Shin Translations
patreon
Early DAR Vol. 4 Chapter 12 Part 3
🕑 Added 2025-04-15 15:32:29 +0000 UTCFull title: Starting a New Life for the Discarded All-Rounder
Note: We're looking for an editor/proofreader for this novel!
Translator: Airis
Changes: Servant Beast -> Familiar, Grandpa Gry -> Uncle Gry
____________________________________________
“What the hell was with that guy? Arrogant bastard.”
As soon as they’d left the outpost, Dietrich let his anger show.
They’d all been insulted, so his outrage was more than justified.
Cornelia was handling the reins, with Bernhart seated beside her, keeping watch.
They’d just entered the Citadel Dungeon’s surrounding region. There were no monsters yet, but they were in dangerous territory now.
Inside the wagon, it was just Dietrich and Kristoff.
“The king of the Eighth Country. In terms of Alliance hierarchy, he holds the title of duke.”
“What? What’s a bigshot like that doing here?”
Kristoff casually dropped the man’s identity, leaving Dietrich stunned.
Each member nation in the Northern Alliance had a number assigned to them in order of their founding, used in official contexts alongside their names.
That number had nothing to do with the country’s actual strength.
The “Eighth Country” was a relatively new one.
“Well, the prince of the Kingdom of Nereus is coming, so he probably came to check things out.”
“...So our identities are exposed. That’s a pain.”
“You idiot.”
The moment Dietrich said it casually, Kristoff let out a low growl.
His eyes sharpened in an instant, and Dietrich flinched in alarm.
“Wh-What?”
“‘What,’ seriously? You didn’t even read the papers I gave you, did you? You just signed them? That document had all our identities listed! We didn’t get found out—they know because we told them!”
“Huh? Why the hell would you do that?”
“Because it was a government document! You can’t lie on something like that!”
Kristoff’s shout came with enough force to look like he might grab Dietrich by the collar.
Clearly, he still hadn’t forgiven him for dumping all the dungeon entry paperwork on him.
Dietrich, realizing another fight was about to break out, was already preparing to apologize.
But then Kristoff suddenly calmed down, a troubled expression taking over his anger.
“...Don’t tell me you didn’t read the terms from the homeland either?”
He dropped his voice and leaned in closer.
“Terms?”
“I knew it. Keep your voice down. If Cornelia hears, she’s gonna blow up again.”
“Huh? Oh. Got it.”
Dietrich followed Kristoff’s lead, thrown off by the sudden change in tone.
“So, seriously—you didn’t read any of the conditions they attached to our approval, right?”
“Don’t be mad. I get it now. I messed up.”
“Whatever. I should’ve double-checked too. But if you didn’t read them, this isn’t just a mistake—it’s a disaster. Our approval to enter the Citadel Dungeon was granted on conditions. I figured you were staying quiet about it because you’d already talked it through with Roa.”
Kristoff leaned in even closer, practically whispering now.
“Roa? What does this have to do with Roa?”
“A lot. Actually…”
It was apparently the one thing he didn’t want Cornelia to overhear.
Kristoff leaned in and whispered the rest directly into Dietrich’s ear.
Dietrich’s eyes went wide.
“...What? You’re serious? That’s what Roa’s got hanging over him? I mean, sure, Roa’ll probably let it slide... but that shady Gryphon…”
“We have no idea how he’ll react. We’ll need Roa to calm him down if it goes bad.”
“Yeah, definitely can’t let Cornelia hear about this. She’ll chew us out for sure.”
If she found out Dietrich signed off on all this without reading the terms, she’d have him sitting in seiza for another long lecture.
And Kristoff, who hadn’t reminded him to double-check, would get dragged into it too.
Both of them let out a heavy sigh.
“For now, let’s just shelf it until we get back from the Citadel Dungeon. If we start stressing about it now, we’ll mess up and get killed. This is not the place to be distracted.”
“Right. Whatever happens, we can’t do anything until we talk to Roa. Let’s get him on board first. There’s no deadline in the conditions, so worst case, we just drop it. The homeland will be mad, and yeah, your reputation will hit rock bottom again—but let’s be real, it’s already there.”
Dietrich suggested putting it off, and Kristoff agreed without hesitation.
Judging from how quick he was to shift the blame entirely onto Dietrich and pass the final call off to Roa, it was clear he wanted nothing more to do with it.
To be fair, after all the paperwork and hassle, Kristoff was beyond done with this entire issue.
Even someone like him—usually so reliable under his laid-back exterior—had hit his limit.
“...Yeah.”
The fact that Kristoff was this close to snapping was entirely Dietrich’s fault.
But Dietrich didn’t realize it. He just nodded in agreement, none the wiser.
—
By the time the sun had reached its peak and begun its slow descent, the Citadel Dungeon Investigation Team had finally finished preparations and began moving out of the forest.
Nearly half the wagons were gone.
Some had been destroyed during the rabbit attack. Others were lost when the horses ran off or were killed.
