The sword of the Emperor and the glory of the Empire, House Targayel.
But the Targayel Counts, with their fancy name, were ruined. Not just ruined, but utterly ruined.
“I will use Kiraxus as my middle name.”
And Erzenes Targayel, the eldest daughter of Count Targayel, was to marry a man chosen by the Emperor's command.
“I will make it mandatory for the heir to have a sleepover once a week. I will try to have breakfast together every day.”
A political marriage is something unimaginable in Korea.
This wouldn't have happened if only Targayel had been as powerful as they once were. Why did it have to happen in my time? Elze was just at a loss.
“I hope there is no other interference between us. Especially in this relationship, like demanding things like love or affection.”
The only good thing was that the man she was going to marry was handsome. Still, Elze was satisfied with his looks. If they had pushed her to marry an old man, she would have seriously planned to wipe out the Baluar royal family.
“Of course, I will take full responsibility, so don’t ask me for anything more.”
But the half-and-half face and the great body were the end of it. Elze knew it from the beginning, but that man had a dirty personality. Even now, it was obvious. He was confident and was sure that she would fall in love with him.
So, to avoid any hassle, he hands her a contract filled with all sorts of clauses.
“Do you have anything to say?”
They say men are narcissistic, and he seemed to be one of them. However, that man had every right to be confident. He had everything from looks to ability, fame, and wealth.
The only thing he lacked was a position, but that was soon to be filled.
“...Lady Erzenes?”
"Ah."
Elze came to her senses belatedly. She narrowed her brows. The name of the man standing in front of her was Shan Crixus, the hero of the Baluar Empire who ended the Hundred Years' War.
And he was soon to become Count Targayel... and her husband.
Watching the eyes with beautiful purple pupils distort, Elze quickly read the contract in her hand.
It was a contract that would determine her life. She looked over the clauses with a burning eye. And she pointed out the one that bothered her the most.
“That... I’m talking about the bed.”
As soon as she spoke, Shan sighed. Then Elze spoke as if she was annoyed.
“More than once a week is difficult.”
But he was interpreting her meaning in the complete opposite way. Elze waved her hand and asked Shan a question.
“No, no, that’s not it. Let’s do it once a month.”
“...”
“And since I sleep in a lot in the morning, I don’t think we need to eat breakfast together.”
Elze ran her fingers through the contract, one sentence at a time, and mentioned the other clauses one by one.
“I wish there was more emphasis on the clause guaranteeing each other personal time. Or providing financial compensation for violations.”
"...What?"
“This clause also needs some revision. I would like you to review this and this as well. Also, this seems too advantageous to you.”
The words continued without a hitch. Perhaps in all of Shan’s life, no woman had ever argued with him like this.
However, Elze continued to speak firmly in front of Shan, who was making a dumbfounded expression. Elze, who had been talking about this and that for a while, suddenly stopped talking.
“Oh, and.”
When Shan looked at her, Elze frowned as she had before and snapped at him.
“Why are you speaking informally to me? I am still of a higher status.”
Elze had a secret she could not tell anyone. It was her life before she was born as Erzenes Targayel, the eldest daughter of the Targayel Counts. In other words, she had memories of her previous life.
Elze was born and raised in a wealthy family in Korea. Elze, who had been exceptionally skilled at stick handling since she was young, learned kendo at a local kendo center at her parents’ recommendation. After three days of attending, the head of the Kendo Center came to visit her parents and earnestly recommended it to them.
"Your daughter's talent is extraordinary. I think it would be a good idea for her to go somewhere bigger."
From that point on, Elze jumped into the world of swords. Elze, who was deeply engrossed in kendo, happened to come across fencing. She changed her career path to fencing and eventually became a member of the national fencing team.
The cause of death was absurd. Before the Olympics, a jealous teammate of Elze deliberately pushed her down the stairs to injure her.
Elze died at a young age without ever receiving the Olympic medal she had longed for.
And the place she was reincarnated into was Count Targayel's house.
At first, when she heard about the Count's family, she thought that this life would be a comfortable one with a silver spoon in her mouth. However, the atmosphere felt strange. It turned out that the Targayel family, where Elze was born, was going downhill.
The Targayel family was originally known as the Emperor's Sword and produced warriors for generations. There was always one child born to the family with exceptional talent for the sword. He would then inherit the title and fly the Targayel flag on the battlefield.
But at some point, no children with sword talent were born. With the man who would lead the Knights of Targayel gone, the military family of Targayel was unable to make any impact in the long Hundred Years' War.
During the crisis that completely weakened Targayel's position, Elze's younger brother, Astin, was born. Many people had high hopes for this time.
However, Astin was not born with the talent for swordsmanship.
Her parents couldn't hide their disappointment. But there was nothing they could do. If they were to blame, they would have to ask God.
And before Elze could even have her coming-of-age ceremony, her parents died.
The sudden absence of their master shook everything in Targayel, and she began to feel dizzy. To make matters worse, the business her father had invested in failed, and she was left with a huge amount of debt. Targayel fell apart helplessly.
Elze asked the imperial court for help. However, they felt no reason to help the useless Targayel. After much thought, she even sent a letter asking for financial support in exchange for giving up her hereditary title, but the imperial court never responded. They did not even show the slightest sympathy.
Elze worked frantically to deal with the debt that was growing like a snowball. She couldn't afford to pay for her numerous employees, so she fired them all, and even disbanded her last pride, the Knights Templar. She sold off all the valuables in her house. Thanks to that, she was barely able to pay off her debt.
After that, only Elze and Astin were left in the large mansion.
"Sister Elze..."
Only then did the man recognize Elze's presence. He asked sharply.
"Who are you?"
"Mercenary."
"Woman?"
"Man."
Although it was quite arrogant to treat her savior, Elze decided to understand. After all, it was a battlefield, a place where no one could trust anyone, let alone a comrade who had just been relying on her back.
