Blooming Heart

Cerise watched the commander and the mercenaries rallying before the request. No—she was only watching the commander.

....Just what exactly happened that day?!

Several weeks had already passed since that day, yet Cerise was still lost in confusion. The night they completed their first request. The beer she drank for the first time had sent her mind flying. She clearly remembered waking up in her own bed the next morning with a splitting headache, but....

I have a vague memory of it... but I definitely didn't walk to my room on my own two feet.

Among the scattered fragments she could recall, there was no memory of heading to her bedroom herself. Just hazy conversations with the commander while cradling her muddled head... and then suddenly feeling a warm sensation....

...A warm sensation?

"....mander."

"...Eh....ehhh..."

She clearly remembered a warmth that could never come from simple contact.

"Hmm. If you're talking about that, let's keep it quiet between us. I left after making sure Vice-Commander Cerise had fallen asleep."

The next day, the commander had said exactly that. That. And suggested they move past it quietly.

...He watched until she fell asleep?

N-no no no no way...!!

Cerise had grown up beside her father, the first commander of the Ska Mercenary Group, surrounded by the other mercenaries. Most of them were rougher, bolder, and far less prone to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠embarrassment than ordinary people. Naturally, their conversations were always filled with crude jokes and dirty stories. Having grown up listening to them, Cerise ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knew everything there was to know.

"...Commander."

Did I... really do it...? With the commander...?

Cerise sank deep into her own world, lost in anguish and deaf to everything around her. No... that couldn't be right. The commander didn't seem like the type to harbor such feelings... Ah... no. Father and the mercenary uncles had said that people change completely when they drink. The commander too...?

"...Vice-Commander Cerise!"

"...Hic! Y-yes! Commander!"

"Are you feeling unwell? I've called you several times, but you didn't respond."

Cerise jolted at the sudden voice right in front of her. She lifted her head and looked around to see the commander, his usual expressionless face tinged with faint concern, and the mercenaries staring at her in bewilderment.

"N-no, I'm fine! I was just lost in thought for a moment..."

"Hmm. You're really not hurt? If you are, it's fine to rest. This request will be far more dangerous than the last monster subjugation."

"I'm really fine! In fact, I feel more energetic than usual!!"

"...If you insist. Very well."

Shushushuk-!

When Cerise swiftly swung her sheathed sword through the air to prove she was fine, the commander finally relaxed his expression and turned his gaze toward the mercenaries. Disappointing.

".........?"

What did I just think? Disappointing? It was only because the commander had looked away from me. I was just surprised that someone who stayed expressionless at every moment showed even a hint of emotion. That was all.

Yeah. That's it. That must be it.

"Then let's depart!"

""Yes, Commander!""

Cerise rationalized her thoughts and watched the commander and mercenaries shout their final cheer. Without realizing her gaze was fixed on only one person, she shouted loudly as well.

"Yes, Commander!"

Thud-thud-thud-

We marched diligently toward our new request, leaving Leria Village once again.

I wonder what awaits us this time.

A few weeks ago, after successfully—rather, overwhelmingly quickly—completing our first request against the Ironclaw Monkeys, countless new requests had poured in. Though numerous, most had been disappointingly simple. Scouting around Leria Village, escorting carriages to neighboring villages, subjugating 1-star monsters. Requests that didn't require the entire mercenary group; a few members would have sufficed.

That was precisely why the current request—an exploration of an unidentified dungeon—felt all the more exciting.

Dungeons. This world had dungeons. The same dungeons that appeared in countless webtoons, web novels, and games. Their forms were not fixed. Nor was what dwelled inside them. Most contained monsters, traps, and powerful creatures called "bosses."

And most dungeons almost certainly contain rewards.

Some rewards might be so small you'd wonder if it was even worth it, but others could be so immense that the entire empire would be astonished. In other words, it was gambling. But what could I do? I was absolutely crazy about gacha and loot boxes.

If we were really lucky, we might even obtain magic artifacts or exceptional weapons! How could I resist?

