***Chapter 275 Varkas IV***

"Dear, you shouldn't be sleeping there without a blanket. You'll catch a cold."

"……hmm?"

In a needlessly large mansion, on the second-floor balcony.

Apparently he fell asleep while sitting on a chair there and drinking alcohol.

It was a comfortable armchair——rocking gently back and forth, making it surprisingly easy to sleep.

He looked in the direction of the voice. A woman in a simple white blouse and black skirt.

Her chestnut hair cut at shoulders――her refined face reflects her personality, and is the complete opposite of her glamor..

The only thing that seemed out of place from that serious woman was the ruby necklace he once gave her.

"All you do is complain, Rosine. Wherever I sleep, it's my freedom. Besides, what do you think my life was like on the battlefield?"

"It's because Dear only did thing that made me complain all the time――"

As she approached, he pulled her slender waist closer and sat her on his lap. She blushed and glared at me.

She always blushed easily, no matter how much time passed.

"...Husband"

"There is a blanket. Do you have any complaints?"

"……Goodness"

He stroked her head, and she sighed, giving up and leaning into him like a child.

He had known her since she was born——he never imagined she'd become his wife.

Rosine was the daughter of Picas, a competent commoner who worked under Nozan. Grunmeld knew Picas quite well too.

Being a noble is full of hassles. Even more so if one was given territories to manage.

When it came to managing money and land, he would consult with Nozan or Picas. Nozan, seeing Grunmeld often seeking advice, had sent Picas over, that was a long time ago.

Picas, originally a merchant or something, was taken under Northern’s wing for his intelligence and proved to be very capable. He handled whatever task was thrown at him efficiently.

Grunmeld also treated him well, and they shared a taste in liquor, making for a good relationship――and by some twist of fate here he was.

They hadn't spoken much.

As a child, Rosine was quite attached to Grunmeld, but that changed as she grew older.

She often looked at him with a glare, so he thought she hated him. Even when she started assisting her father, their interactions were strictly business.

A well-mannered, earnest young lady, it was no surprise she didn't like him, and he didn't think much of it, but one day, out of the blue, Picas asked if Grunmeld would consider marrying his daughter.

Picas wasn't particularly an ambitious person.

He wasn’t the type to offer his daughter for career advancement, but a man with ordinary sensibilities, for better or for worse.

He seemed genuinely fond of his daughter, so when he asked, Grunmeld thought it was a joke. But Picas seemed confused as well.

‘...With all due respect, I also thought that Rosine hated...Danna-sama (boss/master/husband) but...she's a girl with that kind of personality.’

Seems like when Picas was looking for a good match for his daughter, his daughter, Rosine kept rejecting it, and when he asked her if there was a man she liked, she tearfully said that she liked Danna-sama.

Grunmeld was suspicious at first.

Rosine was a smart woman. She might have thought it would be best for her to marry Grunmeld for the sake of her house.

Grunmeld enjoyed women, but only with mutual consent.

If not it would only dampen the mood――Marrying a woman who secretly resented him would be unpleasant, no matter how beautiful she was.

He first summoned Rosine to speak directly, but when he told her what he thought, she burst into tears, leaving Grunmeld at a loss.

When he tried to soothe Rosine, she began to confess that she had liked him since she was a child.

It seems that she had intended to appeal to some extent, and was extremely shocked to be told such a thing, but it was so subtle he hadn't noticed.

He didn't even know what he was being accused of.

She cried endlessly, and after trying to comfort her, she fell asleep, leaving him to deal with the situation.

Her glares were apparently just nervous looks.

After much deliberation, he decided to marry her, assuring her he wouldn't regret it.

Their lives didn’t change much—except he now had a woman constantly nagging and occasionally seeking affection.

He wasn't sure if he loved her, but he did like her. She was smart, charming, and a good woman.

Though her taste in man was not the greatest.

"...What were you dreaming about?"

"Who knows. I just fell asleep while thinking about the past."

"My, that's rare."

Rosine played with his beard.

"You never tell me about your past, Dear."

"Because it’s just a boring story full of good-for -nothing bastards."

“But I want to hear it.”

Blushing slightly, Rosine glared at him.

"...It's unfair that only you know everything about me, Dear."

She then touched the scar on his cheek, tracing it gently with her finger.

――It could be said that the match was a boring one.

