The Tale of the Wizrain Kingdom
Ferret?!
Translated by: S3
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*****
Elna stared blankly at the wall of the mine. It felt like a dream that she had been speaking with Cross just moments ago.
「Magi-mechanics... that’s incredible. It’s convenient—or rather, a bit *too* convenient... Hey, are you all right?」
Elna directed her question toward a crumpled heap of black rags crouching on the floor. The edges of the cloth were soot-stained, and it was shifting and rustling about; it was unmistakably a pile of rags, yet it was also a human being.
「*Heff... wheeze... heff...* Uuugh, magi-mechanics are exhausting, it’s impossible, impossible... mixing it with spirit arts is too much, it’s not something a human should be able to do, impossible, impossible...」
「Heeeey... want to rest for a bit...? Should I bring you some water...?」
「Oooooh, please, stop right there!」
The gloomy man hooded in a black robe looked up. He was the **talented** spirit user dispatched by the Kingdom of Wizrain to the mine.
「Ooooh, if a lowly being like me were to receive water directly from the hands of Lady Elnalfia, I would explode and die from the sheer impact of the shock!」
「............」
When Elna had previously asked Cross, 『What kind of person did you send?』 he had repeated, 『As far as his skill as a spirit user goes, there are no problems. As far as his skill goes.』 Now she understood why. For some reason, this spirit user had incredibly low self-esteem.
(Why does a person have to explode just because I gave them water?) Elna stared at the man in silence.
He looked short only because a slouch had become permanently engraved into his posture. His features were actually quite well-formed, but his eyebrows were perpetually slanted in a pathetic V-shape as if he were about to burst into tears, and the dark circles under his eyes were horrendous. He looked to be only in his early twenties; she really wanted him to get a good night’s sleep.
The spirit user, who introduced himself as **Ketock**, had visited Elna while she was resting in her room and guided her to this area where the magi-mechanical device for communicating with the city was located. She had invited Rigoberto as well, but he hadn't answered. He was probably awake, though.
With the Hamster Spirit and the Ferret Spirit sitting companionably on her shoulders, Elna had followed Ketock’s lead. Along the way, Ketock’s already sickly face turned even paler, and he tearfully addressed her.
『Just... who are you, exactly...?』
Visible to Ketock’s eyes were the spirits swimming joyfully around Elna. She hadn't actually told him anything, but between mutterings like, 『I heard from the spirits back at the castle that Lady Elnalfia’s reincarnation had arrived, but could it be...!?』 and, 『Eh? Is that so? The real deal? No way, for real? Aaaaah, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do!』 he had reached his own conclusion by talking to the surrounding spirits. He had been moving with a frail, wobbling gait, leaning on his staff ever since. She fully understood that he was a skilled spirit user, but she worried for his sanity.
「Lady Elnalfia... I am terribly sorry. With my power alone, I cannot maintain the communication with the city any longer...」
「Um, just so you know, I’m Elna, not Elnalfia.」
「I acknowledge thiiiiiis!」
Ketock’s tone had turned bizarre from wheezing too much. Elna felt like giving up on correcting him. She waited a while for Ketock to calm down, and eventually, he let out a long sigh.
「...Is something wrong?」
「No, it’s just... truly... beautiful.」
Ketock looked at Elna as if gazing upon something precious. But he was mistaken. It wasn't Elna he was looking at. He was watching the spirits who were laughing and dancing around her as if offering a blessing.
(This person really loves spirits,) she thought, feeling a strange sense of warmth. Noticing Elna’s gaze, Ketock scratched his cheek awkwardly and spoke in a small, muddled voice.
「I am... truly a being who can do nothing without borrowing the power of the great spirits... Well, that’s just how it is. All spirit users are like that. We are the spirits' servants.」
He said something rather intense with a bright smile. (I don't think it's quite like that, though,) Elna thought.
