Tsurugi no Joou to Rakuin no Ko:Volume 2 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 –Between the waves.

Chris has been, in the past decade, in hundreds of wars; although he never took part in naval warfare, he did board many ships. He had never gotten seasick, because of that he does not know of ways cure it.

"Huh? A cure for seasickness? You drink -- drink until you can't tell if it's from intoxication or seasickness."

The medic Nicolo said this while pointing at the cask of wine beside him. Chris regretted asking him, then left the infirmary and returned above deck.

The sun shines bright above the mast of the dark sails, he stood under it's shadows and pondered -- it's a fact he never got seasick. However there are several warriors aboard that look a bit blue.

"Chris, you seem to be fine..." one of the centurion captains muttered.

The ship had barely departed and entered the channel. The troops going to Princinopolis were to arrive in only a few days, on the deck sporadic members of the Order of the Silver Egg could be seen, with weapons in hand seemingly making no progress. This arrangement was made to guard against the possible spies of the Holy Kingdom.

Therefore the only ones sent to check if any troops were seasick were Nicolo, Chris and a few others.

Nicolo walked outsite the infirmary, and after looking at the deck littered with seasick troops said to Chris:"Chris, you listen well, inside a man's ear there are snails."

"... A snail?"

"Yes, This is what we doctors know, so you listen well. Because they live in the ear, the snails are made of water from the body, so even when we close our eyes and lie down on the bed, we still know in what direction the sky is and what direction the ground is. This is because the snails in our ears help."

"What?"

"But if the snail which is made of water gets shaken up, there will be cases of seasickness and the like."

This was the first time Chris heard this argument. However because he had not seen Nicolo as doctor in the past, he actually holds him in high esteem now.

"The reason we placed you on this ship, is to let those who say "If you drink alcohol you will become seasick" know exactly how stupid that saying is." said Nicolo.

"Well... I, I understand, Nicolo..."

Laying on the side of the ship a soldier said in a weak voice:

"I did not think I was beaten at drinking by a teetotaler like Chris..." "Blechhh!" "Hey! You go puke on the other side!" "Ugh,ughhh... You're making me want to puke also!"

The tragedy on the boat keeps getting worse. Chris sighed. He did not think it was actually just an experiment. Then he suddenly remembered something, he poked the panicking medic on the back.

"Hey Nicolo, have you seen Minerva? Wasn't she supposed to also board this ship?"

"Of course she is, however she doesn't drink like you do, she doesn't even touch wine."

"Did she get off the ship? Because she couldn't do the experiment--"

Nicolo raised his hand, pointing in the direction of the bow, Chris was stunned to see a person -- on the bowsprit, Minerva's red hair was dangling in the sea breeze. He quickly rushed to the bow "Minerva! That's dangerous."

Minerva was sitting on the bowsprit overlooking the canal. She heard Chris's voice, turned and jumped on the deck "Since this expedition is by ship, it will be likely that we will have to fight onboard. I must naturally confirm which places I can reach."

"It will not be a boarding action, at least the military stationed in Princinopolis belonging to the Holy Kingdom do not do boarding actions!"

Minerva was not happy hearing this and with a puckered face she turned around to look at the calm sea. "Why can't we take the cathedral. Since we have ships, we could just go upstream the river Takamiya, and take the Holy Capital for good!"

Although Minerva said this, she still knows it's pointless to complain about it. After setting sail there was no way of turning back, even if they could it would have been too late. Right now they had to carry on the plans of the entire force.

"But if we take too long, Silvia, she..."

Minerva looked in the northwest direction -- The Holy Capital's skies, biting her lower lip.

Minerva's sister -- Queen Regent Silvia, while thinking of ways to save her, there were no other except the overthrowing of the Holy Kingdom. On this point, not only Francesca, but Minerva herself thought the same.

So although Minerva is now acting anxious, there's nothing she can actually do. She should be very clear about this point, but he did not know why she held such a reaction.

-- The prophetic dream she had that night, she saw something then... Chris guessed.

Minerva would rarely dream compared to her little sister. Silvia might have had the same prophecy. So this is not a sign of impending danger... Chris kept wondering. Minerva was starring intently, then she shook her head, and goes on to say excessively "It is,it is not right, but..." she stammered failing to speak clearly.

--She is still reluctant to talk about it... Chris thought.

"... Is it something about Silvia?"

Minerva timidly opened her mouth and ambiguously nodded. "Well ... Maybe... Yes "

She is the current Queen after all. Cornelius, although not by choice was still dead, so she was temporarily free. However it won't be long until she will have to declare a new potential consort. Minerva was anxious to rescue her sister before then. Chris was aware of this.

