Cardboard Houses Do Not Tear

13 – Hidden

After three months, the meadow was still green, sticky, and cool.

Two hills rising high above the green plain, and a wide plain in the middle. It was the place where both sides had agreed to fight tomorrow.

However, we were standing on a hill that was greener than the plain below, and less sticky, but only sloped gently towards the battlefield.

Looking down from the highlands was a better option than looking at the terrain from the plains, and according to other mercenaries, there were cases in which they met while scouting each other the day before the Territory Battle.

“Well, that’s good.”

Miss Priyanian, who went up ahead of me and looked down for a moment, murmured in a low voice.

Shooaah calmly came from somewhere in the meadow. A roaring sound caressed the hill.

At the same time, Miss Prianian’s hair fluttered to the side, adding several strands of red thread to the blue sky I looked up at.

Miss Priyanian’s hair went well with her white blouse and leather pants, but I thought that a white dress would look really good too.

While thinking that way. Miss Priyanian looked back.

“……”

Then he looked at me for a while, then turned his head again.

Did it catch me staring too hard?

I hurriedly climbed all the hills. Then I looked down at the hill on the other side, slightly lower.

Unlike this hill with few rocks, it was safe to say it was a rocky mountain.

Mr. G-House, there is a problem here. Miss Priyanian asked, running her hand through her hair.

“Where do you think the opposing mage will appear?”

“As Hwaran said, at least I won’t be a fool to show my head proudly in front of you.”

“Isn’t that a matter of course?”

“However, this one thing is certain. In terms of simple capabilities, the Sarian mercenaries are no good for us.”

“Hmm. So you’re saying that you’re going to fight for Yeongji? Obviously, the guild rules have the right to refuse.”

“The moment you use it, it’s the same as giving up your business.”

What she said was a provision made in the past by aristocrats mad with a sense of justice, who were their private soldiers and dragged a few mercenaries to catch something, and then all of them died.

It is a bit of a private clause, but of course it can still be used. However, if a mercenary who has already signed a contract rejects a request from a nobleman, it will lead to a collective boycott and the collapse of the mercenary group.

So instead of accepting it, Sarrian took out insurance.

For example, a 4th tier magician who appears in the middle of the battlefield or at the back, dealing with lightning that is strong against metal.

No one knows what will come out of the wizard’s hand. They are like walking random boxes.

“Then do we even know what to do?”

Her face was full of strange anticipation for me.

“Sure. Of course.”

That’s why I can only nod my head. How could I shout ‘Mola Lehu’ in front of those brightly shining blue eyes?

“But you should know, I’ve only ever seen one mage on the battlefield. That’s why I want you to note that there are many mistakes.”

So I started by laying the groundwork. She also nodded her head.

“First of all, there is one of two places where a wizard might appear. One of them is the most obvious.”

I raised my hand, crossed my index finger, and pointed in the direction of the Sarian camp in the distance.

“First, the rearmost. If it were me, I would be able to use it by putting auxiliary magic on some of them in advance or by pouring magic among the archers.”

It was like a self-propelled gun hitting the main base.

In this case, we’ll have to go down the hill, take a separate position, and snip, but that’s unlikely.

“Why?”

Miss Prianian asked.

“It’s a problem with Agun Osa. I don’t know how much mana control is possible, but at least the only suitable highlands are here and the hills in the direction of the Sarian Mercenaries’ advance.”

“Well, there is a bit of a mistake, but let’s get over it. Second is?”

“To appear far away, from behind a rock on the opposite side of us, with a separate escort.”

I stretched out my index finger and pointed at one of the rocks on the hill, on the other side of the battlefield in the distance. It’s what made her stay here.

“Of course the guards will be with you. Unlike the rear, where you can roughly lay a pavis shield, sniping will be more difficult. Of course, the risk of us going down the hill will be reduced.”

Miss Priyanian recited roughly what came to mind.

“Pavis Shield, Tower Shield. That’s a lot. There is also shield magic. Maybe even an artifact? No, that went too far.”

She made a noise and sat down on the rock right next to it. Since she was short, I almost laughed at her struggle to get up, but she held it in.

