Hyakuren no Haou to Seiyaku no Valkyria - Volume 1 - Chapter Ep

EPILOGUE 

The news of the death of the sovereign patriarch of the Hoof Clan, Yngvi, spread like wildfire throughout the battlefield. 

At first, the members of the Hoof Clan on the battlefield didn’t believe it or wrote it off as lies, but in the ensuing silence from their military headquarters, their doubts began to grow. 

Yngvi was definitely not the sort of man who would leave his soldiers crippled with grief. He was the type who could, however, see the chaos within his troops, and, issuing swift orders, reassure them. If he had been alive and heard the fake news that he was supposedly dead, he would surely have made an ostentatious display to show he was in good health. 

But that never came. 

It was only a matter of time before the soldiers realized that the supposed lies were actually facts. In that moment, they were assailed by an uncertainty so great, it was as if the ground shook beneath their feet. 

They had fought with no doubts they would win specifically because they had Yngvi. How could such a heroic and strong sovereign have been felled by an enemy clan’s sovereign? 

Almost all of the Hoof Clan soldiers, with the exception of the officers, were farmers or slaves. They had been forced into battle. Several of them finally began to drop their weapons and run away. 

As one fled, then another or two more would pursue, beginning the chain of deserters. In that moment, it was as if the firm control of them had never existed, and the Hoof Clan’s army dissolved. 

In the meantime, the allied forces of the Wolf Clan and Horn Clans only increased their enthusiasm at the news of the enemy general’s death. 

If there had been a worthy second-in-command who could have taken over the army in Yngvi’s stead, perhaps they would have held out, but it seemed that Yngvi had been far too great. There were many capable generals and officers in the Hoof Clan’s military who had been valuable to Yngvi, but no one individual who could replace him now that he was gone. 

The Wolf and Horn Clan combined forces let out a cry of victory at the sight of the retreating Hoof Clan forces.

The following day, in the Horn Clan Capital Fólkvangr, they held a magnificent festival to celebrate their victory. 

As if placing a blessing upon the Wolf and Horn Clans together, the skies had cleared up, leaving not a cloud and making for the perfect day for a festival. 

Throughout the town rang out the whistles of flutes and the banging of drums, as the people were overjoyed that they had been saved and were able to carry on their lives. 

In the plaza at the center of town, the soldiers of the two clans were drinking together. The only way to persuade two bitter enemies to become friends was by finding another common enemy. Though they had quarreled for years as bitter enemies, this victory had, while not completely, at least started the process of sweeping away old hostilities. 

Yuuto heaved a heavy sigh at the vulgar, audacious laughter of the soldiers in the distance. “I guess it really was an easy victory, after all.” 

Considering the charisma he’d had, the death of Yngvi would thrust the Hoof Clan into chaos. Even if his second-in-command succeeded him, that new sovereign would have his hands full for some time, trying to settle matters of authority and power within his own clan. 

In other words, though they bordered the Horn Clan, the Hoof Clan had been destroyed, leaving not a trace. They were no longer a country that would invade on their own whims. At the very least, it was acceptable to say that the menace who had launched an unheard-of attack upon the Horn Clan had been destroyed. 

However, a mountain of problems remained. 

The death of the supreme ruler Yngvi had likely had the impact of arousing the ambitions of nearby clans, who had likely watched for an opening like a hawk. If one looked at the Horn Clan on its own, peace had come to them, but looking at Álfheim as a whole, this most recent battle would lead to a general feeling of unease. If that led to a disturbance involving the Horn Clan, then, much like this time, the Wolf Clan would be sure to get involved, as well. 

Still, one could not comfortably predict the future. Yuuto was still groping in the dark for a way to return home to the 21st century. 

Yuuto intended for the Chalice he had shared with the Horn and Claw Clans to be a lasting bond, so he would need to make arrangements for the friendly relations to persist after he was gone. Just thinking about it made his head pound. 

But his current problem was... 

“Mm, the water’s so nice,” Sigrun murmured. “It’s like the spoils of our victory.” 

“More like it brings you back to life,” Felicia said. “Ahh... my exhaustion’s being washed away... ?” 

“You sound like an old lady, Felicia.” 

“O-old?! I-if I’m an old woman, then so are you, Run! You’re only seven days younger than I am!” 

“You’re still clinging to that? You really need to get over it.” 

“As if you could understand the extra seven days of toil I have experienced on this plane!” 

Felicia and Sigrun had broken into an argument, and Yuuto was between them. 

Though he had so much going on in his mind, Yuuto honestly just wanted them to give him a break. 

