17. Horse Thief (1)
"I heard you traveled alone until you met me and my brother..."
"Yes, that's right."
"I saw earlier that you're pretty skilled... Why risk going solo? With that level of ability, you could easily join a decent mid-sized mercenary company."
Selene was asking why I'd take on all those risks by wandering alone when my skills were good enough to join a mercenary band. It wasn't like I was too weak to get in anywhere.
Her question brought back ugly memories from my first or second year as a merc. Starting with being treated like cannon fodder as the runt of the pack, nothing but a meat shield.
And then that clusterfuck where I almost got 'show me your back' for real.
A flood of incidents that shattered my view of humanity came rushing back. My chest tightened, teeth grinding involuntarily.
But I tamped down the anger and gave Selene a polished answer.
I couldn't blow this chance—who knew when it'd come again—just because I was pissed.
"I'm human too, but I just can't trust other humans. Even that coachman who showed us kindness just now? He died pathetically."
"That's tragic, sure, but isn't that a separate issue? He was helping us, not some random strangers like those bandits."
"No. On a bigger scale, it's the same thing at its core. And 'strangers' is the key."
"Huh?"
Selene tilted her head slightly, looking like she couldn't quite agree, but she kept listening attentively.
To her, I pressed on with my argument, weaving in personal stories.
"I don't know about dark elves, but humans are incredibly selfish. Not just in life-or-death situations—they sacrifice others for petty gains even in everyday life. For example..."
I cited events I'd experienced firsthand, skipping the back-stabbing one, and railed against the filthy nature of humans in this Rondia world.
"...That's why I went solo. I didn't want to rely on the goodwill of a tiny minority, risking betrayal every step."
The moment I finished, Selene fixed me with deep, sunken eyes and threw out a question.
"This is a bit off-topic, but... technically, even I, your wife, am a stranger... If we were both in a situation where our lives were on the line, what would you do? Try to save me? Or run to save yourself?"
"That's..."
Her question hit me. Despite everything I'd said about not trusting others and not sacrificing for them, I suddenly wanted to save her.
The disconnect left me speechless.
"For my part, I'd do everything to save you. Even if it cost me my life."
Selene gave her answer in a voice thick with sincerity, then retreated to the back of the carriage.
An awkward silence fell, ending our first real conversation on a sour note.
Inside the jolting carriage, following the road's twists. Selene held the sleeping Kell close, replaying her conversation with Eugene.
Specifically, his bitter distrust toward other humans.
And a question arose.
His cynical claim that he couldn't trust others clashed with the actions she'd seen from him so far.
He's contradictory.
He talked like humans were untrustworthy, yet he hadn't abandoned hope in their 'goodwill.'
Her husband's contradictions frustrated her, but she also understood.
If she'd been through what he had—tripped deliberately to slow pursuing monsters, robbed by comrades turned bandits—she'd distrust people too.
But that aside...
Still, hesitating on whether he'd save his wife? That's infuriating...
Selene stewed over his non-answer, stroking Kell's soft nape to dilute the feeling.
That's when Eugene's back came into view—silently driving the carriage.
For some reason, it tugged at her heart.
While Eugene agonized on the driver's seat about their rift, this was actually a step closer for the two of them.
Thanks to the carriage, we cut a three-day trip to two and reached Iron Valley.
After some thought, I decided to keep the carriage instead of ditching it.
Alone, it wasn't much use, but now with two companions, its value was incomparable.
Plus, the dead coachman said his family all died in the last plague, leaving him alone. Legally, claiming this thing should be no issue.
I parked at a clean-looking inn and got rooms.
"We're married, so maybe share a room—"
"!!!"
The second I suggested it, Selene's eyes went wide, her body trembling slightly.
Honey... I messed up our first night a bit, but that's a bit much...
Anyway, I got two rooms. Then I headed out alone to the reason I'd come to this village: the smithy district.
Prices were higher than in Arke Village, but the quality was leagues better.
...
As the name Iron Valley suggested, this village was famous for its high-quality iron mines and top-tier smiths.
Reason for stopping? Gear needed upgrading, pockets full? Straight to Iron Valley.
Pure mercenary wisdom from eight years on the job.
Clang! Clang!
Five minutes into the hammering heat of the smithy street, I ducked into my usual shop.
There was the craftsman, hood over his white hair, wrinkled hands swinging the hammer.
Rare in Rondia for a smith: what you saw matched what you got.
"Mr. Carlson, long time."
"Eh? Eugene! Still kicking, huh. Thought you were dead when you vanished for over a year, haha!"
"Haha... Some joke."
"Not a joke. Really thought you were gone. Who guarantees a merc's fate when they drop off the map? Plenty vanish without a trace in this line."
...Fair point.
...
"Your order'll be done by lunch tomorrow. Swing by then."
"Got it."
"Looking flush—why not get a cuirass too? I'll knock off 10%."
"Not quite that loaded."
"Ah, fair enough?"
No hard sell, just a suggestion. I left Carlson behind and headed to the guild.
Time to refill the purse lightened by new chain mail, spaulders, greaves, and shield.
And check for Fate's Scale-worthy quests.
Into the smoke-filled guild as usual, straight to the request board.
'Goblin den subjugation... Unexplored mine patrol... Horse thief?'
'Horse thief' caught my eye.
I hit the counter for details. The middle-aged clerk looked pained and spilled an intriguing tale.
"Started small. Just a workhorse stolen from a farm outside town. Hold on... Slurp, puff..."
He took a drag, face grim, pulled papers from a drawer, and continued.
"But it escalated. Other farms hit, then a merchant caravan camping nearby... Lately, even the lord during a hunt."
"The lord too?"
"Yup. Took a break mid-hunt, and his favorite steed vanished. His knights and hired hunters searched, but..."
He shook his head, trailing off: failure.
Then, grave-faced, he dropped the mystery's core.
"The weirdest part of this whole thing is..."
'This.'
...
Back at the inn from the guild, I knocked on Selene's door.
Knock knock knock.
"Who is it?"
"Me. Eugene."
"Oh, come in."
I entered at her okay. Selene sat lightly on the bed, Kell on her lap wagging his tail as she petted him, greeting me.
Kell was definitely in my room...
The minor mystery aside, I handed her a summarized parchment on the 'horse thief' request.
"You confident in tracking?"
"Pardon?"
She frowned at the tracking question, a hint of displeasure.
Then it hit me, laser-focused on Fate's Scale as I'd been.
Elves and dark elves who live in forests have top-tier scouting skills—second to none.
I'd unintentionally poked my wife again.
