Chapter 90: Halo (1)

We steered our horses into a space where countless mercenaries were gathered.

A violent scent permeated the air.

“... The smell of blood.”

Ner lightly covered her nose and whispered.

At the same time, she kept casting worried glances in my direction.

She must be concerned about a possible fight.

I merely offered her a fleeting smile, making no promises.

As we moved closer to the crowd, each of our members began to wear a stern expression.

Tension was building.

Breaths were held, and faces remained firm.

A sharp sensation, akin to being on a battlefield, tingled at our fingertips.

Adam Hyung too became serious.

Though he was always someone who naturally stood out, there wasn’t much change in him.

He led the way, meeting the gazes of the many men looking up at him.

A few lowered their eyes under the aura Adam Hyung exuded.

The chattering mercenaries began to hush as we approached.

Cheers, laughter, screams, and shouts faded.

The sea of people parted, making way for us.

Adam Hyung guided his horse through the space, neither rushing nor lagging.

At the end of the path, three figures became visible.

They were likely the leaders of the other three mercenary groups gathered here.

With Adam Hyung leading the way,

I followed behind.

Ner and Arwin trailed behind me.

In a silent standoff, we rode our horses.

Like Hyung, I looked down at the many mercenaries looking up at us.

Some averted their eyes, while others met my gaze head-on.

I distinctly felt a heightened curiosity directed towards me.

It wasn’t as if there weren’t any provocative stares.

I tried to avoid starting a petty skirmish.

But, naturally, the ones who garnered the most attention would have been my wives.

Countless eyes pored over Ner and Arwin.

The only nobles in this place.

From the illustrious families of Blackwood and Celebrien.

Two of such esteemed lineage stood by our side, individuals one could not easily approach.

I saw mercenaries whispering to their comrades as they looked at them.

I turned my gaze to Arwin.

Although there was no absence of fear in her expression, she maintained her composure quite well.

At times like these, her icy demeanor seemed beneficial.

Having expressed her desire to travel the world, she appeared to have some level of courage.

The problem was Ner.

“...Ha.”

Her tail was coiled, and she tightly gripped the reins.

Her hand, holding the reins, occasionally trembled.

“...”

I was not sure if she heard the mercenaries’ whispers, but she continually flinched.

It worried me, seeing her so fearful already.

Whenever she stood in front of a large crowd, she seemed to react this way.

No one had directly picked a fight yet, but her spirit seemed already broken.

It was a sight I had seen several times.

And the closer I became to her, the more heartbreaking this side of her appeared.

She couldn’t help it.

Even if she wanted to hide, her white tail revealed her identity.

Everyone inevitably knew who she was and what past she carried.

Ordinary mercenaries might not know the depth of her circumstances... but surely, among her kind, many would be aware of her scars.

If so, rumors would spread quickly.

‘...White tail.’

Whispers from the crowd reached my ears.

Ner flinched again.

But in this place, there was nothing I could do, so I kept my focus forward.

Soon after, we reached the center of the meeting venue.

Both Adam Hyung and I dismounted.

Without a hint of hesitance, Hyung confidently strode toward the gathered leaders.

Behind each leader, a vice-captain stood.

Adam Hyung greeted them.

“...It’s been a while, everyone.”

The first to respond was Kan, the leader of the Dragonian group. I heard he was the third son of a fallen dragonian noble family.

Half of his horn was missing, and he casually brushed it as he approached Adam Hyung.

“You’re here, Adam.”

Next was Shifre, the leader of the Arak mercenary group. A half-breed of dragonian and human.

Uniquely, she was a female leader. She had a slender frame, not built for wielding a sword.

She wasn’t the type, like Adam Hyung, to go into battle.

She belonged to those who commanded and directed from behind.

She nodded her head in acknowledgment towards Hyung.

“...You’ve arrived, Adam. And...”

She then looked straight at me, displaying a rigid expression.

“...”

And with what appeared to be anger, she turned her head away.

I had a good guess as to why.

Lastly, the leader of the Dalsaseum group, Icahn.

A member of the werewolf tribe, the same as Ner. His face was marred with scars, and he directed only a gaze towards us.

A tail as deeply grey as the Blackwood lineage was his distinguishing feature.

“It must have been hard for all of you to gather. My apologies for being late.”

While Adam Hyung continued conversing with them, I glanced at the vice-captains standing behind the captains.