He had anticipated that Nozan would attack with the sword in his right hand. Instead, he suddenly turned his back.

Spinning around with great force, focusing the centrifugal force to create a flash of blade.

The blade aimed at Grunmeld's iron club.

He had doubted Nozan’s sanity, wondering if he was planning to repel this iron club with the sword, but it was the sight in front of him in the next moment that made him doubt his eyes.

The blade didn't stop as it bit into the steel of the iron club, cutting the steel in two as if it were a tree branch.

And just like that, the tip of the blade came to Grunmeld.

It sliced through his left cheek along with his cheekbone, and Nozan easily got behind him.

He immediately tried to turn around, but suddenly losing the tip of his iron club, he lost his balance.

"You're relying too much on what you have. You have strength and stamina, but your skills are still lacking."

“Bastard...”

Nozan smiled, saying with this his debt increased.

“If you just rely on brute force, you won't be able to win against someone who is physically superior to you or stronger than you. And if your opponent has some skill and wisdom, you'll probably lose to someone you should be able to beat. The only reason you were able to survive until today was just your luck――well, if the opponent was just some thugs, that would have been enough though.''

‘But not so in the military’, saying that Nozan drew his sword, looked at his own sword and furrowed his brow, then threw it away and picked up a corpse's sword lying around.

Cutting through steel――the sword was probably damaged.

"You'll still lose to someone like me, who is still inexperienced. Even if your opponent is Captain Christand, Argand, or a captain who can't use magic, the same thing will happen. ...The reason being that soldiers wield their weapons not to show off their power, but only for victory."

‘That's the difference between you and me’, Nozan said to grunmeld as he sits up.

"The place where we wield our swords is not a wild dog fight to show who is stronger. It’s a battlefield where everything is staked for victory."

Then he smiled, grabbing Grunmeld’s head.

"Stop being a bandit and come with me, Grunmeld."

――A wolf pack suits you better than a dog pack.

Grunmeld's eyes widened as Nozan said that his handsome face was distorted into that of a vulgar beast.

Later, Northern Verreich was said to keep a vicious wolf, referring to Grunmeld.

A wolf kept by its owner.

But that's not correct.

This man was not an elegant owner, and underneath his human skin was the face of a wolf.

Nozan Verreich was a wolf even more ferocious than Grunmeld, and was the leader of the pack.

"What are you doing, Nozan?"

Releasing his grip on Grunmeld’s head, Nozan sheathed his sword.

Then, he simply turned his back to Grunmeld and saluted.

He didn't expect to be killed from behind.

He wasn't underestimating him but trusted the bandit Grunmeld.

――If Grunmeld had intended to kill from behind, he'd have done it long ago.

Nozan's attitude showed he already considered Grunmeld as his subordinate.

"Commander, Corporal. Just some new recruits."

"New recruits...?"

The two of them took their soldiers with them and looked at Grunmeld and the remaining Fagran.

"It's probably the defeated soldiers of the Second Corps. It looks like they were badly beaten over there...and they seem to have been inspired by our bravery."

Gallen and Bogan exchanged glances and asked Grunmeld.

"...That’s what he said, but is that so?"

"...No complaining. A loss is a loss."

He thought for a moment and answered.

"They lack manners but are skilled."

"That’s reassuring. ...We’ll leave the sermon for later. You handle them."

“Ha”

Nozan turned towards him again and extended his right hand.

He thought for a moment again, stretched out his right hand, grabbed it, and stood up.

After a brief pause, Grunmeld took it and stood up. He looked at Fagran and the others, who had watched without fleeing.

"As you see, you’re free to do as you wish."

Just that.

They also looked at each other and said, ‘we'll do just that’, sheathed their swords and approached him.

"I was just getting tired of being a thief. This isn't so bad...isn't it?"

Fagran said with a laugh, and Grunmeld also laughed quietly.

The deep gash on his cheek was extremely painful.

Some showed a bit of caution at the inclusion of the bandits, but that was all.

The veteran members of the corps didn't particularly care, and welcomed Grunmeld and the others as soldiers of the same corps.

It seems that the majority of this unit was mainly made up of defeated soldiers and deserters who had been forcefully recruited, and the newcomers also did not seem to mind much.

If found, deserters would normally be executed.

Similarly, it could be said that there were many people who could not complain even if there were bandits who would normally be sentenced to death, but――the result of a duel had great meaning, at least among soldiers who valued discipline.

