Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 30: The Call to Arms
After finishing the discussion with the village chief, I decided to take the long way back home. The evening light spilled across the dirt path, painting the fields in soft gold as I walked, trying to cool my head.
The reason for my detour was simple—I was angry.
There’s just something about the village chief that grates on me. He has this habit—no, this tendency—to look down on people who hold weaker positions than himself. I can understand the need for a bit of authority, given his role as village chief; he has to command and give orders. That’s fine. But the way he acts as though my mother, myself, and even Stefana and Rugena should “naturally obey” him… that’s not authority. That’s arrogance.
He’s been more careful lately, probably ever since he learned that my mother has connections to the Baron’s family. But even so, that arrogance slips out in the way he speaks—the tone, the little turns of phrase. It’s impossible to miss.
“Are you really five years old, Arthur-sama?”
“…I’ll be six soon.”
“You don’t act like it at all.”
Well, I suppose I can’t blame her. Rugena’s always there whenever we negotiate or talk business, so it must seem strange to her that a child is always involved.
Still, I have no intention of agonizing over whether I should “say something or stay quiet.”
“Fufun. That’s because I’m me.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
It doesn’t matter. I don’t care who I was or what I did in my previous life.
What matters most to me—more than anything—is Mother.
“Anyway, did you understand today’s discussion?”
“Of course. Ono isn’t a stupid child.”
That wasn’t exactly what I was asking, but… if she understands, that’s good enough.
“The fields will take a while to finish, so we’ll prepare the forge slowly.”
“We’re not hurrying?”
“Sorry, Rugena, but I want to take our time at first—not to be cautious, but to make it clear that we move at our own pace.”
If we started right after reporting to the chief, it would make us seem desperate. Working leisurely sends a different message—that the forge is only a side project for us.
“Arthur-sama, you’re awfully particular about things.”
“Am I?”
I suppose I am. Maybe it’s because I have trouble trusting people. When I talk to someone, I can’t help but look for the motives behind their words. It’s a habit I picked up back when I lived at the viscount’s estate.
“Well, whatever. When we start preparing the forge, I’ll help too. Let me know when you’re done in the fields.”
“What will Arthur-sama do in the meantime?”
“Start studying the threads, of course! If I don’t hurry, all the material we collected will go bad.”
This morning, when I checked, it was still in liquid form—but a thin film had started to form on the surface.
Was it caused by exposure to air, or by something else entirely? I couldn’t say, but I was eager to find out.
“You’re grinning. It’s creepy.”
“—I am not grinning!”
Damn it… there goes my dignity as a master. Not that I had much to begin with, I suppose.
“Come on, let’s go home already.”
“Wait! It was you who decided to take the long way!”
I ignored her protests and broke into a run. Of course, she caught up to me before long.
When I returned home, Mother and Stefana were speaking in low voices.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome back.”
“Did something happen?”
Both of them looked troubled, their expressions dark.
“Heino hasn’t come back yet,” Mother said.
“The hunter?” I asked. “What about the others?”
“They’ve already returned.”
Heino is a trapper who catches small game—rabbits, snakes, that sort of thing. He usually sets out at dawn and is back by early afternoon. But now it was nearly evening, and there was still no sign of him.
“But how do you two already know about it?”
It had only been three hours since his expected return. That’s hardly long enough for anyone to start a full search. Yet somehow, Mother and Stefana already knew. That was odd.
“Just a while ago,” Mother explained, “a member of the village watch came by. They said if Heino doesn’t return by morning, they’ll start a search—and they’ve ordered me to join them.”
“What!? That’s ridiculous! Stefana, you’re not even part of the village watch!”
The watch is led by Autihel, with five regular members and another five who serve part-time. If that’s still not enough, retired members are called up. Only if all else fails do they request aid from the city garrison.
“So why ask you to go?” I demanded.
“Because they think I’m the Baron’s slave,” she said quietly.
“I tried correcting them,” Mother added bitterly, “but in the end, they invoked ‘armed requisition.’”
Armed requisition.
That meant the village chief had authorized the watch to conscript residents into service when they judged their own forces insufficient. And refusing that order wasn’t an option.
“Isn’t that going too far?”
Calling for armed requisition just because someone’s three hours late seemed excessive. They should send their official members first.
“They’re nervous,” Stefana said. “Because of what happened in Furnendorp.”
Ah. Furnendorp—an entire village wiped out by a horde of demons. Considering that, their reaction was understandable.
“…Wait. Where’s Rugena?”
“She’s being treated as a blacksmith,” Mother replied. “They didn’t say anything to her.”
I sighed. Rugena’s actually higher-ranked than Stefana as an adventurer, but since she looks like a young girl—even as a dwarf—they must’ve assumed she was weaker.
“Balrimas and his group are still in the village, right? Didn’t they take the job?”
“No,” Mother said. “The fee for hiring adventurers is too high.”
That made sense. Hiring them to search costs five silver coins per person, and the price goes up if they find or rescue the missing person. For the village, pressing Stefana into service was far cheaper.
“Ono, are you going to join too?”
“No, that’s not allowed,” Stefana said firmly. “Rugena, your duty is to protect Tine-sama and Arthur-sama.”
She was right. If something happened to either of them, we’d have no protection at all. Up till now, Stefana’s presence had been enough to keep us safe.
“Will you be all right, Stefana?”
“Yes. Heino doesn’t usually go far from the village. The search shouldn’t take long.”
Even so, I couldn’t help worrying. But sending Rugena along would leave us defenseless, and refusing to let Stefana go would mean defying the armed requisition. That wasn’t an option.
“…Rugena, open the forge,” I said suddenly.
“Eh?! Now?”
“We’re using your silver to forge Stefana’s sword. Get ready!”
“Oh! Ono’s silver! I’ll give it everything I’ve got!”
Her eyes lit up with excitement as she sprinted toward the warehouse, eager to start.
“Mother, Stefana,” I said, “I’m going with Rugena to the forge. We’ll be back by morning.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Mother asked.
“She’ll be the one forging, but with the two of us there, it’ll be fine.”
That was a lie, of course.
From what Rugena had told me, I was reasonably sure we could do it—but certainty only comes from trying. Even so, we had to act. Stefana’s current sword was made of iron—ordinary, serviceable, but unremarkable.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t attempt something like this without preparation. But remembering what happened in Furnendorp… I wanted her to have something better.
“Stefana,” I said quietly, holding out my hand. “Your sword.”
“But…”
“I can’t fight with sword or magic. But I can make things. If my family is going into danger, then it’s my duty to give them the best equipment I can.”
“Arthur-sama…”
Her voice trembled, and before I knew it, she had pulled me into her arms. It had been a long time since she’d hugged me like that. Lately, I’d been spending more time with Rugena, and the only moments we shared were during morning training.
“Stefana.”
“Yes… please.”
She handed me her sword. I examined it carefully—it was a single-edged short blade, narrow toward the tip, designed for both stabbing and cutting. The balance point was about two fists ahead of the hilt, just as she preferred.
“Arthur-sama, everything’s ready!” Rugena called.
“Got it, I’m coming!”
I turned back to Mother and Stefana, meeting their eyes one last time.
“Then… we’re off.”
And with that, Rugena and I set out toward the forge, the cool night air pressing softly against our backs.