Trinitas Mundus

October 9th, around noon.

The Rays return to the village of Millis from the battlefield at the narrow exit where they spent three days.

The activity of the Knights' healers had reduced the number of injuries that had been there to less than a third of thirty, counting the hundreds who could travel on their own.

The more seriously wounded were also recovered by the time they could be transported by carriage, and they arrived in the village about four hours after departure.

Hitting and changing from a hellish battlefield, there was a long stream of idle air in the village of Millis.

If the high blue skies and white clouds of autumn and the greenery of the ranch Maiba could have been heard even in the voice of making pastoral expressions and chasing the villagers' livestock, there would have been no such thing as demonic raids.

In the meantime, Ray was barely talking, except when he plugged in about his dead companions and treated the injured.

Ashley worries about him and takes good care of him, but his heart didn't clear.

(I'm not a mercenary. I didn't know people were going to die or kill each other. I was sad when Mr. Deoddard died too, but that guy was sick, and I think that guy was accepting his death...)

A laughing face of the Fifth Squad mates, Renzi and the others, emerges behind his brain.

(My buddy, who laughed with me until yesterday, suddenly dies. I have dreams, hopes, and I still have a lot to do... and it ends before I enjoy my life enough... if they do tell me it's that kind of work, until then, but I can't do it. I can't believe it's dying following irrational orders too...)

He starts thinking about what he should do now.

(If we stay in this kingdom (Lax), we have to continue with the mercenaries. Because I exaggerated in that battle. But I don't want to be in this country. Some good people like the Knights Commander, but I basically hate the nobility of this country. Just because the house you were born in is noble, how can you look so great? How can we treat civilians who are the same people like tools? A country without nobility...... Adventurer's Country Periclitle, Academic City Doctus, Commercial City Aurella, I think we should embark on a journey towards the area. Will Ash come with me? corner, I could settle with Mr. Hamish but I guess it would be bad to pull away......)

And start thinking about the Hamish.

(What will Mr. Hamish do now? Nearly half of the Mercenaries (Red Arms) are gone. Fortunately, the captains survived, but many of the veterans died. If it's true, I guess I'll have to help rebuild it too... it's just really good people and this is where I'm like home. But I'm gonna be looking for someone who's dead. I can't help but feel like I can hear Mr. Renzi laughing...)

Thinking that far, tears come naturally, further blocking it.

He took the initiative to hit the treatment of the seriously injured so as not to give himself time to think.

As a hallmark of this fight, there were few cuts or stab wounds, many in normal combat. That was because the enemy was an oak with a stick, and for that matter, there were many things like bruises, fractures, and gut ruptures.

Among them, Ray was entrusted with the treatment of severely injured persons who could not be treated, to the extent of normal healers, such as heads and guts, and healers in service.

"How are you, Mr. Berta?

Behave with Alberic and visit Berta, a female swordsman of the Wang Tiger tribe who suffered a serious head injury.

"Oh, I feel a little nauseous, but it looks fine. But I'm glad you're here. Mr. Alberic told me you couldn't be cured by a normal healer."

"That's not true. But please remain at rest. You don't know what's gonna happen after you hit your head hard."

"I got it. A healer teacher. Keep it up."

That said, she closes her eyes quietly.

Ray felt heavy expectations around him.

(Sure, if it weren't for me, some of them would have died. But in the first place, I would have fought easier if it weren't for that stupid order... I'd have trouble expecting it. Because I can't keep seeing people get hurt for such stupid things...)

He looked around at several more seriously wounded and continued to hang his healing magic until his magic was critical.

Around 4 p.m., the treatment of the seriously wounded is almost complete, and he walks through the village, trying to draw his tired body back to his given private home.

The loose hill was originally the cattle grazing land, but the advance horses who evaded the battle before were let loose.

(With that said, you haven't seen Traveller. Did someone take you on board?

When he thinks about it, he finds a reed horse that moves closer together.

"Traveller! How are you!

Rushing under him, his beloved horse was rubbing his face firmly.

"I'm ticklish. All right, all right, did I miss you?... Also, would you like to go on a journey with me?

Hihin and hissing, like answering his words.

(Take a journey... somewhere far away, hunting and living with demons as adventurers too...)

Ray held the reins and headed to the private house.

Ashley felt Ray's mental state was dangerous.

(I can't have mercenaries on Ray. He can't stand the fact that people, especially those close to him, die...... what am I supposed to do if they tell me they want to leave this country? Father is making it look like he is no different than usual, but he should be losing a lot of company and feeling hard. Though it had to stop, he said he drove many young men to death on his own orders...)

Reminds me of the Marcut Mercenary Corps, which has been reduced to nearly half a dozen.

(From now on, we will also need manpower to rebuild the mercenary regiment. If I were here, I'd be somewhat supportive. But I... I want to be with Ray. But can you leave your father and follow him?

And stare at Stella sitting nearby.

(Stella wouldn't be lost or anything, she'd follow him. And it would be more useful than me. Stella would...... can I leave him? With the man I love......)

And you realize you're ahead of the curve, and you laugh bitterly.

(You think too much in a situation where Ray doesn't know what decision he's going to make. but......)

Ashley, once again, was swallowed up by the vortex of thought.

Stella was aware that Ray was depressed, but she didn't really understand what was causing it.

(Is it depressing like that because Master Renzi and the others have died? But we're soldiers to fight. It's my job to die. And yet, why?... a great victory this time with a small amount of force that held the enemy's army in. And that one led it better. Yet......)

And I was thinking about my future.

(Does Master Ray need me? For both of you, am I interrupting? Can I stay with you? Or... if that's what I thought it would be, then respect it. When my heart is no longer a "slave," I qualify to stand beside that one. But I still can't move unless I'm ordered to. Even at Lenzi's time... that's when Lenzi said he had command, so I made the decision to take Lazareth away. If that word hadn't...)

