Chapter 16: The Arrogant Queen of Aventurine I

Near dusk, the cloudy sky turned faintly red. At that time, the party arrived in a small post town situated between Winter Fortress and the royal capital of Aventurine.

The people of Aventurine lived in a slightly undulating mountain range extending far from east to west. From spring to autumn, warm and moderately humid air traveled from the south. Taking advantage of the gently-sloping topography, agriculture had flourished here since the distant past. Thus, Aventurine was a bountiful country, its harvest of rice, vegetables, and fruits incomparable to Murakumo’s, whose territory was mostly cold, its sphere of life located within the highlands.

The townscape was magnificent to look upon. Maintained in its original form, the gently-sloping topography hadn’t been leveled at all. Wooden, thatched-roof buildings stood in a line from top to bottom, an abundance of paddy fields and cultivated lands weaving between them.

Though the town and its topography were refreshingly new to Shuou, its desolate atmosphere bothered him. The tottering people cast their empty eyes downward, their cheeks darkly hollow. Before entering town, Prince Shue and his Brights pulled down their long sleeves to hide their Miracrystals. Likewise, they covered their eyes with the hoods of their shabby, plebian cloaks. While Shuou found this strange, they were probably trying to hide their noble stature, Hinokaji explained.

“The two of you have never visited our country before, correct?” said the prince. “Please, have a look around town. A little farther up, you’ll find stores selling handicrafts and souvenirs.”

He suggested this to Shuou and Miyahi, whose eyes were darting around to take in the unusual sights.

“I’d like to go,” said Miyahi. “With no way to spend my salary, I’ve saved plenty of money.”

Shuou agreed to accompany her. He wouldn’t miss a chance to see rare or unusual items. Furthermore, he could seek out thank you gifts for Aise and Shitori, who were constantly sending him presents.

The party unloaded their things at a historic looking inn near the entrance of town. Patting his hips, Hinokaji promised to wait for them there. Afterwards, Shuou and Miyahi headed upwards. They walked upon gravelly soil, passing many fields along the way. Here and there, these fields had been planted with various potatoes or leafy vegetables, which could be grown during winter. However, perhaps due to the season, the crops were showing poor development.

Though the town’s slope appeared gentle enough, they covered a fair amount of height from the entrance to the interior. Despite being a light stroll for Shuou, Miyahi began gasping for air.

“Hey, has something felt off to you since we arrived?” she asked, her breathing unsteady.

“What do you mean?”

“Every so often, it feels like people are staring at us.”

Once she’d spoken, the answer occurred to Shuou. They were staring at him, not her. Like the commoners of Murakumo, many of Aventurine’s people had black or dark brown hair, their facial features characteristically flat. In contrast, Shuou’s gray hair – dull as evening snow – stood out. In Murakumo’s capital and in Winter Fortress, his distinct appearance had always drawn attention. As a result, he’d grown accustomed to people staring at him.

Not wanting to explain and share in his glum mood, Shuou brushed off Miyahi’s concerns. “It’s just your imagination.”

Unconvinced, Miyahi kept twisting her neck around. “You think so…? It feels like I’m being showered in piercing glares.”

After walking for a long while, the town’s atmosphere suddenly changed. As the houses and fields disappeared, the artisan studios became more prominent. Shuou could see several long, thin alleyways standing in a row like stretched noodles. Gaudily patterned paper lanterns lined the widest street in the center, a row of stalls crammed into one corner. This must have been the place Prince Shue had mentioned.

Though the walk here had seemed painful for Miyahi, she headed towards the stalls at a brisk pace, her expression bright. “This is it. Hurry, let’s go check it out!”

Contrary to his initial impression of the outside, Shuou couldn’t sense any life from the alleyway. Shops lined every inch of the street, but more than half of them were closed for business, wooden boards blocking their entrances. The open stores and stalls had few goods out for sell, and in various locations, the shopkeepers were nowhere to be seen.

Striking out on her own, Miyahi crouched in front of a stall selling fabric and clothing.

“Find anything good?” asked Shuou.

