“No! Dylan, you’ve got it wrong!”

  “Enough. Let’s drop it for now — I’ll deal with that bastard later,” Glenn interrupted Danni, who was desperate to explain.

  They were far from the Kingdom of Tanks. Though fury still burned in his chest, he had no choice but to wait until he could spare the time to find that damned fat man — and peel off a layer of his skin when he did.

  To abandon one’s wife and child — even if the man were a stranger, Glenn would not stand idly by. Let others say he meddled in affairs that were none of his business; he did not care in the slightest.

  Perhaps it was the change that came with power, but Glenn now acted entirely according to his own will, unrestrained by hesitation or taboo.

  He turned to the onlookers who had been watching in silence and said to the freed captives, “You can all leave now. Why linger here any longer?”

  The people hesitated for a moment before quietly dispersing. Many wished to thank Glenn, but this clearly wasn’t the right time.

  Once they had gone, Glenn faced the mercenaries who stood stiff and silent. “My sister has suffered under your care,” he said evenly. “Don’t you think a bit of compensation is only fair?”

  Judging by the people who had just been released, the mercenaries hadn’t tortured them — they merely looked weary and unkempt, likely imprisoned for a short while. Danni herself looked tired but not harmed; it seemed she hadn’t been mistreated. Glenn saw no need to press further.

  After all, the mercenaries were officially sanctioned by the kingdom. Were it not for the chaos of this region, they wouldn’t have resorted to the acts of common bandits. Only groups like that hunter company from before — emboldened by the patronage of a powerful noble — would kill and rob in the wilds without a shred of conscience.

  Norman didn’t hesitate. “Bring over the remaining funds,” he ordered.

  His men soon returned with a small chest and handed it to Glenn respectfully.

  Opening it, Glenn saw a half-filled box of gold, silver, and copper coins — worth roughly fifteen gold pieces in total. He handed the chest to Danni.

  “Take this as compensation,” he said. “From the looks of it, you haven’t been living too well lately.”

  Danni stared at him, feeling as though she were looking at a stranger. How had her once reckless brother subdued these hardened mercenaries so completely? The question burned in her mind.

  Still, there was something different about him now — a calm maturity that she had never seen before. That, at least, was a comfort.

  She took the chest hesitantly, about to refuse, but Glenn gave her no chance. He climbed onto the deer-drawn wagon and motioned for her and the boy to join him.

  Then, turning back to Norman, he said, “Since you didn’t harm anyone — and my sister was treated decently — I’ll let this go. But don’t make me regret it.”

  “I understand…” Norman replied quickly, not daring to defy him.

  “Dylan, you’ve changed so much,” Danni said after a while, as the wagon rattled down the road. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  Time to make up a story, Glenn thought with a sigh.

  He had never expected to meet anyone from the body’s former life again. The original Dylan was gone — slain by two werewolves. Glenn had merely inherited his body, avenged him, and now owed some kindness to the family left behind.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “I started a small business here,” he said lightly. “It went rather well. And by chance, I was taken in as an apprentice by a mage. I suppose I can call myself one now.”

  The story came easily — mostly true, with only a few omissions.

  “You became a mage!?” Danni’s eyes widened.

  In this world, that was a cause for celebration beyond measure. Before their parents’ deaths, their father had always hoped one of his children might become a mage, but none had shown enough affinity for magic — and Dylan had been too busy fooling around to try.

  Now, Danni’s joy was genuine and deep.

  “Dylan, you actually became a mage! Oh, heavens — if Father and Mother could see you now, they’d be so proud!” Tears of relief shimmered in her eyes.

  Glenn’s heart tightened.

  This family, once happy and whole, had been torn apart by tragedy. If Danni knew that her real brother was long dead, how would she bear it?

  “My dear sister,” Glenn said softly, “everything will get better from now on. Even the most troublesome one in the family has made something of himself. And you — I’ll make sure your life turns brighter too.”

  He guided the reins, eyes fixed ahead.

  “There’s no need to trouble yourself,” Danni replied gently, wiping her tears. “Your life is just beginning to look up. I don’t want to burden you. Ricky and I will go to our eldest brother — he’s opened a factory, and we plan to stay with him.”

  Glenn almost said that taking care of them would be no burden at all, but recent events had taught him how easily those close to him could be dragged into danger. He held his tongue.

  “Alright then,” he said. “But at least rest here for a few days. You’ve both been through enough.”

  This time, Danni did not refuse.

  “Mom, I’m hungry,” little Ricky murmured from her arms.

  Glenn heard and said, “There’s food in the cloth bag inside the carriage.”

  Watching the wagon shrink into the distance, Norman finally exhaled, the weight in his chest lifting.

  “Captain, all our funds are gone! What do we do now? We’ve no idea how far the demon army has advanced — we should move while we can!” one of the mercenaries ventured timidly.

  They had set out from the capital to hunt monsters, but after hearing of the demonic invasion, they had fled in panic and camped here — only to run into this disaster.

  At the man’s words, Norman’s mood sank again. His gaze turned venomous as he glared at the mercenaries who had caused all this trouble.

  “Beat those fools within an inch of their lives and throw them out of the company!” he barked.

  His men obeyed without hesitation.

  Ignoring the cries for mercy, a female warrior stepped forward. “I still have some savings,” she said quietly. “It should be enough to keep us afloat for a while.”

  Norman looked at her, surprised.

  She gave a bitter smile. “When Old Commander Boer nominated you as the new head of the company, I didn’t agree. But after today, I understand — I was wrong.”

  Her words caught Norman off guard, and before he could reply, another woman spoke up.

  “Same here. Of the three of us, you’re the steadiest, Norman. We used to think you were timid, but that was just our arrogance.”

  Even the hulking warrior nicknamed Wild Lion grumbled, “I’ve had enough of getting beaten around. You’re the commander now, Norman.”

  With everyone’s support laid bare, Norman saw no reason to refuse — he’d long dreamed of leading.

  “Very well,” he said solemnly. “I’ll do everything in my power to make the Mad Hounds Mercenary Corps stronger than ever! Perhaps I’ll never match Commander Boer, but I’ll be damned if I fall far short.”

  His declaration was met with cheers and renewed spirit.

  The deer-drawn wagon rolled into a medium-sized town called Checkham. By scent alone, Glenn could tell that the evacuees had settled here for the time being.

  Instead of searching for Luther right away, he found an inn and arranged rooms for Danni and her son.

  “Ricky,” he said gently as they stepped outside, “would you let your uncle hold you for a bit?”

  The boy looked up at Glenn’s kind smile, then turned uncertainly toward his mother.

  “Go on,” Danni said, encouraging him softly.

  Ricky nodded and allowed Glenn to lift him up.

  “Come on then,” Glenn said with a grin, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Let’s go find something delicious to eat.”

  As they walked down the bustling street, Danni watched the two of them — her son laughing in Glenn’s arms — and a smile never left her face.

  “If Sangis could see you now, she’d be astonished,” she said suddenly.

  Sangis was Dylan’s third sister.

  At the mention of her name, Glenn only smiled faintly.

  Aside from Danni, the other siblings had never thought highly of the original Dylan. Their letters, when they bothered to write, were filled with reproach and lectures — the very reason Dylan had stopped replying altogether.

  The memory stirred at her name: a woman with arched brows and curling hair, scolding him with a finger jabbed toward his nose.

  What a headache, Glenn thought helplessly.

  Yet, somehow, the fact that he still remembered — that he wasn’t completely detached from this world — brought a strange, bittersweet warmth. He couldn’t tell whether to be glad… or quietly troubled.