「Even so, as expected of Lady Elnalfia... no, Lady Elna, the spirits you are contracted with are truly of a different caliber...」
「Eh?」
The ones sitting on her shoulders were the Hamster Spirit and the Ferret. Ketock clasped his hands together as if in prayer, directing sparkling eyes toward the two of them. Just as Elna was thinking, (Well, if you say they're different, they certainly aren't your average spirits,) the two of them snorted.
『You wanna be an underling, su?』
『Bring sunflower seeds, ham.』
「Stop that, stop it.」
She was afraid Ketock might actually go looking for a sunflower field. He looked like the type to start by cultivating the sunflowers from scratch. In fact, he was already looking at her with such pure eyes that they seemed to say, "Should I go now?"
「Um... Ketock. Don't worry about those two for now. ...It’s difficult to use that magi-mechanical device again right away, isn't it?」
「Yes... Aside from my own stamina, I have to accumulate a special kind of mana that exists in this location... Oh, but I hear the diplomatic envoy is arriving soon, so I think you’ll be safe returning with them.」
「I see. Yeah, I heard that from the others too. I’m not the only one returning, so I think I’ll do that.」
Rigoberto claimed he was already fully recovered, but she didn't know the truth of it. It’s not like Elna could carry him down the mountain again. Elna would be fine, but he had his dignity to consider. Besides, Rigoberto seemed to be hated by this mountain, so she wanted to take every precaution.
「I shall guide you to a different room. The place you were in before is usually where the soldiers are stationed... We cannot have His Majesty’s future wife staying in a room like that.」
「You don't have to worry that much... but well, if I can have a room to myself, that would be for the best.」
Regardless of the time they were both unconscious, sharing a room with the Emperor of another nation would be terrible for her reputation. The reason the Marls soldiers had guided them there was likely because they were half-doubting her story. By meeting Ketock, Elna had finally managed to prove her identity.
「...It’s beautiful.」
Following behind Ketock, Elna suddenly murmured.
*Plip, plash, plip...* Elna was walking through the interior of the mine. From both near and far, the quiet sound of water echoed continuously. Normally, a mine would mean walking past earthy, brown walls, but here, everything was silver. The walls and ceiling sparkled like crystal; it was like walking through a palace of ice.
「Yes. This mine was formed from the bones of the dragon that lived on this mountain in the past. In a sense, we are inside the dragon's belly.」
「Inside the belly, huh...」
Looking up at the ceiling adorned with the shimmer of stars, globes of water swelled and grew as they traveled down icicle-shaped stones. At a certain point, the water would fall as if bursting, only to begin forming another globe. The brilliance shown when the water shattered made the entire mine look like it was filled with jewels.
A genuine expression of awe escaped Elna’s lips.
「...Yeah. It’s amazing.」
「That said, we’ve built rooms inside that belly... so to speak, we’ve shoved rooms into the gaps between the ribs... I worry if the original dragon’s feelings are being hurt, or if it’s disrespectful.」
「It’s fine. The dragon here seemed to like people, so I’m sure it will forgive us.」
The area around the room where Elna and Rigoberto had been sleeping was covered with wooden boards. Indeed, if one were to feel this brilliance twenty-four hours a day, it might drive them mad. Because Mount Vidrast was protected by spirits, the surrounding area was difficult to clear, so they probably had no choice but to build rooms inside the mine.
Remembering the glimpse of the past dragon she had encountered while passing through the forest, a smile she couldn't suppress lingered on the corner of Elna's mouth.
「...The love truly comes through, doesn't it?」
「Huh?」
She let out a startled, slightly foolish-sounding voice, but Ketock had a beaming, happy look on his face. He seemed to be speaking in total earnest, not joking at all. Once she realized that "the love truly comes through" referred to her words about the dragon liking people, she looked at him with exasperation, thinking he was the kind of person who just took the wind out of one's sails.
