Death Can’t Sleep - Chapter 90
He took off his hood rather roughly.
“Oh my gosh.”
Tall clapped her hands over her mouth. Then she scolded Chubby.
“You’re really going to go to the gallows one day for contempt of nobility!”
“Yes, yes.”
Chubby sighed deeply.
The three mercenaries bowed to Victor.
“We greet you, your highness.”
“…No need for a greeting. We’re not in a situation to be polite.”
Victor waved his hand dismissively. Despite not having a pleasant tone, Tall raised her head and giggled.
“Wow, as expected! Amarion’s husband is very generous!”
Victor’s eyes became sharp. He hurriedly changed the subject.
“So, how do you plan to cross the border?”
“It’s been a bother.”
Tall shook her head with a sigh.
“As you know, Morte is surrounded by mountains, so it’s most convenient to just follow the road and go out through the official gate. I was going to pay the guards a few coins to pass through.”
Victor’s expression became strange. The passageway between the Empire and the Wasteland was guarded by Morte’s soldiers. It couldn’t have been pleasant to hear that his soldiers snuck people through for pennies.
Tall continued regardless.
“But recently, the knight in charge of the gate changed. He’s a crazy guy, walking around and catching suspicious travelers at random. If you’re a knight, he’ll know your face, and if you get caught, you’ll be in huge trouble.”
“Hmm…”
Amarion was lost in thought.
‘Still, if he’s a knight, wouldn’t he be a friend of mine? Victor, their master, is here too. I think I’ll be able to convince them to let us pass secretly…’
But Victor’s expression was skeptical.
“If it’s him, that’s okay.”
“Yeah? What are you talking about?”
“You’ll know when you see it. Anyway… what are we going to do then?”
“What can we do? We have to cross the mountain. There’s a low mountain next to the gate, so we can ride over it.”
Amarion nodded her head. Victor still looked suspicious, but they said this would be the best way. Wasn’t this the ‘Troll’s Right Calf’ mercenary group that was famous for its strategy?
When she agreed, Tall smiled again.
“Let’s do that. Firstly, I’ll give you some precautions.”
“Precautions?”
“If you want to get to your destination among the mercenaries, shouldn’t you know some things?”
Victor and Amarion exchanged brief glances and nodded.
Tall scratched her chin.
“First of all, we are the only ones who know who you are. I thought it would be annoying if other people found out that you were riding with us.”
“That’s what I was hoping for.”
“So the two of you should act like mercenaries too.”
They nodded again. They were going to hide their identities anyway. Fortunately, it was common for mercenaries to hide their names and pasts. If they used false names, no one would be suspicious.
Chubby advised.
“Just say you are wandering third-rate mercenaries. You can say you were knights who killed people and ran away!”
Victor’s expression became very strange. But he didn’t say anything this time either.
Tall giggled.
“You should also hide your faces for a while.”
“Faces?”
“You look like aristocrats by all accounts.”
‘Is that so?’
Amarion touched her cheek. Her skin was soft from the scented ointment applied every day, and her golden hair was soft. Victor, well, there was nothing she could say. He looked like a prince even when he was covered in dust.
Amarion awkwardly fiddled with her cloak.
“…Okay, we’ll be careful.”
“Of course, our Amarion will take care of it!”
Tall joked and smiled.
“Our mercenary corps has a lot of people coming and going, so if you keep quiet, you won’t be noticed. Oh, and the night watch is meticulous!”
After she finished speaking, she changed the subject.
“Then let’s go. To the den where our [email protected] are!”
They began to trot along the wide road.
＊ ＊ ＊
The mercenary campsite was really not that far away. It took less than half a day to arrive.
No matter how many times you went in and out of the Wasteland, you wouldn’t normally pass this way.
Amarion asked with regret.
“You didn’t come all the way here because of me, did you?”
“No, we just happened to be around.”
Tall said cheerfully.
“And no matter how far it is, we would come if Amarion called. Isn’t that the duty of a mercenary?”
