Chapter 72. The Emperor, the Nightmare, the Knightly Order (2)

There was a brief misunderstanding.

For a moment, I thought a mind-reading trait I didn't know about had been added.

World Scenario 4.0 had added so many new elements, after all.

Like Brol’s case.

Of course, I had [Lord’s Unyielding Mind], but I couldn't completely let my guard down.

It seemed I was affected for a brief moment before the trait activated.

“…I guess. Someone like you, Commander, probably doesn't have nightmares.”

Karen said in a dejected voice.

It seemed she interpreted my lack of response as a denial.

Feeling like I shouldn't just let her go like this, I blurted out.

“I have them too.”

“…Really?”

Karen's face brightened.

To be honest, it was true.

I had them more often than you'd think.

There were quite a few days when I woke up in a cold sweat.

Was it because it was a dream I created myself?

Strangely, [Lord’s Unyielding Mind] didn't apply in my dreams.

To add a little more, I had them often even before I fell into this world.

My nightmare repertoire originally consisted of two main types.

One was from my late teens.

The day my dream was shattered.

The other was from my early twenties.

The day I was broken.

One more was added after I came here.

A dream where my soldiers die.

In Burken. In Wolfskrig. In Gunterburk. In Rockbottom Village.

And last night, in Berenburg.

“They all cry out while looking at me. They scream for me to save them while their whole bodies are burning or frozen, bleeding from their necks. I only wake up when I collapse helplessly or am about to be killed by the enemy.”

“……Wow.”

“What’s with that reaction?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. It’s just so unexpected. That even someone like you, Commander, has nightmares.”

“What am I like?”

“Hmm, a commander with no blood or tears? A great magician hiding his power? Or a god’s… who performs miracles.”

“Stop, stop. That’s enough.”

Just how far had this misunderstanding grown?

This was all Olif’s fault for his misguided, indoctrinated education.

If Alina joined the mercenary band later, they would probably be a double headache.

“I… have a dream of running away.”

As I was looking around to see if an Inquisitor was hiding somewhere, Karen spoke as if it just slipped out.

“I run through the forest. Without rest.”

The forest.

Wasn't it like a hometown to an elf?

I only thought it.

My mouth remained shut.

“Everyone would probably laugh if I said this. Asking if the forest isn't my home since I have elven blood.”

“…….”

“But it’s not. I’m running away. It was when I was much younger than I am now. I ran for almost half my life. Hiding under the identity of a ranger was also at the end of running and running….”

Karen gasped for breath.

She coughed lightly as if she had choked.

When I handed her my canteen, she nodded and drank the water.

After coughing a few more times, she lowered her gaze.

“I had the nightmare again. In Marquis Ricardo’s castle. No, it wasn't a nightmare. Because it was reality.”

Did she regret bringing it up?

Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

“…They might chase me again someday.”

Counseling wasn't my specialty.

I had received counseling before, but it was also true that it hadn't been very effective.

“I can’t just keep causing trouble here.”

But why was it?

I felt like I had to say something.

It wasn't because I empathized with her feelings.

In the first place, how could one know all of another’s pain?

My nightmares were about things that had already passed.

Karen's nightmares were probably about things to come.

I couldn't know since she didn't tell me everything, but if my vague guess was correct, she might get into a conflict with the elven race.

She was afraid that the mercenary band would be harmed.

“Trouble? What kind of nonsense is that?”

But what did that matter?

“Let them come.”

“…Pardon?”

In this world where countless factions endlessly fought and clawed at each other, what difference would one more enemy make?

“Commander, but….”

“Karen.”

People often say not to make enemies if you want to get along in society.

That was true, but I thought a little differently.

Enemies are made.

No matter what I do.

People who will dislike me are bound to dislike me.

Reasons can be fabricated.

Or there might be none at all.

“You are a company commander of our mercenary band. I would rather choose to fight an unknown enemy than have you be tied down by your past and be anxious.”

What was more important was making allies.

Comrades who would be on my side, regardless of who was hostile to me.

If I wanted to gain such comrades, it was only right that I become such a comrade first.

To be honest, it was also a very calculated judgment.

This world would soon be plunged into endless war.

Even a single hero ally was precious.

Even more so if they were a competent hero.

“If your past really does come chasing you, I will be there with you then.”

“…….”

“Isn't that what comrades-in-arms who entrust their lives to each other are?”

Even if it was just lip service about comrades and loyalty.

If it could bring comfort, I should be able to say it as much as needed.

“So, promise me.”

“Pardon?”

“That someday, when the nightmare you dream of comes chasing you, you will be sure to tell me.”

