Death Can’t Sleep - Chapter 100
Tall gathered all the senior mercenaries for a meeting. Then she finally made up her mind.
“Let’s go ahead and find the robbers to wipe them out.”
It was a plan for the sake of other mercenaries, as their destination, the ‘nameless village’, was also nearby.
Everyone was exhausted, but when they were told it was time to hunt, they became more energetic. Mirage lightly pulled the reins.
“It’s great. It was annoying not being able to sleep in those small tents.”
“I am a bit worried now. If there are more of them than we thought, wouldn’t we have to wage war in the middle of the desert?”
“Are you talking about after you decide?”
As Mirage narrowed his eyes, Tall giggled.
She still couldn’t believe it.
“To think Tall was the leader…”
“Why don’t you believe me? Do I not look like a leader?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you, because if you weren’t the leader, this large-scale patrol operation wouldn’t have been possible. I just…”
Amarion thought they would be more dignified. She glanced awkwardly at the giggling Tall. Even at a cursory glance, she was stronger than anyone else in this group, but she still looked very weak. It was like that even now.
‘Didn’t she join our scouting team just because Sir Jane was in our group?’
Amarion rode her horse and looked beyond the oasis. Unfortunately, this aasis was also abandoned.
They were out on reconnaissance as part of ‘Operation Weeding’. It was calculated that since there were not many places to camp in the wasteland, they would definitely stay in a nearby oasis.
Their team consisted of about 10 people, including Tall, Mirage, Amarion, Victor, and Jane. Because they had a strong force, they were moving quickly. Amarion was motivated, but she was very tired. It was only natural since her nights were disturbed by robbers.
Victor whispered with a worried face.
“If you are tired, let’s go back.”
“I’m okay.”
“I know you’re not okay. Do you think I don’t know how it feels not to be able to sleep?”
He sadly touched her cheek.
Amarion closed her eyes tightly.
She didn’t want to be a burden to others.
She didn’t want to put anyone at risk.
She grabbed his hand and asked the mercenaries searching the oasis.
“What’s over there?”
Mirage answered.
“There’s nothing. These guys seem to have already moved.”
“Well, it’ll be a safe journey then.”
“But considering that there are no monsters, I think they are nearby.”
Tall guessed.
Really?
Did they leave?
Amarion carefully looked around. Their footprints had already been swept away by the desert sand, but somehow she felt a presence. She was not sure because her ears and nose had become dull from fatigue.
It was then. There was a distant rattling sound, and arrows flew their way.
“Ahh!”
The mercenaries ducked in surprise.
As soon as she swung her sword to cut down the arrows, people in familiar attire came from beyond the sand dunes. It was a group of desert robbers, the culprits who had been harassing them for several days.
In an instant, the robbers surrounded their group. There was a menacing thrum and the sound of swords clashing.
The leader of the robbers chuckled.
“You got caught, you idiots.”
Amarion suppressed her irritation and examined the robbers. She was more annoyed than when she saw bullies running around in Morte.
How dare they bully people in such a despicable way?
Weren’t they people who didn’t even have the courage to fight openly?
And besides, they were encircling a small scouting party, behaving triumphantly.
She was disturbed by the combination of fatigue, irritation, and what Jane had said. In the meantime, the other mercenaries drew their weapons. Tall grabbed her spear and asked cheerfully.
“Did you touch my people?”
“Who are you?”
Their boss asked.
“Tall, the leader of the ‘Troll’s Right Calf.’”
“A kid like you is the leader?”
The boss chuckled. Tall snorted, speaking in a condescending tone.
“Stop talking and get out of here, huh? If you don’t want to be stabbed.”
“What is that? Are you threatening us with that?”
Their boss laughed bitterly.
After moving slowly, he suddenly lifted his right arm with great speed. It was an iron crossbow.
Before she could even react, arrows came flying.
“No!”
Someone shouted.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Amarion’s tired body couldn’t react quickly enough to the crossbow, which was faster than a normal arrow, and the iron arrow flew right past her.
Then, it hit Mirage, who was next to her.
“Mirage!”
Jane hastily helped Mirage, who had fallen off his horse.
Amarion turned to check on him.
Mirage was crouching on the ground, clutching his shoulder.
“It hurts… D*mn…”
“Don’t speak!”
Mercenaries came running and inspected the wound. Blood was gushing out of the shoulder that had been pierced.
The boss deliberately shot their weakest link. If you got hit by an arrow in such a hot place, people with weak stamina would surely die.
Her mind suddenly calmed down.
