5. Omens of the Six Wings(1)
This is an explanatory chapter.
(Lately, I feel like everyone’s been avoiding me.)
Solfort, now Sol, crossed her arms. No, being avoided was fine. Sol herself was used to solitude. It was preferable to train alone. For example, the sword swings she had been practicing since childhood. Since it was necessary to eliminate distractions, more than one person wasn’t needed. But this time, she wasn’t just being avoided; she was also being watched from afar with curious gazes.
For example, Sol was currently walking down the corridor on the second floor of the fort. The young Imperial soldier leaning against the window, while looking at her:
“…Hey.”
“…Ah, the one from before?”
And then they would start whispering and laughing. There were almost no exceptions. Most of the people passing her in the hallway or those she encountered in the dining hall looked at her with condescending smiles and strange eyes. However, the little girl herself understood.
There was no end to the list of reasons why Sol was shunned. She was the youngest and only local participant in this fort, a little girl dressed in ill-fitting equipment who called herself a farmer’s daughter. Perhaps she should have paid more attention to how she appeared.
But she was too clumsy for such things.
Sol shrugged and moved quickly through the fort.
(It’s not the first day, I thought they’d be used to this appearance by now… but I guess things don’t go so smoothly.)
Three days had already passed since the little girl entered the fort. The soldier assigned as her caretaker—a promising young man named Nudd—was keeping his distance. He accompanied Sol as instructed, but he no longer even exchanged small talk with her. Even if she tried to talk to him, he ignored her. Since that incident, he had stopped sparring with her properly. Even though she was used to being alone, being given the cold shoulder still hurt.
She glanced at the young man Nudd in question.
He was trailing three steps behind her with a displeased expression. And as soon as he noticed her gaze, he looked away.
—He had been like this for the past few days.
(I feel sorry for Nudd. I got carried away with the mock battle in my new body…)
It probably stemmed from the training on the first day.
He had been given unsolicited advice from someone who looked down on him.
And that someone was a little girl. Moreover, she was the one who had defeated him in a mock battle. A young man with more talent than others wouldn’t listen to such a person’s advice. She couldn’t say that the young Solfort wouldn’t have made a good face either—that would be too sympathetic to Nudd.
This mediocre man had clung to any straw to reach the top. If he had been given advice, he would have been eternally grateful. But of course, such an eccentric person was an exception among exceptions.
And the gazes of those around Nudd were harsh.
“Hey, Nudd Halt! You’re going to tell us about your heroic tale from three days ago, right? The one with that little girl. You remember, right?”
“I’m tired of hearing about your heroic tales from the officer’s academy.”
“Well, a new page has been added to Halt’s glorious history, hasn’t it? Can you spare us a bit of time?”
“You’re good with your hands, but weren’t your feet your specialty?”
“Before we return to the Imperial Capital, come on, please.”
Taunting voices came from behind.
Nudd’s cheeks visibly reddened. He seemed to be gritting his teeth, his shoulders trembling with shame.
“…Senpai.”
“Stop calling me ‘senpai.’ It’s annoying, so shut up.”
Nudd clicked his tongue loudly and spoke in a harsh voice. Apparently, the outcome of the mock battle had been witnessed.
From the window on the upper floor of the fort, by his classmate, of all people.
Even without the jealousy, it was a great topic of conversation. Nudd, the honor student who had graduated from the officer’s academy thanks to his practical skills and was on the path to promotion, had been defeated by a little girl.
It seemed mean, but it was probably one of the few forms of entertainment they had.
Therefore, they wouldn’t cross the line and make it more than a joke.
—If only that were the case. Sol drove away the teasers with her characteristic glare.
(What’s truly hurting Nudd’s pride isn’t the words of others. Even after I drove away the teasing Imperial soldiers, the fact that he doesn’t look relieved is proof of that.)
Perhaps he couldn’t forgive himself.
It was understandable that he resented her, the cause of it. He must be a serious person at heart.
(Therefore… I’m truly sorry.)
The unnecessary advice was something she regretted. Giving advice like that was a habit of a mediocre person. It was meant as a form of courtesy to the person who had spared their precious time for training. The importance of time, something she had learned through her long life as a mediocre person. That’s why she wanted it to be a fruitful time for the other person. Although she had also been yelled at, “You sound like an old geezer!”
In any case, she had to be careful. Sol didn’t want to be unnecessarily isolated.
(No one will approach me, so I have no training partners.)
She sighed inwardly. That was the focus of her concern. Training methods other than repetitive practice required a partner.
Observation, imitation, and research. Polishing oneself by observing the techniques and movements of others, and thoroughly identifying one’s weaknesses. This method required the help of others, but she believed it was all the more fruitful. It was the product of her long life.
Sol looked up at the clear sky from the corridor window.
(It’s perfect training weather, but I have duty during the day. It’s a shame I have to wait… But I can meet people who will talk to me here. If it’s a distraction, then it’s fine.)
He would probably be in the stone watchtower on the fort wall by now. Sol hurried across the corridor.
※※※※※※※※※※
Fort Balaboa was located in a basin. Compared to forts built on flat land, the view from the watchtower was poor. Even if she strained her eyes, the steep slopes and sheer cliffs of the Matterdali Mountain Range obstructed her view. Let alone the horizon, she couldn’t even see any houses from here.
However, it had a certain degree of practicality. She could see the vicinity of the valley entrance used for the Allied Forces’ retreat. Except for the surrounding peaks, the terrain was relatively flat. The watchtower could fulfill its role sufficiently.
Sol was in the watchtower on the fort wall. It was a bare stone room. Although the arrow slits and loopholes provided good ventilation, the dampness was a downside.
“Being alone is tough, Sol.”
“Sergeant… if you pity me, will you finally spar with me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I have no intention of playing swords with a kid.”
He grinned, his skeletal cheeks twitching.
He was the leader of the squad Sol had been assigned to—Baldo. He was in his late thirties. The wind ruffled his dark brown hair, which gleamed with oil. His tall, thin physique didn’t have the air of an Imperial soldier. But Sol had seen through him at a glance. His was an ideal body, with only practical muscles efficiently distributed.
He was Sol’s only conversation partner.
Ever since they met, he had been friendly towards her.
Although their relationship only extended to being able to hold a conversation.
“Why do you talk to me, Sergeant?”
“Because I don’t feel like being harsh to a kid.”
“A kid… of course, that’s true. It’s obvious at a glance that I’m a little girl and a greenhorn.”
“When you emphasize it like that, it makes me want to doubt you.”
“…You see me as an equal?”
“No, you’re a kid. Dangerous, dangerous. You were planning to make me your sparring partner, weren’t you? You cheeky brat. You’re thirty years too early to trick an adult.”
The little girl’s forehead was flicked with a finger. She was taken aback by the sudden attack.
Sol held the affected area as a dull pain spread, but Baldo nonchalantly looked around.
“Are you still being ignored by that Nudd guy?”
“…Yes, still.”
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