The man, panting in pain, looked at his condition rather calmly. After confirming that Elze had treated him, he let his guard down. Then he hesitated and said.
"Why...you saved me."
But the Targayel Counts, with their fancy name, were ruined. Not just ruined, but utterly ruined.
“I will use Kiraxus as my middle name.”
And Erzenes Targayel, the eldest daughter of Count Targayel, was to marry a man chosen by the Emperor's command.
“I will make it mandatory for the heir to have a sleepover once a week. I will try to have breakfast together every day.”
A political marriage is something unimaginable in Korea.
This wouldn't have happened if only Targayel had been as powerful as they once were. Why did it have to happen in my time? Elze was just at a loss.
“I hope there is no other interference between us. Especially in this relationship, like demanding things like love or affection.”
The only good thing was that the man she was going to marry was handsome. Still, Elze was satisfied with his looks. If they had pushed her to marry an old man, she would have seriously planned to wipe out the Baluar royal family.
“Of course, I will take full responsibility, so don’t ask me for anything more.”
But the half-and-half face and the great body were the end of it. Elze knew it from the beginning, but that man had a dirty personality. Even now, it was obvious. He was confident and was sure that she would fall in love with him.
So, to avoid any hassle, he hands her a contract filled with all sorts of clauses.
“Do you have anything to say?”
They say men are narcissistic, and he seemed to be one of them. However, that man had every right to be confident. He had everything from looks to ability, fame, and wealth.
The only thing he lacked was a position, but that was soon to be filled.
“...Lady Erzenes?”
"Ah."
Elze came to her senses belatedly. She narrowed her brows. The name of the man standing in front of her was Shan Crixus, the hero of the Baluar Empire who ended the Hundred Years' War.
And he was soon to become Count Targayel... and her husband.
Watching the eyes with beautiful purple pupils distort, Elze quickly read the contract in her hand.
It was a contract that would determine her life. She looked over the clauses with a burning eye. And she pointed out the one that bothered her the most.
“That... I’m talking about the bed.”
As soon as she spoke, Shan sighed. Then Elze spoke as if she was annoyed.
“More than once a week is difficult.”
But he was interpreting her meaning in the complete opposite way. Elze waved her hand and asked Shan a question.
“No, no, that’s not it. Let’s do it once a month.”
“...”
“And since I sleep in a lot in the morning, I don’t think we need to eat breakfast together.”
Elze ran her fingers through the contract, one sentence at a time, and mentioned the other clauses one by one.
“I wish there was more emphasis on the clause guaranteeing each other personal time. Or providing financial compensation for violations.”
"...What?"
“This clause also needs some revision. I would like you to review this and this as well. Also, this seems too advantageous to you.”
The words continued without a hitch. Perhaps in all of Shan’s life, no woman had ever argued with him like this.
However, Elze continued to speak firmly in front of Shan, who was making a dumbfounded expression. Elze, who had been talking about this and that for a while, suddenly stopped talking.
“Oh, and.”
When Shan looked at her, Elze frowned as she had before and snapped at him.
“Why are you speaking informally to me? I am still of a higher status.”
Elze had a secret she could not tell anyone. It was her life before she was born as Erzenes Targayel, the eldest daughter of the Targayel Counts. In other words, she had memories of her previous life.
Elze was born and raised in a wealthy family in Korea. Elze, who had been exceptionally skilled at stick handling since she was young, learned kendo at a local kendo center at her parents’ recommendation. After three days of attending, the head of the Kendo Center came to visit her parents and earnestly recommended it to them.
"Your daughter's talent is extraordinary. I think it would be a good idea for her to go somewhere bigger."
From that point on, Elze jumped into the world of swords. Elze, who was deeply engrossed in kendo, happened to come across fencing. She changed her career path to fencing and eventually became a member of the national fencing team.
The cause of death was absurd. Before the Olympics, a jealous teammate of Elze deliberately pushed her down the stairs to injure her.
Elze died at a young age without ever receiving the Olympic medal she had longed for.
And the place she was reincarnated into was Count Targayel's house.
At first, when she heard about the Count's family, she thought that this life would be a comfortable one with a silver spoon in her mouth. However, the atmosphere felt strange. It turned out that the Targayel family, where Elze was born, was going downhill.
The Targayel family was originally known as the Emperor's Sword and produced warriors for generations. There was always one child born to the family with exceptional talent for the sword. He would then inherit the title and fly the Targayel flag on the battlefield.
But at some point, no children with sword talent were born. With the man who would lead the Knights of Targayel gone, the military family of Targayel was unable to make any impact in the long Hundred Years' War.
During the crisis that completely weakened Targayel's position, Elze's younger brother, Astin, was born. Many people had high hopes for this time.
However, Astin was not born with the talent for swordsmanship.
Her parents couldn't hide their disappointment. But there was nothing they could do. If they were to blame, they would have to ask God.
And before Elze could even have her coming-of-age ceremony, her parents died.
The sudden absence of their master shook everything in Targayel, and she began to feel dizzy. To make matters worse, the business her father had invested in failed, and she was left with a huge amount of debt. Targayel fell apart helplessly.
Elze asked the imperial court for help. However, they felt no reason to help the useless Targayel. After much thought, she even sent a letter asking for financial support in exchange for giving up her hereditary title, but the imperial court never responded. They did not even show the slightest sympathy.
Elze worked frantically to deal with the debt that was growing like a snowball. She couldn't afford to pay for her numerous employees, so she fired them all, and even disbanded her last pride, the Knights Templar. She sold off all the valuables in her house. Thanks to that, she was barely able to pay off her debt.
After that, only Elze and Astin were left in the large mansion.
"Sister Elze..."
"Don't cry, Astin. Crows don't cry."
Astin cried in Elze's arms. Elze hugged her little brother and swore that she would make sure he would never go hungry.
