Chương 564: Chapter 563: Twin Forts

Barb Utsa"Finally, we have reached it!" I said as our beasts passed through the gates. In front of us is a defensive fort still under construction. Rows and rows of tents surround it. Alongside the constant construction, the area buzzed with activity. Soldiers were everywhere—training rigorously in organized drills or moving swiftly through the grounds with purpose. As we moved through the bustling grounds, many eyes turned toward us. Some gazes were warm and welcoming, offering subtle nods of acknowledgment.

Others were sharp and hostile, their scrutiny heavy with suspicion or disdain. And then some simply looked neutral, curious, or unreadable. We have come with the battalion from Greltheaven. We aren't the only group of mercenaries. There are three more groups, but we are the smallest. Only fourteen of us, others, have brought twenty to thirty people. I am surprised that I have been ordered to come here. My team and I usually stay in Panar, but we shifted to Greltheaven before Master Silver left.

I wish I could have gone with him. I wanted to see Archmage City, and Margaux offered to ask Master Silver, but I declined. My job here is more important, and I am sure I will get the opportunity to visit Archmage City eventually. I am certain that opportunity will come. I hope it does.

"Don't worry. This amount of roughing it won't wear off your spa glow," teased Hen while others laughed. I glared, but it only made them laugh even harder. I don't enjoy flaunting special privileges—at least, that's what I tell myself—but, god, I love them. The spa, in particular, is my sanctuary. It's my favorite indulgence, even more than the bars of the Velvet Garden with their opulent charm and endless allure. I am still technically a madam, so I didn't have to pay.

This is good because most of my money is invested, which means it gets constantly reinvested. So, I have to sustain myself on a meager mercenary salary—not exactly low, but a far cry from the wealth I once commanded as a madam. Luckily I am still a madam. I still have access, but not the salary. I could even return anytime I wanted to. Velvet Garden is still my home, and my family is there. This is why, despite finding my path, I do not want to resign ever. It's likely why my main class actively levels up.

August Madam is now at Lv. 28. However, it is notably lower than my peers—Carla, Margaux, and Lola. My juniors, like Cath, have advanced to Level 30 in their Madam class. I might have reached that level, too, if I hadn't left. I pushed those thoughts aside, refusing to linger on what could have been. Instead, I focused on the present, tightening my grip on the reins of my beast. As the battalion stopped, I pulled my mount to a stop, aligning myself with the others, ready for what lay ahead.

I dismounted, my boots hitting the ground with a soft thud. My attention was drawn to three individuals who stopped beside Lt. Colonel Rakgu, each taking turns shaking his hand. One turned toward me, their gaze lingering momentarily before offering a subtle nod. I nodded back. I don't know the man, but he seemed intelligent. I sneakily glanced at my people, just as I had expected. They were watching me. Their sharp eyes, honed by countless experiences, missed nothing—not even the smallest gestures.

They had witnessed moments like these far too often, and their attention, though discreet, was unwavering. Nothing ever escaped their notice.

"Mercenaries, please follow me," said a blond lieutenant as he appeared before us. He showed us where our assigned tents were, the latrine, and other key things.

"Now, I am feeling good," I said, settling beside my team under the vast, star-strewn night sky after freshening up. I was still tired, but I was feeling better by the minute. The team members are all sitting on cut stones to build the fortress.

"What do you think of the preparation?" I asked Old Elis, my voice steady as I turned to him. He was one of the most experienced among us, a veteran who had faced the undead, battled monsters and fought against men. Hugo recruited him three months ago. All the people here are new. Only Hugo and I remain from the original team. The rest have joined since, swelling our ranks as the group grows rapidly. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. We now number over a hundred strong.

"Good. The one in charge knows what he is doing," replied the old man. I heard it is Baron Harrods. Lola had praised that man a lot.

"Fighting monsters wouldn't be easy. They are powerful and merciless. More intelligent than the common undead we had been fighting so far," said Kirk, making everyone somber. Of the fourteen here, only five had fought against monsters. The rest of us are green. Most of them were not career soldiers. They were conscripts recruited when the undead invaded the island and are now stuck to their new profession. I am going to have problems dealing with the monsters.

Unlike the undead, against whom my fire is quite helpful. Against the monsters, not so much. They have more formidable defenses and higher magical resistance. Thankfully, I am also a warrior, but I am only Lv. 12. Though I project the power of Lv. 20 with my higher stats. There is a plan, and I hope it will work. Still, I am glad to be called here. It will give me experience fighting different foes and leveling up. I have three classes, and I want to advance them. Most importantly, I want them to merge together.

"Easy or not, we will have to do what we can and come out victorious," replied Rev.

"It's such a regret," Elis muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.

"We weren't able to bring those young misses with us; they're quite good." Hearing that, I couldn't help but sigh. He is talking about the three girls from the Garden. My joining the mercenary group had unintended consequences. A few crazy girls had decided to follow in my footsteps and started learning fire-breathing. Which was fine until they wanted to fight with it. It's dangerous. Most importantly, it's not an optimal way to fight—at least not how they think it is.

