Akatsuki Translations

Three weeks have passed since Pastry learned the magic of “Replication”.

Finally, he began to get accustomed to his magic.

That day, the Morteln household was in turmoil.

“Boss, I’ve gathered everything we could find!” -Sheets

“Move it to the back. If things go south, we’ll fortify ourselves here. How many days’ worth of supplies do we have for all the villagers?” -Casserole

“Three days. If we ration it to one meal a day, we can make it last for seven days at most.” -Sheets

“That should be sufficient.” -Casserole

Footsteps could be heard running back and forth, along with the sounds of objects being moved.

Another young man, or rather, a boy, rushed into the lord’s estate.

“Father, I’ve informed all the villagers.”

“Good, Pas, help Sheets with the defense preparations.” -Casserole

“Yes.”

With the same hurried pace he entered with, Pastry left the house. Given the urgent situation, he didn’t have the luxury of walking leisurely.

　――Bandits Spotted

Word had come that the neighboring territory of Liptauer’s villages were plundered and then set ablaze, along with news of the bandit’s emergence.

Upon receiving this news, the leadership of the Morteln territory, led by the knight, acted swiftly.

Immediately, they sent messengers and temporarily sealed off all villages except the main one. All wells were covered, and they began the extraction of materials and food, as well as the demolition of homes and fields.

The purpose of demolishing houses was to prevent bandits from using them as bases. As a result, those who lost their homes were temporarily sheltered in the main village.

This strategy of sealing off other villages was based on a defense strategy prepared in advance against bandits.

The fief of Morteln consists largely of wastelands, with no significant forests. Anticipating that bandits would need to attack a village to secure sufficient food and water for a large group, they deliberately abandoned two villages to lure the bandits to the main village. This was to prevent scattered, irregular warfare, or what in modern terms would be guerrilla warfare.

One of the reasons for this strategy was that the majority of the knight’s forces were peasant soldiers, who were ill-suited for prolonged combat. They might have bursts of energy, but maintaining morale and combat effectiveness requires proper training.

For instance, consider a sports team made up of amateurs playing against professionals. The amateurs might push with enthusiasm initially but would gradually be at a disadvantage as time passes. The same principle applies in combat.

Hence, they aimed for a short-term battle, avoiding the type of combat where they’d be at a disadvantage.

The only ones who understood the lord’s strategy, without being told, were Sheets, a close confidant of the lord, and Pastry, his son.

“Pas~ we’ll help out too~” -Marcarullo

“Yeah, yeah, we’re underlings of Pas-sama after all. Hehe.” -Luminito

Although technically an adult, young Pastry was in charge of organizing and managing supplies due to his unparalleled ability in the territory to accurately perform large scale calculations.

Even a smart boy like him had friends to play with.

They were Marcarullo and Luminito, known throughout the territory as the second most notorious troublemakers. Most would agree that the primary instigator of their mischievous stone-throwing was the silver-haired future lord.

“Could you guys stop with the honorifics? It’s creepy. And if you’re free, please gather some stones without straying too far from the fence.” -Pastry

“Stones, huh? Any size will do?” -Marcarullo

“As long as they’re small enough for you two to throw, anything’s fine. Needless to say, it’s dangerous with bandits around. If you hear any distant noises, no matter what they are, run back inside the fence first. If you feel you see something odd, rush inside without checking what it is.” -Pastry

“Got it.” -Luminito

“Leave it to us. We’re good at throwing stones.” -Marcarullo

“I mean, just gather them, you don’t throw them.” -Pastry

Even the help of children was invaluable now.

There was an endless list of tasks, and every extra hand was a boon. No amount of preparation would be considered excessive.

While the notorious duo had made four trips to gather stones, it was during their fifth trip when they noticed something.

While crouching down and picking up stones, one of them caught a faint disturbance in the distance.

“Hey, did you hear that?” -Marcarullo

“Huh? Your ears are like a goblin’s, so you must just be hearing things.” -Luminito

One of the troublemakers stood up, his arm and shirt filled with stones, and lazily gazed into the distance.

