The next morning, Alfred was out from dawn, guiding the inspection delegation-with Margrave Rommel at its head-through every part of his lands. By the way, the previous night, Margrave Rommel, Flora, and their attendants had stayed at Alfred’s house. Count Bruno and his retainers had bunked in the village meeting hall after making some repairs, while the rest of the delegation slept in tents they’d brought along.
”Hmm… Right then. Looks like we’ve seen just about everything. I’ve got a clear picture now-this situation’s more dire than I’d reckoned. Alfred, lad, I’ll be giving you proper support, so rest easy!” Margrave Rommel declared.
”Aye, sir. I’m deeply grateful for your generous words. I’ll be waiting eagerly for that support to arrive,” Alfred replied.
”Good. Leave it to me. Now then, Count Bruno-have you made your own arrangements for assistance?”
”Eep!? Y-yes! I have! I’ll make sure to handle it thoroughly! Yes, indeed!” Count Bruno scrambled to reply. He’d been grumbling nonstop ever since arriving in Lindrott Village-why did he have to come to a place like this, why did he have to suffer like this-still half-sulking in the back when Margrave Rommel suddenly addressed him.
”…See that you provide proper support, Count Bruno.”
”O-of course! Absolutely!!” The cold stare from Margrave Rommel left him drenched in a different kind of sweat, and his frantic flailing was frankly pathetic to behold.
”Good! Then I consider this inspection complete!”
At Margrave Rommel’s words, Count Bruno’s relief was obvious. He promptly began making preparations to leave, scurrying toward his own troops. But the next moment, he heard something he couldn’t believe.
”Well then, since we’re here, how about we do some monster hunting while we’re at it?” Margrave Rommel announced.
”…Eh?”
”Count Bruno’s forces are to handle the eastern area-the side with the road leading to the viscount’s domain. My forces will fan out and clear the other three directions.”
At those words, Count Bruno’s face looked like the world had just ended. He frantically tried to stop Margrave Rommel. “W-wait, wait, please, Lord Rommel! The monsters around here are vicious and extremely dangerous! If anything were to happen to your person, it would be a catastrophe! Please reconsider!!”
”Come now, it’s a perfect chance to give the troops some real training. If they’ve been drilling properly, this should be nothing. Your men do drill regularly, don’t they?”
”W-well, of course they do, but…”
”Then there’s no problem. Alfred, I’m putting you in charge of village security during the hunt!”
”Aye, sir. Understood,” Hearing Alfred’s response, Margrave Rommel nodded with satisfaction. Then, shouting orders to his troops, he gleefully charged at the head of the formation straight into the mountains.
Count Bruno-pale and trembling, staring after the Margrave’s retreating figure for a long while-finally seemed to steel himself. He gave his own troops their orders and, with something like desperate resignation, entered the mountains surrounded by his men.
For a while afterward, the mountains rang with a cacophony of roars, screams, monster howls, crashing sounds, and the crack of magic detonating. It was chaos.
After the hunt ended, Margrave Rommel’s forces returned without a single casualty. Their haul was impressive: 78 goblins, 52 kobolds, 27 orcs, 18 giant poison spiders, 6 iron giant mantises, 43 silver wolves, 13 black blood bears, 25 forest king boars, 5 lightning tigers, 4 demon-slaying yellow bears, and more.
Count Bruno’s forces, on the other hand, had gone into the mountains without proper orders. More than half their soldiers were wounded by the time they fled back, barely escaping with their lives. Their kill count: goblins and kobolds combined-8; one-horned rabbits-2; poison snakes-1; slimes-4. Honestly, the village children could have managed that much without breaking a sweat.
Witnessing this, Alfred was reminded of the importance of daily training.
For a while after that, everyone was busy: villagers passing out water to the soldiers, helping with healing, processing the monster carcasses. The women of the village began preparing dinner, and the rich smell wafting from several large pots set everyone’s stomachs rumbling. As they twitched their noses in anticipation of a hot meal-
Suddenly-THUD. THUD. THUD. The sound of something massive approaching echoed through the village. Beyond the village edge, trees snapped and crashed down. And then, with a roar, it appeared.
GRROOOOAAARRR!!!!
The voice-piercing, splitting ears-shook the very mountains and plunged the entire village into panic in an instant.
”KYAAAA!!?”
”Th-that’s a Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear!”
”!! It’s the one that attacked Master Jade!!”
”Waaaah! Mom, I’m scared!”
”R-run for it!!”
The villagers fled desperately in the opposite direction from the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear.
”Eep! Eeeeeep!? S-someone! Someone help!! H-hey, you soldiers! Protect me! Use yourselves as shields and get me to safety, now!! Eep! Eeeeeeep-!!?” Count Bruno was half-hysterical, completely losing his composure. His dignity as a noble had vanished without a trace, and he sat slumped in the most pathetic pose imaginable.
”Flora! Misha! Mom, Lina-take Father and get inside now!! Everyone else, get indoors too!!” Alfred took the lead in directing the evacuation. To buy time for everyone to escape, he planted himself before the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear, sword at the ready.
”A-Alfred!!?”
”Big Bro!!?”
”…Lord Alfred…”
He heard their voices from behind. He couldn’t let the bear pass-not until everyone was safe.
GRROOOOAAARRR!!!!
The roar echoed from the depths of his gut. He fought the urge to collapse at the knees. The bear rose to its full height-easily over ten meters tall. Its sheer presence made sweat pour from his entire body; he couldn’t stop shaking.
