I Kept It
"I kept it." "Please, have a seat. It seems I've made you stand for no reason." ".....Yes." "....Understood."
Following Kallo, who spoke with a slight smile, we awkwardly took our seats.
Glug, glug— "I trust you like tea. Have a cup."
Since he poured tea into the cups already on the desk, Cerise and I accepted without refusing and took a sip.
It's warm.
The tea was warm, with a subtle fragrance lingering in my mouth, and it seemed to ease my mind a little. Just standing before this man named Kallo felt like sticking my head into a tiger's maw.
"Listen while you drink. As I said earlier, I am the head of the Imperial Mercenary Guild. My name is Kallo."
He was a man more dignified and powerful than anyone else. Only someone of his caliber could sit in the position of head of the Imperial Mercenary Guild.
"And... you two. You said you were from the Ska Mercenary Group? I hear you took down a Nepenthes this time." "Yes. That is correct."
It was the first time I realized that even against an elder like Kallo, polite speech came naturally.
"A Nepenthes, you say. Truly a powerful monster... There have even been cases where a single Nepenthes destroyed an entire city."
Kallo stroked his beard as if recalling that incident and gazed into the air for a moment.
"And a newly formed mercenary group like yours managed to subjugate it... It seems the glory of the past has truly returned."
Kallo looked at Cerise and me with a gaze that was both benevolent and sharp. It felt as if he were prying into every corner of our hearts. Like mice standing before a cat, Cerise and I could only swallow hard and remain silent.
"So. What business brings you here?" "...Oh?"
I judged that I could no longer back down, and since I disliked the idea of cowering like this, I gathered my courage and asked Kallo. He looked at me with interest.
"Very well. I'll get straight to the point." Ahem— "Would you consider joining the Imperial Mercenary Corps?"
Join the Imperial Mercenary Corps. Kallo had clearly suggested that to us. It meant pledging loyalty to the Empire with bowed heads.
"......."
When I glanced at Cerise sitting beside me, she wore an uncomfortable expression. She seemed to be sending me a desperate look.
Hmm... What should I do?
The Imperial Mercenary Corps. If the Ska Mercenary Group were to join, tremendous benefits would surely follow. We would receive training facilities, salaries, and equipment far superior to what we had now. Our recognition within the Empire would naturally rise as well. There wasn't a single disadvantage for us. Any third party would have accepted the offer without hesitation.
Alright. I've decided.
After organizing my thoughts, I gave Kallo my answer.
"I appreciate the offer, but we have no intention of joining the Imperial Mercenary Corps." "Oh?" "C-Commander..."
She might think me foolish. To turn down such immense benefits, honor, and wealth, and choose to continue living as we were now...
"May I ask your reason?" "...It's simply to keep a promise."
In the past, the Ska Mercenary Group had commanded the entire Empire without ever belonging to the Imperial Mercenary Corps. To inherit that legacy, to restore its former glory, I had promised Cerise I would try.
And I hate people who break promises more than anything.
Breaking a promise is no different from declaring the end of a relationship with another person. It would be contradictory for someone who thinks that way to break a promise himself.
"Then I won't ask any further. I will simply respect your choice." "Thank you for your consideration." "A polite young man, rare these days. Heh heh.."
Kallo laughed like a kind grandfather. I had been prepared to lose an arm or so as the price for refusing his offer, so it was a relief that it passed so easily.
"You may leave now. I will make sure you receive proper compensation for the magic stones and the Nepenthes core you brought." "Yes. Then we'll be on our way."
Nod.
Leaving Kallo, who gave a slight nod, behind us, I led Cerise—who had fallen completely silent with her head bowed—out of the room.
"It's fortunate that we've finally found a good commander, Ceriseon..."
***
"Vice-Commander Cerise. Is something the matter..." "Hic..."
What kind of person are you... How do you manage to reach so deeply into my heart?
Overwhelmed by Venice's warmth, which seemed to worry about her, Cerise could no longer hold back her tears.
Just moments ago. When she had met Kallo, the legendary head of the Imperial Mercenary Guild.
"Would you consider joining the Imperial Mercenary Corps?" No...
When Kallo made that offer, Cerise had been filled with despair inside. Following in her father's footsteps, she had wanted to restore the past glory without joining the Empire...
"........"
The moment she heard Kallo's words, she watched Venice's face as he pondered, looking as if he had heard something interesting. He would surely accept. There was no reason to refuse... Money. Honor. And everything else. If they became part of the Imperial Mercenary Corps, they could obtain it all.