They were within the giant hot spring within the Horn Clan capital. It was a holy place, normally only granted to those who worked in holy occupations to use to cleanse themselves. Therefore, natural though it might have been, both of the women were stark naked as the day they were born. And, even though there was a male in their presence, neither made an attempt to cover themselves. 

The truth was, part of the reason he had busied his mind with such troublesome thoughts was to escape these circumstances. Even so, the fact that his eyes would occasionally shift to their bodies was something that he, as a guy, couldn’t help. 

He attempted to appeal to his own sense of reason, even if he didn’t have to hold back, but he found it difficult to take control. The soft sound of splashing water finally attracted his eyes away. 

“Tee hee! If you’re really that curious, then it’s fine to take a look,” Felicia giggled. “My mind and body all belong to you, after all, Big Brother.” 

“Aagh! Don’t say such embarrassing things! I’m not looking at anything. I’m not interested!” Yuuto lied, growing angry in response to her wicked gaze. 

It was like he had completely lost all of his senses at Felicia’s normally-lukewarm gaze. It was as if Yuuto had asked himself how things had ended up like this, then answered his own question. 

Yuuto generally bathed alone back in the Wolf Clan’s capital city. At first, the maids had tried to assist him with the bath, but he had firmly refused, insisting, “Let me at least enjoy my bath in peace!” But now they were within the Horn Clan stronghold, where they had battled for their lives just the other day. It was Felicia who insisted that he couldn’t be left alone in this most vulnerable, naked state. 

That being the case, Yuuto would have just headed back to the Wolf Clan capital, but a feast to celebrate their victory was in the works here at the palace. Naturally, as the Wolf Clan’s sovereign patriarch, Yuuto had no choice but to attend, as he was the main party who had lead everyone to victory in this battle. 

And Yuuto had been filthy with soot from the several days they had spent journeying here. This was a feast being held for the neighboring clans. If he didn’t ensure that his appearance was neat, it would reflect poorly on the Wolf Clan. 

So now that everything had been put to rest, and with these two beautiful girls on either side of him, he covered his body a bit, blushing. There was not a hint of dignity befitting a hero who had destroyed a great clan such as the Hoof Clan. 

“Uggh, why is it that you two have to guard me?” he moaned. “If you think about it, male guards would have been fine.” 

“But I’m always your guard, Big Brother, am I not?” 

“This is former enemy territory,” Sigrun declared. “I would be nervous if Felicia were the only one with you. I feel I am most suited to this task, as the Strongest Silver Wolf Mánagarmr.” 

“That’s true, yes. And since Run is also female, her seeing me naked doesn’t bother me in the slightest.” 

“Have you forgotten that I’m of the opposite sex?!” 

“You’re a special case, though,” the two of them asserted at the same time, as Yuuto sank into the hot water. 

If Mitsuki knew about this, she would likely cut ties with me, Yuuto thought, as a chill reached him even in the warmth of the bath. 

Speaking of Mitsuki, he was only now realizing that he had ridden off into battle without telling her where he was going. She was likely worried that she still hadn’t heard from him. The thought made him restless somehow. 

“I-I’m just going to get cleaned up,” he said. “I still need to get things ready.” 

Somehow, unable to remain any longer, Yuuto stood up in a panic and headed for the washing area. He was a bit embarrassed that they would see him naked, but they had seen him when he’d gotten in, so that feeling waned. His priority was getting out of there. A man of virtue shouldn’t allow himself near such a situation. 

“Oh! Please wait!” Sigrun held Yuuto back, reaching for the sword she had leaning on a nearby wall. 

Her harsh tone caused him to turn around, afraid some ruffian might be on the attack, so he stiffened. 

He couldn’t really tell through the steam, but she was much more petite than Felicia, with a slightly more rounded shape. He suddenly shifted his gaze in the direction Sigrun was glaring: the entrance to the bath. Straining his ears, he could hear some sort of exchange. 

Perhaps someone was coming. 

The top members of the Múspell unit that Sigrun oversaw were on the other side of the wall. Yuuto tilted his head, certain that, if it were a suspicious person, they wouldn’t be able to enter head-on, and then he saw a shadow standing there. 

“What are those fools doing? I told them not to let anyone through,” Sigrun spat in an agitated tone and walked several steps ahead of Yuuto. 

As she did this, her toned buttocks made their way into Yuuto’s line of sight, and he couldn’t look away as she was in front of the entrance, so a feeling of disgust with himself at such a crucial time welled up within Yuuto. 

“Big Brother,” a familiar voice said. 

“Linea...?” Yuuto couldn’t see her through the steam, but he recognized her voice. 

She was no suspicious person, but rather the master of this castle, and his subordinate. She had entered, and of course the Múspell bodyguards would have been unable to send her away. 

