Overgeared

At the port city of Galest, the imperial army was preparing to sail through the route in the Red Sea that Grenhal had left behind. Earl Baget was moving among the bustling soldiers. “Only three flour bags? You pathetic bastards! Can you call yourselves soldiers of the empire?! Can you defend your country with this much strength and passion? Stop talking nonsense! It must be hard for your parents!”

“...!”

Earl Baget had long been famous for his military discipline, but there were no cases when he had cursed at soldiers who were doing well. Now he even mentioned their parents? The soldiers suffered great shock and hurt. Those soldiers—who were working hard to prepare for the journey—lost their motivation as Earl Baget’s words continued, and their overall work efficiency was lowered. Marquis Fulbas ran after hearing the news and tried to stop Earl Baget. “I understand that your heart is impatient, but do it moderately. Why are you cursing the soldiers who are doing well instead of praising them?”

“It is funny they are reacting like this from being yelled at! Do you think it makes sense that those who swore to sacrifice themselves for their country can’t take a bit of cursing?! Marquis Fulbas, you are the problem! People are always talking behind the scenes that you are sensitive to public sentiment and don’t have a backbone! There is a rumor that it is the aftereffects of a domestic violence incident when you were young!”

“W-What?” Marquis Fulbas’ gaze sank. The fact that Earl Baget raised his voice to the marquis was a secondary issue. The family of Marquis Fulbas was famous for being kind and generous. There was no such thing as domestic violence. Yet there was a rumor going around that he was a victim of domestic violence...? It insulted his parents and his entire family.

“You dare...! You dare say that?!” Marquis Fulbas, who had always shown a gracious appearance in front of his men, was enraged. He shouted while stomping his feet, “Who dares to spread such rumors?”

“...I can’t tell you. I will never speak about who it is, even if there is a blade against my neck. I’m not an unscrupulous person who will sell out my colleagues. However, the act of insulting one’s superiors and destroying your position is no different from treason. I will give you a hint out of loyalty. It was one of the earls.”

“Earl...? Earl!! I...! I have been doing so well that now they want to hit me in the back of the head?!” Marquis Fulbas’ neck was red from anger as he stumbled away from his position.

A soldier approached Earl Baget, who looked 10 years older. The man was called Serun, and he had the Disguise skill. “How come you don’t even miss a day? It is really great.”

“...I don’t feel too comfortable. I have to do it because of my duty.”

“You seem to be enjoying it...”

“...” Earl Baget looked restlessly at Serun. In other words, Huroi wanted to say something, but he refrained from doing so. The duration of the Disguise skill was three days. Without Serun’s active help, Huroi wouldn’t have progressed so far in this infiltration mission.

Serun was smiling. “In any case, it is thrilling and fun. I want this to be a real adventure. I’m glad I listened to Euphemina and followed you.”

“...” Huroi was dying of nervousness. He had dreamed of being captured and executed at least 10 times, but it was a risk he took for Grid’s sake.

‘I need to get the route as soon as possible... Marquis Fulbas isn’t giving me a gap.’

***

“It feels bad when I think about it.”

Three days had passed since the imperial army retreated without looking back.

The Overgeared members praised the soldiers who suffered during the war, comforted the people, and devoted themselves to Reidan’s restoration. They had to join in the exploration of the Ruins of the War God, but could they afford to intrude on the empire? They had to do it. The empire couldn’t be allowed to monopolize the ruins. However, they didn’t have the route. It wasn’t simple to find the Ruins of the War God. They had to concentrate on saving their energy while the empire was in the process of exploring the ruins.

The Overgeared members, who had been exchanging information while running around for three days, suddenly became enraged. They had risked their lives in the war against the empire. They put everything into the war. Yet for the empire, the war with them was just a game. The moment they discovered the ruins, they left without looking back.

There was now an empty desert. The vacant spot left by the imperial army was a great disgrace.

XX dogs.” Blood Warrior Katz—a Japanese player—cursed in a Korean style. None of the curse words he knew in Japanese fit better than

Katz slammed a fist against

“...”

and recklessly expressed his anger. The number of enemies Katz had killed during the war was 4,891. He had fought

a sense of belonging for the first time, and it was the best organization in the

However...

However...!

How ridiculous and insignificant would our desperate fighting seem? Eh? Kuso! Kuso!

He couldn’t control his anger until the round table

“I’m sorry.”

meritorious retainers felt the same

was lacking, and the Overgeared Kingdom ended up like this. That’s why

were no pretenses. The 10 meritorious retainers knew everything about him. They were true friends he shared many memories and mental rapport with. They

day I was invited by the empire, I should’ve shown a more powerful

held Grid up as the peak, but he was actually lacking. He was too lacking. He was weak. Grid was daunted by the

I should’ve discussed things with you and prepared for all the variables. If I did, we could’ve avoided

the soldiers’ armed condition and made more weapons. However, he hadn’t understood the concept of war and made only swords and armor, which was the worst mistake. In large-scale combat, the armed status of the soldiers wasn’t the most important factor. It would’ve been better to concentrate on strengthening the equipment of the 10 meritorious retainers, who had

This was the result. His colleagues who believed in him and chose production materials as the reward for the National Competition—most of them had

“...It’s all my fault.”

all of a sudden? Did you receive an arrow in the

everyone was confused by Grid, who couldn’t lift

our fault we aren’t as strong as you,” Jishuka sprang up and spat out coldly. “The bastards who think Grid was wrong,

words weren’t based

able to grasp the situation more soberly than anyone else and accept

the Tzedakah Guild. You should apologize to Grid. I thought I gathered a group of geniuses. Ever since being with

Clang!

just one. Every step she took, she broke a window and repeated this over and over. Finally, a wind

more incompetent than you expected.” Jishuka broke the last remaining window before smiling and sweeping back her hair. Her brilliant

more

of Jishuka, who could scold everyone and comfort Grid. Unlike Jishuka, Yura was late in joining the Overgeared Guild. She couldn’t actively defend Grid like Jishuka. The period of time in which Yura had been a member was too short for her to rebuke her colleagues. Yura clenched her hands into fists, and her eyes shook as she alternated before

the answer to my confession

than Yura? It wasn’t because of the difference in breast size but the difference in heart. She was a woman, but she also thought Jishuka was cool. How radiant would Jishuka be in the eyes of Grid, who had been with her since the days of the Tzedakah

the meeting, suddenly muttered to himself,

as he grinned. “I got the route to the Ruins of the War

care about the aftermath of the war or the empire’s arrogant attitude. He was only interested in the historical ruins. If the 10 meritorious retainers’ trust in Lauel hadn’t been so deep,

behind the scenes. Thus, everyone waited for Lauel’s next words. What did the

words that revived everyone’s expectations, “Once the ruins emerged, the empire withdrew the army without any

The empire doesn’t want to

empire leaving without stationing any troops behind the moment a plausible excuse popped