Chapter 108 : Chapter 108
Chapter 108. To the River.
A flag mixed with black, yellow, and white fluttered in the wind.
Inside the flag, an animal mixed with a lion and an eagle stood holding a sword and shield.
This was the symbol of Uresra.
“Hurry, hurry up.”
Under the flag, many people moved busily.
“Each and every box is our lifeline. Move them without leaving any behind.”
Following the voice, men in green uniforms were moving boxes.
They blew out white breaths and moved around the military camp without rest.
“Move diligently. We must move as soon as the sun rises.”
A man in a leopard-skin coat glared at the moving soldiers.
The soldiers tried their best to avoid his gaze.
“Bastards.”
The leopard-skin man sneered at them and strolled around. He picked his teeth with his finger and spat on the ground in front of the soldiers.
“Don't get caught slacking off. I'll pull out all your fingers.”
A few soldiers glared at the leopard-skin man.
They had been moving things without rest since the night.
They weren't even given time to warm themselves, so their hands were frozen and had turned red.
It would be different if they were given food on time, but that wasn't the case either.
“Hey, fuck. Some people are working their bones off, while some are eating meat and picking their teeth. How can anyone live with this filth?”
The leopard-skin man, who was watching the soldiers, turned his head, following the sharp voice.
He shouted, with his eyes lit up, “Which bastard was that?”
But what came back was silence.
The soldiers watched the leopard-skin man, who was bigger than an average person.
“Who was it!”
No one came forward.
There was only the sound of the wind passing through the boxes, the sound of footsteps, and the clattering sound of wood bumping against each other.
“You son of a bitch!”
Kwajik.
A white liquid flowed out from the shattered box.
It was a potion for treating the injured.
“Come out! Aren't you coming out?”
“You have to be reasonable with your bullshit. We're not some slaves. We're people who came to fight for a salary.”
A man of similar build to the leopard-skin man strolled out.
“Well, well.”
The leopard-skin man looked the large man up and down.
A crookedly worn hat, an unbuttoned coat, unlaced military boots.
His attitude was also crooked, which was very displeasing.
“Which unit are you from?”
“Why do you need to know?”
“This one's crazy.”
“We haven't even slept and we're doing this bullshit, isn't it normal to go crazy? Looking at your state, you seem crazy too.”
At the large man's words, the leopard-skin man let out a hollow laugh.
He threw off the leopard skin he was wearing. And he proudly presented his insignia. Two black stripes on a red background. It meant he was a lieutenant.
“Which unit are you from!”
“Why do you need to know? Are you showing off because you're just a measly lieutenant?”
The leopard-skin man looked at the large man's clothes, who was sneering at him. He wasn't wearing anything.
“How dare a mere soldier treat an officer like this?”
Chaeng!
The leopard-skin man's sword was pointed at the large man's neck.
“For the sake of military discipline, I will execute you!”
“This one's a complete madman.”
The large man took off the clothes he was wearing and struck down the leopard-skin man's sword.
The leopard-skin man's eyes widened.
An unexpected situation.
The sword he was holding got caught in the clothes and fell.
Peok!
The leopard-skin man's face was turned.
The soldiers who were moving the boxes stopped what they were doing and gathered one by one to where the fight had broken out.
“This bastard ambushed me?”
“You still haven't come to your senses.”
“You're the one who hasn't come to your senses. Assaulting a superior officer. Don't resent it even if you die here.”
Sharp bones like animal fangs protruded from the leopard-skin man's arm.
The large man clicked his tongue.
“When bastards like this make plans, that kind of talk comes out. They said to hide it, but to reveal it openly.”
“What?”
“As expected, you can't grasp the situation. That's why you were slacking off and harassing the soldiers.”
The large man stood up straight and slowly scanned the surrounding soldiers.
“Did we come here to break the ice? Did we come here to move stealthily like rats and break down the walls? Huh?”
The soldiers stirred.
“What are you? Are you a spy?”
“A spy? You can't even tell shit from piss, and you can't tell friend from foe.”
“This bastard!”
The leopard-skin man swung his fist at the large man who was shaking his head.
The sharp bone grazed the large man's neck.
The skin split and red blood flowed down.
The leopard-skin man looked at the large man and licked the blood on the bone.
“The blood doesn't taste good.”
“That's ridiculous.”
“I'm the one who's at a loss!”
The leopard-skin man threw a series of punches.
A sharp sound that pierced the air.
The sharp bone persistently chased after the large man.
Buuk.
The large man's clothes got caught on the sharp bone and were torn mercilessly.
“Haa. How pathetic.”
The tattered clothes fell off.
The large man's bare body was revealed.
The leopard-skin man's eyes widened.
The large man's body was covered in red bear tattoos.
“Vera squad! Everyone on guard!”
“Too late.”
The large man's hand tore out the leopard-skin man's throat.
The soldiers who saw this were so shocked that they froze.
“If you all don't do anything foolish, no one will get hurt.”
Cheolgeureok.
Uresra soldiers, who had armed themselves at some point, surrounded everyone.
“This operation is cancelled. Everyone, return the moved supplies to their original positions. Those who refuse will be considered traitors.”
The soldiers bowed their heads, saying they would do as they were told.
At that moment.
“Mikhail's underling.”
A heavy voice shook the entire military camp.
The large man frowned.
He broke out in a cold sweat and drew the sword he had only been carrying until now.
“Everyone, raise your swords…”
Pushuk.
A large hole was pierced in the large man's chest.
Through the hole, a spear stuck in the ground could be seen.
The spear, having pierced the heart, was trembling.
The soldiers who were about to move according to the large man's will froze once again.
