Chapter 121

Translator: Willia

The city had changed. Outwardly, nothing appeared different, but something more fundamental had shifted.

The citizens of Adelivari now had daily routines. Some tended small vegetable plots, some drove livestock far out to graze, some melted metal, some felled and transported trees, some built guard posts at strategic locations near the city, some carried stones, and others stored and checked inventories of food supplies...

Markwin’s task was to oversee all of this under Ricardt’s orders.

It was unlike anything he had done before, so he too faced small obstacles, overcame them, and gradually adapted.

Originally, this place had been a royal retreat. Therefore, every citizen of Adelivari had roles or jobs that were akin to serving the king.

Their very essence had been to provide anything and everything that would ensure the king’s comfort and convenience.

But that was no longer the case. The man who could now be called the king of this city did not desire such things.

What he sought was not a comfortable retreat, but to fight against the enemy.

Markwin carried a scroll and headed for the annex. Passing through a short corridor, he reached the room used as an office, where the door was already open. It meant anyone could come in.

Peeking inside, he saw Bori sorting and reviewing documents.

“General.”

Bori looked up from the documents. After checking who it was, he gave a faint smile and turned his gaze back to the papers.

“General? I’m no general. Just a wandering swordsman. Just call me Bori. It’s fine.”

“Hmm... There are those unfamiliar with formalities, but there are also those who’ve grown far too used to them. It feels awkward for me to just call you by name.”

“Then do whatever makes you comfortable.”

Bori replied with a smile.

To Markwin, they all seemed fascinating. Including Ricardt, and everyone around him. There was something different about them compared to ordinary people.

They seemed detached from the things most people clung to. Normally, anyone with even a little power would show off or trample others, but here, there was none of that.

Markwin stepped closer and slid the scroll he brought onto the desk.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the property ledger requested by the Hero. It’s a list of all the possessions of this city’s citizens.”

“Ah.”

Bori broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. It contained a full list of livestock like cows, chickens, and sheep, as well as real estate and personal belongings.

As with most cities, the wealthiest few owned the majority of the assets, so not many pages were needed.

“Hmm, but this might not be enough.”

“Huh?”

“To survive the winter. Who knows how long the fighting will last, but at the very least, we need to get through this winter safely, don’t we?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s why Ricky is trying to cross the pass.”

Ricardt was currently leading soldiers to cross the pass at the back gate of the city. Not for any other reason but to transport food from outside.

As with most cities, if the food supply chain became unstable, starvation could come swiftly.

Cities with large farmlands were better off, but others had to purchase food from rural areas.

Adelivari had a small population and had barely managed to survive the four years of civil war by purchasing food from the Beringen region.

Therefore, if they failed to secure the food supply route safely, they faced the risk of simply sitting and starving to death.

“Grantz is planning to split his army into two. One will take a long detour to block the supply route, and the main force will prepare siege towers and push forward. It’s a diversionary tactic.”

Bori said this enormous piece of information as if it were nothing. Markwin was briefly dumbfounded. Because attacking from front and back meant total ruin. To anyone who didn’t know better, it certainly sounded like it.

“...Is this intelligence trustworthy?”

“According to Ricky, it’s not even really intelligence. When you have a force of ten thousand, you can’t really hide it. Everyone knows everything, and they’ll end up fighting in full knowledge. The key is choosing which piece of information to accept among many.”

“I see... Still, it’s a major problem, isn’t it? Even if they split into two, that’s five thousand each, and that’s still far more than us.”

“But on the flip side, we don’t have to fight all ten thousand. They’ve already halved themselves. We might be able to defeat them one by one. That’s what Ricky said too.”

Bori looked up from the documents and spoke to Markwin with a smiling face.

At this point, Markwin began to wonder if Bori wasn't being excessively optimistic. Did this person have no worries or concerns? Or perhaps no thoughts at all?

However, he could more or less guess the reason why. It was entirely due to Bori’s unwavering trust in Ricardt.

This was a kind of absolute trust, different from loyalty. Markwin was curious about that.

“If you don’t mind me asking, could you tell me what kind of person the Hero is?”

It was a somewhat abrupt question, but Bori paused his reading and reflected seriously. No, rather than worrying over it, he was simply retracing his memories.

Then a smile again spread across Bori’s lips. It was because the memory was like a jewel, so beautiful that just thinking of it brought a smile.

“He’s definitely a Hero. At least to me. To me, Ricky is more precious than the entire world. If I’m with Ricky, I’m not afraid of dying at all.”

“How can you trust him that much?”

“I was bullied when I was a kid. It was Ricky who saved me then. To adults, it might not have seemed like much, but at the time, I felt like I only had two choices, either give up on the world, or destroy it. But thanks to Ricky, look at me now. I’m doing well, aren’t I? Even writing books.”

Bori’s responsibility in organizing the documents was partly due to the book he was currently writing. A mana drive called Black Stone. In other words, he was working while also studying and conducting research.

Markwin quietly looked at Bori and said,

“Childhood experiences are never insignificant. A person’s destiny can be shaped at that age. In that case, the Hero has already saved the world once, by saving the general from destroying it.”