In his view, he saw tiny black dots on the horizon.

“Bandits!!” -Marcarullo

“Shit!” -Luminito

The panicked shouts of the boys who hurriedly took refuge behind the fence inadvertently served as an alarm.

The first to hear the shouts was a villager who had been guarding a plank near the fence. Although he was in his late forties, he moved swiftly.

In front of the fence, he quickly pulled the long, thick plank, which had been placed over a 5-6m wide moat, into the fence’s interior and simply dropped it nearby.

Then, he immediately ran through the village towards the lord’s estate, shouting that bandits had appeared along the way.

Many villagers, who had already sensed the unusual atmosphere, reacted in two ways to the man who was running and shouting loudly.

Some firmly closed their doors, sealing their homes with household items, and shut their window covers. Others, with flared nostrils and wooden spears in hand, hurried towards the lord’s estate or the village’s moat and fence.

Standing before the villagers was Lord Casserole Mille Morteln, clad in armor, his imposing figure blocking the autumn wind. He calmly instructed the villagers to gather and, once they had assembled, declared:

“Everyone, as you know, bandits have appeared. It’s clear they intend to attack our village. If we let them, the men will be killed, the women violated, and the children sold. Our food will be stolen, and all that will remain are our burned houses. I will not allow this. Therefore, I ask everyone to be prepared. Those who wish to protect their families, take up arms. Let’s join forces and drive these bandits away. Now I ask, are you ready?!!!!” -Casserole

“”YEAH!!!!””

The gathered crowd’s deafening response resembled the roar of angry men.

Those present felt the air literally vibrate.

The Morteln territory, under its current lord, is a newly established domain. The determination of the men, honed through the daily challenges of pioneering the land, was compelling.

Originally, the first generation of villagers were roughnecks who had gathered, willing to stake their lives on the reclamation of a wasteland, which, while not quite a desert, was a barren land where rain was scarce. They were the younger sons of rural farming families, the youngest children of fallen merchant families, or former mercenaries who had been injured. Simply put, they were people who had struggled to make ends meet and had responded to a call for a new hope.

If driven out of this village, they had nowhere to return. They understood better than anyone that the best they could hope for was to become harsh slaves or to starve or die of dehydration.

Because of this, most villagers already realized that there was no turning back, even without being told.

Rather than dying an unknown death somewhere, they would die here protecting their comrades and families. The fierce determination was a manifestation of this resolve.

The villagers dispersing to their positions held modest weapons.

Some held wooden hoes with metal tips. Others carried wooden stakes still covered in dirt. Some gathered stones as big as potatoes, preparing to throw them.

“The Sun will set soon. The bandits will come at night. Everyone, tonight is crucial. Be prepared!” -Casserole

The lord’s own proclamation.

In the territory, precious firewood was used, and amidst the fires, his voice echoed clearly.

As the proclamation permeated and the militia, filled with determination, dispersed to their positions, a man approached Casserole and asked in a voice hard for others to hear:

“Isn’t there a possibility they’ll wait for dawn to make their move? Or they might watch us for a few days before attacking. In the dark, the unfamiliar terrain would be disadvantageous for the bandits. Will they still come despite the disadvantage?” -Sheets

Challenging the opinion of Casserole, the lord, was rare. Few in the territory could offer military advice to the battle-hardened knight renowned for his valor.

As expected, the man was Sheets, his trusted aide.

The lord and his deputy, who were also close friends, sometimes deliberately opposed each other’s opinions.

Because they trusted each other, they would deliberately voice opposing views. This helped prevent oversights and kept their thinking and ideas flexible, a rapport built over a decade.

“They will come. They probably failed to resupply food and materials after raiding the neighboring territory.” -Casserole

The knight was quite confident. The certainty that the bandits had failed in their resupply was strong.

From last winter to this summer, the Morteln territory and adjacent territories experienced unprecedented cold damage. It’s certain that the neighboring Liptauer Knight territory has had many starve to death.

