Chapter 3

“That’s exactly why I hate it. The reason people offer up women to me is so obvious it’s boring.”

“…”

His disappointment was clear, and with it came that ominous aura of his growing stronger.

Not that he was angry. Yohan suggested they talk about business instead, changing the subject. As a gesture of friendship, he offered to replace the old dolls standing in the room with new ones. When Ross said they weren’t that old, Yohan made it impossible to refuse.

“You’ve been invited to the friendship games hosted by the Emperor. Wouldn’t it be good to show off your abilities a bit more in front of him?”

“…I’m overwhelmed by your consideration.”

“So let’s continue getting along well.”

“I’m working on it. Humans need time, you know.”

He joked about selling weapons to his heart’s content, but what should have been a welcome opportunity felt unpleasant—that was the real problem.

Sabed was a land without water or vegetation. The mercenary company had spent decades laying stones, building brick houses, and developing the area, but its origins were harsh.

The three-story barracks built of dark timber didn’t even have proper electricity. When sandstorms blew and blocked the sunlight, it was dark even during the day. On days when they had to deal with rats, most of the members preferred to pitch tents and sleep in the open areas outside Sabed.

Arancel was said to be a slightly better city than that. It was an industrial district built right next to the Lamarian Empire—while it was still infested with rats, at least sand wouldn’t pile up through window cracks as much.

However, the reason Priscilla was secretly grateful to be going to Arancel wasn’t because of the sand. Arancel was a city where many people crafted high-quality prosthetics, and many wizards came and went seeking to buy magical tools cheaply. If she met a decent craftsman, she might be able to commission a way to move her arm without magical power.

It was a place she had wanted to visit at least once, and now the captain had even written her a letter of recommendation—she couldn’t help but be happy.

Well, it’s much better than that weird marriage talk.

Priscilla thought this as she packed her few belongings. An old comb, hairpins that could roughly hold her hair in place with one hand, underwear and soap, a few favorite books. She also took the old shoes from her room.

It took quite a while. She pulled the leather bag slung over her right shoulder firmly to the front and hugged it.

No problem serving as a bag strap, she muttered with self-mockery, the words hovering over her full lips.

After packing, she walked for a while to visit Sabed’s bank. She retrieved the salary she had saved up, wondered where would be safest, then carefully tucked it between her breasts inside her military uniform, away from prying eyes.

She was even able to receive an unexpected severance pay. It was only about 20 francs for a train ticket home, but still.

“Priscilla!”

Only one colleague came to say goodbye to Priscilla as she finished preparing to leave.

“Alex.”

She had just come out of the bank building and was walking down the street for a while. A young man who had been wandering around Sabed spotted Priscilla and began running toward her, breathing heavily.

Huff, huff. He swallowed saliva, then swallowed air, breathing so loudly. Priscilla stopped walking and silently waited for him to calm down.

“I heard the news. You’re not… whew, leaving right away, are you?” The sturdy man with short-cropped dark brown hair looked like he was about to cry. It didn’t suit his burly frame, worn down by war.

“I wish you wouldn’t go. I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do for you.”

Alex. There had been many comrades who fought alongside her on the battlefield since childhood, not just Alex.

Some were already dead, others had left after saving enough money to their satisfaction.

But the other comrades wouldn’t even look at her.

Most of them secretly hoped Priscilla would leave, even if they didn’t show it. Such feelings always showed. It would prick their conscience to see off someone being kicked out.

Only Alex wanted to hold onto her.

There was a particular reason for this.

“Just wait a little. Even though I have no power right now, once we’re settled in Lamarian, I’ll come get you for sure.”

The reason he showed such responsibility—

“Alex, saving your life was purely my choice, not for any reward. So you don’t need to feel any guilt.”

—was because Alex was the comrade Priscilla had saved while losing her arm.

What had she been thinking then? Even when she asked herself this every night, recalling that situation, she couldn’t find an answer.

It was just an ordinary battle. The most common kind—all she had to do was point her gun at the enemy as ordered.

Lamarian was a strong country, and when they were conquering everywhere, there were no difficult operations. The mercenary company was easily gaining the upper hand in urban warfare alongside them.

But that didn’t mean they could let their guard down.

The moment she sensed that a flying bullet was going to blow Alex’s head off, her body moved first.

A moment’s mistake saved her comrade’s life, but she paid the price.

Alex pulled out a check from his pocket. The check he fumbled for had a considerable amount written on it. Obviously, he was trying to give her all the salary he had earned working until now.

Priscilla firmly refused to accept it. She had enough money herself. Not enough to live extravagantly, but not so little that she’d starve to death immediately.

Private mercenary companies, running purely on money, could sometimes earn large sums.

Money earned over several years by risking her life, shooting guns, and rolling around battlefields.

Knowing what that represented, she couldn’t accept it even more.

“You’re my precious comrade, Alex. As long as you’re safe, that’s enough for me.” She politely returned the check. Alex’s worried expression grew deeper.

“Priscilla…”

Maybe Priscilla was the one who wanted to cry. But her strong face showed no movement. She bowed her head and paid her final respects to her comrade as well.

The woman with shining silver hair and alabaster skin who looked like a doll had the expression of a warrior, no less than any commander.

I was born a slave, but I won’t live my life like a slave. My birth determines nothing about me.

Even as she left the mercenary company, she didn’t abandon the mindset she’d had when she first joined.

If she had failed to carve out a life here, she could just leave for another place. A new path.

Alex would have to stay here and continue down his original path. He would reach the end of the road available to him as a mercenary company member and grasp a paradise life.

“You must survive and go to Lamarian with honor. Prove that saving your life wasn’t in vain.”

“Miss Priscilla! If you want to catch the train on time, you need to get on now!” A coachman began shouting from the distance.

She had planned to walk to the train station, but obviously Captain Ross had prepared this.

Priscilla turned around immediately.

Thud. But at that moment, the shock of hitting something hard like a wall struck her body.

Priscilla thought she had bumped into a wall or streetlamp.

But this was clearly the open ground on the path to the base entrance…

She looked ahead with a dizzy feeling.

Surprisingly, standing in front of her wasn’t a wall or streetlamp, but a person.

“You should be careful.”

She must have bumped into someone passing by from behind.

Still, what kind of person is this solid? And there hadn’t been any sign of his presence at all.

Alex, who had been standing opposite her, hadn’t noticed the person passing by either.

The black-haired man was very tall. He looked down at not only Priscilla but Alex as well.

He rolled his black eyes around, then remained silent as if waiting for an apology. Priscilla quickly regained her balance and straightened up. She belatedly remembered she should apologize.

“I’m sorry.”

“What a foolish girl. How can you have such poor judgment about people?” came the gentle reply. Despite the pleasant voice, the content was strangely accusatory.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t look behind me properly.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Her second apology only seemed to provoke him further. 

“Well, with that level of stupidity, it’s no surprise you couldn’t dodge a simple bullet and lost your arm. Incompetence is its own kind of crime, wouldn’t you say?”

He wore a hat with a brim over his curly hair, so she couldn’t see his eyes clearly.

Who is this person? Is he even human?

Strangely, chills ran up her spine. He was a beautiful man with nice features, but somewhat creepy.