Chapter 192 – Ep.192 Smith, a Black Company in Another World
After breaking up with Smith.
Siron, who was walking along Ardella, quietly approached her and asked.
“But is it really okay to lose?”
“It’s not a fight, it’s a sparring match. Siron.”
“… That’s it.”
Ardella smiled slightly as she watched Siron shrug her shoulders while sticking out her lips.
The smile was so fleeting that no one noticed, but what was certain was that she showed her emotions to someone other than Smith.
“But isn’t it a bit strange to suddenly ask to get together?”
“I’ll take care of that part, so you don’t have to worry.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
“Okay.”
Siron narrowed her eyes at Ardella.
Cernax, who continued to look back at her receding forge, sighed softly and said.
“My lord, you are still merciless.”
“Yes.”
Ardella agreed with her.
A being who thoroughly considers profits and losses and does whatever brings sufficient benefit to the family.
Ardella thought her mother was that type of person.
‘Now… ‘I guess I’m no different anymore.’
She let out a short, heavy breath, remembering the conversation she had with her mother yesterday.
Siron, who was walking next to her, spoke again.
“Isn’t it too much of a waste, let alone the fact that there are so many people?”
Lebellum Fortress the size of a large city.
As long as the surrounding environment supports it, there is nothing surprising about the size of the fortress.
Originally, the size increases in proportion to the importance of the strategic point.
But this place in Lebellum was a little strange.
First of all, there was not even a village, let alone a city, in the immediate vicinity.
Moreover, behind it is a dry land where not a single blade of grass grows, and in front it is a desert where your feet will sink.
Very barren land. However, there is no separate road for carriages to come and go.
To put it simply, it is a place where there is nothing to gain and transportation is very inconvenient because there is no road to travel.
In addition, most of the population composing the fortress consisted of soldiers or knights.
From Siron’s perspective, it was a structure that was bound to result in a loss no matter how it was run.
There is a degree of self-sufficiency in food.
In order to find enough food for a large city’s worth of people, they have to go out and hunt every day.
Besides, what about the most important thing: drinking water.
No matter how you look at it, it was a structure where money was constantly leaking out.
Ardella nodded and answered Siron’s question.
“Now we are definitely in a situation where expenses are greater than revenue.”
“Now?”
“Okay. “Everyone can’t leave the fortress because they don’t know when a monster wave will strike.”
If it weren’t for that, knights would lead their soldiers out day and night to catch monsters and rare beasts.
Since the desert is home to many rare species that are difficult to find on the continent, it is full of by-products that can yield great profits even in small numbers.
Sometimes it’s worth the price, so even though it’s not big, the company has a track record of recording a small surplus every quarter.
Food and drinking water are the biggest consumption points pointed out by Siron.
Since it is food and drink for over 10,000 people, of course the price cannot be low.
However, a large number means that a large quantity is purchased during a single transaction, which results in large profits being made even if only a small amount is left behind.
Bidding competitions held every quarter.
In order to win the right to bid for food and water to be supplied to this Lebellum fortress, numerous merchants fiercely compete by lowering the prices of the high-quality food ingredients they can obtain to the maximum they can bear.
Thanks to this, Fort Lebellum is always purchasing high-quality food ingredients at the lowest prices on the continent.
“That’s it.”
Ardella explained it more kindly than necessary to Siron, who could be dismissed as an outsider.
Shiron blinked at that.
“Are there that many monsters in the desert? No, I heard there were a lot… “It’s a bit strange that no matter how many years you catch them, there are still people who keep catching them.”
“That’s right.”
Even Ardella couldn’t give a clear answer to that question.
She once had the same thoughts as Siron, but unlike the continent, she could not explore the desert, which could lead to death if she lost her way, with only such questions.
“Isn’t Smith also from the desert? “It wouldn’t be strange if there were guys like Smith among the monsters.”
“Ah.”
“Surely.”
Ardella and Siron nodded, saying that Kernax’s words, who were following them, were plausible.
A monster that sow seeds every day.
“… However. “Then shouldn’t that bastard be the male king?”
Ardella and Kernax blinked at Siron’s question.
In the end, the three were unable to resolve their questions until they arrived at their destination.
**
North tower.
Siron came out of the gap between the crowded buildings and whistled as he looked at the wide open parade ground.
The parade ground was filled with the sound of fully armed knights exchanging blunt swords with each other.
Not only the knights, but also the soldiers each wielded a long pole without a tip, swinging a spear, or they showed their bodies moving towards each other without hesitation.
A castle tower installed in four directions.
The parade ground is located behind it.
To ensure smooth movement during wartime, a certain area below the castle wall is entirely empty, and a parade ground and small facilities are installed in front of the castle tower for quick supply and accommodation of the injured.
Even though the knights who were engrossed in training noticed that Ardella had arrived, they did not stop sparring and continued to exchange swords with their opponents.
“Captain.”
A voice that was very familiar to Siron and Kernax was heard from the corner of the parade ground.
A sweaty Bellanis was walking towards them.
Ardella asked her own lieutenant.
“What about the two guys?”
“He’s been here since an hour ago.”
“Bring it here.”
Bella Nice nodded her head and walked past Ardella into the small facility.
Not long after, she returned with two girls with the same hair color as Ardella behind her.
“I brought you here.”
Bellanis stepped to her side and Ardella was able to clearly see the dark complexioned faces of her younger siblings.
The youngest child, Aria, was hugged with a bright smile on the first day.
And her second daughter, Arua, is a little more intelligent than her youngest.
Aside from their snow-white hair, the faces of the three sisters looked so similar to each other that no matter what anyone said, they could tell they were sisters.
Ardella was a little heartbroken to see the two’s gloomy appearance.
“Do you have no mouth?”
As soon as the eldest daughter opened her mouth, the second daughter and youngest daughter trembled loudly.
They gently lifted their bowed heads and kissed their lips.
“It’s Arua Fillori.”
“It’s Aria Filoria.”
Siron looked at Ardella who stepped in front of her and opened her mouth as if she was annoyed.
“Oh, yes. “My name is Siron, a silver-level adventurer.”
As a silver-level adventurer, she was treated well by nobles, but she was only catered to by small nobles with rural fiefdoms.
The two sisters’ eyebrows twitched at the adventurer’s cocky attitude.
Shiron also didn’t know the reaction of the two, but she didn’t care one bit.
At that time, Kernax, who had been standing behind, came forward.
“My name is Kernax.”
Unlike Siron, Kernax was polite in his own way and greeted the two.
The two sisters also nodded slightly after confirming that the armor Kernax was wearing was given to the knights of their family.
The sudden introduction of adventurers and knights.
The two sisters looked at Ardella blankly.
She said, receiving looks from her younger siblings.
“These two will take charge of the eastern castle tower with you when the monster wave comes.”
At those words, the wrinkled foreheads of both of them straightened.
“Step.”
As they were about to check the faces of Siron and Cernax once again, they turned their heads again and looked up at her eldest daughter.
“One of you here. You need to spar with adventurer Siron. “That is her condition.”
“…”
He said he had an idea.
Siron rolled her eyes and glared at Ardella.
Ardella pretended not to notice and avoided her gaze.
Siron briefly let out her sigh.
“Yes. You’re right. “Would you like to spar with me?”
The adventurer’s attitude of snorting slightly in response caused wrinkles to form between the two sisters’ foreheads again.
If I hadn’t been pushed to the point where I had to ask for her man’s hand, I would have refused outright and spit in her face.
Although the two sisters thought this to themselves, they could only nod their heads as they remembered their situation.
“Good night. “Bellanis.”
At the leader’s call, Bella Nice, who was standing next to him, moved his body.
-Stop!!
A confident voice echoes throughout the wide parade ground.
Those who were mixing their bodies promiscuously stopped their movements as if they were lying and widened the distance between them.
Knights and soldiers were widely scattered around as if they were going to watch what was about to happen.
Shiron walked into the empty parade ground as soon as she noticed.
Ardella said to her two younger brothers.
“I said it was just one person, but it’s okay for two people to pass, and it’s okay for just one person to come forward.”
“Bout… Case?”
Her youngest child, Aria, asked back, not believing her own ears.
Her second daughter, Arua, had a similar reaction.
Ardella crossed her arms and pursed her lips as if she had nothing more to say.
“…”
“…”
Arya and Arua looked at each other in response to Ardella’s firm response.
At that time, she stood on the parade ground and spoke loudly so that everyone around her could hear.
“It’s a waste of time, so why don’t you two just attack at the same time?”
Suddenly-
Her youngest child, Aria, clenched her teeth.
‘A mere adventurer like me dares… !!’
I don’t know how skilled he is, but he’s still an adventurer.
I don’t know what she did to win her respectable sister’s heart, but she felt like she needed to be told what happens if she crosses her line.
‘At best, an adventurer… ‘I’ll tell you so you can understand the topic.’
“Just take a look at my sister.”
“… Okay.”
Arua did not stop her youngest child, Arya.
Still, she turned around and looked at her youngest, who was heading toward her military parade ground, with slightly worried eyes.
‘There’s no way Adele said she passed for no reason.’
