Chapter 221

Spy

“Go back about one or two kilometres, bury this deep underground, and check on it periodically.”

Karath estimated the distance to the castle visible from the mountain and gave his subordinates their instructions.

“From this point onward, there is a chance I may encounter humans. I’ll descend alone.”

He took an object needed to establish a relay station from his leather pouch and handed it over.

Then Karath began descending the mountain by himself.

Hummm.

He channelled mana into the illusion bracelet hidden beneath his armour.

Mana spread around his body.

Karath cast Water and shaped the surface into a makeshift mirror.

Reflected in it was a handsome, broad-shouldered human man wearing leather armour reinforced with iron plates.

He could hardly enter human society dressed like a primitive tribesman as he had during his previous journey.

So Karath had commissioned a suitable set of armour from the alliance’s workshops.

Full plate would attract too much attention, so he had settled on something more modest.

Though the materials are tougher than ordinary iron.

The visible iron plates were mostly decoration.

The true protection came from the leather beneath them.

It had been made from the hide of a Twin-Headed Ogre, making it tougher than most plate armour.

After finishing his inspection, Karath continued down the mountain.

Clang!

“GRAAAH!”

Before long, the sounds of a small battle reached his ears.

The clash of metal suggested humans were fighting monsters.

“Oh?”

Karath followed the noise.

As expected, he found humans fighting monsters.

But these people looked very different from the mercenaries he had encountered during his previous journey.

“They work well together.”

They were fighting two trolls simultaneously and still appeared relatively comfortable.

The mercenaries Karath had met before had nearly died against a single Owlbear.

These people were clearly more experienced.

“Damn it! Hurry up and finish yours!”

A rough-looking man in his late thirties was keeping one troll occupied by himself.

“The regeneration is wearing us out too!”

“This is why I hate trolls!”

A burly man around thirty and a woman in her twenties were fighting the second.

The lightly armoured woman repeatedly darted in and out, drawing the troll’s attention.

Whenever an opening appeared, the larger man struck with his axe.

A frail-looking young man stood farther behind them.

Mana gathered around his palm.

Wind Cutter.

The mana pattern completed.

A blade of compressed wind shot from the young mage’s hand toward the troll’s head.

The creature had just staggered after taking an axe blow from the burly mercenary.

The wind blade sliced straight through its neck.

“Nice!”

“We’re coming to help!”

The moment the first troll fell, the two warriors rushed toward the remaining one.

“Damn it! Took you long enough!”

“I thought you said you could handle a troll by yourself!”

“I could when I was younger, you brat!”

Even in the middle of battle, they bickered constantly.

Yet none of them lost focus.

They were clearly veterans.

No need to interfere this time.

If they had been in danger, Karath might have stepped in.

But barging into a fight they could already handle would only be rude.

Monster materials were valuable.

In gaming terms, jumping in now would make him little better than someone stealing another party’s kill or last hit.

Just as Karath expected, the mercenaries soon finished off the second troll without much difficulty.

That was when Karath rose and charged toward them.

More precisely, toward the mage who had used Wind Cutter and was now catching his breath in the rear.

“?!”

“What the hell is that guy doing?!”

The mercenaries had barely finished their fight when Karath suddenly rushed toward their companion.

They reacted quickly, proving their experience, but they were already too late.

Karath reached the mage first.

He swung Silvertusk with all his strength.

CRUNCH!

Blood sprayed through the air.

“Hiiiik!”

The mage let out a strange scream as blood erupted beside his head.

A Saber Tiger lay next to him.

Silvertusk had split the creature in two.

It had used the mercenaries’ fight against the trolls as cover to sneak toward their vulnerable rear line.

“Move back.”

Karath calmly addressed the stunned mage.

There was more than one Saber Tiger.

“Th-thank you for saving me.”

The mage finally understood what had happened and hurried backward.

“Hraaah!”

Karath did not answer.

Another Saber Tiger lunged with enormous fangs bared.

He swung Silvertusk into its skull.

CRUNCH!

“We’ll help!”

The three mercenaries who had rushed over to protect their mage immediately joined the fight.

There were four Saber Tigers in total.

With all five of them fighting together, the monsters were quickly eliminated.

In truth, four Saber Tigers were weak enough that Karath could have slaughtered them alone in moments.

But doing so would have been a mistake.

He was an outsider here.

It was better to conceal his true strength.

More importantly...

