Chapter 11

TMBRFNL Chapter 11: Grim Prospects

Syltina simply sighed deeply after looking at the people that were moving about confusedly in front of her eyes .

“To think that they would volunteer members that don’t even know how to camp……”

The phrase “fed up” was already insufficient to describe how she felt . Even she hadn’t been this bad 2 years ago – is what Syltina thought to herself as a slight dizziness attacked her upon imagining how things would be in the near future .

The departure of those going on the purification journey was unimaginably plain and secretive, considering who the members heading off were . It was only natural . Three of the members (it would be 4 people if you were to include Kuroitsu) weren’t even part of the Rideiran Kingdom; furthermore, one of those three was someone who was previously exiled from the country . As one might expect, with these faces mixed in, they couldn’t be shameless enough to send them off with a grand parade-like event .

If Syltina were to give her opinion, if they were mindful enough to feel embarrassment at something like that, then she wanted to ask why they had called her back . To depend on someone that they had once exiled, and entrust her with something so important that it concerned the country’s future; that was not merely something to just be embarrassed about .

Well, regardless of what the country wanted to do, having left early in the morning before the sun even rose, Syltina’s group was sent off by the Royalty and a few nobles, as well as the country’s knights . After departing, Syltina and co . decided to head to the closest area of taint for the time being: “Rufhanna Village” .

Inside the horse carriage that they had been given as a means of transportation sat 3 people – Akari, Tedla and Fract, while Alhart sat in the driver’s seat . Syltina was straddled upon Kuroitsu, who had transformed into a black horse, and Miliane was riding Alhart’s beloved horse: “Karen” .

Rufhanna Village was situated in the southern part of the continent, at a distance that normally took 5 days by carriage from the capital . They switched horses in the villages along the way and travelled while matching Akari, who was unaccustomed to travelling by carriage . Even so, it was a place that would take a week at most to reach .

At this time, Syltina had thought that Akari would be the only one unaccustomed to travelling . She was made aware of her huge misunderstanding not long after leaving the capital .

“…………just where are all of you going?”

There were 4 gates that connected the outer wall of the capital to the outside . Amongst them, one faced the south and was called the “South Gate” . They had planned to exit from that gate, but seeing a certain group of three advancing towards the east, Syltina had to quickly stop them and correct the route of the carriage they had squeezed into .

“Unbelievable……you haven’t even memorized a map of your own country……?”

Understanding geography was a basic amongst basics . Seeing Syltina face-palm involuntarily, Kuroitsu neighed as if to comfort her .

This was the start of Syltina’s troubles .

-Oh, the carriage’s shaking makes my butt hurt . Oh, I’m hungry, can I eat something? Oh, I want to drink some cider, why isn’t there any? Oh, I also want to ride a horse directly instead of riding the carriage . Oh, when will we arrive at our destination? Oh, where is the inn that we will be staying at today? Oh, was there not a better quality carriage?-……… . etc .

Do you guys think you’re going on a picnic!? Syltina wanted someone to acknowledge it was quite admirable of her for not screaming that .

Promptly ignoring all of it, Syltina simply continued forward . What eventually delivered the final blow to such a Syltina, was what had happened after they had secured a campsite as the sun began to go down .

“Al(1) and I will go around to procure some provisions and water . All of you may make a fire and rest . ”

“Procure some provisions you say; but don’t we have provisions? What are you talking about?”

“‘What are you talking about?’, would be my line, Prince . The prepared provisions contain a lot of dried food which will be necessary in case of an emergency . In places where provisions can be procured, we collect them from there so that we can minimize the daily consumption of our provisions . Well, it’s a different matter if you plan on dying from starvation when it comes down to it . ”

At Alhart’s words which completely showed how fed up he was, Fract’s face became red with anger .

“Al, don’t you think you could choose your words better? Geez . Now then, we will be going . Please try not to go too far from Kuro’s side . ”

As she exchanged looks with Kuro, who had taken up his human form, he silently nodded . It was already explained that Kuroitsu was Syltina’s familiar . Akari had come asking how he had transformed and such, but then decided that it wasn’t particularly important and gave up reluctantly .

Now then, a fire can easily be created using fire attribute magic, and setting up a campfire is fundamental knowledge amongst the fundamentals of camping . There was no way they didn’t know . All that was left was to make sure they didn’t run out of firewood – is what Syltina thought when she left it to them, but when she finished procuring food and water from the surroundings and came back, the scene before her eyes somehow went past just making her shocked and angry . It went to the point where it couldn’t be helped even if she just laughed .

“……just what the heck are you all doing?”

Moving around in confusion in front of the piled up twigs that laid before them were Tedla and Fract . Behind them, in the shadow of the carriage, was Miliane carrying the staff she brought and using magic to light the area as she hesitantly watched the appearance of the two of them . Akari was inside the carriage ever since they had arrived, letting out a light snore .

“Um, making a campfire……”

“Making a campfire?”

“We were trying to light the fire, but-“

“It wouldn’t light . ”

“Yes . ”

“……Kuro . Why didn’t you at least try to help them?”

“What we accepted was to be the ‘Saintess’ guards’, correct? Kindly teaching some incompetent fellows how to make a campfire wasn’t included in the request . ”

“Well, that’s true but……but, if they don’t learn how to at least make a campfire, then it’ll be troublesome from now on . ”

If they were useless both in battle and in camping, then all she could do was sigh and wonder why the hell they had come along . There was a need to at least make it so they weren’t a burden when camping .

“Listen up, from here on out, I will teach you how to make a campfire . Please remember it in one go . ”

After waking up Akari, who had been carelessly sleeping on her own, Syltina sighed as she said that .

