Char, I'm going to call it a day.

I understand.

　One of the work huts in the village.
　When approached by a woman who looked to be in her forties, Charu replied shortly.
　I was just finishing mending the holes in my trousers when I folded them and put away the needle in my hand.

You've mastered the art of mending, haven't you, Charu?

　Two years ago, Char came to the village with Aldis.

　When you live in a village, you are expected to play a role.
　There is no place in the village for a child or an idle eater.

　Charu tried out a variety of jobs, and the one that suited him best was mending the house.
　At the very least, he thought it was "better" than farm work or caring for livestock.

　It was reluctantly started out as a way to live as a member of the village, but Charu now thinks it's not such a bad thing.
　The work of piecing together frayed or torn sleeves and repairing them so that they could be used as clothing again, even if they didn't look good, and the feeling of accomplishment when that work was completed.
　It's a feeling of accomplishment that you can't feel when you complete a task ordered by the organization.
　It gradually builds up in Charu's mind as a peaceful daily routine.

'Yes, the finish is getting nicer. It was a bit risky at first, but...

　A woman in her mid-thirties crossed her arms and agreed in a pompous manner.

　There were three women in the work shed, all of whom, together with Char, were all women.
　Originally, the two women were responsible for mending things requested by the villagers.
　Charu is the one who came to work there as an apprentice.

　Until two years ago, it was just an occasional mending job for the two women, but now that there are more than 500 residents in the village, the amount of work has increased accordingly.
　In the end, Charu's presence was becoming a major asset.

You were terrible in the beginning, too. I still think Char's logic was much better than yours,

I don't remember any of that stuff from that long ago.

That was just the other day.

I mean, it's been over 20 years, right?

Oh my God, has it been that long?　No wonder I'm getting old.

You don't know that, do you?　It's a little early to be a jerk.

You tell me. Who do you think raised you to be a decent person?

Yes, yes, thank you, thank you, thank you.

'Totally, this girl ...... can't lose her childishness no matter how old she gets.

　While putting away his tools, Charu listens to the conversation between the two middle-aged women.

　It's a very good idea to have a good time with your friends.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends.
　It's not an uncomfortable experience, and it's beginning to become a normal part of Char's life.　

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you're not going to be able to get your hands on any of these things. Are you finished cleaning up, Charu?　So that's it for today--, yeah, yeah, yeah.

　As Char finished cleaning up, the older, middle-aged woman took a package from the basket she had left on the desk.
　The faint scent of baked goods nudged Char's sense of smell.

'Here, eat this when you get home,'

Thank you.

　It is a char that serves as a mendicant in exchange for a minimal lifestyle of food, clothing and shelter.
　Naturally, there is no such thing as a salary.
　The only remuneration is the occasional snack handed to him by the women.

　When Char left the work shed with his first reward in three days, he came across a boy in wisteria-colored robes, as if he had been waiting for it.
　A mercenary who was the target of Charu's order from the organization to keep an eye on, and also the cause of his coming to this village.
　The monster widely known by the nickname "The Magician of a Thousand Swords".
　Its name is Ardis.

You're not going to be able to get it right. Did you finish your work?

It's over.

　He must have expected the answer to that question.
　Aldis sidled up to the side, keeping pace with Char.

'Right. I'd like to have a word with you while we walk.

What?

　'Unusual,' Char nodded, thinking.

'You've heard that the Empire is about to move on, haven't you?

I know.

　The information brought by the peddler Michelle had quickly spread throughout the village.
　It's not that the people of this village do not have any idea of withholding information.
　It's not surprising that the conversation between the two women in the work shed while they were mending their clothes would be heard by Char.

　But as a topic of conversation, it is already more than a month old.
　I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about, but I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about.

''It seems that the Imperial Army has finally set up shop on the border.

...... When?

Eight days ago. We also received word that an intercepting army had been sent out from King's Landing.

　Considering the distance from the border between the Empire and the Kingdom to the royal capital, and the distance from the royal capital to this village, it's a fast enough rate of information transfer.

''Where's the edge of the war?''

'That remains to be seen. Maybe the edge of war is open at this very moment, though.

Isn't the game already won?

Maybe. That's why I want to go to the capital to find out what the situation is. If the kingdom is defeated, we'll have to discuss the future direction of the village with the chiefs.

　After hearing that much, Char understands what Aldis wants from him.

