Chapter 86: The Mercenary Meeting (2)

Chapter 86: The Mercenary Meeting (2)

After bidding farewell to Arwin, I visited Adam Hyungs house to have a conversation with him.

Hyung, as always, was engrossed in various documents.

I always felt it, but... that familiar yet strange feeling seeing Hyung like that.

Would I ever have thought that the one who taught me the sword would live a quiet life like this?

I always felt that he was not an ordinary person.

Youre here.

Shortly afterward, Adam Hyung asked me a favor.

Bring me a glass of liquor.

At his familiar request, I moved familiarly as well.

I looked at the various liquor bottles piled up in his house and poured Bardi liquor into a glass.

Receiving the alcohol, Adam Hyung furrowed his brows.

...Im not fond of this liquor.

...

I shrugged my shoulders and took a seat.

In any case, his grumbles like that soon subsided.

He wet his mouth with alcohol and looked over the documents.

Give me the next request. I want to go out again.

I asked Hyung. The sole of Ners feet was also healed, and I had rested enough.

It seemed better to get the next schedule sorted out.

However, Hyung shook his head.

No, not now.

At his firm refusal, I harbored a question.

Why?

Mercenary meeting.

...Ah.

And following his short answer, all questions melted away, disappearing like they were never there.

I clicked my tongue inwardly. Was that annoying meeting happening again?

A Mercenary Meeting referred to a gathering where various mercenary groups came together to establish their own rules and regulations.

Since clients seeking mercenary groups were so varied, occasionally, there was a tussle over who gets to eat from the bowl.

If a not-so-difficult task was accompanied by a generous reward, a battlefield was created.

Fighting over who gets the mission, it sprawled into a battle of pride, resulting in two mercenary groups waging war, which had been a frequent occurrence.

There were more than a few mercenary groups that had thus disappeared or been ruined.

We, too, had been involved in such a battle before.

Of course, it was several years ago, and it happened when the Red Flames was not as large as it was now.

Therefore, to reduce such wasteful battlefields, the mercenary meetings were held occasionally.

I was not sure whether small-scale mercenary groups held such meetings, but for us, who were large enough to occupy a village, it was a necessary occasion.

We had to confirm each others lines and territories and establish appropriate rules.

The problem was that fierce tension arose in the place where the meeting was held.

While the captains maintain their lines, smiling at each other... the members below them have to stiffly hold their heads high so as not to be underestimated.

There was no space that was more mentally exhausting and uncomfortable than that.

Even though I wanted to avoid it as much as possible, I couldnt skip it as the vice-captain.

Of course, so far, no one had picked a fight with me, who attended the meeting as quietly as a ghost.

But with the situation having changed, it might be a bit bothersome now.

...Ha.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head back.

Suddenly, a question sprouted and I asked him.

...Weve got nobles at our back now. Do we still have to go to such a meeting? Arent they all watching us?

Hyung chuckled at my words.

As if to say, you still dont know.

...

To begin with, my words were half-empty.

Certainly, there would be clear changes from having a noble backing us, but it was not to the extent that it threatened the livelihoods of other massive mercenary groups.

Eventually, I heaved a long sigh and tucked that annoying schedule into my head.

...When is it?

In 10 days.

...

Hyung spoke to my silence.

Youre taking your wives too. Its obvious, isnt it?

...What? There?

Its not like you brought them to hide them away tightly in the territory, right? Its not much different from when you went to Dems village and showed off the connection with the nobles.

I knew that what he said was right.

But given the place... it was inevitably awkward.

I seemed to already see my wives getting hurt by their jests.

They would be careful with their words, knowing they were somewhat nobility... but there were countless ways to make them uncomfortable without crossing the line.

In the first place, not all mercenaries were indignant toward nobles.

If they regarded life so importantly, they wouldnt have become mercenaries from the start.

Hyung sipped his alcohol for a while, then set the glass down.

He, too, exhaled a sigh and looked at me.

...

Lately, Hyungs attitude toward me had changed.

Perhaps it had been this way since the story about Sien.

An attitude that seemed apologetic.

I, rather, found it uncomfortable.

Berg.

Ner locked eyes with her for a moment.

...

...

Tearing away from that peculiar gaze, Ner spoke.

Ah...no, just a moment.

And then she passed by Berg and entered the master bedroom.

Surely it wouldnt be here, but with a just-in-case mentality, she looked around the room.

It was a ring she couldnt find anywhere in the bathroom.

The table. Under the bed. Beneath the quilt.

The ring couldnt be found anywhere.

It was, of course, a given, but that very certainty brought her a surprising array of negative emotions.

...Did you lose the ring?

Quietly, Berg asked from behind her.

At that question, Ners body stiffened, unable to move.

Her perky ears wilted powerlessly.

Her tail began to curl involuntarily.

Then, a short sigh escaped from Berg.

Startled by that sigh, the moment Ner turned her head, Berg spoke.

Its okay. What can I say.

.........

It happens. You didnt lose it outside, did you?

Be-Berg. I took it off for a moment to bathe, and then... I mean...

She hastily tried to explain, but Bergs expression remained gentle.

Its okay.

He even managed a smile.

Well find it as we look. Im hungry now, lets go eat.

............

Seeing Berg manage a smile even in this situation, Ner felt a paradoxical warmth.

How could he be so understanding?

To the human race, a wedding ring was quite important.

But feeling that warmth was brief.

Ner wasnt thinking about food right now.

The more Berg acted this way, the more she wanted to find the ring quickly.

Seeing she didnt relax her expression, Berg cracked a joke.

You said it was uncomfortable anyway. Its just going without it for a day or two.

.........

Ner didnt laugh at his joke.

Her heart only grew heavier.

- Swish swish.

Berg, stroking the head of the motionless Ner, forcefully took her hand.

Ner was aimlessly led by that touch.

Nonchalantly, Berg spoke to Arwin, who was sitting at the table.

Arwin. Lets go. To eat.

Yes.

Ner couldnt lift her head.

Simultaneously, through the hand that Berg held, Ner felt a sensation.

What she felt from holding Bergs right hand... was Arwins ring.

Ners heart sank once again at that realization.

Ners eyes cautiously glanced down at Bergs hand.

And then, she looked at Arwins hand.

On both of their hands, rings of the same design were worn.

Arwin, who had said she could not love Berg because of his short lifespan, seemed, paradoxically, to be closer to Berg.

If she didnt find the ring from now on, would this situation continue?

...

Strength involuntarily entered Ners hand.

She gripped Bergs hand tighter.

At that strength, Berg looked down at Ner.

Ner whispered.

...Im sorry.

Its okay.

...Ill definitely find it.

Berg said it was okay, but... this was entirely her fault.

The fault of her who had continually taken off and put on the ring.

Also, she was surprised.

She hadnt thought she would feel this emotion.

It was the culture of the humans, but she seemed to have become accustomed to it before she knew it.

Once the ring, which at one point felt like Bergs restraint, disappeared... an intensely unpleasant emotion came.

Was this emotion due to her remorse towards Berg, or was there something else?

She did not know.

Anyway, she couldnt think of anything else.

Only the thought of finding the ring dominated her.

The End of The Chapter

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