“First, you tidy up the area where you will be making the campfire . ”

As Syltina moved her hand a gale blew, tidying up a part of the ground .

“There, you dig a cooking stove . ”

Kuroitsu, who had transformed into a big black dog, dug into the ground that had been cleaned up .

“Once you finish digging, line the bottom with stones and make a round circle of leaves right in the middle . Then, pile up the branches you picked up in the middle of those leaves . At this time, you need an ignition point, so open up one part of the bundle . Finally, once you finish piling it up to a certain degree, you set it on fire . ”

Syltina exchanged looks with Miliane, who then used magic to light the fire .

“All that’s left is to make sure you don’t run out of firewood . ”

Seeing the brilliant blaze that had begun to burn, Tedla and Fract raised their voices in admiration .

“Next time this will be your job . Please do it properly . ”

After Syltina processed the deer she had caught, she started to cook it quickly . As she did so, however, Akari raised a disgruntled voice .

“I haven’t travelled at all up until now, so I’ll leave those sorts of things to everyone . Rather, is this edible? Is it alright if I eat the things we brought from the castle?”

“……………”

“……………”

“……………”

“If Akari wants to do that, then that’s fine . I’ll also do that . The ones who want to minimize the loss of provisions are all of you, so as long as you eat that vulgar thing, you will be able to do so . There is no need for me and Akari to join you in that . ”

“Prince……”

In contrast to Syltina and co . who looked at Akari in mute amazement, Fract alone approved of her opinion, which caused Tedla to give a troubled look in response to Fract’s actions .

“You are foolish to the point that it is pitiful . ”

“Kuro……”

“Kuroitsu-san . ”

Chuckling from deep within his throat, Kuroitsu stood in front of Akari .

Syltina and Akari called his name at the same time, but their tones of voice were completely different: with one that seemed to remonstrate him and another that appeared to have a heat within it, as though anticipating something .

“Human girl . ”

His golden eyes reflecting Akari’s figure, Kuroitsu’s face had a ferocious smile plastered upon it .

“Powerless little girl, who can only be protected . If you will not listen to my master, Sylti, then from here on out, no matter how much Sylti asks, I will not move for your sake . ”

“Eh?”

Unable to believe Kuroitsu’s words, Akari’s eyes opened wide as Syltina placed her hand on her forehead in a worn-out manner .

“You understand? Then don’t forget it . We are here because Sylti accepted the request this time . We do not even have a speck of thought of it being for you . Everything is as Sylti wishes . Therefore, if we lend a hand and you look down on that and try to cause trouble for Sylti, then the story is different . Never forget the fact that the one protecting you is Sylti . ”

“……w…hy…………………?”

Kuroitsu’s cold eyes filled with rejection reflected Akari’s face as it warped . The words that she had barely managed to speak trembled .

“Why does everyone take her side!? Syltina, Syltina, Syltina, Syltina – it’s ridiculous!! She did something bad and was exiled from the country, you know!? She’s the ‘villainous daughter’!! Even though I’m the ‘protagonist’, why does everyone become her ally!? Even though it wasn’t like this in the ‘game’ at all!!”

“A-Akari? Just what’s wrong……?”

Seeing the disordered Akari threw Fract, Tedla and Miliane into confusion . In any case, they tried to approach her in order to pacify her .

Behind them, Syltina and Alhart locked eyes and nodded .

“It seems that Clarina’s information was true . Meaning ‘that story’ is also true . ”

“Well, isn’t it true? For now, I’ll send a letter to Kuu-chan and ask how we should move from here on out . ”

“Alright then . ”

‘Villainous daughter’

‘Protagonist’

‘Game’

What the meanings of these words were, was something Syltina and co . knew well . That was precisely why they also came to understand that Akari’s statements just now had determined her fate .

“The Saintess should remember how to hold one’s tongue a little . ”

There certainly existed things within this world that you should speak of, and those that you should not . Whether you can accurately distinguish between those things was related to whether or not one would be able to reach their desired conclusion .

“If she’s moving like Clarina said, thinking that she is the ‘game’s protagonist’, then she probably isn’t thinking about that sort of thing . After all, to the Saintess, this is the ‘world of an Otome game’ . ”

“That’s true…… . unfortunately though, to the people of this world, this is ‘reality’ . She hasn’t even realized that . That’s why she hasn’t realized that she’s the one strangling her own neck . ”

The “Witch of Foresight” spoke of it .

Of a world different from this one . In that world, which was called an “alternate world” by the people of this one, this world became the stage of a “game” . It was completely created by the imagination of the “alternate world’s” inhabitants, and was a simple story . Even so, there was certainly “something” that connected it to this world . And when that “something” appeared in this world, the “game scenario” would move to become this world’s “reality” . And so, the “something (heroine)”, who had introduced herself as “Fuyuhara Akari”, came from the “alternate world”, and this world’s “scenario (reality)” began .

“Now then, things will start getting busy from now on . ”

The foolish Saintess (heroine) who eternally believes that this world is an “Otome game world” . Just when will she finally realize it? That what she was currently living in was an unmistakable “reality” . That was exactly why it was impossible for things to go according to the plot (scenario) .

Most of all, she had, by her own hand, distorted the plot (scenario) . The very moment that she had introduced herself as “Fuyuhara Akari”, everything began to collapse .

After her loud wailing stopped; she began to cry softly instead, like the heroine of a tragedy, inciting Fract and Tedla to console her . Looking at those 3 people from a distance away, hidden in the shadows, was Miliane . Syltina glanced at all of them and decided that, for now, it would be better for her to think of the journey ahead instead, which made her let out a deep sigh .

Translator Notes:

^The RAW says “Haru” here, but I’m pretty sure it’s just a typo on the author’s part .