In fact, Elze knew. The talent for swordsmanship had returned to the Targayel family. The Targayel who inherited the talent for swordsmanship was none other than Elze.
But she couldn't say it. She realized too late that she had a talent for the sword, and in the empire, women were just attendants who stood next to men.
Even though Elze was born with a talent for swordsmanship, she couldn't inherit the title of Count, let alone go to war.
Crucially, Astin was deeply self-deprecating about not being born with a talent for swordsmanship. How could she say she had talent in front of his younger brother? Elze could never do that.
In the empty mansion, Elze pondered how she would live from now on. The talents she had acquired as the daughter of a Count were of no use in making a living.
The damn royal family kept silent despite her cries for help. That's why they didn't even think about it in the first place.
There was also the option of marrying a rich and well-to-do merchant. But Elze hated that even if it meant dying. She didn't want to sacrifice herself to that extent for her younger brother. Elze also valued her own life.
After thinking about it for several days and nights, Elze finally decided to do what she could do: take up a sword. Elze began practicing swordsmanship every night without Astin knowing.
Fortunately, she quickly got used to the sword. It was the first time in her life that she had ever held a sword, but she felt comfortable with it as if she had been doing it her entire life. In just a few days, Elze was able to handle the sword better than she had in her previous life.
Elze, who had learned to wield a sword to some extent, headed to the battlefield to earn money. To hide her womanhood, she tied up her chest and had her hair cut short and dyed a dull color.
And that was the beginning of the infamous mercenary group, 'Elijah'.
In the Hundred Years' War brought about by Baluar and Heglatan, countless lives were lost in vain.
But the troubled times were the times for heroes. At least on the battlefield, skill ruled everything. Even noble people were nothing more than a piece of meat when they died.
Elze, who was heading to the battlefield, was the first to volunteer as a mercenary for Baluar. Of course, it wasn't because of patriotism, but because she thought it would be easier to adapt to Baluar since it was where she was born and raised. Plus, they paid more than Heglatan.
Since there was always a shortage of mercenaries to serve as arrow shields on the battlefield, Elze was able to start working as a mercenary without any difficulties.
The more she practiced swordsmanship, the more her skills improved to a frightening degree. She realized that this was the 'talent for swordsmanship' that Targayel had believed in and followed so much. After a few sparring matches, Elze realized that there were not even five people in this place who could match her.
However, unlike the smooth start, the process was rough. Although she was pretending to be a man, Elze was naturally delicate as if she could fly away in the wind among the other mercenaries. Many people picked on the pretty Elze. There were also frequent cases of covert sexual harassment.
At first, she just ignored it. She didn't want to cause trouble and draw attention to herself since she had hidden her identity and gender. But elElze soon realized that if she continued like this, it would never end. If she continued like this, she would die before she could even fight. Elze changed her mind about ignoring it.
And soon after, she had the chance to put her new resolution into practice. That day, Elze was standing in line to receive her food rations. Then, a large mercenary patted her on the butt and laughed.
"What the heck, this girl?"
And then, without stopping, he started to fumble. Elze closed her eyes tightly and let out a long sigh.
"Phew."
And then she hit the guy's head with the plate she was holding.
"Ugh!!"
From then on, it was a dogfight. Dozens of mercenaries rushed at Elze. Elze broke off a leg of a wooden table and held it in her hand, literally flying around. The thin table leg was a very good piece of lumber. Every time her slender wrist swung the table leg, the large bodies sprang out.
The situation was quickly resolved when the knights came running in pursuit of the mercenaries, who had heard of the fight between them. However, Elze had already been beaten to a pulp by at least fifteen of them.
The words that Elze spoke at that time, smiling sinisterly while holding a bloody table leg, are still talked about among the mercenaries as a drinking snack whenever they are bored.
After that, no one touched Elze's butt.
Instead, rumors about Elze spread far and wide, and mercenaries and even knights of Baluar began to hang around the mercenary quarters to see the 'pretty monster mercenary'.
The first battle Elze fought in was the Battle of Kerkla. Fought on the plains of Kerkla in 994 Innes, it was one of the bloodiest battles of the Hundred Years' War, with thousands of casualties.
And there, Elze first met Shan.
The Battle of Kerkla was a complete defeat for Baluar. The Baluar Empire's army was nothing more than a piece of paper compared to Heglatan's, and Heglatan's army literally swept away the Baluar Empire's army.
Elze, who was participating in her first battle, instinctively swung her sword without knowing what was going on. While she was struggling without knowing anything, the order to retreat was given.
"Retreat! Retreat!!"
Elze also ran desperately, mixed in with the hastily retreating imperial army.
"Ugh, gasp...!"
Astin cried in Elze's arms. Elze hugged her little brother and swore that she would make sure he would never go hungry.
In fact, Elze knew. The talent for swordsmanship had returned to the Targayel family. The Targayel who inherited the talent for swordsmanship was none other than Elze.
But she couldn't say it. She realized too late that she had a talent for the sword, and in the empire, women were just attendants who stood next to men.
Even though Elze was born with a talent for swordsmanship, she couldn't inherit the title of Count, let alone go to war.
Crucially, Astin was deeply self-deprecating about not being born with a talent for swordsmanship. How could she say she had talent in front of his younger brother? Elze could never do that.
In the empty mansion, Elze pondered how she would live from now on. The talents she had acquired as the daughter of a Count were of no use in making a living.
The damn royal family kept silent despite her cries for help. That's why they didn't even think about it in the first place.
There was also the option of marrying a rich and well-to-do merchant. But Elze hated that even if it meant dying. She didn't want to sacrifice herself to that extent for her younger brother. Elze also valued her own life.
After thinking about it for several days and nights, Elze finally decided to do what she could do: take up a sword. Elze began practicing swordsmanship every night without Astin knowing.
