Chapter 148 The High-Paid Hire
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After the bandit remnants were finally crushed, one truth stared Ayumu Sanai in the face—he was weak.
Yes, thanks to the magic seeds he had consumed before, his spellcasting had improved. He could injure someone, sure, but kill? Not yet. And even to cast properly, he had to chant, focus, and keep his breathing steady—something nearly impossible when he was darting around trying not to die. More often than not, the spell fizzled out before leaving his lips.
As for close combat, if it was one-on-one, maybe he stood a chance. But the moment he was outnumbered, all he could do was scramble to pull off some cheap trick to open an escape route. Against multiple foes, there was no fight—only flight.
And so he hit a wall. A sheer, unscalable wall—the strange, absolute barrier of whether or not one could use a skill in this world. No amount of sweat or training could break it.
He was stuck. A dead end. A doooon’t-know-what-to-do dead end.
Unless, of course, others fought at his side. If they held off danger, he could survive. That was why Ayumu turned to Ninim and asked her to find him a proper bodyguard.
”I want someone who’s fought across multiple battlefields, who can take on several opponents at once—and, uh, preferably a beautiful woman of prime age with… a generous chest.”
”Too many demands!!”
She blew up at him, of course, but still went looking. That hidden kindness, tucked behind her scolding, warmed him more than he’d ever admit.
* * *
”It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency. I am Yahaha, once a mercenary. I have come, as requested, to serve under you. Please accept my loyalty.”
The instant Ayumu saw her, he silently thanked Ninim. Every single one of his ridiculous criteria—met.
Young. Strikingly beautiful. Yes, well-endowed. But beyond that, Yahaha stood an imposing one meter eighty-eight, wielding a spear two meters thirty-five long. Her demonstration was terrifying. Even when several male footsoldiers, trained by Yoluminette herself, rushed her with wooden swords, none could touch her. Her spear swept and spun like a steel wall, every attack glancing away.
Ayumu hired her on the spot.
And then nearly collapsed when he heard her requested salary: twenty-five gold coins.
Cute face, not-so-cute number.
He may have rolled his eyes so hard he saw nothing but white. But what choice did he have? Safety had no price tag, and Yahaha’s war record made clear she was worth every coin.
Damn it. Fine! He’d pay.
Thankfully, Keldan’s tax revenues were rising, and Baldric’s aggressive push of ketchup—yes, ketchup!—from Birene eggplants meant coin was flowing in steadily. Covering Yahaha’s cost was possible.
Still, guilt gnawed at him. Yoluminette, whose pay remained modest, had been serving loyally all this time. So Ayumu hired Yahaha… quietly.
Of course, Yoluminette found out. She stormed into his office, fury radiating like a storm.
”My lord! What is the meaning of this? A mercenary hired at a higher wage than a Knight—me?! I cannot accept this! If it’s a guard you need, then I will protect you myself!”
Ayumu raised his hands in mock surrender, plastering on a smile. “No, no… you’re a brilliant officer and a Knight of the realm. I need you focused on training the troops and shaping the army. That’s your irreplaceable role.”
She huffed, unconvinced but grudgingly mollified.
Meanwhile, inside his head, Ayumu muttered: (Seriously? How are you, buried in drilling soldiers all day, supposed to rush to my side the moment I’m in danger? That’s impossible, and you know it…)
Naturally, no one would ever hear him admit that aloud.
Notes:
• Baldric – The branch manager of the Elandric Merchant Guild.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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