How to Survive as a Player Chapter 192

#192

“I guess I’m a little free today though, don’t you think?”

“Until yesterday, those damn mercenaries were coming and going like they were at home, so it’s only natural. So what are you doing? Anyway, a lot of people will come again in a few days. What kind of subjugation are they gathering mercenaries from all over the continent like this? .”

“What are you trying to tell that only your superiors know? All we have to do is guard the gates well. “But where can you find such a free day?”

Sehyun was sitting on a bench near the castle gate, quietly listening to the soldiers’ stories using the loudspeaker skill provided by Muan. It was just trivial talk. The voices voicing dissatisfaction and lamentation were young. It wasn’t the voice Sehyun had hoped for.

Sehyeon got up and moved to another place. Se-hyeon had been walking around and eavesdropping on the conversations of various soldiers. As it was past noon, he heard a faint clue.

“Is Egan okay?”

“It’s okay. It is not said that the manager took the person who was in mortal danger to the north gate where there was no one there, so he curled up there and cried. “Who would have thought that Langod bastard wouldn’t come out after wiping his mouth?”

“Tsk… . Egan has been working non-stop for a month on the anniversary of his son’s death, and you stole it.”

“Ugh, what can I do? Please come and comfort me later. “I feel bad because it doesn’t seem like anyone else’s business.”

Sehyeon, who listened to the conversation of soldiers who felt his age, headed towards the north of the castle. Perhaps because it was a narrow road with its back to the river, it was a place with few people. The door was small, probably used as a back door, and there was only one soldier guarding the front.

And there, Sehyeon saw an old soldier curled up in front of the door and crying. The old man, with his graying hair, was wiping away tears as he looked at the small pendant.

“sorry… . I’m sorry about this father… .”

Sehyun hid behind a nearby tree and quietly overheard the man’s sobs. There was little that could be inferred from his sobs. However, the only thing he knew was that he was now alone with no one in the world to rely on.

Sehyeon appeared from behind the tree when the man noticed her and raised his head. The old man wiped his tears, straightened up, and asked.

“Who are you?”

Sehyeon paused for a moment and then opened his mouth with a heavy heart.

“… I was lost and wandering nearby when I heard sobbing. sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop… .”

“no. I showed you something you wouldn’t see on your way through. Oh my, I’m getting old and my heart is getting weaker, so I’m only doing a lot of treason… .”

The old man continued speaking while trying to hide his face. Then, feeling overwhelmed with emotion again, he turned his back and wiped away tears. It seemed like a difficult time.

Maybe that’s why something unexpected came out of nowhere.

“If it’s okay with me… “Would you like to hear a story, soldier?”

The old man looked back at Sehyeon with startled eyes. But soon he smiled weakly and shook his head. So Sehyun sat with the old man, leaning his back against the wall, and had a long talk.

The old man’s years were as uneven as his curves and wrinkles. He was a simple person who fought poverty all his life and tried to find happiness in small things.

“For me… Unlike me, I had a son who had a really nice appearance. After losing my wife, who was sick while giving birth, there was nothing I didn’t do to take care of the child on my own. Still, I was so happy to see my son smiling… . “When I think about it now, I don’t think I even knew it was going to be difficult.”

“You were a good father.”

“No, I have always been a poor father. So maybe that’s why… He went out and said he would work as a mercenary for a lot of money to help this ugly father… . He went out shouting loudly… . Who would have thought that only the mercenary squad would come back… .”

It was something you might have heard at least once. The story of a father who was left alone after his son passed away.

“I went that long way to find a body, but in the end, I couldn’t even find a piece of bone. I wanted to properly comfort my son’s mercenary badge, so I went to see him and said he would place it in the temple… It was beyond my means. “Isn’t he a really bad father from start to finish?”

The old man laughed helplessly and shed tears. I could feel the guilt in his sorrowful voice that he could not even hold a proper funeral.

Sehyun slowly swept down the clunky box in her arms. There was only one thing Sehyun could do here.

“… “Soldier.”

This was hypocrisy. Sehyun wasn’t a very good person. Even after listening to the old man’s words, he was willing to dig in before comforting his life, and he felt comforted that he could pay the price.

Sehyeon had a favor to ask the old man. And that was by no means an easy request.

“With this cost, we could have a mercenary plaque enshrined in the temple.”

“W-what… .”

Sehyeon held out a large red jewel to the old man. The old man looked at Jewel and Se-hyeon alternately with surprised eyes. But he soon threw up his hands in embarrassment.

