episode_0018

18. A Single Word Decides the Worth of a Life

Fortunately, the hot air balloon worked without issue.

Soaring high over the castle walls, it dropped the human blenders—Vivian, Luna, and Adel—into the fray, ultimately leading to the conquest of the fortress.

Adel, the wealthy and shameless noble, immediately swung open the massive gates at the front gate.

Meanwhile, our allies, who had been waiting for the balloon to rise while encircling the rear gate, now poured in through the front.

Vivian, who had already beheaded the hulking Lyionel Fenrose, and Luna, whose prowess was on par with hers.

The two women charged forward, literally grinding through enemy knights with their weapons.

Shortly after, they captured Elioid Fenrose, who had lost even the will to resist.

From my perch atop the balloon, I sighed in relief as I confirmed everything had gone smoothly.

“Haah… Feels good.”

Perhaps because it had been hastily cobbled together from rags and furnace materials, the balloon shook violently and unpredictably.

Thanks to my careful calculations and design, its performance was flawless, but the shoddy materials left its durability questionable.

Still, I took in the breathtaking scenery stretching far into the distance.

The golden sunlight blanketing the city like a mist was nothing short of magnificent.

“Man, I’ve come a long way from the countryside.”

Just a few months ago, all I wanted was a quiet life…

Then I was abruptly conscripted and mercilessly worked to the bone by the adorable lord now gazing up at me from below.

Furnaces, pencils, printing press type, a hot air balloon… I really made a lot in just two months.

Judging by the current level of scientific advancement, this world is roughly equivalent to 800s Europe.

Meaning I somehow crammed four technologies a thousand years ahead into just two months.

“Ugh… I’m exhausted….”

Maybe it was because I’d gone a week without sleep after losing so much blood?

Emotions were creeping in for no reason.

Erica will handle the rest, right? With that thought, I leaned against the balloon’s basket and slowly drifted off to sleep.

————————

The war, which had lasted a month and two weeks, was now over.

Vivian, the one who had contributed the most in this war, strode about barking orders at knights while resting a glaive on her shoulder.

“Hey, hey! Slow down!”

“We’re on it, Sergeant!”

“Wanna die? It’s shaking like mad! That softie’s injured—what if he gets hurt?!”

“We’ll correct it!”

The knights, under Vivian’s fierce scolding, worked to lower the balloon by its ropes.

As the mana Vivian, Luna, and Adel had poured into it began to fade, the descent was smoother than expected.

The furnace, crafted from red wyvern scales, dimmed as Cain and the balloon gradually touched down.

After thoroughly berating the knights one last time, Vivian approached Cain.

He was sprawled inside the basket, fast asleep in the most comfortable position imaginable.

“Aigoo… Our little softie took a joyride through the sky, and now half his face is gone.”

“What kind of weird nickname is that?”

Erica, who had been watching nearby, chimed in.

Vivian snorted before replying.

“He barely got hit by an arrow and—poof!—his flesh tore clean off. Total softie material.”

“Don’t call him weird nicknames.”

“Hey, you call him ‘our fox’—that’s just as weird.”

“The brat wags his tail!”

Vivian nodded silently in agreement.

Then, gently stroking Cain’s face, she muttered under her breath.

“Unnecessarily handsome… If he were ugly, he’d just be a capable comrade.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing, my lord.”

Erica sighed in response.

“Seriously, what kind of body does he even have? One sip of potion after being gouged like that, and he’s fine already….”

She murmured while brushing her fingers over Cain’s bandaged back and shoulders.

For an entire week, Cain had obsessed over completing the balloon, refusing to sleep.

Worried, Erica had even consulted medics—but despite having no mana, his oddly resilient body recovered at an alarming rate.

Sure, scars would remain, but recovering with just potions was practically a miracle…

“Doesn’t change the fact he’s a magicless softie.”

Grumbling, Vivian hoisted Cain, who was still fast asleep, onto her back.

Then, glancing around, she remarked.

“There’s more food in the fortress than I expected. We won’t have to worry about starving on the way back.”

“Yeah… Politically and militarily, this was a huge boon.”

Erica nodded in agreement before walking alongside Vivian.

Where her steps halted was right in front of the main dish of this war—Elioid Fenrose, bound in restraints.

Even if Vivian, Luna, and Adel had ganged up on him, Fenrose wielded A-rank strength.

Had he wished, resisting would’ve been possible—yet he surrendered without a fight.

“Welcome.”

Kneeling and tightly bound in ropes, Fenrose greeted them with an easygoing smile.

Given that Luna and Adel stood guard beside him, swords at the ready, his arrogance bordered on suicidal.

It was the kind of behavior that could easily provoke one’s opponent, but Erica found herself intrigued instead.

So she peered down at him with an intrigued expression and asked:

“You seem awfully cheerful for someone in your position?”

“……”

“Want us to kill you quickly?”

