Chapter 65 - Episode 64: After the Battle
"...This guy is Gosling."
"Do you know him?"
Looking at the head of the bandit leader he had just cut off, Yuri muttered those words. Pence asked in response.
"About three years ago, we took a request to hunt a pack of orcs jointly with other mercenary groups. This guy was the head of the mercenary group we teamed up with back then."
Upon hearing that, Pence and Radley, who was nearby, checked the leader's face with surprised expressions.
"Did he look like this?"
"We were just low-ranks back then, so we wouldn't have seen the head of the allied mercenary group up close."
"I was already an executive at the time, so I'd met him. He had a decent talent for magic, so as similar types, we spoke a fair amount..."
In Yuri's memory, Gosling should not have been a bad person. To think he had fallen into a bandit who would attack a village and kill innocent people.
Even when he himself had become a bandit, he had made sure not to cross the final line, but if he had decisively strayed from the path, he might have ended up like this.
Thinking this, Yuri closed his eyes for a few seconds and mourned the death of a former comrade-in-arms who had once stood by his side.
The battle was already over, and the cleanup of the bandit corpses had begun in front of the gates of the territorial capital, Noeina.
"We won quite easily, considering how determined they were."
While using golems to carry away the bandit corpses, Noein spoke to Yuri.
"We had a large number of crossbows on our side. If you fire away unilaterally from atop a fence in a place with a good view, even bandits won't stand a chance... Also, Noein-sama's golems are cheating."
"Ahaha, it was my first time seriously using golems in anti-personnel combat, but I didn't think it would become such a unilateral slaughter. It was practically a massacre."
Despite having killed dozens of people alone, even if it was through golems and against bandits, Noein was smiling gently.
"This was Noein-sama's first time fighting humans, right? Usually, after their first battle, people either cry, vomit, or wet themselves, but you seem quite composed."
"...I did gain some experience in killing at Vendera, after all. The second time for anything is always easier. Besides, these people were undeniably a plague threatening the territory and its people, so I feel no guilt or regret."
After confirming that no one else was within earshot, Noein answered.
"I see. Well, if you're fine, then that's for the best."
As Noein was exchanging such a conversation with Yuri, Anna, who had already returned to the territorial capital Noeina from the riverbank, came running over. Along with other women and children, she was busy tending to the wounded.
"Anna, good work. How did it go?"
"Miraculously, there were no deaths on our side. However, there are over ten seriously injured. Among them, a few are in particularly bad shape..."
According to her, two people had lost sight in one eye, three had lost an arm or a leg, and one had suffered nerve damage to the waist, leaving the lower body unable to move.
Those people would likely face obstacles in their daily lives and work for the rest of their lives. In particular, those who lost arms, legs, or waist function would no longer be able to perform farm work.
"I see... It's a blessing that everyone survived, but I'll have to provide them with condolence money and arrange future work for them. Above all, first we must call a proper doctor from Retovik."
"I'll have someone who is free prepare a horse for the messenger."
"Thank you, please do... Somehow, after we said our farewells with such determination, it feels embarrassing to reunite so easily like this."
"What are you talking about? It's obviously better to be able to reunite easily."
"True, no doubt about that."
Having exchanged bitter smiles, Anna departed, and as if replacing her, Bart walked over.
"Noein-sama, I have gathered the prisoners."
Prompted by Bart, Noein made his way to the bandits who had been taken prisoner.
When Noein appeared before them, the prisoners cast resentful glares his way.
It was only natural, as after they were bound and rendered defenseless, he had shot each of their palms once with a crossbow to further sap their ability to resist.
Acting as if the glares of the rough men were nothing more than a breeze, Noein said to Bart.
"Quite a few survived."
"Forty-two in total. What shall we do with them... Surely you aren't saying we'll make them territorial residents?"
"Ahaha, no matter how much I am, I don't have that much mercy. I refuse people who have stained their hands with massacre and rape, and who moreover attacked my territory. Let's sell these guys to the slave guild."
If high criminals like bandits fall into slavery, their end is miserable. They will be overworked in harsh labor sites and die young.
Perhaps imagining this, one of the prisoners attempted to escape. He suddenly stood up, lunged at the territorial resident guarding him, and tried to seize the crossbow.
"Oops!"
Bart instinctively drew his sword and slashed the prisoner's shoulder. The prisoner screamed "Gyah!" and collapsed, stopping his resistance effortlessly.
"I thought their hands were tied... The rope has been burnt through. Magic, huh."
One in every few dozen people possesses a talent for magic, and the talent for "Fire Magic" is the most common among all magic. Even those without enough skill to be called mages are not few who can produce a small spark.
This prisoner apparently tried to use "Ignite" to burn through the ropes binding his hands and escape.
"What shall we do with this one? Shall I kill him?"
"Just killing him is lacking in artistry... Let's cut the tendons in both legs and leave him in the forest. The beasts and monsters will clean him up nicely."
"Understood."
