Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: 20. The Second Major Commission (3)
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Allen took in the seven members gathered loosely around him at a glance. They no longer looked like a motley crew of misfits; now they had the solid look of a proper mercenary band.
The leader flashed a faint smile, nodded lightly, and tapped somewhere on the map hanging on the wall with what looked like a conductor's baton.
Their eyes snapped toward the tip of the baton.
Allen tapped each of the three cities forming the vertices of a triangle in turn.
"Iron Fortress, Kalstadt... Silver City, Agnentia... And us, the Mercenary City Vermandua."
Then he drew straight lines connecting the three cities, sketching out a triangle.
"Does anyone know what's going on in this area right now? Heard the rumors?"
The hairy brute Gis, who seemed to have an ear for gossip, jerked his chin and replied.
"I've heard there've been a bunch of disappearances happening lately."
"Right on the money."
Truth be told, there was no reason for merchant caravans or mercenary bands to make such a fuss over disappearances. In this land teeming with all sorts of dangers, simple vanishings or mass casualties were a dime a dozen.
For rumors to spread this far about something so trivial meant it wasn't a simple matter at all. In other words, something terrifying was lurking there.
"As I'm sure you've all guessed... this isn't just about disappearances."
Allen's chilling gaze swept over his crew.
"It's tied to a demon's minions. Probably black mages, or monsters transformed into powerful magical beasts."
"...Is this our mission?"
"Haven't decided yet. Now that we've got some structure in place, I wanted to see how you all react before making the call. ...Though it'll ultimately be my decision alone, of course."
A small chuckle rippled through the group.
"Don't worry too much, though. Who am I? I don't drag us into half-baked jobs on a whim."
Everyone except the two newest recruits trusted the leader's judgment without question. His calls had always been spot-on so far, after all.
"Anyway. My guess is we'll probably head into the nearby demonic realm. No way the enemy's holed up out in the open like this."
"Sounds like a tough one."
"Eh, still better than that Ssalver Dungeon run or the necromancer war back in the day."
This time the laughter was louder. The comparisons were just that brutal. ...Honestly, anything worse than those would've been a death sentence.
"It's a major commission, though, so it shouldn't be too grueling. ...We've got a week till departure. Any issues? ...None?"
At that moment, the new archer recruit Georg Pie raised his hand. The massively muscled warrior-type was a cautious sort.
"Anything special we need to prep on our end, then?"
"I've got that covered. Just pack some emergency potions, everyone. ...Oh, and holy water if you've got the spare coin."
Allen clapped his hands lightly to refocus their attention.
"This demon uses mind-based black magic. They call it the siren's song. You'll hear hallucinations, auditory illusions. It'll be hard to tell from reality. Like how you don't realize you're dreaming until you wake up. ...We'll prep as best we can, but it won't be foolproof."
He clenched his fist lightly by way of demonstration.
"Long story short, just don't give in to the temptation. ...It's all about mental fortitude in the end."
Mental fortitude!
The very foundation of martial arts, as far as the gum-chewing swordswoman Natasha was concerned.
"Don't forget your duty. Do that, and there won't be any problems."
···
The Seven Mercenaries, having accepted the marquis's major commission, departed Vermandua at the crack of dawn.
For Natasha, this wasn't her first mission overall, but it was her first as part of the Allen Mercenary Corps. ...Maybe because of that, her heart was pounding just like it had back when she was the fresh newbie.
Adventure, journey, exploration...
Her excitement swelled like that of a starry-eyed girl. Of course, a mission wasn't all dreams and whimsy, but for someone who had clawed her way back from death's door, this was something she'd longed for desperately.
...I'll prove my worth, no matter what.
The gum-chewing swordswoman stole a glance at Leader Allen, seated directly across from her. He was gazing endlessly at the dawn sky, lost in melancholy... like a painting come to life.
Feeling her stare, Allen turned his head. She squeezed her eyes shut and pretended to meditate.
Having devoted her life solely to sword training, she had no clue what this mushy feeling bubbling up inside her was. She chalked it up to simple admiration and fondness.
Leader Allen is my lifesaver. He's stuck by me. Of course I'd feel this way about him.
That excuse was plenty to justify her unusual pull toward him.
The road to Agnentia was eerily empty, even emptier than expected. The mass disappearances and slaughters had scared off all the merchant caravans from this route.
A full day after leaving Vermandua, the mercenaries hadn't spotted so much as a beast, let alone another soul.
During periodic breaks, the gum-chewing swordswoman would often spar lightly with the training fanatic Viktor to keep her body from stiffening up. If not sparring, she'd meditate.
