As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

There was an introduction attached.

[For those of you who are distressed by your husbands, a collection of weapons that won’t kill but will inflict wounds as painful as death! (

※

Experienced by the seller himself. Pain guaranteed.)]

Luize read the content with a complex expression and turned her head away. “…No, that’s not it. It seems you have many customers like that.”

“There used to be quite a few. Nowadays, everyone’s head is filled with flowers, so there’s no need for such things. Ever since everyone received the moon’s blessing, they stopped fighting, which brought peace to the village and nearly put us out of business. No matter what, wives just smile without reacting, making it bland. Everyone seems soulless.”

“That must be difficult for you.” She responded, flustered by the torrent of chatter.

The merchant, having a lot to say, shared various stories with Luize. “From the perspective of someone who sells weapons, such magical happenings are rather unsettling, so I haven’t received the blessing yet. But maybe I should just get it soon. Then, at least, I’d be at peace in my mind. It’s creepy how everyone is so kind. I miss the days when I felt the threat to my life from my wife’s nagging. Now it’s just unbearably boring.”

“She wasn’t a kind person originally?”

“That’s right. My wife has been quite the character since we were in the mercenary band together. One day, after listening to her nagging, I thought I’d be bored without it, so I married her and looked where that’s gotten me. Bored as I expected.”

“I see,” Luize responded as she browsed the display.

For a weapon shop in a small village, there was a fair selection of fine items. Sharpened longswords, various hilt materials, maces to spears and axes, and weapons were sorted into categories.

“This dagger looks really nice.”

When Luize picked up a dagger, the merchant responded with an excited voice. “Right, it’s a fine piece. Made from a special metal called ‘Venber,’ so magic can’t affect it.”

“…Is there a need to cast magic on a dagger? Wouldn’t that mean it can’t receive good buffs either?”

“If it’s something good, it’s good, right?

.”

“But it’s light and well-sharpened.”

“It’s also much harder than most metals. Its hardness far exceeds that of ordinary steel.”

Luize, who had been closely inspecting the dagger, asked, “Can it be engraved?”

“It can, but it’ll take about a week.”

Edward mentioned participating in the ceremony of the moon’s blessing, which will be held a week later. The only clue about what was happening in the village was the ceremony mentioned by the village chief, so participating was the only way to find new clues to solve the problem. Even if the issue was resolved, they wouldn’t move at midnight, so they’d be staying here for at least another week.

“Then, please. I want to gift it to someone.”

“Alright. Write what you want engraved on it here.”

Luize neatly wrote the recipient’s name on the paper the merchant handed her.

* * *

The Dawn Wolves mercenary was busy. The more chaotic the times, the more work for mercenaries. Recently, a series of strange incidents had spread like a plague around Perils. The uptick in requests, stagnant since the death of the mad dragon Run, was due to this.

“Does it seem like someone is deliberately spreading it?”  A woman with shoulder-length blue hair and glasses murmured. Her name was Vivian, the brain and leader of the Dawn Wolves.

While the reason behind these actions was unknown, the mercenaries gathered in and around the capital were enjoying a boom thanks to it. Among them, the Dawn Wolves, known for its swift completion of requests, was particularly busy.

“Liri… How could you do this to me…”  A red-haired man with dark circles down to his chin murmured. He was Carlo, the assault commander who had taken a leave of absence recently for breaking up with his lover, in addition to his unauthorized participation and subsequent elimination in a swordsmanship competition.

“Carlo, get it together and start working,” Vivian spoke with utter indifference.

“Sister, I’m drowning in the sorrow of separation. Isn’t that too cruel?”

“Your breakup is not my business, and you’ve been on a break for ten days already.”

“Does Sister even know love?!”

“No, and I don’t intend to.” She briskly replied while flipping through documents.

“I truly fell in real love this time. This pain is new to me… How could we part like this if it wasn’t fate?” Carlo mumbled with unfocused eyes.

“What a bullsh*t.”

Vivian threw a request form at Carlo with a scowl. Carlo casually caught it.

“Check it out.”

“Bailey Village? That’s far.”

“You said you didn’t want to be near the capital because of your breakup and wanted to go to the countryside. Time to get out of your room, stop drowning in booze, and do some work. It’s an easy job.”

“Even so, it’s almost next to Perils. Too far.” Carlo grumbled with a tired face.

Recently, he was dumped by his lover, whom he met during the swordsmanship competition, with the words, ‘My interest has faded. You are not as interesting as the rumors suggested.’ Unable to meet someone new, the aftermath of the breakup hit him harder than expected.

“If you’re going to complain, then forget it. If you complete the request, you get 50 gold, and even if you just make the trip, you’ll still get 20 gold. It’s a jackpot job I would take myself.”

“Sister, thank you. This seems like something I must do.

.”

“Get some change of scenery and come back. The client agreed to an additional 20 gold regardless of the outcome if you arrive within ten days. Originally, they were generous enough to offer 30 gold, but I took out 10 gold for expenses.”

“Ten days? Is that even possible?”

“If you sleep minimally and use the best potions and buffs on both horse and rider, it’s possible. Plus, no one in the mercenary has better stamina than you. Push hard and take a full day’s rest, and you’ll recover quickly.”

“Calling me means it’s an important client,

?”

“Yes.

, take this with you.” The woman tossed a blackened magic stone to Carlo.

He looked at the magic stone with curiosity. “Isn’t this tainted with black magic?”

“That’s why the request fee is high.”

“Do we do this kind of job?”

“Does a mercenary always do righteous deeds? It’s not like it’s a killing job. Not all black magic is bad. Carry this, and within a week, we’ll know if you’ve arrived, so if you want the additional fee, make sure to keep it. It’s also needed to find the requested item.”

“…Got it.” Carlo nodded reluctantly.

“It’s an expensive job, so prepare the report well. Not that I have much faith in you.”

“Even if I slack off, you’ll make it readable. I’ll be off, then.”

“Don’t start trouble with just anyone because you’re upset.”

“I won’t anymore. I’ve just ended the love of the century.” Carlo wiped away his tears and took the request form.

Deep furrows formed on Vivian’s brow. “Okay, now go to work. I’m tired of listening.”

“Yes.” He quickly left.

* * *

The next night, Edward faced an assassination threat without fail. He handled it as if it were routine, but the once peaceful knight order only found out after everything was settled at dawn and plunged into panic.

It was rare for assassins to appear two nights in a row. For the knights, it was a shock that they hadn’t noticed anything despite taking turns watching the previous night. But Edward had immediately sensed the assassin’s presence and dealt with them swiftly outside.

“Is there a problem?”

“…Do you find us unreliable?” Maxion’s voice sunk with gloom.

 Edward replied with a puzzled look. “That’s not it. I handled it because I could, so I didn’t wake anyone.”

“…”

“Is there another problem?”

Maxion knew Edward’s words were sincere. At twenty, he was burdened with immense guilt for those who died trying to protect him during his escape from the imperial palace on the day the emperor died. Moreover, his personal knight order, which had only recently begun to take shape, was a ragtag group with mediocre skills back then.

In the past, they were so inadequate that they needed Edward’s protection, not the other way around. Edward’s memory was stuck in that moment of utmost weakness. So, to the twenty-year-old Edward, dealing with such situations calmly was just part of his daily routine.

“…Please get some sleep.”

“It’s broad daylight, though?”