Chapter 55 : The Free City, Bernhard (2)

Before the form of Bernhard could be seen beyond the horizon, the first things that were seen were the lush forest surrounding the city and the hills rising like twins on either side of the city.

“Those are Bernhard’s Twin Hills. They can be seen as one of the famous attractions of the free city.”

Edric laughed heartily, speaking just like a tourist guide.

“Famous attractions……”

Conlan, gazing at the Twin Hills, muttered in a bitter voice.

“Big guy, is there a problem?”

As Albino asked, Conlan gently shook his head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“If there’s a problem, say so in advance. I hate having my ankle grabbed at an important moment because someone kept it all bottled up.”

“I will.”

“You’re not your usual self. Well, fine. As long as you don’t get in my way, I don’t care.”

Alicia, who was watching Albino, tossed out a comment.

“You’re worried.”

“It seems so.”

That was something I also agreed with.

“Hey, be quiet over there.”

As Albino growled while looking at us, Alicia tossed out another comment.

“He heard you.”

“He heard.”

This was also something I agreed with.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough private chat, let’s keep going. Surely you don’t want to camp outside today too, right?”

“No way.”

I was sick and tired of camping now.

This was a problem that had arisen, especially as we came south from Winter Castle; as the weather got warmer, insects like mosquitoes, which couldn’t be seen near Winter Castle, bothered me terribly every night.

For me, whose bleeding resistance was weak due to Haima’s Pendant, it was bound to be especially agonizing.

It was a good thing I protected myself the whole time I camped with the Orb of Water and the Fang of Blazing Fire; if I didn’t even have those, I would have had my whole body torn apart by mosquitoes and met my end from excessive bleeding long ago.

How bad must it have been that I even began to miss the creaking bed of the 4th Special Task Force barracks in Winter Castle?

“Once we cross this place, we’ll be able to sleep in soft beds tonight. Everyone, hang in there!”

“Are you alright, Captain?”

“About what?”

“……It’s nothing.”

Despite having clearly gone through the hardships together, Edric didn’t look tired at all, as if he were an Iron Man.

Well…… for a strong person of that level, his stamina would also far surpass that of an ordinary human, so in a way, it was natural.

The fact that his face was clean without a speck of dust, despite having continued the forced march for over half a month, must have been just because Edric himself had that kind of personality.

Anyway, as we got closer to the Free City, Bernhard, like that, a river stream that was cut as if penetrating the middle of the forest came into view.

This river stream was probably the water source that allowed the Free City, Bernhard, to exist.

When we finally approached the gate of Bernhard, a guard blocked our path.

“Please present your pass.”

“Here it is.”

The guard who received the pass Edric held out habitually glanced over the pass, and then, his eyes shot wide open.

“Y-You were from Winter Castle Kreutz! Please come this way. The Councilman is waiting.”

It seemed they had already received word that we were coming.

“If you mean the Councilman, who are you referring to?”

“Ah! It’s Councilman Garrett Mason. He is the one who manages Bernhard’s farmland.”

“Councilman Garrett Mason……. I think I’ve heard the name. Let’s go.”

As we followed the guard and entered Bernhard’s city gate, the scenery inside the Free City, Bernhard, slowly began to reveal itself.

-We have fresh apples just in from Nois! Come and have a taste before you go!

-Pick one! Pick one! This is a general store that has everything except what it doesn’t have!

-These are weapons made by Kairan, the master craftsman of the Imperial Capital! Come and take a look!

Unlike the somewhat desolate scenery inside Winter Castle, as soon as we entered Bernhard, the lively appearance of a market was revealed.

“……Even Winter Castle, when the Pegasus Merchant Guild was staying, wasn’t this active.”

At Albino’s words, Conlan snorted.

“Hmph, stating the obvious.”

Albino tried to say something to Conlan, as if finding it absurd, but soon closed his mouth.

“……Forget I said anything.”

“Looks like you have nothing to say.”

“Ha.”

While Albino and Conlan bickered as always, we, following the guard’s guidance, passed the market and arrived in front of a building.

It was a building with a mixture of Bernhard’s characteristic Imperial style and Eastern style.

Knock, knock-

“It’s the Guard Force. A guest has arrived from Winter Castle.”

“Come in.”

As the guard carefully opened the door, a clattering sound was heard from inside a few times, and then, a man poked his face out from a pile of documents.

Edric, seeing that appearance, smiled and spoke.

“If we’re intruding, would it be better to come back later?”

“Ah, no! Please come in. I’ve been waiting.”

As expected of our captain, his skill in spinning words was no small thing.

The man in the pile of documents barely escaped from the pile of documents and then stood in front of Edric.

“You’re from Winter Castle? I’ve been waiting. I’m Garrett Mason. I’m lacking, but I’m serving as a councilman here in the Bernhard council.”

“I am Edric, 4th Special Task Force Captain of Winter Castle Kreutz.”

“Ah…… to come all this way from that far-off Winter Castle…… you’ve truly gone through a lot of trouble.”

“Not at all. It was nice to see the sights on the way. The weather is warm too.”

“I’m just grateful that you’ve said so.”

The very fact that someone who was a councilman of Bernhard was acting in such a submissive posture toward Edric, who was merely a Special Task Force Captain, made me roughly guess what Bernhard’s current situation was like.

“Do you have a place to stay? No, of course I must find one for you. Would you like to relieve your travel fatigue first?”

