**Chapter 136: A Bonus That Ends in Misery**
“Cheh… This is where it ends. Time to skedaddle.”
The battle had reached its conclusion. The majority of the rebel forces were in full retreat, while those who remained faced either surrender or death. Witnessing the inevitable defeat, a man hurriedly distanced himself from the battlefield. He was clad in cheap leather armor, his rugged, bearded face more reminiscent of a bandit than a soldier.
However, only a select few were aware that this man was the captain of the Geisel Empire’s forces, an ally of the Aiwood Kingdom. Disguised as a mercenary, he had infiltrated the Aiwood Kingdom to fight alongside the rebels, acting as a loyal “dog” of the Empire. While there were other soldiers who had similarly drifted from the Geisel Empire, they were merely mercenaries hired for gold. This man, however, was the only one receiving direct orders from the Empire’s higher-ups.
(I was told to weaken the Kingdom’s forces as much as possible, but… this is impossible now.)
From the very first strike, the outcome had been decided. An unknown attack from the Kingdom’s army rendered one-tenth of the rebel soldiers incapacitated. Faced with overwhelming magical assaults, half of the remaining soldiers lost their will to fight, opting for surrender or flight. The man had intended to cling to his loyalty to the Empire, hoping to take down at least one enemy commander, but unfortunately, he had not encountered any notable generals. It seemed he would only manage to kill a few nameless soldiers before fleeing.
(That foolish prince, Rodel, seemed to show some backbone at the end, but… it appears he was ultimately defeated. Serves him right.)
The man snorted derisively. As both a puppet and a soldier, he had achieved nothing and had fallen. Whether he would be buried in the shadows of history or executed as a traitor, either way, the term “fool” was certainly fitting for that man.
(…Well, at least I’ve gained some valuable information.)
The man had been observing Rodel’s final battle from a distance. In other words, he had witnessed the man who defeated Rodel—Rest.
(That man was using Light Magic… It’s merely a possibility, but he might be the same one who delivered that initial strike. The soldiers of the Kingdom referred to him as “Viscount Clover”… I must bring this information back at all costs.)
Few individuals could wield Light Magic. While anyone could illuminate their surroundings, very few could elevate it to the level of offensive magic. Using fire or lightning was far more efficient in terms of magical power consumption versus attack potency.
(There’s a question of whether he can continue to fight the foolish prince after unleashing such a powerful strike without running out of magic… That brat will undoubtedly become a demon for the Empire. I may need to consider assassination as an option.)
The man’s lord was the leader of a faction known as the “war hawks” within the Empire. They intended to conquer not only the northern barbarians but also the Aiwood Kingdom in due time. In the context of war against the Aiwood Kingdom, Rest would undoubtedly pose a significant obstacle.
(Just bringing back information about Viscount Clover would be a sufficient achievement. I must return to the Empire at all costs…)
“Ha!”
“Wha—?!”
As the man contemplated his escape from the battlefield, he was suddenly met with a flying kick from an unknown assailant. He instinctively ducked, feeling the rush of air as someone soared over him, landing behind him and causing the ground to explode upon impact. Had he not lowered his stance, his skull would have surely been shattered.
“What the hell was that?!”
“Oh, you dodged it!”
A carefree voice came from the assailant—a woman clad in light armor, who had attempted to kick the captain of the Empire’s forces. It was none other than Yuri Cattleya, the daughter of the knight commander and a friend of Rest.
“To evade my kick, you must be no ordinary person! You look like a mercenary, but I see you are a renowned commander!”
Yuri pointed decisively at the man.
“From now on, you shall be my trophy! Surrender and accept your fate!”
“Uh, um…”
The man’s instincts screamed at him that he had encountered someone troublesome. The girl was unarmed, lacking any visible weapons, which only added to the unsettling atmosphere.
(I don’t have time for this; I can’t afford to engage her properly…)
“Uh, well… this must be a misunderstanding, right? I’m just a humble mercenary.”
The man hunched his back, adopting a subservient expression as he pleaded for his life.
“Back home, my wife and kids are waiting, hungry. Please, I beg you… let me go…”
“Hmm… Is that so? Just a mere soldier?”
“Y-yes, indeed! I’m just a common mercenary who hasn’t even found a steady employer…”
“I see… My apologies for that. You may go.”
“W-well then, I’ll take my leave…”
(…Is this girl an idiot? She’s too easy to fool.)
Things were going too smoothly, and he began to feel uneasy. Having been granted permission to leave, he attempted to slip past Yuri and make his escape.
(I don’t know who she is, but if she’s this gullible, she’s the type to get played by men and end up used for her body. It’s a shame about her head, but her looks and figure are quite…!?)
As he stole a glance at Yuri’s figure, he suddenly noticed the necklace hanging around her neck, his eyes widening in shock. The necklace spilled out from her ill-fitting light armor, revealing a pendant that bore the emblem of a certain house.
“The House of Cattleya…!”
The moment he recognized it, his body moved before his mind could catch up. He drew his sword, intending to strike Yuri from behind…
“Oh?”
In the next instant, a curious voice rang out as his body twisted. The sword he had aimed to bring down was met with the ground, and his upper body fell lifelessly to the earth. Strangely, his own legs remained standing before him.
“Ah, my legs…?”
In the fading moments of consciousness, the man murmured. And then, in that final instant, he realized that his upper and lower halves had somehow separated, leaving only his legs standing.
The man, divided in two, met his end without ever revealing his identity as the captain of the Empire’s forces.
“Oh, that was surprising. I accidentally kicked you too hard.”
Yuri looked down at the man’s upper body, a puzzled expression crossing her face.
“I’ve been learning ‘swordsmanship’ at the academy… and after a month of training, I’ve come to a realization.”
“Guh… Ha…”
“It’s stronger to kick than to slash with a sword.”
Yuri puffed out her chest proudly, leaning over to peer into the man’s face, only to blink in surprise. “Oh, he’s dead.”
“I promised Rest I would achieve a great feat, but… he’s already mostly fled. I hope there’s still a commander wandering around somewhere?”
With a pout of frustration, Yuri dashed off across the battlefield with the lightness of a panther, her footsteps echoing as she searched for her next target.