Volume 10 Chapter 45 The Next Job
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Twilight draped itself across the lake like a dying sigh. Under the last shimmer of stars, the water stretched silent and endless—an oasis buried in a forest’s heart. He had seen it before. The memory surfaced unbidden, cold and familiar, a place that existed only in dreams.
”If you drink from this sacred spring, your wish shall be granted.” The voice rippled across the surface. Rings of light spread outward as something broke through—horns like gnarled branches, hair drifting like weeds beneath the moon. From the depths, a pale woman rose without a sound.
Klock’s breath caught. Again. The same dream, but heavier this time, more suffocating. The woman’s eyes fixed on him with hollow focus. Scales shimmered across her limbs; her body was mostly covered in them, yet the bare skin that remained made the sight no less human. She climbed from the water, dripping silence.
A lake maiden, he thought grimly. The dread crawled up his spine. Her stare squeezed the air from his chest until his nerves sang. He could hear nothing but the wind and the rustle of leaves, yet faintly—a song of curses.
He had to wake. Had to understand before it was too late.
The woman took another step toward him, closer than before—
He gasped awake, clutching his chest. Sweat clung to his shirt as if he’d just escaped drowning. “What… what the hell was that?” His voice trembled. The dream scattered from his mind, leaving only a residue of nausea and dread. He couldn’t recall what he’d felt, only that he’d felt it deeply. Too deeply.
He dragged in air. Nothing made sense. Just that wrongness. That crawling, bone-deep warning echoing behind his eyes.
* * *
”Excuse me,” a voice said. The monastery door creaked open. Klock froze mid-motion, his blood running cold.
”Ah—shit.” He turned. Too late.
Deena, the clerk from Ada’s unit, stood in the hall, wide-eyed and horrified. The monastery was supposed to be private—only Brigante’s people were allowed inside. Which meant Klock had been careless.
He’d taken advantage of the quiet, of the orange-haired girl kneeling before him in the corridor, her translucent ears trembling as she moved.
”Count Grasso requests your presence!” Deena blurted, face red as fire. Then she bolted.
Primlena didn’t stop. She met Deena’s gaze for an instant—a silent challenge—then returned to her task with deliberate, wet insistence. Klock cursed under his breath, half in shame, half in surrender.
When it ended, Primlena licked her lips and murmured, “That woman, what is she to you, Klock?”
”A clerk,” he panted. “From Ada’s squad. Nothing else.”
”Good,” she said softly, the possessiveness in her tone unmistakable.
He blinked, startled by her sudden fervor. When they’d first met, she’d been all restraint, a proud princess of the Merfolk. Now jealousy lit her eyes like fire beneath the sea.
”Come,” she said, tugging his arm. “Let’s go to my room. You said you wanted release.”
”Wait,” he muttered. “The Count’s calling. I can’t just—”
”You asked me first,” she interrupted, voice low. “You said you’d had a bad dream and needed to forget. Then do it properly.”
Her scaled hand found his, leading him through the quiet hall. “You bear more strain than anyone. Don’t hold back. I’m here to take it.”
Later, the memory of the lake faded beneath the warmth of her skin. He buried his face in her chest, letting her scent erase the remnants of nightmare. For a moment, there was nothing but the rhythm of her breath and the quiet release of exhaustion.
But duty always followed. He washed, straightened his shirt, and slapped his cheeks to wake himself. The Count awaited.
”You’re late, Klock!” The rebuke struck the moment he opened the door.
Count Grasso stood within Dayrid’s city hall, wrapped in a robe too grand for morning. Ada leaned against the window, arms crossed, staring out with practiced boredom. The city’s mayor lingered nearby, pale and sweating.
Grasso smiled—an expression that never meant comfort. “You’ve secured Dayrid and crushed the enemy’s vanguard. Frankly, your success is so absurd, I almost thought you were lying.”
Klock forced a grin. “Wouldn’t dare, sir.”
”No need to worry,” the Count chuckled, stroking his beard. “Damino’s verified the report. You’ve earned some measure of my trust.”
Praise from Grasso was a weapon in disguise. Klock nodded, aware that every word, every smile, was a test.
Klock had slain no more than a few hundred beasts and a score of Majin, yet the Count had turned the result into legend. The damage he’d dealt had tipped the balance, but how far that merit would stretch was anyone’s guess.
”Klock,” said Count Grasso, voice rich and final. “You’ll serve directly beneath me. From this day, you work under my banner.”
The words struck like a verdict. He was no longer part of Ada’s auxiliary forces but a subordinate of the Count himself—half-recognized as a minor lord without a domain. Damino stepped forward and offered him a folder. Klock scanned the seal, eyes narrowing.
”You’ve commanded your own unit before,” the Count continued. “You’ll manage the army’s procurement. Supplies, weapons, logistics—all yours.”