“But why is it that rock? There are many other rocks.”

Priyanian asked, tilting her head. There was a small smile on her lips.

“If I were a wizard of the Sarian mercenary corps, I would appear at a place that is not too high to put chain lightning on the first line of the Fharuan mercenaries.”

“Why?”

She asked with a sullen expression.

But she couldn’t hide the slightly raised lips.

“I don’t know what the range is, but since he’s a human being, he should be at the right height to reduce mistakes. So, it will stay at a height high enough to distinguish between the enemy and friendly forces and enough to run away even if enemy mercenaries come in droves.”

“The first line is usually the best. And the moment they get hit, the charter will be pushed back.”

I could feel ‘I’m still lacking’ in her expression when she said that. Although the corners of her mouth were raised slightly.

“Still, that’s a good reasoning. Because I said ‘why is it that high’. But the most important ‘why that rock’ is missing.”

Lorna answered. That rock is the biggest, and I can’t see it moving.

“And as you can see if you look closely, that rock appears to be straddling the ridge when viewed from this side. That means you can come up the ridge gently and say, voila.”

Good work, Mr. Ghouse. Miss Prianian said so.

“Then we now-“

“And there is another possibility to come out of that rock.”

“…Other than that?”

She seems to have no intention of hiding her smile anymore.

What kind of life did that doll-like lady live?

“Even threats are possible.”

I said the answer.

“Threats.”

There are obvious possibilities and obvious questions.

In my head, I thought of what I had heard about Sarian’s actions, and summarized them in one sentence.

‘A fair Sarian always attacks without backing down.’

But now was an exception to that situation.

The reason was that the mercenary corps was cut in half due to the defeat, and then became bigger than before, to the point where they were fighting against us.

Skilled mercenaries cannot be obtained carelessly. That’s why he can be called for more money.

However, this situation is impossible with the capital of a person who has become a Buddhist several times.

Unless dozens of 5-year-old golfers suddenly pop up in the slave market at 1 copper per head.

That means they borrowed money from somewhere, and there must be a sense of urgency that they must never lose in this battle.

And where did you bring the mage?

If I were him, I couldn’t help but threaten him with this asymmetric power.

Assuming I’m holding a ‘strange picture I can’t name’ in a situation where I have to fight the site moderators.

Am I confident not to cast ‘if I don’t do xx, I will solve yy’?

I am not confident. Confidence not to write.

Recruiting mercenaries is all about money, so to minimize the consumption of resources as much as possible, wouldn’t it be more effective to threaten through peaceful demonstrations of force?

That’s why we have to keep in mind threats as well – I explained to her.

Of course it goes through a lot of refinement and localization, and ‘so maybe he’ll come out of that rock. I don’t know what kind of mage he is, but at least he’s not a lunatic who would give up a place to get several things at once,’ she said.

Her expression hardened slightly when she heard that, then she smiled again.

“Then, shouldn’t I tell Hwaran?”

Prianian said worriedly. You’re good at acting.

“I already told you.”

“Eh?”

This time her expression completely changed. It was the face of someone who had seen a ghost.

I couldn’t bear to tell her that her wizard was ‘the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks of Yudong holding a slapstick’.

So I packed it roughly. Wizards and magic don’t know where to bounce.

Of course, no one knows where Yudongnik will bounce.

“When Ms. Prianian and Hwaran were away for a while, it suddenly came to my mind and I only told Gilford that there was a possibility. Hwaran would have predicted that much anyway.”

“You are a scary person, Mr. G-House.”

“It sounds like a reward in our industry. Thank you.”

After saying that, Ms. Priyanian put on a slightly disgusted expression.

“…But Mr. G-House, what is that hand gesture?”

“Oh my God.”

I proposed to her after very calmly and politely folding her two thumbs that she had inadvertently lifted.

“Ms. Priyanian. Could you please broaden my knowledge?”

“Experience?”

She bobbed her head to her side with half her doubts and half her cuteness at her sudden words.

I gladly took out and quoted the most useful knowledge in the world.

