Текст книги "Overlord - The Men in the Kingdom - Part 1"

Автор книги: Maruyama Kugane

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Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

“…Yes.”

Climb endured the dull pain from his abdomen and slowly stood.

The Kingdom’s strongest Gazef Stronoff’s physical strength was truly formidable. If he had kicked seriously, then it would not have been a problem to break his ribs through the chain shirt and render him unable to fight. The reason that was not the case here was because Gazef held back and merely touched Climb’s stomach with his foot and pushed him with the intent to knock him back.

It was an instructional spar after all… thank you.

Realizing that the Kingdom’s strongest had sparred with him, Climb was grateful as he resumed his stance.

He had to be careful so this precious moment did not end abruptly.

Climb once again raised his shield and slowly edged towards Gazef. Gazef wordlessly stared at him as he approached. If this continues, it would only be a repeat of what just happened. Climb had to devise a new plan as he approached.

Gazef waited, exuding an overwhelming calm. There just was no way to make him fight seriously.

It would be arrogant to even feel angry.

Climb’s limit was already visible. Despite waking up early like this to train in swordsmanship, his progress was slower than a snail. Compared to when he first started training, it was too slow.

Going forward, even if he could train his body and raise the speed and weight of his sword, skills like martial arts would be out of his reach.

Someone like Climb, to feel angry over the fact that the man who is the embodiment of talent did not fight him seriously would be disrespectful. He, who was unable to draw out the man's full strength, could only blame his own lack of ability.

His words from before that told him to not treat this as training and attack in earnest was a warning. It meant “attack with the intent to kill or you do not even stand a chance.” A warning that came from a man who stood in a place that was far above him.

Climb clenched his teeth.

He hated his own weakness. If only he was stronger, then he could be of more use. He could become her weapon and fight directly against those who would dirty the Kingdom and harm its people.

The fact that her only sword was so weak that she had to be careful of where to point it filled Climb with guilt.

However, he immediately tossed aside such thoughts. What he had to do now was not to lose himself in negativity. It was to throw everything he had at the man who stood in the world of the strong so he himself could grow stronger, no matter how small.

Only one thought filled his heart.

To be of help to the princess—.

Oh?

Gazef let out a sigh and slightly changed his expression.

It was because the face of the one who stood before him, who was both a boy and a man, had changed. If he were to compare, up until now, he was like a child who met a celebrity and could not contain his excitement. That restlessness had vanished after the kick and was replaced with the face of a warrior.

Gazef raised his level of alertness by a notch.

More so then Climb himself realized, Gazef had a high opinion of him. In particular, his single-minded, avaricious pursuit of strength, his loyalty that bordered on religious fervor, and his swordsmanship.

Climb’s swordplay was not something he had been taught. He obtained it by sneaking peeks at others who were in the midst of their training. It was unsightly and full of excessive movements.

But unlike those who trained mindlessly, each motion of his blade was meticulously thought out and developed for practical use. To put it badly, it became a sword to kill.

Gazef thought it was very splendid.

A sword was ultimately a tool for murder. One that was trained casually will not be able to display its effectiveness in a real fight. It will not be able to protect those who must be protected.

It will not be able to save those who must be saved.

But Climb was different. He will cut down his enemy and protect the one important to him.

However—

“—Even if you steeled your resolve, the difference in skill with your opponent is still grave. Now, what will you do?”

Assuredly, Climb had no talent. Even if he worked harder than anyone else– no matter how hard he pushes his body, without talent, he will not be able to become strong. He will not be able to reach men like Gazef or Brain Unglaus.

Even if Climb wanted to be stronger than anyone else, it could only happen in dreams and fantasies.

Then why was he giving Climb a spar? Would it not be more useful to spend his time on someone with more talent?

The answer was simple. Gazef just could not stand by and watch Climb endlessly repeat his useless effort. If talent was the wall decided the limits of humans, he took pity on the boy and his unending, reckless charge against that wall.

That was why he wished to teach him a different method.

He believed that although there was a limit on talent, there was no limit on experience.

And because of the anger he felt at the pitiful figure of his once greatest rival.

But even so, trying to get satisfaction from elsewhere… I owe Climb an apology…. But facing me should be useful for this guy as well.

