Side Story 19. Johann’s Past (2)

Sensing a rustling movement, Johann slowly lifted his eyelids.

It had been an hour since he pulled a chair in front of the bed and sat with his long legs crossed.

She had already been healed, so it was about time for her to wake up.

“Uh……”

The voice that came from the child’s mouth was more youthful than he had expected.

Johann spoke without preamble.

“I saved you when you were almost dead, so get up quickly.”

“Ah, y-yes… I’m s-sorry.”

What was she apologizing for as soon as she woke up?

It seemed like a habit of someone who had lived always being wary of others. Johann inwardly clicked his tongue. It was clear that she would continue to live like this if he sent her away, but there was nothing he could do.

“How did you end up in such a fierce battlefield? You don’t seem to be from this region.”

“Ah, that, well… I-I was doing m-mercenary work……”

“Mercenary?”

The answer came back exactly as he had expected. However, Johann couldn’t help but feel doubtful.

After all, this skinny child didn’t look like she could do mercenary work at all. What kind of charitable mercenary group would accept this child?

“You don’t look like you could kill even a single ghoul.”

Was his gaze, which swept her from top to bottom, too blatant?

The child’s shoulders hunched.

“…I-I’m sorry.”

“……”

He hadn’t meant to intimidate her.

Johann scratched the back of his head, not knowing how to continue the conversation. He was rather grateful that there wasn’t much time left. This tent would have to be taken down soon. There wasn’t much time left before departure.

“Anyway, it’s dangerous to stay here. It’s quiet for now, but places where the undead have appeared once have a high chance of them appearing again.”

“I know……”

“Then hurry and get to safety.”

“B-but, where is this……”

“It’s the camp of the Imperial Extermination Force.”

“I-I-Imperial?!”

The girl jumped in surprise and got off the bed. Seeing how quick her movements were, it seemed she might be good at reacting swiftly in crisis situations.

Johann quickly grabbed the back of her neck as she was about to run out of the tent, bending her waist in half.

“Where are you going?”

“Y-you said to get to s-safety……”

“It looks more like you’re running away than getting to safety.”

“I-it’s a misunderstanding! How d-dare I r-r-run away from the Imperial……”

“……”

She was truly a child who made one lose words many times.

Johann swore he had no intention of scaring this pitiful child. He thought he was being gentle, but why did she get frightened at every little thing?

He decided to try harder.

Perhaps he felt sympathy for the child struggling to survive alone. He didn’t know why he was meddling unnecessarily in someone else’s life. He was getting overly involved.

“First of all.”

What did it matter where anyone went? While thinking this to himself, Johann kindly shared information he knew as a commander with the child.

“We’re leaving for Menbulton soon.”

“Y-yes……”

A question of ‘so what do you want me to do?’ arose in those orange-tinged brown eyes. Reading this clearly, Johann swallowed dryly in embarrassment and continued speaking.

“But not everyone is going there. There are mercenary members returning to Elmon.”

Extermination forces were often composed of knight orders and mercenaries. Because there were many undead, it was common to recruit mercenaries to deal with them.

Usually, they moved for pay per job.

So those who had finished this job would return to the city where they originally lived.

“Elmon? That’s too far……”

The girl muttered, glancing furtively.

There shouldn’t be anyone in this world who didn’t know where Elmon, the capital of the Granz Empire, was located. And also that it was very far from where they were now.

Johann knew that long-distance travel was difficult. Especially for this child who seemed to be suffering from malnutrition, it would be even more challenging to handle.

But why?

There were other cities considered safe that were closer…

“Go to Elmon. It’s the safest place.”

Johann said in a firm voice.

Was it because of that unwavering attitude?

The girl’s eyes wavered for a moment, then she nodded.

“We’ll be leaving in about an hour.”

“B-but… Will they accept someone like me……”

“Weren’t you a mercenary?”

“I-I’m a healer. Though I’m not very good at healing……”

Her self-esteem is rock bottom.

It was commendable that she understood the harsh reality that mercenary groups don’t do good deeds for free, but her tone and attitude of considering herself too worthless were not to Johann’s liking.

