episode_0022

“Puh-hoo….”

Wiping the dripping potion with her sleeve, the administrator let out a long sigh.

“Thank you, Jack… You are my only hope in life…”

“Yes?”

“If it weren’t for Jack’s potion, I would have continued to live pessimistically and probably hanged myself someday.”

“Haha… Please don’t say such creepy things.”

“I’m sorry… Jack, are you also repulsed by me…?”

The administrator crouched down, avoiding eye contact.

Rather than being repulsed, it’s more like a fragile glass that could shatter at any moment. Just a slight crack would lead to a mental collapse and self-loathing.

“Administrator, let’s continue our previous conversation for now.”

“Oh, yes… about the Remugen mercenaries…”

The administrator nodded slowly.

“There certainly is something suspicious… those unruly Remugen mercenaries paying full price for potions…”

“Right? They bought a whole shelf worth of them.”

The Remugen mercenaries.

A belligerent and fearless mercenary group that would do anything for money. Their prestige was so great, and their love for fighting so intense, that they wouldn’t hesitate to raid nearby villages when their supplies were low, often going unnoticed if the damage wasn’t severe.

They were like a hornet’s nest – touch them and you’ll get stung.

So, why would these Remugen mercenaries come all the way to our shop to buy potions?

“What could be their intention?”

“Well, um, who knows… Maybe they really need healing potions… After all, most of them are sword-wielding individuals, so there are many cases of injury or death…”

It makes sense.

Perhaps they urgently needed healing potions.

“But still, it’s quite perplexing. Judging by their usual behavior, isn’t this a bit unusual?”

“That’s true… I’m sorry… Honestly, I just don’t know…”

The administrator teared up.

If our village had a proper security force, we wouldn’t have to worry about this… An administrator who can’t even ensure the safety of the villagers… It would be better to give up on that and get married to have children…

“Yes?”

Having lots of babies is the only thing a foolish and lowly woman like me can do to increase the village’s birth rate…

“You’re not foolish, Administrator. Don’t belittle yourself.”

“But it’s true… I can’t even solve Jack’s worries… If my mind is foolish, at least my body should be good, but living like this, getting fat and vulgar…”

Lost in thought, she left the administrator to his self-deprecation.

The visit from the mercenaries of Remugen and what the administrator had just said.

A proper security force.

Indeed, it is necessary.

Our village’s security force consists of five amateurs with varying levels of armament, unable to properly handle goblins.

With no practical experience and too few in number, just patrolling the village takes up the entire day.

Meanwhile, the village is developing, and recently, they even set up a farm with fifteen pigs.

Honestly, if I set my mind to it, a person like me could sneak in and steal the pigs.

It might be different if we had dozens of guards like Odellin City.

But if the mercenaries of Remugen decide to raid the village one night, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

However, we can’t increase the number of guards.

Currently, our village is classified as a “hamlet” under administrative law.

Legally, it’s not a place where a security force is mandatory, so we can’t allocate the relevant budget.

The current five guards are almost volunteering to protect the village.

We can’t afford to add more guards.

It seems like it would be better to establish a proper militia.

Let’s discuss this with Captain Hostante.

“A militia… We need one.”

Captain Hostante nodded as he heard my words.

“You’re right. Our village is too vulnerable to external threats.”

“Is there a solution?”

“There is. We just need to train the young men as a knighthood. But there’s one problem.”

“They lack equipment.”

The guards lack essential armor and weapons.

Even if it’s not heavily armored, at the very least, a leather chest plate with a sword or spear to prevent fatal injuries should be available.

But in this village, there are hardly any iron tools, let alone leather armor. Even if there is iron, there are no facilities or skilled workers to refine it.

It’s a medieval village without a blacksmith or a forge. It’s too much for even a starting village.

If it’s like this, I’ll have to go to a place like Odellin City again to buy weapons…

There’s no choice. I have to think of it as an investment, send people, and have them bring back equipment.

By the way, I wonder if there are any mines nearby.

Usually, when you see a territory like this, there’s always a mithril mine in the mountains. How come there isn’t one here?

It’s a starting village with NPCs who have 100 stamina but nothing on their bodies.

This makes me wonder if such a reincarnation exists.

* * * * *

Late at night.

Mirella went to bed, leaving me alone to make potions.

I continued to fail the recipe for the potion that induces pig estrus and pregnancy promotion for the twentieth time.

I hope I succeed this time.

Then I heard the sound of the door opening.

