Chapter 1: Become Jobless

It was the worst.

Perhaps, there might have been such premonitions since I woke up this morning.

Come to think of it, I was the only one who wasn’t greeted by the landlady from the lodging this morning. During breakfast, the yolk in the fried egg was crushed only in my portion. When I left the house, the shoelace on my right foot broke. In addition, a stray dog barked at me three times on my way to work.

When I tried recalling, all of these clicked into place. Indeed, it might have been foretold in various ways that today was the worst day ever.

I looked at the poster before my eyes once again.

“The mercenary guild ‘Sunset Union’ has disbanded on March 30th. Thank you for your patronage throughout the long years.”

I think I’ve reread this parchment posted on the front gate more than ten times. However, no matter how many times I read it, there was no change in the sentences lined up there.

When I returned to work from my two-week business trip, my workplace had already collapsed.

It took about three minutes for my head to properly move again.

Wait a minute. What is the meaning of this?

It is too early to jump to conclusions. Going around to the back of the building as if I was flipped, I ran to the back door.

There is no way our workplace will suddenly collapse like this. Surely this must be a prank from my fellow colleagues to surprise me.

However, the spectacle inside the office, which I rushed into, shocked me again. It was a small room of about 10 meters that I am already used to. There, the clear sunlight of the morning sun shone through the window like usual, illuminating the small amount of dust fluttering in the air.

But, that was all. There was neither the chief’s desk, which was covered with documents; the bookshelf, which was crammed with worn-out customer lists that reek of mold; nor the reception couch, which was full of patching. Aside from some wooden boxes scattered on the floor, only the traces of the church filled the room.

I’ve never seen a scene where the word ‘completely deserted’ fitted as much as this.

Oi oi, my dear buddies, aren’t you guys going too far for a joke?

As I stood there in a daze, I heard the sound of the door opening from behind. When I turned around to look, a familiar face was about to enter the office, carrying a wooden box for packing.

That person became wide-eyed for a moment and called out my name.

“Oh, Sword”

He was a middle-aged man with an unshaven face whose muscles were well-defined as if they were drawn like a painting.

“How was your trip? Was it already warm in the south?”

My superior and my guild’s chief executive, Boss Han, said that and smirked. My anger gushed forth before my doubts at the tone that seemed like nothing had changed from usual.

“You bastard, just what is the meaning of this!”

Even though I just grabbed his collar, Boss was scratching his head as if he was embarrassed.

“There is no other meaning.”, Boss said with a bitter smile. “It is just like you saw. We were crushed. It’s disbanded, completely and truly.”

Without the slightest hint of sadness or despair, It was a tone that could be said to be cheerful. This guy was saying ridiculous things as if he didn’t care at all.

“Crushed? Disbanded? What nonsense?”

My shout of denial was drowned out by a sigh from Boss. Unlike the previous one, it was a dark and heavy sigh carrying one’s will of resignation.

“A notice came from the church”

Boss took out a sheet of paper from the breast pocket of his jacket. Though it was crumpled, it was a fine piece of paper. When I looked closely, the crest of the Vatican was stamped there.

“Huh, what is this?”

“The final warning, the decree directed by the officials.”

“How tyrant”

I snatched the letter from Boss’s hand and looked at it. I could only see it as a jumble of difficult words, but I somehow understood what this paper meant.

Disband the guild. In short, that is what it means.

I could no longer say anything due to my rage and confusion. Boss looked at me with lukewarm eyes as if looking at his slow-witted son.

“Well, take a seat. Though I say, unfortunately, there ain’t chairs anymore.”

After casting a suspicious gaze at Boss, who seemed to be mocking himself, I reluctantly sat down on the floor. Boss sat on one of the wooden boxes that was already packed. He took out a cigarette from his breast pocket and lit it up.

“Do you want some?”

I snatched one of the offered cigarettes, but I searched for a lighter in my jacket’s pocket to no avail. I seemed to have forgotten. Truly, no matter how I see it, today is the worst.

“Here”

Boss held out a lighted oil lighter to me. With an extremely unpleasant expression, I brought the tip of the cigarette held in my mouth closer to it. Boss slightly relaxed his expression while watching my state.

“Sword, do you still remember?”

“About what?”

“Seven years ago, you also forgot your lighter when you came to our guild for the first time. I gave you a lit just like now.”

“I don’t remember.”

“I see. As for me, I still remember that.”

“My heart still isn’t wide enough to keep company with the sentiment of a middle-aged man, you know.”

“Ahh, I guess so”

“Don’t talk like you know everything”

“You might say”, Boss smiled lightly. “But, we’ve been together for seven years.”

I clicked my tongue at his squinted eyes.

“So? Can you tell me what exactly happened?”

Boss answered my question while exhaling cigarette smoke.

“Well, I have been notified several times before. Ever since a new pope took office in the imperial capital a year ago, the administrative structure of the whole country has changed greatly. You know that too, right?”

I nodded without saying anything. Large-scale administrative reformation launched by the imperial capital. I don’t know how complicated it is, but even I, who usually read the newspapers diagonally, catch wind of the big changes in the country’s structures.

“Is it called the ‘Utopia Policy’?”

“That’s right. In order to create the ‘Utopia’, which the Vatican is aiming for, I heard that all private arm forces need to be removed starting from this city.”

“Even if it’s the case, isn’t this too sudden? To begin with, when did this letter arrive?”