For better or worse, what was rooted in the military was the so-called warrior culture, with beliefs similar to those of tribal times.

They ambushed and infiltrated the confused enemy, it was possibly also a form of purification to them.

Once they fought at the front under Nozan’s lead, no one expressed dissatisfaction.

Even after they join the squad and return to the main force, no one complains.

The century, who were thought to be isolated and dead, made it through the place of death and returned home alone, covered in blood.

The soldiers greeted Garen and his squad with cheers, and even the corps commander praised his squad in front of the soldiers to boost morale.

Even the battalion commander, who seemed to dislike Gallen, couldn't help but praise his performance.

Even if they were told that there were bandits in the mix, they wouldn't have been able to bring them to justice.

In the first place, it was common for bandits to become soldiers and soldiers to become bandits.

Management of recruited soldiers was completed by filling in their names and affiliations.

It was sloppy in some places, and there were many cases where names and affiliations did not match on the front lines.

It was only from captains and above that were properly documented. Thus, a few thieves among tens of thousands of soldiers weren't a significant issue.

――And so, Grunmeld became a soldier.

If asked whether it was fun, normally it wouldn’t be a fun place.

But for Grunmeld, it was never boring.

It seemed the originally unhinged Fagran shared this sentiment, as within a month, they were saluting like soldiers, saying things like ‘Ha! Understood!’ and fighting like soldiers when ordered to do so.

A big reason for this was that the corps at that time was, to say the least, the best in the kingdom.

Captain Gallen wasn’t even magic possessors, but he was a divine hunter.

Average magic possessors was no match to him, he had a good brain, a wide field of vision, and was easily able to take control of the beasts in his team fighting in the forest.

If the spear-wielder Kolkis were to stand by his side, there would be no one who could take his head.

Bogan Christand, who later rose to become a general, appears to be a calm and collected man, but he has a dual personality, and once he charged into battle, he was like a berserker.

He idolized his captain, Gallen, he possessed the charisma to instill fear in enemies and inspire his subordinates to frenzy.

He was a pure warrior, always taking on more dangerous missions than anyone else, and it was easy to see why Nozan respected him.

So was Nozan.

This man was blessed with all kinds of talent, greedily absorbing the virtues of both men and improving with each battle.

Whether he wields the sword himself or takes command from the rear, he has no flaws whatsoever.

Normally he was what one would call jack of all trades, master of none, but since he stands out in every way compared to a normal person, there was nothing to complain about.

He assists the movement of the entire unit, stabilizing the seemingly distorted unit, and makes it a rock-solid unit.

Even against an organized battalion, defeat seemed improbable.

This unit, which was undefeated in the nearly two-year-long war, could have held its own against the Black Century――a unit solely composed of magic possessors created by the insane princess.

During the war, which lasted for nearly two years, that unit remained undefeated.

The battalion commander was probably suffering greatly.

Even when sent to the place of certain death, the squad achieved results and returned unscathed.

This led to the battalion commander's efforts to keep them as a small, elite special forces unit, thus enhancing the squad's reputation as the finest in the army.

As a Century among Century, this elite unit was admired by all soldiers in the military.

The most powerful centurion that commands respect even from battalion commanders, corps commanders, and generals.

It would be a perfect paradise for those who love war.

Like Fagran and the others, Grunmeld had no objections to fighting there, and enjoyed his days spent in battle.

There was no doubt that once the war was over, the entire unit would be reorganized and promoted to battalion status, and everyone must have thought so.

However, it was also too much.

Gallen was a talented military man, but he was only a military man.

He lacked ambition.

Even if the war didn't end, if the battalion commander of the same corps died, that would have been enough for a promotion during the war――aiding and supporting the battalion in dire situations would only delay their own rise.

Garen, who clearly separated his public and private life, had strong principles in this regard, and did not have the idea of abandoning allied troops.

In the broader view, sacrificing a battalion commander to let Gallen take over could have led to greater overall victories and fewer casualties.

‘I understand your logic. But climbing to the top by abandoning those you could save would leave a lasting regret. No matter who forgives it, I could never forgive myself for using such despicable means.’

‘But you――'

‘I feel bad for putting you through so much trouble. However, I am also a husband and a parent. ...It might not suit me, but I want to be someone that my wife and daughter can be proud of.’

