[Translator: Dawn ]

[Proofreader: Alissa ]

Chapter 34: [Side Story] Don't bother saving the world

They've been spreading the word all around the continent. That the new landlord of the Monster Front is from the imperial family, and that he's restlessly releasing a lot of money.

Jupiter said with a grin.

If word spreads, the mercenaries will rush into the city.

Hmm

She did something commendable without me telling her to do so.

If word spreads that Crossroad is a good place to work with high wages, mercenaries from all over the continent will come.

In fact, even in-game, paying attention to the welfare of mercenaries had the effect of speeding up recruitment.

'For now, I'm only focusing on the salary, but I'll need to gradually pay attention to other things as well.'

I can't afford to do that right now, but maybe later.

Jupiter looked around the empty guild and shrugged her shoulders.

However, for rumors to spread far, it will take much longer than just one week.

It is difficult to see the effect immediately. I assume until the next stage, there won't be many newly recruitable mercenaries.

Still, in the long run, spreading word will have a good effect. I nodded my head.

I wish you good luck in this matter, Jupiter. Continue to spread the word and gather new recruits.

Leave it to me.

Returning to the guild, Jupiter sat down at the bar, leaned back comfortably, and lit a cigarette.

Then in order to spread the word, I'm gonna have to spend some more time relaxing~!Do whatever you want

Without saying anything else, I decided to leave Jupiter alone.

This was her way of contributing to this matter, even though she was a mercenary that only needed to do the required work.

I decided to receive her favor with gratitude. Although, it was dissatisfying to see her just roll around in the guild as if it was her own home.

After taking a walk around the city,

I returned to the mansion and gave Aider some instructions.

In particular, he was instructed to put all possible manpower and resources into repairing the wall.

I shall obey the command of my looord!

Aider immediately ran straight to the market.

He had to sell new magic crystals and buy manpower and materials, so he will be busy for a while. It will be hard for him for a bit.

The city began to get more lively.

I felt a sense of liveliness in the appearance of people who came and went busily with energy.

However, even as I watched the city being so lively, I couldn't feel too good about it.

This place was a fortified city.

A front line built to fend off monsters.

The fact that this place was busy also meant that an attack by monsters was imminent.

The next stage was fast approaching.

Same day in the afternoon.

Southeast of Crossroad.

The villa and mansion of the Earl of the Frontier.

Earl of the Frontier!

Even though we were still in early spring, it was quite hot. I wonder if that was because this was a southern region.

I was sweating profusely when I brought the new cart full of alcohol to this place. Roughly wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, I shouted again.

Earl of the Frontier! Are you inside?

Creak-

The door of the old mansion slowly opened up. Before long, the old man's blunt eyes peeked out through the door.

I'm here again. With some snacks to eat on the side.

I showed him the things I brought in my cart.

It was ham and cheese made from a pig's hind leg and alcohol.

I grinned at the Earl as he gulped.

Let's have a drink.

I have to somehow persuade this old man and bring in the Cross family's private army under his command.

This is business drinking! It's not for my entertainment!

[Translator: Dawn]

[Proofreader: Alissa]

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A few days have passed.

During the day I oversaw the repair of the defenses, and at night, I went to the Earl's house for drinks.

There was no conversation between me and the Earl. We just exchanged drinks.

The defense line was steadily repaired, and my liver was also steadily overworked.

After spending much time pouring alcohol into my stomach

It took three days of drinking without saying a word for Earl Cross to finally speak.

Do you have anyone you love?

As I was just about to take another sip from the cup, thinking how terribly persistent he was for not talking for three whole days,

Earl Cross finally spoke. My eyes widened in surprise.

Not only was I surprised by the fact that he finally spoke, but the question itself was so out of the blue that I was momentarily dazed.

Sorry?

I asked if you have anyone you love.

As I was frozen unable to answer his question, the Earl let out a little laughter.

I guess not.

Th-that's right.

I mean, it's called privacy. Even if I did have one I wouldn't tell you.

Think about it harder. Do you really have no one?

Hm

I was lost in thought for a moment at the persistence. Someone I love, huh?

On Earth, before I started streaming, I was alone.

I wasn't particularly loved by anyone, nor have I ever loved anyone. I was only surviving day after day by myself.

And as I started my streaming career and it got bigger, I was starting to be loved by many of my viewers

Nerd Oppa! We love you! (not a girl) How much for twerking? Lemme start with 100 bucks ^^7 You failed the mission so you better get naked and apologize XD. Hurry, hurry, please!

My face turned pale as I recalled chatting with the vicious perverts pretending to be my loyal viewers.

Wait, no. That was just them giving twisted love to me, I never loved them back.

Anyway, after giving it a serious thought my answer was still no.

Still nope.

Sounds like you lived a dreary life, son.

Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

I don't wanna hear that from someone like you living all alone in that appearance!

Funny, coming from an old man stuck in his mansion drinking every day.

Hahaha

The Earl let out a bitter laugh. I pointed a finger at him.

Then how about you? Do you have someone you love?

I did.

The Earl answered back immediately.

My wife. The love of my life The only one I've ever truly loved.

It seems that this old man was quite a romanticist despite his appearance.

However, I had to keep my mouth shut after hearing what he said right after.

She died. 3 years ago.

In this orchard, she was torn to pieces by the monsters. I had to bury her with an empty coffin.

Silence passed.

