A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (6.6)
However, at the very least, she wanted to see it through until all eighteen companies had taken their turn.
At first, she spent her time being shown around various parts of the royal residence for security reasons, then gradually built friendships with members of the King's adjutant office. But eventually, she ran out of things to do and was wondering what to do next when—
"Enough of that. If you’re so free, come have lunch with me."
Gustav started calling her over.
This king had a keen eye for observing his subordinates.
"Learn to trust your men a little. A leader should always appear idle to those below them. That way, they only need to step forward when something actually happens."
"... Is that so?"
"Yes, that's how it is."
Naturally, invitations from the king became more frequent, and their opportunities to converse deepened.
A shared topic between them turned out to be books.
It was unexpected, but Dineluth was an avid reader in her personal life.
She especially liked mythology, folklore, strange tales, and ghost stories. Though she considered it an odd hobby, she found herself completely engrossed in them, especially when reading at night with a strong, fiery liquor in hand.
Gustav, in his usual informal tone as he had once permitted, was eager to hear about the myths and legends of her homeland.
For Orcsen, which had severed diplomatic ties with Elfynd, books from that country were among the hardest to acquire. What was written within them became a subject of his intellectual curiosity.
They often had such lighthearted yet thoroughly enjoyable conversations over lunch and the subsequent afternoon nap.
As such occasions increased, she came to recognize something she had already been aware of—Gustav possessed an astonishing wealth of knowledge.
He spoke of a great cliff and waterfall dividing a southern continent in two, of over three hundred feudal lords ruling the distant land of Mauria, and of a vast, storm-wracked ocean beyond the westernmost reaches of Century Star, which no one had ever successfully crossed despite numerous attempts.
To the east, at the border between the Wayfarer's Ocean and the Great Abyssal Sea, lay an isolated island nation inhabited by a people both fiercely brave and masterful in crafting intricate works of art.
Dineluth, who had only ever known Elfynd despite her years, found many of these tales difficult to believe. Yet he recounted them with an effortless eloquence, full of wit and charm.
"The more I study the myths and realities of this world, the more certain I become—at some point in the past, a great star must have fallen onto this planet."
"Really? You mean the one mentioned in that Elfynd legend—the one that supposedly had a hand in the creation of our race?"
"Exactly. And it’s not just an Elfynd legend. Similar stories exist all over the world. This planet has twelve moons of varying sizes, rotating in sequence so that one is always closest at any given time. But long ago, there used to be one more. I believe that lost moon fell into the Great Abyssal Sea."
"That's ridiculous..."
"It’s understandable that you'd doubt it. But fragments of that fallen star have been found on this continent. I’m convinced of it. Our ancestors, the Orcs, are said to have gained the power of speech after touching one such black fragment. The compass is another clue. It points westward—toward that very sea. That shouldn't be possible. Some human scholars theorize that an enormous, magnetized celestial body crashed there, and that its remnants still stir the ocean’s center, creating the perpetual storms."
"Hmm..."
Eventually, he granted her permission to enter his vast library. She could read whatever she pleased, even take books back to Walderberg, provided she returned them afterward.
Major Danvitz, head of the King's adjutant office, was utterly astonished by this.
It was one thing for cleaning staff to be allowed inside, but no one had ever been given unrestricted access to the royal library in all of Gustav’s reign.
The library itself was overwhelming.
Each floor of the royal residence had high ceilings, which allowed for mezzanine-style divisions. Rows upon rows of thick, magnificent bookshelves filled the space.
There were several brass-railed, bronze spiral staircases, leading to yet more bookshelves. The collection easily exceeded tens of thousands of volumes.
One corner of the library revealed Gustav's personal interests.
Carefully filed collections of foreign stamps, coins, and paper money.
Antique and modern firearms displayed on walls and shelves, along with butterfly and mineral specimens.
If she happened to be present when Gustav retrieved a book for himself, he would often offer explanations.
"Beautiful, isn’t it? That’s an Akaboshi Usubashiro butterfly. It migrates from Rovarna all the way to the Belleriant Peninsula. A rare specimen."
Rather than a scholarly collector, he carried the air of a childlike enthusiast.
Here and there were plush leather chairs, tastefully designed side tables, and lamps. The shelves of these tables contained cut-glass decanters and his favorite apple brandy, allowing him to read wherever he pleased.
—I see, so this is the king’s retreat.
Dineluth settled into a routine—observing the changing of the guard, surveying security placements, reading in the library, sharing lunches with him, conversing, borrowing books, returning to Walderberg, and spending her afternoons handling paperwork and leading her brigade.
Living such days, she soon realized—
—Oh?
Oh my.
This was unexpected.
She noticed something about Gustav. At first, she thought it was a misunderstanding, but she became certain.
The way his gaze lingered, the slight nuances in his words.
Then, before August arrived, he gifted her an exceptionally rare and expensive field binoculars—one not much larger than previous models, yet capable of seeing impossibly far.
With a woman’s intuition sharpened by experience, she recognized it for what it was.
However, it seemed he had no intention of acting on it. If anything, he appeared confused, as if grappling with some internal wall that no one was meant to cross.
At the same time, her previous suspicions about him grew stronger.
And upon careful reflection, she realized that these two matters stemmed from the same root.
What should she do?
The distances between hearts were delicate things.
A single moment could deepen a bond or shatter years of effort.
Looking back—
Dineluth had found solace in this strangely peaceful routine.
Ever since the massacre and the harrowing escape from the Sylvan River, life had been nothing but relentless. At last, she could breathe.
This tranquility had come at the perfect time. Had it been right after her escape, she wouldn't have been able to appreciate it. Being busy had helped heal her wounds, and this peace was its reward.
There was no reason to break it herself.
Yet leaving Gustav’s unspoken emotions unaddressed felt like abandoning him. And she suspected that she alone might be able to help.
Besides—
These days wouldn't last.
She had an ambition—one too intense, dangerous, and bloody.
War with Elfynd was inevitable. When the great conflict began, death would be an ever-present possibility, swallowed by blood, smoke, and gunfire.
—If I’m going to do this, now is the only time.
Having decided, she began planning carefully.
Her suspicions were bold—so bold that even she hesitated to believe them.
She analyzed, examined, and considered everything she had observed, convinced of her conclusion. But there was a missing piece, an unfilled gap in the puzzle.
She calculated how to compensate for it and, at last, formulated a concrete approach.
Choosing the right words, anticipating his reactions, verifying each scenario—
When she finally selected the right day to act, it felt akin to preparing for a hunt. It even stirred a certain amusement.
Her preparations were thorough. She had planted the seeds of relevant conversations in advance. And on the chosen day, when she was once again invited to dine with him, she made a small request to Advin, the Great Wolf always by Gustav’s side.
What do you think about this chapter?
