Cook of the Mercenary Corps – Side Story 3

Punishment for Indifference, Sin of Ignorance ・Ganglabe

“Goddammit!”

This Ganglabe, who was reading Shuri’s letter, slammed it onto the floor.

It’s night at my office. I left the accumulated reports and documents waiting approval on top of my desk and stood up angrily.

The anger I’m feeling is not towards others. It’s towards myself.

Here’s the summary of the contents of the letter.

“Both Ekress and me forgetting about the consideration regarding the surrounding villages.”

It’s not like I was thinking that there’s no such possibility. The villages’ rebellious spirit is because they thought that Ekress has been kicked off the throne.

No, if you look at it objectively, that’s the only thing visible after all. Since Ekress and the others gave the throne to me. In fact, even after the transfer of power, there were still a lot of notoriety and gossip going around.

That’s why the other villages were also rebellious… which should be the case, but the truth is?

At Aire, they despised the fact that they didn’t know that Ekress was safe and happy.

And then there’s the precedent of Shukach regarding the wedding costume. I slighted them because of this.

Everything is something that I’m supposed to check in advance.

“Ganglabe?”

Ahrius entered my office when I was feeling agitated.

Inside her stomach is my child. Since she became pregnant, she is now wearing a loose, easy-to-move-in clothes.

Ahrius, who was wearing the sleepwear that I’ve prepared for her, was looking at me with a concerned face. She’s holding a magic lamp in her hand, so she must’ve heard my indignation and came to check on me.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down, and then sit at the office chair.

“What’s wrong, Ahrius? Can’t sleep?”

“I was heading to the yard when I heard your voice…”

Without thinking, for a moment, I frowned upon hearing those words.

This is bad. Ahrius is currently pregnant. I shouldn’t be piling on unnecessary concerns on her. It’s best if I can hide it, and it’s out of the question to make her worry.

But Ahrius instead picked up the reports that I have thrown to the ground and started reading it. She reads it while still holding the magic lamp in her hand.

“Ah, that is,”

Before I could stop her, her face became contorted with anger.

“Ganglabe. What’s the meaning of this?”

And, just like what I did earlier, she throws the report and approaches me. She moves towards me with movement that is unthinkable for a someone who is currently carrying a baby inside her.

Looking down at me from above… No, more like I was pressured by her gaze and gulped.

“Your objective was to get a country. To create a country where no one is starving, where everyone is happy, and where no one suffers. At least that’s what I remember… But it is, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes, that is…”

Well, that has always been my intention. Even now I haven’t forgotten my dreams.

In response, Ahrius’ eyebrows becomes even more distorted.

“And yet, you’ve forgotten about the consideration for the people of the territories? I couldn’t do it because I wasn’t taught about it. It’s written here that Ekress also forgot about it, but this wasn’t what Ekress originally proposed, isn’t it? isn’t it, Ganglabe?”

“Uh… It is as you say…”

Usually Ahrius is always quiet, but this time it’s different. I could feel her power from deep within.

Being a mother seems to have changed Ahrius. It’s a good change.

Wait, this isn’t the time to think about it.

“So? What are you going to do about it?”

“Y, yes. First of all, I’m going to explain to the surrounding village by means of express letter. Ekress and Gingus are safe, and Ekress is currently paying a visit to the surrounding village. She’s properly escorted as well.”

“And then?”

“I’ll ask the senior workers at the castle on whether or not there are other precedents and customs that I didn’t know. On that note, I’m going to make a statement of apology. At the same time, I’ll tell them that it wasn’t my intention to slight them.”

“And after that?”

“A, after that? After that, it’s, you see…”

This is bad. I’m too scared of Ahrius right now that I can’t think of anything. It seems like women who became mother can be this strong, I thought fearfully.

“At the present, it’s the problem regarding Shukach’s wedding costume. I heard that they’ve prepared one for our use. Don’t leave this problem as it is.”

“Eh? But our wedding ceremony has-“

“Just because we’ve done our ceremony doesn’t mean we can let it be finished this way! To accept the maker’s resolve, we will be buying that with a reasonable price! Trust is all about acting first and then building up on that! You would have learned that trust can’t occur naturally! You out of all people should know that! A shitty lord who is a lord in name is troubled because he failed to care about the territory properly! What do you intend to do about it!”

“Y, yes!”

Ah, this is bad. Ahrius has become so strong that I’m about to get laid down on my butt.

I curled up on the chair and I bowed down to Ahrius.

“I, it is as you said. Everything is because of my mistake… I’ll be careful from now on.”

“Please be careful from now on, yeah? Also, make it a decoration and visible not only to the castle personnel, but also to the visitors. Such a fine wedding costume, it would play a part in our proclamation to the territories. Aside from that, we can use that for our children’s wedding as well.”

“Won’t it be possible to make a new costume at that time?”

“Are you an idiot? You can show your financial assets and power by preparing multiple wedding costumes to show off during the wedding. You can use whatever you want. That’s the way of our mercenary corps. And then as the lord, we’re supposed to give proper rewards to territories who give us what we can use.”

For Ahrius to be able to articulate her well-thought opinions…!

Isn’t she growing too much too fast? Is this really Ahrius?

As I thought about it, Ahrius sat down on another chair, and leaned towards me.

“And then, the biggest mistake of all.”

“W, what is it?”

“That my husband, the father of my child, is overdoing it.”

Ahrius, who’s putting her head in my lap, is looking up towards me.

“To suddenly die because you were overdoing it… I’d hate for such a thing to happen. Please take proper rest when it’s time to rest.”

“…Yeah, I’m sorry.”

I’ve recovered while gently patting Ahrius’ head.

Yeah. I’ve become a father.

For my children. For my wife. For my friends who followed me, and the people who followed me and gave me the throne.

I must not fail more than this.

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