Chapter 61: Side Effects (3)

Red Eyes is a beastfolk group.

And such beastfolk groups are basically not very intelligent.

In other words, there are many simple-minded individuals.

Of course, that doesn't mean the intelligence of beastfolk is significantly lower.

The intelligence of beastfolk is similar to that of humans.

However, the reason why beastfolk groups behave in a simple-minded manner is due to their instincts.

Beastfolk prefer to act with their bodies rather than think, and they like to throw themselves into danger rather than plan ahead.

As a result, beastfolk generally do not engage in prolonged thought except in life-and-death battles, and within such a group, Giral, who is good at fighting but also capable of thought, attracted their attention.

"Eventually, killing will build a bad reputation, right? After all, the Boss is interested in the Lord of Lartania... Well, if a bad reputation builds up, it'll get discovered anyway."

"Right."

Following Giral's words, Merilda nodded.

Indeed, if those present here were to deal with the guy in the carriage without anyone knowing, it would normally remain unknown to anyone.

In fact, even if they were to attack the carriage here and kill the person inside, there would be no one to know about it.

However, unfortunately, they knew that the Lord of the territory certainly has the 'eyes' to detect when heroes commit murder unnoticed.

No, in fact, it was inevitable that they would know.

That's because the reason why there aren't many murderers among the heroes is precisely because the lords, who can see such infamy, issue bounties on them all.

In essence, thanks to the lord, among the heroes and soldiers who want to be active in the territory on a regular basis, there were none who committed murder.

But anyway, the important thing here was that even if Merilda killed that guy without anyone knowing, her infamy would rise.

"Conversely, even if we beat that guy to a pulp and let him live, he'll go back to the territory and spread rumors, so the infamy will spread regardless."

So, even if they spared the guy, the infamy would spread.

In other words, no matter how they acted, the infamy would rise.

"...So, what are we going to do?"

Gram frowned as if to say, why is there so much preamble to Giral's words.

In response to his look, Giral shrugged lightly and then took out a mask from within his clothes.

"In short, if we can beat him without getting caught, the infamy won't rise."

He said, lifting the mask.

After hearing that, Ryu, with a slightly impressed face, said,

"Oh!"

and nodded.

"Certainly, since we're not trying to steal anything, if we don't kill him while hiding our identity, the infamy won't rise, right?"

"Exactly."

Giral nodded in agreement to Ryu's words.

"That's what it means."

Upon hearing that, Merilda, as if there was no more to consider, took the mask Giral showed, put it on with a smile brimming with murderous intent.

Soon, feeling as if the murderous intent had materialized and was splattering around, Giral spoke.

"That, Boss? Did you hear that correctly?"

"I heard."

"...Just to say, it's okay to beat him hard, but you must not kill him."

"I know. I'll be gentle."

Merilda, with a smile on her lips, confidently leaped towards the carriage that was quite far from the Lartania territory.

Ryu, silently watching Merilda, unwittingly opened his mouth wide in astonishment.

"Honestly, I couldn't imagine it, but seeing it for real is truly amazing."

"I agree. Who knew the Boss could make such a feminine expression."

"Please say that when the Boss is here."

"Hmph, it's not that we censor ourselves when the Boss is around; it's just that there's never an opportunity to say such things."

"Really? Then I'll tell the Boss everything."

"Don't spout nonsense."

Ryu and Gram bickered with each other.

However, even as they bickered, they watched Merilda, who was leaping towards the carriage from afar.

Since meeting Merilda, they had never seen any expression other than a blank one on her face.

Especially since the Boss, who had never shown a shred of emotion in any situation, including fights, was expressing emotions, they couldn't take their eyes off her.

Giral, observing that Merilda seemed to have richer emotions than before, wore a curious expression, pondering the reasons behind the Boss' gradual recovery of emotions.

After Merilda jumped again with an excited and aggressive expression, she penetrated the roof of the carriage, and five minutes passed.

"...Is-is there someone to save this?!"

"......"

Giral, Ryu, and Gram, pale-faced, saw Merilda opening her mouth as she dragged up the pig that was inside the carriage.

"...So I said you shouldn't kill, Boss..."

"I didn't try to kill! It was just a slight hit on the head, and it died on its own!"

Merilda exclaimed, seeming wronged.

However, none among the Four Kings sympathized with Merilda's aggrieved expression.

That's because the neck of the human she dragged up was already broken.

"Well, the neck is already broken, so it seems impossible to revive, Boss."

Ryu cautiously broke the tragic reality to Merilda, but...

"People don't die from their neck turning a bit, do they?!"

"...Usually, they do."