Of course, I wasn't heading into the dungeon without thinking.

No matter how much of a game-obsessed fool I was, I didn't treat the lives of the mercenaries or Vice-Commander Cerise lightly. Unlike me, whose clone body meant death was inconsequential, their lives were real. And when I played nurturing or simulation games, I was the type who couldn't bear to see my chosen characters get hurt or die. Partly because I loved games, but mostly because it felt like watching my own children die. Though it rarely happened, if it did, I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠either restart the game from the beginning or quit entirely.

"Commander. It would be best to camp for the night."

While I was lost in unnecessary thoughts during the march, Cerise spoke to me.

"Hmm. Indeed."

When we left Leria Village, it had been bright daylight, but now dusk was already falling. No choice, then. The request deadline was generous anyway.

"Everyone, prepare to camp."

""Yes, Commander!""

At my order, the mercenaries began moving busily. There was still some light left, so we needed to finish setting up before darkness fully claimed the world. Otherwise, we'd have to prepare camp while watching for monsters that could emerge from the pitch-black night.

Rattle- thud.

Fortunately, our mercenaries' camping skills were truly empire-class. How were they so fast? In just a few minutes, they were nearly done. It was like watching workers in a game instantly build houses and structures with a single click.

"Commander! Camping preparations complete!"

"Good. Let's prepare the meal right away."

"Yes! Villon!"

"Yeeah~"

When Hans called for him, the sly Villon dashed out and began preparing food.

Insight.

Tap tap tap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tap-!

"Next. Carrots and potatoes!"

"Okay!"

Look at him. On the makeshift wooden table and cutting board, he was putting on a Michelin-star chef performance. I'd never eaten Michelin-star cuisine in my previous life, but it was probably something like this. The taste was truly exceptional.

"Food preparation complete! Serving will now begin!"

Thud thud thud-!

At Villon's call, all the mercenaries rushed over and lined up in front of him one by one.

"I'll eat well again today, Villon!"

"Kya. Villon really is the best!"

With bright smiles, the mercenaries received Villon's special stew and began devouring it hungrily.

Slurp-

I received my portion as well and sat on a log set aside in one corner, taking a sip of the stew.

....Whoa. This is insane, seriously.

The taste was genuinely breathtaking. No matter how many times I ate it, it felt new every day. Was this what divine talent looked like? The ingredients were just some carrots, potatoes, cheap meat, a few random greens, and salt. Yet the result was this.

"Hiya. Villon's food really is the best."

At that moment, Cerise sat down beside me, sipping her stew as she spoke.

"I agree. No matter how much I eat... I never get tired of it."

"Haha. I'm truly happy. Just look at them."

Following Cerise's gaze, I looked around the campfire.

-Kekeke. This is seriously so damn good, Villon.

-You're the best.

-Haha. I'm just glad everyone's enjoying it.

The mercenaries joked around while savoring the delicious food. It was a truly harmonious scene, with not a single person left out.

"Don't mercenary groups usually experience internal conflicts easily? But we... haven't had a single one so far."

It was true. Most mercenary groups recruited based solely on skill, so there was a high chance of including people with personality issues. When prideful individuals were gathered in one place, the result was obvious. They'd fight every single day. Fights that could even lead to killing each other weren't uncommon.

"Indeed. I must be a very lucky person."

Even though I'd carefully selected each mercenary myself, only truly excellent people had gathered. Not a single one had a twisted personality, and everyone was in harmony. Though the Ska Mercenary Group had only been formed a few weeks ago, we already regarded each other as family—more than that.

I'd expected some conflicts to arise, but... really, I seemed to be a lucky person.

"I also... think I'm a lucky person..."

Brushing aside Cerise's barely audible words, our warm night passed just like that.

"Vice-Commander...!!"

"Shit... why of all times...!"

"Vice-Commander Cerise! Damn it...!"

"Com....mander..."

We had reached the dungeon safely without any incidents. We had believed our peaceful days would continue as always.