Chapter 37
With a hurried change of clothes, Vivian looked completely transformed.
Gone were her usual radiant silk dresses and opulent gemstone adornments.
Such attire would only be a burden on this arduous expedition and would surely get ruined.
She cast off all traces of nobility and donned gear that might be worn by some nameless squire.
The leather vest covering her upper body was thick and rough, entirely unlike her usual garments.
Patches of fabric had been sewn on haphazardly, with crooked stitch marks clearly visible.
It didn’t even fit properly—one shoulder lifted slightly, and one edge was faded, showing signs of long use.
On her arms were small leather pads for protection, already cracked and worn from age.
Her gloves, covering her hands, had frayed fingertips and were grimy with dirt.
Her lower half looked no different.
Instead of a girlish dress, she wore snug-fitting trousers—a boyish attire.
A coarse leather belt cinched at her waist and various pieces of equipment hung from it.
Dressed like this, Vivian’s face bore a somewhat embarrassed expression.
Her lips trembled subtly, and her cheeks flushed... as if she were feeling a significant amount of shame.
“...”
Watching her, I couldn’t help but struggle to contain my laughter for some reason.
It wasn’t that she looked ridiculous.
In fact, she looked far better than I’d expected, which surprised me all the more.
Seeing my expression, Vivian clenched her fists.
“...Don’t laugh.”
She warned icily, but that only made it harder for me to hold back my laughter.
As I grew closer to bursting out laughing, Vivian, enraged, made a motion as if to strip off the gear she was wearing.
–Tak!
Even then, wiping tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes, I responded.
“Enough, let’s go. Everyone must be waiting.”
I turned first and started walking.
Only then did Vivian, still hesitating, follow behind me.
We were in the penal unit’s barracks.
There was no better place to find equipment that would fit Vivian.
All sorts of gear sized for boy soldiers were readily available here.
And the people of the penal unit, who had seen Vivian’s peculiar behavior inside the barracks, were waiting outside to see her emerge.
As soon as Vivian stepped out, the first to greet her, of course, was Burger.
He scanned Vivian up and down and murmured, as if he couldn’t believe what he saw.
“Lady Vivian, what on earth...”
“...”
Vivian glanced at me, shifting uneasily. Her eyes were alive with fury.
I pretended not to notice and looked away. I’d set the stage for her—now it was her choice.
Vivian hesitated, then looked up at Burger.
She spoke:
“...With the entire army marching out, I can’t just stay behind at the castle. I’m coming along as well.”
At her words, the boy-soldiers expressed admiration, surprise, awe, and even wonder.
The most astonished, it seemed, was Burger.
Struggling to find the right words, he finally spoke:
“B-But Lady Vivian... the journey will be harsh... and for a young lady’s body to endure...”
“...Don’t treat me like some young girl. I am the Lord of Roctana.”
Since the stage had been set, Vivian boldly uttered words that didn’t fully match her true feelings, asserting herself.
She recited what I had warned her about:
“I know. We might have to travel for a long time, sleep in filthy places, eat food that doesn’t suit our tastes, witness cruelty, face danger... but even so, I will go.”
“...”
“...Ah, my father always did the same.”
Hearing her mention her father, I thought that maybe not all her words were lies.
Perhaps she, too, felt a certain sense of responsibility about sending forth the entire army into battle.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have bothered invoking her father.
Mentioning Duke Rondor seemed to steel Burger’s resolve.
“I understand.”
Straightening his posture, he said:
“I will do my utmost to ensure your journey is as safe as possible.”
Vivian nodded.
Before long, Burger’s lieutenant, Coleman, brought Vivian’s horse.
Vivian stroked the horse’s mane for a while before, aided by Coleman, she climbed into the saddle.
Watching her, I smiled and turned away, heading for my place.
“Kylo.”
But as I left, Vivian called me back.
Still showing traces of shame and a hint of annoyance, she spoke:
“Where do you think you’re going? Grab my reins.”
“...”
A few members of the penal unit snickered at her remark.
It wasn’t hostility toward me; rather, it seemed they were now friendly enough to find humor in my predicament.
Just from seeing Balon, Willas, and Martin laughing their heads off, I could tell.
Although feeling a bit embarrassed at being subjected to this in front of them, I nonetheless took hold of the reins.
***
When we arrived at the courtyard where the entire army was assembled, the knight commanders were astonished to see Vivian dressed like a man.
Had it not been for her cascading red hair, they might not have recognized her at all.
“Lady Vivian, what in the world...”
The 2nd Knight Commander, Thoros, murmured just like Burger had.
Vivian looked at Burger, and Burger explained on her behalf:
“Lady gave the order for the entire army to depart and decided to follow along, feeling responsible, just as the Duke once did.”
The knights around them began to murmur.
One and all, their reactions were positive. Much like at the penal unit, there were many who were surprised or impressed.