No matter how fertile their land was compared to Morteln’s, it’s unlikely they had reserves.

If they raided a village without reserves, there would be little to gain. They probably consumed everything before coming here.

“However, it’s not certain. Lord Liptauer is rumored to be a man of integrity. He might have gone into debt to provide for his subjects. Besides, the bandits could have plundered a count’s domain before coming here. If the bandits are at ease, they might avoid a forceful approach. If so, we can’t ignore the fatigue from staying up all night.” -Sheets

“Hmm.” -Casserole

Staying awake under extreme tension would be tough. Even for Morteln’s troops, which consists of not only young men but also many older ones, it would be quite draining. If they became fatigued while the bandits rested fully before attacking, it would create a significant disadvantage.

Upon pondering that, the knight hesitated slightly. It could be said that he felt a sense of unease.

He glanced sideways and felt the urge to ask the opinion of the silver-haired boy he saw.

“What do you think, Pas?” -Casserole

“Hmm. We lack information. No matter how much we speculate, we can’t be certain about the bandits’ food situation. Therefore, it’s hard to formulate a strategy based on that. The best approach would be to obtain accurate information about their food supplies and strength. Measuring the exact amount is the basic principle in any endeavor.” -Pastry

“I see… Alright!” -Casserole

Perhaps influenced by his son’s words and his friend’s opinion, Casserole mounted his horse.

While it was a horse that usually served for farming, its physique was excellent enough to be used in the military.

Just by looking at the horse, one could deduce that the knight always kept military preparedness in mind. It’s commendable as a military mindset, and this preparedness would prove useful here.

“Sheets, come with me.” -Casserole

“What are we doing?” -Sheets

“A forced reconnaissance. We might be able to make a move now.” -Casserole

“Really, our leader is so demanding.” -Sheets

Sheets, in no time, was also on horseback.

Seeing him swiftly prepare his horse, one might guess that he had anticipated some orders like this when confronting the lord.

“Pas, I’ll leave things in your hands while I’m away. If the bandits attack in my absence, prioritize defending everywhere except the north side. In the unlikely event we’re delayed in our mission, Sheets and I plan to take a long detour and return from the north.” -Casserole

“Understood. Please be careful.” -Pastry

A plank for crossing was laid over the moat.

The dashing figures of the two, with the evening glow behind them, looked dazzling.

The heir, entrusted with what was left behind, quickly sprung into action after briefly seeing off his father. He captured two friends who had been bustling around and gave them instructions without waiting for their agreement.

” Marc, I need you to relay a message to Cointreau.” -Pastry

“To my father? Leave it to me.” -Marcarullo

“Cointreau should be guarding the western moat. The message is: ‘Use the fire arrows as a signal for enemy attacks.’ Can you handle it?” -Pastry

“Fire arrows as the signal for enemy attacks, got it. I’m on it.” -Cointreau

In times like this, energetic kids who aren’t afraid to sprint come in handy. Especially naughty ones with an abundance of stamina; they’d run around everywhere without being told.

The fire arrows were Pas’s idea. If he honestly conveyed that his father and Sheets went for a reconnaissance on horseback, the inexperienced soldiers wouldn’t understand, and it would only cause confusion. Pas decided to take matters into his hands when the time came.

Given that his father and Sheets had left on horses, he was certain they would return from their reconnaissance. The horses, rewards for military feats, were fast. They were northern breed horses, rare even for an count’s family, and no bandit would have horses that could catch up.

But the timing at dusk was concerning.

If it were just reconnaissance, Sheets accompanying would suffice. Even in a chase, his father’s “Teleportation” magic would guarantee escape, though they might have to abandon the horses. The probability of both returning unscathed is very high.

However, escaping without leaving the horses behind is a different matter. Teleporting with the weight of two horses would be challenging due to the weight restrictions of the magic.

Therefore, they would have to escape on horseback, but rushing in the growing darkness could distort their sense of direction.