Klock swallowed. “Understood, sir.”
And that was that. The Count never wasted time on praise or ceremony. He dismissed Klock with a flick of his hand, leaving the mercenary to walk out into Dayrid’s chill morning.
”Dammit,” Klock muttered. “Slipped a mountain of paperwork under my nose while smiling about it.”
He’d called himself a Brave Knight once, mostly as a joke. Now, fate had turned the joke into bureaucracy. The documents summarized troop counts, armaments, and supply deficits across the entire city garrison. Not just Brigante, but Ada’s veterans and the Count’s standing forces too.
When he returned to headquarters, Suzette was already waiting, her apron immaculate, expression sharp. “So, you have new orders.”
”Yeah,” he said, dropping the folder on the table. “We’re running procurement for the entire damned army.”
Her brows rose. “Not merely for Brigante’s men?”
”Nope. The whole lot—minus the Count’s private guard, maybe.” He leaned against the wall. “We’re talking food, arms, housing, everything. It’s dull work, but the backbone of the army. Mess this up, and nothing moves.”
Suzette crossed her arms. “And the funds?”
”He’ll cover it,” Klock said. “But if we bill too much, he’ll write us off as fools. So, we cut costs without looking cheap. That’s the test.”
”I see. So we’re being evaluated on our efficiency.”
”Exactly.”
He paced as he spoke, voice turning measured. “You can win a battle through tactics, but running a force means feeding it, training it, keeping it breathing. That’s the real war. Soldiers without food don’t fight. Armies without gold don’t march. This isn’t just logistics—it’s survival.”
Suzette listened quietly, eyes bright. “You think the Count is measuring your leadership.”
”He is. Every late form, every delay—it’s a mark against us. The man wants to see if I can run a kingdom without calling it one.”
She nodded slowly. “But this town is new to us. We lack connections. Acquiring supplies at a discount won’t be easy.”
Klock grinned faintly. “Connections can be built. First step—money flow. If we keep the economy breathing, the rest follows. Count gets results, we get trust. Everyone wins—on paper.”
”On paper,” she repeated, suspicious. “We’re not doing anything illegal, are we?”
He hesitated. Just long enough.
Her eyes narrowed. “Sir Klock.”
He cleared his throat. “Right. Anyway, we’ll start by reopening Portline harbor. It’s half-dead from the war, but fishing brings coin. We’ll call it ‘reconstruction,’ make it official. Money flows through the revival effort, and some of it stays with us.”
”Ah,” Suzette said softly. “A sanctioned diversion of funds.”
”An investment,” he corrected with a smirk. “And if the Count asks, it’s all for the people.”
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Very well. I’ll prepare the ledgers. Just… keep the city guard out of our books, please.”
Klock chuckled. “You’re the best, Suzette. Now, I’ve got to interrogate that prisoner about Roldi’s whereabouts. And the bandits who stole the weapons—set the operation for tonight. Get the prep ready.”
Suzette only stared at him, long and unreadable.
Notes:
• Ada – Female. Ada the Wild Wind. An A-rank adventurer. Her appearance is striking, with black hair mixed with fiery red, multiple earrings, and an axe spear as tall as she is. She is incredibly strong and fast, with a Unique Skill called the ‘Blessing of the Wind’ that enhances her speed and agility. Ada is ruthless in combat but shows a surprising willingness to negotiate. She is highly respected in adventurer circles and feared by criminals. Her relationship with Klock is adversarial, as he stole from her and escaped using trickery.
• Deena – A 21-year-old unmarried woman. Her appearance is that of a beautiful woman wearing black mourning attire. She is grieving the recent loss of her father in a maritime accident. Deena is the older sister of Elide and is initially mistaken by Klock for a widow.
• Count Grasso – Human noble of Conro known for strict discipline. His troops appear during Klock’s campaign march under the Borges crest. Leads the region’s highest-ranking house, commanding respect and tension with Klock’s forces. Alias: “The Silver Lion.” No direct ties to Klock, but his vanguard includes Ada, a former comrade turned rival.
• Primlena – Orange-haired merfolk priestess, fierce yet elegant | First v8c3 | Sister of Sea General Primjune, subordinate to Primrity | Once captured and violated by Klock, now obsessed with reclaiming honor | Commands Obsidian Riders on giant fish, fights with trident | Seeks to drag Klock to Seabed Temple for marriage trial or execution | Unique note: revenge-driven siren bride who masks fury under ritual grace
• Damino – a male mayor of Deilid and husband to Primrose (a Merfolk leader), a cautious administrator struggling to balance civilian life with wartime demands.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Roldi – A male subordinate of Bandanzine, executes orders efficiently, tasked with commanding forces in Orrid and coordinating the invasion strategy.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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