I, Viego, conquer Terra!

Just like those so-called "aristocrats" that W mentioned.

Viego wanted to pretend that he didn't hear what Theresa said, but he was the only one holding a sword here, and he was the only male who could be called "Sir".

"Viogo," he said.

"You are not a Sarkaz." There was no emotion in Theresa's words, and it was hard to tell whether she was sighing, wondering, or being on guard.

"Well." Viego responded expressionlessly: "If you doubt me, you can ask Hedley to verify my identity."

This shows that you have no desire to talk.

"Oh, sorry." Theresa stood up and nodded to Viego apologetically. "I was too abrupt."

"......" Viego shook his head to indicate that everything was fine.

But he really didn't want to have too much contact with Theresa.

The more I come into contact with it, the more memories come to my mind.

The memories that once kept Viego awake all night and caused him pain and grief also triggered the memories of the "Ruined King".

Viego didn't want to be affected too much by the thousands of years of memories in his mind. The aftereffects of the Ruined King left in previous battles were already enough.

He didn't want to become Isolde's licker, going through so much trouble to revive the woman who cried "Viogo, save me" before her death and then being stabbed in the back by her.

Anyone in this world can belittle, hurt, and curse the King of Ruined King.

Except for Isolde.

But she chose to betray.

Haha, bad woman.

Theresa's soft and ethereal voice interrupted Viego's thoughts.

"Kal'tsit and I have done our best to treat the injuries of your companions. This should allow them to survive the rest of the journey. Please bring them with me. You were injured as a result of being hired by Babel, and Babel will also do its best to provide treatment for your companions."

"...Where is Hedley?"

"Please rest assured, he is also on the ship with the other wounded."

Chapter 29 My heart is like a raging tide!

Viego and his group traveled through the post-war ruins and wilderness.

There was no movement around, and the fierce sounds of fighting at the beginning of the battle had gradually disappeared.

Not just because the enemy retreated.

Also, because almost all the members of the mercenary group were killed or injured, the wounded were almost all taken to Babel's ships for treatment.

“Theresa, they’re catching up again.” Kal’tsit, who was following Theresa, looked at the flock of startled birds in the woods behind them. “…There are many more of them than before, and they have no intention of hiding it.”

Viego raised his eyebrows. The perception of this cat-head girl was unexpectedly sharp. He wondered if it was a racial talent, or if she was not just a simple "doctor"?

"It seems like they contacted their superiors very quickly." Theresa was not surprised at all, her voice was ethereal and soft. "Don't worry too much, Kal'tsit."

"I just don't want you to fall into the hands of the enemy. That would put us on the verge of failure before we even start what we are going to do." Kal'tsit looked at Theresa. "...If they really catch up with us, I will try to delay them..."

“No, Kal’tsit.” Theresa shook her head slightly, interrupting Kal’tsit’s words. “What I mean is, you don’t have to think about sacrificing yourself, and you don’t have to worry about us being in danger.”

"Hedley and his men are on their way here, and..." Theresa turned to look at Viego. "Mr. Viego can stop those warriors, right?"

Theresa could feel that there was an extremely powerful force hidden in Viego's body, an unfathomable force that even made her feel unfathomable.

If Viego wanted to, he was fully capable of wiping out all those Sarkaz warriors - Theresa made such a judgment based on her own perception.

That's why before that, Theresa stopped Viego and asked him to let those soldiers leave.

But Theresa didn't expect that they would catch up so quickly after receiving the order and reorganizing the troops. This was a misjudgment on her part.

"Oh?" Viego seemed a little surprised. "You don't mind me killing them this time? Then why did you let them go before when you knew they might catch up with you again?"

"I just don't want any unnecessary casualties. Of course, I'm not naive enough to think that everyone can live happily ever after." Theresa shook her head, her eyes tinged with sadness.

"It was my error in judgement that allowed them to catch up again. I'm sorry, Mr. Viego."

Even before, Theresa only asked Viego to "temporarily" give up the idea of ​​killing those Sarkaz.

Therefore, now that the situation has developed to this point, Theresa will certainly not stop Viego any more.

She is not an innocent little girl.

"Okay... since you're my employer." Viego said indifferently, handing Ines in his arms to the white-haired cat Kal'tsit beside him.

"You go ahead, I'll stop them. There might be some scattered enemies coming around, but that shouldn't be a problem, right? I can sense that you're not powerless."

"...Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Viego." Theresa nodded, and her attitude did not seem like that of a leader who should give orders...or an employer.

"Of course it doesn't matter. Hedley's team is very close, and he will meet us. Babel's ships will be waiting in the northwest. After stopping them, you can find us by heading in this direction."

"understood."

"Then we'll go first, Mr. Viego. Also... to make up for my mistake, I will compensate you after you return to the Tower of Babel."

Without waiting for Viego to respond, Theresa and Kal'tsit left with the unconscious W and Ines.

What did she just say?

Viego perked up and automatically translated Theresa's words into a simple two-word phrase.

More money!?!

Now that you say this, I’m not sleepy anymore.

Although I don't know how much the so-called compensation is, but seeing how many people Babel Tower employs and how grand it seems, I'm sure its assets must not be small.

If this kind of organization asks for more money, it is definitely impossible for them to just give a small sum of a few hundred or a few thousand and be done with it.

Viego hasn't forgotten that he still owes W three hundred thousand. This time he saved her life and offset the ten thousand, so he still has two hundred thousand left... He can pay it back if he saves that crazy woman two more times.

Viego glanced behind him and saw that Theresa and Kal'tsit had turned into two small dots.

