For the time being, we returned to the Earl's residence.
"…so, what exactly are you planning to start?" (Earl)
Naturally, Kirk-san asked about it.
No, the fake name "Kirk-san" was over.
Earl had already changed into normal noble clothes.
"Of course, it's kachikomi[1]!" (Mitsuha)
"Kachikomi?" (Earl & Sabine)
Ah, didn't it translate properly…?
"I mean a raid[2]." (Mitsuha)
"Aah!" (Sabine)
"Eh?" (Earl)
This time it seemed that the message got through to Sabine-chan, but not to Earl.
Is there no word that corresponds exactly to the word "Nagirikomi"? Or did you just pronounce it as it is in Japanese?
Perhaps Sabine-chan was able to recognize it because he watches DVDs of Japanese period dramas and gangster stories?
"It's about a blitzkrieg attack on the enemy's core by a small number of elites." (Mitsuha)
"Aah.." (Earl)
Got through. …but, the term blitzkrieg is understood…….
"For the time being, I'm going to go to the magistrate’s office and questioned him. Well, even if they don't reveal their true colors, as long as the lord, who holds the highest authority in this territory, with legislative, administrative, and judicial powers, knows the truth, it doesn't matter whether there is a confession or evidence or not, right?" (Mitsuha)
Yes, this wasn't a democratic country, and it was a world where human rights were only reserved for those with the highest power.
Good things hurry. Evil should hurry up
"Come on, let's go now!" (Mitsuha)
"…oh, ohh…" (Earl)
The raid members were myself, Sabine-chan, Earl, and two escort soldiers. We didn't need to bring a lot of fancy escorts to go to the residence of the magistrate who was your immediate subordinate in your own territory. After all, all the soldiers in the magistrate's residence were citizens of this territory, and they were the subordinates of the lord, the Earl.
There was no ordinary employee who could arrest the president by order of the director…
Also, from the flow of the story, it was clear that the director was the bad guy.
Well, even if something happens, isn't there a guy who pointed his sword at the chairman's daughter the princess?
On top of that, Sabine-chan and I had Walther pistols in our armpits and thighs for self-defense, and I could transfer and escape at any time. No problem!
“Alright, sortie!” (Mitsuha)
"What do you want all of a sudden? And those children…." (Magistrate)
Children..., I'm not a child! Even by the standards here or by Japanese standards! It's already past my 20th birthday!
Anyway, we were guided by a servant and passed through the reception room, and after a while the magistrate appeared.
…with two soldiers.
No, why do you need an escort to welcome your boss, the lord, in your mansion?
No matter how much the lord had two soldiers with him, it was because he walked outside, and he was bringing two girls with him, so don't he think it was to protect them? The lord was also wearing a sword, but that was also to protect the girl with him.
In the first place, just because the visiting lord has guards, should you also need guards? That was the same as saying that we were guilty and had a sense of danger!
Well, as expected, the magistrate himself wasn't carrying a sword, but…
"It seems that not only wheat, but all taxes are 75%? And you're forcibly summoning a girl?" (Earl)
Oh, straight ball right in the middle! Without a wait-and-see jab, a sudden straight forward!!
Well, there was no need to use the phrasing I'd brought around here. I questioned him, why did he do something so reckless as to destroy the territory, and why did he do something so reckless that it would be easily exposed…
Slash!
Thump!
"Eeh…?" (Mitsuha)
I didn't understand.
The magistrate's guard suddenly drew his sword and thrust at the lord, and the lord's guard jumped in front of the lord and blocked the sword with his own body. With a look of agony on his face, he gripped the hilt of the sword that is stuck in his stomach with both of his enemy's hands, refusing to let go. The lord then quickly drew his sword and cut down the enemy soldiers who attacked him. The other guard engaged in a sword duel with another enemy soldier, defeating them.
…what is this? What does it mean? No, I know this situation.
Before the conversation had progressed well, one of the guards over there suddenly attacked the lord with a slash, even though the magistrate hadn't ordered it.
Our escorts here didn't even think that such a stupid thing would happen, so they reacted late and couldn't draw the sword in time, so they used their own body as a shield to protect the lord and pulled out the sword from their own body. In order to prevent the enemy from attacking the lord again, he held down the enemy's sword.
The reason he didn't use the method of pushing the lord away was because if he did that, he would first be slashed while he was in a defenseless position, and then the sword would be swung at the lord who fell and couldn't even pull out his sword. If you acted as a shield and sealed the enemy's sword, the freely movable lord could easily defeat the enemy. As for the other enemy, he probably believed in his colleague's skill.
The enemies also didn't coordinate their attacks, and the other soldier seemed to have not predicted his comrade's attack, and just like our guards, his reaction was delayed, so they drew their swords at almost the same time... and our side was victorious due to the difference in skill.
…I knew that.
Suddenly, the situation changed into a sword fight and a killing spree. Because I was watching it firmly with two eyes at a very close distance.
But I don't know. Why, while the magistrate doesn't even make an excuse?
Without looking up to the magistrate's judgment or instructions. Did he suddenly slash at the lord, who was higher than the magistrate? Why did the magistrate do such a sloppy thing that it would be revealed immediately, and even if it was revealed late, the territory would be destroyed? I didn't know….
"Huh? The magistrate is…" (Mitsuha)
Before I knew it, there was no sign of the magistrate.
"He ran away. Alan, chase him!" (Earl)
The lord replied while inspecting the dead enemy soldiers. Alan seemed to be the name of a guard soldier.
And at our feet…
"Y-Your Excellency, a-are you… safe?" (Dying guard)
A dying guard soldier who used himself as a shield to protect the lord… Apparently, he couldn't see very well. With that injuries, I didn't think he could to be saved at all.
"I'm safe! Thanks to you, I didn't have a single scratch! It was a big deal! …don't worry about your family. You never do it wrong. I promise to repay you for your loyalty." (Earl)
"Th-thank you… f-for every...thing…" (Dying guard)
And then, as if could barely see, he turned his face in the wrong direction…
"Prin..cess.., Ethno..ol... light… shine…" (Dying guard)
With difficulty in breathing, the guard desperately tried to communicate with me.
…I know.
"I will listen to your wishes. I, Lightning Archpriestess. Her Highness Princess Sabine. His Excellency, Earl Ethnol. Let these three lights shine, defeat our enemies, and illuminate the future of the Ethnol territory. It is the future that you risked your life to seize. Be proud. From the side of the goddess, you will see the dawn of the Ethnol territory that you have brought to Valhalla, the paradise of brave warriors…" (Mitsuha)
The soldier guarding me then broke into a happy smile at my words, and then... he passed away. I gently placed my fingers on his open eyes and closed his eyelids.
"I've seen many people before, but this is the first time I've seen someone with such a satisfied face… Even if it's just a slapstick joke, I'm grateful for your kind words towards my subordinates…" (Earl)
"Huh? Just a joke? Did someone say that?" (Mitsuha)
"…eh?" (Earl)
No, I don't lie to dying people.
…well, what I shined was the dirty fireworks from the exploding gunpowder.
Shall we start preparations then?
Translation Note
[1] カチ込み (kachikomi) -> clicked, ticked
[2] 殴り込み (nagurikomi) -> hitting, beating, raid
Edit History
6 Oct 2023: minor grammar correction, fixed bad translation, improved readability.
3 Sep 2024: translation overhaul, applied dynamic naming