“– Attack me, Climb.”

At the words he spoke to himself, a powerful shout came back in response.

“Yes!”

Climb ran as soon as he answered.

Gazef, with a serious expression that was different from before, slowly raised his sword over his shoulder.

It was a stance for a vertical attack above the waist.

Blocking it with the shield will completely restrict his own movements and parrying it with the sword will blow him back. It was an attack that rendered the act of defending meaningless.

Blocking it was foolish. But Climb’s broadsword was shorter than his bastard sword.

The only option was to run forward. Knowing this, Gazef was waiting to counterattack.

It was the same as jumping into the mouth of the tiger– but his hesitation only lasted an instant.

Climb launched himself into the range of Gazef’s sword.

As if he was waiting for this moment, Gazef’s sword was brought down and crashed into Climb’s shield. The tremendous impact was even stronger than before. Climb twisted his face at the pain that was transmitted to his arm.

“A pity. The same outcome as before.”

With a slight hint of disappointment, Gazef’s foot reached Climb’s abdomen and—

“「Fortress」!”

With Climb’s shout, Gazef wore a slightly surprised expression.

The activation of the martial art, ‘Fortress’ was not limited only to the sword or shield. It’s possible to use it on any part of the body. The reason that one would normally activate it when blocking with their weapons was simply because it was very difficult to find the correct timing for anything else. Using it on armor carried the risk of receiving your opponent’s attack without any defenses. Reserving the skill for blocking with the sword or shield was simple common sense.

However, the problem was solved if one could predict their opponent’s next move like Climb did with Gazef’s kick.

“Were you aiming for this?!”

“Yes!”

The power behind Gazef’s kick disappeared as if it was absorbed by something soft. Unable to channel strength into his extended leg, Gazef gave up on the attempt and tried to bring his foot back down to the ground. Catching him in a disadvantageous position, Climb struck.

“「Slash」!”

A martial art, high slash.

Just one, have a single skill that you can use with confidence.

Taking the words that he heard from a certain warrior to heart, this was the attack that the talentless Climb practiced day in and day out.

Climb’s body was not wrapped by an armor of muscles. From the start, his constitution was never one for that type of figure. Also, even if he did build up muscle, he could not keep his agility.

Because of this, his body was forged into a specialization through endless repetition.

The result was a straight, vertical slash, a high speed attack that bordered on the realm of absurdity. Like a flash of light, a slash that seemed to summon the gale.

This attack was coming down on top of Gazef’s head.

In Climb’s mind, the thought that the blow connecting would result in a fatal injury had vanished completely. It was a technique that was only possible due to the unwavering confidence that the man named Gazef would not die to something of this level.

With the roaring sound of metal, the bastard sword was raised up to meet the broadsword coming down.

Everything so far was to be expected.

Climb poured all the strength in his body in an attempt to break Gazef’s balance.

However– Gazef’s body did not budge.

Even in the awkward position of standing on one leg, he easily held off the attack that had Climb’s full strength behind it. He was like a gigantic tree with thick roots embedded in the earth.

His strongest attack with everything he had, combined with two martial arts, and Climb still could not match Gazef standing on one leg. Despite his surprise, Climb’s eyes moved to his own abdomen.

The fact that he brought down his broadsword meant that their distance had shortened. It also meant that Gazef could again kick him in the stomach.

The kick landed on Climb’s body as soon as he leapt back.

There was a small, dull pain. The two stood face to face with a few paces of distance separating them.

Gazef slightly relaxed his eyes and eased his lips.

Although he smiled, it was not unpleasant, but refreshing. It made Climb feel slightly ashamed.

To him, it looked like the smile of a father seeing the growth of his son.

“That was splendid. I will be a bit more serious then.”

Gazef’s expression changed.

Climb felt goose bumps all over his body. The strongest in the Kingdom had finally shown himself.

“I have a potion with me so there is no need to worry. It can heal fractures.”

“…Thank you.”

The taciturn way Gazef implied that he should be prepared for broken bones made Climb’s heart thump loudly in his chest. He was used to injuries but that did not mean he enjoyed them.

Gazef closed in at twice Climb’s speed.

