SML Ch 56

Chapter 56

After finishing a fairly hearty lunch, Reynald moved on to another field with Alex. The crystal clockwork birds they had driven away earlier were merely part of a larger flock migrating southward, and it was said that other groups of these birds were causing havoc in the neighboring fields.

The experience of playing scarecrow in the countryside would have been more than enough for the morning, yet both princes stubbornly followed Reynald to assist with the afternoon’s work as well. At first, Reynald thought only Arun was enthusiastic while Serna seemed indifferent, but as time passed, Serna too became deeply engrossed in observing the birds, displaying curiosity surpassing even that of his older brother.

Thus, they diligently drove the birds from the fields until sunset. The village youth who had joined them earlier left for home since his house was nearby, but Reynald, Alex, and the princes had a long walk ahead of them to return to the castle.

“I thought I knew most monsters, having gone on subjugations and studied hard, but I’ve never seen such fascinating magical creatures before. Aren’t these the kind of creatures that are nearly eradicated around the capital?”

“Indeed, I recall hearing that casting a spell just once a year is enough to prevent them from approaching at all. I too have never seen anyone drive away crystal clockwork birds with their own hands.”

On the way back to the castle, Arun carried Serna on his back as they conversed leisurely. It was only natural that the princes had never seen crystal clockwork birds before; as Serna had just mentioned, the ones near the capital were already neutralized, and even in rural areas, when damage occurred, it was resolved simply by summoning a mage rather than dispatching a subjugation unit.

Of course, in the absence of a mage, one had to resort to inefficient makeshift methods like today’s. Having several grown men run around all day swinging flails hung with bells was about as exhausting as it got.

Reynald slowed his pace slightly to match Alex’s steps, as the young man looked visibly exhausted. He was staggering along, drenched in sweat as though he had bathed in it, having spent immense physical energy.

Reynald himself was also soaked in sweat across his back and chest, but Alex seemed nearly on the verge of collapse. He would probably wash himself quickly and change clothes once they returned to the castle, only to fall fast asleep right afterward.

“Are you alright, Alex? If it’s too much, shall I carry you?”

“…I can walk. I’m not some prince, after all.”

Alex shook his head vehemently, face oddly flushed. It was the kind of remark Serna, clinging to Arun’s back, might have disliked hearing, but Reynald only gave a wry smile. After all, it was true that the youngest prince sometimes behaved like a child.

Serna likely thought he was being considerate of his upright brother Arun, but in reality, it was Arun who tolerated Serna’s somewhat willful nature. Especially when Serna was physically exhausted or lazing about, Arun refrained from scolding him, opting instead to carry or help him. Having suffered from poor stamina himself as a child, he never berated his brother for such shortcomings.

One way or another, they were close brothers. Reynald no longer had to worry about caring for them; the two were good at supporting each other now. Thus, Reynald resolved to focus more attention on Alex, who seemed far more worn out.

“At least hand me that sack. I’ll carry it on the way back.”

“Are you sure, Lord Reynald? You were running around all day too.”

“I’ve spent decades running far more than this. I’m hardly exhausted from something like today. Don’t worry about me.”

“…Thank you.”

Taking the sack, Reynald pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Alex’s forehead. Sweat was streaming down from his scarred brow into his eyes, clearly tormenting him.

Although Reynald’s handkerchief was already damp and not of much use, at least it prevented more sweat from dripping into Alex’s eyes. For some reason, Alex’s face flushed red as he bowed his head in thanks.

It wasn’t something worth thanking him for, Reynald thought, yet Alex’s expression wasn’t simply gratitude—it looked… embarrassed. Tilting his head in mild puzzlement, Reynald watched as the young man awkwardly tried to change the subject.

“Come to think of it, my lord, have you ever done this kind of work before? You seem far more knowledgeable about those birds than the princes.”

“I’ve never done it myself, only seen it.”

“Where? Was it in some village you visited while on monster subjugation? From what I’ve heard from the princes, you’ve hunted many monsters yourself….”

“No, it wasn’t related to that. I saw it during my childhood, watching the adults. I grew up in a rather remote rural village.”

Reynald’s father had been a monster hunter, so Reynald himself had never done farm work like this. But when accompanying his father around fields, he often saw farmers and their families driving away birds. While they didn’t use glass leaves like this village, he remembered clearly how they hung sparkling, polished stones everywhere and sweated profusely trying to distract the birds.

“You’re from the countryside? But weren’t you once the kingdom’s Knight Commander?”

