Chapter 180 - 4
A bleak, indescribable feeling hung over Ritz as he let out his dozenth sigh. Ever since Anna had thoroughly rejected him in Tashkur, it felt like everything he did backfired.
He had no idea what had triggered it, or how things had gotten to the point where Anna despised him so much. Since he didn't know, he had tried apologizing blindly, but after that came the talk about Kamala and his own love life, and when he'd all but stated that the one he loved was Anna, she had completely shut him out.
He’d agonized over whether she thought he had someone else, or if she was repulsed by a confession from someone she considered family. But her behavior since leaving Tashkur had made it perfectly clear.
Anna hated him. That was now a certainty. After all, ever since then, she had started looking at him with an expression of faint terror.
If she misunderstood and thought he loved someone else, there would be no need to be so skittish around him; she would probably ask what kind of person it was or how they met, just like she used to. But there was none of that. Instead, she would leap back if their hands even brushed at the dinner table.
She was avoiding him. And doing a thorough job of it…
And yet, he would catch her looking his way, and when their eyes met, she would look down fearfully or pretend to be looking at something else. Once, he had unconsciously reached out to pat her head, and she had practically flown away. He’d had a hard time figuring out what to do with his raised hand after that.
After agonizing over it during their stay in Tashkur, Ritz had decided to stick to the attitude he’d had before he fell in love with Anna. In other words, he had chosen to act purely as a safe, protective guardian.
And yet, now he’d made her cry. The incident with Qiuzi was unavoidable, but he couldn't see any reason for her to cry over it. And to have her eyes swell up so much that she couldn't sleep… he couldn't make sense of it at all. When she did something like that, he was tempted to take it as a wildly convenient misunderstanding, a sign that perhaps Anna loved him.
Ever since falling for Anna, he had made a conscious effort to stop indulging in wishful thinking. She had never been in love and wished to love everyone equally; there was no way she could love an individual like Ritz in a special way. He was sure she liked him, but that was as a big brother, a companion to travel with.
She was trying to live alongside the hopeless Ritz, seeing him as someone to protect. From his perspective, Anna was just hopelessly kind.
He was well aware of all that.
But if his presence was a burden, if it was painful for her, he wished she would just cut him off completely. If she didn't, he felt he would keep hoping she might one day look his way, that she might one day say she needed him, and he would just keep dragging things out and hurting her.
He had intended to continue playing the perfect guardian until she calmed down enough to give him his final sentence, but now this. Just how much more was she going to hate him?
“Aah…”
“You’re being noisy.”
As he sighed, Edward smacked him on the back of the head from behind.
“Ow! Don't get violent.”
“What’s wrong with hitting a lout like you who’s hunched over his large frame, sighing repeatedly in the most pathetic display imaginable? Be grateful I’m using my bare hands.”
“Yeah, yeah, thanks a bunch.”
As he rubbed the back of his head where he’d been struck, Edward sighed with an exasperated look.
“Honestly, you haven’t changed a bit in thirty-six years.”
“Leave me alone.”
“At this rate, it’ll be a repeat of Patty.”
“…I know.”
Hitting a sore spot, Ritz looked away. The former object of his affection that Edward had so casually mentioned was his own wife, but he spoke as if it were someone else’s affair.
“If you know, then you need to break this stalemate yourself.”
“…Yeah.”
He answered, but he had no idea how to handle it. Perhaps this was punishment for having only built relationships with women that left no loose ends. He muttered dejectedly, with a sigh.
“Maybe I should just jump her and make it a done deal…”
“If you do that, I’ll have to cut you down. You’re fine with that, I assume?”
Edward’s hand went to the hilt of his sword as he muttered this in a low voice.
“I was joking!”
“Don’t even joke about it.”
“…Right.”
With genuine killing intent filling his sharp, light-blue eyes, Edward said this with a smile. Ritz shrugged, slightly intimidated. Edward’s wife, Patty, genuinely doted on Anna more than she did on Greig. No matter what he said, Edward prioritized the wishes of his beloved wife, so he might actually be cut down. Ritz hung his head, dejected, and muttered under his breath.
“Anyway, I’ll think about it after I do what I need to do.”
“A wise choice.”
