Even though Sharletti might not earn much, in winter, there are instances where she receives necessities instead of money, so she had to manage her household in that way.

“I need to be careful of frostbite. I suffered a lot last year.”

The memory of almost getting frostbite on her hands and feet while washing clothes in the unfrozen stream or digging herbs from the frozen ground last year, which earned her a severe scolding from Veretta, came back vividly.

It couldn’t be helped.

Since she was young, Sharletti had the habit of enduring and bearing pain alone, without telling or even thinking of telling anyone that she was in pain.

“Teacher, you’ve worked hard.”

Tristan’s voice brought Sharletti out of her thoughts.

“The wind is ominous today, so I will escort you again. But… what is this?”

Sharletti handed Tristan several notes she had written after wrapping up her work. They were notes on herbs not found in the village and the conditions of the wounded soldiers.

“I’ve listed herbs not available here. The prescriptions I make focus on basic and efficient recovery, so there’s a limit to how much they can help.”

“You even drew pictures. It’s easy to see where they are hurt and what’s bothering them.”

“It will be helpful to report in detail the condition of those who can’t return with us.”

The soldiers gratefully collected the notes.

“We will pay for your medical services when we visit the village next time. Please accept it as our request to take care of the remaining soldiers until then.”

Sharletti nodded, indicating not to worry. After receiving meat, there was no way she would neglect the wounded soldiers.

“Let’s go, Tain.”

“Yes!”

It was when Sharletti was about to leave the inn with Tain’s hand in hers.

“Huh?”

Tain, who had been waving goodbye, suddenly pulled Sharletti’s hand.

When Sharletti turned around, she saw the mobile wounded soldiers and soldiers coming down.

The sudden encirclement by many soldiers made Sharletti’s heart pound.

Instinctively, she tried to grasp the doorknob, but Tristan gestured to the soldiers.

“Teacher!”

The soldiers shouted heartily and bowed deeply to Sharletti.

“Thank you very much.”

“…”

“Thanks to you, no one died. We are truly grateful.”

“Thank you, teacher!”

Sharletti was momentarily speechless, just blinking.

She felt Tain’s gaze, along with Patricia’s and Tristan’s, but couldn’t respond.

Right now, the soldiers of the empire were bowing and thanking her.

“…”

It was an indescribable feeling.

It wasn’t awkward to receive thanks as a doctor.

However, she never got used to the moments of helping others and receiving thanks.

Just the fact that she helped someone made Sharletti emotional.

“Teacher is really amazing.”

Tain, standing proudly by her side, began to sniffle, bringing Sharletti back to her senses.

She comforted Tain and shyly bowed.

Thump. Watching contentedly, Tristan tapped his foot.

The soldiers, having straightened up, smiled amiably.

“Take care on your way, teacher!”

“See you tomorrow!”

Slam. As soon as Sharletti stepped out of the inn, a fierce wind greeted her.

The wind had intensified, causing Tain to part with Patricia, while Sharletti went with Tristan.

After waving to Tain, Sharletti climbed the mountain.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Tristan asked, looking at Sharletti’s robe fluttering wildly in the wind.

Only then did Sharletti rub her warm cheeks.

“I’m fine.”

Strangely, she didn’t feel cold.

It felt a bit too warm, actually.

“Is it because my heart feels warm?”

Sharletti climbed the darkening mountain path, cherishing a thought that Tain might have had.

The terrain was rough, and the journey to the log cabin took a long time, so Tristan and the soldiers started to chat.
“Did you know that soldiers at the border get paid three times more than us?” a soldier remarked.

“It’s different for border and frontier troops. Compare it with the capital’s guards; they get paid five times more.”

“Really? The capital guards earn that much?”

“Wages are determined based on the status of those they protect.”

“Ugh, that’s unfair.”

Sharletti partially agreed.

‘In the Newitten Empire, unlike the Criannet Kingdom, benefits and rights are strictly divided based on social status.’

In the Newitten Empire, social status was mainly divided into royalty, nobility, commoners, and slaves, but even within the nobility, there were differences from dukes to barons. Not all slaves were the same; their value and treatment varied depending on whether they were natives or from other countries.

Land prices were determined based on the distance and location from the Imperial Palace in the center of the Newitten Empire, affecting the environment as well. There was a saying that life quality changes just a little outside the capital.

“Some from other squads think it’s better to just become mercenaries.”

Newitten, an empire accustomed to numerous wars, was lenient towards mercenaries.

As long as they weren’t accused of murdering nobility, mercenaries often received pardons for various crimes depending on their skills.