The Spoils of Victory
The territorial dispute between the subjugation force and the War Ants ended in our complete victory. Miraculously, not a single person had died, though more than half the troops had sustained injuries and we had burned through a staggering amount of supplies. Still, none of that counted as a loss when weighed against the rewards of victory.
“Oh my god, what is all this?”
“This is an absolute jackpot.”
“This subjugation mission really paid off.”
The nest’s deepest chambers held an overwhelming stockpile of resources—so much that I wondered how they had even gathered it all. Rare elixirs, colorful lumber, difficult-to-process stone, various metals, and precious gems. Every material was one frequently used in the North, and the metals were all top quality without a single subpar piece among them. The only real drawback was that the mana stored within the gems was rather low. Even that, however, had its uses.
“We can send these to the mages and alchemists,” someone suggested.
“Those guys are always complaining about running out of gems. Their jaws are going to hit the floor when they see this haul.”
“There aren’t many, but we did find some gems with decent mana reserves.”
Mages spent money like water and could be irritating, but they produced results that justified the expense. They had succeeded in mass-producing the shock shields used by the security forces and had improved potion efficiency, raising survival rates in critical situations. Because of their many contributions, we decided to sell the lower-quality gems to the mage tower. With this much volume hitting the market, every mage tower in the North would scramble to buy them anyway.
There was still plenty of work left. Scholars excitedly explored the nest’s interior, guild staff mapped its layout, we rescued the people the War Ants had kidnapped and waited for them to regain their bearings, and scouts continued searching for anything we might have missed. While all of that was happening, those of us who had returned with the main force met with Rohan and the other leaders.
After hearing the full story from us, Rohan crossed his arms and looked at Adela, who was clinging to my back.
“So that child is both the cause of the War Ant nest’s creation and the princess entity from the front lines?”
“Yes.”
“And you intend to form a summoner’s contract with Adela—keeping her from running wild while treating her as a comrade.”
“That’s correct.”
Once I finished speaking, Rohan glanced at the leadership seated to his left and right. The group—high-ranking guild officials, knights dispatched from noble families, and respected scholars—remained silent. Since I had revealed every detail from the start, they had a lot to think about. Still, they were all competent people. After some time, they reached a clear consensus without much difficulty.
“Were there any deaths among the subjugation force?”
“None. We have men who lost limbs, but if they focus on recovery, they can heal completely.”
“Then how do our losses compare to our gains?”
“The gains are overwhelmingly greater. The resources stored inside the nest alone could sustain five territories for ten years.”
“Then it’s settled.”
At the scholars’ words, Lahan shrugged with a calm expression. “They were already preparing a massive bribe to get on our good side. Accepting one princess won’t hurt us.”
“Is that really possible?” I asked.
“Aren’t you already controlling Adela through a summoner’s contract, Argo?”
I gave an awkward smile at Rohan’s question. It was true we had formed a contract, but it wasn’t a summoner’s contract. In Argo Saga, most of a Summoner’s beasts were contracted through a unique dimensional relay. I wasn’t familiar with how this world handled summoner contracts. Instead, the contract between Adela and me was a taming bond. After Owen suggested there might be a way to form a contract through Mystery, I unlocked the Taming skill and used it.
The terms had been simple. I would help Adela grow, and in return she would become my traveling companion. It was essentially a partnership, quite different from the kind of contract Rohan imagined. But what did it matter? As long as both sides were satisfied, that was enough.
“We aren’t mortal enemies with monsters, and there are cases of coexistence. As commander of the subjugation force, I permit it.”
“Thank you for your consideration. Adela won’t cause any trouble.”
“Kids grow up by causing accidents. Don’t restrain her too much.”
The old knight beside Rohan spoke with a chuckle. I smiled awkwardly. No matter how human she looked, she was still a monster—weren’t they being too soft? Then again, this was simply how Northerners were, so I let it pass. It wasn’t harming me anyway.
Once Adela’s treatment was settled, a guild employee approached at perfect timing.
“The supply officer reports that harvesting is complete. The scholars have gathered sufficient data, and the scouts say they’ve obtained everything of value.”
“It’s finally over.”
The employee’s words brightened the mood inside the command tent. Though it had become routine, camping outside and fighting for hours on end was never pleasant. The leadership members smiled at the thought of returning home to rest comfortably and hurried their preparations.