“Let’s do our best!”
Someone shouted. With that as a cue, everyone added their own words:
“This is inspiring, Lady Vivian!”
“We will give it our all!”
“You are magnificent!”
Amid this outpouring of excitement, Vivian looked a bit flustered. She kept glancing at me as if asking, “What should I do now?”
Not knowing the answer myself, I just pretended not to notice.
So Vivian raised her hand slightly in acknowledgment of the knights’ cheers.
Then the 3rd Knight Commander, Morden, voiced a concern:
“Lady Vivian, what about Sir Robert, who is supposed to arrive soon?”
Vivian fell silent for a moment, then answered calmly:
“...He will have to wait for me.”
No one dared to refute that bold statement.
They simply nodded slowly, accepting Vivian’s decision.
Baelor instead changed the subject:
“Lady Vivian, then which knight order will you be accompanying on this expedition?”
“...I will stay here with the penal unit.”
“That would be dangerous.”
After all, these boy soldiers of the penal unit were essentially conscripted criminals.
Baelor pointed this out, but Vivian countered him instead:
“...How considerate of you. Now you’re worried about me?”
It seemed Baelor had grown somewhat accustomed to Vivian’s attitude; he didn’t react too strongly.
“Still, I will remain with the penal unit,” Vivian reiterated. Then, looking around at the gazes focused on her, she called out:
“Everyone, we’ll return safely. Depart as planned.”
A thunderous response came back.
Knights and squires raised their voices in a rousing chorus, answering her command.
Baelor, Thoros, and Morden saluted and departed.
The penal unit, after sorting out the commotion, formed ranks and started to move as well.
****
Leaving the castle behind and stepping into the vast plains of Roctana, Vivian realized something.
She was more excited about this journey than she’d imagined.
It had been such a sudden decision, a spontaneous action, yet the moment she left the castle, it felt as if she’d left all her sorrow behind as well. She only felt a gentle joy now.
The fragrant scent of nature tickled her nose. A soft breeze played with her hair.
The plains stretched on endlessly, and here and there, tall, beautiful mountains rose into the sky.
Wild animals scampered about, and the boy soldiers walked along, chuckling as if amused by their own adventure.
Everything seemed to fill her chest with excitement.
It felt as if she’d embarked on some grand quest, to the point where even the thought of the uncomfortable night’s lodging felt oddly thrilling.
How long had it been since she felt such emotions?
“...”
Vivian’s gaze fell upon the one who had made all this possible.
Kylo, no longer paying her any mind, walked ahead humming a tune.
Without him, she wouldn’t be experiencing these small joys; she would have remained trembling inside that castle. She realized this fact now.
A great two-handed sword hung over Kylo’s back, and for some reason, he looked even stronger, more solid than before.
“...”
Suddenly, Vivian found herself imagining something strange.
What if he had been her personal knight?
If they hadn’t met as enemies, but instead he had been born and raised in Roctana and served as her knight... how would she feel about him then?
“...”
Vivian felt a strange thumping near her heart again.
Surely the magic had gone wrong. Even though she’d cast it, her heartbeat refused to stay steady.
“Being out here isn’t so bad, right?”
Unaware of her thoughts, Kylo spoke up out of nowhere.
Startled by his question, Vivian flinched.
He looked at her oddly, as if confused by her reaction, but he didn’t press the issue and merely waited for an answer.
With his shoulders raised, he seemed expectant. Seeing him like that irritated Vivian’s pride.
She didn’t want to admit he was right.
She didn’t want him to notice the gratitude she felt toward him.
“...Thanks to you, I’ve been through nothing but humiliation,” she snapped curtly.
Despite her harsh reply, Kylo just smiled at Vivian, gave her attire a once-over, and started chuckling.
His reaction only annoyed Vivian further.
After all, she was the one who had to dress unladylike, like a man, no matter what anyone said.
If Madame Linne saw her like this, she’d surely faint on the spot.
Unable to contain her irritation, Vivian slipped her foot out of the stirrup and gave Kylo a shove-kick with it.
The sudden blow left Kylo looking bewildered, and seeing that look on his face made Vivian burst into laughter.
“Pfft...”
At the same time, a stir of whispers rose around them.
Some of the boy soldiers whispered to each other in astonishment:
“Whoa, did she just do that to Kylo...?”
“Where did she get that courage...?”
“So Lady Vivian’s got more grit than we thought...”
It seemed that within the penal unit, Kylo’s fearsome reputation was not unknown.
As Vivian realized this, her laughter slowly died down, feeling a bit flustered.
...And now Kylo had stopped walking, simply watching her laugh.
The reaction from the surroundings and the fact that Kylo had halted made Vivian nervous. She clapped a hand over her mouth and stammered out a weak excuse.
“...I, I only did that because you were so annoying...”
“...”
But Kylo said nothing, only turned his head awkwardly, scratching at the back of it.