"Right, it should come back if adjusted, right? Some of the Zhou Clan guys come back sometimes, don't they!?"

"Those guys have necks that naturally turn a full circle..."

"Hey, hey! Wake up, wake up! Please don't die!!"

Merilda, refusing to accept reality, shook the collar of the pig with a pale expression.

However.

Crack-!

The sound of the pig's neck bone breaking marked the end of its life.

"...Ah."

"......"

Merilda and the Four Kings could only remain silent with astonished expressions.

It's been a day since the envoy from the Landaron territory left Lartania.

"Hello! Nice to see you again!"

Kim Hyunwoo, having finished his work in his own way, greeted the dwarf Gwyn with another brisk greeting, looking at the resources piled up behind him with a satisfied smile.

"I'll load the payment as last time."

"Yes! And please sign as well."

"Here, I've prepared it in advance."

"Ah, thank you! Then, I'll be on my way! Please use our services again next time!"

Watching Gwyn leave behind only the resources with a bright smile, Kim Hyunwoo, seeing the resources being quickly taken away to a warehouse built on one side as soon as they arrived, thought,

"Indeed, resources are quite scarce."

Upon reflection, it was natural for resources to be scarce.

After all, Kim Hyunwoo's territory was investing most of its labor in the development of the territory, leaving virtually none for resource generation.

"In fact, if I were to control by giving a bit more gold to other resources, the supply itself would increase quickly."

Eventually, since the refineries, except for the forge, couldn't process the incoming resources fast enough to use them directly, he wasn't investing manpower in resources right now.

"Well, buying resources can't last forever, so after tidying up appropriately, I guess it's time to gradually increase the resource production."

As Kim Hyunwoo was leaving the area where the resources were quickly disappearing, with such thoughts and a light shrug,

A ★★★ hero 'Subjugator' has entered the territory.

[An envoy from the 'Mercenary Guild' has visited your territory!]

[The 'Subjugator' can temporarily visit the tavern to open the information window. Would you like to view it?]

Such notification windows popped up in front of Kim Hyunwoo, and immediately after, moving to his office out of curiosity to open the information window, Kim Hyunwoo found himself smiling as he went to meet the Subjugator in the office.

"Hello, My Lord. My name is Mila, and I belong to the Mercenary Guild."

Mila, wearing heavy armor, bowed politely to Kim Hyunwoo with a beautiful face that didn't seem to match the epithet 'Subjugator'.

"I am also pleased to meet you. I am Kim Hyunwoo, the Lord of Lartania."

Kim Hyunwoo bowed in return to the polite mercenary, a contrast to the envoy from another territory the day before.

The mercenary looked at Kim Hyunwoo with a renewed expression of surprise.

"Why do you look surprised?"

"Ah, my apologies. I was just surprised because other lords don't usually use honorifics with mercenaries like me."

"I thought it was natural courtesy to use honorifics when meeting for the first time, but it seems many don't adhere to that."

"I wish all lords were like you, the Lord of Lartania."

After a brief chat and a laugh with Mila, Kim Hyunwoo began to discuss official business with her.

Naturally, the discussion was about the establishment of a Mercenary Guild branch in Lartania.

"The establishment of a Mercenary Guild won't be a bad thing for you, My Lord. For starters, when the Mercenary Guild is established, the people of the territory can entrust it with minor tasks, making their lives a bit more comfortable."

"I certainly agree with that."

The conversation flowed smoothly.

Mila made a reasonable request to Kim Hyunwoo, and since he also needed the Mercenary Guild, there was no need to haggle over her reasonable demands.

Thus, when the discussion about the branch naturally reached its end,

"May I ask you a question?"

"A question? Of course, go ahead."

"Would you consider working as an instructor in Lartania?"

Kim Hyunwoo broached the main topic with a light smile.

And just as he was offering Mila the position of instructor,

from a door inside a huge cave hidden in a forest far to the south of Lartania,

"The offerings, I've brought them all-"

Adria checked the numerous offerings once,

"Sigh-"

then opened the door to the Guardian of the Merchant Group without hesitation after a small sigh.

In fact, opening the door had been a cautious and tense act until recently, but after enduring quite a bit from the Guardian these past few days, the Merchant Group leader, having gotten a bit familiar with her character, opened the door somewhat quickly.

Soon, she was in the room that was always filled with goods-

"...Eh?"

-No, in a room where Kim Hyunwoo's photos were plastered on one wall instead of the accumulated goods.

"Heh, hehe... collection... complete... he."

The dignity maintained over the past few years was gone, and they could see the Guardian laughing ominously, bleeding from both wrists, having completed her collection.