Chapter 40: Things you can obtain in someone else’s territory (3)

***

“Mirine, are you okay?”

Mirine hands were covered with scars. Even though she was working in the fields, the wounds on her hands never healed. However, she was confident in her sewing skills and moved the needle skillfully.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you should work so much.”

Malfi, a middle-aged woman living in the same town, said with concern.

“I have to make some money. When Zint returns from the battlefield, he can go to…….He’s been through a lot and I want him to have a full meal.”

“Oh, my God, he’s……”

Malfi felt sorry for Mirine. She knew that there was little chance that Zint would come back. People with no power were expendable; her own brother had been drafted like that when he was young and had died. She was very worried about how Mirine, who seemed to live only for Zint, would take this fact.

“Don’t devote your life to Zint. He may not even be alive anymore……”

However, her answer to such words was always the same. Even though Mirine was so tired that she had dark circles under her eyes, her eyes lit up when she talked about Zint.

“Zint is strong. I’m sure he’ll come back alive.”

At that moment, she heard a voice.

“Is Mirine here?”

Malfi and Mirine looked at each other as they heard the man’s voice for the first time. The townspeople who were with them also looked at them suspiciously.

“Who are you?”

Malfi opened the door. Erhin was there and Zint was next to him. At that moment, Zint and Mirine’s eyes met.

***

Out of nowhere, they ran up to each other and hugged.

“Zint, are you hurt?”

Mirine asked, checking every inch of Zint body.

“I’m fine.”

Mirine finally nuzzled her face into Zint’s chest as she was relieved.

“I believed that you would come back alive. The ladies in town kept telling me that you might be dead already……Thank God, I’m so glad!”

Tears fell from Mirine’s eyes.

“Because I was going to follow you if you died.”

“That goes for me, too.”

In such a situation, I became the one who lacked consideration and interrupted their reunion.

“I’m sorry to interrupt you but it’s time to go.”

I don’t know when the soldiers will catch up with us so the faster we leave the better.

“Mirine, I have a situation. Let’s get out of here first.”

Zint, understanding the meaning of my words, picked up Mirine and put her on the horse.

“Zint!”

Mirine was confused by Zint actions.

“Are we going on horseback? Zint! You stole it again!”

“I’m sorry. No, no, no, no. I didn’t steal it. It’s his horse.”

Zint pointed at me, seemingly unable to resist Mirine.

“Speaking of which, who is he?”

I looked at Zint at that question. I was a little curious as to how he would answer.

“Benefactor.”

“What’s a benefactor?”

Zint said something a little unexpected.

“I’m sorry; Zint is a man of few words, so he can’t explain it well…….”

“I’m well aware of that but that’s not the point right now. We’ll talk about it later.”

I immediately got my horse running and Zint followed me.

“Wait, Zint!”

“I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything later!”

“You’re going the wrong way! Isn’t that the way back to the town?”

We started to head back the way we came and there, as expected, the border patrol was waiting for us.

“How dare you come across the closed border you Lunan scoundrel?”

Originally, the border between Narja and Lunan could be passed through the barrier but that was before Narja started the war. Now that the situation has changed, any trespassers will be treated like spies.

[Border Patrol]

[100 men]

[Morale: 76]

[Training level: 85]

The patrol was quite a strong force, befitting Narja military strength. Furthermore, there are patrols like this all over the border which means that even if there are 100 men now, there could be 1000 soon.

The remaining enemy forces that fled from Castle Luon after Demasin Elheat ambush were annihilated in a sneak attack by me and Zint. I earned a few points there so my martial force improved to 64 and I got one more skill.

“Zint, let me handle this.”

“That’s not going to happen! I’ll help you.”

“Just protect Mirine; I can do it on my own. There was no point in coming here if anything happens to her!”

“Damn it…….Okay, okay.”

Zint couldn’t argue with me, so he picked up Mirine and set her down from the horse.

“Zint? Hey, hey!”

In those circumstances I decided to act.

[Do you want to use the earth resonance?]

In a battle against a large number of enemies, what you need is a skill with a wide range. The existing skills had a limited range, so I stuck my sword into the ground to use my newly purchased skill.

A crack in the ground started from the tip of my sword and extended towards the soldiers. Red light shone out from the ground and more than half of the 100 enemies in front of me began to fall. Due to the power of my skill, there were only about 30 people left.

[Use perks?]

I swung Daitouren and took care of the remaining soldiers. Mirine only blinked her eyes at how quickly it happened and Zint looked envious of my skills.

“Zint, let’s go up the mountain and cross the border now.”

We hurried down the road as the patrol was chasing us from behind. Fortunately, we managed to leave them behind.

“Spies, get them!”

There was no major problem in escaping because I wiped out the first patrol and we were able to keep our distance. In addition, Zint had picked up Mirine when she was having a hard time and ran with her, so we were able to cross the border on the top of the mountain without problems. Once down the mountain, we wouldn’t have to worry about Narja patrols.

Soon, the plains of Aintorian spread out in front of us. This meant that we had succeeded in taking out Mirine.

* * *

A few days later I had the chamberlain arrange a house for Mirine and Zint. It was a nice two-story house near the lord’s castle. Mirine couldn’t believe the situation and checked with Zint over and over again.

“Are you sure we should be living here? Isn’t this a dream?”

Mirine had never seen a house like this, the house she had been living in was an abandoned house that could collapse at any time.

“Zint, look! There’s a bed! Fluffy!”

She laid down on the bed and screamed in surprise when she saw the kitchen.

“This kitchen…….I’ve never seen anything like it. Now I can make lots of delicious food for you.”

As Zint approached, Mirine laid her forehead against his chest.

“Zint…….I’m so happy. Can I really believe all this?”

“Yeah. He’s not the kind of guy who talks nonsense like the other nobles.”

“Wait, Zint. He’s…….You don’t mean the lord?”

“Yes, but?”

“Idiot! You can’t call the lord a he!”

“But…….That’s what I’ve always called him.”

Mirine pinched Zint cheeks.

“You’re a vassal, aren’t you? You have to have some class!”

“I got it, I got it……”

Zint nodded.

“Anyway, you’re saying that you and your lord saved the country?”

“Yes but this is not Narja, though…….”

“You idiot, I don’t care about Narja. From now on, this is our country, the one that took us in!”

“It’s only natural that they would accept lowly……fugitives like us. Besides, the lord understood your talent…….He’s a really nice person!　Zint, how can I repay him? How many sewing projects do I have to do?…….I’ll do my best! Oh, yes! I collected this much by sewing.”

Mirine carefully took out a silver coin from her pocket, which she had carefully stored away.

“I’ll buy you something delicious with this……..So…..We can be together forever, right?”

Clutching the silver coin, Mirine began to cry. The tears she had been holding back since the moment she met him began to flow.