As he started walking again, Vivian could’ve sworn his ears looked a bit red.
***
Excluding one scouting unit, the 200 boy soldiers of the penal unit were split into four groups.
At the very front was a boy soldier named Yanes, leading the entire force. Next came the main watch unit. After that was Kylo’s group, followed by the remaining two groups.
Naturally, Vivian was part of Kylo’s group.
Standing roughly in the middle of the penal unit, she looked around her.
Come to think of it, she still couldn’t quite believe that she was the lord of these people.
The idea that these individuals supported someone as inadequate as she pressed upon her mind.
It wasn’t until she actually joined the march that she understood how many people would go into battle at her command.
Even if it was a rational, logical choice, someone still had to bear all this hardship.
“...Haa.”
As reality sank in, her initial excitement settled down.
Hearing her sigh, Kylo asked,
“What’s with the sigh now?”
“...”
She didn’t intend to answer at first, but it didn’t seem like something worth hiding, so she spoke.
“I just can’t believe I’m leading these people.”
Kylo brushed it off as if it was nothing worth brooding over.
So Vivian asked him another question.
“...What would it have been like for you?”
“Huh?”
“You’re the eldest son of the Allen family. Under normal circumstances, you would’ve inherited your household, right?”
“...‘Would have’? I still will inherit it.”
Vivian frowned.
“Who said I’d let you go? You have to stay here.”
“...You promised you’d let me go if I won our bet.”
“That’s only if you win. That future isn’t coming.”
The conditions for him to win were that he’d be loved by all the territory’s people or that he’d make her cry. Neither seemed likely.
Kylo, however, didn’t push the argument. He just shrugged it off and returned to the previous topic.
“Well, if it had been me inheriting a house... I’d probably have enjoyed it. Wouldn’t it feel great, knowing everyone’s under you?”
“...”
His answer was so very ‘Kylo-like’ that Vivian let out a dry chuckle.
Strangely enough, even this nonchalant remark made her feel a bit lighter.
***
By the time Vivian’s expression began to sour as if her thighs were aching, Burger called for the march to halt.
“Stop right there!”
His shout carried all the way to us, and my fellow unit members plopped down on the spot.
“That was tough, really...”
“At last, we’re done for today.”
I, too, sighed in relief. My legs were throbbing from accumulated fatigue.
I looked around.
A few trees sprouted here and there.
Hills rose in complicated patterns.
The sky was clear, touched lightly by a setting sun.
There didn’t seem to be any immediate dangers around.
It wasn’t a bad spot to spend the night.
I turned to check on Vivian, who was struggling to dismount her horse by herself.
Then I extended my hand to her.
It would be too tall for her to get down alone.
“...”
She blinked, staring silently at my offered hand.
I didn’t bother explaining. I just waited.
After a moment, she slowly took my hand.
Our fingers tangled firmly. It had been this close since the fire incident, if not longer.
With my help, she dismounted safely.
“...Thank you.”
She whispered, but I offered no response.
While that happened, Burger approached her and explained,
“Lady Vivian, please rest. We’ll be camping here tonight. Yanes’s unit will go scouting to ensure no dangers lie around. The rest will set up shelter and prepare food. And tomorrow... we may enter battle.”
“Yes.”
“If you find anything uncomfortable, please let me know. I might go on reconnaissance with Yanes, so I’ll leave Coleman here. If anything happens, rely on him.”
“Yes, I understand.”
While they talked, I led Vivian’s horse toward a distant tree.
This was where the real problem started.
Could Vivian endure being among these smelly brutes?
They were sure to act awkwardly, and I could already envision how uncomfortable that would make her.
I sighed, tying the horse’s reins to the tree.
Just as I turned around...
“...Oh!”
“...”
Vivian stood behind me.
I’d expected her to be with Coleman or still talking to Burger, but instead, she’d followed me closely.
“...Why are you here?”
I asked, and Vivian made a troubled face.
Glancing behind her, she replied,
“I-I mean... It’s too awkward to stay among those people...”
The boy soldiers, unable to quell their curiosity, were sneaking glances in our direction with fierce interest.
One or two would’ve been fine, but all fifty of them were peeking at Vivian, making quite a spectacle indeed.
“...”
I let out a long sigh through my nose.
Then I started nagging at Vivian again.
“Aren’t they all your people?”
“B-But...”
“What, is it that you’re a noble who can’t stand being near commoners? I’ve been living with these commoners just fine.”
“T-That’s not it...!”
I stopped teasing her and thought for a moment.
Maybe, given their ages were somewhat close, Vivian could find some of “her people” here as well.
That idea steeled my resolve.
“...Follow me. I’ll introduce you.”
“W-What?”
Ignoring the flustered Vivian, I started walking.
Vivian, hesitating, pattering her feet, eventually followed me once again, tagging along close behind.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
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