From Mercenary to King-Chapter 26 : Days in the Free City of Loren (2)

Chapter 26: Days in the Free City of Loren (2)
“What??? Are you serious?”
As soon as the news was delivered, what came back was, of course, Miles’s booming voice.
“Really? You are not just messing with me to give me a scare, right?”
“Come on, senior. Why would I do that?”
“Ahem. It is just so out of the blue, that is all.”
Well, true enough.
Who would believe it if you said you went to talk to the Captain and suddenly came back as a Centurion?
Anyone would take it as a joke.
Maybe that was why Miles, who had been guffawing, abruptly stopped laughing, his eyes going wide as he trailed off.
“Huh… so the rookie is already… a Centurion…?”
“Hm.”
Had he taken it badly?
Shatien swallowed nervously.
If you think about it, his subordinate had suddenly become his superior. Just a few days ago he had still been a rookie.
‘I really want to keep working with Miles though…’
Even a good-natured man might find it hard to accept.
But fortunately.
“It is not completely finalized yet. It is an acting post for now…”
“This is totally awesome!”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s sick! Hahaha. As expected from our rookie. I had my eye on you from the start.”
Our jolly man Miles did not seem bothered by it at all.
“The Captain really knows people. Did the rookie pull a few merits? Honestly, at this rate you could spin up your own small mercenary band. Of course you should be given a Centurion’s slot. Hehe.”
-Smack, smack!
“Ugh, ngh. Ahem.”
He was thumping Shatien’s back in congratulations with such gusto that it hurt.
“Still, are you not a little upset?”
“Huh? Upset?”
“Yes. I will be… your superior if I become a Centurion. Even though I am much your junior.”
Saying so, Shatien eased a step back. The man’s hand was so heavy that his back still burned.
“Oh, I was wondering what you were talking about.”
Miles smirked and answered.
“Our rookie. Still a rookie at heart huh! Since when do mercenaries care about seniority by years? The best man steps up! The ones who fuss over that don't live long. Hehehe. You should take the side of the talented guy and ride the benefits! Yes?”
‘Oh…?’
In his past life Shatien had seen all too well how vicious envy and jealousy could be.
He was very pleased to have someone like this as a comrade now.
One loyal companion on a battlefield is worth so much.
“Just say the word! If anyone gives our rookie trouble over that, hmm? I will crack his skull with this axe.”
Thanks to that, that easy banter from Miles felt oddly heartwarming.
“Ah… thanks. Even just saying it helps. Let us try not to cause an incident though.”
“Hey now! Incident? People will think I am a walking disaster with the way you talk.”
“You say that, but I told you not to go to that woman, and you went anyway and came back with the pox?”
“Hey! That’s just a man’s instincts.”
At the mention of a past embarrassment, Miles’s face flushed beet red.
“A-Ahem. Enough about my past. Let us talk about something constructive. Ahem!”
He hurriedly coughed and slid the topic away.
“Oh… Hearing that from Miles feels strange huh?”
“Hey! Quit teasing me!”
‘Yikes.’
He would sulk again at this rate.
Snickering inwardly, Shatien asked back.
“So what constructive topic did you have in mind?”
“Well, if you are forming a new unit you will need people, right?”
“Of course. I am not inheriting an existing hundred. So I have to build one from scratch.”
Putting together a new centuria was no small task.
If you naively thought you could just recruit bodies and it would work out, you were in for trouble.
Think about it.
Most mercenaries are idle men from farms or cities who could not find work and wanted to eat.
Discipline is not their strong suit.
‘I saw plenty of that last time around. Yes indeed.’
Though only a third-rate Captain, Shatien had run a mercenary band and knew it well.
If anything, being third-rate meant he knew it better. Anyone decent would not have joined a third-rate company to begin with.
“It’s already been weighing on my mind, Miles. It’s actually temporary. I have to find a way to build a solid unit and earn merits no matter what. Haha. My head is aching thanks to that.”
“Ugh! You should have been more sociable and made connections.”
“…? I have not been here that long though.”
“Oh, right. You felt so familiar I forgot.”
“…”
Seriously, this guy.
He is sneakily good at teasing at times.
Shatien shook his head and spoke.
“So uh, you will help, right?”
“Of course I will. Hehehe. Plenty of scoundrels will try to cozy up to you anyway. Just let me know. I will tip you off on who is worth it and who is not! Leave it to me. Miles the social butterfly! Miles, the Black Raven Mercenary Company’s man of information! You know this, right?”
“Yes, yes, I know. Then what title shall we give our Miles? Calling you just a senior seems lacking. How about the chief senior? Perfect, isn’t it.”
“Huh? What are you saying?”
Miles protested.
