Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume01 Chapter1

Chapter 1 - Encounter with the Vanadis

"Tigre-sama."

The voice of a girl that he had grown used to hearing reached his ears, and he felt his body being shaken.

Because of the bright light shining through the window, he understood that morning had come.

However, he was still sleepy.

"A little longer...... Just a little longer."

"How long is 'a little longer', may I ask?"

"There aren't any plans to go hunting today, so until noon......"

"Cut it out and please wake up!"

The girl roared out loud.

He was stripped of his blanket, his shoulders were grabbed, and he was woken up violently.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that the bright red face of the girl, boiling with anger, was in close proximity.

She had a child-like face, which had no intimidating power even when she was angry. Her chestnut-coloured hair was tied in twin tails. Her small body was dressed in a uniform with black long sleeves, a black skirt that reached down to her feet, and also a white apron that gave off a feeling of cleanliness. That was what the maidservant looked like.

"Ah...... Morning, Teita."

With a drowsy and slow voice, Tigre called out the name of the maidservant who was a year younger than him. Seeing that he seemed to be awake, Teita released her hand.

"The soldiers have already finished their preparations a long time ago, and are all waiting for Tigre-sama!"

Tigre was confused, and thought about what she had just said.

The blood rushed from his face immediately as the realisation sank in.

"......... Oh crap!"

As though rolling out of his bed, he got up, and Teita held out a set of folded clothes to him. Beside her feet was a small pail, filled with water.

"Thank you. You're as well prepared as always."

"That is because I had expected this to happen. I will go and prepare breakfast, so please wash your face and get changed in the mean time."

With the anger gone from her face, Teita made a cheerful smile, bowed, pulling the hem of her skirt slightly upwards in a curtsey, and left the room gracefully.

Tigre washed his face, the cool and refreshing feeling cleansed the remaining drowsiness from him. While putting on his clothes, he dashed out from the room, buttoning them as he ran down the corridor.

"Though I don't have any time left......... I still can't slack off."

He originally intended on going straight for the dining room, but instead he headed towards the small room at the end of the corridor.

This was a room small enough that three adults are unable to sit down inside together at once. Opposite the entrance was a exquisitely decorated rack, and on it, was a bow.

The bowstring was firm and taut, and it seemed like it was ready for use at any time.

If one were to describe that bow with one word, it would be 'black'.

The handle, the bowstring, the entire bow was pure black, with no luster or shine.

It would not be unbelievable if people were told that this bow was cut and made from darkness.

―― The mere sight of it gave off an oppressive feeling...

The bow with such a mysterious atmosphere, was a family heirloom of the Vorn family, said to have been used by their hunter ancestors.

Tigre's father had left behind a last request regarding the bow.

'Only when you are truly in need of this bow, may you use it. Not under any other circumstance.'

Upon hearing his father's will, Tigre felt an indescribable feeling of eeriness from it, and decided not to touch it.

Tigre stood up straight, regulated his breathing, placed his clenched fist against his chest, moving it horizontally. Then, he made a bow to his ancestors.

Finishing this action, he quietly left the room, and headed for the dining room.

Tigrevurmud Vorn was sixteen this year. Born in an Earl's House in the Kingdom of Brune, he had succeeded the family when his father had passed away due to illness.

The name which was quite a mouthful had been passed down by the ancestors who had obtained the position of an Earl. He himself had found it long and troublesome to call, hence he had asked those close to him to address him as 'Tigre'.

Tigre stepped into the dining room, where he smelled a delicious aroma.

On the simple dining table, there were ham wrapped in fried egg, rye bread, milk, mushroom soup and others, hot enough for a faint vapour to waft from them.

Teita was on stand-by at the side of the table.

"Just the soup will do."

"That won't do."

When it came to food, Teita was extremely stubborn.

"Do you want your stomach to be grumbling in front of everyone? It would be unsightly."

Her two hands placed on her hips, she glared directly at Tigre. It was a look full of intensity, very much unlike a maidservant. It was far scarier than when she was waking him up.

Tigre knew very well that he could not win this argument, hence he readily gave in.

Washing the bread down with milk, he then grabbed the plate and gobbled down the fried egg, and finished the soup in great gulps.

"Thank you for the meal."

He stood up as he said that. Teita immediately walked up to him, a comb and napkin in her hands.

"There's still a little bit left on your mouth, please wipe it properly."

Speaking as though she were a little angry, Teita wiped his mouth clean with the napkin.