Currently, Ritz and Edward were in the city gathering information. Since morning, they had been visiting the port, shops, and lodging facilities around town, asking when the trade with the Soukai Clan had stopped and whether any problems had occurred beforehand.
At first glance, the city of Suien seemed as bustling as any other port town they had visited, but there was an empty, forced quality to the people’s liveliness. It might have been due to the Tarnien soldiers disguised as tourists scattered throughout the city.
They didn't seem to belong to a specialized intelligence unit; their stiff movements and sharp gazes made them stand out, even if they didn't realize it themselves. And from the suspicious looks they were getting from these obvious soldiers, Ritz and Edward probably stood out in this city as well.
Getting involved with them seemed like a bad idea, so they pretended not to notice and continued exploring the city. They had an early lunch at the busiest eatery in town to gather information from as many people as possible, so while their bodies were rested, their spirits remained gloomy.
But he decided to put that aside for now. Keeping busy with a task at hand was a better distraction.
According to the information they had gathered, the Soukai Clan had abruptly ceased trade in December, when the land was covered in snow. It was said to be just before the end of the year, so even if the Yuresla Kingdom Calendar was slightly different, it was still December.
The human side was given no reason at all, but the Soukai Clan who had lived in the city left a cryptic message when they departed.
The words were: “Trade will bring harm to our clan.”
However, according to the townspeople, the Suien side had never treated the Soukai Clan unfairly in trade, nor had there been any public disputes. But Ritz suspected they were hiding things they didn't want tourists like them to know. After all, they had witnessed firsthand the discrimination against the Soukai Clan in this country the previous night.
But this city of Suien could not survive without trade with the Soukai Clan. Although it had a large military port, the army was a money pit, not a source of profit. A portion of the trade fees from the goods exchanged between the city and the Soukai Clan was funneled into this military port, and by extension, to the battlefield.
That trade good was the pearl. The Soukai Clan, being an ocean-dwelling people with far superior diving skills than humans, brought back pearls from the deep sea that humans could not reach. The pearls, of various sizes, were all teardrop-shaped and possessed a deep, lustrous shine.
The largest among them were called ‘Goddess’s Tears’ and were highly sought after by luxury jewelers throughout the continent. To purchase these various types of pearls, many jewelers flocked to this city in the summer.
The expensive and precious pearls supported a significant portion of the trade between Tarnien and other countries and were indispensable for maintaining friendly relations between nations. Suien, in particular, was the city that benefited most from the blessings of these pearls.
But no one except the Soukai Clan knew where these pearls came from. No one even seemed to know if they were cultured by the Soukai Clan or if they formed naturally in the sea.
Since this was a transaction that affected the entire nation, the official document for the suspension of trade was likely in the Suien Military Command of the Tarnien Army.
But he knew it would be useless to just show up and ask to see it. Not to mention, Edward had no official reason to request it, and it was out of the question for Ritz.
“Don’t you have any connections that could help?”
“The only time I come here is when I’m heading to a battlefield. You think I’d have the chance to make connections?”
“I suppose not. But what about in the military?”
“Hmm. I probably know a few faces if I get inside.”
In truth, Ritz had a very strong connection to the Tarnien Army. The only place on the continent in a state of chronic conflict between nations was between Tarnien and the land of darkness, Zeum. For this reason, mercenaries serious about earning money would pass through the military port of Suien and be transported by Tarnien military ships to the front-line camps.
This was why Ritz had stayed in this city several times. It was here that he met Qiuzi, who now ran a boarding house and pub; back then, she was a mercenary just like him. They fought together on the battlefield for nearly a year, and for a few of those months, they were romantically involved.
He had forgotten about her as a lover, but he remembered her well on the battlefield, graceful as a supple willow and devastatingly powerful. Though she was a martial artist, she used a knife and whip in battle. Just as Qiuzi had said, Ritz might forget a woman, but he never forgot a comrade.
For now, with no other leads, they decided to go check things out. As Ritz and Edward approached the military port, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of warships, which was obvious even from a distance.
Suien’s port was separated from the military port by a massive stone wall and a movable iron gate. On the other side of the formidable wall stood the high-rise stone building of the military command, which seemed out of place in this country.
From the watchtower of the building, which was topped with a lighthouse, more guards than usual were scanning in all directions with telescopes. In the sea, there were numerous ships anchored a short distance away, unable to fit inside the military port, visible even from this side of the wall.