The bastard sword drew an arc that was low enough to skid the ground and slashed at Climb’s legs. Its speed, filled with rotational force, Climb quickly stabbed his broadsword into the ground in an attempt to protect his legs.

The two sides collided, at the least, that is what Climb believed. In that instant– Gazef’s sword changed course and rode up the side of the broadsword.

“Kuh!”

Climb leaned his body back and the sword flew inches past his face. The wind from the slash severed a few strands of his hair as it passed by.

Fearful at the fact that Gazef had cornered him this badly this quickly, Climb saw in his vision that the bastard sword had halted and was quickly coming back.

Before he could even think, his survival instinct caused Climb to push forward with the small shield. The bastard sword crashed into the shield and a loud metallic sound rang out.

And—

“—Ugh!”

Climb felt intense pain as he was blown away to the side. The impact as his body crashed violently to the floor forced his sword from his hand.

The bastard sword that had collided with the small shield had moved upwards and delivered a severe blow to Climb’s flank.

“It’s the flow, not simply attacking and defending. You must move so that every action can flow into your next attack. Your defense must serve as a part of your next assault.”

Gazef spoke to Climb in a gentle voice while he picked up his sword and attempted to get up while holding his side.

“I controlled my strength so it wouldn’t break. You should be able to continue…. What will you do?”

Gazef, who did not even seem tired, and Climb, tense and heaving with pain.

This ugly sight of not being able last even a few strikes, he was just wasting Gazef’s time. Even so, Climb wanted to be stronger, no matter how slight.

Raising his sword, he nodded to Gazef and resumed his stance.

“Very well, let us continue.”

“Yes!”

With a hoarse shout, Climb charged.

Beaten, flung about, and sometimes even resorting to punches and kicks, Climb collapsed to the floor with labored breaths. The cold chill of the ground felt pleasant as it absorbed his body heat through the chain shirt.

“Hah, hah, hah…”

He did not even try to wipe away the sweat. No, he did not even have the energy to do so.

Enduring the stabs of pain, Climb, unable to resist the fatigue rising all throughout his body, closed his eyes slightly.

“Good work. I tried not to break or crack anything, but how is it?”

“……”

Sprawled out on the floor, Climb moved his hands and touched the parts that still gave him pain.

“I don’t think there are any problems. Painful, but they’re only bruises.”

The ringing pain was light; it would not be a hindrance to the princess’ security.

“Is that so… Then we will not need the potion.”

“Yes. After all, careless use will cancel out the effects of muscle training.”

“Indeed. They should be left to heal naturally but magic will end up restoring the muscles to their original state. I assume you will be returning to your duties as the princess’ guard?”

“Yes.”

“Then take it with you. Use it should anything happen.”

With a clink, the potion bottle was set next to Climb.

“Thank you.”

He raised himself and looked at Gazef, at the man his sword could not touch even once.

The man without a scratch looked at him strangely, and spoke.

“What is it?”

“Nothing… I just thought you are amazing.”

His breathing was steady, with almost no traces of sweat on his forehead. Climb breathed a sigh; he realized that this was the difference between him, who was on the floor, and the strongest in the Kingdom. On the other hand, Gazef wore a bitter smile.

“…I see.”

“How—“

“—Even if you ask me how I am so strong, I have no answer to give you. It is simply talent. I learned how to fight during my days as a mercenary. These kicks that the nobles call vulgar, I learned them during those days as well.”

There is no trick to gaining strength, Gazef declared. The hope that adopting the same training would, to an extent, help him grow stronger was easily dashed.

“Climb, you have potential in that sense. Punching and kicking, using your fists to fight.”

“Is… that so?”

“Indeed. In fact, it is rather fortunate that you were not trained as a swordsman or a soldier.

When one holds a sword, they tend to focus on fighting while only using that weapon. I believe that this is wrong. Change our view of the sword to see it as just another way of attacking while incorporating the fists and legs, would that not be more effective in a real battle? Well… my sword is more suited for adventurers.”

Climb’s usual blank face was gone and replaced by a smile. He did not expect the strongest in the Kingdom to praise his skills so highly; his unorthodox movements and skills devoid of framework.

The sword that the nobles mocked behind his back was being praised. His joy was immense.

