TL/Editor: Butter Cat

    Status: 4/week mon-thurs

    Illustrations: none

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    〈 Chapter 50 〉 Chapter 50. Standing Alone.

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    Building new relationships is always a daunting task.

    Unfamiliar people, and unfamiliar places.

    I''m not naive enough to smile and be at ease in a situation where I''m thrown into a faraway land, alone, without a single person to rely on.

    Surrounded by thorns.

    A vast savanna, where hungry beasts roam, with no place to hide.

    Who could possibly be at ease in such a place?

    At least, not me.

    An indescribable sense of loss washed over me, and I desperately wanted to stop walking, but even so, I continued to move forward, one step at a time.

    Because behind me, beside me, there was someone supporting me.

    Step, step.

    The sound of two sets of footsteps, a little more than one person''s worth, echoed through the wide hallway.

    "—This is the classroom where Miss Han will be attending classes from now on. Is there anything else you need me to explain?"

    "Ah, no. That''s enough… Haha."

    "...If you have any questions, please don''t hesitate to ask the receptionist who is always stationed in the building."

    Seeing her bow deeply before me, I too bowed my head in return.

    Perhaps she found my bewildered appearance amusing and refreshing?

    I heard the staff member''s human-like chuckle from behind me.

    The staff member, dressed in a neat and tidy outfit, reminiscent of the business attire from my past life, yet beautiful enough to be called ''elegant'', spoke to me in an incredibly polite tone that made me feel awkward.

    Indeed.

    This is what you would expect from the people of the empire, famous for their slogan, ''Nothing is a sin except for sin itself''.

    An empire that accepts all kinds of backgrounds and cultures of other kingdoms to that extent.

    But it was just that hostility towards the unknown had changed into eyes that saw the strange and the novel.

    Black hair and black eyes.

    It was a rare appearance even in the empire, so the looks I received, as if I were an alien, always followed me, and it wasn''t something I could easily get used to.

    Rather, it was more unpleasant—

    "Then, I''ll take my leave."

    "…Yes, thank you for your assistance."

    To be honest, the fear of others still lingered within me.

    Just like how a deep scar remains even after receiving the best treatment, the scars from Syria Village always haunted me.

    The chatter of people passing by sounded like they were gossiping about me, and everyone who approached me seemed suspicious.

    …Though, it''s much better than before.

    The cold persecution and harsh treatment I''ve continuously experienced in my second life for no reason, had become a deeply ingrained trauma, so it couldn''t be helped.

    "…So this is the academy I''ve only heard stories about."

    But I learned.

    That all the people I cherish and feel close to, started from small connections.

    Alice, who''s now irreplaceable.

    And Saelli, who I had some arguments and fights at first, but now, after revealing everything, we could talk comfortably, trusting each other.

    All of them, started from zero.

    Even if you can''t understand each other''s true feelings, you have to trust others first.

    Otherwise, a relationship can''t even be born.

    I was able to learn through Alice that what I needed was trust.

    …Well, I think Alice also needs to learn how to be a little more suspicious of people, though.

    "That child, is too kind for her own good."

    Tap, tap.

    The staff member left, and now the only presence in the quiet space was mine.

    Walking slowly through the hallway that connected the buildings, I reminisced about the memories that had become a distant past.

    I walked in the present while recalling the past.

    The warm sunlight stung my eyes, but I didn''t care, and instead I opened my eyes wide, etching this moment into my mind.

    I am alive.

    "Huu—"

    In my previous, complicated life, I had dreamed of this small hope, small and distant, like gazing at an unreachable star.

    And now, a dream that had miraculously come true.

    Yes.

    I am now at the academy.

    **

    A beautiful voice, unwavering and clear, filled the classroom.

    Students in the prime of their youth listened intently to every word of the woman holding the small, thin pointer, diligently writing down everything, especially the parts that could appear on the test.

    Of course, there were also students who were dozing off or goofing off.

    It was a sight that would make anyone frown, but the teacher continued her lecture without paying any mind to it.

    "It''s no exaggeration to say that the history of the Akard Empire, is a history built alongside mercenaries."

    She spoke of the past, of history.

    Once, the Akard Empire was just a small, merchant kingdom.

    Of course, they had a standing army managed by the state, but because the number of citizens was small, the life of each individual was precious, so they still relied heavily on mercenaries for their military force.

    Mercenaries.

    They boasted unique combat skills and specialized tactics, and mercenary work was considered one of the oldest professions in human history.

    People for whom money is life itself.

    But perhaps because of their nature, living and dying by money, frequent conflicts arising from payment issues were inevitable.

    In fact, many kingdoms that had hired mercenaries without properly considering these drawbacks had learned bitter lessons.

    Except for one.

    Unlike other kingdoms that faced problems like rebellions, the Akard Empire, thanks to its active trade, generated a substantial income and was able to resolve the issue of mercenary payments to a certain extent.

    The empire, who paid money and asked for protection.

    The mercenaries, who protected the kingdom and received money.

    It was a perfect alignment of interests.

    The empire and the mercenaries built a strong relationship of trust, to the point where even some of the royal guard protecting the royal family were mercenaries, and their bond grew stronger with each passing day.

