Chapter 252: Reunion (1)
c3Xmov5Official notices were posted across the streets of Briol.BWnUPKr
lfHOn them was a peculiar portrait—Yuri Briol, wearing a large, wide-brimmed hat, pointing forward with his index finger.mJyoj
VettZATBeneath it was written:Qf7SO0t
ZZbKofs“Briol needs you. Military recruitment.”AHai13
UeQnarDThe wide-brimmed hat was the symbol of Briol’s recruiter. It was a call to enlist, using Yuri Briol’s image.txfK
78vhWIBNo one could ignore that war—a war that would decide the fate of the continent—was about to break out.W99bQ5
QmPNewspapers and magazines relentlessly denounced the Empire, claiming that the Emperor was preparing an army for war and that, if they remained passive, their land would become a battlefield, so they must act first.xWJHV9h
ZakGCThe people feared war.NhhYg4
Nd0YHBut this time was different.fo8Z
LHv7The undefeated hero—revered as the symbol of victory and who had never lost—was leading not only Briol, but also the entire Anti-Imperial Alliance.hFUOfC
WMIQYuri Briol.ARr8RO
mvukTThe people felt hope.Dzd2Z
uari0KaOf course, it would be a difficult and devastating war—everyone knew that. But if they survived until the end, they would be guaranteed wealth and honor.RT2E
DoKThose who joined would be remembered for generations as heroes who saved the nation.ie9Y7Fc
xxqkfEgEven dying in battle would be seen as an honorable sacrifice.fMj
duZNews spread that the Empire had begun persecuting foreigners, especially those from Briol.Gf6
bq4FkwNo one doubted that their abuses would soon extend beyond imperial territory.zu9a
3CJeBiFIf they did not fight, they would be trampled.QghAX41
5HdFor their families, for their loved ones, and for their homeland, they had to raise their swords.mKc2nV
LIr6KfVThe number of enlistments rose quickly.qCZ
tTKuIn one Briol city, a recruiter was evaluating new applicants when, upon seeing the man before him, he frowned.M5vb
A3Lo“You seem to be of considerable age. Are you sure you can handle it?”p5n5cn
GJF“Of course. I’m a veteran of the Allied Army.”i7gb
Y0aYMS“Ah, I see. Welcome. Are you a resident of this territory?”s9mw
B5fVeterans were always given priority. The recruiter immediately checked the list of registered veterans in the city.L8ACR
mAyAi“That’s right.”PoAm9J
mSH“Your name?”Gel
ZA5“Raymond.”EKD
IJlET0“Let’s see… Raymond…”UvrR2
cq8NThe recruiter’s hand stopped. His eyes widened in surprise.NqZuC
EZBThis wasn’t just an ordinary soldier—this was a knight.qO1te46
SXXllG“Sir Raymond?”7UIt
CzU“That’s right.”ExIbu
qRpg“We’re recruiting soldiers. You could go directly to the lord and receive a special post…”jk4DWBr
yw7GF“I’ve decided to serve as a regular soldier.”Es3l0s
soZaGK“…Pardon?”pjE6w0
tsHThe recruiter looked up. The wrinkled-faced knight had a faint smile.nq8lelH
R2Rb“There are people I need to fight alongside on the battlefield.”IrE
3qD5aWfHe then nodded toward the people standing behind him. The recruiter realized that the volunteers lined up behind Raymond wore the same insignia—the emblem of the Allied Army Comrades Association.prJ
CXOW2pM“As president of the Allied Army Comrades Association, I’ve decided to take part in this war along with its members.”7ISq3
OhB8tA“Ah…”i9FCt
kUggkmThe recruiter looked at him for a moment before extending his hand.jYD
acIfp“On behalf of Briol’s army, I thank you for your decision.”Z7b
poRcqE“Thank you.”ptTVA
QXK“And if I may—would you grant us your service once more, for Briol’s victory and for the homeland?”ozfJ
3IN“Of course.”76sXZn
OBDlKj“For Briol!”5ct9v
tH814dThe recruiter shot to his feet and shouted.PAK
MjK3LxO“You will be given special treatment.”zj6VsW
29fNSoon someone arrived to escort Raymond and the Comrades Association members elsewhere.4SyW
E4NkAt first, they thought it was just veteran privileges.