“Well then, I will take my leave. I must not be late to the King’s morning meal. Will you be heading back?”

“No. There is supposed to be a guest today.”

“A guest? A noble, perhaps?”

As Gazef thought it strange that the princess would be receiving a guest, Climb responded.

“Yes. Aindra-sama will be visiting.”

“Aindra? …Ah! But which Aindra are you referring to? The blue one, right? Not the crimson?”

“Yes. Blue Rose.”

The relief on Gazef’s face was obvious at a glance.

“Right… That’s what it was. If a friend is visiting…”

Gazef must have guessed that the reason Climb was not invited for breakfast was because a friend was coming. In truth, Climb was the one who turned down her offer. Even if he was in a position where such a thing was allowed, to refuse the royal family, even Gazef would furrow his brows at the news. That was why Climb remained silent on the matter and left it to the man’s imagination.

Even Aindra herself, who was acquainted with Climb through Renner, requested that he join them. She would not share the adverse reaction of the other nobles even if Climb were to join their meal.

This was his consideration for his master who had very few female friends. A princess had almost no opportunity to engage in lady talk and Climb felt that his absence would be for the best.

“Thank you for your guidance today, Gazef-sama.”

“Not at all, pay it no mind. I enjoyed myself as well.”

“… If it isn’t too much trouble, could I ask you to oversee my training next time as well?”

Gazef paused briefly– before Climb could apologize, he spoke.

“I see no problem with it if we keep it to when others are absent.”

Climb didn’t open his mouth, he clearly understood the reason for the man’s hesitation. He then forced his creaking body to stand in order to show his sincerity.

“Thank you very much!”

Gazef slowly waved his hand and turned.

“I will leave the cleanup to you. It will be troubling if I miss the meal. …Ah, right. That vertical slash wasn’t bad, but you should keep your next move in mind. Think of what will happen next if your opponent blocks or avoids your attack.”

“Yes!”

Part 4

Lower Fire Month (9th Month), Day 3, 6:22

Having parted ways with Gazef, Climb wiped his sweat with a wet towel and headed for a place that was completely different from the main hall.

The room he was currently in was as wide as the hall he was in before. It was filled with many people engaging in conversation. A delicious aroma was mixed in with the warm atmosphere, rousing people’s appetites.

It was the mess hall.

Climb walked through the bustle of noises and stood behind a line of people. Like the person before him, he grabbed one of the dishes that were piled high. On his tray, he placed a wooden plate, a wooden soup bowl, and a wooden cup.

He was served his meal in an orderly fashion.

A large steamed potato, barley bread, white stew with small bits of meat and vegetables, cabbage pickled in vinegar, and a single sausage. From Climb’s point of view, it was quite a luxurious meal.

As the food made its way onto his tray, Climb smelled a sumptuous aroma and felt it stimulate his stomach. He proceeded to look around the mess hall.

The loud soldiers ate their meals while engaging in superficial conversations like their next day off, today’s food, families, and their trivial duties.

Climb found an empty seat and made his way there through the bustle of noise.

He sat on a space in a wide bench. Soldiers were seated on either side of him, talking merrily amongst their friends. They barely gave Climb a disinterested glance before turning away to resume their talks.

The only silence to be found was near Climb.

An outsider looking in would think the atmosphere was strange.

Despite the merry chatter in the surroundings, not a single person attempted to strike a conversation with Climb. Of course, people would not normally go out of their way to speak to strangers. But they were fellow soldiers who would, at times, trust one another with their lives. Indeed, such a response was quite bizarre.

It was as if the person named Climb did not even exist.

Climb himself made no effort to speak to others, the reason being that he clearly understood his own position.

The ones who guarded the castle were not mere soldiers. A ‘soldier’ of the Kingdom referred to the militia armed by nobles who owned territory. It included the enlisted men whose wages were paid by the governor and those who served as city guard. What they all had in common was that they were made up of common folk.

However, there were many problems with allowing just anyone the job of protecting the palace, the center of important news and information, and placing them so near the royal family.

That was why a recommendation from a noble was required in order for someone to become a guard in the palace. If a guard caused trouble, the noble from whom he received his recommendation from would be held responsible. As such, only those with a clean background and a sound body and mind were given a recommendation.