"And, you've got some bed-hair too."

She extended the hand which held the comb, and thoroughly combed Tigre's red hair.

"Look, even your collar's crooked."

Placing the comb and napkin on the table, her outstretched hand arranged his collar neatly. Tigre quietly accepted it.

" ―― Tigre-sama."

"What is it?"

Suddenly, Teita's voice had lost it's strictness, becoming rather feminine, and she called out to Tigre gently. Tigre had always thought of her, who was a year younger, as his younger sister.

"Why does Tigre-sama have to go out and do battle?"

Tigre's expression became a little troubled, and he ran his hand through his dark red hair. At times, Teita would ask these kind of hard-to-answer questions, and he would be at a loss trying to come up with an answer.

"It's His Majesty's military draft. For the Kingdom of Brune, it is only natural for the House of Earl Vorn to take part."

"B-but..."

Looking up at Tigre with a teary-looking face, Teita argued vehemently.

"It wasn't easy for us to have even mustered up a hundred soldiers........."

Whether it was the nobility or Earls, there were many different types.

And, though House Vorn was not in a situation where they would be deemed 'poor', describing them as 'simple', or other similar adjectives would not be too far off from the mark, that was the noble family of Vorn.

This countryside, which was distant from the central area of the territory known as Alsace, besides being small, was also covered mainly with forests and mountains, hence there were not many things they could reap profits from.

Even Tigre's lifestyle, was far off from what one might expect from the image of 'nobility', lacking in luxury and grandeur.

The house was not large to begin with, but just the mere fact that Teita could manage the domestic chores of the entire house alone, was enough to illustrate this point.

"Furthermore, I've heard that the enemy is the Kingdom of Zhcted. If that's the case, shouldn't Tigre-sama be staying here? After all, Zhcted and Alsace are only separated by a mountain."

"That may be so, but this is a place that's as rural as it gets. Even Zhcted won't think of invading here."

To Tigre, the fact that this place will not be turned into a battlefield, was a good thing.

"W-what's more......... don't they always make a fool out of Tigre-sama's bow skills?"

"It's indeed impossible to leave behind a chanson de geste with the bow, eh."

"It's fine even if there isn't a chanson de geste!"

Insisting that with a loud voice, Teita then buried her head into Tigre's chest.

"I only.... wish that you do not push yourself too hard, and that no injuries shall ever befall you, and please, return in good health."

The slender body of the maidservant hugged Tigre lightly, worrying for him.

"Don't worry too much. In my first battle two years ago, did I not return unharmed in the end?"

"That time, Ulus-sama was......"

Teita's voice trailed off halfway. Ulus was Tigre's father, who had passed away two years ago.

In order for Teita to be at ease of heart, Tigre lightly patted her on her head.

"In this battle ahead, my unit will be located at the rear of the main forces, a safe place to be. No matter what happens, I'll think of something."

Bringing his hand up, he wiped off the tears on the corner of Teita's eyes. With an 'I understand,' Teita nodded.

"L-listen well, Tigre-sama. Please don't oversleep on the battlefield, like you always do."

"The way you say it makes it seem like I'm always oversleeping."

"That is the truth. The only times that Tigre-sama would wake up on time is when there is hunting to be done, isn't it?"

To Tigre's astonished response, she rebutted.

Even so, he understood that Teita was cheering for him with all her heart, and once again, Tigre hugged her.

Teita relaxed her body, letting Tigre hold her.

The warmth of her body could be felt even through her clothes, and her chestnut-coloured hair gave off a faint fragrance.

Though he would have liked to continue like this a little longer, he did not have much time.

Tigre reluctantly released her body, gently.

"I'm counting on you to watch the house, Teita."

Teita wiped aside her tears with her sleeve, and said, smiling.

"Please leave it to me. Tigre-sama too, take care of yourself."

Just as Tigre walked out the front door while hefting the bow and quiver on his back, he saw that the soldiers were already in formation, awaiting him.

A short old man wearing leather armour walked up to him, and bowed his head.

"Young master, everyone has been assembled. The preparations are also complete."

"Well done, Batran."

This old man was Tigre's aide. Compared with the young Tigre, he had far more experience in battle, and within this unit, he was the only person besides Tigre who was trained in equestrianism.

As for the rest, they were all leather-armour wearing soldiers with swords hung on their hips and wielding spears.

"I sure have gathered a fair number."