“I was a country bumpkin as a child. I just happened to catch the king’s eye and rose to success overnight.”

“…No wonder you seem unfazed by harsh conditions.”

Alex stared at Reynald with wide eyes. Reynald couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person Alex thought he was. He vaguely recalled mentioning at the lake that he felt more at ease in harsh lands than in the royal capital. Had Alex imagined him as some noble born into privilege but longing for the countryside?

‘Judging by birth alone, this young man might actually be of higher standing than me… Alex uses swordsmanship from the southern noble knights, after all.’

Perhaps when they had more time, Reynald could learn about Alex’s childhood as well. But he decided not to rush; taking things slowly would likely make Alex less guarded. Reynald instead asked a question more fitting for the moment.

“Leaving me aside, Alex—”

“Yes?”

“How many years have you been doing this work? You seem quite familiar with it.”

“…About five years.”

“Five years? Then you started when you were fourteen?”

“If all you need to do is shake the bells, even a small body can manage. Later, when I grew taller, I began wrapping vines around myself and running around. There aren’t many people in this village with both the size and free time for it, you see.”

Reynald regarded Alex thoughtfully. Though he looked somewhat mature outwardly, the young man was nineteen this year. He was tall for his age, yet coming from a place with poor food supplies, he lacked the extraordinary stamina and endurance one might expect from his appearance.

‘Running around for at least six hours a day in a field that isn’t even his own, in a foreign land, just to protect someone else’s crops…’

This young man had lived a rough life, too. Feeling an unbidden sense of pity, Reynald brushed away the hair clinging to Alex’s sweat-damp forehead. Once again, Alex’s face flushed as he awkwardly stepped back in embarrassment.

Was it just today, or had Alex been oddly bashful like this more often recently? It seemed they’d certainly grown closer compared to before, yet whenever Reynald approached, Alex twisted uncomfortably in response…

What on earth was going through his mind? Reynald tilted his head, puzzled, when—

“Sir Reynald! I just had a brilliant idea!”

Serna, who had been chatting with Arun all along, suddenly brightened and bounded toward them. Perhaps because he had been resting on Arun’s back, Serna looked far more energetic than Alex.

“A brilliant idea?”

“You know how all those supplies came from the royal castle today? I think we might be able to use some of the magical items in there to drive those birds away more easily!”

Oh, that was a clever thought. Reynald silently marveled. Of course, there was little chance any of those magical tools were made specifically to repel crystal clockwork birds, but by combining their effects, they might find a far easier method than what they were doing now.

“As soon as we get back to the castle, I’ll check the magical items. I’m not entirely sure, but I’ve heard those birds will change course even with simple magical interference. And even without magic, it wouldn’t be hard to create loud noises or bright lights artificially.”

Serna chattered excitedly, his tone brimming with curiosity. It wasn’t unusual; the prince had always been fascinated by monsters, so his sparkling eyes in this situation came as no surprise. He was probably itching to experiment with anything he could get his hands on.

The best course, of course, would be to request a mage to be dispatched to the village. But since even additional knights for the princes’ protection hadn’t been sent, expecting the king to send a mage seemed unrealistic. In that case, maximizing the resources they currently had was the most practical option.

“If it works, we won’t have to spend our days leaping around and making a racket like this. Ugh, how can people waste every spring on this? Isn’t it exhausting?”

“The crystal clockwork birds migrate south within a week or two. It’s not like this lasts the entire season.”

“Still! Worst case, that means two full weeks of chaos! Honestly, it’s a waste of time and energy. Wouldn’t it be better to come up with a convenient method quickly and improve farm work efficiency? Then Alex could do other productive things too.”

It was an idea typical of Serna. Whether during sword training, royal lessons, or monster subjugations, he always sought the most efficient method through his keen observation and persistence.

Of course, this wasn’t always ideal; sometimes he relied too much on shortcuts, neglecting straightforward approaches. Yet in this rural village, his way of thinking wasn’t bad at all. They could devise an efficient method with the resources at hand and later attempt more orthodox solutions when circumstances allowed.

“That’s a good plan, Serna. It would certainly ease Sir Reynald’s worries. Even after he returns to the capital, he’ll have less to be concerned about.”

“Exactly! In the long run, summoning a mage would be the best solution, but until Sir Reynald declares his intention to return, Father won’t send one. So I’ll just try experimenting within the means we have!”

And yet…

The more Alex listened to their conversation, the stranger his expression became. His face mirrored the look he had worn in the infirmary that first day—the way he had glared at Reynald.