Fortunately, she quickly got used to the sword. It was the first time in her life that she had ever held a sword, but she felt comfortable with it as if she had been doing it her entire life. In just a few days, Elze was able to handle the sword better than she had in her previous life.
Elze, who had learned to wield a sword to some extent, headed to the battlefield to earn money. To hide her womanhood, she tied up her chest and had her hair cut short and dyed a dull color.
And that was the beginning of the infamous mercenary group, 'Elijah'.
***
In the Hundred Years' War brought about by Baluar and Heglatan, countless lives were lost in vain.
But the troubled times were the times for heroes. At least on the battlefield, skill ruled everything. Even noble people were nothing more than a piece of meat when they died.
Elze, who was heading to the battlefield, was the first to volunteer as a mercenary for Baluar. Of course, it wasn't because of patriotism, but because she thought it would be easier to adapt to Baluar since it was where she was born and raised. Plus, they paid more than Heglatan.
Since there was always a shortage of mercenaries to serve as arrow shields on the battlefield, Elze was able to start working as a mercenary without any difficulties.
The more she practiced swordsmanship, the more her skills improved to a frightening degree. She realized that this was the 'talent for swordsmanship' that Targayel had believed in and followed so much. After a few sparring matches, Elze realized that there were not even five people in this place who could match her.
However, unlike the smooth start, the process was rough. Although she was pretending to be a man, Elze was naturally delicate as if she could fly away in the wind among the other mercenaries. Many people picked on the pretty Elze. There were also frequent cases of covert sexual harassment.
At first, she just ignored it. She didn't want to cause trouble and draw attention to herself since she had hidden her identity and gender. But elElze soon realized that if she continued like this, it would never end. If she continued like this, she would die before she could even fight. Elze changed her mind about ignoring it.
And soon after, she had the chance to put her new resolution into practice. That day, Elze was standing in line to receive her food rations. Then, a large mercenary patted her on the butt and laughed.
"What the heck, this girl?"
And then, without stopping, he started to fumble. Elze closed her eyes tightly and let out a long sigh.
"Phew."
And then she hit the guy's head with the plate she was holding.
"Ugh!!"
From then on, it was a dogfight. Dozens of mercenaries rushed at Elze. Elze broke off a leg of a wooden table and held it in her hand, literally flying around. The thin table leg was a very good piece of lumber. Every time her slender wrist swung the table leg, the large bodies sprang out.
The situation was quickly resolved when the knights came running in pursuit of the mercenaries, who had heard of the fight between them. However, Elze had already been beaten to a pulp by at least fifteen of them.
The words that Elze spoke at that time, smiling sinisterly while holding a bloody table leg, are still talked about among the mercenaries as a drinking snack whenever they are bored.
"Stop touching my ass, assholes."
Instead, rumors about Elze spread far and wide, and mercenaries and even knights of Baluar began to hang around the mercenary quarters to see the 'pretty monster mercenary'.
***
The first battle Elze fought in was the Battle of Kerkla. Fought on the plains of Kerkla in 994 Innes, it was one of the bloodiest battles of the Hundred Years' War, with thousands of casualties.
And there, Elze first met Shan.
The Battle of Kerkla was a complete defeat for Baluar. The Baluar Empire's army was nothing more than a piece of paper compared to Heglatan's, and Heglatan's army literally swept away the Baluar Empire's army.
Elze, who was participating in her first battle, instinctively swung her sword without knowing what was going on. While she was struggling without knowing anything, the order to retreat was given.
"Retreat! Retreat!!"
Elze also ran desperately, mixed in with the hastily retreating imperial army.
"Ugh, gasp...!"
She never wanted to die in a place like this. Blood was spurting out from under her feet, soaking her.
At that moment, something suddenly entered Elze's field of vision. Elze stopped in her tracks without realizing it. It was a strange thing. Elze, who had been so busy running away that she couldn't see anything, just caught that eye.
"Ugh!!"
What caught Elze's eye was a man. He looked like a knight of Baluar, and he fell to the ground after being struck by the swords of his comrades. The comrades spat and cursed at the man's back as he fell bleeding.
"You unlucky bastard."
And they ran away alone to avoid Heglatan. The man lay on the floor alone and squirmed.
If things were as they were, Elze should have ignored him and run away quickly. It was none of Elze's business whether the knights of Baluar stabbed each other to death with their swords or not.
But the man kept catching her eye, to the point where she felt it was strange. Elze, who had been taking unsteady steps, eventually turned back to the man, cursing.
Elze put her hand behind his ear to check for a pulse, then slapped his cheek.
"Ugh..."
The man groaned faintly and twisted his body. Elze supported him and said.
"Get your mind straight from now on. I will save you."
Fortunately, the man was able to walk, though he was still staggering. With Heglatan in pursuit, Elze turned away from where Baluar had retreated.
Elze found a place with bushes and a small spring, hid him among the bushes, and examined his wound. There was a large cut running diagonally from his shoulder to his side.
The wound was large, but not deep, and fortunately, it avoided a vital spot. If only the bleeding could be stopped and treatment given properly, there was hope.
First, she took water from the well and washed her hands cleanly. Then she tore the man's clothes and stopped the bleeding at the wound. After the bleeding was stopped, she cut off the pieces of clothing stuck to the wound and cleaned the area around the wound.
After applying a generous amount of the precious ointment she had in case of an emergency, she even wet her hands with water and moistened the corners of the man's mouth.
While treating him, Elze herself couldn't figure out why she was acting this way. Especially when she was applying ointment. The ointment that heals wounds was a precious item that didn't come as a supply item, but Elze, who wanted to survive no matter what had secretly brought it with her.
She didn't hesitate at all in thinking and acting that she should spend that precious thing on him. It was almost like an instinct.
Elze was taking a breather, thinking that the treatment was almost over, when she heard a man groan.
"Ugh..."
