In a World without God

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 beds and full stomachs.

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? People will happily sell out their families and lovers for the sake of money or power. How many times have you seen this?

Believing his thoughts were the truth of the world, the powerful Bosha led the mercenary army known as Black Fang with the single mission to gain more wealth. They seemed unstoppable.

Until the day she arrived at the Black Fang base.

***

“Hey! Who are you, young lady? With a face like that, there’s no way I don’t recognize you,” Vala, the troop leader’s deep, grating voice, was heard from outside Bosha’s tent.

“Let me see Captain Bosha.”

The voice was a stark contrast to Vala’s. It was soft yet firm, reminiscent of a plum blossom blooming in the bitter cold.

“If you’ve got something to sell, you’d better talk to me because my boss isn’t into that sort of thing.”

“I’m not here to sell anything. I am Ygraine, daughter of Duke Uther Le Fay. I’m here on an important request.” Despite being treated like a common pauper, she spoke calmly, without a trace of anger.

“Eh? You’re a lady? What are you doing here?”

Hearing the ridicule in Vala’s voice, Bosha shook his head in disbelief. That idiot.

Bosha had thought for some time that someone from the Kingdom of Astania would make contact. He just didn’t know it would be her, Ygraine, the so-called incarnation of the Goddess Lutea. He’d warned Vala, but the bastard couldn’t remember anything.

“Tell her to come in,” Bosha called out.

“Captain?”

“No nonsense, I said let her in!”

Ygraine was ushered into the tent by Vala, who nodded sternly at Bosha before exiting. Ygraine stood before him, and Bosha marveled inwardly at her. He’d heard rumors, but he’d never seen her in person. She was thought to be the manifestation 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. Standing before him in the tent, her shocking head of silvery hair shone like molten platinum.

Bosha swallowed his admiration and motioned for Ygraine to take a seat before launching into the reason he knew she was here. He didn’t care for pleasantries.

“So, how much can you pay me?”

“I haven’t even told you what I want yet.”

“The reason is obvious. You’re afraid the witch’s army will come after you while Astania’s own army is away, so you want us to protect your rear line of defense, right?”

Ygraine nodded. “Indeed. The rumors are true, Fox of Kaldura.”

The Fox of Kaldura was a common nickname for Bosha. He was a powerful and cunning creature who carefully monitored the situation surrounding the Empire of Ur and the Kingdom of Astania. When he saw an opening, he took advantage of it like a vengeful spirit. It was often said that the balance of power between the Empire and the Kingdom was due to a fox in the wastes.

Of course, that was before the Empire was beaten by a witch. The current war was not between nations but between witches and humanity.

When Ygrainne told Bosha the amount Astania was prepared to offer for his help, Bosha frowned.

“That’s all? That’s too little.”

“It’s the most my estate can pay,” Ygraine declared.

“That’s really the best you can offer? Couldn’t you get more if you sold some of the precious metals or clothes you have stashed away?” he asked.

“This is all we have,” she replied firmly. Bosha looked her up and down. Despite her reputation, she was dressed shabbily.

“I’m disappointed,” said Bosha, “I didn’t think Duke Le Fay would offer less than a witch."

As Bosha spoke, Ygraine’s face hardened.

“What did you just say?”

Despite Ygraine’s glares, Bosha spoke bluntly.

“If that’s the best you can offer, I’ll hear no more. Get out.”

“So, the Black Fangs are siding with the witch’s forces, abandoning humanity?” Ygraine demanded, ignoring his request.

“No. We’re siding with whoever pays the most money,” Bosha said calmly.

The witch, Granadilla, had offered Bosha a large sum of money to help her defeat Astania’s forces. Bosha had listened to the witch and, knowing that someone from the Kingdom would soon arrive to make a similar deal, had decided to go with the highest bidder. But Ygraine’s offer was worse than Bosha expected.

“Don’t you know about witches?” Ygraine asked, her voice getting louder. “Witches kill people by the dozen, capture children, and torture them. Innocent people are screaming in agony!”

The corners of Bosha’s mouth twitched as he heard those words: innocent people. He didn’t respond. Instead, he reached up to untie the hood wrapped tightly around his head. Ygraine, sitting opposite him, let out a soft gasp of shock.

“Look at this hair,” he commanded. Bosha had revealed a vibrant head of red hair.

“My parents abandoned me in the marshes of Varus in the north as soon as I was born because they said that red hair was proof that I was born with Granadilla’s magic. Is it so strange that I, born with the witch’s magic, would side with her?” he asked.

“That’s superstition. Hair color has nothing to do with magic!” Ygraine exclaimed.

“I know, but the people of Kaldura cursed and threw stones at me as soon as they saw me. What did I do to deserve that?”

