/
Even after being surprised by the gift of walnuts, the merchant couldn’t understand Luisen’s easygoing attitude. A stranger like himself was so worried about the man, but those that are part of his party aren’t stopping the man and are simply observing from the side while eating snacks?
Luisen and Morrison affably shared the walnuts; at that moment, Carlton reached the knight. At a distance, one could see that Carlton was well-built, but the mercenary looked relatively weak compared to the knights in his light tunic and cape.
“Honestly, It’s not the time to be so carefree and eat walnuts–you need to stop…Ah… Ah! Hnngrk!” The merchant stopped talking; his eyes opened wide as he stared over at Carlton.
It was all over in an instant. Carlton literally toyed around with the knights. After dodging several attacks, Carlton hooked their legs, tugged at their arms, and simply plunged the knights into the stream. The three knights were defeated before they could even touch the mercenary.
Carlton threw a confident smile at Luisen. As if he were bragging, ‘Look at this–this is how great I am.’
‘He acts cute like that from time to time. Is that perhaps the charm of a younger lover?’ Luisen smiled and clapped softly, “Then, I’ll go ahead first.”
Luisen quickly mounted Zephys again. During their travels, he had gotten used to horseback riding, so he could ride solo and mount the horse without the Zephys extending assistance by bending its legs. Though that was a skill anyone who could ride horseback could do, Luisen was still proud.
As Luisen approached, Carlton also climbed onto Zephys. The three men walked across the bridge leisurely. This all seemed too simple to the people that had helplessly gathered around the bridge, delayed for a few days. The people that watched their departing backs could only admire their absurd courageousness to plunge the knights headfirst into the water.
“Who is that person? Is he a mercenary? There’s no way a man so strong would be unknown.”
Amidst the whispers, one of the travelers shouted, “It’s those people! The pilgrim who recently became famous and his party!”
“Ah! Ah! You’re right! That person–just then–was a pilgrim!”
“I heard that, no matter how dangerous a situation may be, those people don’t retreat and help others… So it was true.”
Though Luisen’s party had no idea, they were already quite the celebrities. Anecdotes from Confosse’s guard captain…The story of the incident on the ship… Accounts of their deeds were already spreading quickly through word of mouth.
As Luisen and his party moved on, they cleared away everything that stood in their way; naturally, they ended up defeating notorious monsters and highwaymen/bandits. The neglectful estate stewards–those vicious men–all disappeared when Luisen and his party passed by. In addition, Luisen, who could not bear to see other’s hunger as much as he hated his own hunger, informed the refugees he met along the way of various edible vegetables–like the Buried Old Hag–and herbs.
This sort of behavior sparked rumors about Luisen and his party. The harder and more arduous life was, the more popular stories about heroes were. Luisen’s fame spread throughout the kingdom, and no one imagined that the protagonists of these stories would actually be Carlton the noble butcher and the trashy duke; like that, Luisen’s reputation became widespread throughout the nation.
***
Traveling diligently along the road, the group would soon reach their destination by evening, just as they had planned. ‘We’ll probably be able to sleep in warm bedrooms and dine in restaurants today!’ Luisen, tired of being homeless, was full of expectations; however, when they arrived, the group was met with ruins.
There was no one in the village; only traces of the previous pillaging remained here and there. It seemed the village was abandoned in the aftermath of the war. Because he saw many similar villages on the journey here, Luisen wasn’t even surprised.
The three people quickly gave up on their original plans and found a place they could stay for the night. There was still an inn with intact kitchen facilities; there were no bandits or monsters around. This place suited their purposes for at least one night.
They made an acceptable dinner. Pushing together the wooden tables left on the inn’s first-floor dining-hall, they created a bedroom and went to sleep early.
Carlton lay perfectly still before sitting up. He had always been a light sleeper, but it was especially difficult to attempt to sleep today. This was all because of Morrison. Carlton glared at the person in question; the man was sleeping so well–enough to snore quite despicably.
‘Should I just pummel him? But then, Luisen might wake.’ Carlton sighed and stealthily slipped out. Perhaps some cold air would relieve his discomfort.
The village was slowly deteriorating into an unsightly condition in its abandoned state. It felt as if someone would pop out from behind any corner. The chaotic landscape showcased the entropy fueled by time. In contrast, the winter’s night-sky was clear and cold.
""
‘Stay in love for a long time?’
Morrison may have meant to tease him with that statement, but the words he had heard earlier in the day strangely echoed around in his head.
‘A long time?’
How long? And how so? Did he and the young lord really have anything was capable of lasting?
Carlton furrowed his brows.
