The Weight of Honor
As the final Leader Beast fell, cheers erupted from every corner. The mercenaries collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, savoring the relief of having survived.
The subjugation, which had spanned two days, was over. It hadn't taken as long as expected, as the Leader Beasts were all manageable opponents. We had taken adequate breaks, and because morale and atmosphere remained high, casualties were minimal.
In particular, no one in the Leader-hunting squad had died. The worst injury was a bruise on Shaun’s arm.
Amidst the pouring cheers, I, too, enjoyed the moment. There was a distinct thrill that came after killing a Leader Beast. There was a time when I felt truly alive only when I was killing them.
—*Tap.*
Someone approached from behind and touched my shoulder. It was Gidin.
If there was one thing that had surprised me most about him over the past two days, it was that—aside from the first incident with the Draig—he had followed my orders to the letter. Even though it was reckless and dangerous, he had performed his duties until the very end.
The hostile atmosphere between us had also entered a lull. When you cross the threshold of death together, it’s inevitable. I no longer wanted to fight him, either. Breaking his spirit had been enough.
“...”
Gidin held out his hand without a word. He was offering a human-style handshake.
“...”
However... I did not reach out. Reconciliation and friendship are different things. We had already reconciled. I didn't want to go beyond that and become close to him. The fact that he had tormented Neir for so long remained unchanged. It wasn't so much that I was angry, but... I didn't know Neir's heart, so I couldn't just strike up a friendship with him on my own.
My wife came before a stranger. So, I shook my head.
“...Take care of your sister first,” I said.
At those words, Gidin quietly lowered his hand.
Adam-hyung came running from a distance, a wide grin plastered on his face. I smiled back at him. It was time to return.
News of the subjugation struck Blackwood like a thunderbolt.
“The subjugation is complete! They say the mercenary corps is returning!”
Gibson, Neir’s sisters, the attendants, maids, and servants all burst into applause and sighs of relief. Upon hearing the news, Neir, too, was freed from the pressure that had been crushing her chest. Her tail wagged uncontrollably.
...Even so, more important news remained.
“What of Gidin!” Gibson shouted. News of his eldest son, his greatest pride, was naturally paramount.
“He is safe...! All the other young masters are as well!”
“Ah...! Thank goodness...!”
The Wolf-kin embraced one another, as if that was all the important news they needed to hear. It was good news, but for Neir, there was still one question left. It wasn't because she liked him—she already had someone to give her heart to—but she couldn't help but worry. The man who had fought for her sake wouldn't leave her mind. She could still see him leading her to the camp to share a meal after hearing she had been eating alone.
“T...the mercenary corps...?”
It felt easier to ask about the mercenary corps than to ask about Berg directly; it felt like hiding her true intentions. Neir’s voice rang out amidst the cheers. It had been a long time since she had spoken so loudly.
At once, the room went silent, as if cold water had been poured over it. Raan and Swan wiped away their bright smiles and... slowly sneered at her. But at the same time, they looked at the soldier, seemingly curious themselves.
Gibson asked as well.
“Indeed. What is the situation with the Red Flame? The captain and vice-captain... no, is my son-in-law safe?”
The soldier gauged the atmosphere and nodded.
“Y...yes! They are safe. This subjugation was a complete success...!”
Neir pressed her clenched fists against her chest. Only now was she truly liberated from the emotions that had been suppressing her. It felt like a refreshing breeze had swept through her body. The tension vanished, leaving her limbs tingling. It felt as if her blood had turned into worms, crawling through her entire body.
...At the same time, a different pressure arrived.
“...”
Neir couldn't help but think about it. There was truly no turning back now. The Red Flame, having finished the subjugation, would return to their base. And Neir would have to leave the Blackwood territory and follow them. Faced with emotions that clouded her mind, Neir didn't know how to react. Should she be happy, or sad that she had to follow Berg?
...For now, she decided to be happy for Blackwood’s liberation.
“Berg. Have you decided?”
On the way back to the Blackwood fortress, Adam-hyung asked me. He had a bandage wrapped around a new scar on his arm.
“Decided what?” I asked.
“Whether you’ll make a name for yourself. Or are you going to hide in the shadows again this time?”
“...”
The boisterous atmosphere continued behind us, and Adam-hyung urged his horse closer to mine.
