a day or two. Besides, she does not even know the lay of the land."

"When she became a prisoner, from Dinant to the Imperial Palace, she looked up at the skies every night until she slept... She was looking at the stars."

"So she was gazing at the stars, did she write a poem?"

Elias laughed as he teased Lang. He understood precisely what Lang meant.

By looking at the stars every night, she could confirm her position.

"If she looks at a map, she can easily find the roads."

"Though you say she could escape so simply, won't it be troublesome? It's not easy to slip out of the Imperial Palace, and, though she is free to act, she is under surveillance."

"Let us assume she is able to slip away from surveillance. What then?"

"This entire city is surrounded by walls. If she managed to escape, we need only close the gate immediately."

"Suppose she broke through the gate."

"... Even if that is the case, it would take at least ten days to walk to the Vosyes Mountains. Also, there is only one path across that series of steep mountains. Even if she managed to make it past the gate, we would simply have to block that path. I can't possibly imagine her being able to do anything more."

Lang did not back down, even if he explained that far in advance.

He could not stand aside indifferently in this argument.

"However, she is thinking of her lands. You cannot assert that she will do nothing reckless."

"In other words, you are telling me to prepare for the worst. If you are going that far, then I will tell you, I am prepared to kill him. Is that enough for you?"

"Thank you."

Elias leaned toward Lang, who was bowing deeply, his eyes opened widely, deep in observation.

"Yes?"

"No, I thought you disliked Tigari a lot... You did not have a good first impression, I suppose. However, I don't feel that much enmity. It isn't as bad anymore, I guess."

"..."

Lang did not respond. It was as Elias said. His insight was certainly surprising.

"There is something I wish to confirm."

In order to change the conversation, Lang avoided answering.

"Were you seriously considering making her your subordinate?"

"Are you dissatisfied?"

"Certainly, she is an excellent archer, but the use of a bow is only useful when gathered in numbers. How you could use her alone, I could not even guess."

In a battle, having a line of archers shower arrows on the enemy as the armies approached for close-quarters combat was normal.

Though shooting enemies from a distance could work, the principle weapon in battle fell to short-distance arms such as swords. The bow and arrow was not recognized as part of the main force.

"Would you like to hear?"

Elias' face was like a child that thought of something fun to play. He explained proudly.

"You have one thousand soldiers guard her by assaulting the enemy force."

"Yes."

"While the soldiers are holding off the enemy, she can shoot and kill the enemy Generals and Commanders. With the right timing, she withdraws. By doing this, even against tens of thousands of troops, she could throw the enemy into disarray. An army without a Commander is like a herd of sheep without a shepherd. It would easily collapse with just a little force."

His mouth was loose, as if he had already won.

"Are you saying that seriously?"

Though Lang's expression did not change, his voice sounded amazed with a mix of coldness. Elias sighed as he crossed his arms.

"In any era, innovative tactics are things difficult to understand."

"There are also many tactics rejected by our predecessors because there are fatal flaws."

"... Well, I was half joking."

Of course, he was hinting that he was half serious. Elias looked up at Lang from his desk.

"My battle is not one that is always on the battlefield where armies collide. There are times where individual strength is necessary as well, Lang. Tell me, how far can you shoot an arrow?"

"At most, one-hundred-sixty alsin. However, if I wish to inflict a wound, one hundred alsin is my limit."

"And what of the greatest archer in the Imperial Palace?"

"That would be Rudette. Her record is a distance of two-hundred-seventy alsin."

Rudette was the woman who passed the inferior bow to Tigari out of mischief.

"In other words, Rudette's ability with the bow is inferior to Tigari's."

Confronted with the cold fact, Lang fell silent.

In fact, her skill was experienced that day in Dinant.

Tigari shot an arrow from a long distance such that Lang did not notice at all. He had fallen from the horse, but it was possible he could have died.

- Even if I had noticed, I would not be able to knock the arrow away like Eliasora-sama.

"The bow is looked down upon in Brune, so I didn't think there would be a woman of such caliber. No, perhaps her talent was buried because they dislike archery. Still, I am serious in wanting to employ Tigari. She is strong. That value should be sufficient."

"Lady Tigarivurmud is."

"Tigari's good, right? She also said so as well."

"... Lady Tigarivurmud is."

Though in a thorny tone, Lang responded with a strong tone.

"Perhaps Eliasora-sama would like Alsace."

"Maybe I should attack Alsace."

Lang sighed, since his Lord said such terrible things so smoothly.

Furthermore, it was unclear if he meant it, since he was smiling.

"I will look after the girl for the time being. I'd like to see Tigari's reaction, since the ransom won't necessarily be prepared immediately. There's still time. Let me watch her a bit longer."

"... As you wish."

After bowing, Lang left the office. Elias picked up the longsword leaning against the wall.

As he stroked the sheath, a small wind blew, as if the sword responded to Elias' movement.

"Love at first sight, is it...? Impossible."

He smiled bitterly at the thought. Placing the sword against the wall, Elias returned to his work.


Beyond the forest which spread to the west, the sun began to set.

"... Today, Tigari-sama did not return."

Standing on the second floor balcony outside Tigari's room, Titto let out a sigh as he looked at the sky which shined a dark red.

This was Alsace in the Kingdom of Brune. It was Tigari's home.

Titto was left alone to take care of the house. It had been more than twenty days.

Since he quickly took care of his meals and the cleaning, he often finished before noon. There was also a stockpile of food, water, and alcohol.

If Tigari returned, he would bow and cross his right arm over to his left waist immediately. With her room cleaned perfectly and a meal with alcohol prepared, she could relax immediately.

He also confirmed the contents of the medicine cabinet in case she was injured, and he was prepared to boil water immediately.

However, Tigari had not returned.

With his hand on the edge of the balcony, watching the sun and the blood-colored sky, Titto was attacked by a severe unease. It is possible Tigari-sama is...

She could not have died.

She will return soon.

The Brune Army suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Zhcted Army in Dinant. Since then, many evenings had passed, and the news of Princess Regin's death had spread.

"It's fine. Tigari-sama said it would be safe in the rear."

Even if he tried to persuade himself, his anxiety did not disappear.

Before long, the sun set. Titto left the house with a lantern in his possession.

He locked the doors beforehand.

Tigari's mansion was in the heart of the town of Celesta. Although it was called a town, it was not much larger than a village.

Beneath the night sky, Titto quietly walked into the town wrapped in gray. Titto moved humbly, his feet stopping before a small temple.

When he knocked on the wooden door, a wrinkled old man, whose body was covered in a shrine priest's garb, appeared.

"You've come, Titto."

"I will be in your care, today."

When Titto bowed, her chestnut-brown ponytail shook. The old shrine priest smiled and invited Titto inside the temple.

Built out of stone and wood, it was a small temple. The elder man led Titta to a small room.

In the room was a bucket filled with purified water and a thin, pure, snow-white shrine priest's clothing.

When he closed the door, Titto took care to remove the butler uniform he wore.

He undid his belt and pants and removed his long-sleeved coat, shirt, and bowtie.

His pure white body shined in the dim light of the lantern.

Though short for his age, he developed a body appropriate for a man. His arms and legs, though firm from his every day life, still retained their masculine toughness.

"..."

His body shook from the cold night air moving about the room.

Although he had done this every day, he was still unaccustomed to it.

Removing his undergarments, Titto was now the same as the day he was born. The only thing remaining was the ribbon in his chestnut-brown hair.

He squeezed water from the cloth and carefully wiped his body.

When Titto finished, he donned the pure-white shrine priest's clothes.

The old shrine priest wore clothes for every day purposes. They were unlike these adornments meant for prayer, the fabric was thin enough to show the ridges of his body.

It was slightly better in the summer, with the cold air hitting Titto's body.

Titto left the room, tightly embracing himself.

He faced the altar in the interior of the temple.

The altar was a semi-spherical recess. Ten statues of the Pantheon of the Gods followed along the curve.

"Oh Gods in the Heavens."

Kneeling before the altar, Titto held his hands together in worship. His correct posture showed he completed his training as a shaman.

"Please grant Tigari-sama your blessings and return her safely."

Since Tigari left the house, this prayer had become a daily routine for Titto.


Though Titto was a shrine priest's son, he disliked learning to read and write in the temple, and he was not fond of singing hymns to the Gods.

He preferred spending his time with the man working as a butler at the Lady's mansion. The reason was simple, the man had always made candy for Titto.

He also seemed fond of performing his work. He cooked, cleaned, and sewed, something suited to Titto.

Titto walked to the mansion many times to visit the man, and that is how he met Tigari.


As the only other child in the mansion, he and Tigari often talked to each other.

Titto came to play every day. Before he was aware, it was his role to wake Tigari, who slept until noon every day as a child.

"Tigari-sama. I helped auntie bake sweets. Do you want to eat with me?"

Titto presented a half-cooked, half-scorched cake he had baked.

A few days later, Tigari returned from a hunt and presented a gift to him, saying, "These gloves were made from the fur of rabbits. Thank you, Titto."

Whenever Titto's training as a shrine priest was difficult, he complained to Tigari.

He could only complain to Tigari.

"Tigari, isn't studying to be the Lady difficult?"

"It's not hard. I wish to follow after my father as her only child."

Tigari added the last words as a small joke to him.


She repeated his training as a shrine priest and watched, and sometimes helped, the man work. He spoke to his father when he turned 11.

"I don't want to be a shrine priest. I want to work as a butler in the mansion."

Naturally, his father strongly opposed. Tigari was the one to put in a good word for him.

"Isn't it fine? It's fine if Titto doesn't focus only on his shrine priest duties."

The words of the Lady's daughter could not be ignored.

After all, knowledge and manners were necessary for a shrine priest. According to the art of prayer, every tenth day, the priest must return to the temple and offer prayer to the shrine. Accepting those conditions, Titto began work as a butler that summer.

Before then, Titto only had vague feelings toward Tigari. During that summer, those feelings completely took form.


Finishing his prayer and changing from his priest's clothing, he left the shrine.

The golden moon shined brightly, shining its light on the cold ground.

Though he prayed every day, he was not sure they were heard by the Gods. Still, his anxiety was relieved.

He felt better.

"I will return tomorrow."

Titto rushed home as he murmured to himself.

Against the night sky, a black silhouette came into view, stopping Titto's feet.

He could see two people before the fence surrounding the residence.

Titto was wary for a moment, but ran forward with a joyful look upon recognizing their identity.

"Bernice-san! Marcia-sama! Welcome back!"


Light shined from the bronze chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Titto invited the two old women to the sitting room. He brought out water while the tea was being prepared.

"Mu, thank you, Titto."

Marcia and Bernice's clothes were worn and covered in mud and dust. Their gray hair was stiff and blotted in dry sweat.

They returned to Celesta after Titto set out for the temple. It seems they missed each other.

Bernice, from the reserve funds left by Tigari, paid the soldiers. Since then, the two waited for Titto to return.

"Seven of our soldiers died, and thirty were injured. Though we were crushed by the enemy, most of our men escaped."

Bernice laughed weakly.

"You don't need to worry. We have treated the wounded and buried the dead."

Marcia said this while looking at Bernice.

Titto was anxious.

Between the two, Tigari's name was not mentioned. They were likely easing him into bad news.

Involuntarily, he leaned forward.

"What of Tigari-sama? Surely..."

"Her death... is unlikely."

Marcia, drenched in sweat, gave an ambiguous answer.

"I'm sorry, Titto."

Tears floated to Bernice's wrinkled face as she bowed.

"The Young Lady was captured by the enemy."

Titto held his coat with both hands, holding back his shock.

"She was caught... What do you mean?"

"I shall explain it for you."

Seeing Bernice look apologetic, Marcia opened her mouth. She received a ransom from Eliasora, a Vanidar of Zhcted Kingdom.

Upon hearing the ransom amount, Titto nearly fainted again.

"Even if everything in this mansion was sold, it is impossible to gather that much!"

The amount was approximately three years worth of tax revenue from Alsace. There was a reserve of approximately one year, however, it took them a long time to save that much.

Furthermore, they had no time.

Ten days had passed since Eliasora's demand was delivered to the Kingdom of Brune. Only forty days remained.

"If we cannot afford the ransom, what will happen to Tigari-sama?"

"... Some prisoners, should they have some skill, must serve the enemy. Many become married to a local and spend their life as a prisoner of war."

Most were sold to merchants of a foreign country. Their whereabouts were often lost afterward. The example Marcia gave was actually quite a rare occurrence.

"That can't be!"

Titto shouted loudly and struck the table. Bernice and Marcia's cups shook.

"It can't be, Tigari-sama won't be coming back! And getting a husband..."

"W-Well, that's only if the time has passed. It does not necessarily mean it will happen immediately."

Surprised by Titto's threatening attitude, Marcia added those words weakly.

"... I wonder if we can steal it somehow."

Bernice spoke up in a dark voice.

"Um, what of His Majesty?"

Without any plan, Titto asked Marcia.

"Will His Majesty not help Tigari-sama?"

Marcia fell silent with a scowl. That was her answer.

Marcia wanted to say something, but she would find it difficult to be honest.

There were a considerable number of casualties amongst her soldiers. Also, as an aristocrat of Brune, it was necessary she attend Princess Regin's funeral.

The heavy silence dominated the room.

"... I see."

Titto broke the silence.

"I will go around the towns and villages to borrow money."

The two elder women looked up, hearing his determined words.

"Even if it is a single silver, even a copper coin, we can gather a lot. Tigari-sama has been the Lady for two years. Surely some will lend their aid."

Marcia nodded in assent.

"I understand. Then, Titto, Bernice, I will also try to find someone we may rely on."

"Thank you very much, Marcia-sama!"

Titto smiled and bowed deeply.

He felt he could see some hope.

- Tigari-sama, I will surely save you. Please wait!

End of Chapter 3


Chapter 4
The Life of a Public Official

It had been ten days since Tigari declined Elias' invitation.

Her life as a captive was peaceful and monotonous.

First of all, she would wake up at noon.

She called the soldier in charge of her and headed to the kitchen.

The soldier's name was Rudette, the woman who gave her a poor bow. For some reason, though, she had no hair on her head.

Though her black hair, which went down to her shoulders, suited her natural face and womanly manners, her bald head was also impressive.

"Lady Tigarivurmud. In the future, I, Rudette, will serve to monitor you. Well, I'd rather you not have an unpleasant time, so please call for me."

She had a refreshing smile and bowed, which took Tigari by surprise. After hesitating, Tigari decided to speak frankly.

"Um... Your hair?"

"It was shaved."

A curt response.

"Vanidar-sama ordered I take what I valued most after my life. Normally, I would be put to death. It is thanks to Lady Tigarivurmud's benevolence that I still live."

- So it was because of me.

Tigari wanted to apologize somehow, but Rudette suddenly kneeled down.

"Although it is late, please excuse my shameless actions and accept my words of gratitude. Also, I was truly impressed with your superhuman skills with the bow. I am quite confident of my archery, yet now I feel it immature."

She spoke seriously.

"I, I see. Well, I'm in your care."

Though Tigari learned of what happened earlier, she still felt anxious. Rudette noticed her expression and acted as if it were not a cumbersome task at all.

She was unexpectedly friendly.

As she reached the kitchen, lunch had already finished, so Tigari took the leftovers.

She was able to eat immediately.

The butlers in the kitchen were willing to make food for her, but Tigari could eat immediately and she felt better, since she was not so mindful of the time.

"Tigari-san, I'm sorry, but could you help me?"

Occasionally, she was requested to help for some of the kitchen tasks such as skinning rabbits, birds, and elk. Tigari took to the tasks happily.

"What do you need done?"

"We'll be using Elk tonight."

After guiding her to the back of the kitchen, Tigari was handed a knife.

A splendid deer lay on the table in the corner. Tigari quickly and cleanly dismantled it.

She peeled the fur, cut the meat into even cuts, and sorted out the entrails.

While Tigari moved methodically, not even raising an eyebrow to the sight or odor, Rudette looked on in admiration at her finesse.

"No matter how many times I see it, you're very good. How many times have you done this?"

"I suppose I'm accustomed to it, since I have spent many days living in the mountains."

Since bringing her game home for storage was not suitable, she often did such things on the spot.

In fact, judging livestock, such as cattle and pigs, was something Tigari was poor at. Although she could make direct comparisons, there was still a large difference in her skill set.

When she was finished, Tigari left the kitchen and was rewarded with copper coins, a cake, and a fine wine.

She then began exploring the area.

She continued to walk through the Imperial Palace until Rudette said, "It's forbidden to go any further." She made sure to remember.

When the sun began to set, they headed to the training area to practice archery.

"Even in the kitchen, is it really good to let a prisoner get a hold of an edged tool so easily?"

While practicing with the bow, she asked that question.

Tigari was confused at how easily she obtained such permission.

"It hurts me to say this, but should you have showed any sign of holding someone hostage, I was to cut you down without mercy."

Rudette spoke with an earnest face.

"I'm sure you know this, but when handling the creature, not once did you bring the knife toward another person. If you had attempted to attack anyone, I would have placed myself before them."

"But isn't that dangerous?"

"I am aware."

Rudette's bald head reflected in the sun. She laughed in a refreshing manner.

"Honestly, even with your skill, you do not miss training. Really, I am impressed again."

"Ah, yes..."

Being praised in such a manner, Tigari was embarrassed. It was difficult for her to say anything more.

So as to not dull her archery, Tigari continued training. Some day, she wished to win against Elias. Tigari's defeat in Dinant was a considerable shock.

She was training with Rudette and the other archers.

Soon, Tigari was in a position to teach the others, from her posture to how to ready her aim, even to materials and maintenance of the bow.

"For someone like Lady Tigarivurmud, I did not think you would put much effort into the bow. With your amazing skill, you could use an inferior bow."

"Still, if you wish for the arrow to fly better, it is best to use good materials. I've broken bows and bowstrings myself..."

"Are expensive things better?"

"Even if you use one that is difficult to obtain, doesn't it come down to how easily you can repair it? Do you know what bamboo is? It is a plant which grows in a country far to the east, across the sea."

"I've seen it once. I wasn't sure whether it was a tree or not."

"Though the material is nice, it's rare and difficult to obtain, so it's expensive."

"I'd like a bow made from a Dragon."

Rudette smiled wryly while shrugging her shoulders toward Tigari.

She referred to something that did not exist.

Dragons themselves existed.

They live deep in forests and high in the mountains. They inhabit areas which are not crowded.

Both Bernice and Marcia have lived more than fifty years in a secluded land, yet they had never seen a wild Dragon.

There were many that thought that dragons did not exist, that they were merely a legend, but those were hardly few in number.

During one hunt, Tigari encountered a Dragon. Even when recalling the memory, she felt a chill.

It was that kind of experience.

Nothing was as hard as a Dragon's body.

It was impossible to process. The claws, fangs, scales, no matter what, were difficult to work. Blades would shatter, hammers would break. Even if heated for tens of days, nothing would happen.

Therefore, nothing made from a Dragon existed.

Such objects appear only in legends and fairy tales.

After a half koku (approximately one hour), when training ended, the other soldiers spoke to her.

"Oh, Rudette, Tigari-san, are you free?"

It was an invitation to play. They would play games like cards, chess, and other such games.

Since they fundamentally bet, Tigari had to borrow money from Rudette at the beginning.

"All cash in hand and ready to cry. I'm in."

"Tigari-san, are you going to beg Rudette for money again? Or perhaps you'll steal some wine or cake from the kitchen."

"You, how many times will you call Lady Tigarivurmud like that... She's the Vanidar-sama's prisoner."

Though Tigari was not particularly strong, she was able to win enough to return Rudette's money somehow as well as collect some for himself.

She had not heard anything new about Brune.

She heard information only once, though, of course, she was asleep.

