Chapter 37. Hero (4)
I visited the makeshift graves last night.
The temporary graves were near the command post where I had t the Emperor.
Similar to the one set up at Burken Fortress, but on a larger scale, the burnt bone powder was neatly arranged in boxes.
The number was quite large, so it took so ti to find the nas I wanted.
I spent about thirty minutes searching and found them, then wrote them down in my notebook and returned.
[Hansen Matheisen]
[Carlson]
[Samuel Ham]
[Frank Somr]
[John]
[Walter]
Hansen Matheisen.
A middle-aged crossbowman.
My mory of him goes back to our rcenary band’s first battle.
He tried to support while I was fighting a Necro Ogre, but he almost hit instead.
Thanks to the [Ironclad Defense] trait, a critical accident was avoided, but he was scolded by Karen and later received a pay cut.
Samuel.
A young man who received a pay cut along with Hansen.
This one actually hit an ally.
Fortunately, it hit the back of his left forearm and wasn't a fatal wound.
Nevertheless, after the first mission, the nickna ‘Forearm Fetishist Samuel’ stuck to him like a stain.
What’s funny is that while Samuel expressed his apology to the colleague he had hit, he also secretly enjoyed the new nickna.
The reason is simple.
Whether good or bad, getting a nickna is as good as proof that you’ve been accepted into a rough rcenary group.
The rest also had their own nicknas.
‘Eyebrow-less Carlson. Bald John. Dwarf Frank Somr. Cowardly Walter.’
There were a total of six casualties.
It was a fierce battle.
Most of the casualties occurred during the battle on the walls.
Surprisingly, in the labyrinth where Olif took command, there were injured squad mbers, but no fatalities.
A testant to the prowess of a hero who has survived on the battlefield for decades, I suppose.
It’s not for nothing that I welcod this old man’s joining.
“Instead of just holding our ground, we moved around as a reserve force and saved the front line here and there. It was a loss that would have been difficult to prevent no matter who was in command.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes, the fact that we held out in the labyrinth was thanks to the training you’ve led us through and the generous amount of potions you provided. So please don’t bla yourself.”
Does decades of experience show not only on the battlefield but also in reading people’s hearts?
Receiving Olif’s thoughtful comfort, I stood up from my seat.
I don’t bla myself.
I just get feedback.
What if I had conducted the training a little more diversely?
Would it have been better to respond with a different formation and tactics on the wall?
Would it have been different if I had prepared higher-grade regeneration potions?
Things like that.
‘…Let’s think about it later.’
Anyway, the living must live.
Six have died, but over a hundred are still following .
The promise I made to Deputy Teren in front of the makeshift graves at Burken Fortress is still valid for those hundred-plus squad mbers.
Just then, soone knocked on the door.
“Captain! There’s a letter for you!”
Karen entered the room with a letter.
“Hmm? A rcenary band?”
What was written in the letter was sothing I hadn’t thought of at all.
“A rcenary band, you say?”
“Yeah, the approval for the establishnt of a rcenary band has been granted. Olif, did you ever apply on my behalf?”
“Establishnt of a rcenary band…? I haven’t. Squad Leader Karen?”
“I haven’t either. Brol probably doesn’t know much about that stuff.”
An administrative error?
Or is soone playing a prank?
But for that, the enclosed certificate and seal are too thorough.
The mystery was solved by the small writing on the corner of the letter.
[A humble gift. And an apology for last night.]
“…….”
A gift from the Emperor?
It seems that in this playthrough, my relationship with that psychopath iron monarch will start off quite strong.
Whether that relationship will be a win-win for both of us, or a bad one, remains to be seen.
Of course, that’s not sothing to worry about right now.
“Olif, you said a rcenary guild has been established in Wolfskrig, right?”
“Yes. A temporary branch has been set up.”
“Let’s go.”
It’s ti to grow our forces.
* * *
A rcenary band.
One of the most standard ways to conquer ‘Warlord Conquest’.
When starting with a human faction like the Empire, the Theocracy, or the City-State Alliance, it’s often the only way.
Because joining the army as a commander is only possible if you are born with a high status.
There is the option of enlisting as a soldier and working your way up from the bottom, but….
This takes too much effort.
By the ti you get a decent command authority, the tide of the ga is often in a state where it’s impossible to do anything.
After a few attempts, I didn’t choose this path.
Anyway, the broad outline of a rcenary band playthrough is as follows.
‘A rcenary. A rcenary team. A rcenary company. A rcenary band. And then either the noble route or the secession and independence route.’
You work as a rcenary individually or as a team, building up money and connections.
