Chapter 465 (1/2)

Chapter 465

Translator: Nat

–Aegir POV–

A sweet fragrance stimulates my revival.

When I inhale deeply, I recognize the smell as a citrus-based scent.

A wordless grunt leaves my throat as my mind clears.

I guess I completely pa.s.sed out after that.

That d.a.m.n Christoph, he dug into my already injured side.

TOP ARTICLES1/5Mercenaries in Apocalypse Volume 1Chapter 29

「Muu.」

I stretch my arms and legs while turning in bed to check on the state of my body.

I only feel a trace of pain. I fainted from such an insignificant injury?

「I guess I’ll get up. How much time has pa.s.sed?」

With my eyes open, I lift my upper body.

「You’re finally awake. It’s been two whole days.」

The source of the scent was an orange sitting beside the bed which Sekrit peeled.

When our eyes meet, she scoffs at me.

「I heard you and some small fry knocked each other out simultaneously. That’s quite a result.」

「I don’t have anything to say when you put it like that.」

No matter how injured I was, it’s quite pathetic for Christoph and I to stab each other.

「The injury isn’t anything serious either. I don’t feel any more pain.」

「No, that might not necessarily be the case.」

Sekrit tosses an orange slice into her own mouth.

Wait, she wasn’t going to give that to me?

「Your injury reached your internal organs and was fairly deep. The reason you can move is……」

She jerks her chin toward my feet.

Laying there asleep on the bed was Natia.

「Natia used a salve on me?」

I pour my feelings of thanks into brus.h.i.+ng Natia’s hair.

「Yeah, although rather than her feelings towards you, she was urged by the leader of the elves. It’s nice to have such a wide circle of friends.」

Natia’s brow furrows and she groans almost like she was suffering.

「Uurgh, chieftess, I’ve already completed it…… that’s why…… I’m still pure so it hurts…… nnngh.」

Now that I look closer, there are bags under her eyes and she has crawled into my futon like she was hiding from something.

「Well, if you’re awake, then it’s fine.」

Sekrit ends the conversation there, stabbing a knife into the now-halved orange before leaving the room.

In the end, she didn’t peel it for me.

I different hand picks up the knife and orange.

「Is it alright if I make a report?」

「Sure.」

It’s Leopolt. He was apparently standing by my bed from the beginning.

Don’t stand there quietly. It’s a blind spot so I’ll be surprised.

Leopolt doesn’t smile or show concern and simply continues on like normal.

「The enemy’s main force has retreated to the south. A thorough pursuit was carried out under the command of the Military Commissioner and saw roughly half of their numbers defeated. However, the cavalry’s hindrance still remains a possibility and their complete annihilation could not be completed.」

So they couldn’t finish the job.

By the way, why are you peeling the orange?

「After Tortoent falls, I believe the towns and villages within the territory of former Libatis will yield in unison, and the enemy will proceed to withdraw to Alteria.」

To the citizens of Libatis, South Yuguria is the occupier, so that will happen when they get routed.

He peels it so cleanly, much better than Sekrit.

「From this point, we’ll be entering what can be considered the birthplace of South Yuguria, the Alteria region. The enemy will have a large advantage in replenis.h.i.+ng their supplies and soldiers.」

Right, this will be the hard part.

It would be easy for us if they suffered consecutive losses and their nation fell apart, but I’m sure things won’t go that smoothly.

He has stacked the slices neatly on a plate…… ah, he peeled them for me?

I’m not complaining, it’s just that I feel strange picturing this guy’s face when I eat them.

「That reminds me, what’s the big idea, stuffing the elves into the ancient weapon replica?」

They were pretty angry.

「One reason is to protect them from arrows.」

I understand that.

Although they are skilled with magic and archery, their clothes provide almost no defense.

They could die from a single arrow.

「The second is to imitate siege weapons in order to entice the cavalry.」

It’s true that cavalry would want to attack when powerful siege weapons are positioned in front of the walls.

So he foresaw that.

「The third is…… I thought it would not be beneficial to Lord Hardlett if their existence was revealed to the public.」

I direct a question back at him.

「Why did you think that?」

Leopolt doesn’t reply.

「I would like to leave you with one final piece of advice. Lord Hardlett did not have to personally partic.i.p.ate in the worthless battle of hunting enemy survivors that was the cause of your injury. Even worse, I cannot say how foolish it was that you suffered a major wound as a result of single combat with a low-ranking soldier.」

I thought you would definitely say that.

「I also gave a strict warning to the one who was attracted there……」

It seems he also scolded Celia.

I got injured because of my own blunder so Celia is not to blame.

「Well, what’s done is done. My wound has healed too, so everything is fine.」

Again, with the feelings of grat.i.tude, I pat the head of Natia, who seems to be having a nightmare.

No, I trouble her on a regular basis, so this isn’t enough.

「I’ll give her a ma.s.sage since she seems tired.」

I reach my arm out to gently rub her neck, back and a.s.s.

「Nnh…… forgive me……」

The front might be stiff too, so I reach around to rub her chest over her clothes.

They aren’t big, but they seem stiff. No, they are stiff.

