◈ 110. [Side Story]
After returning to the incentive mansion.
This time, the items obtained from the golden room were excluded, and gold coins and jewels were paid to the party members as incentives.
It was a reasonable price for suffering so much.
Everyone is having a hard time, but especially the main party is sweating very hard during the midterm battle.
I put my share in individual pockets and handed them out.
“Rather than giving it to me, it’s better to use it as your lord’s military funds… .”
“Oh, that’s tough. Senior is also big.”
“Prince, you don’t have to give me this much… .”
However, when we handed it out, all three of Lucas, Evangeline, and Damian felt burdened.
I clicked my tongue and laughed.
“Even if the price of loyalty is only money, it won’t work. It’s impossible to talk about loyalty when a ruler doesn’t pay properly.”
I tapped all three on the shoulder once.
“It is a fair price for the amount of work you have done. Feel free to receive it and use it freely.”
Eventually, all three of them took the bag.
I should pass it on to Junior and Jupiter.
So is Lily. I need to give some damage to the Shadow Troops and the Dion Mercenary Corps as well.
‘I guess I’ll have to give bonuses to the Twilight Troops and regular soldiers on duty next week as well.’
Anyway, I dismissed the three people who suffered. Buy something delicious with that money today.
***
That evening.
I rode out in a wagon to Cross Road downtown.
It was because I wanted to return it to the main party members today while I already paid the bonus.
It’s kind of like this when someone gets it and someone doesn’t.
First, I stopped by the alchemist’s workshop and gave it to Lily. Lily accepted it gratefully, but asked me with a worried face.
“But I’m still part of the main party… ?”
“… Reserve, reserve.”
Don’t act like a sergeant who was discharged but was notified to re-enlist.
Still, when the country calls, the reserve forces must come out. Even if it looks like a beggar, this floor is originally like that.
So I passed it on to Lily. The only ones left are Jupiter and Junior.
‘Would Jupiter be in the temple? Junior is… … .’
I heard that Junior is staying at ‘Etty’s Honey’, the only inn in the city.
The inn was closer to the alchemist’s workshop. I decided to listen first on the way.
‘It’s evening time. Should I ask to eat together?’
Unlike the other main party members, there is still no awkwardness with Junior.
Because we didn’t spend enough time to get to know each other.
It wouldn’t hurt to make some friendships at this point.
It’s not necessary to be friendly with all the party members, but it’s helpful to get to know each other to some extent.
Thus, the inn ‘Etty’s Honey’.
“You are here, Your Highness the Prince!”
“Are you here!”
“uh… Yes… .”
Passing by the host and crew who were burdensome to serve customers, I entered the inn.
I could still see the oversized carpets and chandeliers.
It must have been maintained since the last time it was repaired to give it the feel of a state-run hotel.
‘Did I get rid of a cozy inn in a provincial town forever… … ?’
Feeling guilty (?), I came to the counter and stood.
The owner quickly went inside the counter and gave a burdensome smile. Mmm.
“Is there a guest named Jupiter Junior? He’s a mercenary I hired.”
“Ah, that’s what the wizard said. Let’s see… … I am using the innermost room on the third floor.”
“Are you in your room now?”
“yes. You didn’t go out today.”
Then the owner tilted his head.
“no… It seems like I’ve been locked in my room for the past few days… … .”
“… .”
Suddenly, the image of Junior, staggering and bleeding from his nose a few days ago, came to mind.
Maybe you’ve been sick ever since?
If you are sick and want to hide it, I thought it would be better for me to go alone. I turned to Lucas, who was accompanying me.
“Wait on the first floor, Lucas.”
“but.”
“It might have something to do with Junior’s privacy.”
Lucas nodded reluctantly.
“All right. Lord. But if anything happens, please call me right away.”
I don’t know what will happen.
Climbing the stairs, I went up to the third floor alone.
‘It was the innermost room. Is this it?’
In front of the room at the far end of the hallway. I carefully knocked on the door. smart.
“Junior? Are you inside?”
But no answer. did you go out?
It was then. Something sounded inside the door. I listened. what?
“Cool cool cool! ha uh uh… … .”
It’s clearly a painful sound.
“Junior? Are you okay? Junior?”
“Cool cool cool… .”
I was in a hurry. Sounds like an emergency?
“Jupiter Jr. answer me! Are you sick enough that you can’t even answer?”
“Ha ah… ? majesty?”
“I’ll open the door now and go in! Stay still!”
“Wait a minute! If you come in, I won’t-”
I opened my distance from the door and slammed the door with my shoulder as I rushed at once. bang!
The flimsy chain lock on the door shattered and fell open.
I ran inside and looked around.
“Junior! what’s the matter! kinda okay… … okay… … .”
… didn’t
Junior was sitting on the floor of the private bathroom in the room, and unlike usual, he looked quite miserable.
Her hair, which always covered the left side of her face, was tangled in all directions.
And because of that, the left side of his face was exposed.
Vivid burns.
from the forehead to the left cheek. There were burn marks on her face. That’s why you covered it with your hair.
‘No, the problem isn’t the burn!’
Blood blood!
