Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Mongrel Battlefield (2)
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“Alright, you must be tired from the journey here, so head in and get some rest today. Say hello to your comrades.”
“Yes... By the way, how do the ranks work here?”
“What? Hahaha! What a weird question! This is the mongrel unit! Everyone under me is the same. We don't even have a vice-captain yet.”
“......”
Number 17 shut his mouth at Karlov's words and bowed his head before stepping into the barracks tent.
‘Where did this guy crawl out from...?’
Karlof stared at the tent where the mercenary newbie, Number 17, had entered and swallowed dryly.
‘He doesn't look like your average guy at first glance...’
Black hair and black eyes.
Not bulky, but a well-honed muscular build.
And the large and small scars all over his body.
Above all, his gaze and his presence.
‘...Somehow, it makes me feel insignificant as a man.’
His intimidating gaze felt just like that of a beast.
Was that really the same kind of mongrel?
Even Karlov, who had a long career as a mercenary and was seasoned in war, had never seen a mongrel like that.
“I wonder what his actual skills are like...”
Just as Karlov turned to head back to his own tent.
Clank, clank, clank.
A heavy clanking sound of full plate armor came from behind Karlov.
He turned his head.
Snap!
Karlof immediately stood at attention and saluted the visitor loudly.
“Well, well, General Elroy! What brings you to this humble place?”
The visitor was General Elroy, who commanded the entire encampment.
It was rare for a man of his rank to personally visit a mongrel unit's camp.
“Where's the mongrel that just arrived?”
“Yes, he just went in to rest.”
“Call him out.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Right away.”
Karlof felt puzzled but followed the order without asking why.
In truth, mongrels were all mercenaries and didn't need to obey Elroy.
But the disadvantages of offending other races as a mongrel were far greater.
“Hey, newbie!”
Karlof poked only his head into the tent entrance and called for Number 17.
“......Yes.”
“Come out for a sec!”
Number 17 was sitting on the ground with a wet cloth draped over his head.
He folded the cloth neatly, took off his upper garment, and came out.
“What's the matter?”
“The general wants to see you.”
“General...?”
At Karlov's words, Number 17 looked at Elroy.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, Elroy's eyebrow twitched.
Shhh...
‘...Filthy mongrel.’
He had flinched from that guy for a second.
Realizing that, Elroy felt his pride wounded, but he composed himself since he had important business.
“...Hoo, where's your weapon? That axe you were carrying earlier.”
“......”
Elroy's business was to retrieve Number 17's axe, as requested by Elena in her letter.
It was written in the secret letter among the two that Number 17 had given him, the one to read alone.
‘Why on earth does Lady Elena want that crude axe...?’
He didn't know the reason, but it was an order from a pure-blood noble.
It was only right for him to handle the retrieval personally.
That's why Elroy had come to the mongrel camp himself.
“Why do you want my axe?”
“We're giving you equipment. Something better than that crude axe of yours. Be grateful.”
At Elroy's words, an elf soldier behind him held out a bundle of gear.
It included a battle axe that was worn but clearly finely crafted.
“......”
But.
“No need.”
“......What?”
“I said no need.”
“H-Hey! Newbie...! What the hell...!”
As Karlov tried to scold Number 17's firm refusal, Elroy furrowed his brow and stopped him.
“...Are you disobeying orders?”
“I'm a mercenary. Do I have to obey?”
The two glared at each other without backing down.
‘This guy..., he's insane...’
Karlof felt like he might collapse from the tension beside them.
How dare a mongrel, a gladiator slave no less.
Meet the gaze of a battlefield general without flinching.
It was a boldness Karlov could hardly imagine.
“Ha... Fine.”
Surprisingly, Elroy was the one who backed down.
Karlof looked at him in shock, and Elroy began laying out his terms.
“I judge solely by ability.”
“......”
“If you have the skills to back up your words, I'll respect your stubbornness.”
“Isn't it the general who's being stubborn?”
“......”
“H-Hey..., newbie...”
At Number 17's bold statement, Elroy closed his mouth briefly to suppress his anger.
‘Don't let it get to me... Losing my cool over a mongrel's words would disgrace an elf.’
He was going to die soon anyway.
So Elroy smirked and continued.
“I'll give you a mission.”
“......”
“Complete it, and you can act freely. Perfect. Here's your chance to prove you're worth hundreds of mongrels.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' blushes while shouting!!] [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' flips off her own descendant.] The two messages floating before my eyes.
They matched my feelings perfectly.
‘What kind of scheme is this...?’
Hand over your weapon.
No matter how I looked at it, it wasn't normal.
A general-level elf coming to retrieve a mere mongrel's axe.
‘Must be Elena's orders...’
If it was that bitch's command, I was even less inclined to comply.
Thanks to that, I was assigned a high-difficulty mission on my first day of enlistment.
Afterward, Elroy left, and I immediately departed the camp for the mission.