It's a special category of combat that I'm still figuring out myself. The techniques and strategies are far from conventional, and the risk is high. Most of them have given up, recognizing the danger and complexity. But a few, stubborn and relentless, are still practicing. They are learning fire breathing and fighting, a dangerous combination. Three of them are nearly ready, but not entirely. Still, I hope they'll think it through and give up before making a mistake too grave to correct. This life isn't good.

They could learn something else, something safer. If they genuinely love fire-breathing, they could pursue it through entertainment, not martial combat. Here, in the heat of battle, they could die. I can't even remember how many times I've nearly died myself, how many close calls I've had that left my heart pounding and my life hanging by a thread. I tried to convince them to reconsider, to find another way. But they still wanted to fight, their determination unwavering.

So, despite my reservations, I'm teaching them everything I know, pouring all my experience into their training, even as I continue to learn myself. A few minutes later, it was time for dinner. We made our way to the massive tent, which was crowded but not chaotic. There was a military efficiency to it, ensuring everyone was fed and seated with minimal fuss. We found our seats and dug in.

"Well, they're feeding us well. It's better than Panar," Rev remarked, and I couldn't help but agree, even though I wanted to defend Panar. After all, it is the city my dear friend is leading.

"They have mixed some monster parts into the food," said Karvos.

"Let's hope I won't have to make more visits to the latrine than I have to," said Elis, taking another bite. He isn't good with a certain kind of monster food, but he still eats it without any care. Nobody had said anything about that because it was useless. He will not listen.

"Sleep early. Get as much rest as you can. We need to be ready for everything," Rev instructed as we reached our tent after finishing dinner. We nodded, but only a few went inside. Some sat outside while I went out for a stroll. I am tired, but it's a beautiful night. Soon, I climbed to the top of one of the hills. From here, I could see the baronies, the forest, and the fort on the other side. These are built as twin forts. One is on the other side, with a dam-like wall between them.

The other fort is located in the merchant's state territory. It, too, is incomplete, but in many ways, it's more finished than the one we're staying in. The twin forts are the defense designed to stop monsters before they enter the territories and hurt the trade route and the baronies. Trade is their lifeblood. They are spending a lot of money on protecting it. Hun! I was watching the beautiful view when I turned and saw the burly blond man emerging from the trees.

Seeing the look in his eyes, I couldn't help but sigh internally, annoyance creeping up.

"You are a whore," he said, his words thick with the faint smell of alcohol wafting off his breath.

"Tell me something I don't know," I replied dryly, already feeling the weight of his presence settle on my nerves. It's not something I will ever be able to erase, nor do I want to. I'm not ashamed of it.

"Mind having a little quickie? I could pay you," he added, stepping toward me with a smirk that only deepened my irritation.

"You cannot afford me," I replied with a smirk of my own, my voice dripping with sarcasm. It's not a lie, either. His lieutenant salary couldn't afford me. The moment the words left my lips, his face flushed with anger, his pride wounded by my response.

"You whore," he spat, his voice rising with fury.

"I was planning to be gentle, but now? I'm going to fuck you hard, like the whore like you deserve!" His words barely registered before he lunged at me, but I did nothing—until he was just a meter away. Then, I breathed in deeply. As I activated Fast Breath and Flint, followed by Wide Plum, a stream of fire erupted from my mouth, creating a plume of fire that surged forward.

Despite being drunk, he reacted fast, but not fast enough, and my fire swallowed him, with horror and regret appearing in his eyes before they disappeared into the fire covering him.

"Ahhhh!" He screamed loudly as the fire covered his whole body.

"Fire off!" I said five seconds later, and the fire covering him disappeared. I looked at his state, with his hair burned and burned marks all over him. It looks bad and would have been if he had been a regular person, not Lv. 20+. Besides, I used regular alcohol. This fire is my weakest. If I had used the best ones. Those five seconds would have been more than enough to kill him. I looked at him and saw him looking at me with a mix of fear and hate. I met his eyes before walking away.

Soon, I reached the camp and spent a few minutes with my teammates before walking into the tent. I spread my bedding over the mat. It's one advantage of being a mercenary. Soldiers can't bring their own stuff into the tents, but we can. With that done, I took out my medicine. I have a bottle named Sherhon. It is from a small brewery in the empire that Varza brought for me during her travels. After tasting it, I recommended it to the Velvet Garden, and they placed a big order.

I opened the bottle and took in its tantalizing aroma before taking a gentle sip. I enjoyed it in my mouth before finally gulping it down. I didn't have to take more than a sip, thanks to Lasting Buzz.

"Do you guys want some?" I asked my two tent mates, holding up the bottle with a grin. Hen shot me a look before shaking her head.

"I told you before, you shouldn't ask such a question, Barb," she said, with a mock sternness in her voice. But that didn't stop her from taking the bottle out of my hand.

"You're lucky I like you, or I'd be offended," I said with a smirk, watching her take a swig. She gave me a knowing look.

"Oh, I'm sure you would've been real heartbroken." She took a generous gulp before handing it to Yora, who did the same. I lay down and closed my eyes. Falling asleep within second