Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 13: A New Prayer
Before supper, Dolph spread out a large sheet of parchment and began drawing what appeared to be a plan.
With help from the village’s other craftspeople, he intended to build a carriage the following day. The Blacksmiths’ Village truly was impressive.
“Old Man Dolph, Barbara, Flora… please listen.”
Gilbert, who had been silent and troubled for some time, finally spoke.
“The man I said I wanted to help was the commander of the Royal Order of Knights—or rather, its former commander—Lionel Orias Viniadel. He has looked after me since childhood, and I owe him a great deal.”
Dolph stopped drawing and looked up.
“Lionel resigned from the Order?”
His tone revealed that he too knew the man. I recognized the name as well. I had seen Lionel from a distance at ceremonies and remembered a brave, imposing middle-aged man.
“Apparently, the recent triumphant return was forced by the king’s order. I’m an outsider now, so he couldn’t tell me much, but he said the campaign against the undead beasts in the north was incomplete. He challenged the king over it and resigned from the Order on the spot.”
“They didn’t eradicate them? The king has done a very foolish thing.”
Dolph sighed in exasperation, his shoulders sagging.
Seeing that I couldn’t follow the conversation, Gilbert kindly explained.
“Undead beasts are troublesome. Unless every one is destroyed, leaving them alone will cause a disaster.”
“Is that so ……?”
“Did you know that the wounds inflicted by them will decay if they aren’t purified?”
I nodded and Mr. Gilbert proceeded.
“Then what do you think happens when an ordinary animal or beast of the forest is wounded by an undead beast?”
“With no one to purify the wound, decay would spread… and it would die?”
“Most birds and animals do. Powerful animals and beasts are different. Once decay spreads throughout their bodies, they don’t die; they become new undead beasts. That’s how the creatures multiply.”
Gilbert meant that the undead beasts left in the northern kingdom would multiply again, rendering the entire campaign meaningless.
“Why would His Majesty make such a decision?”
“Who knows what those above us are thinking? But we can’t ignore it. I hear some clergy remained in the north and erected barriers to keep the danger away from settlements, but those barriers won’t last forever. Former Commander Lionel has returned there.”
Gilbert straightened and looked Dolph, Barbara, and me in the eye, his expression utterly serious.
“…So I’m going to the northern kingdom to fight the undead beasts.”
Gilbert took a deep breath and bowed.
“Even after what Old Man Dolph said, I would still be taking you somewhere dangerous. But there’s only so much I can do alone. So I’m asking again: please lend me your strength.”
Dolph responded with a hearty laugh.
“You’re too formal for your own good. Once I decide to go, I’ll follow even if you object, so stop worrying.”
Gilbert laughed again, looking troubled. Dolph’s description of him as overly conscientious seemed perfectly apt.
As the sun set and we began preparing dinner, other craftspeople and their families gathered from around the village.
Far more people came than I expected, and I worried there wouldn’t be enough duck soup. Strangely, however, no matter how many bowls I served, the contents of the pot scarcely diminished.
When I repeatedly stared into the pot in astonishment, Barbara laughed.
“Oh, that pot? When I had my husband make it, I placed magic inside. It’s contrary, though, and almost never works. It seems to be in a good mood today.”
“Magic?”
Dolph, who had overheard, laughed heartily once again.
“I suppose we haven’t told Flora. It isn’t a secret, but appearances aside, Barbara is actually a magic user.”
“Goodness! Were you a court mage, Barbara?”
Only a few people in the kingdom could use magic, and because they were so rare, most served as court mages. Such people were far removed from my life, so the revelation astonished me. Barbara smiled.
“I’m a little different from them. I’ll explain slowly while we travel.”
In excellent spirits, Barbara returned to serving dinner.
I had never seen magic before, so I examined the pot repeatedly from every angle.
Gilbert seemed to love the duck soup and returned for helping after helping.
It felt as though a very long time had passed since I enjoyed such a warm and pleasant meal.
After dinner, everyone went to the small sanctuary at the edge of the village to thank the Goddess and offer the day’s prayers.
The building was too small to be called a church, but its old statue of the Goddess had clearly been treasured for many years.
An ancient teaching said that the people’s humble prayers came together to form the foundation of the Goddess’s blessing.
In the capital, I had prayed only for my former husband’s safety, but those days were over.
In that case, beginning today…