“That would be good, but I’d like to hear the detailed circumstances of this incident first. Relieving travel fatigue is something we can do even after that.”

“Ah…… I see. Understood. Please sit this way.”

Garrett Mason and Edric sat facing each other at the table.

“Ah, the rest of you, please also sit and listen.”

“It’s fine. My subordinates are such tough people that they can listen to that extent of a story standing up.”

“I’m going to sit, though.”

“Hey, this is my spot.”

“Move.”

“……”

Edric shot a glare at us once, but what could we do when our legs felt like they were about to explode from the pain?

Not everyone was an Iron Man like Edric, and we felt like we were about to collapse right now.

“……Ahem, ahem. Then, please continue.”

“Yes. Then, I will tell you. Recently, demonic beasts have begun to appear in the Mülhen Granary Zone. We would like you to subjugate those very demonic beasts.”

“The Mülhen Granary Zone…… you mean that place to the east of Bernhard?”

“Yes, that’s correct. It is also the place where about thirty percent of the grain currently exported to the Empire is produced. This is a grave matter directly linked to the Empire’s food security.”

The reason Garrett Mason was deliberately bringing up the Empire’s food security was obvious, but there was no need to point it out.

In any case, it was our mission to come and solve Bernhard’s problem.

“And among those demonic beasts, there was also a mutant, I see.”

At Edric’s words, Garrett Mason’s expression became a little strange.

“Mutant……? Ah! Yes. That’s correct. There was also a mutant there.”

“I see.”

Edric nodded his head.

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean by that……”

“Subjugating the demonic beasts that appeared in the Mülhen Granary Zone. Is that the entirety of what we have to do?”

“Yes, that is correct, but…… is there some kind of problem?”

“No. That is enough. Where is the lodging we will be staying at?”

“Ah! This way, please.”

Following Garrett Mason’s guidance, we were able to arrive at a pretty large inn, even for Bernhard.

I think the name was Dance with the Wanderer…… What was this?

“You can stay here. Ah, all expenses incurred here will be covered by the Bernhard council, so please do not worry about the cost.”

“Thank you for the favor.”

“Not at all. You’ve come for the sake of our Bernhard, so this much is only natural. Then, please rest.”

After Garrett Mason left the lodging, Edric’s lips, which had been silently watching his departing figure, twitched.

“He’s hiding something.”

“I suppose so.”

“You noticed too?”

“Anyone would have noticed.”

Especially if they saw that awkward acting of Garrett Mason.

“That’s true, too.”

Edric laughed heartily as always.

“What will you do now?”

“About what?”

“You know that Councilman Garrett Mason is hiding something, don’t you? Are you planning to go to the Mülhen Granary Zone obediently like this?”

“We’ll have to.”

“Why is that?”

“Because that was Bernhard’s request, and that is our mission. Making political judgments beyond that is not our part.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right.”

At first glance, an answer like a true soldier.

However, I knew.

Even if Edric spoke like that on the outside, he was a person who was far from being a loyal soldier.

No, rather…….

‘I’ll know if I wait and see.’

What Edric was thinking.

And, what would happen in the future.

“Rest for today, everyone. We’ll be moving right away tomorrow.”

Just like those words, we all went up to our lodgings.

Because we were all exhausted from the arduous journey to go around playing like travelers.

Conlan spoke, scratching his neck roughly.

“I can finally wash. My body is itching.”

“Didn’t you usually not wash?”

“You must really want to hold your funeral today. Fine, what kind of wood should I build the coffin from?”

While Conlan and Albino were growling at each other as always, Alicia looked at me with hollow eyes and spoke.

“Sleep well.”

“You too.”

If I had my way, I wanted to find out what was happening in the Mülhen Granary Zone, but unfortunately, my body was now at its limit.

If I hadn’t had either the Orb of Water or Haima’s Pendant, I would have dropped out during the journey.

Even though I was arming my body with this and that right now, my real body was still just extremely frail.

‘Should I be thankful to Edric for this……. How absurd.’

Just as those words implied, if not for Edric’s stamina training, I wouldn’t have even had this much.

‘Anyway…….’

I entered the lodging’s bed and laid my body in the simple bathtub.

It was thanks to the water being pre-heated, as expected of a high-class inn personally arranged by a councilman of Bernhard.

“Hoo…….”

Soaking my body in hot water for the first time in a long time, I felt all the fatigue from that time fly away.

After finishing my bath like that, I collapsed onto the bed as I was.

I tried to endure somehow and turn on the Anonymous Bulletin Board at least once, but my body was at its limit anymore.

Little by little, little by little.

The Demon of sleep welcomed me.

.

.

.

Koong─!

Koong, koong-koong!

I, who had woken up at the sound that was suddenly heard, reflexively grabbed the Colt garrison that I always left by my bedside.

At that moment.

Kwaaaang!!!──

With a rough sound, the door was broken, and an uninvited guest burst in.

The moment I reflexively tried to pull the trigger toward the uninvited guest, the uninvited guest’s form was revealed in the moonlight.

“Wait, it’s me.”

“……Captain?”

The identity of the uninvited guest was none other than Edric.

“……What is it, at this time of night.”

“Demonic beasts have appeared.”

“Demonic beasts? Where?”

“The Mülhen Granary Zone.”

“If it’s that place……”

Edric nodded his head.

“That’s right. It’s our assigned area for this mission.”

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