28
"Your Majesty!" that man said.
With long, thick silver hair and violet eyes, his body was about 9 times
the length of his head.
I couldn't dismount alone, with my butt restrained on the horse's back,
and I didn't know what to answer. What would be the best answer to being
called 'Your Majesty'? Moreover, he was a super beauty at the prime of manhood
at around thirty!
Since I'm lacking vocabulary and my CPU is running especially slow, I can't
adequately describe this man's beauty. The average high school freshman
wasn't used to being around such beauties often, much less men who clearly
weren't Japanese like this man standing in front of me.
I clung to Sir Weller's back for what I would say was the rest of the day,
we finally arrived at a small-scale village with wooden buildings after
I after I had my first grueling experience of riding horseback. There were
about fifteen houses, and it might be called a 1neighborhood association
more than a village. From a different direction, armed soldiers returned
to the entrance one by one from the forest a little further away. The scary
thing is that "Fly, skeleton!" has followed our party without fail. I would
have never thought, but maybe he's the mascot character of this theme park?
If that's so then it was bad taste, well, an original innovation.
The soldiers crossed the center of the village, and when they came to a
large (I would only say 2about 4LDK) house, the door opened forcefully and a man rushed out.
29
3The moment I saw his face I gave up on saying anything. He was handsome,
more handsome, super handsome, and ultra some hand, I mean, handsome. I
would say his graceful expression makes his cleverness felt. What a smart-looking
incredibly beautiful person! But such a dull expression.
In addition to being beautiful, his voice was a baritone that vibrated in
your stomach. Adelbert from awhile ago was also fairly handsome but, this
person was so perfect that girls would faint as soon as they laid eyes on
him. It wouldn't only be girls in their late twenties who would faint. Mature
women, and older women... Well, ladies in general.
"Conrart, hurry and give His Majesty a hand..."
"All right. Your Majesty, lean your body this way, and please dismount slowly,
very slowly"
It seemed like Sir Weller's name was Conrart. I was finally liberated from
the horse, and both of my feet touched the flat ground. I still felt a little
unsettled from going up and down.
"Ah, Your Majesty, above all you're safe! I, Von Kleist, have anxiously
been waiting for this day when we could meet"
While he spoke in a dramatic manner, he kneeled on the ground. I stepped
back, startled. When I moved suddenly my butt hurt and smacked my lips,
the beautiful man's expression changed.
"Your Majesty, are you hurt somewhere?! Conrart, even though you were with
him..."
"Your bottom hurts, doesn't it, Your Majesty? Because this is your first
time riding a horse"
30
Ne, wha. I was puzzled by his sweet smile. But, the beautiful man who introduced
himself as von Kleist wasn't smiling.
"First time?! They don't teach horse riding in their elementary schools?
Why did Shinou send His Majesty to that sort of world..."
"This isn't the time to talk about that, Günter. Von Grats reached him ahead
of me"
"Adelbert! Your Majesty, did they do anything to you?!"
"...They threw stones and came towards me with hoes and ploughs but..."
"How horrible! Those humans... But, Your Majesty... Our language, how..."
It seemed he wanted to ask how I understood their language. I limply waved
my right hand, and tried not to smile.
"Not at all, you're all very skilled at Japanese. You don't have to worry
so much about me understanding, or be so modest. I'm surprised by how fluently
all the characters that have already appeared can speak. Awesome, bravo,
viva the actor spirit! How many years have you been in Japan? Which country
are you from?"
Von Kleist (family name) Günter (name) had a dubious face.
"Country... I'm, from here"
"You were born in Japan?!"
At that time, Sir Weller said something shocking.
32
"Your Majesty, this isn't Japan"
"Ah, you see, I knew you weren't born in Japan, right? If that's the case
then this is... huh"
What?
This isn't Japan?
Right now, did he just say this isn't Japan?
"Then, why is everyone speaking Japanese?"
"We aren't"
At this time, I carefully looked over Sir Weller from the front for the
first time. He had the stature of about a nineteen or twenty year old, and
unlike the villagers his garments were functional. The khaki leather belt
and boots looked like they were influenced by television and movies, and
seemed to be a military uniform of a country somewhere.
He has rather short dark brown hair, and eyes that were hazel with silver
speckles. An old scar was left next to his eyebrow. He didn't just have
scars there, but on both his hands and fingers. He placed one of those hands
on my shoulder, and he purposely gazed down at me.
"This isn't Japan, Yuuri. Saying nothing of Japan, this isn't the world
you were born in"
As I was being informed of something so shocking, I absentmindedly had thought
about something else. Ah, I understand this man. If someone asked me to
to tell them about this guy, I'd probably be able to explain him pretty
well for sure.