“Heh heh. Thank you for the help.”

“You suddenly came charging at us, so I misunderstood at first. And, uh... sorry about what I shouted. I was surprised.”

“You should apologise properly instead of asking him to understand. She’s a little wary of strangers. I apologise on her behalf.”

“It’s fine. I understand.”

Conversation came naturally after fighting together.

Exactly.

Few things created bonds faster than fighting side by side.

This was the perfect opportunity to blend in with them.

“Were you really travelling this far into the forest alone?”

“Yes. Somehow it ended up that way.”

“Hah. In a place this dangerous?”

“Oh, come on. Did you see how he fought? He can obviously handle himself.”

The only woman in the group smiled brightly.

“Oh, right. We haven’t even introduced ourselves yet. I’m Elin.”

“I’m Karath.”

This time, Karath used his real name rather than the false name Roven.

After the trouble he had caused in Lindberg territory, continuing to use the name Roven seemed dangerous.

Jean’s family and the former hidden settlers had told him that Karath was not a particularly common human name, but neither did it sound especially strange.

“I’m Guts.”

“Burke.”

“Wiggins. Thank you for saving me.”

The rough-looking leader, the large axe wielder, and the mage introduced themselves in turn.

“Now that we’ve exchanged names, can I ask you something, Mr. Karath? Or should I say Sir?”

“Just Mr. is fine.”

“Then, Mr. Karath. Are you an Aura User? You cut that Saber Tiger in half with one strike.”

Elin looked openly curious.

Karath shrugged.

“I’m a beginner Aura User. Nothing particularly impressive.”

“Ooh. I heard being too humble can sound like an insult.”

She grinned teasingly.

She was certainly outgoing.

“Are you sure you’re only a beginner? You looked way too good.”

“Elin. Asking someone you just met too much about their strength is a bad habit.”

Guts stepped in when she began crossing the line.

“But he’s so different from you, old man.”

“What did you say?”

“You’re always bragging that you awakened aura, but I never actually see you use it properly.”

“I showed you last time.”

“That move that takes three seconds to prepare? You’ll get stabbed to death while charging it.”

They immediately began arguing.

But it did not feel hostile.

They looked more like an affectionate uncle and niece.

“Hey, I’m just getting old. Back in my prime...”

“Yes, yes. You killed an ogre with that technique and people called you ‘Guts the Ogre Slayer.’ I’ve heard the story so many times I could recite it myself.”

Karath chuckled.

The exchange reminded him of Krog and Kaden.

“See? Mr. Karath is laughing too. That means I’m right.”

“That’s not why I laughed.”

Elin casually tried to drag him into her attack on Guts.

Watching her, Karath found one word coming naturally to mind.

Skilled.

Not merely at teasing Guts.

She was remarkably good at extracting information from strangers and issuing subtle warnings without making either seem deliberate.

She had asked directly about Karath’s strength, a question that could easily cross the line among mercenaries.

Then she softened it by mocking one of her own companions, making the whole exchange seem like casual joking.

At the same time, she had slipped in the fact that one member of their party was a beginner Aura User who had once killed an ogre.

Without openly threatening Karath, she had revealed that her group was not weak.

Of course, it was possible she had done all of that without any calculation and was genuinely only joking.

Still...

I have plenty of experience dealing with people.

Karath might now be an orc, but Arnold had spent thirty-four years as a human.

Before dying, he had even run a small game company and encountered all kinds of personalities.

Reading the meaning beneath words and behaviour was not particularly difficult for him.

It might not be bad to stay with these people for a while.

Karath’s primary objective was gathering information about the human world.

Travelling with seasoned mercenaries like these could prove extremely useful.

Saving Wiggins created a natural connection between Karath and the mercenary group.

He spent the rest of the day hunting monsters alongside them.

During that time, he learned several things.

First was the objective strength of his new companions.

Just as Elin had said, Guts was a beginner Aura User.

But he had never learned a proper mana cultivation method.

Instead, through personal experience, he had developed only one or two techniques that used aura.

People who learn a proper cultivation method usually pass through the beginner stage fairly quickly.

That had been true for Karath.

The same was true of the Aura Users now emerging throughout the alliance.

A properly structured mana cultivation method naturally contained many different postures and ways of circulating mana through the body.

Practising those variations made it relatively easy to progress beyond the beginner level.

But Guts was a common-born mercenary.

He had no easy way to obtain such a cultivation method.