“I didn’t say this to get this! For what benefit would this old man receive this… ! “Put it in now!”

“I have a favor to ask, soldier.”

Sehyun grabbed the old man’s waving hand and squeezed the jewel inside it. He then held out the wooden box he had been holding in his arms the entire time. The old man’s gaze began to waver.

“Instead, I would like you to take on and raise a child. No, I want you to save me. I know this is asking too much. I know it’s hard work. however… “I don’t think it will work unless you’re a soldier.”

“It won’t work unless it’s this old man…” . What is that… .”

The old man was to die in an unfortunate accident when Renshis was ten years old. It was a very unfair life. It is a life where you suffer and struggle all your life and end up unhappy until the end.

Sehyun wanted to change that.

If this is a real world, wouldn’t we be able to at least change things about Renshis? If so, wouldn’t it be possible for elderly people to live as well? That’s what I thought.

Sehyun took out the brooch she had prepared in advance and placed it on the old man’s other hand. It was a brooch with a protective artifact engraved on it. The number of times it can be used is 6 times, the effect is always applied, and the effect is fully activated only when a life-threatening blow is received.

It was an artifact that was improved with the help of the Magic Empire.

“And I want you to always wear this from now on. It looks insignificant, but… “It will protect the soldier’s life much later.”

“… “What is the reason for doing this to me?”

The old man’s trembling voice vomited a question. It seemed like he was hoping for some reason. Sehyeon looked at the ground with lost eyes for a moment. However, he soon closed his mouth once and spat out the words.

“If I say I owe my son a big debt… Is that okay?”

It was a lie. Even old people will definitely know this. Nevertheless, the old man held on to Sehyun’s words like hope. His eyes were no longer looking for a place to lean on. The old man’s gaze passed through the jewels and brooches held in both hands and landed on the clunky box that Sehyeon held out. An unfamiliar silence hung heavy.

But after a while, the old man held back his tears and looked straight at Se-hyeon.

“… “What should this old man do?”

The trembling words made my heart tighten. What came out of the old man’s mouth was the answer Sehyeon had hoped for. An answer that can save Lenshis.

Sehyun handed the old man a note he had written in advance at the request of the heroes. What was written in it was something from the future that no one should know about.

The old man held it in his heart like his life. It was a time when the old man’s distorted eyes said everything.

Sehyeon stared at that image for a long time, as if engraving it in her heart. And only when she had imprinted the image of her benefactor unforgettably did she close her eyes.

***

Kwak Jeong-han said that those who can see the hands of giant monsters have the power of oracles or are born with mana. If that is true, it means that even wizards can see the image of a giant monster floating in the sky.

It was understandable to some extent that they were scared and hid themselves.

“Rod, I think you should leave now.”

“Okay, let’s go out.”

Sehyun put the clothes she had taken off into her inventory and turned around. Standing in front of him were Ruhak, Euncheong, Fen, and Muan, wearing rough, simple clothes that mercenaries would wear.

Sehyeon, too, was wearing rough clothes that were different from what she usually wore. Of course, it was the least revealing clothing. It wasn’t a soft material, so it was quite uncomfortable.

Still, I couldn’t say a word. Because of the gazes of the heroes as if they were asking me to please endure it.

After roughly wrapping things up and leaving the lodging, the sight of a crowd of people gathered in front of the imperial castle caught my eye. Approximately 1,000 mercenaries were to be moved this time.

In the sky, the monster’s hand was curled up even more than yesterday, creating a sense of discomfort. The opaque colors gradually became clearer.

There was no omen of the red moon yet, but it was possible to guess to some extent when the omen would occur. When those hands become clear. If the situation is the same as now, signs of a red moon will appear within a few days.

“The rear supply group gathers here!”

When Sehyeon arrived in front of the main gate of the castle, the ranks had formed to a certain extent. Troops from the 1st to the 10th armies were lined up with the army and filled the front of the imperial castle.

Sehyeon moved to the rear supply area. I felt stinging gazes following me from all over.

“Is it rear supply? Just sign the list here and line up.”

“I don’t know how to write, can I sign for you?”

“Writing… “You don’t know?”

The driver stiffened his fingertips and looked down at Sehyeon. Blonde, to be exact.

The knight’s expression became strange. She somehow seemed like she didn’t believe it. However, the driver soon asked for the name with a confused expression and signed Sehyun’s name instead.

The knight’s face became even stranger after hearing his name. Judging from the few times it was pronounced, it seemed like it was because the name had a different connotation from the place.