Shinwa Densetsu no Eiyuu no Isekaitan - Volume 2 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue

Beneath a clear blue sky, a column of men and horses snaked through the heat-choked desert. Their faces were cheerful, their minds fixed on home. It was the fourth day of the ninth month of Imperial Year 1023, and the Fourth Legion was returning from their campaign.

The line was abristle with standards of all colors, but the livery of the sixth princess and the fourth prince stood out above the rest. The royal column advanced beneath their shade.

“I wonder how Cerberus is doing,” Liz said wistfully as she rode.

“Sulking, probably,” replied Hiro alongside her. “Maybe you should buy her something on the way back.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never left her alone so long before. It’s been over a month.” The shadow of a frown flickered across her face, but a beaming smile soon replaced it. “But I’m sure she’ll be fine. I made sure she’d have her paws full.”

“Dare I ask what you did?”

“I appointed her commander of Berg Fortress while I was away.”

Hiro blinked. “You what?”

“Made her commander. She was surprisingly excited about it.”

“You do realize that’s not a ceremonial post? It has actual duties.”

“I wrote to Uncle about it. He’ll take care of all the paperwork.”

“I suppose that’s all right, then. Well, not for Kiork...”

Hiro felt a surge of pity for the man, but considering Kiork doted on his niece like a daughter, he would probably be delighted to help. The real question was where Tris had been in all this. It was the duty of the princess’s aides to curb her whims. Hiro shot the man a disapproving glance, but—

“Lady Cerberus makes a fine commander,” the old soldier said approvingly. “I’ve seen few more single-minded in their duties.”

“Oh, really.”

Cerberus certainly was single-minded...as animals typically were. Tris’s soft spot for the white wolf could sometimes get a little out of hand.

“I had no idea you were so hard-pressed, my lord.” Drix joined the conversation with a laugh. “Well, worry not. You have me by your side now, and paperwork happens to be my specialty.”

Hiro opened his mouth to reply, but Tris got there first. “Splendid!” the old soldier exclaimed, urging his horse closer to Drix’s. “I’m glad to hear it!”

A hearty clap to Drix’s back drove the breath from his lungs with an “Oomph!”

“This old body wasn’t made for clerical work,” Tris continued. “As much as it shames me to admit, I have been foisting much of it on Lord Hiro here.”

He had been foisting all of it on Hiro, but the boy bit his tongue.

“With all due respect, Sir Tarmier, I do outrank you. You ought not to be so familiar—”

“Bah, never mind all that. Tell me, lad, how well do you hold your liquor?”

“‘Never mind’? I—”

“You what?” Tris’s stern expression drew threateningly close.

“I... I can drink as well as the next man.”

“Excellent. Then what say we break open a cask to welcome you to the fortress?”

The wind carried Tris’s hearty laughter over their heads and away. Liz smiled with affection as she looked on.

Hiro, for his part, put a hand to his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on. “We still need a civil tribune...” he groaned. As he lowered his eyes, a shadow fell over him.

“One-Eyed Dragon. How go matters with Mille?”

Hiro looked up to see Garda’s enormous figure.

“Fine. Her village is along our route. Once we’re close, I’ll have her escorted home.” Hiro intended to leave it there, but he saw the concern lingering in Garda’s eyes. “If you’re worried about her identity getting out, that won’t be a problem. Liz will send her most trusted men to do the job.”

“And she will truly be safe there?”

“Of course. Threst is imperial territory now. It’ll be safer from bandits and monsters than ever. Besides, it’s close to Berg Fortress. You’ll only be a couple of days’ ride away.”

The moment he learned that Mille came from Threst, Hiro had realized why he found her so familiar. Threst was the name of the village he had passed through en route to the Fourth Legion. Moreover, its mayor, Kukuri—who had been kind enough to share his scant possessions with a passing stranger, if one who had ridded his home of bandits—was Mille’s father.

“I wouldn’t have thought you were such a worrier.”

“I want to see her safely home, as much as the words stick in my craw, given the peril I put her through. She deserves a peaceful life. One where her involvement in all this cannot chase her.” Garda glanced back at Mille’s transport. “I must thank you for furnishing her with a carriage.”

The desert heat was too harsh for a child. To leave her on horseback for an entire day’s march would be nothing less than torture.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least I can do.” Hiro gave a sheepish grin. He could hardly treat the girl poorly when he owed her father a debt.

“I suppose the question now,” Garda continued, “is what shall become of me.”

The zlosta now had no place to call home. Prior to washing up on the shores of Soleil, he had been an inhabitant of the southern archipelago of Ambition. To hear him tell it, the islands were currently ravaged by a period of internecine warfare. Indeed, Garda had once been one of the dozens of warlords vying for supremacy, with several territories under his command. Defeated in battle by a powerful rival, then finally betrayed by his vassals while he plotted his return to prominence, he had died—or so he had thought, only to awaken on the shores of Lichtein. After learning of the plight of the duchy’s slaves, he had embraced a new cause with Mille at its head, only to meet defeat for a second time at Hiro’s hands.

“I have a few ideas,” Hiro said.

Garda might have lost his Fellblade and warlord’s learning, but he was still a formidable warrior, and his victory over the old Duke Lichtein testified that his command of an army had not dulled.

“At any rate, don’t worry. I’ll treat you well.”

“Your face tells a different tale.” Scowling, Garda fell back toward the carriage.

Hiro returned his gaze to the fore. Far in the distance, beyond the horizon, lay the imperial capital of Cladius.

I expect I’ll be receiving a summons soon. Only time will tell what’ll be asked of me next...

The thought was enough to darken his mood. Whatever was coming next, if he didn’t find a way to solve it, there were many who would jump at the chance to undermine his reputation. At the same time, however, he found himself looking forward to the chance to outwit them.

I can’t let myself get carried away. That’s a bad habit of mine.

He had to take things slow and steady, accumulating victories where he could and building up his reputation. He was only a third class military tribune. That wasn’t a strong enough foundation to build on, even with the rank of fourth prince to shore it up. The road to his ultimate goal was long, and he had only barely begun.

That reminds me...

Hiro reached into his pocket and produced a strip of stiff card—the seal Artheus had given him before he had returned to Earth.

At the time, it had been entirely white, but one-third was now stained black.