When Noein ordered the gruesome punishment, Bart responded with a cool face and made cuts in the legs of the prisoner who had tried to flee. He then dragged the prisoner, who was screaming and crying "No! I won't run anymore! Forgive me!", into the forest.
"Those who try to escape end up like that. If you don't want to be eaten alive by monsters, I suggest you stay quiet."
Leaving a warning in a tone as if instructing children to the other prisoners who were watching with pale faces, Noein also left the scene.
...
Having mostly finished the work outside the gates, Noein entered the territorial capital Noeina.
The person who approached him was the traveling merchant, Philip.
"Um, Excellency Arqvist."
"Ah, Philip-san... Not only did you deliver the news, but you even helped with the combat; I don't know how to thank you."
"No, I am a man as well... I simply thought I should be of some help if possible."
Philip had not stopped at merely informing him of the bandits' approach, but had even lent a hand in combat preparations, such as transporting crossbow bolts.
"By the way, may I ask the reason why you delivered the information knowing the danger?"
While Noein's expression remained gentle as he asked, Philip noticed that a sense of vigilance had entered his eyes.
Merchants value profit above all else. Noein knew that Philip had not ridden his horse to the Arqvist territory out of mere kindness.
"...I am someone with quite strong ambition as a merchant. I thought it would be a great loss if the Arqvist territory, where I've been allowed to almost monopolize the market as a traveling merchant, were to disappear."
Philip said with a bitter smile, as if resigning himself.
"Furthermore, I thought that by delivering the news, I could put the Excellency under a great obligation. For a humble petty merchant, I believed that this action would yield profits worthy of risking my life."
"Hahaha, it's easier for me to handle things when you're that honest... Philip-san, why not come to our territory and establish a merchant guild? I will provide the building for the store. Depending on the circumstances, I will even provide financing. Eventually, I believe you could become the official merchant guild of the Arqvist house; what do you think?"
"I-is that truly alright?"
Philip asked back with wide eyes. He had thought he had put Noein under a great obligation, but being granted a store and the status of an official merchant guild in return was unexpected.
"You, who risked your life for the Arqvist territory, are trustworthy. Please, live in this land with us, and I want you to become the first great merchant of this land."
Noein's proposal greatly tickled Philip's ambition as a merchant.
"Excellency... To receive such words, there is nothing a merchant could be happier about. I would most definitely like to accept that offer."
To Philip, who spoke while overcome with emotion, Noein also smiled and said, "Thank you. I appreciate it."
After Philip left, Mai, who had been listening to this conversation while busy tending to the wounded nearby, spoke up.
"Noein-sama, is this alright? Wasn't that person selling our information to Viscount Koenitz?"
"That's why I thought I'd bring him into the fold like this, make him part of a community of shared destiny with our territory, and turn him into an ally. Besides, he already knows our detailed military strength and about the crossbows... well, there's also the fact that I really did trust him through this incident."
As if the mercy-filled smile from moments ago were a lie, Noein laughed flippantly.
"...You're the same as always, Noein-sama."
"Well, since I'm the lord, I'll always maneuver while thinking of the territory's profit. More importantly, Mai, is it okay for you to be moving around that much? Won't it affect the baby in your stomach?"
"Everyone around me is working so hard that I couldn't just sit still... I'll wrap things up soon and rest."
"That's for the best; Yuri will worry too."
After that, Noein performed various detailed tasks... arranging for a doctor, giving instructions for cleaning the battlefield, instructions for monitoring the prisoners, and so on, finally returning to the mansion and settling down as the sun set.
...
"Fuaaa, I'm tiredeee."
"Good work, Noein-sama."
Sinking his body into a bathtub filled with plenty of hot water in the mansion's bathroom, Noein let out a breath. Matilda was, naturally, soaking in the water with him.
"We won... I protected the people and the territory... though not everyone came out in one piece."
"The fact that there were no deaths is wonderful in itself. That is only thanks to Noein-sama's activity with the golems, and your decision to provide aid for development after finding the utility of the crossbow in the past."
"That's true... Can I be proud?"
"Yes. You naturally should be proud."
When Noein looked up while leaning against Matilda's body, Matilda also peered down at Noein's face and replied.
"Thank you for protecting me today, Matilda. You were cool. It's thanks to Matilda that I'm alive now."
When Gosling had closed in on Noein, if Matilda had not exerted her explosiveness to stand in Gosling's way, Noein's life would have been lost.
"It is only natural for me to protect Noein-sama. Because Noein-sama is my... precious person."
"...I love you, Matilda."
"I love you too, Noein-sama."
Noein's expression was not that of a lord, but that of a man relaxing and acting spoiled toward the woman he loved.
Matilda's expression was likewise not that of a loyal adjutant, but that of a woman trying to heal the man she loved.
The night in the Arqvist territory, which had regained peace after the battle ended, and the night for the two of them, whose faces had become those of a man and woman in love, passed slowly in this manner.
[Author's Note]
This concludes Chapter Two. Thank you for reading!
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