NF V2C6 – Mission to the Capital! (1)

Sorry for the extremely late update… I’ll try to get a few out to make up for it this month… (Emphasis on try. I have double the amount of exams I took in January.)

As a side note, I ordered the books and they should arrive sometime in July.

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　I stared at Mother.

“To the King?”

“Yeah. You’ve been to the castle in the Royal Capital, right?”

“Yeah, I remember. But… alone?”

“Yes, alone. “

“But I can’t move there.”

　When I use the movement technique, I can’t target places. Besides, my options are limited when it comes to people I want to move to, and I can’t go to any members of the royal family.

　I might end up above their head. I was terrified since I’ve never used it for long distances.

　However, Mother continued calmly.

“Hm… I know you can’t use the movement technique, but you should be able to walk? “

　I froze with my mouth half open.

“The royal capital is far from here. I’m worried, but this is also special training. To make you stronger, I will become a demon if I have to.”

　Mother’s face looked sad and she wiped the tears with the sleeve of her kimono. But I felt like crying even more.

　I knew the mission would be hard, so I somehow relaxed my tail and opened my mouth,

“Mother… This is a bit unreasonable… Going to the capital alone…”

　Aren’t you supposed to send me to the convenience store since it’s the first time I’m going by myself?

　The Royal Capital is a few hundred kilometres away. According to the one-eyed knight, it takes around two days to get there by horse.

　There? Me? With my short legs? Walk?

　My common sense burst and my reasoning was blown away.

“Uwa! This is unreasonable! Extremely unreasonable!”

　A loud, sad voice rang out and echoed throughout the cave.

“No! No! No!”

　I threw a tantrum, “I’m not going, I won’t move from this place!”

　I wish I could go there and back quickly using the movement technique. It’s too difficult, even after the special training I had.

　Certainly, Mother does have a demon-like personality sometimes, and even in the special training, I was forced to run on the snowy mountain in the middle of the winter with her shouting “It’ll strengthen your legs!” or “It’ll kill you!” when thrown in front of a polar bear that wasn’t hibernating.

　Compared to that, climbing trees is easy.

　However, whenever we were doing the special training, Mother was always nearby and helped me whenever it got dangerous.

　When I like something, I don’t want it to leave, but I thought Mother would be the one who’d be nervous and worried that I would be alone in a place other than home.

　Me travelling alone should be something that Mother hates the most.

“Mother, are you really not coming with me?”

　I asked while lying on my back,

“That’s right.”

　She nodded.

　She then took a cylindrical object out of her bust; a paper tied with a beautiful purple string, and said,

“I want you to deliver this letter to the Human King. Can you do it?”

“Nope, can’t do it!”

　I waved my arms and rejected immediately.

　Pride as a former human? Nonexistent.

“No, no, no, no! Mother should go with me!”

　The dead grass was thrown around while I was rolling around on the bed. It was noisy.

　I did this because I believed that after a while, Mother would give up.

“Milfiria, do your best and don’t say things like that.”

　She kept patiently asking me to go and showed no sign of giving up.

　And finally, I got tired and gave up fighting.

“I’ll sleep tonight and leave tomorrow morning.”

　Mother looked at me with an uneasy face.

　Why are you telling me to go to the Capital if you’re so uneasy?

“Okay, I’m going to sleep…”

　I didn’t understand what Mother was thinking, but I would do it, even though I didn’t want to.

　I also wanted to meet Mother’s expectations.

“Ah, you’re a brave girl.”

　My mother hugged me tightly and gently patted my back, but I felt a bit complicated.

“Mother… You love me, right?”

　I looked up at Mother during the hug.

　I don’t remember it very well, but I think I asked my mother in the previous life this question as well, just like this.

　Mother answered with a just as kind smile as my mother in my previous life.

“Of course I love you.”

“… Really? How much do you love me?”

“How much? A lot. “

“A lot, how much is that?”

“Size!?”

　I know that it was bothersome, but I couldn’t help but confirm how much Mother loved me.

　Mother always showed me her arms stretched out wide, saying, “This much!”, and I was satisfied for the time being, as she loved me as much as from one fingertip to another, with as much distance between them possible.