As a result, whenever he wanted to use aura, he had to gather it deliberately as though preparing some ultimate technique, then release it in a single move.

“Then why not join a knight order and learn from them?”

Karath asked after watching Guts fight several times and understanding his limitations.

“Hmph. I’ve been a mercenary for how many years now? You think I’m going to join up at this age and spend my days cleaning up after a bunch of brats?”

Guts snorted.

If he entered a knight order now, he would begin at the bottom.

He would probably have to live like a squire while earning the right to learn their mana cultivation method.

Karath could understand the excuse.

He suspected there might be another reason as well.

But they had only just met, so he did not press.

Despite remaining only a beginner Aura User, Guts had enormous field experience and held a gold mercenary badge.

Elin and Burke were not Aura Users, but both were experienced fighters.

Their combat ability was respectable even without aura.

Each held a silver badge.

Then there was Wiggins.

“Are you all right?”

“Ah, yes. Sorry. My stamina is a little poor.”

He was not an experienced mercenary at all.

“You said you only started mercenary work about half a year ago?”

“Yes. Fortunately, these were the first companions I found.”

Wiggins smiled kindly despite the sweat pouring down his forehead.

“You’ve only learned magic up to the Third Circle?”

Karath asked, remembering how Wiggins needed to catch his breath after using a spell such as Wind Cutter or Fireball.

“Yes. Other Magic Towers work similarly, but at the Azure Flame Tower, once you learn enough Third Circle magic, you’re expected to begin outside work.”

“Outside work means mercenary jobs?”

Karath tilted his head.

If it were official work assigned by the tower, perhaps the term would make sense.

Mercenary work sounded entirely personal.

“Hahaha. We call it outside work, but the main purpose is obtaining materials for magical research.”

Wiggins smiled awkwardly.

“You can hunt monsters and collect useful materials from their bodies, or earn money through other jobs and buy what you need. Either way, mercenary work is usually the most convenient option.”

“Mmm.”

That sounds like a student working part-time to pay tuition.

Karath looked at him.

“What about noble children or students from wealthy families?”

“Hahaha. Those people generally remain inside the Magic Tower and continue their research.”

So he really is working to pay for his studies.

“Would it be rude if I asked something?”

“Please, go ahead. You saved my life. If it’s something I can answer, I’ll gladly tell you.”

“It’s nothing serious. I was just curious about what life in a Magic Tower is like. I’ve never had much connection to magic.”

The last sentence was obviously a lie.

His curiosity about Magic Towers, however, was genuine.

Karath had never actually entered one.

“There isn’t anything particularly special about life in a Magic Tower.”

Wiggins began explaining.

Karath listened.

Then his expression slowly changed.

Was I wrong?

He’s not an undergraduate.

He’s a graduate student.

The more Wiggins described his life, the more it sounded almost indistinguishable from slavery.

Karath felt genuine sympathy.

At the same time, he once again realised how fortunate he had been to discover Renstein’s laboratory.

Karath had reached the Fifth Circle in only four years.

Had he learned magic through an ordinary Magic Tower, perhaps the same achievement would have taken twenty.

“Are the other towers similar?”

“I didn’t know much when I stayed inside the tower all the time. But after beginning outside work and meeting other mages, I learned that most places are fairly similar.”

“Judging from your abilities, the Azure Flame Tower seems respectable. Which Magic Towers are considered famous?”

“The most famous would probably be the White Magic Tower in the imperial capital of the Holy Empire.”

Wiggins answered readily.

“They consistently produce a Seventh Circle mage in almost every generation.”

Because he regarded Karath as the man who had saved his life, Wiggins answered his questions carefully and in considerable detail.

The conversation moved from one Magic Tower to another.

Eventually, Karath slipped in a question about the one tower he actually knew.

“Then have you ever heard of a Gray Magic Tower?”

The Gray Magic Tower.

It was the tower to which Renstein, Karath’s magical teacher in all but name, had once belonged.

Among the many books Renstein left behind were several writings resembling personal journals.

The Gray Magic Tower occasionally appeared in them.

In a sense, that tower represented Karath’s magical origins.

Naturally, he was curious about it.

“The Gray Magic Tower?”

Wiggins frowned and thought for a moment.

“Hmm... I don’t remember ever hearing of it.”

Even after listing more than ten different Magic Towers, Wiggins apparently knew nothing about the Gray Tower.

“I know it.”

