350. Later story (4)
Before he had the 11th Corps commander send us away, he said the last thing.
[You must live.]
These words were whispered to those who felt that they would never see each other again. That friendly curse became a dagger, stabbing into the hearts of the members of the Lofty Knights and entangling their leashes.
The captain, who must have been unaware of the shock we would receive, was so rude and unintelligible, but he eventually accepted it… but how can we mend our broken hearts?
‘Leader.’
In the first place, those who had nothing to lose remained and followed Deon Hart. It was a gathering of people fighting to the death, leaning on their last regrets.
‘Deonhardt.’
He was our last regret.
A young man who had just become an adult came into the eyes of those who had lost the will to live because the eight-year war had ended but they had no place to return to. On the battlefield, he showed a strict and cruel side, and at the same time used all means possible to save not only himself but also his subordinates. However, outside of battle, he behaved clumsily, as if showing off his age, so that he had no choice but to stretch out his hands. A child caught in his eye. .
‘…baby.’
So I stayed and willingly followed him to the demon world.
I came running to you just to see you, so what should we do if you just throw a curse and leave us forever?
“…If you’re worried that they’re doing this for money, you don’t have to give it. “We just want to raise that child.”
I couldn’t die.
The captain wants and commands us to live, so we must live. So we put our heads together and thought.
[When was the most intense moment in our lives?]
[…when we were fighting for life and death.]
[Then we decided what to do with our lives.]
Mercenary.
It is the most intense job and the easiest job to die in.
Is there any other job more suited to those who want to die but have to work hard to survive? The Lofty Knights became the Lofty Mercenaries.
However, there is a limit to living by slapping a weak-minded colleague in the face.
They are so old and mature adults that they can do anything on their own. They were in a situation where they couldn’t get the motivation to live from each other to live the remaining time by embracing each other.
Honestly, what motivation for life can one get from looking at the face of an old, black man? Rather, I just think that it would be okay without me at least. It would be fortunate if we didn’t commit suicide together.
A person cannot live with a whip alone.
I needed some joy in life.
“I’m not going to overlap with the son who lost that child. “To begin with, the two are very different.”
With a gesture of his chin, Cletter pointed to the child who was suddenly being held loosely in Milan’s hands.
That child does not have white hair and red eyes. His skin wasn’t pale enough to be pale, his eyes weren’t sharp, and he wasn’t a saint.
“I just said whatever came to mind… but if there’s anything else that bothers you, feel free to say it. “I will listen.”
“….”
Because he lives in the imperial palace full-time and only meets a limited number of people, he is somewhat dull and naive when it comes to the cruel world, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an eye for people.
On the contrary, since the people in the palace wore masks as usual, the ability to see through people and detect lies was clearly trained, and the old man realized that the other person’s words were the truth through the insight gained through experience and age.
At some point, he looked back at the mercenaries who were comforting a crying child.
“Shhh! If I keep crying so much, I’m going to get sick! Are you nice? Let’s do it!”
“If we cry too much, we’ll get in trouble, right? So stop crying! peekaboo!”
“Bwaaeaeak!”
“Ahh! “My ears!”
“I cry more because of your dirty face! Get rid of your face! hurry!”
It’s funny and clumsy, but it’s an attitude that makes you feel like you’re doing your best.
Most children hate being treated like a child, but if you treat them like a child and appease them, they will probably get more upset and cry… but they don’t know.
As I looked at them struggling, I slowly smiled.
“What’s your name?”
“…Now that I think about it, I didn’t introduce myself. I am Cleter, the vice-leader of the Lofty mercenaries. “The guy holding the kid over there is Milan, the general manager.”
The name ‘Lofty’ made me pause for a moment.
“…Is that so.”
The old man nodded.
decided. In any case, it is difficult to find a more suitable guardian than these people in the current situation, so there is no other option.
Because my energy was low, I took heavy steps and approached the child. The man named Milan lowered his posture, made eye contact with the child he had just dropped off, and spoke with infinite affection.
“Son, these people here will take care of you from now on.”
“….”
“I told you this before, right? My grandfather is sick and has to go on a long trip alone. “You will be too bored and lonely to be alone during this time, so these people are with you.”
“I don’t like it….”
“Honey….”
“I don’t like it!!”
The child’s intuition is sharper than expected, and even though he does not fully understand the meaning of death, he realizes that he will never see his grandfather again. The child desperately clung to his grandfather.
A sobbing voice poured out.
“Why can’t I come with you? I want to go too… take me too…”
“Baby…”
“Don’t abandon me…!!”
Sniff.
Perhaps because they have become more sensitive as they get older, the poor colleagues who were watching the situation from one side wipe away tears.
What are you doing? You should be comforting and reassuring the child. Don’t you know that children become anxious when their guardians cry? Cleter, glaring at them with a pitiful look, approached the child and slowly stretched out his hand.
“…You’ve grown a lot.”
Unlike the intention to smile brightly, a dull smile was drawn.
Still, it seems to have been enough to attract the child’s attention. The child, who had been nervously avoiding his touch, looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Do you… know me?”
“then. “Did we meet you before your grandfather?”
“…really?”
“okay.”
My fingertips slowly approach and wipe away the tears that are soaking my cheeks. While the child blinked at the softer and sweeter behavior than expected, the Lofty mercenaries intervened as if they thought it was time.
