Around the time when Tigre met with Mila to tell her his feelings, Limalisha visited Titta’s tent. As it was getting late in the night, the moon had already risen high into the sky, but Titta was still awake. As might be expected, she didn’t wear her maid attire, but loose, casual wear made out of hemp cloth, wrapping her body up in a blanket on top of that. Her ponytails had been loosened as well.
“Excuse me for visiting you at such a late hour. There’s something I’d like to request of you.”
While being shown into the tent by Titta, Lim held out a plush toy to her. It was a plush teddy the size of a hand which was quite dirty. Moreover, it was missing its right front paw.
Titta blinked her eyes in surprise, accepting it from Lim. It was a plush teddy she had made in the past.
“You’ve been cherishing it quite a bit, haven’t you?”
Having seen the teddy as decoration at Tigre’s mansion in Alsace, Lim had asked Titta whether she could have it, or otherwise, have Titta make her a similar one. This was something that happened two years ago, just when Tigre had resolved to fight Duke Thenardier.
“Since I’ve been using him as a replacement for a good luck charm at times when I headed out for battle, he might have gone through somewhat rough times.” Lim revealed an apologetic smile.
Titta shook her head, and fetched a needle and yarn out of a small box placed in a corner of the tent.
“I’ll fix him up right away, so please give me a moment. Ah, let me prepare you some black tea before that. I still have some grape jam, after all.”
“No, I’ll take care of the black tea. Please allow me to do at least this much.”
Upon Lim’s offer, Titta bowed her head, telling her, “Please do,” and then began to sew on a new front paw for the teddy. After having Titta tell her where to find everything, Lim grabbed a small kettle and a leather bag with water, stepping outside the tent. After boiling the water, using a nearby campfire, she returned to the tent.
There she brewed the black tea in two porcelain cups. Just then Titta also finished up her repair work.
“Thank you very much. I considered asking you tomorrow morning, but…”
Lim thanked Titta from the bottom of her heart after accepting the teddy bear. Because she got spurred on by unfounded anxiety, she’d come here tonight to ask Titta despite feeling bad about it, but it had been the right decision.
“Things like these end up bothering you, no matter what you do, don’t they? Please feel free to rely on me at any time from now on.” Titta answered with a smile.
The two enjoyed a light-hearted chat over their black tea. Titta had been interacting with the soldiers in a way Tigre and the Vanadis couldn’t. As such, she had an inexhaustible supply of topics. At the time when they had emptied their cups, Lim brought up something she had been hesitating to mention.
“Titta, there’s one thing I’d like to ask you, if possible.”
The other girl tilted her head to the side, making her chestnut-colored hair sway. The following silence was a result of Lim wavering once more.
Tightly clasping her cup, she shook off all hesitation, and rattled down without break, “It’s about Lord Tigrevurmud. That gentleman has Eleonora-sama as a lover besides you. I’ve heard that got a confession from Her Highness Regin as well. What do you think about that?”
When she finished speaking, Lim was fully enveloped by a gloomy guilty conscience. She had asked something she shouldn’t ask as an outsider in this regard. She had hurt Titta’s feelings, and thus she was filled with nothing but regret. In the past, she had confronted Elen with the same question. But, Elen was Lim’s mistress and best friend. As such, she had more than enough reason to ask.
Unable to look Titta in the face, Lim shifted her eyes to the teddy bear next to her instead.
After around two breaths, Titta answered, “Ms. Limalisha, do you love Lord Tigre?”
Putting her tea cup down on the carpet, Lim stared straight at Titta, and answered, “Yes.”
Even though she had asked a question first, being the only one to evade an answer by lying was no option for her. And, thanks to voicing out her honest feelings, the hesitation, which had been nesting in the deepest recesses of her heart, slowly dissolved.
However, no other words left Lim’s mouth. She couldn’t come up with the right words to precisely express emotions on the spot. As she kept brooding in silence, Titta said, “I want Lord Tigre to always smile.”
Titta’s eyes were overflowing with affection to her beloved youth.
“I’ve seen Lord Tigre looking pained on so many occasions. When a plague ran rampant in a village of Alsace, resulting in half of the village having to be burned. When his father ─ Lord Urs ─ passed away. When he had to tackle a difficult problem during his work as lord. And when he headed out for battle, too.”
Lim nodded. She herself had frequently seen that pained look on Tigre’s face.
Titta continued, “I can’t beam a smile on Lord Tigre’s face at such times, but Lady Eleonora can. I’m well aware that she has done all kinds of things for Lord Tigre’s sake. That’s also why I’m happy about Lady Eleonora loving Lord Tigre.”
After having talked up to this point, Titta puffed out her cheeks a bit and pursed her lips.
“Of course, there are times when I feel depressed about it in my heart though… Like what happened during the time when we distributed vodka to everyone during the rain the other day.”
Lim spontaneously burst into laughter. This was about Tigre having kissed Elen. She believed to have been the only one to have noticed it, but apparently she had been wrong.
“Didn’t Lord Tigrevurmud do anything with you afterwards?”
