Mercenary King Garumel.
Garumel always found that title amusing.
‘Where’s the king of mercenaries who can just watch others’ backs because he couldn’t become knights?’
Mercenaries were a dead-end chosen by those without money or talent, giving up on the path of knighthood.
A profession where one couldn’t witness honor, where merely earning a meal a day was considered fortunate, and a profession too shameful to even call a profession.
Being a king in such a field was no different from being a knight working in a small fiefdom. Garumel thought his life was utterly insignificant.
Perhaps mercenaries lacked honor because of this. It was an empty existence, no matter what they did.
“I don’t understand.”
One day, he was commissioned to kill an old nobleman. The old man was quite malicious, making it somewhat satisfying, but there was a disturbing incident.
It was because of the senile nobleman’s senile knight.
An old knight with no strength left blocked Garumel’s path, his body already falling apart.
“Why do you persist so much? I wasn’t commissioned to kill you.”
The old knight persistently obstructed Garumel. Of course, he wasn’t an opponent. He staggered and collapsed before even receiving a blow. Yet his gaze was youthful.
“Trying to flee from here. How much longer can this old man live? If I die protecting my lord, there’s no greater honor than that.”
“That damn chivalry. Damn, today’s dreams will be brutal.”
“Not even chivalry. This was the purpose of my life.”
Garumel swung his sword like a flash. There was no special skill, yet the old knight crumbled before him. Garumel attempted to sever his neck in one breath.
“Thank you.”
Garumel couldn’t understand. Why would the old man thank the mercenary who killed him?
Strangely, the old man continued to smile until his head fell off. Garumel felt envy for the first time.
Can a knight die smiling? It was beyond Garumel’s comprehension.
So, he came here. He wanted to experience that feeling.
But this was the result.
Garumel chuckled in disappointment as he saw Sena bandaging his wound.
Far from feeling a shock, he didn’t even witness it. He didn’t even realize his right arm was severed.
What was that? And who is this boy? What makes him cut off his own hand and treat it?
“Did you intend to kill?”
White lights, like fireflies, hovered around the wound.
Is it divine power? Surely, the person who delivers such a slash could not be a priest.
“I did swing my sword with that intent.”
But Garumel felt as if he were confessing to God.
“It was just a test, was there even a need for that?”
“Was it a test that had to be done while considering the examiner’s circumstances?”
“It’s not right to kill someone without a reason.”
“What if you still want to do it?”
Such a bothersome character.
Garumel grudgingly cut Sena off.
Sometimes there were complaints: Isn’t killing too much? Isn’t that unjust? They were idealists.
Well, he wasn’t the one to talk about striving to become a knight among those idealists.
“There’s nothing I can do about that.”
But Sena didn’t say much. He simply focused on his task, quietly closing his mouth after carefully tying up the wound. He stood up and bowed.
“I apologize for hurting you.”
“No need for apologies. If you’re going to kill, you must be prepared to die.”
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Are you also a Teutonic Knight?”
As Sena turned away, he stopped.
“No. I’m just a simple healer.”
Garumel held his stomach and laughed for a while. He said coldly with a straight face.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never seen anything more remarkable than that slash. If you really are a healer, that’s the problem. My life feels invalidated.”
“Even so, the world is vast.”
“My world was narrow.”
“Perhaps.”
“Healer, one last thing to ask.”
Garumel looked at the tightly bound bandage. Although it was quickly stained with red blood, it was clearly hemostatic.
“If I go to a broader world, can I find a reason to live?”
Sena was cautious about discussing things he didn’t know.
Above all, he didn’t really understand what Garumel was talking about.
But occasionally, he knew how to respond to those who were lost.
“You won’t know unless you try. Would you like to try it and tell to me later?”
Sena didn’t know. He had just given purpose to one empty human.
**
“About four seem capable.”
“That’s how it appears to me too.”
The second test came to a close.
Upon seeing Mercenary King Garumel’s partially severed right hand, most were terrified and fled.
Still, those who persevered were able to pass for the most part. Ultimately, no one succeeded in cutting Sylvia’s clothes.
“This group is disappointing.”
“The South is warm and lacks many monsters. The North’s trials must be different.”
“In the end, was Sena the only one to pass the test?”
Astria said this like a joke, but it wasn’t a joke.
Assuming Sena took the test officially, he would indeed have passed.
“Did you know? My personal physician’s abilities.”
“I do. He seems to think he hasn’t been found out.”
“What’s that about? Is it the result of effort or simply talent?”
“I’ve never seen Sena make an effort. At least not when it comes to swordsmanship. But occasionally, he surprises people.”
Astria recalled a certain image.
Sena holding a sword. Sena on the battlefield. Sena with eyes that can kill.
Certainly attractive.
“I don’t really want to put a sword in his hand.”
“Do you value it that much?”
“I do.”
Astria looked at Sena, who was treating the injured person. The caliber of the displayed slash would be difficult to match even for a Master.
It was a difficult talent to reconcile. The ability to kill the most unlikely person and save the most deserving.
Just as expected, Justitia was undoubtedly trash. It wasn’t an ability worthy of Sena. But, ironically, Sena possessed it. In one hand, the power to save lives; in the other, the power to take them.
‘Maybe I still don’t know Sena well enough.’
Astria raised the corners of her mouth. She was intrigued. She was filled with emotions, wanting to find out more.
“Desperately.”
**
After finishing the treatment, Sena approached Sylvia with an awkward expression. However, she seemed intent on going somewhere.
“Sylvia, where are you going?”
