Evade The Hero and Flee!

Chapter 275

30. It’s better to start by drawing bigger picture (8)

After persuading Shuttle as well as the hero, I headed to the nearby kingdom’s mercenary guild. 

“There are a lot of people walking around.”

“It’s a peculiar place.”

As the Shuttle said, it was a peculiar place.

Even if the distance from where the Demon King is active is different, ordinary citizens do not want to leave their homes.

It’s not safe to stay at home though.

Unless you prepare an evacuation route in advance like me, it’s better to get out of the castle than to stay at home.

But what is home to an ordinary person?

There are not many commoners who can abandon the land they have cultivated with sweat and blood for a long time.

– Does master not have such a place?

– Probably not?

– That’s right.

Even if my house was a place full of history and tradition, if death came looking for me, I would have bolted without a second thought. Because I need to be alive to see and feel that history and tradition.

Of course, just because I survive doesn’t mean the historic and traditional site will remain!

“Are these the mercenaries?”

Since mercenaries bet their lives for money, they move around normally even during times when the Demon King is active.

No. For the mercenaries, times like these are even better. After all, there is no better time for mercenaries to make money than war.

Well, that means their lives are more expensive, but it doesn’t matter.  

“I will hire all the mercenaries managed by this guild. The fee is 10 times the usual. The purpose is to fight the evil god’s troops.”

Because,

“The full amount will be paid by the Nature Religion.”

I have the black card as well as the Nature hero and saint!

“Please wait a moment? I cannot handle this issue so….”

After confirming the credentials of the Nature Religion, the guild employee rushed out in a hurry. Soon, a guy called the guild master came, and after I handed over the hero and the shuttle, he said he would inform the mercenaries of the mission with a serious expression.

And after a while.  

“I am the Guild Master.”  

The Guild Master came.

“About 80 percent of the mercenaries agreed. They especially liked that the money would be paid even after death.”

It is common for money not to be paid out after death when dealing with mercenaries.  

Dying means a very high probability that the mission was not accomplished, and they cannot pay for a failed mission.

That’s why, even in war, most mercenaries join the side that is most likely to win, even if the side that is losing promises more money.

A battle against the evil god’s troops could be called a great battle without it being strange.

If you try to call out mercenaries to such a battle, it is good to make a prepayment as well as promise compensation after death.

Well, it was possible because it wasn’t my money!

“The biggest boss is thinking about it but it doesn’t seem negative so it should be fine.” 

“Are you talking about the man called the Mercenary King?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I heard this city has many mercenaries and is famous for having a lot of mercenaries among the nearby kingdoms, but king? The title was too grandiose.  

“It would be nice if he was someone suitable for the title of king.”

“For starters, the entire mercenary group are knights who can use swords. There are few, but in times like these, skilled people are better than riffraff.”

“That’s true.”

To be honest, mercenaries were not suitable to deal with the evil god’s troops. 

Most of them learn combat through actual combat rather than professional education, and they prefer the concept of attack over defense.

Kill before being killed.  

Not a bad concept, but not good against the evil god’s reinforced troops.

The mercenaries who would be useful in a war between humans would not last as long as well-trained soldiers against the evil god’s troops, even if their combat power is weaker.

“I want to meet him once.”

“I heard he was planning to come in person anyway.”

“Is that so?”

That was very good news, since he was at the knight level and could use a sword.

“When can I meet him?”

“Tomorrow would work.”

“Then I should keep tomorrow open.”

I didn’t have anything to do anyway, but I needed to pretend to be busy running around for the world.

After spending a day in the soft bed of a luxury inn, the next day.  

“This is the person I was meeting today.”

I got to meet the person called the Mercenary King, who knocked on the door a couple of times and opened it.

“Hmm?” 

The guy who came in and called himself the Mercenary King looked very manly.

Apart from the small scar on his cheek, his sharp eyes and strong facial features left a strong impression on the opponent, enough to make a strong impression.

I wouldn’t say he was handsome, but if he took care of himself he could be called decent looking?

It was a face that with just a little touch could be called handsome without it being strange like mine. 

– Master? Why do you think that way about your face?

– Wait.  

But there was something more. 

There was something vague yet perceptible about that face that I both felt like I knew yet also didn’t know.  

That’s why I ignored the metal bat’s words and focused on the opponent’s appearance.

