Volume 2 Chapter 24 Quest： Azrael’s Pursuer I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After successfully obtaining the desired ring at the market stall, Kian and his group were taking a break by a crumbling brick wall in a corner of the market street.
It was because Christy had become exhausted, at least for Maribel.
It’s not that she wasn’t used to crowds, but in a dangerous area like the market street, one tends to be on high alert.
Especially as a guard for the Margrave, the mental fatigue must be considerable.
”I’m sorry, Christy. I pushed you too hard.”
”It’s fine… I can handle this much.”
The black-haired girl, saying this bravely, had a pale face.
She had quite a bit of magic power──life force──but perhaps her legs and bones, which are fundamental for movement, weren’t very strong.
Speaking of which, there were several scenes during the previous exam where she had been out of breath.
”Ugh… I’m feeling sore.”
She sat on the crumbling brick wall, grimacing as she cast healing magic on her knees.
Kian turned his gaze to the blonde girl who was also sitting on the bricks, swinging her legs.
”Are you alright, Your Excellency?”
”I’m a bit tired too. The path was much steeper than the previous catacombs, yet it’s strange, isn’t it?”
”You say that well. Have you forgotten how both of you suffered from severe fatigue after returning?”
”I have some wine that I bought at a tavern called ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn.’ Would you like some? The alcohol has been removed.”
”Wow, thank you!”
”Hmph, you’re quite thoughtful. This is a huge help, thank you!”
(Why is this person always so confrontational?)
That aside, he offered the wooden cups he had made while crafting the magic sword’s sheath to the two of them and poured the wine that had turned into grape juice.
A sweet and rich aroma spread around them.
”Aged in an oak barrel. The scent of plums and cinnamon… This is ‘Thorn Wine’ made in the East End monastery.”
”Is that so? I’m not very familiar with it.”
”There’s no mistake. It’s the scent of that wine. It’s easy to drink and very delicious, so it makes me happy when it appears on the dining table.”
”Ah, is that so? There’s still some left, so if you want a refill, just let me know.”
”Is that okay? Then I’ll have a refill.”
”Yes, Ms. Christy.”
She poured wine into the black-haired witch’s cup.
”Thank you. I’m thirstier than I expected today… Oh, right. Since I’ve been receiving so much, I’ll give you this. It’s a token of my gratitude.”
What the witch offered was a jar of ointment.
It was white in color──having the same scent as the ointment made by Aliona.
In addition to being a blood-stopping elixir, it seemed to contain the liver of ‘Spoon Wing,’ which has pain-relieving properties.
”If you apply it to the affected area, it will not only stop the bleeding but also relieve the pain. It has anti-inflammatory effects, and it can neutralize the poison of monsters that roam around here in about a minute. Basically, it should be treated as a universal remedy. Since it’s my handmade product, be sure to use it gratefully.”
”It seems to be of very high quality, and I feel like it uses only expensive materials.”
”That’s right. If you were to buy it from me, it might cost about a month’s worth of your lunch money. I think it’s a difficult medicine for lower-rank adventurers to keep on hand.”
”Christy is an expert in elixirs with sage qualifications.”
”Thank you. I will use it carefully.”
”Hmph. Aren’t you lucky? With this, you might live a little longer, right?”
”Hahaha… Yes, that’s true.”
”Then from me, this. Oh, it’s separate from the quest reward.”
Saying that, the blonde princess took out a wooden plaque with her signature on it.
Kian’s eyes widened.
”This is…!”
”It’s a pass required to cross the bridge of Izerland Fortress. Since it has my signature, you should be exempt from the city gate toll. It’s a temporary item, so it will only be valid for 3 weeks, but if you like, please accept it. Also, since your name is already on it, it’s not for sale. Be careful, as it can’t be exchanged for money.”
”Selling a gift from Your Excellency is out of the question.”
”No, no. It’s a legitimate reward.”
Maribel said with a wry smile, then glanced towards the bustling tents of the market.