Tigre heaved a sigh, and some of the more experienced soldiers half-jokingly said,

"Milord, there's naught to be worried about. Though we've not fought in a war for three years, we've spent our days working with the plough, and as such our bodies have grown tough, aye."

"Going against His Majesty's command, would be like disobeying the ol' missus, no? Then we are left no choice, but to obey."

"Your words are much appreciated. Why don't we simply bring your wife along as well? A few angry roars from her would be able to scare off even a thousand or two of the enemy soldiers, eh?"

The soldiers laughed uproariously.

"It would be best to give up on that, young master. This man's missus differentiates not between friend or foe!"

Batran had interjected with banter of his own, and Tigre ended this conversation with a shrug of his shoulders.

―― It looked like morale was not going to be a problem.

After waiting for their laughter to subside, Tigre saluted. Then, he mounted the horse that Batran had brought over, and raised his right hand up in the air, and gave a command.

"Our destination is the Plains of Dinant. En-route, we will be joining up with Lord Massas' forces."

The soldiers raised the war flags up high.

They carried two different flags. One had a blue base with a white half-moon and shooting star, the war flag of House Vorn. The other was of Bayarl ―― a sacred horse with a black mane and crimson body, the symbol of the Kingdom of Brune.

"With that, let us move out!"

The Kingdom of Brune, with the Kingdom of Zhcted located at its east, have had their swords at each other's throats for over twenty years.

The reason for the conflict this time, was due to the flooding of the river that served as the border of the two countries, caused by torrential rain.

Firstly, the victims of the flood were quick to point fingers at the other country, saying 'tis all because those fellows from yonder haven't been doing their job with the river', which served as the sparks that started the fire.

Next, both countries that were petitioned to by the victims, maintained the stance that 'there are problems with their flood control solutions', which fanned the flames of hostility even more, and finally resulting in a full-scale conflict.

If it were just that, Tigre should not have been summoned to the battlefield.

"The enemy forces number roughly five thousand, but our own forces number over twenty five thousand. 'Tis pleasant news, truly."

The one who spoke with sarcasm in his voice, beside Tigre, was a knight that was already past middle-age, Massas Rodant.

Massas was a friend of Tigre's father, and had often taken care of Tigre, his benefactor.

"They say it's because His Royal Highness is riding into battle for the first time, have you heard of that?"

Tigre asked, while riding next to Massas.

"'Tis likely to be true. His Majesty does dote on him, after all."

His portly body equipped with iron armour and helmet, Massas stroked his mustache in displeasure.

"The conflict this time round, is almost like a squabble between children, resulting in their parents having to step in, it is not something that would drastically alter the country's future. Based on the meaning of that, for His Highness ―― Prince Legunas, we are merely decorations in his first battle...... to be precise, this is for him to gain some experience."

For his beloved son's first battle, the King must have wanted him to win a glorious victory.

The King had sent out all of the knights directly under him, and the nobles that lived near the Plains of Dinant which was soon to become a battlefield too, had received the call to war.

Even minor nobles like Tigre and Massas.

Those assembled numbered over twenty five thousand.

The forces commanded by Massas were about three hundred men strong. Within that, there were about fifty knights.

Though the numbers were not small, compared to the entire twenty five thousand strong army, they were but a drop in the ocean, and the same went for Tigre, which was the reason the both of them had been assigned to the rear end of the formation.

"The odds favour those who gather the greater army ―― 'tis but the basics of war. One day, Prince Legunas will succeed the throne. His Majesty was not wrong to do so, was he?"

Tigre patted the old knight on the shoulder in consolation.

Those words that he had said were rhetorics. If he did not say it out loud, perhaps he might have lost his will to fight.

"No doubt about it, we are but minor nobility, we only have to obediently wait at the back. If everyone bears the same mindset that this would be an assured victory, and lunge headfirst into battle for glory..... that reminds me, Tigre, have you heard of the Princesses of War?"

He asked as though he had suddenly recalled something, and Tigre tilted his head.

"The Seven Vanadis of Zhcted, you mean?"

"Yes, that's the one alright. It seems that the enemy forces are being lead by one of the Vanadis. Though only sixteen years old, she has been undefeated, attaining victory after victory. An excellent swordswoman, she stands at the forefront of battle, cutting down all before her, known and feared as the [MeltisDanseuse of the Sword], or the [SilvfrahlWind Princess of the Silverflash]."

