It was supposed to be a dull battle.
On a field shrouded in misty rain, the army Leontaine belonged to, the Eastern Army, was more than double the size of the opposing force.
Though calling it an “army” was an exaggeration.
It was a little over two hundred mercenaries who’d flocked to the small coins scattered by the lord. The opposing Western Army numbered a little over one hundred.
When mercenaries clash, unless something extraordinary happens, the side with the greater numbers is bound to win. That’s a calculation even a child could understand.
The ground was muddy from the incessant rain, and in places, it was deep enough to reach one’s ankles.
Originally, it had been a simple quarrel between serfs.
A dispute over whether a cultivated field had slightly encroached or not, escalated into a fight with blades, then a quarrel between their employers, then a quarrel between the lords, and finally a quarrel between the lords’ backers.
Both the nobles giving the orders and the mercenaries being ordered had no motivation from the start.
A perfunctory clash to settle things would be the end of it. For mercenaries, it was a battle where they could be happy as long as they got paid.
Because they didn’t want to get hurt unnecessarily, the most popular positions were those where they were unlikely to come into contact with the enemy.
Leontaine had also intended to just stand there, holding her sword in a perfunctory manner.
But there, was the <Demon>.
Using their unmotivated employer, “Horse-Face” Ferdinand, as a decoy, the <Demon>’s tactic was a single, surprise attack. Bypassing a thicket of shrubs, the <Demon> and his companions attacked the Eastern Army’s soft flank, as if tearing it apart.
When Leontaine began her war story, the customers of the tavern approached, holding their mugs. They were the townsfolk, starved for something to talk about. A story like this, told firsthand, might be surprisingly well-received.
Some even offered drinks and plates of snacks as a sort of tip, which didn’t feel bad at all.
Although she was now a mercenary, Leontaine was originally a noblewoman, albeit of a low rank. She had an education and even dabbled in poetry.
She wasn’t as skilled as a true minstrel, but when she got into the mood, her storytelling became passionate.
It was quite a pleasant feeling to see even the dishwashing girl come out from behind the counter and listen to the story with a mixture of fear and fascination.
Moistening her mouth with her second glass of Toriaezu Nama, Leontaine continued.
The strength of the <Demon>, leading the vanguard, was overwhelming. Before him, four men were cut down as if they were two, and two as if they were one.
The reason was his armor.
Despite it being a melee, the <Demon> wore only minimal armor.
With the ground like a swamp, armor would indeed be a hindrance.
However, only someone with extraordinary confidence would dare to discard their armor.
On a battlefield where a single blow could be fatal, the battle techniques wielded by the <Demon> were truly exceptional.
His aim was singular: the head of the commander.
The <Demon> cut deep into the Eastern Army’s formation, like a kite hunting its prey.
“…That’s amazing.”
Hermina murmured, letting out a sigh of admiration.
Lost in the story, she stood still, holding the mugs she was supposed to clear.
“Yeah. I’ve been on the battlefield for a long time since then, but the only time I’ve ever gotten goosebumps all over my body was when I faced that <Demon>.”
“So, did you fight the <Demon> too, Leontaine?”
“Yes, I fought him.”
What was supposed to be a safe spot where the enemy wouldn’t come had somehow become the front line for Leontaine.
The <Demon> had accurately read the place that was thought to be the safest.
Steeling herself, Leontaine also brandished her sword.
She was clad in her family’s ancestral armor. The squid helmet ornament showed that her family were once proud sea nobles who had guarded the coastal territories for generations.
“Eh, Leontaine-san, is your helmet ornament a squid?”
“What is it, Hermina? This is where it gets good. That’s right, my family crest and helmet ornament are both squids. It’s unusual, right?”
Leontaine was probably the only mercenary on the entire continent with a squid helmet ornament. She tried to make a joke with a lighthearted voice, but Hermina’s face was pale.
Not only that, but the other customers were also conspicuously averting their faces.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong? This is where the climactic duel between me, Leontaine, and the <Demon> is about to begin.”
“…Maybe, just maybe, but did that <Demon> person flinch when he saw you, Leontaine-san?”
“Hermina, you’re so perceptive. He must have instantly seen that I was a woman and held back.”
Without realizing that the battle-hardened <Demon> had held back, Leontaine slashed at his left arm.
He probably managed to block it with his gauntlet at the last moment, so it likely wasn’t a serious injury, but it might have left some after-effects.
“I’ve been searching for that <Demon> ever since, wanting to thank him for that.”
“Do you know the <Demon>’s name, Leontaine-san?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t. It was a chaotic battle, you see. But I’d recognize him if I saw him. I can say that with confidence.”
“I see…”
“What, what is it? Why the sudden gloomy face?”
The one who answered was the tavern owner, who had been silently cooking until then.
“Ah, well, the <Demon> in your story sounds a lot like a regular customer of my tavern.”
“I-Is that true?”
She had been searching aimlessly until now, but this was a huge step forward.
The fact that he was a regular at this tavern meant that she might be able to meet him tonight.
“Oh, what should I do! I’m happy, but also nervous… But it’s not certain that it’s him yet… What should I do, Hermina!”
“Leontaine-san, please calm down. It’s not certain yet.”
“No, I have a feeling it is. I’ll meet him here tonight. It’s a sign, I’m sure of it. When I meet him, I have to thank him first. And then, and then… Oh, what should I do!”
“Please calm down. My husband should be here soon.”
Hermina’s words caused the room to fall silent as if frozen.
“…Husband? What does Hermina’s husband have to do with this?”
Leontaine’s words were unintentionally forceful, and Hermina responded with a look that said this was something she wouldn’t budge on.
“I think the <Demon> you’re talking about, Leontaine-san, is my husband.”