Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Markalov didn't expect to encounter an unexpected situation during his first week as principal.
Were there still savages in the forests north of the Wes Lake? No one could have anticipated this.
He and the militia captain, Kajit, led their team north along the loggers' trail, carefully searching as they moved.
It took them two hours to travel the distance from Northview Town, which would normally only take about an hour, but since they were searching along the way, it took longer.
"Up ahead is where the loggers reported seeing them," Kajit pointed.
Markalov looked in the direction he pointed and saw a clearing ahead in the forest, scattered with short wooden stumps.
He took out his binoculars and carefully scanned the area.
"It looks like there are traces of a camp ahead... Kajit, tell the men to form a battle formation and stay alert."
"Yes, Captain Markalov!"
Kajit relayed the order, and the two platoons of militia immediately prepared for combat, drawing their bows and swords.
The group slowed down, cautiously approaching the logging site.
"Hey! Are you from Alden?" Suddenly, a loud voice came from ahead.
The militia halted, exchanging confused looks.
The language was not only in Alden's dialect but spoken with a familiar northwestern accent.
Kajit looked at Markalov, waiting for his command.
Markalov frowned, thinking for a moment before saying, "Respond. Find out who they are."
Kajit took out a loudspeaker and called, "We are the militia under Lord Paul Grayman of Alden. Who are you?"
The reply came quickly, "We are members of the Northern Exploration Fleet!"
Everyone had heard of the Northern Exploration Fleet. It wasn't a secret that the lord had dispatched three fleets to explore the world. When they set sail, the news had spread widely, and soon the entire Northwestern Bay knew about it.
Kajit called out again, "Why are you here in the forest? Where is your ship?"
At least now they could be sure the people weren't savages.
"It's a long story. We first encountered a plague in the far north, and one of our ships was wrecked. The remaining ships got frozen in port due to the weather, so a group of us took the land route, crossing the Rocky Mountains to return to the Northwestern Bay."
After a few rounds of questioning, neither side detected any issues, so they cautiously made contact, further confirming each other's identities.
"I'm Boris Markalov, lieutenant and now the principal of Northview Town's public school and director of the conscription office. Pleased to meet you."
"Stanford, commander of the Northern Exploration Fleet. Pleased to meet you too."
The two men shook hands firmly.
Members of the exploration team slowly emerged from their hiding spots.
Markalov looked at the group of "refugees" in front of him and said sympathetically, "I have to say, you guys look a bit rough."
Indeed, they were all disheveled, with torn clothes.
Stanford smiled helplessly, "The last place we rested was in a dwarven tribe in the Rocky Mountains. Since then, we've been traveling through forests and swamps. Considering everything, we're doing alright. I never expected that the forests north of the Rocky Mountains in Alden's northern region would be so desolate. At least on the other side of the mountains, we could still encounter native tribes."
Markalov's eyes widened. "Dwarves? You said you encountered a dwarven tribe?"
That was an even more legendary creature than savages.
"Yes, dwarves—the legendary dwarves. We met them."
Stanford grinned, "Not only did we meet them, but we brought one with us."
"You brought one?" Markalov was astonished.
A deep, gravelly voice rang out: "Let me speak for myself! Hey! You big human, over here!"
Markalov looked around and quickly spotted a short, stout figure.
Though short—only up to Markalov's waist—the figure was incredibly stocky. To Markalov, it seemed like this dwarf didn't have a waist at all. His entire body was shaped like a barrel, with a round head, thick arms, and a wide torso. The whole figure immediately made the word "rotund" pop into Markalov's mind.
This dwarf had a bushy beard that covered most of his face, likely due to neglect, much like the rest of the exploration team. His thick fur coat further enhanced the impression that he was some strange animal the team had brought back, rather than a sentient being.
"Is this... your captured dwarf pet?"
The comment infuriated the already ill-tempered dwarf.
He waved his massive fist and roared, "I can understand you, you tall idiot! How dare you treat the honorable Imar the Stonemason as a human pet! I'll teach you a lesson!"
He charged forward, but Stanford and another member, Matthew, quickly grabbed him, one on each arm. They used all their strength to restrain the dwarf, as dwarves are known for their incredible strength, especially when angry.
Stanford, his face flushed from the effort, turned to Markalov and demanded, "Lieutenant, apologize to our dwarf friend! He's no pet."
Markalov felt a wave of tension. It wasn't that he was scared, but in the face of an unfamiliar intelligent creature, there was a natural sense of unease or caution.
But there was also a hint of amusement.
Regaining his composure, he quickly said, "I apologize for my rudeness and ignorance, my dwarf friend. You have to understand, this is the first time I've ever seen an intelligent being that wasn't human."
Stanford said to the still-angry dwarf, "See, Imar, the lieutenant has apologized. Let's not hold a grudge."
He added in a whisper, "Look at the men he brought—they're all armed with swords, spears, and crossbows!"
Imar finally calmed down, crossing his arms and letting out a heavy "humph."
His gesture caused the militia behind Markalov to burst into quiet laughter. They couldn't help but find the round, barrel-shaped dwarf's angry demeanor oddly cute, especially the final "humph."
Markalov said, "Alright, the 'savage' issue is resolved! Stanford, it looks like you and your men desperately need rest. Come with me. It's just an hour's walk south to Northview Town."
"That's great! My men and I have been dreaming of a hot bath for so long. I also need to meet Lord Grayman as soon as possible."
"You'll meet him soon enough."
(End of the Chapter)
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