Kays Translations

Chapter 32: An Emergency Unfolds

When I woke up, I found myself alone in bed.

Still groggy, my mind slowly pieced together the events of the night. Realization hit me—I had to find Rugena. Hurriedly, I got out of bed and made my way downstairs.

But when I reached the living room on the first floor, Rugena wasn’t there. Instead, my mother sat alone, her presence calm but attentive.

“Good morning, Al,” she greeted softly.

“Mother… where’s Rugena? And the sword? Fana?” I asked, a tinge of worry creeping into my voice.

“Calm down,” she said, lifting me gently and settling me into a chair.

“You did well last night. As for the sword, it was definitely handed over to Fana.”

“Really? I… I fell asleep midway and don’t remember what happened after that,” I admitted.

“Rugena is still sleeping. I’ll tell you what she told me,” Mother said, her eyes warm as she began to relay the events.

Apparently, Rugena had reached her limit after finishing the sword. Noticing my exhaustion, she had taken care of me, putting me to bed herself. Then she sharpened the blade, attached the hilt, and crafted a sheath—all while I slept, starting sometime after midnight and continuing until morning.

She even carried me home once the sword was completed.

“So the sword is finished,” I murmured, relief washing over me.

“Yes. Rugena personally handed it to Fana,” Mother confirmed.

“That’s good…” I breathed, feeling a quiet satisfaction.

“Fana was grateful, too. She said she would cherish it, and she also thanked you, Al,” Mother added.

Even though Rugena had made the sword, hearing someone express gratitude toward me felt… nice. I could have been even happier if the circumstances were less grave, though.

“…So, Heino didn’t come back?” I asked cautiously.

“No. He didn’t return. If he’s gone all night, something serious must have happened,” Mother replied.

The people who worked outside the village followed a strict schedule so that any delay could immediately signal danger. If someone failed to return entirely, the possibilities were grim—severe injury or death.

The real problem, however, lay in the uncertainty of what had occurred. If it was an accident, retrieval was all that was needed. But if he had been attacked, the assailant could be human, animal, or monster—each scenario requiring different responses.

The village chief and the militia were particularly worried about the events in Furenendorp. Even though it was a neighboring village, the forests connected both settlements, meaning monsters from Furenendorp could wander into ours.

Still, the information was insufficient to report anything to the regional capital at this point.

“…Maybe we should request help from the people in Balrimas?” I suggested.

“If he isn’t found today, the village chief will request it,” Mother replied.

All we could do was wait. Even as my mind raced through potential courses of action, my stomach growled loudly.

“I’ll get breakfast ready right away,” Mother said.

“…Okay,” I replied.

The meal was already prepared; she simply reheated it before serving. As I began eating, Rugena appeared, lured by the aroma.

“Good morning,” she mumbled, still half-asleep, her words a little tangled.

“Would you like to eat too?” I asked.

“Yes… please. I’m hungry,” she said, swaying slightly as she made her way to a chair. Fatigue still clung to her, evident in the slow, wavering steps she took.

Mother, noticing her exhaustion, handed Rugena a small cup of alcohol. “Drink this while you wait,” she said kindly.

“—Tine-sama, I love you!” Rugena exclaimed after a single sip.

A declaration of love for just one cup of alcohol—truly economical, I thought with a small grin.

“Rugena, should I bring your reward?” I asked.

“—Arthur-sama, I love you too!”

Her enthusiasm remained as cheap as before, but… well, it was still heartwarming.

“I want to drink it now, but since it’s a special occasion, I’ll wait until Stefana returns,” Rugena said.

“Fana doesn’t drink,” I reminded her.

“—Eh? Really?”

Apparently, Mother had never noticed that she and Rugena were the only ones sharing a drink because Stefana couldn’t partake.

“Well… I’ll wait. Good drinks are better when shared,” Rugena insisted.

“Understood. Then we’ll drink during dinner tonight,” Mother said, smiling. A lively evening seemed inevitable.

As I watched them, Rugena suddenly stood up mid-meal and walked toward the entrance.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Without answering, she pressed her finger to her lips, signaling silence, and pressed her ear against the door. After listening intently, she opened it and stepped outside.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” I called out.

“I apologize. Tine-sama, where are you?” a voice asked from outside.

“We’re inside,” Rugena replied.

“Then we’ll talk inside,” the voice said, and the two of them entered immediately.

Stefana stepped into the room, covered in blood and mud, a stark testament to the violent struggle she had endured.

“Fana! Are you hurt?” I asked anxiously.

“Tine-sama, I’m fine. No injuries. I’m sorry I look like this, but please listen carefully—there isn’t much time,” she said, her tone urgent.

Stefana began recounting the day’s events. The search party comprised nine members: three from the militia, three dual-role members, two hunters, and Stefana herself.

By consulting the hunters about the traps Heino had set, the group traced his path and discovered signs of battle near a trap by the river. Bloodstains and marks suggested an encounter with orcs. Heino’s tool bag was found abandoned nearby.

The party concluded Heino had died, ending the search. But leaving the orcs unchecked was dangerous. The team debated whether to track and eliminate them or return to the village and request reinforcements from the regional capital.

They decided they couldn’t request help without knowing the orcs’ numbers or movements. So, they chose to follow the tracks, which led downstream toward Helvendorp—a key factor in their decision.

Continuing along the river, they found a group of orcs, still in the process of building dwellings. While not a full settlement, they had begun constructing structures from felled trees.

Realizing they couldn’t eliminate the group alone, the search party decided to call for reinforcements.

Yet, on their way back, they unexpectedly encountered more orcs, resulting in combat. Though victorious, the skirmish meant urgent action was necessary.

“Fana, how many orcs were there?” I asked.

“About thirty in the settlement, plus three we encountered directly. There are likely other groups, so around fifty in total,” she replied.

“…Fifty orcs,” I murmured, recalling the Furenendorp disaster. That time, goblins and ogres were involved, though the numbers had never been specified. I couldn’t tell which was more threatening.

“Should we prepare for evacuation?” Mother asked.

“Yes. But only the essentials…”

Suddenly, Stefana and Rugena noticed something outside and rushed outdoors.

“What is it?” I asked.

“They’re late,” Stefana said grimly.

“We can hear the orcs’ battle cries,” Rugena added.

If their voices were audible, it meant the orcs were already near. There was no time to evacuate slowly.

“Al, gather only the essentials and head to the meeting hall,” Mother instructed.

“Understood,” I said, preparing a small bag with the minimum necessary belongings.

“First, Fana and Rugena will come to the hall. We need to assess the situation and follow instructions,” Mother said.

We obeyed her instructions, making our way toward the meeting hall as the ominous sounds of the approaching orcs grew louder.

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