33
That is to say Sir Conrart Weller seems to be like the person that the audience
gives a standing ovation for when he unintentionally strikes a heroic pose
in the center court of Wimbledon. But he isn't blessed like that because
of his facial features. When compared to Günter and Adelbert, he is plain,
and he's probably the type that could do various minor roles in Hollywood.
But this person's expression is the result of the life he's lived up to
now. It wasn't God's love or an artist's mold, but his own lifestyle.
That's what I would say about this guy, Conrad. I have a hunch I could tell
someone that.
"Conrad... No, umm, Conrart"
"Eh? Ah, if you're used to English, Conrad is easier to pronounce. Some
of my friends call me that, too"
"Have I met you somewhere before?"
After he thought for a moment, Conrad shook his head.
"No"
4The man with silver hair and violet eyes was reaching a mature beauty.
"Anyway, Your Majesty, we can't talk in a place like this. It's not a very
clean place, but let's please go inside"
While he said something selfish about another person's house, Günter pushed
my back. When I turned my head by chance, the residents of this village
seemed to be glued to the cloudy windows of the simple wooden houses, eavesdropping
on my situation.
34
The room had a warm heat stove, and it was a welcome environment for me
since my uniform was still damp. Even though just a bit ago it was May in
Japan, where I am now, what month is it here?! I can't tell if it's west
or east from the dirty window, but an orange light from the setting sun
is shining in.
I'm half dried from getting flushed down the toilet in the park, if it was
a Japanese house here I'll quickly take a bath.
I took off my jacket that felt icky and damp, and stretch out near the fire.
Günter seemed to be moved deeply by that.
"Your Majesty, do you usually wear black? How wonderful, how wonderfully
suiting! Normally only people born as kings or very close to the king wear
black. That noble black hair and those black eyes, certainly you are our
Majesty!"
"...Even if you say that, it's just a uniform, a schoolboy's uniform...
Besides, most Japanese people have black hair and black eyes when they're
born..."
Though, it changes with the color of the skin according to each stage of
life. Like the so-called tanned look that was popular for awhile before
or Matsuzaki Shigeru. *In my case my hair had finally grown out in the middle
of my third year of junior high, 5after I had been baseball team member.
I was just starting to think about cutting it when summer vacation arrived.
35
"Uniform? Did you call this jacket a uniform? I see, this must be made by
the most skilled craftsman especially for your Majesty"
They're actually mass produced in a factory. It was the most used among
junior high school and high school boys country-wide in Japan. Moreover,
it was a little small for my present size because I've been wearing it for
three years.
"Your Majesty, you probably think that it's cold, but even though it seems
that way it's spring in this country"
Conrad said that and took a position by the side of the door. He seemed
to take the role of lookout, folding his arms and resting his head against
the wall as his sword leaned. He closed his eyes softly.
I uselessly moved my chair as close to the fire as possible, which was connected
to a table of a rough rustic make that you only find in folk craft shops
in the recesses of the mountains. An unsteady lamp seemed to be in the mountain
hut where an electric light would usually be hanging from the ceiling.
"...Creating minute details up to the season... What an elaborate attraction.
.."
"It's not an attraction"
I was corrected by Conrad as his eyes were closed.
"Even if you tell me that, I can't believe it! Right now, inside of me,
it's either o-ne, this is an elaborate money absorbing theme park attraction,
two-, this is one of those surprise shows that's often on TV, three-, this
will all turn out to be a dream, which is it? Well, pick one. I hope for
three"
36
Conrad didn't answer, but in front of me Günter had a worried face, and
after he muttered a word that he wasn't familiar with he turned to me.
"Teper... Surprise..? Please wait your Majesty, and explain in order. Please
be calm, and please do not test me with your foreign words"
"Ok, I'm calm. So much has happened that even if you say that you're my
mother, I'll just clap my hands and laugh and call it an American joke"
When I raise both my hands and give up, I sit facing Günter, and he firmly
leaned forward and began to talk.
"Then I will tell you. Your Majesty, eighteen years ago, your Majesty's
spirit should have been born in this country. However, because of the postwar
chaos at that time, or fear that your Majesty's life might have been targeted
internally, Shinou decided to send your soul to another world. So, according
to the instructions of Shinou, we took your Majesty's noble soul that hadn't
been born yet to the Earth. Your mother and your father created your Majesty'
s body, and you've grown up in that world until today. However, while you
should have originally been able to grow to adulthood safely in another
world, you were summoned due to a situation..."
