Chapter 77
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: The Mercenary King
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Time flew by.
The semi-finals of the jousting tournament went as everyone had expected.
Ruina Bercefe defeated Kuntz Baier, and Rob Kaelin defeated Valoci Vienderk.
After a short day of rest, the day of the finals—the last day of the festival—dawned.
The Jousting Tournament and the Magic Tournament.
The entrance to the arena, where the finals of both competitions would be held, was swarming with people who had come to watch.
“Welcome, Lord Pernyan. I will show you the way.”
Pernyan, who entered the VVIP section without waiting, paused when he saw someone occupying his seat.
“What are you doing? Come and sit.”
“But that is my seat.”
“There are seats aplenty.”
The VVIP section was structured like a series of small rooms separated by partitions to ensure individual privacy.
“When did someone as busy as you arrive, Father?”
“No matter how busy I am, I’m not so busy that I can’t come to see my own son. Though you’re not the only reason I came.”
“On the side, then.”
A man of Duke Fallenberg’s stature could not move about so freely.
Of course, he had made the trip himself this time because of the grave matter of the demon, but there was no reason to handle only one affair.
“Man is a fickle animal. No matter how just the compensation, they may harbor resentment if you simply wipe your mouth and walk away.”
“Are you referring to the Chancellor?”
“The Chancellor is not a man of such character. But words of gratitude cost nothing, and at times, they are worth a fortune.”
“I understand.”
But that couldn't be all. Pernyan was certain the Duke and the Chancellor had discussed the demon.
And it was likely about the direction to take from here on.
“Have the other Electors come as well?”
“I am the only Elector to have come in person.”
Indeed, the title of Elector was not one to be taken lightly. Especially since they likely believed it was a Vile Breed, not a demon, they wouldn't have been so quick to act.
In any case, it meant that the hands and feet of the Electors were positioned throughout the VVIP section.
“So, how much of it is real?”
The Duke spoke abruptly, but Pernyan had no trouble understanding.
“All of it.”
“Then which parts weren't recorded from the beginning?”
Just as the Chancellor had sensed something was off, the Duke, having checked the recording sphere, also noticed the abrupt cuts.
“The part where Ruina Bercefe stands before Aint Armian.”
“That necklace.”
The Duke’s gaze fell upon the necklace around Pernyan’s neck.
“If you just shrink the one you made using my artisans and my facilities, it would look just like that.”
“That’s right. It’s a golem.”
The small Wooden waved its hand. The Duke, already aware it was an Ego Golem, was not surprised.
“It seems to have been quite effective against Andromalius.”
“It drove him to near death.”
“You hid it well.”
An Ego Golem was an object that could cause a massive stir across the entire continent.
“But you were careless.”
He hadn't been. There was no trace of Wooden anywhere in the recording sphere.
But the Duke was not talking about the golem.
“The Inquisitors who received the Chancellor’s letter have begun to move.”
“…So the problem isn't the golem, but the fact that I was revealed to be there.”
“Lay low. There's no cure for the bite of a mad dog. And especially, do not mention that you knew in advance a demon would be summoned.”
Pernyan barely managed to keep his composure at the sudden accusation.
“I did not know.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“It’s true.”
“You just happened to be at the place where a demon was summoned, at that exact moment.”
“A coincidence. If I had known, I would have avoided it. I’m not a fool. Why would I walk into it willingly?”
“The Branch of the World Tree.”
“That has been properly restored.”
“And yet, a demon appeared.”
He had nothing to say.
“I did not know.”
But there was no need to say anything more.
The Duke, too, seemed to have no intention of pressing further and silently turned his gaze away.
“You were right.”
The contestants were already ascending to the stage for the final match.
A strange light glinted in the Duke’s eyes as he spotted Ruina Bercefe.
“To have achieved so much at that age. The Bercefes are not yet in their twilight.”
“Were you truly trying to bring about their twilight?”
“If a family falls into decline just because we took their secret sword art, then they don't deserve to bear the name of an Elector.”
“They aren’t actually an Elector right now.”
And it was the Duke who had made them sell the rights to the Golden Bull, the symbol of an Elector.
“Besides, their secret sword art is just a copy, not the original. It’s not as if we would distribute it to the world, so it wouldn't have been a major problem for the Bercefes.”
Nevertheless, of the two choices, the Bercefes chose to sell the rights to the Golden Bull rather than give up their secret sword art.
“But they would have been powerless against us.”
Possessing a sword manual was not simply for learning its techniques. The true value lay in thoroughly analyzing it to create a counter.
“I heard you formed a pair. Have you grown fond of her already?”
“Ruina will become a Royal Knight.”
“So you’re sucking up to her in advance?”
“Words of gratitude cost nothing.”
“And the words of one who has risen in station are worth a thousand pieces of gold.”