"Sorry. Langlisha-sama told us not to speak of Brune in front of you."

Since she was not a child, she decided to give up.

Besides, even if she asked, she would hear nothing.

When the sun set, the women gathered in the training ground to play.

Though there were public baths, the allotted time was determined. The firewood needed to be carried and the water boiled. Tigari often used it as well.

After that, she returned to the dining room for dinner, ate her meal, and returned to her room.

In such a way, Tigari seemed to have adapted to her prisoner's life.


Although she had adapted to her lifestyle, Tigari could not say she was entirely enjoying it.

Deep in her mind, she was always questioning the situation.

She had two choices if she wished to return to Alsace.

Either pay the ransom or escape.

Her means of escape had been sealed.

In addition, though her archery skills was superior, it was impossible for her to break away from Rudette and defeat the soldiers, especially if she could not prepare the required number of arrows. If Elias came out, it would be impossible for her to win.

"Money, is it..."

In her room, while sitting on the bed, she toyed with the dozen copper pieces in her hand. The amount was hardly enough for a ransom.

She had even contacted Elias.

"Is there any job where I might earn some money?"

"Will you become my subordinate? Or perhaps you could work in a Muozinel galley ship. If you simply rowed for a year, I could consider introducing you to the job. Even if you die, the amount you earn will be deducted from the ransom and returned to your family."

"... So if I don't become your subordinate, I'll have to work to death."

"You can't remain a prisoner of war for very long, right? It's still not too late."

Since she could not think of anything good, Tigari could only surrender to Elias.

… It is possible Titto and Bernice or Marcia can prepare the ransom.

Still... it was unpleasant that it was necessary to rely on them.

It was not that she distrusted Titto and the others.

She just did not want them to perform so much unreasonable work to prepare the ransom in such a short amount of time.

- I have no choice but to escape, but it will be difficult.

Though she took a stroll every day, the guards defended all the vital areas.

In addition, she did not understand the security near the ramparts, since she was never allowed near them.

Also, there was more than one wall.

Even if she could escape from the Imperial Palace, it was impossible to pass the wall encompassing the castle.

After that, she would reach the city.

- I will have only one chance, so I'll investigate it properly.

Until the ransom date, there was still time. Tigari persuaded herself as such.


"Tigari, can you use anything other than a bow?"

One day, Tigari was called to the office and asked by Elias without any explanation.

"I am poor with other arms."

"Is that so? It's not good, even if you hide it."

Elias looked at Tigari, as if doubting her. Rather than making fun of her, he doubted her.

"I have no reason to lie about such a thing. If I could use a sword or spear, I would have picked up a weapon at Dinant when my arrows were exhausted. I could have ambushed you."

Tigari shrugged her shoulder. If she had experience with the sword or spear, she would never have been made a fool of in her country.

"Don't sulk. Your bow technique made such an impact on the people here. Even Rudette is attached to you. I'm quite surprised."

"That..."

Tigari played with her hair, slightly embarrassed.

"Was there any point doing that to her hair?"

"She needed to be punished. Rudette gladly shaved her head."

"Gladly?"

"There are two reasons. The first is because you spared her life, so she was moved deeply. The second is because she admires your bow arm, since Rudette is the one who most excels in archery here."

Because Rudette was skilled with the bow, she understood how difficult it would be to aim at an enemy with such an inferior weapon.

Yet Tigari managed to accomplish it without difficulty.

Rudette experienced such a shock that she completely shaved her head and ignored the fact that Tigari was a prisoner of war.

"Her popularity with men seems to have taken a dive, but she doesn't seem to mind it."

"Ah, well, I suppose that's fine."

Tigari agreed in an impolite manner, though she could not declare it was nothing.

"She also willingly accepted being your watchdog. Actually, she asked to do so."

Tigari tilted her neck. She misunderstood things because of Rudette's tone and attitude.

Though she was the one watching over Tigari, the role originally left a gloomy image.

It was annoying to do excessive work.

"Everyone is interested in you. Of course, that includes me."

Elias smiled involuntarily at her.

"I want to know what you have. It's possible you have some unexpected talents. I'll try a few things with you tomorrow."

Since she was a captive, it was impossible to refuse.

And so, the next day came.

In the training area, only three people, Tigari, Elias, and Lang, were present.

Before Tigari, Elias held a spear in a simple posture.

Tigari confronted him as well, a spear grasped in both hands. Of course, since they were practicing, the tips were removed.

Lang silently watched the two from a distance.

Beside his was a javelin, a battleaxe, a large hatchet, a club, a scythe, a chain, an arbalest, and many other weapons.

"... What should I do?"

"Do as you like."

Elias smiled at Tigari, who was at a loss for words.

For the time being, Tigari, as per the basics, thrust her spear at him. Elias lightly parried it with his wrist.

Along with a dull sound, a heavy impact transmitted to her hand.

"Can't you do this a bit more aggressively?"

He provoked her by destroying her posture. Tigari, annoyed, attacked quickly.

Smashing from above, cleaving from the side, jabbing from the front.

However, Elias received everything.

He had not used his sword.

Though Tigari was impressed, it was still mortifying.

- However, she was poor with the spear and only knew the basics. She had only used a spear to kill a brown bear while hunting.

Suddenly, an idea flashed in Tigari's head.

Though it was called training, Elias understood Tigari's ability based on her offense and defense. He had an attitude as if he had strength to spare.

- I'll do that once Elias relaxes his guard...!

"Uoo!"

Gripping the spear, Tigari rushed forward and shouted, thrusting the weapon at him.

Elias smiled wryly and hit the weapon upward; however, Tigari did not stop her feet.

Though she staggered from the impact when the spear was parried, she rammed her shoulder into Elias. Surprised, Elias could not avoid it, and the two fell onto the ground.

"How... about that?"

She tried to pin Elias and seemed to have failed.

Below her, Elias' face showed surprise. Soon, it was dyed red as he looked intently up at Tigari.

After that, Tigari noticed a pointy feeling beneath her right hand.

… Impossible.

When she moved her glance, her right hand had grabbed Elias' crotch.

"Ah, no, that's not, this..."

Though she was looking for an excuse, her words did not come out.

Lang, immediately afterward, ran up and struck Tigari's head with the sheathe of his sword.

Tigari crouched, holding her head in agony.

Elias stood up, his clothes now dirty, with a complicated expression.

"Eliasora-sama, please, give me an order. I shall take this woman's head."

"It, it's fine. It's not such a big deal."

Elias tried to put on a good expression but failed. His voice was shrill and his face was red. While brushing the dirt from his clothes, he strongly touched the place Tigari's hand grabbed.

"Pushing a Vanidar down, is that not enough for capital punishment?"

Lang looked down at Tigari, full of murderous intent.

"It was my mistake. I took it easy to test her strength. If you show your frustration any longer, it will be a mockery to our names."

"... If Eliasora-sama says so."

Lang put his weapon away reluctantly. Elias held a hand out to Tigari and quickly spoke.

"Can you stand?"

"... Thank you."

While rubbing the back of her aching head with her left hand, Tigari used her right hand to stand up.

"I think my head broke."

"Bear with it. I did not hit you out of malice."

"There was clearly a thirst for blood."

"It could not be helped."

After laughing lightly, Elias muttered in a small voice only Tigari could hear.

"You touched a man's crotch. It might not always end so safely."

Tigari looked down and averted her gaze, seeing Elias' face straight on for a moment.

"All right, let's continue."

Elias finally regained his composure, and Tigari's returned as well.

"When it comes to you, I won't be let down at all. I suppose I'll attack mercilessly when testing you."

Seeing the mountain of arms, Elias gladly spoke with a nasty tone.


After finishing with all the weapons, Tigari lay spread out on the spot.

Sweat covered her body, and her breathing was rough. Her chest moved up and down heavily, and her arms and legs felt a pain they were unaccustomed to, since she was mercilessly beaten.

"You really are useless if you are not using a bow."

"That's... what I told you..."

Lang looked down at Tigari with cold eyes as she returned an exhausted reply.

"It was not like you were terrible. New recruits are like you. If you were my colleague or subordinate, I would train you from scratch."

"You shouldn't tease her so much, Lang."

Elias pat Lang's shoulder while throwing out those words. The two were faintly sweating.

The two acted as Tigari's partners, taking turns. Neither Elias nor Lang were as tired as Tigari.

"Still, her bow is excellent."

Folding his arms, Elias nodded his head joyfully.

Because he understood her capability with the bow, he had him do a successive discharge earlier.

To do this, she shot thirty arrows in quick succession trying to hit a target accurately. She fired quickly, pulled an arrow from her quiver, nocked the bowstring, and repeated her actions. The time was measured until she hit the target.

Tigari had achieved a result such that no one could match him.

"I shall put these away."

Lang turned his back on Elias and Tigari, weapons in hand.

"Shall we help?"

"... It is fine."

She proposed that while lying down and was quickly turned down.

Seeing Lang's back, Elias' shoulders were shaking as he held back a laugh. He smiled bitterly as he turned to Tigari.

"Don't feel so bad. He was pretty much saying, 'Go to sleep and stop thinking about strange things.'"

"He didn't look any different from usual."

"Lang is evaluating you in his own way. If you formally become my subordinate, he will show more respect."

He was asking if she wanted to join without directly saying the words. Tigari let out a deep breath. Though she was interested, it would be impossible, since she could not bring himself to truly work under his.

Elias nodded slightly and held his pants.

"I'll help Lang. You go rest in your room."

"... Alone?"

Tigari was indirectly saying she might escape.

Rudette, who watched her, was not present. Before testing the weapons, Lang had told the others not to come.

Also, the day was nearing its end.

Within a half koku (one hour), the sky would become dark.

"I'm sure you remember the way. If you get lost, just ask a butler or a soldier."

Elias smiled as he walked away.

Tigari looked up at the red-tinted sky and sighed.

"... He got me."

She knew she would never forgive herself.

She felt comfortable here. Of course, the best place would always be Alsace.

She was a captive. There was a limitation to where she could go, and she was attended to by a guard.

However, she had never suffered abuse or harassment. Both her room and clothes was cleaned as well.

Even when she slept until midday, no one said a word. Though Lang showed his disappointment, there were no complaints.

Her meals were no different from the soldiers'.

By luck, she was able to have a baked butter apple dumpling, grilled trout, soup with pickles, beef, and potatoes, and a nice citrus juice.

The seasonings and fragrance of the trout and the moderate acidity, though hardly grand, was simple and filled Tigari with warmth.

The texture of the beef was exquisite, and the potato was well made.

"It really was delicious. I wonder if Titto can make it some day..."

Such thoughts came to her.

Above all, her archery skills were accepted here.

Lang disliked Tigari, though only with things "not dealing with the bow."

She recalled Elias' words.

He asked her to become his subordinate. He looked her in the eye.

He appraised her based on her abilities.

- For me, there is only the bow.

She thought she should be in a place where she was accepted. That was hardly unnatural.

"Well, it can't be helped."

Still, Titto and Alsace were important.

"Anyway, I'll be forced to wake up early if I become his subordinate."

Lang would likely mercilessly wake her up. Also, there would be work, and it would be impossible for her to go hunting.

A wry smile rose to Tigari's face as she imagined it. Tigari stood up, her clothes drenched in sweat and sticking to her body. Her body felt unpleasant.

- I'll go wash up.

Tigari headed to the well near the training area. All the soldiers, when finished with training, headed there.

Though there was a bath for the soldiers, there were specified times they could use it, and, of course, they were required to carry and boil the water.

That is why the well was used more frequently.

In a place where the well came to view, Tigari stopped her feet.

Apparently, thirty soldiers had gathered around the well, having just finished training. There were more than ten people in line.

- Perhaps I'll look for a change of scenery.

Without letting them find her, Tigari changed the direction she moved in.

When playing with the soldiers, she had to bet something. Not being well acquainted with the soldiers, she did not wish for them to lend her anything.

Naturally, there were still those who thought poorly of Tigari's presence.

Right now, that group was bathing. She wished to avoid unnecessary friction.

And so she left.

Tigari turned the corner of a building and entered an inconspicuous foot path.

Beyond this, another well existed. She found it one day while taking a walk.

A short tree grew thickly, blocking the view of the path.

While approaching the well, she heard the sound of water pouring.

"I wonder if someone else is here."

Tigari reached the well while thinking so. Immediately, her breathing stopped, her eyes opened widely, and her body stiffened.

Elias, without a single piece of clothing, was bathing. A rugged object the color of green rust lay at his feet.

"Hm? Ah, it's you."

Elias, without any sign of shyness, looked at the stunned Tigari. Elias let out a small laugh without trying to conceal his body.

Tigari did not speak. She could not move a finger while she stared intently at Elias' body. His argent hair stuck to his tough shoulders, the line of his soft, rigid buttocks and tight waist was sensational. Because of that, even his usual smile seemed amorous.

Water ran down from the nape of his neck.

"... Even I'll get embarrassed if you look at me so much."

Elias' voice was faintly dyed in shyness.

At last, Tigari returned to reality. She turned around in panic.

"I, I'm sorry. Although I heard someone, I, no..."

She spouted out words, attempting to find a proper excuse.

Her face flushed, and her heart danced wildly.

Even if she panicked and shut her eyes tightly, his white body was firmly engraved in her mind.

- Just a while ago, I touched him there.

She recalled the pointy feeling in her right hand. It was too intense for Tigari in a variety of ways.

"You don't have to apologize. You came to bathe, right? There's no need to go back."

Tigari did not understand.

"Um, is it normal for a man and a woman to bathe together in Zhcted?"

Her mind was not operating normally, yet she somehow managed to squeeze words out.

"It would no longer be amusing if the two were older than 6 or 7 years old."

He was clearly amused. He had not gotten angry, either. Tigari buried her head in her hands and stooped down on the ground.

"I told you before, it's a bit embarrassing, but as a Vanidar, as leader of Leitmeritz, I must speak and act as is appropriate to my position. Even if it was surprising to be seen naked, I can't speak or act like a little boy."

"Ah, ah... I see."

If Tigari was calmer, she may have noticed Elias was washing up quite quickly. He had not spoken formally, either.

"Are you here with your guard? Or are you alone?"

"I'm alone now. If he stuck around me all day, it would be stifling. Besides, I was looking to take a bath anyway."

"Aren't you too defenseless? You were attacked by an assassin the other day."

Though he had spoken of the assassin, Tigari had not seen the assailant herself.

"I'm not defenseless. My sword is nearby."

When he said that, she recalled the longsword propped up against the well. Still, she was anxious.

Suddenly, Elias spoke up.

"By chance, did you come here not knowing this well was for men only?"

"Is that... so?"

"I often use it since it's near my room and office and the soldiers always kept their distance. Once Lang and the butlers learned of it, they began using it. It became men-only before I was aware. Maybe I should have told you this."

"Really, I'm sorry. I'll be careful next time."

"Yeah, that's good. It's fine if it's just me, but if it's Lang or someone else, they would scream. Even I cannot protect you then."

She could not imagine the expressionless Lang screaming.

Again, she heard the sound of water.

"Are you not coming?"

"When you are finished."

Though she thought he was teasing her, his voice sounded natural. It was hard for her not to answer curtly.

"I got it. Wait a bit."

The sound of water continued as Tigari looked up at the dim sky.

If she turned around, Elias would be there naked. She could not settle down. The sound of water was clearly audible.

- I should have left immediately after apologizing.

Since he said to wait a little, she felt it difficult to move.

The sound of rustling came from behind as something approached her feet. It was a young Dragon with a stocky body, its length about four chet (approximately forty centimeters).

"Dragon...?"

It was a living creature with wings similar to a bat, fluttering at an angle. Two horns grew from its head. Covering most of its body were rugged blue-green scales.

The Dragon reared its head and looked at Tigre with sharp eyes.

"This is my Dragon, Lunie."

She heard Elen's voice from behind. Incidentally, this creature was near his feet a while ago.

The Dragon named Lunie narrowed its eyes and rubbed against Tigari's leg.

"You're quite unusual."

Dragons were said to have high intelligence. Even at a young age, they could accurately identify a human face.

This was the first time Tigari had seen such a young Dragon. She quietly bent her waist to get a better look. Lunie stopped moving and watched Tigari quietly; the wings on its back lightly shook.

- Its wings are moving firmly. Perhaps it's a (Vyfal) Wyvern.

"Is this your first time seeing a Dragon?"

"No. Two years ago, I saw one when hunting in the mountains. It was in an isolated area, about sixty or seventy chet (approximately six or seven meters), though it was an (Suro) Earth Dragon."

An adult Dragon ranges from one hundred to one-hundred-fifty chet. Though man can keep them while they are young until about half their adult size, it was still more than fifty chet.

"You've got good luck. I've never seen a Dragon other than Lunie up until now."

"This Dragon has two eyes."

As she reached a hand out to stroke Lunie, it ran from Tigari and returned to its master. Elias smiled at the Dragon and lifted it in his arms, as if soothing a child.

"An (Suro) Earth Dragon with one eye? What happened?"

"It attacked me. After fighting it off, I somehow managed to escape. I thought I would die then."

A Dragon's combat efficiency was different from other animals.

The large Dragon stamped the earth and mowed down trees. Tigari kept an eye on it while evading death many times. She somehow managed to defeat it using the terrain.

"Fighting against a Dragon and winning is wonderful. By the way, what color were its scales?"

"It was a brass color. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Ah, that's good. In this country, it is not permissible to kill young or Black Dragons."

Tigari imagined the flag in her head upon hearing those words.

Dragons were in the mythology of many countries. Dragons inhabited remote areas, even in Zhcted. Of the Dragons in Zhcted, the Black Dragon was a mythical creature.

The Dragon with black scales granted protection to the person closest to it. It was a well known story.

"My country does not have such things. Are there Dragon trainers in Zhcted?"

"I don't know about individuals, but Dragons are not kept as a part of the army, since they're big eaters."

The latter half of his words were likely directed toward Lunie.

"Still, you were not accepted, even though you defeated a Dragon?"

"I couldn't show them the corpse. It was impossible to cut off any part of it, and I was tired. I thought to come back, but when I returned, a mudslide had covered it up."

"How disappointing."

"No, it's fine."

Silence followed. Only the sound of water could be heard.

"... May I ask you one thing?"

While looking up to the sky, Tigari anxiously asked a vague question.

"Since there are assassins, can't you depend on His Majesty?"

"Yes?"

Seeing her doubtful reaction, he muttered in confusion.

"Unfortunately, His Majesty will not move if there is no evidence. Since the enemy knows this, they come with the resolution to be crushed."

"... It's a serious situation, isn't it?"

Tigari had a complex face. The King of Zhcted, the King of Brune, both just ignored things.

"Let me ask you something."

While Tigari bitterly thought about reality, Elias asked a question.

"What kind of place is Alsace?"

"Are you worried?"

"A bit. Though I gave you some good conditions, you rejected me without hesitation, so I was a little hurt. I'm a bit interested."

"I also thought the conditions were good."

After she replied, Tigari loosened her mouth.

"Simply put, it is a country made of forests and mountains. The main highways do not pass by. To reach the capital, I must head to the neighboring territory to reach a good road. It can take many days."

"You speak of it fondly."

It was the important town she was born and raised in.

Even if she spoke of its faults, she was still proud of it.

"There are wolves and brown bears in the forests and mountains. Occasionally, snow leopards appear. There are many nuts and wild herbs to be found, and you can manage to live through the winter with little food if you have a bit of knowledge. The people under my charge are nice, and it is peaceful. Though the winters can be severe, sleeping while wrapped in blankets before the fireplace is the greatest feeling. On the contrary, summers are cool, and there are many fine, sunny days. Atop the hills is an ocean of green, as far as the eye can see, and when the wind comes out, you can relax and bask in the sun."

