Episode 08: Return

After running to the horse’s limit overnight, we finally arrived at the place where the village is visible.
We did not encounter any soldiers coming here.

「Lucie, Stop. Please stop the horse」

I instructed the carriage to stop in front of the village.

「What’s wrong Syril？」
「A bit of luggage needs to be organized」

Magic power is focused on the back carrier of the wagon, to perform a partial activation of 【Rinne Kaiki】.
I remain in my present appearance, it is a technique that uses my skills of the past by rewriting only the contents of the body.
While doing a partial release of 【Rinne Kaiki】 a 3 x to 5 x the amount of internal magic power Odo is consumed, and the time limit is around 10 minutes. In addition, the ability is reproduced several stages down, for 12 hours if used once, the disadvantage is that 【Rinne Kaiki】 cannot be used, it is the same as a complete release. [TLN: wow that sucks]
I do not want to have the altered appearance seen by Lucie. I used the inefficient partial release for such a ridiculous reason.

「【Item Box】」

I take out the food that I seized from the supply base and neatly stacked it.
The general loading capacity of the Wagon is 4 tons ～ 5 tons. [TLN: metric tons. everything should just be a.s.sumed to be metric] Because the food I had seized was about 3 tons it was possible to pile it up sufficiently.

「Fuu, It should be good with this. Lucie, please depart……No, for the moment all that was needed is done. Please wait here for me.」

With those words I, used wind magic, to move at full power, hiding in myself in a blind spot hidden from the village in the shadow of the hill as I moved in.

「【Item Box】」

And, approximately half the total amount of the swords and armor that were seized from the supply base were sprinkled down.
I canceled the partial release after the work was finished. I cannot afford to discharge the magic power eating technique.
Although I closed it at around five minutes, a sudden decrease of magic power attacks the body with weakness. Apparently, it is proportional to the magical power that has increased from the level increase of Deet in that partial release, consumption of magic power increased but it seems duration has not risen.
Concealing it with a smile to not show a tired face, I returned to Lucie.

「Sorry Sorry, I have forgotten a slightly important thing for a moment」

I am not able to see that I concealed the armor from Lucie’s position. Perhaps it will be thought that I probably went to the toilet.

「It is fine but, why was the food purposely taken out here？ Wouldn’t it cost twice the effort if you do not take it out at the village warehouse？」
「Lucie must understand. Wont the Village Mayor rushes up to us when we return？　After confirming our safety, then to look inside the cargo bay of the carriage. At that time would he not be disappointed if the contents were empty. [TLN: good thinking] Besides, depending on the person violent language will commence and all discussion pointless, then there will be some fellows that are beaten」

People are such creatures.
I will save them from their actions due to their lack of understanding. There is too much grief that could have been prevented by taking into consideration the feelings of others ahead of time.

「But, putting it in the village warehouse will be hard」
「Carrying it would not matter because it not me」
「There is convenient magic. We can store it again after using it, also to take it out in the warehouse」
「Lucie says some interesting things, such a convenient and mysterious magic, I cannot use it so many times per day. It is not usable for twelve hours」
「……After all it is no good 」

Lucie does not seem to be convinced.

「Moreover, I think it is made to a.s.sume that I have to help after all. We are young and have vitality」
「That is not it. It is possible to a.s.sume」
「Why？」
「The Village mayor does not want to show the contents of the warehouse. Since I seized the valuable supplies from the Empire which will make public face seem cool. The human beings are the only ones who can enter the warehouse under the watch of the village mayor. Perhaps, I will be taken first and foremost with the Honey Wine Mead carried this time」

Some of the luxury goods honey wine Mead without entering the warehouse, will be delivered to the pocket of the village mayor.

「The Mayor cannot do such a thing！」
「Is that so？　Each time, it is done when goods arrive from the empire. Why is the pepper, vinegar, and sake has never been pa.s.sed to us？　I do see a little bit of it in the good from the Empire」
「Lies」
「It is the truth. Why is it that the Village Chief and his son are the only ones with a flabby belly？The only party being able to grow fat in the Elf village with food shortages」

But, I do not intend to blame the mayor for this matter.
Responsibility is demanded from the village head, there is a heavy burden that a general person doesn’t know. There should be decent perks with it.
Besides, they have been tempted by the party from the empire to do such things. My father refused the proposal, and chose to fight.
But, the uncle who is the current mayor accepted it.
It is easy to rule when the top is weak.
No matter how much the villagers are suffering, if you make the top appeased, the guy will press the people to not start a rebellion.

