Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: First Expedition (1)
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Ah.
Allen snapped his eyes open. It was still dim all around.
As his foggy mind cleared, the chill tension wrapping around his body made his groin tingle.
...Finally...
The monumental first expedition. Not just some visual stimulation from beyond a monitor, but the real deal stimulating his skin—
Honestly, even Jihoo, who had taken over Allen's body, couldn't shake off the tension of this first outing. He knew the theory inside and out better than anyone... but real combat? No way to guarantee it'd go exactly as planned.
No, believe in yourself. You've got to trust yourself. You're the Mercenary Leader. You're the one who has to lead them. If you can't even trust yourself, who the hell will they trust?
He'd only ever led people in real life— not games— during college or company project teams... but he didn't think his skills were lacking there.
He rubbed his dry face vigorously with both hands, then got out of bed. He headed to the bath, soaking his tense body in the hot water the early-rising servants had prepared. After changing into comfortable clothes, he ate breakfast, then personally inspected each of the carriages lined up in front of the mansion. Were the carriages intact? Was anything missing from the packed supplies?
"Aigoo, Young Master. Let us handle that..."
"No, it's fine. I need to check everything meticulously myself at the end."
His hair and shoulders grew damp from the drizzling dew-like rain, but Allen paid it no mind.
Soon enough, the porters and workers finished their preparations and gathered. Allen gave the lineup one final check for any issues, then boarded a carriage.
"Let's depart."
- Depart—
At the signal from Allen, the group's top decision-maker, the four carriages lurched forward in unison with a creak—
The light drizzle had stopped before long, and a pale light began to spread over the faint dawn mist. ...Day was breaking.
...They didn't run off, did they...?
He'd boldly assured Captain Aiden not to worry, but honestly, how could he not? This was all firsts. First hires, first time as leader, first expedition... He felt like he was waiting for university admission results on a knife's edge.
The carriages kept heading toward the east gate. And gradually, the promised meeting spot came into view.
Ah—
Eight mercenaries clustered together without a single one missing... Thankfully, they'd passed the test.
Allen struggled to suppress the surging emotions. As soon as the carriage stopped, he hopped down to greet them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Everyone, hop in the carriages."
"Yes, Mercenary Leader."
Captain Aiden gestured smoothly for his comrades to board, then approached Allen.
"...Not a single one missing. All present, Mercenary Leader."
"Good, that's a relief. ...You'll have your work cut out for you from here on."
"Not at all. It's what I should do."
"Mind if I ride with you?"
"...With us, you say?"
Aiden was momentarily flustered by the unprecedented request. A noble riding in the grubby mercenaries' compartment? It was hard to wrap his head around.
"Ah, uh, well... Yes... No reason not to."
And so Allen climbed into the compartment where the mercenaries were huddled. The crude chatter and laughter that had been filling the air cut off abruptly, as if on cue. They shot questioning looks at their entering captain, wondering what the hell was going on.
Ignoring the speechless captain, Allen steadied his pounding heart and mustered his courage to speak.
"I decided to ride together. Until the mission ends, aren't we comrades in the same boat? Don't feel awkward— treat me like just another member of the mercenary corps."
An awkward silence naturally enveloped the carriage. Finally, the captain snapped at them—what are you waiting for, answer him— and bald Dolkin let out a hearty wahaha laugh.
"Welcome aboard, Mercenary Leader. Lots of farts in here, but you sure you're okay with that...?"
"That smell's coming from your damn mouth, punk."
Only then did the frozen atmosphere thaw a bit. Allen wedged himself in among them and said,
"Pretend I'm not here and carry on like usual. Really, it's fine."
The bald guy jumped in first again. Seemed he was the mood-maker here.
"He says pretend the Mercenary Leader's not here—!"
"Woo-hoo—"
A few chimed in with cheers, and the captain subtly shot them a glare— a signal not to cross the line. ...No matter what, the guy was still a noble.
"You really mean we can talk about anything?"
