Chapter 15: Luck and Misfortune

A bit short, but it’s a good stopping point so I’m posting it.

On the evening of the third day of the march training, around the time Kaito merged with Stefan and Carlos’s groups, Reda and the academy staff arrived in Ryune. Without heading to the inn, they rushed straight into the Hunting Guild.

“I am Headmistress Reda Factlin of the Royal Knight Academy. What is the status of subjugating the appeared ferocious beast? Immediately arrange a meeting with the guild master!”

The receptionist girl involuntarily drew back from the woman glaring and pressing in. Guild master Baldos came out right away. He explained the situation.

“Luckily, Saint Knight Paladin Gratina Wackenheim was staying in Ryune. Of course Hero Chevalier Walter is with her. The two have already headed out for subjugation. Five veteran hunters familiar with the forest are with them too. What’s the situation on your end?”

“I arranged for the march training to be canceled at the second point. It should reach them by noon tomorrow. But there might be academy students advancing faster than we imagined. Please arrange medical teams. I’ll head into the forest immediately too.”

“Wait wait. The second point was in the middle of the Alsace Forest, around where the Moist Spring gushes, right? Noon tomorrow means the cancellation reaches on the fourth day’s noon, yeah? For us hunters who know the forest it’s one thing, but students reaching from Luca to the Moist Spring in just four days is impossible.”

“Certainly, normally they’d make it in time. But there are students who aren’t normal. That kid could possibly arrive in three days if things go badly.”

Baldos accepted Reda’s request with half belief. The Hunting Guild, by nature, had resident doctors and carts for transporting injured. Reda switched horses and headed into the forest without rest.

The twelve in Kaito’s party passed the second checkpoint just before ten on the fourth day and kept pushing deeper into the forest. They had to pick “Dreamflower” and bring it back. One per party, so they needed three in total.

“This flower grows naturally on the riverbank that flows just before the deepest part of the Alsace Great Forest. It’s rare, so finding it takes time, but with twelve people searching it should be easy.”

They took a break one hour after passing the second checkpoint. Everyone sat wherever they liked and drank water. Kaito sat on a tree root with Roksane.

“Still, they even gave us a detailed picture. Fifteen centimeters tall, six white-and-blue petals…”

Kaito stared at the picture a while to memorize the shape. When he looked away from it, three identical flowers were growing right there.

“…Hey, Roksane. Isn’t that the flower?”

“Eh? Huh? No way! Everyone, come here quick!”

Everyone gathered and stared at the three flowers at their feet. Sasha examined them over and over and nodded.

“Yeah, no mistake. These are Dreamflowers. Exactly like the picture. Three growing in one spot is super rare.”

“No no, rare doesn’t even cover it! The flower that’s supposed to grow on the riverbank, why is it here of all places! How much ‘luck’ is this!”

Elsa happily tsukkomi’d. Kaito carefully picked the three, sandwiched them in a leather board. Mission complete. Now just pass the third checkpoint and head to Ryune.

“Time to the riverbank, time to search, time from the riverbank to the next checkpoint, all of it got slashed. About a full day saved. Yeah, seriously ‘lucky.’”

“What do we do? Head straight for the third checkpoint like this?”

At Roksane’s suggestion Kaito nodded.

“First advance due east with the sun on your right. That’ll hit a water point. Rest there, then head northeast with the sun at your back. No need to push. We can take it slow and camp before it. Let’s go easy.”

Everyone nodded. And just like that, almost disappointingly easily, Kaito’s party cleared the hardest part. Later, Stefan Landsberg would look back on this day like this.

…We thanked our luck. Looking back now, it was probably thanks to the “Goddess’s protection” Kaito had received. But that luck led straight to tragedy. If we hadn’t taken that break there, if he hadn’t sat in that spot, if he hadn’t checked the Dreamflower picture, we wouldn’t have lost our precious friend. Just what is “luck,” anyway? I still worry about it to this day…

At a point southwest of Ryune, Hero Walter Wackenheim faced an object giving off a foul stench. Beast droppings. The hunters confirmed it. Bones, fur, and what looked like “claws” were visible. No need to say what it was.

“Damn animal… how dare it do that to our comrades!”

Walter calmly soothed the angry hunters.

“It’s good to be angry. But don’t let it swallow you. On the battlefield, those who lose themselves die first. So, how old is it?”

“From the hardness, probably two days old. Footprints head straight west. There’s a water point ahead. Probably went there. If we hurry we can close in today.”

“Then let’s hurry. The students worry me.”

Hunters and Saint Knight Paladin at the front, the subjugation team pushed deeper into the forest.

“What the hell is this! We finally made it this far and training’s canceled?!”

Second-year top Hero Chevalier Elcreid pressed the instructor. They had arrived at the second point around two in the afternoon and were told right there that training was canceled. Elcreid, who thought he was in the lead, was stunned to learn three first-year parties had passed four hours earlier. Learning one of them was Kaito’s group poured fuel on his panic. But the Saint Knight Paladins Elcreid led looked relieved. After wandering all over for water points, they finally gave up, barely drank anything, and kept going. Even standing was painful.

“We’re going too! Canceling training, no way!”

Even when Elcreid called out, the Saint Knights didn’t move. Instead the instructor scowled and grabbed Elcreid’s collar.