As soon as he was laid down in the bushes, he fainted, and even though Elze stirred him here and there to treat him, he lay there as if he was dead, but now he seems to have come to his senses.
Elze quickly brought water and poured it into his mouth. She had to give him water when he came to his senses. Fortunately, the man drank it well, gulping it down. She felt proud for no reason when she saw him.
"Gasp, ugh..."
The man's resilience was amazing. With an injury of this magnitude, it would have been normal for him to pass out and not wake up for three days and nights. However, he had already regained consciousness and was even speaking with a clear voice. It was truly an admirable thing.
"I'm going to kill you... I'm going to kill you all..."
At that moment, something suddenly entered Elze's field of vision. Elze stopped in her tracks without realizing it. It was a strange thing. Elze, who had been so busy running away that she couldn't see anything, just caught that eye.
"Ugh!!"
What caught Elze's eye was a man. He looked like a knight of Baluar, and he fell to the ground after being struck by the swords of his comrades. The comrades spat and cursed at the man's back as he fell bleeding.
"You unlucky bastard."
And they ran away alone to avoid Heglatan. The man lay on the floor alone and squirmed.
If things were as they were, Elze should have ignored him and run away quickly. It was none of Elze's business whether the knights of Baluar stabbed each other to death with their swords or not.
But the man kept catching her eye, to the point where she felt it was strange. Elze, who had been taking unsteady steps, eventually turned back to the man, cursing.
Elze put her hand behind his ear to check for a pulse, then slapped his cheek.
"Ugh..."
The man groaned faintly and twisted his body. Elze supported him and said.
"Get your mind straight from now on. I will save you."
Fortunately, the man was able to walk, though he was still staggering. With Heglatan in pursuit, Elze turned away from where Baluar had retreated.
Elze found a place with bushes and a small spring, hid him among the bushes, and examined his wound. There was a large cut running diagonally from his shoulder to his side.
The wound was large, but not deep, and fortunately, it avoided a vital spot. If only the bleeding could be stopped and treatment given properly, there was hope.
First, she took water from the well and washed her hands cleanly. Then she tore the man's clothes and stopped the bleeding at the wound. After the bleeding was stopped, she cut off the pieces of clothing stuck to the wound and cleaned the area around the wound.
After applying a generous amount of the precious ointment she had in case of an emergency, she even wet her hands with water and moistened the corners of the man's mouth.
While treating him, Elze herself couldn't figure out why she was acting this way. Especially when she was applying ointment. The ointment that heals wounds was a precious item that didn't come as a supply item, but Elze, who wanted to survive no matter what had secretly brought it with her.
She didn't hesitate at all in thinking and acting that she should spend that precious thing on him. It was almost like an instinct.
Elze was taking a breather, thinking that the treatment was almost over, when she heard a man groan.
"Ugh..."
As soon as he was laid down in the bushes, he fainted, and even though Elze stirred him here and there to treat him, he lay there as if he was dead, but now he seems to have come to his senses.
Elze quickly brought water and poured it into his mouth. She had to give him water when he came to his senses. Fortunately, the man drank it well, gulping it down. She felt proud for no reason when she saw him.
"Gasp, ugh..."
The man's resilience was amazing. With an injury of this magnitude, it would have been normal for him to pass out and not wake up for three days and nights. However, he had already regained consciousness and was even speaking with a clear voice. It was truly an admirable thing.
"I'm going to kill you... I'm going to kill you all..."
Of course, that is, except that the mutterings are curses filled with hate.
Elze blinked. It was probably a curse directed at his fellow knights who had betrayed him earlier. She didn’t know what he had done wrong to be abandoned like that, but it was clear that leaving someone behind while retreating was a very fatal act.
Elze said, brushing away his sweaty hair.
"Kill them, but not me."
Elze blinked. It was probably a curse directed at his fellow knights who had betrayed him earlier. She didn’t know what he had done wrong to be abandoned like that, but it was clear that leaving someone behind while retreating was a very fatal act.
Elze said, brushing away his sweaty hair.
"Kill them, but not me."
Only then did the man recognize Elze's presence. He asked sharply.
"Who are you?"
"Mercenary."
"Woman?"
"Man."
Although it was quite arrogant to treat her savior, Elze decided to understand. After all, it was a battlefield, a place where no one could trust anyone, let alone a comrade who had just been relying on her back.
The man, panting in pain, looked at his condition rather calmly. After confirming that Elze had treated him, he let his guard down. Then he hesitated and said.
"Why...you saved me."
"Just like that."
There really was no reason. And even if there was, it was a reason not even Elze knew about.
Elze answered up to that point and got up. She couldn't stay next to this man forever. If she didn't return now, she'd be treated as a deserter.
"That's all I can do for you, so you survive on your own now. It looks like your wounds will heal quickly. I'll leave a piece of bread behind."
"..."
The man stared blankly at Elze. But Elze was just absentmindedly gathering her things in front of his gaze. The moment Elze was about to take a step, he shouted.
"Name!"
When Elze turned around, the man said.
"What is your name?"
Elze and the man looked at each other for the first time. He had very pretty purple eyes. Elze nodded and asked.
"Isn't it polite to ask questions by stating your name first?"
The man hesitated for a moment at Elze's words, then quickly answered obediently.
"Shan Cryxus."
"Elze."
It was a nickname for her real name, Erzenes, and a pseudonym she used. Elze told him her name and left without any regrets.
"If we get a chance, let's meet again on the battlefield."
Little did she know that he would later become her husband.
Since that meeting, Shan and Elze haven't even seen each other's faces.
But rumors about each other were rampant. There was a rumor that among the knights of Baluar there was one with devilish powers, and there was a rumor that among the mercenaries there was a pretty monster.
However, even though the two people knew of each other's existence, they did not bother to look for each other.
As the battles continued, Shan and Elze gained fame. When a battle broke out, the two of them were always at the forefront, and they couldn't go unnoticed.
