A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic

Chapter 204: Mid-Day Break

***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 204 Mid-Day Break***

It was simply called Alberinea Workshop.

A corner of the royal territory that was once used for confinement――a tower surrounded by trees.

It was a brick structure about the size of a hut that stood in front of it.

Even among the nobles, many didn't know what was being made there or what was happening there.

Or perhaps quietly, with the Cursed Child workshop.

“Hmm, the broken one is all restored and seems to be fine as reported. Besides, two additional bodies...not bad."

Inside that workshop――while looking at the dismantled and placed Jarea Gashea, Krische said that.

Nigel, the head of the crafts unit, smiled and said, ‘Thank you’.

After the battle with Gulshan, the crafts unit did not accompany the battle against Elderant, but instead returned to the capital for repairs and replenishment, and today Krische confirmed that.

“Not only that, but we have also completed replenishment for Baumje――Bo-Bonjara.”

Nigel who was about to say something, corrected himself in a hurry.

But even so, Krische’s brow wrinkles, as if she was not happy about it.

Baumje-Ira was an ancient word that refers to an expanding impact.

It was the sad "alias" of a new weapon made by Krische, which became the official name "on paper" due to a "misheard" by Selene and Kreschenta.

Krische glared at Nigel and let out a sigh as if to say, ‘Really'

Seems, people who grew up in the countryside were as bad at pronouncing Bonjara as they were at pronouncing Jaragasha.

In the wide territory of the kingdom――accents do exist.

Although she did think it was somewhat inevitable, there was a feeling of dissatisfaction in Krische.

“Hee... Nigel, what’s its name?”

“K-Kliche-sama has named this new weapon...Baumje-Ira.”

“...? Nigel, the pronunciation is a bit strange――”

“Baumje-Ira...that's a wonderful name. As expected from Onee-sama.”

“Yes, it’s a very good name. ...Faren thinks so too, right?”

“R-right...exactly, what a splendid name befitting one that will create the kingdom's future.”

Krische crossed her arms and pouted her lips.

"...The reason why the official name is so weird is because of your pronunciation, Nigel."

"Yes ma’am. My, my apologies, I'll be careful."

Nigel saluted with an indescribable look on his face.

――That was during the presentation to Kreschenta and the others.

“Nigel, have you heard the name?”

“Yes ma’am. ...I heard the name is Bo-Bonjara.”

“...That girl again with that kind of name again.”

Selene, who came to the workshop with Krische and the others for the unveiling, asked Nigel in a whisper, and when she heard that, she immediately whispered to Kreschenta.

It was as if the interaction had been decided in advance.

“The official name is Baumje-Ira, Nigel. ...I would like your cooperation in this matter.”

“ Yes ma’am. U-Understood.”

The name Bonjara was given by Krische last night——however, at that moment, it was as if the name had been decided from the day the heavens and earth split.

The words of the marshal were absolute.

The intrigues were carried out so easily at the center of the kingdom..

He knew that Krische’s wishes, to whom he had given his loyalty to, were being ignored, but even Nigel couldn't go against that.

That is the queen of the kingdom, the marshal of the kingdom——the collective will of the country.

"Geez. Even though Kalua and Elvena can pronounce it properly..."

"I-I see... accents are quite difficult huh."

Elvena answered with a troubled look on her face, and she looked at him with pity.

The lovely flower of the workshop——she, the kind-hearted woman, was the guardian of the workshop.

"Well, that's fine. Looking at the results, Krische can see that you've been working hard. It looks like it’s almost done, but today you’ll be preparing to move——once that's done, you’ll have a half-day off. We'll be leaving at noon tomorrow, so prepare accordingly.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Honestly, that would be helpful.”

Piririn Team――Daz and the others, like Kilik of the escort team, were used to protect Kreschenta and the others, who had many opportunities to go out due to the war, and to help the craft team.

Kreschenta had no intention of going out until Krische returned again, so the guards who were acting as her escorts were now free.

“From what it looked like the other day, assembling the Jaragasha is heavy and takes a bit of effort. Cleaning seemed a bit difficult as well…”

"Ha, haha... that's right."

The scattered pieces of meat, et cetera.

The cleaning work of the Jaragasha was a hard task.

