Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!

"You are really cruel, you know that?" Makary asked, watching how I took my time to change to a fresh set of clothes.

Given where I was going and what I was going to do soon, this seemed like a redundant, unnecessary action. After all, why change my bloodied clothes if I was going to get blood on them again anyway?

"I'm pragmatic," I replied, minding not the man's intense stare. "I don't want to claim too much merit, but I believe one of the major reasons why the princess didn't join the attack are my threats. And with the small oopsie of bringing a small group instead of an army…"

For a moment, only silence hung in the air between the two of us.

"Your plan is cruel, but I can see why you are going through with it," Makary spoke, opting to change his approach rather than foolhardly pressing with his former, accusatory stance.

And seeing no reaction from me, he sighed.

"I don't mean to blame or insult you. In fact, I'm quite… impressed."

The strange feeling in my soul woke up again. A strange sense of… warmth?

"I never thought you had it in you to suggest something like that." Makary shook his head. "Scare them to force them to gather up. Use elites to terrorize them as they gather and drive them out of the forest. Give them the illusion that they have somehow escaped…"

Makary's head stopped shaking. And hearing no further words from him, I turned around to take a look.

In the short moment when I was preoccupied with pulling on a fresh shirt, Makary cut the distance between us in half.

"Your goal isn't to kill those who reach the edge and escape the slaughter there, isn't it?"

Reaching out, Makary rested his hand on my shoulder as he stared right into my eyes from up close.

"It's to make their companions beyond the forest watch as you slaughter all those who escape."

For quite a moment, Makary continued to look into my soul through the windows of my eyes, searching far and deep for something.

I only raised my eyebrow in response to his words and actions. Then, I raised my hands and pushed the man away.

"Only Fay is allowed to get that close to me, you old pervert," I jokingly scolded the man, struggling to have him in my face while this strange, warm feeling continued to sear my insides. "And yes, that's my goal," I admitted before looking away. "I had to speak some big words to make the princess bide her time. But with how the gate is not yet open…"

I pressed my lips into a thin line and walked away to where one of the celestials dropped off a small, short, wooden sword.

Although the unusual material used for the weapon didn't fill me with confidence… It was only going to be my backup, to be used if both my summoned darkness, guns, and Fay's help proved to be lacking all at once.

"I now need to deliver upon my words. Prove that I mean business when I call for blood," I spoke right as I grasped the handle of the wooden sword. And in spite of all my strength… I actually felt its weight oppose the pull of my hand for a slight instant before my muscles overcame the obstacle and brought the weapon up.

It was heavy.

Not heavy enough to put a burden on me when using it… But heavy nonetheless.

"How many men do you reckon she will gather?" Makary asked, taking my example and moving on to inspect his own weapons.

With how few men and guns we had on hand, he decided to take part in the battle personally. And while he would have the company of both elite ascended from the forest and two of his men…

I still couldn't help but worry about the man.

'Wait, no! I'm worried that if he will die, I won't be able to manage all his men!'

Sensing a shudder move up from my toes, along my spine, and reaching for the back of my head, I gritted my teeth and fought the sensation, refusing to show anything on my face.

'Just imagining the scene of going back without him…'

"There was supposed to be a total of seven armies. I've defeated the first army, cutting their numbers down by roughly five thousand. But as for the other armies…"

The intel I got was pretty precise on this point, as it came from both the mercenaries in our former custody and Loraz's own sources that alerted him of the coming conflict long before it started.

And assuming Claudy would honor his word and hold his troops back from the war…

"I think they should have around sixty, sixty-five thousand left," I answered after a while, "excluding those who entered the forest, that is."

"So, fifty thousand, more or less," Makary summed up with a sigh.

"And that's just the first wave," I whined in response.

If there was anything that I've learned from the mercenaries it was that the empire was relentless. This quality of the imperial rule shone through all the stories about some sort of fortress that recently fell to the empire, even though it was deemed unconquerable.

And judging by the dread people who survived that conflict and spoke about it while in our captivity…

That dread simply couldn't be fake, making me believe that this Lunasomething fortress really lived up to its name.

And all of that could mean only one thing.

Stay tuned to m-v l|e'-NovelBin.net

"Even if we defeat all of them now, we will only give the empire a reason to come back and seek vengeance," I pointed out with a sigh. "The only way to stop it is to make a deal with them. But for that to happen…"

There was no need for me to spell it out.

Only a sufficient amount of blood, once it would seep into the princess's consciousness, would soften her up to the point where she would be willing to talk terms.

"Anyway, it's time for me to go," I added after a few moments, instantly turning on my heel and taking a few steps ahead.

Our roles in the coming operation were different. And while Makary would join the blockade at the edge of the forest, I would find my usefulness roaming the forest with the elites instead.

"Try not to die," I stopped for just a moment, sending a quick glance over my shoulder. "It would be a pain in the ass to deal with the consequences, so save me the trouble and stay alive," I requested, my voice somehow nearly failing.

"What, are you worried about me?" Makary jeered… But quickly turned serious when he noticed my intense look.

"Haaa…" the man sighed and lowered his head only to shake it around. "I will do my best, so try not to die either," he replied before raising his eyes and paying me back for my stare with a look a troubled look.

"And if you think you would be troubled if I die, imagine how annoying it would be to find out you died, leaving me with no way back home!"