"Silvia is different from me, she has nobody to rely on; everyone around her only cares about finding ways to use the Queen's blood." Minerva folded her arms and trembled slightly.

"And I have... I have actually fled to a safe place, I am truly deserving of being hated..."

"I don't think you should blame yourself for this matter" said Chris.

"I know that. But she had lived since childhood seething in private, withstanding everything in silence. I was sick of hearing the preaching of the palace headquarter's classes, so I escaped, using a casual excuse to explain matters to Silvia."

"Palace classes?"

"They were boring history and theology lessons, stupid ceremony customs and so on ..."

Chris is unable to imagine Minerva sitting at a desk, trying hard to study diligently.

"What about you?" Minerva asked Chris.

"I was once hired by a prominent family as a guard, so in order to not shame them, I have been taught speech patterns and mannerisms. I was still small, so he seemed to prefer me staying disguised as a valet to protect him."

Chris said smiling while recalling that time. He was loved by his employer, therefore the family butler painstakingly tried to make sure Chris had a upbringing into a well-behaved, service oriented valet. It was a peaceful manor, he was in close contact with the master of the house, beside his guard duty also escorting him on hunts, however it was also because of the natural caring of the master, so Chris could focus late into the night on learning. It was during that time that he learned to read and write.

"Oh, therefore your words and manners will be different from the common mercenary soldier." Minerva said, leaning against the side of the ship.

"Hey... Could, could you really tell?"

"Of course. Everyone says that you look just like the young son of a fallen noble family."

Minerva said as she reached for the edge pointing to the stern group of seasickness and constant cries of warriors.

--So everyone thinks so... Chris felt a little embarrassed, and could not help but retort "What about you, when I first saw you, you had the same aura as a soldier, however your words and deeds actually more those of a noble. The obvious conclusion was that you were related to the Royal Family, later contrary to my initial feelings you felt like an extremely arrogant person." then he immediately felt regret. After all Minerva was disgusted with her origin as Queen, from this perspective, saying this words really lacked consideration.

However Minerva only puckered her face and said "About that. I did not want to have anything with the etiquette used in the palace. But you, you weren't the one who was forced to learn it, sitting behind a desk."

"Well...Ah, er, er ... " Chris felt joy surging in his heart, because Minerva did not become offended by his words.

Chris walked next to Minerva, putting his hands against the edge of the ship "I don't hate this things after all. At that time, other then wielding a sword I knew nothing about these matters. " thinking about it, this was his first time conversing naturally with Minerva. As the hull of the ship swayed in the water, the surrounding scenery, the rhythm of the swaying, everything felt comfortable.

-- Perhaps this way, Minerva will one day also open wide her heart to me ... He thought.

"If you like it so much, then you might as well swap places with me, and live in the royal palace."

Minerva then held out her tongue, Chris smiled.

"The palace rules are so strict?"

"That said, I didn't wish to study so I always hid away in the courtyard and a maid from the palace would come find me!"

"Wasn't that natural?" Chris shrugged – compared with the image of Minerva focusing on academic excellence, he can imagine Minerva in the dense bushes, trying to hide from everyone.

"You are laughing at me! They were very annoying! Telling me I need to learn everything about the Weneralia Ceremony, saying that... " Minerva suddenly froze halfway. Then her face went down.

"What is it?"

"...No, I won't speak of this."

Her tone that suddenly became sullen, scared Chris. Because Chris could only see the profile of Minerva, her thoughts this time must be related with -- She wanted to say something, then stopped halfway, namely at the Weneralia Ceremony, the topic with the marriage of the Queen.

-- It's because of me, I reminded her of memories she wanted to forget...

"That .. I'm sorry, I did not want to..."

"It's fine!"

She shouted excitedly, then got up and left the ship's side, quickly ran towards the aft, making Chris feel like he had been thrown into the ocean.

-- This outcome was inevitable and right... Chris told himself -- he told himself that he should not be conversing with Minerva, he was purely a slave to her. He was like a piece of paper, just existing to suck away the futures of her death like it was water... This whole idea made him very sad, his eyes unable to chase the figure with the red hair.

Once Minerva reached the stern, she violently kicked her left foot on the deck near the soldiers, and said to them "Hurry up, I want to return!"

"Meena, can you please be more gentle..."

"You pig head, the hull is only shaking slightly, get up, you look so ugly, later you need to attend the blade ceremony!"

"Oh, Yes, Yes, I'm up!" " I can't tell which side is the sky, which side is right ... "" Oh, I know, the red side of the Sun is up! "" You pig head! that's my dress! Don't touch it! "

Seeing that the dialogue between Minerva and the bunch of soldiers was not serious, Nicolo cut in: "Hey, the day will turn to night soon. Go and get ready, go! "

At his urging, Minerva and a group soldiers from the upper deck walked toward the lower deck. While Chris sat on the deck and blankly stared at them.