"Wait a minute, 6you're being too polite for me to understand. Can you be
more conversational!"
"Please don't say such an unreasonable thing. Your Majesty is Your Majesty,
we are just your vassals"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, my name is Yuuri, Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi.
I've called myself that for a long time. So here is the development to now?!
I was really supposed to be born in this country, but for whatever reason
I was born and raised in another world. But because I have things to do,
I was summoned here from Japan. Did I get that all right?"
37
"How wonderful, you followed it. I admire your intelligence"
To my despair, Günter nodded deeply, happy from the bottom of his heart.
7Narnia, I mean, I see, this is the same old story. It's in innumerable
movies, and overused in anime and manga. Even though there's a variation
in quality, it's in paperbacks and juvenile literature so often that it's
not possible to count anymore. It wasn't anything original. However, it's
rare for a person to actually be dragged into it. Moreover, to get dragged
into it from a public bathroom is extremely rare.
"And, I was pulled into a tunnel to another world from the bathroom toilet,
and was dropped on that mountain path"
"That's correct. By our calculations, you should have been able to be summoned
inside our borders, and inside of our capital. However, perhaps due to some
excess power, you were at a human village on the outskirts of our borders.
It's inexcusable, Your Majesty. Of the people distributed along the borders
in case of emergency, it's good that Conrart arrived in time. This land
is part of our territory, for the time being you don't have to worry. Please
be at ease"
"Even if you tell me to be at ease, this probably wouldn't be an easy situation
for you guys either. Are you sure I'm the person you're searching for? When
you think about the population of Japan, isn't it possible you mistook me
for someone else? I'm of about average looks and intelligence, and I don't
have any unusual birthmarks-"
38
I didn't have any evidence of any special birthmarks anywhere on my body.
If anything I only have a faint scar on my left elbow from when I was a
kid.
"But, umm, Günter, san, I do have a scar from rubbing against the artificial
grass from playing baseball on my left arm. I don't seem to have any natural
marks on my body that are 'proof of being a king'..."
His intellectual appearance collapsed for a moment and became sweet. If
I put it well it's like an actor answering passionately; if I put it badly
it's like an owner talking about his cat.
"No, from the moment I first saw you I knew you were our Majesty, I have
no doubts about it! Since you have pure and noble black hair, and clear
black eyes that aren't cloudy, and you were born with such a beautiful color
to your body, and furthermore, you were wearing pitch black clothes, I cannot
think it's anyone except you"
Geh, he said I was beautiful. Beautiful - maybe like him.
"Besides, it's even more clear since you're skilled in our language. What
Adelbert did... to you was regrettable but... he drew out Your Majesty's
stored language from the depths of your soul. Every soul has accumulated
memories of its various "lives" that it has lived up to then. Of course,
usually that door isn't opened, and people have to learn knowledge in their
new "life". However, that man opened that door, and part of your sealed
memories have been drawn out forcibly. Using the way of those savage, cowardly,
and dishonorable humans!"
At the rough tone of the explanation, I asked timidly.
39
"...That seems rather convenient"
"Not at all! Though it's good that only the part of the memory with your
language skills was awakened, when I think of if unnecessary memories were
revived. There isn't a person who wants to know all of his soul's travels"
There are a lot of people who want to know in Japan. From besides the door,
Conrad calmly interjected.
"But about that thought, we're able to speak to his Majesty now thanks to
of that man's art. It's useless to worry about it until your veins pop out,
Lord Von Kleist"
"...In order to teach Your Majesty about advanced noble language, I prepared
the textbooks and rulers..."
His tone seemed sad from the bottom of his heart, 8but what worried me is
what the rulers were for. If they were for underlining text, no problem.
"At any rate, his stored language is evidence that His Majesty's soul was
the one in this world. My confidence has changed into conviction now"
"Oh Günter... I heard that somewhere..."
Apparently, they didn't seem to have any doubts because they believed I
was "their Majesty".
But, usually in this type of scenario, a main character like a hero or savior
or prince or princess solves the world's problems peacefully, and it has
a wonderful happy ending. A famous author once said, If the story didn't
have a happy ending it wouldn't be like.
"I get it. Maybe it's impossible to believe, but in any case in order to
finish this, I have to accept your offer, right? If that's the case then
let's get this over with quickly, what is the mission that I was summoned
for? What princess should I rescue? Where's the dragon I need to slay?"
40
"Dragon? A 9ryuu?! We would never slay a ryuu, their kind have been over-hunted
by humans and are almost extinct, and we protect them"
So in this world, dragons are at the top of the 10red list.