I was speechless while the Earl emptied and refilled his glass.

The lord of this land has a jinx passed down from generation to generation. You could call it a curse.A curse?

There will come a moment when you have to choose between this city or someone you love.

The old man's voice was very calm. It didn't feel like he was talking about a cruel curse, but like reciting an ordinary old fairy tale.

There were no exceptions. From the distant lords of the past to my grandfather and father. No one was able to escape this curse.

And that moment also came to find me.

The Earl took the glass to his mouth with his hand shaking.

The monsters haven't moved much in the last decade or so. The city was peaceful, but on the contrary, the revenue decreased. The city's finances were going bad, so I had to start a new business somehow.

And he slowly talked about 'his moment'.

Then my wife told me that we should build a farm in the southern land of the front.

Outside the fort?The land north of the front line was already saturated. The empty southern lands were definitely attractive. The frequency of the monsters' appearance had decreased, and there was almost no magical contamination on the land. We thought it was worth the risk.

And that was why I decided to expand my farmland to the south. Refugees from other lands flocked to it after hearing rumors that the land was fertile. Things went well for a while.

The Earl swallowed the alcohol with difficulty.

This orchard was located in the southernmost part of those pioneering farmlands. As the wife of the landlord, she took the lead in transplanting trees and plowing the land in the most dangerous places.

I remember the grapes my wife fed me with her soiled hand. In the first year of pioneering, the fruits grown here weren't so nice, but they were sweeter than anything in the world.

We had hoped for a moment. Maybe, we could finally live a life of cultivating the land and harvesting fruits instead of having to kill monsters. And we hoped that days like this would continue in the future.

A sneer crept across the Earl's lips.

But there was no way that was going to happen.

Glug, glug.

The Earl emptied the glass at once and continued to talk with his voice lower than usual.

It was the 2nd year of pioneering. There was an alert that about a hundred large monsters had broken through the forward operating base and were approaching the city. I hurried back to the city. My wife, tending the orchard, waved her hand at me, telling me to be careful.

The Earl stared down at the empty glass.

It wasn't until we reached the city that we found out that they were split into two groups. That a dozen or so monsters broke away from the main unit and invaded the frontier.

The main unit of the monsters was already attacking the city, and I had to choose. I had to choose between saving my wife at the frontier, or saving thousands of the citizens in the fort.

The Earl's decrepit eyes stared at me.

What do you think I chose?

You chose the city.

I did. Just as my family had done in the past. According to principles I was taught, I chose the city.

I locked the castle gate and blocked the monsters. After hours of fighting, we were able to defeat them all. And when I hurried back to the frontier.

The Earl of the Frontier chose to stick by his duty.

The fields were destroyed, and all the settlers were dead. Including the orchard, and my wife. Hundreds of people were torn to pieces by just a dozen monsters.

And in return, he lost what was the most precious to him.

What was the problem? A frontier defense line that was too weak to stop the giant monster? Pushing the unreasonable extension of the front to the south? In the end, yes, it was all my fault. But what makes me suffer more than anything is the fact that I abandoned my wife and chose the city.

Glug, glug.

The Earl slowly filled his glass once more and poured it down his throat. It seemed like a mere mechanical repetitive motion.

My daughter called me insane. She couldn't understand my decision to choose the city over her mother until the end. A few days later, my daughter left this place.

This is the result of protecting this land my entire life. My wife died, my daughter left me, and here I am rotting in this place all by myself.

All I could do was look at the old man's bony wrists that were trembling with complicated eyes.

This is merely an example, new landlord.

Thud.

The Earl set the empty glass down on the table, and let out a long sigh.

I reckon you're already aware of what this frontline is called among the people?

The City of Graves, you mean?

That's right. This cursed city, built upon the deaths of many, will demand you to make a choice too.

The Earl raised his wrinkled finger and pointed straight at me.

There will come a moment when you have to sacrifice your most precious thing to protect this city.

It felt more like a prophecy rather than a curse.

As if it was just foretelling the inevitable consequences of cause and effect.

My family has lived through that sacrifice. My grandfather, my father, and me too. However this cannot continue.

The Earl closed his eyes tightly.

I will not hand over this cursed task. Not my daughter, no.

I see.

That's when I finally figured it out.

I nodded my head slowly.

Earl of the Frontier, that must be why you decided to return the title. In order to not pass it to your daughter.

That's right.

The Earl easily admitted.

I want my daughter to get out of this cursed land, and out of this cursed task. I want her to live in peace and happiness.

The SSR-ranked tanker, Evangeline Cross.

The Earl was trying his best to keep the character I was trying to recruit away from this frontline.

Look, Your Highness. You asked me to help you in protecting the city, hm?

The Earl muttered in a limp voice.

I've already protected this city enough. Even after sacrificing my most precious thing.

I want to stop now.

In the eyes of the Earl reflected in the glass of wine, the pride of a man who had defended the frontline all his life did not remain.

I want to die in this orchard, not on top of the fort wall.

There, only the man's remorse for not being able to stay by his wife's side in her last moments was overflowing.

This should have answered the question of why I am not trying to help. I was thankful to you for stopping by so I told you honestly.

You should leave now. And I advise you when that moment comes Decide well.

Earl Cross, who issued an order to leave, laughed bitterly as he tried to pour an empty wine bottle into an empty glass.

Don't regret as I did.

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