In particular, Shan's fame became very great. The battles in which Shan led the front were never lost. Even when they retreated, they suffered only minimal losses.
Shan came to enjoy the favor of the Crown Prince, the Commander-in-Chief of the Baluar Empire's forces and began to rise through the ranks at an extremely rapid pace from a mere knight.
Of course, there was opposition from many nobles along the way. However, the Crown Prince was a wise man. He knew what was important on the battlefield. In the end, he even appointed Shan Cryxus as his second-in-command.
Shan had become the star of Baluar, and Heglatan trembled at the mere mention of Shan's name. This was the emergence of a shining war hero.
While Shan was doing that, Elze wasn't just sitting around. Elze created the mercenary group Elijah. Elijah was a mercenary group that played an important role in the Hundred Years' War, just as important as Shan's name.
The reason Elijah was created was simple. They came together to survive, and since Elze was the center, she became the leader.
The first member she met was Tarkun.
"Are you that pretty monster mercenary?"
He was a mercenary who was in the Baluar camp with Elze. Tarkun started a fight with Elze, saying outrageous things. It was only a few days after the so-called 'table bridge incident'.
But unlike the usual troublemakers, Tarkun's eyes were clear. Instead of unpleasant desire, his eyes held a pure competitive spirit. Tarkun raised his huge two-handed sword (long and heavy two-handed sword) and spoke.
"Let's try it out."
Unlike the usual two-handed swords, the blade was wide, and it looked like it could kill a person if you just struck them. Elze wondered how much strength one would need to have to use a sword like that.
Elze pulled out the rapier and mangosh (The rapier is a long, thin, one-handed sword. The mangosh is a defensive dagger. It can also be used independently.) from her waistband. It was a sword she had purchased with all the money she had left before leaving Targayel.
Tarkun frowned and asked as he took up his sword in both hands.
"Using dual swords? I can't stop you."
Usually, one would hold a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. However, this was not the case for Elze. Elze's swordsmanship, based on quick attacks, was based on finishing off the opponent before he could attack.
"What are you blocking?"
"What?"
"You'll be lying on the floor before then."
And Elze beat up Tarkun coolly. Tarkun laughed heartily as he was hit, wondering what was so good about it.
"Wow! You really are a monster!"
After that, Tarkun followed Elze around.
The second member she met was Lapine, a mercenary in the Heglatan camp. Known as the 'Invisible Shadow', he was a sniper who shot arrows into the heads of all of Baluar's major generals, causing fear in the Baluar camp.
As Elze's fame grew, he began to target her as a sniper. During the chaos of the battle, Lapine shot Elze. However, Elze cut off all the arrows he shot with her sword in the melee.
Even though he emptied a barrel of arrows that he had tightly packed, Lapine was unable to inflict a single wound on Elze. According to Lapine's words, at that moment, he was so angry that his head suddenly went blank. So he came down from the sniping point and appeared in front of Elze.
"How on earth did you avoid them all?"
Elze gave him a crooked answer as he whined with hurt pride.
"Shoot so I can hit you a little."
"..."
After that, he immediately broke his contract with Heglatan.
Even though Heglatan begged and pleaded with him, Lapine fled in the middle of the night and came to Baluar. To be exact, she came to Elze's side. And now there was one more person following Elze.
The last member, Ivanna, was brought by Elze. At only 16 years old, she was a mercenary for Baluar, and was originally a child of little note.
Ivanna, like Elze, dressed up as a man and went into battle. She lived quietly without any presence, but when she was accidentally discovered to be dressed up as a man, she was in danger of being gang raped.
"She was a bitch!"
"Was this all makeup? Even the beard?"
The mercenaries who noticed this first dragged Ivanna to a dark place. It was at that moment that they tried to gag Ivanna's mouth and satisfy their greed.
Elze, who was passing by by chance, discovered Ivanna.
"What are you doing?"
"Hey, Elze! You little bitch. I'll let you in too."
"..."
Elze felt bitter in her mouth. She didn't let others know that she was a woman because they couldn't touch her, but that child wasn't like that. She was too young to ignore. Her heart pounded. In the end, Elze drew her sword.
"Stop it."
The mercenaries' eyes turned red at Elze's words. They were out of their minds after finding a woman on the battlefield. In the end, Elze was able to save Ivanna only after seeing blood.
Ivanna thanked Elze tearfully, picking up her torn clothes.
"Excuse me, brother... Yes, thank you..."
Elze said, covering Ivanna's bare shoulders with her coat.
"Not brother."
"...Yes?"
"Sister."
Ivanna's face turned pale. Elze continued to talk nonchalantly as if it was nothing.
"I believe you. Don't say it."
Ivanna nodded slightly. Then she asked cautiously.
"Excuse me... Can I follow you, sister?"
Elze raised an eyebrow at Ivanna's question.
"What can you do?"
Then Ivanna spoke with a serious face as if she were revealing a big secret.
"I am an alchemist. In this war, I will obtain important materials needed for alchemy..."
Alchemists were a very valuable talent. They were familiar with handling various chemicals and were welcomed wherever they went. It was strange that such alchemists were rolling around on a battlefield like this.
Perhaps she was keeping a secret, but Elze didn't care.
"Stop it, that's it."
Ivanna's purpose was not important. She just had to be able to follow her around and take care of her own food. Elze cut off Ivanna's long-winded excuse and waved at her.
"Follow me."
That's how the mercenary group Elijah, consisting of four mercenaries, was created.
Elijah played an outstanding role in the Hundred Years' War, and at the same time, they irritated both Baluar and Heglatan with their attitude of not caring which side they were on as long as they gave them enough money.
Heglatan worked hard to recruit Elijah. However, Baluar also spared no expense in capturing Elijah. Thanks to this, Elijah stayed with Baluar, and it was definitely worth the money.
While Shan and Elijah were making their names known, the Shan-Elijah Battle took place.
