Merchant Noble is out (3/3 chapters for today)
Former Warden Territory (3)
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
A few days after departing from Telda, the two arrived at the village of Sonmi.
They had stopped by several cities along the way, none of which had been subjected to plunder or destruction and appeared to be under relatively peaceful control. However, perhaps due to the decreased number of merchants, the cities seemed less lively compared to before, and a slightly gloomy atmosphere was beginning to permeate.
“So, this is Sonmi Village?” (Yulia)
“It should be. But where is everyone?” (Arc)
There wasn’t a single person in Sonmi Village. They checked inside several houses but found no signs of daily life, nor any trace that people had lived there recently.
“Could it be that the House of Marquis Ivan’s repression has reached here?”
The Sheeb Order was considered heretical.
Therefore, they lived under the scrutiny of others in this kingdom. However, the Warden Household had tolerated their faith and in return used the Order’s skilled operatives for espionage and intelligence activities.
The House of Marquis Ivan, like many other nobles, had strong ties to the church, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they had started repressing the Order as soon as they began their rule. While Arc was making a grim face, Yulia noticed something.
“Arc-sama.” (Yulia)
“Hmm?” (Arc)
Yulia pointed to the forest at the edge of the village.
“This is just my intuition, but I have a feeling they might be hiding in that forest.” (Yulia)
“… Indeed, that is possible.” (Arc)
The village did not appear to have been ravaged, so the oppression by the House of Marquis Ivan likely had not yet started. Nonetheless, it was hard to believe they had abruptly abandoned their base and moved to another location. Finding a new base wouldn’t be easy, especially for their order, as they were considered heretics.
This meant they were probably still around here but staying in a place from which they could easily escape if repression began. The deep forest visible over there fit the conditions perfectly.
“Is Yulia’s intuition often correct?” (Arc)
“I used to play hide-and-seek a lot at the orphanage.” (Yulia)
Yulia said with a slight blush.
“Besides, I actually felt someone watching us from deep within the forest a moment ago.” (Yulia)
“Alright, let’s go.” (Arc)
As she watched Arc tying the horse at the forest entrance and moving ahead, Yulia couldn’t help but feel uncertain about her statement. While it was true she had felt a gaze from the forest, if they found no one after she had spoken so impulsively, she would end up looking like a liar. Arc would probably laugh and forgive her, but it would still be a waste of effort, and he might not listen to her next time. In her mind, filled with negative thoughts, Yulia looked around, hoping fervently that someone was indeed there.
As they walked further into the thickening forest, Yulia noticed something unusual. A glint of light reflecting through the gaps in the trees caught her eye. By the time she realized it was an arrow, her body was already in motion.
“Look out!” (Yulia)
She pushed Arc down and shielded him with her body. The arrow whizzed past them. Yulia quickly got up and deflected the next incoming arrows with her sword. In situations like this, arrows were often poisoned. Even a slight scratch could be fatal. She needed to protect Arc, who was behind her, while figuring out a way to escape the forest. Yulia’s mind raced, thinking of ways to get Arc out safely.
Looking around, she saw dark figures behind the trees. There were about 20 of them, completely surrounding them.
“Hey! It’s me, Arc!” (Arc)
Arc, who had been lying low to avoid the arrows, shouted loudly. His voice echoed through the forest, and a young girl emerged from the shadows. She looked a bit younger than Yulia. Without giving Yulia a chance to react, the girl ran past her and peered into Arc’s face.
“Arc…?” (Yuna)
“Yeah! It’s been a while, Yuna.” (Arc)
As soon as Yuna confirmed it was Arc, she threw herself onto him.
“Wha-! Wh-what are you doing?!” (Yulia)
Yulia exclaimed in surprise as the girl hugged Arc. Yuna glanced at Yulia briefly before turning back to Arc.
Soon, the others rushed over. There seemed to be about 30 of them. They had blended perfectly with the trees, making them invisible to Yulia. If Yulia had been their enemy, she would have been defeated instantly. Watching Arc and the others reunite, Yulia felt relieved that she had managed to fulfill her role.
“Arc-dono, thank you for coming. We should have gone to Mikanda region ourselves.” (??)
“I know you have accurate information, so I’ll skip the details.” (Arc)
The Sheeb Order members appeared to be living in several caves deeper in the forest. The leader of the order interacted with Arc with an awkward demeanor. There was a bit of tension between them.
Given the surprise attack from the House of Marquis Ivan, it was understandable that the Warden Household couldn’t prevent it. However, if one had to assign blame for the defeat, it would likely fall on the Sheeb Order.
For merchants, information was vital. Many merchants dispatched informants across regions to gather information quickly. As one of the kingdom’s largest merchant households, the Warden Household used the Sheeb Order to gather accurate and timely information from various places. This was crucial not only for their business but also for their status as nobility.
However, the Warden Household was unfortunate. One week before the House of Marquis’ attack, the leader of the Sheeb Order had passed away. Consequently, the members who had been gathering information across the kingdom returned to Sonmi Village for the funeral and the election of a new leader. As a result, they did not receive any information about the House of Marquis preparations for the attack, leading to the Warden Household’s defeat and retreat.
Arc revealed his purpose for the visit and that was to restore the intelligence network.
“I want you to come to my new territory. It may be more rural, inconvenient, and difficult to live in compared to here, but as before, I will guarantee your freedom of faith. Additionally, I plan to provide assistance with land and buildings.” (Arc)
Hearing Arc’s words, the leader of the order visibly relaxed. It seemed he had been feeling responsible for the Warden Household’s current dire situation.
“We caused the Baron’s death by neglecting our duties. Arc-dono, no… Baron Arc-sama, I cannot express how grateful we are for another chance. We will gladly move to your new territory.” (??)
Good! The second objective of this visit was also accomplished.
Arc cheered internally.
“Thank you. It’s reassuring to have such a strong ally back with us.” (Arc)
(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)
(Please consider supporting at https://www.patreon.com/bayabuscotranslation)
bayabuscotranslation 