--The blade ceremony ... It is dedicated to fallen companions on the battlefield ...

They will spread out both of their hands in front of them, to confirm they had no blood on their hands, no Mark of Stigma radiance.

Known as the blade ceremony, it was for those who lost their lives on the battlefield, leaving no remains to hold a funeral.

At this time as he was about to also go below deck, the rest of the soldiers on the ship looked at him, all of them having a puzzled expression on their faces. But there was nothing Chris could do about it and he started to go forward step by step.

-- I ...I can't go ...

--The one who killed them... is me...

He remembered the sea of blood. He did not want to recall that memory of how -- when they went to Santcarillon, Cornelius used the demon sword to control him, to become his puppet, and Chris killed them. Among the Order of the Silver Egg members that died, most of them died at his hand. -- I am not qualified to do the blade ceremony with them...

"Chris!"

All of a sudden, he hears a voice, he was surprised to pick it up in his head. A pair of black eyes, the owner grabbed him by the collar.

"...Minerva... I ... I can't go ..."

He could not look away, nor remain silent. Chris managed to squeeze out these words: "Please tell Francesca, that I wouldn't be able to see them off ... and ..."

"What nonsense, you're coming along!" Minerva fiercely pulled Chris by the collar when he answered, so hard as to drag him off the boat.

The cliff overlooking Zaccariesco was overlooking a lively street. On the mast the flag embroidered with the silver hen was flying in the sea breeze.

"Aren't you late? Was it fun on the boat? The sun is about to go down." Francesca said with a smile while facing Chris. Behind her, the knights of the Order of the Silver Egg members were all lined up dressed neatly.

"Well, we came to see our companions -- Paola, pass the swords."

Paola then spread out the wrapped the swords, to the centurion captain and Francesca's guardsmen. On the hilts of the swords, the names of the dead were carved, all newly cast.

The remains of soldiers killed on the battlefield were rarely recovered; although sometimes when a battle ended, the two sides would exchange the remains of the dead soldiers, those that could be identified were few. In most of the cases the remains of these soldiers would be buried right on the bloody ground, not even recovering their belongings.

However the dead still had to be buried.

Paola walked toward Chris, to also give him a sword. But Chris did not extend his hands to take the sword, he even stared wide-eyed, a shadow was also casted on Paola's face.

"Hey, Chris!"

Minerva sternly called out to him from the side, but he still had his hands to his sides, still not listening.

--Why me ... Offering me a sword for the ceremony, I don't need one in my hands ...

Several of the surrounding companions sent him a sympathetic look, but this made him even more uncomfortable.

-- I really wasn't supposed to be here...

"That ... Chris ..."

Paola was about to open her mouth to say something, when someone picked up the sword. It was a tall, dark figure. He placed it hilt first on Chris's chest, asking him to take it. Chris held his rising emotions in check, looking into the pair of eyes hard as steel and gray short hair.

While many uneasy eyes watched, Gilbert said with a cold face "Teacher Carla said once..."

--Teacher Carla? Minerva and Gilbert's sword-master.

Teacher said"On the battlefield, the heavy burden of death should be shared by everyone that is on the same field. Before Deaththere is neither friend or foe. Regardless of who killed many people, how many people died on the battlefield, once the sound of weapons clashing has stopped, and the tarnished sparks dissipate into the night, all should mourn the dead."

At this point Gilbert increased the strength with which he was poking Chris in the chest with the hilt of the sword. He felt pain, but the pain was not from the hilt against his chest, but from a more profound place ... He moved to take the sword hilt in one hand ...

"We will not let you bear the responsibility for the death of our companions alone, nor allow you alone to escape from this responsibility."

--Put it in the past.

Chris was still showing some hesitation. After that, he finally decided, he's hand moved from the scabbard to the handle of the sword, and received the sword from Gilbert's hand. He slowly looked up and saw himself standing beside Minerva, he also saw Gilbert and Paola behind Francesca, also facing the setting sun the members of the Order of the Silver Egg. They had no trace of a smile on their face, the sky gradually contracted the dark of night, but Chris felt a surge of warmth.

He held the sword tightly against his chest.

"...I am sorry...I don't know what to do with the blade for the ceremony ... I need you to teach me."

He never bothered to mourn for the dead in the past; he roamed across the battlefields, always just to indulge himself in culling like a beast killing prey, greedily sucking all of their good luck. Therefore he does not know how to give offerings to the dead.

"Pull out the sword."

Nearby Minerva muttered the prompt. Her hand similarly is also grasping the sword. After coming out of the sheath, the sunset light shines on the sword, the reflection came out in a blood-like dense colored red.