“You idiot! Don’t charge ahead on emotion without even checking why it was canceled! A mad beast appeared. You wanna die?!”

“Mad beast? No way… you can’t mean…”

“Deep-forest ferocious beast, they say. Right now they’re heading to call back the three lead groups. Once they return we pull out and withdraw.”

Elcreid could only nod.

Taking breaks along the way, Kaito’s party leisurely reached the water point. Roksane and the girls went a little distance away to wipe their bodies. Kaito washed his face with water and muttered softly.

“Still, we haven’t seen any animals. Up to the first point we saw deer and boars…”

That moment, a scream rang out. Kaito rushed toward the scream. Nine half-naked Saint Knight Paladins were there. In their line of sight stood a bear so huge he’d never seen anything like it.

“Kaito! That just now… w-what the hell is that?!”

Stefan and Carlos who came running also froze. Covered in red-black eyes and reddish-brown fur, it was so massive it didn’t even look like a bear. Standing up it had to be a solid four meters. The ferocious beast that appeared thirty paces away lowered its body with a growl.

“Shit!”

The ferocious beast blood-soaked giant bear Bloody Evil Bear charged Kaito’s group at a speed unthinkable for its size.

“Everyone, scatter!”

Kaito shouted the order. He hurled a stone at the leaping giant bear to draw its attention. Barely dodged the rush. The stunned Stefan and others hurried to get away. But Roksane instead ran to Kaito’s side.

“Kaito-san!”

Half-naked Roksane stood in front of Kaito. Right before their eyes the giant bear slowly rose. Its size was overwhelming.

“H-hey, Roksane! Run!”

With Elsa’s cry the giant bear’s paw swung down. Sharp claws rushed at Roksane.

“Haaah!”

The instant Roksane thrust her right palm forward, the giant bear was blown backward hard. Wind magic. But it was far too big; she couldn’t finish it.

“Roksane, can you do it?”

Kaito called from behind. A prickling sensation burned his skin. The premonition of death. Even in her underwear Roksane’s shoulders trembled. Kaito placed a hand on her back.

“It’s fine. We can do it.”

“Yeah… you…”

She nodded happily and closed her eyes. The giant bear charged again. It swung its claws down with enough force to slice both of them in half.

“Now!”

At Kaito’s signal Roksane unleashed her magic. A razor-sharp blade of wind tore through the giant bear. Its movement stopped. The giant bear split clean in two from the center. The destructive power was terrifying. Trees behind it toppled with a crash. Roksane opened her eyes, shocked at what she’d done, then smiled with joy.

“Amazing, Roksane. As expected of my Saint Knight Paladin.”

Kaito hugged Roksane. Roksane hugged him back. At that sight everyone understood what had happened. Stefan asked.

“Kaito… so, she’s your…”

Kaito only turned around, but his expression told Stefan everything.

“I see. Congratulations. And thank you. You saved us. Kaito, you really became a Hero Chevalier.”

Sofia Volfort couldn’t believe the scene before her. Without even using a sword, it had sliced a giant bear clean in two. The terrifying destructive power was clear from the trees that crashed down. If this were a battlefield, one strike could slaughter an enemy army.

“So this… is a Saint Knight Paladin’s power…”

The eight Saint Knight candidates rushed to Roksane and congratulated her. Roksane, who had left Kaito’s arms, smiled happily too. Nine half-naked beauties making a fuss was quite the “spectacular view.” But Carlos let slip one unnecessary line.

“Uh… sorry, but could you put something on? I don’t know where to look.”

The nine snapped back to reality. The next instant a scream rose for an entirely different reason.

After defeating the ferocious beast blood-soaked giant bear Bloody Evil Bear, Kaito’s party left the water point in high spirits. Just in case, they cut off the bear’s paw as proof.

“Seriously, what ‘no ferocious beasts’? If Roksane hadn’t been here we’d all be dead. Three gold coins? That pocket change won’t cut it anymore. I’m demanding compensation on top!”

Kaito wore an angry expression, but inside he was truly relieved. It had been an unexpected crisis, but they got through without a single casualty. Kaito led the way northeast. Around the time the sun started to tilt, a large rocky mountain used as a landmark came into view.

“Almost exactly on schedule. Let’s camp past that rock. We should reach the third point tomorrow morning.”

“Kaito, any chance we’ll get caught?”

At Elsa’s words Kaito shook his head.

“After the second point we shaved about a full day. Even I can’t close that gap. Our win is rock solid now. Go ahead and start thinking up complaints for the headmistress, yeah?”

Everyone laughed at Kaito’s joke. Kaito laughed too and led the eleven onward. The moment they reached the rocky area, something red-black flashed at the edge of his left vision. It had been hidden in the shadow of the rock, so even Kaito didn’t notice until that instant.

GRAAAAAHH!

A beast-like roar rang out. The instant Kaito turned left, the giant bear swung its left paw down. Sharp claws rushed at Kaito.

“You—!”

Saint Knight Roksane leaped out and shoved Hero Kaito aside. As if time itself had slowed, everything moved in slow motion. While being pushed, Kaito saw it. The sharp claws sank deep into Roksane’s belly. They pierced straight through her back. Beautiful red droplets danced, sparkling like jewels. Kaito thrust out his right hand.

“ROKSANEEEE!!”

The beautiful Saint Knight, her fair skin dyed crimson, slowly collapsed.