"I’m stirring up talk across the continent. The fresh lord of the monster frontier is from the royal family, and he’s not stingy with his gold."
Jupiter proclaimed with a sly smirk.
"And once word gets around, the mercenaries will start pouring in."
"Hmm..."
It was uncharacteristic of her to take the lead without being asked.
If rumors circulated that Crossroad promised handsome salaries and amiable work conditions, it would indeed draw mercenaries from every corner of the continent.
Interestingly, in the game world, looking after the welfare of mercenaries did speed up their recruitment.
’For now, it’s the pay, but I’ll need to look at other factors gradually.’
It wasn’t an immediate concern, but something I’d have to factor in eventually.
Jupiter nonchalantly shrugged, her gaze sweeping over the vacant guild.
"However, it will take a good week for the gossip to truly take hold."
The outcome wouldn’t be instant. Likely, new mercenaries wouldn’t appear until the next level.
Yet, in the long run, the rumors would indeed serve us well. I nodded in agreement.
"I’m relying on you, Jupiter. Spread those whispers far and wide, and welcome the newcomers."
"Consider it done."
Jupiter sauntered back into the guild, choosing a seat at the bar. She reclined comfortably, lighting up a cigarette.
"So, I’ll be hanging around here for a bit, spreading the word~!"
"Do what you will..."
Without uttering another word, I left Jupiter to her devices.
She was showing consideration, in her own way. As a mercenary, she was only required to work as much as she was paid.
I decided to appreciate her gesture. Even though her treating the guild as her personal living room and idling around was somewhat vexing...
***
After completing a circuit of the city.
Upon my return to the mansion, I delegated several tasks to Aider.
In particular, I emphasized investing all available manpower and resources into mending the city walls.
"Your command is my wish, My Lord!"
Aider promptly sprinted off towards the marketplace.
He had to sell the freshly quarried marble, acquire labor, and materials. He would be swamped for a while. Let him have a taste of the struggle.
The city began to stir.
There was an infectious vibrancy radiating from the bustling inhabitants.
"..."
Yet, despite the city’s lively atmosphere, I felt a pang of unease.
This place was a fortress city.
A front line erected to hold back the monster hordes.
If the city was bustling, it signaled the impending onslaught of monsters.
The next stage was closing in swiftly.
***
Later that afternoon.
Southeast of Crossroad.
The residence of Margrave Cross.
"Margrave!"
It was early spring, but the southern region was unusually warm.
My clothes were drenched in sweat from pulling a cart loaded with liquor all the way here. Wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, I shouted out again.
"Margrave! Are you home?"
Squeak-
The door of the aged mansion creaked open. Before long, the sour gaze of an elderly man peeked through the gap.
"I’ve returned. And this time, I brought snacks as well."
I revealed the contents of the wagon to him.
A ham carved from the rear leg of a pig, a wheel of cheese, and several bottles of booze.
I offered a knowing smirk to Margrave Cross, who was practically salivating.
"Let’s share a drink."
Somehow, I had to win this old man over and secure the Cross family’s soldiers for my cause.
This was a business drink, not leisure!
***
Days passed in this routine.
I spent daylight hours overseeing the fortification repairs, and when night fell, I journeyed to Margrave Cross’s residence to share drinks.
Our interactions didn’t involve much conversation, just the mutual exchange of drinks.
The defense lines were steadily reinforced while my liver took a hit.
I wondered how much time I’d invested in pickling my own insides.
After three days of our silent drinking ritual, Margrave Cross finally broke his silence.
"Do you have someone you hold dear?"
Caught off guard by his sudden question, I sat wide-eyed in surprise, drink halfway to my lips.
I was taken aback not just because he’d chosen to speak but also because the question was so unexpected.
"Excuse me?"
"I asked if there’s someone you cherish."
"..."
As I froze, unable to answer, Margrave Cross let out a chuckle.
"Looks like there isn’t."
"Well, yes."
Even if there were, it would be my business. I wouldn’t be sharing it with him.
"Consider it carefully. Is there truly no one?"
"Hmm..."
Margrave Cross’s persistence prompted me to give it some thought. Someone I love?
Back on Earth, before I began streaming the game... I was alone.
I hadn’t known love from anyone, nor had I given it. I merely existed, alone.
Then, I started streaming, and as my audience grew, I started receiving affection from countless viewers...
- We love you, big brother RetroAddict! (Heart fluttering)
- How much should I donate for you to twerk? I’ll start with 100,000 won ^^7
- You failed the mission, so strip as an apology ㅋㅋ Please hurry
"..."
As I recalled the perverse remarks in the chat from those masquerading as fans, I paled.
No, that was a unilateral expression of ’love(?)’. They weren’t the people I cared for.
Even after giving it due consideration, I couldn’t pinpoint anyone. I shook my head.
"There’s no one."
"You’ve lived a sparse life, young man."
Seems like a strange judgment coming from you, living as you do!
"Isn’t it you who’s living in seclusion, drinking alone in your house?"
"Ha ha ha..."
Margrave Cross chuckled, a bitter sound. I scoffed in response.
"So, Margrave, is there someone you cherish?"
"I did."
Margrave Cross responded without hesitation.
"My wife. The only person I loved in my lifetime..."
He looked every bit the part of the hardened soldier, yet he was surprisingly sentimental, this old man.
But his following words rendered me speechless.
"She passed away, three years ago."
"..."
"She was mauled by monsters, right here in this orchard. All I could offer her was a funeral with an empty casket."
The silence that followed was stifling.
I found myself speechless as Margrave Crossroad drained his glass and poured himself another.
Having refilled his glass, the Margrave began to speak again, his voice a slow rumble.
"There’s an age-old superstition passed down through generations to the rulers of this land. Some call it a curse."
