Chapter 9: Grace and Enemies Are Not To Be Forgotten

    "Huh?"

    "What? Why isn''t it bleeding?"

    "No way... "

    Silence dawned in the once noisy battlefield.

    It had been proven that there was no problem with Ian''s sudden action.

    But there were still people shouting in disbelief.

    "It''s a coincidence! He just didn''t bleed!"

    "That''s right! The location is so bad. If you pulled it out like that, you would hurt his lungs. He can''t breathe properly..."

    It was right at that moment.

    "Cough, cough..."

    Line spewed out a handful of blood.

    It looked as if his condition had deteriorated.

    “Look! What did I say! That’s why I asked to call the priest!”

    "Get rid of that kid right now! Quick!"

    It was when the mercenaries were closing in as if they were trying to shove Ian out of there.

    The centurion and the soldiers arrived at that time.

    "Stop! Everyone, get out of the way!"

    “What is this! It''s a disgrace to the prince!"

    Seeing the atmosphere worsened rapidly, Ian slightly scrunched his forehead.

    In particular, the raiders’ attack was still not over, and it was very risky to have the mercenaries fight with the soldiers now.

    It was that time.

    "T... Thank you. Prince."

    “!”

    Line, who had been paralyzed before, came to his senses. He didn’t forget to say thank you to Ian.

    The surprised mercenaries'' heads turned toward Ian. What''s going on here?

    Ian awkwardly smiled and revealed the reason.

    "As I pulled out the arrow penetrating the body, the blood that was clumped up came out. He''ll feel much more comfortable breathing now."

    It was as he said.

    The proof was that Line, who had a hard time breathing with an arrow stuck in his lungs before, smiled brightly. It was the same Line that was trembling without being able to speak properly just moments ago. He was still struggling, but he was able to speak now.

    Naturally, the mercenaries bowed down to Ian with joy.

    “I have sinned to death! A while ago we talked...!"

    "I apologize, I was out of my mind due to my comrade''s injury."

    When Ian brushed it aside with a laugh, they wept and briskly ran toward Line.

    "Line! Are you okay?"

    "Are you feeling any more pain?"

    But Ian stopped them right away.

    "The treatment is not over yet. Now I''m just pulling out the arrow."

    Then some mercenaries grumbled, saying, "Isn''t this already okay?" but Ian was firm.

    "If you disturb him like that, I can''t treat him properly. There could be aftereffects."

    "Oh, sorry. Sorry."

    Everyone was startled by the prince''s words and made a space.

    Ian urgently looked at Line''s wounds.

    Of course, he pretended to be calm in front of the mercenaries, but the situation was not good.

    ‘The prognosis is poor if it even touches the lungs.’

    Even if he was saved, it would be difficult to live for a long time because of the complications. There’s no way Ian would let the genius strategist of the future die like this.

    Ian, who hastily checked his chest, was startled.

    ‘It didn’t touch his lungs!’

    His first-aid was not wrong.

    There seemed to be no need to worry about the prognosis as well as the aftereffects.

    ‘Then it''s easy from now on.''

    Only then Ian smiled.

    He took out the herbs he had gotten from the mercenaries in advance.

    "Huh? What is that?"

    "It''s Lorelin''s tears."

    Earlier, Ian gained it by pretending to learn herbal medicine.

    However, the expressions of the mercenaries looking at the herb were distorted.

    "Why do you use such herbs?"

    Lorelin''s tears are herbs that are often used for bruises. However, the effect is minimal.

    It''s like the lowest-class garbage herb that can only be used by people who really don''t have money but need treatment.

    They didn’t show it, but the eyes of mercenaries looking at Ian in anticipation had crumbled sharply.

    Having faced countless nobles, the mercenaries gave Ian the ‘here-we-go-again’ look.

    When they saw him pulling out the arrow, they thought he might be a little different.

    Eventually, a mercenary approached.

    "I''m sorry, Prince. Such trash is only good for muscle pain. It''s not something to use in an emergency like this."

    The mercenary took his own drugs out of his arms.