She continued.
”Still… this is a strange place. It’s chaotic and has a strong foreign scent…”
”There are hardly any Westerners here.”
While putting the gifts from the two into his backpack, Kian nodded.
Maribel narrowed her eyes.
”You don’t see sights like this inside the fortress. Besides the Easterners, there aren’t many foreigners around.”
”Does Your Excellency often go outside the fortress?”
”Not as often as you might think. Even if it’s just in name, I’m still a lord, so I have to attend ceremonies and such.”
”This girl skips out on studying dance and magic to go outside.”
Christy pouted while asking for a third refill.
”Thanks to that, I and the magician in charge of barriers have a hard time every time. Using teleportation is really exhausting…”
”Hehe. Ever since I hired Christy, I haven’t been a caged bird anymore. I’ve been promoted to a little bird with a collar.”
”Well, as long as you take your duties seriously for important ceremonies and tasks, I can just about overlook it.”
”Oh, wouldn’t it be more convenient for the steward and the female magician if I’m the silly one who loves going out?”
”Stop it… Don’t bring up topics that are hard for me to comment on.”
”By the way, what is that ring? Is it a secret too?”
Kian looked down at the large ring resting in Maribel’s small hand.
It was a ring with an overall yellow impression, set with amber.
A Griffin was carved on the back of the ring.
The details of the carving were very intricate.
It was likely a piece of jewelry made by someone who could use magic.
”Ah…”
Maribel lowered her dark blue eyes.
She smiled a little sadly and gently stroked the amber ring.
”This is a keepsake from my father.”
”A keepsake? Such an important item was at such a shabby stall…?”
”It is surprising, isn’t it? But it’s the truth. This is the ring that my father, Godfrey, wore during his lifetime. The rings, collars, and crowns adorned with expensive gems like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies were sold off during my grandfather’s time and have been lost. Even this amber ring was the utmost luxury for Godfrey.”
”Manon’s grandfather was said to be a powerful noble who once wielded great influence in the royal capital.”
While munching on slices of black bread (Kian’s lunch), Christy said this.
Maribel put the amber ring into her pocket and stared down at her masked face reflected on the surface of the grape juice.
”By the time I was born, my grandfather had long since passed away. My father… was the youngest son among my grandfather’s children, born to him after he turned 60. Kian, do you know the story of the monster called the ‘Thorn Demon’?”
”I’ve heard the name. It was a disaster-level monster that appeared in this area 80 years ago.”
”Yes, that’s right. That ‘Demon King’ had sharp fangs and would implant ‘thorny brambles’ into those he injured, thereby increasing his minions. The minions were incredibly powerful and disrupted the entire ecosystem in the area. Ordinary knights stood no chance, and the ‘Knights of the Sun’ authorized by the Margrave were engaged in quests to exterminate them. The Margrave at that time was held responsible for depleting the public treasury and causing devastation to the country, leading to his downfall. Instead, my grandfather and father, who were exiled from the royal capital, became the new ‘kings’ of the Margrave Izerland territory.”
”That’s a terrible story… The previous Margrave was also not at peace, and Your Excellency’s grandfather and father were left to deal with the aftermath of the war, weren’t they?”
From the perspective of the Franz royal family, the emergence of the ‘Thorn Demon’ must have been a delightful event that caused the powerful Margrave of the time to fall from grace and confined the troublesome Maribel’s grandfather to the outskirts.
Maribel let out a soft laugh, “Hehe…”
”My grandfather personally funded the extermination of the remnants of the ‘Thorn Demon’ and ultimately had to sell the Danofen family’s treasures in various places. By the time my father Godfrey took over, the economic power of the past was but a shadow of its former self. When the money runs out, so do the connections. Izerland was far removed from its former territory, and the ties with the local noble lords were weak, leaving Godfrey completely isolated. He couldn’t get help from anyone… yet he continued to strive for a return to the royal capital. In the end, he was unable to return and died of despair and weakness.”