As a result, they had no choice but to reduce the number of carriages, and now many of the soldiers were traveling on foot.
Some knights who’d lost their horses were now riding double with others.
Normally, two armored knights on one horse would be too heavy a burden—but since the pace was being set to match the soldiers on foot, it was deemed acceptable.
Roa wondered if they just didn’t want to walk, but maybe it was pride. A knight’s dignity, or something like that.
Even now, the memory of the rabbit ambush lingered in the soldiers’ minds.
Their steps were heavy, and progress was slow.
“Think we’ll make it out of the forest before nightfall?”
<Not at this pace. Still, camping in the woods suits us just fine—it’ll make it easier to sneak out during the night.>
As usual, Roa and his familiars followed at the rear of the group.
The rest of the investigation team still seemed traumatized by the rabbit attack, flinching every time the wind rustled the grass. But Roa and his companions, knowing the truth, felt no such fear.
They were walking at a leisurely pace, like it was just a casual stroll.
Time passed, and evening came. They still hadn’t made it out of the forest.
However, the trees had begun to thin—just enough to suggest they were nearing the edge.
Even that slight change seemed to lift the soldiers’ spirits.
They managed to find a campsite with decent visibility—much better than the night before.
Even with the open layout, Roa and Uncle Gry would have no trouble slipping away into the shadows.
For them, this was the perfect place to camp.
And so, late that night, Roa and Uncle Gry quietly left the camp.
They were headed for the place Uncle Gry had mentioned—the “Sage’s Herb Garden.”
It was the rabbit king’s domain.
Before leaving, Roa had asked Uncle Gry a few things.
Apparently, the garden had been created long ago by a Sage and had been kept hidden and maintained in secret ever since.
The forest Roa and the others had been walking through was a more recent development, but the explosive growth of vegetation there was linked to the influence of the Sage’s Herb Garden.
While Roa and Uncle Gry made their way to the garden, the twin magic wolves stayed behind to watch over the camp.
Unless another rabbit attack occurred, they could handle anything.
And if something did happen, Uncle Gry was close enough to respond instantly.
Not that it was likely—this forest was under the rabbits’ control.
Outside threats were almost nonexistent.
“Wow... it’s beautiful.”
The place Roa arrived at didn’t feel like part of the same forest at all.
Bathed in the light of Uncle Gry’s floating magic orb, the entire area shimmered.
Roa was so stunned he could only utter a cliché.
In front of him stood a strange, massive tree; wide and thick, though not particularly tall.
The trunk was unusually broad, spreading roots so vast that they could’ve held a small village.
Countless rabbits peeked out from the twisting roots.
Soft, glowing moss clung to the roots, and among it, rabbits of many colors and sizes poked their heads out to watch them.
It felt otherworldly—peaceful and oddly soothing.
The eyes of the rabbits gazing at Roa and Uncle Gry, who had just landed after flying in, were calm and kind.
It was hard to believe these were the same rabbits that had attacked the investigation team.
<Brat. He’s here.>
Still scanning the scene in awe, Roa turned toward Uncle Gry’s gaze.
There stood the rabbit king—the one Roa had fought.
A floppy-eared rabbit with pitch-black fur flecked with white.
He was adorable, yet possessed undeniable presence.
A Winged Rabbit.
Though he looked like a normal rabbit, he was a magic beast of that species.
The rabbit king let out a short cry. Uncle Gry responded curtly: <Too loud.>
The king turned his gaze on Roa, staring directly into his eyes.
“Uh... good evening.”
Roa greeted him hesitantly.
The rabbit king seemed to smile gently in return.
<I said you’re too loud, you senile, mangy old coot.>
Uncle Gry and the rabbit king were apparently talking in that same silent “voice.”
Despite the insults, Uncle Gry’s expression remained soft—it was probably just friendly banter between old friends.
Roa, moved by the scene, gently stroked Uncle Gry’s neck.
“So he’s... old?”
<Indeed. He may look cute, but he’s ancient. An old geezer. And not the wise kind—just a crusty, long-lived pain in the tail. Treat him accordingly.>
At that, the rabbit king suddenly rose up on two legs and delivered a flying kick to Uncle Gry.
His long ears fluttered behind him like a furry cape.
Naturally, the tiny Winged Rabbit’s kick didn’t do a thing.
Uncle Gry deflected it effortlessly with a wing.
<Hmph... Brat, since he won’t stop pestering me, I suppose I’ll introduce him. This is “Puffy,” the ruler of this forest. You don’t need to be friends.>
The rabbit king—Puffy—gave a satisfied nod at the introduction.
If Uncle Gry called him the ruler of the forest, then he must be the one maintaining the Sage’s Herb Garden.
In other words, he was the “old acquaintance” Uncle Gry had mentioned earlier.
Roa had expected to meet a Sage’s disciple, so this threw him off a bit.
Still, a name like “Puffy” clearly sounded like something given by a human.