Regardless of their familiarity with the land, accurately determining their location while riding at high speeds in the dark is a formidable task, especially if potentially chased by dozens of bandits. It’s like trying to run in a dark room without lights, which is challenging even when done cautiously, let alone at tens of kilometers per hour.

That’s where the fire arrows come in.

The light of the fire arrows would surely be reassuring to the two who would likely use the light of a bonfire as a guide to rush back, just like having a light in hand while moving in a dark room.

“Lumi, please tell Glacage to prepare the fire arrows. After my father and the others leave, if you hear even the faintest sound of horse hooves again, shoot the fire arrows in the direction of the noise.” -Pastry

“Is that okay? What if the arrows hit your father?” -Luminito

“If it’s my father and Sheets, they’ll realize the meaning of the fire arrows from a distance and change direction. Probably, they’ll go west and then head north. After that, they’ll join those on the west side and handle things. Firstly, do you think an arrow shot from a that long of distance would hit my father?” -Pastry

“I can’t imagine it. He even dodges stones playfully thrown from behind.” -Luminito

“Right? Though I think it might be possible to hit him with a stone one day.” -Pastry

Amidst the tense situation, the laughter of children echoed.

The audacity of playfully throwing stones at a lord aside, the heir who approved of such pranks was undoubtedly a mischievous child himself.

After watching a boy of the same age run off as a messenger, the relaxed atmosphere from before completely changed.

The adults running around busily were almost overwhelmed by the tense atmosphere.

“I’ll prepare a strategy. Gather the children.” -Pastry

“Yes, sir!” -Villager

Several people hurriedly ran back into the village. The villagers assumed they were gathering the children to prepare an escape plan.

They thought that the next lord would take some measure to ensure the children’s safety, at the very least.

However, the future lord himself had a different plan in mind.

What his father meant by “a move” was probably to use himself as bait to force a quick confrontation with the bandits. By the time his father returned, they might have to face all the bandits at once.

Actually, that was likely the case. Both seemed intent on settling the matter in one go; their eyes said as much.

Though Pas lacked confidence in his tactical knowledge and military experience, he felt this was a gamble. He trusted the two veterans, believing their combined experience must have some reasoning behind it.

That’s why he prepared a move in response.

While lining up the gathered children, Pas waited for his father’s return.

Having run a considerable distance to the edge of the village and back from delivering the message, Marcarullo and Luminito smirked when they saw the children assembled by Pastry.

That’s because they recognized the objects in the hands of the boys and girls.

“Marc, Lumi, thanks for the message. I’ll need both of you to help right away.” -Pastry

“Hehe, holding those means you’re going to let us join in, right?” -Luminito

“Of course. Both of you are better than me.” -Pastry

What the children held were strange ropes that looked like twisted strings. It appeared to be made of hemp, but the string, about the length of a hand, was folded with cloth attached in the middle.

Its sole purpose? For slinging stones.

While it’s just one of the weapons known as a sling, it requires skill to handle.

For some reason, children in the Morteln territory have been using it as a toy for several years, making them surprisingly skilled with it.

Especially the two top troublemakers, who are skilled enough to hit a noisy adult—or rather, a target—about 200 meters away.

“The eastern moat is prepared as planned. You both know the procedure for escaping, right?” -Pastry

“Just leave it to us. We’ll surprise our fathers. Hehehe.” -Luminito

By the time the children’s preparations were finished, a piece of news arrived, forcing tension upon the villagers. It was bad news.

For Pas, it was one of the worst scenarios he had anticipated.

“The lord and Sheets-sama are being chased by several bandits.” -Villager

“Have the flaming arrows been fired?” -Pastry

“Twice already. It seems the lord and his party are heading west.” -Villager

“Prepare for counter-attack immediately. We don’t have much time before the enemy arrives.” -Pastry

As the silver-haired boy predicted, it didn’t take long for the boisterous shouts and violence of the bandits to assail the village.