Record of Wortenia War: Volume 6 Read online

  Prologue

  As Asuka Kiryuu faintly opened her eyes, her gaze was met with a brown, wooden ceiling. The wooden planks were exposed, which wasn’t something one would see in modern architecture.

  “What the... Aaah...!”

  As soon as Asuka tried to whisper, a sharp pain ran through the muscles of her jaw and cheeks. And with that pain acting as a trigger, every muscle and joint in her body screamed out in pain.

  Aaaah, oooow... Why... What’s happening...?!

  Her body was filled with intense muscle pain, as if she was an amateur who had been forced through intense training... With one exception. The pain Asuka was feeling was several times more severe.

  Asuka did keep her body in good shape, but never before had she experienced pain this intense. It was terrible enough to render her incapable of even exhaling the air in her lungs. She felt tears welling up in her eyes.

  But at that moment, this pain was something Asuka needed. The agony jolted her mind, forcing it to operate. The first thing that came to her mind was the ugly, distorted face of Misha Fontaine. The fact she was so well-featured outwardly only made the fact she was so vile at heart feel all the more sinister.

  But that woman was dead, her head severed by Kouichirou Mikoshiba. Asuka could still remember the warm, vivid sensation of the woman’s blood spraying her in the face. The sound of her decapitated head rolling down to the floor. It felt like she’d seen a scene from a horror movie play out in real life.

  That... wasn’t a dream.

  Her own blood relative had slain a human being before her very eyes. The weight of that reality was all too heavy. He may have done it to save her life, but seeing Kouichirou grip a bloodied katana with a cold smile on his lips shattered something in Asuka. The sense of ethics she’d built up over the decade and a half she’d lived — her perception of right and wrong, of common sense — had been smashed to bits.

  Asuka reflexively covered her mouth, feeling something hot and acidicly sour rise up in her esophagus.

  “Nngh...” Filled with fear and anxiety, a small sob escaped her pursed lips.

  How much better would she have been if she could cry openly and wallow in her misery, if only for a short while. But Asuka knew to restrain those emotions, as much as she had to force herself to do so. And that was because she instinctively knew. If she were to let herself get carried away by her emotions even once here, she would never be able to rise to her feet again.

  Asuka was now on the run, and she couldn’t afford to simply curl up and stay idle without having a grasp on the situation. Doing that would be the same as willingly signing her own death warrant.

  Asuka sat up, enduring the pain running through her body.

  “It doesn’t look like anyone lives here...”

  That was Asuka’s first impression of the room she was in. It was by no means large — perhaps ten square meters in size. There wasn’t much to speak of in terms of furniture. All she could find was a wooden table and two chairs, and the bed she’d been sleeping in just now. The bed was adjacent to a window.

  It truly was the bare minimum in terms of furnishings. A dreary room indeed, lacking in any human presence or warmth. But the bed sheets were fresh and new, and the floor was visibly scrubbed clean. Looking out the window, she could see tree branches, which made her conclude this was a room on the second or third story.

  I suppose I haven’t been caught by those people...

  Ouka was sitting on the table, contained in its sheath. This was undeniable proof she wasn’t taken captive. If whoever brought here meant Asuka harm, they wouldn’t have left a weapon in arm’s reach of her.

  Huh?

  Asuka’s gaze fell on what was piled up next to Ouka — her clothes. Apparently, they’d been washed. That wasn’t the problem though. Asuka didn’t recall taking them off, which meant someone had to have stripped them off of her. And the moment she realized that, all the blood drained from her face.

  If whoever did it meant well, everything was still fine. Normally, the barbaric act of stripping an unconscious woman would be enough to warrant a stream of curse words. But Asuka could understand the circumstances, and managed to stop herself. Asuka wasn’t keen on sleeping in bloodstained clothes, after all.

  And so, even though she couldn’t say she was very much satisfied with this turn of events, she managed to keep her emotions in check. But the world wasn’t a place devoid of malice, and unfortunately, Asuka wasn’t in a position where she was poised to believe in the good faith of others.

