The Soldier and The Novelist

90th Anniversary Festival

Carried by the gentle sea breeze from the east, the sound of the Great Bell Tower’s bell echoed throughout the city.

When I first came to the city, I could see the bell tower from any vantage point. However, over time, the construction of numerous tall buildings has obscured its appearance to the people. In a few more years, the various noises that fill the city will surely drown out the sound of the bell tower, and it will fade from people’s memories.

Ixlaha.

A city located on the flatland facing the Pearl Sea, in the easternmost part of the state of Grand York in the Papal States of Yunaria. The city has a rich religious significance as it has always been a gateway to foreign countries. Even today, more than thirty brick-built church buildings, known as “towers,” stand tall, representing the strong religious influence. However, in recent years, the city’s commercial trade has flourished, and various cultures have begun to blend in.

This is a place where the past and present exist simultaneously, a city that embodies the contradictions of time—my city, Ixlaha.

If you venture a little way off from the commercial district along the bay, where tall buildings are clustered together, you’ll come across an area where old, low-rise buildings line the streets. It’s a region where the common people’s livelihoods, such as shops and taverns, are situated.

Around the time when the sun was setting behind the mountains, I was slumped over the counter of a coffee shop in that area. The coffee that had been placed in front of me had already lost its steam.

“How long are you planning to stay here with just one cup of coffee, Sword?”

I raised my head at the voice that came from the other side of the counter. In front of me was a well-dressed man in a denim apron, looking down at me.

Hugh Green.

He had a slender face with blonde hair and frameless glasses. His almond-shaped eyes were a deep green, and his features were so perfectly chiseled that there was no room for flattery. He should be the same age as me, 23, but when it comes to appearance, there was a world of difference between him and me.

“I’m currently pondering about the absurdity and injustice of life,” I said, lost in my own thoughts.

“Isn’t it a bit late for that? You should have graduated from that kind of thinking in your teens,” interrupted Hugh, taking my cold coffee and replacing it with a freshly brewed cup. “This cup is on me. Enjoy it.”

“Is this supposed to be a consolation?”

Hugh simply shrugged in response to my glum expression. He was my former colleague from the union and the current owner of the “Green Knight” café. After leaving the mercenary business a year ago, he had pursued his hobbies of coffee and reading, and turned his dream of opening a library café into a reality.

“I finally realized the feelings I had towards you all this time. It’s envy, without a doubt.”

“My hobbies just happened to work out well for me. I was lucky.”

“Unintentional bragging only invites more resentment from people, Hugh,” I retorted.

His café was a cozy haven, surrounded by bookshelves and filled with customers who enjoyed their favorite beverages and books. Even at five o’clock in the evening, the place was still buzzing with people.

As I looked at his refined face and thriving business, I couldn’t help but feel inferior. He was one of the few successful people who had come out of the mercenary business. If there was a god, I thought to myself, he would certainly be an unfair one.

“You seem to be in a bad mood again today, Sword.”

“If someone who lost their job is in a good mood, they must be seriously messed up in the head.”

“Well, then it’s even more unlike you.” When I glared at him, he laughed mockingly. “That’s a joke.”

“A joke that demeans others is called contempt. Did you know that?”

“People get angry when they are insulted because it’s true. Did you know that?”

Frustrated, I waved my hand in annoyance. I’ve never been able to win an argument with him.

“Anyway, it’s only ten days until Independence Day, and it’s not the most cheerful topic.”

“I know,” I sighed, shaking my head in disgust. “I’d like to see a mercenary who can enjoy the festival with this kind of mood.”

On the way here, I experienced a liveliness in the streets that was different from usual. Every time I passed through a section of the city adorned with various brocades and textiles, my mood dropped proportionally.

“God is definitely harassing me on a global scale.”

“God isn’t so free to bother with someone like you, Sword.”

“In any case, it’s certain that your personality is bad.”

“Well, it’s the festival of the year, after all. I understand how you feel, but try not to spread such a negative atmosphere in this store, Sword.”

“That’s easier said than done…”

As I glanced gloomily towards the counter, it seemed as though the newspaper’s headline from that morning had been intentionally placed there. The phrase “Independence Festival Approaching, Lively Streets” caused my mood to sink even further.