When she was troubled, Lazareth, captain of the third squad, fluttered.

"What's up? Did Ray or Ashley scold you?

I'm kidding, but with a serious look, Lazareth looks at her.

"No, think a little…"

"If you just ask, I'll ask. I'm not learning, and I'm not as smart as Ray. If that's okay with you, I'll ask you."

Stella worried about revealing her troubles, but she remembered the care he showed in the street and decided to reveal it to him.

She started talking to Potty Potty about what she was thinking now.

At the end of the conversation, Lazareth was scratching her pompous cheeks with a difficult face.

"I'm sorry. I don't know exactly what you're talking about. Just..."

"Just?"

"You've been thinking a lot right now, haven't you? I don't think you're a slave."

"What? But..."

"Don't you need to think hard about it? You're thinking right now. The same goes for Renzi. Whatever Renzi said, I had the authority. I guess you knew that, didn't you?

"No......"

"You made the best decision you could to help Ray, to help as many people as you could. I didn't just follow orders."

Stella had received unexpected words and was unable to think about anything.

"The proof is the tear. You want to be with me, with Ray. That's why I was worried. A slave who doesn't think anything about it doesn't bother you with that. You realize that and you're crying, aren't you?

She notices tears communicating her cheeks and puts her hands on her cheeks.

(crying? Why? Is Lazareth right? ……

"Thank you. I think I kind of know what to do."

"Right. Well, what is it? Because you are the benefactor of my life. I don't owe you anything, but I'm kind of curious."

He gets up with a smelly look on his face and walks away from the spot with one hand up.

The remaining stellar also rises and gives a deep salute towards Lazareth.

(Yes, I want to be with that one. Until that one is no longer wanted. Yeah, and I still want to be with you. Let me tell you about this......)

As she stretched her spine, she headed to the private house where he was looking for Ray.

Behind the private house, Ray looked after his beloved horse with a brush or giving him a chunk of sugar he had in his item box.

Stella appears there.

Not long ago, she spoke to him with a sunny face.

"Master Ray, may I speak to you now?

He nods, "Yeah," and sits back on the nearby Marutai.

She stood directly in front of him, staring

"Put it at your side. I want to be at your side. Please."

He smiles gently and nods as he looks into her eyes.

"Yeah. That's Stella's conclusion, right? Okay, I got it."

She tries to talk about something, but she is speechless and tears fall instead.

"But I want you to promise me just one thing. Don't die. Don't choose death for me. Please..."

Stella nodded small,

"Okay. I will try to do that as best I can. But I'm at my discretion, and I might choose that. At that time..."

"Yeah, I know. But I don't like people dying. I quit being a mercenary. And..."

"And?"

"Sorry, I haven't talked to Ash yet, so I'll talk to you afterwards. But I know what you think."

When he said so, he stroked her head, then went inside the house, looking for Ashley.

Ashley looks at Ray with a serious look on his face and becomes anxious to see what he will be talking about.

"May I have a moment," Ray said, sitting beside her and starting to speak in a slow tone.

"I know Ash knows, but I'm not for mercenaries. So I'm thinking of quitting mercenaries"

She nods quietly and urges ahead.

"I've told you before, I'm going on a journey. When I'm in this country, I'm going to get into a fight between the nobles, and then I'm going to annoy Mr. Hamish... well, there's that, too, but I don't like it. My buddy who was laughing with me said he was dead the next day. That's the normal job…"

"Right..."

Ray takes Ashley's arm, says, "Ash, will you come with me," and stares into her eyes.

Ashley can't stare back into his eyes and takes his gaze off.

He doesn't mind that,

"So far, I'm going to Periclitle. I haven't decided what happened after that. Stay there, or go to Doctus or Aurelia, or travel around the world..."

"Let me think. I can't answer now..."

It's unusual for Ashley to say that in a toothless tone, she lays her eyes down again.

"Okay. But if possible, I want you to decide by the time you get back to King's Capital (Fonce). 'Cause I'm gonna tell Mr. Hamish when I get back to Fonce."

"I want you to tell me one thing"

"What?

"Did you tell Stella that story? Did Stella tell you she was going with me?

"All I'm saying is I'm quitting mercenaries. Of course, he didn't even tell me he wanted me to come with him. You're the only one who talked about going on a journey."

"Right..."

As Ashley remained silent, Ray slowly stood up and

"I think you should take your time. I don't care who you talk to. You can tell Mr. Hamish. But I want you to think about it so you don't regret it."

As Ray walks away from the spot, Ashley leans over and thinks.

(I want to go with you. I don't want to leave. But without me, Father... Ray has Stella. I'm not as helpful as she is. But if I stay here, I can help my father a little... what am I supposed to do...)

She was remembering her first time with him in the city of Morton.

(At that time, Ray really didn't know anything. So much so that if I wasn't with you, I wouldn't be walking away. Yes, back then, I could tell with my chest up that I was helping him......)

And I remember his work on this expedition.

(But I can't say that right now. Ray can do anything now. So much so that you can count on your father, your captains, and even the Knights. Sometimes I sure don't like it. But with Stella is enough... my place is not beside him. I don't deserve to stand next to Ray. I'm just a mercenary. I don't even have overwhelming powers like my father or brother Al, I'm just a mercenary... I don't have the power to protect him. No, on the contrary, it could even be a foothold)

She had no choice but to wave her sword, and had lost confidence that even the sword would not help him.

(I want to tell someone about this thought. Father? Brother Al? No, you two are strong. Unlike me, my soul is strong. Somebody, listen to this thought!

At the feet of the nagging Ashley, the marks of her tears gradually grew larger.