The Battle of Shan-Elijah, which took place in 995 of the Innes calendar, is considered one of the most dramatic victories in history and was a decisive battle that gave the Baluar Empire, which was on the verge of defeat, a chance to win.
In this battle, named after Shan and Elze in commemoration of their brilliant exploits as a mercenary group, Shan and Elze met for the second time.
Shan and Elijah's mercenary group were assigned to a single unit. Shan, whom she met again, had changed greatly. He was no longer wearing his old knightly uniform.
He was mounted on a huge black steed and was clad in shining armor. The sword in his hand was nothing compared to the wretched iron swords of old.
But unlike him, Elze was extremely shabby. She had no time to take care of her appearance amidst the repeated battles. Her skin was tanned and rough, and she was grimy from not washing properly. Her clothes were also stained with blood.
Shan looked around as if looking for Elze, but Elze avoided him and disappeared behind him, out of sight.
"Captain! Why are we going back?"
"The further back you are, the better."
"I like the back too."
Elze answered awkwardly as the three people chattered away.
"I want to stand in the back today."
Elze didn't know why she was backing away, but she did it anyway. It just felt like the right thing to do.
The battle with Heglatan began, and Elze saw him fighting for the first time that day. She had never seen him before, as their units had never been assigned this close together.
Elze could see why Shan was called a demon.
Elze also prided herself on being unrivaled by anyone with a sword, but Shan was beyond imagination. If Elze was a genius of the highest order, then he was no ordinary human being.
Shan had no distinctly defined swordsmanship. His sword seemed fast, and slow. It seemed variable, but it was honest and upright.
He didn't even pick a specific sword. When he was running around like crazy and his sword broke, he would immediately pick up any sword. Normally, if you don't use your own sword, your skills will be halved, but Shan didn't pick a tool. He was consistent even when he was holding a spear or an axe instead of a sword.
Shan had nothing and everything at the same time. It was a truly demonic ability.
With such a Shan as the leader, the Elijah mercenary group followed suit, and there was no one to stop them. The battle, with the best warriors of Baluar together, went smoothly, and the unit advanced without hesitation.
But soon, Elze realized this was a trap, and ended up saving Shan's life a second time.
There really was no reason. And even if there was, it was a reason not even Elze knew about.
Elze answered up to that point and got up. She couldn't stay next to this man forever. If she didn't return now, she'd be treated as a deserter.
"That's all I can do for you, so you survive on your own now. It looks like your wounds will heal quickly. I'll leave a piece of bread behind."
"..."
The man stared blankly at Elze. But Elze was just absentmindedly gathering her things in front of his gaze. The moment Elze was about to take a step, he shouted.
"Name!"
When Elze turned around, the man said.
"What is your name?"
Elze and the man looked at each other for the first time. He had very pretty purple eyes. Elze nodded and asked.
"Isn't it polite to ask questions by stating your name first?"
The man hesitated for a moment at Elze's words, then quickly answered obediently.
"Shan Cryxus."
"Elze."
It was a nickname for her real name, Erzenes, and a pseudonym she used. Elze told him her name and left without any regrets.
"If we get a chance, let's meet again on the battlefield."
Little did she know that he would later become her husband.
***
Since that meeting, Shan and Elze haven't even seen each other's faces.
But rumors about each other were rampant. There was a rumor that among the knights of Baluar there was one with devilish powers, and there was a rumor that among the mercenaries there was a pretty monster.
However, even though the two people knew of each other's existence, they did not bother to look for each other.
As the battles continued, Shan and Elze gained fame. When a battle broke out, the two of them were always at the forefront, and they couldn't go unnoticed.
In particular, Shan's fame became very great. The battles in which Shan led the front were never lost. Even when they retreated, they suffered only minimal losses.
Shan came to enjoy the favor of the Crown Prince, the Commander-in-Chief of the Baluar Empire's forces and began to rise through the ranks at an extremely rapid pace from a mere knight.
Of course, there was opposition from many nobles along the way. However, the Crown Prince was a wise man. He knew what was important on the battlefield. In the end, he even appointed Shan Cryxus as his second-in-command.
Shan had become the star of Baluar, and Heglatan trembled at the mere mention of Shan's name. This was the emergence of a shining war hero.
While Shan was doing that, Elze wasn't just sitting around. Elze created the mercenary group Elijah. Elijah was a mercenary group that played an important role in the Hundred Years' War, just as important as Shan's name.
The reason Elijah was created was simple. They came together to survive, and since Elze was the center, she became the leader.
The first member she met was Tarkun.
"Are you that pretty monster mercenary?"
He was a mercenary who was in the Baluar camp with Elze. Tarkun started a fight with Elze, saying outrageous things. It was only a few days after the so-called 'table bridge incident'.
But unlike the usual troublemakers, Tarkun's eyes were clear. Instead of unpleasant desire, his eyes held a pure competitive spirit. Tarkun raised his huge two-handed sword (long and heavy two-handed sword) and spoke.
"Let's try it out."
Unlike the usual two-handed swords, the blade was wide, and it looked like it could kill a person if you just struck them. Elze wondered how much strength one would need to have to use a sword like that.
Elze pulled out the rapier and mangosh (The rapier is a long, thin, one-handed sword. The mangosh is a defensive dagger. It can also be used independently.) from her waistband. It was a sword she had purchased with all the money she had left before leaving Targayel.
Tarkun frowned and asked as he took up his sword in both hands.
"Using dual swords? I can't stop you."
Usually, one would hold a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. However, this was not the case for Elze. Elze's swordsmanship, based on quick attacks, was based on finishing off the opponent before he could attack.
"What are you blocking?"
"What?"
"You'll be lying on the floor before then."
And Elze beat up Tarkun coolly. Tarkun laughed heartily as he was hit, wondering what was so good about it.
"Wow! You really are a monster!"