“Mayor, you speak so gracefully. I’d love to learn how to speak like that too. Truly.”

“Hahaha... Unfortunately, this is the only skill I have.”

Markwin said with a bitter smile.

Yet at the same time, he also felt a sense of relief. Because this was the first time he could speak so candidly and openly.

After exchanging a few more words with Bori, Markwin left the annex. And then he set out to find Ricardt.

As he left the city and followed the river downstream, he spotted Ricardt in the distance, surrounded by soldiers. He wore a red cloak and was sitting on a rock, eating something.

It seemed like he might be giving a tactical briefing, but it was just everyday conversation. Stories about wives, children, and life before joining the army, things like that.

Occasional laughter erupted among the soldiers. It wasn’t forced laughter but natural and genuine.

As Markwin got closer, he saw that Ricardt was dipping thinly baked bread into honey and eating it.

“What brings you here, Mayor?”

Ricardt turned around and called out to Markwin. Hazel-colored eyes, shining blond hair, and even teeth. Just by appearance, he looked like a noble.

His eyes, nose, and mouth looked boyish, but his strong features made him manly too. Ricardt’s appearance was a blend of two contrasting impressions.

But perhaps it wasn't his appearance, but some mysterious aura radiating from within that gave off that impression.

“I heard you’re transporting food supplies.”

“Ah, you just came from seeing Bori? That’s right. I was discussing with the soldiers whether to head toward Beringen’s capital or Torveil. We just finished the discussion, so we’ll likely depart sometime tomorrow.”

“But, Hero-nim, if I may speak frankly, don’t you think it’s time to stop stepping forward yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“You spent five days alone in enemy territory, stirred things up, and even captured their banner. Now that everyone knows your heart, wouldn’t it be better not to put yourself in danger anymore? If something were to happen to you, it would break the will of the people. The food transport should be entrusted to a capable person. Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed back and bore the weight of your position?”

“Hahaha… I appreciate the concern, but I can’t do that. Not because I don’t trust people, but because I need to see and assess things with my own eyes. The next battle will likely happen at the back route.”

“How do you know that so well? Have you led an army before?”

“Let’s just say I have. But even if not, isn’t it just common sense? They’re planning to pressure us from front and back. In that case, wouldn’t they first send troops to secure the rear? Better to arrive early than late. The enemy will try to take our rear. We’ll need to break through them, transport the food safely, and perhaps even recruit mercenaries.”

"Mercenaries?"

“I know you don’t have a favorable view of mercenaries. But in any case, to bring this to a conclusion, we’ll need a decisive battle. And that means we must reinforce our forces. With a hundred men, we can’t do more than hold the line.”

“But... we don’t have the money to hire mercenaries.”

“We’ll have to rely on loyalty. Or do it on credit."

“Heh?”

“Loyalty, from mercenaries? I know it sounds odd, but I have quite a few connections in Beringen. While transporting food, I’ll see what I can find out.”

Now that Ricardt had spoken so decisively, Markwin could no longer dissuade him from taking the lead himself. Still, Ricardt always seemed to have a plan, a vision.

He wasn’t just strong; he had a deep and broad heart, and a sharp mind. It was truly fascinating.

Usually, a person with a sharp mind lacked courage, or someone with boldness lacked intellect. But Ricardt had both.

Ricardt was a truly multifaceted person. A man in whom contradictory qualities coexisted, at least, that’s how Markwin saw him.

Markwin stared intently at Ricardt. Ricardt wondered if something was on his face.

Then, all of a sudden, Markwin asked,

“What do you believe a king is, Hero-nim?”

“Hmm, well, I haven’t really thought about it. But I don’t think it’s a position meant just for enjoying everything at the peak.”

Markwin reflected briefly on Ricardt’s words, as if savoring them, and then stepped back.

“I see. Understood. Forgive me for disturbing your leisure. I’ll take my leave.”

“No, come anytime. I have nothing to hide.”

Just then, one of the soldiers raised a hand and shouted,

“Shouldn’t you hide a little when you’re with your wife?”

Laughter erupted from the other soldiers, and Ricardt laughed along with them. Markwin found this level of informality between him and the troops unfamiliar.

He thought to himself: true greatness descends to meet the lowest. It is not about showing off, boasting, or enjoying privilege.

The next day, Ricardt led sixty soldiers out through the city’s back gate. The surcoat over his chainmail bore a white cross on a red background, the crest of the c Family.

As had always been the case, whether it was his cloak or otherwise, Ricardt favored vivid, noticeable colors wherever he went.

It wasn’t for show. It meant: “Attack me.” It meant: “I will bear the danger, so that, in the meantime, my friends, my allies, can strike back.”

Perhaps only someone like this could bring peace to chaos and become a true king. Was he truly unafraid of swords, blades, of being cut and stabbed to death?

Markwin watched Ricardt depart from his room window, fidgeting with something in his hands.

It was a crudely made iron crown. The most precious treasure of the Adeloron Kingdom, the 'Adelon Iron Crown' that symbolized kings for a thousand years.

As he handled the crown, Markwin earnestly prayed for Ricardt’s good fortune in battle.

O God, without him, this nation does not exist. He is our last hope. So please, do not extinguish our final flame.