"Of course. Go ahead. I told you, no need to hold back."
"He says anything goes—!"
And just like that, the boisterous chatter exploded like they'd been waiting for it...
That's when Allen discovered a new world.
The mercenaries' stories were beyond imagination.
...Especially the sex talk.
···
Allen's Mercenary Corps arrived at the entrance to the demon-infested borderlands leading to the mines after a full day of travel. Right there stood a fortress built of stone. Temporary copper smelting was underway inside, so acrid smoke billowed endlessly from the chimneys like cooking fires everywhere. The output had dwindled, but at full capacity, it would've blanketed the whole fortress...
Malcolm, the guard captain in charge of this copper fortress, spotted Allen descending from the carriage and snapped a salute. He was a striking man with impressively curled mustaches like butterfly antennae on either side.
"We've been expecting you, Young Master."
"You've had it rough in the meantime, Sir Malcolm."
"Not at all. Rough? Hardly."
Allen glanced around roughly. No carriage bearing the castellan family's crest, so the count's house hadn't arrived yet. ...Good, they'd avoided the mishap of departing right away.
"Must've been a hard journey here. Get some good rest."
The guard captain was politely implying the count's house hadn't shown. No need to ruffle the feathers of the castellan's family. Allen tactfully sidestepped without prying.
"Looks like we've got time, so you all rest up too. You worked hard getting here."
"Yes, Mercenary Leader."
"He says take a break—!"
The mercenaries chuckled casually even with the demon borderlands right in front of them, sauntering off somewhere. Allen, now close to it, felt tension from its overwhelming menace... True to the saying, even rotten fish from a good pond— lives at the rough bottom had forged that kind of grit to laugh off such auras.
And before the sun set on the day Allen's Mercenary Corps arrived, the mercenary group sent by the Eberheim Count arrived at the fortress.
Their scale and grandeur dwarfed the other groups that had arrived first— not surprising— but Charlotte coming along as their leader was outside Allen's expectations.
...Knew she was tough, but braver than I thought.
Not that Allen, who'd come himself, had room to talk, but for such a delicate noblewoman to dive fearlessly into these deadly demon borderlands where mercenaries could drop like flies at any moment.
Sure, mercenary corps had an unwritten rule against touching the leader in fights between groups, but you couldn't expect that courtesy from the borderland beasts.
Of the four corps gathered here, only Allen and Charlotte had come personally instead of sending proxies— a clear sign of how cautious southern nobles were with their safety.
Anyway—
Whatever reason Charlotte had for coming, ...honestly, it was kinda nice. She was the only one here in the same boat as him.
"What brings a lady like you here—?"
Charlotte clearly hadn't expected that supposed coward Allen to show up personally either.
"...As Mercenary Leader, it was only right. And it's important house business."
"As expected of a lady. A model for all."
"And you...?"
"Me too, came along as leader."
"Ah... I see..."
Her eyes said she could hardly believe it, but she couldn't deny the evidence staring her in the face, smack in the fortress.
They exchanged a few polite words and parted for their respective areas. The sun had nearly set, so the expedition was naturally postponed to tomorrow.
As Allen returned, the mercenaries' gazes turned sly. A few oohs slipped out.
A handsome man meets a beautiful woman... Naturally, the talk turned filthy.
And Dolkin the bald was perfect for this.
"You two, what's the deal? Don't tell me it's this—?"
The guy grinned slyly, incongruous with his bulk, and twirled his pinky like picking his nose.
Then the clueless youngest, Karakul, blurted out the explicit word.
"Did you have sex too?!"
"You punk, what's 'sex' in front of the Mercenary Leader."
Captain Aiden smacked the immature kid upside the head with his palm. But the guy, used to it, just grinned like an idiot.
Allen just smiled faintly without responding. The mercenaries didn't tease further.
He lay quietly in his spot and closed his eyes. But his mind raced furiously.
...Sex, huh.
Any man with a dick couldn't escape fantasies of sex with a beauty.
Allen felt a heaviness in his groin.