“So...! We're mongrels, newbie! Starting a fight with other races is nothing but a loss for us!”
“...More importantly, why is the captain coming along?”
“What? Me?”
“Yes, I was under the impression this mission was assigned to me alone.”
At my question, Karlov scratched his beard, averted his eyes, and answered cautiously.
“The general said that if you die, someone needs to retrieve the weapon. So I'm tagging along.”
“He didn't send his subordinates instead?”
“It's your mess, so it's my responsibility. I should go, not send others to a dangerous place.”
“......”
This guy was a pretty responsible captain.
‘No one would blame him for sending a subordinate to save his own skin.’
Still, having a decent direct superior was the first thing I liked about this battlefield.
“The real problem is this mission!”
“Yes.”
“This isn't your average mission...! Not recon, not assassination...! It's a prisoner rescue!!”
“......”
“Hey, newbie. Is this your first battlefield? Don't you get how dangerous this op is?”
It was nice he wasn't boring.
Karlof chased after me, loudly stressing the mission's dangers.
“Recon? Hide like you're dead and wait for an opening! Assassination? Poison the well, set a fire, shoot an arrow...! You can always be careful...! But prisoner rescue is different!”
“Yeah, it seems different.”
“It's not just different...!! What if the prisoner can't walk? You get surrounded in the heart of enemy territory and die! Prisoners are basically traps set by them! Bait to kill the soldiers who come to rescue!”
Grab!
Karlof suddenly seized my wrist.
I stopped walking and met his serious gaze.
“Think again while you still can. This is a suicide mission. Newbie... Is that axe that precious? A keepsake or something?”
“No, not really.”
“Fuck!! Then why the hell are you doing this!! Just go back, return it, and take the new weapon!!”
“......”
At Karlov's shout, I smirked and shook off his hand.
Then I walked forward again and replied.
“It just pisses me off.”
“......What?”
“Why are they so obsessed with this one axe? It annoys me, so I'm even less willing to hand it over.”
“Hey, hey, that's such a stupid...!”
“More importantly, Captain.”
I glanced back at Karlov's dumbfounded face.
To lighten the mood, I asked about the enemy intel.
“What race are we up against?”
“What? You don't even know that...! Doppelgangers! Doppelgangers! Not to be taken lightly!”
“Doppelgangers... Are there any pure-bloods in the enemy camp we're heading to?”
“Why would pure-bloods be at the front lines?! Of course, they're all mixed-bloods!”
“Then we're good.”
“What...?”
“Captain, just guide the prisoners well.”
“......”
Only then did Karlov's mouth go quiet at my final words.
I was walking ahead, so I couldn't see his face.
But he was probably looking at me like I was crazy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ‘Is this guy really insane...?’
Karlof was at his wit's end with the new recruit.
This guy clearly didn't know.
The enemies the elves were facing were doppelgangers, chaos-aligned race.
If they faced someone stronger, they copied their abilities—annoying bastards.
Of course, the ones in the camp ahead were all mixed-bloods, so not as strong as pure-bloods.
Even so, it was too dangerous for a lone mongrel to infiltrate.
They could only pray for a miracle.
It was a near-certain death, an impossible mission.
‘He seems to have something going for him, but even so, it's too much...’
Karlof didn't underestimate Number 17.
Quite the opposite.
In that moment facing General Elroy earlier, his unyielding presence showed Karlov his immense potential.
But that's exactly why.
That's why his young life was even more precious.
‘...Too young to die.’
Yet Number 17 didn't stop.
He strode forward confidently, with a momentum Karlov couldn't halt.
Eventually, the two reached the entrance to the doppelganger outpost.
Small-scale, but dozens were stationed there at least.
“So, what now? What trick you got to sneak in there?”
“......”
By now, he'd grasp the situation and turn back, right?
So Karlov asked Number 17.
Whoosh.
In response, Number 17 stood from the bushes instead of answering.
“What?! W-Wait...!! What are you doing...!!”
“What else?”
Number 17 grinned and gripped his axe.
“Time to start the prisoner rescue operation.”
“What...?”
“The plan is simple. Sneak in safely and rescue the prisoners.”
“How the hell do you sneak in safely...!!”
“There's a really simple way.”
Swish.
“Eek...!”
For a moment, Karlov shivered as their eyes met.
He saw a bloodthirsty beast in those eyes.
“If you kill them all, sneaking in is a piece of cake.”
“......What? That's bullshit...!”
Tatata!!
Before Karlov could stop him, Number 17 charged into the outpost without warning.
“Y-You crazy bastard!!!”
He couldn't grab him.
Karlof could only reach out from the bushes and yell.
Soon, the doppelganger unit spotted the intruder and blew their horns.
——Bwooooooo!!
The alert for invasion.
‘He's dead now...’
As Karlov let his arm drop in despair.
Whoosh.
“......What.”
A massive pillar of fire erupted from inside the doppelganger camp.