Who is it at this hour?

There shouldn’t be anyone coming.

No, more importantly, I locked the door.

One by one, armed intruders with axes and swords entered and surrounded me.

Looking at their faces, they were the mercenaries from Lemugen who had visited the shop a few days ago.

If several armed mercenaries came at this hour, it wouldn’t be to buy potions.

“Jack, the potion shop owner. Right?”

“Well, yes.”

“Come with us.”

Are they kidnapping me?

They probably don’t want to waste money buying potions, so they’re taking me to make potions for them?

I quickly thought things over.

There’s no use resisting in my current state.

Especially in this situation where Mirella is on this floor, causing a commotion would only make things worse.

Certainly, Mirella will fearlessly confront the mercenaries, and she might even get killed.

For now, I’ll quietly follow along.

That’s to protect myself and ensure Mirella’s safety.

And if Mirella is safe and sound, knowing that I’m gone, she will ask the villagers for help.

“Are we going to the mercenary base?”

“Yes.”

“Do I need to bring anything? Like personal grooming items or spare clothes?”

“We’ll get it ready. Just bring your coat.”

“Understood.”

As I stood up, the mercenaries opened the warehouse door and began pulling out supplies in boxes.

The pulled-out boxes were all loaded onto a small cart outside.

They really did come prepared.

But still, it’s quite reckless to bring an entire cartload of external personnel even in the middle of the night.

I really need to strengthen the guard quickly.

If I can come back alive, that is.

“And take that too.”

The mercenaries even swept up the healing potions on the desk for the pigs.

“Oh, that’s…”

“No more talk, get on the cart.”

“Understood….”

* * * * *

Even in the dead of night, the cart raced as if possessed.

It was so fast that I feared it might fall into a ditch or crash into a tree.

As I clung to the boxes with my whole body, fearing the precious healing potions might spill and break, the mercenaries who saw this chuckled.

After a while, the jolting of the cart, which had been swaying like crazy, subsided.

We had entered the plain where the mercenary stronghold was located.

The stronghold looked like a sturdy little castle.

Originally, it was the castle of some viscount, but it was taken over by Leugen after driving out the hostile forces.

Those who live by the sword die by the sword.

Usually, such people are bound to be used and then betrayed by even more ruthless rulers or employers.

In the game, those who have been driven out by them receive a sub-quest from the fallen viscount and are wiped out by the player who proceeds with the route.

The reason these guys are still alive is because I advised Alaina not to get involved here.

It’s not even part of the main story, and the rewards are meager, so there’s no need to clear it.

But I never thought it would lead to this.

As I got off the cart, I was dragged into the castle and knelt in front of a woman with a despicable look.

Sharp and fierce eyes, a mouth twisted with mockery, a face marked with scars.

And a small earring sparkling on her earlobe.

Adelheid Leugen, the commander of the Leugen mercenaries.

It’s the same Adelheid I saw in the game.

“Hello, Commander.”

As I greeted her, Adelheid looked at me with a curious expression.

“It seems you know me.”

“I do. There are rumors about the commander spreading like wildfire.”

“Oh, really? What kind of rumors?”

“They say you’re very beautiful and charming. I thought it was just gossip, but seeing you in person, it turned out to be true.”

Adelheid chuckled as she glanced at me for a moment.

“Interesting.”

The tension eased a bit.

“If you knew me in Lemegeton, you wouldn’t be so relaxed. You truly are an extraordinary person.”

“It’s actually quite intimidating. But after meeting the commander in person, rather than fear, other emotions come first… Gah!”

Someone nearby suddenly slapped my back.

“Don’t speak so recklessly in front of your superiors!”

“No, let him be.”

The mercenary captain raised his hand to stop them.

“What emotion did you say came first?”

“Affection, sir. It’s only natural for people to be drawn to beauty.”

A heavy silence fell.

Adelheid’s fierce eyes looked down at me.

I met her gaze and offered a faint smile.

“I’m sorry, Commander. Please just throw me in prison.”

“Why?”

“If I continue to receive the commander’s attention, my heart will melt and I’ll die. It’s better to be in prison.”

There’s no one who dislikes flattery.

Let’s start by creating a harmonious atmosphere.

If my original work’s knowledge is correct, Adelheid will surely appreciate it.

Adelheid stared at me quietly.

“You, having traveled a long way, seem quite tired and unable to make sound judgments.”

Before she finished speaking, the mercenaries struck me again.

Ouch, damn it.