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Chapter 38: Ambition

We received books as payment for our mercenary work in the Norman Viscountcy.

Our job was done, and the fee, such as it was, had been collected.

There was no longer any reason to stay with House Norman.

We, the Barbar Mercenary Force, began our journey home.

A hundred of us from the Barbar Mercenary Force marched in a line along the roads of the Ring Kingdom.

Fields stretched out to either side, and when we came across farms, we bought up crops.

We also obtained seeds for vegetables we thought might grow well back in Barbar territory.

In the Ring Kingdom, winter vegetables could still be harvested, and they had ample stores of grain.

Every farm we met gladly traded with us.

Someday, I want the Barbar homeland to be just as prosperous.

Thinking of that, we pressed onward along the road.

Thanks to the flat terrain of the Ring Kingdom, travel was easy and our pace was good.

The carts pulled by donkeys were loaded with captured weapons and armor, and also carried those wounded who couldn’t walk.

We had a few wounded, but zero fatalities.

We’d taken the enemy general Bartlett’s head and secured victory for our employer.

As a military campaign, it was a perfect score.

However, when it came to collecting fees, the result was… complicated.

No cash, only items.

And not even things easy to assess in value… but books.

Before we departed, the Barbar chieftains voiced their dissatisfaction.

「Can you even sell books?」

「My clan doesn’t need any…」

「You can’t eat a book!」

「What, you gonna wipe your butt with it? Gahaha!」

Well… I get where they’re coming from.

Literacy among the Barbar is incredibly low.

So it’s only natural they wouldn’t see the value in books.

To address that, I offered to personally buy out the shares of any chieftain who wasn’t satisfied.

The chieftains were all smiles after that…

But that meant I was paying.

Which meant my clan, the Blumunt tribe, was paying.

And the Blumunt tribe’s funds were managed by Uncle Athos.

My personal decision had just cost the tribe money.

I was filled with guilt.

「Uncle Athos… I’m really sorry for increasing our expenses…」

When I apologized, Uncle Athos grinned with a dangerous smirk.

He twirled his mustache with a finger, looking proud.

「Gaia. Don’t look so down. This isn’t a bad thing at all!」

「Huh!? But this means the Blumunt tribe has to spend more!」

「Indeed. But consider this…」

He lowered his voice.

Ah, he didn’t want the other clans to hear this.

「This increases your influence, Gaia.」

「I’m not following, Uncle Athos…」

「This mercenary campaign was done under Viscount Norman’s son, Lord Rion. But who paid for it?」

「Ah! I see! Since I’m the one who paid, I’m the financier, and that gives me authority!」

Uncle Athos gave me a villainous grin and threw his arm over my shoulder with excitement.

「That’s right! My nephew Gaia! Son of my brother! Our chieftain Gaia! The other chieftains will have no choice but to watch your every move!」

「My influence grows… and the Blumunt tribe becomes the dominant clan among the Barbar…」

「Yes! The day you become King of the Barbar is fast approaching!」

Uncle Athos whispered with intensity, but his arm gripped my shoulder with real force.

He’d been working for a while now to increase my position as Blumunt chieftain and elevate the tribe’s standing.

So that’s what this was about…!

He plans to raise a king from the Blumunt tribe!

To unify the Barbar and found a kingdom!

The Barbar were currently just a loose collection of tribes living north of the Vaffancrow Empire.

But if a king were to rise… if I were to become that king…

Then the downfall of the Vaffancrow Empire would be one step closer.

I renewed my resolve, my expression tightening.

「Gaia! Are you done talking?」

Jessica of the Elf tribe came over to me.

Uncle Athos leaned in and whispered again.

「Gaia. Be sure to keep a firm grip on the Elf tribe.」

「Understood, Uncle Athos.」

Jessica and I were lovers, and we’d marry once we returned to Barbar territory.

Jessica was the niece of the Elf chieftain Elanief, and I was the chieftain of the Blumunt tribe.

This marriage would strongly tie the Elf and Blumunt tribes by blood.

I hadn’t really thought about it before, but… our marriage had political implications within the Barbar too…

Uncle Athos gave me a knowing grin and stepped away.

Jessica slid into his place, clinging to my arm and speaking in a sweet voice.

「What were you two talking about?」

I switched to Elven for her.

Jessica had gotten good at Barbar tongue, but still found it more comfortable to speak in her native language.

「Our marriage.」

「Hehe!」

Jessica squeezed my arm tightly.

「I’ve got a dress my mother left behind. I want to wear it for the wedding.」

「I bet it’ll look amazing on you.」

「I wish I could show it to Mom and Dad…」

Jessica’s parents had died fighting against the Vaffancrow Empire.

So had mine.

Jessica and I had similar backgrounds.

We’d both suffered.

But that didn’t mean our future had to be filled with suffering too.

I would make Jessica happy.

I’d build a joyful, lively home for us.

「Jessica! Let’s have lots of children! Let’s grow our family and fill our house with laughter!」

「Of course! I’ll give you a big family! Let’s make it huge!」

Chatting happily, Jessica and I walked down the road, lit by the setting sun.

Tall trees cast long shadows over the path.

Hand in hand, we leapt over the shadows without breaking stride.

Our shadows merged into one.