Well, it wasn’t hard to guess that she wasn’t a very useful healer.

Seeing that she couldn’t even heal herself.

Johann quietly clicked his tongue and took out a few shillings from his pocket.

Clink.

The silver coins made a clear sound as they hit each other. The girl stared at them blankly, then looked up at Johann, seemingly asking what this meant.

“If you pay, they’ll take you.”

“Ah……”

“In an hour.”

“Th-thank you.”

Was this kind of kindness a first for her?

The girl looked dazed but still harbored a suspicious gaze.

However, she didn’t forget to express her gratitude. Though it was a bit excessive.

Johann was inwardly flustered at the sight of her prostrating herself with her head to the ground. But he didn’t show it outwardly and looked down at the girl with complicated eyes.

“I will never forget this kindness.”

Grumble…

The girl’s face turned bright red.

Only then did Johann remember that this child had been hungry even under the large tree.

“Th-that, this sound wasn’t from my stomach, it’s, um, from o-outside……”

“It seems so.”

Johann said briefly, seeing Jesuf entering the tent just then. The girl looked relieved after pinning the blame for the loud stomach growl on someone else.

Cute.

The corners of Johann’s mouth lifted slightly without him realizing. But it was so brief that no one saw that smile. It was a shallow ripple that even he himself didn’t notice.

By the time he gave orders to Jesuf, he had completely changed to a stern appearance.

“You came at a good time. Fill this bag with hardtack and jerky. Ah. Dried fruits too.”

“What? We need to leave right away, what nonsense are you talking about?”

“Oh my. That’s why you need to move quickly, right?”

Johann glared at Jesuf with sharp eyes.

Jesuf, who had come to announce the departure preparations, grumbled as he took the empty bag from Johann’s hand. And despite his complaints, he showed very quick action, filling the bag with food in the blink of an eye.

Until then, the girl had been standing still, watching Johann’s reactions.

Jesuf, seeming to know the purpose of the food, handed it directly to the brown-haired girl.

“Here you go.”

“Th-thank you. Really, this kindness……”

“That’s enough, now go quickly.”

The last words were from Johann.

He waved his hand, gesturing for her to leave quickly. He had provided her healing and food. It was like kicking her out as soon as he had done everything he could.

Johann explained where she could find the mercenary group and then left the tent first. It was under the pretext of checking if his battalion was preparing well for departure.

Jesuf, following him out, retorted, “You just need to do your part properly, Your Highness,” and received a solid hit for it.

After confirming from afar that the girl had come out and was heading to a corner of the camp with quick steps, Johann ordered his own tent to be taken down as well.

With that, the extermination force was ready to depart.

An hour later.

The extermination force led by the Imperial Knight Order set out for another battlefield. It was a long procession.

Johann, saying he would follow at the end, rode his horse at the very tail of the procession. Jesuf accompanied him like a shadow.

Wind blows across the field.

The faint smell of burning undead corpses and human bodies still permeated the air. It was clearly a wind that had been slashing at his heart, but it seemed to feel a bit warmer than before.

Johann pulled on the reins to stop his horse and looked back.

In the distance, he could see the mercenary group gathered bustling about. Only someone with Johann’s eyesight could see that far.

“Your Highness, what are you looking at?”

Jesuf, who had also stopped because of the Crown Prince’s sudden halt, tilted his head and looked in the direction of Johann’s gaze.

“It’s nothing.”

Johann answered briefly and turned his horse’s head back.

Clop clop clop.

Amidst the powerful sound of hooves, the image of a brown-haired girl timidly hunching her shoulders among the burly men flickered.

It was a strange thing.

To care so much for a girl he didn’t even know. He even gave extra money to one of the mercenaries, asking them to take good care of her.

Lost in unnecessary sentimentality for a moment.

Johann dismissed it lightly, thinking, ‘I guess there are days like this too,’ and increased his speed to catch up with the procession. The afterimage of the nameless girl soon disappeared as he thought about fighting the tiresome undead.

The last was a thread-like prayer.

May she arrive safely in Elmon.