Arua really hated to admit it, but as she stood on the parade ground, she concluded that the red-haired adventurer’s skills would be so strong that even if she and her younger sister Arya attacked him together, he would not be able to do anything.
Arua trusted her eldest daughter Ardella enough to bend her own pride.
Siron said while looking at Aria standing in front of him.
“Are you going at it alone?”
“Yes.”
“Tsk… Plaguy.”
Wiggle-
Aria’s eyes became even more vicious.
The last part was really unintentional, but because the distance was so close, Aria ended up hearing it.
At that time, Belanis approached the two and held out her sword towards Arya.
“… “Didn’t you say sparring?”
Bellanis, her older sister Ardella’s lieutenant and a trustworthy knight who has been by her side for a long time.
The two sisters, Arya and Arua, were one of the few people who used honorifics.
To Aria’s question, Bellanis answered with an indifferent expression, putting the sword in her hand.
“This is an order from the leader. Don’t worry about Aria, just swing the sword with all your might. “I’ll say it again, it’s all power.”
“… All right.”
It was a spell she didn’t really like, but Aria nodded her head.
“Are you giving me nothing over there?”
“That adventurer uses fighting techniques.”
“Okay…”
Since there were no more questions, Bellanis returned to Ardella’s side, and Aria and Siron distanced themselves from each other as if they had made a promise.
‘… ‘Insolent bitch.’
With hundreds of people watching, Aria glared at the adventurer with a look of annoyance still on her face.
What made him even more angry was that his expression didn’t change at all even after receiving such a look.
Aria’s venom towards Siron is about to reach its peak.
Ardella spoke indifferently to Aria.
“Once you are ready, feel free to start.”
Arya bit her lip.
Her respected sister said this to herself just now.
Strike first when you want.
‘Am I inferior to that bitch?’
I couldn’t admit it.
I can’t believe I’m lower than an adventurer who is so full of loopholes that I don’t know where to aim.
I slaughtered numerous monsters and hunted down several vicious demonic beasts.
We also achieved many victories against knights.
Although it is my first time competing with an opponent who uses fighting techniques, I am bare-handed without even a single piece of equipment.
‘It’s not even a gold level topic that deals with strength.’
Aria drew her sword.
She gripped her sword tightly, intending to swing it with all her heart, as it was the request of her respected sister, and no one else.
She said, ‘We’ll see if she can keep that look no matter where she goes.’
Aria concentrated all of the magical power within her body on her legs.
Before she had time to react, he lunged at her and positioned himself with the intention of cutting off her right shoulder.
She glared there, as if to advertise that she was after her right arm.
It was a kind of declaration of war.
If you can stop it, try to stop it.
Sigh.
The corners of the adventurer’s mouth twitched.
It was an obvious ridicule.
At the same time, Aria’s poisonous energy became a catalyst for her to explode.
Paang-
With a loud noise that exploded the air, cracks appeared on the floor of the parade ground where Aria was standing.
Aria’s spirit was shot towards Siron in an instant.
The distance that had been more than twenty steps shortened to five steps in an instant.
It was the result of pouring eighty-five percent of her magical power into her legs without thinking about what was going on.
The distance narrowed so quickly that I was surprised.
Arya took her second step, calculating the gap between her to swing her sword.
She was sure.
She said that this situation would end with her drawing her sword in the next step.
Arya didn’t take her eyes off of it, her only goal being to cut off her arm.
That’s why she couldn’t even notice that Siron’s eyes were clearly looking down at her, who had come right in front of her.
The third step taken. And.
“Huh… !!”
Arya drew her sword with all her might.
Kaan-!!
And it got blocked.
“You idiot.”
“… ?!”
A mockery flew into her ears before she could even grasp the situation.
Arya rolled her eyes and stamped her foot to get behind her.
Wow!!
“Huh?!”
However, she did not move as if the sword she was holding was deeply embedded somewhere.
Only then did Aria’s eyes turn to her sword.
Kak, kakak.
A sword that was trampled by an adventurer’s foot and deeply embedded in the floor of the parade ground.
Siron blocked Aria’s sword from above her by lightly stepping on it.
Of course, all of this was possible because she was wearing the ‘Night Fairy’ made by Smith.
However, Aria, who had no way of knowing this fact, froze, unable to hide her embarrassment.
Siron chuckled and let go of the sword she was stepping on.
“Ugh…”
The sword was pulled out from the floor in an instant as the force that forced it disappeared.
Arya was unable to control her own strength and was able to take a few steps back, just barely avoiding falling backwards.
Siron, who was watching her aria, twitched the corners of her mouth and moved her lips without making a sound.
Aria could barely make out her last sentence due to her partner’s sudden actions.
‘Hip… ?’
