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The Lord of the Equus Tribe has three wives.
They’re called the First Consort, the Second Consort, and the Third Consort.
The Second Consort gave birth to Muzio.
The Third Consort gave birth to the eldest son.
The First Consort gave birth to the third son.
Basically, the youngest wife obtained the greatest position in both pedigree and social status.
It’s this Third Consort who has fallen ill this time.
“I see……”
Julia examines the Third Consort’s body. She then checks her throat and confirms her heart beat.
Lastly, she checks her spirit through the eyes.
“Can she be cured?”
Lord Equus watches over Julia’s examination worriedly.
Julia nods her head.
“Yes. Somehow. I’ll conduct the treatment. ……I would request for everyone to please leave the room. It’s a secret ceremony, after all.”
Everyone, including Almis and Lord Equus exit the yurt.
Julia breaks the ice with the Third Consort after confirming everyone has left the yurt.
“You’re not ill. You’re definitely cursed. Quite a clever curse at that. There are no immediate effects but it’s a troublesome type of curse that will slowly undermine your body. Do you have something that could be used as a curse’s medium?” (Julia)
“A curse….is it? Something that could be used as a curse’s medium….” (TC)
The Third Consort desperately tries to think.
However, she couldn’t think of anything she has that could be used as such.
“Before you’ve fallen ill…….Do you not have received anything that you’ve kept up until now? Around two or three months ago? Something that you normally use.” (Julia)
“Even if you ask me that….” (TC)
“Then how about things you’ve received from either the First Consort or the Second Consort?” (Julia)
Julia draws closer to the Third Consort.
“This pendant was given to me by the Second Consort as a new year’s gift. It seems to have a garnet collected from the De Morgal Kingdom.” (TC)
A bright green color shines from the jewel inserted in the pendant. (TLN: I don’t know much about jewels so I’m surprised Garnets come in different colors other than red. You learn new things every day, huh.)
Julia takes the pendant and sniffs it to confirm its smell.
“This isn’t it. Are there anything else? How about things you’ve gotten from the First Consort?” (Julia)
“Like this pillow?” (TC)
Julia takes the pillow and smells it. She frowns at the smell.
“It stinks, yes?” (Julia)
“I’m…I’m sorry….” (TC)
“No, not like that. I mean it reeks of a curse. Can I tear this into pieces? I’ll resew it later.” (Julia)
It’s quite an expensive pillow.
If you tear it into pieces, then naturally you won’t be able to restore it to its original condition.
“I don’t mind.” (TC)
“Understood.” (Julia)
Julia takes out a knife and starts to tear the pillow into pieces. You can now see the wool inside.
She then pulls out the source of the stench that’s jammed inside the wool.
It’s a dead centipede.
“A poison curse, huh…….The stereotypical curse, yes? However, it’s effectiveness seems to have been controlled by several medicines. The smell, too, is ingeniously hidden. For the meantime, let’s return the favor to the caster. Although only the caster, and not the requestor, will die.” (Julia)
Julia puts the centipede into her pocket.
She then pulls out her medicine box to make medicine from several medicinal plants.
She shapes the powder into a ball and covers it with preservative grass.
“Take this medicine once a day for thirty days. It has a purification effect. With this, I think you’ll recover. All that’s left is to eat properly and have sufficient sleep. That’s all. As for the perpetrator……I’ll leave it to you.” (Julia)
They’re the same in being marred in succession problems. If she get any more involved, then it’ll become troublesome. She should leave this matter to the Third Consort.
That was how Julia saw the situation.
“That’s what happened.” (Julia)
“Sigh, Succession problems plague no matter what country, huh.” (Almis)
“That’s true. There are those without a successor like our country but there are also those with too many successors like the Equus tribe.” (Julia)
Julia and I talk while drinking wine.
We’re talking about important things so we had to clear out the people. And because of that, there’s no need to speak in polite speech.
It doesn’t seem like the main problem is that the Equus tribe has too many successors. Rather, if I were to chose, I think the real problem is the consort’s personality
I wonder how it’ll be for Julia and Tetra? Will it be alright?
It won’t be somebody else’s problem you know.
“However, normally wouldn’t you aim for the eldest son – Methyl-san? Although it would have been easier while he was an infant.” (Almis)
“I think that would be hopeless. He’d be under strict protection after all.” (Julia)
I see. It’s a last resort, huh.