In a world full of beasts, Gallen was a ruthless soldier, yet he was particular about the trivial things.

Like Krarze, he was an ordinary man, a hunter from the countryside you could find anywhere.

When Grunmeld was told that, he was too stunned to say anything and gave up. As a result, Gallen also ended up leaving the army because of his naivety.

It was probably just a little bit of harassment from the battalion commander who couldn't do anything about it.

What he ordered the innocent man to do was to make an example of the village where he hid the escaped Elsren soldiers.

The jealous man told them that if they rebelled, they would be punished for defiance.

No matter how famous a military man was, his superior's words were absolute.

At least the military organization was built on such crazy rules.

It's a serious crime to hide enemy soldiers――no matter what, the order to burn down the village was valid, and as long as that was the case, they couldn't disobey it.

Even though he was a centurion who could calmly survive even the harshest of situations, those orders were probably tougher than any other mission.

He was a hunter who grew up in a similar village.

Perhaps he was remembering his hometown as the village was burned down on his own orders.

Gallen then retired from the military.

His soldiers tried to convince him to thin it again, but he must have been in tears when he learned that his wife had died from an illness during the long battle with Elsren.

――Thus, the brilliant centurion who achieved many achievements vanished.

The troop was taken over by Bogan, and in the next battle, the battalion commander was also killed in action.

The details remain unclear.

The soldiers, having seen their hero driven out by abuse of power, viewed the battalion commander with disdain.

The battalion commander, who couldn't stand the eyes of those around him, seemed desperate to take credit for him.

Although he ultimately died isolated, it is possible that he was intentionally isolated.

Like Gallen, Bogan continues to show off his military exploits, and now there were no obstacles in his way. He quickly rose through the ranks, but everyone said that it was disappointing that Gallen wasn't here.

However, it was true that he was naive.

Just like when Krarze died, Gallen was forced into such a situation.

He was too straight as a human being, Grunmeld thought.

Humans, it's better if one doesn't have any weaknesses.

Looking at the series of events, that was the conclusion Granmeld came to.

"It's certainly a rational way of thinking, but it's not logical. What soldiers look up to is the hero in the story."

"……hero?"

"Yes, more noble than anyone else, laughing even when in place of certain death, and yet continues to win. One can't just be crazy or just rational."

One day he told Nozan of what he thought, and what returned was those words.

A guest room, typical of Nozan, where cleanliness and elegance go hand in hand.

Grunmeld recalled this while sipping a glass of wine in this uncomfortable room.

“Commander Gallen is a noble soldier that even you, a bandit, recognizes. It is precisely because such a soldier has achieved such great military results that everyone admires and respects him. The same goes for Bogan-sama. ...That's why the soldiers entrust their only lives to this commander.''

‘No mere ruffian could do this’, Nozan laughed.

"Not everyone can throw their lives away like you. Most of them are cowards――and it's by showing these men dreams that they are characters in a heroic tale that the troop can become strong. You are also in a higher position, so please understand that from now on. ...Though if you say you can kill 10,000 people by yourself, I won't complain either.”

"My, thank you for your kind words. I will keep them in mind."

"Your bad attitude hasn't changed. Anyway, I called you because there’s something to do."

Nozan took out the parchment and placed it on the desk.

“You have been informally decorated as Nea. Considering your military achievement, there is a possibility that you will be given the rank of Rinea, but...well that's fine for now. The war is over, and when you officially submit your name to the country, you will now have the surname of a noble. That’s what’s important, if there’s something you have in mind, I’ll hear it.”

"Surname?"

"If a parent has a surname, it's common to use that."

Northern said with a laugh, and Grunmeld glared.

He at least knew what kind of upbringing Grunmeld had.

“As expected, of the adjutant of the battalion, how kind. I’m glad you taught me some common sense. Do you think I have?”

“Doesn’t look like it.”

Basically, Nozan was an asshole.

"The rest is up to you, or in many cases you choose the name of the village you were born in. If it's a town, it's best to avoid it. There's no rule that says it's bad, but the nobles who manage the place won't like it."

He did not even decide on his own name.

Naturally, a surname was not something he could come up with on the spur of the moment.

That name came to his name was inevitable.

"...Varkas. Grunmeld Varkas, make it that."

Nozan's eyes widened in surprise at what he heard.

