I woke up in the early afternoon, the sunlight streaming through the cracks in the shutters, casting warm patches of light across the room. My body felt heavy, as though the weight of exhaustion had pulled it down. I blinked a few times, trying to shake the fog from my mind. The last thing I remembered was being in that chair, slumped over as Sora went on about supplies, troop management, and the hierarchy of command. I must have fallen asleep.

I sat up, my body stiff from the awkward position I must have slept in. The room was quiet, and the smell of fresh herbs lingered in the air. My clothes were folded neatly on a chair beside the bed, and as I stretched, I noticed that I was alone. How had I even gotten into bed?

A wave of embarrassment washed over me. Had I fallen asleep in the middle of a discussion? It felt unprofessional, especially after how seriously Sora had been taking everything. I wondered if she thought less of me now. I was supposed to be the leader of this mercenary group, and here I was, dozing off in the middle of an important conversation.

Before I could dwell too much on my embarrassment, the door creaked open, and Sora entered the room. She was as calm and composed as ever, her sharp eyes surveying me with a knowing look.

"Good afternoon," she said, a slight smile on her lips. "I see you finally decided to rejoin the land of the living."

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the flush of embarrassment return. "Yeah... I, uh, didn’t mean to fall asleep like that. Sorry about that."

Sora shook her head, dismissing my apology with a wave of her hand. "It’s fine. You were exhausted, and it was obvious you needed the rest. You’ve had a lot on your shoulders lately."

Her words were kind, but I still felt guilty. "Still, it wasn’t very professional of me."

She smirked. "Well, it wasn’t like we were in the middle of a battle. Just a bit of logistics and planning. You didn’t miss much, don’t worry."

I chuckled, though the tension in my chest hadn’t quite disappeared. "I suppose that’s true."

"Anyway," Sora continued, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "while you were resting, I made sure things kept moving forward. The others have already left for training."

My eyes widened. "Already? What time is it?"

"Early afternoon. You slept through the morning," she said, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

I groaned inwardly. "I should’ve been up earlier."

"You needed the rest. Besides, you didn’t miss anything important. I’ve been handling things," she said. "But, there’s something else. I managed to arrange a deal for all the gear, weapons, and mules we talked about last night."

I blinked in surprise. "Already? That quickly?"

Sora nodded, her expression serious again. "Yes. I have connections with the garrison. We can get everything we need for around fourteen thousand denars."

Fourteen thousand denars. It was a hefty sum, but considering the improvements it would bring to Nova, it felt like a necessary investment. I thought about our ragtag group of recruits and how much stronger they would be with proper equipment. The cost was high, but the reward was worth it. After all, Mannes would’ve wanted this for the group.

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I nodded. "Let’s do it. I’ll spend the money."

A satisfied smile spread across Sora’s face. "Good choice. This will take Nova to the next level."

She stood up and gestured for me to follow her. I quickly got dressed and we left the room, heading out into the bright afternoon sun. The streets were bustling with activity now, the sounds of merchants hawking their goods and soldiers barking orders filling the air.

As we made our way through the city, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness. This was a big step for Nova. We were about to outfit our recruits with proper gear, transforming them from ragtag into well-equipped mercenary groups. It felt like the beginning of something greater, something that could set us apart from the other mercenary bands.

The garrison store was located near the barracks, a large building with racks of weapons and armor displayed outside. The store was an exclusive place for kingdom armies so a mercenary like me had no chance to buy anything from the store. But thanks to Sora it was possible. A burly man with a thick beard stood at the entrance, arms crossed as he watched us approach.

"Lady Sora," he greeted her with a respectful nod. "Everything’s ready."

Sora nodded back. "Let’s see the inventory."

The quartermaster led us inside, and I was greeted by rows of armor—gambesons, padded cloth, and leather—along with shields, spears, and billhooks. The crossbows were lined up on one side, their sleek wooden frames catching the light.

"This is everything," Sora said, gesturing to the neatly organized equipment. "Seventeen sets of infantry gear and six crossbows, just like we discussed."

I ran my hand along the leather of one of the padded armors, inspecting the quality. It wasn’t the finest, but it was sturdy and durable, far better than what my recruits were currently using. The weapons were practical, and I could already imagine how much of a difference they would make on the battlefield.

The quartermaster handed me a ledger, where I could see the total cost written down: fourteen thousand denars. I handed over the coins, watching as he carefully counted them before noting the transaction in his book. He also informed me that he would prepare the two mules that were in the contract in the next five days.

"It’s a solid investment," Sora said as we watched the quartermaster’s men begin loading the equipment onto carts. "Your recruits will be far more effective with this gear."

"Yeah," I agreed, the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders again. "We’re getting stronger."

Once the transaction was complete, Sora and I arranged for the equipment to be delivered to our house. As we walked back, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. This was the kind of progress Nova needed. With the new gear, we could handle tougher assignments and face stronger enemies.

When we returned, the recruits were just finishing up their training. They looked exhausted but satisfied with their work. Silvana was overseeing them, and when she saw us approaching with the carts full of equipment, her eyes lit up with excitement.

The quartermaster’s men began unloading the gear, and I gathered the recruits to distribute it. Each of the seventeen infantrymen received their new armor, shields, spears, and billhooks, while the six crossbowmen were outfitted with their crossbows and knives. The recruits couldn’t hide their excitement as they tried on the new gear, testing the weight of their weapons and adjusting their armor.

As I watched them, I felt a surge of pride. Nova was becoming something more than just a small band of mercenaries. We were evolving into a proper fighting force, capable of taking on greater challenges and tougher enemies.

Sora stood beside me, her arms crossed as she observed the recruits with a satisfied smile. "Looks like they’re happy," she said.

"They’ve earned it," I replied, my chest swelling with pride. "We’re ready for whatever comes next."

This was just the beginning.