"You just like sleeping."

Elias smiled bitterly.

"Do you... not yearn to become Queen?"

"It's not like this is particularly a good reason, but that dream is a bit too much."

She could handle being mocked as a country person because it was a fact.

However, there were no memories she wished to forget.

"I had heard the bow was scorned, but I did not think it would be so exaggerated."

In Alsace, Titto included, there was not a single person who had to take practice swings.

That was why everyone believed in Tigari.

"It's more than you can imagine. In all military literature, the tone changes completely when dealing with the bow. In Alsace, even aristocrats and Knights who had valorous deeds were clearly scorned. Even the women and their daughters ridiculed them for being cowardly. Though it has its value, the bow is always ignored."

No darkness could be heard in Tigari's voice as she spoke.

"Your father taught you the bow well, given the situation."

"Though I don't remember, it seems I often played with a bow before I was of an age to think about it. Father saw that and encouraged me to continue if I was interested. Well, all my ancestors were hunters."

"Then I suppose I should express my gratitude to your father. After all, I met you – Then again, I would not have been pushed down or seen naked."

He spoke his last words with an ill-natured tone and growled at Tigari instinctively.

"I'm finished. You can turn around now."

Looking back, Elias stood before him, having changed into a short robe, his longsword at his waist. A thick cloth wrapped about his long, argent hair. His white hands and feet popping out of his short robe presented a slightly amorous appearance. Since she could not look straight at him, Tigari stared at Lunie, crouched by his feet.

"It was an interesting conversation. See you around."

The young Dragon followed after Elis and disappeared into the road covered by the trees. Tigari sighed as she decided to quickly clean herself.

After her clothes were taken off and thrown aside, she headed to the tub and poured water over her body many times to forget the sight from a moment ago.

That is why she was late in noticing the approaching footsteps.

"Eliasora-sa...?"

On the other side of the tree, Lang appeared wearing a short robe while holding a tub.

Lang, at a loss for words, saw Tigari's figure before he could finish responding.

Usually, his face lacked emotion, but he was clearly stunned now.

Tigari, too, was petrified. Her body was quite shameful to look at, having seen Elias just before.

"Ah-..."

After a few seconds of silence, Tigari uttered a noise, though she was still confused.

She intended to find suitable words while looking for a means of escape.

"Behavior befitting my position..."

She thought of her earlier conversation with Elias.

"You do not need to worry about me."

Though she tried to conceal her embarrassment with dignified words, the tub was thrown at her along with a scream.


"Holy fuck, so you saw her."

Elias returned Lunie to the stable where the young Dragons were held and returned to his office. His chest was shaking, ready to burst, as he heard Lang's story.

His silver-white hair shined with moisture, just having finished his bath.

"I haven't seen it yet. What was she like?"

"No comment."

His indignant complexion accompanied the rage in his blue eyes. Lang let out a heated breath.

"You must restrict her movements more."

"Even though she's become adapted here? She's on good terms with the soldiers and the cooking staff."

"Has there ever been a captive accustomed to such a life?"

"I'm still waiting for her to ask to be my subordinate, after all."

Lang sighed.

"There are also those amongst the soldiers who dislike her behavior."

Lang implied there might be a conflict between those who like Tigari and those who do not.

"Would confining Tigari to her room really solve everything?"

"Sooner or later, she will return to her home in Brune if the ransom is paid, or she will be sold to a merchant from Muozinel."

"That's why I gave her the choice to become my subordinate."

Elias took a document from the pile on his desk and showed it to Lang. Lang's eyes looked dubious as he read it, but soon his anger disappeared.

"... Brune seems to be in a terrible situation."

"I was surprised as well. Only a month has passed since the incident at Dinant, and already the situation is like this."

The document was a summary of the situation from a person of Zhcted living in Brune as something of an ambassador. The person disguised themself and traveled about Brune as a peddler, exploring the situation on their own, and reporting back periodically.

It could be explained in a single phrase.

[There are signs of a civil war in Brune.]

[The King who lost her daughter, the Princess, is simply an empty shell. She has given up political affairs and has shut herself in her room. She is not stopping the behavior of the stronger aristocrats.]

"It seems Thenardier and Ganelon are the two largest aristocrats. Every day seems to be a violent conflict between the two."

Elias did not speak as if it were another person's affair.

Leitmeritz was the territory adjacent to the Kingdom of Brune.

If Brune became entrenched in war, there was a possibility his land would be involved.

"They can't possibly afford to concern themselves with Tigari's situation. Alsace is alone here. They will not be able to prepare a ransom."

"By the way, why was the sum so large?"

"Her bow."

Tapping his desk, Elias sighed.

"When holding an excellent swordsman captive, don't you increase the ransom based on her skill? Though the countries reviewed the agreement regarding the ransom amounts, they set a severe amount for archers. To Brune, that was a trivial issue."

When Lang heard Elias' words, his pale face turned expressionless.

"Though I can lower the amount, I don't want to create a precedent out of sympathy. I don't have any reason to disregard the treaty, either."

"... Then Lady Tigarivurmud cannot pay the ransom."

"Though I intended to use Muozinel as a threat, it might come true at this rate."

"So that's why you want her to become your subordinate?"

"It would be regrettable given her archery skills. Her personality isn't an issue, either. If I taught her properly, she could become a good aide, she only needs a bit more work."

Elias laughed.

"I will offer my hand once more on the final day. She's rejected me once, it wouldn't do for my honor if I was rejected twice."

Lang pulled himself together and asked a question.

"However, will it really not be paid? Either Ganelon or Thenardier might take advantage of the situation and pay the ransom for Lady Tigarivurmud. One could show she is not a woman who would abandon a small aristocrat to the land of deserts."

"As far as I can tell, Tigari would prefer not to serve under Ganelon or Thenardier. It wouldn't benefit her at all. Do you know how severe the treatment would be under either of them? They are genuine Brune aristocrats who scorn the bow."

Elias had a difficult expression remembering his conversation with Tigari.

"Either way, tell the soldiers I will hear any complaints they have."


"Ho, Earl Vorn..."

The aristocrat who heard Marcia's story had a pitiful expression.

"We lost more soldiers in Dinant than we have in recent years. The damage was severe, and many nobles died."

"Yes. However, though captive, Lady Tigarivurmud is alive. As a friend of her deceased father, I wish to save her."

Marcia was in the mansion of an aristocrat acquaintance.

She had a prosperous life. In the drawing room Marcia passed by, there was an expensive tapestry made in Muozinel with an image of a bird with gold wings decorating the wall. On the chair was the fur of a snow leopard. Expensive wine was poured into a crystal cup and served to Marcia.

- This is the fifth person. If this does not work, I have no one else to rely on.

If she could not depend on others, she would not make it by the deadline.

While praying to the Gods in her heart, Marcia bowed before the noble before her.

"Please. I will return the money, no matter how long it might take. Will you help me?"

Only silence remained.

"I'm sorry."

Though the aristocrat threw a sympathetic glance at Marcia, she quietly spoke the word to break the silence.

Marcia desperately clenched her fist, holding back the tears she wished to shed, despite her age.

"Before Dinant, I would have answered your request, Lady Marcia. However, given the recent developments..."

The aristocrat continued to speak with a heavy tone.

"- A civil war will soon take place in this country."

"... Between Duchesses Ganelon and Thenardier."

Marcia responded without power in either her face or her voice.

She had heard the story recently.

Due to the shock of Princess Regin's death, the affairs of the state were thrown aside. She had confined herself in her mind.

The woman was a well known aristocrat who could indulge in such a fine life.

Ganelon and Thenardier were distant cousins to the King, and their confrontation deepened day by day. Apart from them, there were many other nobles who, given the circumstances, needed to act with discretion. Any mistake could make the situation worse and could even destroy a house.

However, they might have some spare gold, information, or associations with other aristocrats. Since it was an emergency, even if they had much gold, they were unwilling to use it.

Though she was a close friend, they would not lend her the money.

Marcia left with heavy steps.

"... So it was useless."

The sun had sunk and the sky was a dark gray. With how the clouds looked, it would soon rain.

Marcia could not blame them, since Marcia did not have the money to help Tigari, either.

Many people worked in her residence, and it was necessary to maintain her soldiers and territory. There was a limit to what she could do.

- Tigari, sorry... Titto, Bernice, I'm sorry... Forgive me...

Marcia silently returned to the house as the rain descended.

End of Chapter 4


Chapter 5
The Vanidar's Castle

On the mountain north of Zhcted, the snow was present all year round. The sea, Muozinel, and Brune bordered to the east, south, and west respectively.

The country had a cold climate with longer winters than other countries. It was occasionally referred to as the [Land of Snow and Forests] due to its scattered coniferous forests. They could produce potatoes and apples, catch fish from the sea, and there was an abundance of gold and silver mines in the center of the kingdom.

It was made approximately three hundred years ago.

At the time, there were more than fifty tribes fighting to control a hegemony.

The war lasted more than a century. At least thirty tribes were destroyed or absorbed into other tribes in the process. Then one woman casually appeared on the land.

"I am the incarnation of the Black Dragon."

The woman referred to herself as such. So long as she was Queen, she would bring victory.

Though most tribes mocked her, seven tribes believed her words and followed her lead.

As proof of their loyalty, the seven tribes each presented a handsome man who excelled in martial skills as a husband. To those seven husbands, she granted them a weapon called a (Viralt) [Dragonic Tool].

"You, from this moment on, will be [Vanidar]."

Afterward, the seven tribes led by the woman suppressed the other clans and won the war.

The woman continued to fight, even after unifying the tribes, conquering neighboring countries and significantly expanding her territory.

And so, the Kingdom of Zhcted was established.

The woman made Queen had seven Dukedoms within her country. The ability to collect taxes and various autonomous privileges were granted to each of her husbands. No matter what distinguished services a person received, the only one ranked above the Vanidar would be the Queen.

The Queen made a declaration before the Vanidar.

"The Vanidar will offer fealty to the Queen, protect the Queen, and fight for the Queen. Do not forget it."

The candle near the Queen's throne cast a dark shadow across the floor.

The shadow did not conform to a human shape but was that of a Dragon.


"... Though it's a myth, I don't really get the point of it."

Those were Tigari's first words upon reading the history of Zhcted.

She was on the roof of the Imperial Palace.

The sky was clear, and the day was warm.

Tigari had borrowed a book from the library and sat cross-legged on the slanted rooftop as she read.

The reason she was on the roof was simple. The library was dim, the weather was good, and, if she looked down, she could see the courtyard decorated with tall trees and flower beds.

The Imperial Palace was enclosed by a rampart and tower. Though she could not see beyond that, the sky continued on, sending a cool breeze to her seat.

If she had not slept enough, Tigari would certainly take a nap.

"This is the easiest history book to read..."

With her face looking like she had taken medicine, Tigari opened the book on her knee.

Tigari was not familiar with Zhcted writing, so it was more difficult for her to read than she imagined.

Furthermore, it used old words and terminology. Since there were many expressions as well, it was difficult for her to read anything. More than half the book was unreadable.

Rudette, who was still monitoring her, stood in the hallway below the roof Tigari sat on. When she asked for help, the following words came to her.

"Lady Tigarivurmud, I am more than willing to help you; however, I cannot understand such difficult language, either."

Though she had trouble reading, she was still an Earl. She had been given an education to match her status, so she was better than most.

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't worry about it. It was not unreasonable."

She was a soldier, not a scholar.

"Do you know anyone who can read things like this?"

"I do not."

Rudette gave a difficult expression.

"Though it is difficult to say, I do not believe anyone could read better than you, Lady Tigarivurmud. Perhaps you should try asking Vanidar-sama or Langlisha-sama."

"I wonder if they would help..."

She considered it, half to kill time, and half out of hesitation.

However, there was something worrying she wanted to hear from Elias.

When she folded her arms, a small shadow flew to the roof. It was the young Dragon, Lunie.

Though Tigari reached out to the Dragon with a smile, it did not seem interested once it climbed to the roof. Lunie began basking its round body in a sunny place.

- This Dragon is quite like a cat.

Not wanting to disturb it, Tigari stood up.

When she casually looked at the view before her, she noticed Elias at the edge of her sight.

He moved quickly between the trees, as if trying to avoid being noticed. He approached the rampart, not noticing her gaze most likely.

"Rudette, I'm going to see what Elias says. I'll return to my room right after I talk to him."

"Very well."

After hearing Rudette walk down the passage, Tigari held the history book beneath her arm and jumped off the roof.

Grabbing the branch of a tree directly below her, she softened her fall and used the recoil to hit the ground.

When she stood up again, the gardener taking care of the flower bed looked at Tigari, her face full of surprise.

With a bitter smile, Tigari left the courtyard at a trot. Moving between the trees, she caught sight of Elias.

"What are you doing?"

When she called, Elias' shoulders shook in surprise as he looked back.

"Wha, wha, wha, what the fuck are you doing here...!?"

Blushing, Elias glared at her, his face red with surprise. It was the first time she had heard him stutter.

His sword was sheathed at his waist, inconspicuously covered in cloth. He looked like any boy on the street, though it was unlikely any boy would be so handsome.

"I wanted to ask you something, and I saw you."

Though she was curious about his attitude and attire, Tigari responded honestly.

"You saw?"

Elias looked at him suspiciously, thinking it impossible that he could have been seen. She gripped Tigari's arm and pulled her toward the rampart.

"Can't be helped. You come, too."

"Where?"

"Outside."


Outside the rampart, the two descended a gentle slope. The castle town was about a half belsta (approximately five hundred meters) away.

The streets were lined with stone houses with black or brown roofs.

The street was wide enough to comfortably allow a large wagon, and it was neatly paved with cobblestone.

Travelers, citizens, merchants, officials, artisans, many walked along the stalls at the edges of the streets.

Many housewives were chatting, the merchants called out. A minstrel played a harp at an intersection.

"It's much busier than Nice."

Unlike Nice, the capital of Brune, which she had visited only once or twice, it made Tigari smile broadly. The dialect of Zhcted and the movement of copper and silver coins was a common sight.

Tigari was impressed by the unglazed pottery and glass-work of various shapes and sizes.

Fresh, bright fruit overflowed from wooden crates, slabs of meat were hung from hooks, and the fragrance of potatoes made her swallow her saliva.

Suddenly, girls her age passed by, laughing as they noticed Tigari.

"Does she really want things like that so much?"

"Maybe he wants something, too."

In response, Elias extended a finger to Tigari's hair.

"So they wear these kinds of things outside the walls?"

In Elias' hand, who was laughed at and ridiculed, there was a leaf.

Due to its lightness, Tigari had not noticed at all. She gave her thanks.

"Where did you get this? Did you stick your head in some bushes?"

Tigari finally explained how she found him.

There was only silence until Elias entered the castle town. It was not an atmosphere she could ask questions.

"What are you, a monkey?"

Elias spoke coldly as he looked at her in amazement. Tigari was hurt.

"Really, the roof? Should I take that into consideration...? No, you're probably the only one who would do those kinds of things..."

"I'd like to ask a few questions sometime, if that's fine with you."

While Elias was looking down deep in thought, Tigari called out hesitantly.

"Why were you trying to sneak out of your castle like that?"

Elias looked dubiously, not understanding Tigari's intent in asking the question.

"Shouldn't that be obvious?"

This time, it was Tigari's turn to tilt her head.

In front of the potato stand, the two people looked at each other mysteriously. The salesman coughed.

Tigari left after purchasing two potatoes. She used money she won while betting with the soldiers.

As they ate their potatoes, they walked along, looking at the unglazed pottery. The heat made the potato seem to melt.

The sweet fragrance of butter mixed with the rising steam, stimulating Tigari's appetite.

She entered the square with Elias, and they sat side-by-side at the edge of a flower bed.

Using small bites to eat his potato, Elias smiled, savoring his meal.

"I chose good ones. Praise me."

Tigari was surprised by his theatrical tone and dramatic smile.

"... Can you really tell between the good and bad ones?"

Tigari asked with a burnt tongue as she enjoyed the texture of the potato.

"There were plenty of bad ones. Small potatoes, ones that don't steam enough, ones that are too cool, there are plenty of things that could be lacking... This degree of melting is just right. I'm impressed with the amount of salt used, too."

"You must like them."

Elias smiled broadly before looking away into the distance.

The subject of his gaze was a group of children gathering around a puppeteer.

"The winters of Zhcted are so cold; sometimes there are reports of people freezing to death. The cold air slips through the thick stone walls in the evening and steals them away without mercy. Children often gather around the hearth, wrap up in blankets, and eat hot potatoes to live through it all."

Tigari imagined a warm, pleasant sight.

Tigari looked at Elias' profile with wonder in her eyes.

His expression was as if he missed his distant past. She felt uncomfortable.

- He speaks as if he grew up in a small village.

It would be too simple to think he was a boy raised in the art of war as a duke.

- Perhaps I'm wrong? Still, it's not like I can just ask.

For a time, the two silently ate their potatoes. Tigari spoke up as she finished eating.

"... Is it possible you came to inspect the area surrounding the castle?"

"You noticed?"

Elias now looked at Tigari's face.

"Have you never left your castle incognito?"

"I left normally, there was no need to be stealthy."

"I'm jealous."

Elias sighed with a face that showed the emotion at the bottom of his heart.

"It is one of my few pleasures to pretend to be a normal boy having fun. It lets me stroll around the town."

In Elias' life, being attacked by an assassin was not uncommon.

When walking through town, he required a large escort.

"So why did you panic so much when I called out to you like that?"

"You surprised me, really."

"... Sorry."

Tigari apologized sincerely.

Elias forcibly dragged Tigari along to avoid having his behavior exposed, probably to Lang.

He must also want to spend some time alone.

"We'll call it even with this. Don't worry."

Laughing, Elias threw the unglazed clay bowl to the ground as he finished eating his potato.

"Is it fine to throw it on the roadside?"

In Nice, the capital of Brune, it was considered a disgraceful act, so Tigari asked tentatively.

"Whether it's on the the stone pavement or the ground, it doesn't matter. There are those who collect such things and earn small change."

"Ah, that's true, I guess. If it's broken, they can mix it in with new clay."

While responding to Elias' words, Tigari's bowl, now empty, was also thrown away.

"Tigre, you had business with me? Does it have to do with that book you've been carefully holding?"

"I wanted to ask you a few things, but it's fine to wait until next time."

As she nodded, Elias extended his hand to Tigari.

"Then stay with me until I'm satisfied. It's unexpectedly refreshing to walk with another person."


Tigari and Elias looked around various places in the town.

As someone who rarely left Alsace, everything was novel to him. There was a vibrancy in the town, it seemed to have everything.

"This is?"

"It's a rye-based alcohol. Since it's not strong, children often drink it. Do you want a try?"

After a cup was poured for him, Tigari drank it in one go while looking at another stall.

"That is?"

"Steamed mushroom and potatoes. It looks like there are also pickles."

The pan-roasted pickles gave a savory sensation to her mouth and stomach.

"And this?"

"It's a stir fry."

She looked at a fried dish.

"This."

"That's apple jam on honeyed bread... Why are you only interested in food?"

Elias was amazed to see Tigari gnaw at the bread. Tigari continued to repeat her cycle of questioning and eating.

"They're all delicious. I've never had them before."

"Well, it's your money, so I guess you can do what you want."

Though he said that to Tigari, Elias ate the same things. Rather than dividing between the two, they each got one.

"Well, I guess I am eating a lot."

"Long ago, there was a potato eating contest in the castle. I ate thirty potatoes with butter, about the same size as the ones before."

Elias spoke with pride while Tigari continued bringing bread to her mouth.

It was difficult to imagine with his small mouth and body devoid of excess meat.

"... When food disappears from the kitchen, you must be the first they suspect."

