Death Can’t Sleep - Chapter 92
The mercenaries soon set off for the border. They were quite fast, even though they had quite a few wagons. Apparently, the mercenaries here moved together in groups. Victor and Amarion joined forces with Mirage and five or six others.
The atmosphere was peaceful because there were no monsters. The mercenaries chatted leisurely.
“…So, I think the Knights of Morte are the best on the continent. Welch and Amari can’t keep up.”
“Hey, how do you know that? They’re all Imperialists, so they’ve never fought each other.”
“Don’t you remember the monsters we just fought? I’m sure the Knights of Morte could win against hundreds of them. That’s why Cataleon is using the Knights of Morte as escorts for their honey wine trade.”
Amarion tilted her head to the side.
She didn’t remember encountering mercenaries during subjugation.
At the same time, the hope that she had yesterday faded a little.
Since she felt the Knights of Morte were weak, didn’t that mean these people wouldn’t be very strong?
She thought they would be stronger than Morte’s knights because they were under the direct control of the Mercenary King…
Victor asked Amarion in a low voice.
“When did Lady Catalina start the honey wine trade?”
“I don’t know. I think it was when we were on tour.”
“Honey wine is a specialty of Morte. If you want to trade it, you have to get permission from the Lord…”
Victor continued.
“Maybe Sir Carlz gave permission… If you don’t know.”
“That’s possible.”
Victor nodded.
‘Hmm…’
Amarion looked ahead. While watching the horses and chattering mercenaries, she asked abruptly.
“Sir Carlz and Catalina…”
“Yes?”
“They have feelings for each other, right?”
“It seems everyone knows but you.”
Victor snorted. He had a smirk on his face.
“I thought I was the only one who thought so.”
“Nope. That’s what everyone thinks.”
“What?”
“While you were subjugating, rumors circulated all over the city that they had some kind of relationship. They were together almost every day under the pretext of working together.”
“No way!”
Amarion became thoroughly interested. What did those other people see?
“So why didn’t they begin courting?”
Victor rubbed his chin.
“Well, Carlz always said he hated living in the South. He wants to marry a woman living in the Capital or the northern part of the country who is passionate about her work.”
“Well, Catalina said she had no intention of getting married right now. But she said she’d rather have a southern man who hates the South.”
“…”
Both Victor and Amarion fell quiet, thinking the same thing.
“…They’re smart, so they’ll take care of it themselves.”
“I guess so.”
Amarion smiled vaguely and looked forward again.
The mercenaries entered the forest before they knew it. She was nervous, because it was a place where she encountered monsters several times.
Of course, they were done with subjugation, so there wouldn’t be as many monsters as there were then…
Then, a small cry was heard in the distance.
“…!”
Victor and Amarion pulled out their swords at the same time. The people around them looked at them in surprise.
“Why did you pull out your swords all of a sudden?”
“Monsters are coming. Likely Griffins.”
“What?! How can you…?”
The sound came closer as Amarion spoke.
She guessed there were about five or six.
She exchanged a quick glance with Victor.
It wouldn’t be hard to kill the Griffins, but she now knew it was strange to kill five Griffins by the standards of ordinary people. If they were too similar to Morte’s Knights, they would certainly stand out tremendously.
But it could be dangerous…
“Oh my God!”
Kieek!
Before they could decide what to do, Griffins appeared with a screech that blew out their eardrums. Flapping their wings, they flew in and hissed threateningly at the mercenaries who drew weapons. The wagons came to a terrible stop, and the horses squealed in surprise.
Victor whispered with a troubled look.
“Marion, can you-”
At that moment, Mirage stretched out his arms.
It was a very mysterious sight. White light came out of his palms, and the movements of the Griffins, who had been swinging their claws wildly, suddenly stopped. The Griffins whirled around with a squeak. Meanwhile, the mercenaries worked together to defeat one or two Griffins.
