From Mercenary to King

Chapter 6: Battle of the Rakiten Plains (3)

The enthusiastic plan in the mercenary company felt a bit tangled right from the start, but time still flowed without stopping.

“Oh! It’s real.”

“We crossed it! We crossed the range! I can see the Rakiten Plain stretching out.”

Guided by the mountain wardens and pushing on without rest, they crossed the Arhen Mountains in just a single day, just as expected.

Strictly speaking, they set out at dawn and reached the destination before sunset.

In any case, everyone shouted with surprise and joy.

Some because the hellish march finally ended, others because they reached the Rakiten Plain sooner than they thought.

Miles was no exception to the cheering.

“Wow… it’s really as you said huh?”

“What do you mean, Miles. It’s all thanks to the wardens guiding us well.”

“Oh? Please. Weren’t you the one insisting so hard on this plan just yesterday? What’s with the sudden modesty?”

“A-Ahem.”

He had pushed too hard, hard enough to make Miles watch with worried surprise.

Was that why that terrifyingly built centurion, Jacri, picked him out?

Shatien even found himself thinking such needless thoughts.

“Hm, so you were right.”

“Ah…! Captain Mordo.”

“I half doubted you, but not only were you right, we arrived even faster than planned.

Very good.”

Before he knew it, Captain Mordo rode up beside him and smiled with satisfaction.

Since they arrived far earlier than expected, the Holy Empire’s imperial army surely hadn’t noticed that his force had deployed in the area.

It widened their freedom of movement on this battlefield.

With this, the groundwork was in place to earn the great merit that their employer, Count Bellua, wanted.

“If you’ve earned merit, you should receive a reward. Is there anything you want? Say it. I’ll give whatever I can within my power.”

“No, Captain Mordo. Haha. If you hadn’t accepted my suggestion, how could I have…”

Joking lightly, Shatien spoke, then suddenly spotted Centurion Jacri behind the captain and hurriedly changed his words.

‘Shoot.’

The man glared at him like he meant to kill him.

As if to say, how dare you act so cocky.

“…No, uh, I meant thank you, Captain. I’ll take whatever you give.”

“Hmm?”

Of course Captain Mordo didn’t miss that odd shift.

He briefly turned his head to where Shatien’s gaze had gone, then burst into hearty laughter.

“Wahahaha. Oh dear… Jacri, my boy. Relax your eyes. Keep that up and they’ll pop out.”

“I’m smiling, Captain.”

“Sure, sure. I’m sure you are. Hahaha.”

After laughing big, Captain Mordo caught his breath and looked back at Shatien.

“Heh. Yes. A reward for a man who earned merit… This would be the best, whatever anyone says.”

Saying so, Mordo pulled something from his breast and tossed it to Shatien.

-Clink.

It was none other than a coin pouch.

Judging by the heavy weight, it held quite a lot.

As expected, Mordo smirked at the stunned Shatien and spoke.

“Twenty silver coins. They’re from the noble days of the Ancient Empire, so they’ll be good anywhere. High purity, so don’t let anyone cheat you when you exchange them. Haha.”

“Gasp?!”

Twenty silver coins was a fortune, money you earned by serving a full year in a mercenary company and staking your life in three or four battles.

“Th, thank you, Captain.”

To hand out a reward like this as if it were nothing—Mordo’s largesse truly was impressive.

“No thanks needed. I’m expecting more from you. Now I’ll go speak with Count Bellua’s people.”

“See you later. I’ll live up to your expectations.”

“Good, good. Don’t get too excited. Just keep doing exactly as you are. Exactly as you are.”

Leaving those words, Mordo quickly turned his horse.

Centurion Jacri started after him, then turned his body for a moment.

“I keep an eye on you, Shatien. Remember what the captain just said.”

He left those words and strode out of the unit, cold as ever.

What a fussy man, that Jacri.

Still, Shatien gave a faint smile and a shrug.

He had a fat pouch of silver and Captain Mordo’s recognition.

Nothing to complain about.

‘Well, if I keep proving myself, even that stiff, crabby centurion will come around.’

Roaming the battlefield with steadfast comrades is exactly a mercenary’s wish, isn’t it.

It wouldn’t be long before that prim, sour centurion recognized him too.

Of course, to reach that point, he needed to rack up unmistakable merit before everyone’s eyes.

“Hm…”

Shatien turned his gaze to the Rakiten Plain.

Beyond the mercenaries busy planting banners and forming camp, the sunset dyed the horizon in red.

The vast wheat fields of the Rakiten Plain shimmered blood-red under the evening glow.

It felt as if screams and the heavy stench of blood were already there.

‘Over there… fierce fighting must be raging, right?’

He couldn’t see it, but surely it was.

Between the Holy Empire’s imperial army and the coalition of electors.

Which meant…

‘An opportunity will come.’

