episode_0099

A hot summer day. The strong sun creates a haze on the ground, and the sound of cicadas echoes everywhere.

Leria Village, located in the southern part of the empire, is crowded with people even today.

“This is where the Scar mercenary group’s base is located?”

“…is it smaller than I thought?”

“Sure. That ska mercenary group is from a place like this?”

Most of them came after hearing about the ‘Scar Mercenary Group’, which had begun to rise rapidly around this time last year and was recently evaluated as the most outstanding mercenary group in the entire empire.

-Hey… these heroes appeared in this small town?

-Yes… The leader position is still vacant.

-Hey! Quiet! Don’t you know that someone brought up that story the other day and almost got their head cut off?!

The hottest southern part of the continent. Those who arrived at Leria Village on a sweltering summer day are all talking about the Scar mercenaries.

Scar mercenaries.

It is currently considered to be the strongest mercenary group in name and reality, and the legendary story of Seris, who took her place as vice-leader, has become a role model for promising swordsmen and mercenary groups growing up.

Vice-captain Seris, who is considered a superhuman, is said to have cut down a dragon and the sky single-handedly, and there is a joke going around that he cannot win even if all the knights directly under the imperial family attack him.

The members of the Scar mercenary group, who have now become living legends, looked quite exhausted compared to their external performance.

Everyone’s faces were full of fatigue, but no one complained.

This may be because they all have their own sense of guilt and responsibility.

Thanks to this, the faces of the mercenary members did not change after Director Venice left.

The office that Director Venice used during his lifetime. Someone knocks on the door and goes inside.

“….Hans. What’s going on?”

“Vice-captain Seris. I have received requests from the guild.”

“…Put it down in front of you.”

Hans, who was looking at Seris’ empty eyes as she sat at the small desk right next to the desk that Venice used, puts down the pile of requests.

Sararak- Sararak.

Seris picked up the requests and turned them over one by one without saying a word.

In a quiet office, the only sounds you can hear are the sounds of cicadas outside the window, the sounds of people, and the sound of papers being turned.

Stop.

Seris, who was quietly flipping through the requests, stopped at a section of paper that was particularly classy and sophisticated among papers.

– Request letter directly from the imperial family.

Contents: A strong black magic signal was discovered in an abandoned castle in the northernmost part of the country. The danger level of the signal discovered as an artifact appears to exceed that of a 4-star monster and rival that of a 5-star monster.

A mercenary group that has subdued monsters of 4 stars or higher, or an individual, is requested to exterminate the warlock.

“…….”

A request directly from the imperial family. The very fact that they received this request meant that they were a group or individual whose strength was carefully observed and recognized by the imperial family.

As I look at the paper, which is enough to even think of in its glory, I am reminded of the times I spent with the leaders.

…and the last request. It was a request directly from the imperial family. The reason why the leader left…

Drop….Drop.

A small trace of material is left on the polished paper. The moment when Vice-Captain Seris, who is always strong and never knows defeat, becomes the most delicate and weak.

Hans stayed quietly and waited. This is probably because I know Vice-Captain Seris’s feelings very well.

After a while. Hans asks a question, looking at Seris who has quietly wiped away her tears.

“…Are you going to do that request?”

Seris steeled herself once again and looked down at the requests. For a request directly under the imperial family, it was a more ordinary request than expected.

In fact, the attempt to exterminate the 4-star monster itself was a record that will remain in the history of the mercenary group, but for the Scar mercenary group, it was a little different.

Moreover, the request location is the northern region of the empire, which can be said to be the furthest from the southern region. If it were as usual, this request would have been rejected in order to maximize efficiency.

“…….”

It would have been… Why am I so concerned?

Normally, this is a request that I would have paid attention to for a moment but then immediately turned off my attention.

Seris felt an unknown attraction. I feel a compulsion that I must accept this request.

“…As expected, you don’t-”

“I will.”

“….Yes?”

” says. This request.”

Once again, there is silence in the office. It’s so quiet that you can’t even hear the cicadas’ cries.

“…Okay. Vice leader.”

What can you do? Now that the leader has left. Because the vice-captain is leading this mercenary group.

As a mere mercenary member, he simply obeys the words of his superiors.

***

Now a few days have passed. Seris was heading to the northern part of the empire alone.

If it was a 5-star level monster, Seris could easily play with it on her own. Therefore, there was no need to go through the trouble of going to the mercenaries.

Recently, automatic carriages were distributed throughout the empire and were faster and more stable than regular carriages.

Of course, it would have been much faster for Seris to run at full speed, but she didn’t want to do that right now.

“…I’ll be back, leader.”

It was because I remembered that before I left, I had visited the grave near the village of Leria, where he lived and loved, and said hello to him.

Seris is lost in thought as she looks at the scenery outside the window that begins to pass by quickly.

Why did I suddenly receive this request? Is it just a momentary impulse, or is it for some unknown reason?

I was… heading north now. North…d.

In the happy days I spent with the leader. Among Seris’s delusions, there was a dream of traveling together throughout the empire.

Because Seris was born in the southern part of the empire and had never left the southern part of her life. It was because I wanted to experience all the first times with my loved one.

I went to the sea, which I had never been to before, and splashed around with the Venice leader.

I get a tan in the warm sunlight, and smile while looking at my comically tanned skin.

If possible… I wanted to ask the leader to apply something called oil.

Since Seris didn’t have any particularly discriminatory thoughts, I wanted to tour the eastern part together and experience and see the culture of the beast people.

And the north, where we are currently headed, was the place I wanted to go the most with the Venice team leader.

Although it is cold and blizzardy all year round, the beautiful scenery and unique foods that can only be found in the northern part of the country are widely known throughout the country.

Since I have the body of a superhuman, I won’t get cold. Still, I wanted to touch each other’s bodies with the leader and share each other’s warmth.

It is on dark nights in the northern part of the empire that the moon and stars are most beautiful and clear.

I wanted to sit down with the leader in a place where no one was around, look at the big moon and stars, and whisper our love for each other.

Now… I can’t do anything.

The fact that I had to touch that cold tombstone in order to meet you was so deeply regrettable and painful.

Drop… drop.

As soon as we reach such thoughts, our happy thoughts collapse. In an instant, depression fills my entire body and tears flow.

“Chief…”

i miss you. Even though it’s been a year since you left, you still show up every night.

Your blunt, but always kind face and expression. Your habits, your tastes, and even the smile you showed at the end.

I remember everything. I clearly remember you as if you were right in front of me just a moment ago.

It’s so… heartbreaking. I couldn’t even convey my true feelings. My actions that hurt you until the very end… I feel so resentful.

Captain. I still… remain here.

I remember you, who is already gone, reminisce, blame myself, and shed tears.

….i miss you.

“Black…Ugh….”

Seris is the strongest woman in the empire, the strongest swordsman everyone envies, and the vice-captain who leads the strongest mercenary group.

It was a cry so pitiful and pitiful that it belonged to the woman with all kinds of legendary stories and nicknames.

***

The automatic carriage ran and ran all night until it reached its destination. There is still loud noise coming from the village near the northernmost part of the country where the goal is located.

“….there! Who are you?”

“Vice leader of the Scar mercenary group. Seris.”

“…Oh, you were Seris! I didn’t know Seris would come…!”

As we approached the village, a young-looking man wearing a robe with the imperial seal started talking to us.

“Please rest in this village until tonight, and we will all depart together tomorrow morning!”

“…Yes.”

After being introduced to the accommodation by a bespectacled man with ponytails who introduced himself as an aide related to training, I quietly look around and head towards the accommodation.

It was a very peaceful and cozy winter village, considering that a warlock comparable to a 5-star monster appeared nearby.

Ceris started to feel depressed again when she remembered her plan with the leader, but she tried to shake it off and walked towards her dorm.

As expected from the imperial family, the accommodation was quite excellent from the outside. It was large enough for a small town and, at a glance, was well maintained.

Cerise walks towards her dorm. Then, I felt an unknown feeling from behind me, so I turned around.

“……..”

“……..”

He makes eye contact with a woman walking behind him.

A truly beautiful woman, with hair whiter than the eyes embroidered on the floor. According to the information that Seris knows, this woman is likely a member of the Frost family.

Their unique features, white hair and purple eyes, stood out so much.

However, those eyes that should have shined brighter than jewels are so empty. It feels as if there is a lack of emotion.

….just like your own. No, it was the same eyes. The eyes of someone who has lost everything and even the hope of life.

Why does she, who was the child of the best family in the empire, feel the same way as him? Why are you looking like that?

Cerys and Ariel Frost looked at each other.

An unknown hostility and an unknown sense of kinship felt towards each other.

It must be the first time we’ve seen each other, but why does it feel so familiar and makes me feel angry and sad?

Jeopuk-jeopuk.

They looked at each other, then turned around and headed towards their quarters without saying a word.