......

"Theresa, we've never heard of Viego before." Kelsey followed Theresa, holding Ines. "Don't you doubt him at all?"

"It's okay." Theresa turned around and smiled at Kal'tsit, acting like she didn't care much.

"It's normal to be wary, but I'm not too wary of him. I can see that he didn't lie to us. I just don't know why, but I always feel that he doesn't have a good impression of me..."

"Maybe he knows you." Kal'tsit said, showing no intention of giving up her guard against Viego. "...Besides, he is very strong."

Kal'tsit did not question Theresa's decision to let Viego stay alone. She knew the princess's perception well. Theresa must have realized that Viego had the ability to deal with the pursuers, so she was so confident in leaving him alone.

Otherwise, with Theresa's good nature, she would never watch someone die - even if that person was a stranger she met for the first time.

"Yes, yes, I know. Don't we have you guys here, Kal'tsit?" Theresa looked ahead with a smile, and the figure of Hedley leading the team appeared in her field of vision.

"Ah, Hedley is here. If you still have any doubts, why not ask him later?"

Kal'tsit remained silent, which was considered as her agreement.

After Hedley learned that Theresa and Kal'tsit were going to rescue W and Inès, he quickly organized the mercenary members who were still able to fight and rushed over.

Now that he had successfully picked up Theresa and Kal'tsit, and saw W and Inès in their arms, Hedley finally felt relieved.

"By the way, there is Viego... Your Highness, have you ever seen a..."

"He stayed behind to cover our retreat." Kal'tsit said calmly and placed Ines on the stretcher that was brought over.

"Let's go back to Rhodes Island first. Your companion needs treatment. I also have something to ask you about him, Captain Hedley."

"Cover the rear?!" Hedley frowned.

It was obvious that Kal'tsit was not going to let them go any further to find Viego.

He didn't think that Viego had the ability to stay alone and survive the pursuit.

But why would Kal'tsit and Her Royal Highness do this...?

.....

In the distant wilderness.

Viego held a dark green sword in his hand, looking at the densely packed Sarkaz warriors emerging from the woods, just like a kobold seeing a long line of soldiers coming towards him from the enemy's crystal.

Having both experience and money, this kind of good thing doesn't come across often in a century!

Happy.

I just don't know if the Ruined Sword in my hand is worth spending so much power of the Curse of Ruined Sword to get it back in my hands.

This is a good opportunity to try it out.

With the joy of a good harvest and a violent killing intent, Viego raised the corners of his mouth and grinned a smile as healthy as a one-way street:

"My heart is like a raging storm!"

Chapter 30 Then Die

"...Your Highness, I hope you can allow me to take some of the team to...search for Viego. The rest of the team will be responsible for escorting you back to the ship."

Hedley lowered his head slightly, but finally made a request to Theresa.

No matter what, Viego is always a member of his mercenary group.

Hedley didn't understand why the princess who was said to be gentle and tolerant would choose to leave Viego alone to cover the retreat. That would undoubtedly lead Viego to his death.

He only knew that he couldn't just sit back and watch this matter. Viego was not only a member of the mercenary group, W and Ines seemed to be very optimistic about him. It was his decision to let him join the mercenary group and step into the battle before him.

Otherwise, Viego would not have been involved at all in the fight between Babel Tower and the Sword of the Regent who usurped Kazdel.

Such a decision is not rational and may even anger the princess in front of him.

But Hedley still said so, and made his request without hesitation or wavering.

He was making his attitude clear. Even if Theresa rejected his request, he would never change his decision.

W and Inès were already placed on stretchers.

"I'm sorry, Hedley, I can't let you and your team take this risk."

Not surprisingly, Theresa rejected him in a soft but firm voice.

But her next words made Hedley raise his head in astonishment.

She said, "I will take Kal'tsit back to pick up Viego. You and your team are injured, and the two captains of the mercenary group are also seriously injured. I hope you can take them back to Rhodes Island for treatment, okay?"

"What? This...is not..." Hedley was so shocked that he couldn't even organize words to respond to Theresa.

The princess in front of him rejected him, not because she gave up on Viego, but because she didn't want his team to suffer casualties?

Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Kazdel, the leader of the Babel Tower, such a noble person, was willing to risk her life, and turned back without hesitation after escaping from the enemy's pursuit, just for an ordinary...

Ordinary mercenary?

At this moment, Hedley even felt a little ashamed of the slight doubt he had towards Theresa.

He finally understood why, even though Theresa had given up on Kazdel, there were still so many people willing to gather around her and risk their lives to carry out her will.

Before Hedley could answer, Theresa had already left with Kal'tsit, disappearing from the mercenaries' sight like light in a way that they could not catch up with or understand.

"...Captain, what should we do now?" asked a mercenary.

"...Take Inès and W, and we'll go back to Rhodes Island." Hedley took a deep breath, gave the order, and led the team back. "We have no other choice but to carry out the order of Her Highness the Princess."

——There is no other choice.

For Hedley, the noble princess was willing to go back in person and risk her life to save others, what else could he say?

We can't just give up on W and Inès and let them go to rescue people on stretchers with such serious injuries.

Most of the members of the mercenary group were killed or wounded. Now there were only a few members following him. Including Hedley himself, everyone was injured and could only retain the ability to fight.

In this situation, there was really no way to separate a second team from the team to do more things. Even Hedley, who proposed to look for Viego, initially only wanted to go alone to see if he could save Viego - or collect his body.

......

In the wilderness to the southeast, the sound of swords and knives cutting into flesh was heard continuously.