「Syril had worked hard to bring the food, and they end up monopolizing the goods. You should do what you must to stop it」
「Absolutely stop it. It would become impossible to live in this village. We also drank the Honey Wine Mead you know. We are in the same boat. As we drank the Honey Wine Mead as a reward to our hard efforts this time, village chiefs usually only try hard to be luxurious occasionally」

The reason Lucie was given honey wine mead to drink back then was for this.
Regarding this time, Lucie might become aware of the embezzlement of the mayor. Lucie’s Strong sense of Justice will try to rectify it. A miserable future is waiting if it does so.

Therefore, I had you become an accomplice with me.
After Lucie confessed one’s crime and points out the injustice of the village chief, even if I am involved I have but no choice but to hold my tongue.

「The Mayor also has a decent conscience placed within the proper range of good sense. We don’t have to worry」
「Yeah, I understand but I am still not convinced」

Lucie sulks sullenly with her cheeks puffed bluntly.

「Thank you Lucie. If I step over the range of good sense, I want you to be a.s.sured to stop it from that time. Therefore, please don’t do anything unnecessary」

There is some anxiety.
There is no guarantee that the next will come unlike the usual supplies of the empire. The cargo is several stages more attractive than usual, no one could have imagined that I have stolen that much.
It should be illegal how extraordinary it is. [TLN: Stop right there criminal sc.u.m. You actually did break a law.] Meanwhile, how much self-control will the mayor put up as an act….. I have no way but to pray to G.o.d.

If I think about the worst case, the Mayor takes everything in the Carriage, and then goes off to some village or city in the Empire in the opposite direction, I can begin to think of how to build a new life from the gold by selling off the cargo.
Three Months Food for 200 Villagers. One family group could pa.s.s their time playing around for about Ten Years.

When we reached the village, the villagers who saw the large carriage turned around to withdraw to the village in a fl.u.s.ter calling out with a voice.
Above all, the Great Three including the Mayor came running up in a hurry.

「Syril, Were you able to steal it safely？」
「Of course, and it is the amount able to help us ride out winter. Do you want to see the Carrier？」

When I said so, the Village Head plunged his face into the bed of the carriage, seeing the amount piled up I chuckled to myself.

「No way, it was actually accomplished in truth…… Thank you for the trouble you were put through. Let’s keep the carriage here, you should slowly take a rest. However, the thing about the armor piercing weapons should not be forgotten」

And then the Mayor begins to call people to hear what he says.
By that time, even common inhabitants of the village had gathered in drover.

「Syril, as I said beforehand. I’m sorry」

Lucie who had severed as a coachman muttered blankly.

「Everyone, Syril has retrieved the food！」

After raising a voice, the door of the carriage was opened and the contents of the carrier were revealed.

「Look, everyone can fully see a lot of rare things, Like Mead, or beef jerky, or the deer that Syril hunted in the middle. Hey come over here！」

The words of Lucie beckon the villagers seen from a distance to gather.

「Amazing Onee-chan, I have never seen such before」
「Is there not also alcohol」
「Oh, even vinegar and pepper. Such luxuries, it is the first time since taken over by the Empire」
「With this quant.i.ty, it is so much for only winter 」

The surroundings became noisy.
And a loop which people gather to see and then a great uproar begins.
Lucie and I moved farther away from the carriage by each step while watching the situation.
When it becomes like this, the village chief cannot have his own selfish way. The villager have learnt of the contents of the carriage.
The Village Mayor is probably not pleased.
I breathed a deep sigh.

「Lucie, why did you do such a thing？」
「Because I wanted everyone in the village to know the results of Syril’s efforts properly. It is unpleasant having Syril’s outstanding work stolen. Because it is the share of everybody in the village 」

It doesn’t seem to have done with malice. But, I have to be properly angry later. What kind of result such a rash action cause.

「Lucie, let’s return to the house and speak. A bit of a lecture」
「……Yes, I am prepared」

Lucie is repentant of the deeds. There will be awareness that a bad thing was done.

After that, I placed the horse according to the words entrusted from the Mayor and then left the place.
Though I was praised by some acquaintances on the way back for have done well, the feelings did not sit well.

「Lucie, seiza」

I returned to the house where Lucie and I lived and swore to return to safely together.

「Seiza？」

Lucie tilted her neck at the words did sounded unfamiliar. That reminds me, this culture did not have the practice of seiza.

「It is done this way」

As soon as I said so, I forced Lucie to sit straight in the seiza position by bending the back of the knee to destroy the balance.

「The floor, it is cold. Sitting like this, it is painful」
「That is because it is a lecture. It is done deliberately」

I look down at Lucie sitting straight with teary eyes as I spoke in a hard tone.