"A curse?"
"A moment arrives when you must choose between this city and someone you hold dear."
His tone was so even, it was as if he was recounting a quaint fairy tale rather than a dreadful curse.
"There were no exceptions. From my countless forefathers, to my grandfather, to my father. No one escaped this curse."
"..."
"And then my moment came."
Margrave Crossroad raised his trembling hand to his lips, taking a sip of his drink.
"For the past dozen years, monster attacks had been sparse. The city was peaceful, but the downside was dwindling profits. The city’s financial situation was deteriorating. I had to find a new way to generate income."
He began to narrate his ’moment’.
"That’s when my wife made a suggestion. ’Let’s cultivate the land south of the front line’."
"Outside the fortress?"
"The land north of the line was already saturated. The barren lands to the south were certainly alluring. Monster encounters had been rare, and magical contamination of the land was minimal. It seemed worth trying to cultivate."
"..."
"So, I expanded the farmland southward. Refugees, drawn by tales of fertile land, poured in, and the occasional monsters were easily driven off. For a while, things went well."
Margrave Crossroad struggled to swallow his drink.
"This orchard was set up at the farthest southern point of those pioneering farmlands. As the lord’s wife, she took the lead in the most perilous location, planting trees and tilling the soil."
Margrave Crossroad cast a blurry gaze out the window towards the orchard.
"I recall the taste of the grape she placed in my mouth with her dirt-stained hands. The fruits harvested here during the first year weren’t much to look at, but they were the sweetest I’d ever tasted."
"..."
"For a while, I harbored a sliver of hope. Perhaps we wouldn’t have to hunt monsters any longer. Maybe we could make a living by tilling the land and harvesting the fruits. Maybe these peaceful days could last."
A bitter smile crossed the Margrave’s face.
"Of course, it wasn’t to be."
Gulp. Gulp.
Having drained his glass in one go, the Margrave continued his tale, his voice hushed.
"It was during the second year of pioneering. We received an alert that a hundred sizable monsters had breached the frontline base and were approaching the city. I rushed back to the city. My wife, tending the orchard, waved me off, telling me to take care."
The Margrave stared into his empty glass.
"Only upon reaching the city did I discover that they had split into two groups. A dozen monsters had split off from the main force and attacked the pioneering farmland."
"..."
"The monster’s main force was already assaulting the city, and I was faced with a decision. Would I rescue my wife in the pioneer settlement or safeguard tens of thousands of citizens within the city?"
Margrave Cross’s aged eyes met mine.
"What do you think my choice was?"
"You chose the city."
"Indeed. As our family has done for generations. Bound by duty and tradition, I chose the city."
"..."
"I sealed the city gates and repelled the monsters. After a few grueling hours of combat, we managed to drive them back. But when I raced back to the settlement..."
Margrave Cross had dutifully carried out his role.
"The fields were ravaged, the pioneers had perished. Hundreds of lives taken by just a dozen monsters. This orchard, and my wife, shared the same fate."
In the process, he had lost what mattered most.
"The weak defenses of the pioneer settlement against the giant monsters? The overly ambitious expansion of the front line? Yes, those were my mistakes. But what haunts me most... is that pivotal moment when I chose the city over my wife."
Gulp. Gulp.
Margrave Cross methodically refilled his cup and drank. The ritual was a mechanical repetition.
"My daughter called me mad. She could never comprehend why I chose the city over her mother. A few days later, my daughter departed from this place."
"..."
"In the end, this is the outcome of my life spent defending this place. My wife is gone, my daughter has left, and I’m here, withering away in solitude."
I could only observe the shaking, frail hand of the old man, a mix of emotions clouding my eyes.
"...This is just a cautionary tale, young lord."
Thud.
Margrave Cross, having drained his glass, set it down on the table with a sigh.
"You’re aware of what they call the front line here, aren’t you?"
"A city upon a grave, is it?"
"Indeed. This damned city, built atop death, will also force a choice upon you."
Margrave Cross raised his wrinkled finger, pointing directly at me.
"There will come a time when you must sacrifice what you hold dearest to protect this city."
"..."
It didn’t feel like a curse, but more like a prophecy.
It felt like the inevitable consequence of a series of actions being predicted.
"Our family has borne that sacrifice. My grandfather, my father, and now me. But... no more."
Margrave Cross closed his eyes tightly.
"I refuse to pass this cursed responsibility onto my daughter."
"...I understand."
Then it began to make sense to me.
I slowly nodded.
"Margrave, you relinquished your position to avoid passing on the lordship to your daughter."
"That’s correct."
Margrave Cross conceded calmly.
"I wish for my daughter to escape from this cursed land, this damned duty, and live a peaceful, joyous life."
SSR-rated Tank, Evangeline Cross.
The character I was hell-bent on recruiting, Margrave Cross was equally determined to have her retreat from the frontlines of this place.
"Your Highness, you asked for my aid in safeguarding the city, didn’t you?"
Margrave Cross grumbled in an exhausted tone.
"I’ve defended the city enough, even at the cost of what mattered most to me."
"..."
"I need to stop now."
In Margrave Cross’s eyes, mirrored in the glass of spirits, there was no lingering pride of a man who had guarded the frontlines for his entire life.
"I yearn to draw my last breath here in this orchard, not atop the battlements."
Instead, there swirled the regret of a man who couldn’t stand by his wife’s side in her final moments.
"That should clarify why I’m not inclined to assist. I’m being candid out of gratitude for your company thus far."
"..."
"Now, be on your way. And when that moment confronts you... make a wise choice."
Margrave Cross, raising his glass in a toast, chuckled bitterly as he poured the remaining bottle into his empty glass.
"Don’t live a life filled with regret, like I have."
--TL Notes--
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading