Ch.514514. Between Rest and Work (3)

War leaves deep wounds.

Peaceful villages can be reduced to ashes and ruins. Sometimes, precious people may be lost. War is what leaves indelible scars in one’s memories.

‘Those mercenaries and refugees Lord Benner told me about.’

The reason they brandish weapons and cause disturbances.

I won’t know the exact details until I see for myself, but it seems they’re being continuously triggered by the extreme stress they experienced during the Winter War.

‘After I told Tasha I’d help her, a quest appeared.’

When I thought about completely taking control of the small religious order’s influence with Tasha’s help, a quest belatedly appeared.

『Secure Public Support』

『The barony already maintains military forces disproportionate to its territory size. However, before enemies, the baron’s forces are like sandcastles. Capture the hearts of the territory’s people to gain their trust so they will willingly take up arms to help when the holy war begins.』

The reward was Divine Power. And the promise of increased lord support beyond the public approval made me salivate.

‘The barony certainly maintains excessive troops for a baronial house.’

Special assault teams, knights, reserve magic corps, and even a main force, plus separate peacekeeping and defense forces.

As a royal territory, they’ve grown this large through generous financial support from the royal family. This situation is only possible because they maintain it with the enormous profits from intermediary trade.

Furthermore, houses distant from the county have relied on the barony, which was a royal territory, for territorial war support, mediation, and assistance in exterminating monsters in local areas near territories lacking military power.

‘Even though it’s no longer a royal territory.’

Due to the elasticity of established customs, many territories are still asking for our help, which is the current situation.

As a result, since a considerable amount of the territory’s budget is already being taken, training additional soldiers for that damned demon is unthinkable.

In this situation, such a quest appearing was an excellent opportunity for me.

‘It means I need to secure loyal soldiers who don’t require salaries.’

In this case, there happened to be suitable people and problems existing together.

‘Mercenaries are perfect for this.’

Most are groups who make their living by the sword, following the money.

They are warriors with extensive combat experience who necessarily form groups to survive. They’re adept at maintaining discipline and coordination among themselves, so if they want, they can also coordinate with our regular army.

‘Mercenaries from the guild are known for being rough and harsh.’

But that doesn’t mean they only have gold coins in their heads and don’t understand gratitude or human connection.

Female warriors who can easily beat goblins to a pulp with just a club also have their own sense of loyalty.

‘Struggling mercenaries. Especially—’

If I directly help mercenaries who are mistreated as simply “crazy people” due to post-war trauma, and who are even imprisoned and oppressed whenever they’re seen, and give them courage to stand up again.

Both the mercenaries and the guild would look upon us quite favorably.

“So, Ray wants to help those mercenaries?”

“That’s right. I want to increase the number of mercenaries who use our barony as their base.”

So I explained everything that had happened so far to Sione, who had unceremoniously sat on my lap.

“Well, having more mercenaries attached to the territory is certainly reassuring. The ill-tempered ones will stay quiet if the guild gives them a warning.”

Sione said this as if she thought my idea wasn’t bad.

Not content with just sitting on my lap, she seemed to want to use me as a bed.

She leaned back further against my chest.

“Even though royal matters can’t be helped… creating more work by saying you’ll help mercenaries and refugees. Just how kind-hearted are you?”

“…I heard there was some money from participating in last winter’s war and other support funds. As long as it’s not too much—”

“I’m not scolding you, I’m praising you.”

Whoosh!

“Ugh…!”

Sione, who had been lying on me, suddenly performed a death roll like an alligator on top of me.

Now she wasn’t lying on top of me, but was face down.

The problem was that as Sione turned, she jabbed my solar plexus with her elbow. As I coughed and sputtered from the sudden loss of air from my lungs, Sione looked down at my pained expression.

“…honey?”

As if this outcome wasn’t in her mental plan, her pupils trembled in all directions for a moment.

“J-just a moment, Sio… I need to breathe—”

Just as I tried to move her to my side so I could breathe first.

“Anyway, it’s y-your fault for being so admirable…! Who told you to show such a cool side!”

“Gack…! A-air…!”

I couldn’t help but shed tears under the fierce shower of kisses.