After that, Tarkun followed Elze around.
The second member she met was Lapine, a mercenary in the Heglatan camp. Known as the 'Invisible Shadow', he was a sniper who shot arrows into the heads of all of Baluar's major generals, causing fear in the Baluar camp.
As Elze's fame grew, he began to target her as a sniper. During the chaos of the battle, Lapine shot Elze. However, Elze cut off all the arrows he shot with her sword in the melee.
Even though he emptied a barrel of arrows that he had tightly packed, Lapine was unable to inflict a single wound on Elze. According to Lapine's words, at that moment, he was so angry that his head suddenly went blank. So he came down from the sniping point and appeared in front of Elze.
"How on earth did you avoid them all?"
Elze gave him a crooked answer as he whined with hurt pride.
"Shoot so I can hit you a little."
"..."
After that, he immediately broke his contract with Heglatan.
Even though Heglatan begged and pleaded with him, Lapine fled in the middle of the night and came to Baluar. To be exact, she came to Elze's side. And now there was one more person following Elze.
The last member, Ivanna, was brought by Elze. At only 16 years old, she was a mercenary for Baluar, and was originally a child of little note.
Ivanna, like Elze, dressed up as a man and went into battle. She lived quietly without any presence, but when she was accidentally discovered to be dressed up as a man, she was in danger of being gang raped.
"She was a bitch!"
"Was this all makeup? Even the beard?"
The mercenaries who noticed this first dragged Ivanna to a dark place. It was at that moment that they tried to gag Ivanna's mouth and satisfy their greed.
Elze, who was passing by by chance, discovered Ivanna.
"What are you doing?"
"Hey, Elze! You little bitch. I'll let you in too."
"..."
Elze felt bitter in her mouth. She didn't let others know that she was a woman because they couldn't touch her, but that child wasn't like that. She was too young to ignore. Her heart pounded. In the end, Elze drew her sword.
"Stop it."
The mercenaries' eyes turned red at Elze's words. They were out of their minds after finding a woman on the battlefield. In the end, Elze was able to save Ivanna only after seeing blood.
Ivanna thanked Elze tearfully, picking up her torn clothes.
"Excuse me, brother... Yes, thank you..."
Elze said, covering Ivanna's bare shoulders with her coat.
"Not brother."
"...Yes?"
"Sister."
Ivanna's face turned pale. Elze continued to talk nonchalantly as if it was nothing.
"I believe you. Don't say it."
Ivanna nodded slightly. Then she asked cautiously.
"Excuse me... Can I follow you, sister?"
Elze raised an eyebrow at Ivanna's question.
"What can you do?"
Then Ivanna spoke with a serious face as if she were revealing a big secret.
"I am an alchemist. In this war, I will obtain important materials needed for alchemy..."
Alchemists were a very valuable talent. They were familiar with handling various chemicals and were welcomed wherever they went. It was strange that such alchemists were rolling around on a battlefield like this.
Perhaps she was keeping a secret, but Elze didn't care.
"Stop it, that's it."
Ivanna's purpose was not important. She just had to be able to follow her around and take care of her own food. Elze cut off Ivanna's long-winded excuse and waved at her.
"Follow me."
That's how the mercenary group Elijah, consisting of four mercenaries, was created.
Elijah played an outstanding role in the Hundred Years' War, and at the same time, they irritated both Baluar and Heglatan with their attitude of not caring which side they were on as long as they gave them enough money.
Heglatan worked hard to recruit Elijah. However, Baluar also spared no expense in capturing Elijah. Thanks to this, Elijah stayed with Baluar, and it was definitely worth the money.
While Shan and Elijah were making their names known, the Shan-Elijah Battle took place.
The Battle of Shan-Elijah, which took place in 995 of the Innes calendar, is considered one of the most dramatic victories in history and was a decisive battle that gave the Baluar Empire, which was on the verge of defeat, a chance to win.
In this battle, named after Shan and Elze in commemoration of their brilliant exploits as a mercenary group, Shan and Elze met for the second time.
Shan and Elijah's mercenary group were assigned to a single unit. Shan, whom she met again, had changed greatly. He was no longer wearing his old knightly uniform.
He was mounted on a huge black steed and was clad in shining armor. The sword in his hand was nothing compared to the wretched iron swords of old.
But unlike him, Elze was extremely shabby. She had no time to take care of her appearance amidst the repeated battles. Her skin was tanned and rough, and she was grimy from not washing properly. Her clothes were also stained with blood.
Shan looked around as if looking for Elze, but Elze avoided him and disappeared behind him, out of sight.
"Captain! Why are we going back?"
"The further back you are, the better."
"I like the back too."
Elze answered awkwardly as the three people chattered away.
"I want to stand in the back today."
Elze didn't know why she was backing away, but she did it anyway. It just felt like the right thing to do.
The battle with Heglatan began, and Elze saw him fighting for the first time that day. She had never seen him before, as their units had never been assigned this close together.
Elze could see why Shan was called a demon.
Elze also prided herself on being unrivaled by anyone with a sword, but Shan was beyond imagination. If Elze was a genius of the highest order, then he was no ordinary human being.
Shan had no distinctly defined swordsmanship. His sword seemed fast, and slow. It seemed variable, but it was honest and upright.
He didn't even pick a specific sword. When he was running around like crazy and his sword broke, he would immediately pick up any sword. Normally, if you don't use your own sword, your skills will be halved, but Shan didn't pick a tool. He was consistent even when he was holding a spear or an axe instead of a sword.
Shan had nothing and everything at the same time. It was a truly demonic ability.
With such a Shan as the leader, the Elijah mercenary group followed suit, and there was no one to stop them. The battle, with the best warriors of Baluar together, went smoothly, and the unit advanced without hesitation.
But soon, Elze realized this was a trap, and ended up saving Shan's life a second time.
Previous Next
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment