[Listen carefully. Everyone has secrets they want to keep hidden. And I have the power to pull back the curtain on those secrets—if the conditions are right.]
‘Conditions?’
[It’s nothing difficult. The name of the person. And the names of the people related to the secret they want to hide. That’s all you need to know.]
‘……’
[Hmm. Now that I think about it, it is a tough condition. Secrets are called secrets because they haven’t come to light. Knowing the name of someone connected to an undisclosed secret… that’s quite a challenge……]
‘No.’
It’s not a difficult task for me.
I looked at the blood-letters above the heads of the ones sprawled on the ground.
As expected of those who had been up to vile things, each of them had sinned against an average of 50 to 60 people.
I focused on the names that showed up in common.
‘Hmm.’
—Sinned against Rena McCreary and 52 others.
—Sinned against Rena McCreary and 68 others.
—Sinned against Rena McCreary and…
There were a few exceptions, but over 70 percent of them had the name Rena McCreary among their victims.
She was even registered as a representative.
In other words, it meant she was tied to the crime they most desperately wanted to keep hidden.
I casually kicked the bald guy rolling around in front of me.
Thud.
“Gurk!”
“Hey. What’s your name?”
“I was wrong!”
“‘I was wrong’ is your name?”
“No, it’s not!”
“Then is your name ‘No, it’s not’?”
“L-Lion. I’m Lion Swin.”
I shrugged and spoke to the voice.
‘Let’s see what happens. Show me the secret between this guy, Lion, and the person named Rena McCreary.’
[Hmm? Sounds like something caught your attention. Very well.]
Suddenly, a screen appeared again.
The next moment, the entire screen flickered black, and then a scene began to play.
The bald man was laughing alongside the bandits now lying crumpled in front of me.
On his shoulders was a blonde girl, maybe fifteen or sixteen years old, unconscious.
I could tell at a glance that this girl was Rena McCreary.
“Kehaha. Boss, we hit the jackpot today, huh?”
“No kidding. She just wandered into our territory without a care.”
“What should we do with her? Or rather, where should we sell her?”
“Tsk. You’re trash, but especially stupid trash. Don’t you know who this little brat is?”
“Sir?”
“You idiot. This girl is the only daughter of the merchant lord from Drucker Territory!”
Whoa. Really?
“What’s a girl like her doing out without guards…?”
“Looks like she sneaked away from her escort during a picnic and wandered deep into the woods. When I found her, I heard people frantically calling her name from further down the mountain.”
“Idiotic.”
“Better than you, at least.”
The boss grinned as he continued.
“Selling her off would be a waste. We’ll get a much better price if we ransom her.”
“Won’t that cause trouble?”
“What’s the issue? We were planning to leave this place soon anyway. One last job before we vanish.”
“As expected of the boss. Hahaha!”
Click.
The screen vanished after showing that much.
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
‘So this is the power that reveals secrets.’
Fascinating.
My ‘blood-letters’ show the names and number of a person’s victims, but not the specific crimes.
The voice’s ‘Eye of Omniscience’ can’t reveal secrets unless you know the names involved.
In other words, the two abilities perfectly complement each other’s shortcomings.
‘What a killer combo!’
[You mean “perfect” combo. That word’s a bit… off.]
‘Anyway, this is definitely a chance to raise my reputation.’
Before regression, I had punished these bastards and just walked away.
Even then, I had seen the name Rena McCreary among the blood-letters.
But I thought it had nothing to do with me.
Back then, unless someone had wronged me personally, I didn’t care what they did.
But that has to change now.
I need to build up my reputation.
Pile it up high, over and over, until I strip that bastard Kaeld of his mask and prove that I am the true Hero.
[Right. To save the world from the Demon King—]
‘For the sake of my glorious retirement plan!’
[…]
‘Alright. Let’s do this.’
Having resolved myself, I opened my mouth.
“You have ten seconds to get up.”
“Urgh…”
“No—make that five seconds.”
“Ugh…”
“You have three seconds. Get up.”
Snap.
As if lying had never been an option, they scrambled to their feet.
I glanced around and spotted the boss from the earlier scene.
The guy with a face full of knife scars was trembling like a child.
I smiled sweetly and asked,
“Hey. Where’s Rena McCreary?”
Two days later.
I visited Drucker Territory under the guidance of a girl named Rena.
“Mister! Over here, this way.”
Rena now refused to let go of my hand as she led me eagerly.
It seemed the bandits had at least considered her an important hostage—her clothes were a bit torn, but she wasn’t badly hurt.
“I told you, I’m not a mister.”
“Ah! Sorry—oppa.”
Much better.
[Get a grip, would you.]
“Really… thank you so, so much.”
“You’ve said that more than a hundred times.”
“A thousand times wouldn’t be enough. Sniff.”
Rena’s eyes, already swollen, welled with fresh tears.
I heard it had been her birthday just a few days ago.
She had planned to go on a picnic with her father, the merchant lord, but an urgent meeting had come up, and only the guards and maids could accompany her.
Apparently, she’d been so upset that she’d decided to slip away from her escort and wander deep into the mountains, just to make her father worry a little.
“Be more careful from now on. There are plenty of people like that out there.”
Thump.
I lightly smacked the bald guy who was following behind me.
For reference, behind me were twenty-two bandits, all bound together in rope.
After finding Rena at their hideout, I had very kindly and personally tied them up and escorted them all the way here.
The bald guy who’d been struck on the head glared at me.
“Ghk. You bastard. Remember this.”
“……”
“This isn’t over between us. If you let us go now, I won’t come after you.”
“……”
“But if you hand us over to the guild leader like this, I will come for you. I’ll find you and…”
“Oh. Go on.”
“I’ll find you… and maybe treat you to a drink or something. Hehe.”
While I was chatting with the bald guy, Rena had gone home to let them know she’d returned safely.
The guild leader literally ran barefoot to the gate.
He grabbed Rena in a tight embrace and burst into tears of joy.
“Huwehh. You little brat. What were you doing all this time before showing up now?!”
“Daddy, I’m really sorry. I was wrong. Sniff sniff.”
“No, it’s fine. You came back safe, that’s all that matters. But who is this gentleman?”
“Ah! Right. Daddy, don’t be too shocked. This is the very ‘Swordmaster of No Killings,’ Mide Mohan!”
Don’t call me that stupid title.
Why do I have to turn red in the face over some nickname I didn’t even come up with?
[‘Swordmaster of No Killings.’ Heheh. Hahaha.]
‘Shut up.’
[Why ‘No Killings’?]
‘I don’t take assassination jobs. I just cut off arms and legs, that’s all.’
[Ah. Of course. That’s “just” cutting off limbs. Sure.]
‘Why are you suddenly being polite?’
[But why avoid killing? Being a mercenary doesn’t exactly make for a luxurious living.]
‘I’m a top-tier mercenary. Even after turning down jobs, I get flooded with work from across the continent.’
It’s no exaggeration.
Why else would I be planning retirement at thirty-four?
[Hmm. Even so, killing jobs would pay more.]
‘……’
I didn’t answer.
Because the voice wasn’t wrong.
But I can’t see the blood-letters over my own head.
And that makes it even scarier.
How many sins have I committed?
I still remember the death-row prisoner I saw when I was seven, clear as day.
And the name floating above my mother’s head — my father’s name.
As long as those images remain burned into my mind, I don’t think I could kill someone.
[And cutting off limbs isn’t a sin?]
‘I’m not trying to be a saint. I just want to avoid the worst.’
[Hmm.]
‘Enough. How could a dragon understand a sparrow’s thoughts.’
[I think you got that backwards.]
Yeah, I realized it too after saying it. Damn it.
Anyway, Rena and the guild leader had finished their conversation.
The guild leader gave me a deep bow and said,
“I am honored to meet the great Mide.”
“Please don’t. I’m just a wandering mercenary.”
“You saved my one and only daughter. Even if I knelt here and now, it wouldn’t be enough to express my gratitude.”
His voice was thick with emotion.
Trembling all over with joy and gratitude, he continued,
“Please, come inside. I’ll welcome you with all my heart.”
“What about those guys behind me?”
I gestured toward the bandits, bald guy included.
The guild leader’s expression changed completely from when he’d been facing me.
His voice turned cold and full of menace.
“By Empire law, I should report this… but…”
“……”
“There’s no need to trouble important folks with such ‘trivial’ matters.”
When I came to my senses, I noticed a crowd of people behind the guild leader.
All of them looked strong.
Among them were fighters who gave off the presence of well-honed blades.
“So you were preparing for a full-scale search.”
“Yes. I gathered all the renowned mercenaries in the area.”
“……”
“We might not need the search now, but I paid them in advance. I can’t just let them stand around.”
“Well, you’re a merchant. Can’t be taking losses.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Saying that, the guild leader gave a nod to one of the mercenary.
He seemed to be the temporary leader of the group.
He kept glancing at me for some reason, then ordered his subordinates to take the bandits away.
“Ghk. Where are you taking us?!”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“This is madness! Spare us! Please!”
Their voices grew fainter as they were dragged away.
Hmm. So… is that handled?
First time I’ve ever gotten involved in someone else’s business like this, so I’m not really sure.
[Well done. This should help you figure it out.]
Huh?
That familiar translucent screen appeared in front of me again.
I moved my eyes to the corner to check the display.
<Ding! You have gained 50 Fame Points.>
<Points needed to level up: 170/1,000>
<Total Fame Points to be gained from this event: 700>
<Overk Meckri sees you as “the man who saved his daughter’s life.”>
<Rena Meckri sees you as “the uncle on a white horse.”>
…….
Uncle on a white horse?
Isn’t that a contradiction in terms?
[What’s wrong with “uncle”? Huh? What’s wrong with being an uncle?]
‘Judging by how defensive you’re being, I’d say you’re no spring chicken yourself.’
[Shut up. You’re thirty-four.]
‘I came back 7 years in the past, so I’m twenty-seven.’
Just then, the guild leader spoke.
“Maide-nim. Please, come inside now.”
“Then I’ll be in your care for a few days.”
“A few days?! Don’t say such things. I’ll serve you for the rest of my life.”
“……”
“If that feels too burdensome, then I’ll employ you for life instead. Please, don’t say you’ll leave.”
Slip.
Rena suddenly clung to my arm and said,
“Yeah. Mister, live here with us. Okay?”
“Ahem. Rena. That’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean, then?”
“That… thing.”
“……?”
I soothed the two of them as best I could.
I was planning to stay here for a while anyway, to sort out my thoughts…
But I had absolutely no intention of settling down for good.
[Why not? Isn’t your retirement plan falling into place automatically?]
Sigh. ‘No. I can’t stay in one place for long.’
[Huh?]
‘I’m not in a position to live closely with others.’
The voice fell silent, as if it didn’t understand.
But it couldn’t be helped.
I looked up at the space above the guild leader’s head.
— Sinned against Id Blaket and 71 others.
This man, who seemed like a kind uncle, had sinned against more people than the bandit leader who’d just been dragged away.
This is why.
This is why I’m a wandering mercenary.
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