There were several knocks on the wooden door, and with sword in hand, Conrad
cautiously opened the door narrowly. Children that were about ten years
old were standing there, and they looking up at him with and grinned from
ear to ear.
"Yo"
"Conrad! Will you teach us to throw, we can't aim well at all"
"And after that can you teach us how to hit, and how to finish?"
Though the parents weren't leaving their houses out of fear of the soldiers,
it seemed it wasn't the same for the children. And to them, it wasn't Sir
Weller or Your Excellency; they just addressed him as someone older.
"You guys, soon it's going to be pitch black. Soon we won't be able to see
anything"
"It's still fine"
"It'll still be ok"
He looked in my direction worriedly, and he left the room after he bowed
his head.
"...If the children like him, he must be a good guy, that person"
41
"Yes, he's the number one soldier of our kingdom. He's my prize pupil"
"You're a teacher, umm, Von Kleist-san"
"Please call me Günter. Of course, I am a teacher, and I'm also the advisor
and assistant to your Majesty"
"If you're a teacher then can you explain this to me briefly? Günter, what
am I supposed to do in this world? What kind of troublesome enemy do I have
to defeat so I can go home"
"Humans"
The firewood in the heater crackled and popped.
"...Humans... Then, that is, what kind of person..."
"It's not a person, Your Majesty. We will destroy all the humans who are
hostile towards our country, and burn their countries. For that reason we
need a leader, so Your Majesty's power as a ruler is necessary."
Humans, destroy, and burn?
Destroy humans?!
I kicked the chair and ran to the back, fail, and fall to the ground on
my back. A flustered Günter rushed over to me.
"Are you ok, Your Majesty"
"Uwah, wait! Did you say we should kill humans, Günter-san?! If that's true
I'll be killed too! Because if you look at me I'm an ordinary human, no,
wait, even when you say something like that, your face looks a bit human... You're a human, too"
42
"No matter where I look, Your Majesty is a 11Mazoku like us. No, more than
that, you're a being with noble black hair that should be respected! The
chosen spirit was born into your dark body, that only Mazoku kings or people
close to them have. However, your hair and eyes are both black, to appear as a human with both black..."
"Is a what like us?"
"Mazoku"
No way.
"...Then, what am I the king of?"
"You are the 12Maoh"
Maoh.
Father, father, look, there's a "13Honyara" over there, I'm scared.
14A Hakushon Dai "Honyara"
Formerly, Yokohama's Dai "Honyara"
Huh, Hama's Dai "Honyara", I have a feeling there's something wrong with
that answer.
To start with, what is a "15honyara".
I have a feeling they would curse, attack and kill humans, and be the boss
of a terrible demon race.
43
Well, that is that, what am I the king of?
"Pull yourself together, You Majesty, please relax! Get a hold of yourself!
You have become our hope, Your Majesty, the twenty-seventh Maoh!"
Aah~, as I thought~, he's still calling me this Maoh~. But twenty-seven
is a good number~, 27~.
My shoulders were gripped and I was shaken roughly. I completely escaped
reality from the residue of the shock. But this person, he said that I have
to become a demon and beat humans to death. I could never do such a stupid
thing, why isn't the enemy a slime or an evil sorcerer or a devil dragon
or a big Maoh, and, if I'm the Maoh, then, am I the bad guy's side in this
world?! Then there's a human hero or savior somewhere, and the last boss
that's going to be defeated in the final dungeon is me?! Damn- If that's
the case I can't end it by hitting reset two or three times, I'll fight the
hero with all my power! It won't be possible for him to get to the ending
if he's not level 99, I'll fight to the end or... Hey, I can't fight to the end, I'll die, I'm the last boss. When I'm in a pinch I'm usually quick-witted! I'll panic at the magic attacks of the enemy!
Aaah~ it's a lie~, someone please tell me this isn't true~!
"It's not a lie, Your Majesty! You are truly the Maoh. Congratulations,
from today on you are the Maoh!"
What is there to congratulate!
44
Outside it was already purple, and the remaining half was orange.
Only the fire from the lamps that was shaking unreliably leaked from the
windows of the houses. The children had cheerful voices, and were moving
around with vague smiles.
"Your Majesty?"
"Uwah, stop it, don't call me Your Majesty"
Conrad is leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Over by 3 steps
there are some square pieces of wood, and next to that the ten year
old children are standing around there. Apparently, judging from the stick
their holding in both hands, it seems to be a game that's somewhere in-between
cricket and baseball. A piece of cloth is wound around the section of the strange, fat bat that's being gripped, there's two fielders behind the
pitcher, and furthermore there isn't a catcher anywhere.
