Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Hey!"
Doug vigorously swung his shovel, loading a scoop of coal into the adjacent coal cart.
The burly man in his thirties now looked vastly different from the mercenary captain he once was.
When Doug was the leader of a mercenary team, he had long hair that fell to his shoulders. Though unshaven, he possessed a rugged charm, with sharp brown eyes that sparkled with intensity. Those who first made eye contact with him often likened him to a hawk or falcon. Years of adventure and battle had filled him with confidence, even arrogance, as he stubbornly believed that good fortune would always accompany him.
But now, Doug's once wild long hair was gone, replaced by a plain buzz cut. His face was clean-shaven, and the sharp glimmer in his eyes was replaced by a dull, numbed expression, reminiscent of an old farmer who had toiled all his life. It conveyed a sense of hopelessness, as if he would spend the rest of his days in the same manner, without any prospects for change.
The glorious days of the past could only be relived in dreams. In those dreams, he was still the mercenary chief who drank heavily and feasted on meat every day, until the sounds of gunfire and cannon fire jolted him awake.
Sometimes, he would privately speculate about his life a few years ago. If he hadn't accepted the employment of that Aldorian noble named Emerson, he wouldn't have ended up as a prisoner in the Northwest Bay. But what good was this speculation?
Who could have imagined that the Northwest Bay would possess such powerful weapons and armies?
...
"Mercenaries?"
Paul looked at his chief of staff with a puzzled expression.
Schroder proposed a suggestion that surprised Paul greatly.
"Yes, mercenaries!"
Schroder nodded. "And specifically, mercenary groups from the Horns Bay."
He raised his right hand slightly. "They are locals! Their hometown is the Horns Bay, and they are familiar with everything there—the climate and geography are second nature to them. They know what's edible and what isn't in the wild. The most critical point..."
The older knight smiled and said, "We won't have to take on too many obligations towards the mercenaries, which will save us a significant amount on allowances and compensation."
"That's indeed a good idea."
Schroder's suggestion cleared Paul's mind.
"So, you mean we spend some money to hire a mercenary group in the Horns Bay, and just tell them the mission? Let them handle logistics and supplies?"
Schroder nodded again. "Essentially, that's it, Lord Grayman."
"Great!" Paul said excitedly. "I'll send someone to the Horns Bay to find suitable mercenaries right away."
"Wait, Lord Grayman." Schroder stopped him.
"Ah? Why?"
"You actually don't need to exert yourself searching for mercenary groups. There is a group... or rather, two groups, of Horns Bay mercenaries right here in our Northwest Bay."
Paul frowned and asked, "Are they hired by some lord? Or are they up to no good? If it's the latter, I'll have to send people to eliminate them."
"No, no!" Schroder shook his head. "They're not doing anything wrong at the moment. In fact, they've already been eliminated by you. These mercenaries are in the labor camp you created."
"Ah?" Paul was taken aback.
Seeing that Paul didn't recall, Schroder explained, "Lord Grayman, do you remember the Usurper War?"
"Of course! It was only a few years ago."
"In that war, we encountered two mercenary groups. They were hired by Maltz Kent from the south to deal with us."
Paul suddenly remembered and slapped the table. "I recall now!"
Schroder continued, "One mercenary group was skilled with longbows, while the other had a more balanced composition."
Paul said, "Yes, that's right. They all became our captives and are now dispersed in different places for labor reform."
Schroder suggested, "According to our interrogations, most of them are from the Horns Bay. Perhaps you could consider gathering them again, re-arming them with our equipment—by which I mean cold weapons like swords and shields—and then sending them to the Horns Bay to fight for our interests, to atone for their crimes against us during the Pretender War."
Paul silently nodded; Schroder's suggestion struck a chord with him.
These captured mercenaries had rich combat experience and were familiar enough with the local area. Where else could he find such ready-made resources?
However, a concern soon crossed his mind.
"Schroder, what if they become uncontrollable once they reach the Horns Bay? Are we going to send an army to capture them again?"
The chief of staff leisurely exhaled a smoke ring, squinting as he said, "You don't have to worry about their loyalty; there's a very good way to handle that."
Paul asked, "What method?"
Schroder replied, "Make them your slaves."
Paul looked confused. "But they're already effectively my slaves."
Schroder laughed, "No, Lord Grayman, I mean using Horns Bay methods—branding them with your unique mark."
"Branding?"
At this point, Ladia, who had been silent, interjected, "Lord Grayman, in the Horns Bay, if a branded slave dares to betray their master, they will be captured by anyone who sees them and returned to their master, where the master can punish them as they see fit. It's entirely the master's right."
After hearing this, Schroder nodded at Paul. "Exactly, as Advisor Setia mentioned. These people were captured in your war, and according to Horns Bay customs, they are your slaves by all reason. As long as others in the Horns Bay know about their relationship with you, these mercenaries won't be able to turn against you."
(End of the Chapter)
---
Read (FF) ahead on (pa treon . com / CinderTL) – Chapter 753. {We've Caught UP!!!}
Early access starts at $5. Your support keeps this going!
Subscribe & Read Nightmare Strikes FREE!! ;)
Translated 4 Series, 1.5K+ Chapters and 1.78M+ Words.