Unexpectedly, someone else spoke.

Burke.

The burly mercenary who looked as though magic had absolutely nothing to do with his life.

“But why are you looking for a Magic Tower that’s practically on the verge of collapse?”

Burke stared at Karath with a strange expression.

Karath froze.

On the verge of collapse?

What did that mean?

“Ahem. There’s a White Magic Tower, the Azure Flame Tower, a Brown Magic Tower... so I just wondered whether there might also be a Gray Magic Tower.”

Karath offered the first excuse that came to mind.

Then he asked the question that actually interested him.

“But what do you mean by ‘on the verge of collapse’? Can a Magic Tower actually go bankrupt?”

“If no new students join and no commissions come in, of course it can collapse.”

Burke shrugged.

“It’s not as though Magic Towers can dig money out of the ground.”

“Magic Towers... are businesses?”

“Selling people’s expertise is still business.”

Burke laughed.

“Especially mages. They burn money like lunatics in the name of magical research. If business dries up, the tower goes under. Ah, sorry, Wiggins. I wasn’t talking about you specifically.”

“Hahaha. It’s fine, Mr. Burke.”

Wiggins smiled.

“I’m travelling with all of you precisely because I need money for magical research.”

While the two exchanged light banter, Karath rapidly organised his thoughts.

If the Gray Magic Tower is really dying, maybe I should visit it.

Not because he felt some personal obligation toward Renstein.

The reason was directly connected to why Karath had entered the human world.

His main goal was gathering political and social information.

But acquiring new technologies was another major objective.

And although he had not told his subordinates, the knowledge he wanted included magic and mana cultivation methods.

It had already been more than a year and a half since Karath became a Fifth Circle mage and advanced Aura User.

Yet during that time, his fundamental realm had not progressed.

He had acquired Sigmund School magic and learned to apply it in increasingly creative ways.

But that was different from advancing his underlying level.

Karath had already understood all of the Fifth Circle spells contained in Renstein’s writings.

Using that knowledge as a foundation, he had begun researching methods of developing Sixth Circle magic on his own.

But everyone knew that adapting the research of others was far easier than creating an entirely new system from nothing.

The real problem was where to obtain that knowledge.

Karath had already considered visiting the Gray Magic Tower for exactly that reason.

A tower filled with powerful mages would increase the chance of exposing his disguise.

But a weak tower would be unlikely to possess knowledge of Sixth Circle magic or above.

“If the Gray Magic Tower is failing, does that mean it has no high-ranking mages?”

Karath casually asked Burke for more information.

“No idea.”

Burke shrugged.

“It’s been thirteen years since I left my hometown. I don’t know what happened in the meantime.”

“What was it like when you still lived there?”

“If I remember correctly, the strongest mage in the entire tower was the Tower Master, and he was only Fourth Circle.”

Burke laughed.

“No wonder no new students wanted to join. If Mr. Wiggins entered that tower, they might make him an elder immediately. Krahahaha!”

“...”

“Burke.”

Elin stared at him.

“That was a terrible joke.”

Perhaps Burke had felt slightly guilty about insulting mages earlier and attempted to lighten the mood.

Instead, he only made it worse.

Karath, meanwhile, tilted his head.

Renstein had left behind books covering magic through the Fifth Circle.

To write works containing that level of understanding, he must at minimum have been a master of the Fifth Circle.

Possibly even a Sixth Circle mage.

Why, then, was the current Tower Master only Fourth Circle?

“Was the Gray Magic Tower always that weak?”

“I couldn’t tell you about ancient history.”

Burke shook his head.

“I had no talent for magic and never cared much about it. But according to stories people told back home, the tower used to be quite prestigious.”

He scratched his chin.

“Besides, someone capable had to establish a Magic Tower in the first place, wouldn’t you think?”

It used to be prestigious.

Then perhaps books or research concerning high-level magic still survived there.

Of course, there was no reason they would show such things to an outsider.

But...

In a sense, I’m not entirely an outsider.

If Karath invoked Renstein’s name, perhaps there would be some possibility.

Looks like the Gray Magic Tower should be my first stop.

There was little downside.

If it failed, Karath lost nothing.

If it succeeded, he might gain knowledge of high-level magic.

With the first destination of his intelligence mission decided, Karath asked Burke the most important question.

“By the way, where exactly is your hometown?”

He needed the location of the Gray Magic Tower.

