Chapter 56

The Deal
Teres's story continued further.

"... The Frostwind Company simply doesn't have enough people left to survive as a mercenary company. The Commander is dead, and while the Vice-Commander miraculously survived, his injuries are severe... he can barely even stand."

Teres clenched his fist tightly.
That gesture wasn't that of the shrewd peddler he had shown up until now, but of a man chewing over bitter grief and regret.

"That's why I plan to sell all the weapons and materials left in the Frostwind Company to fund payouts for the survivors, including the Vice-Commander. After all, getting into a clinic takes money first."

"So that's why you came to have us buy it all today."

"Exactly as you say."

Teres nodded straightforwardly.
But immediately after, Carion furrowed his brow slightly and spoke up with a suspicious voice.

"Still, why would a peddler like you go that far? From what I'm hearing, it hardly sounds like a profitable business for you."

"... Well, that's..."

For the first time today, Teres was lost for words.
Remaining silent, he blinked slowly, dropping his gaze to his lap.
Then, he quietly opened his mouth.

"... To tell the truth, the Vice-Commander of the Frostwind Company once saved my life."

Saying that, Teres let out a soft sigh.

"It was back when I had just started peddling. I recklessly took to the highway without an escort and got surrounded by forest wolves... If not for him, I would've been dead long ago. Well, he's what you'd call my benefactor."

As he spoke, Teres managed a wry smile, but his eyes showed a hint of nostalgia and respect.
Both Valdo and Carion listened in silence.
My ears naturally perked up as I listened intently, too.

"That's why... I want to help him, no matter what. So right now, I'm selling off what was left of the Frostwind Company to fund payouts for the survivors, and going around looking for places that will take them in."

"Places to take them in?"

"Yes. The Frostwind Company is gone, so the survivors have to find some kind of work or they won't be able to eat. That's why I'm searching for new places for them to work."

Saying that, Teres bowed so deeply his chair creaked.

"... I know it's presumptuous of me, but I have one more favor to ask of you, Boss Valdo."

He raised his head and looked straight at Valdo.
In his eyes, there seemed to be a straightforward determination born from deep affection for his benefactor.

"Among the survivors of the Frostwind Company, there are two young ones. Fortunately, they didn't suffer any major injuries, and their skills aren't bad at all. They still have plenty of strength to make it as mercenaries. Please... could you take them into the Black Iron Claws?"

Valdo opened his mouth to say something to Teres, but suddenly closed it.
Instead, he shifted his gaze to Carion sitting beside him.

"I think two of them would be fine, but... Carion, what do you think?"

Called by name, Carion twitched an eyebrow slightly and stared intently at Teres as if measuring him.

"I'm against it. I haven't heard very good rumors about the Frostwind Company. Even this time, they abandoned the caravan they were supposed to protect and fled first, didn't they? How could people like that be of any use to us?"

They were sharp, ruthless words.
But that harshness was surely born from putting the Black Iron Claws first.
As always, it was so like Carion.

At such a harsh critique, Teres hurriedly waved his hands.

"T-Those two weren't on the escort mission! They were handling other work back at base with the Vice-Commander! Besides, I heard from the survivors that when the monsters invaded, both of them put up a really good fight!"

"Still..."

"If they prove useless, just keeping them until spring is fine! Once spring comes, they should at least be able to find manual labor if they go to the great city of Dagis. So, please... won't you let them stay just for the winter?"

"... Until spring, huh..."

Valdo muttered softly.
Beside him, Carion also crossed his arms with a troubled expression.

"......"

After a brief silence, Valdo slowly opened his mouth.

"In that case, I have two conditions. If you accept them, I'll take the offer."

Teres looked up abruptly.

"Conditions...?"

"First. The truth is, we were attacked by a pack of monsters similar to the ones that hit the Frostwind Company. I want information on those monsters. Get everything they know out of the Frostwind survivors."

"... Understood. I see, that certainly is important."

"The other is..."

Valdo dropped his gaze slightly and continued, choosing his words carefully.