But there was another reason.syxM
afCo“Before sending you to the front lines, we have a request.”MbeQa
R83“If it’s for Briol, gladly.”Eh1
sv9lhD“First, a bit of basic makeup.”4iRsG
sXSVM“Makeup?”Xmsa
Q7VWgjy“If you look worn out, it’ll seem like we treat you poorly, hahaha…”iJa3d
KRQvi“…Don’t tell me…”8PqTrd
T40rJThey wanted to use the Comrades Association’s name to attract more recruits.4LZk7q
ByhqhRaymond and the other veterans toured the city, receiving cheers from the crowd.UNBRGS
oy4aThe campaign was a success.tQKQW6f
tSaRMThe news that a retired knight from the Allied Army had taken up his sword again for Briol ignited the blood of the young.zKwKLL
RboH1H3Briol was preparing for war with much greater organization than in Yuri’s previous life.T3Nq
tGqdMeanwhile, Yuri wasn’t idle either. Leading the Order of Vengeance, he left Briol ahead of everyone else as an advance force to establish the Anti-Imperial Alliance’s front.bKIf
ViWHrgd***mo3r
bOIGL73Cory was handling all the heavy work in the village in place of the ailing Laurent.uGwKzk
pvUO6FAlthough people treated him better after learning he was a mage, the looks of contempt had not disappeared.rXZHx9I
Zh50nWhenever he passed by, the villagers pointed at him. Children called him a monster.Ueqw
wUkjWEven so, Cory never got angry with them.LIG
zOS“Are you an idiot?”QyS
wZzvnJust as he was about to enter the guild office, a mercenary stationed at the entrance suddenly spoke to him.u86VC
HljB“Pardon?”x8hkT
FDck“You’re a mage, yet you let these ignorant folks look down on you and do nothing. Why?”ohnesrG
Upun“Well…”GFjA2
XWFThe man was a hard-faced mercenary with a scar on his face. Cory had seen him a few times, and according to the guild staff, he was quite skilled.BJ1
ciQbj“What could I do? I just ignore it.”NCjEs
mIr“They say you’re half-orc, but you speak well.”ItQG
KQ3The first time people met him, many were surprised at his eloquence—like meeting a talking animal.HwT
ZwvtzMCory gave a sideways smile.2duH
MKhU0b“I limp when I walk, but my mouth works fine. That’s something, isn’t it?”QZpP
HG2“If you’re a mage, you should be smart. Then why allow it? They look down on you because you don’t retaliate. Don’t you know that?”QXTpsy
Waj5jql“I don’t see the need for revenge…”PM9DJiL
xBuBQ“Respect is born from fear.”1Nd
cARWThe man stood straight and lit a cigarette.dGFl
72g“With that face, how can you be so soft? Incredible.”HN7gQzU
LY9“And what does my face have to do with my personality?”W2HPe8
HrLL“When you’re hated, you tend to get sharper. That’s how I was as a kid. But ever since I got this, the provocations decreased. Funny, right?”xzggLfv
zgfo7He tapped the scar on his face—a threatening cut.Ohs
lyjtQ“I’m only saying this because it’s frustrating to see you like this.”JpJJ
HDIF“Thanks for the advice, but I’d rather ignore it.”Q7mN
BX0U6y“I don’t know if you’re good-natured or just fooling yourself…”MeA
bprYhThe mercenary chuckled.59r6
Le7HB“Sometimes guys like you have the blackest hearts. Wouldn’t surprise me if there were mysterious disappearances around here.”7YgirBs
2D6xLVdCory ignored him and entered the guild office.A8xH5
U3UqbKThe clerk frowned upon seeing him, then greeted him.VLv
krbNo matter personal opinions, to the guild staff Cory was a valuable asset who always took jobs, no matter how small.Z41wW
J5Av“Welcome. Looking for work?”Fk1Iv
4qfX“Yes.”ULs