  Yet thankfully, the worst case scenario that sprung to Asuka’s mind was nothing more than momentary fear. She hurriedly turned over the sheets that covered her, and the bra and panties she’d made a habit of wearing recently came into sight.

  It was a set of black silk panties and bra adorned with laces that was perhaps too mature for a girl of Asuka’s age. She’d bought this set of brand-name lingerie a few months ago. Not something a high schooler would normally wear, but Asuka was at an age where girls were prone to experimenting with more mature things.

  Plus, the friend who escorted her to the store kept egging her on and telling it looked good on her. Asuka couldn’t bring herself to say no even if she didn’t like the set. Even Asuka, who was seen as responsible and level-headed by those around her, was susceptible to that kind of peer pressure.

  Thank God...

  A sigh of relief escaped Asuka’s lips. Whoever saved Asuka likely took off her clothes, but they weren’t senseless enough to strip an unconscious woman entirely. But that thought made Asuka recall something Kouichirou had told her once before.

  “Oh, no!” Asuka exclaimed despite herself and reached over to Ouka.

  The pain running through her body tormented her again, but she didn’t have the leisure to care for that. Unbroken, unbent and perfect for slashing. That was how one could describe a Japanese katana. But while this was a sublime weapon, it required daily maintenance to show its true worth. Even kitchen knives needed to be washed and wiped clean. Swords needed tending to, to ensure they weren’t chipped.

  Of course, right now Asuka was in a state of emergency and was greatly limited in what she could do. But when she cut down that strange tiger in the forest, she didn’t even think to wipe away the blood. If a bloodied sword were to be put back in its sheath as is, the blood could, at worst, harden like glue, making it impossible to draw out again.

  And right now, Ouka wasn’t just a precious keepsake given to her by her grandfather. It was essentially her lifeline. The sword’s presence or absence at her side could be the difference between life and death. Asuka grabbed Ouka’s grip, praying as she did, and pulled...

  “No way...”

  ...only to draw a blade that sparkled like a mirror. It was as if the sword had just been whetted. Something about the way it reflected the light gave Asuka chills — it almost felt divine, somehow.

  “Forget being nicked, it’s perfect... But back then, I’m sure I didn’t...”

  A blade growing dull and chipped with use was par for the course for swords. Those were things that happened naturally, regardless of the capability of their wielder. One’s skill and experience might slow down the process, but that was all.

  And Asuka wasn’t at all used to handling swords, to say the least. Perhaps she wasn’t completely inexperienced, but she lacked the sheer volume of practice Ryoma and Kouichirou had. There should have been no chance the blade was unharmed after she used it to cut down such a large tiger.

  What was even more dubious than the blade was the sword’s hilt. Asuka could vividly remember how bloodied her hands were when she slashed through that monstrous tiger. But there weren’t any signs of blood on the
hilt’s strings.

  And it’s not like someone swapped out the hilt. It’s the same color, and I can tell by how it feels...

  It was made to be similar to the kinds of katanas produced in Satsuma. It had a very characteristic appearance, one that placed little importance on beauty and stressed weight instead. It made it come across as a boorish, heavy weapon. And the sword definitely felt the same way Asuka remembered it did when Kouichirou handed it over to her. With all that in mind, it wasn’t physically possible for it to be completely undamaged.

  The questions only became increasingly obtuse. But even so, Asuka could only linger on them for a moment.

  Well, I don’t know how, but Ouka is fine... So that leaves...

  The red sunlight streaming in through the curtains implied it was either sunrise or dusk. Asuka didn’t know which way the window was facing, but she could surmise quite some time had passed since she cut down the tiger.

  Are Mr. Tachibana and Mr. Kusuda all right...?

  The last thing she could remember was that she heard someone speak and a few figures appeared from the forest’s trees. Once she realized she wasn’t in immediate danger, Asuka’s mind wandered to the two detectives and their safety.

