Chapter 2

In the Hundred Year War between Valoir and Heglatan, the lives of countless men were lost in vain.

However, it was an era for heroes. Skills meant everything on the battlefield, when a nobleman died, they were just a lump of meat.

Elje volunteered at the first Valoir mercenary group she came across when she was heading to the battlefield. She didn’t join them because she was patriotic, it was just easier for her since she was born and raised in Valoir. The Valoir mercenary group also paid more than Heglatan’s.

There was a shortage of mercenaries to be used as shields on the battlefield so it was easy for Elje to start working.

The more she practiced swordsmanship, the scarier she became. Elje understood that this was the “golden talent” that Targayel had trusted and followed so much. After a few battles, she realized that no one here would be able to beat her.

The beginning of her trip was easy, but the journey was tough. Although she pretended to be a man, she still had a thin body compared to the other muscular mercenaries. Many of them would pick fights with her because she was pretty and some would sexually harass her.

At first, Elje just ignored it because she didn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention when she was trying to hide her identity and gender. However, she soon realized that there would be no end to the harassment if she remained silent. At the rate things were going, she was going to die out of anger and frustration before reaching the battlefield. She decided to take action against those harassing her.

Shortly after making her decision, an opportunity emerged where she could act against her harassers. That day, Elje quietly stood in line to receive a meal ration, but one of the big mercenaries tapped her butt and laughed.

-What, is this a little girl?

He didn’t just tap her butt, he was also rubbing it. Elje closed her eyes tightly and sighed for a long time.

-Haaa.

Elje then smashed the guy’s head with the plate she was holding.

-Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

A dozen mercenaries rushed at Elje. She broke the leg off a wooden table and swung it around. It was a good piece of wood and every time she swung her slender wrist, the number of mercenaries lying on the floor would increase.

The situation was over so quickly that by the time the knights arrived after hearing about the fight between the mercenaries, Elje had already beaten the dozen to a pulp.

Elje had a grim smile on her face and she was holding the bloody piece of wood. What she said then was still talked about among the mercenaries while drinking.

-Stop touching my ass, you sons of bitches.

After that, no one touched Elje’s butt.

Instead, rumors about Elje spread widely. Mercenaries as well as Valoir knights would snoop around the mercenaries’ quarters to catch a glimpse of the “beautiful beast.”

The first battle that Elje fought in was the Battle of Kirkla. In 994 of the Innes calendar, the battle on the Kirkla Plains resulted in thousands of casualties and was considered one of the fiercest battles of the century.

And there, Elje met Shan for the first time.

The Battle of Kirkla ended with a complete defeat for Valoir. The Valoir Imperial Army was weak compared to Heglatan’s Army, and they were wiped out.

This was Elje’s first time participating in a battle in the war and she didn’t know what to do, so she just swung her sword instinctively. The order to retreat was issued when she was floundering around.

-Retreat! Retreat!!

Elje was desperately running with the retreating army.

-Oh, my God……!

Blood splattered under her feet and she was soaked. She didn’t want to die in a place like this.

Something came into Elje’s sight and she stopped. Elje was so busy running away that she almost didn’t pay attention, but it was the oddest thing.

-Oh!!

A man who appeared to be a Valoir knight caught her eye. He was stabbed by a sword wielded by his fellow knight. The knights standing over the man’s body spat and hurled insults at him.

-What an unlucky bastard.

They ran away from the Heglatan Army leaving the man twitching on the ground.

Elje had to ignore him and run away quickly. It was none of her business whether Valoir’s knights stabbed each other or not.

However, she couldn’t stop thinking about him to the point where she felt strange. Elje, who didn’t stop running, eventually swore and returned to the man.

She checked his pulse as soon as she reached him and realized that he still had a heartbeat. She slapped his cheek to wake him up.

-Oooh……

The man twisted and groaned faintly. Elje talked as she supported him and helped him up.

-Get a hold of yourself. I will save you.

Fortunately, the man stumbled but he was able to walk. The Heglatan Army was in pursuit, so Elje turned in a different direction from where the Valoir knights were retreating.

Elje was able to find an area with bushes and a small spring. She hid the man among the bushes and examined his wound. The stab wound was diagonal running from his shoulder to his side.

Although the wound was large, it was not deep, and it didn’t hit any vital spots. If she stopped the bleeding and treated it properly, there was hope that he would survive.

She took water from the spring and washed her hands thoroughly. She then ripped his clothes and used them to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. When the bleeding stopped she cleaned the area around the wound.

In case of an emergency, she even applied the precious ointment that she had. She then moistened the man’s mouth with water using her hand.

While treating him, Elje couldn’t figure out why she was helping him, especially when she applied the ointment. The ointment to heal wounds was an item that she secretly carried because it was not easy to find and she wanted to survive no matter what.

She didn’t hesitate or even stop to think about her actions, treating him and using her valuable supplies was like an instinct.

She sighed as she almost finished the treatment but she heard the man moan.

-Ugh……

As soon as she laid him down in the bush, he fainted and didn’t wake up even as Elje was treating his wound, but it seemed like he was gaining consciousness.

Elje quickly lifted the water to his mouth, she wanted to give him water as soon as he came to his senses. Fortunately, the man drank well and she felt proud.

-Ooh, huu…

The man’s resilience was amazing. It would be normal for him to pass out and not get up for three days and nights, but he had already come to his senses and was speaking in a rather clear voice. It was truly admirable.

-I’m gonna kill…… I’m gonna kill them all……

Except, of course, what he murmured was filled with hatred.

Elje blinked. Perhaps it was a curse to the fellow knights who betrayed him. She didn’t know what he did to get abandoned so cruelly, but it was a very cheap act to leave him fatally wounded while retreating from the enemies.

Elje swept her hand over his head which was soaked with cold sweat.

-Even if you kill, kill them not me.

The man finally noticed Elje and asked sharply.

-Who are you?

-A mercenary.

-A woman?

-A man.

He was quite arrogant toward the person who saved his life, but Elje understood why. War was a place where one couldn’t even trust a fellow soldier, who you relied on, to take your back.

The man gasped in pain but looked at his condition quite calmly. He relaxed after confirming that Elje had treated him then he hesitated and asked.

-Why…… did you save my life?

-Just because.

There really was no reason. If there was, she didn’t even know it.

Elje stood up as she answered him. She couldn’t stick around this man any longer, if she didn’t go back, she would be considered a deserter.

-That’s all I can do for you, so you can survive on your own now. It looks like the wound is healing fast. I’ll leave a piece of bread for you.

-……

The man stared at Elje as she packed her luggage. The moment Elje was about to take a step away, he shouted.

-Name!

The man asked as Elje looked back.

-What’s your name?

Elje and the man’s eyes met for the first time. He had very beautiful purple eyes. Elje asked as she raised her head.

-Isn’t it polite to say your name first then ask?

The man paused a little at Elje’s words and then responded softly.

-Shan Crixus.

-Elje.

It was a nickname and a pseudonym for her real name, Eljenès. Elje gave him her name and left without looking back.

-If we have the opportunity, let’s meet again on the battlefield.

She said that without knowing that he would be her husband in the future.

*