I was asked to translate a romance novel into English using first-person point of view without adding any comments. However, the text you provided seems to be mostly descriptive and does not contain clear indications of the characters’ internal thoughts or feelings, which are typically expressed in first-person narration. Despite this, I will attempt to render the translation as close to first-person perspective as possible based on the context.
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Asulin and the Bright Wing Knights were incredibly fast.
Given the urgency of the situation, even the attendants who would normally accompany knights didn’t join us as we marched with only the bare minimum of dry rations needed until we reached Frostmoor Fortress, the southernmost defense line against the barbarians and monsters. This march was nothing short of a forced march.
Even though the Caladborg Dukedom’s knights are renowned for their horsemanship, I expected some would fall behind given that we hadn’t even taken the minimal rest. But contrary to my expectations, after just one day, not only did no one fall behind, but even the horses, which seemed to be competing with each other, maintained their formation without breaking ranks.
This forced march was like a competition between the knights and their mounts, driven by an insane schedule and the sheer determination of both rider and horse.
Though I knew these knights were skilled enough to use mana, I still couldn’t help but be amazed at how the horses maintained their strength.
Despite my limited experience with riding, compared to the common horses, the ones carrying the knights on this march were extraordinary. Especially the white stallion that Asulin rode, charging fiercely.
I remembered riding this horse during the Succession War, and while it wasn’t particularly large, its endurance was impressive compared to the larger warhorses.
Asulin told me that this new breed was born from the cross between native breeds from the Central Continent and imported breeds from the Western Continent. While acceleration wasn’t much different from regular warhorses, their pure stamina was unparalleled.
I had heard tales of the swift horses that the Caladborg Dukedom prided themselves on, which were used historically for delivering urgent messages or transporting troops in emergencies before magic became advanced.
Even considering that, the endurance of these horses was truly remarkable.
Imagine this: carrying the weight of armored knights without proper food or water, racing from dawn till dusk.
-Whinny!
The horses didn’t seem tired; they were still showing off their strength, maintaining almost the same speed as when they first started.
-Whinny!
It felt like the black horse I was riding understood my thoughts as it neighed proudly and raised its head.
Hmm, was it asking me to pet it?
As I stroked its head, its movements became even faster.
At this speed, it felt like it could create its own wind, running through a windless zone.
…
Exhausted knights and horses that showed no signs of fatigue throughout the day.
Even though I initially thought it would take four days to reach Frostmoor Fortress, we arrived in less than two days.
We ate our dry rations on horseback, and even while feeding the special rations to the horses, we didn’t stop running.
“Wow… They fed the horses special food magically created instead of hay to maintain the marching speed and endurance. Who came up with this?”
“You’re talking about the Bright Wing Knights’ marching speed? Even when the head of household broke neutrality and attacked the Caladborg Dukedom, the main force of the Bright Wing Knights arrived from such a distance in just two days.”
“Hehe, sorry, my memory isn’t great.”
“Not talking is fine too…”
Despite the banter with Elshimer, who matched my pace, our speed didn’t decrease.
I don’t know how many more times I’ll experience a horseback march in my life, but this one left a lasting impression.
Of course, this relentless pace didn’t last forever.
Naturally, it wasn’t due to the knights’ or horses’ exhaustion.
Even though the road was well-maintained, as we approached the final stage of the Zakarat Mountain Range, the ascent slowed us down.
The road wasn’t steep, and it was well-paved, wide enough for several carriages to pass side by side, but we had to slow down to avoid trouble.
‘Still, it’s way faster than running on foot.’
No matter how strong the knights were, reinforced by their mana and willpower, they couldn’t match the horses running without showing any signs of fatigue.
Even I, without armor, felt it would be challenging.
“Looks like I can run alone now… I shouldn’t get too far ahead.”
Asulin, who seemed to have no trouble running faster than the horses despite his armor, looked around.
-Whinny!
After soothing the black horse that had shown signs of fatigue, I checked Asulin’s condition.
Though it had only been two days, the forced march had taken its toll, and he looked visibly tired, yet his beauty remained undiminished.
Moreover, despite the exhaustion, he was already preparing for battle.
From the way he was adjusting his posture, it was clear that he was in peak condition.
If he were a kettle, he would be just about to boil.
His control over his pace was incredibly skillful.
Seeing him so confident, even I felt inspired to push harder, urging the horse to climb the hill more vigorously.
In that moment, I wondered if I could do the same.
The presence of Asulin, who seemed to erase the gender difference with his fierce spirit, and his exceptional ability to utilize that spirit, filled me with admiration.
Even amidst the forced march, his careful control to prevent anyone from falling behind and his remarkable presence among seasoned knights on the battlefield impressed me greatly.
This miraculous march saw the Bright Wing Knights, including Asulin and Elshimer, reaching the destination without any casualties.
“…Even on such a well-maintained road, I won’t use such a steep climb again.”
Just as we were nearing the fortress, a voice cried out.
“Hmm, there’s Katarina coming.”
“Whoosh! We’ll arrive at the fortress soon!”
As I muttered the incantation, the horse’s complaints ceased immediately.
Like in Blood Haven, Elshimer was easy to read.
With a mix of awe and grumbling, the march was nearing its end.
“Stop!”
Asulin raised his hand urgently, halting the march.
We all sensed we were close to the fortress, and the knights, already preparing for combat, stopped marching, looking bewildered.
‘This…’
Though there was a slight delay, I could feel why Asulin had called for a halt.
Boom-!!
“Ah!!”
The sudden explosion and the ensuing tremor caused the tightly formed ranks of the Bright Wing Knights to momentarily break.
The intense vibration, which could have easily thrown riders off, was so strong that we barely had time to react.
“Th-this…”
One knight, struggling to keep balance, managed to speak, but before he could finish, the sky briefly turned dark.
It appeared that lightning, gathered in the clouds, had struck, causing the sky to darken.
Unlike usual, where thunderclaps follow the darkening sky, here the sky darkened almost instantly after the lightning strike.
Not long ago, I witnessed a similar phenomenon when the Twin-Headed Ogre appeared, causing lightning to rise from the ground and shoot up into the sky.
But this time, the lightning was even more intense.
“Andi, I’m going ahead to the fortress.”
Before I could finish thinking, Asulin tore the scroll from his pocket.
Curious, I realized it was a teleportation scroll that could transport the user instantly to any desired location.
Fearing the threat posed by the Twin-Headed Ogre, Asulin acted quickly to handle the situation.
“I’ll come with you!!”
I reached out to follow Asulin, but his hand was quicker, tearing the scroll.
“Damn.”
Thanks to the scroll, Asulin rushed to the fortress to subdue the Twin-Headed Ogre before it could cause further trouble.
“He could have brought two or three more people with that scroll.”
Staring blankly at Asulin’s disappearing form, I muttered.
Even if I tried to catch up, it wouldn’t have made a difference.
“…Young Master?”
“Stay quiet and follow my lead. Now is not the time to waste energy…”
Before I could give orders to Elshimer, who was puzzled, a deafening explosion echoed.
A faint blue lightning struck the ground, creating a loud noise that shattered the silence.
The lightning, coming from a great distance, momentarily filled our vision with its intense light.
“Did you see?”
“…Sir Caladborg’s Junior Duke is even more impressive than before. He couldn’t produce lightning of this scale back then.”
“People grow. If you’re content with your current abilities and stay complacent, you’ll fall behind those climbing up.”
With Asulin’s incredible feat leaving Elshimer speechless, I finally urged the black horse to run faster, tightening the reins to spur it on.
If Asulin had exhausted himself producing such a massive lightning strike, it was my duty as his companion to protect him.
The defense battle at Frostmoor Fortress, under the fierce winter, began with the sky being covered in blue lightning.
—