To Ritz, who knew the normal state of this port, this was clearly no ordinary situation.
“Do all these warships belong to this city?” Edward asked with a thoughtful expression, slowly stroking his chin. Ritz gave a small shake of his head.
“No way. This is an emergency.”
“…I thought so. Do you think this has to do with the Soukai Clan? Or is the northern front on the move?”
“The situation on the front is the usual stalemate. I’ve been keeping an ear out for news from the battlefield in every town we go to, but I haven't heard anything about major movements.”
“Then this is about the Soukai Clan after all.”
“Yeah. Something’s about to happen.”
They had planned to approach the military port disguised as tourists, but with the way things were, casually gathering any information seemed impossible. And there was no way they could ask about the reason for such a massive military buildup. Something was definitely happening, but they couldn't find a way in.
It seemed the only way to get more detailed information was to enter the military port.
“Can you get in?”
“Hmm. Even for me, it’s not that simple. If I were returning to the battlefield, I’d have the pretext of going through mercenary procedures, but once I start the paperwork, I can’t just say, ‘Never mind.’”
“True enough.”
“And unfortunately, I haven't received an invitation.”
He shrugged, and Edward also crossed his arms with a wry smile.
“A shame. But you have a lead, don’t you?”
Edward subtly shifted his gaze behind him. Ritz looked in the same direction and nodded.
“Yep. Just waiting now.”
As they exchanged these words in low voices, they sensed several presences behind them. They had known they were being followed by a few people since the restaurant where they’d had lunch, but they had played dumb until now. Noticing the pursuers were finally about to make their move, Edward’s lips curved into a smile.
“So we’re finally about to receive our invitation.”
“Yeah. I figured they’d show up soon enough.”
“What were you planning to do if they didn’t? Take a gamble and go back to being a mercenary?”
Edward’s words were met with a wicked grin, but Ritz brushed them off with a cool expression and smiled.
“Lucky me. Looks like we’re getting an invitation after all.”
Bantering lightly, he slowly turned his whole body around. A few meters behind them stood several soldiers. They were the same ones who had been trying to act like tourists but failed to blend in. The men silently closed the distance.
Just in case something happened, for Anna’s sake, he released the mechanism that kept his sword from being unsheathed. If it came to a fight, his opponents were professional soldiers; this would be within the bounds of permission.
The men stopped in front of them, their sharp eyes fixed on them. Eventually, the man who seemed to be their leader stepped forward.
“Who are you?”
His tone was quiet but high-handed. Ritz glanced at Edward, who simply smiled and gave a slight jerk of his chin. Instantly understanding the signal to do as he pleased, Ritz nodded lightly. In this situation, it was best to hide Edward’s status and leverage his own as a mercenary.
Crossing his arms and fixing his gaze on the men, Ritz took a step forward. He looked down at them, and he could see the man flinch slightly. His height was useful at times like these.
“I’m a mercenary. Came back to town after a while and found it had a weird vibe. It’s uncomfortable not knowing what’s going on, so I came to the military port to see if I could find any familiar faces.”
He said this with a cheerful expression, but the man frowned skeptically and crossed his arms.
“And yet you were snooping around town quite a bit.”
“Yeah. You guys were following us the whole time. Sorry to say, but you stick out even more than we do.”
When he said this cheerfully, the man’s cheeks flushed for a moment, but he just let out a small sigh and looked up at Ritz again.
“…So, did you find out?”
“If I’d found out by asking around town, I wouldn’t be at the military port, would I? Last I was here, this port was pretty open. Has it changed?”
“We’re not from this city, so we wouldn't know.”
With those dismissive words from the man, two things became clear. The military port here in Suien currently housed not only its regular soldiers but also reinforcements from elsewhere, and the relationship between them and the port’s own soldiers was not going well. Those anchored ships were theirs, and perhaps they weren't being allowed into the port.
“What business do you mercenaries have with us, the Tarnien Army?”
“It’s not really business. Just a little something.”
He gave a vague answer, and the man fixed his gaze on Ritz.
“Your business concerns the Soukai Clan, does it not?”
“Who knows?”
“Don’t play dumb! It’s clear you were gathering information about the Soukai Clan!”