Based on that, you create a rcenary company and expand it into a rcenary band.
After that, you assess the situation and circumstances and either beco independent from the existing faction or beco a core part of that faction.
People often think that the last part, where you form a full-fledged force, is the most difficult.
That’s not true.
The part with the highest difficulty is the middle part.
Going from a rcenary company to a rcenary band.
‘…It can’t be helped. Ti is short.’
The continent enters a full-scale war period from around the year 1030.
To secure a force before then, I need to create a rcenary band in the shortest amount of ti and grow its scale.
Achieving results, building a reputation and trust, and securing funds within a not-so-generous amount of ti requires a lot of calculation.
On top of that, the conditions for establishing a rcenary band include the condition of ‘having been a rcenary company leader for 2 years or more’.
That two-year period was skipped overnight.
With a single certificate enclosed in the Emperor’s letter.
“Custor Ash!”
A familiar shout.
I stand up from my seat and sit in front of the desk.
An administrative center staff mber with a business-like smile handed various docunts and explained.
“These are the requirents for establishing a rcenary band. Here, you see the seal and signature… Ah, it would be a good idea to have a seal made. The company we’re affiliated with….”
This is the temporary branch of the rcenary guild.
While I was unconscious, a rcenary guild had also co to Wolfskrig.
I heard from Olif that they had been given two buildings near the command post in their entirety.
One was being used as the branch headquarters and administrative center, and the other as an inn and pub.
Anyway, since I had received the approval for a rcenary band, I ca to upgrade the rcenary company to a rcenary band without waiting.
But there was sothing I hadn’t expected.
“…Haaam.”
“Leader? You need to look at the terms and conditions….”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
The establishnt process takes a lot longer than I thought.
In the ga, this was also done with the press of a single button.
Co to think of it, even if I received approval from above, the establishnt procedure couldn’t be simple.
rcenary bands are not as common as rcenary companies.
If I had to make an analogy, it would be the difference between a sole proprietorship and a corporate registration.
Anyway, is it because I didn’t sleep well last night?
I keep yawning….
“…Uhaaaam.”
“Leader?”
“Ah, yes.”
“…The benefits are as written here. Representatively, there are tax reduction benefits, the establishnt of a formal employnt channel with the Imperial family, an increase in the minimum wage, an increase in the personnel limit……”
Is it because he keeps speaking in a gentle voice that I’m getting sleepier?
Still, the benefits part is important, so I focused and listened.
The most noteworthy part is the ‘increase in the personnel limit’.
To go back in ti for a mont, the reason I ford a rcenary company of just over 100 n was due to two constraints.
The first was a budget issue.
The second was the maximum formation limit of 200 n.
‘With this, both constraints have disappeared.’
A rcenary band has no limit on the maximum number of personnel.
Literally, you can have an infinite number of mbers.
Of course, if a re rcenary band leader tries to command thousands of troops on his own, he won’t be able to avoid pressure from above….
But that’s sothing that’s difficult to happen in the first place.
‘There’s the money issue too. To feed and clothe thousands, I’d need a territory.’
Anyway, the personnel issue is resolved.
The budget issue also disappeared as the long-standing financial difficulties were resolved.
Right now, a considerable amount of money is sleeping in my pocket.
The paynt vouchers received from the command for completing various missions, plus the hefty fee the Viscount gave as a commission.
Perhaps even if I increase the personnel by several tis, I would still be comfortable.
Should I try running an elite unit of 300 n like a certain king of Sparta in the old days?
Or should I be a little more greedy and aim for 400?
“…You’ve worked hard. It has been established under the na Ash rcenary Band. Here are the rcenary band docunts, the seal, and the leader’s badge.”
Thump!
While I was happily lost in my imagination, the establishnt of the rcenary band was completed.
I stamped the seal, received the docunts, and left the administrative center.
“Oh! We’re a rcenary band now?”
“That’s right.”
I joined the squad mbers who were waiting outside.
The next destination is the building opposite, that is, the temporarily established rcenary guild pub.
Naturally, the purpose is recruitnt.
If a rcenary company has been reorganized into a rcenary band, more mbers are needed.
However, there is sothing I hadn't expected.
The first floor of the building was already so crowded with people that it was difficult to enter.
“Will there be a seat?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Should we kick out a couple of guys?”
…How on earth does one co up with the idea of kicking out perfectly fine custors?
Ignoring it appropriately and looking for a seat, a burly figure drinking at an outdoor table turned to look this way.
The burly figure’s eyes widened when he spotted .