Jane’s words, which she hadn’t yet accepted fully, made sense in an instant. Why did he hate people so much?
Monsters don’t do that.
She glared at the boss with bloodshot eyes. The boss giggled.
“What, are you trying to do something?”
“Yes.”
Amarion put her hand on the handle of her sword. One more arrow, and he could have taken Mirage’s life. Death by the weak was dishonorable,
Still, she-
Just then, Victor interrupted her.
“Marion,”
He whispered softly.
“Let me do it.”
“…Victor, but-”
“It’s not your fault.”
Victor spoke as if he had read her mind. He made her quietly put her sword back. He, like a Grand Duke on the battlefield, looked at their enemies.
“People are different from monsters, so their behavior cannot be predicted. There is no way a noble person like you could ever deal with it.”
“Victor-”
“I understand your determination, but it is not necessary to completely change your convictions.”
Victor said quietly as he got off his horse. Then he slowly approached the enemy. In the windy desert, he drew his sword. Then he told the boss.
“I am Grand Duke Victor of Morte. I challenge you to a duel.”
The oasis fell into silence.
Both the mercenaries and the desert robbers were in a daze, trying to understand what they had just heard. And after a while, the robbers burst into laughter.
“What? Morte’s…? Victor Morte?!”
“Is this guy crazy?! If you are the Grand Duke of Death, then I am the Emperor!”
The boss grabbed his stomach and laughed so hard it seemed he might fall down. It was as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world. But Victor didn’t waver at all.
He stood in an almost graceful pose.
Amarion couldn’t hide her amazement. Everything was different from before. An overwhelming atmosphere and an infinitely perfect gaze. He was the same Grand Duke she knew.
Amarion turned to the mercenaries. Jane, Tall, and other mercenaries were looking at him as if possessed. It was a change that anyone who made combat their career would be aware of.
Among them, the most shocking thing was Mirage lying down injured. Even as he pressed his shoulder with a cloth to stop the bleeding, the wizard was looking at Victor with his eyes wide like saucers.
However, the boss did not recognize the difference because he despised the enemy. The large man pulled out a knife.
“All right, well, try me!”
He smiled and came forward.
And the next moment.
“What?”
A bewildered sound came out.
She talked about that with Victor before. The hardest part about fighting humans was not killing them. There were dozens of things you needed to pay attention to to prevent your opponent from getting hurt.
However, in a situation where either person could be killed, a knight’s sword was a more severe disaster than anything else.
That was what happened now. Their duel ended in a single blow. His abdomen had been cut sharply. It was fatal.
The boss collapsed without making a sound.
“What?”
“AGHHHH!”
The hesitant robbers belatedly screamed. Victor’s expression was not visible, but no matter what expression he was wearing, it was obvious that they would be scared to death.
Victor casually drove the tip of his sword into the sand.
Those who were making stupid noises hurriedly grabbed their fallen boss and ran away as quickly as possible.
They were so weak.
Amarion waited for Victor with a mixture of exhilaration and unpleasant sadness.
After sheathing his sword, her husband slowly returned to her. She looked up at him and said one word.
“…Thanks.”
“Hmm…”
He laughed. Despite the blood on his cheek, it was a friendly smile.
The mercenaries shuddered at that laugh.
‘Oh, dear…’
Amarion blinked and looked back at them. Tall scratched the back of her neck.
“I heard everything. You seem to have been hiding it well before I came.”
“Y-you really… Grand Duke Morte… Are you?”
A mercenary asked awkwardly. Until just a moment ago, regardless of whether Victor frowned or not, they made fun of him as a young boy.
Victor shrugged his shoulders.
“You heard.”
The other mercenary, who had been urging her to tell them where she was setting up their honeymoon, said with a bewildered face.
“No… You should have said…”
“Since when did you start being polite to nobles?”
“Hey, he’s not just a nobleman!”
The mercenaries screamed in disgust at Tall’s words. Jane laughed like it was someone else’s business. As he moved to stop the bleeding, Mirage groaned in pain.
‘Oops.’
Only then did they come to their senses and hurriedly load Mirage into the saddle. The blood stopped quickly, but he was still in critical condition.
“Hold on a little longer.”
The wizard, who opened his eyes at Amarion’s urgent words, looked at Victor and asked.
“…You… If you are the Walking Death… why didn’t you kill me? They say you hate wizards very much.”
Victor was silent for a moment before answering.
“For the same reason I cut down that insignificant man.”
His gaze lingered on Amarion for a moment and then fell.
They hurriedly left the oasis.
***
