In a situation where both the bandit and Raven are frozen by the unexpected appearance of a third party, a man who calmly looks around opens his mouth in an extremely light manner. A playful voice continued.

"I didn't interrupt you when you were in the best of times, right?"

"...From what you're saying, I don't think he's a bandit."

Raven, who had barely stopped his actions right before his death, just rolled his eyes and looked at the intruder's clothes.

"Are you a mercenary?"

"That's right!"

"Then I want you to help me instead of just watching."

"Ha, what? Whose mind..."

Pook!

"Okay. I had to process it anyway because of the request."

The mercenary who kicked the rampaging bandit leader away without hesitation laughed brightly.

"B... boss!!"

"Oh, she was the boss? I told you to capture the leader alive, but he's still alive, right?"

"How dare you kick me?! Kill him now!!"

"Oh, you're alive. Thank god."

He's an unusual idiot. He looks like he has skills, so there's no need to worry about him. Raven sat up and patted Didi's head as if to reassure her, who had already come nearby, and then shifted his gaze to face Dan.

As if an iron plate had been placed over his face, the guy standing shamelessly nearby secretly looks at the mountains in the distance. He laughed at that funny sight and looked away.

'...Yes, you are safe by my side.'

Even if one more sandbag is added, it won't make much difference. Even if he wants to break it, there is no problem. What's even more surprising is that he has a strange confidence that he will be saved.

Rather...

The rolling eyes reflected a mad dog who was running wild with excitement and steadily clearing out the bandits.

'I thought you were going to try a low-quality negotiation.'

He was surprised by the mercenary who willingly helped him. If it had been the normal mercenaries he knew, they would have asked me how much he would give them if he saved us, and then tried to take a big bite out of them. After all, he's an ordinary idiot, so he guessed his flow of thought is also unusual, he doesn't think it's rude. 

He pulled out his dagger and approached the mercenary who was tying up the bandit leader.

"Mm...?"

The guy who sensed a presence raises his head. An innocent face, unlike the massacre just now, turned towards Raven. Raven, with an expressionless expression, grabbed the guy's collar and swung the dagger.

Kaang!

A dagger flew from somewhere and bounced off with an eerie crashing sound.

"There are three people."

"Well, I thought I had everything sorted out..."

The way he is grabbed by the collar and blinking his eyes looks very stupid. Well, since he received help, he guessed he should repay him in this way. Raven put his hand into his arms, caught the dagger between his fingers, and threw it. At first glance, it looked like he swung empty-handed because it flew away almost as soon as she took it out, but the mercenary who saw the scene up close said the situation was different.

"Ouch!"

"Ugh!"

"and..."

They disappear through the air in an instant, and people fall from the trees as if each one had hit the target. It's a bonus to be able to announce the death of an opponent. Being able to announce your opponent's death is a reward, and at a glance, it's an extraordinary skill! The mercenary's eyes began to shine brightly. Raven pretended not to notice the guy and looked away, letting go of his collar and approaching the already dead bodies. He roughly rolled the bodies with his feet and examined them before opening his mouth.

"These people are not bandits... Have you ever held a grudge somewhere?"

"Yes, yes??"

"...What, why is it suddenly an honorific?

"Should I ask again?"

"Oh, no! Is this what you wanted? I don't know because there are so many!!"

"..."

Yeah... He was just asking in the first place, he had no intention of solving it. He looked at the guy with pitiful eyes, and was just about to turn around and go to the little boy he was supposed to take care of. The guy grabbed his wrist with his eyes full of kindness, like a dog meeting its owner.

"More than that! What's your name?!"

"...?"

"Oh, I'm Eckhart Lofty!"

...He's not curious about his name or anything like that. Even if they get involved, it's a relationship that won't last long anyway. He was about to leave after simply giving the name 'Raven', but the guardian spirit reacted.

[...Guardian spirit ??? asks if he just said 'Lofty' correctly.]

"...Lofty?"

This is the name that he reacted to, as he rarely reacts unless it is related to him. Maybe it had something to do with the guardian spirit's past. 

Immediately, Raven's eyes changed.

First of all, the Lofty he knows is the name of a mercenary king recorded at the end of the mythical era and the beginning of true history. It was also the name of the mercenary group led by him. Sure enough, the bright man answered.

"Yes! I am the descendant of the mercenary king Lofty! He leads the historic Lofty mercenary group!"

Although he's the only member now...

Raven listened to every word he added as if muttering, and tilted his head with an expressionless face.

'Is there any reason why the guardian spirit would react to this name?'

To say that he had a connection with the mercenary king during his lifetime seems strangely at odds with the historical background. At the end of the mythical era, countless heroes were born and passed away without a sound, so there was no time or reason to decide on an official hero.

Even if we decided on an official hero, he would probably die soon anyway. But the Guardian Spirit was an officially recognized hero. He must be a figure from the previous generation.

"So, our reserve unit... No, what is your name?!"

Reserve... what?

Did he hear wrong? He just looked at his bright face and answered.

"...No name, just call me Raven."

"yes? Then isn't Raven just a name?"

"..."

"No!"

"...Well, you could see it that way."

He answered roughly and picked up Didi. Dan was already far away a long time ago. The troublesome matter has been resolved, and there seems to be no further information to be gained, so he doesn't feel the need to be captured by the mercenary in front of me. Raven turned his back without any regrets.

"Thank you for your help. Then, I'm too busy to go so I'll just end this."

"Come on, sleep!"

He tried to do that. He would have done that if he didn't have a human-sized sandbag hanging from his leg. He should have moved a little faster. He stopped his forcibly heavy steps and looked down at the guy clinging to him.