'You want me to follow you?'

Yeah. I'm going to run my own informant, but I'd like Char to get another perspective on the situation. Can you do that for me?

I'll get paid.

Of course. I'll buy you all the food and candy you want.

　Hearing the answer, Char loosens her cheeks at the first decent job she's had in a long time.

　I'll demand as much candy as you can carry on your back as your reward.
　You can even share them with the two women in the work shed if you want.
　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who receives sweets.
　Thinking about this, Char smiled naturally.





　The next morning, Char told the two men in the work shed that he would be away for a while and left the village with Ardis.
　The next morning, Char told the two men in the work shed that they would be away for a while, and he and Ardis left the village with the other half of the twins, the one named Liana.

'Aren't you taking Rona with you today?'

'Yeah, I've got a job to do as a hauler. In any case, this time it's all about gathering information, so Rona's not going to be there.

　To answer Liana's question, Aldis bent down and reached out his hand, "See?

I'm not a child anymore, as expected, and I'm not going to ask you to hold me anymore ......

You say the same thing about Filia. That's what I'm talking about.

'Twins have nothing to do with it. Consider their age.

Yeah, I'm sorry about that.

　Apologizing to Liana, who smiles bitterly, Aldis stands up and hugs Liana to his bosom.

''See, Charu too,''

...... Got it.

　Charu, like Liana, puts his arms around Aldis' body and hugs him.

　Although I'm not too keen on it, I don't know how many days it will take to arrive at the royal capital if I'm walking at a leisurely pace.
　As long as I had the flying Ardis carry me, it was inevitable that I would have to hold my body close so I wouldn't fall off.
　I'm not sure which is better than being carried like a child, Sharu suddenly wondered about the futility of it.

You're going to have to hold on tight.

　Aldis's arm is placed against her waist as if she were holding Char's body.
　In the next moment, with an unnatural behavior, the body left the ground and floated in the air.

　The three of them slipped out of the forest, where there was no one to see, into the sky, and after gaining altitude, they began to fly towards the royal capital in the southwest.
　The reality is as incomprehensible as ever.
　Charu felt as if it were someone else's business to see the sea in the distance and feel a dry laugh welling up in his eyes.





　After reaching the royal capital in four hours, with several stops along the way, Charu and the others split into two groups and began gathering information.
　Since Aldis, who is supposed to be in charge of the informant, is acting alone, Char is asked to work with Liana.

''I'm not suggesting that we should look for them behind the scenes. All you have to do is disguise yourself as a fledgling mercenary and gather information from the townspeople and store employees, and that's all that matters.

　He didn't mean to express the idea that he was a liability, but Aldis nailed it, as if he saw through Char's inner thoughts.

　He had no choice but to play the role of a new mercenary with Riana and the two of them and start picking up information in the city.

''Let's see. How do I gather information?

As for the ...... informant, they say it's a hit, so we're going to collect the stories that are spreading around the city. Does Liana have the money?

'I have the money Aldis gave me, but what's money got to do with gathering information?

　Hearing Riana's answer, Charu involuntarily frowned.
　Well, it's certainly impossible for this girl to gather information on her own, so Charu put himself on the shelf and gave Liana a naive assessment.

It's a good thing that business people are more or less amiable to their customers, so it's basic to get information out of them while shopping. You can gather that much information in a crowded diner or tavern, but if you don't have the money, you can't go in and talk to them properly in the first place.

Oh, I see.

　Charu gave a small sigh, wondering if he didn't know such an obvious thing.
　Of course, there are means to gather information without using money, but if you don't have the time to spare and can't use the underhandedness, it's hard to do that either.

''For now, I'll buy some food from a stall and listen to what they have to say. "For now, I'll buy some food at a stall and listen to the conversation while eating it in a crowded square.

'Can't I just talk to the people walking around?'

'No. A little bit would be nice, but if you keep doing that all the time, you'll stand out.

Is that the way it works?

Yeah. So I'll buy some spit-roasted meat from that stall first, and then I'll buy some steamed bread from that stall. After that, I'll buy some steamed buns from a stall over there, and then I'll buy sandwiches from a stall next door.

　Just because it's a good opportunity, Charu chooses a stall with a whole lot of selfishness (well).
　Hearing that, Liana turned her skeptical gaze to Char.

It's ......, what criteria do you use to choose your stall?

