-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: A Company of Mercenaries
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Armifera's proposal was simple.
Let's run a business as mercenaries.
Her idea was to establish a proper company, hire mercenaries as employees, take on commissions, and operate as a systematic private military organization.
It didn't sound bad.
It would address all the shortcomings of being mercenaries.
But that came with its own risks to bear.
"Our mercenaries are like free-spirited winds. Trying to control us like this... no one's gonna..."
"Watch your mouth."
Armifera shot back with a scoff at the mercenary's snide remark.
"You're wandering because you have nowhere to settle. Right?"
"......"
"Mercenaries who start families settle down and live well enough."
In the end, what mercenaries needed was a legitimate organization that recognized and protected their rights and the value of their labor.
The Mercenary King's very existence served a similar purpose.
A brake on the uncontrollable mercenary ecosystem, forcibly suppressing the dangerous ones with raw power.
And the one fulfilling that role was the Mercenary King.
That Mercenary King spoke up.
"Of course, this is just a proposal."
Armifera said, looking around at everyone gathered.
"But I guarantee you, it's the best way to elevate the value of mercenaries. Our name won't be synonymous with vagrants or thug spawn anymore."
"You that confident?"
"Look around right now."
Armifera pointed to the Pellea Merchant Group she'd escorted as an example.
"Those folks who arrived safely, thanks to mercenary protection."
The caravan had reached its destination without a single attack.
The mercenaries had completed their mission and received fair pay.
And their skills had earned them recognition, leading to a contract for the return trip as well.
If things went well, those mercenaries might even sign a long-term deal with Pellea.
"There won't be any wars for a while."
A world without monsters was barely approaching forty years old.
It was a hard-won era of peace. Plenty of people still remembered the horrific nightmares from that time.
There was no reason to stir up trouble on purpose.
"I love the freedom of being a mercenary, too."
Armifera said.
"But true freedom needs a nest to return to and rest. That's what I want to give you."
"How'd it go?"
Falcone asked as Armifera approached.
She shrugged, yawning so wide her uvula was visible.
"From that look on your face, it didn't go well."
"I didn't expect it to."
Her expression was nonchalant as she dug in her ear with her pinky.
"Still, it's not a total loss."
"Factions forming already?"
His question got one answer.
A smile.
Armifera's smile was proof that she had once been one of the capital's most renowned noble young ladies.
But this smile wasn't pure or beautiful like back then.
'A bloodbath's coming.'
Become king, and you'd have to purge the ranks.
The previous Mercenary King had been one of the worst offenders among mercenaries.
The culprit who'd dragged their already poor reputation even lower.
And Armifera was the one who'd killed him.
She planned to erase every last trace of the old king.
That would be the benchmark for the reforms she was about to start.
"What do you think?"
"Me?"
"And drop the formal speech. You were casual with me not long ago."
"Can't do that with the Mercenary King. Or should I say, company president."
Got to butter up the boss early, right?
Armifera grinned at Falcone's cheeky reply.
This smile was pure, with no hidden intentions.
"Heading to the capital tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll split off midway."
"Not coming with us?"
Our little softie caravan leader's waiting, you know?
"I want to. Goodness, what if our Nini cries missing her auntie..."
But right now, Nibelria was busy with one of her three daily kisses with Arep.
Auntie had been forgotten long ago.
"But what can I do? Our caravan leader says get to work."
The day before arriving in Latro.
While camping, Armifera received a small bundle.
"Come back safe. So, how do I look? Picked out by that picky little Nibelria."
"Too cute."
"Say 'cool' at times like this."
The evil dragon Ater vanished right after handing over the bundle.
Inside were several warming magic tools, a check, and a letter.
[Auntie. The capital's in an uproar over Petra Bank's bankruptcy. Nini, Arep, and I are working to resolve it...]
The kids asked Armifera to buy some land at a specific spot.
"Haa..."
Nibelria breathed out warm air.
White vapor puffed out like smoke.
"Wow!"
Even as she exclaimed in delight, more misty breath escaped. Nibelria shook her body excitedly this way and that.