Amarion’s jaw fell open at the sight, and she quickly asked Mirage.
“What was that just now?”
“Oh, you don’t know newbie?”
The mercenary turned to her and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m a wizard.”
In an instant, a sharp gasp leaked out of Victor.
Amarion reflexively turned to him. Victor was expressionless. But his eyes, which had always gleamed gold, sank endlessly.
She knew what he was thinking.
Victor hated wizards.
Or was afraid of them.
Regardless, the result was the same. Magic was something that his sword could not fight, and it killed his family. Wizards were the source of his nightmares.
But this was not a battlefield. His revenge was over, and there were no wizards in the world who could defeat him.
Amarion tried to calm him down.
“It’s okay.”
Her words slowly relaxed his body.
But his expression remained subdued. Fortunately, Mirage didn’t seem to notice Victor’s unexpected change. He raised his eyebrows.
“Aren’t you surprised? People from other countries don’t even believe in wizards.”
“…I’ve heard things.”
Amarion answered quietly and wiped the blood from her sword.
She didn’t want to have a long conversation, but Mirage made a very interesting expression.
“Really? You’ve heard about wizards? And magic?
“Well… I at least know you can’t summon an earthquake or drop a ball of fire.”
“Yeah. That was something only the great wizard Gargantia could do.”
Victor’s lips pursed thinly.
Gargantia was the name of the late Queen of the Eastern Kingdom. She had a bad relationship with Victor. Her curse still haunted him.
Mirage added casually.
“Well, even the great Queen was defeated by Walking Death.”
“…”
“Anyway, my magic is illusionary. A common feat for wizards.”
“Why is a wizard outside the Eastern Kingdom?”
Victor opened his mouth for the first time. His voice was chillingly low.
But Mirage smiled.
“Huh, you really know quite a bit about wizards! Did you come from the Eastern Kingdom?”
Victor did not answer.
‘Shouldn’t he be in the Eastern Kingdom?’
The wizard explained to her, who was puzzled.
“Wizards are the property of the Eastern Kingdom. Without the King’s permission, we can’t leave the kingdom or reveal ourselves.”
“Then how did you…?”
“I ran away.”
Mirage laughed.
“Magic belongs to the nobles. If it was revealed that someone who was not a noble was born with magic…”
He made a slashing motion over his neck. Amarion opened her eyes wide with astonishment. Mirage continued nonchalantly.
“That’s why, when I was young, I crossed the border and I made a living here among mercenaries.”
“It must have been hard.”
“Well, I’m cut out for it. Besides, if I was in the East, I’d have been hanged by Walking Death. He goes crazy whenever he sees a wizard.”
Amarion shut her mouth tight. Other mercenaries cut in.
“That’s why we told you to be careful when you came to Morte.”
“Well, we won’t have a chance to meet the Grand Duke.”
“But do you happen to know where he is? I wonder if he’ll suddenly show up along the border.”
‘Hah, you can’t even imagine, can you?’
Amarion smiled bitterly and walked away from the group with Victor.
He was as hard as a plaster cast. He smiled bitterly at her.
“I’m sorry, I’ve made you worry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
Amarion held his hand subtly.
His golden eyes were cast downward.
“I have taken revenge so cruelly that I deserve to be cursed.”
“…”
“It was a forced war, but I had no hesitation in killing wizards. In fact, all those who killed my brother died right away.”
He clenched his fists.
“But… Why is my body still shaking?”
Amarion did not say anything.
His suffering was something she could never understand. She would like monsters to burn and suffer, but Victor hated people. She could never hurt a person.
But they had different experiences and different values. All of her precious people were killed by monsters, but all of Victor’s precious people were killed by people. So she chose to just accept him instead of change him.
“Everything’s going to be fine.”
Victor nodded quietly at her words.
“Yes. Don’t worry. It’s just my mind. You’re by my side.”
She squeezed his hand and got back on her horse.
***