"I stole some food once before, but when they found out, they bowed respectfully, since Eliasora-sama was the one who was proudly and stealthily eating their food."

He stopped. Tigari looked mortified.

"They're good people. If I have more than a nibble here or there, they might get angry."

"It's fine eating alone in the kitchen. That's preferable, I think."

- I have only a butler by my side, though he is younger.

Elias, looking proud until now, began speaking again.

"I'll tell you this now, but I wasn't always eating."

Elias stressed his words as he shook a skewer with fried food on it.

"Meals at the Imperial Palace are normally moderate. Because the townspeople do not come to the castle that frequently, we must bring out a novel dish when they do visit. It's a little difficult, but it's best to learn about their lives in detail."

"You aren't particularly convincing with jam around your mouth."

Tigari took out a handkerchief and wiped Elias' mouth.

Elias' eyes opened widely in surprise. He averted his face, now dyed red, in a panic.

"What's wrong?"

"No, no, it's nothing... Really, I let myself go whenever I'm here."

While muttering softly, Elias shook his head strongly, ruffling the feather ornament in his hair.

"Ah, you've got jam on your mouth, too."

His bright red Irises were laughing. Elias extended his thick, white fingers.

He wiped the jam at the edge of Tigari's mouth and brought it to his own.

Seeing such a lovely and embarrassing gesture, Tigari turned her face away shyly.

"All right, let's go there next."

Ignoring Tigari's reaction, Elias pointed to a stall a small distance away with a cheerful voice.

The aim was to shoot Knight dolls over with a cork-shooting toy crossbow. Depending on the dolls knocked over, different prizes could be won.

The size and pose of the Knights differed. The dolls for expensive looking prizes would not fall easily.

"Which should I knock down?"

Though a toy, a crossbow was a crossbow, so of course she would be able to use it.

Due to the mechanics of a crossbow, she was not fond of using it, but Tigari was unexpectedly enthusiastic to play.

"Hm, how about those two."

One of Elias' targets was a conspicuously large doll by a large figure which would not fall over so easily. It had large feet and a low center of gravity, giving it a large amount of stability.

"Two, hm."

"You can take up to four shots. Will you manage?"

While passing a copper coin to the man sitting at the stand, Elias asked him naturally.

"Well, I'll give it a try."

Tigari received the toy crossbow.

The first shot struck it easily.

It hit the head of the doll, bounced over the curtain, and landed in the back of the stall. Since she was looking for the trajectory, she did not particularly mind.

Tigari aimed at the smaller of the two dolls Elias specified.

Despite a direct hit to the head, the cork bullet was light. The doll shook, but did not fall.

"Mu, too bad."

Elias spoke with regret, bringing his hand to his mouth.

- Did you really not notice?

Tigari looked at Elias, her eyes filled with doubt for a moment. Elias looked back at her suspiciously. She shook her head as if it was nothing and returned her gaze to the dolls.

- He really didn't notice, though I suppose that's trivial. It's fine.

Saying those words in her mind, Tigari thought about what to do with her third shot.

From how the doll shook, Tigari knew there was a support behind the doll.

Though it would not be a problem to knock them down, it was what might happen afterward that could be an issue.

She shot the third cork. It passed between both feet of her targeted doll. It rebound off the stand wall and hit the doll.

The doll, pushed from behind, pitched forward easily and fell from the stand.

"Oh! Nice!"

Elias looked like a happy child as the stall owner picked up the doll, clicking her tongue in annoyance. She glared at Tigari.

"That shot is invalid, since it hit from behind."

Tigari ignored the man's words and took her fourth shot.

It flew at the second doll and hit it from the side. The doll shook and fell down.

The man gazed at the doll in surprise.

When Tigari tapped the man's shoulder with a refreshing smile, she whispered to him.

"It's only these two. Are you sure you won't let me off here?"

"... What do you mean?"

"Will you let me have these? I wouldn't want to make a fuss about you cheating. I can just pretend not to know and you can run your shop quietly, if you know what I mean."

"... Please, tell me one thing."

While in a cold sweat, the man looked at Tigari uncomfortably.

"With only one or two shots, how did you understand?"

"Humans do these things, no matter the time or place. When I was younger, I had to deal with many similar tricks."

Tigari shrugged her shoulders, and the man laughed.

The deal was struck.

The prizes were a large stuffed bear, about the size of a small child, and a purple decorated ribbon.

"It was pretty cheap, and the prizes are pretty good."

Tigari spoke in admiration, The man laughed loudly.

"If you don't set up good prizes, the visitors will stop coming."

- Indeed. Because there were good prizes, they did not pass the stall up. Tigari put the large bear in a sack and threw her history book into it. Elias took the ribbon and put it in his hair.

"How is it? Does it suit me?"

Tigari was at a loss for words momentarily. His flowing, silver-white hair and the purple ribbon matched perfectly. She did not think any other combination would work better.

"Yes, how handsome."

She obediently responded. She was mortified she could only use ordinary words.

"Is, is that so? That was unexpected."

Elias touched the ribbon quietly, his face dyed red.

"I, I've never had that much interest in these things. Since I always came alone, I never had anyone to show these things to. Yeah, it's good to come with someone occasionally."

He spoke rapidly like a child to cover his embarrassment. Tigari felt it was adorable.

"Still, the stuffed animal is certainly an unexpected hobby."

"Ah, that's for Lang, not for me."

Surprising words came back to her.

"...Eh?"

"He'll yell at us when we get back. He'll be in a better mood if we give that to him."

"With this?"

"It'll work. I brought him a stuffed animal before and his face lit up, bright red. I'm sure you'll see it soon as well."

Tigari could not imagine it at all.

The two walked to another street while avoiding the crowd.

Elias stopped in front of a certain bar.

"This shop serves good meals. I'm not sure if it's empty or not, so wait a moment."

Tigari waited in place while Elias pushed the door open.

A dirty lamp hung from the ceiling, bathing the interior in a dim light. The little tables were filled with people from Zhcted. Nearly thirty guests were cheerfully talking, burying the shop in noise.

Elias looked inside the store and found a small, empty table. It would not be a problem with just him and Tigari.

Though Elias tried to go out to call Tigari, his legs stopped moving. The voices of some customers reached his ear.

"How is Brune?"

"It's hardly good, since a civil war may start soon."

The man shook his head as if it were absurd. Given their appearance, the two were merchants.

"Ladies Thenardier and Ganelon did their own things, ignoring the King before, and now it has gotten worse. Any village acting against them is burned and the towns are thrown into ruin. It's only a rumor, but it seems aristocrats who show loyalty are granted Knighthood or a government office."

"So that's the reason you came back."

"Yeah. I'd rather not get involved, so I'll be staying for a while."

Elias left the shop silently and smiled to Tigari while shrugging his shoulders.

"It's full. Let's go somewhere else."


Since they could not find a good shop, Tigari and Elias sat in a square with a baked apple and rye alcohol.

"By the way, what did you want to talk about?"

With all topics exhausted and the day settling, Elias asked as he took a drink.

Tigari glanced at the sack with the stuffed animal and history book, then turned to look at the object at Elias' waist. After hesitating a little, she took the plunge and spoke.

"I've only read one of the history books, but there was a word I noticed. Arifal, is that the name of your sword?"

"Exactly."

Elias named the sword wrapped in a white cloth. Using a single finger, he revealed it.

The small portion between the sheath and the guard was tinged with an unnatural, undulating light.

The wind clung and tickled Tigari's hair.

"So this has been on your mind."

"... It's as if the sword has its own intent."

Tigari spoke while stroking her hair which was touched by the wind. Elias laughed as he sheathed the sword.

"It is also called (Koma no Zanki) [Brilliant Beheader of the Fallen Spirit]. It is a weapon permitted only to the Vanidar."

Tigari could not speak immediately. Though it was difficult to believe, Tigari had experienced it twice before. Including this time, it was her third time.

"The history books call this a (Viralt) [Dragonic Tool] which controls [Wind]. I don't know all the details, but... is this sword the cause of the wind?"

"To be more accurate, it can manipulate it. You've seen it before, but it was able to divert the arrow and lift an entire horse."

"... Why did you not use it in Dinant against me?"

It was a desperate fight, which is why he felt it annoying that he had cut corners.

"Because it was fun."

Tigari frowned upon hearing Elias' prompt answer.

"At that time, I could have used it to strike your other arrows down, but I wanted to compete with your bow with only my skill."

"You did a dangerous thing."

Tigari looked at him with both amazement and confusion.

"It went well, so don't worry. What else did you want to talk about?"

"Do the other Vanidar have similar weapons?"

"Yes. They also have a (Viralt) [Dragonic Tool], though they aren't the same. Well, in all respects, they are tools beyond understanding."

Removing his smile, Elias spoke seriously, as if on the battlefield.

"The Vanidar is said to be able to fight one thousand troops. In reality, though a Vanidar is an excellent soldier, each wields a [Dragonic Tool] giving them the capability to fight an army of warriors. There are stories of Vanidar fighting three thousand, even five thousand enemies single handedly."

Though monstrous words were stuck in Tigari's throat, she forced them down.

"Strange. Why didn't you invade Brune or Muozinel?"

Each of the seven people were, quite literally, a match for one thousand.

Even if half the troops were left behind to defend the country, if three or four of them were to fight, they could vastly expand their territory. They could not be blamed for their invasion if they won.

- Perhaps the King does not want such a thing.

Elias crossed his arms and looked at the sky, giving thought to an answer.

"Ultimately, it is because the King has not ordered us to."

Due to the unexpectedly light remark, Tigari had no words to say.

His words held no affection for royalty, he had spoken as if it were a joke. There was neither good will nor respect.

"... Do you dislike the King of Zhcted?"

"Though I don't hate him, I don't particularly like him. He is the King now, so I only contact him occasionally."

As if remembering something displeasing, Elias' beautiful face turned bitter.

"Our country is maintaining peace and stability for now. We have had decades, even a century in which we were unable to expand our lands. Though every King has been excellent in his own way, none were able to properly conform to the presence of all seven Vanidar. Often, because they fear the Vanidar, they came to argue with us. Now, the Vanidar, while pretending to follow the King, scheme to appoint an appropriate person to lead."

"How terrible..."

While frowning, only those words could be expressed.

"None of the Vanidar wish to become king?"

"The Vanidar kneel to the King. The King is to be defended. Those who fight for the King cannot become the King."

Tigari inclined her head upon hearing his response.

- Is there some restriction they are bound to?

Though it was beyond her understanding, it was not an impossible story.

The existence of a power that surpasses common sense, Tigari had already witnessed it.

"The present King is such a man. While the Vanidar kneel superficially before him, he does not have the ability to make them sincerely follow his lead, nor do we hold a will to do so. He doubts us and is alert for any sly actions. He thinks of how to reduce our power in fear it may turn on him. He is neither wise nor bold enough to attack another country."

Elias shook his argent hair and let out a deep sigh.

"I wish for someone with both traits, someone fluent in politics, someone who can be both kind and harsh. I wish for a King who is not swayed by emotion and overflows with a sense of justice..."

"It seems you've been having trouble."

"- There's no point in me complaining anymore, but really, I would like a better King."

"... I see."

- If only His Majesty, the King of this country, were a little better...

Tigari had trouble thinking of this as another person's problem.

"However, if asked what I would change about the country, I would hesitate to say something. It is by his power that the citizens of Leitmeritz have a peaceful life. I don't think I would make a better King, since I would advance my own directives."

"You shouldn't insult yourself so much."

Tigari stopped her, hearing his self-ridicule.

"My family creed is [A hunter does not hold the arrow too long nor hunt the beast too often]."

"What does it mean?"

Elias listened to Tigari's words with interest, his eyes wide open.

"Although the arrow is necessary to hunt, if used too often, it corrupts the land. Simply put, hunting in the mountains and forests is only fun if you don't do it all the time."

"... You mean, everything in moderation?"

"Though it may sound arrogant of me, you believe too little in your ability. You should understand, having seen the town. The land now is not bad."

Elias' bright red eyes looked curiously at Tigari, who spoke earnestly.

"You..."

His murmur was overshadowed by the blowing wind.

The cold air accompanied the wind, stroking his argent hair. The night sky approached.

"Just now, what...?"

Though Tigari asked with a frown, Elias stood up energetically without responding.

"I did not think I would be comforted by you."

He looked back at Tigari, the usual vibrancy returning to his smile.

"I'll say my thanks, though. I feel a bit better."

Is that so. It was odd, given their position, that she could cheer him up. Still, Tigari obediently thought it good.

Though Elis tried to throw away the basket holding the baked apple, he stopped, hearing a small cat with black hair at the root of a tree.

Elias smiled happily and bent over, giving the apple core to the creature.

"Do you like cats?"

"I kept one long ago, since they were useful to ward off the rats. Right now, I only have Lunie... Do you have any?"

"Rather than saying I had a pet, when I was small, I helped take care of an old retired sheepdog."

Tigari recalled those days, tilting her head.

"His body was large and he was always sleeping."

"His body must have been a great pillow for a catnap, right?"

"That..."

Though Elias had a boastful face, his words did not continue.

"Hyau!?"

Elias let out a lovely scream and jumped aside, hanging on to Tigari. As he held her, Tigari inadvertently felt something unnecessary.

"Wha, what? What's with that voice that doesn't suit you?"

He lifted her foot and stamped down.

"Get back in that alley. I'll cut your tongue off so you can't say anything impolite again."

The sound of his sword rang as he pulled it from his waist. He glared at Tigari with a red face.

"No, sorry. That was inappropriate."

"Really... I've never screamed like that when faced with bears or boars."

"..."

"- You're thinking about it?"

The sword at his waist, the blade of silver-white, returned.

"I'm not, I'm not!"

Tigari denied while waving her hands hastily.

"But what could surprise you so much?"

Tigari looked at Elias' feet and saw a shiny black insect, now twitching.

Tigari looked amazed, seeing the insect drive him to his tiptoes.

"Do you not see these often? The Imperial Palace... is well cleaned, and I suppose you wouldn't notice them on the battlefield."

Tigari said that aloud out of sympathy.

By the way, Tigari was accustomed to seeing them, since they were on the mountains and in the forests when she hunted.

"If it's noticeable, no matter where, you hate what you hate."

Elias' expression clearly said he feared it rather than hated it.

His face and gesture, much like a child's, was adorable. Tigari inadvertently laughed.

"Wha, what's so amusing?"

"No, I'm quite relieved to find even you can be weak to something."

"You..."

Elias' face was dyed crimson as he had trouble countering Tigari's words. With a snort, he changed tactics.

… He would go on the offensive.

Tigari was perplexed. Though her words were earnest, they may have offended him in some way.

However, she did not worry too much. Elias took a few steps forward, his argent hair shaking as he moved. He looked over his shoulder and glared at Tigari.

"Let's go."

Tigari ran after Elias in a hurry.


When they returned to the Imperial Palace, Lang stood at the castle gate.

Though he normally did not show emotion on his face, it was clear from his ice-cold Irises that he was angry. Tigari involuntarily shrank back.

"You took your time."

"The day hasn't ended yet. Here, a souvenir."

Warding off the thorny voice, Elias passed his the bag with a stuffed animal, and spoke in his normal tone. Though Lang had a face as if he wanted to say something to Tigari, he held back until he looked in the bag.

"... This, this is."

"Do you like it? I wanted to get you a present, so I went to town for it."

Elias spoke fluently, proud as a peacock. It was not just anger flowing from Lang's body.

"By the way, were you looking for someone?"

"Unfortunately, it was you."

"Got it. Still, I had company this time."

After that, Lang cast his gaze to Tigari.

"... Why did you return? It must have been a heaven-sent opportunity for you to run away. Do you have the confidence to return? Are you foolish? Or perhaps you do not understand your situation."

"You should applaud me for letting the opportunity pass."

"I see, so you are a fool."

Lang pointedly responded to Tigari's words.

"You shouldn't be so harsh. She came back, after all, and Tigari was the one to get you the present."

When Elias mediated from the side, Lang sank into an awkward silence.

"Lang, you may return to your room. I will guide Tigari."

Elias waved his hand away. Lang sighed and returned an unfriendly expression.

He bowed in silence and walked away while holding the bag. Tigari vacantly noticed his gait was light.

"Well, that's done. Now then, let's follow him."

"Follow?"

Tigari looked at Elias suspiciously.

"I'll show you something interesting."

Elias walked briskly with Tigari following after him. The soldiers saluted when they noticed him. Elias lightly waved to them and returned their salute. Tigari noticed they nodded to her.

"I don't recognize the place we're going to."

Tigari asked the question, since it had always been Rudette guiding her around the Palace.

"I suppose it's not unusual? The men's rooms are around here."

They were in a straight corridor lined with rooms spaced at regular intervals. Boy's voices could be heard in some rooms.

"Is it fine?"

"I'm giving you permission. Walk quietly."

Elias halted in front of a certain room. After confirming no one was in the surroundings, he carefully drew his sword and uttered a small incantation.

The air moved. Tigari understood Elias used the power of the Silver Flash. The face of the argent-haired Vanidar looked like a child playing a trick.

"Even if the door is opened, Lang will never hear a sound."

"... Your sword will cry. At least, I would."

Indeed, Tigari felt sorry for the sword. Tigari felt something at the scruff of her neck. It seemed as if the wind was grumbling. The sword seemed dissatisfied.

"Look, you. Don't you want to know what he'll do with our present?"

Certainly, Tigari was anxious when she saw the stuffed animal.

- Elias said he wouldn't treat it poorly.

Though there was no sound, there was a possibility she would be noticed. Tigari carefully opened the door, leaving enough space for the two to look through the crack.

Lang sat on the bed, hugging the bear. Though his face was not visible, it was easy to imagine his expression given his actions.

Tigari was amazed. More than what she saw, the number of stuffed animals inside surprised her.

It was unusual, given his cool impression. She had never considered it.

Tigari and Elias continued to watch. Lang closely and happily embraced the bear.

"What should your name be. Alexei... I haven't used that yet... Your eyes are the color of a pomegranate... I wonder."

- He's given it a name! Every one of them!

It was her limit. She continued to erase her presence.

Tigari quietly closed the door and looked at Elias. His face showed his amusement.

"That's how it is. Yours, too, so you might want to give him another stuffed bear. He usually forgives me with that."

End of Chapter 5


Chapter 6
Awakening of the Magic Bullet

Tigari visited Elias' office a few days after they walked around the castle town. Lang sat next to Elias helping him process the documents.

"It's been a while. Do you have any business?"

Elias looked at her and spoke with a light tone. Tigari responded with a serious expression.

"I wish to see some of the documents you work on. Of course, I don't expect you to allow me to see them all, just the ones you can."

"Hmm?"

Elias' bright red irises looked at her with surprise and interest.

"May I hear your reason?"

Lang looked up at Tigari and spoke in a tone as if he were interrogating her. His expression showed he would not pardon an inappropriate reason.

Tigari scratched her head in embarrassment and answered honestly.

"When I return to Alsace, I thought I might be able to apply some of what I learn."

She was embarrassed because her response truly was a simple one.

Chatting with Elias as they walked through the town had a strong impact on Tigari.

"Lang, help her. You still haven't thanked her for the stuffed animal. This should be just right."

"Eliasora-sama."

Apparently he was being teased for his embarrassing hobby. Lang narrowed his blue eyes in indignation.

"Where will you work? It would be great if you could do it here, since we won't have to worry about losing any documents, and it will make it easier to kill you if you do anything."

"Do it in her room. I have a responsibility to manage these documents she can't see."

After being told off coldly, Lang and Tigari held many documents and left the office.

Rudette, who was standing nearby, was asked to prepare a table and chair as the two walked down the corridor.

"Is it fine leaving him alone?"

