In a World without God

Chapter 1

There are only two things worth having in this world. Money and power. Everything else is just a bunch of bullshit, talked about by people with warm bodies and full stomachs in their pastime.

Power allows you to make money, and money allows you to hire powerful people. Thus, the world is run by the powerful and the wealthy.

Love? Friendship? Do such things really exist in the world? For the sake of money or power, people will sell out their families and lovers. How many times have we witnessed that scene?

Bosha, the leader of the mercenary army, the Black Fang, believed that his thoughts were the truth of the world. Until that day, when she came to the Black Fang base.

"Hey, who are you, young lady? Did someone new come to the nearby tavern? No way I'd forget a face like that.""A raspy, metal-scraping voice came from outside Bosha's tent. It belonged to Vala, the troop leader.

"Let me see Captain Bosha." Her voice was a stark contrast to Vala's, soft yet firm, reminiscent of a plum blossom blooming in the bitter cold.

"Captain? If you want to promote your tavern, you'd better talk to me, because Captain Bosha isn't into that sort of thing."

"I am not here to promote any tavern. I am Lady Ygraine, daughter of Duke Uther Le Fey. I'm here on an important request."

Despite being treated like a tavern girl, she spoke calmly, without a trace of anger.

"Eh? What nonsense is this? Why would a noble lady like you come here? What kind of absurd talk are you sitting down for?"

Hearing the mockery in Vala's voice, Bosha shook his head in disbelief.

"That idiot. There must be a reason for the noble lady to come here. If she is the incarnation of the goddess Lutea, as they say, she would surely contact us before coming," Bosha had thought for some time. Bosha just didn't think it would be her to come in person...

He had warned Vala, but the bastard couldn't remember anything but the name of a tavern girl.

"Tell her to come in," Bosha shouted.

"Captain?"

"Stop the nonsense.."

Vala ushered Ygraine into the tent. A silvery head of hair shone into the tent. Bosha had heard rumors of her but had never seen her in person. He marveled secretly at her.

She was called the Embodiment of the Goddess because of her personality, but she was also beautiful enough to rival a goddess. Skin as soft and white as the fine sand of the Kashiba Desert to the southwest. Hair that shone like molten platinum.

Bosha stifled his admiration, motioned for her to take a seat, and then blurted out. "So, how much can you pay?"

"I haven't even told you what I want yet."

"The reason is obvious. You're afraid that the Witch's army will come after you while Astania's army is away, so you want us to protect your rear line of defense, right?"

"Indeed... The rumors are true, Fox of Kaldura." Ygraine nodded. The Fox of Kaldura was an alias for Bosha. He was a powerful and cunning creature who carefully monitored the situation surrounding the Empire of Ur and the Kingdom of Astania, and when he saw an opening, he took advantage of it like a ghost. It was commonly said that the balance of power between the empire and the kingdom was due to a fox living in the wasteland.

Of course, that was before the empire fell victim to the witches. The current war is not between nations but between witches and humanity.

When Ygraine told Bosha the amount, Bosha frowned.