Miyahi’s profile was serious, exuding a different kind of intensity than when she held a sword. “Not really. The stitching is beautiful, but the quality of the fabric is… lacking.”

Shuou crouched in front of the stall as well, picking up the clothes and pajamas folded inside baskets. Though he couldn’t judge the quality, all of the items looked plebian. He couldn’t imagine gorgeous, young noblewomen being happy with these clothes. Gazing at the light pink coveralls in his hands, he groaned.

Unnoticed, Miyahi had joined his side, looking at him intently. “Are you thinking about a return gift for those nobles?”

Her words surprised Shuou. “How do you—”

As Shuou tried to ask the question with a serious expression, Miyahi burst out laughing, holding her stomach. “Well, seeing you stare so earnestly at nothing but women’s clothes gave me a clue.”

Shuou turned away, feeling ashamed of his transparency. “…Right.”

Her voice suddenly sincere, Miyahi asked him a question. “Hey, I’ve been wondering how to ask this for a while. What’s your relationship with those girls who send you packages all the time? If it’s difficult to answer, you don’t have to say anything.”

Shuou’s memories of Aise and Shitori were precious, but he had no reason to hide them. Since Miyahi had asked, he would answer honestly. He had nothing to lose, after all.

“I’ve forgotten the name of the academy, but… do you know about the exam held at the school for Murakumo nobles?

“I do! The school’s called Gemstone Academy. Plenty of us at the fortress hate nobles, but we do sympathize with those kids. If they don’t participate in that absurd test, they’re not even treated like adults. They’re forced to travel down an ancient Alabaster Road for weeks at a time, and each year, a lot of parents lose their children. You have to feel a little sorry for them… But wait a second. Does that mean you participated in the exam?”

Nodding, Shuou gave a rough explanation of traveling through the Abyss, meeting his companions, and so forth. After leaving the shop, Shuou continued speaking as they looked around the other items displayed in the stalls. Listening with rapt attention, Miyahi nodded numerous times.

As the two of them crouched before a storefront selling miscellaneous goods, she muttered her admiration. “I see. So it’s possible to travel with nobles and become friends with them.”

“I suppose so.”

Until they’d become close, Shuou had suffered a fair amount, but in the end, it had been worth it. Meals eaten in the company of trusted companions were delicious, and he’d been able to experience the excitement of walking alongside two girls who admired him. Since striking out on his own, he’d gained nothing more valuable than forming relationships with people other than Amane.

“Still, if that was the reason for the gifts, you should have told everyone from the start,” said Miyahi. “Everyone arbitrarily assumed that you’d been sent to the countryside after seducing two young noblewomen. Since no one wanted to get involved with that, it made you difficult to approach.”

“That’s obviously not what—”

At Winter Fortress, most of the Squires with whom Shuou had crossed paths with had looked away from him. He’d blamed this on his appearance, but that wasn’t the only reason, it seemed. What if he’d explained everything from the beginning? Would he have been able to form a more natural connection with everyone?

“Everyone was afraid of you,” said Miyahi.

“Of me?”

Shuou couldn’t remember doing anything to make the others fear him. In fact, as the newcomer who’d joined the group late, he was the one who should have been frightened.

“Despite being well-built, those guys a bunch of cowards,” explained Miyahi. “And no one knows anything about you. Not understanding something can be extremely frightening.”

As Shuou considered the meaning of her words, turning them over in his mind, Miyahi picked up an item from a storefront, thrusting it towards him.

Shuou gasped.

A dagger?

By the time he’d seen the weapon, confirming it to be a dagger, it was too late. Since he’d completely let his guard down, he had no time to dodge, and because he was crouching, his legs were locked in place. He couldn’t take any instantaneous, evasive actions.

Miyahi thrust the dagger outward, its point boring into the center of Shuou’s chest. Being a skilled swordswoman, her movements lacked any hesitation. The moment the dagger pierced his chest, the sensation of cold steel puncturing his flesh arose from the depths of Shuou’s memory. As it struck right above his heart, he prepared himself for the fatal blow aimed squarely at his vitals. And though the blade had – by all appearances – penetrated his body, he felt no pain at all.