Once again, I felt a noticeable change in the atmosphere directed towards me.

The fact that I now had two noble wives, and no longer hiding, might be the reason.

Previously, they seemed to deem me a non-threat, but now it was evidently different.

I sighed and looked away, avoiding their gaze.

It was too early to engage in any kind of conflict.

...Ner’s words also lingered in my mind.

I won’t dodge any impending fights, but I didn’t want to instigate them either.

“...Then, shall we briefly set up camp and return? Would that be alright?”

Adam Hyung, in the midst of his conversation, inquired.

His tone was polite, but there was a firmness in his voice.

No one raised any objections.

Shortly, Hyung concluded his position and turned away.

I followed suit, heading towards my horse.

My eyes met with Ner’s and Arwin’s.

Seeing them, the negative emotions I had just felt seemed to melt away.

“Let’s go.”

Adam Hyung directed us.

He remounted, leading the Red Flames to find a suitable position.

****

The mercenary groups were spread out in all directions, centered around the meeting site.

As the evening deepened, preparations for meals were in full swing among the different mercenary groups.

At the same time, minor skirmishes broke out here and there.

It was still light: exchange of glares, mocking laughter, or sudden shouts of profanity.

I was familiar with these fights.

Baran was now, in my stead, upholding our group’s dignity.

He sat at the edge of our camp, watching the Dalsaseum group situated right next to us.

Although the Dalsaseum wasn’t solely composed of one race like ours... Perhaps it was because their captain was unmistakably from the werewolf tribe.

Many werewolf tribe mercenaries wagged their tails, their sharp eyes fixed on Baran.

Their innate reverence for battle and honor seemed to twitch restlessly.

By Baran’s side were Shawn, Jackson, and other mercenaries from the Red Flames.

They were countering the continuous exchange of glares and indirect provocations.

It was as if they were inviting a challenge, holding their ground firmly.

Usually, it was the vice-captains who engaged in such skirmishes.

For the captains to directly get involved in a fight would tarnish their dignity.

Therefore, in truth, I should be the one on the front lines... But again, I found myself a step back.

I was used to it... There were also times when Adam Hyung advised me to temper my nature.

Up until the Blackwood expedition, I just wanted to remain low-profile.

“...”

However, considering my recent rise in fame, maybe it would be right for me to take the lead. Hyung once mentioned that I didn’t necessarily have to hold back anymore.

If it wasn’t for Ner’s words, I might have been the one standing in Baran’s place.

“...Ha.”

Ner, half-hidden behind me, looked distantly at her tribesmen.

She held onto my robe, seemingly lost in thought.

She seemed uncomfortable confronting her rough tribesmen.

“White tail!”

Someone from the opposite side suddenly shouted.

A chorus of snickers echoed.

It was impossible to identify the exact mercenary who made the taunt.

It was just one of those provocations that needed to be brushed off.

“...”

Ner lowered her head deeply, taking shelter behind me.

Even a mere comment like that seemed to hurt her.

“It’s okay, Ner.”

I whispered.

Yet, she gripped my robe even tighter.

“...”

Everyone has a weakness, don’t they?

Don’t I have my own?

For Ner, her tail was that vulnerability.

A mere slight touch and she’d feel pain.

I sighed, casting my gaze toward the Dalsaseum group.

I couldn’t pinpoint the culprit.

I scratched the scar on my face and spoke to Ner.

“...Ner?”

“...Yes?”

“I’ve told you before, but in my eyes, you’re beautiful.”

“...”

Ner gave a bitter smile at those words and nodded.

“...Thank you.”

Although she appreciated the sentiment, it seemed insufficient to heal her deep wounds.

I lost myself in deep thought once more, watching her.

****

“Vice-captain Turo!”

The Vice-captain of the Arak group, Turo, exited Captain Shifre’s tent, releasing a heavy sigh.

Other members approached with inquiries.

“...The Captain?”

Turo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“...She’s furious.”

The officers sighed upon hearing that.

Shifre, born of a mix between human and dragonian blood, retained the fiery disposition characteristic of the dragonian.

And when she was angered, it was the nearby members who bore the brunt of her wrath, making the news Turo brought all the more dire.

One of the members muttered with a long exhale,

“...What’s so special about that human?”

- Smack!

Turo forcefully slapped the back of that member’s head.

“Shut your mouth.”

“Ugh!”

“...She can hear you.”

