novelraw Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
“See, you’re doing it. Being cute.”
“…Being cute, you say.”
“You’re tapping my arm. You’re acting cute to make me tell you. This works surprisingly well. Unless someone is a mortal enemy, it’s the best way to throw them off.”
Robin imagined a burly, musclebound giant acting cute in resistance.
He felt nausea rise.
“That’s why Mirian was weak against you too. She just can’t handle adorable little kids.”
“…Are you being serious?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Robin grew even more confused at Torgen’s solemn expression.
Torgen acting cute with that muscular body and stiff face.
‘Just imagining it is revolting. Ah, so that’s why it works.’
Robin accepted Torgen’s words.
After seeing Torgen, Robin grimaced and then nodded.
“You’re young and have a pretty face, so it’ll work even better for you. Since we’re at it, I’ll teach you.”
“No, that’s alright…….”
Robin declined, but Torgen didn’t stop.
To Torgen, Robin felt like a younger brother he wanted to teach as much as he could.
He generously shared a useful method to remember.
“Make fists with both hands, put them to your cheeks. Shake them like a cat and say it like this.”
His large hands seized Robin’s hands and pressed them to his cheeks.
There was no escape.
“Aing, kkyuing-kkyuing.”
“…….”
Robin’s ears burned red with shame.
Thankfully, no one was around.
“Robin? You should follow along.”
“Aing… kkyuing… kkyuing…….”
When Robin repeated after Torgen’s lead, only then did Torgen release him with a satisfied look.
Blushing as red as a beet, Robin ran straight back to the lodgings.
“Well now. Seems he liked my advice. I should teach him more from time to time.”
Even after dinner came and it was time to sleep, the man Robin was waiting for didn’t appear.
The merchant who had asked the thugs to rough Robin up—the narrow-eyed man—never returned to the inn.
“When I told Palacio, he said that fellow would be expelled from the company.”
“Why would he do something like that.”
Calimacos and Robin remained on the first floor, watching the entrance, but only drunkards came and went.
Yawning widely, Calimacos rose and grabbed the back of Robin’s neck, lifting him up.
“He’s expelled. What else is there to think about. We’re leaving tomorrow, so let’s sleep.”
“Yes.”
The Blue Wing Mercenary Band.
The mercenary band hired to escort the merchant company arrived right on time.
Active near Baron Tefir’s domain, they had a decent reputation in the area.
Their request completion rate wasn’t perfect, but they were known for being earnest and punctual.
They had eaten dinner together, and Robin had left an impression.
‘I should observe how joint missions with another mercenary band work.’
Robin still felt uneasy about not settling matters with the resentful merchant, but he obediently let Calimacos carry him off.
Calimacos often lifted the light Robin with one hand to move him, and Robin had grown fairly used to it.
In the room, Paul and Felix were lying on their beds.
With their mission resuming the next day, they were trying to sleep early.
“Sleep well, kid.”
“Good night, Captain.”
Calimacos brushed Robin’s nose bridge and turned off the lights.
The next day.
Everyone in the Calimacos Mercenary Band was in top condition.
After finishing breakfast and preparations, the group headed for Vermilion’s central plaza.
A group of people had already gathered there.
“Welcome, mercenary sirs.”
Palacio greeted them with a smile.
Unlike when they first arrived in Vermilion, he looked neat and tidy.
Behind him stood twenty armed men.
The man who appeared to be the captain of the Blue Wing Mercenary Band stepped out to greet them.
“Did you sleep well? I saw you yesterday too, but now you look even more confident.”
“Feels like I took an elixir, I’m in top shape. Ralph, you look well too.”
After some small talk between Ralph, captain of the Blue Wing Mercenary Band, and Calimacos, they returned to position.
It had been decided beforehand that the Blue Wing Mercenary Band would take the lead and mid-section, while the Calimacos Mercenary Band would guard the rear.
With the increase in people, the cargo and horses had increased as well.
It was worthy of being called a merchant company’s procession.
“Then, we’ll depart!”
Palacio’s booming voice announced the departure.
The long procession drew the eyes of Vermilion’s residents.
“Hope they don’t get robbed by bandits this time.”
“They hired a bunch of mercenaries, so it should be fine.”
“I don’t know what the knights are doing, not catching those bandit scum.”
Hearing the murmurs of the residents, Robin quietly followed.
Leaving Vermilion behind and stepping into true open plains, he heightened his vigilance.
It didn’t seem likely for bandits to strike so close to town, but he didn’t let his guard down.
There were other dangers outside besides bandits.
“Robin, is it true you became sworn siblings with Mirian?”
“Yes.”
“She must’ve really liked you. Mirian may like kids, but she never made any of them her sibling.”
Felix spoke to Robin while gripping his spear.
Robin didn’t have much experience traveling outside, but the Calimacos Mercenary Band did.
They were all at ease.
“Who could dislike our little cutie.”
“True. This kid Robin looks like he’ll make plenty of girls cry when he grows up.”
Hearing Felix’s words, Mirian came over and poked Robin’s side repeatedly.
Because of that, Robin relaxed.
Mirian had seemed a bit dispirited after threatening Robin with killing intent, but when they returned to the inn she was back to her usual bright self.
Comforting her before following Torgen had worked.
“Is it alright to be this relaxed out here?”
“Look at this kid. Already worrying about bandits coming out?”
“Who knows what’ll happen outside town. There’s no harm in being careful.”
Everyone in the Calimacos Mercenary Band heard Robin clearly.