Then ‘It's a good name’, he said as he wrote it on the parchment with a smile on his face.

Grunmeld frowned at him.

“...Hey. What's so funny?"

"No...It’s just that you sure come up with something pleasant, even though you said it's the fault of those who show weakness."

"……What do you mean?"

Nozan said ‘excuse me’ and turned away from him and left the room, with his shoulders shaking.

When Grunmeld listened carefully, he heard laughter coming from the other side of the door, and a moment later, as if nothing had happened, Nozan returned with a serious face and said, ‘Excuse me’.

He may have thought that it would affect his good name to show his funny laugh to others, but he was not able to hide it at all.

Grunmeld felt a tingle in the veins of his forehead as he called out to him again, ‘Oi!’

"Varkas, why’s that?"

"...It's the name of a group of small-time thugs that used to exist."

"I see. Did you not ask where it came from?"

"Because I wasn't interested."

‘I see’, Nozan looked at Grunmeld again, trying to hold back his laughter.

"It's a word that comes from an ancient northern language. It's said to mean group, but its actual meaning is..."

When Grunmeld heard it, he was so dumbfounded, leaving his mouth open.

"...Kuku, isn't that a very fitting name for a lone wolf with no weaknesses?"

"――Woof Woof!"

“...My”

Just as he was getting tired of Rosine pestering him to talk, a young voice echoed from the garden.

Rosine got off his lap and onto the balcony railing, followed by Grunmeld.

Sitting on a Suiko and looking up at him along with the guards was a silver-haired girl.

"...It's been a while, Alberinea."

"Ehehe, it's been since the wedding of Rosine. Krische is glad you're doing well."

"Yes, thanks to you..."

Rosine bowed her head deeply and muttered in a low voice, making her shoulders tremble.

Grunmeld sighed that just when he was getting, something even more tiring appeared.

She was not someone he wanted to meet that much outside of the battlefield.

"It's been a long time, Krische-sama. ...What on earth are you doing today?"

"Krische came to Chirp Chirp’s place to run an errand for Selene. Since Krische is passing through, Krische thought to visit Woof Woof as well."

Jumping up and down, she easily landed on the balcony.

Same as always, polite but rude.

It seems that to her a balcony was not inside someone else's mansion, but outside.

She usually shows up without any context, usually as a side trip to Nozan, and today was no different.

Grunmeld didn’t care, but even if he did, he probably wouldn't have anything to complain about this girl.

There were few people who were more selfish than Grunmeld, both ordinary and extraordinary, but even Grunmeld was no match for Krische Christand.

Contrary to her beautiful, adorable and harmless appearance, she was a mass of irrational beings.

"Does Woof Woof want to go to Chirp Chirp’s place too? It looks like Woof Woof has some free time."

"...As sudden as always."

Although she appears to be thoughtful, she was short-sighted.

Basically, she didn’t think about anything and was like an animal.

They were probably the most free creatures in the world, making decisions and making demands as they pleased.

She was born into a noble family and was supposed to be a noble princess even now, but she had the sensibilities of a village girl.

It was as if she were inviting her neighbors to tea, with no regard for nobles etiquette or formality.

“Ehehe, Rosine too.”

“I-I...um, it’s going to cause trouble for Margrave…”

“Chirp Chirp said the other day that Krische should have brought Rosine with Krische, so it’s probably okay.”

"I-I see..."

Krische smiled, saying things like, ‘Right, Woof Woof’, and Rosine looked up to Grunmeld in confusion.

He certainly said that but, there’s probably no woman with enough fortitude to answer ‘yes’ at the word ‘probably’, and show up at their husband’s superior without any preparation

“Ah, that… should I contact His Excellency?”

"Selene probably already sent it. She Krische me to go today."

"……, Ahh, I see"

These were words that could not be trusted.

A visit from the continent's hero Alberinea.

Even though they are incognito, they have to maintain a certain level of respectability, so they will probably prepare accordingly.

It wouldn't really be a problem if there were two more guests, but it was necessary to give some consideration.

"You're probably tired for now. It's still early in the day, so it's best to rest here for a while before you go."

"...? Krische is not really――"

"... Rosine, write a letter saying we're going too, and anyone is fine, send someone to deliver it."

"Fufu...Yes, Dear."

‘Why do I have to care about all this?’

He let out a sigh and scratched his head.