「...You're a strange one.」
「Oh, surely not as much as you, Lady Elna... This is the first time I’ve ever met the reincarnation of a dragon...」
Since that was true enough, she decided to stop digging deeper into that conversation. The Hamster Spirit and Ferret on her shoulders nodded with all their might. With two of them now, their movements were quite boisterous.
「...Come to think of it, I don't see many people for a mine?」
「Ah, yes. We haven't started actual mining operations yet. We’re in the middle of getting the spirits to remember me, or rather, deepening our friendship. So basically, the only people here are the guards, and even the entrance is sealed with spirit arts. Since yesterday, I’ve been releasing the entrance defenses because I thought the envoy might be coming soon... otherwise, you wouldn't have reached the mine either, Lady Elna. You were very lucky, truly.」
Ketock frowned, as if to say, 「Actually, you should have suffered terribly unless you came by the official route, so how did you get here...?」 but she brushed it off with a vague 「Oh, this and that happened.」
「I see... After all, you’re digging through a dragon’s bones. Without the spirits' permission, you’d be kicked out.」
「That’s how it is. Plus, we're inside a dragon's belly. Naturally, there is a reverse scale, so we are currently in the middle of painstakingly reinforcing the defenses there. It would be a disaster if someone accidentally touched it.」
「...A reverse scale?」
「A reverse scale?」
Elna tilted her head in confusion, which prompted Ketock to tilt his head in the opposite direction. 「I mean, the reverse scale...? Lady Elna, you're a dragon, right...?」 he said, but Elna was a woman who hadn't even known the color of her own scales. Since dragons live without interacting with other dragons, she had no knowledge of dragon common sense.
「The reverse scale is the one scale that must absolutely, positively never be touched. I cannot tell you where in this mine it is being kept, even if it’s you, Lady Elna. It’s a very precious thing. It’s useless to look for it. I’ve placed layer upon layer of protection on it, so no one will find it. *Fufu-fu.*」
「Heh...」
「Don't just say 'heh', why don't you know about this!?」
「No, I mean... you're saying there's only one such scale? My whole body was covered in scales, and I couldn't see my own body clearly, and there were places I couldn't reach. If you told a human they had one specific hair they weren't allowed to pull out, wouldn't they just go, 'Eh?' which one is it?」
「Eh... um, like, the one scale that's pointed the opposite way, or something like that.」
「I don't know. Maybe it was in a spot I couldn't see?」
「Is that how it works...?」
(Probably,) she thought, nodding firmly, and Ketock made a face as if he had given up. After that, he wore a dreamy, dazed expression, happily fluttering his black robes.
「*Haaa.* To think I would have the chance to speak with Lady Elna like this... It’s so overwhelming, I feel like I might explode...」
「...Please don't go exploding on your own. Oh, right. You said you'd show me to my room, but can I stop by Rigoberto’s place after all? It felt like he was faking sleep, and I want to check his injuries.」
「That’s fine. Hmm... I tried to reinforce his wounds with spirit arts before I came to see you, Lady Elna, but I’ve never met someone so resistant to spirit arts. Our compatibility is just too poor... But, he had healed most of it on his own. Is that gentleman some kind of reincarnation as well?」
「Probably just a monster?」
After Elna’s very casual answer, the two changed course and moved forward. Suddenly, Elna strained her ears. Besides the sound of water, she could hear the footsteps of many humans.
「...Someone’s coming.」
「Is it the envoy? I gave some spirit arts to the soldiers so they could let me know when they arrive. The guards should be at the entrance right now, though.」
Ketock didn't yet grasp the situation. Elna narrowed her eyes and reached out toward the Hamster Spirit and the Ferret. However, before Elna’s hand could move, the Hamster Spirit hopped down to the ground.
「Ah. Are you the members of the envoy? Sorry, this isn't a place I can show you around yet—」
Men with stern faces and swords at their waists stepped into the mine one after another. Laughing, Ketock stepped out in front of Elna.