The Independence Festival is a national event and one of the largest ceremonies in the country.

Ninety years ago, the Yunaria Empire was reborn as the Papal States of Yunaria, on the same day that the tyrant Leone Emperor fled from the capital and was executed by the revolutionary army in this city. Because of these events, the Independence Festival in Ixlaha held special significance, as it marked the end of one era and the beginning of a new one. This seemed to be a source of pride for the city’s inhabitants.

As far as I’m concerned, such moldy pride is worthless. Above all, it bothers me that people are still celebrating an event from ninety years ago as if it were their own. I want to argue that none of them were even born then.

After taking the newspaper, Hugh opened it and spread out the front page, revealing a photo of the crowded Central Terminal filled with tourists and aristocrats dressed in formal attire disembarking from a passenger ship at the port.

“This year is the 90th anniversary of our independence, so it’s going to be quite a grand celebration. After all, we’re only ten years away from the centennial kingdom,” Hugh said. “It seems that many nobles and merchants from foreign countries are gathering in this city.”

“What a contrived reason. At least wait another ten years and celebrate the centennial milestone.” My sarcastic remark elicited a half-hearted chuckle from Hugh.

“And there’s a big highlight too. It seems that a saintess from the capital will also be attending. It’s not every day that you can see a living saintess, and this time it’s a teenage girl. It’s only natural for people to gather to see something so unusual.”

“Hmm,” I replied with a vague nod. To me, the topic that he brought up was utterly unimportant.

Seeing me yawning widely, Hugh let out a sigh.

“You’re a traitor to the nation if you’re not interested in the saintess’ miracles,'” he teased.

“Unfortunately, I have yet to lay eyes on this so-called miracle.”

By the way, the titles saint and saintess are only given to people who have performed two or more ‘miracles’ during their lifetime. Most of them were recognized by the church after they died, and currently, there are only a handful of living saints and saintesses in the country.

However, if I may express my personal opinion, I have always felt skeptical about the definition of these supposed ‘miracles.’ I believe that they are arbitrarily determined by the pope’s discretion.

“So, what kind of miracles did this saintess perform?” I asked.

“I heard she foresaw the future, three times so far.”

I chuckled. I didn’t really care. “I wish she could tell me my future.”

“Well, it seems like festival stories are the last thing on your mind right now.”

“That’s right. Is there any unfortunate story besides those of mercenaries? I prefer the most miserable ones possible, ones that make my current situation look good.” I said with a wicked grin.

Hugh shrugged and turned her back to me, holding a cup.

“So, what are your plans for the future?” He asked while washing dishes behind the counter.

I let out a deep sigh and raised both hands, twisting my mouth. “I don’t know, I’m completely at a loss.”

“Have you tried asking other mercenary groups?”

“I’m not going to jump from a sinking ship to another sinking ship.”

The mercenaries era is over. I recalled those words and clicked my tongue.

“A sinking ship, huh?” Hugh turned off the faucet and turned around, looking serious. “It seems that they’re causing trouble in many places. It’s because of those ‘sailors’ that problems are arising.”

“Who would’ve thought?” I grunted. “Anyone would be angry if they were treated like this, especially hotheaded idiots.”

“I heard that some areas are experiencing increased crime rates because of the former mercenaries who have been left jobless. Did you hear about this morning’s incident? Apparently, there were even some people who vandalized the former emperor’s tomb,” Hugh explained.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “If they did it out of spite, then those mercenaries really are just a bunch of idiots. Even if they attacked the symbol of the old imperial faction, the Church people would just applaud them.”

“They probably did it just for the sake of finding valuable items. I heard that treasures were buried along with Emperor Leone in his tomb.”

“When people start relying on other people’s, especially dead people’s property, it’s the end of humanity.” I sighed as I took a sip of coffee in front of me. It was truly ridiculous that the business rivals I had once fought against were now reduced to grave robbing.

“Well, it was quite a sudden turn of events. No one would have thought that almost all of the city’s mercenary unions would be closed in less than two weeks. I’m really impressed by Cardinal Malmsteen’s ability to get things done.”

