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Volume 10, Chapter 258: Jealousy on One’s Heart

“…I’ll check on Philos’ state. It shall be a gift for my employer.”

While blending herself into the back alleys of the city of Philos, Bruder frowned in a self-loathing state, wondering why she had come here in the first place.

Bruder wondered if her action was because of the pity she felt for her employer’s crisis. Or was it because she wanted to have advantage in the later negotiations as a mercenary? Bruder bent her fingers hard, holding the long needle in her hand.

“No, that’s not true. I just ran away.” Bruder understood, albeit fragmentarily, the true nature of the intertwined emotions that lurked within her heart.

“In other words, I just didn’t want to meet my employer, Lugis. I couldn’t help Vestaline, and then escaped into the city of Philos, avoiding a meeting with my employer.” Bruder realized she forcibly attached a plausible reason such as reconnaissance to justify her actions.

The reason why she didn’t want to meet face to face was simple.

She didn’t want to be seen as a cheap woman and, most of all, her inner self was in turmoil at Belfein. She could hardly help her employer back then. Although she was hired, she was rescued by him many times over, rather than meeting his expectations. Whether it was the reconciliation with Vestaline or the revenge on Mordeaux, everything was done by his hands.

“Ah, that’s right. I’ve been rescued by my employer many times over, but I haven’t done anything in return.”

Could Lugis hire her again without any rewards? Wouldn’t she be ashamed? Her sister Vestaline was the better choice. She had the leadership to lead the mercenaries of Belfein, and her armed attire made justice to her title as the Steel Princess.

What about herself? Bruder was not sure if she had enough good skills that matched Vestaline’s skills. If the employer welcomed Vestaline, there was a high possibility that he would turn a cold eye on Bruder. Bruder would be treated like a bonus of Vestaline.

“I don’t know what to do. I’m sure I won’t be able to say a word to my employer.”

“Pathetic. I’ve created a lot of trouble. I made Vestaline worry in a senseless way. After all, I got inside Philos with almost no explanation.”

As the night began to cover the sky, Bruder finally began to stretch her arms and legs. The hat she always wore was unfit for reconnaissance. Just today, she had her long brown hair untied together, leaving it floating in the air.

Even though they faced the Heraldics during the daytime, the security system of the city of Philos was quite sloppy. They had a number of guards on the lookout, but they were wandering around without much care. With this level of security, Bruder could move around more freely.

Bruder blinked her eyes for a few times, and then made her legs run and jumped from shadow to shadow on the corners of the streets. When she was a lone mercenary, she did something similar many times. This kind of thing was easy. Moreover, unlike those days, she didn’t seem to be out of breath. Was it because she got rid of the habit of drinking alcohol roughly?

“Anyway, I came here through my own selfishness.” Bruder wet her lips, thinking she wouldn’t go back until she got useful information. In fact, it would be best if she could bring back the neck of the enemy’s central figure.

“…That person would be Roseau as the employer called him.”

Bruder narrowed her eyes and twisted her wrist while holding the long needle firmly.

Needle shooting was originally a technique for assassination. “Then, let’s return to that origin. In the first place, I’m not suitable to make a living as a mercenary for battles.”

“I will show the employer that I’m worth hiring. There is a meaning to put me beside him.”

“For that reason, I will have to kill.”

The canines visible at Bruder’s mouth were strangely sharp and sparkling.

—

The ruler’s chair was placed in the back of the main office. It was not known when it had been used, but it had ornate decorations and thick cushions attached to the chair.

Roseau closed his eyes, sitting on what Philos Trait was supposed to sit on. He snorted that it was not comfortable to sit as he thought it would. Roseau was sure Philos Trait thought the same thing. No, because it was her, she may not have been concerned about the comfort of that chair from the beginning.

「Lord Roseau, may I? 」

The clerk was reluctant to call out to Roseau, who seemed to be resting. Roseau listened to his clerk’s words by moving his chin lightly without much reaction.

The content was simple. In opposition to the Heraldic religion, they didn’t have enough soldiers, enough troops, and enough manpower. They wouldn’t last that long without the help of the Great Holy Church.

「Lord Roseau, when will we receive the support from the high priest? 」

In an attempt to block the clerk’s words, Roseau opened his mouth. Roseau was not interested in the words spoken by the clerk.

「It will take a while. Until then, we will have to endure anything. Is that okay? 」

Roseau spoke indifferently. He continued his words to the clerk, who looked confused.

「It’s very simple. If we don’t have enough soldiers, give the old and the young a spear. If you don’t have enough troops, collect them from nearby villages. Manpower works the same for every generation and every class. 」

Roseau spoke with a smile on his face. The clerk opened his eyes wide for a moment and, at the same time, sighed bitterly. If they did that, the surrounding villages would not be able to survive the cold, the age of dead snow. Many old men and children would die.

It was a very serious matter that Roseau regarded as a “simple thing”. He continued to speak.

「What’s wrong with your face? This is a battle in the name of God. There is nothing else to be given priority over that. At least, people will take the spears and fight honorably in the name of God.」

While turning his tongue, Roseau lifted his lips to mock the clerk. The face of the clerk seemed tense. Roseau then added the following words.

That’s why you sold Philos Trait. The clerk said nothing anymore. How strange. He just told the facts in order to silence the man.

「Anyway, we also have adventurers in Philos. Use them to poke the nests of the nearby demon beasts. It’s already snowing. If we use the demon beasts, we should be able to earn a little time.」

Of course, damage would be inflicted in the city of Philos. Still, there was nothing to worry about. It was, after all, a necessary action. Roseau told the clerk those words and ordered him to start now. The clerk nodded and left the office without opening his mouth.

Roseau thought he was being merciful. Of course, he could’ve put Philos Trait under house arrest in the guest room, and not in the dungeon, as originally done for noble people. As Largud Ann said, he could’ve also handed himself over and reinstate Philos Trait.

But he couldn’t do either of them.

Either by pushing the former ruler into a dungeon and overlooking the violence against her or either by overlooking the citizens’ willingness by continuing to brainwash them, he had no choice but to go forward. Roseau instinctively screamed alone in the office where no one was watching.

“What I am doing are not bad deeds, but rather good deeds. I just followed the citizens’ wrath. This is the result and nothing more.”

“The woman who went and did the right thing was now in prison, and those who thought they were right had to jump into the fire by themselves.”

“Everything is exactly what I wanted it to be. Everything is messed up. Anyway, I want the citizens to die after realizing that they weren’t right, but I can’t hope that much from them anyway.”

“That’s all I wanted. Even though I didn’t have any fragments such as correctness, I wanted to give a suitable end to both the fools who boasted that they were right. I wanted to teach that girl Philos Trait, who was impatient with herself, that she had no salvation in this world.”

That was the greatest revenge Roseau could have ever hoped for Philos, the city that trampled on him before.

“What should be done is done. After that, this city will just fall off the slope. Let me escape from the city with the guidance of the Great Holy Church.”

However, there were two regrets in Roseau’s heart.

One was Philos Trait, who was impatient and even admired, but did not try to condemn him until the end. The other was that brilliantly shining enemy, Lugis.

Roseau wanted to drag the girl who believed she was right into the sludge. He wanted to bounce off the brilliantly shining enemy from the stage. Roseau certainly had these human desires in his heart.

“…I’m not a righteous person. That’s why I will do what it’s not right. I will spit on all the joys of this world.”

Roseau’s eyes swayed. He felt that something majestic resonated in his ears.