Nancy's Unexpected Letter
Dana, who had expended a significant amount of mana after so long, was utterly exhausted. She slept peacefully with her head resting against my chest. I kept one arm wrapped around her waist to make sure she wouldn’t slip from the saddle as I guided the horse forward. The rest of my companions were just as drained. Dawn was breaking, painting the sky in soft light. The road home after an all-night operation was quiet, almost eerily still. No one had the energy left for cheerful conversation on this victorious return.
Pasvachio, Mateus, and I rode in complete silence, staring straight ahead. It was impossible to tell whether we were dozing or simply too tired to speak. Unia and Epibia shared a single horse; they managed a few scattered exchanges and quiet giggles, but even that faded quickly. Every one of us wanted nothing more than to reach home and collapse into bed.
Then the anomaly struck without warning.
“These are their tracks! They’re right up ahead!”
“I can’t tell how many riders per horse, but judging by the hoofprints, it looks like four people total.”
The voices suddenly reached me through Sohee. My first confused thought was who they might be—perhaps retainers of the dead Lord Lapilwood? I pulled Sohee out to check and saw flags and banners bearing the Lapilwood family crest. From the conversation, they appeared to be relatives who had rushed in from nearby villages.
“These bastards plan to kill us and shut our mouths forever.”
I tucked Sohee away and scanned my companions. They all wore calm expressions, unaware of the danger. I halted the horses and called for their attention. Even Dana, who had been sleeping, woke up rubbing her eyes.
“Pursuers are coming!”
I explained that Lord Lapilwood’s relatives were chasing us in a frenzy, terrified of the consequences. A large force of cavalry was already closing in, split into three units intending to strike from the flanks and rear to surround us.
Everyone’s eyes widened in alarm. Unia let out a heavy sigh, worry etched across her face.
“We’ve burned through all our strength. How are we supposed to fight dozens of cavalry? Dana’s barely staying conscious as it is.”
Stamina was the critical problem. The horses, pushed hard through the night, were equally spent. If we tried to flee now, we would be overtaken in moments. As if our luck wasn’t bad enough, it was also time to feed the animals to ease their hunger.
While we racked our brains for a way to overcome this crisis, the first priority was protecting the secret ledger we had seized from the mansion. We decided to form a detached unit. My plan was simple.
“I’ll send Mateus ahead to Nobern Castle. He will deliver the secret ledger to Adelia and request reinforcements.”
The documents proved Lord Lapilwood’s crimes; that gave the Lion Heart Unit all the justification it needed to act openly.
Mateus looked startled when he heard the order.
“Can I really handle this? Wouldn’t it be better if the leader went himself…”
“I’m staying to protect the others. You’re the only one I can entrust with this.”
“What about everyone else?”
Unia and Pasvachio answered with easy smiles.
“I’m past the age where I can squeeze out every last drop of strength to run. That was possible in my twenties. You go.”
“Same here. The years when energy could suddenly surge are long gone. Standing in place and fighting like a stake, maybe I could manage. But I’m too exhausted to move any farther.”
They spoke as if stating simple facts, but I knew the truth. It was camaraderie. They wanted to remain behind and protect their comrades, deliberately handing the safer role to Mateus. They understood better than anyone how dangerous it was to stay here while everyone was spent; that was exactly why they chose to shoulder the sacrifice themselves.
With our hearts aligned, we moved quickly. We handed Mateus the secret ledger along with every document detailing the crimes, and even transferred the Swift Bow that had been hanging from my saddle.
“Hang this bow on the saddle and your movement speed will increase. You’ll be two or three times faster than normal.”
“I’ll return as fast as I can! Please stay alive until then!”
Mateus left all his equipment and weapons with us, riding as light as possible. He shot forward like an arrow. We watched him grow smaller in the distance and smiled wearily.
“I hope he makes it in time…”
“Today I intend to keep him with me all day.”
Adelia had risen a short while ago and was having her hair arranged by a maid. As always, Sinclair stood beside her, morning preparations completed to perfection in her martial uniform.
“Won’t you grow tired of spending the entire day together?”
“Tired? On the contrary, teasing him is entertaining. When I spend money lavishly in front of him to display noble wealth, his eyes go wide with genuine astonishment. He’s lived in poverty until now, so he thinks I’m impressive. Watching that reaction never gets old.”
“Hehe, exactly what one would expect from a lowly bandit. I’d like to see that foolish expression myself someday.”
“Shall I show you today? I’m thinking of taking him to the opera house this evening. Should I reserve the most expensive seats with the best view? What do you think?”