“No,” she ducked her head, seemingly embarrassed, and then answered with a faint whisper.
It looked like the two had hugged and kissed each other after having become alone.
──Smile, huh?
Lim picked up the teddy bear, and deeply bowed towards Titta.
“Thank you, Titta. Thanks to you, I was able to sort out my feelings.”
When she lifted her face again, a bright smile was blooming on her face. Titta’s view was something she could fully approve of. Her heart always felt at ease whenever Tigre was smiling. If Tigre accomplished something, she was happy for him. She felt like she wanted him to always smile.
“Ms. Limalisha, are you going to confess to Lord Tigre?”
“Let’s see… Once this situation has been settled, I’ll think about the proper words.”
Turning her feelings into words. Just like Mila was doing at this moment.
Exchanging good night wishes, Lim left Titta’s tent.
◇◆◇
The light of dawn quietly pierced through the cold air wafting across the ground as it flooded the land from the eastern horizon. Tigre gazed eastwards, squinting his eyes as the sun rays were too dazzling for him.
He stood outside the camp of Arma Zirnitra, his body clad in traveling clothes. Next to him were Elen and Titta who had come to see him off.
Shifting his eyes to Elen, he was about to open his mouth in order to tell her something, but what crossed his mind was the nightmare he’d seen in the past. The dream Tigre had seen at night after secretly meeting with Valentina in Silesia. A venomously purple ground, black vegetation, and a crimson moon. Monsters. And, several decayed draconic tools.
What allowed Tigre to calm down a bit more than Elen and the others when the draconic tools had lost their powers right after the battle against Ganelon was the nightmare from that time sticking to his memory, in addition to what the goddess had told him about the situation.
But, now Tigre couldn’t escape a feeling of uneasiness whether it was truly so.
Didn’t that dream show me the future of the wielders and not the draconic tools themselves? Though I’d love to believe that I’m overthinking this.
In the end, Tigre kept his mouth shut. He worried that he’d only make Elen feel anxious, no matter how he phrased it.
Elen passed a small strap of paper to Tigre. Once he looked at it, it listed three names.
“They’re bureaucrats serving at the palace, and people who are especially close to Lord Eugene. I’m sure they’ll assist you.”
“Lord Tigre, please be careful.”
“Thanks, you two.”
Tigre separately hugged Elen and Titta. And then he mounted the horse that had been prepared for him. His Black Bow, quivers, and things necessary for traveling had been loaded on the horse behind the saddle.
Three men, who had watched the parting scene from several alsin away, now brought their horse close. It was Gaspal, Damad, and Naum. Without saying, all three had finished their preparations long ago. Gaspal was Mashas’s second son, and something akin to an older brother for Tigre. Damad was a Muozinel soldier and a friend who was always open for a casual chat with Tigre. Naum was one of Zhcted’s knights, and while still in his thirties, the white streaks within his black hair stood out and deep wrinkles had dug themselves into his face.
“Done?” Gaspal asked with a smile.
Tigre nodded. Naum pulling a face full of complicated feelings most likely stemmed from this lineup. Even though they were heading to the capital of Zhcted, he was the only Zhcted in the group.
“I’ll ride in front. Considering the current situation where battles are raging all over the place, it’s not strange for Brunians and Muozinel to travel the lands, but if someone talks to you, pretend that you don’t quite understand the Zhcted language. Then I’ll handle the rest.” Naum said while looking at the other three.
In response, Tigre obediently bowed his head, Gaspal imitated Tigre, and Damad nodded lightly.
The hooves of four horses thundered across the ground, turning the cold air into a wind that pricked the men’s faces. Tigre and his escort spurred their horses on, galloping towards the sun which was slowly but steadily gaining in strength as it blessed the land with its light.
◎
Arma Zirnitra vacated its camp roughly one and a half koku after Tigre had departed. Even though the sun was weak around this season, its light was brilliant and warm. The sky looked like a blue canvas, few clouds to be found.
After swiftly finishing their breakfast Arma Zirnitra had begun its march in the northeastern direction. Elen and the other Vanadis had their men rest every half koku, sending out scouts while checking their maps. Whenever they got close to a village or town, they’d write a letter for the local mayor or village chief, and have a cavalry unit deliver it.
The letters requested permission to buy provisions and fuel, but of course this wasn’t the only aim. They wanted to find out in advance whether those towns and villages were on Valentina’s side. Depending on the situation, it was quite likely that an enemy could suddenly show up behind them.
Maybe you could describe it as luck, but all the towns and villages, where Arma Zirnitra stopped by, declared their neutrality. Neutrality under these circumstances meant that they’d yield to the superior side as soon as it became clear who was predominating, but for Elen’s group it was plenty with them not turning into their enemies right away.
Just like that Arma Zirnitra advanced along the main road at a good pace for several days, but when they dispatched a cavalry unit to Piwa, a town situated in the middle between Lebus and Bydgauche, they received a grave request.
“Northern bandits have suddenly crossed the border. They don’t know the number of towns and villages that got attacked by them… Thus they’re begging us to lend them our strength as Vanadis.”
It might be more accurate to describe it as entreaty rather than a request.