The Kingdom of Zhcted was ruled by a King, and the Seven Vanadis.

―― The same age as me, huh.

Tigre had an inexplicable feeling, about this yet unmet enemy general. Though they were the same age, and she was even a female, she had far more battle experience and had performed many heroic feats, and commanded a five thousand strong army.

In the Kingdom of Brune that Tigre was born in, women were not allowed to become knights, except those born of high nobility.

So far in this war, Tigre had not even seen a single female knight.

Because of that reason, he felt excited.

"What name does she go by, this Vanadis?"

"If my memory doesn't fail me, she's called Eleonora Viltaria. The rumours say that she's a real beauty. If one were to place a precious gemstone next to her, it would pale in comparison."

"Is she really that beautiful?"

"It's great that you're excited hearing about beauties, but remember to keep it in moderation. Otherwise, Teita'll get jealous."

Massas' grey mustache trembling with his laughter, and Tigre replied sullenly.

"Why did Teita's name suddenly get mentioned? She's only like a sister ―― "

"Ever since you were kids, people have said that the pair of you were like a lazy older brother and a capable younger sister."

Even though he put it that way, Tigre could not make a rebuttal. Scratching his dark red hair, he changed the topic.

"If the Vanadis is truly that great a general as the rumours say, then we're in for a hard battle, aren't we?"

"That may be so, but the difference in military strength is simply too great. Even with a specialist of war leading them, they probably wouldn't be able to overcome that disparity."

No matter how hard the Vanadis fought, they would not be able to make up for the overwhelming difference in numbers, five times to be exact.

Tigre would have liked to voice out his agreement, but for some reason he could not do so.

He had an ominous, foreboding feeling. At the region around the back of his neck, he felt a sensation as though being burned.

This was not the first time he had experienced this kind of feeling.

Like those times when he was out hunting, and was surrounded by wolves due to carelessness ―― or when he ran into dragons while in the mountains.

Or when he had woken up in the morning, and was sporting some major morning wood, and Teita had came to wake up him like she always did.

In any case, when he had this kind of feeling, something bad was about to happen.

"You don't seem too overjoyed."

He had been wearing his true feelings on his face, it seemed, and Massas looked over in concern.

"Are you worried about something? You don't seem like your usual carefree self."

"What carefree self...... aren't there other ways to describe me, like imperturbable?"

Tigre said unhappily, to which Massas smiled.

"It's fine even if you try to brush it off with difficult vocabulary. As for me, I remember that day as though it were just yesterday. Two years ago, when you had succeeded Ulus."

"I, did I say something then?"

"When the representatives of those villages and towns had asked you how to manage Alsace, didn't you answer them with a 'well, it'll work out somehow'? If that isn't carefree, what is?"

Tigre did not reply, only shrugged his shoulders.

However, Massas did not stop there.

"When Ulus was still with us, he had always praised you as someone who was 'calm and steadfast, though a little optimistic. He does make good judgments, and also has a strong body'. Those were exactly the words of a father favouring his son, weren't they."

"Even if you say that, I do have confidence in my way of doing things."

After Massas had finished speaking, did Tigre answer.

It was the truth that no major problems had occurred in Alsace.

Though slowly, their assets had been growing steadily. Those representatives who had been stunned at his casual statement then got along pretty well with him after that.

"Besides those days where you go hunting, are you able to wake up on your own? Without Teita's help, of course."

"........ No, about that..."

"I've heard from Teita that.... if you had two or three days off, you would grab your bow and quiver and head off into the forests or mountains to hunt."

Tigre's shoulder sagged in his silence, he could not refute that fact.

"Forget I ever said anything. It's good enough that you are performing your duties as a governor. That you can tell just by seeing their faces."

Massas looked over his shoulders, back at the soldiers.

Their fighting spirits were low due to being deployed at the rear, but not a single person had voiced his unhappiness or anger over it.

"Tigre, our job is to bring these men back home safely. Not thinking how to win this battle. I'm not sure what you're thinking about, but don't worry too much about it."

"Thank you for your concern."

Tigre expressed his gratitude for Massas' concern.

It was as he had said, there was no point thinking too much about it.

It was frustrating, but they were only called to the battlefield as decorations for the Royal Prince.

No one had expected them to contribute to the battle, nor did Tigre or Massas expect anyone to make use of their forces.

A few days later, Tigre and company had arrived at Dinant.