He’d likely once been the familiar of a Sage or someone close to one. Maybe his master had died long ago, and he took over the garden afterward.
Even if that wasn’t exactly what happened, it was obvious he’d once been someone’s familiar.
The overly cute name didn’t quite match the image of a wise, elderly rabbit—but to Roa, that just made him more endearing.
Maybe it was because he’d once named a Gryphon “Uncle Gry.”
“Sir Puffy...? Um, nice to meet you?”
<No need to treat him like a superior. And no need for formal speech—wait, you little—stop that!>
Uncle Gry suddenly shouted.
“Huh? Uncle Gry, wha—”
Roa turned toward him, confused. But before he could finish the question, he felt lightheaded.
<Damn it! He got us! Puffy! You planned this!>
<Hehe... Uncle Gry, that’s such a mean thing to say! It’s only been a day, and already you’re accusing me!>
A second voice joined the conversation—light, airy, and undeniably cute.
Combined with the sudden wave of dizziness, Roa recognized what was happening.
“...A familiar contract?”
<That’s right! I’m Puffy! Nice to meet you!>
<That’s not something to be proud of! You overwrote his name to force a familiar contract?! That’s the core of the bond between master and familiar! What the hell were you thinking!?>
Furious, Uncle Gry tried to stomp Puffy with his paw.
But the little rabbit easily dodged, spreading his ears like wings and gliding through the air—
—straight into Roa’s arms.
Caught off guard, Roa instinctively hugged him tight.
<Hey! You’re good at hugging. Do you always carry around those doggies of yours?>
<Puffy! What’s with that tone all of a sudden?! Just a moment ago you were talking like some grumpy old man! Brat, don’t hold him like that—throw him away!>
“Uh, well…”
<Uncle Gry is so mean. How could he tell you to throw away someone as cute as me? Don’t you think that’s awful?>
Puffy looked up at Roa from his arms with glistening eyes.
He was so cute, Roa couldn’t help but blush.
<Brat! Don’t be fooled! That thing’s just an old man! He’s using calculated tricks to manipulate you!>
<Good grief, you’re so loud, Geezer Gry.>
<I’m not an old man, I’m an uncle!>
Uncle Gry grabbed Puffy’s long ear with his beak and gave it a tug, but Puffy didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.
He calmly nestled his head against Roa’s chest.
Roa, meanwhile, was completely lost.
He couldn’t figure out why Puffy—a Winged Rabbit—had formed a familiar contract with him. There was no benefit to it.
It wasn’t like they even knew each other that well.
They’d fought once, in what was more like a practice match than a real battle. That was it.
<Come on, Uncle Gry, you’ve lived twice as long as me.>
<I have not!>
Roa tilted his head. Just how old were Uncle Gry and Puffy? He had no idea.
<Enough!>
At last, Uncle Gry managed to pull Puffy out of Roa’s arms by the ear and tossed him aside.
Puffy flipped in the air and landed gracefully, completely unfazed.
<See? Uncle Gry’s the worst. If you keep a familiar like him around, people are going to think poorly of you, too.>
“Um…”
<Shut it. And drop that cutesy tone. It’s infuriating.>
<Sheesh. Yesterday you told me to drop the old-man act. Make up your mind already.
Hey, why don’t you switch allegiances and be my master instead?>
<Puffy! You little—!>
Uncle Gry lunged toward him again, clearly about to stomp him.
But in that instant, Puffy’s entire presence changed.
From playful child to commanding ruler—the Rabbit King once again.
Uncle Gry’s foot was repelled by a sudden gust of magic wind.
<...I’d like to say that was enough, but you’re still lacking. I only formed the contract so we could talk. For now, it’s temporary.>
His gaze had turned sharp, probing.
<Uncle Gry says he’ll leave the decision up to you. But me? I have expectations. You’ve tamed a Gryphon and can craft ultra-high-grade healing potions. If Uncle Gry hadn’t brought you here, I would’ve let the opportunity go. But he did. So here we are.>
Puffy glanced at Uncle Gry.
Apparently, Uncle Gry had brought Roa here on a whim, but Puffy had been waiting for that chance.
Uncle Gry looked away, clearly annoyed he’d been outmaneuvered.
<I want the real ruler of this forest.>
With a little bounce, Puffy spread his ears like wings and took to the sky, riding the wind.
<Beautiful, isn’t it?>
Roa followed Puffy’s arc with his eyes, then looked around him.
The rich forest under the great tree’s watchful canopy.
A place overflowing with life—beyond what any human could create.
<This is the Sage’s Herb Garden. Ruled by the great life tree Gaokerena, it governs all that lives. Thanks to its blessings, only those deemed worthy may enter. Countless rare herbs grow here, in all seasons, never fading.>
Puffy gently floated back down and landed on Roa’s shoulder.
<So what do you say? Would you like to become a Sage and make this forest your own?>
The sweet voice at his ear sounded, to Roa, like the whisper of a devil.