I held out a piece of paper.

A blank piece of paper.

Karen was the only member who had left her will blank.

When I received it, I thought it was a resolution not to die, but since it was a desire not to be a burden, I had to accept it.

Scritch. Scritch.

Watching her scribble on the paper with a charcoal pencil, I lifted my head.

The wind blew.

The sails of a small sailboat leisurely anchored in the port swelled.

Karen filled nearly half the paper.

By then, the sun had set.

The sun, which had been dyeing the world red from the distant sea, disappeared below the surface without even a ripple.

I walked with the half-elf with an undisclosed past towards the city that was beginning to light its torches.

“I promise.”

I heard her answer on the way back.

* * *

The sacred relic of ‘The Maiden Who Heralds the Time’.

The ability of the sacred relic, which I thought only detected short-term misfortune, was more powerful than I expected.

The aftereffects on the members, which I had expected to end quickly, lasted longer than I thought.

Headaches. Nausea. Nightmares. Tinnitus and phantom pains, and so on.

Except for Olif, who wasn't much affected from the start, and Karen, who seemed to overcome it with her will after our talk, nearly all 60 members struggled with the aftereffects for almost a week.

According to the members' testimonies, the illusions they encountered in the lord's castle went beyond simply digging up past memories.

It seemed to make them experience memories that would only appear in nightmares, either as they were or in a worse form.

Honestly, I was relieved.

It was a good thing I had [Lord’s Unyielding Mind].

Otherwise, I might have been hit by a delivery motorcycle again.

‘Aang? Do it properly. Uh-huh, where are you putting your hands down! Has your military discipline gone lax already?’

There was some news that might be a slight comfort to the members groaning from the aftereffects.

The powerful sacred relic that had dug up their nightmares was currently suffering quite a bit.

‘What? A mere mercenary this and that? At least I’m better than you?’

‘Th-that’s…!’

‘Talking back?!’

To none other than a sacred relic of another church.

The sacred relic of the ‘Nameless Tentacle’, Kkumteuli, had changed jobs to a tiger instructor.

‘Attention! At ease! Attention! At eaaase! At ease… huh? Did you just assume the attention stance? You’re not paying attention, are you?’

“…….”

What was it he said?

That you had to properly break the spirit of a new recruit right from the start.

When I slightly opened the subspace, I saw a flailing tentacle and a goddess statue in front of it, trembling with its two arms gripping a spear shaft.

Looks like she can't let go of that spear.

Isn't it heavy?

“Just don't break it.”

‘Don’t worry, Master. This won't break anyway. A sacred relic cannot be destroyed unless the contract is greatly violated.’

Fortunately, the mercenary band was given a break.

It was the result of accumulating considerable merit, separate from the aftereffects.

I heard that it wasn't just the infiltration team with me that was active, but the main force led by Brol and Damas also performed brilliantly in the urban warfare.

While the Imperial army was struggling, blocked by barricades in a bottleneck, they divided their forces into two and infiltrated.

Using buildings and narrow alleys, they attacked and brought down the barricades from behind, and riding that momentum, they occupied the largest square in the city.

Honestly, I was a little surprised.

I had conducted tactical training with the company commanders, but I didn't think they would utilize it so well in actual combat.

“Honestly, Damas-hyungnim did it all! The real deal was when he took the enemy commander's head off with his greatsword, kahk! Isn't that right, hyungnim?”

“Don’t praise me too much. It would have been impossible if you hadn't drawn their attention with the 1st and 2nd companies.”

“Hahaha! Thanks for saying so!”

Good.

It seemed the two company commanders had grown quite close.

Anyway, while we were resting, the Imperial army and the city were moving busily.

They were rounding up the fleeing remnants, making temporary repairs to the ruined city, resuming the interrupted trade, and reorganizing administrative processes.

Most of the rebel prisoners were absorbed.

It was possible because the damage to both sides wasn't that great due to the Marquis dying quickly.

Those who were originally Imperial soldiers chose to return to service, albeit with some disadvantages.

Mercenaries were dealt with in a truly capitalistic way: termination of the existing contract followed by a new contract.

Of course, this was limited to enlisted soldiers and low-ranking commanders, those who had difficulty refusing orders.

Commander-level individuals who could make their own judgments were an exception.

They were to be transported to the Imperial Capital to stand trial and be punished according to the nature of their crimes.

A few were summarily executed as an example and hung in the city square.

Made to rot slowly with preservation magic.

[The heretical mage Tapiya has rebelled against the Emperor, the Empire, and the light of Luark. As her crime is heinous, she will be publicly executed to uphold justice.]