The blood and flesh one saw in the excitement of the battlefield may be bearable, but the damage was still great for the mind that has come full circle and cooled down.

"After this one is over, you guys will have a vacation for a while. The full resumption will be after the completion of the Albeneria workshop under construction. Krische also plans to give personal rewards, and if anyone wants to go back to the countryside, Krische'll give them that opportunity. So, please do your best until then."

“! Yes ma’am!”

When they heard this, they looked at each other and saluted happily, but

"However... all of the Kurofuyo are from regions where their pronunciation of words is questionable. Don't come back with an even worse accent. This is a strict order, okay?"

Krische nodded at that, but spits out the warning with a serious face.

"Selene, it's over."

The marshal's office is assigned within the royal castle.

Krische entered and hugged Selene, who was looking at a document, and kissed her.

Selene, as if exasperated――as if a little happy, relaxed her cheeks and let out a sigh, then picked up Krische and moved from the office desk to the sofa.

"...Geez. Elvena, could you please make us some tea? With ;ots of honey and milk."

“Yes, understood.”

After becoming a marshal, Selene's workplace was basically here.

The estate was right next door, and Selene was more comfortable there, but considering negotiations with merchants and nobles, relationships with valuable books――for various reasons, it was more suitable to do it here. Although she sometimes brings work home, Selene generally wants to create a relaxing environment when she returns home, just like Krische.

There were times when she would take her work home due to some circumstances, but she had also decided on a certain amount of separation in this area.

“Mn...”

Selene stretched her slender body gracefully, lifting her long golden hair.

When she caught Krische stretching right next to her as if to imitate her, she tugged at her cheek, telling her not to imitate her.

“Ehehe, Selene, every time Krische comes Selene always does that so…”

“Unlike you, I mostly sit still.”

Even though she was angry, she seemed happy somehow.

Selene played with Krische's cheek a little again, and she quickly let it go.

"The craft doesn't seem to have any problems, so we'll be leaving tomorrow at noon as planned."

"I see. A messenger came just now, there are no problems in the south. It seems that the liberation of the city is almost complete."

"It's a lot faster than Krische thought."

“Vice-chancellor Orugan seems to have been quite cooperative.”

Orugan wrote a letter telling the soldiers occupying the city to retreat, and entrusted the kingdom with a handwritten document informing them of the situation of the Gulshan army.

Thanks to that, there wasn't much resistance and the city was liberated with almost no blood shed.

There was one occupation force that did not obey and resisted, but there was no problem due to the difference in military strength.

The message from the messenger stated that it would not take much time and that everything would be put down in no time.

"It’s thanks to Krische...I'll praise you."

"Yes"

Patting Krische on the head and smiling.

‘The problem is Elderant,' Selene said thoughtfully.

"Hmm... That's right. It might take some time for reconstruction over there. There will also be a lot of bandits... Kreschenta said that as long as the border area is solidified, Elderant itself doesn't matter anymore, but”

“...Kreschenta?”

“She said that since Veeze and Meeklea were destroyed, and Elderant will be in a state of civil war for a while.”

‘Is that how it is?’ Krische tilted her head to the side, and Selene thought about it a little too.

Elderant could be called a tribal union. It was a matter of concern that they failed to crush one army, but the current situation was that two powerful tribes have been crushed.

For many of the tribes, this must be a rare opportunity.

As long as Kreschenta said that, then her prediction was not just a mere prediction――she was probably already working on something to make that happen.

That's her domain.

Since she said they didn’t need to worry, they probably really didn’t need to worry.

"...Well, in any case, I don't think we have that kind of energy. If we leave General Lemin in the west for a while, they won't be able to do anything about it either way."

"Right. General Lemin isn’t a bad general."

Krische said, as she recalled.

"...You didn’t say such a rude thing to her face, did you?"

"rude……?"

"...After this war is over, I need to educate you on various things."

"...?"

Selene sighed and asked.

“Besides that, how was Kreschenta?”

"Ah, it seemed to be going well. When Krische told them about the victory over Gulshan and Elderant, they seemed happy."

Krische nodded and answered.

In the morning, Krische and Kreschenta were reporting on the situation in front of the nobles.

Although everyone was a little surprised to see the cliché, they seemed to be full of motivation, as if they understood that victory in this battle was close――it truly went well.