The twenty thousand strong main force, the vanguard were lined up at the foot of the hill. The rearguard that was commanded by Prince Legunas, five thousand strong, were on standby at the top of the hill. Naturally, Tigre and Massas were part of the rearguard.

Just from these facts, the odds of them having to enter the fray were miniscule.

◎

The time was before daybreak. Under the dark sky, a thousand soldiers were advancing in silence.

They dulled the metallic parts of their swords and spears with mud to stop the reflection from giving them away, made their horses bite on boards, and wrapped their hooves with cotton cloth. Extreme measures of caution.

In that manner, they were undiscovered by the enemy, and arrived at the side of the hill.

If they climbed its gentle slopes, they would be able to see the enemy forces ―― the rearguard of the Brune army had night sentries, after all. The flames of the campfire flickered, burning.

" ―― Let us rest. Begin the preparations."

The silver-haired girl who was at the forefront, leading all of these knights, lightly smiled. The soldiers did as she bidded and started to rest, and retrieved the boards and cloth from their horses.

Before long, the scouts that they had sent out earlier had returned.

Hearing from the scouts that the enemies were sound asleep and did not notice their movements, the girl turned around and faced the knights. Drawing the longsword at her waist, she raised it high in the air, as a light wind blew.

"The enemies right before our eyes number five thousand, five times our number. A rearguard it may be, but if that is where the supreme commander is positioned, then it would be reasonable to assume the presence of many elites."

However, the girl's crimson eyes were filled with fighting spirit, and she continued.

"Even so, I will go. And thus, achieve victory. Will you follow me?"

The knights silently raised their arms, pointing their swords and spears toward the sky.

The girl turned her head in the direction of the enemy, driving her horse forward, and brought down her longsword in an arc.

"Assault, begin!"

Their war flags billowed in the wind. The shape of Zirnitra ―― a pitch-black dragon, the symbol of the Kingdom of Zhcted, adorned the war flags.

The rush of the air as they advanced. In the knights' hands were swords and spears, otherwise bows, and they followed the girl's lead, galloping on their horses towards the hilltop.

The soldiers on sentry duty had finally noticed the enemy assault, hearing the sounds of hooves striking ground, as if the earth was crying out.

"The enemy ―― "

The girl, with a flash of her sword, changed what escaped from the soldier's throat from a warning cry to a fountain of spurting blood.

Against the background of the gradually brightening sky, the girl led a force of thousand men directly into the enemy camp, causing wanton destruction. The army of Brune had fallen into chaos. There were even soldiers who threw down their weapons, fleeing for their lives.

Although there were soldiers who had bravely tried to mount a resistance, the difference in the impetus of their assault were too different.

Above all, the valiant girl who led the forces of Zhcted. With her longsword she stood at the frontlines of battle, and was overwhelming in her strength.

With just one assault, hordes of enemy soldiers had been slain, or crushed beneath the hooves of horses. Even so, not a single drop of blood stained her body.

Each time her longsword had caused the wind to howl, the bodies that littered the ground increased.

Her silvery-white hair swaying with the wind, the girl had attacked the enemy camp in this fashion, with the horde of knights that had followed her lead.

At this point in time, victory and defeat looked certain, for the respective sides.

◎

His ears were ringing.

Screams, shrieks, death cries, hooves clacking on the ground and the sound of weapons clashing against each other filled his ears.

"..... Ugh."

He woke up.

Spread out wide before his eyes was the blue sky that seemed like it would suck one in, in its vastness.

Pushing away the weight that was resting upon his body, Tigre got up.

When the ringing in his ears was gone, he could hear the sound of the wind and faint fading moans. The rustling of the pieces of the broken war flags and the trampled grass could also be heard.

Dust creeped along the ground in the wind, and the smell of blood reached his nose.

"Did I lose consciousness.... "

Tottering, he rose on his feet, and what greeted him was the sight of corpses as far as the eyes could see, a hill of death.

The grass was stained with blood, and the land was buried with hundreds, or even thousands of corpses, scattered about. A wave of nausea came over him, and he covered his mouth with his hand. He felt a moist sensation, and he saw that his hand was dyed red.

―― Blood.....?

He checked his face and his entire head, but it seemed he was not wounded.

"Somebody else's blood, huh."

It seemed that Tigre had somehow been buried underneath a few corpses. Because of that, he had managed to escape the eyes of the enemy.

"Batran! Lord Massas!"

He called out the names of his aide and the old knight he was close with, but there were no replies.

