Incompatible Interspecies Wives

7 – Childish Mind (2)

A few days later, I found Adam and the mercenaries.

I say older brother because he is 2 years older than me.

We waited in a long line, waiting only for the joining interview.

“…Human?”

Soon our turn will come.

A mercenary member who manages the joining comes out and misses Adam.

In the part about the race, I feel a weak disregard for us.

But Adam answered in a loud voice.

“Yes, I am.”

“…Yeah, what. It doesn’t matter. Pass.”

I was looking at the front without making eye contact with anyone, and I let the interviewer pass because it was so easy to join.

I only knew how to do physical tests or physical examinations.

But the lizardman with no enthusiasm explained to us insincerely.

“Go back. There is a place where everyone is seated, so wait there for a while. If you wait, you will be informed of the rules of the mercenary corps and the training process.”

“Let’s go.”

I followed Adam hyung. He soon lost interest in the Lizardman’s insincerity.

But, he said, whether Adam felt something about our easy signing.

“It doesn’t matter who joins anyway.”

“…”

“Because this is a place where the game is decided by quantity rather than quality. It must be sacrificing dozens to catch one monster.”

As a result of listening to the joining explanation, it was as he said.

Even as I know nothing about it, this mercenary was not very interested in the safety of its members.

“Meals are twice a day! The training schedule will be different from day to day!”

It was different from the great life they promised.

Life as a mercenary was not much different from life in the slum.

The officers of the mercenary corps live the splendid life that everyone dreams of, but the low-end like me and Adam could only survive long enough to sustain their lives in good health.

A cold night. Food that is only called sheep. An absurdly small daily wage. Drills that depend on the officer’s mood.

Nevertheless, the mercenaries at the lower end seemed to be holding on, dreaming of becoming officers of the mercenary corps one day.

The senior mercenary members who came in first said that the pay after the campaign was real, and that at that time you could drink as much as you like with women, and even seduced other members of the mercenaries.

Even such an opportunity might be appreciated by some, but I thought it was quite cheap for the price of life.

Of course, I didn’t care because I wanted to kill monsters and mixed circumstances.

Adam hyung always told me that.

“Let’s hold out for a while, Berg. Like I said, one day I’ll form my own mercenary company. And my mercenaries will be very different from this feeling.”

“…”

I didn’t really care what he said.

At that time, I couldn’t afford it.

A few more weeks go by.

The whole world was worried about the explosively increasing number of monsters.

The ruined village and the dead lives also increased accordingly.

A number of mercenaries were born, and everyone was full of work.

I have no choice but to believe the story about the Demon King.

Even if I try not to think about it, only worries about Xian linger inside me.

The girl who made it impossible for me to follow or wait.

And when things got complicated like this, I continued personal training wielding a wooden sword with Adam.

After sweating through intense training, I was able to let go of my thoughts about Shien.

Sometimes training has been a more powerful cure than anything else.

My chest, which used to be painful, became a bit dull, and my shoulders became lighter.

I felt more comfortable with my body than with my mind.

If Adam was going to die, he coaxed me into dying as a mercenary, but he, more than anyone else, would not let me die.

When I made a mistake during practice, he yelled at me, pointed it out, and got angry.

“Hey, you idiot! You will die, if you do that!!”

“…”

“Again!”

He showed more enthusiasm than the mercenary’s training leader.

Adam didn’t rest.

He practiced the sword with me, and practiced it again.

As much as I knew that his scolding was something he said out of concern, I didn’t feel too bad.

I slowly realized that people are kind.

I gradually became addicted to training like that.

As I spent my days like that, Adam and I were building friendships even if we didn’t want to.

Even without friendly exchanges, there was a bond that built up.

Even without words, there was a reassurance felt when we were by each other’s side.

Life in the mercenary corps, which was not green, must have played a part.

Thanks to their much lower physical abilities than other races, they often got into fights.

The sight of him doing personal training might have been an annoyance to them.

The fact that he was a human, it seemed that he was considered an opponent that could be harassed.

“Did you say Berg? Don’t tell me-“

– Puck!

We took care of each other.

If someone had a fight with me, Adam hyung would step in and start a fight.

When someone started a fight with Adam, I stepped in and started a fight.

Since both Adam and I were from slums, it might have been a habit we had in our bodies.

You have to take care of the same side.

If you neglect the same side, you will be left alone later.

Sometimes, more than that, there was a desire to release the accumulated anger.

If the Mercenaries had been a better place, this kind of deviation would not have been tolerated.

However, the mercenary corps we were involved in were more sh*tty than any other place, so the fights among the members were dismissed as sorting out ranks or as entertainment.

My older brother and I only took the fights that came our way.

There were things I didn’t want to do, and there were things I didn’t want to do… Instinctively, I knew that it wasn’t good to be so squeamish in a mercenary corps where it’s important to unite with one another.

Even so, I had no choice but to fight because I didn’t want to be ignored.

Since there weren’t that many Humans in this large mercenary group, we came to rely on each other.

As we continued our lives like that, Adam and I were on our way to our first campaign.

I received a training that I don’t know if you can call it training, and I held a sword and shield in my hands.

A frayed leather helmet was attached to the head, and torn leather armor that smelled of blood was attached to the body.

Perhaps these armors were recovered from someone’s corpse.

Wearing it makes death feel closer than ever.

But I was so glad to see that creepy feeling.

Because it replaced the pain that sent Shien away, even if only a little bit.

What would Xian say if he saw me now?

I’ve always wondered about that.

I remember the first time I saw a monster.

Unfamiliar parts are added one by one to the familiar animals.

A deer with three eyes. A wolf with two heads. Winged monsters and…

…A huge, mysterious monster at its center.

