Chapter 5: Chicken│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com
My father harvested and sold the crops in the field one after the other, and he never planted anything else. The field began to resemble a vacant lot.
My father and Nathan-ojisan decided to relocate to the capital’s outskirts, near the slums. It is now an empty, dry wasteland, and the capital’s downtown area is about 4 or 5 kilometers away.
After taking their crops to market in the capital, they stop at the newly leased land and gradually build houses. All land in this country is leased from the government.
The presence of a royal palace, complete with royalty and officials, is unsettling, but a populated area would be ideal for me to blend in.
My bruises have healed, and I am back on the farm. It is a miracle that I did not break my shoulder. Since then, Ethan has not disobeyed me. I’m sorry he feels accountable in his own way.
“We’re going to pick all the carrots today, Ethan. All the little ones as well. Let’s do our best together!”
“Yes…”
Ethan appears to be depressed.
“If it’s about me getting hurt, that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m so sorry about that time, Alisa.”
“Yes, I understand. You apologized properly, so that’s the end of it.”
He’s adorable. I had no idea a six-year-old boy could be so adorable.
I’ve been preoccupied since my old memories surfaced.
I want to be able to control and stop the rain that I have no idea is coming. It’s easy for people to figure out your secret if you make it rain while sleeping. And since I was called “the most powerful water wizard” in a past life, I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my magic now.
I’ve tried everything, but I still can’t stop the rain when I’m sleeping. I can’t even consciously create water.
I’ve got to do something about it.
“The houses we’re moving into are taking shape in some ways. It’s still a shack, but it has a roof and walls. We’ll move in once we’ve finished hauling our belongings by camel. We’ll have everything moved in ten days.”
I’m curious how frequently our fathers had their camels transport their belongings back and forth. My father was a dedicated worker. He had a hard time when I was first born. But he still adores me, my beloved Oto-san.
“Today is the final day. Let’s leave once we’ve loaded the chickens into the basket.”
“Oto-san, may I allow them to eat some grass and insects from the field one last time?”
“That’s all right.”
The chickens, which have been transported in baskets for quite some time, are finally released into the original fenced field. The thirty chickens pecked happily on the ground, where they were not normally permitted.
“After a while, we’ll have to put the chickens in baskets.”
“Right.”
I was talking to my mother about it when something dark fell from the sky. It landed among the chickens. Then it spread its wings, grabbed one of the chickens, and flew away.
That’s a hawk!
Other chickens panic and flee around the fence.
I looked up, helpless, in shock, that my chicken was carried away, motionless. As I stood there watching, I noticed a flash of light around the hawk’s leg.
“That hawk stole a chicken, Oka-san! We’ve never been attacked by a hawk, have we?”
“Yes, that’s unfortunate.”
“Is that hawk a domesticated hawk? Something glittered on it. Maybe it was wearing a leg ring.”
“What?”
Father and mother exchange silent glances.
From what I know of my past life, it’s either royalty or a very high-ranking aristocrat who keeps hawks. My father’s face is hard.
“Let’s hurry up and get those chickens.”
“Yes, Oto-san.”
From there, all six of us caught the fleeing chickens as fast as we could. We were out of breath and sweat dripped down our faces. No one could speak for a while after we had caught them all.
“Come on, let’s get out of here. The hawk’s owner might come looking for us. We don’t want them to come looking for us at the last minute.”
We stuffed the squabbling chickens into baskets, tied them to the camels, and dashed away. The six camels moved in a single file. My father was in the lead, with Nathan-ojisan following close behind. Nathan-ojisan’s camel was dragging a large branch of nekta, which covered our path.
—○█○—
“Your Highness, Blackgold, has brought back a chicken!”
My hawk-watcher is in a panic.
Today, we took Black Gold to a location far from the capital to give him some exercise.
“Why is that… You released him to an area where there is supposed to be no vegetation, not even houses. At most, it should have been sand rats or desert lizards…”
The chicken that was held down by hawk claws is already dead. The brown-feathered chickens are plump and shiny, with feathers that match perfectly. It is unmistakably a raised chicken.
“There shouldn’t have been a farmhouse with chickens around here. Hey, this could be…”
“I think so too.”
It is a crime in this kingdom to conceal springs or wells. The location of a water source is considered a state asset, and no individual is permitted to monopolize it. Above all, finding a new watering hole is as important as discovering a gold mine.
“All right, let’s go.”
“Your Highness, please be patient! We’ll be in big trouble if they’re armed.”
“Then let’s just take a look at the location.”
“But we only have eight bodyguards!”
“I know that.”
—○
The prince and his guards mounted their horses and rode in the direction of the hawk’s capture of the chicken.
The prince is Mark Heim Ramming, the land’s first prince.
He wears a simple gold ring around the knot of his straight black hair, which is tied into a bun.
He has a charming face and appears mature for a twelve-year-old. His eyes are blue-green and intelligent, and his lips are thin and strong-willed.
“I’ll track down those who hid the water…”
Prince Mark rode his horse, filled with a unique sense of justice.
—Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com—
Leave a Reply