The soldiers who had followed the large man also didn't know what to do at their commander's death.
Silence again.
A handsomely-featured man walked out from among the dazed soldiers.
He met the eyes of the fully armed soldiers.
“Mikhail's minions. Go and tell Mikhail. Tell him that I, Rostislav, am here, so don't try any funny business. Tell him to focus on assisting Caesasi.”
At Rostislav's words, Mikhail's soldiers knelt and showed their respect.
“The rest of you, continue what you were doing. And before you return, clean up the corpse. It's distracting.”
Rostislav treated the corpses of the leopard-skin man and the large man as if he were looking at something dirty.
The halted military camp began to move.
The boxes piled on the ground were moved onto a huge ship.
Rostislav quietly watched the ship floating on the river.
Under the distant rising sun, six ships were preparing to set sail.
***
“Achoo!”
As if waiting for us to move, the clear weather disappeared and a snowstorm raged.
“Of all the days to pick, he had to pick a day like this? Good grief.”
“The north is a place where it can be clear in the morning, snow in the afternoon, and calm at night.”
I knew. I had even experienced it. But it was so long ago that I had just forgotten. No, I didn't want to remember it again.
“You'll get used to it as you stay.”
“That's right. Humans are creatures of adaptation.”
Bethel nodded as if he were already used to it and moved his feet.
I let out a sigh. Getting used to a day like this seemed like going half-mad.
“Your body will get cold if you stand still.”
Perignon brushed the snow off my body.
“It won't get cold with this much. And Chris cast a strange spell on me too. To not freeze to death.”
Before leaving the barrier, Chris had cast a warming spell on the entire special reconnaissance team.
It was so they wouldn't freeze to death on the way.
“You shouldn't take the northern weather lightly.”
“Even if I wanted to take it lightly, I can't after experiencing something like this.”
“I suppose so.”
Perignon took off his hat and shook his hair, looking at the soldiers who were struggling to follow.
He shouted to the soldiers, “Move while brushing off the snow so it doesn't cover your bodies!”
It was to prevent them from getting sick by moving around with wet bodies.
“By the way, Your Highness, don't you feel it's unfair?”
Saint-Sard, who was checking the surrounding scenery, asked.
“What is?”
“Your friends who came with you stayed at the garrison, but only Your Highness is out here suffering like this.”
“I know, right.”
If I had my way, I would have wanted to drag those bastards out too.
‘To survive, you must learn the basics.’
Chris had said he would gather the bastards who came with me and educate them on the knowledge of the north.
The reason was that it was difficult to survive in the north with the little knowledge learned at school.
‘Then what about me?’
‘Do you need education?’
I wondered what he thought of me.
Although it didn't really matter.
“There's something we need to check before we reach the Billien River.”
Perignon, who had checked the soldiers' condition, approached me and Saint-Sard.
“First of all, I am a 3rd Circle and have sworn to Aquoris.”
He must be a commander.
I could see the belief that he could handle unexpected situations by knowing their characteristics.
“I am also a 3rd Circle. I swore to Benetuo. I became a 3rd Circle not long ago. But wasn't Battalion Commander Perignon a 4th Circle?”
At Saint-Sard's question, Perignon made a bitter expression.
“I didn't make it.”
“Ah… I'm sorry.”
Perignon showed a hollow smile.
It seemed he was in a situation where he couldn't overcome a stage because he had hit an invisible wall.
I had felt some hesitation in the sword he had shown, and it might be related to that.
“I am also a 3rd Circle. I swore to Ignia.”
“Huh? When did you level up?”
Bethel looked at Rodrigo with a surprised face.
“It happened after I came to the north. As His Highness develops, I can't just stand still, can I?”
“That's true. But in that case, I'm the only one who's a 2nd Circle…”
Bethel scratched his head.
I patted Bethel's shoulder.
“It's fine since you're the only one who can use the earth.”
“If you say it like that, then he's the only one who can use water, he's the only one who can use fire, and he's the only one who can use wind. They're all using it alone.”
“In any case, you're the only one who uses the power of the earth.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”“It means you can't run away alone.”
And that you're the only one who will stand in front like a shield.
“……Your Highness.”
Bethel, who seemed to have understood my words, made a pitiful face as if to say wasn't it too much.
Even if he made that face for a hundred days, he didn't look pitiful at all.
Especially because of the scar on his face.
“How many Circles are you, Your Highness, and what power do you use?”
Instead of answering Perignon's question right away, I looked around.
It was because it seemed only knights had come.
“Are there no mages among us?”
“There were no volunteers for this mission.”
Even after all this time, the habits of mages were the same.
The habit of avoiding anything that seemed even a little difficult or dangerous.
“Useless bastards. Is there anyone among us who can use Healing Magic?”
We had to be able to deal with unexpected situations, just in case.
“There is no Healing Magic, but there is this.”
Saint-Sard opened his pouch wide.
Inside, there were many pills the size of a thumb.
“It will heal most wounds right away.”
I understood why they didn't bring a mage when 100 people were moving.
“What power do you use, Your Highness?”
“I don't have a Mana Circle.”
A look of bewilderment spread across Perignon's face.
“Then how…”
He seemed unable to think of the right words and moved his lips, looking at the others.
He had even exchanged swords with me. Chris had even asked me for a favor. He must have thought I was at least a 2nd Circle knight.
“It's too early to be disappointed.”
I patted Perignon's arm and told him the truth.
“Mana Heart user. 4th Star.”
Everyone stopped walking.
And they just stared at me.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
Saint-Sard raised his fist instead of answering.
At that moment, the soldiers following us lowered their posture.
“There's something.”