　But still, I don’t want to go there.

　What on earth is she thinking?

　Even when I woke up the next morning, I still couldn’t make up my mind.

　I rolled over in bed, but if I got up I would have to get ready to go, so I closed my eyes again and pretended to sleep.

　However, the noise alerted Mother that I was awake.

“Milfiria, get up, you have to leave soon.”

　My head stayed on the ground! I refused to get up.

“……”

　　When I woke up again, Mother turned into a human and carefully picked the dead grass out of my fur.

　She also combed my fur and wiped away the drool marks.

“Someone at the fort gave me a shawl.”

　Mother went to the back of the cave and pulled out the shawl the Captain gave me out of my messy pile of treasures.

　By the way, in the pile of treasures, I put the stick that felt good, a round stone, and a deer antler that I found

　Uh, is that brown object a flower I picked last summer? I should throw it away.

“Oh, where did you pick up this thing, Milfiria?”

　Mother pointed to a large, rugged stone in the treasure pile.

　There were five or six beautiful yellow-green stones attached to a natural gray stone that was slightly smaller than my body.

　These yellowish green stones were definitely gemstones, so I cherished it.

“That, Hirugapapa gave it to me… Mother.”

Hirugapapa was carrying it, and said, “Because you’re cute, I’ll give it to you,” but Mother said, “That’s useless” and cut it.

　However, it doesn’t look like she remembers that incident.

“From Hiruga?”

　Mother frowned and took the rock out.

　Poor Hirugapapa. The ores looked important.

　When Mother remembered what she was supposed to be doing again, she took out the shawl and put it on me. Even though it was crumpled and thrust into the pile treasure pile, it was made of a nice fabric and I liked it.

“Mother, I…”

　While Mother was steadily preparing me for my departure, I opened my mouth.

　I lifted my tail and used my trump card.

“I don’t know the way to the Capital, so I can’t go alone. I want to go, but I don’t know the way. I really, really want to go but I can’t help it.”

　So give up! My eyes brightened with hope.

　There’s no map!

“Um, yes…”

　Good, good. Mother is troubled. Don’t force me!

My tail swayed as I tried to convey with it, “I’m sorry, I can’t go to work.”

　Just relax!

“Okay, let’s do this then.”

　However, because Mother seemed to have come up with an idea, my tail drooped immediately.

　Mother lifted one of her hands, with the palm up.

　Then a pale blue light came out from the center of the palm.

　It had a round shape and floated in the air without disappearing when it left Mother’s hand.

　It glowed with a dim light that illuminated the cave.

“What’s that?”

　I was curious seeing the beautiful ball of light that slowly flew in front of me.

“This is a fairy. A snow fairy, to be exact.”

“A fairy…”

“I gave the fairy a little bit of the power of snow and told it to lead you to the Royal Capital. Now you won’t get lost. Not knowing the way to the Capital is no longer a problem. “

　I was disappointed and looked at the light ball flying leisurely.

“Now, it’s about time to leave, Milfiria.”

　Mother glanced out of the cave. It was a casual move, but I felt that her eyes were alert.

　Is a polar bear going to come?

“First, go to the fort to say goodbye. It’ll take days to walk to the Capital, and during that time they will worry if you don’t show up. “

　Yes, I have to tell the knights of the fort that I won’t be able to play with them for a while.

　It was clever of Mother to consider the knights.

“Yeah, I will.”

“You will use the movement technique to go there.”

“Hmm? Okay?”

　I thought she was going to tell me to walk down the mountain as well.

　Mother’s thought process is… unique.

　Finally, I received the cylindrical letter, so I can deliver it.

　I didn’t want to go, but I couldn’t help it. Mother would be disappointed if I gave up.

　I told her I would do my best.

“Hey, the sun is shining(Let’s go!).”

　The fairy grabbed onto me.

“Please be careful.”

　Before I used the movement technique, Mother said that while looking very worried. I felt happy. My tail lifted up, and I was actually excited to go.

“I”ll do my best!”

　I replied to Mother’s uneasy voice, then the fairy and I headed to the fort.

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