Episode 153: After the battle
By winning the battle, it was decided that the Ambitose region would gain control of the desert trade route.
I'm also relieved that I didn't have to disgrace Vishka, who appointed me as my commander, and I didn't have to give Palvera, who was the subject of a bet, to them.
Even the horsemen of Ambitose were overjoyed with their victory and the rights to the trade route.
“As expected of Prince Milimos, he was able to see through even the last trap!”
“Date is not ``Mirimos of the small country!''
I had been given a new strange nickname.
I need to correct it now and prevent my name from spreading.
With that in mind, I was about to call out to one of the mounted soldiers when a voice called me from the other direction.
"Prince Milimos. If you surpass our bravery and see through all of our plans, we will have no choice but to admit a complete defeat."
The person who came was the commander, the oldest desert warrior, who had been hiding in the desert.
It was hard to see his expression because his face was covered with a thick beard covered in sand, but it seemed like he was complimenting me.
“If I had been careless in the last move, I would have lost.”
"Hmm. Rather than labeling it as cowardice, I'd rather evaluate it as a tactic."
The oldest desert warrior seemed to be amused by my answer, and his mouth curved into a smile that could be seen through his beard. And he asks questions.
"Then, could you please tell me why you didn't 'accidentally' do it?"
"There are several reasons, but the biggest one is that I wasn't able to mislead the referee."
"I've been feeling like someone's been watching me ever since I hid, but even if we hide as desert people, the knights of the chivalrous kingdom won't be able to fool us."
“The Knights are a knightly nation, and they have extraordinary ways of hiding, so I guess they have been trained.”
A hidden sacred technique used by the Black Knights of the Knights. A technique that makes the presence as diluted as the surrounding stones and trees, making it unnoticeable even if it is seen.
Compared to that, the desert warrior's way of hiding by simply covering himself with a sand-colored cloth and fooling his eyes is probably kinder because he has a proper presence.
After thinking that, I became a little less amused.
If Familis was able to identify the oldest desert warrior through his presence, it wouldn't be surprising if I could do the same. And if he had been able to detect signs, this battle could have been concluded more easily.
For this, I'll have to ask my family to teach me how to find signs.
"I don't really like it because the training intensity will increase."
"? What's wrong?"
“I just thought I should train myself more.”
After confusing the desert warrior with a strange answer, I decided to remind him of the deal.
"Then, since we're the winners, we'll take control of the trade route in the desert."
"Hmm. I have no objections. I'll leave it to Ambitose to handle the trade routes. Not only that, but in order to motivate you, I'd like to apologize for having my wife so rudely put on the line. You are welcome to make your request.”
When I heard that Palvera's case was a way to motivate him, I turned my attention to the oldest desert warrior.
"The people of the desert are family-oriented. So, if their family is teased, they will get angry and start fighting seriously, so you did that?"
"Hmm. Regardless of the northernmost part of the country, where there is a lot of water, in the desert south of that, you can't travel without bravery. That's why it was necessary to grasp the capabilities of those who wanted to control the trade route, so it was a last-ditch plan. Here we go!”
“Since my wife was used as a bet, are you going to give me a suitable refund?”
"Hmm. I wouldn't mind giving away one of my granddaughters."
He already has a wife named Parbella, and his secretary/lover Hones has been appointed as his second wife.
Honestly, I have a feeling that even if I get a new wife, I won't be able to handle it.
So I decided to take the eldest desert warrior's offer as an expression of his willingness to do whatever he asked, even offering his family.
“Then, may I visit your village?”
"I want to see my tribe. Why?"
"I'm a little curious about what the real desert people's lives are like."
I'm really interested in how they live in the desert without water.
Additionally, if you can establish a connection with one of the desert people's villages, the connection may continue with other desert people's villages. If that happens, the possibility that I will have the opportunity to learn the magic hidden by the desert people will increase.
And secret magic is magic that the empire doesn't have. If you develop that magic, there is a good chance that it will turn into a trump card against the Empire.
Such a speculative proposal was accepted by the oldest desert warrior.
"Good. As true strong men, we will welcome you to our village."
The eldest desert warrior told the other desert warriors what had happened so far, and he immediately led us and began moving through the desert on a camyuhoho.
The movement through the desert proceeded without a hitch.
On the way, a sand worm monster with a body as thick as a large tree appeared from the sand and was frightened, but the desert warriors were able to kill it with skill.
"Hahahaha. I never expected that such a big man would appear in front of a gathering of veteran warriors. Prince Milimos seems to have some luck. This will add even more flair to the banquet! ”
"Maybe you're going to eat those sand worms?"
"Wow, it's delicious with plenty of meat juice and water."
The desert warrior says this without any malice, and I wonder if I should accept his offer.
However, it looks like proper food, and it seems like a treat in the desert, so I guess I should accept it here.
I smiled, being careful not to strain my face.
"I'm looking forward to it"
"Hahaha. Unlike the guys from Sposato Country, Prince Milimos understands our culture. For that reason alone, I'm grateful to have gotten to know him."
The journey continues, pulling the killed sandworms with a rope.
Eventually, a group of tents made of sand-colored cloth came into view, hidden in the sand hills.
If you look closely, you'll notice that it looks more like a yurt that I saw in a special feature on Mongolia in my previous life, rather than a tent.
"Prince Milimos. That's my village. It's big, isn't it?"
I was about to tilt my head when I heard the desert warrior speak so proudly, but I stopped just before I could.
Judging from the size and number of tents, it would probably be more than 100 people. No matter how high you estimate it, there is no doubt that it is far fewer than the number of people living in the villages in the Roccia region.
I understand that the meaning of ``large'' when referring to such a village is that it is one of the largest among the desert villages.
I don't know how to respond, but I try to disguise the situation with a smile.
At that moment, even though it was my first time visiting the village I was traveling to, I noticed that there were some familiar faces there.
It seemed like the other side had spotted me, too, and approached me, stepping on the sand.
"We've been waiting for your arrival, Prince Milimos."
It was Duelefa Analogi, the husband of my eldest sister Solerina and an official of the country of Sposato, who was praising her friendly smile and welcoming her with open arms.
Comments
Post a Comment