Chapter 69: Companions Bound by the Same Ideals
Clang.
A longsword hit the ground, the sound echoing before the city gates.
Then came a second.
A third.
Soon, the clattering of discarded weapons rose one after another, merging into a continuous metallic chorus. Every private soldier below the walls had thrown down his weapon and dropped to his knees with raised hands in surrender.
On the battlements, Little Donnie nearly jumped with excitement. “They surrendered! Brother Nolan actually did it!”
Vivi also let out a breath of relief, a smile finally appearing on her face. She had known Nolan would succeed.
Rehanna stood with her arms crossed, her fiery red hair fluttering in the morning wind. She looked at the sea of kneeling soldiers below, then glanced sideways at Nolan’s still-pale profile. With two severed heads as his key, he had pried open an entire city’s loyalty. The sheer audacity of it unsettled her, but it also showed her a completely different path from the one she had always known.
Hank spat out the stub of his finished cigar and spoke in a low voice, “That’s the first step done. But remember, they were Haus’ hounds, not the kingdom’s soldiers.”
Nolan nodded. He understood exactly what Hank meant. This force could become either an asset or a burden depending on how it was handled.
The commotion below the walls eventually died down.
The same private soldiers who had swaggered arrogantly only moments ago now stood in defeated lines under the supervision of Rehanna’s mercenaries, removing their armor piece by piece and piling it beside the gate tunnel.
Nolan paid little attention to the surrendered troops. After briefly ordering them to return to their camp outside the city and await reorganization, he led his core group back to the lord’s manor.
The second floor housed the lord’s administrative office, which had already been cleaned up somewhat. For the moment, it served as Nolan’s temporary meeting room.
The chamber was extravagantly decorated. Paintings of beautiful women hung on the walls, expensive marble statues stood in the corners, and the velvet carpet was thick and soft beneath their feet.
Yet anyone looking carefully would notice a layer of dust coating the desks and cabinets.
The late Baron Haus clearly had not been the sort of man to sit quietly in an office managing his territory.
Nolan casually dragged over a chair and sat down while the others found seats of their own.
“Looks like everyone’s here—hm?”
Before he could finish speaking, he noticed Little Donnie, the last to enter, reaching to close the heavy oak door.
“Wait!”
A crisp female voice sounded from outside, and a pale hand caught the door just before it shut.
Everyone turned.
Rehanna stood at the entrance with her younger sister, Renee.
Renee’s face was still somewhat pale, but the light had returned to her eyes as she curiously examined everyone in the room.
Surprised, Nolan rose to his feet. “Captain Rehanna, Miss Renee. Is something the matter?”
Rehanna wasted no time with pleasantries. Tucking a strand of fiery red hair behind her ear, she met Nolan’s gaze directly. “Mr. Nolan, from the first moment I met you, I knew you weren’t an ordinary man. And what you want… probably goes far beyond Coldsteel City alone.” She paused, drew a deep breath, and spoke with unwavering determination, “We want to join you.”
The declaration startled everyone in the room.
Hank stroked his chin thoughtfully, while Vivi quietly glanced toward Nolan, her ears twitching faintly.
Nolan did not answer immediately. He simply looked calmly at Rehanna. “Are you speaking for yourself,” he asked, “or for the entire Fire Fox Mercenary Company?” He stood and took a step forward, his tone turning serious. “What we’re about to do goes far beyond killing someone like Haus. Coldsteel City is about to become the target of all Demont Province. If you want to leave, I can guarantee none of this will implicate you. You can return to your old lives, and I’ll even provide enough money to help you settle somewhere new.”
Then his voice shifted.
“But if you choose to follow me, what lies ahead will be endless bloodshed and storms of war, lasting either until the kingdom rises to glory again… or until we bleed out our final drop of blood. Our enemies are many. Not only the undead, but also the resistance within the kingdom itself.”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“You—or rather, all of you—have truly prepared yourselves for that?”
Nolan was not unwilling to recruit more people. But he understood exactly what kind of road he had chosen. It was a path filled with thorns, blood, and death, and Rehanna’s group had the right to know that. He did not want innocent people dragged into his cause, nor did he need followers without conviction.
A relieved smile spread across Rehanna’s face. “I’m speaking only for my sister and myself. This is too important a decision for me to make on behalf of my mercenaries. But I know them well. The blood of the Fire Fox Mercenary Company runs hot. When it comes to pursuing freedom and glory, they’ll never lag behind anyone.”
Nolan raised a brow. “So you’re making a gamble?”
“Exactly.” Rehanna did not hide it in the slightest. “I’ve spent eight years as a mercenary. I’ve seen too many so-called heroes rot in the mud. But this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone toss an archduke’s son’s head off a city wall like a rock.” She stared straight at him. “I’m betting you won’t become another corpse in the mud. I’m betting you’ll win. I’ll ask the Fire Fox members what they want. But no matter what they choose, my sister and I are placing our lives on your table from this day forward. Instead of continuing to rot in the mud, I’d rather follow a beam of light. Even if it burns us to ashes in the end, at least we’ll have burned brilliantly.”
Renee, who had been quietly standing beside her sister, finally spoke as well. Her voice was gentler than Rehanna’s, but no less resolute. “Mr. Nolan, thank you for saving me, even though we’d never met before. My sister and I already discussed this. Just as she said, even if we lose our lives tomorrow because of this choice, we still want to fight for that tiny glimmer of dawn.”
Then, unexpectedly, she stepped forward.
Under everyone’s surprised gaze, she gently took Vivi’s hand.
Vivi stiffened instantly. Her first instinct was to pull away, and her fingers trembled slightly. She was not used to physical contact with strangers, especially from people who knew she was a half-beast.
But despite her gentle appearance, Renee refused to let go.
“I… I wanted to apologize properly in front of everyone to Miss Nightingale, the one who saved me.” Renee’s cheeks flushed faintly as she spoke with sincere remorse. “In the dungeon… I was terrified. Even when you came to save me, I still spoke harshly to you… My prejudice hurt you. I’m truly sorry.” She bowed deeply.
Vivi froze. Looking at the earnest girl before her, the tiny knot of hurt she had carried from being misunderstood melted away instantly. Instead, she suddenly felt embarrassed herself. Her own cheeks reddened as she hurriedly shook her head and helped Renee upright. “It’s… it’s okay. I… I didn’t mind.”
Watching the scene unfold, Hank showed a rare smile of approval. Little Donnie grinned foolishly, and even Anna’s gaze softened.
Nolan felt deeply gratified. Since the sisters had already made their decision, there was no need for further hesitation. His eyes swept across the room: Hank. Anna. Kayan. Little Donnie. Vivi. And now Rehanna and Renee as well. Among them were former heroes and people who had once drifted through life without leaving any mark behind. But at this moment, they were all companions united by the same ideals. The very first core of the future he intended to build.
“Good!” Nolan clapped his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention. “Then from today onward, we move forward together. Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin our very first internal meeting.”