“After achieving such a feat? Since you always hide, everyone thinks I was the one who subjugated the Leaders.”
At that moment, our destination began to appear ahead. I could see countless Wolf-kin climbing the fortress walls to welcome us. The lively atmosphere of the fortress could be felt from here.
“Decide quickly. We’re almost there.”
Adam-hyung pressed for an answer. My thoughts were certainly shifting. If I made the decision, it was obvious that I would be entangled in many troublesome matters in the future. There would be more people who recognized me, more people seeking me out, and higher expectations placed upon me. There would be more meetings to attend, and more nobles to meet. The romantic advances from women would surely double. I had rejected them well enough so far, but I couldn't predict what kind of problems might arise from it.
...And, perhaps.
Sien might hear my name, too. Even if she thought it was just someone with the same name, she might hear the name itself. *Mercenary Berg.* If she heard that name... what would she think—
“...You should think about your wife, too.”
Just then, Adam-hyung cut through my thoughts.
“...Ah.”
At his words, I snapped back to reality. I had been thinking of Sien again. I inwardly mocked myself. It was pathetic. I was still clinging to a woman who was truly in the past. Even after getting married, I was like this.
My wife was not Sien. The one I should prioritize was not her, either. It was Neir.
I looked back for a moment. I exchanged a brief glance with Gidin. I looked forward again and made my decision.
The members of the Blackwood family were waiting for the heroes. Gibson, Raan, Swan, and Neir stood at the end of the path created by the crowd. Cheers rang out from the front. It seemed the mercenary corps and Gidin’s soldiers were entering.
Raan and Swan were engaging in a subtle psychological battle with Neir. Neir was doing her absolute best not to meet their eyes. Perhaps Neir knew, too. That it would be difficult for Berg to achieve as much merit as Gidin. There was no Wolf-kin warrior in the Blackwood territory stronger than Gidin, and no Wolf-kin who had built a higher reputation. Swan and Raan had already anticipated this and were using all their might to torment Neir.
Finally, the mercenary corps appeared in the distance.
“...?”
And at the same time, Berg was visible at the very front. Dressed in blood-stained armor, he was approaching on horseback. Adam was behind him, and Gidin was behind him again. For some reason, the vice-captain was approaching like the protagonist.
Flower petals rained down before them. The cheers and applause were ceaseless. Laughter and tears filled their path.
Swan whispered, “...Why is that human at the very front...”
Just then, Adam raised a hand. The mercenary corps stopped, and the crowd quieted down. Soon, complete silence fell over the wide plaza. Everyone wondered why the march had stopped. And there, Berg shouted alone.
“...Neir!”
Her name echoed. Neir flinched as she was called. All eyes turned to Neir. So many people were looking at her that the sound of the many clothes brushing against each other as they turned their heads was deafening.
Berg gestured from afar for her to come here. Neir hesitated for a moment, glancing at Raan and Swan. But Berg didn't seem to have any intention of moving if Neir didn't come. Not wanting to ruin the flow of the atmosphere, Neir slowly moved toward Berg, who was mounted on his horse.
Neir walked along the path made for the mercenary corps. All attention was focused on her. Neir was not used to being the center of such attention. She was ashamed of her unsightly tail, and the finger-pointing regarding her mother’s death was uncomfortable. Her legs trembled. Every day, she had heard insults calling her a cursed tail, a cursed bitch. Her tail curled inward. Even if she didn't hear those words now, she felt as if people were saying them in their hearts. She kept her head bowed. Although this attention was due to Berg, Neir felt uncomfortable with it. She gritted her teeth. Enduring this was solely to appease Berg, who had liberated Blackwood.
After walking the difficult path, she finally arrived in front of Berg. The sight of Berg looking down at her coldly, covered in blood, was terrifying. The thick smell of blood. She had felt that she had shed some of her fear toward him recently, but... as she didn't fully know Berg yet, she couldn't help but be afraid. She felt as if she could catch a glimpse of the life he lived, and that life looked so cruel, beyond what Neir had imagined, that a sense of repulsion was inevitable.
Berg, who had been stopped at the front of the mercenary corps, jumped lightly from his horse. He approached Neir slowly. Neir’s mind grew hazy from the smell of blood, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Then, Berg whispered so only she could hear.
“...Sorry. Excuse me for a moment.”