So, I was sending another teacher to the other side.

I came to the square.

I didn't come to see the corpse.

I had other business.

With my newly acquired stealth skill activated, I naturally blended into the crowd of onlookers.

[[Ghost Step] is activated.]

Just because the mercenary band was resting didn't mean I had to rest too.

Berenburg was the largest trade city in the Ricardo Marquisate.

The population itself was slightly smaller than Gunterburk, which I had visited before, but in terms of the city's scale and trade volume, it was about half a size larger than Gunterburk.

Therefore, like in Gunterburk, there were a few things to gain.

Rustle.

For example, a passage leading to a long-abandoned warehouse, which could be accessed by going down a manhole cover in a corner of the square.

Inside here was a bundle of dwarf-made mining explosive charges.

I put them in the subspace and moved on.

‘M-Master! Why is this dangerous thing in here…!’

The attic of an inn with a fallen sign.

Here, I could obtain the ‘Slipped Ain King’s Crown’, which distorted projectile magic.

Next was under the stone slab of a prayer room in the western slums.

I acquired a few more bottles of Al Tener's Holy Water, which I had obtained in Gunterburk.

It was an essential item for the blessed cannon technology, a tech tree exclusive to the Emperor.

Of course, to use it properly, I would need a devout priest and a skilled gunpowder expert.

Should I have brought that multi-talented priest, William, from Gunterburk?

Swallowing my regret, I continued to dig.

Thwack! Thwack!

‘Master, why is a money pouch buried in the ground?’

“How should I know.”

‘Can I eat cotton candy in the Imperial Capital now?’

In this world, you could sometimes dig up money from the ground.

And in pouches of gold and jewels, no less.

They were buried under a bridge and in the ground of a remote abandoned house, respectively.

Now that I had even dug, there were about two things left to pick up in Berenburg.

Unlike the ones so far, these two were a bit difficult.

Deep in the sewers where I had fought the necromancer before.

I had to go down to the entrance of the ancient ruins.

I had dealt with the necromancer, but deeper in, more undead were sleeping.

Which meant my firepower alone was insufficient.

‘It would have been nice if I had brought Olif….’

It couldn't be helped.

He was already praising me strangely these days; if I found hidden elements here and there, he would probably deify me.

Should I summon troops with [Warrior’s Binding]?

I had used up quite a number in the last battle, but there were still some left.

“Kkumteuli.”

‘Welcome to Kkumteuli’s Shop. Tonight, your transformation is not a sin.’

“Cut the crap.”

I had Kkumteuli give me some plastic surgery and also wore a mask.

I would have to summon all my bound troops, and it could be dangerous if I got caught.

Of course, I didn't really think I would run into anyone.

While everyone was busy with post-war processing, what idle person would come to the depths of the sewers that even the local guards shunned….

“Oh? Who’s there?”

Fuck.

Someone was coming.

As soon as I arrived near the open area where I had defeated the necromancer, I ran into an uninvited guest.

“Ah, you’re a mage? My, you scared me. You surprised me.”

The other person was a mage.

And a mage I knew.

Rare purple bobbed hair.

A particularly short stature, even for a woman.

Large, round eyes and slightly pale skin.

Accessories dangling from her necklace, rings, bracelets, and earrings, and a long, flowing robe that dragged in the sewer muck.

“But this is strange? No one in their right mind would come down this far?”

She narrowed her eyes, which were the same purple as her hair.

For a moment, I felt a chill run down my spine.

It made sense; that person was a hero classified as a dangerous individual in my head.

‘…Ella Siollus.’

A pyromancer belonging to the Imperial Secret Knightly Order.

An Imperial-born hero who would later become famous as the Mad Fire Witch.

How could I forget her burning an entire legion of the Orc Horde with that unique appearance?

Even when playing as the Emperor, I had a hard time because of her unpredictable personality.

“Hmmm…?”

It was best to avoid conflict if possible.

Without panicking, I chose a suitable answer and opened my mouth.

Of course, since I was wearing a mask, I didn't forget to change my speech to Tribus' style.

“Kihit. I am just a passing mage….”

“Oh my! Really? Nice to meet you! You’re a strange mage like me, huh?”

“?”

“Uh, weren't you interested in the ruins? I came because I wanted to see the ruins!”

“Uh, that’s….”

“Really? That’s great! I was lonely because I didn't have a travel companion. Would you like to go together?”

Come to think of it, this woman was crazy.

Completely unpredictable.

But as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together.

Surprisingly, crazy people understand each other.

“Kihit, shall we?”

I was thinking that I was a little short on firepower anyway.