He tried calling out the names of the soldiers that were under him, but as expected, there were no responses.

"If they got away, then it's fine, I suppose."

Wherever he looked, there were only corpses. Amongst the corpses, were scattered swords, broken spears, and the remnants of ruined flags.

Vision was limited by the morning fog that obscured the far distance, but, nothing moved in his field of vision. No allies, nor enemies.

Anger and hatred for the enemy did not gush out from within him. More than that, he was dragged down by the weight of fatigue and tiredness, and he sighed.

"A terrible battle it was...."

Roughly around dawn, a surprise attack had been launched against the Brune army. In the ensuing mayhem, their vanguard came under attack as well, and with that came the downfall of the army of twenty five thousand.

―― Yesterday, before midnight, our army had confirmed that the enemy forces were directly in front of us. In other words, Zhcted had split their army into two. A two-pronged assault on both the rearguard and the vanguard.

Tigre had felt the chills run down his spine.

The plan was simple. Even a child could have come up with it.

―― What was fearsome was, their calm execution of the plan, against forces five times their number.

They had fewer soldiers, and on top of that, split their forces. A small mistake, and their entire forces would have been crushed. The soldiers must have been against it, to no small degree.

―― However, it had been a splendid success.

The Brune army had been routed.

Washed away with the stampede of fleeing allies, Tigre had been unable to take command of the soldiers. Falling from his horse, he had then fainted.

It seemed more like Tigre's unit had been done in by their own allies.

"Nevertheless....."

Tigre remembered. The one who stood at the front of the enemy forces, her longsword flashing, the silver-haired girl who cut down the Brune soldiers one by one without pause ―― he had only caught a short glimpse of her.

"Was that the Vanadis?"

The Princess of War, also known as the Vanadis, was always at the frontline of battle ―― that was what Massas had said.

The inappropriate memory of her beauty surfaced in Tigre's mind. He ruffled his dark red hair, as though reflecting upon it.

Fortunately, his bow had fallen close by.

Picking it up, he plucked the bowstring while feeling a measure of uneasiness and anxiety.

".... It's working fine."

He was relieved. If the bow had been bent, the bowstring would slacken, rendering it useless.

There were still a few arrows left in his quiver.

He raised his head skywards, and calculated the directions based on the position of the sun.

"That way's west, eh."

From this battlefield, going west would lead one to Brune, and east, to Zhcted.

Enduring the pain coursing through his entire body, Tigre slowly walked towards the west. Noticing something moving within his field of vision, he stopped.

A lone knight on a horse was galloping towards him, sword brandished.

Tigre entered a stance with his bow, and drew a single arrow.

The knight's horse trampled on or leapt over the corpses lying all around, and drew closer to Tigre. When the distance between them had been shortened to thirty alcin (approximately thirty meters), the knight suddenly roared out.

"A survivor of the Brune army? I'll have your head!"

Tigre remained silent, nocking an arrow to his bow. Casually, he released the arrow.

It was a blur.

When the thud was heard, an arrow could be seen piercing the knight's throat.

It was with amazing speed and calmness.

Completely unable to respond, the knight's body spasmed and lurched to the side, falling to the ground with a thump.

Having lost its rider, the horse let out a high-pitched neigh, and before Tigre could even walk over to it, it had galloped away into the distance.

"I give up..... things aren't going my way at all."

He sighed. If he had a horse, he could have escaped from the battlefield with ease.

Trudging forward, Tigre resumed his journey on foot. But it was not even ten steps before he came to a stop again.

"Are they enemies?"

Three hundred alcin (approximately three hundred meters) ahead, he could see a group of knights. If they spotted him, he would be chased down immediately.

"..... There's seven of them."

Tigre was born with a pair of good eyes. Those eyes of his had been further trained by hunting, to the point that even at three hundred alcin, he could distinguish the facial features of a person.

He ascertained the contents of his quiver. There were only four arrows left.

Though he had confidence in his skill with the bow, he probably could not take down two men with a single arrow. If all of them charged him like that knight did earlier, there was nothing he could do.

―― Let them be my allies.

While praying that, Tigre observed the knights. When he saw the face of the leading knight, his eyes widened in shock.

"The Vanadis...."

When the Zhcted forces had launched the surprise attack, she was the one who was leading the attack at the front.

Tigre was so charmed by her that he forgot to draw breath.

A young maiden of the same age as him. Her silver hair reached down to her waist, uncovered by armour and shimmering in the rays of sunlight. In those crimson eyes there was radiance and dignity.