“That’s…”

Bosha shouted, interrupting Ygraine. “I was guilty of being powerless and penniless! The greatest sin in the world. If you can’t stand up to a witch because you have no money or power, you deserve what is to come. Does the Kingdom help the penniless and powerless?”

Ygraine looked straight at Bosha, a hint of sadness in her beautiful eyes. “No, they don’t. That is my sin. My lack of strength.”

Hearing those words, Bosha clicked his tongue. Kaldura wasn’t even Duke Le Fay’s territory, so why would this woman feel responsible?

Ygraine was biting her lip hard, and her eyes squeezed tightly together. She looked as if she were about to cry.

As Bosha watched her, he thought it was ridiculous, calling her a manifestation of the goddess. Did she really think she was the Goddess Lutea?

“We’re done talking. Get out,” he said with a sneer.

“It’s not over. If the Black Fang sides with the witch, the people will be in great danger,” Ygraine said and looked at him hard, her eyes no longer sad but angry.

“So what? It’s only natural for the powerless to bow to the powerful. If you need our help, bring more money.”

Ygraine did not move from her seat and continued in a gloomy voice.

“The powerless must submit to the powerful; do you really believe that? When Lutea created life from her own blood, all she wanted was for everyone to get along.”

“Bullshit. Vala! Come and remove her!” Bosha called out to where he knew Vala was waiting outside.

Vala strode into the tent.

“Is it over already, boss? Hey, lass, time’s up. Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea with me?” Vala let out a low chuckle.

Ygraine still didn’t move. She sat there, glaring at Bosha. Vala stood beside him and spoke in a troubled voice.

“Captain, I don’t think this young lady is finished with you.”

“Well, that’s too bad because I’m done. Drag her out if you must.”

“Drag her out? Where should I hold her? If I grab her by the arm, she’ll snap!” Vala cast his eyes over Ygraine’s tiny frame with an uncertain smile.

Vala was the largest of the Black Fangs, with forearms like boulders. Despite his size, the boar-like man was strangely kind to women.

Bosha urged the hesitant Vala on.

“Didn’t you hear me telling you to drag her out?”

Vala took a step towards Ygraine, hands clasped in front of him. “He’s in a temper, lass. Time to leave.”

Vala moved closer to Ygraine and made to grab her by the shoulders.

“Huh?!”

Vala groaned in a dumbfounded voice. He couldn’t believe what was happening.

Ygraine had reached out to intercept Vala’s clutches, her slender fingers wrapped around Vala’s wrist like iron bars. Vala’s hands were pinned in the air, unable to move in Ygraine’s powerful grip. Even when he twisted his hippo-like bulk from side to side, he could not remove himself from Ygraine’s grasp. Bosha was equally surprised. He’d never heard of Lady Ygraine having such power.

Ygraine released Vala’s wrists and stood up, looking straight at Bosha.

“As long as you are an avowed enemy of humanity, I cannot leave.”

With that, she brought her hand to the sword hanging from her waist. Bosha had thought it was just a decoration to show her status as a Lady, but it wasn’t.

“It is natural for the powerless to submit to the powerful,” Ygraine repeated to Bosha while Vala huddled in a corner of the tent, nursing his bruised wrists. “That being said, if I were to compete against you and win, would you grant my request and fight the witch for the sake of humanity?”

Bosha narrowed his eyes, his brow deeply furrowed, and glared at Ygraine.

***

To reach Vaidor, where the Kingdom’s rear defense force was stationed, they had to pass through the Baruba Gorge, a wilderness unfit for horses. The uneven, hard ground should have been painful to walk on, but Ygraine didn’t seem to mind.

Bosha walked alongside Ygraine, and the Black Fangs followed behind them. Every single one of them wore a grim expression, concerned about the presence of this new woman.

How could they be comfortable after seeing Captain Bosha, a man who prides himself on his absolute strength, beaten like a grasshopper by a delicate Lady?

But his men’s discomfort was nothing compared to Bosha’s humiliation. Bosha’s stomach still churned. He felt as if he had swallowed rotten fish entrails.

His entire life had been turned upside down. A mercenary captain with nothing more than his strength to his name had been beaten to the ground by a Lady!

It wasn’t just that Ygraine was much stronger than Bosha, either. Bosha hadn’t been able to lay a finger on Ygraine, who was covered by a pure aura as white as freshly fallen snow. It was more like a divine energy than magical energy.

When Bosha had first noticed it, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Not even the holiest monks in the Church possessed an aura of such purity.

As they walked through the canyon, and Ygraine moved in front of him, Bosha stared intently at the nape of Ygraine’s neck. He hadn’t given up yet. For a mercenary like him, defeat is defined only by death and Bosha was not dead.

