I Became the Commander in a Trash Game Who Copies Skills

Chapter 48. Return (2)

“The children of Gunterburk. Especially most of the poor children had bad hearts. Those two did not. Especially the girl had a more virtuous heart.”

Alina brought up the story of the blond siblings again when we had almost arrived at Burken Fortress.

The catalyst was when I brought up the story of seeing the siblings by chance before leaving the city gate.

‘She’s… alive?

Oh, Luark.

Thank you.’

It turned out Alina hadn't heard the girl's shout that I had heard.

She had been thinking that the siblings might have died all this time.

No wonder she was in a subtly low mood on the way here.

“What do you mean by having a virtuous heart?”

“Are you asking how I can tell someone’s heart? Well, it might sound strange, but….”

Thanks to that, the face of this soft-hearted priest was bright for the first time in a long time.

And I learned one new fact.

“There’s something like a faint light. Depending on the person, it’s either black or white.”

“You mean black is an evil heart, and white is a virtuous heart?”

“Yes. In the history of the church, there have occasionally been priests who received this grace. Initially, they were branded as heretics, but… from a certain point on, it was considered a grace bestowed by Luark.”

It was a trait.

By the name of [The Scales of Good and Evil of the Four Angels].

The ability was literally to distinguish a target’s essential disposition as good or evil.

As you can tell from the name, it was a trait in the same family as Archduke Gabir’s [Eight Thousand Angels’ Insight].

That meant it was just as rare and powerful.

‘…Although that standard of good and evil is a bit biased.’

In the first place, was it even possible to divide human actions or hearts into a dichotomy of good and evil?

Personally, I thought it was similar to cutting water with a knife.

Anyway, [The Scales of Good and Evil of the Four Angels] could be seen as distinguishing good and evil based on the standards of the Luark Church.

Vampires were black, priests were white.

A fallen priest was black, and petty thieves and gangsters were also black.

Although the standard of good and evil was ambiguous, in fact, depending on how it was utilized, it was also an overpowered trait that could filter out all spies and traitors.

Thinking about it, I suddenly became curious.

What color was I?

“You, my lord, shine with a truly white light.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes, especially when you stand on the battlefield, that light becomes even more intense.”

I think the one shining right now is your eyes.

And a very burdensome light at that.

“…….”

Well, I didn't know.

It didn't seem like a lie.

In the first place, this was my first time playing such a bizarre character as a necromancer who had received the grace of a god.

As we chatted about this and that and rode our horses, Burken Fortress came into view in the distance.

It was a distance we could reach in a few hours.

“By the way, about the Princess of Blood.”

“Hmm?”

“Why would she steal the church's treasure?”

“Who knows.”

I shrugged and answered.

“It’s something a vampire made, so maybe she had a use for it.”

It wasn't a lie.

The vampire Count Kashutal had made it 150 years ago, and the Princess of Blood had used it as payment for a deal.

The fact that the other party to that deal was me… well, there was no need to say it.

‘Duke Yulister von Zarhill.

I will tell you how to awaken your father.’

I helped and demanded a price.

Several calculations were underlying it.

The biggest reason was that it was a method she would find out within a few years anyway, even if left alone.

The value of a product changes with the times, and the product of information was particularly sensitive to timing.

You could say I used it at an appropriate time for an appropriate price.

‘I can also prevent a two-front war from being formed.’

The ritual to awaken the Vampire Duke was not easy.

For at least the next few months, all the Archduchy's capabilities would be focused on that.

It meant that for a while at least, they wouldn't come attacking to reclaim Wolfskrig.

The goal was to end the civil war within that time.

‘I’ll have to make good use of Kashutal’s Amulet.’

Anyway, the Princess of Blood, as promised, left Kashutal’s Amulet at the place we had met before and left.

When leaving Gunterburk, I deliberately took a long detour to the east, pretending to run an errand, and secretly took the item without Alina knowing.

In the end, the mission was a failure, but I obtained the item I had aimed for, and I also protected Gunterburk, which was an important base in the mid to long term.

The fee I received from Viscount Pewin and the items I obtained in Gunterburk were a bonus.

Clip-clop.

Clip-clop.

As we got closer to Burken Fortress, the number of passersby increased.

A merchant pulling a cart.

A bard with an instrument on his back.

A family that looked like immigrants with their belongings on an ox.

A shepherd walking a little way off the road with a few sheep.

And so on.

Certainly, just by headcount, it was several times more than before.

It was a change that occurred as a large number of immigrants settled in Wolfskrig.

Burken Fortress, which had been a small fortress on the frontier, had now been transformed into an important gateway to the newly secured territory.