「...Eh?」
A sword was swung down. Ketock watched the scene with wide eyes. Instantly, Elna grabbed Ketock’s robe. Ignoring the fact that she was choking him, she yanked him backward onto the ground. Faced with a woman in a maid outfit who had suddenly leaped out, the strange men—definitely not an envoy—looked startled. The sword that should have struck Ketock plunged into the ground. Elna stepped on the blade, driving it deeper into the earth, then grabbed the Ferret, who was still on her shoulder—
『...Ha-un?』
—and threw it toward the ceiling with all her might.
『FERREEEEEEET!?』
Looking up from the ground at the soaring Ferret, the Hamster Spirit murmured, 『A pity, su na...』
The Ferret and the Hamster Spirit were high-ranking spirits. They could manifest their forms to humans. For a moment, all the men looked up at the mysterious, screaming white ferret spinning around near the ceiling. Elna did not miss that opening. There were five men in total blocking their way. As if running through them, she delivered a series of kicks and punches.
「There, all done.」
Ketock sat on the floor, staring at the men as they collapsed with dull thuds. He had seen it, but he probably didn't quite understand what had happened.
「Eh? Wait, eh?」
After glancing around frantically, he looked at Elna. Then at the sword still stuck in the ground.
「Eh? Why? I mean, was I just about to be cut down? I was, right!? Who are these people! They're definitely not an envoy! Eh!? Or are they really an envoy and Marls is trying to kill me!?」
「I don't know even if you ask me...」
She had just beaten them up because they had attacked.
「E-Elna, you're amazing... to strike back even harder the second they made a move... uwaa, hyawaa... scary... Lady Elna is...」
「That’s quite a way to talk about me...」
Above her head, the thrown Ferret seemed to have been caught by other spirits; supported by them, it was now limply unconscious. The Hamster Spirit waved its paws, shouting 『Over here, su!』 to welcome its junior.
「...More importantly, it doesn't look like they're the only ones who entered the mine. Are the guards at the entrance...? Oh, wait, Rigoberto!」
The moment the thought occurred to her and Elna pressed her hand to her mouth, a man went flying past her eyes. Judging by his clothes, he was likely an associate of the men Elna had defeated. One doesn't often see a human being blown through the air like that, but the person who walked out from behind him was, of course, Rigoberto.
「What are these pests. I’ll kill them all.」
He had likely been attacked while sleeping and simply retaliated. Rigoberto rested his sword heavily on his shoulder, looking down at his enemies with irritation. It seemed the injuries to his dominant arm and the poison were now completely healed.
「...Even if they are enemies, don't kill them. This is Marls; you shouldn't just do as you please. Besides, I want to know their objective. Take them alive.」
「Hmph. Elna. You look like you’ve knocked everyone out as well. Aren't you the one doing as you please?」
「Scary... I want to go back to Wizrain...」
『Fere...? Where am I, su...? Am I with the gods, su...?』
『Wake up properly, su. Sunflower seed attack, su. Ora-ora.』
『Hyawawawan! Paisen!? Stop it, Ham-paisen, su!』
And so, a mysterious group had been formed.
The Emperor of the Albarul Empire. The fiancée of the King of Wizrain, and a spirit user. A mysterious ferret and a hamster spirit.
「Taking them alive is a chore. Even if I yield and don't kill them, their numbers are greater. What do you plan to do?」
「I’ve got it. Let's do this: we’ll blow everyone away just short of killing them. And we’ll think about what comes after once they’re blown away. How’s that?」
「Not bad. The fewer complications, the better.」
「Alright, it’s decided. I’m very good at blowing people away without killing them. Humans die so easily, after all.」
「Uwaa, scary... it’s scary, but I don't feel like we'll lose... uwaaaa! I heard this was a lovely workplace where I could frolic with spirits!」
Ketock wailed. But of course, these were not people who would forgive him just for that.
They moved forward. With sword in hand, fist clenched, and staff held high.
They did not yet know that Mount Vidrast was facing the greatest crisis in the history of Marls.
*****
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