One day, I’ll see that head hit the ground, he thought to himself.

It was no accident that Bosha became a captain at the young age of twenty. Force is one thing, but his determination was another. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t win a hand-to-hand fight. He just had to wait for the right opportunity to strike. Until then, he had decided to pretend to go along with Ygraine’s whims.

Ygraine walked straight ahead, her face innocent, unaware of Bosha’s true intentions, for now. Eventually, they came to a village, the canyon town of Rishaia. The village had recently suffered significant damage from a demonic raid. Perhaps because of that, the people’s reactions when they saw Ygraine were intense.

“It’s the Saint! Her army is passing through the canyon!”

“Oh, Saint, you’ve finally come to save us!”

“Those monsters killed our son! Please send down divine punishment!”

Bosha frowned as he watched the people chanting for the saint.

Pathetic. So helpless. So dependent on others. To hell with the saint. She’s just a hypocrite who sounds a little more convincing than everyone else.

As Bosha was thinking this, someone shouted.

“That’s Bosha! Bosha the Red Fox! Bosha is with the Saint!”

Some of the people recognized Bosha, even though his hood hid his red hair. When they realized it was him, their faces turned grim.

Before the witch took control of the empire, the Black Fangs interfered with salt prices, causing trouble for the local people who worked the rock salt mines and made a living selling salt. As a result, many held grudges against Bosha and the Black Fangs.

“Get out of the Saint’s presence, you filthy fox!”

With that, they all began to pick up stones. Bosha snorted at the sight of them.

“All right, throw them,” he said, “I’ll catch those stones and smash your damn heads in with them!”

Bosha laughed maniacally as he watched them. Unaware of the pale magic emanating from his body, they began throwing stones at him. Dozens flew through the air, thudding and cracking around him. Then it happened.

Someone threw a stone that landed with a dull thud, connecting with someone. It didn’t hit Bosha. Instead, it hit Ygraine on the forehead and fell to the ground. The dirtiness of the stone left a small black mark on Ygraine’s pure white forehead.

Ygraine stood between the Rishaia villagers and Bosha with her arms open.

When they saw her, they stopped throwing stones and shouted, “Saint, why do you embrace Bosha?”

“He is a man who knows nothing but his self-interest. You should not be with him!”

“You are surely being deceived by him, Saint.”

Ygraine replied, “No. He, too, is a child of Lutea. Lutea does not want her children to quarrel with each other.”

The villagers didn’t buy it. They continued to shout angrily.

“No, Saint, he is not Lutea’s child.”

“He is the child of a witch, a cunning fox!”

Ygraine shook her head gently, looking each villager in their eyes one by one. She slowly scanned the crowd, connecting with each of them in this way without saying a word. Eventually, they began to put the stones down. Their eyes still burned with anger, but none dared to throw a stone at Ygraine. One by one, the villagers left, glaring at Bosha as they did. He sneered back at them.

“You’re right to protect those fools. You knew I would take those rocks and break their heads with them,” Bosha said, turning to Ygraine.

Ygrainne shook her head.

“No, it was you I was trying to protect.”

Bosha was immediately taken back by her response.

“Did you think I would get hurt by being stoned?” he asked incredulously.

“Your heart would be, yes. Captain Bosha, your body is as strong as iron, but your heart is as fragile as a newborn chick.”

Bosha’s expression twisted with anger. Fragile? Who the hell is she talking to?

“Ha! That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my life!! That stone must have hit your head harder than I thought!” Bosha mocked Ygraine.

Ygraine looked back at him with a smile on her face.

That face. He didn’t like that smug face. As he looked at her, Ygraine’s clear silver eyes turned to meet his, and he found himself immediately looking away, unable to meet her gaze directly.

What’s going on? he thought. Even when facing a dragon in the Barus Swamp, Bosha hadn’t flinched, but for some reason, he couldn’t look Ygraine in the eye.

Ygraine spoke. “Captain Bosha. The day will come when those who throw stones at you now will chant your name with joy, and you will smile back at them. Let go of old hatreds. Learn how to love and understand happiness.”

Bosha found himself recalling his childhood. His pathetic self, begging for someone to save him. He had cried and cried, but no one reached out to help him. Instead, they threw stones. He had burned his grief and turned it into hatred, surviving by drinking muddy water and chewing on worms. Determination and resilience. That’s how the current Bosha came to be.

But Ygraine’s pearly eyes seemed to see right through him, to the weak boy he had once been.

One day, soon, I will kill you, Bosha repeated to himself as Ygraine turned and continued walking through the village. His heart, which had calmly dashed through countless rains of arrows on the battlefield, pounded anxiously.

Ygraine’s words lingered like fishhooks, stabbing at him as they pushed forward.