Move

Evening, morning, noon. With three consecutive meat rations, smiles didn’t leave the faces of the squad members.

It seemed they had forgotten about the Imperial soldiers encamped outside the forest.

The squad members, generously sharing the wild boar meat simmered with several spices, chattered amongst themselves, beaming.

“Is it okay for us to be like this?”

One squad member said. He had participated in many battles, but this was his first time experiencing such a relaxed battlefield.

The 4th Cavalry of the Kingdom of Jernoa.

The kingdom’s fourth cavalry, which suddenly appeared among the existing three, had a unique history of a renowned mercenary group being incorporated into the regular army.

The mercenary group had a name, but it was rarely called by that name, and few people remembered it.

They never retreated in any mission, and they never backed down in any mission.

If paid, they would risk their lives to carry out the request.

The Invincible Mercenary Group. That was the name people remembered them by.

With their undefeated record and the special circumstance of being from a mercenary group, the Kingdom of Jernoa made good use of the 4th Cavalry.

The 4th Cavalry was dispatched to most battlefields, and the intensity of the battles was high.

They tirelessly rode their horses to break the battle lines, and joined forces with the infantry to flatten the enemies.

“It’s better than being busy, though.”

Someone answered, biting off a large chunk of meat.

“Yeah, isn’t this better than eating jerky on horseback all the time?”

“That’s true. When else would we get to eat something like this on the battlefield?”

“Battlefield aside, even in the capital, having meat two days in a row is rare.”

“That’s because you gamble away your salary.”

“It’s not gambling, it’s investing. Yohan even certified it as a sure business!”

“Trust Yohan? You shouldn’t trust him unless it’s on the battlefield. Don’t you know he spent half a year’s salary buying Holy Water last time?”

“Holy Water? What’s that? Are you talking about the holy water from the church?”

The squad members gathered around, intrigued by the story.

“Yeah, he poured money into a business that mass-produces and sells that holy water.”

“Holy water… that thing? Isn’t that made by the Priest? I heard the process is quite complicated.”

“It is complicated. That’s why the amount of holy water distributed to each parish is limited.”

“But what do you mean by mass-producing that holy water?”

“I don’t know. What did that bastard Yohan say? A retired Priest cheaply blesses and makes something similar to holy water, or something like that.”

“Retired Priest…? Can a Priest even retire?”

Someone asked. Then, the squad member who was telling the story shook his head vigorously.

“Yeah, a normal person would ask that. Seriously, how can a Priest retire? They either die or give up their priesthood. If they give up their priesthood, they can’t just bless things. They’re branded as heretics. Even if we concede that they retired, holy water is holy water, what’s something similar to holy water?”

“……So, is that why Yohan has been going around borrowing money these days? He said he had a sure business and would pay back with interest.”

A squad member’s voice was heard from the crowd.

As soon as the squad member finished speaking, silence fell.

“……..”

“……..”

“Is there anyone here who lent money to Yohan?”

Hands slowly rose here and there.

And wooden clubs rose with them.

“Where is that bastard Yohan?”

The goal of the squad members, full and with nothing to do, was set.

“Your arm is fine. Honestly, if a wild boar was that strong, I thought you would have at least fractured something.”

Judah said, touching the Captain’s arm.

“You’re really okay?”

Anna, who was watching the process from behind Judah, asked. It was her fifth question already.

“Anna, the Captain is fine.”

Judah, who could have been annoyed by the repeated questions, spoke kindly.

“I think you can ride a horse now.”

At Judah’s question, the Captain nodded.

“Will I be able to fight too?”

The Captain asked slowly. Judah’s hand, which was organizing the medicine bottles, stopped.

“You can ride a horse, but if you move too vigorously, it could worsen.”

Judah warned.

“It’s not like they’ll take our circumstances into consideration.”

The Captain retorted, rotating his wrist, and Judah sighed softly.

“…That’s true. Let me know when the policy is decided.”

Judah slowly left the tent. The Captain stared at the spot where he had left for a moment.

He moved his lips as if to say something, but then closed them.

The Captain’s slow gaze turned to Anna.

Anna stood blankly in front of him.

“Haven’t you had lunch yet?”

A rough question was directed at Anna.

“Yes. Not yet….”

“Let’s eat together. I’m sorry, but could you bring some?”

At the Captain’s words, Anna suppressed her twitching lips and went out of the tent.

Whether she ran to the distribution line or used the Vice-Captain’s authority, she quickly brought the food.

Two plates with chunks of meat emitting hot steam.

Anna handed the plate with the relatively larger piece of meat to the Captain.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“……..”

After cutting the meat into small pieces with a knife, he picked it up with a fork and ate it.

Anna chewed the meat and glanced at the Captain.

“Anna.”

“Yes.”

“Only one day left now.”

“…That’s right.”

“How are the squad members?”

The Captain stopped speaking after swallowing the meat.

“They are resting well. They are ready to go out right now.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Captain. How about we move today instead? It would be better to move when the enemies don’t expect it.”

“Didn’t you see it yesterday?”

“What are you talking about?”

Anna tilted her head at the Captain’s question.

“The soldiers ambushed around the forest.”

The Captain picked up the meat and put it in his mouth nonchalantly. Anna dropped the fork she was holding.

“You didn’t know?”

Looking at Anna, whose eyes had widened, the Captain said as if it were nothing.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Since our information is being leaked anyway, it’s impossible to move secretly. We will definitely fill the three days the Emperor suggested.”

“So, you’re thinking of a head-on battle.”

“…That’s right.”

The Captain answered, putting the meat in his mouth again.

“That’s our style.”

Anna chuckled. Well, it wasn’t a situation where they could use their brains in a complicated way.

“But we need at least minimal tactics. We need to deal with the traitor before the head-on battle. And….”

“And?”

“…Um, I’ll talk about this later.”

The Captain swallowed his words. Anna simply nodded at the Captain’s words.

“It’s delicious.”

The Captain, who had already finished eating the meat, got up from his seat.

Anna, who had half of the meat left on her plate, also got up, following the Captain.

“Eat more and come out. I want to walk alone for a bit.”

At the indirect rejection, Anna sat back down.

The Captain went out of the tent, and the voices of the squad members talking to the Captain were occasionally heard.

Anna stared blankly at the meat.

It still looked appetizing, but she didn’t feel like eating it.

“We need to find the traitor quickly.”

Her head started to ache.

What reason could they possibly have for betraying?

She thought the relationship between the squad members and the Captain was special.

The cavalry was a place where people who had directly received favors from the Captain gathered. It was also a place where comrades who had been together since the mercenary days were.

Who could possibly betray such a cavalry….

“What is the Captain thinking of doing?”

Even if they found out the traitor’s identity, it was a problem. It was almost impossible to deal with it quietly.

In the process of dealing with it, the squad members would be shaken, and morale would be greatly reduced.

The Captain, who came out of the tent, approached Yohan, who was being lynched by the squad members.

“Yohan.”

“Ugh… Captain?”

“Let’s take a walk together for a bit.”

The Captain’s face was not clearly visible because of the backlight.