Episode 335
After leaving the underground library, I headed straight to Socheoldang.
This mansion, which had been empty for quite some time, was now crowded with people, but I was not surprised as I had seen it before returning.
Every time we encountered each other, those who appeared to be servants bowed their heads and greeted us. Every time that happened, I would roughly nod my head and head to my room.
I nodded when I saw the casual clothes on the bed.
“As expected, you have good sense.”
After washing up and changing into thin clothes for the first time in a while, I was wondering what to do from now on when I suddenly felt hungry.
Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten anything today.
“Home-cooked food is the best.”
Socheoldang has a separate restaurant, which means there is also a kitchen and a chef.
I headed to the restaurant with high expectations… … .
“I’m sorry. “I started cooking as soon as I was informed of Lord Soga’s return, but preparations are not yet complete.”
“How much longer will it take?”
“I think two hours will be enough.”
Did I hear wrong?
“Two hours? Not 20 minutes? Do you cook something steamed? Why is it taking so long?”
“You got it right. “What I’m preparing right now is a dish called smashum, a home-cooked meal from the North, which is also your hometown.”
The chef started explaining with a happy face, but I just ignored it.
Mal is my hometown, and I have never been to my mother’s house in the north.
“It’ll take about two hours, so I’ll just eat at the main building.”
“ah… … .”
However, the man who appeared to be the chef looked very tearful for his age, so I quickly added,
“I’ll come and eat dinner instead, so you can look forward to it, right?”
“… … ! of course! “Just leave it to me!”
“I will watch to see if one of my upper legs breaks.”
So I left Socheoldang behind and headed to the main building.
As I walked through the garden of the main house and took a quick look around, I thought that the scenery was still desolate.
“… “It doesn’t feel like spring here either.”
The last time I saw it, it was the height of winter, so even though it is spring in full swing, Badnicker still feels like a cold wind blowing.
I think the atmosphere would be a bit better if we planted some bright flowers in the garden and built an unnecessarily large fountain.
To begin with, the name of the mansion I am staying in is a bit different.
What is cycad, cycad.
As the name suggests, it is hard and it feels as if even the bed is made of stone.
Grumbling, I walked through the garden and arrived at the main building’s dining room.
It was not yet meal time, so the restaurant was relatively quiet, but there was a rather unexpected person sitting there.
At that moment, the person also saw me and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“huh?”
“you… … .”
Sitting at the table with a stern expression was Olivia Badnicker, one of my half-siblings.
“Luan Badniker.”
“good morning.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to the restaurant to eat, what did I come to do?”
I answered casually.
This is because now it has become tiresome to even use honorific terms to each of my brothers and sisters.
Still, I specifically left out the criticism that said, ‘You’re asking a stupid question.’ If it were our Hector, it would have been trivial.
“… … .”
Olivia, who didn’t know that fact, closed her mouth.
Of course, rather than asking why you came to the restaurant, I guess you asked why you were at your home.
But on the other hand, I was curious about why Olivia was here.
The large restaurant on the first floor of the main house is only used by ordinary people.
Of course, the chef’s skill may be a masterpiece, but since he was cooking for a group, the quality was bound to be a bit low… … .
In fact, a more arrogant noble would consider eating at a place where servants eat to be an act of inferior dignity.
Of course, I’m a human being who doesn’t care about such things, so I came all the way here.
“… … .”
Olivia looked at me for a moment, then seemed to lose interest and moved the dishes again.
Just with one hand.
His other hand was flipping through something that looked like a strange ledger, and his eyes were focused on the map spread out on the table.
“ha… … .”
And he sighs every now and then, so I can’t help but look at him because I’m already busy waiting for food.
‘But how old is he now?’
Olivia Badnicker is a living woman.
This means that the difference in rank between me and my family is not that big. The difference will probably be less than two years at most, or only a few months at most.
And yet, somehow, her appearance seems to be even cooler than that of her second daughter, Nero.
My skin is a bit dark… … . Of course, it’s not because of Sanghyeolgong’s bloodline.
In my memory, Olivia’s skin didn’t feel that tanned anyway, so it was probably an acquired effect.
Since I couldn’t look at the ledger, I first looked at the large map spread out on the table.
‘A map of the South?’
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Southern part of the empire.
A vast and dry land in a different sense from the north.
And it is also a place of memories where I behaved like a dog in my past life right before I died.
Is that why?
I had an overwhelming knowledge of the South, of all parts of the Empire.
Actually, my life now is not like that of a returner who knows 10 years into the future, but if I go to the south, I can pretend to know.
‘Come to think of it… … .’
Olivia said she was working as a mercenary.
Looking at it again, I can see that the costume definitely looks familiar.
From turbans and scarves to prepare for sandstorms, to relatively large cloth clothes… … .
It was strangely familiar to see him dressed like that, checking ledgers and notebooks, and occasionally writing things down on maps.
Because it was something I had seen many times in the past.
“Sister, were you the head of the mercenary group?”
“… … .”
Olivia’s eyes fell on me again.
It’s a look that is clearly intended to tell you to shut up and pay no mind.
But unfortunately, I have a tendency to check anything I’m curious about before I can resolve it… … .
I got up from my seat and sat down next to Olivia.
“you… … .”
“That’s right. Map of southern empire. and… “Isn’t this really expensive?”
At that moment, Olivia closed her half-open mouth. Then she pulled her eyebrows together again, glared at me, and slowly parted her lips.
“Why do you think it’s expensive?”
“Aside from the size, the locations of the dwarf village and the oasis are also drawn, right? The route is also quite detailed.”
“… … .”
Then Olivia’s face hardened.
