Chapter 81: Because He Always Gives His All
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: Because He Always Gives His All
After the appearance of the man named Mathis, a stunned silence fell over the group.
"Why is she the Guild Master?" Polid asked, his voice trembling with a foolish, desperate confusion.
"Because while we were idling here, everything within the merchant guild was already being settled," Leona answered. "Ah, we decided to hold the official inauguration ceremony once we return."
As Polid’s followers finally grasped the reality of their situation, they began to look around warily. Leona gestured toward them with a graceful wave of her hand.
"Come. I will take you in."
She didn't use those exact words, but to Encrid’s ears, the meaning was identical. It was an invitation to live under the banner of the Lockfried Merchant Guild—provided they switched sides immediately.
Only two men did not move.
The man in plain clothes and the swordsman who had previously told Encrid to lay down his sword.
Polid remained as well, though not by choice. He collapsed to his knees with a heavy thud, as if the strength had been drained from his very bones.
"Why? I’m the son! Everything in the guild belongs to my father, doesn't it?"
Why indeed? Seeing his pathetic display, Encrid found himself questioning the intelligence of those who had sided with Polid in the first place.
Encrid’s gaze locked onto the two who remained standing. They were likely the ones who had been pulling the strings from the shadows. Yet, neither seemed particularly panicked. Even as their support evaporated, they remained eerily calm.
"It’s over," the swordsman remarked.
"So it seems," the plainly dressed man replied.
Without a second thought, the two turned their backs on Polid.
"I can't accept this! What is the meaning of this?! I am the son!"
As Polid screamed and tried to rush toward Leona, Mathis stepped into his path, his presence like an immovable wall.
"Take another step and I will cut you down, son of the former Guild Master."
His voice was ice-cold.
That single sentence brought the situation to a definitive end. The two masterminds quietly withdrew, disappearing into the crowd. Meanwhile, Polid gave a live demonstration of how a man crumbles when plunged into a cocktail of panic, frustration, and despair. He sat there on his knees, staring blankly as drool pooled at the corner of his mouth.
The kid’s in shock.
Passing peddlers, local merchants, soldiers, and even the beggars near the city gates stopped to stare. As the guards hesitated, unsure of how to handle the fallen heir, Leona stepped forward.
"Take him away. We cannot have the son of the former Guild Master drooling and dying in the streets."
"Yes, ma'am."
Mathis gestured, and several men stepped forward to drag Polid away. The guards even cleared a path to let them pass.
"One moment," Leona said to Mathis, before walking over to Encrid. "Did you really give Carmen’s stiletto to your subordinate?"
Her tone made it sound as if he had given away a precious gift from a lover. Encrid couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the way she asked made him feel slightly uncomfortable.
"...He wanted it badly. Yes, I gave it to him."
Glancing back, he saw Sachsen standing there silently. When Encrid had first handed him the stiletto, Sachsen’s reaction had been far from ordinary. Encrid hadn't expected tears, but Sachsen had been utterly stoic. He had simply taken the weapon and muttered a single sentence.
"What is the purpose of continuously training the five senses, and how does one dodge a dagger flying from behind without even looking?"
What might sound like nonsense to one person was the very answer another had been desperately seeking.
"That is what we will learn next," Encrid had told him.
That single sentence was enough. Sachsen was a man who knew how to strike a deal.
"I see," Leona said, nodding with a bright smile. Even just seeing her smile made Encrid feel as though he owed her something. She was truly a strange woman. She stared intently at his face before speaking again.
"I am a merchant, and every transaction begins with knowing what the other party desires. I gave you an incredibly valuable item, yet you handed it over to your subordinate. And despite having two beautiful women around you, you didn't even spare them a glance."
Leona had been forced to spend time at the Border Guard. During that time, she had observed the man who intrigued her. Just what did this man want? He hadn't batted an eye at an item that was practically a treasure. Instead, he had looked subtly exasperated while listening to his subordinate explain the dagger’s origins.
It wasn't that he lacked ambition, but he didn't seem like the type of man to drown in his own desires. Leona knew the power of her own beauty; she had subtly tried to entice him, but...
"He’s a notorious womanizer. Be careful."
An elf had cut her off midway to give her that warning. Yet, even when Leona saw an opening and stepped closer, Encrid had remained completely unmoved.
What is it? What does this man want?
From that point on, her pride as a merchant began to stir. What was a merchant? Someone who made deals happen. The Shepherd of the Wilderness, the Black Leather Guild, the Glacier Rangers—all of them were highly insular groups. Yet, a merchant was someone who could open trade routes even with such organizations. That was what Lockfried did.
Leona loved Lockfried and took immense pride in it. Her counterpart was a mere soldier—insignificant, one might say, given his rank.
He’s on my mind.
She wanted him, yes. And while there was usually a line one shouldn't cross, her pride was now on the line. Leona began to observe him in earnest. Only then did she see it—the absolute fundamental of any transaction: what the other party truly wanted.
It wasn't material goods.
The Carmen Collection had merely been a chip she played to swallow the merchant guild. While everyone else’s eyes were glued to the stiletto and their minds occupied by the ambushers, her own assets were already cleaning house within the guild. She had used the gift as a dual-purpose test to gauge Encrid’s greed, but she had completely miscalculated.
Only after careful observation did Leona realize: what he desired was the future.
His own future. Better swordsmanship, greater skill, absolute martial power. That was why she had called Mathis inside. He was the strongest warrior of the Lockfried Merchant Guild, a guard captain who had once made a name for himself as a territory-class mercenary.
"How about training your sword under Mathis? Why not nurture your future here?"
If he was drawn to training his body alongside the strong, then this was the answer. Of course, this was a massive misunderstanding. Leona knew nothing of Encrid’s squadmates.
He does seem like someone impressive, though.
Sachsen had whispered something to Encrid while Leona was wrapping things up.
"He’s strong enough to represent a small territory. Exactly that much, and no more."
A person whose name naturally spread throughout a territory after showing their skills only a few times, even without intending to—that was what a territory-class powerhouse was.
"Compared to Torres?" Encrid had asked.
"By the standards of the soldier grading system, he’s above special-grade. But he is not a knight."
Sachsen’s evaluation had been cold and objective. Those who were above special-grade, but not knights.
Should I tell her that my squad is crawling with people like that? Encrid wondered.
Rem, Ragna, Sachsen, and Audin. None of those four seemed likely to lose to a fellow like Mathis. Furthermore, Encrid had already learned from them and proven himself.
"I’ll pass."
There was not a shred of hesitation in his reply. For the first time, Leona failed to maintain her composure.
"This is the first time I’ve missed out on something I wanted so badly."
Encrid found himself quite liking this resourceful young lady and stunningly beautiful Guild Master. Especially the fact that she didn't resort to cheap tricks just because she liked him.
Come to think of it, wasn't this quite amusing? One of the people he met during this job had told him to lay down his sword, while another wanted him so badly she asked him to stay by her side. Two completely opposite evaluations.
"Do I absolutely have to be by your side?" Encrid asked.
Since her affection toward him didn't feel unpleasant, Encrid returned the goodwill. Leona blinked at his words.
"I suppose you’re right. The request is over, after all. In that case, shall we be friends? Surely you can spare a single day to spend with a friend? What do you say?"
She meant they should get along with a reasonable amount of mutual goodwill, even if they weren't close friends.
"...Pardon?"
"If you reject this too, I think this poor, fragile girl might just break down right here."
Fragile girl? Who’s fragile? She had literally just become the master of the entire Lockfried Merchant Guild.
"Mathis, may I stay in the territory for just one more day?"
"As you wish." Mathis stepped back.
"I suppose I’ll need your unit’s permission?"
At Leona’s follow-up question, the company commander answered instead of Encrid.
"As a reward for completing the request, I shall grant him a full day of leave."
It was an unexpected response.
"Why? Do you dislike the idea?" Leona asked with a mischievous smile.
Once again, Encrid realized the power of her looks. Even with that expression, she was cute. To think a spider that had swallowed an entire merchant guild could make such a face. Despite his thoughts, Encrid nodded.
"I don't dislike it."
He had met many instructors, but they all said the same thing in unison: Rest when it’s time to rest. Swinging a sword day and night and pushing one’s body to the limit wasn't the only way. Encrid knew this well. Above all, he felt a strange sense of debt toward her, and he wanted to clear it.
"Great. Then..."
Leona turned back to Mathis. Meanwhile, Sachsen approached. Seeing him, Encrid spoke first.
"Don't go spreading weird rumors."
"That sounds like something you’d say to a barbarian. Do I look like the type to do that?"
Encrid once again felt glad that he had brought Sachsen along. If it had been Rem, he would have made up stories out of thin air.
"Good work, soldier," the company commander said, proving his earlier words hadn't been a joke by allowing them to be left alone. "You may return if you miss me, soldier."
Yet, he still had to tack on an elven joke. Having heard it so many times, Encrid didn't even feel bothered anymore.
"Yes, I’ll do that."
As Encrid casually brushed it off, Sachsen quietly chimed in from the side. "By any chance..."
"By any chance?"
"If she has any more of the Carmen Collection, use your charms to get them. Seduce her if you have to."
Is this bastard joking, or is he serious? It was harder to read than the elven company commander’s jokes.
"I’m joking."
At least he said it was a joke, which was a relief. Though, it felt like there was at least a grain of sincerity in it. After all, Sachsen had desperately wanted that stiletto.
Sachsen and the company commander withdrew, and Leona returned after wrapping things up.
"Let’s go."
