Rebirth in a Ruined Nation! The Life of a New Strategist Starting From Now - Chapter 45

Drifting Ship Disturbance (11) – The Story Behind the Legend

“Zachkart-sama. Thank you for taking care of us.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the rudeness of my men,” Zackhart-sama said to Luluria, who was bowing her head.

His expression was grumpy, but this was Zackhart-sama’s usual expression.

Despite the solemnity of the occasion, Rays-sama was clearly trying hard not to laugh. I didn’t know why, but Rays-sama, I was trying to be serious here, so could you please stop!?

“Northbell-sama. Please accept my sincere gratitude for saving our lives. I shall never forget your generosity.”

Luluria then thanked the short, muscular, dark-skinned, bearded pirate… I mean the Navy Commander, Northbell-sama.

“Don’t worry about it. I heard you’re going to marry a prince of an Empire. We might try to sink your ship instead of saving you the next time you come, so you best be careful!”

Northbell-sama was a pretty brazen person to tell such a terrifying joke.

“At that time, if my ship sinks your ship, you can’t hold a grudge, alright, Nortbell-sama?”

This princess was also pretty brazen.

Luluria’s response seemed to please Northbell-sama. 

“It’s a waste to leave you as just a princess.”

He said this while laughing loudly. ‘Just a princess’ he said? What was a higher profession than being a princess?

“Luluria-sama, it’s about time.”

Rays-sama, who had been attempting to hold back his laughter for some reason, urged Luluria. Following that, the entire crew of Luluria’s ship, guarded by knights from the 10th Division, set off for the Empire.

***

The Yolos Corridor was used to escort Luluria and her entourage to the Empire. The Yolos Corridor was one of the few wide roads amid the series of high mountains that separated the Empire from the Rudek Kingdom. It was also a cornerstone of the Rudek Kingdom’s defense against the Empire’s invasion.

Although the Yolos Corridor could be considered a wide road, it was only as wide as two carriages. Because it was too narrow for a huge army to get through, the Rudek army used it to fight back against the Empire’s invasion multiple times.

Because we have a carriage, the trip to Yolos Corridor from Gedland would take roughly 5 days. It would take nearly a day to pass through the corridor. So the entire time spent on this travel to the Empire would be around a week.

Still…What happened with Zackhart-sama?

Zackhart-sama called out to me just as we were about to leave Gedland.

“You! Yeah, you, Roa, right?”

“Ah, yes. Is there a problem, sir?”

“…It’s nothing”

He instantly left after saying that. I could only stare at his back, bewildered. The way he acted made me really curious.

“What’s wrong?”

Rays-sama noticed my puzzled expression and inquired.

“Actually…”

I told Rays-sama of what had occurred earlier. I also told him how Zackhart-sama seemed displeased when I first greeted him. Seriously, what did I do to offend him?

Rays-sama’s shoulders shook in reaction to my stories.

“Rays-sama, you’ve been trying to hold back your laughter since we left Gedland. Why? What’s happened?”

Rays-sama responded with stifled laughter when I asked.

“I see. That’s what happened. I finally get it. You sure showed me something unusual, Roa.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I guess you won’t know. Actually, I noticed Zackhart-sama seemed anxious, so I was wondering what was going on. It’s unusual to see Zackhart-sama act like that. I know I was being a bit rude, but I’ve been observing Zackhart-sama to figure out why.”

“Anxious!? That’s how he looked like when he was anxious!?”

If that’s how he was when he was anxious, I couldn’t image how he looked like when he was in a normal mood!

“Yeah. At first, I thought he acted that way because he had complicated feelings for Luluria-sama…”

“A complicated feeling…You mean he didn’t know how to deal with the person who was going to marry the Empire’s prince, who was hostile to our kingdom?”

“Right. But it turns out that his anxiety is due to you, Roa.”

“Me? I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Well, it was because of how he acted towards you, who was from a village near Gedland. Zackhart-sama was very caring to the children of Gedland and its surrounding villages. The 3rd Division had been stationed in Gedland for a long time, and Zackhart-sama considered the children of Gedland and its surrounding villages to be his own.”

“…He might not look like it, but he’s a quite caring person,” Rays-sama continued.

“Children from Gedland and its surrounding villages… There are a lot of them.”

“Right, and, you see, Zackhart-sama is surprisingly sensitive.”

…Zackhart-sama? Sensitive!? No way!

“He’s probably regretting his harsh attitude after learning you’re a child from a village near Gedland. Furthermore, you did an excellent job of making Luluria-sama feel comfortable. He must be happy for you in his heart, but he had no opportunity to show it.”

“Really..?”

What Rays-sama told me was too different from how Zackhart-sama was portrayed in numerous stories I heard! Rays-sama’s Zackhart-sama sounded like a young, delicate girl!

“Don’t make that disappointed expression. Because that is his personality, his subordinates adore him, and when he rebuked the previous King, the previous King listened to him. If it was Zackhart that said that, he must be right. That’s why people thought of him like that.”

He was right. I was shocked, but that didn’t diminish my admiration for Zachart-sama. Rays-sama told me a very interesting story about Zackhart-sama.

“Heh, that’s an interesting story.”

Luluria, who was sticking her head out the carriage window, interrupted the conversation.

“Luluria. Since when did you hear our conversation?”

“From the very start.”

Rays-sama didn’t look surprised, so he must have noticed Luluria had been eavesdropping on us.

“Hey, can I hear the story about Zackhart-sama and your kingdom’s previous King?”

Luluria requested, her eyes twinkling.

The road to the Empire was still long…

T/N: So the scary grandpa was just a huge tsundere lmao.