"I don't know the rules of cricket, but who alternates next after one person
hits it?"
"There are no alternates, this village only has five children"
Another was in the outfield. He was only a shadow because it was evening.
When the pitcher threw the something that looked like a ball, the batter
made a dramatic miss. The ball hit the wall and rolled, Conrad picked it
up and threw it back, and it progressed like so.
45
"You've struck out three times. Howell, take the place on the first base"
"Was that baseball?"
But, why would they have baseball in this sword and magic world... The child
in the outfield ran up. The five children standing have good physiques and fair
hair.
"Wait, wait, if this is baseball then why isn't there a catcher? Shouldn't
you squat down?"
"It's not fair if an adult joins"
"No, that's not a problem, it's not a problem. Well, let's see, who is
that outfielder. What is your name?"
"Brandon"
His voice was irritatingly hoarse, he was definitely in the middle of his
voice changing.
"Well then, Brandon, you be the catcher. Look, squat over there, and catch
the balls when they come. Aah, there aren't any mitts or gloves?!"
"Your Majesty... No, Yuuri-sama, this is a village of refugees that flowed
in from the other side of the border. The don't have a complete set of sports
equipment"
The child shakes free from my hand, and looks up at me with a frightened
appearance.
"Your Majesty?! Conrad, did you call this person Your Majesty?! This is
the scary person mother told me about?!"
46
"Brandon! This person will become our country's king. He's far from a scary
person, he's the one who will kindly be defending your village"
Don't tell the children something I haven't even thought about.
"King?!"
But the five children gathered... Four boys and a girl, knelt in place and
covered their faces. Some of the children pressed their foreheads to the ground.
I wouldn't say it looks like great respect.
"Please forgive us Your Highness, please don't chop off our heads, or burn
down our houses"
"Howell, you didn't do anything wrong, so His Majesty has no reason to do
such a thing. Look, Ema, raise your head"
"But the king... my father..."
As the girl recalled a painful memory, her voice rose and she cried. When
several doors opened and mothers called out their names, the children all
ran off towards their houses.
I picked up the ball at my feet. If the ball is this light and that was
the pitcher, a mask and mitts might be unnecessary. The ball was a round leather bag softly stuffed with straw and sewn up, so it wasn't possible for the person who threw it to predict how it would curve.
"When I was their age, I used to play baseball until it got dark. And when
it was night I'd have games and television, I didn't have any free time
to do homework"
47
"Children are like that in any country"
I stepped on the board that was substituting for home base.
"Hey, Conrad"
"Yes?"
"Is it true that I'm the king? Furthermore, I'm the head Maoh scary enough
to silence a crying child"
"It's true. I'm not sure whether you're the head or not, but you are genuinely
His Majesty, the twenty-seventh ruler of Shin Makoku"
"Then, I'll be chopping off people's heads too"
"It's not like that! I should have said this is a village of refugees. If
I remember correctly, the winter six years ago, they were oppressed because
of a religious misunderstanding and all the men were executed. The women
and children came to the national border seeking protection, and we lent
them this land with almost no taxation on the condition that they can't
extend their farmland. It's foolish king in the country of humans that they've
deserted that killed their men and burned down their houses. But then..."
Conrad bit his lip, and seemed to look down regretfully.
"...I want you to remember that not all humans are like that. Well, Your
Majesty, let's go inside. When it gets dark the temperature drops quickly.
And Günter will lecture us"
The stars began to shine. The moon is still low. The light leaking from
the windows is dim and unreliable.
48
There was nothing else shining. No neon signs or vending machines or convenience
stores.
Where have I ended up.
"...What kind of trap have I fallen into"
"But, this is your world"
Conrad smiled as he opened the door to the private house. Without any other
source of light at dusk, even the light of the indoor lamp is like a searchlight
turned sideways.
"Welcome home, Your Majesty"
This is the place where your soul should be.
Ah, what different culture of food!
This thing called supper that I was given seemed like the leather of shoes
that not even a dog would chew, dry bread that you could hit a nail with
it even at normal temperatures, and some dried fruit that might have been
better for the teeth if I licked it instead of biting it.
"This is food we carry for military use, so it's dry like this"
Günter insisted across from me, and I practiced chewing each mouthful thirty
times silently. Though I was hungry to death, I wouldn't be able to swallow
the dry meat if it wasn't chewed thoroughly.