“My hometown?”

Burke looked surprised.

“Whitestone City.”

“Wh-Whitestone City?”

“Krahahaha! Even Karath is surprised!”

Elin and Guts burst out laughing at Karath’s awkward reaction.

“Looking at Burke, anyone would assume he was some country uncle. People are always shocked when they learn he grew up in a city.”

That was not why Karath had reacted.

“Uh... where exactly is Whitestone City?”

He had never heard the name before.

Karath had spent nearly his entire life trapped inside the Grimwood Mountains.

When it came to human geography, he was the true country bumpkin.

But judging from the reactions around him, he had apparently asked something ridiculous.

Elin and Guts stopped laughing.

Wiggins, who had quietly turned away to hide a smile, looked back at him.

Even Burke flushed.

All four stared at Karath as though something were seriously wrong with him.

“You don’t know Whitestone?”

Wiggins finally asked.

“The second capital of the Kingdom of Winston? One of the largest cities in the kingdom?”

Karath fell silent.

Apparently this was basic knowledge that everyone was expected to know.

“Ah. Ahhh! That Whitestone!”

Karath forced a laugh.

“I just never imagined Mr. Burke would be from there. H-hahaha.”

Nobody looked convinced.

Their expressions all seemed to ask the same question.

Who exactly are you?

At times like this, forcing the lie only made things worse.

So Karath chose the direct approach.

“Anyway... where is Whitestone City?”

He simply admitted he had no idea.

“Hehehe.”

They were returning toward the castle after finishing their hunt.

Elin once again burst into an old man’s chuckle for no apparent reason.

“Stop laughing. You’re embarrassing him.”

Guts frowned at her.

“No, but seriously, Captain.”

Elin wiped at her eyes.

“He looks perfectly normal, he’s absurdly good at fighting, and somehow he’s a complete beginner adventurer with no sense of direction. Who could have guessed?”

Karath scratched his sideburns and pretended to look embarrassed.

That had become his cover story.

A young man from the countryside who had spent most of his life training and only recently entered society.

Then, after finally beginning to travel, he discovered that he possessed an atrocious sense of direction.

“So when you came that deep into the forest alone, it was because you were lost?”

Elin grinned.

“I thought you were some incredibly experienced mercenary who could travel alone.”

“H-hahaha. I was embarrassed, so I made up an excuse.”

Once the image of an inexperienced country adventurer took hold, the others began treating Karath much more casually.

And from Karath’s perspective, the disguise was extremely convenient.

No matter what ignorant question he asked in the future, they would simply blame it on his sheltered upbringing.

He smiled awkwardly and played along with Elin’s teasing for a while.

Then his expression changed.

“Get ready.”

The instant the words left his mouth, everyone drew their weapons.

“Grrrrr.”

Moments later, monsters emerged from the vegetation.

“Damn. Your instincts really are ridiculous.”

The mercenaries had spent years working in monster territory.

Yet Karath repeatedly detected approaching enemies before any of them.

“What kind of training did you do in those mountains?”

Elin glanced at him.

“Did you spend every day fighting monsters or something?”

“Hahaha... something like that.”

Karath smiled awkwardly.

A novice adventurer who knew almost nothing about geography or society but possessed extraordinary combat experience.

That was the identity that had naturally formed during the day he spent with them.

A person’s perceived character was often shaped by their relationships with others.

On Earth, Arnold had been a programmer and the head of a small company.

After being reborn here, he became a Grand Chief.

Now, inside human society, he was apparently a clueless novice adventurer.

The essence of who he was did not feel particularly different.

Yet every change in environment created an entirely different role.

It was a strange feeling.

“GRAAAH!”

While Karath exchanged jokes with Elin, the monsters charged.

There were only two medium-sized monsters.

Even while concealing most of his strength, Karath could easily hunt them together with the mercenaries.

After several more encounters, the dense vegetation gradually began thinning.

As visibility improved, high human-built walls appeared in the distance.

“We’re almost there.”

“Thanks to you, Mr. Karath, we finished much earlier than expected.”

Guts patted the large bundle on his back and smiled with satisfaction.

“Normally, we might have spent another day or two in the forest.”

The bundles contained valuable monster materials gathered during their day of hunting.

Even after discarding the less valuable portions, four people had to carry enormous loads.

There were five members in the group.

The reason only four carried heavy packs was simple.

Wiggins lacked the stamina to carry one.