「Isn’t it more cruel than the time I fell asleep？」
「Though that was an unavoidable mistake, it is because this time it was on purpose」
「I’m sorry. But like I said a while ago, I hate it for Syril’s hard work is stolen, for everyone in the village, I was not able to allow the mayor to monopolize it」
「I understand your feelings however. It was my purpose to do so」
「You think it was a good idea for the Mayor to sponge off us ？」
「It is all part of a strategy」

Lucie has a face that seems to be questioning and sends a glance of protest to my word.

「I am doing various great things for the sake of the village now. The Mayor’s permission will be needed at that time. Therefore, some seeds of appeas.e.m.e.nt before it is too late and to gain favor, I want to be able to move freely to some degree. If there is authorization of the head, I can do more things」

The matter of the carrier this time is just the beginning, I thought of various ways to gain the favor of the mayor, I will do some preparations.
Under normal circ.u.mstances, the Mayor who is the younger brother of my father, is compared with an too excellent elder brother since he was young, the top will have a warped nature, and will think of me as an eyesore.

For that reason, the flow from my exploits to be decreased after letting the mayor enjoy the benefits was ideal.
If you had listened to what I were to say, it would have been using delicious bait. If the mayor comes to decided something, it would be a free pa.s.s to do anything. ……That was what I was aiming for.

「That sort of thing would be unpleasant. I want Syril to stick out his chest proud because of the hard work done for everyone. Hiding behind the shadow of the Mayor does not seem like Syril.」
「Does not seem like me. Already, because the mayor’s impression is the worst in regarding this matter, I have no choice but to go by another route. Probably, it seems that it will be an appropriate method for the me that Lucie speaks of」
「What course of action？」
「Yes, rather than brandishing the power of the Village leader, I will let each individual villager approve of me, win them over to my side, It will prevent the Mayor from ignoring my opinion. Therefore I will make everybody in the village a little happier」
「If there is such a possible thing, that place would absolutely be better」
「Even though it is said, it will take time by all means. Although time is precious now」

It would be difficult to gain each person’s approval. At first the direction of gaining he Mayor’s favor was considered.
But, because this village is full of problems, it will not be impossible to sell favors to the villagers and win them over.
I worked out the plan with every effort from a bit earlier, ……for the time being, I prepared the insurance in the cargo carrier of the wagon.

「After all, you are still angry about this matter.」
「Yes, I’m really angry. Do you know why I am angry？」
「It is because I did not listen to what Syril said」
「There is that however, the thing most is that you lied. I said that to never interfere with the Mayor, and Lucie nodded. Lucie has betrayed that trust」
「I’m sorry.」
「This time, it is a story to be recoverable in a different method, all of it will become useless depending only on the situation. I want you to understand it」

When I spoke in the hard tone, Lucie made a downcast face.

「Therefore, I want you to properly say it when you do not understand. I don’t mind if we quarrel. However, please stop only being silent, I will have no way of responding. If you continue with such a thing, I will not be able to come to believe in Lucie」
「I get it. From the next time, I will properly discuss it to the end」
「Please do so. Because it is a matter of life and death. I do not want to lose Lucie」
「I am really sorry. I did not think too deeply about it. I wanted everyone in the village to be happy, Syril is so amazing, and I wanted everyone to know……I’m sorry it was an unwelcome excuse」

Lucie falls silent.
It seems it will be okay from now on. On the surface it seems that a remorseful reflection has been made.
Therefore, I will speak with a more gentle expression.

「Lucie, regarding this matter, even though I am angry, I am glad that the feeling was to act for me. And, sitting in the seiza is enough. I’m sorry was it difficult？」

The words of grat.i.tude is are true and honest. That alone should be conveyed.
Lucie once again, tries to stand but the legs are tangled so I’m sorry.
Not accustomed to sitting seiza was tough. Well, it was good that it was endured to the last minute.
When I was thinking of such,

「It hurts, the legs are in pain. It is really numb, no good, I may not stand again」

Because it was said with a serious face a rushed up in a fl.u.s.ter.
I prepared warm tea to give to Lucie, and to improve blood circulation by ma.s.saging the feet.

「I’m sorry Lucie. I might have gone too far.」
「No, I was glad that you were properly angry. Still, I want you to believe in me」

To hear those words, a smile naturally spilled.
Lucie’s actions, are what drove me to a difficult road.
But, it is the thought that counts.
But, it is not good to just save this village. There is a part of me that thinks that Lucie is cool for doing it, but it is a goal that I have set out to do.
I think that it is sweet, an immature ideal, a childish thought, but I have enough power to do it. Lucie believes that I can do it from here.

In the future, I must think about such a method.
In parallel to the preparation of weapons, to turn everyone in the village into an ally. I did not have anymore hesitation in choosing the path.