Francesca and the others, who have also been granted a sword, pull the blade from the scabbard. Chris also followed suit.

On the cliff more then twenty swords engraved with names became a tombstone, in a circle on the ground. Thousands of people sang the ancient elegy.

At this point Chris suddenly remembered Cornelius.

-- Should I also mourn for him ......

The enemy who he personally killed, who used Chris, tormented Minerva and Silvia. It is inconceivable that, right now, in Chris's mind this person, doesn't hold the slightest disgust.

--Don't I have the potential to become like him?

In the end what is the meaning of this sentence, in fact, even Chris doesn't know. However in this moment of twilight, his ears echoing with lamentations, Chris's heart was filled with the desire to pray for this man.

--All must bear the weight of the victim's life, even if this man is an enemy ... ...

"So here we go. "

Along with the lamentations of the people gathered, as the sun was setting, close to the sea, Francesca started to sing softly:

"I hope one day we can no longer remember the lyrics of this song. I hope this day will come soon. But we must never forget this moment. Now, again, we got up and returned to the battlefield. "

Thus, Paola lifted the banners, the centurion captain leading took the troops stepped off the red-brown hill.

Nicolo and Minerva walked behind the troops. Chris was going to chase that body with red hair that was backing away from him, when suddenly a burst of a bubble-like sound shook in his ears:

(--Our lord ...)

He rushed back and in the twilight about twenty swords shadows were side by side.

(--OUR LORD...)

But these sounds really descended on his ears.

--This is ... What's going on?

In this moment, his forehead suddenly flared up with a burning pain. Then, immediately saw the pale blue light.

--Why would the brand of the beast, at this moment?

(OUR LORD ... Ruling over all the dead people, and those about to die. ）

This is not just one sound, but layers of overlapping voices saying the same words, lingering in Chris's ear. Supporting the swords acting as gravestones, flickering figures suddenly approach Chris. They are dressed in armor, pale faced with black cloth blindfolding them -- this is how the Kingdoms of the East bury the dead-- these people are all Chris's fellow soldiers.

--These, these are ... The dead?

--Why do I see these things ... Why do I hear their voices!

In the strong winds, Chris tightly held his own body, shortly thereafter, the trembling in his body spread even to his feet...

(We ask you our Lord to call out our names.)

(We ask you our Lord to honor us, to call out our names. )

(--to call out the names of the dead.)

--Shut up!

--I can't listen! Should not listen!

Chris covered his ears and huddled on the ground. However, these voices of the dead just like oil seeped through his fingers, piercing chill went into his heart, and every corner of his body.

(We ask you to call out our names--)

(Call us from the underworld into this world...)

--Shut up! Shut up!

"--Chris!"

A stern voice pulls Chris back from the darkness.

"What's wrong with you?"

Minerva with her hair ruffled by sea breeze spoke near Chris's cheek. Before he knew it, Minerva was squatted in front of him. The setting sun, the gravestones, as well as the hordes of the dead disappeared from Chris's sight, leaving only Minerva with a slightly restless and angry face in front of him.

"You're not comfortable? Is, is it because I forced you to come here?"

Chris looked at Minerva, then shook his head after a while.

"...No, I'm fine. "

"You look like this and saying you're fine--"

Chris's reaction shocked Minerva. As she attempted to reach out and touch his forehead, Chris carelessly brushes her hand aside.

"...Your brand ..."

"I said I'm all right!"

"How is this called being all right! Now is also not the new moon, why - what happened?"

Chris pushed on Minerva's shoulders to stand up. The fellow soldiers standing in the distance have gone. Only Nicolo, finding something amiss with Chris, rushed back. Chris's instincts told him to pretend like nothing was wrong, so he literally dragged his feet and walked away.

"Chris! In the end what happened, come on tell me! The brand of the beast--" said Minerva.

"Aren't you the same!?" Chris was intent on covering Minerva's voice, so he could not help but shout: "You won't tell me anything about it!"

He could hear a sound like ice shattering in his ears --What, what am I talking about...

--I'm blaming her again how ...

Chris, biting his lower lip, slid his head slightly to the side to peek with the corner of his eyes at Minerva. Minerva could not help but stare straight at Chris. It looked like she was about to burst in rage, he couldn't resist a tremor on his lips.

--I shouldn't have blurted out that sentence, I'm not supposed to say such things to her ...However, everything was too late. Chris couldn't think of ways to solve this. So he ran away.

"... Hey, Hey! In the end what happened to you?"

He rushed passed Nicolo, not even looking at him. Nicolo's voice felt like it was overlapping with the voices of the dead, if he was even a little bit slow, it felt like he was going to be swallowed by the darkness.

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