"He will be fine. There hasn't been much time since the last assassin appeared, and Eliasora-sama always has a reason when moving about in secret."

Lang answered without looking at Tigari.

"Reason?"

"He goes to get alcohol, try out new dishes at his favorite restaurant, or clown around with minstrels once rumors appear in the Imperial Palace... No such talk has been found, so he will work diligently for a while."

Rudette was made to help carry a table and chair to the crowded room.

"Thank you for your work, Rudette."

Letting Rudette rest, Lang went across the table and sat face-to-face with Tigari.

"I have heard Alsace is a land filled with mountains and forests. Are you worried about flood control? Or perhaps field rights and irrigation? Or are you concerned about highway maintenance?"

"Since we are poor, I would like to avoid anything costly. It could take us five or ten years to save up."

"I understand. Let's start there, then."

For a moment, Tigari saw Lang smile. Though his face changed momentarily, it quickly returned to normal.

The documents, in a certain sense, were more difficult to read than history books since Tigari was still not good at reading the Zhcted language.

However, Tigari was surprised by how politely Lang taught her when she did not understand something. He was patient enough to help her until she understood.

Originally, they went through the documents at a slow pace. After one koku (approximately two hours), they had made their way through two-thirds of the pile. The two decided to take a break.

Lang called the maid for a drink.

"Thank you. I learned a lot."

When Tigari thanked him, Lang shook his head.

"It is nothing spectacular. Though I have read these before, it allowed me to review things once again."

Lang responded in a curt tone, then looked at Tigari in a hesitant manner. After finishing her drink, Tigari noticed him glancing at her, as if hesitating over what to say to her.

Lang, though hesitant, seemed to show expressions with an unusually amiable atmosphere.

"You – Do you believe you can return to Alsace?"

Tigari's expression froze. Silence filled the room. His words were unforgiving.

Forty days had passed since Tigari was taken captive.

Fewer than ten remained.

If the ransom had been prepared, it would be time for a response letter to arrive.

However, there was no such report. He spoke as if Tigari had forgotten.

Eventually, Tigari laughed to break the silence.

"... Even if I consider the worst case scenario and the ransom has not been prepared, it would do me no good to become anxious."

"I suppose that is true."

"If I were distraught, it would be an insult to the people who worked hard for my sake."

When she thought she might not see Titto again, she became anxious and lost sleep. Still, Tigari had faith in him.

At the very least, she wanted to give off that appearance. Though her feelings were a little different, it would be too embarrassing if she were to express her sentiments clearly.

"... I would say it is half anxiety, half vanity."

She was easily seen through.

"However, I understand your feelings."

Lang lowered his head to Tigari in apology, and the room became silent.

"We should complete our work soon, then."

Putting his empty ceramic cup on the table, Lang smiled. Tigari was shocked to see such a soft expression. A moment later, Lang's face returned to its normally frozen expression.

It had become dark before they managed to work through the remaining documents.

"Thank you for the hard work."

While bowing, Lang let out a deep breath. Tigari threw her body onto the bed and lay on her back.

Though she was the one to ask, she had read dozens of documents written in a foreign language. It was a difficult task.

"You may rest as you are. I will have Rudette bring you your dinner."

"Thank you. You've saved me."

Without returning a word, Lang left the room. After he closed the door, he let out a sigh.

"- Did she work because she knows?"

Right now, an intense atmosphere has engulfed Brune.

The soldiers were ordered to not speak to Tigari of the situation in Brune, but such information could still leak.

"She has likely guessed it."

After hesitating, Lang shook his head.

"Even if I tell her, she will only become uneasy..."


In the Kingdom of Brune, Marcia was busy trying to help Tigari.

However, no one offered to help. Everyone was concerned with securing their own safety.

Duke Thenardier had heard from an intimate aristocrat.

The story came about while many aristocrats were gathered at a pavilion, drinking and chatting together.

The Duke frowned, hearing about Dinant.

"It was an awful battle. Due to others' foolishness, even my child was subject to defeat."

The Duke had become 42 years old. His large physique and stunning black beard was wrapped in luxurious silk clothing. In his thirties, the kingdom sponsored him to join in battle. He always earned remarkable military services in battles against Zhcted.

His talent was also shown in the courts. Due to his skill, he was able to acquire a power which could silence even the King.

There was a difference between confidence and arrogance. There was no fear in his eyes.

Still, confidence becomes overconfidence, which often leads to cruelty. Though he continued such actions, no one stopped him.

"What happened in Dinant?"

"A young aristocrat, Earl Vorn, was made captive by the enemy's General, the Vanidar..."

"How deplorable. Instead of suicide, she settled for such a pathetic thing. She also left her companions alone. It is because of such people that we were defeated."

After relentlessly abusing them verbally, the Duke nodded and continued his words.

"If I recall, that girl's only skill was with the bow. She was likely captured after throwing her bow aside and running away. If it was my child, she would fight bravely until her sword or spear shattered."

The aristocrat, who was a guest, needed to lessen the Duke's anger lest he snap.

- Even the Duke was a parent. He had learned of the abomination of Dinant from his daughter. What kind of face did he have at the time?

Zoe, the daughter of Duke Thenardier, ran away, leaving those to her left and right behind, the moment she heard of the supreme commander, the Princess, dying on the battlefield.

Though the Duke did not know about it, the aristocrat did not wish to tell him. Although his anger was without reason, it was not particularly harmful.

"Lady Marcia, who is intimate with Earl Vorn, seems to be preparing a ransom for her. What shall we do, Duke?"

"She wishes to ask me? Does she expect me to help this shameless action?"

The Duke's thick hands shook as the aristocrat continued speaking.

"Think about it. Even an aristocrat who is beyond your help may be useful, your excellency. Your mercy may become effective in fighting Dame Ganelon."

The war between Duke Thenardier and Duchess Ganelon was unavoidable.

It was recognized by the domestic aristocrats. The citizens thought so as well.

Thenardier's wife was the King's niece. The husband of Ganelon's elder sister was the King's nephew.

Since Ganelon was connected through the King's elder sister, he was farther from power. The rights to the throne in Brune gave priority to men, as is typically the case.

The present King had neither brother nor child, only a niece and a nephew. Neither would compromise on the position of who would ascend to the throne.

"Will you answer their terms before Duchess Ganelon... It may act as a catalyst for those who still waver."

Contact with the Duchess, whether as an ally or not, was desirable.

However, the Duke refused.

"Though it is not a bad plan, I will not do such a thing for a coward."

After the guests left, the Duchess called a servant after a sudden thought.

"Prepare a map."

Looking at the map brought by the servant, he confirmed the location of Alsace.

"So this is her land."

A sigh of disappointment leaked from the Duke.

Alsace was not only distant from the center of the kingdom but small. The majority of the land was mountains or forests. It was said there was not much there, and it was difficult to catch anything.

"However... It is in contact with the Zhcted border. That cannot be overlooked."

After thinking for a while, the Duke called for his daughter.

"You called for me, Father?"

Zoe appeared before her father. She was a young noble with an appropriate appearance and garb.

"I wish for you to do something."

The Duke beckoned to her daughter and pointed at a place on the map.

"Do you know of Alsace? Take three thousand soldiers with you and burn it to the ground."

Zoe frowned. She was not surprised by her father's cruel instruction. She thought of the trouble, remembering it was a distant land under Tigari's care.

"I will not refuse your instructions, Father, but may I hear the reason?"

The Duke first told the story he heard from the aristocrat.

"The Lord of Alsace is absent. Though the land is hardly worth taking, I would rather Ganelon not plunder it. It would be even more troublesome if Zhcted took control."

"Indeed. However, to send three thousand troops to such a small land, isn't that too much?"

"Though there is nothing there, the people may be very territorial. Kill all who resist, capture and take all you can carry. We can sell the objects and people to Muozinel. Any good looking women, you can give to the soldiers."

Zoe was delighted to hear her father's words.

"Thank you, Father. This will help with soldier morale as well. I suppose it will be unnecessary to gather the Knights then."

"No, take at least one thousand Knights. Pass through the lands of other nobles and display your strength. Show them House Thenardier."

"As you wish. By the way..."

Zoe lowered her voice, now speaking as father and daughter.

"What of His Majesty, the King?"

"He is in his room as usual. He is mentally and physically weak from what I hear. It is doubtful he will live for even another month. With the Princess out of the way, it will be a good thing if she dies."

Hearing the Duke gloat, Zoe's eyes looked fearful.

… There was a rumor that her father and Duchess Ganelon had cooperated to murder Her Highness, the Princess...

She oppressed the people of her territory. Though Zoe thought of it as simply crushing insects, she still held respect for the King and Princess as a vassal of the Royal Family.

She looked on in fear and awe at her father who easily overstepped the boundary.

- So the rumor was true.

Thinking about it, though, she had no reason to disobey.

She bowed her head. After preparing her troops, she set out for Alsace.


"Zoe-sama."

A voice came from behind Zoe as she left her father's room and was walking down a corridor. Turning around, she noticed an elder woman wearing a black robe.

Zion frowned in disgust.

"What is it, Drekatti?"

Drekatti was the old woman who stooped forward.

"It seems you are going to battle, Zoe-sama. I will give you a present."

"A present? You'll give one to me?"

Zoe's grimace became more severe.

This elderly woman was a soothsayer who served the Thenardier family for many years.

However, Zoe had never once liked Drekatti. Rather, she hated her enough to kill her. She wanted to discard the woman rather than spend the money on her.

She had not done so, though, because the woman had been appointed by her father.

Zoe could do nothing when it came to her father's people, but she avoided seeing Drekatti as much as possible.

"Please, come this way."

Drekatti turned her head back and began walking. Zoe reluctantly followed.

They left the hall and headed toward the stables.

As they approached the stable filled with the hated smell of animals, Zoe tried to yell out negligently. Drekatti, however, took a detour to the back.

"In here."

Drekatti lifted a cloth with her hand. Underneath were the heads of Dragons.

One was an (Suro) Earth Dragon and one was a (Vyfa) lWyvern, both eighty chet (approximately eight meters) in height. They boasted huge bodies with short, stocky limbs and strong scales covering their entire body, protecting them from sword and spear. A Dragon could quickly rush with enough force to destroy a wall and had strength and vitality.

The Wyvern's huge wings could be used to let a human fly. Though its scales were hard, they were not as strong as the Earth Dragon's.

"... Oh."

Zoe was overwhelmed, since it was the first time he had ever seen a Dragon. She thought their existence was a myth or a fairy tale. It was beyond her knowledge.

"Their training is almost complete. Even if you released them on the battlefield today, they would work splendidly."

"Is, is it really okay?"

"Of course. You can touch them if you wish."

Though hesitant, Zoe was curious, seeing a Dragon for the first time. Her obstinacy won over her fear. She carefully stepped toward the Wyvern.

Though the Wyvern bowed abruptly, as if it was shy, it remained still when her palm touched it.

Zoe took a deep breath, feeling the rough scales.

"... I hope it is to your liking."

"Yes. Well done, Drekatti. I'll ride this Wyvern!"

Her poor mood from a while ago was completely blown away. Zoe gave words of appreciation to the old woman.

Where did she catch the Dragons? How were they trained? She did not think of it at all.

"... There is only one thing you must be wary of."

"What?"

"The Dragon has not become accustomed to the scent of human residences. Please, do not bring it into the city."

Though Zoe frowned, she recalled the story that Dragons lived in uninhabited recesses in mountains and disliked the smell of human. Though she did not know if it were true, she felt it reasonable.

- Well, I won't be entering any towns. It will be intimidating enough to simply walk with it visible.

Zoe's heart throbbed, imagining such a spectacle.


Only two days remained until the ransom deadline.

- Is it impossible?

Tigari lay in bed and rolled around, staring at the darkness. She had woken up in the middle of the night. The first time this happened was a few nights ago.

Sleeping soundly until midday did not change. Though she tried not to worry, she could not change the condition of her body.

"Like I thought... I'm afraid."

It was the fate of her future. She may be thrown into a situation she would not survive.

A knock was heard on the door. It was small enough such that she would not notice had she been asleep.

"At this time...?"

She was wary, since she was not allowed to keep even a knife. Tigari opened the door while tightening her grip on her bow.

"Oh, you came."

Rudette stood before her, holding a candlestick. The small flame flicked. It was difficult to see anything beyond Rudette.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing her act differently, Tigari quieted her voice.

Rudette whispered an explanation.

"Lord Tigarivurmud, there is a person who wishes to meet you. Can you follow me? Try to make as little noise as possible."

Tigari nodded.

In the pitch dark passage of the night, the two carefully walked. It seems they were moving so as not to alert the other soldiers, since they advanced through passages different from the norm.

Tigari arrived at the training area.


One elderly person sat enclosed by several soldiers. Her face, lit by a soldier's torch, was well known to Tigari.

- Bernice!

Nearly letting out her voice, Tigari rushed to Bernice, ignoring the soldiers, and took her hand.

"Young Lady! Young Lady! You are safe and sound!"

"You, too, thank goodness! Really, thank goodness! Did Lady Marcia survive? What of Titto? And Alsace?"

While tightly grasping the old woman's hands, tears fell from her eyes. Tigari cried from the bottom of her heart. The surrounding soldiers were surprised, impatient, and panicked.

"Tigari-san, your voice, your voice."

"Ah, Ah, sorry."

After being scolded, Tigari apologized, since she intended to keep her voice down.

Tigari noticed the soldiers at last and saw them associating frankly.

"Thank goodness. You're all acquainted."

Rudette, having caught up, smiled in relief.

"This elderly woman unexpectedly sneaked into the Imperial Palace. Since she spoke with the accent of Brune, she was captured. When I brought up Lady Tigarivurmud's name by chance, she persisted that we introduce you to her."

"Fate was kind."

One of the soldiers shrugged her shoulders.

"It was good that those who dislike you did not catch her. They probably would have injured her without asking any questions."

"Even if there was no one so extreme, so long as Langlisha was not informed, she would be imprisoned without meeting you."

"Everyone, thank you."

Tigari wiped the tears from her eyes as she thanked the soldiers.

"Please don't worry. It's not like we can figure what to do from now on, either."

One of the soldiers made a difficult face.

"We will have to report that an old woman came to help you escape and arrest her. Also, you will need to return to your room obediently."

Though they had a friendship with Tigari, they still served Elias. There was a limit to what they could do.

"I'm sorry if this ends with you being scolded."

"I understand. Bernice, I want to hear what's going on..."

Tigari wanted to confirm Titto's safety. She asked Bernice, who was shedding tears.

"Young Lady, three thousand troops belonging to Duke Thenardier are advancing toward Alsace..."

"... What do you mean?"

Tigari was confused. She could not understand.

Certainly, she did not get along with Zoe or Duke Thenardier, but the soldiers would not be moved on emotion alone. The King would not permit such an action.

Alsace was not even adjacent to Duke Thenardier's territory. It was between the lands of other aristocrats.

Influential nobles passed over her home.

"I do not know how to tell you..."

Using her withered arms to wipe her tears, Bernice took a deep breath as she took a letter from her breast pocket.

"This is a letter from Lord Marcia. Actually, she has provided a map and a horse..."

Tigari took the letter and quickly read it after impatiently cutting the seal. There was first an apology for being unable to prepare the ransom. Alsace was peaceful for the time being. Also, it was written that Titto went to the temple to pray every night.

- Titto...

Though Tigari was moved to tears, her body went hot with anger after reading the following sentence. Duke Thenardier dispatched three thousand soldiers to burn Alsace and would sell the people he captured to Muozinel.

In addition, Duchess Ganelon knew about it and was trying to move her soldiers ahead of time.

He would do his best to suppress Ganelon, so she wanted Tigari to escape from Zhcted in any way she could.

"They're doing whatever the hell they want...!"

By the time she noticed, Tigari had crushed the letter in her hand.

Her overflowing anger could not be suppressed as she clenched her teeth.

Mutters leaked from the soldiers surrounding Bernice and Tigari. They were showing their grief and mourning; it was a failure in their behavior. They had unexpectedly become too kind to Tigari.

"Lady Tigarivurmud..."

The soldiers exchanged glances, trying to push the unpleasant role on another person. Rudette advanced as she spoke.

"Though I sympathize with your feelings, I implore you, please return to your room."

"It is poor of me, but I cannot comply."

Placing the letter into her clothes, Tigari stood up and walked toward the castle gate, She was surrounded within five steps.

"Please return."

Rudette stared at Tigari, her tone now stronger.

"I do not wish to be rough. No, you are to have the death penalty if you approach the rampart. I will be forced to tell Vanidar-sama."

"I understand, but I will still leave."

Though her voice was quiet, it was terrible and daunting to those who heard.

Rudette was accustomed to war. She was far from timid, being a veteran.

Still, hearing Tigari's voice and glance, she was overwhelmed by her fighting spirit. Due to the thirst for blood Tigari released, she could only move away.

Extending her hand, Tigari walked forward, thrusting Rudette aside.

"It's quite noisy..."

Hearing a bright voice, Tigari stopped her feet.

"Where are you going so late at night?"

Folding his arms, Elias stood at the castle gate, his silver-white hair bathed in the moonlight. It shined and scattered, like fine particles.


Seeing their Lady, Rudette and the other soldiers bent to their knees. Respect, fear, and anxiety engrossed them.

Though the Vanidar was known to be tolerant, he was by no means sweet.

"I believe I said you are not to approach the rampart."

Though it was midnight, Elias was dressed in a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt and pants. His sword was at his waist.

"So you noticed."

He would not be sleeping in those clothes, and he would not have the time to show up after getting dressed.

"I could also come out in the clothes I sleep in, but would you be able to recognize me?"

Tigari did not associate with his familiar, teasing tone.

"Please, let me pass. I must return to Alsace."

"Did you forget your position? Tell me your reason for the time being."

Though the time it would take to explain was regrettable, Tigari spoke the content of the letter sent by Marcia.

"Do you have any evidence to guarantee its certainty?"

"None. Though... if it is Thenardier, it is likely to happen."

Please. Tigari was pleading in desperation.

"It will be too late once my home has been burned. Please let me leave. I will return for sure."

Elias had not responded. He looked down, as if thinking about something. A mysterious light could be seen in his bright red eyes, as if praising Tigari.

"If you go to Alsace, what will you do?"

"I will defend my people."

Tigari answered in irritation, not understanding the meaning behind Elias' question.

"How?"

"How...?"

She found herself at a loss for words.

"I know your skills with the bow, however, you are not an immortal hero. Can you do this alone? You may be confident in your skill, but you would be a fool to think you could fight three thousand alone."

"I know that."

"Even if you understand, you will go?"

"However, what... what else can I do!"

"Such a haphazard woman. Do you really think you can do anything once you get there?"

Even if she shouted, she was cut short immediately.

Elias sighed, seeing her and placed his hand on the Silver Flash at his waist.

"- Escape calls for capital punishment. Are you tired of living? If you are heading to your death in Alsace, it might be better to end your life here in Leitmeritz."

Unsheathing the blade, he pointed its tip to Tigari with a straight arm.

"So you... will not let me pass."

Tigari glared at Elias in resentment. She was behaving like a spoiled child, unable to bring forth better words.

She understood. She understands why Elias was doing what he was.

"Why don't you understand me?"

His tone had unexpectedly changed. Elias continued to scold her.

"Why are you not using the wisdom you had in Dinant when you improved your chances, even in such a situation? Why do you move on your emotions now?"

"What are you saying..."

Though Tigari was confused by Elis' words, she stared at his bright red irises and swallowed her words. She had not considered it... Right now, what could he do?

Tigari would die by Elias' sword if she could not answer.

She had a bow in her hand, but no arrow.

What she wanted to do. What she should do.

The sword reflected light and shined. Tigari could not help but glance at it. Suddenly, a question sprang to her mind.