“Don’t you remember us? “Is it familiar or something like that?”
“Uhm….”
“It’s a shame I don’t remember, but I can’t help it. “You can call us uncle!”
“uncle?”
“Yes uncle! Would you like your uncle to give you a higher opinion?”
It seemed as if my frantic efforts had paid off this time, and before I knew it, the child was lifting himself up high and laughing.
The voices of the adults, as if they were more excited than the children, rang loudly through the clear and refreshing sound of laughter. It was an action that seemed to have been completely forgotten by the people within the mercenary guild who were still watching with bated breath.
“Do you remember the loud crying? “My child will make a big name for himself!”
“You must be smarter than anyone else!”
“Wouldn’t you be good at fighting?”
“You can teach that! “You can make anyone win!”
“Why don’t you try making a mercenary king right now?”
“Oh, right. “Now that I think about it, I have some cubes and puzzles. Do you think they will help with brain development?”
It’s good to be lively and get along well…
The old man, who seemed anxious and glanced at them while handing the money to Cleter and relaying the child’s name and other important information, made a subtle expression as he heard each word added.
but.
‘…done. It would be pointless meddling to say anything more here.’
Is it really true that he knew the child more than that?
Since he was no longer the guardian, he focused his attention on other things instead of talking about the unstable parenting policy that was evident in their relationship.
“I’d like to ask you about the part where you met your child before me, but is that possible?”
“…Oh, that.”
Cleter scratched his head.
“It is a lie. “I’m trying to reassure the child.”
“…okay.”
There was clearly no lie in his attitude when he said those words, but that must be because he said that.
The old man didn’t bother to ask and nodded obediently. As if he was about to leave the room, he continued to say something that ended the conversation.
“This is a child who has never had a minor illness. The skin is also strong, unlike a child’s, so it doesn’t get hurt easily and even if it does, it heals quickly. I feel like it might be a blessing bestowed upon me by my parents who left before me due to unavoidable circumstances, so at least I won’t be bothered in this way. The child itself is also good. So….”
“….”
“Please take care of the child.”
…He has a good heart.
Cleter, who had been watching his colleagues as if he were openly watching them while receiving money and information in case they made an accident, chuckled.
“I should apologize in advance.”
“…yes?”
“I’m sorry, but we’re going to raise that kid to be very rude. “He probably won’t grow up to be the ideal good kid that people think he is.”
It hurts my conscience a little to see an earthquake in the old man’s pupils, but I have no intention of correcting my words.
When I decided to raise my child, I had no intention of raising him to be a good and well-behaved child. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
This was something everyone agreed on.
“That child will grow up to put his own life first at any moment.”
If you become very shameless and blame yourself, blame it on others. To survive even if it means trampling on other people’s corpses.
Everyone pledged to raise it that way.
“Ah…”
The old man’s eyes widened.
Cleter turned his head without saying a word. At that moment, I could hear my colleagues’ voices coming from one side.
“That was just a joke, you just need to grow up normally.”
“It would be nice to be strong enough to survive no matter what is thrown at you in this damn era… but if you don’t want to do that, it’s okay to be ordinary. Because we can protect it.”
“Don’t worry, our attitude won’t change even when we become adults. “If there’s something you can’t do, from big things like fighting to little things like organizing your clothes, we’ll do it for you…” I
just hope you grow up happily.
I hope you are so happy that you don’t even have to worry about bad things like drugs.
The sincerity expressed in a whisper, without knowing who it was addressed to, rings piercingly. Cleter quietly closed his eyes as the remark was painful to everyone who heard it.
“….”
I think I know how they lost their ‘son’. In a situation where he couldn’t help but notice something, the old man pretended not to notice and turned around.
He was about to leave without saying a word, but as if something had occurred to him, he paused and looked back at Cleter. After hesitation, a question was asked.
“I once worked at the imperial palace. That’s why I know the name ‘Lofty’, but…”
“….”
“Is there any other reason to use it as it is, even though it may be dangerous?”
“…Because I had no choice.”
The bitter smile returned.
“That’s the only trace we have left.”
We know better than anyone else that it is dangerous. There’s always a watching eye following you, and you can’t not notice it.
However, ‘Lofty’ belongs to Deon Hardt. Because it is one of the few ties that connects him and us.
“don’t worry. We will protect our child even if it means death. “There won’t be any danger.”
‘Lofty’ could not give up this name.
The old man’s eyes widened as if he realized something from his remarks and attitude.
“…no way.”
The ‘son’ you said you lost….
“Anyway, let’s go. “Then the child notices and clings to me again.”
“….”
The old man, who was silent at the obvious order to congratulate the guests, quietly looks at the child once and then obediently leaves. Cleter, who was watching the back, approached the guys who were making a fuss in front of the child.
“Why are you so loud?”
“He doesn’t even know how to run! “Isn’t it amazing?”
“…It’s definitely amazing.”
It seems like just yesterday that I was learning to walk.
“More than that, what should I do now that I have a child? “You can’t take on dangerous missions carelessly.”
“Hmm… I guess I should focus on simple missions…?”
“That’s it.”
I picked up the child.
“I received the money, so I don’t have to worry about living expenses for the time being. Let’s just focus on raising children.”
“It will be relaxing for a while.”
“Oh, then how about going there?”
“there?”