49
The number one soldier, Conrad, seemed to be loved by the children, so it
seemed like he was at Brandon's or Howell's or Ema's, or one of the other
two children's whose names I didn't hear, house being treated to a meal.
"I want to go there too~"
"You can't go. The citizens of that village are human, what would you do
if some man-made food hurt your body?"
"I'm a human so it's ok"
"No! How can you say that for certain when they planned such evil things?
This Günter cannot let His Majesty's life be exposed to danger at all"
And then, ah, the bedding culture is different!
Of course, I believed I would be able to borrow the best bedroom in this
house from the residents. Because they call me the Maoh, I seems like I
should be allowed to rest my tired body on a soft futon. Though, judging
from what I've seen of the world here, it might be a bed rather than a futon.
However, my question was answered by Günter with a matter-of-fact face.
"Why? Hey, just a minute, why do I have a sleeping bag, when just a little
while ago a soldier went into a room with a soft bed?! Well, am I really
a king? Shouldn't this sleeping bag have been dried properly in the sun
before that?"
"If an insurgent breaks in targeting Your Majesty's life, the soldier you
saw awhile ago is a substitute for you. There is no attack from the window
if you're here, and because Conrart fortified it, the entrance is safe"
50
"Your Majesty, tomorrow we'll be on horseback all day. Please take a long
rest tonight and store your energy"
Even if he says to sleep soundly, there's not even a window in this cramped,
dusty back room that I've been shut up in, spread out on this outdoor, tawny
sleeping bag with barely any cotton stuffing... The floor is hard and the
camping sleeping bag is made especially for tough guys. To make matters
worse, it's my first experience being surrounded by handsome foreign men
sleeping. Ah, sleeping like the "16character of the river". Even the king
of a king game might have more freedom.
And then, ah, what a different culture of transportation!
In front of me, with my lack of sleep, five lively chestnut horses were
drawn out. The early morning has perfectly clear air, and their snorting
is hot and white.
"Horses again?!"
I was wearing my stiff school uniform, which had gotten wet and dried,
I reached out my hand to the giant animal timidly. I'm threatened with
a "17Uhihin" and withdraw.
"But since you're Mazoku, can't you use magic freely~?"
"Magic... You mean 18Majutsu?"
"Yeah, that's right, magic. Why not use it to go to the capital? Or up to
the castle, you can go blistering speeds without galloping on a horse, with
magic bashu~n and you can skip to the end"
Like the 19anywhere door, or bamboo copter, or something convenient like
that.
51
Günter cleared his throat unnaturally and said,
"Your Majesty, Majutsu isn't for all purposes"
"Eh? From the television that I saw, witches and wizards only have to shake
a staff and anything can be done almost disregarding science"
"I don't know who wrote the play or stage drama 'Terebi', but that information
is needlessly exaggerated. Majutsu is mostly useful for combat, and besides
that, look, for extremely important circumstances, like summoning Your Majesty"
So television is different from reality. When I'm going to argue with him,
"When you say it simply, it conserves energy"
While being rubbed by a snout, Conrad said,
"Naturally, even if I, who doesn't have a fragment of magical power, say
so, it won't be persuasive. Well, Your Majesty, will you ride with me or
Günter? The horse-riding experience you mentioned from yesterday..."
"I've barely even been on a merry-go-round"
"That's right, you've only had a little experience on a carousel. It'd take
at least three days to reach the capital with such limited experience, so
please keep riding behind me. Their burden will increase, but if we switches
horses at relay stops they'll probably hold out"
"My butt hasn't even stopped hurting from yesterday yet... Eh, how would
you know what a carousel is"
52
"Please be prepared. Today your front will probably also hurt"
The soldiers from earlier greeted them and left one by one. When I look
up at the sky, it has the skeleton models the same as yesterday. Of course,
they're above us. Are they still the mascot character, what was it called?
Kotsumohibimaru? Mr. Calcium?
"How about Kohhi? Yahoo~, Kohhi~, thank you for carrying me yesterday. I
don't know if you're the same one, there isn't much difference"
I decided his name without permission, and waved my hand quietly. Then,
his jaw made a clattering sound, and he repeatedly flapped his wings vigorously.
It's awfully grotesque. I instinctively asked the person in charge of education.
"Uwah, it's mad! Is it possible for it to get mad?!"
"No, it was overcome with emotion when it was addressed by His Majesty's
voice. Because they don't have the concept of "individuals", if you inform
one of them you inform them as a whole. Because it's easy to communicate
with the entire bone tribe, it's very useful on lookouts and scouts"
A lot of those words were hard to understand, but is he saying it's one
for everyone, and everyone for one?