  Now that she was separated from Kouichirou, Asuka’s only two trustworthy allies were Tachibana and Kusuda. And of the two, she was most pressed to learn of how the former was doing. Kusuda was unharmed, but Tachibana’s head was injured and called for immediate treatment. Otherwise, he could very well be in risk of dying.

  I have to find him...

  Asuka picked up her clothes from the table and hurriedly got dressed. She then used Ouka and its sheath as a cane and slowly approached the door. Normally, leaving the room carelessly would have been a poor idea. It didn’t seem as if she was confined, but she had no reason to think she was free to leave, either. Assuming the worst would have been the wisest course of action.

  If possible, she would have been better off jumping out the window and fleeing as fast as her legs would carry her before anyone noticed she was gone. But the pain ravaging her body rendered her incapable of running, to say nothing of jumping. And since that drastic measure was closed to her, she only had one option available to her. Asuka stood in front of the door and took a deep breath.

  If I don’t do anything, I won’t gain any information... Aaah, damn it! A woman’s gotta have guts!

  But just before Asuka’s outstretched hand grabbed the doorknob, she froze in place.

  The sound of someone climbing up the stairs reached her ears.

  Chapter 1: Negotiations

  That night, Ryoma Mikoshiba walked down the main street of the citadel city of Epirus, without any of his companions to accompany him. He was heading for Count Salzberg’s estate, built near Epirus’s city center.

  However, his appearance couldn’t be more different than how he looked when he visited the estate last time. He was wearing a sooty cloak and had his face covered with a hood. He was the very image of an adventurer or mercenary. No one would suspect Ryoma might be a Baron, or indeed be in any way related to the nobility.

  But of course, this outfit wasn’t appropriate for a visit at the Count’s estate. Ryoma knew this perfectly well. But he couldn’t afford to let anyone learn of the negotiations he was about to enter into.

  All right... The question now is how Count Salzberg will react...

  This bargaining was a play that could very well turn the tables and put Ryoma in a winning position. If all went well, Count Salzberg would turn from a bothersome enemy to a dependable sponsor to Ryoma. But there were reasons to be concerned, of course.

  Ryoma had somewhat of a grasp on Count Salzberg’s nature and character, but that wasn’t to say he understood everything about the man. The self-importance and feeling of superiority nobles typically had was one thing Ryoma was especially unfamiliar with. That much was perhaps to be expected. Ryoma came from a world where the class system was an antiquated relic of the past.

  I guess I just have to hope he bites...

  If these negotiations were to fail, Ryoma’s only remaining option would be to resort to brute force. After all, Ryoma was about to head out into an ominous no man’s land. He couldn’t afford to leave behind someone who might stab him in the back. But resorting to those extremes was very much a gamble.

  Those kids are trying their hardest, but the really harsh part of their training is about to begin now. It’ll take a while before I can rely on them as an army...

  A faint smile surfaced on Ryoma’s lips as his mind wandered back to the slave children he collected. They were given proper meals and trained to build up their stamina. Right now, they were being taught basic arithmetic, as well as how to read and write. This also gave the children time to rest from their taxing training.

  Thanks to the prolonged training they were put through over the last month, the children’s bony, thin limbs had gained muscle. Indeed, once people were no longer tormented and backed against the wall, they were capable of exhibiting great strength. The same held true for young children. The speed with which they soaked up information was astonishing.

  No, maybe it was exactly because they were young that they clung to life this desperately. No one wanted or needed these children until Ryoma reached out to them. It felt as if they were training and learning so intensely out of fear and desperation.

  Unfortunately, a few of the children failed to keep up with the rest and had to retire, but things were going essentially as planned. It would still take some time for them to reach the standard Ryoma sought from his soldiers, though.

  “I guess I should hurry, then.”

  The moon was already at its zenith, and starlight poured down from the heavens as Ryoma quickened his pace.

  ♱

  “Ah, Lord Mikoshiba. A pleasure to see you again.”