“…?”
“Anyway, come this way.”
Victor and Amarion tied up their horses and entered the campsite, following the guidance of the three.
The campsite of the ‘Troll’s Right Calf’ was as impressive as its name. Perhaps because it was a group directly under the Mercenary King, but it was large in size and there were quite a lot of carriages.
Above all, the people were unusual. Perfectly trained warriors, regardless of gender and age, were chatting loudly and resting.
Amarion looked around secretly and admired it several times. Her heart trembled.
They were probably very strong. She had never hired a mercenary unit, but she knew their reputation was high across the whole continent. Of course, they could be as weak as the Knights of Morte, but… there also could be someone as strong as Victor.
She wished she could compete with one of them…
While she was lost in thought, Tall tapped the shoulder of the mercenary passing by.
“Hey, I’ve brought some newcomers, so please decide which tent they’ll use.”
“Rookies?”
“They are not official.”
The young mercenary glared suspiciously at them.
Amarion opened her eyes wide. Unlike the others, this man didn’t look like much of a mercenary. His skinny body with fine muscles definitely looked like that of a mercenary, but he was by no means a person who handled weapons. His face looked normal too.
Was there such a person in the mercenary corps?
The mercenary looking at them seemed to think the same thing.
“You don’t look very strong. Are you sure about your skills?”
“Oh, you think I would have brought some random [email protected]?!”
Tall spoke in a threatening voice.
Chubby stood on his tiptoes and hit Tall on the back of the head.
“Argh!”
Tall uttered a vicious curse that Amarion dared not repeat.
Victor opened his eyes wide in surprise. No matter how dirty Sir Raoul and Carlz talked, they never said such harsh things.
The mercenaries started shouting at each other.
“Your temper is the problem! You got your a$$ kicked by the Mercenary King before, and you still haven’t changed this habit?”
“They said that Jane the Knight is more handsome than Rodrigo from the Capital Troupe!”
“You mean you drew your weapon over that?!”
“That’s the thing!”
She screamed as if he was talking nonsense.
“There’s no man more handsome than Rodrigo!”
“That’s why the mercenary king doesn’t have you by his side.”
“Yeah, it’s his loss.”
Tall snorted.
Chubby sighed once more, and beckoned to the mercenary who was watching the fight with a look expression to theirs.
“I’m sorry, this woman is a little…You know, right?
“Oh, I know. Very well.”
The mercenary shook his head and looked back at them.
“Anyway, welcome to the ‘Troll’s Right Calf’. I’m ‘Mirage’. We will share life with you in the present, regardless of your past or future.”
She answered the greeting of the mercenary in the same way.
“I will not ask for your past, and I will live without regret in the present.”
“Very well.”
Mirage nodded as if satisfied.
“You’re not a rookie, are you?”
“Well… I’m familiar.”
“It will save me the trouble.”
He grinned and led them to one side of the camp, leaving behind the squabbling pair.
Before them was a large tent.
“Use this tent. It just so happens that there are two beds available.”
Amarion nodded. Mirage continued.
“I’ll write down the order of events and your jobs, so you can come out in time for meals. Ask me if you feel uncomfortable or don’t know something.”
Mirage picked up the wooden board hanging from the outside of the tent. Apparently, the names and roles of the inhabitants were written there.
He pulled a pencil out of his pocket and remarked.
“Oh, come to think of it, I didn’t ask for your names.”
“Huh?”
“What should I call you?”
Amarion blinked in embarrassment. Come to think of it, she didn’t even think of fake names for the mercenary corps. How could she make such a mistake when she decided to hide their identities!
When she glanced back at Victor, he was silent and waiting for her to answer. She wracked her brain.
‘Don’t you have a suitable alias? Like nicknames…’
Words popped out before she could finish thinking.
“I’m… Wildcat, and he is…”
She beckoned to Victor and said vaguely.
“…Dog…?”
Victor’s face lit up with astonishment.
[T/N: Okay, I died from laughing- xD]
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