- Why has Elias not felled me in this situation? Why has he not ordered Rudette to capture me?

He understood the ransom could no longer be paid at this time.

Though Elias was not obsessed with money, he made a clear distinction, saying he would sell her to Muozinel.

He no longer needed to say anything.

… It could be.

Tigari arrived at an answer.

Elias was trying to employ her in the most efficient way possible.

He was giving her the chance.

Will you serve me?

Elias asked that of Tigari before.

It might still be valid.

- This is my only opportunity.

If she made a mistake, Elias would forsake her.

She took a small breath then let it out. Tigari calmed her breathing to settle down.

Is this the same as when I faced him in Dinant? My body is tense, and my knees are trembling.

"... I have a request."

Tigari bowed to Elias.

"Please, lend me your soldiers."

On her knees, Rudette's breath stopped momentarily.

- Amongst the soldiers, she was her best friend...!

As a captive, it was unprecedented that she ask to be loaned the soldiers.

"Ha... Haha! Ahahaha!"

Elias' eyes opened wide. Though Tigari watched the face full of amazement, his body was bent over, bursting in laughter.

To say nothing of Tigari, even the soldiers had never seen Elias laugh like this.

"Really... somehow, your impudence is refreshing."

Though Elias laughed for more than a minute, once it ended, he wiped the tears in the corner of his eyes as he looked at Tigari.

She wondered what she said would make him so happy. Even the breeze seemed to sway happily.

"You want me to lend them to you, but I'm not that nice. Naturally, I can't do it for free."

"What do you want?"

"All of Alsace."

"... So long as you govern it in the same manner as Leitmeritz."

Though she thought it needless to say, it was a necessary promise to defend the people within her territory.

"I can't govern it exactly the same, but I'll keep that in mind."

Elias asked her with his glance. Tigari nodded her head in assent.

"Then, let's go!"

Elias sheathed the Silver Flash and turned to the Palace. Lang stood beside him with a spear. With excitement in his voice, Elias shouted an order.

"Lang, this is war! Grab the (Zirnitra) Black Dragon Flag."


Under Elias' command, one thousand soldiers would head to Alsace.

Though only one-third the number of enemy, there were many circumstances.

First, he gave priority to speed.

A large army's movements were dull.

It also took time to prepare the weapons and food needed to feed the soldiers. It was also necessary to pass through the path in the Vosyes Mountains.

But the number could not be too small, or else they could not fight.

Due to these factors, one thousand troops were deemed necessary.

It was composed almost entirely of cavalry. As for the horses, three times the number was prepared.

A large amount of substitution horses were prepared so as to increase the marching distance.

"I was surprised."

In Elias' private room, Lang helped put on his armor, expressing his surprise with an indifferent expression.

"I never thought she would ask you to lend her the soldiers."

"Your expectations were not met, either."

Elias responded happily.

Lang promptly noticed Bernice sneaking into the Imperial Palace, as well as her capture by the soldiers.

He guessed they would allow Tigari and Bernice to meet. Lang reported to Elias, saying she likely came to free Tigari. Elias quickly changed clothes and moved to the castle gate.

At that time, Lang and Elias made a bet.

Elias would show up at the castle gate and would not allow Tigari to escape.

What would Tigari say when cornered, what actions would she take?

Lang thought Tigari would challenge Elias with the bow. If she won, she would escape.

Elias felt Tigari would recall their conversation and thought she would ask to be his subordinate. In doing so, her territory would become his, and Elias would use his soldiers to defend it.

If she tried to force her way through or escape in any other way, he would cut her down.

"Well, the answer was closer to my idea, so it's closer to being my win, Lang."

"No. If your words had not led her to her decision, you would have lost, Eliasora-sama."

"I asked a simple question. I did not guide her."

"If you act as normal, Eliasora-sama, you would force her using any means possible."

"I'm not that violent."

"Have you forgotten what you said in Dinant?"

Though Elias was heated up, Lang countered gently. Now there was only silence.

Before long, Elias finished donning his armor. The gauntlets, greaves, and breastplates emphasized lightness and ease of movement. There was no helmet.

Lang wore a different armor, his body was encased in a hardened shell. Elias was a Vanidar, and he held the argent blade. Lang would never go to the battlefield with such an appearance.

A knock sounded at the door. When Lang opened the door, Tigari stood before him.

"Are you finished?"

Inviting her inside, Lang responded to Tigari's question.

Having jumped into Tigari's view was Elias' appearance as he donned a cloak, providing a blue background to contrast his armor. He stood proudly with his hands on his hips.

"Look until you're satisfied. You won't have time on the battlefield."

He spoke proudly like a child. Though Tigari expected him to speak words like a prince, she minded her manners while thinking of Elias.

"Have you completed your preparations?"

"It is as you can see."

Tigari wore leather gauntlets and armor. Her shin guards and mantle were also made of leather.

With bow in hand and a quiver at her waist, she was armed as she was when taken prisoner from Dinant.

"Your collar is bent."

"Right. And your hair, it is better to comb it down a little."

"You can use my comb, Lang."

Elias' hand extended and touched the scruff of Tigari's neck. Lang touched Tigari's hair. Urged from the right and left by the two and unable to let out her bewilderment, Tigari stood straight, maintaining her appearance as much as possible while being groomed.

When they finished, the two gazed at Tigari.

"Your armor is leather... Though embezzled, it's faded and looks solid. Though it is not bad for battle, as one leading the army..."

"Well, there is no time, since we did not see this coming."

The two pat Tigari's body here and there.

Though she understood they had no ulterior motive, Tigari felt a strange excitement and tension. She desperately maintained her presence of mind.

Even her breathing had stopped, and she remained still like a statue. So as not to cause a strange reaction with her body, she continued to recite the names of Gods in her mind. Certainly the Gods whose name she recited were annoyed by it.

"Let's go."

At last, parting from Tigari, Elias turned about and walked out to the hallway. Lang followed after Elias. Tigari, in a panic, hastily pursued the two.

"With fewer than half the enemy, can you win?"

"It is possible."

Hearing Lang's words, Elias responded as if it were nothing.

"First, we have the geographical advantage."

Seeing the Vanidar glance at her from the side, Tigari began explaining.

"Though it's true we have an advantage in terms of geography, people following Duke Thenardier have visited Alsace in the past. It has been a few years since then, but it is possible they have marked the area down. Still, I can draw a map, and if we return to my residence, there is an even more elaborate map drawn by my grandfather."

"I see, they think of Alsace as a kind of resort. They won't expect resistance."

Hearing Tigari's words, Elias responded happily.

"I have heard Ganelon is at odds with Thenardier. Thenardier can't spare too many forces to attack Alsace. That should give us a good opportunity."

Seeing his bright red irises filled with a will to fight, Tigari looked at Elias once again.

The armor Elias wore was beautiful in itself.

However, it was not perfect.

With the light in his eyes, he was complete as a Vanidar.

This God of War was handsome and dignified – an embodiment of something mythical. She looked on in admiration of his handsomeness. Tigari stared at the Vanidar with silver-white hair without speaking.

"Instead of simply admiring me, why not put it into words, like saying how handsome I am."

Elias teased her as always.

"That was the thought that appeared in my mind when I first set eyes on you in Dinant."

Contrary to the affection in her words, she spoke frankly without being smug.

"... Is, is that so."

When she said that, Elias' blue mantle quickly fluttered as he quickly turned around, hiding his face which had turned red from the unexpected words.


There were few people along the way to Celesta in the middle of summer.

To escape from the Thenardier Army, the people fled to the mountains and forests in the suburbs.

The soldiers who received instruction from Marcia were guided by the butler, Titto.

"Those who are sturdy, go to the mountains or the forests in the outskirts. For the elderly and children, please take refuge in the shrine."

This was written in the letter sent by Marcia.

"She is a woman of Brune, so she cannot attack a shrine. Even should Thenardier be a woman who does not fear God, if she attacks a shrine, the temples will align themselves with Ganelon. Thenardier will definitely not interfere with them."

The soldiers moved in accordance to his instructions.

Tigari, the Lady of Alsace, was absent. The village chiefs and various influential people of the town were at a loss as to what to do, so they were thankful for Marcia's guidance.

"Titto, will you take shelter outside of town?"

"I will remain in the mansion."

After seeing the people to the shelter, Titto responded to the soldier's question.

"Tigari-sama will surely return. When she does, I do not wish the residence to be uninhabited. I wish to be the first to receive her."

Though the soldier tried to think of words to persuade him, she gave up.

Many people had taken shelter. Titto, every time he was asked, responded in the same way. He only wished to wait for Tigari.

"I understand; however, tell me at any time if you wish to escape."

"Thank you very much."

Titto bowed with a smile, his chestnut-brown ponytail shaking with his action. He then returned to the mansion.

The reason he gave to the soldier was not a lie.

However, he had another reason he could not easily explain.

If he left the mansion, Tigari may not return.

Though it was not so well-grounded, Titto felt a vague insecurity.

- It's fine. Bernice will certainly return with Tigari-sama. I only need to wait in the mansion for Tigari-sama. I hope she returns soon...

Despite his anxiety, he continued to hope. Embracing the black bow, the heirloom of her family, Titto prayed Tigari would return safe and sound.

- I do not wish to evacuate.

Marcia's letter gave the number of days available to evacuate the people before Thenardier's Army appeared, but he did not seem to think about it.

The biggest reason was the absence of the Lady, Tigari, though another reason existed.

The people who lived in Alsace originally had a poor sense of crisis when it came to war. This was even more so since the land had only small towns and villages.

Highways did not pass through Alsace; mountains and forests were everywhere.

It was disadvantageous for the movement or deployment of large armies. Other regions would not aim for Alsace, so there was little reason for military forces to pass through. Except for soldiers, none were familiar with war.

Furthermore, they did not know of Thenardier's cruelty.

The aristocrats of Alsace, Tigari and Urz, were on intimate terms with Marciaa, and the aristocrats governing the adjoining territories were all affable.

They did not seriously consider the situation with the Thenardier Army.

- If Tigari-sama returns...

Titto went to his bed, desperately holding back his urge to cry.

Given the number of days since Bernice left Celesta, she should have returned.

- Is it impossible? Will Tigari-sama not return?

Tigari did not return that day either.

The Thenardier Army, led by Zoe, was moving on foot and would reach Alsace in two days.


Zoe advanced before her three thousand strong army with a grand attitude atop the (Vyfal) Wyvern.

Once, she tried flying in the sky with the Wyvern, but gave up due to the cold winds cutting into her. It was also faster than expected, so she had the Wyvern walk.

- Flying across the sky with a Wyvern is unexpectedly difficult. The sensation is too different from a horse, so I'll practice once I return from my duty.

Behind the Wyvern was an (Suro) Earth Dragon. The pressure exuded by its massive size and strength gave fear to the soldiers. They kept as much distance as possible while marching.

Though Zoe had passed through the territory of two or three nobles, she had not encountered any interference.

Everyone feared the house of Thenardier.

Zoe felt comfortable.

"As soon as we burn Alsace, we'll send the hostages ahead and stop by these regions. It might be good to have them pledge loyalty, and we can grab their families..."

Her father might be pleased as well, since her battle with Ganelon would follow soon after.

Zoe thought of such things cheerfully when a scout returned to report.

"The residents have taken shelter?"

"It seems the majority have fled to the forests and mountains."

"The rest?"

"They have barricaded themselves within the temple. We cannot interfere."

"Crafty..."

Zoe's teeth were seen.

"Very well. Let's leave the villages for now and head for Celesta first."

"No, that's fine. We'll continue to Celesta as we are."

Zoe shook her head hearing her subordinate's proposal.

"Certainly, we can't destroy the temple, but we can destroy everything else. We just have to burn it all. The people will give up and leave the temple for sure."

Zoe smiled when another subordinate appeared to report.

"Someone has arrived, claiming to be from Celesta who wishes to act as your eyes, Zoe-sama."

"What kind of person are s/he?"

"S/he has two names. The old wo/man seems reasonably influential as well."

Zoe, having been told bluntly, lost interest.

"Kill him. Throw her corpse in the town."

The wo/man with two names was the first victim from Alsace.


The wall enclosing Celesta was not too high or thick. Attacking it would not require siege weapons.

It would not take much time to destroy it.

The castle gate could be broken using an axe or a spear. Zoe remembered Drekatti's words regarding the (Suro) Earth Dragon's ability to break through walls just by charging.

"Surround the temple. We will raise our voices and tire them mentally and physically. Not only will we deprive them of their freedom, we will burn their home."

Zoe spoke loudly, and the soldiers' chests swelled with expectation.

"However, it is important not to kill or destroy too much. Treat some with courtesy, and punish the rest."

This was not a fight but a pillage.

She gave approval to the soldiers to release their rage and brutality.

They would break into houses, take the money and possessions, then set fire to the building.

Those who ran and screamed, trying to escape, would be assaulted. Those who resisted would be pierced with a spear. Their blood painted the earth.

The wreckage and rubble of buildings and stalls were scattered, the gardens and vineyards were mercilessly trampled. With a sword in the right hand and a bottle, stolen from somewhere, in the left, the soldiers staggered about town, intoxicated on alcohol and destruction.

Laughter reminiscent of a barbarian was mixed in with the sounds. Black smoke streaked the sky.

Though the dead numbered few, this was due to Zoe's strict orders. The elderly who were not considered worthwhile were mercilessly slaughtered.

"Hm, this village is so tiny, it was easy to demolish."

Zoe was away from the army with the Dragons and horses, watching calmly. The sight of people begging and trying to escape filled Zoe's heart.

Zoe stepped onto the street and pulled her horse up to a building. It was a large estate in comparison to the surrounding houses. Given its size and location, it belonged to the Lord.

"So this is Vorn's house. It's such a shabby structure for an aristocrat's manor. I'll have a look inside before I set fire to it."

Zoe dismounted her horse and entered the mansion with the intent to ridicule it.


Titto was in the mansion.

When the Thenardier Army appeared outside of town, Titto wished to face them as Tigari's representative. He was stopped by others, though, and remained in the mansion. Three thousand troops quietly flooded in like a sea of silver. After a time, those who went forth as representatives were returned as corpses.

Now, they were burning, looting, and destroying the town.

"... Tigari-sama!"

From the first floor of the house, Titto watched the devastation with a bitter expression.

He could not do anything, his body remained still from shock, sadness, and fear.

He felt powerless; tears spilled from Titto's eyes.

The door was loudly opened. Titto returned to his senses.

- The first floor? Did someone come in?

His body stiffened. He knew someone had entered.

- Tigari-sama, please give me courage.

Titto moved into the hallway, tightly hugging the black bow. He descended the stairs to the first floor.

A young woman stood in the hall, looking at the candlestick in the corner. She kicked it over while laughing, the sound resounding through the mansion.

"Who's there?"

His voice trembled.

The young woman – Zoe Thenardier – turned around slowly.

Her two eyes looked over Titto's body, as if licking it. Titto shuddered from the ill feeling.

"What a good looking boy. If you bow down to me, I might even hold you."

"... Please leave."

Titto squeezed those words out of his mouth.

Zoe looked doubtful and laughed as she brought a hand to her ear.

"Did I hear you wrong? Is Vorn's maid really that stupid? Please, say it again."

"... Get out."

"What?"

"I told you to go away!"

With a red face, Titto shouted at Zoe.

"This house, this town, Tigari-sama's possessions, do not lay a finger on them! Get out!"

"... You would say that to the daughter of House Thenardier."

Zoe pulled out the sword at her waist.

"Abusive language has a heavy crime. Looks like I'll have to teach you the hard way."

Titto's eyes opened widely as he breathed in deeply. He retreated, one step, two steps.

Zoe held back her laughter in her throat.

The glittering sword drew an arc. Titto's suit was greatly torn, his pure-white thighs, nearly showing their base, were bare to see.

"What is it? If you don't hurry and run, I'll cut your leg next."

Titto turned his back on Zoe and ran up the stairs. Zoe followed after him with a cruel smile, as if hunting prey, moving up the steps slowly.

Titto returned to the second floor and ran straight to Tigari's room. He closed the door, and, with a trembling hand, bolted it, though he failed many times.

- What do I do? What do I do now...

Even with the door bolted, he did not feel easy. She would arrive at the room soon, and there was nothing to block the door. Titto looked about the room with a fearful expression.

When Titto's eyes saw Tigari's desk, he ran up to it.

"If I remember, there was a knife Tigari-sama used..."

He wildly opened the drawer and found a knife.

Gripping the handle, Titto exhaled in relief, noticing again that one arm was embracing her bow.

He looked around the room and, after hesitating a moment, ran to the semi-circular balcony.

Though it was noisy beneath the balcony, he could not look below. The sound of something breaking could be heard behind him.

When he turned around, he noticed Zoe had used her sword to create a hole. After breaking through the bolt, she kicked the door down, standing with a distorted smile.

"We're done already?"

Titto grasped the knife in both his hands, pointing it toward Zoe who continued to laugh scornfully. He attacked her in desperation. Zoe stepped into the room and brandished her sword.

She knocked the knife away in an unsatisfying manner. A red line ran across Titto's chest. He stepped backward until he was cornered at the balcony.

He leaned back while gripping the black bow. His face was dyed red in anger and embarrassment. Tears floated to his eyes as he embraced the bow while hiding his crotch. The wind shook his chestnut-brown hair.

"Tigari-sama..."

"What's this, a lowly butler who doesn't understands his position and holds feelings for his master?"

Zoe calmly pointed her sword at Titto as she muttered an insult.

"Vorn will definitely be sold off to Muozinel. I'll do the same to you. Maybe you'll be lucky and meet her."

"No, Tigari-sama... Tigari-sama will surely come!"

"How brave. It'll be nice if you call out her name when you're under me."

Zoe gripped Titto's shoulders and threw him down with all her strength.

Titto moaned. He closed his tear-filled eyes and cried Tigari's name in his mind.

Zoe put her weight on Titto.

- It sounded.

A short, slow, sound.

"Wh... at?"

Zoe could not believe it as she looked at her hand.

It was the hand she had just stretched out to Titto.

An arrow was running through it.

- Where...?

Rather than feeling pain, it was a chill that ran down Zoe's spine.

It would be difficult to aim through the narrow gap of a balcony railing, especially since this was the second floor.

"Titto!"

Beneath the balcony, a voice called to him.

Titto opened hisr eyes and thrust Zoe, who was stunned, aside.

"Tigari-sama!"

Standing up, Titto cried tears of joy.

The girl with red hair and a bow was riding on horseback.

Titto, every day, every night, prayed for her to return safely.

"Jump, Titto!"

Placing her bow in the saddle, Tigari cried while extending her arms.

Titto, without any signs of hesitation, shook away Zoe's hands as she tried to capture him and jumped over the balcony.

At the same time, the horse Tigari rode stumbled with a broken foot and sprawled forward.

- I can't reach Titto... I won't make it.

Tigari shouted.

Stepping on the saddle, she jumped off the horse.

Tigari stretched her hands as far as she could to reach the falling Titto.

They touched.

In the air, Tigari strongly embraced Titto's delicate body.

Though the two looked as if they had been thrown to the ground, they were not injured. Immediately before crashing into the earth, a mysterious wind wrapped around the two. Tigari and Titto landed softly.

"- You did something crazy for this boy, really."

Argent hair fluttered as he walked to Tigari.

He lowered the longsword in his grasp. Elias looked down with an amazed expression from atop his horse. He used the wind to help Tigari. Hearing Elias speak, Tigari understood that.

"I don't expect anything in return... but if I didn't help you, wouldn't you have been injured? If you landed poorly, you could have died."

"I was counting on you."

While sitting up, Tigari thanked Elias. Her eyes turned to the balcony.

"So Zoe is in the house..."

However, Zoe no longer appeared. She must have run inside.