"A little while ago, we also took on a caravan escort, and we got attacked by monsters along the way. At that time, our injured comrades were admitted to a clinic in Dagis, but... even though it should be about time they can move around, there still hasn't been any word. So I was just thinking about sending someone to pick them up."

Valdo's voice carried a genuine concern for his comrades.

Come to think of it, what triggered the battle in the abandoned village was Carion and his subordinates being attacked by a pack of monsters while out on a caravan escort mission.
Thanks to Carion and the few company members he led drawing the monsters away, the caravan and the rest of the members were able to reach Dagis as planned.

But... I'd heard that the members who escorted the caravan to Dagis had been badly injured as well.

Thinking about it, it really had been quite some time since then, yet not a single member who was supposed to have arrived in Dagis had returned.
As far as I knew, not a single message had arrived from there either.

Valdo stared steadily at Teres.

"Teres, you're heading to Dagis to sell monster materials, right? Sorry to ask, but could you go check on our comrades at the clinic? If they've recovered enough to travel, I'd like you to bring them back here with you."

Teres nodded deeply at once and lightly thumped his chest with a fist.

"That much is an easy favor! I was already planning to stock up in Dagis and come right back here to sell again anyway. Transporting them is no trouble at all."

Smiling broadly, Teres's voice sounded cheerful with relief.
Having Valdo accept his request had probably cleared away one of the anxieties weighing on his chest.

Listening to the conversation, I was genuinely impressed by Valdo's proposal.
With Teres's large horse-drawn sleigh, the injured could travel safely even over snowy roads. Even if our comrades in Dagis hadn't fully healed yet, he should be able to bring them back to base without straining them.
It was thinking typical of Valdo, who always looked out for his comrades.

Buying the weapons and tools left behind by the Frostwind Company, and on top of that taking in two young members, was a big burden on the Black Iron Claws' side.
But even factoring that in, if he could transport all our injured comrades from Dagis to base together, it seemed like a pretty good deal.

Glancing at Carion next to him, it looked like he was thinking the same thing.
This time he voiced no objections, keeping his lips sealed with a calm expression.

Taking a breath after settling the request, Teres tilted his head curiously and looked back at Valdo.

"Even so... your whole demeanor has changed quite a bit, Boss Valdo."

"Hm? You think so?"

"Yes. A little while back, you listening to Carion's opinion was completely out of the question. And Carion used to snap right back at you, too."

"Haha, maybe so."

"......"

Valdo gave a wry smile, while Carion also furrowed his brow awkwardly and fell silent.
Seeing the two of them like that, Teres went on.

"And the atmosphere of the company, too... until just recently, there was a somewhat cutthroat feel to it. But visiting this time, everyone looks somehow gentler..."

At those words, Valdo scooped me up from his lap and placed me gently onto the table.

"Maybe that's thanks to this little guy."

"Meow?"

Sticking my tail straight up, I padded across the table and sat politely right in front of Teres.

Bending his large frame, Teres reached a hand toward me softly.
As his fingertips timidly stroked my forehead, I let out a spoiled cry and rubbed my head firmly against his hand.

"Mew~"

"My, my... such a pampered darling, hard to believe it's a monster. My goodness, how adorable."

Teres's eyes crinkled with amusement as he gazed at me with great interest.

"... Truly lovely. A creature like this, even if it is a monster... no, precisely because it is a monster, the nobles in the Capital would surely pay top dollar for it. Boss Valdo, if you were to sell this little one to me, how much would you let it go for?"

"Mya?!"

Startled out of my wits, I scurried back to Valdo in a panic.
Valdo picked me up right away and held me tight in his arms.

"Sorry, Teres. No matter how much gold you stack up, this one's not for sale."

"Nya!"

Although there was a smile on his lips, Valdo's eyes were dead serious.
Carion, too, remained silent, directing a piercing glare at Teres.

But Teres didn't seem bothered in the least, flashing a genial, grandfatherly grin.

"Ho-ho! What an absolute pity! Well, just a joke, purely a joke. Now then, since that's settled, shall we get down to our business discussion?"

Even as he said that, Teres's eyes remained fixed on me, staring unblinkingly.
I felt the fur on my back stand up on end with a shiver.

… Could this old guy actually be scarier than a monster?