The man looked at Ritz and Edward with an irritated expression. It was no illusion that he seemed to be on edge about something. In times like this, it was better to maintain a relaxed posture.
“Whatever we’re investigating, it’s none of your business.”
He said this with a feigned air of exasperation, sighing, and the man flew into a rage.
“You, you’re from the Yuresla Kingdom!”
The man pointed a finger straight at Edward. Given his skin, hair, and eye color, it was a natural assumption. This skin tone did not exist in Tarnien or the neighboring country of Sarnia.
“That’s correct, but is there a problem?”
As Edward, the target of the pointed finger, smiled with a chilly gaze, the man gasped and took a step back in sheer fright. Ritz, who was quite used to this smile from Edward, still found it scary when directed at him. It was no wonder the man, experiencing it for the first time, was terrified. But perhaps not wanting to back down in front of his subordinates, he kept his eyes on Edward, a clear look of fear on his face, and then glared at Ritz, whom he likely deemed easier to handle.
“A problem! A huge problem!”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
It was Edward who answered, not Ritz, the target of the glare, still maintaining his cold smile. The man reluctantly shifted his gaze back to Edward but was clearly avoiding eye contact. Seeing how terrified he was, Ritz couldn't help but grin, but the man was in no state to notice.
“A person from the Yuresla Kingdom hiring a mercenary to investigate our country’s pearls. There’s no mistake about it, is there?”
“Half yes, half no.”
“Just as I thought! This is an international incident. We will not tolerate you trying to probe our country’s secrets!”
“‘Our country’s secrets,’ you say? But we are investigating matters concerning the Soukai Clan. While the Soukai Clan’s village may belong to your country, it should be established as a special autonomous region with its own governing rights. I believe we do not require the Tarnien Army’s permission to contact them.”
“Kh…”
Edward’s words, flowing like water from a tilted pitcher as he expounded on the concept of a special autonomous region, clearly had the upper hand. The man’s face turned bright red, his hands trembled, and he snapped at Edward as if to bite him.
“In any case, we will not allow outsiders or mere mercenaries to meddle!”
To the man who looked like he was about to blow a gasket, Ritz felt a pang of sympathy but smiled and looked down at him. He needed this man to issue an invitation to enter the military port.
An invitation, that is, to be taken inside. Once inside, there were plenty of soldiers who knew Ritz’s face, and likely none of them would dare lay a hand on him. The people at this port, which housed a battlefield, generally had a deep understanding of mercenaries. Plus, he could probably get all sorts of information from his acquaintances among them.
“Even if you say that, we have our own reasons. We can’t just back down because you told us to.”
“What did you say!?”
“Sorry, but we’ll be conducting our own investigation.”
“D-don’t be ridiculous! If you snoop around any further, I’ll arrest you!”
Just as he thought the invitation was finally coming, an unexpected hand was extended. The heavy sound of chains from the gate being raised echoed from behind them. Everyone’s attention turned in that direction.
Emerging from the open gate were three men in matching military uniforms. Naturally, they were the uniforms of the Tarnien Army.
An elderly man with the reddish, sunburnt skin of a true seaman, a mustache flecked with white, and a cap, flanked by two formidable-looking men, slowly approached them and came to a halt, facing Ritz and Edward.
“Commander, thank you for coming, these men…”
Completely ignoring the man who had sought his help with a smile, the elderly man beamed and looked up at Ritz. The man who had spoken, assuming he had reinforcements, was flustered. Unconcerned, the elderly man slapped Ritz on the shoulder.
“Long time no see, Ritz Alster. You back to earn some cash on the battlefield?”
To the friendly man, a grin involuntarily spread across his face.
“Long time. You’re not dead yet, old man?”
“Hmph, same to you. When you show up, the battlefield gets quiet and everyone else is out of a job.”
Despite his words, the mustached man extended a hand toward Ritz. He gripped it firmly in return.
“It’s been about four years, huh?”
“Three. How’s the battlefield? Same as always?”
“It never changes. Been the same for a hundred years.”
“True that.”
This beaming man was Touo, the commander of the Suien Military Command. He wasn't the type to get promoted in peacetime, but being here in Suien and frequently going to the front lines had allowed him to climb this far. Naturally, he and Ritz, who passed through this port many times on his way to the battlefield, were old acquaintances.