Passing into the steam, Linea appeared. While they had once been hidden by fabric, the majority of her sides and thighs were visible, giving Yuuto’s eyes no safe place to land. 

“What is it you need, Big Sister?” Felicia asked in a cold voice. 

Technically, Felicia had been the first to become Yuuto’s little sister subordinate, so Felicia was the one who should be called “Big Sister,” but as Linea had been the Horn Clan’s sovereign, her social standing was higher, and so Felicia must have chosen this form of address to reflect that. 

“I have something important to discuss with you, as the sovereign of the Horn Clan,” said Linea. 

“Is it really so important that we have to discuss it here?” Yuuto asked. “I can listen to what you have to say later...” 

“They say that if you want to be truly honest with someone, you must bare everything to them. And so I thought if I must do so, then right here is the only place we can discuss it.” 

“Hmph. And yet despite that you’re covering up your front side,” Sigrun snorted, sounding bored. 

Simple as she was, that still seemed a bit ugly for her to say. It was actually something Yuuto had expected her to say. It was, and yet inside, he let out a small scream. 

If she taunted Linea like that, then surely... 

“...As you wish, servant girl.” The towel shielding Linea’s front fell away. 

Figures! Yuuto thought, wanting to cradle his head in his hands with frustration. He was surrounded on all sides by flesh. He tried with all his might not to look down, but it also seemed like looking away to the side would be taken as rude. 

Just what kind of torture is this? Yuuto wondered tearfully. As he stood there, unable to look at Linea, Felicia spoke for him. 

“So, what did you wish to speak to me about?” 

Linea seemed lost for only a moment, before her sharp gaze zeroed in on Yuuto and she spoke. 

“Big Brother! Please marry me!” 

Glaðsheimr, the capital of the Holy Empire of Ásgarðr was situated in the center of the continent, where all the riches from surrounding territories gathered, blessed by the fertile land granted by the river Ífingr. 

With that abundance as a backdrop, as well as murals, carvings, and decorations aimed at the upper class, it was a capital where other aspects of culture such as dance, singing, and poetry thrived even among the common people. 

On the other hand, such wealth led to a loss of ambition, a loss of a desire to create anew among the populace, making their society one of corruption, of stagnation and putrefaction. 

The Holy Ásgarðr Empire held supremacy over all of Yggdrasil on the surface, and yet here it was, falling into ruin. 

Ruling at the peak of prosperity meant that all that remained was inevitable decline. It was a capital past its prime, where looks of feeling trapped or of deterioration flashed across the faces of its citizens. 

At the center of the capital, on the banks of the river, sat the tallest building yet constructed, the palace where the divine emperor who oversaw all territories within Yggdrasil lived, the palace of Valaskjálf. 

It had been built by tens of thousands of slaves owned by the first emperor, Wotan, over a period of twenty years. It was a mighty palace that boasted such vast size that it could fit a small town within its walls. 

“What?! Yngvi of the Hoof Clan has been felled?!” 

In the deepest part of the palace, beyond a veil made of silk, the thirteenth divine emperor was harshly questioning the chamberlain who had fallen prostrate. 

Even as the voice boomed with a solemn dignity, there was a sweetness to it, like a ringing bell. The current divine emperor was still a relatively young girl, which was a fact well known throughout Yggdrasil. Yet there were few who had actually beheld the divine emperor’s face. 

The number of people throughout the empire who had actually been allowed an audience with the divine emperor were few and far between. That secretive nature seemed to stir the imaginations of the people, and her beauty was said to be so great that anyone who looked upon her would lose their eyesight. 

“Yes. Alexis, who is currently dispatched to the region, has reported that this is fact,” the chamberlain said, lifting his head. 

The goði’s job hadn’t merely been to conduct the Chalice Ceremony. He had also had the mission of investigating the state of things throughout the land and sending information back to Glaðsheimr. 

The Empire may have declined to the point where its national power was only on par with a medium-sized clan, but its intelligence gathering network was still unsurpassed. 

“I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but it seems there can be no doubt,” the divine emperor said. “It seems the sovereign patriarch of the Wolf Clan truly is the dark presence we have feared.” 

“Y-Your Majesty. You mustn’t say such things so recklessly...” 

“Hmph! Even though it’s finally here, I suppose it’s natural that some will still have objections. Anyway, you must understand, right? This matter won’t remain limited to Álfheim,” the girl emperor then spoke more softly. “If it is truly as the völva has said, then perhaps the great uprising will overtake the entire realm of Yggdrasil.” 

“C-can it really be?!” The chamberlain was quaking at the gravity of the situation. 

The emperor replied quietly and firmly, and yet, somehow, in resignation. 

“The Time of Ragnarok is upon us.”

To be continued...