"...why."

"You said you were grateful for the help, right?! Then please do me a favor!"

"I have a feeling something is going to get really annoying."

Why not just repay him with money? ?

"No need... It's not like it's not there, but still!"

"...Tell me first. I'll listen and think about it."

"I joined the Lofty mercenary group... Oh no, where are you going?!"

There's nothing more to hear. Did he really mean it when you said you were a reserve member a little while ago? Raven tensed his leg muscles and began to move forward with his mercenary still attached.

"I will repay you in money later through the mercenary guild, so why not leave this behind and finish your work."

"Raven is better than money"

"My price is expensive. It's not just that much."

"You can just borrow my name!"

"A name is more expensive than a body."

I can roughly guess his situation.

He's familiar with the unique traditions of the Lofty mercenary group that have been around since the days when the mercenary king Lofty existed.

He adopts one child and raises it with the members. And he heard that when the adopted son grows up and inherits the last name of 'Lofty', the previous generation would all withdraw from the front line. The adopted son who inherited the last name would personally seek out his own colleagues and work, and when the situation becomes quite stable and mature, he would take his place. Just like the people who raised them, they adopted their children and raised them with their colleagues.

However, the older generation who retired did not hastily retire until the adopted son who inherited 'Lofty' gathered a certain number of colleagues and established himself. Instead, they lent their name and maintained the mercenary group.

It goes without saying that he is the only member of the mercenary group, and seeing him trying to recruit someone in such a hurry, it was easy for him to think that something was wrong in that area. 

But.

'Is there any reason why I should care about that?'

No matter how much he thinks about it, there is nothing. So stay away from him, you disgusting bastard. He pushed the guy's face away with his palm.

"If it doesn't work out, just show his face... !"

"...You're so persistent."

It wouldn't be possible to register as a mercenary just by showing your face without proof of identity. No, before that. He put his face in front of him. 

"How much do you think this face is worth?"

"..."

"This is something that is worth more than the name, but more expensive than the body."

He tapped his left cheek with his right index and middle finger and laughed sarcastically. Thanks to his intervention, he was able to get over it easily, but it was a situation that could have been resolved without any help even without help. In other words, the price of his help is not that expensive. He's afraid he's a mercenary, so he's going to eat it all up.

"And I understand that 'Lofty' recruits members carefully."

He spits out the doubts that had been building up without hesitation.

He heard that Lofty chooses his companions carefully, even for the sake of his next adoptee. The co-workers of today will later become uncles who will share childcare with you.

"But... you don't seem like such a bad guy, seeing as you have a kid... For helping them..."

Ah.

Did I pass the first interview without my knowledge?

"Because you seem to have good skills..."

It looks like he even passed the second interview.

What interview is this easy? Both dogs and cows will join.

He paused for a moment out of absurdity, then frowned and resolutely pushed the guy away. In the process, it seemed as if a stronger force than expected had brought out the favor, and the eyes of the guy who had fallen seemed to shine even brighter...

"I won't join anyway, so stop hanging on."

"...Yes, it can't be helped. You can't force something if they don't want to."

Surprisingly, giving up is neat. He thought he would be a little more squishy. The moment he narrowed his eyes in an uncomfortable feeling and saw him, the guy who I thought had resigned raised his head and said.

"Then how about the position of leader!"

"Go away."

***

Lofty mercenaries.

It is a mercenary group led by the legendary mercenary king Lofty, and is also the oldest mercenary group in existence.

There was a time when everyone envied him, but sadly, not now. Lofty was currently on the verge of bankruptcy.

All that remains of Lofty now is its worn-out, crumbling, superficial glory.

There is no mercenary group with only one member.

So far, they have managed to hold out by citing the fact that they are descendants of the Mercenary King and the long history of the mercenary corps, but the mercenary guild cannot wait indefinitely.

Lofty was given a grace period.

'I have to recruit a colleague within a month.'

The minimum number of people to maintain a mercenary group is five.

Even if they can't do it, they have to bring in four people. Otherwise, the Lofty mercenary group that has existed for over a thousand years will be disbanded. Lofty's name will be erased from the guild list.

I can't allow such a sad thing to happen in my college. Eckhart Lofty gritted his teeth.

'I can't be chained to the guild forever.'

Even though he performed a mission without compensation on the condition of maintaining the mercenary group, this is what happened in the end. Since he was sentenced, there was only one way.

'I need to find a colleague as quickly as possible.'

In that sense...there are really good candidates. 

'How could it not be?' 

He whetted his appetite as he looked at the unique green-eyed man. 

*** 

Raven tried to shake off the mercenary and go on his way. But it was the bandit who was carrying him. The mercenary who threw the leader away quickly caught him so in the end it was just an attempt. The guy kicked and pushed the leader away, he was screaming in pain and asking what he was doing, still looking at Raven with shining eyes. Regardless of whether Raven's expression turned sour or not, he continued shamelessly.

"I am now planning to go to the mercenary guild in the capital to confirm the completion of the request. Where are you going, leader?"

"...Who is the leader?"

"Oh, then captain?"

"..."

Let's just not talk.

"Capital."

"Oh, we have the same destination! Can I accompany you?"

"I don't think there's any use in refusing, but is there any point in asking the question?"

"That's right!"

"..."

No more words, but this is definitely permission!

Glad that he had time to persuade, Eckhart Lofty pulled at the hem of Raven's clothes again as he walked away again with a smile on his face.

"Well, I think I need to clean up after myself... Can you please wait a moment?"

"..."

"If you refuse, your legs will hang down!"

"Haa..."