Shortly after, they moved on.

  They walked as if they weren’t supposed to ask questions but only to listen.

  San didn’t think much of it at first.

  Experiencing history in this form felt quite fascinating to him.

  They entered a large room filled with more paintings and wax figures.

  “Two years later, in 2341, the mercenary uprising began.

  While many viewed them as mere tools of war, they were—and still are—avoided and hated by the majority of the population.

  They are seen as unable to adapt and as the embodiment of disgrace.

  …

  That’s why they were treated like scum for years.

  And perhaps it was this treatment that led them to start a rebellion.

  They appeared on multiple battlefields and dominated them in mere moments.

  The Judge, The Thousand-Slayer, Iron Menace, Lucky Boy, and The Shapeshifter took control and led all the mercenaries far to the east.

  Far from the continent, on an archipelago of islands, they established their own state, which exists to this day: the Mercenary Lands.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The pictures and figures in this room depicted the mercenaries he named and their actions on the continent's battlefields.

  Without being allowed to ask questions, they moved on.

  Next, they entered a hallway adorned with more paintings, at the end of which lay a document encased in glass.

  “In 2344, much had changed.

  Most of the mercenaries were gone.

  The King of the North, who had transformed the city of Sainoda into a neutral harbor after receiving it upon his arrival, had by then formed many alliances and friendships.

  And yet, he remained uninvolved in the war.

  For this reason, the four nations came to an agreement.

  Someone with such power shouldn’t remain as an uncontested figure on the chessboard of war, even if he didn’t want to participate.

  Someone with his capabilities was bound to choose a side eventually.

  So, they all united to attack his homeland in the north and told him that looters and pirates had taken advantage of his time away from home.

  Desperate, he sailed away, and while he was gone, the once-neutral city of Sainoda was razed to the ground.

  When he returned, he was overcome by an unnatural wave of rage.

  Somehow, he learned that the world had conspired against him.

  And so, he declared war on the entire continent of Unas.”

  They slowly walked down the hallway, examining the paintings as they passed.

  “This war lasted for five years.

  Finally, in 2349, it culminated in a decisive battle.

  The rulers of the four nations faced him.

  But instead of defeating him, they and their armies were crushed.

  Just before he could execute them before the eyes of the world, salvation came.

  The mercenaries who had been exiled returned to fight him.

  With their unnatural abilities, they defeated him and erased his existence from the face of Ea.

  Shortly after, they made an agreement with the leaders of the world.

  After 18 long years, peace would finally prevail!

  And anyone who threatened this peace would have to face them!

  They declared this and recorded it in writing.

  Whenever a new war threatens to break out on Unas, they would return to prevent it!

  …

  It’s been 15 years since then.

  And a slowly healing peace has indeed endured!”

  Finally, they observed the document encased in glass—the treaty of the last war.

  It bore the signatures of all the world’s rulers.