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Chapter – 02
How a Mercenary Protects Their Charge (2)
“Damn it, Regina!”
“Your Grace!”
As the wind scattered the smoke and the remaining traitors were finally slain, the survivors shouted desperately for the two who had disappeared.
But the only answer was the echo spreading through the dense forest.
“Damn it! Regina…”
“Hey! Are you seriously looking for a mercenary before the person you were supposed to protect?!”
“We’re searching for His Grace too! But shouldn’t we look for our comrades as well?!”
“Hah! This is exactly why mercenaries are—!”
“And what about you people? So competent that your own ranks betrayed you? From what I saw earlier, you were worse than our mercenaries!”
“What did you say?! How dare you insult imperial knights!”
Persona mercenary Gail and the imperial knight Thomas drew their swords on one another.
The fear of losing someone precious had twisted into aimless rage, and that rage had turned toward each other.
And with the two men as the spark, both the mercenaries and imperial knights began unsheathing their weapons.
If even one tiny mistake occurred, they would start slaughtering one another.
“Stop! Everyone, stop! This isn’t the time for us to fight each other!”
Rosie bravely stepped between them.
Her rabbit-like eyes were already brimming with tears from worry over Regina.
“For now, there were no bodies—neither Miss Regina’s nor His Grace’s. And there’s a river below the cliff. Miss Regina was also wearing protective gear strong enough to withstand explosions!”
“So you’re saying that mercenary woman protected His Grace and jumped into the water?”
Thomas’s question made Gail’s brow twitch.
From the start, he hadn’t liked the knight’s arrogant attitude toward mercenaries simply because they were mercenaries.
And to look down on Regina of Persona—the daughter of the Mercenary King, no less.
Honestly, he felt like cutting the man down right then and there.
And he was fairly sure he could.
“Yes. If it was Miss Regina, then she definitely would’ve done that.”
The pride mercenaries carried.
Even the way they called Regina “Miss” despite her not being a noble lady seemed ridiculous to Thomas. He snorted dismissively, but he couldn’t afford to lose hope, so he reluctantly lowered his sword.
“Gail, if it’s Miss Regina, she survived and is heading downstream. We should move too.”
“…Yeah. First, we need to pick the people who can leave immediately.”
Scanning the area, Gail approached the injured mercenaries.
Their wounds didn’t seem severe, but continuing through the mountains could become dangerous for them.
“You lot head back for now. We’ll handle the rest.”
“But we’re still in the middle of a mission.”
“After that mysterious attacker injured everyone before, Regina became really sensitive about mercenaries getting hurt. Think you can handle her anger if she finds out?”
“…Nope. Definitely not.”
The mercenaries quickly shook their heads as they imagined Regina furious.
In fact, just imagining the punishment she might give them for failing a mission because of injured members was terrifying enough.
“Even without you, we’ve got enough people to finish the mission. If you head back down the mountain, there’s a village nearby. Get treated, return to Persona, and wait there.”
“Yes, sir. Please save Miss Regina. Like Rosie said, she’s definitely alive.”
The injured mercenaries bowed while limping away.
Though Gail forced a smile, inwardly he was growing anxious.
Some assassins had definitely escaped amidst the thick smoke. And after shielding the explosion and rolling off a cliff, there was no way Regina could still be unharmed.
“Let’s move already!”
At Gail’s urging, the mercenaries picked up their weapons once more.
Walking behind Regina, Valentin watched her carefully.
The woman’s wheat-colored hair, tied up above her head like ripened grain, made her back appear smaller than it really was.
Yet the strength with which she had wrapped herself around him during the explosions had been surprisingly powerful.
‘Can I really trust that woman?’
Even imperial knights had betrayed him in an attempt to kill him.
Mercenaries—people who simply worked for money—could hardly be called trustworthy either.
Especially not deep in this forest, where even cold corpses would be difficult to find.
“My mission is to escort Your Grace. Nothing more.”
Regina suddenly spoke.
As though she had read his mind.
“I figured you might feel uneasy. Right now, you can only rely on me, so I thought I should make that clear.”
So it was simply unnecessary consideration.
For a brief moment, Valentin had tensed because she struck the heart of his thoughts so accurately. Now he relaxed his shoulders.
She was a strange woman in many ways.
Everything about her was unusual—from charging into the exploding carriage to shield him with her body.
“And though I don’t usually brag about it, my mercenary rank is Gold. Out of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. At the very least, I’m better than some random amateur.”