"Well, Your Majesty, we go soon too"
Conrad held the bridle in his right hand, and held out his left hand to
me to pull me up.
Only the door of one house was narrowly opened, with a frightened villager
who had blond hair peeping without showing his face.
"Ah~ ah!"
53
Facing that direction, I called out.
"What a waste! If you practice with a slightly heavier and harder ball, you'll
become more skilled! And if the bat is cut more smoothly, and if the grip
is thinner it should be easier to hit, and besides that..."
And still after that, don't they need a catcher?
"You have to have a catcher, for baseball~!"
I saw his mother grab him, and she closed the door frantically.
"I visit this village every now and then"
I give him some momentum so he can pull me up.
"Through this heart-breaking experience, the children are doing their best to grow up"
"Ah"
I can't even imagine my father being killed and my house being burnt down.
Günter had a discontent look on his face, but he struck the horse's stomach
as he pretended not to look.
And that was the start of my first day of hell.
54
According to the G-shock that continued ticking away gallantly, running
six hours from morning continuously, we transferred horses at places called
relay spots about two times. At the third relay spot, in a village that
was much larger than the villages before, the group tethered the horses
to the outside fencing and took a rest stop at Günter's signal.
"You've become very tired, haven't you? A bit ago your mutterings became
incomprehensible, Your Majesty"
Because it was forced to run with Conrad's constant encouragement, I remembered
the horse's name. While I was tumbling off of that hazel mare, Nokantei,
I begged in a hoarse voice.
"Help me"
"Of course. When we've run halfway, I'll do it for you"
"No, right now"
"Then for the time being, let's replenish our calorie intake. In a word,
lunch"
Although I should have descended to the ground, it entirely feels like riding
a boat. To make matters worse, although it seemed to be the second month
of spring, but the sunlight was making me miss my refrigerator.
"I don't have an appetite. The nights are cold, noon is hot, and my throat
is completely parched from dust, ah"
I was presented with the object of my desire, and spontaneously reached
out my hand and stopped panicking.
It looked like a shapeless glass that an amateur made on their first day
in the classroom. It was filled with cold water to the edges, and frost
and drops of water clung to the outside. This is definitely what I wanted
now.
"...Cold water..."
"Your Majesty!"
55
Günter came my way at a quick pace. At any rate, he'll probably tell me
not to eat or drink anything that's given to me by humans. But the girl
holding out the tray of water to me is about ten year old, and her hair
and eyes are violet. Everything other than that is the same color as a human,
but, but...
"Are you a Mazoku?"
The girl nodded.
"Yes Your Majesty. If we can help His Majesty with the last drop that we
possess, we'll be happy"
If that's true, then it's fine. She's a Mazoku, and I'm and the King of
the Mazoku. I touched the glass with my fingers. As I thought, it's painfully
cold. The person in charge of education says something.
"Your Majesty, please wai..."
The water disappeared from my hands, and when I looked up at my side Conrad
had taken the glass and put it to his mouth. After he drank a mouthful he
returned it. Shortly he only whispers "Leave a little".
When I drank and returned the glass with only a little water left, the girl
seemed glad, and she bowed deeply and ran away. The cold sensation in my
throat quickly spread to my chest, just like the pain you get in your forehead
when you eat shaved ice, and for just an instant my feet stagger. Suddenly
my head was clear, and the surrounding greenery looked more vivid.
"...It seems like I was really thirsty. Like when you get dehydrated from
midsummer activities"
"Being able to give water to His Majesty will definitely be the pride of
that girl's life"
The man with the nice smile said something like that. But, I know scenes
like this from historical plays. Just now he tasted it for poison. For my
sake, he taste tested it.
56
The man in charge of education approached with a seemingly shocked face.
"Your Majesty, even though I've told you not to eat anything other than
what we've brought over and over"
"But isn't this a completely Mazoku village? And hey, the people living
here even look like you, and there's oddly a lot of beautiful men"
"While that may be true..."
Conrad unfastened the saddle on Nokantei, and lifted up the water to her
the same as a person.
"It didn't taste strange, and in case there was anything at the bottom that
didn't melt, I had him leave the last mouthful. Even His Majesty isn't
slow to understand, he only wanted his first drink to be cold, after that
he can endure everything, the water from the water bags or portable food.
"Conrart, you support the common people too much"
"So what?"
Conrad spoke with a knowing face.
"If we don't support the people, then who will? Ah, of course..."
Nokantei chewed on his hair. Happily, and lovingly.
