“Of course. Don’t worry. I’m a proper platinum badge mercenary who knows how to value my life.”

Rizel casually brushed off the concern with a smile. Veronica, relieved by her disciple’s confident attitude, offered some words of encouragement.

-Good. I trust that you’ve made a sound judgment and choice. Complete the job safely and extract as much payment as possible.

“Yes!”

As soon as Rizel finished her response, the communication device turned off. Her mentor’s concern was gruff as always, but it made her heart feel warm.

* * *

The next morning, Rizel quickly finished her preparations, considering that she would be traveling to the Darkus region with her employer. Harzen was somewhat surprised to see her already waiting, looking neat and proper.

“Rizel, you’re prepared faster than I expected. Did you wake up early?”

“Yes. I’ve developed a habit of waking up at dawn while working. Of course, on my personal rest days, I tend to sleep in… but today isn’t such a situation.”

“I understand. Then we can depart right after breakfast.”

He nodded with satisfaction.

The two finished a simple breakfast and left the townhouse.

Rizel, escorted by her employer, examined the large, elegant carriage before her. While not significantly different from ordinary carriages, some unique elements caught her eye.

The magic stone insertion port at the back of the carriage and the horse-shaped magical beast in the horse’s position.

A Gray Horse with a gray body, two small horns protruding from its head, ruby-red eyes, and legs with blurry outlines. Although it was a magical beast, it was docile and often used to pull magical carriages.

“A magic carriage. Do you usually use magic carriages more than regular ones when traveling?”

“Yes, they’re more efficient when traveling between regions. Aren’t magic carriages advantageous for their speed and stability?”

“That’s true.”

Rizel nodded in agreement. Magic carriages were fast and provided a stable ride, but they consumed many magic stones and had high maintenance costs, so they weren’t widely used.

‘I haven’t had many chances to ride in one while working, but nobles with means are different. Especially since my employer owns several substantial magic stone mines in his territory, he probably doesn’t think twice about it.’

Rizel silently marveled as she boarded the carriage with Harzen. Once the carriage departed, she sat demurely with her hands folded on her knees, maintaining silence.

He stared at her face, which displayed a variety of expressions despite her apparent calm, and broke the silence.

“You seem to have complicated thoughts.”

“Well, I suppose that’s inevitable.”

Rizel fidgeted with the end of her ponytail and smiled awkwardly. Harzen glanced out the magic carriage window before casually responding to her.

“That makes two of us, so it’s fine. Is there anything you’re worried about?”

“…Well, it would be a lie to say there’s nothing at all. But I intend to work hard and do well.”

“That’s a good attitude.”

After Harzen’s straightforward response, silence fell inside the magic carriage. Rizel fiddled with the hem of her dress, contemplating, before tentatively testing him.

“Harzen, do you know someone named Parsene?”

“No. That’s a name I’m hearing for the first time.”

“I see.”

She responded calmly while lost in thought. It was a question she had asked just to check, and it seemed that he truly had no connection with the female protagonist yet. His eyes narrowed.

“Is there a reason you’re asking about this specific person?”

“No, just curious.”

Rizel smiled brightly and evaded the question. Harzen found it somewhat strange but simply made a mental note of the name she had mentioned and moved on. Rizel tactfully changed the subject.

“Harzen, what’s it like living in the Darkus region?”

“It’s good. As you know, most of the southern regions of the Keiro Empire are prosperous. My territory was in an ambiguous position adjacent to the western region, but I managed to improve its circumstances.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.”

Rizel clapped lightly, genuinely impressed. Since his words were true, they came across as confidence rather than arrogance. Harzen nodded and said:

“Not at all. Come to think of it, you’re from the west, aren’t you?”

“Yes. From Latun, the abandoned region of the west.”

She caressed her chin, reminiscing about her days in her hometown.

Latun was part of the western region but situated on the border with the northern region—a barren area where magical beasts occasionally appeared. Its awkward location had led to it being simply abandoned.

As a result, there was no lord governing it, only natives, mercenaries passing through, and people from small mercenary guilds, making public safety rather poor.