"Zoe?"

"Thenardier's daughter. She is the current heir."

"Ho, so she's probably their Commander."

Elias looked back and thought. There were nearly thirty troops accompanying him.

"So the boss is in the house. I want ten of you in there."

The soldiers got off their horses and entered the mansion with sword and spear at the ready. Tigari turned around and looked at Titto.

Though Titto was surprised, tears blotted his hazel eyes. He clung to Tigari strongly.

"Tigari-sama!"

He called Tigari's name many times, the sound of tears mixing in his voice.

"I believed... I knew Tigari-sama would return."

"Sorry for worrying you. It's fine now."

Tigari wanted to hold Titto closely until he settled down, but there was no time. Their bodies separated.

Tigari noticed the black bow Titto held.

Titto's clothes were torn, his fair skin and undergarments were visible. Tigari removed her mantle and gently wrapped his body.

"Why did you take the bow?"

"Ah, this is the only thing I could carry..."

Titto had finished crying. Given his situation, he was embarrassed when answering the question.

"Let me take care of myself. You should have evacuated."

"I, I couldn't do that!"

Tigari frowned. Titto refused her with a strong tone.

"Tigari-sama, you left the house to me. Even if it was scary, I couldn't run away."

Tigari sighed. Though she knew of Titto's stubbornness, it was beyond her imagination.

"What an energetic boy. Do you like him?"

Elias, on horseback, looked down at Titto, apparently pleased.

Hearing the voice, Titto looked up at Elias and then looked around.

Behind Elias, Knights in iron armor lined up silently and increased in number.

Around them, many of Thenardier's men rolled on the ground.

"What, what is this? Tigari-sama, who on earth are these people..."

"Ah, this is Elias... He is a Vanidar of Zhcted, Eliasora Viltaria. They are his subordinates."

Tigari explained in a vacant tone. Titto was at a loss for words, his mouth was slightly agape.

"If I were to tell you more, it would take a while..."

Tigari stopped speaking. Her left hand thrust before Titto's face as she grabbed an arrow shot from the shadows.

Tigari nocked the arrow she just caught and shot the bow in an off-hand manner. A muffled scream came from where the arrow disappeared. She had shot the hidden enemy soldier, causing a voice of admiration to sound from her allies.

"Uu..."

Pain ran through her hand holding a bow. Tigari looked at her palm. She must have been injured when she grabbed the arrow, as the wound ran linearly.

"Tigari-sama, your hand."

Titta tore his vest without hesitation and carefully wrapped Tigari's hand with it.

"Sorry, I'm only good at these things..."

"That's enough. Thank you."

She patted Titto's head in gratitude.

"Are you injured?"

Tigari returned a smile as Elias asked her anxiously.

"No problem. I can still fight."

The fight had just begun. She would not stop with a wound of this level.

"I would hope so. Look, reinforcements."

Elias glanced away and laughed calmly. From the other side of the main street, many Knights were rushing fiercely on their horses. They were Thenardier's troops.

After waiting for them to approach a certain distance, Elias ordered his cavalry.

"(Zirnitra) Black Dragon Flag!"

The banner of Zhcted hung high and wide. The soldiers of House Thenardier screamed in terror. Most had participated in the Battle of Dinant.

The vivid colors of the flag fluttered in the wind. They had learned to fear it in battle.

Elias smiled and pointed his sword at the remaining forces.

"Charge!"

A battle cry sounded from Zhcted army. The troops brandished their swords and spears and ran fiercely on their horses.

Before exchanging blades, the troops from Thenardier lost their will to fight. They screamed and turned to flee.

"Tigari, We're going."

Tigari looked at her bow as she tried to respond.

There was a deep crack.

- Was it when I caught Titto?

Because she was rushed and had only vague thoughts, she had only now noticed the damage to her bow.

- I can't use this anymore. It will take time and materials to mend it as well.

The arrow she shot a moment ago would be its last.

"Tigari-sama."

Titto ran up to her with short steps and presented the black bow to Tigari with both hands.

He had defended it, the black bow which was her family heirloom.

Tigari recalled her father's words.

Only when you truly need this bow should you use it. Do not use it otherwise.

Tigari hesitated for a moment.

- No.

Surely this was such a time.

Tigari received the bow.

Though it felt as eerie as usual, she lightly plucked the string. She had neglected it for more than a month. The faintly trembling air and a certain elasticity transmitted through her finger.

- I can use it as it is.

As she grasped the bow she had not used to date, a harmonious feeling traveled through her hand.

Though she had touched the bow many times, it was her first time feeling this.

It was as if the bow was willing to let him use it.

- Father, as the present head of the Vorn family, I will use this bow to show you a fight that will not shame my name.

"Lady Tigarivurmud!"

"Young Lady! You're safe!"

Rudette and Bernice ran up on their horses. Tigari stood up and shook their hands.

"Rudette, I'm depending on you to take care of this boy."

Leaving Titto to the bald archer, Tigari gripped her black bow and mounted a horse.

"Ah, um..."

While sitting on Rudette's horse, Titto fearfully called out to Elias.

"Hm? What is it?"

Elias looked at Titto with interest.

"What is your relationship with Tigari-sama?"

Elias almost laughed, but replied with a whimsical tone.

"That girl. She's mine."

It was not a lie.

Tigari asked Elias to lend her his soldiers, but she was still not freed as a prisoner.

And in the few days it took to reach Alsace from Leitmeritz, the deadline, as stipulated by the ransom, passed.

- Tigari probably hasn't noticed. Either way, she can't do anything about it.

Elias looked toward the Thenardier Army with a brilliant smile.

Though Titto was surprised, he stared at Elias and clasped his hands, squeezing them together to gather his courage.

"I, I won't lose...!"

"I'm looking forward to it. I'll have to talk to Tigari about who she'll be married to."

Elias laughed as he saw Titto off.

A soldier appeared with a report.

"I'm sorry, the enemy's leader escaped."

"I see. Well, it can't be helped."

Elias murmured with regret.

When Tigari heard Titto remained in her mansion while the Thenardier Army attacked, she recklessly rushed in fright.

With only her horse, she had quickly made her way to the mansion.

Elias panicked and had his men follow her. He caught up as Titto fell from the second floor.

In that time, Zoe was able to run away.

- I'm a bit jealous.

"The enemy is currently reorganizing and are preparing to withdraw."

"You worked hard."

After giving words of appreciation to the soldier, Elias brought his horse near Tigari.

Though Bernice was speaking to Tigari, she nodded slightly as soon as she noticed Elias.

"I will go."

"Let's go, then."

The two spoke at the same time and laughed as they looked at each other.

"Leave about one hundred men to search for those who are lurking about in town. We will attack with the rest."

They were fighting a force three times their size. Tigari and Elias, as well as the soldiers they lead, had a high morale.

"Don't let even a single soldier escape. We will repay them in full."

She did not have the desire to drive them away or finish the battle. She would crush them.

"Bernice."

Tigari turned to the old soldier by her side. Her smile was full of anger and the will to fight.

"Hold my quiver and follow me."

"With both hands? I don't mind, but can't I even have a sword to block with?"

"Relax."

Tigari smiled bullishly toward the old woman who was up to her normal antics.

"So long as you are with Elias and me, neither sword nor arrow will reach you. I will not let it happen."


Zoe escaped through the back door of the mansion and avoided the eyes of her solders. Upon her return, she received a surprising report.

"The Zhcted Army is attacking! The (Zirnitra) Black Dragon Flag!"

"Zhcted? Impossible! Why would they show up here!"

The soldiers' faces went pale. The power they had when attacking the town was no longer present.

While treating the hand hit by Tigari, Zoe stared at her soldiers.

- Such cowardice. Why did I take these people?

This time, Zoe led three thousand soldiers, and more than 80% had participated in Dinant.

Zoe wished to remove the dissatisfaction and fear of defeat from them as quickly as possible. They would soon battle Ganelon.

It had completely backfired.

Their fear of the Zhcted Army revived in her soldiers.

"Black Dragon..."

Zoe's voice trembled, a cold sweat blotted her forehead. It was not just the soldiers who were fearful.

"But why is Vorn here... Wasn't Vorn a prisoner of Zhcted?"

Zoe was convinced.

"Did she sell herself to that country? She defected to Zhcted, and just when we attacked the town... That traitor, that coward."

The Thenardier Army left the town of Celesta and joined with the scattered soldiers as they moved toward Molsheim Plains.

Molsheim Plains had flat terrain and would be the best location to demonstrate the might of her army.

Zoe summoned her units and had them reorganize.

"How many soldiers?"

"About twenty-seven hundred."

Zoe was irritated. Three hundred soldiers were lost in the town.

If she had not allowed her troops to indulge in the chaos and had taken charge of her army, she would have been able to escape from the city without too large a sacrifice.

"And the enemy?"

"I don't know for sure... a few hundred, one thousand at the most."

"I need to know how many! Increase the number of scouts! Find the exact number!"

Zoe ground her teeth as she drove the soldiers away.

"... Fuck. Well, I have the Dragon here."

Though she did not think she would have a chance to use it, there would be no shortage of fodder if the enemy attacked.

"We will beat and crush them. I will get rid of the disgrace from Dinant."

Zoe divided her remaining troops in two.

One group was composed of spear bearers and infantry.

The other group consisted of one thousand troops and remained grounded with her.

The main force of one thousand troops stood behind the (Vyfal) Wyvern.

The army of Brune was lined in three rows on the Molsheim Plains. It was a more than effective plan.


Though Tigari's mansion was ruined, some of the objects were safe, the map of the Alsace territory included.

While studying the map, Elias, Tigari, and Lang, on horseback, spoke to each other.

"Though we have one thousand troops, we need to leave some to defend the town. We'll only have nine hundred to fight with. Based on our scouts, the enemy numbers three thousand. Even if they have decreased somewhat, we are still outnumbered three to one."

Elias looked at Tigari after hearing Lang's explanation.

"Tigari, do you know where the enemy might escape to?"

"Probably the Molsheim Plains."

Tigari pointed at the map.

"Zoe will place her troops so as to maximize a counterattack, then she'll follow after us. Until then, she'll just stay in position. The only place she can do that is at Molsheim Plains."

Unlike the rest of Alsace, full of mountains and forests, the Molsheim Plains had gentle hills.

"The strength of Brune lies in their ability to settle down and rush forward with spear and shield."

As he had said, Brune excelled in rushing power and the ability to penetrate defenses.

They held long spears and wore thick iron armor while riding horses. They attacked through the crevices between shield bearers.

The shields would be stuck together tightly and was large enough to cover them from head to waist. Though heavy, they could protect themselves while mounted.

Lining up and charging together, it was one of Brune's most frequently used tactics.

Most frightening was how difficult it was to run away from their attack. With their heavy armor and long spears, even the soldiers behind the front lines could be skewered.

"If they use shields, then we just have to shower them with arrows."

Brune was full of fools who boasted of their strength, all while making light of the arrow.

"The Kingdom of Brune has many undulating meadows. Those means of fighting are a necessity."

"Very well. We'll shoot them."

Elias declared clearly.

"Tigari, four hundred soldiers, and I will go. Lang, I leave the rest to you. Take any advantage you can. By the way, any suggestions?"

"I would like rope. It's best if it is a bundle of thin rope. As many as possible."

Having heard her, Tigari cautiously asked him a question.

"What will you do with the horses?"

They had traveled from Leitmeritz in a hurry. Lang tilted his head in confusion.

"Is it a problem if we leave them in Celesta?"

"I just thought of something. Would you let me use them?"

It happened a half koku later.

Both armies faced off in Molsheim Plains.


Elias and Tigari led four hundred cavalry, shrinking the distance little by little.

They reached the distance at which she could aim her arrow. Tigari swallowed her saliva in tension.

"Are you afraid?"

Elias spoke quietly to Tigari so only she could hear.

"I am afraid."

Though Tigari answered in such a manner, she was smiling.

It was true Tigari was afraid, but she was next to Elias, which calmed her down. Rather than anxiety, she felt courage welling deep within her body.

"But – I don't feel like losing."

The troops before her more than doubled her own.

"What a coincidence, same here."

Elias unsheathed his longsword and held it high. A small wind stroked Tigari and Elias, as if encouraging the warriors.

"I wonder if I'm feeling this for the first time because you're next to me."

As soon as they were done joking, his smile disappeared. He swung his blade.

"Charge!"

Amidst the noise of the battlefield, a mysterious wind carried the boy's voice across the battlefield.

The four hundred Zhcted troops ran across the land as they raised a battle cry. The sky above the Thenardier Army was covered in countless arrows as both armies opened fire.

"Arifal."

A calm wind whirled around Elias' sword. The attacks swirled around the troops, making all arrows fall to the ground.

Tigari pulled arrows from her quiver and nocked them between each of four fingers and released them, skewering three enemies through the face at almost the same time. They fell, motionless.

"You really are a woman without convention."

Elias looked impressed as he spoke with admiration.

"To hear I lack convention from you is a bit unsatisfying."

"Don't worry, it was a complement."

The two armies clashed.

A spear was thrust from the right and left toward Elias.

His horse skillfully avoided them. Elias raised his sword, and, with two quick flashes, blood flew from two necks.

His silver-white hair waved in the wind. Every time the Silver Flash glittered, a fountain of fresh blood from the enemy was created.

- (Silvfrau) [Wind Princess of the Silver Flash] and (Meltis) [Danseuse of the Sword], is it?

Brilliantly poised on his horse, his sword moved through the wind as if dancing. Tigari thought the two nicknames were well suited.

"I can't lose here."

Tigari drew her bow to the limit and struck the head of the Commanders and flag bearer. The archers were still out of distance.

Thinking normally, it was odd to be able to aim her arrows so accurately in such a situation.

The blade of an enemy approached from the edge of her view. A scream and blood flew out before her before she completed her aim.

Tigari neither evaded nor defended and concentrated solely on her bow. Her trust in Elias made it possible.

In response to her faith, Elias let neither spear nor sword reach her. All soldiers were cut down, all arrows knocked away.

Thenardier's first formation, with their Commander and flag bearer shot down, were confused for a time and quickly collapsed.

Elias broke through the first unit.

The enemy's second formation, the main force, appeared.

Their massive number and force gave them a sense of strength and terror.

"Charge!"

The roar of horseshoes and the clash of Knights shook the earth.

Tigari let loose an arrow at soldiers on horseback rushing toward her. Though the men fell off their horses, she did not allow herself to relax.

"Leave it to me. You take the flag and the Commanders and lower their morale."

The soldiers of Zhcted rushed forward, overwhelming the enemy.

Tigari aimed at the enemy's flag bearer in the areas where the troops collided.

Though they collided with full force, Elias did not waver a single step. He parried swords, cut through shields, and cleaved through the helmets of the enemy.

"... Is that the strength of his sword?"

Though Elias was an excellent swordsman, it was absurd to think he could cut through a helmet with his arms. The Vanidar of silver-white hair responded.

"Before the Silver Flash, armor is nothing but paper."

Tigari shot one arrow after another, knocking the horses over and forcing their riders to the ground. Though she saw the corpses on the ground, she did not flinch and continued without mercy. When a spear closed in, she switched to a sword.

The Zhcted Army was being pushed back. The numbers were vastly different, so they were gradually forced to retreat.

Also...

"An (Suro) Earth Dragon is approaching!"

The soldier reporting could not hide his fear. Elias frowned.

"Did Thenardier manage to tame a Dragon while I was unaware?"

"I doubt it. If they had it prepared, it would have shown up in Dinant."

Impatience and tension floated to Tigari's face.

She saw the Earth Dragon. Its length was greater than the one Tigari killed before.

"Copper colored, is it?"

The Earth Dragon gave a roar. The men trembled and their armor rattled. The horses were paralyzed in fear, both friend and foe alike.

The Earth Dragon stamped the ground as it ran. Its tail mowed down the soldiers of Zhcted as it passed by, and it tore through soldiers with its arms. Nothing worked against it.

One person was eaten, another was cut in half as his body vomited blood. There were soldiers who stood up to it, but their attacks did not work.

Its brass scales were not injured. Swords were broken, spears were thrust aside. Axes and maces had their handles cracked.

With their weapons lost, they were stepped on cruelly and crushed underfoot.

Tigari shot an arrow at the Dragon's eye.

The arrow was accurately aimed at the eye, but was easily repelled. Tigari looked grim. Though the Earth Dragon's eyesight was not terribly good, a special film protected it.

- There were a number of things I could use back then...

This time, it was a vast plain, where the Earth Dragon could exercise its power.

The soldiers were mowed down. The Earth Dragon raged about as it turned. The meadow was paved in blood, lumps of flesh and iron scraps distorted the landscape.

It was only a single Dragon, yet hundreds of men were helpless and could not halt its advances.

- What should I do...

It was not possible to advance while avoiding the Dragon. The Dragon moved to the left and right, blocking all passage to the Thenardier Army. Once the distance to the Dragon shrunk, the army moved further back.

The soldiers of Zhcted were shaking. Elias drew his longsword as if scolding his soldiers.

"Stand your ground! This will be our victory!"

Tigari stood next to him. At this distance, she could aim at the gap in the enemy's armor.

- Though I won't be shooting at the Dragon, my shots will be limited.

Bernice held more arrows from behind as Tigari continued to shoot. She did not know how many she shot, yet though her fingers and arms were numb, Tigari continued to shoot.

Suddenly, they were cornered on the battlefield.

The field was large and held the four hundred troops. By this time, Lang's men had advanced around the Thenardier Army.

- I was waiting for this.

Elias made his horse advance. He thrust his arm vertically and rushed toward the (Suro) Earth Dragon.

"Fighting a Dragon was unexpected. I'll show you a little trick with this Earth Dragon."

Arifal, called by Elias, tinged a pale color in response. Around the blade a wind roared, a small storm brewed about it.

The storm continued to undulate. It condensed into a raging tempest.

"(Ley Admos) Cleave the Wind!"

He swung his arm downward, throwing the wind along the ground.

The ringing of the wind split the ear. It bored into the earth as it traveled.

The scales, impossible to pierce with sword or spear, the nails and fangs, the entirety of the Earth Dragon was sheared in half.

On the ground lay the corpse of the Dragon, a deep crevice engraved about it.

Those of Thenardier stood still.

They had seen something unnatural with their eyes. Wind flowed from Elias' sword and brought his triumph.

"What was that? I've never seen that before!"

Tigari inadvertently shouted in excitement.

"Of course, since it was the first time I showed you."

Watching the blue light of the wind disappear, Elias let out a small breath.

"It is a mighty power that can't be used by ordinary humans. There are few who have ever seen. Aren't you lucky?"

"I hope nothing ever happens that requires I see it again."

Although Elias' eyes sharpened for a moment, his gaze teased Tigari as he looked at her. They laughed together.

The Zhcted Army could now continue to march.


Shortly before the Earth Dragon's defeat, Zoe received a message that a second team, detached from the unit, approximately four hundred in size, approached from the west.

"From what happened on Dinant, I figured they would do something like this."

Lang's troops knew of the approaching enemy and began to withdraw immediately. They sporadically stopped their resistance and remained on a slightly elevated hill a small distance away.

They were a force of four hundred led by Lang, and they were being chased.

It seemed there was an accident as the soldiers of the Thenardier Army moved up the hill swiftly. Once they reached the middle of the slope, they fell simultaneously, as if caught by something.

They noticed a muddy rope stretched across their legs. They fell hard, and many were tied together.

The men looked up, realizing they were trapped. The troops from Zhcted turned around and ran down the slope.

"Look at the enemy, they did not pay attention to the ground below them and fell."

Lang murmured and pointed down the hill, guiding his soldiers.

This resulted in a quick reversal, in which the four hundred detached troops defeated the Thenardier Army with surprising swiftness.