“Hm. That sounds excellent. Hyeonu has probably never been anywhere near an opera house in his life. For someone whose only experience was banditry, it might be a genuine culture shock. His jaw will likely drop the moment he steps inside.”
“Right? I plan to enjoy that surprised face to my heart’s content.”
Adelia finished preparing to go out while chatting happily with Sinclair, using Hyunwoo as the main topic. Afterward they visited a nearby upscale restaurant and were enjoying breakfast—apple cake and sausage—when Bellita, Sinclair’s direct adjutant, burst into the dining room in a rush.
“An urgent messenger has arrived from the Kether Mercenary Group. It concerns Lord Lapilwood.”
“It seems there’s been a complication with yesterday’s orders.”
Adelia immediately set down her utensils and headed for headquarters with Sinclair. Inside the reception room, a visibly exhausted Mateus knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“Lady Adelia! Please send reinforcements to us at once!”
“Reinforcements? What exactly is happening?”
Mateus handed over the secret ledger and every document he had brought, then explained in exhaustive, truthful detail how the Kether Mercenary Group had raided Lord Lapilwood’s mansion the previous night and how their leader Hyunwoo had taken the lord’s head. He also reported that the Lapilwood relatives, fearing repercussions, had risen up in force and were now pursuing the mercenary group.
“Hyunwoo took Lord Lapilwood’s head?”
Adelia tilted her head. They had clearly discussed only gathering evidence yesterday; she had never ordered the lord’s execution. Still, she wasn’t displeased. She was simply astonished at the extent of his power. Defeating a lord and his knights with only a handful of men was genuinely impressive.
“Lady Adelia, look at these. The atrocities Lord Lapilwood committed are worse than we imagined.”
Sinclair passed her the evidence she had been reviewing. Adelia accepted the documents and studied them carefully. Her expression darkened.
“With evidence this clear, execution without trial is entirely justified.”
The southern bandit subjugation was a campaign the king himself pushed aggressively. Every dispatched unit carried immense authority. Even nobles could be summarily executed on the spot if their crimes were proven. Of course, if the accused noble demanded a formal trial at the royal court, the unit commander had to decide whether to grant it. Most commanders offered a public hearing out of respect for noble status, but when evidence was overwhelming and the crimes particularly vile, refusal was permitted.
“There’s no time to waste. We must move immediately.”
Adelia shot to her feet and shouted.
“We ride to rescue the Kether Mercenary Group! Order all units to prepare for immediate departure!”
The Valkyria Mercenary Group joined the Lion Heart Unit in the rescue operation. Once preparations were complete, both forces left the city and raced toward the location Mateus described. Before long they spotted Hyunwoo and his party on a wide plain, surrounded by Lapilwood’s men, fighting desperately to hold on.
The Lion Heart Unit and Valkyria Mercenary Group successfully rescued the Kether Mercenary Group.
After rescuing Hyunwoo, Adelia delivered a terrifying blow to Lapilwood’s faction. She arrested every relative and every associate who had participated in the late lord’s crimes, throwing them all into prison. The worst offenders were either executed on the spot or sent to the capital for formal trial.
During the cleanup, residents of the three villages that had endured decades of exploitation and suffering at the hands of the Lapilwood family learned the truth: the heroes who had slain Lord Lapilwood and toppled his relatives were the Kether Mercenary Group.
“If those people hadn’t stepped in, I don’t know what would have become of us. They’re incredible!”
“I finally feel like I can live again!”
The villagers showered them with praise. Every day they visited the Kether Mercenary Group’s office in the city, offering grain, fruit, and even leaving behind an entire cow as tokens of gratitude. Thanks to their generosity, the group’s fame spread far beyond Nobern territory into neighboring lands. The image of a righteous mercenary company that protected justice became firmly imprinted in the public mind.
That very fame became the catalyst that brought an old, half-forgotten connection back into Hyunwoo’s life.
You've been pretty popular lately. Left the bandit crew and made something of yourself, huh? Congratulations.
Have you gotten used to it yet? Life here isn't all that different from Earth, is it?
Don't you ever want to go back?
I'm always watching you.
— Nancy
My hand holding the letter trembled faintly. After the bandit group had been dismantled, Nancy had suddenly reached out. The fact that she knew the word “Earth” left me deeply shaken.
I turned to Kelly, who was seated at the desk with an urgent expression, focused on her work.
“When did this letter arrive?”
“A woman brought it this morning while you were at Lion Heart headquarters.”
“What did she look like?”
“Long brown hair and blue eyes…”
That was all I needed to hear. I bolted out the door. Brown hair and blue eyes—there was no doubt the woman who had given Kelly the letter was Nancy.