However, this caused factions to form.

Depending on which faction the sponsoring noble belonged to, that soldier ended up being roped into that group as well. A soldier who refused would not even receive a recommendation in the first place. It was fair to say that there were no exceptions whatsoever to this rule.

It may seem like it would be filled with flaws, but on the contrary, being embroiled into a power struggle meant that soldiers trained their skills diligently. Although their strength fell short of the Empire’s knights, the soldiers who guarded the palace still boasted considerable skill.

Climb’s strength was several levels above them, but that was also one of the reasons why the nobles were against him. They could not stand the fact that he was stronger than the soldiers they had recommended themselves.

Of course, there could also be an instance where nobles who sponsored soldiers did not belong to any faction. However, with the current power struggle of the Kingdom between the royalty faction and the nobility faction, there was only a single noble who could come and go between them like a bat.

And among the soldiers, there was only one man who did not enlist on the recommendation of the nobles.

That person was Climb.

Normally, someone of Climb’s background would not be able to serve Renner by her side.

Protecting the royal family, a duty of such grave importance did not come to a person of low birth. It was common knowledge that only those of noble rank could protect royalty.

Regardless, there were exceptions to this case, like the Kingdom’s elite warriors, as well as its strongest soldier, Gazef Stronoff. And if Princess Renner strongly wished it, there were few who could openly oppose her. Even if members of the royal family could speak against her, just who would interfere when she had the King’s approval?

Climb being granted his own private quarters could be called a result of a very complicated circumstance. A simple soldier would not even dream of his own room and would have to spend his daily life in the larger area. Although Renner ordered it, another reason Climb was given his own room was to isolate him. Not belonging to either faction made him a troublesome existence.

Considering Climb’s circumstances, it was obvious that he belonged to the royalty faction. But that was a gathering of nobles who pledged their fealty to the King. From their point of view, Climb, with his unclear background, was an eyesore.

As a result, the royalty faction saw Climb as troublesome to recruit, but if left alone will work for their side of his own volition. The nobility faction saw merit in pulling him to their side, but at the same time, recognized its dangers.

Even if they are called a faction, it did not mean that the many nobles who make up the groups are of one mind. No matter what, a faction was a gathering in order to further a goal or way of thinking. If the royalty faction had a person who did not welcome Climb – a commoner of an unknown background who was the closest to a princess so beautiful that she was called golden – then it was safe to say that the nobility faction would have someone who wanted to bring him over to their side.

Regardless, currently there was no one in either group foolish enough to approach Climb and splinter their own faction.

The result was that the two factions concluded that they each did not want to hand Climb over to the opposing side, but at the same time, also did not want him on theirs.

This was why he did not to speak to anyone and ate alone.

Simply moving his spoon without speaking to others, nary a glance, his breakfast did not even take ten minutes to finish.

“I should be going.”

A habit possibly formed from being alone so often, Climb muttered to himself in satisfaction. As he was rising from his seat, a passing soldier bumped into him.

The soldier’s elbow touched the wound from Gazef’s training, causing Climb, his expression still blank, to stop his feet.

The soldier continued to walk by without a word. Needless to say, the soldiers around him did not say anything as well. The few who saw the incident frowned slightly but did not speak.

With a long sigh, Climb grabbed his empty plate and walked on.

This type of incident was an everyday occurrence. He even felt it fortunate that it didn’t happen when he had a bowl of hot stew.

Sticking out a foot to trip him or bumping into him on purpose and faking it as an accident, such behavior was quite common. However—

– What of it.

Climb calmly walked forward. Those people could not do any worse, especially so if he was in a place with as many eyes as the mess hall.

Climb straightened his chest, his eyes pointed forward; he absolutely did not look down.

If he were to appear unsightly, it would be a slight against his master, Renner. The reputation of the woman whom he pledged his absolute loyalty was on the line.

Chapter 2. Blue Rose.

Translator: Sene9ty

Editors/Proofreaders: JcqC, Ferro, TaintedDream, Namorax, Skythewood, SifaV6

Part 1

Lower Fire Month (9th Month), Day 3, 8:02

White, full plate armor and a sword fastened to his waist. His equipment in perfect condition, Climb stepped into Valencia palace.