The well-trained muscular figure that felt like considerable skill even without magic power, the huge sword fitting his large height leave a strong impression just by existing.  

That’s why it was even stranger.  

– Why is that?

– It feels like I’ve seen him somewhere…

It wasn’t a vague impression, yet I don’t remember someone with such a strong presence.

– Then isn’t he a stranger?  

– That doesn’t seem right either.  

I definitely saw him somewhere…

“Master?”

“Hmm?”

As I silently stared at the opponent, the hero turned his gaze to me, and the opponent who was examining the hero also turned his gaze to me.  

“….”

“….”

The moment my eyes and the Mercenary King’s eyes met, the opponent nodded his head for a moment, then,  

“Oh…”

0.5 seconds.  

In less than 1 second, his pupils shook.  

That was enough. He also knows me.

– What if dust just got in his eye?

– There’s no way!  

It was just a moment, but that was the bewilderment from seeing me.  

“I must have been mistaken. My apologies.” 

“You are the Mercenary King, correct?”

“A king? I don’t have skills grand enough for that.”  

“Is that so?”

Shuttle, are you still being fooled after being fooled?  

I let out a small sigh as I looked at Shuttle who still had more training to do, and smiled slyly at the guy called the Mercenary King.  

“I know you, don’t I?”

“Hmm?”  

Looking at me for a moment after my words, the Mercenary King shook his head repeatedly.   

“We’ve never met before, do we know each other?”

His acting was natural. 

Our scent is wafting stronger and stronger.   

“We do know each other.”  

To be honest, I still don’t remember.  

He might have changed so much that I don’t recognize him, and in the worst case scenario, it might have been my mistake.   

But my instinct is telling me, there’s a connection between that guy and me. And he’s trying to hide it.   

Usually people want to hide things because it will harm them.   

And those kinds of things often benefit the other side.  

“Shall we talk a little more?”  

As I got up from my seat with a confident smile, his acting also shattered.   

“Oh…I seem to have entered the wrong room.”   

The weighty tone of speech so far disappeared.  

Realizing that faster than anyone, the Mercenary King pulled out his greatsword and swung it as is.   

Boom!   

The Mercenary King tried to dash out after smashing not us but the door, but,  

“Where do you think you’re running!”   

The silver girl, metal bat, blocked his path.   

“Tsk!”  

The Mercenary King flinched at someone being in front of him but judged very quickly. He whipped the metal bat with the greatsword he was holding without hesitation.  

“Kyaa!”  

“Gyaak!”  

The scream of a small girl and a burly man echoed out.

However, the girl’s screams were artificially made so that anyone who heard them could tell, while the man’s screams were so full of agony that they sent chills down the spine of anyone listening.  

“Oh my! You’re hitting a weak girl! You bad mister! I hate you!”

“Keurk! Kek! Kkeurk! S-stop!”

With each word chopped short, the metal bat kicks assaulted the Mercenary King’s abdomen.

Despite seeing the young girl’s appearance, the Mercenary King swung his sword without hesitation. His judgment was good.  

In order to live, he would do anything. Wasn’t that the virtue of a mercenary who survived for a long time?

Let alone, the most dangerous things in our world were the elderly, young children, and those who looked kind.  

And that meant,

“Have you seen the organization?”

The probability of this guy also being from Howling was very high.

“Don’t hurt the beautiful goddess’s face!” 

The Mercenary King, trying to avoid the kicks flying in with a steady beat, had already reached the point where he could no longer move his body. He could only squirm.

Now only two things remain.  

“Hero, block the entrance.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ordering the hero to block the people who would come up making a fuss, especially this guy’s colleagues, and,  

“Stop hitting him and take him to the room.”

“Hmph, it’s still not enough…”

Stopping the metal bat and making Shuttle take the Mercenary King into another room.

“Now, how do you know me?”

“That is…”

And so began the torture, no, the time to get to know each other!

“No answer, huh. I like people like that.” 

Thwack!

“Mister, this is not a sound coming from my mouth. It’s the sound cutting through the wind from my fist.”

As she flicked her fist, the metal bat’s fist flew slowly to the side of the Mercenary King.  

“S-stop…”

Seeing that, the Mercenary King, gripped by fear, soon told his name.

“I, I’m Weeden.”

“Weeden? Who’s that?”