“Training.”
‘Did I come off as sarcastic? Surely she thinks I don’t trust her.’
Worry filled Sena’s eyes. Sylvia bit her lip and walked away.
“Sylvia.”
Sena followed along. He stumbled and fell, a clumsy mistake resulting from having lost some sense of balance.
Sylvia turned back in surprise. Sena was holding back tears and rolling up his pants.
There were bruises and a slight gash on his knees. Sena realized Sylvia was watching and awkwardly pulled down his pants.
But she had already seen it. The bruises, now a deep shade of purple.
“…”
Sylvia approached sternly. Sena resisted, but she subdued him with one hand and pulled up his pants.
“Sylvia?”
It was worse there. It was almost purple.
It was merely bruises from kneeling with hands up, but it was enough to create a misunderstanding for Sylvia.
At night, the tyrant. A face that even Sylvia would want to torment.
How badly did he have to suffer at night?
It was a time when Sylvia was greatly shocked.
“Don’t touch other people’s things. Miss Sylvia.”
Astria’s voice echoed softly. Looking down, she gazed at them with an unpleasant expression.
“Truly unpleasant.”
Sylvia released Sena’s hands. Sena stood up with a bewildered expression and whispered to Sylvia.
“I’m fine. You can do it.”
To Sena, it sounded like a plea not to die.
“I… I don’t do such things.”
“Huh?”
“No matter what happens, I won’t hurt my Senior.”
A bit of blood trickled from Sylvia’s bitten lip.
“Oh, blood…!”
“Just a bit. Please wait. When I become stronger, then…”
After saying that, Sylvia disappeared.
Sena watched Sylvia’s retreating figure with a troubled expression.
What did she want him to wait for?
**
After finishing the morning schedule, Astria walked with a strange smile she’d had since earlier.
Sena followed behind with a tense face.
‘It’s about time to say it.’
The dream of a working man, Sena’s only hope. The resignation letter in his pocket.
It seems the time has come to hand it over.
“Umm, Your Majesty.”
Astria stopped in her tracks as she entered her study, staring at the white furball in confusion.
Sena cleared his throat a few times and then spoke seriously.
“I actually have personal reasons for this.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Pl-please accept this!”
Sena retrieved a letter from within his coat and handed it to Astria.
Astria blinked a few times, then accepted the letter and read it on the spot.
[Resignation Letter]
– The initial terms of the contract have been fulfilled.
– However, I will not be renewing the contract next term.
– I have certain beliefs that I wish to uphold, and I intend to travel the Empire to do so.
– Please accept this resignation letter.
– Sena Birkender
“Hmm.”
Sena gazed at Astria with a tense expression.
“You have beliefs?”
“I want to travel around and help more people.”
Truthfully, he had tried not to write this part. Really.
It’s quite cliche.
However, is it because what he learned from a young age was the Church’s treacherous management techniques?
He knew there was nothing else like this.
‘No matter how much of an Empress you are, you won’t be able to refuse him because he wants to do something good.’
Even if she refuses, it will only give Sena a pretext.
In other words, it was a pretext.
I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Because I’m a little smart.
“Really, it’s amazing.”
Astria’s long eyelashes fluttered.
“It’s so admirable. Isn’t it, Sir Chris?”
“Sena’s head isn’t small. His brain is pure.”
“Even if it’s small, could it be that you want to show this to the Empress of the Empire and let her see it? I’ve never even accepted a resignation letter from the 102-year-old Elundir.”
“Yes?”
How old is he?
102 years…?
“Come to think of it, the Archmage Elundir also said he would try to work harder. It was all thanks to my physician.”
“It’s not just that. Aren’t the emerging powers that have grown in size by consolidating the current Empire’s forces also those who listened to Sena’s advice and sided with Her Majesty?”
“You have accomplished something that most ministers cannot do. Why did I limit your value to a healer?”
Sena trembled slightly.
“Sena, I value talent. Employing good talent is the foundation of an emperor.”
Astria was still smiling. The eyes, that is. The expression wasn’t like that at all.
Staring coldly at Sena, she tore up the resignation letter with both hands.
Seeing his dream and future torn apart, Sena’s eyes widened.
‘Ah, I haven’t lost yet.’
Up to this point, the future was predictable enough.
Sena wasn’t scared.
This is where it gets important. Astria rejected the resignation. To do that, he had to negotiate a new contract.
Of course, he didn’t think it would be easy. The tactics he had accumulated so far were for times like this.
He drew the outline. Astria would make him obediently accept. Reluctantly accepting the stance that would later allow him to escape.
“Traveling the world and wanting to heal people?”
“Yes. It’s Justitia’s guidance.”
Astria raised one corner of her mouth as she looked at the stiff hair on the top of Sena’s head.
“Are you trying to become a priest?”
“It’s possible.”
This was Sena’s trump card. No matter how much Astria resisted, if Sena became a priest, there would be no stopping him.
The Church was a burdensome group to cede power to. Since Sena was the son of Cruyff, it was reasonable.
But.
“I’ll give you three seconds.”
“…?”
Astria stared at Sena.
“Come into my arms.”
“If you don’t…”
She said with a cruel smile.
“I’ll start a war. Whether against the Church or the world, it will be the most terrible conquering war in history, that will happen because of you.”
What would you do if this happens, physician?
Astria’s words dissipated in the air. Sena wanted to pretend he hadn’t heard what he just heard.
But there was no way to erase what he had already heard. Sena fell into Astria’s arms.
There was no other way.