    The mercenaries also preferred the Akard Empire over other kingdoms where they were more likely to be cheated out of their pay, and many skilled mercenaries had already immigrated to the empire.

    It was a huge boon for the empire.

    Because soon, the clouds of war that would cover the sky and more were looming

    "Fortunately, the war that shook the world, completely passed by the empire."

    There''s a theory called the ''Three Gunmen Theory''. (TL Note: This is similar to the ‘The wizard standoff riddle’ if you’re familiar with Ted-Ed, just that now everyone shoots simultaneously.)

    One gunman with a 100% accuracy rate.

    Another with a 70% accuracy rate.

    And the last one, with a 30% accuracy rate.

    If all three of them fired a bullet at the same time, who would be most likely to survive? That''s what the theory is about.

    And the answer to this theory, which might come as a shock.

    It is, surprisingly, the least skilled gunman is the most likely to survive.

    The weakest, who’s not even considered a threat, has the highest chance of survival.

    Isn''t it, ironic?

    But the world is, inherently unfair.

    Irrational, illogical, a series of coincidences.

    "But why didn’t the other powerful kingdoms invade the Akard Empire at that time?"

    "...We can''t say for sure what those kingdoms were thinking at that time, as we weren''t them."

    A question from one of the students who had been listening intently.

    Even at this pointed question that struck the core and might have been embarrassing at first glance, the teacher continued her lecture without missing a beat.

    The pointer in her hand lightly traced the locations of the powerful kingdoms that had waged war at that time.

    "Of course, the geographical advantage that Akard Empire possessed would have been enough to make them envious—"

    A port, a bridgehead for war.

    The student''s question was valid, it would be strange if they *hadn’t* targeted it.

    But what he had forgotten was that the world doesn''t work in such a simple way.

    "There are a few possible explanations."

    Tap, tap.

    Adding that it was just speculation, she raised her thin finger and began to explain the reasons one by one.

    She said,

    Perhaps, while engaged in a full-scale war with other kingdoms, they deemed it too risky to attack the Akard Empire, despite its small size, because of its robust military strength.

    Or perhaps, they were hesitant to seize this strategically important location, fearing that other kingdoms would attack them like hyenas the moment they took control.

    Or maybe, they simply didn''t have the resources to spare.

    "In conclusion, whatever the reason, the Akard Empire not only survived the war that engulfed all the other kingdoms, but it also started to conquer the surrounding kingdoms one by one, using the massive profits they had accumulated while the other kingdoms were weakened by war."

    Simply put, it was just luck. sea??h thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Great fortune, born from a series of small lucky coincidences.

    An opportunity that could be missed with the slightest mistake.

    The Akard Empire, simply seized it.

    But the fact that they had reached this point through luck, not skill, could have been a blessing in disguise.

    Because they knew that everything was due to luck, they didn''t become arrogant and continued to work hard.

    "But despite the empire''s growth, the need for mercenaries didn''t decrease, but rather, became even more prominent."

    An expanded territory, a larger population, and a kingdom generating massive profits.

    But a fattened pig is nothing more than a meal for wild beasts.

    The empire had to sharpen its fangs and claws to defend itself, even if it led to other problems.

    "Maintaining an army, is incredibly expensive..."

    "That''s correct."

    Money.

    Not only waging war, but even the process of conscripting and training soldiers required enormous expenditures.

    Feeding, washing, and housing them.

    And on top of those explicit costs, there were also implicit costs, such as the loss of productivity in agriculture and manufacturing. Building a powerful military that matched the size of the empire wasn''t as easy as it seemed.

    And once again, mercenaries came into the spotlight.

    Instead of maintaining a standing army that was useless except in times of war, they converted them into mercenaries who could gain experience and generate income by taking on missions.

    Killing two birds with one stone.

    Mercenaries, with their versatility and usefulness as a standing army, were the perfect solution for the empire, which had always been favorable towards mercenaries and had a long history of employing them.

    In other words, the history of the empire is the history of mercenaries.

    Mercenaries, who pursued freedom and wealth, were the symbol and pride of the empire.

    That''s why, it was only natural for them to come to the Museion.

    "—So, please welcome with a round of applause, the classmate who will be joining you for the next three years, sharing her knowledge and experience on mercenaries!"

    """.....!!!"""

    A sudden introduction.

    It was a surprise, but the students had been given some heads-up, so they quickly regained their composure.

    And soon, the classroom was filled with thunderous applause, their excitement palpable.

    Even the students who were calmly seated couldn''t hide the excitement on their faces.

    The teacher, who had been lecturing at the podium, turned her body slightly towards the entrance she had come from.

    —Click.

    The door opened with a small sound.

    "Let me introduce, a member of the Wallenstein Mercenary Group, the Wings of the Empire."

    The name she uttered was that of a mercenary group that had recently gained fame and recognition.

    The sound of footsteps echoing proudly amidst the cheers, heightened the tension.

    Slowly, a figure appeared.

    "—This is Miss Han Sia."

    "...It''s a pleasure to meet you all."

    The appearance of a new visitor.

    The classroom was filled with applause so intense it was almost painful.

    **

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