「Don’t……I am still 76……」

I suddenly realize that Celia isn’t around.

She let me sleep alone and went off somewhere. I have a good idea where she could be.

I arrived at the prisoner interrogation room I asked Leopolt about.

Inside the room is a bed where Christoph is tied to and Zillia whose arms and legs are shackled.

As I consider how I should start a conversation with this guy who betrayed me and genuinely tried to kill me, I hear a strange sound from inside the room.

It’s a high-pitched grating noise.

「This is for gouging……」

I recognize Celia’s adorable yet menacing tone.

「This is for excavating……」

「Listen to me, little miss! I have a woman I must protect at all costs!!」

The weird noise came from an unknown tool in Celia’s hand.

「This is for twisting……fufufu.」

「Hiieeeh!」

Celia snickers as she exposes the clearly maliciously-shaped tool to the flame of a candle.

Then she looks at Christoph with soulless eyes.

「I absolutely cannot forgive you for not only betraying Aegir-sama, but injuring him. I’ll make you regret being born before claiming your life. ……this is a special wooden saw that is really really blunt.」

「Stop! If you’re going to do it, do it to meー!」

Christoph thrashes, but he doesn’t have any hope of breaking free from his restraints.

Celia doesn’t listen to Zillia’s pleas either.

「I will remove one of your b.a.l.l.s first! Then I will listen to a single comment.」

「Uwaaaaaah! I haven’t properly used them yet!!」

「I’ve been waiting for you to use it……uuu.」

At this rate, Celia will do more than remove his b.a.l.l.s, so I stop eavesdropping and enter the room.

「Ah, Aegir-sama! You are healthy enough to get up already!?」

When she sees me, Celia tosses away the mysterious tool and runs over.

「Uwaaaaah!!」

The tool which was heated until it glowed red fell on Christoph’s stomach.

He writhes in pain like an earthworm.

「Fuuー, fuuー!」

The bound Zillia desperately blows air to try and cool him off.

As I pat Celia, who rolls up my clothes to check on my wounds, I brush away the nutcracker-like tool and s.h.i.+ft my chair until I’m sitting beside Christoph.

「Hey.」

「……」

Christoph has difficulty finding the words to reply and returns a troubled look at me.

Even though he usually just speaks without thinking.

「It seems you won’t die in the meantime.」

None of his injuries are life-threatening.

「Yeah……I’ll be fine.」

「What changed? You used to squeal at the slightest p.r.i.c.k of a needle.」

I chuckle as my eyes gaze sharply at him.

「You did it, huh Christoph.」

「Yeah, I did it.」

「What did you do!? You traitor! Idiot! You b.u.mbling virgin!」

Celia pounces on him and clasps her hands around his neck.

Seeing such a cute girl try to strangle a muscular man is quite the hilarious scene…… but he’s actually turning blue.

If this continues, he’ll really be choked to death, so I grab Celia by the collar and pull her back.

「Grrー!」

Celia growls intimidatingly, but I align my hands in front of her chest and carry her away.

That’s a bit premature.

「I couldn’t just abandon Zillia and go back. That’s the only reason……I swear it’s not because I bear any grudges against Aegir……」

「A woman, huh?」

I peer into his eyes.

He doesn’t avert…… no, his eyes dart all over the place, which is what he usually does.

「Celia.」

「Right, are you killing him!?」

I accept the knife Celia takes out.

Christoph does not…… resolve himself, rather he squirms around and screams pathetically.

This is also normal.

「W-wait! Please stop! Don’t kill CHristoph!!」

Zillia drags her shackles and clings to me.

「Fufufu, don’t worry, it’ll be over quickly……wah, wah, my hair.」

As Celia’s expression darkens, I ruffle her hair.

「The one who seduced Christoph was me……that’s why I’ll take responsibility. You enjoy f.u.c.king women, don’t you? Then you’re free to do as you please with my body! You can treat me as your toy, break me…… as long as you spare him……」

Zillia begs with tears in her eyes.

「Fumu, a toy, you say?」

I slowly reach my hand towards Zillia’s chest and peek at Christoph.

「What are you saying, Zillia!? The one who decided to fight the general was me! Uooooh!!」

Christoph cries out and attempts to break free……but he can’t.

It can’t be helped, so I cut his ropes with the knife.

「Uoooh!! I’d rather die gallantly than have you be my subst.i.tute! Go on, do your worst!」

He sits cross-legged in front of me.

「If you say so.」

「W-wait, are you serious!?」

I grab the sword Celia swings without hesitation before she could follow through.

Zillia sticks her body forward to try and protect Christoph, while Christoph pushes her away to keep her from getting involved.

「If I kill him here, I’ll be the villain.」

I chuckle.

「It doesn’t seem like he lied about betraying me for a woman either.」

In the first place, Christoph is not someone who can lie and he shouldn’t be able to risk his life to protect a woman unless he truly felt strongly toward her.

「Falling to pleasure is not out of the question, but I think it’s unlikely for Christoph.」

I also release ZIllia from her restraints.

「I’ll overlook it this time.」

「Really!? You don’t think I’ll leak an important secret or become the cause for Goldonia to struggle in battle?」

I burst out with laughter.