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"Baron Musou" Chapter 34: Town at the Foot of Mount Kuron
🕑 Added 2023-06-05 10:57:07 +0000 UTCEarly in the morning, they left the city in the Honogura territory and arrived at a small town at the foot of Mount Kuron before evening. Since Lucius had given money to the father and daughter, they couldn't use the carriage and had to walk from the neighboring territory. The autumn wind blew, so it would get a bit chilly by evening.
"When you look at it up close, it's an amazing mountain."
Lucius looked up at the giant mountains. The town itself resembled his hometown, Silverwood, with its lush greenery, or rather, it was a typical countryside town.
The noticeable difference was the massive mountain towering right next to the town. The fields on the outskirts were tea plantations instead of the wheat, barley, and rye fields commonly seen in his hometown. He recalled reading in a book that tea production was famous in the eastern and southern regions.
The layout of the town was typical, with the main street at its center. In order to manage the flow of materials and facilitate zoning during the development phase, rural towns tended to have a somewhat similar layout. In such towns, there was usually a government office governing the surrounding area in the center of the town. Particularly in rural areas, it was common for the lord's house to serve as the government office, just like Lucius' own family.
"First, I should pay my respects."
Lucius hurried along the main street of the town. It was considered impolite to visit after sunset. Therefore, he needed to finish his greetings before the sun went down.
The town was not very big. Soon, he could see the mansion as he walked.
"Hmm, that's unusual."
The exterior walls of the mansion were black. While he had seen burnt cedar or charred exterior walls in his previous life, he had never seen them in this world. Burning the surface layer of the exterior walls was a measure to slow down the decay of wood and repel insects.
However, as he approached the mansion, the sense of unease grew stronger.
"Something... feels strange."
It wasn't burnt cedar or anything like that. The bricks were covered in soot and completely black. The windows were shattered, and the roof had burned down. It was undoubtedly the aftermath of a fire.
Unable to understand the situation, Lucius stood there, mouth agape.
"Was there a fire yesterday too?"
However, the townspeople walking around him didn't seem to pay it any mind. It was as if everything had always been like this.
Confused, Lucius continued to gaze at the burned-down mansion, and his attention was drawn to a gathering of people. It seemed like something was happening right next to the burnt-down government office.
"Let's ask about it."
Lucius casually approached, and it seemed that something was indeed off.
"Take a good look! This burnt remains!"
"Why only you..."
"You will live with the burden of guilt for the rest of your life."
Several adults surrounded a young girl, accusing and berating her. The girl was gazing vacantly at the burned remains with a dark expression.
"What are they doing?"
"Excuse me, I have a question."
Lucius mustered the courage to speak to the people. Perhaps they immediately recognized him as an outsider because the adults surrounding the girl awkwardly dispersed.
The girl who was being blamed was the only one left.
"...Do you have something you want?"
The girl noticed Lucius and turned around. She had black hair and appeared to be about the same age as him. Strangely, she had white fox ears and a long tail swaying.
The girl's appearance was beautiful, and the fox ears added a touch of loveliness, but her downcast face still caught his attention.
"Cosplay?"
It felt strangely realistic.
"Oh, no. I came to meet the lord or the deputy lord, but I can't find the government office, so I'm in trouble."
The deputy lord was a local official placed in regions where the lord owned a relatively large territory. If there were multiple villages or towns within the domain, a single house and its officials would not be enough to oversee everything. Therefore, the lord would dispatch vassals to act as the lord's representatives.
"What is your business?"
The black-haired girl looked at Lucius with a doubtful expression, her purple eyes peering into him. Her ears were busy twitching and moving.
"I came here to subdue the monsters in Mount Kuron, introduced by Lord Esta."
Upon hearing Lucius' words, the girl seemed relieved. She put on a sudden smile.
"That's a relief. In that case, let me introduce you to the deputy lord. Please follow me."
"A relief?"