“You’ve got a rare, classy companion with you.”
Finding it unusual for Ritz to be with someone other than a mercenary, Touo cast an intrigued gaze at Edward.
“An old frenemy of mine.”
Unsure how else to explain, he gave a perfunctory answer. Edward stepped forward and smiled with a perfectly composed expression.
“I am Edward. I apologize for the trouble this fool seems to cause you.”
“Not at all. We’re the ones who are always in his debt.”
Looking somewhat abashed by Edward’s clear upper-class demeanor, Touo gave an embarrassed laugh, removed his cap, and scratched his graying head.
“Well, one of the guys on watch saw you, Ritz, so I came to invite you in. Haven’t seen you around lately. Care to come up?”
“To the command center? Is that a good idea? I’m about to be arrested, you know.”
“What?”
“By that soldier over there.”
He jokingly pointed at the men who had been accosting them. The man, who had been standing there dumbfounded by Ritz’s friendly chat with Touo, now had a bitter expression on his face.
“Oh? Do you have the authority to arrest people in the port of Suien?”
Touo’s condescending tone made the man click his tongue. It seemed they had no authority to act within this port.
“But Commander, they are trying to investigate the Soukai Clan.”
“And what of it? Your unit was dispatched to negotiate with the Soukai Clan, not to police information about them.”
“But…”
“The primary mission of the Suien military port has always been to maintain the front line with Zeum. You have no authority to police those involved in that mission. Am I wrong?”
The man could not refute the logic and rank. Averting his eyes from Touo with a bitter look, he turned from Ritz’s group toward the military port. As he passed Touo, he issued a warning without looking at him.
“Depending on the outcome of the negotiations, it will be you, not I, who is in violation of military regulations. I’m sure you are aware.”
“Perhaps. But at present, I am the supreme commander of this city.”
Without another word in response to Touo, the man walked away.
“Sir, what are your orders?”
Asked by the subordinate at his side, Touo laughed heartily.
“Let them be. I can’t stand to listen to the words of weaklings who’ve never even been out to sea.”
After a moment, Touo’s laughter subsided and he turned back to Ritz.
“I heard from Qiuzi that you were back, and I was looking forward to you stopping by. But as you can see, the command center is in its current state.”
“So it’s packed with outsiders, huh?”
It wasn't something Ritz, a true outsider to the Tarnien Army, should be saying, but when he couldn't help but say it, Touo just gave a wry smile without denying it.
“That’s right, it’s a total circus. Negotiations with the Soukai Clan are supposed to be the job of the merchants in the other port, not the military. I don’t know what the army was thinking.”
Touo sighed and pressed his forehead. This must be an extremely tiring situation for him, as he was not skilled in politics.
“So that’s how it is. My invitation was just an excuse for that man. You want to know a few things, don’t you?”
“Yeah. Information about the Soukai Clan.”
“Then let’s talk tonight over drinks at Qiuzi’s place.”
“Are you sure? Leaking military information to me?”
Given the exchange with the other man, Touo’s position seemed precarious. When he lowered his voice, Touo laughed heartily.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m opposed to their negotiations. It’s the end of the line when the military starts meddling in the economy. Besides, at my age, it’s not a big deal if I get kicked out of the army.”
“You’ve got a lot of nerve.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. Oh, right…”
“What is it?”
Touo poked a finger into Ritz’s chest.
“…I hear you have a… daughter?”
“N-no, that’s…!”
“Don’t hide it, don’t hide it. Bring your daughter along. Oh boy, I’m looking forward to tonight.”
“Touo!”
Ritz tried to stop him in a panic, but Touo completely ignored him and walked away cheerfully with his men.
“Wait, Touo!”
“I’ll be waiting, Ritz.”
Watching Touo’s shrinking figure, Ritz hung his head in defeat.
“Why do I have to bring Anna?”
Not when their relationship was this awkward. He had no idea how to handle this highly perilous situation of bringing Anna into a gathering surrounded by Touo and Qiuzi. Especially since he had made her cry just the day before.
“You’ll just have to accept it as the price for information. Besides, there’s a chance Anna will refuse to go.”
“Yeah. If she doesn't want to, I can't take her.”
He hoped with all his heart that would be the case, but Ritz knew from painful experience that things rarely went his way.