“Or maybe you’re worried I’ll go mad from anxiety and start rampaging.”
“…Well, I can’t exactly say no to that.”
Without realizing it, Valentin let out a faint laugh that nearly vanished into the breeze.
This oddly honest woman amused him.
And suddenly, he became curious about the rumors she had heard about him.
“What kind of rumors did you hear?”
He was obviously asking about himself.
Regina hesitated.
He didn’t seem like the sort of royal who puffed up proudly over his status, but she still couldn’t carelessly speak out of line.
“I’m simply curious. Think of it as entertainment for the journey.”
“Then… should I answer honestly?”
After being blunt the entire time, her sudden attempt at tact amused him again.
Valentin knew that his silence would be taken as permission.
“…Well, I heard that when you become anxious, you suffer attacks and start throwing things. Apparently several people were injured because of it. And most of all… they say you see things others can’t. That’s why people say you’re sensitive.”
“I heard mercenaries were crude and rude with their words. But that doesn’t seem entirely true.”
He was surprised by the way Regina softened the truth instead of bluntly calling him insane and violent.
Until now, she had seemed like nothing more than a stoic, stone-faced woman.
“Have you met mercenaries before?”
“By chance.”
“Let’s rest here for a moment.”
She had even pretended to wipe sweat from her forehead first, as though she’d noticed him struggling for breath because of his limp.
Her own breathing remained calm.
There wasn’t even any sweat on her.
Only droplets of water still falling from hair that hadn’t fully dried.
‘At least the water’s clean.’
Regina crouched beside the stream and reached her hand into the flowing water.
The terrain, tangled with exposed tree roots, drained stamina fast enough that dehydration was becoming a concern.
“Would you like some?”
Scooping water into her palms, Regina offered it to Valentin, whose movements were limited.
After sitting nearby and thinking briefly, he nodded.
“If you need more, just say so.”
Regina silently watched Valentin drink from the water pooled in her hands.
Honestly, she had never seen anyone more handsome than Gail before.
But this man was on a completely different level.
Even covered in dirt and dust, he somehow still seemed to shine.
The absurd thought came to her naturally.
Even the lips brushing against the edge of her hand were ridiculously soft.
And the tongue that licked away the remaining droplets of water was unusually red.
Wait. Tongue?
“Hey.”
Startled, Regina abruptly yanked her hand away.
Valentin glared at her in annoyance.
Regina was dumbfounded.
Normally, if someone suddenly licked your hand, wouldn’t you pull away in shock?
But Valentin merely stared up at her blankly, as though he genuinely didn’t understand the problem.
There was even a strange innocence in his complaining eyes, making Regina think of a chick that had only just hatched from its egg.
Though for a chick, he was absurdly large and sturdy—and carried arrogance as naturally as breathing.
“Sorry. You startled me… We should keep moving.”
With a sigh, Valentin used the sheathed sword to push himself upright.
The stream was gradually becoming shallower.
If they continued a little farther, they would reach the downstream area soon.
Naturally taking the lead again, Regina guided him along paths that would be easier for someone with limited mobility to walk.
Then, in an area thick with trees, she sensed suspicious presences nearby.
“Your Grace, perhaps we should switch weapons now.”
Pulling out her dagger, Regina retrieved the longsword from Valentin.
How many people were lurking like hungry hyenas right now?
Her catlike eyes sharpened.
Fighting while protecting someone was far more difficult than fighting alone.
Especially when the enemy might outnumber them—and when she couldn’t simply force her injured charge to flee on his own.
But Regina was a mercenary who never gave up.
“Come out! All of you!”
At Regina’s threatening shout, assassins hidden behind the trees revealed themselves as though they had been waiting for the invitation.
Watching them pour out like a sudden rainstorm, Valentin let out a quiet laugh.
It was obvious who was behind all this.
‘So even the mad prince is an eyesore to the Empress Dowager. She even sent assassins after a crippled prince who was already leaving the palace willingly.’
Running his fingers along the old dagger Regina had handed him, Valentin considered something.
How long could that mercenary woman hold out against all these assassins?
Was there really any reason for him to stay here?
Regina, fighting fiercely, glanced back at him.
He didn’t look frightened.
Nor surprised.
“Gah!”
“If you want what you came for, then kill me first!”
Watching Regina throw herself into battle before him so fearlessly, Valentin abandoned his thoughts.
For some reason, he wanted to keep watching her fight.
Her style was violent, yet precise.
A rare and fascinating sight.
