GunOta 77

Chapter 077 – Letter

“I’m really sorry!”

After that, we finished cleaning up and came back to the wagon.
It was evening already.
Today we would just camp here like that.

Lyss apologized again for the nth time to me who had covered for her and got injured as a result.
Even though I’ve already been cured of the Giant Scorpion’s poison with magic, my body was still numb so it’s hard to move.

Numb to the point that I had to borrow Snow and Shia’s shoulders to get back to the wagon.

Right now, I am lying down inside the wagon and Lyss is next to me, teary eyed and hanging her head down.
Snow, Chrisse, Shia are in the middle; preparing our camp, meal, and other odd jobs.
I called out to Lyss.

“I will say this again and again, that wasn’t your fault. If you ask whose responsibility it was, then it was mine, I couldn’t understand the meaning of the unusual amount of bones scattered at the cave’s entrance. It wasn’t your fault.”
“But……if I was to be more cautious of the surroundings then you wouldn’t got hit by the poison needle. If I was more level-headed like my elder sister then……”

She clenched her hands which were placed on her knees.

“……I don’t know what kind of feelings you holds toward your big sister. But I think it is really good that I have Lyss as a comrade. Thanks to you we can carry luggage without a care, and we safely defeated the Giant Scorpion with the panzerfausts. Even though I received a poison needle, I escaped death due to your detoxification. That’s why I will say it again. I am really glad that I have Lyss as a comrade.”
“Lute-san……”

“Me too!”

Snow and others who were preparing food and camp outside also join the conversation.

“Me too, I am really happy that Lyss-oneechan is my comrade.”
“Hime-sama. It’s presumptuous of me but to be able to eat and sleep together with hime-sama, it’s an honor for me.”
“E, everyone……”

Tears roll from her eyes.
I don’t see the sadness on her face anymore.

“If Lyss got into danger then will definitely save you, as many times as we have to. Wouldn’t you do the same if we were in trouble?”
“―Isn’t that obvious! Since we are precious comrades after all!”

She wiped her tears with her fingers, and answered with a smile that resembles a cloudless sky.

 

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After the Giant Scorpion extermination, again, it took us about 7 days to get back to Enol.

Early in the morning, after we greeted Meiya in a hurry, we were summoned to Woodcastle.
Our group passed through the castle’s courtyard.
We can’t dirty the castle with the body fluids of the Giant Scorpions.

The parent is about 10 meters long, whereas the child is only about 5 meters.
The two bodies stored with Lyss’ blessing appeared.

“To, to think that you really defeated it…… two of them, even.”

Even the ministers beside the King raised voices of surprise.
Lyss speaks to the King with a confident attitude like she had been reborn.

“As per the promise, I have returned from exterminating the Giant Scorpions that lived in Green Howden. Father, with this you will acknowledge Lute-san and everyone’s abilities, right?”

The King made grim face at the truth before his eyes.

“To think that it really went in accordance with the letter―no, but……”
“Father?”

Lyss made a puzzled face toward her father who is lost in his own world and mumbling.

“……I got it. Because I promised. Do as you please.”
“Bu, but your highness! To doubt the barrier stone is the same as doubting us High Elves’ hero! That’s too imprudent―”
“Isn’t it fine?”

Lyss interrupted the ministers’ complains.

“It’s just father upholding his promise with me. Regarding the incident this time, the responsibilities all lie within me. If the time limit has passed and nothing happens to the barrier stone, in that case I will take the blame, I won’t mind. That’s why, won’t you give me just a few months?”

Since Lyss clearly declared ‘I will take responsibility’, the ministers can’t say anything more than that and keep silent.
Thanks to that she also got their permissions with the condition ‘don’t tell anyone about the first princess’ prediction that the barrier stone will be broken’ attached.

Indeed, if the rumour ‘the Royal Family is doubting the barrier stone’s power’ were to be spread, then the High Elf clan’s honour will be completely lost.
Of course we understand it, and vowed to not tell anyone.

Like this, both in name and reality, we got the permission to prepare for the X day of the destruction of the barrier stone.

I immediately returned to the mansion outside the lake to confirm the condition of the 7.62x54mmR and general purpose machine gun―PKM which Meiya should be making right now.

 

But the ones who are dissatisfied at the decision―the still young (even so they’re still older than 200 years old) High Elves gathered and had secret talks.

 

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In a dark room inside Woodcastle.
Not even a shred of light.
It’s unnecessary since they know each other from just voices, no need to confirm.

It was because they’re the only High Elf clan of 300 people in this vast world.

“The breakdown of the sacred barrier stone…… just hearing that is enough irritate me, and letting just some kids from other races protect it is …… ”
“Even if the barrier stone is destroyed, us alone would be enough to deal with it.”
“That’s right that’s right! Even if this country is exposed to danger, us alone can deal with it! Only us High Elf clan who are the descendants of one of the heroes! Even though for that reason we’ve been living a long time, protecting the barrier stone by its side……the princess went and worships a human kid as ‘hero’. What disgrace!”
“If Lara-sama was here then this situation wouldn’t have happened…… At this rate, that good-for-nothing ‘disaster princess’ would become the next queen, just thinking about it is enough to make me feel depressed.”
“If that girl becomes the queen then this country might be destroyed for real.”
“Dude, don’t even joke about it.”

The men’s discussion comes to a stop, then a leader-ish character speaks.

“Let’s chase that human kid out of Enol. There’s no other way.”
“But the King has already given his permission. If we openly object then won’t it be bad?”
“Even if we were to do it, will we do it with our own hands?”

The leader-ish High elf let out a snicker.

“No way. Why would we of the chosen clan dirty our hands for the likes of a kid? In case like this, we should leave it to the ones who want to do it.”
“Ones who want to do it?”
“If we let them meet us as reward, there would be countless human nobles, wealthy merchants who will raise their hands to volunteer”

The young High Elves murmured ‘I see!’ and nodded that it was a good idea.

“We’re nobles, only giving orders is enough. Let other races work and drip with sweat……..We’re special beings, we have special privileges.”
In that dark room, their silent laughter echoed.
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(￣^￣)ゞ

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