It sounded familiar. 

“I, I learned there long ago at a place called Howling…”

“Ah…”  

The pieces of the puzzle completed the picture.

Yes, this guy,  

“Hoobae.”

Was one of the first I taught, and one of the first to desert, marring my career!  

“Swish! This is not a sound from my mouth! Swish! It’s the sound cutting through the wind!”

I don’t know how swish swish makes that sound when cutting through the wind but I left it at that.  

That punk needed a beating.

I sent him on a mission and he fell for a priestess and wanted to become a hero.

If that deserter hadn’t deserted, his peer who also deserted might not have deserted. Then that guy might not have become the Demon King.  

Yes, that guy is humanity’s sinner. So it’s fine to beat him. He’s getting off easy with just an evil god’s beating.  

After leaving him to The metal bat’s hands for about 30 minutes.  

“Ugh…”

With blurry eyes and drool pouring out.

I spoke gently to my former disciple, now completely out of it.

“You’ll diligently fight the demons from now on. As a former warrior, that is your duty, right?” 

“Ugh…”

Drip, drip.  

Even as drops of drool fell, his head moved slowly up and down.

Nod nod, shake shake!

“Yes. If a peer strays onto the wrong path, a peer should save them. Love for one’s country, love for one’s peers. Right?”

“Ugh…”  

I looked satisfied at the head nodding again.

“Yes, let’s work hard from now on.”

“Ugh…”

And so, in the city of mercenaries, we were able to gain good sla… I mean manpower, and humanity was able to gain dependable forces to stand against the evil god troops.

#7 Their Situation: Aria El Nelmia’s Situation 

I moved towards the room with faltering steps.

“Ah, that guy.”  

“Wandering around again. What’s that punk doing?”

“Could she be an illegitimate child of the tower master or something? Why keep someone like that here…”

“Ugh…”

Ignoring the voices of condemnation coming from behind.

Upon arriving in my room, I collapsed onto the bed.

“It’s hard…”

Though it was simply the task of getting food, for me it was more difficult than anything.  

“But I have to eat to live… Open, number 14.”

Injecting a bit of magic, from the small pouch springs out large steaks, salads, etc. 

A miniature food warehouse made by the imperial household’s request to a Magic Tower.  

It could be called a warehouse rather than a storage pouch with the amount of food that could fit inside. It was an extraordinary masterpiece that could preserve the food perfectly as it was when it was first stored inside.

“Mirea… Still, to think the imperial order would force something like this to be made…”  

It was clearly an outstanding magical tool but considering the cost that had gone into this pouch and the preservation costs, it could only be called a masterpiece. 

“Well, thanks to it I can eat well without leaving my room.”

I cut the warm steak with a knife and ate it.  

Delicious.

How long has it been since I had a hot meal?

“I prepared a lot this time so I should be able to last at least half a year, right?”

Tears suddenly flowed out.

To think I, a young noblewoman of the prestigious imperial family, once a genius who shook the empire, would end up living like this.

“But I have to endure.”  

If I make another mistake, I could get caught by Instructor, Her Highness the Princess, or Mirea. Then even a life like this would become a luxury.  

Why did I dye my brown hair into this dull red color.  

Why make my once lustrous locks now look like dirty mops, always covered in soot.  

It’s all so I don’t get caught.

If I stay here until Instructor gets caught or dies, I should be able to leave before I turn fifty.  

Yes, enjoying the world to my heart’s content in my fifties wouldn’t be so bad!

“A warrant, they say.”

“Yes?”

My grandfather the Magic Tower Lord held out a white piece of paper to me in the middle of my thoughts. 

“They say some evil god has a massive army that is devouring the continent. So requests for aid are pouring in to every Magic Tower, and after discussion, every Magic Tower on the continent has decided to combine forces and fight the evil army.”  

‘So please participate’, grandfather said.

In terms of pure ability, even those called the next Tower Lords are below me.  

Grandfather knows that with my summon beast Surtur, I have the level of ability to fight evenly with Tower Lords.

“Aria, my lovely granddaughter, how long can you keep living like this? Save the world and live proudly.”

Grandfather is the one who prepared this room for me and hid me here. He embraced me without even asking about my circumstances.  

Hearing grandfather’s words as he suppressed sobs,

“I can’t make myself so conspicuous.”  

I fled without hesitation.

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