No one needed to say anything; they all smiled faintly—everyone except Brandok.
“Nothing to worry about. With a group this size, bandits won’t even dare to come close.”
Felix’s confidence wasn’t hard to understand.
With over forty people gathered, their presence alone made them unapproachable.
The money the Elize Merchant Company had invested in this trade run was in the Gold range.
“It’s true we need to stay alert the closer we get to Baron Tefir’s domain, but there’s no need to get tense this early.”
Felix patted Robin firmly on the back.
After he said that much, Robin also nodded.
‘I haven’t seen the Blue Wing Mercenary Band’s skills yet, but they should be trustworthy.’
The joint escort mission with another mercenary band made things far easier than before.
Robin was technically one of the people being guarded, yet he handled miscellaneous tasks and took part in battles, treated as a young mercenary.
He couldn’t do the full work of one adult, but he was at least as useful as a porter.
‘At least I achieved my goal of not being a burden.’
Thanks to the merchants’ wagons, the mercenary band didn’t need to carry the cargo, and their steps felt light.
Robin approached Calimacos, who was walking ahead.
“If the area is safe, can I train while we walk?”
“What kind of random training?”
“Can I swing my sword while walking? I want to build arm strength.”
Calimacos stared at Robin as if it were absurd.
Perhaps Robin’s desire to grow stronger reached him.
He smirked and waved a hand for him to do as he pleased.
‘Time is precious, so I need to do everything I can.’
Returning to the rear, Robin drew his sword and swung it once every three steps.
Whoosh!
His sword strikes now carried a decent amount of force.
Felix watched Robin with a somewhat exhausted expression.
Brandok kept his eyes ahead and marched silently.
Torgen looked proud, and Mirian’s gaze dripped with affection as she looked at Robin.
Paul and Calimacos glanced back once before keeping their eyes forward.
“Watching Robin really motivates me too.”
Felix slipped out of formation a bit and thrust his spear into the air.
“Felix, restrain yourself.”
“Yes?”
“When you do that, the merchants get nervous. What if they think a monster appeared.”
“But Robin is swinging his sword……”
“Are you Robin?”
At Calimacos’s reprimand, Felix immediately lowered his spear.
Robin wondered if Felix got scolded because of him, but he focused on his sword instead.
A cool breeze pushed at his back—perfect weather for training.
The first day passed without incident.
The second day, too, brought no bandits or monsters.
On the third day, they ran into a group of orcs, but the merchant company suffered no casualties.
The orc group retreated thanks to the Calimacos Mercenary Band’s performance.
“Hey there, you’re quite the fighter.”
“The Blue Wing Mercenary Band’s skills are impressive as well.”
After the battle, the two mercenary bands exchanged compliments and confirmed each other’s capabilities.
From Robin’s perspective, the Calimacos Mercenary Band held the advantage.
‘The Blue Wing Mercenary Band wasn’t as impressive as I expected.’
Even though Robin had watched from behind while being protected as Calimacos cut down orcs, he couldn’t help feeling proud.
They sometimes acted lazy or carefree, but he understood why the members followed Calimacos.
Overwhelming strength.
Paul, Torgen, and Mirian supported him, but the main assault came from Calimacos.
“Palacio, do we have the space to load the orc corpses?”
“We do have some room left. If we load this much, the wagon will be full.”
Calimacos pointed at ten orc corpses in the best condition.
“I’ll pay the transport fee when we arrive. Move them for us.”
“Of course. How about 1 silver per corpse?”
“Ten corpses for 10 silver? Expensive.”
“In return, when you visit our merchant company in Baron Tefir’s domain, we’ll provide special treatment.”
“I can manage without special treatment. I’d rather you lower the price.”
Calimacos looked displeased.
Palacio was a merchant who weighed profit and loss.
He was skilled at turning someone’s mind.
“I can offer more than you might expect. For example, I can look into the information Calimacos wants.”
“Oh? You did a background check on me.”
“My apologies if that offended you. I learned you’re quite a famous man.”
Calimacos narrowed his eyes, and Palacio maintained his smile as he accepted the gaze.
Tap, tap, tap.
A man wearing an eyepatch tapped his fingers against his scabbard as he shifted slightly.
When Calimacos’s hand moved toward his sword hilt, Paul gripped his shoulder tightly.
“You lunatic. We’re mercenaries.”
“What? I only moved my hand. It’s not like I actually caused trouble.”
“Considering your past, it wouldn’t be strange.”
Hearing Paul and Calimacos’s exchange, Palacio began sweating profusely.
He had known since the goblin village rescue that Calimacos wasn’t an ordinary man, but the more he learned, the less he could take him lightly.
Palacio waited with a smiling face until Calimacos spoke.
The moment felt unusually long.
In the end, Palacio lowered the price.
“I’ll take only 8 silver for ten corpses.”
“Good. 8 silver. Instead, I’ll sell them to the Elize Merchant Company.”
“An excellent choice.”
“We’ll handle carrying them to the wagon.”
Perhaps due to the extra income, Calimacos looked very satisfied.
He stared intently at Torgen, who was standing idly.
“Uh… you want me to move them, right?”
“Our Torgen is perfect for this kind of work.”
“It’s not hard to carry them, but by myself?”
Calimacos nodded with a smile.
Sighing deeply, Torgen grumbled but still moved the orc corpses onto the wagon.
“Well done, bulging-muscles Torgen! Mascot of our mercenary band! The bull who carries our cargo! A physique that doesn’t lose to an orc…….”
When Mirian teased him, the people around them burst into laughter.