He opened and closed his mouth and then shouted.
“C-Captain Ash!”
That was the beginning.
“It’s rcenary Captain Ash.”
“Ash? Who’s that?”
“He’s the guy who killed the vampire count….”
“The mage who uses holy aura?”
The rcenaries who had been chattering loudly turned to look one by one.
“Hey, hey, everyone, let’s make so room!”
At soone’s words, a path opened up among the bustling rcenaries.
The man who had shouted was a rcenary captain with a generous impression.
He offered the spacious table inside the pub that they had been occupying.
“The hero of Wolfskrig! Thanks to you, we survived! You are the savior of all our lives!”
The savior of my life.
It was a mont when I truly realized what Karen had said about becoming a hero.
For reference, rcenaries are by no ans quiet.
Even as I approached the table, they were banging their beer mugs and shouting my na from all directions.
“Ash! Ash! Ash!”
“rcenary King Ash! rcenary King Ash!”
…The last one seems a little dangerous.
Well, what’s good is good, I guess.
“You’re popular, Captain.”
“I’m a little envious.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I headed to the table with my companions.
For reference, there is a reputation stat in this ga as well.
It’s a stat that is used as a useful bonus when operating a large number of troops or receiving a noble title.
On the other hand, when operating an underground organization like an assassination guild, you have to be wary of your reputation stat going up.
‘The play to raise only the reputation was called reputation farming.’
However, the key to reputation farming is not a simple number.
What’s important is what kind of image is built on top of the accumulated reputation.
Especially the timing when the reputation starts to rise, like now, was the most important.
Because the image now becos a rumor that tails another, and often remains as it is later on.
In that sense, my course of action is set.
“Innkeeper! Let’s have a round of beer for everyone here! Put the bill on the Ash rcenary Band’s tab!”
“Woooooah!”
You know what they say.
If you buy food and drinks for people, you’re a good person.
By the way….
[Achievent Unlocked! Your reputation has reached 10.]
[Randomly acquire a trait.]
[Fatigue is Because of the Liver]
[Grants a bonus to the detoxification check for alcohol and low-grade poisons.]
It seems the gacha roulette has failed again today.
This damn luck-based shitshow ga.
* * *
“Hey! Line up! Line up!”
The hall of the crowded temporary pub.
A long line has ford along one wall.
All of them are applicants wanting to join the Ash rcenary Band.
Holding a beer mug, I smiled as I looked at the rcenaries in line.
How should I express this feeling welling up from my stomach?
A sense of accomplishnt?
A feeling of satisfaction?
“Captain,”
“What is it, Karen?”
“…your expression is weird.”
That can’t be.
[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is not so F-grade trait you find rolling around in the neighborhood.
Of course, what it automatically blocks are things that have a negative effect on the mind, like morale fluctuations, and to hide positive emotions, you have to consciously deploy the trait.
Co to think of it, unlike usual, I didn’t really have any intention of maintaining a poker face.
Well, what does it matter?
After all that hardship, isn’t it okay to enjoy a few hours of happiness?
“If you keep cutting in line, I’ll send you to the back!”
“Just write down your specialties and abilities! You keep writing long, drawn-out stories, but we’re not going to read them anyway!”
Anyway, the managent of the applicants was being handled by old man Brol, Karen, and a few other squad mbers.
Although rcenaries are burly and loud, they are not entirely disorderly folks.
Even now, they are moving forward little by little like ek sheep, following the instructions of my squad mbers.
At the end of the line, two tables have been set up.
A table where applicants can write down their specialties, abilities, and other noteworthy points on a piece of paper.
The so-called 21st-century-style docunt screening.
“That person….”
“Didn’t they say he’s a mage…?”
“…Ash? Is that him?”
As I was sitting near the docunt screening table, I heard so murmuring from the entrance.
They are rcenaries who have co to the pub for a drink.
“…He established a rcenary band, they say?”
“Then this line is for the applicants….”
After exchanging information among themselves and hesitating for a mont, a few of them joined the back of the line.
Roughly one in five seems to be applying.
A support rate of a whopping 20 percent.
It must be because of the reputation gained in the recent battle and the image of a hero.
Of course, that’s not the only reason.
The war is over.
To be precise, at dawn today.
That is, not long after I t the Emperor, the command announced the end of the punitive expedition.
‘Having broken the montum of the traitor Duke Yulister’s forces and retaken Wolfskrig, which they had illegally occupied, the punitive expedition is suspended for the stability of the southern region.’
It was announced sothing like that.
But the truth is a little different.
Let’s borrow Olif’s words on this matter.
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