While there was an implicit rule not to disturb one another unnecessarily, it was generally close to a lawless zone. That’s why it earned the nickname “the abandoned region.”

Harzen blinked in surprise.

“Your hometown was Latun?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you had just received your mercenary badge while passing through. It’s known primarily as a region where mercenaries come and go.”

“Well, that’s possible too. Everyone reacts similarly to you, sir. I suppose it’s difficult to imagine people actually living in an abandoned region.”

Rizel softly laughed, recalling conversations about her hometown with others. Harzen asked in a somewhat subdued voice:

“…Wasn’t it difficult to live there?”

“Well, there were various challenges, but it was okay. During my childhood, I was protected by my mentor, so I could stay safe, and as I grew up, I was able to endure by establishing myself as a mercenary. I was truly fortunate.”

A gentle smile spread across Rizel’s face. Harzen silently listened to her unexpectedly spirited and positive response before speaking.

“That’s fortunate at least. So what is your ultimate goal?”

“After retiring, I want to settle in a decent region and live a peaceful daily life. I’ll only work occasionally when I’m bored or need to.”

“…”

“For that, I’ll need sufficient money and strength. It would be even better to have reliable people like my mentor or friends with me.”

Rizel’s eyes sparkled as she clenched both fists. Harzen observed the woman who exuded a fresh atmosphere like spring sprouts and casually asked:

“Is there a specific region you want to live in after working so hard to save money and build your personal strength?”

“I haven’t decided for certain yet. Since mercenaries travel around for work anyway, I can look around more and decide slowly.”

Several candidate locations flashed through her mind. Among them was Latun, though it was lower on her list since its only special advantage was the presence of her mentor and a few close people.

Harzen gently added:

“You would probably fare well anywhere, but the Darkus region would be a good option.”

“Of course.”

Rizel naturally agreed. Harzen flicked his finger with a smile revealing his pride.

“If you want to settle in my territory, you’re welcome to come.”

“Wow, it’s an honor to receive such an invitation directly from a lord. But wouldn’t that cause problems later?”

“What kind of problems?”

His questioning voice was composed. His gray eyes, like a sky covered by dark clouds, did not reveal clear emotions. Rizel looked at her handsome employer’s face and wagged her index finger.

“If our contract ends and you get married again. If I were living in the Darkus region with you as my backing, wouldn’t your future Marchioness of Darkus find it uncomfortable?”

“Ah, you’re concerned about that?”

“Of course.”

Rizel nodded firmly. Even as a mercenary who could stoically endure anything, she wanted to avoid becoming the protagonist of a messy romantic drama. Especially if the involved parties were nobles.

Harzen’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Hmm.”

“Honestly, while I can manage being your wife, after completing the request, I don’t want to get entangled in complicated romantic relationships.”

Rizel’s attitude was resolute. Weren’t the romantic entanglements she had unintentionally witnessed while working as a mercenary quite messy?

‘Moreover, my employer has Parsene as a variable. Although I haven’t met her yet, being the protagonist, they’ll surely build their narrative together.’

She lowered her eyes slightly. Harzen paused briefly before calmly answering:

“I understand. But there’s no need to worry about future matters in advance. Apart from that concern, my territory is acceptable to you, right?”

“Yes, if circumstances allow, I’ll consider it positively.”

Rizel smiled while offering platitudes. A moderate amount of sweet talk was pleasant to hear and cost nothing to use. He nodded and moved on.

“Good. You’ll get a feel for it when you actually stay there.”

“Yes. Though I might spend all my time adapting to unfamiliar tasks.”

Rizel winked lightly. It could have seemed somewhat frivolous, but thanks to her appearance and atmosphere, it came across as cheerful. Harzen leaned toward her and asked slyly:

“Ah, does that mean you’re not confident about the job?”

“Of course not. I’m a quick learner. Even my mentor acknowledges that about me.”

Rizel straightened her shoulders proudly, countering her employer’s remark. He gave her an interested look.

“Indeed, to have risen to such a position at your young age, you must have considerable ability.”