“It seems like all the royal palace nobles have even sold their belongings in case this war lasts for a long time… They told Kreschenta something like donating and helping out.”

"I-I see..."

It went well――but that's just Krische’s impression.

It was different from what the nobles thought.

Some had noticed Suiko's presence at the Christand estate, and there were speculations about Krische, who was supposed to be on the battlefield, returning. However, most of them were surprised when they heard that Gulshan and Elderant had already been defeated.

Some of them, who had been hiding their wealth in gold to prepare for various negotiations in case Alberan was conquered, understood who was the winner upon hearing this and offered to donate money to be used to help Alberan's financial difficulties.

The nobles, who had been reluctant to offer money, completely changed their minds, and Kreschenta had been dealing with them endlessly since the morning.

The fear of the two Cursed Children――of what they had done so far didn’t disappear, but no one wanted to let go of the power they had acquired.

No matter what the scenario in which Alberan wins by repelling the invasion of the Three Kingdoms was something that all Alberan nobles desire.

Although there was no good will or noble cause, at least at the present time, they were united as they have been since the beginning of Kreschenta’s rule.

Despite the absence of goodwill or lofty just cause, there was a united front due to shared interests— a "solidarity" in terms of common goals.

"Ehehe, this is what they call unity right. ...In a difficult time when we are being attacked by three countries, everyone is working hard for everyone...It's a wonderful thing."

"...Right. I guess it's something to be happy about..."

As Selene watched Krische nodding, she let out a sigh.

This stupid little sister probably didn’t really understand why they said that at such a convenient time.

She didn’t think deeply about things that didn’t matter, and the same went for good intentions.

Selene rubbed her forehead exasperated.

Krische was an idiot.

That said, she didn’t want to see Krische become like Kreschenta, who had become better at trickery and scheme――it was really an indescribable feeling.

She rubbed forehead and watched Elvena poured the tea,

"Geez, just when I thought Onee-sama was not at the workshop, it turns out Onee-sama is here..."

――At that moment, the door suddenly swung open.

"Onee-sama, that's terrible! Leaving me behind!"

A girl with golden hair that sparkled red came in with Anne, looking angry.

Kreschenta, wearing a pale peach dress, sat down next to Krische, leaning closer to glare at her sister.

“Even if Kreschenta said that, Krische also had something to do…Krische didn’t know how long it would take if Krische stayed with Kreschenta…”

Today, she planned to spend the whole day with Kreschenta――Originally, she was supposed to arrive at the workshop, but after the meeting, the nobles took turns going to Kreschenta’s place.

Since the conversation there was not interesting for Krische, it gradually became troublesome.

In the end, she left Kreschenta behind, with ‘Krische is leaving first’.

“And Kreschenta also said, ‘please take care’ and see Krische off.”

"I didn't say it because I wanted to, uu, geez..."

Kreschenta recalled that exchange and glared at her sister who didn’t understand.

While Crescenta was having a serious conversation with one of the nobles,

‘Kreschenta, it looks like the talk will take some time, so Krische’ll go first.’

While saying this, Krische stood up.

Kreschenta, as was to be expected, had a face to keep.

‘This kind of opportunistic nonsense will end soon, so please wait’――as expected she couldn't say that in front of someone who was offering to donate money.

She had no choice but to see Krische off at that moment.

"Don't sulk. Here, Candy."

"*Nom*..."

Krische took out a candy from the pouch around her neck, gave it to Crescenta, and patted her on the head.

Then she pulled Kreschenta, who was still sulking even with that, onto her lap and hugged her tightly around the waist.

Elvena smiled as if she was troubled, and without saying a word she took a new teacup and poured some tea, while Anne took out a bag of cookies from the basket in her hand and poured the contents onto a plate.

Elvena looked at Anne as if she were a little surprised, and Anne pretended to not notice her gaze, with a somewhat proud expression on her face.

Selene looked at them and smiled bitterly as her room suddenly became noisy.

“…What were you talking about with your Onee-sama?”

"A serious talk. About Gulsha and Elderant.”

Kreschenta looked at Selene suspiciously, but she rolled the candy and let out a dissatisfied sigh as she nuzzled the back of her head against her sister's shoulder.

Then she asked, looking at her sister's face from the side.