Hvh“Let’s see…”aGUI5a
PIh1YHThe clerk looked over the guild’s job list.5y7s3
eiynMmS“Not much… Ah, we have a logging job at the village entrance. Pay depends on the number of trees you cut. Interested?”Enaf
uUoPdRA mercenary doesn’t always fight—sometimes they do various tasks. But simple jobs like cutting trees were rare.1qS
mutZsU“I’ve heard you’re a mage, but can you handle an axe?”qDnyZ
WfCf“Yes…”dNCkSU
LKLav5P“If you don’t want to, it’s not mandatory. There’s no other work for now.”wU5Xnl
0JS“I’ll do it.”P4q
XOUWCory nodded. He wasn’t in a position to choose jobs—not with Laurent’s medical bills.TettaT
ERA“But… why cut down trees?”NkP151
NgB8“There’s a rumor that Briol’s army will pass through the village. Just in case, we have to clear the road well so they can get in.”aHsPy
Iypg0The clerk spoke cheerfully. Having an army pass through—except during wartime—was usually good for business; supplying so many troops inevitably brought in consumption.wWBbhER
QbnECory’s eyes trembled.udQf
wxvUjp“Briol’s army?”qau
R85o“Yes.”PYwCw
OsAThe clerk glanced up at him sideways, then went back to tapping the papers.5SWVdS
2GLOG“The war will start soon. The mercenary guild will be busy. So, will you take the job?”wKdysEe
fF9Mgc“I-I’ll do it.”Nsf8
VHxbykCory quickly signed the documents and asked,bUYG
8tCwyyu“But when is Briol’s army coming? Are you sure they’re coming? Who’s the commander?”6fQOG
Jo6Cory hadn’t been able to convince Laurent to return to Briol and had decided to stay with him instead.Qu31ni
86YOBut now Laurent was on the brink of death. Maybe, if he could find Yuri, he could save him. Then they could return to Briol together.Zna
vB6uDThe clerk stamped the papers and replied,R49i
aVb“I don’t know. It’s just a rumor, nothing confirmed. Alright, go get to work.”y4aE9
kZRj“Ah, yes.”UZvcsO
NlSkCory left the office. The mercenary he had spoken with earlier at the entrance was still there.wknWG
Mzw5AeGHe tossed his cigarette to the ground and asked,jKgakX
0qx“Don’t tell me you’re going to cut trees.”jw0jeLd
qxnCory didn’t want to answer, but since the other man kept following him, he had no choice but to nod.q3rLnu
YF0“Yes.”W6Srrlf
zFSztThe man let out a mocking laugh.0bS
1IzTi“Are you an idiot?”Sfg1qEk
kev058M“Pardon?”uhLp5
5R6UT“If a job like cutting trees makes it to the guild, you should at least ask yourself why. Tsk…”BmI
6sJPS“Why?”cW9y
HGObDz“Don’t you know there are lots of beasts around here?”wDk
54iOJi“Uh…”MZz8Wuf
w8WbDv“And if, while you’re chopping, something like giant wolves shows up? Are you just going to stand there?”Og6Jf
27vgThen Cory understood the situation.QVloN
8EM4“So with the excuse of cutting trees, they’re getting cheap mages to act as escorts. I bet that idiot inside is lining his pockets.”4dn6
WB6“No… I don’t think he did it for that reason.”KJrJPCk
ronWSi1“Idiot.”ydkgKB
R5IMSHThe mercenary laughed.uevy8
954Z“Don’t play naive. Well, it’s not my problem.”WMHvQ2
u1vpu1With that, he waved a hand and left. Cory watched him go, then began walking with heavy steps.9dG
DZ6The man was right—once again, he was being used.5NLiJ
lt30tzxIf he had done what that mercenary said, using magic to scare people, maybe they wouldn’t treat him like this. But Cory didn’t want to do that.HSmiJ
s5UTxv“Ugh…”mjdlM
K6nRpAs he walked, the village children started following him again.dDsspTP
1FZG“It’s a monster, a monster.”hgxef