Unlike his appearance, his tone was warm. Then, just as he had grabbed her wrist roughly to pull her along a few days ago, Berg placed his hands on both sides of Neir’s waist without hesitation.
“Hya...!”
As she let out a breathless cry, Neir’s body floated into the air as lightly as a feather. When she came to her senses, she was already sitting sideways on Berg’s horse.
“...Huh?”
Berg climbed back onto the horse behind her. Then, to ensure Neir, whose legs were dangling to one side, wouldn't fall, he held the reins while lightly supporting her waist.
And at that moment, a cart appeared from behind. On it were the massive, gruesome heads of four monsters. They were the heads of the Leader Beasts. They were so terrifying that it was hard to believe the mercenary corps had subjugated them. While Neir gasped, Baran, Berg’s adjutant, began to shout from the side.
“As requested, the Red Flame has completed the subjugation!”
The crowd began to murmur.
“There were sacrifices, but we have slain a total of four Leader Beasts!”
Berg’s horse began to walk forward slowly. Since Neir was on the horse, she moved at the very front. The mercenary corps followed behind.
“The Draig of the Northwest, subjugated by Berg!”
The murmurs grew louder. Neir looked up at Berg. She hadn't imagined he would have subjugated the Leader Beasts himself. Especially that monster of the Northwest that had been a headache for everyone.
“The Kiken of the North, subjugated by Berg!”
“...Huh?”
At the name called out next, Neir doubted her own ears. Even the Wolf-kin, who loved honor, began to change their gazes. Neir, sitting on the horse, could feel it all. It didn't end there.
“The Sandium of the East, subjugated by Berg!”
Exclamations and cheers erupted, and applause began. Berg’s name was ceaseless. During all this, Gidin’s name was not mentioned even once. Neir looked back and forth between Berg and Gidin, who was following silently behind. Gidin looked at Neir for a moment... then averted his eyes. It was an experience Neir had never had before.
“Look forward, Neir. Stand up straight.”
While Neir was focused on Baran’s unbelievable declaration, Berg, the man himself, bowed his head to her and whispered. His tone was as if the subjugation had nothing to do with him. Unable to even think of resisting, Neir followed his words and looked forward.
“And again, the Niles of the East, subjugated by... Berg! With this, the Red Flame...”
As that declaration ended, she was overwhelmed by the thunderous roar of the crowd.
“Waaaaah!!”
“We’re alive! We’re alive!!”
“Berg! Berg! Berg!!”
Baran’s continuing voice was now buried beneath the noise. The Wolf-kin were cheering and applauding for the liberated Blackwood. The atmosphere of death that had been haunting them was vanishing completely. Neir, who had been pointed at her entire life, felt goosebumps as she heard the thunderous applause and cheers. They weren't cheers for her, but just standing on that path made her heart race like crazy. Her breathing grew shallow, and her chest felt full. She never thought she would be standing in a place where such overwhelming joy was pouring out.
Neir didn't know what to say. She blinked, her lips parted... and she said to Berg,
“...I... am I allowed to be here—”
As she bowed her head and tried to curl her body, Berg lightly pressed her waist, straightening her upper body. Berg said,
“They’re cheering for you, too.”
“....Pardon?”
As Neir looked up at Berg in confusion, Berg replied,
“You protected Blackwood, too.”
“.......”
Neir carefully turned her head again. Only then did she hear a name amidst the sounds of people chanting ‘Berg’.
“Neir! Neir! Neir!”
“Lady Neir!! Lady Neir!!”
“.....Ah.”
And from the moment she realized that, Neir couldn't say a word. The emotions she had been suppressing surged. She felt like she might cry for some reason at the cheers directed at her. The people who had pointed fingers at her were chanting her name. If one were to be technical, she was just being sold off... but Berg seemed to be constantly reassuring her from the side that it wasn't like that.
Flower petals fell over her head. Sunlight illuminated the path ahead. Everyone was cheering. Neir thought that perhaps she would never forget this moment for the rest of her life.
Berg continued,
“...This feels like we’re doing the wedding march again, doesn't it?”
Berg said this with a smirk, as if all these cheers were nothing. Neir was infected by his innocent smile. At the same time, a small amount of tears welled up in her eyes. She let out a hearty laugh. Wiping the tears from her eyes with her finger, she asked a question she had been curious about for days.
“...Are you hurt anywhere?”
She couldn't even remember the last time she had laughed.