Honestly, she should give me time to catch my breath. No matter how much she’s my one and only wife, what’s with repaying me with breath-stealing kisses right after elbowing her husband in the solar plexus?

After nearly dying while seeing only Sione’s face with her eyes tightly shut, seemingly aware of her mistake, without any life flashing before my eyes.

After regaining my composure, for some reason, Sione said while licking her lips.

“You said you were going to inspect the slums and places with many mercenaries, right?”

“I thought I should see for myself to know exactly what’s going on.”

Whether it’s just common thugs causing trouble, or truly desperate actions of those suffering from post-war trauma.

When I used to work as a Hunter, some former colleagues who couldn’t endure left this world early because they couldn’t overcome their suffering.

‘I too—’

Would have had a much harder time without Tania’s help.

As I briefly reflected on those old thoughts, Sione nodded slightly and answered.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“You too, Sione?”

“Gardening is fun, but… I’ve been in the lord’s castle for a long time. Being by my husband’s side is the most fun for me. And in return—”

As if this was the main point, Sione’s smile grew wider.

“After the inspection, play with me outside.”

“From your expression, it seems you already have somewhere you want to go.”

“Hehe, you caught me.”

Seems she had been planning something.

“I want to visit a brewery.”

“A brewery?”

Sione?

“I heard that Karpel Barony’s beer is so famous!”

You can’t even drink alcohol….

* * *

Men are not suited for the tough work of mercenaries.

That was obvious. Men weren’t granted Mana.

But despite that, he tried and tried, gained reliable comrades.

With twice the effort of others, he honed his swordsmanship and physical strength to improve his skills.

‘I thought everything would work out well.’

Even to himself, the situation didn’t seem that bad.

Though he didn’t have Mana, he had talent in swordsmanship.

He had a vague belief that as long as he didn’t overdo it, he could overcome adversities with his comrades until old age sapped his strength.

But soon the illusion shattered.

“Damn it…”

The Winter War was brutally fierce.

Though not as much as the kingdom’s finest knights and mages gathered at the front lines.

The rear also had to suffer from numerous diversionary attacks by Demonkin, resulting in so many villages being destroyed or half-demolished.

“Damn cultist bastards.”

He, a mercenary who stood on the battlefield to defend the village at that time, fully remembered the tragedy.

People screaming as they were slaughtered by Demonkin. Children crying desperately beside their dead parents, caught in magical bombardments.

And—

‘How long will these screams continue…!’

The desperate cries of the mercenary band who took up swords without proper acquaintance before Demonkin who had reached levels they couldn’t even imagine.

The spearman who always lightened the mood died when his head was penetrated by enemy magic.

The woman who was the mercenary band’s treasurer and everyone’s role model died with her stomach sliced by a sword.

The leader he loved died with his neck cut while trying to save him.

And he remembered.

“Ah.”

The head flying up toward the sky right in front of him and the cooling eyes.

“…it’s starting again.”

His severed left arm began to throb.

The surrounding scenery changes helplessly.

The scene of the main road where many people were passing by changes to a desolate, collapsed village landscape, and people’s faces are also hidden and invisible.

“P-please don’t do this to me.”

He’s afraid.

Suspicion arises that those people might be Demonkin hiding their identities.

“They’re not enemies. I shouldn’t kill them. They’re just people.”

He wants to live.

To live, he must kill the enemy.

The surrounding scenery is already a battlefield, and the whispering sounds of people stimulate him.

“No, I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t kill them.”

He knows what they’re saying without listening.

They must be blaming him.

Why did he survive alone? What value does he have now?

“No…! It’s not true…!”

They’ll kill him.

They’ll kill him comfortably rather than letting him survive like this.

When he couldn’t bear the mocking voices of “cowardly deserter” circling his ears.

Slowly—

“I’m not bad. You’re the bad ones. You who killed my family…!”

Just as he was about to draw the sword from its scabbard with his remaining right arm.

“Ugh…!”

Someone pushed the sword back in and said.

“Breathe.”

“Huu…ugh…!”

“It’s okay, hurry.”

In a firm and clear voice.