Yw3x“Don’t talk to him. They say he kills people and rips out their hearts.”ilgeV5h
HyKBnC“He really is a monster.”oka
k7PNk“So ugly!”8lGJO
InE43r0Cory ignored the comments and kept limping forward. The children soon lost interest and scattered.K39by
WN6When he reached the village entrance, the foreman was directing several people chopping trees.jo0ZFf
bvJUpon seeing him, the man frowned.Kpw
NlOJf38“What do you want? Cutting trees?”VWz9Z
zdUk“Yes.”2f8vK
OJqHw“I see… fine…”7CVsZmo
bxhThe foreman clicked his tongue and added,Y6GnvlW
ldsgzJ“Then get started right away.”FxQ
drUa“Understood.”eRCP6
OGJ“I’ll pay you per tree.”4D2
QieUU“Excuse me, what about the axe?”FuaV
8tk6“The axe?”zHJp
XWQgThe foreman sneered.nGZpV7
UToC“You came to cut trees empty-handed?”B1qvvAH
rKjproo“I’m a hired mercenary. You should be providing the equipment.”S01OKdI
gdcP665“If you want to chop, go find an axe. Tsk…”acmT
hMl1CHe clicked his tongue again and held out his hand.cyUiSh
KpuZ“If you want me to lend you one, pay the rental fee.”4NF
jSW0“Rental?”Jzv
Nu3l“Of course. You think it’s free?”bKetKp
nFMhIZAt that point, Cory started to get angry.4YjDjtY
BYO2n“Forget it, I’m leaving.”ZFZdBd
qmWFS8“You signed a contract at the office, right?”o5u
Zs5Y2wF“I want to cancel it.”YSMkZ36
orMoOm“If you do it without permission, I’ll put a penalty on you. And I won’t let you set foot in this village again. As foreman, I have that authority.”XoH
U3Oz4yCory looked at him.gmC0
bvCiZTIf it were up to him, he’d leave. But with Laurent’s current condition, he couldn’t.7A11Jel
SmZQHe sighed.FEX
VyOwJNKHe didn’t understand why they provoked him like this, as if they didn’t realize that—even if he wasn’t a great mage—he could easily kill a normal person.7Cx
TKWzZHe remembered what the mercenary had said—that they used him because he always showed weakness.aCPj
kVoxCory clenched and unclenched his fist.nrR
Tcku“Fine.”65wI
N5IqHe rolled up his sleeves.RugXpMY
HfhYi“I’ll pay the rental. Lend me the axe.”94Io
B94HLP“That’s the spirit.”SsLnqsI
OA7TapThe foreman smiled maliciously.BAXdJM8
jTO“Now, work hard.”RfvF
1sgE3***1mjyV
6Z5l3Yuri, leading the Order of Vengeance, rode without rest to get there as soon as possible.wbksOy
2xG0jxnTo encircle the Empire from the north, the Holy Kingdom and Brusen would cover the lower left flank, Liberta the lower right, and in the center, Briol and the Confederation of Small Kingdoms would form the defensive line.xR3
9PnqJared, unfolding a map beside him, spoke.mKom
jFBDl“This road is shorter. We’ll soon see a village—let’s stay there for the night.”YurVWk
TY99“If possible, let’s get supplies.”o1xa
DWelkd0“Not sure if we can, it’s a small village.”DaRv
MK61M“No matter. We’re not lacking provisions.”U5nM
0qzGGa“Understood.”ugNUf
T6RwlYuri glanced back. The Order of Vengeance’s formation was following in disciplined order.m9iH
iArBIp“Hope you’re not tired yet.”hmUn
GO1“No, sir!”lZiSq0
xxBn8w9“You’ll get to fight all you want soon, so don’t get impatient.”Bsg
sT3iEM“Yes, sir!”71OoN
n0Z“We’ll stay in the next village we find.”r5ChQUz
hoO“Yes, sir!”3j54I
f6vYpF“For Briol!”SIo8a
6Cg“For Briol!”dS8H7
ppE0Yuri spurred his horse, picking up speed.Rdz
zi6ihIn the distance, the village came into view.mCVTZg
zTLyG0It seemed they had recently cut down trees, as the road leading to the entrance was clean and clear.t43
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