She had wanted to beg him to refuse, but she lacked the nerve to let the words leave her throat. It was entirely thanks to Venice that they had grown even this much. She couldn't cause him any more trouble...
With a heavy heart, Cerise could only lower her head. It felt as if a trace of hatred toward Venice had formed because of her own selfishness. The commander had done nothing wrong, yet it seemed his will was being tarnished by her selfishness alone.
"I appreciate the offer, but we have no intention of joining the Imperial Mercenary Corps." "........!"
However, contrary to Cerise's expectations, Venice refused Kallo's offer. Why? For what reason? It wouldn't have benefited him at all...
Cerise stared at Venice's profile with wide eyes and parted lips.
"...It's simply to keep a promise."
Cerise's doubts were resolved by Venice's simple, almost hollow answer. A promise. A promise to do his best to help Cerise revive the Ska Mercenary Group, as her father had requested. She had thought he would have forgotten it. She had believed he would prioritize practical gains over a promise that mattered only to her.
Commander...
How can you shine such pure and brilliant light upon me? Why do you bestow such warm kindness upon me?
The commander had always shown her nothing but boundless trust. Yet it was always she who betrayed that trust. Overcome by guilt for betraying the commander's faith, and by the gloom of darkening his radiant self, Cerise could only bow her head deeply, grateful for a refusal that brought him no benefit. Unlike her own filthy and base self, merely looking at him, who always walked the straight path, felt like a sin. She couldn't bear to look at his face, afraid the tears would spill over.
Even after leaving Kallo's room, Cerise's guilt continued.
"Vice-Commander Cerise." ".....Hic. Yes..." "Don't cry. There, there."
Thump thump thump thump...
Her heart raced madly even at his trivial, always expressionless consideration. She had resolved not to be a burden to him, yet she hated how her body wanted to smile at the slightest touch.
"From now on, let's use our pay to buy new armor. Would you like to come along?" "Sniffle... Yes...!"
I don't know anymore. If it's something the commander asks, I'll do anything. I want to fulfill everything he desires. Commander. My commander... From now on, I will follow only you forever.
Cerise shed tears happier than anyone else's in the world as she smiled up at her commander. A face she could look at for a lifetime without ever growing tired of it.
***
Phew. Fortunately, Cerise seemed to like buying new armor as well. She liked it so much that her inexplicable tears stopped completely.
Hmm. I should get the payment settled first.
She had almost forgotten the most important thing—settling the reward. Even the Ironclaw Monkey had paid thirty gold... How much would a 4-star monster like the Nepenthes give?!
With an excited heart, I walked lightly toward the reception desk alongside Cerise, who had started smiling again. Of course, since I couldn't act frivolously, I had no choice but to maintain a dignified, expressionless face and walk slowly.
"Ah, you've arrived. I'll process the settlement right away." "Mm. Thank you." "....Eek!"
The receptionist suddenly looked beside me and flinched in surprise. "...?"
Wondering if something was wrong, I looked at Cerise beside me, but she was only gazing up at me with eyes brighter than usual. She must have spotted some large bug or something. Bugs were common in this world, after all.
Clink— Rustle rustle.
"Hup... There! Th-Then, including the Nepenthes core and magic stones, the total comes to two hundred gold...!"
....What? Two hundred gold?! ...My life's made it, damn it!!
I hadn't even spent all the thirty gold from last time, and now two hundred gold had appeared! I had expected maybe a hundred at most... This was insane!
"Well then, thank you. We'll be on our way. See you next time." "Y-Yes... N-No..." "....?"
Did I make her uncomfortable? The receptionist answered as if she didn't want to see me again. She looked uneasy, almost frightened... Maybe I had done something wrong. But what had I done wrong? I didn't think I had intimidated her or anything...
"Um... Sorry about that. I'll be going now.."
I felt a little down without realizing it. If someone openly disliked me like that, even I would feel hurt.
"Commander! Shall we head straight to the armor shop?!" "Mm. Let's do that."
Cerise was brimming with excitement. Yeah. We had an absurd amount of money now, so let's spend it freely and lift our spirits!
"Heh... Heheh... I kept it..." "....Huh?" "Is something wrong?"
It sounded like Cerise had muttered something just now... Maybe I was just imagining things lately. Anyway.
With a buoyant heart, I took light steps forward.