Burken Village, which was attached to the fortress, naturally became bustling.

New buildings were being constructed along the village's borders with the clanging sound of construction.

Dozens of temporary makeshift buildings had already been erected.

Passing through the bustling entrance of the village, I headed for the inn.

Ever since entering the village, I kept feeling subtle gazes, but I ignored them as I didn't know the reason.

Had the news of my exploits in Wolfskrig spread belatedly?

“Ayu- long time no see, young man! Welcome!”

Unlike the village that was changing noticeably, the inn building was the same.

The inn where I had regained consciousness after the Battle of Burken, and the lodging where I had temporarily stayed during my old mercenary days.

Perhaps because I was a regular who had stayed for a long time at one point.

The innkeeper lady welcomed me warmly.

“I’ve been hearing your name everywhere, fortress lad. When did you become so famous-?”

“Haha…. Is that so?”

“Today, that… why didn't that handsome knight come?”

…Judging by her whispering, it seemed the purpose of her welcome was a little different.

A letter had arrived at the inn.

Checking the sender, it was the Ash Mercenary Band from Wolfskrig.

I opened the letter.

It was filled with crooked, bizarre characters.

A cold sweat trickled down my back.

“…….”

What was this.

Was it a coded message?

Had something happened to the Mercenary Band?

“Commander Ash. This is Olif. I heard you were safe through Viscount Pewin. I thought you would be staying in Burken Village for a day or so…”

“Alina?”

“Yes?”

“Did you just decipher this?”

“Uh… it’s the Imperial language, isn't it? I can read it just fine.”

Was it the Imperial language?

It was closer to a sword path than characters.

“Oh my, what terrible handwriting is this? Honestly. If it were that handsome knight I saw back then, he would have written neatly.”

Thanks to the innkeeper lady who muttered as she passed by, I knew that at least I wasn't the strange one.

Let me be clear, I wasn't illiterate.

Speaking, writing, and reading the Imperial language had been natural since I fell into this land.

“Alina, by any chance, do you have a trait related to cryptography?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. Keep reading.”

“…I thought you would be staying, so I’m writing this letter. Recruitment of members is proceeding actively due to the commander's reputation…”

The following content could be summarized in one sentence.

There were far more applicants for the mercenary band than expected.

“…Since the number of people who have submitted resumes is close to 1,500, I don’t know if we can execute it with the budget that the two platoon leaders, the administrative officer, and I calculated.”

It seems I’ll have to leave right away.

***

Mercenary Company and Mercenary Band.

Only one character had been changed, but because of that one character, numerous administrative differences occurred under Imperial law.

The biggest difference was the headcount.

The personnel limit for a mercenary company was 200.

For a mercenary band, it was unlimited.

However, the size of a typical mercenary band was usually composed of around 300 to 400 members.

In modern warfare standards, that would be somewhere between a company and a battalion.

When a war broke out, they operated as a single tactical unit under the command of their employer, a noble.

Occasionally, there were mercenary bands that secured over 500 members, but such cases were temporary or very few.

“It’s called customary law.”

In the office in Wolfskrig.

Archduke Gabir said, tilting his teacup.

This building, which had been used as the command center during the war against the vampires, had been neatly repaired and expanded in a month and was now serving as the lord's castle.

Although the renovation was almost complete, it was still a building without a master.

This was because the lord of Wolfskrig had not been officially appointed.

For now, the Archduke was temporarily managing it.

As he was the commander-in-chief of the southern army.

“Mercenary bands with over a thousand members are very rare. In the first place, there aren't many nobles who have that many private soldiers. Unless they are of the rank of count or higher, or a powerful family like the Pewin Viscounty.”

He must have been tired from having so much to worry about, but the aura emanating from this elderly noble had not dulled one bit.

After adding another spoonful of sugar to his teacup and stirring it, he opened his mouth.

His characteristic blue eyes glinted.

“Does the tea not suit your taste?”

“…Huh? Ah, no. The aroma is very nice.”

“Yes, add some sugar. It’s from Indika in the south.”

“Ah, yes.”

“That’s right. Add more. This is hard to come by.”

“…….”

What was this.

Was he trying to make sugar water?

While I was forcing myself to sip the strange tea that tasted like a poorly made cafe drink, the Archduke neatly emptied his cup.

There seemed to be some brown sugar residue left at the bottom, but I decided to ignore it.

“There are two reasons. The concern that they could threaten the nobility. And the realistic problem that it’s difficult to feed and house that many mercenaries without a territory.”

“…….”