The Duke took a sip of the cold tea that had been prepared for him.
“Begin!”
The final match had begun.
Ruina Bercefe and Rob Kaelin. The horses carrying the two knights began to charge toward each other.
────!
A roar that seemed to tear the very air apart echoed through the arena.
A shockwave spread out in all directions but failed to penetrate the defensive magic circle protecting the spectator stands.
“Albinus Bercefe is already a Royal Knight.”
The words came out of nowhere.
“I am aware.”
“If Ruina Bercefe becomes a Royal Knight, the Bercefe family will have two of them.”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a bad method either. To gain a Royal Knight, something money cannot buy.”
────!
The second clash. Still, no victor was decided.
Amidst the roar, Pernyan replied instantly, his expression unchanging.
“I’m sorry, but you are mistaken.”
“Are you planning to bake bread just to give it to a beggar?”
“I haven’t even baked the bread.”
“You used mandrake as firewood.”
He was referring to the mandrake root Pernyan had given to Ruina.
─────!
The third. Both knights dismounted simultaneously and drew their swords.
“There’s no rule that says you can only make bread with flour.”
“An investment is only complete when you sell and get a proper return.”
“I will get my return.”
And he had already recovered the principal.
The very fact that Pernyan was here, conversing with the Duke instead of being excommunicated, was worth more than the initial investment.
─!
──!
Slashes intertwined.
A silver trajectory and an aura resembling the blue sky tore at each other.
“This is a rare sight, one not easily seen.”
Indeed, it was not often one could witness a battle between the children of Royal Knights.
“Father.”
The Duke silently turned his head slightly.
“I would like to make a deal.”
─!
“Speak.”
─!
“What kind of person is the Mercenary King?”
“Is that a deal?”
“A simple question.”
“A Royal Knight. He who received the title of the greatest knight without being one.”
It was a well-known fact.
“Did I not give you the Blacksteel vein?”
“I never said I would develop it.”
“You won’t?”
“I never said I wouldn’t either. It will be handled according to your report.”
“Is there nothing else?”
“He is a mercenary to the bone.”
─!
The fierce battle between the two knights grew more intense. Fragments of shattered aura swept through the area.
Yet, neither Ruina nor Rob retreated an inch.
It was like a dance.
A performance on a stage.
A pair, a man and a woman, filled the entire arena, performing a sword dance.
The audience fell silent, captivated by the beautiful duel.
Only one person, Pernyan, focused more on the Duke’s voice than the duel.
“He completes any commission he accepts. No matter what, he prioritizes the client’s orders. He’s a man worth paying for a commission.”
However, that didn't mean the client was always in charge.
“Garrett Schreiner has his own lines. If you cross them, he’ll pay the penalty and abandon the commission immediately.”
“Is that all?”
“No matter how strong he is, do you think he could have earned the title of King if he did as he pleased?”
That was good information. Once commissioned, he would generally follow the client’s wishes.
“Then, is he the type to stand still in an urgent situation if the client tells him not to move?”
“Do you see Garrett as a dog?”
A rare expression appeared on the Duke’s impassive face. A dry chuckle.
“Absolutely not.”
“He would, so long as it doesn’t pose a problem for Garrett himself or his mercenaries.”
That was it. Pernyan secretly clenched his fist.
“But Garrett doesn’t take just any commission. He refuses if the client isn’t qualified, or if the commission doesn’t pique his interest.”
“I’m aware that taking one or two jobs a year is considered a lot for him.”
But it didn’t matter. Pernyan had a lure for the Mercenary King, a bait more delicious than any other.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t even think of approaching him carelessly. Garrett is not an easy man to deal with.”
“How could a Royal Knight be easy?”
He had no intention of doing anything particularly special. A mercenary and a client. The only thing to do when they meet is to make a commission.
‘Mercenaries. Their king.’
Hire him to fight the demon. A Royal Knight. That was the final bastion Pernyan had established.
Honestly, he couldn’t be sure if this was the right thing to do, or if he was actually hindering Aint’s growth.
But it was also true that he was uneasy relying on Aint alone.
That was why he chose the Mercenary King. A man who prioritized his client’s wishes above all.
‘I can keep him from intervening until it’s clear Aint cannot win.’
In truth, borrowing the family’s power was the simplest method. But it was also the wrong one.
The family could suffer losses in a fight against a demon, and there was no way to convince them that a demon was scheduled to be summoned.
Seeing the future was Pernyan’s greatest weapon. Whether they believed him or not, it was something he could never tell anyone.
───!
─!
──!
While Pernyan and the Duke conversed, the match was already hurtling toward its climax.
The aura blades formed on their swords were incredibly hard and sharp, and with each strike aimed at the other, it wouldn't have been strange for an artifact to activate at any moment.
