109 – Strike-10

“I didn’t expect you to come here with a mercenary. Didn’t you have to go inside?”

Contrary to the momentum that seemed to kill everyone at any moment, William spoke calmly.

I internally let out a sigh of relief. Maybe this is an opportunity that is not far away.

“The poisonous scorpion mercenaries are out of my control. I thought I did what I could…”

“So, you mean you didn’t come to occupy this place?”

“Yes. I wonder if it kills the looters.”

It was always sad to kill people, but it didn’t make sense to leave those who were plundering and killing people right away.

Maybe I’ve already made a mistake. Eleanor was right. Maybe I should have killed most of them by force.

“Certainly… that’s too much power to occupy a village. I believe it.”

Fortunately, he believed me.

“I’m sorry. I tried to stop the war somehow…but I’m too late.”

“It doesn’t matter as long as you’ve made an effort. I said it, but at least if those two mercenaries don’t fight, there won’t be a definite war.”

Since the amount of money entrusted to me was not small, I thought he might be angry. I was lucky.

Wolf came running from behind.

“We roughly figured out the situation. It seems that there are no survivors among the poisonous scorpion mercenaries. There are residents hiding deep in the village, but we didn’t bother to bring them out.”

“Thanks for your efforts.”

The process and results were a mess, but I wanted to wrap it up and move on.

I was not confident. It seemed that if I intervened further, things would get bigger.

It was different from the battlefield I knew, where people would survive if you defeated the Demon King’s army and if you helped evacuate, people would survive. I had to admit it. I didn’t know anything about this world yet.

The atmosphere turned cold. William was glaring at Wolf with empty eyes.

“…found.”

It’s a small voice that speaks like a whisper. However, I felt it was dangerous.

“Who are you looking for?”

Emotion fills William’s empty eyes. Anger, relief, joy, resentment, and revenge.

A red light flickers. I had doubts before, but now I think I can be sure what the light means.

“Enerel… Lord. Is it okay if I kill one person for a while?”

“What is that…”

“The mercenary behind you, I think you have to kill it.”

It was a fear I hadn’t felt in a long time. William’s body reacted to the tingling of life that radiated from his body.

“These are people who have nothing to do with looting. It’s separate from the poison scorpion mercenaries.”

In a way, it can be seen that they condoned the looting, but there was no direct connection.

“No. It doesn’t matter.”

William’s hand holding the sword trembled. He extended the sword and pointed at the wolf behind me.

“My hometown was a village near here. When I was a child, mercenaries came in and killed everyone I knew. My parents, friends and neighbors.”

There will be no one without sorrow. Just like so many people I saw on my journey did.

And the magnitude of the tragedy must have been so great that I could not have imagined.

“Now, that mercenary is behind you. So please forgive me. I have to kill you.”

“That can’t be done. Calm down first…”

It should be blocked. Right now, there was no way to control the Red Wolf Mercenary Corps without Wolf.

But, do I really deserve it?

“The priest of Erinis told me about you. Even though you are the real hero, everyone despises and criticizes you.”

The person the priest wanted to meet was William, not me. The one who needs revenge the most.

“The person following you seemed to be a warrior party… Well, you must have avenged your own. Are you saying that you won’t allow me to avenge my family?”

His anger, his emotions flow. The red light clearly penetrates the eyes and penetrates into the brain.

“These are mercenaries under contract with Weather. If you touch them now, a real war could break out.”

The Weather family is looking for an excuse to justify the fight somehow.

Perhaps it was the poisonous scorpion mercenary group that attacked first, but attacking the red wolf mercenary group that ran to the rescue could be a plausible reason for expanding the war.

Aside from that, it was difficult to accept simply killing Wolf. Even though they may have committed sins in the past, they are now trying to escape from those sins.

“Do I have to put up with it? For everyone?”

“it can not be helped…”

The reason I had to stop talking was because I myself disagreed with my logic.

No, logically agreed. It was my feelings that didn’t agree.

The bright red light was showing his vengeance. I could feel how much he was in pain and how sad he was.

“These mercenaries were also caught up in a quarrel between nobles.”

“I don’t care about the detailed reasons. Since it would be scary to deal with it, of course I got that much permission.”

“I spoke with the Lady of Weather.

However, it doesn’t end with killing him. Those who instigated the war remain intact, nothing changes except for the tools they use and the faces of the mercenaries who kill people themselves.

“Then, all you have to do is kill them all. Now Erinis has given you the power to do so.”

“It doesn’t solve the problem that way!”

At the extreme, killing all the Red Wolf mercenaries might cool his anger. His revenge might be complete if the Weather family were to fall for sure.

Still, that’s just planting another bomb.

“No. No problem. At least not for me.”

he smiled sadly

“I’ve had hard times, but it’s all in the past. I’ve met a new family, I’ve made new friends. I’ve got a place to call home.”

If you don’t put the best hero like the warrior party as a comparison target, his success was pretty amazing.

He was lucky, and his talent and hard work must have been superior to others.

“However, memories of things that are only in the past do not disappear. I tried hard to bury them, but… I guess I didn’t forget them all. With the priest’s help, I remembered them all.”

I couldn’t speak at all.

I couldn’t bear to say that it was better to forget his painful memories.

My family died, but I couldn’t bring out the words to hand it over with a smile haha. That was not right.

“There will be new victims. You could be another perpetrator.”

My mouth was blocked by self-loathing. Every single word I spat out was a word that didn’t deserve to come out of my mouth.

It was me who hated justifying sacrifice with the words ‘because I have to do it’. I was the one who swung the sword, ignoring life and safety, for my personal revenge.

That’s me, I’m saying the words I hate the most. I am killing another me just because my position has changed.

I was funny. No matter how disgusting and difficult the time spent at the warrior party was, I couldn’t say that I was sadder and more difficult than the person who lost a family member.

“So, do I have to put up with it? Why do I have to break the chain? Aren’t you blaming me just because I was harmed first!”

I am doing what I hate the most. I might have to affirm his revenge even now.

“But… someone has to quit.”

he chuckled.

“I see. Maybe… maybe I should forgive you.”

The atmosphere softened a little. However, I couldn’t put my mind at ease.

I wasn’t sure if I could fight and win. It’s just a battle that can never be lost with all your strength. It was because I, who gained the strength of a warrior, the best warrior party, and two giant mercenaries, although their skills were a bit lacking, were behind me.

But, can I stop this guy? Can you fight to save someone you don’t even like, standing in front of someone who wants just revenge?

“You’re such a good person. To think that you care so much for the lives of people who have nothing to do with you, and for the lives of people who have nothing to do with you.”

“It’s just presumptuous meddling. But, please…”

“However.”

The aura of vengeance that had subsided for a moment flared up fiercely. After making his decision, William’s sword glowed red.

“It’s going crazy. I can’t stand it. This… I can’t laugh casually while holding this in my arms. I…”

His voice, mixed with lamentation, was weak.

“You can’t live without getting your revenge.”

I could understand. It was sadder that I could understand.

“If you interfere with my revenge, I will kill you.”

With hundreds of mercenaries and a party of stronger warriors ahead of them, William took a step forward.

His resolve was stronger.