Chapter 14

Dandegue Castle, the exit of the Flame Emperor Dragon Corridor on the Myard side, can accommodate ten thousand people during wartime and currently serves as a logistics hub for the movement of people and goods in peacetime.

In such an ancient castle, the members of the light infantry company led by Friug were granted a day of rest. The company commander, who was in charge, gave them a brief period of freedom, except for the unfortunate sentries on duty. They had several options. The main ones were maintaining their weapons and equipment, preventing marching diseases, and catching up on lost sleep. These were not bad choices, provided that the place where they were allowed to act freely was an ancient castle that contained shops and residences.

They would likely vent their pent-up desires with their modestly bulging wallets. They probably believed it was their duty, and the residents who conducted business within the castle would not miss this opportunity. In the city of Saria, Worm also enjoyed the freedom given to him as a soldier. However, he was severely perplexed by the long-forgotten freedom of action—compared to human qualities, the three fools were far more decent and healthy.

The soldiers scattered inside and outside the ancient castle acted as they pleased until the assembly time. The exception was the on-duty soldiers and their commander, Friug. Even within the territory of the allied country, anything could happen. If the commander was found enjoying himself during an emergency, it would not be a laughing matter. Friug needed to inform the on-duty soldiers of his destination. Thus, the so-called freedom he finally obtained was a meeting in a closed room with two men. It was pitiful, to say the least. The organizer of such a meeting, Flick, finished his polite greetings and said,

"I used to think it was incomprehensible for anyone to become a soldier, but here we are."

The man said this with a self-deprecating tone. Worm mostly agreed, but regarding the former adventurer in front of him, he firmly believed he was well-suited for the military. After all, it was no coincidence that the light infantry company he once led was troubled by the remnants of the defeated soldiers and adventurers in the border forest. As conscripts, they had demonstrated their usefulness in the defense of Dandegue, persistently slaying monsters while encouraging those around them.

"Don't be so down on yourself. You look good in it."

"Stop it, are you trying to flirt?"

When Worm whispered gently, as if flattering a lady at a ball, the former adventurer closed his remaining eye in exasperation.

"If I were to be swayed by flattery, I would do so with sincerity and conviction."

Friug, who was also present, made a serious suggestion. It was undoubtedly a recruitment pitch for the Haiselk Empire's army, but given the earnest nature of the company commander, it was unclear how much of it was a joke.

"Even if it were a young lady, I doubt anyone would be swayed by two men. Besides, it's good enough that we're not enemies right now."

The former adventurer's words clearly defined their relationship.

"…Regarding Flick."

"That's a loaded statement."

"Honestly, it's a difficult topic to discuss, but I can't say it has nothing to do with past grievances."

He recounted the details of the ambush by the Liberio Commercial Federation in his hometown. Flick was not entirely uninvolved, as one of the attackers was a former party member. Unlike before, Worm had learned about adventurers and parties in the labyrinth city and thus understood the principles and pride of adventurers better. In the military, the bonds between a few elite members were deeper than those among many comrades in a formation or unit.

"I see, so they fled to Liberio."

It was impossible to gauge his emotions from his voice. Waiting patiently for the next words, Flick finally spoke.

"This will be a mix of speculation. Not long after Haiselk's victory at the Sarevo fortress, some influential adventurers were approached. In short, they were asked to serve as guides."

"Guides for the occupation of the rear areas or leading guerrilla warfare?"

These adventurers had a history of threatening Haiselk's rear communication lines during the early stages of the war. It was not surprising that they were approached again. However, Flick's response was not what Worm expected.

"No. They were asked to guide through the Great Demon Territory."

"The Great Demon Territory… you can't be serious."

Friug's expression twisted harshly. Worm silently urged him to continue.

"We fought you and were badly wounded. To be precise, we became more cautious. Our homeland suffered a crushing defeat, and even our leader, Felius, was in a sorry state. I think Leetia was panicking. After the two of them disappeared, adventurers and the soldiers of the Four Nations Alliance entered the demon territory, and then the great rampage occurred. It was no coincidence. The chaos was unprecedented. I doubt many adventurers survived, and those who did would remain silent in the face of such a tragedy."

Touched by a fragment of the truth, Worm fell silent, lost in thought. Friug was likely in a similar state. The great rampage had fatally determined the fate of the empire. Whether the target was Sarevo Fortress or the Haiselk Empire's forces controlling Myard and Felius was unclear, but it ultimately destroyed Felius and left Haiselk crippled. It was not something to be overlooked. After a moment, as if searching distant memories, Flick said,

"Perhaps Leetia and Lefty don't want to face us, or they feel responsible for the many deaths they caused, or they resent Myard for allying with their enemies… I don't know."

Flick, who had been leaning forward in his monologue, slumped back into his chair, which creaked in protest.

"Being a solo adventurer was easy. If I made a mistake, I only lost my own life. But once I joined a party, the lives of my companions became heavy. The more time I spent with them, the more I felt this way. Losing the party was a terrible loss. When I became a soldier and had subordinates, the burden lessened amidst the busyness, but ultimately, the object of my concern just changed."

Just as Worm had come to understand adventurers, Flick had come to understand the military. The entry points were different, but the circumstances were similar.

"At that time, I couldn't fight when it mattered most. The result was the loss of two people. I sincerely apologize. I'm sorry."

"Two years have passed. I've come to terms with it. Besides, we were in the same boat. Al was killed by a great demon, and I couldn't save Eimi. If I had taken better care of the two who went to Liberio, being the elder, it could have been prevented… If Al and Eimi saw us wallowing in sentiment, they would laugh."

The silence that followed was broken by Friug.

"Let's continue the old stories at night, by the bedside."

"Don't make it sound like a lovers' conversation. It's too blunt."

The unexpected comment made the atmosphere tense. It was probably Friug's way of showing consideration, but Worm could only smile wryly. The former adventurer also smiled, albeit a bit later.

"Agreed. Following the suggestion of Captain Friug, let's get back to the main topic. The higher-ups have strictly ordered us to receive supplies and enter the Celta Peninsula via the waterway. One warship and two medium-sized transport ships have been arranged."

"A fleet, quite a welcome, isn't it?"

"There are monsters in Lake Celta. The lake dragon, the lord of the lake, was slain by the hero of Creist, but various monsters still swim in the water. Recently, even the corpse of a medium-sized lake dragon that was eaten was found."

"Dragons, huh? That's why water is troublesome… I'm tired of aquatic monsters. I hope everything goes well."

The memory of the great catch on the Adelina was still fresh. To add to that, sea goblins had also attacked. As flammable objects, ships and the "Will-o'-the-wisp" did not mix well. Burning the enemy was one thing, but burning the ship would be counterproductive.

"They say it's a territorial dispute among the same species, but I'm a land specialist. I don't know the details. However, the water mages of Celta are among the best in the northern countries. Unlike Dandegue, which has been stripped of its forces, they can safely deliver us to the peninsula, even against lake dragons."

"The Celta Peninsula was not conquered but blockaded due to its strategic importance and the presence of water mages. In fact, counterattacks led by Celta's water mages have occurred in some lake shore areas. They were troublesome at the time, but as allies, it's a different story."

The former adventurer tried to retract his slip of the tongue, and the accompanying company commander joined in. With both of them trying to persuade him, Worm had no choice but to agree. He couldn't insist on the land route out of fear of monsters. As usual, this was the only response.

"Can't be helped, I suppose."