I realized that what I was talking about was something that people who had not set foot in the desert would not know.
“… Have you ever been to the desert?”
“no. “I just saw it in a book.”
“What book did you read?”
“I don’t know. “I don’t remember much because I read it a long time ago.”
“hmm… … .”
“The mercenary base is… Is it [Sorun Village]? Judging from the way he looks, it looks like he mainly performs escort duties.”
Olivia nodded and continued speaking.
“… that’s right. “I am mainly in charge of escorting people going to and from Sorun and [Aaruga].”
For reference, Aaruga is the largest city in the south.
“But recently the sandstorm has become so severe that the mission is being disrupted. “Just last month, there were five missions that didn’t meet the deadline, so I reimbursed them all.”
“That’s a shame. What is the route?”
“Through [Ormot Ruins].”
“aha.”
I think I know why it’s late.
The Ormot ruins are located in a sandstorm zone, and even if you encounter a sandstorm, you have the advantage of being able to take refuge in the nearby ruins.
‘It’s worth knowing what kind of personality you have.’
Olivia is probably a safety-oriented personality.
Rather than rushing and getting caught in a storm and having members become shipwrecked or the mission fail, they would have chosen a safe route even if it meant being delayed.
However, there are times when sandstorms last for an unusually long time, and in such cases, missions often fail one after another.
‘Let’s see… … .’
At a moment when I had nothing to do, I tried my best.
“What is the level and size of the mercenary group?”
“There are a total of 15 people, and the grade is B.”
“What are the members’ skills?”
“I didn’t select someone based on who they are. “I’m sure they’re all strong compared to their grade.”
It will happen.
15 people is not a large group for a mercenary group, but being graded B means that the group is only a handful in the mercenary industry.
I thought about it here and there and quickly came to a conclusion.
“Then go to [Stormbridge].”
Olivia paused.
“If it’s Stormbridge… “Dwarf village?”
“huh. Mining town. “Isn’t it that far from Sorun Village?”
“Yes, but why are you there?”
“There is a tunnel that is not being used, and it leads to near Aaruga.”
“This is my first time hearing this.”
“I guess so. Because dwarves are closed-minded. “Even more so if you’re from the South.”
“hmm… … .”
“It might take some time because it’s a bit of a circuit, but if there’s a bad sand storm, it might be a little faster that way. “If you negotiate well within the deadline, you won’t have to ask for money.”
“If that’s true, it’s golden information… … . “I’m skeptical that those closed-minded dwarves will allow the mine shaft to be used obediently, even if it’s not in use now.”
“You should do it.”
“How can you be sure?”
“The reason we don’t use that tunnel is because monsters are pouring in. “Something like a poisonous scorpion and a really big earthworm.”
“ah.”
“Even from a dwarf’s perspective, there is nothing wrong with cleaning the mine shaft. Rather, if you prove that you have caught a monster, you will be rewarded.”
“That’s why I was asking about your skills.”
I nodded.
Olivia said with a brightened face.
“If it’s poisonous scorpions and sandworms, our mercenary group can easily take them down.”
“That’s a good thing.”
After the conversation was over, food was served.
I started eating, thinking that I had saved time well.
Rattling.
“… … .”
As I quietly move the dishes, my face feels stinging for some reason.
I swallowed the meat and then asked.
“Didn’t you eat everything?”
“hmm. Yes, but… … .”
Olivia hesitated.
Looking at the expression on his face, it looks like he has a few more questions he wants to ask.
“I starved for a long time. “I’ll eat first.”
“Oh yeah. Eat a lot.”
I saw Olivia scribbling down the ledger again.
“… … .”
Olivia Badnicker.
One of the three children of Iron Blood Prince who died before reaching adulthood.
After listening to the story, I feel like I know roughly how he died.
‘Ludvik’s death was a lie from the beginning, and I stopped Raizen.’
Even though we are brothers, I don’t have the loyalty to stick by her side and protect Olivia… … .
If you can grow and overcome the risk of death by taking advantage of today’s conversation with me, that is Olivia’s discretion.
I also happen to have some questions about the situation in the desert.
* * *
After I finished eating, I sat down to digest and chat with Olivia.
Actually, it wasn’t bad because it made me reminisce about old memories for the first time in a long time, but it was annoying that they kept talking even after the meal was served.
“We’ll talk about the rest later, sister. “I have some business to attend to right now.”
“ah. I see. thanks. I’ll make sure to pay for today’s work later. “If you happen to come near Southern Sorun in the future, come visit the [Black Peony Mercenaries].”
“okay.”
After roughly answering and thinking about it, it seemed like maybe Olivia’s mercenary group could be quite helpful.
Anyway, my next destination was the South.
After finishing the meal, I returned to Socheoldang, and the maid who seemed to have been waiting for me bowed her head.
“Are you here, Lord Soga?”
“Do you have something to say?”
“yes. Mr. Asad and Sister Razvet are waiting in the reception room.”
I guess they both came after seeing Iron Blood Ball.
I nodded and went up to the reception room to meet the two.
First, I asked Verita first.
“Did you check?”
“That’s right.”
“Can you fix it?”
“The odds themselves aren’t that high, but it’s definitely worth a try.”
It’s unfortunate that the probability is not high, but from Assad’s perspective, those words will sound very hopeful.
This is because no one who has ever diagnosed iron blood gong has been able to say that.
I pretended to think for a moment and then parted my lips.
“Mr. Assad.”
“why?”
“We can double, or at best triple, the odds that Sister Razvet said. “If only Assad would allow me to do one thing.”
“What permission?”
I slowly opened my mouth.
“Please liberate Lyserradigos.”