Besides, it’s hasty to conclude that only the Third Consort was cursed. Relatives could have been cursed too or there might be plans to.
“Besides, I heard that women have higher status in the Equus tribe than in the Rosyth Kingdom. I heard that the mother’s speech carries a big weight. Isn’t that a good reason? Wouldn’t it be easier to kill Methyl if you kill the patron?” (Julia)
“Certainly. Low risk low return is safer than high risk high return after all.” (Almis)
I tend to lean on caution and prudence, that’s why I kind of understand.
However, wouldn’t that plan take too long?
Ah, is it because they’d be found out if they used a stronger curse? Cursing is quite difficult too, huh. It’s unexpectedly unsuitable for assassinations.
“I wonder what that guy will do, that Muzio.” (Almis)
“Ah, That guy Almis I shared a night with?” (Julia)
“The way you say it is bad you know. Consider your words. Though you’re not mistaken.” (Almis)
It’s true, though. We drank the night away together, after all.
“Come to think of it, he promised to give you a new horse tomorrow, yes? Then after that would be the negotiations.” (Julia)
“Yes, that’s right. We’ll distribute the loot from the Tyrannosaur’s corpse tomorrow as well. (Almis)
If possible, I want to quickly finish the negotiations. Although, we’ve received a report from King Rosyth’s falcon that there are still no big movements.
“I think a white horse would be much better.” (Julia)
“White, is it?….. Hmmm, I think a red or black horse would be better. It’s cooler that way.” (Almis)
Besides, I’m not a prince after all. I’m a great clansman. White doesn’t fit me.
“Then, it’s about time I return to my room to sleep.” (Almis)
“It’s fine to stay the night here, you know.” (Julia)
“Stupid, it’ll be a big problem, right? Sparking our country’s succession crisis should come much much later, okay?” (Almis)
I pull Julia towards me and give her a kiss on the lips.
“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Right.”
“Well then, for the meantime let’s start with dividing the tyrannosaur. Well, you don’t have any objections with just splitting it into two, right?” (Almis)
“Yeah. The problems are the core steel (shingane) and the inverse scale (gekirin). How should we divide them? Though I don’t think there’s a way to divide them.” (Muzio)
The core steel is a special metal found in the heart of a dragon.
It’s a material you mix with Damascus Steel via a special process to obtain Dragon Damascus steel.
However, only the desert people know about that process. You won’t get anywhere even if you get one.
The inverse scale, on the other hand, is a single scale on a dragon that grows in the opposite direction of the other scales. It’s considerably softer compared to the other scales so it’s something you might call a weak point.
Its hue is beautiful so it has quite a high value as an ornament.
“Actually, I’m about to be married soon, see. That’s why I want the inverse scale. Is that okay?” (Muzio)
Muzio points at the inverse scale and declare.
I’m also about to be married soon but…I still haven’t given Tetra anything for our marriage, huh.
Giving Julia something despite that would not be okay.
I guess it’s fine to let him have it.
“I understand. Then I’ll take the core steel.” (Almis)
Ains-san would probably be able to turn this into money or dragon damascus for me, after all.
Honestly, I could care less about the tyrannosaur. It’s fangs, claws, and scales might be hard as the average steel but processing them would be difficult.
Although it’s just right for making armor.
However, I give it a failing grade for armor because you can’t guarantee a constant supply.
Besides, rather than that, I want a horse.
“Let’s not get too impatient. Come. I’ll let you choose after all.” (Muzio)
“Sorry. About the payment….” (Almis)
“Don’t need it. You lost your horse because of my subordinates’ failure to detect the tyrannosaur after all.” (Muzio)
Muzio guides me to the stables.
“So, do you have any requests?” (Muzio)
“Hmm, let’s see. I’d be great if the mane were to be either red or black. It’d be better if it has a brave personality. The previous one was docile but it went and ran away, see.” (Almis)
Furthermore, a horse which will run away when gunpowder is used would be out of the question.
“Brave, is it….a horse like that generally has a wild temperament so would that still be fine for you?” (Muzio)
“I’ll think about it when I see it. If it’s no good then I’ll just have to look for another.” (Almis)
We arrive at the stable as I declared so.
“I’ve gathered only the good horses. The four steeds on the left haven’t been castrated. The seven steeds from the right have been castrated. Please choose as you like.” (Muzio)
I look at the horses one by one starting from the left. We’ll start with the uncastrated horses first.