Those arms of hers were slender, fitting of a girl her age, yet it inexplicably seemed suited for the longsword that she grasped in her hand.

―― Lord Massas had once said that she possessed a beauty unmatched by all but a few.

It was just as he had said. To judge that beauty based on normality, was out of the question. The more he looked at her, the more he had to agree with that statement.

Finally, Tigre snapped back to his senses. He shook his head, shaking off his idle thoughts, and calmly focused his sight upon the Vanadis' group.

The other knights were her escort, it seemed. As though protecting her, they moved their horses forward.

―― If he slew the Vanadis.....

There was no reversing of the overwhelming defeat suffered by his side. Right now, they should be chasing down the fleeing Brune army in a large-scale pursuit battle.

"..... But, should I strike her down, the pursuit battle would have to cease."

If Massas, Batran and the other soldiers that came from Alsace had survived, then it would be a great increase to the likelihood of them making it out alive.

Fighting spirit welled up inside him. The hand that grasped his bow was filled with strength.

"I'll do it."

Tigre drew an arrow, and nocked it.

"O' Elis, goddess of wind and storm....."

The creaking sound of the tightening, tense bowstring filled his eardrums.

On this continent, the maximum range for the bow was two hundred and fifty alcin (approximately two hundred and fifty meters).

This number merely represented how far the arrow could fly, a calculated distance.

If one wished to inflict bodily harm upon the target, the distance would be far less than that.

The Vanadis was still, as of that moment, about three hundred alcin (approximately three hundred metres) away from him.

Even so, Tigre still released the arrow.

The arrow tore through the wind, and embedded itself in the head of a horse being ridden by a knight next to the Vanadis.

As the horse collapsed onto the ground, bringing the knight down along with it, Tigre let loose a second arrow.

That arrow pierced the area between a knight's brows.

"Alright."

At last, as two of the escorts were down, a path was cleared.

A path to the silver-haired, crimson-eyed Vanadis. An opening for an arrow to reach her, was created.

"The real thing starts from here."

Tigre extended his hand into his quiver, and his breath grew heavy, and hot.

Even when in the depths of the mountain where sunlight did not reach, facing off against SlōEarth Dragons which were over forty chet (approximately four metres) long, he did not experience nervousness as he did now.

―― Assuming the other knights wanted to protect her, they were hindered by the fallen horse and knights. To get around them would take some time.

Although that time was a rather short time, indeed.

But to Tigre, it was enough.

―― In this situation, what actions she could undertake, is to either lie face-down on the horse, or get off the horse entirely, one of the either two.

On both her left and right were escorts, hence she could not move in those directions. There was a route to her back, but only for a few steps; it was not a viable route of evasive action. And at her front were her fallen subordinates and a horse. It would be difficult to cross over them without a running long jump, and horses disliked that.

Even if this Vanadis had managed that, from the start of the jump till the landing, there would surely be a small interval of opening.

And then Tigre, who had once again been focusing his gaze on the Vanadis, was assailed by an intense chill.

The Vanadis was smiling.

She was clearly looking at him. And in excitement.

"Kuh."

Tigre grit his teeth. Evidently, she was not taking him seriously. He drew the remaining two arrows from his quiver. One he bit on with his teeth, the other he nocked onto his bow.

But what happened at that moment was an unbelievable sight.

The horse the Vanadis rode on, gently soared into the air.

Far above the fallen subordinates.

That height, was probably twenty chet (around two metres).

It seemed to Tigre that the horse had almost grew a pair of wings and flew. It was not a 'jump', but closer to 'flight'.

"What was that, earlier.... ?"

Fear and dread wracked Tigre's body. He almost thought his eyes were deceiving him.

A horse that carried a rider, it should not have been able to jump a height of twenty chet without a running start.

Yet the Vanadis had, with a calmness as though nothing ever happened, galloped in his direction.

―― Do not fear... !

He rebuked himself. I had merely been seeing things.

Scowling at her, Tigre released the third arrow.

Riding upon the wind, the arrow travelled through the air. Just as it was about to hit dead centre on her forehead ―― it was struck down by a flash of silver.

"..... No way?"

Tigre's eyes widened with his jaws agape.

She had struck down an arrow that came flying from over a hundred alcin at high speed with her sword.

Feats of that degree, came only from the likes of chanson de geste, legends of braves and heroes. It was not something normal humans were capable of.

