Kays Translations

Chapter 58: Back to the Territorial Capital

The next day, I took Gyre and Christopher to the territorial capital for the first time in quite a while.

During the summer season, members of the royal family and high-ranking nobles had visited the Heine Margraviate one after another, leaving me little opportunity to inspect the city properly.

I had seen Gyre and Christopher occasionally, but only for short periods. With such important guests at the estate, both boys had sensibly kept their distance.

“It’s been a long time since the three of us went out together.”

“Yes, Lord Julius,” Christopher said. “I heard the summer was difficult for you.”

“It certainly was.”

During the carriage ride, I told them about the exhausting succession of guests. They told me about their own summer: swimming in the lake and catching insects in the mountains.

I was envious.

“I wish I could have gone swimming.”

“Lord Julius, I’m not sure swimming suits a nobleman,” Gyre said.

“Then perhaps I should abandon my title so I can swim freely.”

Gyre’s eyebrows curved in distress. He knew I was joking but didn’t know how to answer. He could simply have ignored me.

The territorial capital didn’t appear greatly changed. Adventurers came and went as usual, while notices announcing upcoming horse races were posted everywhere.

“Nothing looks unusual,” I said.

“The rumours about the wyvern continued for a while, but they have mostly faded,” Christopher replied.

“My father says there has been no unusual movement in the forest since then,” Gyre added.

The monsters’ strange activity seemed to have subsided. Had the goblin army and the wyvern truly been unrelated coincidences? I still couldn’t understand it.

We visited the Adventurers’ Guild to ask for the latest information. The guild master and staff welcomed us warmly.

“So there has been nothing suspicious in the monsters’ movements?”

“That’s correct. We have questioned many adventurers, but no one has reported anything unusual.”

The guild master remained uneasy about both the goblin army and the wyvern that appeared near the Tradel River. The incidents didn’t fit together neatly.

“Could similar events be occurring in other territories?” I asked. “Please investigate. Each incident may be minor on its own, but if the same pattern is appearing across the kingdom, we should know.”

Gyre and Christopher turned pale.

If monster activity was increasing throughout the kingdom—or the entire world—the implications would be serious.

Still, we had no evidence. The two local incidents might genuinely have been coincidences. Worrying without information would accomplish nothing.

To improve everyone’s mood, I took them to a recently popular café. Its fruit tarts were said to be the best in the territorial capital, and I intended to buy one for Rosalia.

“There are many women here,” Christopher murmured.

“Are you nervous?”

“Not at all. Gyre looks comfortable, though. Perhaps he has visited with a girl before?”

“No! Don’t be ridiculous!” Gyre protested.

That reaction was suspicious. I would have to question him later.

The café had begun in the royal capital and already opened a branch here. The territorial capital was attracting fashionable goods and businesses with impressive speed.

After ordering a fruit tart for Rosalia, we returned to the carriage.

As the vehicle jolted over the uneven road, a thought occurred to me.

With more people and goods flowing into the city, should we not improve the streets?

Only part of the main avenue was paved with cobblestones. Most roads were compacted dirt, worn into ruts and holes by carts and foot traffic. Wheels caught in the depressions, making every journey slower and rougher.

If we flattened and hardened the ground with magic, people and cargo could move more quickly. I would experiment after returning to the mansion.

During the ride, Christopher and I eventually forced Gyre to reveal the truth. The person he admired was a beautiful eighteen-year-old woman who lived nearby.

Gyre, we were only eight years old. That was far too ambitious.

Rosalia greeted me as soon as I returned. She had practised writing letters and arithmetic that day. She proudly announced that she had written me a letter and that it would be delivered the next morning.

Could she not simply hand it to me now?

I thanked her and presented the fruit tart. Since it was almost snack time, we settled in the wonderfully sunny salon for tea.

We could use this room freely only while Mother was away. I intended to make the most of the opportunity.

The upcoming tea party would be held here. I was certain everyone would enjoy it.

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