“Haha, no.”

Stiff from being bound, Fenrose stretched with a few twists before smiling leisurely up at Erica.

“Does death really suit anyone in this world?

But Elioid Fenrose, second son of the disgraced Fenrose lineage, has no intention of clinging to life.

A criminal who nearly killed an outstanding talent and the former Duke Erica Grace deserves no mercy.”

“Hmm…?”

Erica’s interest deepened.

Part of her wanted to draw her sword and behead him right then and there…

But Cain had safely recovered, and cooler heads prevailed—killing someone of his caliber would be a waste.

“To think a traitor dares wag his tongue before our lord…!”

Luna scowled and reached for her sword, but Erica raised a hand to stop her.

“Then what *do* you regret?”

“That man—what *is* he?”

The mention of Cain made Erica flinch.

Unfazed, Fenrose let out a hollow chuckle and continued.

“Mages insisted flight was impossible.

Yet in barely a week, that man built a way using mere scraps. A genius sent by the gods—no other explanation fits.”

“And?”

Only then did Fenrose notice Erica’s odd reaction.

But he was a traitor anyway.

Him being spared was unthinkable, so he freely shared his thoughts.

“He will change the world.

Leaving before witnessing the future shaped by him—that’s my only regret.”

Hearing this, Vivian glanced at Cain’s face resting on her shoulder and smirked in satisfaction.

Mentally praising Fenrose for having good taste, she…

“You’re an interesting one.”

Erica stroked her chin while staring down at Fenrose.

“Too valuable to kill.”

“Huh?! B-But my lord! He’s a *traitor*! Sparing him will embolden other nobles and turncoats!”

Adel removed his sunglasses and offered earnest counsel.

“A ‘traitor’? That label was just a pretext to humble the nobles.”

“Still, leaving him alive will make others think you’re too soft—!”

“The sneak attack failed because a traitor warned us. Plus, we conquered this fortress in a month and two weeks despite winter ration shortages.

I’d say demonstrating our might was plenty sufficient already.”

Adel pressed his lips shut.

Truthfully, this war was pure spectacle—the medieval equivalent of WWE.

Erica needed a war justifying Cain’s promotion to baronet.

At the same time, rebellious nobles needed a show of force—hence branding Fenrose a traitor.

Sure, refusing allegiance despite being in Redfield territory *technically* counted as treason…

But all things considered, it fell within forgivable limits.

Besides, had the Fenrose brothers submitted, they’d have been stuck here forever as meat shields—so their defiance was somewhat understandable…

Of course, sparing Fenrose *would* invite backlash.

Killing him here would’ve been the cleanest resolution, but…

“He’s… too talented to waste.”

“Haah…”

True to her reputation as a patron of talent, Erica eyed Elioid’s exceptional skills with clear interest.

Staring down at the noble captive, she posed a question.

“Well? Will you serve me as your lord?”

“…For the rest of my days.”

Her cousins sighed, slapping their foreheads—they knew all too well how she lost her head over gifted individuals.

Only Vivian smiled wryly and spoke up.

“Well… if she wasn’t like this, our softie would’ve stayed a grunt rotting on the battlefield.

Once our lord decides, who are we to argue?”

“Ugh, whatever! You handle it!”

“A subject obeys their sovereign.”

Adel resignedly slid his sunglasses back on, while Luna—ever the lifelong soldier—ended the discussion.

Sparing Fenrose, branded a traitor and nearly Erica’s killer, would undoubtedly set a precarious precedent.

The consequences would cling to them like a persistent shadow.

But Erica seemed utterly unbothered as she turned away, her fur coat billowing, then pinched Cain’s cheek like mochi.

Vivian exhaled, watching her lord’s whimsy, and asked:

“So, what now? Going back’s gonna be messy…”

“Oh, that?”

Erica grinned as if it were nothing.

“We purge the traitors one by one until no more dare crawl out.

With justification on our side, who’d dare complain?”

Even in his sleep, Cain’s stretched cheek twitched as if he’d felt a chill…

But Vivian just shrugged, replying playfully:

“Sure, if that’s the surest way, we’ll follow, my lord.”

“Then let’s head back and start the dance of—!”

“MY LORD!!”

A knight suddenly came sprinting over.

Kneeling before Erica, he presented a pristine, stiff white letter—clearly high-grade.

“…The imperial seal.”

“Indeed!”

Erica unfolded and read the letter, scowling in irritation.

“Guess the purges will have to wait.”

“Huh? Why?”

She neatly folded the letter and slipped it into her coat before responding to Vivian.

“The royal court summoned me. We leave at once.”

“Oh? Then who’s escorting—?”

“Obviously, I’m taking our fox. Toss him in a carriage—we depart immediately.”

Vivian shot a pitying look at Cain, still snoozing on her back.

Waking up straight to the emperor’s presence… Just imagining it was heartbreaking.