Based on their conversation, it seemed that the black-haired girl knew the deputy lord of this town.
"I'm Lucius. And you?"
"Eh? Me?"
"Yes."
"I'm Lauren."
The girl responded with a modest smile. She had white fox ears and a long tail that were swaying.
"I'm Lucius. Nice to meet you, Lauren."
Lucius and Lauren exchanged introductions, and Lauren started walking. They retraced their steps along the main street they had walked before.
Passersby in the main street stared at the two of them curiously. At first, Lucius thought they were looking at him as an outsider, but as they walked further down the main street, he realized their attention was directed at Lauren.
"There's something strange about the scene with the burned-down mansion and now this."
"Hey, Lauren. Is something wrong? Earlier, the townspeople seemed to be saying something to you."
"...It's nothing, really."
Lauren avoided eye contact as she replied.
"I see. By the way, those ears and tail of yours..."
"Oh, these? I just made a contract with the formula recently, so I'm not very good at controlling them yet."
In the eastern region, the formulas assimilate. It seemed that if the control was weak, the characteristics of the formula would partially manifest. Even in the town, there were occasionally children with features of animals, birds, or fish walking around.
"I see."
Different regions had their own characteristics. As he observed the people bustling in the town with curiosity, he heard an unfamiliar sound.
"Neigh."
A creature jumped out from the shadow of a building. On closer inspection, it had long fur, a fluffy tail, and large drooping ears, resembling a big white mouse. It reminded him of a selectively bred pet rabbit.
"A monster?"
Though faint, he could definitely sense magical power from it.
Reflexively, Lucius placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"That's not allowed. This is a Miminemushi, a monster that eats tea diseases."
"Monsters live in the town and not in the formulas?"
"Yes, we live together with them."
As she said that, Lauren petted the head of the Miminemushi. The monster happily twitched its nose.
"So, it can be like that too."
Lucius had thought that humans and monsters lived in different places. There were monsters that purified river water, enriched forest soil, and carried plant seeds, even in the northern region. But the fact that human and monster habitats overlapped was surprising.
"Nyee."
The Miminemushi, as it was called, sniffed around Lucius' feet.
"Don't move. It's checking since you came from outside the town. Don't worry, it won't bite you."
The fluffy creature continued to sniff around.
"It's quite soothing."
Satisfied, the Miminemushi puffed up its body and, with its tail rotating, flew away like a floating balloon.
"Wow, it can fly."
"Yes. It's mostly just swaying in the wind. Well then, we've arrived."
There was a gate next to them. It seemed they had reached the outskirts of the town.
"Please come in."
The gate was open, and the black-haired girl entered the house alone.
"Is it okay to just enter?"
Rather than entering without permission, the proper etiquette would be to knock on the door and call for a servant. But Lauren passed through the gate and went inside.
"I'll be fine."
Lauren called out from inside the entrance.
"Lucius-san, please come in. This is the temporary government office of this town."
"This is the temporary government office? Lauren, are you perhaps the deputy lord's daughter?"
"No... I don't have parents. My relatives who raised me became the deputy lord."
"I see. That's why you guided me."
Lucius also entered the house through the gate.
"Excuse me."
As he entered the estate, he followed Lauren's guidance along the hallway. The house was an old single-story building, modest but solidly built.
As Lauren walked ahead, she stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor.
"Miss Lauren, do we have a visitor?"
A voice came from inside the room. Lucius recognized that voice.
"Yu, it's you!"
Yu seemed a little surprised, but then he smiled lightly.
"So, you came after all, Lucius."
"Lucius-san and Yu-sama know each other?"
Lauren looked at them curiously.
"We met in the neighboring town just last night. I didn't expect to see Yu here."
"I was born in this town, and I am the deputy lord here."
"Why is it Yu?"
"I am the deputy lord of this town. I was born here and hold this position."
"Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"
They had shared a meal while planning to head to Mount Kuron. He should have had a general idea.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't certain, so I didn't say anything. Anyway, welcome."
"Nice to meet you."
Lucius bowed his head and handed the letter he received from Lord Reilintz to Yu.
"Hmm? What's this?"
"It's a letter of introduction from Lord Reilintz."
"From that remarkable woman!?"
As Yu quickly examined the letter, he couldn't hide his surprise. After reading it thoroughly, he put the letter away in a drawer.
"...So you've come on a royal order. And with a letter from Lord Reilintz too. I apologize for being rude yesterday. I never expected you to be a baron. Allow me to apologize for the lack of manners."
Yu bowed his head.
"No, please treat me as you did yesterday. I am still a novice."
Although Lucius had been granted the title of baron, he honestly didn't feel like a full-fledged noble.
The king said he entrusted Lucius with the use of the title, but so far, there hadn't been any situations where he desperately needed it. In the first place, it didn't feel right to wield the title just because he was in trouble. A title was not an absolution.
Yu, with his orange eyes, seemed to gauge the truth from Lucius' expression.
"...I understand. Well then, Lucius, who exactly are you? It was written in the letter that you possess a Grade 1 magic core and want to form a contract with a corresponding familiar. Is the magic core truly Grade 1?"
Yu's gaze became sharp.
"As I introduced yesterday, I am the eldest son of the baron family in the northern region. The White Eye Magic Core I possess is technically Grade 1, so I would like to form a contract with a familiar that matches it."
Lucius respectfully bowed his head.
"I see. But there are no lies in your words. Let's welcome you. I can't offer you much hospitality, but you can stay in this temporary government office until you obtain a familiar. Besides, I live here with Miss Lauren alone, so there are plenty of vacant rooms."
"Thank you very much. However, why is Yu-sama, the deputy lord of this town, in the neighboring territory?"
The deputy lord was a national position.
Moreover, during their meal together, Yu mentioned that he used to be a knight baron.
As a matter of courtesy, Lucius deemed it appropriate to use "sama" (honorable) in his address.
"Lucius, please don't use 'sama.' I am not such an important person."
"Well, but..."
"It's fine."
Unable to resist Yu's overwhelming pressure, Lucius refrained from expressing his opinion.
"Well then, as I did last night, I will call you Yu-san. But I apologize for visiting during a busy time. The government office burned down during yesterday's inspection, didn't it?"
Yu had heard rumors of the devastation in the neighboring Honogura territory and the rumors of new weapons, so he went to scout. That's when he met Lucius. If the mansion burned down during that time, it would be unfortunate.
"That was the result of a rebellion by the people due to tyranny. It has been burning since eight years ago."
"The people burned down the government office!?"
"That's right. It's not just here. Dissatisfaction had been accumulating throughout the entire territory in the past."
"But it has been eight years. Shouldn't it be repaired by now?"
"The people still haven't forgiven what happened at that time. It's their expression of will. If the town's head and the lord don't take on the job, no one will fix it. That's why it's being used as a temporary government office."
Yu had a melancholic smile on his face.
"I apologize for asking impolite questions."
"No, it's fine. Lucius' question is only natural."
Saying that, Yu once again focused his gaze on the documents.
"Miss Lauren, if you don't mind, please show Lucius to his room."
"Yes, Yu-sama."
The two continued their exchange without making eye contact.
"They live together, but it feels somewhat formal."
After leaving the room, Lucius was led by Lauren to the room where he would be staying during his visit.
"Lucius-san, please make yourself comfortable here."
"Thank you, Lauren. Also, you can just call me Lucius. We're almost the same age, right?"
Lauren responded with a forced smile.
"No, I'm fine. Well then."
Although it should have been a smile, Lucius felt a hint of rejection.
Her cold gaze was unlike that of a young girl.
Her well-groomed black hair accentuated this even further.
Lauren carefully closed the door and quickly disappeared from sight.