"What are Onee-sama's plans for the war against Elsren?"

“…It will probably take about 8 or 9 days for Skeleton and the others to start making their way around from the north. It will be after that that they will start making big moves…Krische thinks it will be about two weeks from now.”

Eluga's detour to the north was a two-week trip.

Krische had fast legs, and she ended the five-day journey in two days and reached the royal capital.

She had been here for three days, making it a total of five days.

It will take eight or nine days for them to cross the Great Sea of Trees in the northeast of the kingdom.

Wulfenite was five days away from the royal capital.

Eluga and the others will probably start taking action in the east, a few days later than Krische and the others.

There might be errors depending on their march, but that's about it.

The problem came after that.

"There are a lot of cavalry, so it's a bit of a hassle to defeat them all at once."

"That's right. We talked a little bit, but General Verreich is also having a lot of trouble."

Elsren's strength above all was its cavalry, and cavalry archers made up of nomads were a difficult enemy to deal with on the battlefield.

It is said that the enemy army numbered 150,000 to 160,000, of which around 30,000 were cavalry.

Considering the ratio of cavalry to army, it was a huge difference from Alberan.

On the other hand, in Alberan, the proportion of cavalry in the army composition never exceeds one-tenth.

Compared to the 20,000 troops of the one army, there were many cases where the number was less than 1,000.

The horse itself was quite expensive, but if it were to be able to withstand military operations, it would make a big difference in terms of food and training.

Human resources who could straddle it and wield a spear were also valuable, and on top of that, there were only a handful of people who could even shoot a bow on horse.

Of course, there was no way they could form an army with that.

However, Elsren, which boasts a vast territory, had gathered such talented people into an army.

Therein lies Elsren's strength, and what was noteworthy was their outstanding field ability.

And not only that, but they also had the technical ability to easily attack enemy bases.

There was a reason why the Elsren Holy Empire was called the greatest nation on the continent.

"When we went there, the main force was in the Kuuribe Plains east of Wulfenite. But, well, by the time you arrived, Wulfenite’s defense battle would have just begun."

"That sounds good. If that happens, we won't need cavalry over there either."

Krische narrowed her purple eyes and smiled.

Kreschenta also smiled as she wrapped her arms around Krische’s neck.

"...As Onee-sama said, I've played my hand. They should be going around the eastern part of the country soon."

"Ehehe, good girl. Today Krische and Bery are going to bake Kreschenta, a pie with lots of Lakura.".

――The atmosphere was tense at Belgash Fortress.

This was because a messenger had reported that the Alberinea army would arrive at dusk that day and stay overnight.

The relationship between Head Chef Zalbach and Kart, the head of the food distribution team, was like a parent and child, standing shoulder to shoulder and laughing together until this message was conveyed.

However, after that report was brought in, a rift suddenly appeared between them, and they glared at each other and distanced themselves.

The situation was different from before, they were in the military.

They knew that the pretty servant Bery Argan probably wouldn't be there, but there was Krische Christand who loved cooking so much.

They thought there was a high probability that she would visit this kitchen.

They know she likes sweets.

Zalbach decided to take a half-day off in the morning, and during that time he checked the quality of the wheat, eggs, honey, fruits, and various ingredients in the warehouse and sorted them.

The look in his eyes――a sharpness that would make anyone who saw it tremble.

Sorting the ingredients, but for him, it's like an act of mental unification.

Like a monk being hit by a waterfall, his senses become sharper.

Kart, on the other hand, looked at him with pity.

After all, no matter how far he pushed himself, all he could do was individual skill.

He took all kinds of information, scrutinized it, and won when he had to.

Possessing a quick wit that could even be called superpower――to Kart, who could have become a great general had been born into a noble family, Zalbach was just an old man.

He had already pictured in his mind the moment when more than 10,000 soldiers were fed, the kitchen was calm, and the beautiful princess appeared.

It's best to prepare just before the time comes.

Kart never loses his relaxed attitude.

A showdown between two people who have fought many deadly battles in the past――those who watched it felt the atmosphere, and some even decided to gamble.

The battle between the two men was no longer an area that anyone else could enter.

And the two waited all day.

At that time, invisible sparks were scattered between each other.

“……”

“……”

――They kept waiting.