  A maid girl led Ryoma into a room, where Count Salzberg and Lady Yulia awaited him. Upon noticing Ryoma, the pair rose from the sofa to greet him. They weren’t quite as well-dressed as they were the other day. Their clothes were still fair, but they carried little in the way of ornamentation. Those were likely the clothes they wore while at home.

  In the nobility’s terms, this meant they were greeting him less as a guest, and more like a close friend or acquaintance. Ryoma wasn’t bothered by this, though. They didn’t greet him at the entrance like before, but they still seemed to be just as welcoming as last time.

  Most people would be fooled into believing Count Salzberg might be fond of them, but Ryoma wasn’t foolish enough to take the man’s kindness at face value. Especially given that he knew what they wanted from him.

  Ever the double-faced bastard, aren’t you. Both you and your serpent of a wife...

  Hiding that thought in his heart, Ryoma bowed with all the honor he could display.

  “Come, come, take a seat.” Lady Yulia ushered him to the sofa.

  “Well? I hear you’ve purchased quite a few young slaves. I trust your preparations to develop the Wortenia peninsula are going well?” As Ryoma sat opposite of him, Count Salzberg asked him casually.

  “Not at all... For now I’m only just managing to get by...” Ryoma muttered a faultless answer.

  It appeared those words caught Count Salzberg by surprise, though. He cocked an eyebrow and chuckled as if amused.

  “Oh, barely managing to get by, you say... Hmm, I suppose, if you say so, Lord Mikoshiba...”

  “Are you implying something?” Ryoma directed a probing gaze at the man.

  “Not at all, I think taking unsold slaves isn’t a bad idea at all. But it might be a bit insufficient if you’re to develop that peninsula from nothing. They may be dexterous and shrewd, but in the end those are just children. You’d be better off buying horses or oxen if a labor force is what you need. Though I suppose your choice does have its merits. They can understand complex orders and a taste of the whip would make them obedient... Hmm.” Count Salzberg concluded his words and directed a questioning gaze a
t Ryoma. “Honestly speaking, I can’t help but feel they wouldn’t be good for much more than acting as food for the peninsula’s monsters...?”

  He was, indeed, the governor of Epirus and the leader of the ten houses of the north. He already had a strong grasp on Ryoma’s actions. But before Ryoma could reply, Lady Yulia cut into the conversation.

  “Now, now, beloved... You can’t ask the good baron a question like that all of a sudden... My apologies, Baron Mikoshiba. My husband is a bit of a hasty man at times... Don’t you think we’d be better off leaving this talk until after we’ve had tea?”

  Lady Yulia chided her husband softly and reached for the tea set prepared at the corner of the room. She poured some tea into a porcelain cup herself and handed it over to Ryoma. The faint steam rising from the cup carried with it a rich aroma that tickled Ryoma’s nostrils. The exact same scent Ryoma remembered from when he was served tea at the Christof Company just the other day, in fact.

  “Go on, try it,” Lady Yulia prompted Ryoma to drink. “These are some exquisite leaves we had brought in from Qwiltantia.”

  Is this a coincidence...?

  Eyeing her questioningly, Ryoma brought the cup to his lips. Lady Yulia watched him with a smile that didn’t seem to harbor any ill-will. If she served him this tea while knowing of his meeting with Simone, she would have shown some sign that would have alarmed Ryoma. And yet, there was nothing.

  But the fact Lady Yulia poured him this tea herself must have had some kind of significance to it. Ryoma turned a casual glance at the woman, who directed a meaningful smile back to him. If nothing else, she didn’t seem to have any intention of openly blaming him for meeting with Simone.

  So this is a warning... I see. Thankfully, we won’t be making any real dealings with Simone until much later down the line. It’s probably fine even if Lady Yulia knows something. Still, they caught wind of what I was doing... I’ll have to be careful going forward.

  Apparently, making it seem as if the Mystel Company was his main business partner was a bad idea. At least, for now...