“I’ll head over to ask them about the details. It’s my first time to visit this town, but I’m sure they’re much more familiar with the name Lebus than Leitmeritz or Olmutz.” Liza said.
Accompanied by just Olga, she headed over to Piwa early in the morning. Elen and Mila, who had been entrusted with the command of Arma Zirnitra, had the men set up camp near Piwa. Even in this place, it’d be impossible to allow 4,500 soldiers to enter town.
Snow seemed to have fallen in this area. Patches of white could be seen here and there around Piwa, glittering as they were struck by the sun rays.
It was just past noon when Liza and Olga came back from Piwa. The camp build had long finished. The sky was a sketch of light blue, and if you took the season into account, you could actually call it a sunny day, but the wind was freezing.
The sight of off-duty soldiers warming themselves at the campfires they had started could be watched manifold inside the camp. Some of them were also grilling dried meat or fish.
The Vanadis assembled in Elen’s tent. Next to the stony Arifar leaned the Sword of Invincibility, which Tigre had left in Elen’s care, in a corner of the tent. Noticing Liza revealing doubt and irritation in her odd eyes, Elen raised her eyebrows.
“You look like it’s quite a troublesome story.”
“Yes, it is a major pain.” Liza answered and spread out several maps she’d brought over from her own tent.
Lim called Titta over, and asked her to bring hot water with honey for everyone. Considering the state of the camp, she suspected that water should have already been boiled at several places. In little to no time, Titta poured hot water with honey into silver cups and carried them over.
With cups in hand, Elen and the other Vanadis sat down while making sure to surround the maps prepared by Liza.
Liza pointed at one map. It depicted the continent’s northern part. Her slender finger wasn’t aimed at Zhcted, but north of Zhcted, beyond the border.
“You’re aware that people referred to as savage tribes live in the north of our country, right?”
“If it’s around that much, yeah.” Elen answered while staring at the map.
Her Leitmeritz and Mila’s Olmutz were both situated in Zhcted’s southwest. Olga’s Brest lay in the east. Thus it was fine to describe the knowledge about the northern tribe of the three as almost non-existent.
“They’re asking us to repel those savage tribes. The enemy numbers around 20,000. Up until today, quite a few towns and villages have been attacked by them, and even in Piwa, many residents, soldiers, and then peddlers have run away.”
Liza’s voice clearly oozed with rage. Elen felt the same, but she prioritized asking something that was bugging her.
“If I remember correctly, Lord Ilda supposedly subjugated the tribes, didn’t he?”
“Right. I have heard that story from Lord Ilda himself. He told me that the tribes fielded big numbers, lengthening the expedition for days over schedule, and that his army also suffered casualties.”
This was an event which took place at the beginning of Tigre, who had lost his memories after defeating the pirates led by Torbalan, was brought to Lebus as Urs. Liza remembered that time quite well.
“You’re saying they recovered within just one year and launched a counterattack in the midst of winter?” Mila frowned in a way that made her doubt clear.
She hadn’t been close to Ilda, but she had learned through rumors that he was a skilled commander with a vast territory in Zhcted’s north. While it might be true that he had struggled with them,. she couldn’t believe that he’d wing the savage tribe suppression. Moreover, she couldn’t understand the tribes’ action either. If they took action for the sake of pillaging, the current season was extremely unsuited. After all, none of the villages and towns should have much reserves left anymore.
“I found all of this strange as well, and thus asked Piwa’s mayor about various things. One of the stories he told me drew my attention. Most recently, the chief of the tribes has changed.”
Elen, Mila, and Lim all inclined their heads in confusion. They couldn’t immediately grasp the meaning behind Liza’s words. Olga, who drank her water while looking at the maps, hadn’t participated in the discussion so far, but now she added with a dispassionate, detached tone, “A new chief would exhibit their power and start wars in order to increase their authority. Some of my ancestors were like that as well.”
“I see. That makes sense in a way.” Elen nodded.
Next to her, Lim faced Liza with a serious expression.
“Lady Elizavetta, our army fields 4,500. Let alone having half the enemy numbers, we do not even reach a fourth of the enemy numbers. I think it would be dangerous to fight them under these circumstances.”
It was the duty of a Vanadis to protect the kingdom from foreign aggressors. They also felt angry towards the cruelty of the tribes. And just because they were getting ready to fight Valentina, it was still no choice to leave the tribes to their own devices. But, as an army commander, one should avoid reckless battles as much as possible.
Liza placed her cup against her lips, and sipped some hot water. After adding a silent break, she revealed a smile filled with confidence.
“Of course we’ll call out to the surrounding lords to provide us with soldiers. We’ve got good prospects of winning this, even with just me alone handling it.”
Four curious stares converged on Liza. Mila’s blue eyes twinkled in amusement.
“Could we have you tell us the details?”
“It’s something I’ve heard from Lord Ilda before, but──”
With that preface, Liza told them what she knew about the tribes, and explained her plan based on that knowledge. After the other Vanadis and Lim offered several suggestions, the plan was completed.
◎
————— End of Part 4 —————
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