"If it would help His Majesty, without even mentioning my shoulder, I would
give my hand or chest or even my life"
"...You don't need to give your chest or life"
57
"Don't say that"
"Lend me your Majutsu. It's already a state of emergency for me, so use
your magic to skip me there with a bafyu~n. I've had enough of horses, I'm
already tired of horses"
"In regards to a bit about magic. At any rate, didn't I tell you I have
no magic power? The top magic user in our country, Günter, could help you"
He raised his eyebrows. Kyah~, Günter-sama's grieving form was so cool,
too.
"Your Majesty's magic is several times more powerful than mine. At any rate,
even gods are frightened when they speak of the powerful of the demon king"
"Wait a minute. I'm a human so I don't have any magic power or spiritual
power"
"Your, Ma, jes, ty, is, a, Ma, zo, ku!"
"But I've never seen a ghost, or hit the lotto, or seen through a girl's
bikini, or has a 10 yen coin move on a 20Kokkuri-san..."
A confession. When I was in the fourth grade, I moved a ten yen coin on
a Kokkuri-san myself after school. I was playing it with Nozawa, and he
was so scared he cried, so I couldn't tell him I did it. I'm not sure what
was misunderstood, but Günter showed a smile of admiration.
"I would guess that's an advanced ritual of a foreign country? Though I
can't understand its relation to Majutsu because of my ignorance... But
it's fine, Your Majesty. Magic power is the disposition of the soul. Even
if you can't use it now, everything in this world will become as you desire
sooner or later"
58
Conrad, who doesn't seem to have any magic power either, gently brushed
his favorite horse's muzzle slowly.
"Even though I cannot use it, I haven't felt inconvenienced. Well, that
is given a long term view on it. For the time being, though, I'm worried
about you riding a horse alone"
"Alone, me?!"
Nokantei shook her head excitedly, and drops of leftover water on her nose
scattered. This, me?!
"No, of course, it goes without saying that you won't be going fast. It's
fine if it's only after you enter the capital. Won't it be pathetic if the
citizens are disappointed? They demand a strong, sublime, absolute ruler,
so you absolutely have to ride a horse alone, or it won't be an impressive
entry into the castle"
"Uwah... On this one?"
"No~. The best mare has been prepared~. I've raised her beloved daughter
up to today, making every effort. Without mistake she suits Your Majesty's
jet black"
My dream of a noble riding a white horse has been smashed.
Chapter 3
1 Tonarigumi - Neighborhood associations were established in Japan in 1944
to protect from fires and air-raids. These neighborhood groups were made
of about ten to fifteen households.
2 4LDK - 4 room apartment with Living, Dining and Kitchen area.
3 In the original, Yuuri says "Bikei", which is 'beauty', and then "Keibi",
which is "guard". The meaning of the second word doesn't matter, he's just
tripping over his words. He continues to play with the sound of words in
the next sentence, but it doesn't translate well.
Kitchen area.
4 Yuuri is saying that Günter, as he was aging, has a more mature, elegant
look than someone who is younger.
5 By 'after', Yuuri means after he left the baseball team.
6 Yuuri originally says that he is saying "o" too much, which is used in
front of honorific words in Japanese.
7 Yuuri originally says, "Narunia, janakatta, naruhodo". Similar to when he said "keibi" instead of "bikei", he's mispronounced what he meant to say again to make a pun.
8 Yuuri would be worried that Günter would use the ruler to discipline him.
9 Japanese word for dragon.
10 List of endangered species.
11 Demon race
12 Demon king
13 Yuuri says "Honyara" in place of "Maoh". "Honyara" is like saying "Blankityblank", it doesn't really mean anything. This is from a typical 'poem' studied in grade school in Japan called "Maoh". The poem is originally in German and you can read more about it here.
14 "Hakushon Dai Maoh" was a television show about a genie and his daughter
genie. The main genie had to give wishes when someone sneezed (hakushon
= achoo) and the other when someone yawned.
15 Yuuri seems to have made up a word, and not even he knows what it means.
He then plays with the words for a little bit. In the end it seems he equates a "honyara" with being the same thing as a "maoh".
16 川 is the kanji for river, which has three straight lines. Sleeping "like
the character of the river" is like sleeping in straight lines next to each
other.
17 Sound of a horse.
18 Majutsu is 'Black Magic'.
19 Doraemon has an "anywhere door" that can take him, well, anywhere. The
"bamboo copter", usually called "take copter", is also from Doraemon and
is another way the characters transport themselves.
20 Like a Ouija Board. 50 symbols are written on a piece of paper and then
touch a 10 yen coin to the paper. You call on something and get answers
depending on how the coin moves.