As the size of the mercenary corps we joined was quite large, the monsters we faced were also often large.

Officers say this to boost our morale.

“You must prove your worth here! Only those who survive here and raise the ball will be able to enjoy a rich life! I’ve had enough training, don’t worry!”

Hiding behind us, he raises his sword high and speaks.

“Don’t forget what I taught you! A group of monsters always has a leader! Just hunt that boss, the rest is easy!”

From noble mtl dot com

Adam and I didn’t listen to the officer’s words.

We were talking to each other and calming down.

“Berg. Don’t forget that the two of us decided to stick together.”

“I know.”

“Forget the training you learned in the mercenary corps. Just remember what you practiced with me.”

“I know.”

“Trust only hyung. If you are in danger, I will rescue you.”

Adam’s hand was shaking even as he confidently said that.

“Don’t be afraid.”

“Hey man, I am excited. It’s not because I’m afraid.”

And the mercenary leader shouts.

“God of War, Diane is watching over you! Charge!!”

Adam hyung proved his words. Even in the first campaign, through the skills that knocked me down, I raised a huge ball.

His skill was superior to that of the mercenary’s assault captain.

It was Adam who hunted the leader, the center of the group of monsters.

It was to the point where I couldn’t figure out where this quirk came from.

He showed outstanding talent in fighting.

Certainly, the rewards after the campaign were generous.

Money that cannot be easily touched comes into your hands.

But Adam was a man who knew how to keep his word.

Just as he said he was preparing to form a mercenary corps, he kept away from alcohol, delicious food, and women, saving money even after such a feat.

He was the one who brushed off the pressure of death and the mental burden of the mercenary team members’ fights as if nothing had happened.

I didn’t have much interest, but I asked one day.

“Isn’t it hard?”

The question was, isn’t it difficult not to enjoy any type of entertainment?

“I plan to hold on to it now and live comfortably in the future.”

But with unshakable conviction, he moved towards his dream.

On the other hand, I bought and drank at least some alcohol to forget the cien that came to mind every night.

I was able to save quite a bit of money, as I didn’t do things like delicious food or women, of course.

Still, there were times when I thought my brother was great.

Even if I had only her Sien by her side, I would have lived with her and her goodwill through the money she earned at the cost of her life. I wouldn’t have saved money.

I just couldn’t think of pursuing other pleasures because Shien wasn’t by my side.

****

Six months have passed.

We were getting used to fighting monsters.

I shook off the rigidity I had during my first campaign, and now I’m starting to relax.

“Berg. Shall we bet?”

“What a bet.”

“Who gets more balls.”

“Don’t do that, just focus.”

“Okay, pay for the drinks today.”

“… Ha.”

“Why are you sighing again?”

“…Even if I lose, I won’t.”

“Pay today!”

We were enduring the pressure of the battlefield with light pranks.

We were gradually getting used to the occasional death of our comrades.

No. Rather than getting used to it… I learned how to respond.

The shock could be lessened if the body was collected, the funeral was held, and cheap alcohol was shared.

As a mercenary, his life was definitely the life of a fly.

The members who had been talking every day left.

Sheer luck often decides who lives and dies.

Of course, Adam and I must have had a higher chance of surviving than others.

I stayed away from women, tried to stay away from alcohol, and stayed close to training.

Nevertheless, the pressure to die if you’re unlucky has always been with us.

We overcame even this together.

As I was with Adam hyung, I also gradually regained my smile.

“…Brother. I knew you were behind.”

“Why am I dying? By the way, did I kill five?”

“…Cuck-cuck. I got the boss.”

“Yeah, it’s because I cleaned up the surroundings by throwing myself away.”

Looking at his optimistic or heroic performance, small smiles popped out.

Sometimes he looked stupid, but there was always a smile at the end of his stupid actions.

Adam hyung was also a caring person.

One day, in the slums, he asked me why I was doing that.

But when he saw my unanswered expression, he changed the subject, saying he had made a mistake.

He hasn’t asked about him since.

I knew that he was sure to be curious.

Nevertheless, he prioritized his relationship with me over his own curiosity.

Looking at him, he was a great person.

In a way, it was natural for me to trust him.

I gradually felt comfortable following him.

.

.

.

Two years have passed since the first mercenary.

I am 19 years old and have become an adult.

The pain for Shien still lingered inside me and tormented me, but it wasn’t as unbearable as before.

I no longer drink alcohol the way I used to.

I still miss her. But at the same time, I now understand the breakup.

It was after accepting the fate that we couldn’t be together.

As many people in her mercenary group left, I tried to think that leaving her was one of her many breakups.

Excuse me, the immature parting at that time was now at a level that bothered me.

If you think about it, she sacrificed herself for everyone’s comfort.

Why did he only say things that would hurt her?

If you go back, I will bless you…

….Bless you…

…Can I bless you…?

…Occasionally, there were rumors about the party of warriors that Shien joined.

It seemed that she was no longer called Shien, but a saint.

It seemed to save many people, protect many people, and purify the land eroded by demonic energy.

I felt like the cowardly crybaby Shien I knew had disappeared.

The more the saintess gained such a high reputation, the farther the distance between us felt.

I tried not to think about even this anymore.

She decided to consider the time she was close to her as a blessing.

I decided to treat her time with her as a sweet dream.

He was a person with a different reason for being born into the world in the first place.

Maybe she knew that too and decided not to come back.

But to be honest…I was still curious.

Is Shien also thinking of me?

Was her time together precious to her, or was it, as she said, a silly memory she could forget.

How big of an impact does her presence have on her?

What would they say if they saw me continuing my mercenary life?

…No matter what you say, it doesn’t matter anymore.

It was her mercenary job that started with her rebellion against her, but now it fits me pretty well.