"Young Lady!"
Turning at the call, Nibelria beamed.
"Arep!"
She ran over like a fluffy ball and hugged him tight.
"Smoke comes out of me? White smoke from my mouth."
"It's 'cause it's cold. Winter's here now."
Arep held her hand, warming it like a heater.
"......"
But her tiny hand was too warm.
'My hand's colder.'
Worried she'd get colder because of him, Arep tried to pull away.
"Arep's hand is cold?"
But Nibelria grabbed it fast.
"Heehee, warm, right?"
"But your hand'll get cold..."
"Nini's warm, so it's fine! Let's go inside quick and dip chocolate cookies in hot milk!"
Grinning, she took a few steps forward and tugged his hand.
"Okay!"
Hand in hand, they dashed energetically to the mansion.
"Aigoo, you'll get hurt running like that."
A passing servant called out to be careful.
"Got ittt!"
"Sorry! We'll be careful!"
Nibelria replied half-heartedly, while Arep apologized and promised to watch out next time.
The servants smiled faintly at the clear difference in the kids' personalities.
Then they went back to their duties.
As if the autumn chaos had been a lie.
Winter, a brief respite, had settled over the capital.
But Petra Bank's bankruptcy proceedings dragged on, and Froq Kingdom's magic stone mining venture showed no real progress.
The ones stomping their feet over money tied up in the bank weren't nobles or the rich.
They were ordinary folk living day to day.
All they could do was wait.
Praying Petra's young master's magic stone mining would hit it big.
But seasons don't care about people's plights.
This winter's chill was no joke.
Howling winds, nonstop snow, plummeting temperatures without end.
True to autumn's warning, this winter brought killing cold.
People scraped together what little they had for winter gear.
Lubeo Department Store and its affiliates sold winter goods cheaper than last year. Winter clothes too.
In times like these, they couldn't charge full price.
Yet Lubeo's performance was still disappointing, even accounting for losses.
"One per person!"
"Sizes in all varieties, don't worry!"
"Winter coats made from eternal snow duck feathers for just fifty thousand Uba! Genuine article! Warmth that rivals the eternal snow ducks themselves!"
Not far from Lubeo Department Store.
A shop front buzzed with crowds.
Employees managed the line of customers, which stretched out of sight.
Everyone leaving wore the exact same coat.
Thick yet light, hugging tight to trap body heat—coats made from eternal snow duck feathers.
"Wow, can it really be this cheap?"
A man muttered, eyeing his friend who'd bought a fifty-thousand-Uba duck-feather coat.
"But that shopkeeper's shout earlier was weird..."
Eternal snow duck feathers, with warmth not inferior to the ducks themselves?
'That doesn't make sense.'
But people didn't dwell on such doubts.
Praise for the cheap coats echoed everywhere, as if someone were fanning the flames.
"At Lubeo, you'd pay millions of Uba for these..."
"Bet they marked 'em up multiples to gouge profits."
Suspicion crept in that Lubeo had evilly inflated eternal snow duck coat prices.
But Lubeo Department Store took no action.
Seletrina just let it be.
"Is this really okay?"
"It's fine."
Despite her worried secretary's question, Seletrina just smiled.
As if she knew exactly what future awaited.
"They say this winter'll drag on longer than usual?"
"Yes. Everyone's worried sick. It's chaos right up to the end this year."
"As the Saintess decreed."
Seletrina said cheerfully.
"All this is just a jinx ward."
"Jinx ward?"
"Misfortune that comes before good things, to ward it off. Like a vaccine—suffering the bad stuff early."
"Never heard that term. News to me."
"So we're warding off jinxes right now."
Seletrina said, checking approval documents her secretary brought.
"Notify every store in the department store."
End the winter goods discount sale within the week.
"Wow, so warm..."
Letitia, who'd come to the Dayamor mansion with her father Viscount Preto, shivered slightly.
"Should've stayed home..."
Viscount Preto brushed snow from his stubborn youngest daughter's hair.
Then he personally removed her scarf and outer coat.
"But Nini said she'd introduce me to a friend today!"
