Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Baron's Reckoning
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Chapter 54
The battle that followed ended rather anticlimactically.
Terrifying when flying through the sky, but once it crashed to the ground, the wyvern was nothing more than a giant lizard with wings.
Of course, its massive size and ferocity meant that ordinary knights or mercenaries would still struggle to hunt even a fallen wyvern, but Eugene was different.
He countered the wyvern's roar with his own vampire roar, then teamed up with Galpredic to hurl a few more javelins from afar, piercing its neck and skull.
With that, the wyvern finally collapsed, tongue lolling out long.
Boom!
"I-Is it dead?"
"Who knows..."
The troops murmured anxiously from a distance, eyes fixed on the motionless wyvern.
But no living creature, be it a high-tier monster or whatever, could hide its presence from a vampire.
Knowing full well that the wyvern was already dead, Eugene strode forward without hesitation.
He raised his short sword high, then brought it down with all his might, cleanly severing the wyvern's neck—thick as a grown man's torso.
Spurt!
Blood erupted violently, drenching Eugene from head to toe.
As he swiftly drank it in, cheers erupted from the excited troops around him.
Hooray!
Amid the cheers, Eugene muttered quickly to himself.
"Check it."
"Got it!"
Mirian buzzed over to inspect the wyvern's corpse, checking for a red mana stone.
"Incredible!"
"You're the best, Sir Eugene!"
Led by Partek, the squad leaders rushed over to praise him. It wasn't flattery—they were genuinely shocked and thrilled.
Guiding the wyvern's flight path with arrows, predicting its trajectory, and throwing javelins to bring it down? No one had ever thought of such a method.
"No red one, master. Boo."
'Tch.'
Eugene clicked his tongue inwardly and swallowed his disappointment at Mirian's report after finishing the check.
Red mana stones hadn't appeared since the village swamp and the Tiwin territory dungeon.
They only dropped from special monsters after all—it had just been beginner's luck at first.
"Master, what about those bastards?"
Galpredic approached and asked.
Eugene turned his head.
The harpies—effectively rulers of the Philia Ruins alongside the wyvern—had fled deep into the ruins the moment it fell, abandoning the fight.
With over ten dead or badly wounded, only half the mercenaries remained, staring blankly in this direction.
But Eugene's gaze wasn't on them. It fixed on Knight Oleg, who had removed his helmet and was heaving his shoulders.
Exhausted from the fierce battle, Oleg met Eugene's eyes.
At that moment, he roughly wiped the blood from his face, donned his helmet again, and suddenly charged with a beastly roar.
"Graaaah!"
"...!?"
The troops startled and scattered at his bull-like charge.
Despite his bulk, Oleg closed the distance remarkably fast. His target was unmistakably Eugene.
"Is that bastard insane?"
"Let him come. I'll handle it."
Eugene held back Galpredic, who was drawing his long sword with an incredulous look, and stepped forward.
Slash!
Oleg's long sword sliced a sharp arc toward Eugene, who ducked low and countered with a lightning-fast tackle.
Boom!
"Guh!"
Oleg's massive frame flew backward from the impact.
His helmet flew off from the shock, clattering aside. Eugene pinned him down, picked it up, and smashed it mercilessly into Oleg's face.
Thud!
One blow caved in Oleg's already flat nose, knocking him out cold.
"Is he mad?"
"Madman! Stone-headed fool! No need to spare him, master!"
As Eugene stood and muttered, Mirian shouted, still too excited to calm down.
But he couldn't just kill a knight from Baron Beogalan's house. The sudden appearance and everything else was too suspicious.
"Galpredic. Those bastards..."
"We capture and interrogate them. Partek, Veron, follow me."
"Yes, sir!"
Galpredic on horseback and the troops charged at the mercenaries, who had been eyeing them warily and plotting an escape.
Outnumbered and exhausted from the brutal harpy fight, the mercenaries surrendered without resistance.
No— the moment Oleg got crushed by Eugene, they had already given up.
Opposing a knight who felled a wyvern with javelins and one-shot the strongest knight in the region? That was suicide.
* * *
"Ugh..."
Oleg barely opened his eyes.
Realizing he was bound tight, he strained against the ropes—only for Eugene's voice to reach him.
"You're awake? Useless. It's wyvern tendons; you won't budge."
"Grh!"
After futile struggles, twisting his fierce eyes, Eugene spoke lowly to Oleg.
"Why so angry? Be grateful I didn't kill you. Right, Sir Oleg?"
"That... I am. The lord will pay ransom."
Eugene was mildly surprised by Oleg's straightforward response.
'He's the real deal?'
From interrogating two Beogalan soldiers and the mercenary captain, he'd learned Oleg was brutally simple and naive.
A knight who knew only battle, bound utterly to his lord.
That's why Eugene suspected Oleg's sudden attack might be on Baron Beogalan's orders.
A knight reputed dim-witted wouldn't trek here and attack without them.
