episode_0178

“Lady Mina, is there anything you want to tell me?”

While telling Mina about his mission, Eugene noticed that her expression was slightly different from before.

“Well… I think it’s right to tell you, Eugene.”

Mina carefully opened her mouth.

‘They trust me like this and tell me about the quest. I also need to actively help if there’s anything I can do to help, even a little.’

Eugene also knows that Mina is a Barbarian.

However, he doesn’t know that she is actually from the Mohican tribe, which is practically extinct.

Mina was very young during the tribe’s extinction, but she has her own memories.

And it can’t be a good memory.

Family members die, neighbors die, and friends die in front of her, so it can’t be a good memory.

However, if her memories, which she doesn’t want to mention, can help Eugene, she wants to tell him.

“Do you happen to know about the Mohican tribe, Eugene?”

With that, Mina mentioned the Mohican tribe.

“The Mohican tribe? Are you talking about the Mohican tribe, which was a minority tribe even among the Barbarian tribes? I heard they can’t be found now, I read about them in a book, Mina.”

Eugene responded immediately.

He had heard various stories about the western desert tribes while walking the Pilgrim’s Path, but

there was no opportunity to hear about the Mohican tribe.

However, he had briefly encountered the Mohican tribe when he read an encyclopedia with Charlotte when he was young.

“Yes, they are a minority Barbarian tribe that disappeared about 20 years ago. They disappeared from the continent due to an event that was not properly known to the outside world.”

Still, since Eugene Schneider was aware of the Mohican tribe, Mina was able to immediately tell him the more specific background of the Mohican tribe’s extinction.

‘An event that was not known to the outside world?’

Eugene Schneider is silent for a moment, concentrating on Mina’s words,

Even at first glance, it was an unusual introduction.

“The Mohican tribe was located in a very remote part of the western desert. This is because they were not a tribe that had much interaction with other tribes.”

The Mohican tribe is a tribe that was ostracized even among the Mohicans.

Of course, the Barbarian tribes did not live in large groups with other tribes,

but the Mohican tribe uniquely maintained its lineage in an isolated environment.

“But one day, an oversized monster, a Drake, appeared in the area where the Mohican tribe lived. The Mohican tribe was annihilated by that Drake.”

The content Mina conveyed to Eugene when she got to the point was very shocking.

“Does that mean that a Drake appeared in the western desert 20 years ago???”

20 years ago was not the time when monsters started to increase like they are now.

Nevertheless, Mina’s words that a Drake appeared in a remote part of the western desert and annihilated the Mohican tribe, Eugene couldn’t help but react in such a surprised way.

“Yes, I’m sure. But like I said before, it’s not known. Because the truth isn’t in itself, but it depends on whether people believe it or not. Not to mention the Empire, even the Barbarians did not believe the story that the Mohican tribe was annihilated by the appearance of a Drake. It just started to be said that a disease spread, or that the Mohican tribe, who had a lot of resentment, was exterminated by another tribe.”

Eugene reacted in an incredulous tone, but

Mina nailed it as a certain story with unwavering eyes and tone.

However, unlike Mina’s heart, the Mohican tribe was forgotten in reality, and the last of the Mohican tribe in the remaining records is different from Mina’s words.

It was just said that they were expelled among the Barbarians due to the disgrace of being a tribe that inherited the blood of the demons.

‘Hmm… to be honest, it feels so absurd… but these are Mina’s words. Mina wouldn’t lie to me about something like this. I think she brought up the story because she wanted to help me.’

Even Eugene, who is very friendly to Mina, thinks this is a bit too much…

However, Eugene can’t help but think that Mina has no reason to lie to him.

At that moment, the two contradictory thoughts were diligently intersecting in Eugene’s head.

‘Could this be…?’

Something suddenly flashed through Eugene’s mind.

“Hey, Mina…”

And he immediately opened his mouth.

“Are you perhaps a survivor of the Mohican tribe who was annihilated by the Drake’s attack?”

What flashed through Eugene’s head was, if Mina’s words were not a lie,

how does Mina know that?

Because, according to Mina’s words, it is a fact that not only the Empire but also the other Barbarian tribes do not recognize.

Then where did Mina get the information and why is she so sure?

Eugene’s hunch suggested the keyword that Mina is a survivor of the Mohican tribe.

“That’s right. I am the only survivor of the Mohican tribe who was annihilated by the Drake’s attack at the time. I was five years old at the time.”

And Eugene Schneider’s hunch was correct.

**********

“Hahahaha! You’re really amazing, our assault captain!”

The Red Fox Mercenary Corps headquarters warehouse back lot,

The hearty laughter of the Red Fox Mercenary Corps’ advisor, Ivan, echoed there.

What caused his hearty laughter was none other than assault captain Eugene Schneider.

“The mana conductivity is so good that every movement feels really natural? I wanted to brag to Advisor Ivan more than anyone else.”

He was creating a new armor.

Since he had a new armor, Eugene wanted to show it off to his colleagues,

Ivan happened to be there first, so he was wielding a greatsword behind the warehouse and showing off.