- This is thanks to Lady Tigarivurmud.

Gathering his troops, Lang muttered the words in the back of his mind as he looked in the direction Elias fought.

Lang had the residents of Celesta prepare rope for the hill, but did not believe there would be enough time. In spite of that, enough had been gathered to devastate Zoe's troops.

- I doubt it would go well enough with just their hatred for Thenardier. It must have been due to the trust they hold in Lady Tigarivurmud.

Pushing his golden hair aside, Lang looked to the sky.


The sun was sinking.

The color of the sky was changing; night would come soon.

Zoe was given two reports, one after another. Her detached corps was routed, and the ground forces, including the (Suro) Earth Dragon, were defeated.

"... That can't be."

She muttered, her small body trembled as she stood by the (Vyfal) Wyvern.

"What about the Dragon? Isn't it an Earth Dragon? Isn't it invulnerable to swords and spears?"

Nothing could be answered.

"Zoe-sama, use the Wyvern."

One person advised her to give up.

"The Earth Dragon should have slaughtered them!"

Zoe shouted at her subordinates.

"It was a valuable Dragon I borrowed from father. Its claws were more precious than even one hundred of you!"

However, she could think of no other plan.

A new report was brought to her.

"Enemy forces have approached from the rear!"

Zoe was annoyed.

"How many are there?"

"It is difficult to tell since it is approaching nightfall, but it appears to be two thousand cavalry hidden in the shadows."

"... Two thousand?"

It took her time to speak.

The impact Zoe received was immeasurable. The morale she had kept until now had finally disappeared.

Right now, she had only six hundred soldiers remaining. The Dragon was not within her calculations as a human.

- How can I fight with more than three times the enemy coming from behind?

Zoe did not notice the actual number of enemies.

Though there were two thousand horses, there were only one hundred men.

This region, when dark, was shadowed by the mountains and forests. Tigari understood that.

It was not just Zoe but her soldiers who were visibly upset.

Originally, she had not come to fight in Alsace. She had simply come to pillage the land.

"Call back the second formation! Have them retreat!"

Hearing Zoe's instructions, the soldiers nearby were stunned.

They were surrounded. She was telling them to gather and fight to the end.

"Zoe-sama, please remain here. Even with two thousand troops, the Zhcted Army cannot take us out in an instant. If we can hold on until the last enemy is cut down, we will be victorious!"

"Shut up!"

Zoe hit the ground hard. The arrow wound in her hand destroyed what little calm remained in her.

"You will hold your ground? You, did you already forget your miserable defeat in Dinant?"

Her fear changed to violence.

Zoe did not want to taste the defeat of Dinant again.

"Besides, we have two thousand troops approaching from the rear! How can we possibly hold our ground!"

If she knew the troops approaching from behind numbered only one hundred, she may have been able to remain calm. Could she fight back? There must have been a way.

However, it was impossible for her to know. Due to Elias and Lang's skillful command, she did not realize it.

When Zoe's instructions were transmitted to the second formation, their morale had already greatly decreased.

At a distance where her blade could reach the enemy, she would fight desperately.

With the enemy she could not see approaching, she had to give unreasonable instructions.

However, they served House Thenardier. The troops could not act independently.

With their retreat, the battlefield changed.

Elias did not overlook it.

"We're fighting back now!"

Elias cried out to his troops. Until now, he had killed many an enemy, yet on hhandsome face, in his silver-white hair, there was not a single drop of blood. He raised his blade, which remained unmarred.

A cheer erupted from the exhausted soldiers.

Unlike the Thenardier Army, they came to fight.

Elias, Tigari, and those who wielded a sword at the front, none would hold back.

As the enemy retreated, Elias cried out mercilessly.

In addition, Lang's forces also joined them. The soldiers attacked from two directions.

Taking advantage of their mobility, they cut into the cavalry, little by little. Eventually, the enemy collapsed.

The flow of battle this evening was completely in favor of the Zhcted Army.


When the main force clashed with the Zhcted Army, Zoe, guarded by fifty cavalry two belsta (about two kilometers) away, stepped away from the (Vyfal) Wyvern.

"That bitch, that bitch..."

Her words could not be heard by the others. There was no excuse for her disastrous defeat. Though the main force, further away, still endured, they were clearly being pushed back. It would only be a matter of time before they were forced to retreat.

"This can't be. I can't possibly lose... Not to Vorn."

She was interrupted there. She recognized the shadows of ten of the enemy troops approaching her.

"Vorn..."

The two standing at the head of the rest were Tigari and Elias. Zoe knew, having fled before.

Though Tigari planned to go alone, Elias left the command of the army to Lang and followed her with a few subordinates.

"You can't escape this late in the battle."

Staring at Zoe, Tigari threw out those words in anger.

However, Zoe did not care about Tigari's feelings. Picking up a shield and spear, she advanced. Abhorrence floated in her eyes, a sneer covered her face.

"So you'd betray your country. I suppose the lowly blood of a hunter would invite the enemy. You're putting on quite a smug face. How dare you!"

"Before you insult me, you should look at yourself."

"What?"

"Burning the homes of innocents, stealing their possessions. You are no better than a thief."

Tigari spoke those words with a quiet anger. Her voice was strong. Zoe took a deep breath.

"People?"

Zoe spoke with contempt. She would not forgive herself if she allowed Tigari to call her a thief. Tigari's insult was inexcusable.

"People, you say. I simply took what they threw away and cut things that passed by me. Why should I bother worrying?"

Elias muttered as if she were a trivial woman.

Tigari did not respond. She realized words would be useless.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I will not forgive you for invading my territory and harming the people under my dominion."

"Acting like you're important..."

No more words left Zoe's mouth. Ignoring Tigari, she pointed her spear and shouted.

"Fight me, Vorn! Or is that impossible, since you're always running away?"

"Have you lost your mind?"

Elias spoke in amazement. Though he tried to shout an order to his subordinates, Tigari stretched out her arm, restraining him.

"It can't be, you plan to do it?"

Tigari nodded silently and strongly. Elias pouted and let out a small noise momentarily, then he tapped Tigari's shoulder with a smile.

"Very well. This is your fight."

"... Thank you."

Thanking Elias without looking back, Tigari clutched her bow and moved forward on her horse.

Seeing Tigari, Zoe looked at her suspiciously.

"Your weapon? You aren't taking a sword or spear from those Zhcted bastards?"

"This is my weapon."

Tigari thrust out her jet-black bow in a dignified manner. Zoe stared at her in irritation.

"Are you joking? How will you fight with a bow? All you can do is get a surprise attack."

"... Want to try me?"

Tigari pulled an arrow from her quiver and shot it after nocking it.

Though the arrow tore through the wind and sped toward Zoe's head, it was blocked by the shield.

Tigari did not care and aimed at Zoe's chest. It was, once again, blocked by the shield.

"No matter how many times you try, it's useless."

Zoe jeered. Elias simply watched on in silence.

Tigari took her third shot and aimed for Zoe's right arm. Once again, it stuck into the shield.

"That's enough!"

Zoe gazed at Tigari in anger and mockery.

"It seems you're useless in combat. Not only are you a traitor, you can only use a bow. To the end you couldn't act like a noble of Brune. I will take your precious neck and end everything here."

She no longer wished to associate with Tigari and made her judgment. She then rushed forward with spear in hand.

Tigari did not move and nocked an arrow.

Even Elias' eyes were glued to the scene. Though neither he nor his soldiers knew what would happen, he grasped his blade and started to cry out.

At that moment, the two shadows crossed.

Blood appeared on Zoe's spear as it skimmed Tigari's body. Tigari managed to escape by a narrow margin.

On the other hand, Tigari shot an arrow which pierced through the shield.

It happened immediately after that.

A groan was emitted.

It was Zoe's voice. Stopping the horse, she crouched forward. Her beautiful face was soiled by her black hair, distorted in agony. She was covered in a greasy sweat from the sharp pain.

The arrow Tigari shot traveled through the shield and deeply penetrated Zoe's left arm. Her attack happened slightly before the spear hit Tigari, so Zoe's movements were dulled.

Just then, Zoe noticed.

Tigari had concentrated all arrows on the same portion of the shield. The fourth was able to pierce through the thick oak.

She shivered in terror.

Zoe had not fixed her shield's motion; rather, she moved in accordance to the arrows Tigari shot. The final shot occurred as they passed each other.

- Did she read how I would move my shield?

None amongst the Thenardier Army could understand Tigari's skill.

Still, Tigari had pierced through a shield with only four arrows.

They had held the bow in derision until now.

Archers had been held in contempt, ridiculed, outcast, and treated as criminals.

Now, they were forced to fear what it could do.

Tigari nocked her fifth arrow. Cold sweat dripped from Zoe's face.

A cry was heard. Zoe moved away. Soldiers rode their horses in to defend Zoe.

Elias silently acted upon seeing their movements. He ordered his men to charge as he brandished the Silver Flash.

The Zhcted Army and Thenardier Army faced one another. Tigari was caught in the turmoil, but was protected. Zoe, too, was helped by her men and disappeared from Tigari's view.

"Look at you."

Elias called out in an angry voice as he drew closer on his horse. His white finger gently traced Tigari's bleeding wound.

"It's just a cut... Don't worry me so much."

Elias showed an expression of caring befitting neither a Commander or swordsman but a boy his age. Tigari could not look directly at him.

"Your hand looks terrible as well."

Elias looked at the injury on her left hand for the first time.

The wound had opened again. The cloth Titto wrapped around her hand was soaked in blood as she gripped her bow.

Finally realizing it, she felt the pain in her hand, though she could still shoot arrows.

- Where is Zoe?

Tigari searched for the enemy General.

A strong gust of wind blew, and the horses flinched. Tigari protected her face with her arm and looked about carefully.

"... A (Vyfal) Wyvern!?"

With large wings reminiscent of a bat, now fully expanded, the Wyvern flew high into the sky, carrying Zoe on its back.

Every time it flapped its wings, the wind generated forced Tigari and Elias to stop. The Wyvern flew high into the air.

It circled in the air to stabilize itself. It then turned and moved away from the battlefield.

"My wind can't reach that...!"

Elias frowned in regret.

Tigari nocked an arrow to her bow; Zoe's figure was hidden by the Wyvern.

Her arrow would reach, but it would not pierce through the Wyvern's scales. It was no different from the fight with the (Suro) Earth Dragon.

… She did not have the power.

She could not allow such a thing to happen.


[Shoot the Dragon.]


Suddenly, a quiet voice sounded in Tigari's head.

- What was that?

Tigari looked about in surprise, but no one had called for her.

Though it sounded like a man's voice, Elias was focused on the enemy before him.

[I will say it once again. Shoot the Dragon.]

She heard the voice again.

She understood it clearly this time.

Despite the screams, the sound of weapons clashing, armors shattering, and corpses falling, the voice resounded.

The voice reaching her ear was clearly different.

Tigari glanced at the black bow in her hand.

- Could it be this?

She felt a sense of incongruity with the black bow, that is why she thought that.

Looking at the sky again, the Wyvern had moved even further.

- If I don't pay her back, I know I'll regret it...!

Tigari, determined, drew her arrow back.

Her town was scorched and her people injured. She would never permit the woman who harmed Titto to run away.

In accordance to the words, she aimed her bow at the Wyvern and shot the arrow.

Was it truly an arrow? The moment the arrow was released, a fierce backlash hit Tigari's body. At the same time, the Silver Flash in Elias' hand tinged a pale light.

The shot flew straight, propelled by a helical wind.

It sounded like the roar of a beast. It flew toward the (Vyfal) Wyvern and went past.

Though the Wyvern lost its balance, it was not injured.

- What happened?

Tigari looked at the Wyvern and a deformed cloud in blank surprise.

She had never heard of an arrow acting in such a manner.

"Tigari!"

Tigari returned with Elias' voice. He was also surprised. Tigari felt as if it was the first time he had ever been surprised on the battlefield.

"What was that just now...? I've only seen something like that with a (Viralt) [Dragonic Tool]."

No answer could be found. She could not reply to Elias' question.

"I don't know, either..."

A shadow moved over Tigari's head as she responded in bewilderment.

The Wyvern had somehow recovered. It was running from the battlefield again.

Tigari readied a new arrow. Though she did not understand, she knew she could kill the Wyvern.

- The next... will hit!

Elias drew his horse close to Tigari and raised his longsword.

"I'll take care of the wind. You just aim the arrow!"

Elias knew nothing about Tigari's bow.

However, when Tigari shot her arrow, his sword lit up in response. It was as if it allowed her to shoot her arrow in a supernatural manner.

- I don't know what happened... But if it's Tigari, she can do it.

Though it was no different from intuition, Elias knew his [Dragonic Tool].

It was not a longsword he simply came upon.

His [Silver Flash] was given the name of (Koma no Zanki) [Brilliant Beheader of the Fallen Spirit].

"- Please."

Elias did not know Tigari very well.

But he believed in her.

Steadying her arm and aiming at the Wyvern, she drew her bow to its limit.

She released it.

The atmosphere swelled and space distorted, twisting about her arrow.

The shock wave blew the nearby soldiers away.

Smoke followed the path of the arrow, forming a storm which raged strong enough that those nearby could not open their eyes.

The arrow Tigari shot advanced, a brutal tornado in its wake. It hit the (Vyfal) Wyvern's abdomen.

- Pierce it.

The Wyvern let out an earsplitting sound as it was injured. It moved weakly back and forth and crashed in a nearby marsh.

It hit the water with a dull sound.

The Dragon sunk completely. Zoe did not float to the surface.

All looked at where the Wyvern crashed, completely stunned. Even Tigari, who shot the arrow, watched with astonishment.

The soldiers of the Thenardier Army dropped their arms. It took a while for everyone to return to consciousness, even Elias.

"... Tigarivurmud Vorn has killed Zoe Thenardier!"

Following Elias' voice, a shout of victory sounded from the Zhcted Army.

The Thenardier soldiers trembled, and their eyes faltered.

The main forces of the Thenardier Army, which fought, a short distance away, looked at the Wyvern as it fell to the earth. They split up and tried to escape while their enemy celebrated their victory.

Their swords and spears were discarded, and they tried to flee, collapsing over one another.

The Thenardier Army invaded Alsace with three thousand troops. Those running away numbered only nine hundred.

Their Commander was lost, their weapons and armor were cast aside, and the injured men ran away on their own.

End of Chapter 6


Epilogue

The flag fluttered in the evening wind.

Tigari, Elias, and Lang moved ahead of the Zhcted Army and returned to Celesta.

Some soldiers, including Bernice, returned to Celesta earlier to inform the people of their victory and to prepare a feast.

Even if it was a small form of gratitude, Tigari wished to greet the soldiers of Zhcted. She also wanted to restore the beauty of her town. Its revival would begin tomorrow.

Incidentally, Tigari had emptied the eight quivers Bernice held for her.

Usually, archers carry two quivers at most. Any more and it would hinder movement. She could only use that many in a fierce battle.

Later, after hearing this, Rudette muttered solemnly.

"- All right."

With a new cloth wound about Tigari's hand, Elias laughed quietly.

"Thanks. You really saved me."

Tigari gave her thanks. The cloth Titto wrapped around her hand was drenched in blood, so she had it changed.

"For the time being, consider this a victory."

"For the time being, it is."

Tigari repeated Lang's words.

That was the truth of the matter; fate had made its move. It was impossible for there to be no retaliation.

Thenardier, after this defeat, would not forgive Tigari.

She would kill Tigari no matter the cost. She would surely try to destroy Alsace.

She had many things to think about besides Thenardier.

It was not just Duchess Ganelon and Thenardier, she worried about the reaction of the King and the various aristocrats. She was also anxious about Zhcted and Elias.

Above all, she was worried about the black bow in her hand.

- Though it isn't reacting now, it definitely did back then.

She communicated with it. Was it telling her its intent?

- It resonated with Elias' Silver Flash...

Elias did not understand the reason for this.

"Amongst the many (Viralt) [Dragonic Tools] wielded by the Vanidar, there is no bow. I have never heard of a weapon which could call upon the power of a [Dragonic Tool], either..."

Tigari had heard of such weapons, though she thought of them as fairy tales and legends. Still, she had seen the Silver Flash first-hand.

Why did the [Silver Flash] respond?

Though she looked in interest at the Silver Flash at Elias' waist, the wind only blew, as if teasing her.

After thinking for a time, Tigari sighed and gave up.

It was meaningless to worry about something she did not understand for the time being. It was enough that she could use it.

"A fucking mysterious bow."

Lang began speaking, as if he remembered something.

"I have heard of only one such bow, though it is a legend."

Hearing Lang's words, Tigari looked at him in interest while touching the bowstring.

"A man received a bow from a Goddess. As long as he wielded it, he would not be defeated by his enemies. It is said he became King and was called the (Madan no Ou) [King of the Magic Bullet]."

"This King, is he the incarnation of the Black Dragon?"

Lang shook his head at Tigari's question.

"The Goddess does not come out in the founder's story, so it is possible the story is even older. Since I did not see the power of your bow, I can't say anymore."

"(Madan no Ou) [King of the Magic Bullet], is it?"

Elias glanced at Tigari and laughed as if pleased.

"Not bad. I'll call you that from now on."

"Then I'll have to call you [Vanidar-sama] or (Silvfrau) [Wind Princess of the Silver Flash] from now on."

He poked her head.

"It's fine. It just means you've got the mettle to become a Queen. It's not like I was making fun of you."

"At least fix your facial expression."

Though he spoke formally, Elias' mouth was loose as he held back a smile. Tigari scratched her head and sighed without any tension.

"The story is interesting, but it has nothing to do with my bow."

Certainly, the voice Tigari heard was male.

However, the bow had no tasteful decoration or adornment. It was simply a black bow.

- Above all, it is never good to joke about becoming Queen.

Such stories were numerous in the land of nobles.

"Do you not want to become Queen?"

Elias tilted his head, as if he had read what was deep in Tigari's heart.

Though she had not given it much thought, she responded in such a way.

"Sleeping until noon, going out for a hunt."

Tigari shrugged her shoulder and smiled bitterly. Elias' ruby irises sparkled as he recalled her words

"Tigari, I have something to say to you."

Looking at Tigari, Elias took a deep breath and bewildered Tigari with a smile suiting his age.

"- You belong to me now."

Tigari recalled that she was still a prisoner of war.

"That's right. First of all, how about you tell me more about that butler of yours? You were so desperate to help him before."

Running her hand through her red hair, Tigari looked away from the smile of the boy with silver-white hair, which waved in the wind.

- How should I answer...

It was not just Elias. Titto was waiting in the town. If she explained that she was still a prisoner of war, what would he say?

Though Tigari looked to Lang for help with a glance, she was ignored.

"I'm looking forward to it, Tigari."

Before long, Celesta came into view, lights shining throughout the town.

The people were waiting.

End of Volume 1


Cast:

Bernice: Mie Sonozaki (Japanese); Leah Clark (English)

Drekatti: Ayasa Ito (Japanese); Shelley Calene-Black (English)

Eliasora Viltara: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Matthew Mercer (English)

Felix Aaron Thenardier: Dai Matsumoto (Japanese); R. Bruce Elliot (English)

Langalisha: Ryota Osaka (Japanese); Ray Chase (English)

Marcia Rodant: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese); Luci Christian (English)

Maxim Bennusa Ganelon: Kikoku Inoue (Japanese); Carli Mosier (English)

Rudette: Yoko Hikasa (Japanese); Brina Palencia (English)

Tigarivurmud Vorn: Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese); Colleen Clinkenbeard (English)

Titto: Misuzu Yamada (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook (English)

Zoe Thenardier: Shizuka Ito (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)


Thanks for reading!

Next week, we'll return with "R+V".

Later