Still tense, Shuou fell onto his backside.  Showing him the dagger, Miyahi pushed the blade with her finger, smoothly retracting it into the hilt.

Like a child who’d pulled off an elaborate prank, she laughed innocently. “It’s just a toy.”

“…You almost gave me a heart attack,” Shuou protested, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“My bad, my bad. But you understand now, right? Since you didn’t know this was a toy, it was as frightening as being stabbed with a real dagger. But once you learn the truth, having it strike you in the heart isn’t the least bit scary. Relationships are the exact same, in my opinion.”

Observing the toy dagger for a second time, the point was dull, and the materials were crude, Shuou realized. If he’d taken a better look initially, he would have recognized it as fake. However, being caught off guard, he hadn’t been given enough time to verify its authenticity.

Grabbing Miyahi’s outstretched hand, Shuou stood. “The unknown is frightening,” he said. “But if you understand something from the outset, it isn’t scary… Is that what you’re saying?”

Brushing the dust from his rear, Shuou rephrased Miyahi’s words in simpler terms.

“Basically,” she agreed. “Reality can be a lot more complicated, though. For now, keep this in mind. Not understanding someone is frightening and can lead to arbitrary assumptions. In some circumstances, a person might even label you as an enemy to protect themselves. Making an effort to understand others is important, but making an effort to let others understand you is just as important.”

Is this a small piece of advice from someone who’s lived longer than me? Shuou wondered.

Upon reflection, Shuou had been the one to build walls around himself since his incomprehensible assignment to Winter Fortress. Furthermore, he’d actively rejected the option of speaking to anyone else, spending every moment of his alone time on fundamental training while inwardly complaining about not being given any work. He’d been fed up with the Squires’ attitudes on base, but if he’d created an opportunity to explain himself, someone would have listened to him.

Each time he considered this, remembered this, countless regrets came to mind and disappeared. But it wasn’t too late. When he returned to Winter Fortress, he would have plenty of opportunities to start over.

Turning to Miyahi, Shuou gave a small bow of his head. “Thank you.”

Seeming embarrassed, Miyahi replied in an exaggerated, playful manner. “Yes! Gratefully accept the wisdom of your seniors!”

As the sun began to set, the area started to grow dark. Fires were lit within the paper lanterns, illuminating their surroundings in an atmospheric, red light. All the while, the chirping of birds announced the arrival of early evening.

“Should we head back soon?” asked Miyahi.

“You can go on ahead of me. I’ll look around a little while longer before catching up with you.”

“You’re still looking for return gifts, right? I’ll help you pick something.”

Shuou was grateful for Miyahi’s offer, as he’d been racking his brain trying to think of gifts that would please two noblewomen. After wandering around the alleyway shops for some time, Miyahi noticed a store selling accessories.

“If you can afford it, this is a safe choice,” she said. “The items at other shops are all lackluster.”

Since Miyahi walked into the store without waiting for an answer, Shuou followed. Inside were many eye-catching necklaces and earrings that didn’t match their surroundings. Because there were so many expensive items, the shopkeeper appeared from the back as soon as Shuou and Miyahi walked through the entrance.

“Welcome, welcome,” said the shopkeeper.

“May we see your wares?” asked Miyahi.

The slender shopkeeper gave his cheerful agreement.

Transfixed by the numerous, glittering accessories, Miyahi sighed in admiration. “Amazing. Even in Murakumo, you don’t see jewelry this beautiful very often.”

The shopkeeper seemed pleased by Miyahi’s words. “Thank you for the compliment, young lady. Hearing such praise makes the effort of crafting everything seem worth it.”

“Pardon my rudeness,” said Miyahi, “but can you make a profit selling such expensive items here?”

The shopkeeper donned a bitter smile. “No one’s bought a single item. In past years, I sold everything in bulk to a trading city in the north, but due to certain circumstances, the exporters are departing later than usual. Since I hadn’t expected this, I had no choice but to display everything here. Still, any merchants who come all the way to such a remote town are looking to buy food, not luxury items like these. On top of all that, this season—”

Picking up momentum, the shopkeeper began rattling off complaints to Miyahi. Taking this opportunity, Shuou began rummaging around for return gifts, as he’d originally intended. During a cursory look around, two items caught his eye: a necklace decorated with blue gemstones and a ring capped with a transparent, green gemstone. The gemstones’ respective colors reminded Shuou of Shitori and Aise’s Miracrystals. When he imagined the girls wearing these pieces of jewelry, they were a strangely perfect fit.