“Well, I don’t think I have anything else to advise you on now,”

On the other hand, he told Ivan, who has a lot of experience, to point out anything that feels out of place.

This is because he has to be fully prepared before leaving for the quest.

“As far as I know, high-purity Varamion armor is said to unleash even greater power as proficiency increases. Especially from Sword Expert and above. So our assault captain, who is a Sword Expert, should be seen as just getting started.”

Ivan, an blunt weapon user, was more knowledgeable about blunt weapon-related equipment than others.

Based on that knowledge, Ivan gave his own advice,

While doing so, he mentioned the fact that Eugene is a Sword Expert.

After the quest target was determined to be Drake, Eugene and Jeanne decided after discussing it.

That was to tell the Red Fox Mercenary Corps colleagues about the fact that Eugene is a Sword Expert,

They believed that it would be difficult to achieve more than 200% synergy by hiding their strength because they had to fight a total war against Drake.

That’s why Ivan is giving advice like now.

“Oh… I see! Mina also said that the feeling would be different depending on my stats.”

Touching, touching, touching,

Eugene made a satisfied expression while touching the Varamion Great Swordsman Armor.

“Assault Captain! Advisor Ivan! The Captain is here! Come in quickly!”

At that moment, Thomas’s shout that Jeanne had arrived was heard.

Jeanne, who had convened the meeting,

She is on her way from the Mercenary Association.

“A formal request for cooperation with the Imperial Knights has arrived from the Mercenary Association.”

All the detailed coordination was finished, and the Drake special quest collaboration with the Imperial Knights finally began.

“Wow…! This quest settlement ratio is 9 to 1!! And if successful, there’s even a special reward from the Pangea Mercenary Association!!!!”

Sophia, a secular priest who started looking at the request and related contracts, was shocked by the settlement ratio and bonus, which were even higher than the Alexandria collaboration.

In the initial collaboration with the Imperial Knights, only the possibility was mentioned, but

a request with specific nails has arrived.

“I heard that we are the first mercenary corps in Pangea to directly collaborate with the Imperial Knights in about two and a half years. That’s why they’re offering a generous bonus. To prevent us from going to other of the four major cities.”

Thomas looked at her and shared a story like an informant.

The Pangea Mercenary Association wanted to give 100% of the settlement money to the Red Fox Mercenary Corps, but the legal system did not allow it, so they set the bonus even higher than the settlement money.

This is to avoid missing the mercenary corps that will become Pangea’s signboard that has appeared in a long time.

“In addition, there is support and compensation related to the Imperial Knights’ security pledge. You can see it at the very bottom.”

“Oh! That’s right, Captain.”

It was realized through a very complicated process because it was large-scale and a special quest.

That’s why the formal contract was made now, even though it had been a while since Eugene had visited the Helios Imperial Knights Arena.

“Thanks to you, we can upgrade our mercenary corps members’ equipment all at once. Working with Antonio’s Iron Cross Knights was great, but this time the weight is really different, Captain.”

Advisor Ivan also looked at the contract and shook his head.

The Imperial Knights’ support was not all that was written in the contract.

As there was a need to reinforce the Red Fox Mercenary Corps’ strategy in time,

The equipment of the Red Fox Mercenary Corps’ general soldiers was all upgraded with the help of the Imperial Knights’ exclusive large-scale forge.

He had worked with the Imperial Knights during his Black Cat Mercenary Corps days, but the oversized monster special quest was something else.

“We will be heading to the Enklema Desert in the western desert in two days. It is clear that this quest is a quest that is clearly different from the quests we have cleared so far.”

Jeanne, who had conveyed the general situation,

“But the mercenary village is being created, and we are gradually gaining a position in the Pangea mercenary district. We must not show our backs in the face of adventure in order to keep turning that wheel. And I will be the first to take the lead.”

She declared an actual expedition.

“Uncles! Sisters! You have to be careful on your trip!!”

Two days later,

The Red Fox Mercenary Corps’ expedition to the Enklema Cliffs in the western desert took place in a mercenary village near Jebodang Village.

Therefore, the slum children who had settled in with the guidance of Mina and her fellow blacksmiths saw off the Red Fox Mercenary Corps who had finished preparing to leave.

“Okay! Let’s have a barbecue party and have fun when we get back, kids!”

Eugene put on the Varamion Great Swordsman Armor, got on his horse with a greatsword on his back, and received the children’s send-off.

His smile is very bright, and seeing the children, he is receiving even more tremendous motivation.

In this way, Eugene Schneider and the Red Fox Mercenary Corps left for the western desert, and

‘I hope everyone is safe…’

Mina, who told Eugene that her tribe was annihilated by Drake, looked at their receding figures with a somewhat worried expression.

“A mercenary from Pangea.”

Victoria of the Imperial Knights also finished preparing for the expedition.

And before leaving, Victoria was having an interview with someone.

“You’ve made a very interesting choice, Saber Victoria.”

It was none other than Kaiser Antoine de Cell Obryan, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Knights.