The member seemed taken aback by the unexpected blow but couldn’t express his dissatisfaction.

It wasn’t just because Turo was the vice-captain.

True to his Minotaurus nature, his immense stature and formidable prowess played their part.

Given that Captain Shifre didn’t participate in direct combat, Turo had to be all the stronger in her stead.

There wasn’t anyone unfamiliar with Turo of the Arak group.

“...I apologize, vice-captain Turo.”

The member eventually admitted his mistake.

Without acknowledging the apology, Turo, in a sullen mood, shifted his steps.

He walked in the direction where the Red Flames’ camp was set up.

The members followed behind him.

Turo’s breath came out in short, frustrated bursts.

The conversations he had with Captain Shifre lingered in his mind.

Shifre, full of irritation towards the Red Flames’ Vice-captain, a human named Berg.

How could he, after rejecting her, appear married to two people? Pretending to be pure when he was filthy. How she wished she could bring Berg to heel.

Her unrequited love for Berg and, at the same time, her jealousy of the Red Flames’ rising influence were apparent.

Turo didn’t really care who Shifre loved.

But the influence Berg had was undeniably annoying.

It was unbearable that a human, who had quietly hid behind the petite captain Adam all this time, suddenly became the center of controversy.

Perhaps Turo felt this way more because he had been watching Berg for a long time, thanks to Shifre.

Whenever he encountered Berg, Turo found him entirely unimpressive.

He remained expressionless even at slight provocations and never once participated in a skirmish with his own group members.

He never showed an ounce of assertiveness befitting a man.

“...”

Turo wasn’t someone to be fooled by that facade.

That indifferent or uninterested demeanor was probably just a mask to hide his incompetence.

A man who, by mistake, rose to that position while overshadowed by the competent Adam.

And then one day, he heard Berg married into nobility.

From then on, rumors started spreading non-stop: nearly reaching 200 in his monster subjugation count, and possessing incredible skills.

Turo had scoffed at these tales.

Suddenly receiving a reputation boost upon becoming a noble’s husband.

Such lies couldn’t have been more transparent.

Did nearing a subjugation count of 200 even make sense?

That coward.

Meanwhile, Turo had built his entire reputation on genuine merit.

One by one, crossing the line and slowly elevating his name.

However, seeing Berg, a human who snatched all of it with a single lie, was unpleasant to his eyes.

Enough justification had accumulated.

Even Captain Shifre... now, she wasn’t fond of him either.

And Turo, the Vice-captain himself, didn’t like him either.

Who he should clash with—

Whom he should suppress to make this negotiation more advantageous was predetermined.

As he walked towards the camp of the Red Flames Turo soon found his adversary.

With his two wives behind him, Berg was observing his own group members fighting against the Dalsaseum group in the center of the camp.

Berg, once again, stayed behind like a coward.

Instead, it seemed more fitting for Baran, the member who was directly confronting the Arak group, to be the Vice-captain.

Turo approached where Berg was and shouted.

“Vice-captain Berg!”

His booming voice drew everyone’s attention.

The Dalsaseum group, the Red Flames group, and Turo’s mercenary group, the Arak.

Turo wasn’t a fool.

He wasn’t reckless enough to suddenly challenge the Vice-captain of another mercenary group right here.

However, a simple provocation wasn’t difficult.

“How about a duel?”

Turo asked casually.

The members of the Arak group standing next to Turo grinned at his light provocation.

Berg stared at Turo for a long while, his expression unchanged.

But Turo knew what kind of response Berg would give.

Their history was deep.

Berg stared at Turo for a long while... then turned his gaze to the Blackwood noble with a white tail behind him.

“...”

Then, as expected, he silently turned away, vacating his spot.

Turo smirked as he saw Berg once again not reacting to the provocation.

“...So be it.”

As Berg walked away, the member laughed loudly, further taunting the Red Flames.

Feeling a sense of satisfaction, Turo turned to his members and said,

“Our target this time is the Red Flames.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Especially Berg...”

Turo paused, contemplating how he could further humiliate Berg.

“...No, tell the boys to insult his wives.”

He decided to deliver the humiliation of having to stand by while his wives were insulted.

One member, looking concerned, asked,

“...They’re nobles. Is that okay?”

“If it’s not, what can we do? It’s not like the Blackwoods or Celebriens are rushing here to aid.”

Turo said, stretching his neck.

“...Let’s crush their pride for once.”

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

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