“Five days ago”

I was astonished. This is just too ridiculous. The church that gave out such orders abruptly is the church. But, the guild that agreed like this is also the guild.

“Good grief, How can you suddenly agree like that?”

“Blame the cardinal who came to this city a month ago”

Cardinal.

It refers to the fixed-term administrative officers annually dispatched from the empirical capital to each provincial city.

They have the right to interfere with the city administration, which means they can exercise any political measures as long as it stays in line with the pope’s decree. The amount of authority they possess is higher than those of state chairmen, who possess the highest authority on paper. Therefore, it goes without saying that they are the de facto rulers of the provincial cities.

“Sir James Malmsteen, huh”

Although I haven’t seen him in person, I’ve seen his pictures several times in newspapers. He is a past middle-aged man; his blond hairs are streaked with gray, and he has a subtle and elusive facial feature. Without the title of Cardinal, he is such an inconspicuous man that one might forget him immediately after seeing his face.

“If I’m not wrong, he is a guy that looks like a withered cucumber.”

“Your analogy is quite amusing as ever.”

Having said that, Boss Han laughed. But, the bitterness filled his laughing face soon after.

“But, the officer this time is really an overbearing guy in contrast to his gentle face. It’s not only ours. Four mercenary guilds in Ixlaha have collapsed this week alone. There are only two left: ‘Sunrise Union’ and ‘Moonlight Union’. Well, even that is just a matter of time.”

While listening to his conversation, I let out cigarette smoke toward the ceiling.

When I just joined the guild—in short, about seven years ago—around twenty mercenary guilds of various sizes were competing with each other in this city, Ixlaha.

As the city flourished with commerce trading, various merchants from foreign lands came in, so the demand for mercenaries inevitably increased. It was common sense to hire mercenaries when traveling between cities as a countermeasure for ‘beasts with fangs’, and capable personnel were needed to transport a large amount of luggage. In proportion to the increase in commerce trading, the mercenary business became extremely thriving as well.

But now, only two mercenary guilds are remaining. What a depressing story.

“But, I don’t get it.”, I said. “Why did our fellow mercenaries agree just like that? Ain’t they all hot-blooded guys? If they are treated like this, they are the guys who are likely to cause a rebellion, right?”

After a moment of silence, Boss replied.

“Perhaps, either their guild leaders or even the mercenaries themselves understood the current.”

“What current?”

After taking a deep puff of a cigarette, Boss exhaled the smoke as if he was letting out a sigh.

“Ixlaha being ‘the city of mercenaries’ is already a thing of the past. Since the transcontinental railroad was built four years ago, the mercenary business has crashed dramatically. In the last four years, more than ten mercenary guilds have disappeared. Even if the church didn’t take action, most of the mercenary guilds would collapse sooner or later.”

I cannot accept this.

My feelings of wanting to shout those words were held back by the downcast eyes of Boss Han. I’ve never seen nor wanted to see his eyes becoming like this.

“Hey, Sword. I am sure you noticed it too. Recently, it can be considered as good if we get one job request per week. It’s no longer dangerous to travel between cities. Nowadays, you won’t even come across ‘beasts with fangs’ unless you go to the undeveloped lands. The age of mercenaries is no more.”

I couldn’t say anything. Even I was aware of this. I had noticed it but pretended not to notice it.

I dropped the cigarette that was still long on the floor and stepped on it with my foot.

“......Was it your intention to disband the guild while I was away, Boss?”

Boss nodded slightly with a bitter smile.

“Sorry about that. I mean, you would have opposed it even if you had to draw out your sword against those guys from the church, right?”

“What about the others?”

“Although they weren’t convinced, they understood the situation.”

According to Boss, it seemed there was compensation for disbanding the guild and insurance money granted by the church. Rather than they understood, it would be more accurate to say that they were forced to understand.

“Ahh, of course, I already transferred your share to your bank account. This includes the payment for this time’s business trip.”

I was silently staring at the ceiling. I didn’t know whether I should get angry or if I should be grieving. My awareness of understanding the circumstances and the changes in structure kept holding back my emotions.

The age of mercenaries is no more, huh.

In the end, this is the conclusion.

“What is Boss planning to do after this?”

“Me? Let’s see”

Then, Boss Han smiled.

“I am thinking of becoming a florist with the compensation money.”

“Florist?”

“Well, though I’ve never grown any before.”

“Are you serious?”

Imagining this man caring for flowers, I ended up laughing unintentionally. It didn’t suit him at all.

Boss frowned at my laughter.

“How rude. So, what about you, Sword? What are you going to do?”

I scornfully laughed off at this question and stood up.

“I only heard about disbanding or whatever just earlier? Do you really think I already thought about the following?”

“Hahaha, You’re right. Sorry, my bad”

Boss also stood up, lifted up the wooden box he was sitting on, and put it on his shoulder. Then, he patted my shoulder with his free hand.

“Well, it’ll be alright. You’re still young. Anything is possible.”

“Such light words”

“Because it isn’t my problem”

“What a heartless boss, seriously.”

“I am no longer your boss, you know.”

When I clicked my tongue hatefully, my ‘former’ boss broke out laughing. When I heard his laughter that didn’t change from usual, it became kinda silly to have resentments.

Instead of getting angry, I became depressed, thinking I have no choice but to go job hunting again.

Truly, it was the worst.