”Manon has me use divination to find the whereabouts of the scattered family treasures, and as soon as they are found, she consults with the treasury to buy them back cheaply. …As her accompanying magician, I really wish she would stop this foolishness.”
”I’m sorry.”
”No, it’s not that… it’s work, and I’m not angry. It’s just that, how should I put it, it’s a hassle, so I wish she would stop, that’s all.”
(The noble knight Godfrey, who I thought was a sturdy and simple warrior, perhaps had a side that longed for the elegant life of the royal capital, having listened to the songs of bards.)
”However, this explains why the local commerce and industry guilds and adventurer guilds have money. If not only the previous Margrave’s family but also Lady Maribel’s family──the Danofen family──were distributing wealth, it’s only natural that the economic scale would grow.”
(Ah, it makes sense that the East End area is relatively prosperous given this historical context.)
Thinking back, the people here seemed wealthy, which is why Kian registered as an adventurer 14 years ago to earn travel money in this land.
The great tides of history are a good example of how they affect the lives of ordinary people.
”Why is Your Excellency Maribel buying back the lost family treasures?”
”Huh? Well, it’s obvious! I’m unhappy seeing my father’s and grandfather’s belongings being cherished by commoners!”
”Is that so?”
”…….Is that what you’re asking? It’s the first time anyone has dug into that reason. The steward and the female magicians handling politics behind the scenes laugh at me as a fool.”
”It’s a well-known secret that Manon sneaks out of the castle to recover heirlooms and family treasures.”
”No…, it was a feeling I couldn’t understand. With all due respect, if you’re going to spend money, it should be on something more constructive.”
”You’re really rude! I’m shocked!”
”Wait, is that something Christy would say?”
As Maribel said this, a loud cheer erupted from the direction of the tent area in the market.
Until then, the noise had been intermittent, but this cheer had the force to impact the heavens.
Looking over, a dense crowd had formed in the slightly wider space between the stalls.
Christy stretched her neck curiously, while Maribel’s eyes sparkled from beneath her mask as she jumped down from the bricks.
”Well, what’s all the commotion about!? Hey, shall we go see what’s happening?”
”No way. Crowds are dangerous.”
”Then I’ll just watch from the back! Kian, give me a shoulder ride! Please!”
”If it is Your Excellency’s command… understood.”
”No! Unmarried women shouldn’t do such indecent things. …Hey, don’t look at me like that! Fine, fine! I’ll be the one who will give you a shoulder ride!”
”Well, thank you! As expected of my friend!”
(Does this princess really think of Christy as a friend…?)
Feeling a slight unease, Kian followed the two as they approached the crowd gathered behind them.
* * *
”Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention! This big man is a warrior monk from the renowned Azrael monastery! An invincible hero, unmatched in bravery, witness his brilliant swordsmanship!”
A loud voice echoed through the market street.
Next to Kian, who was relatively tall among the crowd, Maribel, perched on Christy’s shoulders, swayed unsteadily as she stretched her neck.
(Maribel’s thigh… I wonder what it smells like. ──Wait, what am I thinking about?)
He shook off the distracting thoughts and focused his attention ahead.
In front of the crowd, there was an open circular space where a thin Eastern man and a stout Azraelian stood.
The Eastern man was slender yet muscular.
The Azraelian, though his belly sagged with fat, showed signs of hard muscle beneath the subcutaneous fat.
The thin Eastern man spread his arms wide to draw attention.
”Come, come, pay attention! This giant, ‘Azrael’s warrior monk’ Rachid, will demonstrate the secrets of Azrael’s Dance Swordsmanship! The name is──Secret Technique ‘Thunder’!”
(……!?)
Kian’s eyes widened at the mention of the term “Secret Technique.”
Beside him, Maribel exclaimed excitedly, “Wow, a Secret Technique! Thunder… it has such an exciting ring to it, doesn’t it, Christy?”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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