The bathroom sink and floor were splattered with her vomited blood. And he was still bleeding from his nose.
“Your Highness? How are you here? Oh no, not that.”
She struggled and hurriedly raised her hand to cover the left side of her face, then shouted
“Cool?!”
He coughed up blood.
The blood-stained surroundings were stained very red. I was frightened and jumped up.
“Ouch! are you okay?!”
“Uh um… .”
After hesitating for a moment, Junior smiled faintly.
“no.”
Cheeky!
Soon after, Junior collapsed on the bathroom floor.
He fell face down on the floor. And he didn’t even flinch.
“Aaaaaaaaa!”
Unknowingly, I screamed out loud.
“Here is a dead man! wow! Someone come quickly and see!”
***
You are welcome. Fortunately.
Junior wasn’t dead. I didn’t want to see my burned face, so I just slammed my face on the floor.
‘Give me time to tidy up my face,’ he said, and I waited outside the door trembling.
Did you wait 20 minutes? All kinds of ominous thoughts bubble up in my head.
The door creaked open.
Then, my eyes met with Junior, who cautiously poked his head out and looked around.
“… .”
“… .”
Junior was completely normal.
The left side of her face was covered with spiky bright yellow hair, and her complexion looked calm. Although the face is a little embarrassed.
“… .”
“… .”
After an awkward silence.
Junior looked at me and opened his mouth.
“… It’s that evening… … Have you eaten, Your Highness?”
so the present.
1st floor of the inn. restaurant.
I wasn’t in the mood to eat, so we sat facing each other with only a glass of water in front of us. Lucas is watching from a distance.
The hesitant Junior cautiously opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
“Huh huh? what?”
“I showed you what I couldn’t see. I’m a little sick.”
“Isn’t it just a little bit painful? Do you feel like you’re going to die right now? Are you okay?”
Because I’m wearing a bloody glove. I wondered if I was bitten by a ghoul and became something like a zombie.
‘I thought it was a zombie apocalypse in fantasy world or something.’
I heard all kinds of thoughts during the 20 minutes I was waiting for you. The prince was very scared.
“It’s a fatal disease… … .”
Junior smiled bitterly and nodded slowly.
“I thought I was hiding it well… . yes. Be precise.”
“what?”
“It is a time limit. It’s about three years at most.”
It sounded like a thundering sound echoed in my ears.
I hesitated, not knowing how to react. Junior quietly picked up a glass of water, swallowed it, and said,
“Cool!”
spat out loudly. What?!
Wiping his wet chin, Junior smiled.
“This is a gag. I think the atmosphere has become too heavy.”
“No, don’t use hemoptysis as a gag!”
not funny! It’s just scary!
“Eh… .”
Shaking my head, I asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What?”
“That you have a disease.”
“If I told you, would you have hired me?”
I closed my mouth. Junior lowered his eyes.
“A sickly wizard who doesn’t know when he’ll die?”
“… .”
I couldn’t answer easily.
Hire… … would have done Because wizards are valuable talents.
However, it would not have been organized in the main party.
The main party needs to be filled with people who will carry this game in the long run.
To be honest, I wouldn’t have included a wizard who didn’t know when he would die. At most, it must have been put into a sub-party and used.
“I need money, Your Highness. We have a lot of families to feed.”
Junior said honestly.
“My grandmother, who has been responsible for the family’s livelihood for a long time, is ill, so I have to earn money too.”
“… .”
“In this situation, I couldn’t reveal my pain with my mouth.”
I asked cautiously.
“You don’t have to work too hard when you’re not feeling well, right? No matter how much your family’s livelihood depends on it… … .”
“I won’t live long anyway.”
What came back was a blunt answer.
“In that case, it’s better to help someone and die.”
“… .”
“Don’t worry. Even if the body looks like this, it won’t interfere with the battle. I am confident in my talent and skills.”
I was about to say I wasn’t worried about that, but I stopped.
because it was true
Unconsciously, the part I was most worried about was that Junior collapsed during the battle… … It was a situation where tactics were out of whack and lines were collapsing.
I couldn’t help but worry first about the safety of the front line that the absence of a wide-area striker would bring, not the safety of the individual as a junior.
Because I am the commander
that was the reality.
“This defense battle is my probationary period.”
Junior raised his tailed eyes and looked at me.
“See if my health condition affects the battle, and if it’s not good, then you can fire me.”
“… .”
“And I am confident that I will not.”
I was silent. Junior smiled bashfully at me.
“Thank you for the bonus, Your Highness. Thank you for coming and worrying. and… .”
Looking down, Junior asked in a small voice.
“Please keep it a secret from Grandma that I vomited blood.”
***
It was dark when we left the inn.
Finally, when I stopped by Jupiter to pay the bonus, Jupiter was not at the temple.
When I asked the priests where they had gone, they said,
“At night, he leaves the hospital room and disappears, then returns in the morning.”
the answer came back.
This flying grandma! I’m going to take a little rest!
‘I can guess where it might be.’
So, the mercenary guild.
As expected,
it was different when I opened the door and entered.
Jupiter was sitting at the bar inside the guild, sipping whiskey alone.