”Damn… DAMN IT! I can’t let it past me!!” He bit down so hard his gums bled. Bracing his core, he readjusted his grip on the sword.
…Is there an opening somewhere? Where’s its weak point…? He ran through every possibility at full speed, scanning every inch of the bear’s body, slowly shifting his feet for better positioning.
A bead of sweat traced down his cheek and dropped to the ground with a soft plop. Just then, someone strolled past Alfred’s side as if nothing were happening.
”…Huh? …What…?” Startled by the suddenness, Alfred came back to his senses after a moment and looked at the figure again. “…L-Lord Rommel!?”
Margrave Rommel shot Alfred a brief glance. “Lord Alfred, you held the line well up to this point. Well done,” Then he turned his gaze back to the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear.
”Hmph,” With that single utterance, Rommel drew the greatsword from his back.
GRROOOOAAARRR!!!!
Just as the bear lunged, Rommel observed it calmly-“…HUFF!!”-and with that shout, he swung his greatsword in a single horizontal arc.
…SHING-!!
…WHOOOOSH…
A gust of wind swept through.
And then… THUD-!!
When Alfred looked again, the Red-Haired Quanine Fang Bear lay severed cleanly from the neck.
””””W-WHOOOOAAAA-!!!””
After a moment of stunned silence, a cheer like an earthquake erupted from the entire village.
That night, the entire village worked together to butcher the day’s haul, throwing a massive celebration. All the sake1 from the village stores was brought out, and soldiers and villagers alike joined in a raucous party.
”Margrave Rommel, thank you so much. You’ve avenged my father, and more than that-the villagers can finally live without fear. I can’t thank you enough. I swear, I’ll repay this debt someday!” Alfred declared.
”Hmm. Repay a debt, you say..,” At Alfred’s words of gratitude, Margrave Rommel adopted a thoughtful pose-hand on his chin-the way he always did. “Hmph. Lord Alfred, I have one request of you, then.”
”Yes? …A request…?” Alfred asked.
”Indeed. I’m placing Flora in your care. I want her here to help with your village development.”
”…What?” Alfred blinked in confusion.
”Flora’s good at reading, writing, and arithmetic. Keeps accounts too. I know I’m her father, but she’s quite an accomplished young lady. For the future of this village, you can never have too many capable people, am I right?”
”W-well, I’d certainly welcome capable people with open arms… B-but… I mean… it’s one thing to say that, but… It’s not exactly fair to Lady Flora, just dropping her in the middle of nowhere..,” Alfred stammered.
”Ha ha ha! No need to be so formal with ‘Lady Flora’ after all that. I heard you shouting her name quite clearly earlier! Ha ha ha!” Margrave Rommel laughed.
”Ah! Th-that was… I mean..,” Alfred’s face flushed red.
”And besides-why not ask Flora herself if she minds staying? Someone fetch Flora for me, will you?”
”Yes! I’d be absolutely delighted to stay here!” Flora’s eyes sparkled as she answered, her face lit with a brilliant smile.
”…B-but, still… I mean..,” Alfred hesitated.
”What’s this, Lord Alfred? Still worried about something?” Margrave Rommel asked.
”…No, it’s not that. I mean, I’m incredibly grateful for the sake of the village’s development… But… if Flora stays here and gossip starts spreading, it could affect her future marriage prospects..,” Alfred admitted.
”Ha ha ha! Lord Alfred, you’re an interesting one. Putting Flora’s wellbeing ahead of the village’s future-that’s not something many young men would do. Are you really fifteen? Ha ha ha! Don’t you worry about Flora. If something does happen-why, you can just marry her yourself!” Margrave Rommel declared.
”…What?” Alfred’s jaw dropped.
”D-Daddy! Honestly!!?” Flora pressed her hands to her cheeks, face burning crimson, twisting her body in embarrassment.
”Well, to make that happen, you’ll need to build up your achievements and raise your standing first. As things stand, the higher-ups would make a fuss about the difference in rank. I’ll be expecting great things from you, my future son-in-law! That reminds me-I ought to go greet your parents while I’m here. Ha ha ha!” With that, he walked off toward the family home.
”W-wait! Please wait!!” Alfred dashed after him in a panic, and Flora followed happily, her hand pulled along by his.
Neither of the two had any idea that every single person present had witnessed the whole scene.
Trivia:
- The inspection was staged partly to evaluate Alfred’s competence and partly to give Rommel an excuse to hunt monsters on Alfred’s land and eliminate threats.
- Bruno’s total failure during the hunt is meant to contrast with both Alfred’s courage and Rommel’s overwhelming power, reinforcing that Alfred is superior to established nobility in practical matters.
- Rommel mentions Alfred’s father in the context of avenging him, which serves as the narrative bridge between Alfred’s personal grief and the village’s collective trauma.
- The marriage proposal is actually a political move: by offering Flora, Rommel is giving Alfred the social standing and resources he needs to succeed, while securing a powerful ally in a rising young lord.
- Alfred’s priority is not his own safety during the bear attack but buying time for others to escape, establishing his selfless leadership credentials early in the story.
- The villagers’ ability to process the monster carcasses into food and resources shows they are resilient and resourceful, not just passive victims.
- Rommel’s ease in dispatching the bear (one swing) underscores that Alfred’s current power level is far below his potential, setting up future growth arcs.
- Flora is not forced to stay; she eagerly volunteers, showing she has her own agency and desires, rather than being a passive trophy.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Japanese rice wine. In this context, it’s the village’s stored alcohol brought out for the celebration feast.