"You've got a lot of customers. That means that, hey, there's a good chance you're getting a lot of information from a lot of people.

　Char, who was about to inadvertently get real, reiterated and gave a plausible reason.

'Really?　You're not simply choosing what Char wants to eat, are you?

............ It's not true.

Is it my imagination that my eyes look like they're swimming?

...... It's just my imagination.

　It seems that after spending the last two years talking to simple, honest villagers, Char himself has become a poor liar.
　Where has the calmness that was honed in the days of following the orders of the organization escaped?

　Charu remembers the old days. He made an expression, suppressed his pulse, adjusted his voice's pitch and speed to meet Liana's gaze head on.

'I'm more used to dealing with information than you are. If you don't believe me, it would be easier for me if you worked separately.

...... Well, that's fine. I'm hungry, too, and we can talk to the owner about it after lunch.

Yeah.

　After patting himself on the back for Riana's attitude of stopping the chase, Char went to the stall of spit-roasted meat that he had decided to buy first.

　After that, Char and Liana bought and ate at the stall and gathered information.
　Not to mention the information announced by the state and people's gossip, they also picked up the prices of the goods lined up in the stalls, the market prices of daily necessities, and the trends of the church and various unions.

　It was known to the people of King's Landing that they were once again at war with the Empire.
　Just like the war four years ago, the battlefield was far away from the borders, but the memories of the last time they were devastated were still fresh.
　It just so happened that four years ago, the imperial army had retreated, which had saved us, but originally, we would have been attacked to the royal capital, and if we were not careful, the country would have been destroyed.
　There are very few who speak of optimism, and even though the results of the first battle have not yet reached us, there is a heavy and still air in the royal capital.





　It had been three hours since they began to gather information.
　Charu and Liana went to the park near the west gate to take a break.

　A large fountain located in the center of the park.
　As they were about to sit down on a bench beside it, Char's movements came to a halt.

''This is .......''

How can I help you?

　Without answering Liana's question, Charu takes a small circular protection charm from the pouch at her waist and stares at it.

'I'm going to get you out of this prison,'

　A former comrade who left those words at the end and was taken care of by the organization.
　There was a man who said to Charu, then known as the Red Osprey, 'Let's get out of the organization.
　His street name is Moguri Swallows. Naturally, I don't know his real name.

　He was a foolish man who had failed to escape after his invitation was rudely rejected, and was still waiting for Charu.
　The man was found dead in this fountain and the talisman in Char's hand was the one that the lurking swallow was wearing.

'Think. Don't turn away from the question.'

　That was what the diving swallow had said.

　At the time, Char didn't have even a shred of doubt in her mind and didn't understand what he was saying.
　But not now.

Was it jail ...... or was it ......?

　At the time, Char had no doubts about the organization or his role in it; he just continued to carry out his orders as he was told.
　That organization no longer exists.

　All that remains is the last mission ordered by the organization.
　It was not a chain that bound him, but a ray of light to prove his existence.

　But these past two years have been unlike anything Char has ever experienced in his life.
　A life where his life was never in danger and a role where he never hurt anyone.
　In the past, he was treated in a way that he never would have thought possible: to be appreciated and smiled at by those around him, and to be cared for when he was sick.
　Every one of them tries to change Charu as a person.

　For Charu now, the last mission ordered by the organization is not the only light he has to deal with.
　It was only one of the countless lights and shadows that formed Charu.

'If it were now--'

　If I had met with the diving swallow now, would I have taken the hand he offered me? Charu asks himself that question.

　Even now, Char doesn't know if he would have been trapped in prison when he was in the organization.
　But Char didn't dislike the person he is now, even if he has the opportunity to return to his old self.
　It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're doing.

　It's no longer the same person as it was then. Charu recognizes that about himself.
　Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, Charu can't decide.

　However, she felt an irresistible urge to meet her former companions.

　The man who was strangely frivolous and unfamiliar, who spoke only of unnecessary things and was looked at with dismay by the people around him.
　But as long as you don't pass through the gates of the underworld, you won't see Charu diving and meeting the swallow.
　The words "now" weighed heavily on Char's mind.

''Char, are you alright?''

Hmm. Hmm. ...... No, it's nothing.

　Returning the mock words to Liana, who was looking at him worriedly, Char clutched a small protective charm.

'I'm sorry ......'

　Charu himself murmured this, unsure if he was addressing Liana or someone he would never see again.