Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Mongrels' Battlefield (8)
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Right after Ireila left.
I returned to the unit members.
They had all gathered together, watching the conversation between Ireila and me.
Maybe that's why.
"N-Newbie..., you..."
"Saying you'd die together if we die, live together if we live..."
"I heard from the Captain...! That when you heal someone, you take on their wounds yourself...!"
For some reason, they were all looking at me with faces full of emotion.
'Why are they being so cringey?'
As I looked at Karloph in bewilderment, even he was wiping away a sneaky tear with an emotional expression and nodding.
No, don't nod—come over here and explain!
I hadn't sent Ireila off out of some deep camaraderie.
"Newbie! We've all felt your heart!"
At that moment, Karloph approached and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"To think you'd give up a chance to return..., for our sake...!"
"Captain..."
"It's okay, no need to say more...! We've all understood your feelings just now...!"
The unit members nodded at Karloph's words.
Their gazes brimmed with an awkward level of camaraderie.
And then, with his hand still on my shoulder, Karloph shouted toward the unit.
"2nd Reconnaissance Unit!"
All the members present responded with vigor.
"Yes, sir!"
"This new mongrel mercenary recruit, Number 17—though he's only been with us a few days! He's undoubtedly essential to our 2nd Reconnaissance Unit and a proven asset! Isn't that right?!"
"Yes, sir!!"
Karloph glanced at me subtly amid the chorus of agreement.
Then he grinned at me before shouting to the unit again.
"Therefore! I appoint this recruit, Number 17, as our 2nd Reconnaissance Unit's vice captain—our adjutant!"
"Oooooh!!"
"Any objections?!"
"None, sir!!"
The mongrel soldiers shouted as one.
Everyone clapped and cheered joyfully at Karloph's declaration.
"......"
Only one person here.
Me alone, staring blankly at the unit in bewilderment at this promotion I couldn't quite accept.
"Looking forward to working with you, Adjutant!"
"Your sacrifice moved us!"
"I've heard rumors you're incredibly skilled! We expect great things, Adjutant!"
My rank shot up in an instant.
The unit members were now calling me adjutant instead of newbie.
Karloph patted my back enthusiastically, rubbing his nose with an embarrassed smile.
"Looking forward to it, Adjutant."
"......"
Newbie was fine, though.
I wanted to say that, but the atmosphere made it impossible to refuse.
It felt like starting at a small company as a fresh hire, showing some skill, and immediately getting promoted to manager.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' congratulates your promotion!] [Ancestor 'First King of the Beastkin' chuckles as they watch you.] [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' nods approvingly at you.] '...Well, whatever. If I'm going to properly strengthen the unit anyway, adjutant beats newbie.'
Good things were good—I decided to accept it.
"Alright, Adjutant. Say something to the unit."
Karloph nudged me lightly, signaling for some touching words.
The unit members watched me with expectant eyes.
"Uh, um..."
I scratched my cheek thoughtfully for a moment.
Then addressed everyone.
"Then we'll conduct equipment inspections now! Everyone grab your weapons and assemble here!"
"......Yes, sir?"
"What...?"
The unit members and Karloph, expecting an inspirational speech, let out dazed sounds.
Sorry, but I had no intention of giving some cringey motivational spiel.
The urgent priority right now was raising the unit's level.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "2nd Reconnaissance Unit—all members assembled!"
"Good. Everyone place your weapons and armor in front of you and stand by."
"Yes, sir!"
Fortunately, the unit followed my orders obediently.
Though the position came from the heat of the moment, my healing display and single-handedly wiping out the doppelgangers earned their respect.
No one had any complaints about treating me as superior.
'Worn out, about to break any second...'
Roughly fifty unit members.
They stood in line, and I walked around inspecting their weapons and armor one by one.
The weapons were mostly swords, spears, and axes.
And every single one was dull, rusted, and battered.
"Captain, why is the equipment in such bad shape?"
I asked Karloph, who was following beside me.
"What do you mean? We're mongrels, aren't we?"
"......"
"Our 2nd Reconnaissance Unit's nickname is the Suicide Squad from the start. No reason to give us good gear."
"I see..."
Now that he mentioned it, it made perfect sense.
Intelligence gathering, assassinations, disrupting operations.
The 2nd Reconnaissance Unit handled missions like special forces.