Despite hundreds of exchanges, their swords did not slow in the slightest. Their expressions remained unchanged.
Their swords were still light yet heavy, and the arena floor was cracked in all directions as if struck by a meteor.
“How was the golem’s performance?”
“……”
“I will tell you how to commission the Mercenary King. What you do after that is up to you.”
“It tore Andromalius’s snake to shreds.”
“You mean that tiny snake?”
“It had grown to over twenty meters.”
“A demonic beast, then. It certainly lives up to its price. When you said you wanted to make a mere golem with such expensive materials, I thought you had gone mad.”
If it was capable of tearing apart a demon’s creature, its performance was beyond doubt.
“The perfect partner for a merchant.”
*Thump!*
The Wooden hanging from the necklace gave a happy greeting. The Duke glanced down at it impassively.
At that moment—
Waaaaaaaaah!
An eardrum-shattering roar shook the arena.
“It’s decided.”
The Duke, after looking at the arena, rose from his seat.
“Can you trust those who were in the recording sphere?”
Ruina, Aria, Verian, and Aint.
“One I can trust completely, one I can make a deal with, and one I can threaten.”
“And the last one?”
“I can persuade him.”
“You’ll need to seal their lips tightly if you don’t want the Inquisitors to find out about the demon. A merchant who has received an advance payment must deliver.”
He was talking about the Chancellor.
“I will keep that in mind.”
Pernyan called out to the departing Duke.
“Aren’t you going to watch the Magic Tournament finals?”
“I only wanted to see this person you trust.”
A smile formed on Pernyan’s lips as he looked at the arena.
From the beginning of the festival until now.
He had secured the funds to commission the Mercenary King.
And.
“Young Master, the initial report on Gismond Erdt has arrived.”
The data on that strange fellow, too.
* * *
*Strong.*
The moment their lances first clashed, Ruina knew.
No, in truth, she had known even before their lances met.
Her opponent was Rob Kaelin.
Grandson and disciple of a Royal Knight.
Last year’s Jousting Tournament champion.
He had lived two more years than her. To some, two years was an incredibly short time, but to a genius, it was like a massive wall.
But even so, Ruina was not afraid. Amidst the chilling hostility and the ferocious waves of aura, she took a step forward and extended her sword.
If he was the grandson of a Royal Knight, she was the daughter of one.
She was a knight who had fought a demon and won.
Rob Kaelin was certainly a fearsome opponent. He was strong.
But he was not as fearsome as the demon. Not as strong as the demon.
And so, she was confident she would not lose.
*‘I said I would win.’*
To a knight, a promise was as sacred as life itself.
Therefore, she had to win.
No, even without that, she wanted to win.
Not every winner of the Jousting Tournament became a Royal Knight.
But with the exception of two who never attended the academy, every Royal Knight had won the Jousting Tournament.
That was why Ruina had to win.
Sword met sword. Rob Kaelin was stronger than any student she had faced at the academy.
With every impact of their blades, she instinctively gritted her teeth against the shock.
But it was bearable.
Compared to her fight with Andromalius, where every blow tore her muscles and burst her blood vessels, this was nothing.
The pressure.
The destructive power.
The speed.
Everything whispered to her that there was no reason she couldn't win.
And that whisper became reality.
─!
The swords, which had clashed hundreds of times, met once more.
*Kgggrrrk—*
Her sword slid along the flat of his.
She ducked forward, raising her arm. Her opponent’s torso was exposed.
She struck with her knee, but a hard layer of aura protected his breastplate. She pushed him, as if falling into him.
*CRASH!* With a roar like colliding carriages, they fell in a tangled heap.
Gasping for breath, they both rose again.
They staggered, raised their swords, and as if by some unspoken agreement, began to pour out their aura.
Both Ruina and Rob knew this would be the last exchange. They had almost no stamina or aura left.
*‘Sharper. Even sharper.’*
Just like that time when, in desperation, she had thrown everything she had into piercing the demon’s heart.
Two swords, honed to an impossibly sharp edge, collided.
A halo of mingled aura enveloped the entire arena.
And when the light faded.
“Hah, hah…!”
The one left standing on two feet was Ruina.
A faint light emanated from the bracelet on the arm of Rob, who lay on the ground, staring at the sky.
*…Did I win?*
“…Haha, I never thought I’d lose.”
She had won.
Ruina instinctively lifted her head.
Toward the section where the high nobles—where she assumed Pernyan would be—were seated.
She didn’t know why she looked there first.
She just… wanted to.
If it hadn’t been for Pernyan.
This victory would not have been possible.
She wouldn’t have become the top student, wouldn’t have made it this far.
Ruina raised her sword high.
“The winner! Ruina Bercefe!”
The referee proclaimed the tournament champion.
Ruina didn’t know. That Pernyan’s eyes, watching her, were practically dripping with gold.