“I have a rough idea of your mercenary band’s budget. It would be difficult to accommodate more than five hundred. Especially since you like to arm your members as if they were Imperial soldiers.”

An accurate analysis.

What was important was the intention behind laying out this analysis in front of me.

As soon as I arrived in Wolfskrig, the Archduke summoned me as if he had been waiting.

I could guess his intention.

The threat of civil war being right around the corner was now an open secret.

Although it was confidential, everyone who needed to know knew.

Since the situation was what it was, he probably intended to discuss with me directly how to place the young mercenary commander who had performed so dramatically in Wolfskrig and Gunterburk.

“One thousand two hundred. We’ll narrow it down to that.”

However, the condition the Archduke suddenly proposed lightly shattered my expectations.

“I will officially hire you into the Imperial army. I will pay you a salary befitting the scale of your mercenary band, and in addition, the Imperial army will pay the salaries for the next six months.”

It was groundbreaking.

So much so that I poured more than half of the tea I was carefully sipping into my mouth.

As I repeatedly carved the character for patience in my mind against the hot sweetness that numbed my tongue, I asked.

“What will my affiliation be?”

“Your mercenary band will be affiliated with the Imperial southern army, operating as my direct unit. And I will not give any particular orders regarding your tactical actions.”

A special operations unit, was it?

It was an uncommon method.

The Archduke Gabir I knew was not the type to create many variables on the battlefield.

He always insisted on standard methods, and strategies and tactics that sometimes seemed old-fashioned and slow.

An upright character who followed the textbook to an excessive degree in any field.

That was Archduke Gabir’s strength and weakness.

If so, the real mastermind behind this decision might not be him.

After discussing the detailed contract conditions, I asked as I was about to stand up.

“Archduke, if it’s not too rude, may I ask one thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“This contract I signed with you. Was it your decision from the beginning?”

I had a hunch.

But I wanted to hear it for sure.

The answer came back after a brief silence.

“He is looking forward to your performance.”

A few months ago.

In a way that echoed the sentence I had heard in this very place.

***

“Hoo.”

The sound of a sigh filled the quiet office.

Gabir put down his teacup.

The crystal ball on the table was flickering dimly at regular intervals.

Then at some point, a light flashed on.

“Archduke Gabir, what’s the matter?”

Inside the crystal ball.

A slightly excited voice was heard.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes, good to hear from you. Let’s not bother with formalities between us. We’re both busy, aren't we?”

“I have completed the contract with Mercenary Commander Ash.”

“Well done. You’ve worked hard. Did that friend have anything to say?”

“He asked whose idea this contract was.”

“Hoh….”

The crystal ball was silent for a moment.

Gabir, who had served the Emperor since his childhood, felt as if he could see his expression.

He would be wearing a satisfied smile.

However, he couldn't know the inner thoughts behind that smile.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

“He is a mercenary commander whose identity has not yet been fully verified. Is it alright to give him this much power?”

“Strange. Weren’t you the one who wanted to support that friend?”

“That’s true, but….”

“Are you worried?”

The Emperor asked.

Gabir nodded with a bitter smile.

Because a rising star that rises too early is bound to fall quickly at dawn.

“Count Gunterburk is dead. It’s as if Marquis Ricardo has lost an arm.”

The young Emperor said.

“It was the Princess of Blood’s doing. But that friend Ash was there. Don’t worry. I’m not suspecting him of being a spy. No, rather, I hope he would do more actions that could arouse suspicion. I’m serious.”

“…Why is that?”

The Emperor sighed.

“Do you think it was a coincidence that Viscount Pewin didn’t die?”

Gabir habitually stroked his beard.

“As you know, Viscount Pewin was originally fated to die.”

Viscount Pewin, a hardliner among the pro-Emperor faction.

Marquis Ricardo had secretly planned his assassination.

At that time, the Emperor's power was not as strong as it was now.

Although he had uncovered the Marquis' plan through the secret knight order, he had no justification or military power to stop it.

“I told Viscount Pewin. He said to use it to our advantage. To reclaim the Empire… with his life on the line.”

“…….”

“But the Marquis abandoned all his plans right before execution. As if he had read the imminent future.”

The ability to read the future.

Did such a thing even exist?

Gabir was one to deny prophecies or superstitions.

It might have been because he had caught numerous heretics with his own two eyes, including self-proclaimed prophets.

“I need a variable, Gabir.”

The Emperor smiled.

“Perhaps the Marquis is reading my every move. Or perhaps he is foreseeing the short-term future. As if he were looking down at a chessboard.”

Whichever it was.

The Emperor paused for a moment and said.

“Wouldn't it be enough to put a piece on the chessboard that breaks the rules?”