The reason mongrels took them on wasn't their excellence.
Quite the opposite.
The elves saw these mongrel mercenaries' lives as trash, so they assigned the suicide missions to them.
Success was a bonus; failure was expected.
No way they'd equip such a unit well.
They'd just die anyway, and good gear would only get looted by enemies.
'But things are different now.'
Not arrogance, but now I was here.
Honestly, I was probably stronger than most elf soldiers in this camp combined.
So the 2nd Reconnaissance Unit was no longer the Suicide Squad.
Which meant we needed better equipment.
'Asking Elloy for resupply..., no chance.'
I'd earned some favor returning the axe, but not enough for new gear for fifty mongrels.
So only one option left.
"Mr. Elatro."
"Hm? Oh! You're here!"
I'd have to make it myself.
"You said I could use the forge freely, so I came to do just that. Is that okay?"
"Of course! General Elloy's entire force hasn't seen much action lately, so the forge is idle! Plenty of materials left—use it freely!"
Elatro welcomed me with a joyful face.
Good thing that forge access offer wasn't just polite talk.
"But didn't you just make an axe? What do you need now? Armor?"
"No, I'm planning to make weapons and gear for my unit members."
"Your unit...?"
These materials were war supplies, from what I heard.
Our 2nd Reconnaissance Unit was fighting in this war too.
Using a bunch shouldn't matter.
Clang!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' watches your work.] With that, I began forging weapons for the 2nd Reconnaissance Unit members.
Swords: seventeen. Axes: eighteen. Spears: fifteen.
An enormous quantity for one person.
But it was fine.
I had the Soul of the Burning Artisan trait.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Ooh..., your movements get faster and more precise with each weapon..."
Not making legendary blades or anything.
Just ordinary replacements for their worn-out ones.
So the pace was five times faster than when I made my axe.
One by one, two by two.
I started churning them out quickly.
"Ancestor, please. It's not even hard, right?"
Amid the forging clamor, I quietly addressed the great artisan hero watching me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'The Creating Mortal' bestows a blessing upon your work.] "Wh-what is this...!"
Thus.
Mass-produced mongrel standard swords blessed by Morduin entered production.
"These weapons all have the artisan's blessing...?!"
As Elatro's astonished voice rang out while examining my work, I glanced at the message in my vision.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [By blessing, 'Plain Iron Sword x10' has been enhanced!] ⦿ Durability Increase B ⦿ Weapon Regeneration C ⦿ Sharpness A A blessing level below my axe's.
But fine.
This alone would greatly boost the unit's combat power.
And so I continued forging weapons for the unit.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, as Number 17 took the adjutant role and forged equipment for his unit.
Crash—!!
"Wh-wh-what do you mean by that?! Ireila...!!"
Elena Silbaren was hearing Ireila's report upon her return.
She'd been thrilled at first about the mongrel coming back, but now stared at the lone Ireila with trembling eyes.
Ireila repeated herself.
"...He says he'll stay there longer."
"What do you mean by that—!!"
Elena knew exactly what it meant.
She'd shattered her glass and screamed simply to escape reality.
And Ireila, expressionless, relayed Number 17's words once more.
"He said he'd die with his kin if they die, live and return together if they live."
"...Ugh, ugh, ughhh!!"
Faced with the unbelievable reality confirmed again, Elena shook her head, tears welling up.
She screamed at Ireila.
"Go back—!! Right now, go bring that mongrel here!!"
"...But he refuses to come."
"Make him somehow!! If that mongrel dies there, will you take responsibility?!"
"......You brought him here to kill him anyway."
"No backtalk—just go back now!!"
"......"
At Elena's sharp cry, Ireila pondered briefly.
Then nodded and turned, leaving her room.
Truth be told, the battlefield with Number 17 seemed more fun than here.
'What could he be doing now?'
With that, Ireila spread her wings and left the elves' city to meet Number 17 again.
"......"
In the pureblood elf mansion after Ireila departed.
Alone in her room, Elena stared blankly at the shattered glass and spilled drink.
'If that mongrel dies there like this...'
Just imagining it was horrifying.
If so, she'd lose her dream right before her eyes due to her own mistake.
"N-no..., no..., no..."
Elena clutched her face with trembling hands.
Waiting desperately for Number 17's return more than anyone.