After that, Encrid and Leona enjoyed their time together. They wandered through the market, sightseeing, and filled their stomachs under the guidance of Encrid, who already knew the locations of all the decent restaurants.
"This is absolutely delicious!" She even gave a thumbs-up after eating the herb pie and Vanessa’s pumpkin soup. Vanessa’s pumpkin soup was the pride of the inn with the best food among the four local taverns.
"This is tasty too."
He laughed at Leona’s jokes, and Leona giggled at the remarks Encrid threw back. It was an unexpected interlude, but funnily enough, it was quite enjoyable. After the sun went down, they shared a drink or two.
"I had a wonderful time."
Though they spent the night together, there was no physical intimacy between them.
"Great. We’re friends starting today."
"Sure."
Thus, they became friends, chatting until morning before parting ways. Although Encrid occasionally wore a dazed expression, it was clear that both of them had a good time.
*
"How unusual."
Mathis thought this was an incredibly rare occurrence. Leona was a woman who didn't know the meaning of rest. She was relentless, precise, and exceptionally capable. If she weren't, he wouldn't be standing here today. In short, Leona was on a completely different level compared to that idiot Polid.
To think he’s the son of the former Guild Master.
He was so foolish that it was only natural rumors circulated about him being adopted from some gutter. Leona had lived a life on an entirely different trajectory from Polid since childhood. For her to be tied down for a whole day by a single man? It was unheard of.
Not that it diminished his respect for her.
The future of the merchant guild is bright.
Now, the Lockfried Merchant Guild would head down a better path than it ever had under the former master. Mathis believed in Leona. Having finished her day of rest, the Guild Master returned with a refreshed expression.
"Let’s go."
Thus, the merchant guild went on its way. While honoring the former Guild Master’s will to have a final conversation for the succession, she had also taken care of everything behind the scenes. In that manner, Leona swallowed everything whole. This was the answer she provided. The former Guild Master had saved her and raised her; simply by keeping Polid alive, she was repaying that debt of gratitude. Leona knew well that this was the true intent behind the will.
Inside the carriage on the way back, she smiled as she recalled the previous night.
It was fun.
How many times in her life had she engaged in a conversation that yielded no profit? Chattering away without any purpose was highly uncharacteristic of her. And yet...
Encrid.
His name lingered in her mind.
*
The plainly dressed man and the warrior who wielded the rapier left Polid’s group and headed outside. No one stopped them, though Mathis glared at them fiercely.
"Leave them be," Leona’s single sentence had settled it.
The two walked straight out of the city gates. Even though the season was ending and winter was drawing to a close, it was a harsh road for just two people to travel. Demonic beasts and monsters could spring out at any moment, but neither of them harbored such worries.
"Why did you do that?" the man in plain clothes asked.
The two belonged to the same organization. They were citizens of the same nation. Among them, the rapier-wielding warrior was an exceptionally skilled powerhouse—a warrior of such caliber that he wouldn't even bat an eye at ordinary monsters. Knowing the warrior’s indifferent nature, the plainly dressed man found his actions during this incident quite intriguing. Offering advice to a mere passerby—someone who, at best, was a stranger, and at worst, an enemy.
"Watching him, I simply felt it would be a waste to let him die."
Since nothing in this world ever ends in neat, clean lines, things like this were bound to happen.
"I see," the plainly dressed man conceded.
It was time to return. Though their operation had failed, they had gained something: the knowledge that the next master of the Lockfried Merchant Guild was highly capable. Information was always a valuable commodity.
*
Encrid returned to his unit in the morning.
"Well, look at you, absolutely thrilled," Rem greeted him the moment he arrived.
He’s already heard everything. Encrid could tell from his very first words.
"Was it good?"
It was an easy misunderstanding to make, even though he and Leona had done nothing but talk. No matter how he answered, nonsense would surely follow. Rem was just that kind of guy.
Instead of answering, Encrid drew his sword.
"A spar?"
"You relentless bastard. Fine by me."
Rem didn't press further and lifted his axe. He liked that Encrid chose him as his first sparring partner upon returning.
Encrid stood facing Rem, reflecting on the day he had spent with Leona. It was a strange thing. It had been a rest, a vacation. One could say he had completely rested, forgetting all about the sword. He had chatted with Leona all night—a continuous stream of chatter, a time that could easily be deemed meaningless.
But why?
I think I can do it.
While spending time with Leona, Encrid had felt a strange sensation. It would be more accurate to say he had experienced a sudden realization. Even though time hadn't slowed down, nor had his focus flared to bring about some dramatic change, he just felt like he could do it.
It felt as though he could execute it effortlessly. The trajectory of the swinging sword, the step taken just before, the movement of the shoulders—everything blended together to yield a single answer.
What is speed?
He felt that he could now show a partial, albeit clumsy, answer to the question he had harbored ever since facing the rapier-wielding swordsman.