Luisen and Carlton lived in very different worlds. Luisen was a Great Lord, the second prince’s friend, and had a strong foothold in the South. On the other hand, Carlton was a commoner mercenary, the first prince’s hands and feet, and was based north of the river. If it weren’t for the special circumstances surrounding the civil war and the demonic worshippers, there was no reason for them to become close.
Now, they relied on each other and traveled towards a common goal: the capital. But what would happen after they accomplished said goal? Could their lives continue in the same vein?
Carlton was skeptical. From his perspective, it was so clear that, after arriving at the capital, there was only separation in their future.
Luisen would solve his problem with the first prince when he went to the capital; the prince was sure to stop antagonizing Luisen, as he was a Great Lord. So, the young noble would soon regain his past glory. In that scenario, Carlton didn’t think Luisen would rely on him as much as the young lord does now. More established households–more well-born and educated people–would lay in wait for Luisen’s outstretched hand.
The mercenary was so accustomed to being abandoned after being used, but his heart ached.
There would be a problem even if Luisen attempted to keep him by his side. Carlton was the first prince’s hands and feet. His and his company’s rise and fall were completely subject to the first prince’s whims; in his position, Carlton needed to constantly prove his loyalty to the first prince.
But, if he were to grow close to Luisen, the prince would begin to doubt Carlton. Even a seed of doubt could be his undoing.
When they arrived in the capital, he’d have to be exceedingly careful of wandering eyes if he wanted to speak with Luisen.
Even if all business ended well, it would be difficult to continue as they are. Luisen would return to his duchy, and he would either be sent to the battlefield or remain with the prince. When the bodies are separated by a great distance, the heart would stray as well. Naturally, there would be a day when this relationship becomes forgotten.
Still, could he throw away everything and chase after Luisen?
Carlton was ambitious. He wanted to reach become more famous than anyone else; he wanted to receive a proper last name and a noble peerage. He wanted to prove to the world that even someone like him, who as a child cleaned up horse poop, could make it. Fortunately, the world’s political state and his abilities supported Carlton. This was his last chance to break down and overcome the rigid wall of birth-status.
This was a dream he chased all this while as he risked his life. He had walked too long on this path for him to give it up for a love that had suddenly barrelled into him–Carlton was far too pragmatic.
The cold night breeze brushed across his cheeks. Listening to the sound of crickets complicated his mind. As he stood still, he sensed a presence creeping up behind him.
Usually he would kill the owner of such footsteps, but he could immediately identify who made those clumsy sounds. The mercenary smiled inadvertently and turned around just in time to receive his assailant’s outstretched arms.
“Ah!” Surprised, Luisen floundered before embracing the mercenary. Carlton smiled and hugged him back.
“What a pity. I was going to surprise you,” the young lord said.
“You weren’t sleeping?”
“Mmm.” Luisen closed his mouth before sputtering out, “I waited since I thought you’d bring me out as well.”
The two had slipped away every night, so the young lord thought it would happen again tonight as well. Luisen murmured, stewing in his embarrassment. The mercenary felt overwhelmed by emotions and embraced the young lord tightly. That wasn’t enough for Carlton, so he pecked the other’s cheek. Luisen didn’t avoid Carlton even though the young lord feigned a groan.
The playful kiss soon deepened.
When they placed their foreheads together and exhaled, Luisen chuckled. The young lord’s slender face shone softly in the moonlight. Carlton held Luisen’s cheeks in both hands and stared down.
The end was clearly in sight. However, he didn’t think he could forget this face for the rest of his life, so his heart violently fluctuated between his options. One one hand, a rise in status, a chance to sate his ambition and recklessness. Could he be happy in life–could his belly be sated–with just this face?
Carlton could see himself in Luisen’s eyes; he saw a man with a dazed expression. He saw many people die after staking their everything from a momentary rush of emotion. He resolved not to be pathetic like them, but how funny…he had the same expression as those people now.
“I’m going crazy. What should I do?” Carlton sighed before crumpling slightly on top of the young lord.
At the sight of his drained and exhausted companion, Luisen hugged the mercenary’s back and gently stroked from side to side without clearly understanding the other’s internal struggles.
It was then.
An arrow flew at them from an unknown origin.
swoosh–!
“!”
Carlton held Luisen and turned around to avoid the attack–an ambush!
‘Bandits?’ He thought.
It was common for bandits to simply observe during the day and raid at night. But, things felt too ominous for it to be a simple bandit. Usually one would try to rid themselves of the strongest-looking person first, but the arrow’s target was Luisen.
Carlton looked around his surroundings with vicious eyes. Immediately, the reason behind his uneasy feelings was revealed