Valencia palace was divided largely into three main buildings. The one Climb made his way into was the largest and where the royal family resided

Different from where he had been moments ago, the place was designed to let in as much light as possible, making it blindingly bright.

He walked down a wide hallway that was scrubbed so clean that not even a trace of dust could be found, let alone any litter. His full plate armor did not make any noises, the reason being that it was tempered with mithril and orichalcum and enchanted with magic.

The palace guards– knights, also wearing full plate armor, were standing at attention in the wide and clean hallway.

The Empire’s ‘knights’ referred to the common folk who were part of the standing army. On the other hand, the knights of the Kingdom were those who were granted a title of nobility. As an example, there were numerous occasions where the third son of a noble household would become a knight, since they were unable to inherit his household. However, since the Kingdom paid the knights handsomely, they only accepted those who were skilled with the sword. It was impossible with only connections even if one were a noble.

The most fitting way to call them would be as the King’s elite guards.

Coincidently, ‘Warrior Captain’ was a newly fashioned title for Gazef since there was much opposition to granting him a knighthood.

Climb lightly greeted those same knights. As expected, only a few greeted him in response, but some did respond and even greeted him with sincerity. While they were nobles, these people swore their service to the King and carried a warrior’s heart. Their loyalty unforgotten, they carried great respect for those with skill.

On the other hand, among the people Climb passed in the hallway, there were those whose hatred was obvious at a glance.

They were the maids. Most of them showed a bitter face whenever they saw Climb.

The maids who worked in the palace were different from normal maids in that they were the daughters of noble houses who came to gain experience. In a way, the maids held a higher position than Climb. Especially the ones who worked close to the royal family, most of them were daughters of high-ranking nobility. Their displeasure at the fact that they had to lower their head to a man who was less than a commoner showed itself as anger.

In terms of rank, it was true that Climb was beneath them. They probably wished to show their distaste while Renner was not around. Having thought as much, Climb did not show any anger over their behavior.

But what Climb failed to realize was that his thinking spawned a vicious cycle where the maids would misunderstand his expressionless face as him ignoring them, infuriating them further. On the other hand, if he was the type who could notice such a thing then perhaps everything else would have been handled more smoothly.

It was also true for Climb that every time he was in the palace, his nerves would wear away slightly.

Although it went without saying, Renner and Ranpossa III were not the only people living in this palace.

Ugh?!

Speak of the devil, Climb moved to the side of the hallway, straightened his back and stood at attention with his hand over his chest.

Two people were approaching. The one following from behind was a tall, thin man with blond hair brushed behind his head.

Marquis Raeven, one of the six great noble families in the Kingdom.

The problem was the short, fat man walking in front of him. His name was Zanack Valurean Igana Ryle Vaiself, the second prince and second in line for the throne.

Zanack stopped his feet, his chubby face turning into a frown.

“Why, Climb. Are you on your way to show your face to that monster?”

There was only one person Prince Zanack would call a monster. Although he knew it was insolent, Climb could not let it stand.

“Your highness, I’m grateful for your words but Renner-sama is not a monster. She is kind and beautiful, some even call her the Kingdom’s treasure.”

What else could you call someone who got rid of the slave trade and proposed many policies in order to help the citizens? Although the number of them that saw light was small because of the checks in place by the nobles, Climb knew better than anyone else how much she cared for the people.

Every time a policy that would otherwise help the common folk was shot down for foolish reasons like nobles trying to save face, the kind-hearted girl would shed tears in front of him. This man, Zanack, who did not even lift a finger, had no right to say anything.

He was consumed by the desire to shout, to bring down his fist.

Even if they were only half-siblings– these weren’t words that should be said about someone who shared the same blood. However, he could not allow his anger to show.

Renner had said this:

My elder brother will try to anger you so he can hold you in contempt. He’s most likely looking for an excuse to separate us. Climb, never let him see you weak.

That sad expression– his master who was not accepted even by her own family, Climb remembered the day when he swore that at least he would never betray her.

“But I wasn’t referring specifically to Renner though? That must be what you really think… well, let’s stop stating the obvious. But treasure… was it? Is she really proposing her ideas thinking that they would work? It looks to me like she already knows that they won’t, but still acts on them.”