“Young master, a wise man from the Far East, said to his disciple who asked him to teach him about farming. He said, ‘I can farm worse than a seasoned farmer, so ask the farmer about it.'”

Of course, there is a vegetable garden after that, but I just skipped that. Because it’s a samurai.

“And isn’t Miss Prianian more expert at sniping than I am? A lot of the people who came to intercept in that sniper position must have gone through a lot, and they seem to be experts in tying their feet.”

At least Miss Prianian became a mercenary twice as long as she sniped people, and took for granted what I had missed just a moment ago.

It means that you are 100 times better than me.

“It’s better to ask an expert and do it than ruin things by condescending to be a disciple of Hwaran.”

So I will use up all the prianian sheep wherever I can.

It didn’t matter whether they were called supervisors or field supervisors.

The moment Prianian accepted, it also meant that at this moment, her original request would be me.

Hearing that, her eyes went up slightly as if in anger. Then, his expression returned to mildness.

Oh, it’s an unknown girl.

“Mr. G-House. You have a cute side. You really want to take care of it.”

She murmured quietly.

“Yes?”

“No.”

***

What is the most important thing while sniping, Mr. G-House?

Miss Priyanian, who was sitting on the biggest rock, twitched her leg and asked.

I thought quickly.

“Isn’t it about choosing a location, waiting, and securing an escape route?”

“The mastery of the marksman, and the cunning. However, proficiency can be filled, but cunning is another matter. Because it’s instinct.”

“So let me ask you one more question. How cunning are you?”

The mercenary who made his name by sniping seriously asked me.

“…I don’t know if this will work, but I’ll show you where I can. If it seems unreasonable, if you tell me not to do it right away.”

“Hmm, what is it?”

I said, trying to laugh as little as possible.

“Breaking up.”

And bluffing.

“Uh, Mr. Ghouse. Is this really true?”

“It was taken from an anecdote from the Far East. Trust me. Oh, be careful with that. If you do it wrong, that hand will get hurt.”

***

After finishing all the preparations for the ‘cute prank’ and climbing to the top of the hill, she chose the largest rock and I dug a hole with a shovel as instructed.

After a while, I groaned and put the weapon box I had brought into the pit, then looked at Miss Prianian.

She was lying face down in the pit and looking in a certain direction, holding the crossbow against the trench. Seeing her standing still, holding the rock a few times and adjusting the depth of the pit with a shovel, was admirable.

Looking at the young girl playing the Hunger Games in another world at the age of drinking games, it seems that she has lived a difficult life. What kind of life did she live?

It may be more tragic than me, but not more dramatic.

“After, that’s it.”

As if she had roughly adjusted her depth, she sat down, leaning her crossbow against a rock. Then, she looked at me at the bottom of the pit, laying the tent cloth.

Looks like he noticed my gaze.

“What did you look at like that from before? It will puncture your face.”

“You knew that. I was about to ask him to remove his leg.”

“Do it with words.”

I thought as she spread her cloth over her seat.

‘But if I think of wizards as a means of intimidation, at least, wouldn’t that be enough for him?’

I’m not a genius, and he probably isn’t a genius either.

That’s why I thought that I needed to know a little more about wizards in order to narrow down the situation that Gilford or Hwaran couldn’t cope with, and in that regard, the best advisor was looking down at me from a meter to my left.

“By the way, I have a question about mages. Can I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“Maybe…”

I asked Miss Priyanian a question, and before she could answer, I found the answer in her expression.

“Mr. G-House. I’ve only seen a wizard once, but you have a good imagination.”

“This is what age rings mean.”

“Your age?”

Then she asked with a puzzled expression.

“You look only around 20 years old, aren’t you the same age as me? I don’t think it’s a word to use between our age group.”

“……”

I just kept quiet.

Absolutely, it wasn’t because I wanted to keep feeling the feeling of returning to my 20s after 3 years.

“By the way, Miss Prianian. Where do I sleep when the sun is setting? Could I dig another pit next to it?”

I quickly turned around.

“Huh? Is it necessary?”

Miss Priyanian tilted his head and said, pointing with her hand to the side of the spot where she had been standing.

“Can I just sleep next to you?”

“Yes?”