"But sir, why did you attack me earlier?"
"..."
Oleg clamped his mouth shut.
Certain from the reaction, Eugene shrugged.
"Don't want to talk? Fine. But this'll put Baron Beogalan in a tough spot."
"...!?"
As Oleg's eyes widened, Eugene feigned regret.
"Isn't it? You attacked me—a knight sent by the lord to subjugate the ruins. If word spreads, how's the baron's honor faring?"
"Smeared in mud. Every noble on the peninsula will point fingers."
Galpredic slyly interjected.
"I-I..."
Oleg's face flushed variably.
"Me? Mission accomplished, so no skin off my back. Your honor or the baron's? Whatever..."
"You insulted the lord first! Trampled his honor! I was ordered to punish you!"
"Me?"
"Yes!"
Oleg's booming voice drew all eyes.
Eugene raised his voice deliberately for all to hear.
"So, per you, I insulted Baron Beogalan, so he sent you to punish me?"
"Yes!"
"You're sure? He explicitly sent you to punish me?"
"Yes!"
Eugene shrugged and turned.
His own troops—and even Oleg's mercenaries—gaped.
"Galpredic, enough witnesses?"
"More than plenty. Alright, let's head back, you lot!"
* * *
"..."
Baron Beogalan sat pale and frozen, speechless.
Shock, regret, fear—emotions churning in his head, he could only gape.
"Why so shocked? Because I returned alive?"
"H-How can you say..."
"I heard everything."
"Heard what?"
Turning from the sweating baron to bound Oleg, who eyed them nervously, Eugene replied.
"You ordered Sir Oleg to attack me? No denying it. He testified himself, with those guys present."
"What nonsense? I never gave such an order! What do lowly scum know!"
The baron bellowed, face beet-red.
Guilty ones always lash out first.
Textbook behavior.
Eugene eyed him coldly.
"Oh? So this was all Sir Oleg's solo act? Left the castle alone, hired mercenaries, and came to the ruins to attack me—day one of subjugation—without orders?"
"Th..."
Eugene cut off the baron's excuse.
"Then, back in Mopern, I can publicize this via the Feilin Merchant Group branch?"
"What?"
"And inform nobles I know."
"N-Nobles you know?"
"Lord Fairchilde, who nearly commissioned me. And others."
Eugene pulled out a letter of recommendation, waving it.
"Meeting his father-in-law, Count Winslon soon. I'll tell him too."
"...!"
The baron's flushed face drained white as a sheet.
What barons like him feared most: reputation among titled nobles.
Feilin branch? Manageable. But Count Winslon—one of the kingdom's top nobles—making an issue?
'That'd be the end!'
As his mind reeled, Eugene's cold voice pierced again.
"Still claiming I insulted you, soiling your honor, and Oleg acted alone?"
"..."
No words left.
Force wouldn't work.
He'd crushed the territory's strongest knight, Oleg. Succeeded where no one had: wyvern hunt.
Plus another fierce-looking knight and forty elite troops—how to fight that?
"I'll ask once more. Why? Confess, and I'll consider leniency."
"It was actually..."
No choice, the baron wiped endless sweat and explained a recent letter.
"...Sorry. Greed blinded me to gold; nearly sinned against a brave, honorable knight like you. But! They proposed first— I wouldn't have otherwise, Sir Eugene."
Best cover your faults: blame others.
The baron's attempt half-succeeded.
'Jevin Evergrow? Hm, deal with that later.'
Narrowing his brow briefly at the unexpected name, Eugene looked up.
"Still, you tried removing me dishonorably. Fact remains."
"..."
"So, a proposal. Accept, and we bury this."
"W-What?"
Ditching lordly dignity, the baron perked up instantly.
"Somehow, I occupied two villages outside your territory. Just knightly duty, but locals want me as lord—local chaos, I guess. Had to accept."
"...!"
"So, issue a charter recognizing me as their lord. Circulate a joint endorsement to nearby nobles while at it?"
"Done! Gladly!"
No hesitation from the baron.
Not his land anyway, unclaimable villages.
Recognize Eugene, hush today? Pure profit.
"Charter now. Endorsement too. My knightly friends will sign eagerly. But keep your promise."
"No worries."
Having pried truth from Oleg and executed his plan, Eugene smiled inwardly.
Disappointment over no red mana stone diluted somewhat.
Sure, broke his iron rule of no mercy to assassins, but couldn't casually execute a titled baron.
Instead, paved firmer path to true lordship—net gain.
'No.'
Something clicked; Eugene added casually.
"And..."
"Hm? More?"
"Oleg and those mercenaries attacked suddenly—big losses. Ransom and reparations due, right?"
No losses, not even scratches, but Eugene said shamelessly.
Not forgetting to glare at the mercenaries watching warily.
"H-How much?"
"Eighty percent of mana stones and byproducts from this subjugation. Not half."
"..."
(To be continued in the next installment)