"——What kind of winning battle is this…?" Joseph Manaudou, leader of the mercenary group Eagle’s Claw, cursed as he surveyed the sorry state of his forces, now reduced to less than half their original number. The rebellion war between the two kingdoms of Quaarl and Moltoba, both under the Gareth Empire’s dominion, had turned into a disaster. Hired by Quaarl, Eagle’s Claw had joined the fight, only to be utterly outmatched by the Empire’s cunning strategies, tactics, and sheer military might. Now, they were in full retreat. Before the war, promises like "Take the imperial capital, and the rewards will be yours for the taking. We’ll even turn a blind eye to looting" had rallied soldiers from both within and outside the group. But now… how had it come to this? Quaarl and Moltoba had fallen into the Empire’s trap, caught in a pincer attack that shattered their forces. It was only a matter of time before their homelands fell to the Empire’s counteroffensive. The Empress, Berta Christanford, wasn’t the type to simply forgive something like that. If anything, surviving this long was a stroke of luck. The real problem was what came next. Even though Eagle’s Claw was just a ragtag group of mercenaries, losing so many comrades had left many of them disheartened and simmering with discontent. If Joseph didn’t let them blow off steam soon—and find a new employer to keep them fed and secure—their frustration might turn on him. To avoid that, he needed to act. "———————Boss, there’s a small town up ahead," reported Gaston Delacroix, one of Joseph’s most trusted men. "…Oh? That’s convenient—" Joseph’s eyes lit up like those of a predator spotting its prey, a sharp grin spreading across his face.