“Why would I move over there? Also, chief senior? Agh! That is a grind of a job. I’m good! Shoo, shoo.”
“Hey. Come on. Don't be like that. If you join, I will give you a special present. You saw that chainmail on the cart earlier, right? How about it? Looked tough as nails.”
-Gulp.
Miles swallowed. The rare chainmail flashed before his eyes.
Judging by how pristine it was for battlefield spoils, some lofty noble must have worn it.
But still.
“S-Stop! How much are you planning to make me work? You bastard. I want to be a mercenary without thinking too hard.”
He remembered the gaunt faces of comrades who had taken the chief-senior role and let out a scream.
No one in that seat had cheeks that were not hollow.
He wracked his brains to avoid being dragged in.
“Besides, I belong to Centurion Jacri’s unit. Even you cannot just yank a senior out of a company. You need permission first. Mhm, mhm.”
“Good grief.”
He was really desperate.
And it was a very solid excuse.
If he ignored procedure and moved people, that stickler Centurion Jacri would give him hell.
Plus, Miles was actually competent. He was great at handling new recruits, so there was no guarantee Jacri would let him go.
‘Dang it. This will not be easy…’
If Miles himself begged to transfer, maybe it was possible, but from that smug face, it felt unlikely.
“Eheheheheh.”
‘Now I just feel spiteful for no reason.’
As Shatien pouted at the thought.
“Hm. It is fine.”
“?”
A sudden voice came from behind. A baritone that sounded strict and very familiar.
“Hm? Why do you stare? I said it was fine. In fact I was going to bring it up first. It would be good to place someone experienced and connected as an assistant in a brand-new centuria.”
It was none other than Jacri.
And thanks to him,
“I look forward to working with you, new Centurion Shatien.”
“?????”
“??????????????”
They could only blink a string of question marks.
“N-Nooooooo!”
Oh! Along with an anguished scream from who knew where as well.
* * *
“Oh, there you are. I heard a scream outside. Did you catch a goblin and torture it or something?”
“Of course not. It must have been the wind playing tricks, Captain.”
“Hmm… really?”
Despite the evasive answer, Mordo let it go when he saw Jacri’s calm face.
There were more important matters.
“How is it? What did the trading guild say?”
“Yes. They will match their schedule to ours as much as possible. They were delighted, in fact.”
“That is a relief. Haha.”
For once, Captain Mordo was able to laugh heartedly.
They were about to push into Imperial territory to fight the Holy Empire.
Even though the Empire was splintered among principalities with strong anti-Imperial sentiment, it was still a heavy undertaking.
Support from a guild rooted inside the Empire was a blessing.
Then Jacri suddenly asked a question.
“Will it be all right?”
“What will? Ah, you mean Shatien? No, wait. Our Centurion Shatien? Haha. Best to get used to saying it so I don't slip later. Maybe it’s because he’s still new? It does not roll off the tongue yet.”
“…”
At Mordo’s breezy tone, Jacri held his silence.
“Come now. You are no fun. That is your problem. Try smiling more. No need to be so serious.”
“My apologies.”
“Argh, don't take a joke so literally.”
Mordo waved a hand and pulled his chair up close to the desk.
“Look. The Holy Emperor looks strong, but in truth he has lost control. The prince-electors will not give up their noble prerogatives, and the principalities are banding together according to their interests.”
After the Emperor’s repeated blunders, the Holy Empire was entering the first stages of civil war.
Especially after the recent crushing defeat, even neutral lords were showing their ambitions.
“If we can break the Imperial army in the coming battle, we can push into the central provinces.”
And if they did that…
“North, south, east, west. We can strike the Empire everywhere.”
Yes.
They would at last throw the Empire’s gates wide open.
Which meant both they and the Imperial army would be fighting tooth and nail.
“So we too must prepare accordingly.”
“…”
“Shatien. He may be young and new to mercenary life, but you can see the bud on him. Excellent skill, and a quiet way of looking after people. He has the makings of a fine commander.”
“But he is still green. People will grow envious.”
“Envious? Who? That Jenga fellow who was grumbling?”
Mordo chuckled.
It was obvious who had what complaints.
“That’s the role he is supposed to play. If an organization runs with no gripes, that is a bigger problem. Haha.”
Someone had to play that role, and Jenga had the sort of disposition that made Mordo choose him.
It was to be expected.
“And why is that a problem?”
Leaning back, Mordo grinned impishly.
“I only give opportunities. If you want to grow, you endure envy and jealousy, build trust and respect, and rack up achievements. I believe Shatien will do well.”
It was a firm answer.
So Jacri simply bowed his head in the respectful manner of a retainer.
“Understood, young master.”
Just as on the day they left the fief behind and laid everything down.