11-5 Part 2
The Wandering Shovel Man Pierces the
Mountain
- The History Between the Fourth Son
Yord and Brother -
Translator : PolterGlast
「Sorry for underestimating you. I'm
Ten-Dragon Commander Konz. Give my regards to Georg-sama.」
「What? You were acquainted with Georg—no,
the General...?」
「Yeah, that's right. I may look like
this, but I used to teach practical skills at the military academy a long time
ago. I even taught some techniques to the Highness when he was still called
Prince Georg by people. It's one of this old man's few bragging
stories...」
You really do encounter unexpected connections in unexpected
places. However, that being the case, naturally, curiosity welled up.
「Then I have something I want to ask
you. What on earth happened to Geor—Prince Georg at the military
academy?」
「Hmph, prying into a superior's past?
Even if I knew, I don't feel like telling that.」
A sound argument. If I were in the same position, I wouldn't
speak either. Even so, I absolutely wanted to know the reason why Aniue
had changed, and I was agonizing over how to pry it out of this old man.
Old Konz seems to know something. I want to know. The
circumstances of how Aniue changed so fiercely.
「You have a look that says you want
to know no matter what... It doesn't feel like you're trying to grasp a
weakness... Understood. As thanks for clearing the dirt and sand, I'll tell
you.」
「Are you sure...?!」
「'I want to pry it out of you no
matter what method I use,' is written all over your face, youngster.」
「That's not wrong. It's a given that
I want to know no matter what.」
It's a story that can't be told to others. We left the road,
entered the woods, and lowered our voices to a mumble.
「Actually, kid, just between us,
Prince Georg has a younger brother. If I recall, the name was—A... Arlay,
was it?」
「Arlay, huh. Sounds like a name of someone who would constantly
train their arms.」
「Nn... No, wait, something is a
little different. A... Ash—」
That's right. I'm not Arlay, I'm Ashley.
Although nowadays Shinza feels more familiar to my body, I am nominally Ashley
Gnose Urgos.
「That's right, it was Ashlynn!
Georg-sama has a younger brother named Ashlynn.」
「No, wait. Did that younger brother
really have such a feminine name...?」
「Are you doubting me, Hundred-Dragon
Commander? My head hasn't gone completely senile yet! There's no mistake it's Ashlynn!」
Well, I suppose my name doesn't matter... Ashlynn, Ashlynn,
huh... Zirant is probably bursting with laughter in the other world...
「So, what's the problem with that Ashlynn?」
「Oh, right, right. That is, you see, Georg-sama
was to have a match in a military academy tournament with his older brother,
Prince Yord, who is the Emperor's fourth son.」
「Ah, Yord, huh...」
「By my estimation, Prince Yord's
body was more built at the time, but he was far from possessing Georg-sama's
talent. I thought there was no way he would lose.」
「I remember that story. He definitely
lost. ...In the latter half of the year he entered the military academy, Yord
and Georg fought in the semifinals, and Georg lost.」
Back then, I was still young and ignorant. I accepted it
with childish logic, thinking it couldn't be helped that he lost to someone
older. But this is strange. There's no way Aniue would lose to such a
small fry.
「Oh, you're well-informed. But there
was a hidden side to that; it became a dispute involving not just the faculty,
but even His Majesty the Emperor. That Yord, you see, was cheating...」
The Emperor's fourth son, the fourth in line to the throne, Yord
Gnose Urgos, is an insignificant man. His mother is the daughter of a
renowned knight who became a concubine at her father's earnest request.
In a word, Yord is a ruffian. Currently, he leads
those in the position of knights as the Knight Commander. By the way, knights
are knights, and the Imperial Army is the Imperial Army; there is no hierarchy
or cooperative relationship between them.
「Thinking about it now, it would be
more unnatural if Yord didn't cheat...」
「Yeah... Moreover, of all things,
that guy apparently used Georg-sama's cherished younger brother, Ashlynn,
as a threat... He said that if Georg didn't lose to him in the match, he
would have Ashlynn shot with a poisoned arrow... It was a terrible
story.」
「What did you say...」
「But what's even more terrible is
that no one tried to protect that Ashlynn. Not even His Majesty the
Emperor, who should be his real parent... turned a blind eye. That was probably
when it happened. When General Georg changed...」
I didn't know... I was targeted? I was being protected by my brother? Did Aniue willingly choose
defeat in order to let me live? If so, it makes sense. The reason why Aniue
changed his attitude toward me too...
「Thank you, Old Man Konz. To
think I would learn what I had always been curious about on the outskirts of
the Imperial Capital like this.」
「Think nothing of it. Thanks to you,
the folks around here won't have to go hungry. You saved us, Hundred-Dragon
Commander. I leave General Georg to you in this old geezer's stead,
alright?」
「Naturally, leave it to me.」
More than I ever imagined, I was constantly being protected
by Georg-aniue. The reason Aniue was so desperate to raise me to
be strong was to protect me in the true sense.
To simply protect my life, which even Father had abandoned, Aniue
changed. Having reconciled with Father and obtained proper succession rights
and territory, Aniue is probably more relieved and joyous than anyone
else.
Trying to cram the law into me, and silently yielding the
promising Puis to me, were all expressions of Aniue's true
feelings in his own way.
「What's wrong, Hundred-Dragon
Commander? Did you despair at the Imperial Family being shittier than you
imagined?」
「...No, I knew that from the
beginning. More importantly, Old Man Konz, there is a correction.」
「A correction?」
「Zanshi is an alias. My name is Ashley, a person extremely
close to General Georg.」
When I spoke my real name, Old Man Konz seemed to
realize his mistake. His mouth hung open and he froze. That's right. It's not Ashlynn;
Georg-aniue's younger brother is Ashley.
「Aah, what have I done... Haa,
it's awful, just awful, I really
don't want to get old... Sorry, little brother.」
「I don't mind. More importantly, if
you'd like next time, tell me more details about General Georg during
his student days. If possible, the cool parts of my brother.」
When I told him that, Kachua's voice calling me came
at a bad time. So we found out Old Man Konz's address, wanting to meet
again there, and parted after shaking hands.
「Little brother! You've gotten tough;
the General must surely be proud of you too! Anyway, you know... I'm glad we
met!」
「Me too, Old Man Konz. I'll
come again.」
The pilgrims' wagons pass through the gorge along with a
massive amount of mountain yams. The topic of conversation after that was
entirely about potatoes.
- Table of Contents –
【Name】 Ashley
【Lv】 31 → 32
【Exp】 4460 → 4505
【STR】 60 → 62
【VIT】 253 → 256
【DEX】 129 → 131
【AGI】 210 → 211
【Skill】 Shovel LV 5 Scoop
LV 1 Imperial Bond LV 1 Direction Sense Lv 1
『Just how much do you love potatoes
and your older brother... You are deviating from the norm...』
In place of
the young me who couldn't leave the tower, Jii
sowed seeds in the garden, showed me how they grew into large potato
leaves, and turned that harvest into piping hot German potatoes. Ever since
that day, I've loved potatoes.
If I hadn't gotten hooked on books from the other world, I
surely would have become a potato doctor.
『Umu... It would be troubling if you became a potato user instead of a Shovel user... I shall say it's a good thing you got absorbed in excavation there... you eccentric.』
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
Corey Hicks
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Jake Seagraves
Matthew Fraser
Tbaum56
Xavier O'Donoghue
Anton Lim
Austin Lorenzo
Baelee
Bloodyemperor
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
openope
Radhitia Furqan
SD Fox
Yosua Lumbangaol
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