“Oh, did you decide which ones to buy?” asked Miyahi, peeking at Shuou’s hands.

“These two seem good. I have a feeling they’ll like them.”

For some reason, Miyahi frowned as she looked at the accessories glimmering in Shuou’s hands. “Wow, your taste in jewelry isn’t half bad… Still, I think you should reconsider.”

“Why?”

“I mean, you chose two distinct kinds of jewelry. If the recipients compare their gifts, they might feel bad about being differentiated.”

Shuou considered her words, but based on his impressions of them, both girls had their unique charms. In the end, even after scrutinizing Miyahi’s advice, he decided to go with his own idea.

“These will be fine… probably. I’ll take these two, please.”

As the shopkeeper took the two items Shuou had handed him, his face instantly broke into a smile. “You’ll buy these? Truly? You’re a lifesaver, Lad. I’ve been struggling to make ends meet lately. These two items will come out to this much. Is that acceptable?”

Almost supplicant, the shopkeeper indicated the price with his hands. Though the items were by no means cheap, Shuou still had his reward money from the exam. He’d meant to use this money to fund his travels someday, but as thanks to those who’d treated him so well, he didn’t mind the expense.

Shuou withdraw a heavy, golden coin from his pocket, handing it to the shopkeeper. “Can I pay with this?”

“A Cately… My, my, I never thought I’d meet such a high-paying customer here. Excuse me for a minute.”

After excusing himself, the shopkeeper went to certify the authenticity of the gold coin. Satisfied with the results, he tucked the Cately into his pocket in high spirits. As the shopkeeper prepared change, Miyahi left the store, saying she would wait outside.

“Sir,” said the shopkeeper. “This might be strange way of thanking you for your purchase, but I’d like to give you a warning.”

Shuou nodded. “Alright.”

“Well, perhaps this needn’t be said, but you two are Murakumo soldiers, correct? A little while ago, I glimpsed your uniforms.”

Because they’d both donned thick cloaks, neither Shuou nor Miyahi stood out, but underneath, they still wore light brown Squire uniforms.

“You’re correct,” said Shuou. “We’re from Winter Fortress.”

“I thought so. To be blunt, more and more households are going hungry due to the recently enforced collection of taxes. This is all because Murakumo increased their food demands, government officials are howling, but in truth, the queen’s excessively lavish spending is what’s really straining the national treasury. Still, since they’ve laid the blame entirely on Murakumo, farming families with no financial flexibility have begun to resent your country based on this misunderstanding.

“Yet because the situation is somewhat transparent, those like me – businessmen with connections to the outside world – know the truth. The others won’t even try to think for themselves. They simply want to label someone as their enemy. Rather than their queen, it’s easier to think of that enemy as Murakumo, with whom they usually have no contact. Well, I doubt anyone will lay a hand on you two, but I’d advise being cautious for now.”

Taking the jewelry and his change, Shuou thanked the shopkeeper, leaving the store. As he regrouped with Miyahi, strolling down the nighttime street, he considered the man’s advice. Though the queen had intensified taxation to support her lavish spending, she’d manipulated the peoples’ discontent. As a result, their anger and unhappiness had been directed towards Murakumo, or rather, its citizens. That being the case, the stares Miyahi had noticed hadn’t been leveled at Shuou. No, they’d been leveled at their Murakumo Squire uniforms, which had – from time to time – been visible.

Perhaps because he better understood the situation, Shuou felt himself being watched as his alertness increased. From the crack of a household leaking dim light. Or from the pitch-black shadows. Though their origins were unclear, he felt clammy, almost able to envision someone pulling his hair from behind.

Hoping it was his imagination, he decided to be more vigilant. Just in case.

Original text: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4006r/11/