    His tone was polite, but his stern eyes looked at Ian as a child who knew nothing.

    He didn''t say anything, but Ian felt the gaze and so, he ignored him and moved away.

    "You''d rather use this. It''s better than most herbs."

    Gerard, who was kneeling, also clenched his lips while admiring the joy that Line had survived. Because he, someone who rolled on the dirty mud for life, knew well.

    How precious this information was.

    "Prince, why are you so kind to us, not to the soldiers?"

    But Ian just stared at him and smiled.

    ‘That''s because they''re people who will become my enemies in the future.’

    On the other hand, Gerard, Line, and their comrades were the people he should be allies with. Of course, it was natural to leak this information to them.

    ‘It would be nice if I could get the mercenary king only with this kind of information.’

    The problem was from now on...

    ‘The genius strategist Line becomes crippled.’

    Ian looked nervously at Line''s leg.

    However, Ian had no choice but to sigh heavily.

    ‘Ha...''

    The wound on the leg was not as bad as he thought.

    It was a wound that would not be a problem just by pulling out the arrow and applying the herbs in time.

    It''s just...

    "Somebody help me out!"

    "Bring me some herbs!"

    There were many fatally wounded around.

    Some people were shot with arrows in more serious places than Line.

    ‘That’s how it happened.’

    He must have lost his leg after delaying the turn of treatment for the more seriously injured.

    Herbs must have been quite scarce back then.

    But it''s different now.

    "Don''t worry! We have plenty of herbs to heal!"

    "What? There are so many herbs? You didn''t bring much as a spare, did you?"

    “That’s because the prince asked about this during his break, so he dug up a lot!”

    At the cry, Gerard, Galon, and Nathan, who were escorting, looked at Ian as if he was a ghost.

    Because they couldn''t have known any better what his action implied.

    Ian chuckled instead of saying anything.

    ‘You won''t lose your leg this time, Line.''

    But before that.

    "Sir Galon."

    "Say it, Prince."

    "Catch the bandit leader who led this attack."

    “!”

    Ian knew.

    The raiders captured by Nathan and the Duke''s soldiers in the past were bandits. After interrogation, they reported that to the Duke.

    However.

    ‘Can they really be ordinary bandits?’

    When Ian realized that fact, the centurion said with his eyes blazing for some reason.

    “The knights are here to protect the prince! If you leave those bandits to the mercenaries...”

    Then Galon moved.

    “Follow me, Centurion. Gerard, please escort the prince.”

    "Yes?! Oh no, wait... Why are you leaving escorting the prince to a mercenary? The mercenaries were hired to deal with those bandits! The escort job is ours—”

    "Please leave it to me, Sir Galon."

    At Gerard''s answer, the centurion''s face turned white.

    Ian giggled at the sight.

    ‘I''m glad. I thought Gerard would run out to get revenge for his comrades.''

    But Gerard was sincerely grateful to Ian.

    ‘If he went out to fight the enemy as per their mission, there would be fatalities.''

    Pretending to be carrying out the mission to protect Ian, Gerard was able to get the wounded mercenaries healed.

    If he made a wrong move, his subordinates and fellow mercenaries he worked so hard to raise like a family could be wiped out.

    Gerard bowed his head toward Ian.

    “A mercenary never forgets his grace and his enemies. I will never forget this grace, Prince.”

    There was sincerity in his eyes. Ian nodded his head.

    ‘I owe Gerard the future mercenary king with this.’

    It was a reward for saving their comrades. It was never a bottom-up business.

    In addition, he could get the support of mercenaries, so this was killing two birds with one stone.

    ‘Because we need soldiers who won’t reach the Duke’s eyes and ears.’

    A hand that never betrays and can move without the Duke''s knowledge.

    But it was then.

    ‘!’

    Suddenly, Ian stood up from his seat.

    "Prince?"

    Ian, who looked toward the forest, suddenly raised his voice.

    "Galon! That way!"

    The centurion flinched in the direction Ian was pointing, and Galon disappeared in an instant as if he had noticed something.

    Where he was heading for was the grass that Ian pointed to.