They organized the ranks, sorted supplies, and loaded the wagons. Since expeditions were practically everyday occurrences, departure preparations went smoothly. The only problem was that the sheer volume of loot exceeded the wagons’ capacity. We hastily built additional carts, and that was where I came in. Or rather, where my inventory came in.
“If nothing else, that Mystery ability called Inventory is truly enviable,” the supply officer said on the road back to Edenberg, staring at me with eyes full of envy. More precisely, his gaze was fixed on the inventory I possessed.
“I agree. The storage capacity is enormous.”
“Enormous doesn’t even begin to describe it! That’s a revolution in logistics!”
As a supply officer, he understood better than anyone how crucial logistics were. To him, my inventory was like a whole new world, and its seemingly limitless capacity was larger than anything he had ever dreamed of.
“Any interest in working as a supply officer? Just nod and I’ll promise you the next chief supply officer position.”
“I’ve decided to see things through as an adventurer, so I must decline.”
“Tsk. Can’t be helped, then.”
The supply officer looked like he would have dragged me to the ends of hell to recruit me if I hadn’t been an adventurer. I smiled awkwardly, and the people around us burst into laughter.
“You’re pretty popular with the supply officer.”
“Captivating that strict old man in one go—what a talent!”
“Even if you say that, I have no intention of becoming a supply officer.”
I shook my head at Anel and Goro’s teasing. The other adventurers joined in the laughter, and a small smile formed on my lips. I had been worried about adapting after becoming an adventurer so recently, but after suffering through the ant crisis together, those worries had largely disappeared. My impressive performance this time had also helped me make a name for myself among the adventurers.
While I happily pondered what reward I should request first upon our return, time flew by and the subjugation force arrived at Edenberg.
“The subjugation force has returned!”
“Is all of that loot?”
“They’ve come back after a magnificent victory!”
Guards who spotted our approach from afar shouted loudly and moved with purpose. They opened the massive gates, climbed the walls, and stood in orderly ranks. As we passed beneath the gates, they all struck their chests in the warrior’s salute.
A surge of emotion rose within me as I returned the gesture, striking my own chest. After passing through the gates, it was the citizens’ turn.
“Waaaaah!”
“We won! We’re victorious! We protected our home!”
“They say there wasn’t a single death? Is that true?!”
The moment news of the subjugation force’s return spread, citizens lined the main road on both sides, welcoming us as we marched toward the central plaza. They all struck their chests in the warrior’s salute, cheering wildly. I walked with a dignified stride through their thunderous welcome until we finally reached the central plaza.
There, we formed ranks before a young man standing at the plaza’s center. Beautiful silver hair fluttered in the wind, emphasizing his presence. At first glance he might have seemed like a beautiful boy due to his youthful face, but his ruby-like crimson eyes shone with undeniable authority. Though I had never met him before, no one from Edenberg could possibly fail to recognize those features.
The young man slowly scanned the subjugation force arrayed before him, then spoke with a satisfied expression.
“I congratulate you on your safe return, warriors.”
At his words, the security forces all knelt on one knee and placed fists over their hearts. The knights and other warriors struck their chests instead of kneeling. The priests bowed silently in respect. The citizens gathered in the plaza also knelt and looked up at the young man.
Receiving the gaze of so many people, the youth radiated gentle charisma as he raised his fist high.
"Veil Edenberg, third son of House Edenberg, hereby declares: The subjugation force has achieved victory! They have secured a great triumph that will be recorded in history without suffering a single casualty! They have returned bearing honor beyond compare!"
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
At Veil Edenberg’s shout, everyone in the plaza thrust their fists into the air and roared. Such a decisive victory was extremely rare, so men and women, young and old, cheered with unbridled joy. Veil, not one to miss the moment, delivered the finishing blow.
“Therefore, I declare here and now! In the name of House Edenberg, a festival shall begin tomorrow and continue for three days! All preparation costs will be covered by me, master of the Fenrir Merchant Guild!”
The cheers grew even louder.
“Our young master is so generous!”
“We believed in you, Lord Veil!”
“Hahaha! Three days of festival ahead!”
Watching the citizens praise Veil from every direction, I let out a small sigh of admiration. He truly was the practical ruler managing House Edenberg. While the Count and his two older brothers defended the front lines, Veil governed Edenberg in their stead. He nodded contentedly at the sight of the people singing his praises.