An opportunity to pile up military merit in blood.

With his face flushed, Shatien resolved not to miss it.

Of course, before that…

“Hey rookie! I’m the only one working again? Damn, this world’s gone soft. Huh?”

As a rookie, he had to tidy the camp first.

“No, sir! I’ll do it right now, Miles!”

Shatien shouted back and rushed off at full speed.

Rookies were always busy.

Always.

* * *

Just as Shatien predicted, the chance came quickly.

Late at night, when everyone slept.

-Neigh!

A courier Count Bellua and Captain Mordo had sent to scout the area suddenly returned to camp.

And not alone, but with a stranger in tow.

“Make way! Make way!”

“It’s urgent. Clear the way!”

A desperate voice.

Through the torchlight, they glimpsed ragged armor.

The man looked exactly like a defeated soldier.

“What’s this?”

“What’s going on?”

“Yawn… why so loud? Wait, what’s that?”

The mercenaries awoke one by one, confused.

“Mm… this doesn’t look good.”

“Wasn’t that from the Garten Mercenary Corps? Don’t tell me they were ambushed?”

Some veterans recognized the signs and guessed the situation, their faces grim.

If that were true, it meant battle was near.

Even mercenaries who lived by the sword didn’t like fights where they staked their lives.

Worry came first.

Still, not everyone felt the same.

‘Yes, just as I thought—!’

Watching the courier and the man from the Garten Mercenary Corps head into the command tent, Shatien calmly nodded.

Anxiety comes from not knowing.

But since he had foreseen this future, he wasn’t shaken and simply prepared himself.

‘If it’s the Garten Mercenary Corps, wasn’t that the battle where they were ambushed in the hills?’

He had thankfully heard of it from a survivor.

A sudden attack by the Holy Empire, followed by reinforcements.

The Garten Mercenary Corps fought well but eventually collapsed under pressure from both sides.

If allies had supported them, they might have repelled the enemy and won.

But now, with Mordo’s Black Raven Mercenary Corps arriving much earlier thanks to his guidance, maybe that future could change.

“W-What’s going on?”

At that moment, Miles finally woke, rubbing his eyes.

Once he fell into deep sleep, waking him was like rousing a drunk giant.

“It seems something happened to the Garten Mercenary Corps, Miles, sir.”

“What? The Garten Mercenary Corps?”

“Yes. Just now their courier came bleeding from the belly. He headed straight for the command tent. They must have fought.”

“Huh…”

Hearing Shatien’s calm report, Miles stuck out his tongue in disbelief.

“The Garten Mercenary Corps are unlucky bastards, but they’re not easy prey. Strange. For their courier to rush here…”

“Maybe they were ambushed, Miles.”

“In these plains? What kind of idiot would…”

“Even in plains, there are many hills. And with harvest-ready wheat swaying, crouching low would let them slip by unseen.”

“H-Huh? Now that you say it, maybe so.”

Miles reluctantly agreed.

‘But how would a green rookie know all this?’

Since yesterday it has been uncanny.

It wasn’t like he was born a mercenary, yet everything came out so naturally.

But Shatien didn’t care about Miles’ doubts and busied himself packing.

“What are you gathering, rookie?”

“Packing my kit.”

“Your kit? Why all of a sudden?”

“Because we’ll head into battle soon.”

“What? Battle?”

Startled, Miles cried out, but Shatien shrugged casually.

“Yes. A courier came asking for support. Of course we’ll respond, right?”

“But it’s late at night. Marching now is too dangerous. We just crossed the mountains, our strength is spent. Moving so soon would be…”

“Which is why we must move. No one will expect it, so the shock will be greater. And as for stamina, the enemy has been fighting until now, so they’re likely worse off.”

“Hmmm…”

Normally Miles would have barked at such words, but strangely he couldn’t. The rookie’s words always sounded too reasonable.

And then came even more convincing logic.

“Think about Count Bellua’s nature. And our Captain Mordo’s decisiveness. They’ll surely strike where least expected.”

“Well… true enough.”

In the end, Miles could only nod.

He hurried to pack alongside Shatien.

If it comes to this, better to act quickly.

And just then—

-Tooot!

The horn resounded from the command tent.

-Neigh!

-Whoa, whoa!

The horses cried out.

“Damn! It’s assembly!”

“Move, move!”

The centurions scrambled, donning armor, while Captain Mordo and the commander of Count Bellua’s troops, fully armed, gave orders to the courier with stern faces.

“Prepare for battle!”

“Up, up, you slugs!”

That was it.

“We march at once. We go to aid the unlucky Garten Mercenary Corps! Hurry!”

Of course Captain Mordo wouldn’t miss this chance.

Their choice was battle.

‘At last, a real fight!’

Looking at the busy camp, Shatien once again steeled his resolve.