Leader Allen, in particular, lingered around Natasha's vicinity more than usual. ...For any number of reasons, no doubt.
"How's your first expedition treating you?"
"No issues so far."
"Good to hear. ...I was worried I'd pushed too hard on you for no reason."
"Pushed too hard? Not at all. It's what any mercenary should do. ...And it's what I've always wanted, too. To see the world."
Allen smiled charmingly. The firelight flickering on his face from the crackling campfire... honestly made him look too handsome for words.
He gently placed his hand over hers, resting on her knee.
...Ah...
It was that same warmth she'd felt long ago, thrashing alone in her isolation. Indescribably moving, aching in her chest.
"You know how much I care about you, right? ...Don't push yourself too hard. Tell me if it's too much. I get it."
...How could she not fall head over heels for a man like this, speaking so movingly? It was like her heart had plunged into a vat of sweet honey and come out dripping.
"...No, I'm fine. I can do this. With mental fortitude, I can push through. Mental fortitude...!"
"Haha. Right, mental fortitude..."
Dinnertime arrived soon after. As usual, the two ate pressed close together side by side. Just being with him made her happy. Like a dream.
The meal, neither too long nor too short, ended, and the group cleaned up before unrolling their bedrolls. Final prep time before lights out.
Allen took first-watch Natasha behind the wagon. This wasn't just about watching for bandit raids at night; he wanted to go over precautions one more time.
The same points he'd emphasized repeatedly flowed from his mouth again. She nodded vigorously, promising to keep them in mind.
"Alright, I trust you, Natasha..."
"Don't worry."
Allen smiled oddly. Then, brushing her stray bangs behind her ear, he whispered.
"You steal peeks at Elena's chest a lot, don't you?"
"...Pardon?!"
The gum-chewing swordswoman jumped like a kid caught in a lie.
"No need to be so jealous. ...I like yours better."
The moment she heard those words, euphoria surged in her chest.
Ah... Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness...
...And his face drawing slowly closer.
Natasha closed her eyes delicately, welcoming Leader Allen's sweet kiss.
Her first kiss in life.
It was so sweet and ecstatic it sent shivers through her body.
So the leader feels affection for me too.
Thank goodness. Really thank goodness.
Yes. Just like this, forever...!
The kiss grew more intense, Allen's hands bolder.
They groped her firm rear and modest breasts.
Hnngh—
A lewdly sticky, passionate kiss. Natasha was utterly entranced.
"I like you, Natasha."
"...I like you too, Leader. From that time, all the way until now, always...!"
Then Allen nibbled her earlobe lewdly and whispered stickily.
"...Wanna sneak off for a bit?"
"...Huh...?"
"For sex... You've been hearing those moans every night at the inn, haven't you? Must've been tough holding back... You've endured so much, right...?"
She couldn't bring herself to say yes... but it was undeniable truth.
Every night at the inn, the moans echoed. No matter how hard she tried to meditate calmly, it wasn't easy. She'd had naughty dreams often, even soaked her undergarments sometimes.
"...Don't you want to? Don't wanna do it with me?"
"N-no, it's not that..."
"Then let's go. Just for a little bit..."
But oddly, the words wouldn't come.
Something felt forgotten.
Something was there.
Definitely, something.
Something she mustn't forget.
Allen devoured her hesitating lips once more.
Mmm.
"Come on, let's go."
"...Leader, wait. Just a sec..."
"I said let's go. ...Don't you like me?"
"No, I do. I like you, but right now, we can't...!"
"Just a quick one."
Aaah—
...Right then, something flashed through her mind.
- Don't forget your duty. Do that, and there won't be any problems.
Words from Leader Allen, right before they set out.
Duty.
What was hers?
To resist the demon's temptation, hold her post steadfastly. To faithfully perform her watch duty.
To overcome it... with mental fortitude.
In that instant, the world spun.
Ugh.
She shook her head and opened her eyes again. Her vision had changed.
Leader Allen, with whom she'd shared that sweet kiss, was gone. Instead, there was the crackling campfire and the snoring members sleeping soundly.
The sand in the hourglass hadn't even half fallen yet.
..........Ah..........
Natasha scanned her surroundings frantically. A chill terror seeped into her chest.
...It had all been a hallucination. So dizzyingly real she couldn't even tell when it started.
"You good over there?"
One of the other watchmen from the nearby camp called out to check on her.
"...Yeah, I'm fine."
...No, truth be told, she wasn't.
But all she could do was overcome it with mental fortitude. Somehow, with mental fortitude...!
Yet the sensation of that sweet first kiss lingered on her lips.
...The demon's temptation had been dizzyingly soul-stealing.