He nocked the last arrow.

He had absolute confidence in his bow. To say nothing of the fact that the opponent was charging straight towards him, and the distance of three hundred alcin had almost been closed.

―― It's impossible to miss.

He aimed the arrow straight at her forehead, like earlier ―― but was in the same manner, deflected.

During this interval, the horse spurred on by the Vanadis did not even slow for a moment, and approached him as fiercely as before. In about ten seconds, they would reach him.

"Is this the end?"

He had used up all his arrows, and had no other weapons. Escaping from a horse on foot was also not possible.

Grasping his bow tightly, Tigre stood up, gathering strength in his legs. He did not want to look too unsightly.

The Vanadis came before Tigre, and stopped her horse.

The young girl's silver hair was neither dirtied by blood nor sand.

She had white skin, that made him recall of the perpetual snow that piled up at the mountains of his hometown.

A refined appearance, with a well-featured nose and moist, bewitching lips that gave one the impression of a top-grade sculpture. However, the crimson eyes overflowing with vitality reminded one that she was a flesh-and-blood human.

She thrust the tip of the longsword at Tigre.

"Throw aside your bow."

He had no choice but to do as told. Nodding her head as though satisfied, the Vanadis said with a smile.

"You have good skill."

Tigre only realised after a while that she had been referring to him.

―― I'm being complimented.... ? Even though I'm someone who had been aiming his arrows at her only just earlier?

More than being pleased, he felt bewildered.

"I am Eleonora Viltaria. And you are?"

"Tigrevurmud Vorn."

"Are you a noble? Of what rank?"

Within the various countries included in the Kingdoms of Brune and Zhcted, those that bore surnames were of nobility. Besides a few exceptions, those who were not of nobility had no surname.

Tigre answered that he was an Earl, and her smile widened.

"Very well, Earl Vorn."

While sheathing her longsword into the scabbard at her waist, Eleonora cheerfully told him.

"From now on, you belong to me, as my prisoner of war."

While he was dumbfounded by those unexpected words, her escorts had finally caught up.

They surrounded Tigre fully, pointing their swords and spears at him, but when Eleonora waved her hand, they withdrew their weapons with a seemingly surprised look.

"Rim, let him ride behind you. He's a captive of mine. I don't mind if you rough him up a bit, but don't seriously wound him."

The knight named Rim nodded in silence. Because the knight's entire head was covered by a helmet, Tigre could not see their reaction.

"Quickly get on."

Looking down at Tigre, Rim spoke in a low voice from within the helmet. Tigre quickly realised why he felt that Rim's voice towards him bore a degree of anger.

Rim was the knight whose horse he had slain earlier.

―― Was the horse borrowed from the other knights? Even amongst the other escorts, this person ought to be a step above them.

"Is it alright if I take my bow as well?"

Tigre asked, pointing at the bow he had thrown aside onto the ground earlier.

"It's important to me."

He pointed out his lack of hostility by showing his empty quiver. Rim extended a hand out towards him, from on top the horse.

"Fine by me. However, I'll be holding on to it."

Tigre handed his bow over to Rim, and got up onto the rear of the horse. He then placed his hands on Rim's waist.

Suddenly Rim's neck bent backwards. The back of the helmet struck Tigre in the face, hard.

"What're you doing!"

Suppressing his reddening nose, Tigre protested. Eleonora laughed, her shoulders trembling.

"Rim, for the time being, he's my captive. Be a little more gentle to him."

"..... I hear and obey."

Though the voice was clearly oozing with dissatisfaction, Rim obeyed anyway.

"If you dare to do something weird, I'll immediately throw you off the horse, and trample you to death."

Tigre sighed. Partly due to Rim's tremendous anger towards him, and also due to his own uncertainty about his future prospects.

Turning towards the knights, Eleonora proclaimed exultantly.

"Though a dull battle it had been, but I was able to enjoy myself at the end. ―― Well then, let us withdraw."

The Battle at the Plains of Dinant, had ended with the one-sided victory of the Kingdom of Zhcted.

Less than a hundred deaths were suffered by Zhcted, while Brune had a deathcount of over five thousand in the war, with the injured more than twice as many as the deaths.

But the losses was not limited to just that. Brune concealed something, a fact that would be hard to conceal no matter how hard they tried.

That was the death in battle of the supreme commander, the next-in-line to become King, Prince Legunas.

Translator's Notes and References

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