Although they had rough temperaments….these horses doesn’t look like they’d run away once roared at.
However…
“I’ll have to pass on these fellows. I don’t think I’d be able to ride them.” (Almis)
Or rather, these fellows look like they won’t let me ride them.
Although you can’t say I’m bad at riding horses, you also can’t say that I’m good at it.
I don’t want to die by falling off a horse. (TLN: Yeah, you already died getting hit by a truck. Yo luck so bad.)
I look at the remaining seven horses on the right.
They look mature and they’ll probably be fast, too.
Not bad, but…..
“Hmmm, they’re quite not what I’m looking for. Are there any others?” (Almis)
“Let’s go further inside the stable. I’ll prepared some there in advance.” (Muzio)
I follow Muzio further into the stable.
“All that’s left here are mares. Wouldn’t these be weaker than the ones I showed you before?” (Muzio)
Yeah, certainly these look like several times more inferior than those fine horses from before.
However, what I want is not a fast horse. What I want is one that won’t run away when it matters the most.
“Can I make a loud noise for a bit?” (Almis)
“I don’t mind, but…” (Muzio)
I take out a firecracker.
I was thinking of using it for when we get attacked by wolves.
I throw the firecracker at the ground with all my might.
Bam. A large sound resonates throughout the barn. Muzio is petrified with fear.
The horses, too, neigh in terror and fall into disorder.
It takes a while until they calm down.
“Hey! You should have told me that it would be that loud! So, did you find what you’re looking for?” (Muzio)
“Yes, I’ll take her. She wasn’t frightened at all by the sound.” (Almis)
I point to a red horse. (TLN: Extra Strong™.)
I like her coat color too.
“This one, is it?…….I’d pass on her if I were you. This girl has black spot patterns in the face, see? It’s been said that horses with this pattern attract bad spirits, you know. When this horse was born, for example, her mother died immediately after labor. Also, the stable recently caught fire and for some reason only this horse survived.” (Muzio)
“Then why’d you show her to me? Didn’t you gather only those that I can choose?” (Almis)
“Ah, no. Actually, I just brought her along as a joke. You get it, right?” (Muzio)
No way I’d get it. What are you, a high schooler?
Well, you’re the same age as me so you’d probably be one back in Japan.
“Well. I’ve already decided. Besides, that’s just a superstition, right? Furthermore, you can consider her strong after surviving all that, don’t you agree?” (Almis)
Besides, I’d feel bad to judge her just because of her face.
Also, if she was bad luck, why did you keep taking care of her? You could have just killed her already.
“Her parents were fine horses, see. She, herself, is of quite the splendid quality. We kept her for breeding purposes. Well, if you want her then I’d give her to you. Just don’t complain if you die because of her, okay?” (Muzio)
I won’t be able to complain if I die, this guy.
“So, would you like to try riding her?” (Muzio)
“Right. It’d be a problem if we have bad compatibility.” (Almis)
“That would be best. Just like women, you won’t find out if a horse is good until you ride them. Furthermore, this one’s a female too.”
It’s bad enough that you said that with a proud face but that joke just didn’t fly well, you know.
“Not bad.” (Almis)
This unlucky horse I chose runs quite fast.
She also didn’t struggle when equipped with a saddle and stirrup that she’s not used to.
She’s quite brave.
“What should we call you? Hmm. Well, let’s just figure it out later. For the meantime let’s call you Nanashi (Nameless). It’s difficult to choose one for an unlucky horse, huh. N? Why’d you stop?”
Nanashi suddenly stopped. She’s somewhat refusing to move.
When I look closer before us, a black cluster is moving inside the overgrown bushes.
Aren’t those…..
Aren’t those wolves?
Why the hell did we meet wolves in our first ride together? Even though it’s broad daylight and we’re near the Equus tribe’s capital.
You, do you seriously have bad luck?
“Well, fine. I have some firecrackers after all.” (Almis)
I take out some firecrackers from my pocket while I follow the wolves slowly encircling us with my eyes.
“Here you go, get the hell away from us!” (Almis)
The wolves got frightened and fled when I threw the firecracker.
There are even those that got too scared to move.
They look so cute if you look at them in that state.
“Well then. I guess let’s escape quickly. What? Don’t mind it. For all I know, it might be me who has bad luck.”
Just like that, we were able to safely return to the Equus Tribe’s capital city.
Next would be the diplomatic negotiations.