“But it’s an unusually fast move. What exactly happened? Did the mercenaries buy Malmsteen’s grudge against the Central Parliament, or was it to prevent shame from being exposed to other countries during the festival?”

“That’s a likely story, given the rough nature of mercenaries,” Hugh said, laughing wryly.

“Maybe it’s just Malmsteen’s way of scoring points with the Central Parliament. The government’s budget for aid to each union was quite significant, apparently. Because of this, progress in the so-called ‘Utopia Policy’ wasn’t going very well.”

“It’s ridiculous.”

About a year ago, the Holy See had set a new goal, called the Utopia Policy, for a new system. According to the church’s policy, it aimed to “promote the international power of the Papal States of Yunaria through higher internal governance and complete military unification within the country.” In my opinion, it was a policy full of abstract words, and there was no concrete image of what the final result would look like.

“It’s really sad that we’re caught up in all of this. I feel like I want to invade the imperial capital and start a rebellion just to express this feeling,” I casually said. “Shall we start by hijacking the transcontinental railway?”

Hugh rolled his eyes at my sarcastic words.

“That’s not bad at all,” Hugh chuckled lightly as he took out a new bag of coffee beans from the cupboard and started grinding them. “It’s impossible, even as a joke. The rumor has it that the Church Knights have been greatly expanded, even in Ixlaha. Security measures will definitely be reinforced. Although the former mercenaries are causing a commotion right now, they will be suppressed soon enough.”

Hearing this, I reflexively stopped my hand, which was reaching out for the coffee. “Is that true?”

“Yeah. The selection exams for new members are already underway. But given the timing, the exam venue is likely to be flooded with unemployed mercenaries,” Hugh said, laughing.

But I didn’t laugh. Maybe noticing my expression, he turned to me with a puzzled look. “Sword, what are you thinking about?”

“The Church Knights, huh? That’s not a bad idea,” I said, rubbing my chin and twisting my mouth slightly.

As its name suggests, the Church Knights are a military organization that operates directly under the Holy See. They enjoy higher income than mercenaries and also have lifelong employment, making it an ideal profession.

While looking at my thoughtful face, Hugh made a bewildered expression. “Didn’t you want to start a coup against the Church?”

“As long as there is a reward, mercenaries don’t choose their employers. You know that too,” I replied.

“Are you not a mercenary anymore?” Hugh sighed and continued, “I won’t say anything bad, but don’t do it. Being a member of the Church Knights requires not only strength but also knowledge. It’s just a waste of time for you, who didn’t even go to school properly.”

“Are you saying that I’m stupid?”

“I’d like you to evaluate my kindness for not saying that straight out,” Hugh said with a cool expression.

I couldn’t help but grit my teeth as I looked at the his cool profile. Unfortunately, I couldn’t deny what he said.

“But you won’t know until you try, right? Someone like me might unexpectedly pass.”

“Those who say that are the ones who usually end up failing.”

“You’re a cold guy. Don’t you feel like giving your best friend a little push?”

“Well… If you insist.” And with that, Hugh reluctantly rummaged through the cabinet behind the counter. He pulled out yesterday’s morning paper. “Here, I’ll give you a little nudge.”

Hugh handed me a flyer entitled “Church Knight Recruitment Guidelines” that had been woven into the newspaper. “There’s a briefing tomorrow at the central church on the north square. Come and listen to what they have to say. Then you can give up.”

I grinned as I took the paper. “I can’t help feeling motivated when someone touches a nerve like that.”

“Unfortunately, motivation alone won’t get you very far on this planet.”

“Don’t be surprised if I come back with a fierce look.”

“I’ll return those words to you.” Hugh shrugged his shoulders in response to our playful banter.

I chuckled and gulped down the rest of my coffee. I rummaged through my jacket pocket, without bothering to count the coins, and placed them on the counter.

“That’s for the coffee. You don’t need to give me change.” With a swift and confident move, I stood up from my seat. But Hugh’s cold voice stopped me in my tracks.

“You’re fifty cents short, Sword.”

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. “Don’t be stingy. We’re friends, right?”

“That’s right. You owe me $2.80 for two cups of coffee.”

“I thought you were treating me to one of them.”

“That was because of our friendship.”

I clicked my tongue once again in response to his words.