As they approached the castle, Karath saw dozens of people who looked like mercenaries waiting in line to pass through the gate.

The walls were significantly larger than those of Lindberg territory.

Of course, they still looked modest compared with the walls of Root City.

I should praise Orga over the telephone tonight.

Achievements always looked more impressive once one had something to compare them against.

Still, putting Orga’s greatness aside, this place differed considerably from Lindberg.

The monsters in the surrounding region were much more dangerous.

Lindberg territory had been located a safe half-day journey away from even the outer region of the Grimwood Mountains.

This castle, by contrast, felt as though it had been built almost within the middle region itself.

That probably explained why so many mercenaries operated here.

What Karath did not understand was why humans had built a castle in such a dangerous location in the first place.

Fortunately, he currently had several people nearby who could answer that question.

“I’ve been wondering about something.”

Karath looked toward his companions.

“Why was this castle built in such a dangerous place? Most human territories I know keep some distance from the Grimwood Mountains.”

The mercenaries exchanged amused smiles.

“You really haven’t travelled much, have you?”

Wiggins answered in a kinder tone than the others.

“Because Sudin Castle is an important strategic location.”

“A strategic location?”

“Yes. There is a silver mine behind it.”

“Ah.”

“And there is a stream nearby.”

Wiggins continued.

“A reliable water source and a valuable mineral deposit in the same location naturally make it an important stronghold.”

That explained it.

So humans do not avoid the mountains simply because they are dangerous.

The realisation sharpened Karath’s sense of caution.

Humans did not leave the Grimwood Mountains alone solely because they feared them.

They left most of the region alone because the danger outweighed the rewards.

The outer region in particular was not truly threatening to members of the human upper classes.

An ordinary knight could handle most creatures found there.

Which meant that if humans discovered something valuable enough inside the mountains, they might accept the losses and carve a road into the wilderness just as they had here.

Coming out here really was the right decision.

Meeting experienced mercenaries as his first companions had already provided Karath with a remarkable amount of useful information.

While he was thinking, the line at the castle gate gradually disappeared.

Their turn approached.

Karath took out the identity badge he had prepared.

It was a counterfeit based upon the mercenary badge he had received in Lindberg territory during his previous journey.

He could not reuse the original badge because it carried the name Roven, and Roven had already caused enough trouble there.

So Karath had reproduced its shape and engraved the name Karath onto a fake silver badge.

Administrative systems in this world could hardly be perfect.

If the guards contacted the Mercenary Guild and compared every record individually, the forgery would eventually be exposed.

But judging from the inspection process, they were doing nothing of the sort.

Karath presented the badge without a trace of nervousness.

“Pass.”

Just as expected, the soldier at the gate allowed him through without suspicion.

“Let’s sell all this first.”

“Absolutely!”

Elin raised her voice in agreement with Guts.

She shook the heavy bundle in her arms.

“This thing is driving me insane!”

The group headed toward the Mercenary Guild to dispose of their monster materials.

While they walked, Elin suddenly grinned at Karath.

“And while we’re there, Mr. Karath, you should probably get yourself a real mercenary badge.”

Karath laughed.

“Hahaha. I already have one.”

“Come on.”

Elin waved dismissively.

“The soldiers might not notice, but we do. We’ve been mercenaries for years.”

“You’ve only been doing this for seven years. Stop talking like some ancient veteran.”

Guts immediately interrupted her.

But even he was smiling at Karath.

“You might get away with it once or twice.”

Guts shrugged.

“But if you keep using a fake badge, eventually you’ll have trouble. You might as well register properly while we’re here.”

“That would be safer.”

Elin smiled sweetly.

“You fight better than all of us, but you know nothing about geography, you get lost constantly, and you’re carrying a fake mercenary badge...”

Her smile never disappeared.

But the pressure behind her words was obvious.

These people were nothing like the inexperienced mercenaries Karath had met during his previous journey.

They were observant.

After letting the silence linger for a moment, Elin took a small step backward.

“Heheh. I’m joking.”

She waved casually.

“I don’t care enough to investigate your past, so relax. Mercenaries generally don’t ask too much about one another’s history anyway.”

Then she added with a grin,

“Mysterious young noble.”

Karath burst out laughing.

So much for being perceptive.

A young noble, apparently.

Then again...

If I’m a Grand Chief, does that count as nobility?

If one ignored the matter of species, perhaps she had come surprisingly close.