Mercenary: Derick Walker-25

The quest window started flickering. That meant a new quest had arrived. I opened it.

The quest fit my current situation with uncanny precision. They always arrived like this — strangely tailored to whatever I happened to be dealing with. It felt as if some administrator were watching me and handing the quests down in person.

This one required me to assassinate five or more officers from each of the two camps. The difficulty was a little high, which meant the rewards would be substantial. I liked high risk, so long as the return was higher.

First I surveyed the Ernest territorial army. Having been granted a day's leave, I wandered the camp freely, committing faces to memory. Arme, who had come with me, helped as well. She was careful around anything with stealth-detection items, but everywhere else she moved as she pleased. In roughly a day, I had every major officer of the Ernest forces locked in.

The next morning, an operations meeting was held. As security captain, I naturally attended. Count Ernest himself presided, taking briefings from each of his officers. I reported, briefly, that the watch had been uneventful.

"What is the enemy's current situation?"

Scout Captain Mition Kaks answered the Count's question.

"After establishing their camp on the Aden Plains, they have shown no significant movement. However, judging by their preparations for an assault, we predict they will attempt an attack today or tomorrow."

"My lord. The enemy's numbers are nearly equal to our own. Rather than dragging this out with guerrilla tactics, would it not be better to simply commit to a full-scale battle? Last time we were insufficiently prepared and suffered defeat, but this time is different. Our soldiers have already experienced one engagement — we will surely prevail."

Baron Horton pressed hard for an attack. Previously he had argued for defense and suffered a crushing defeat, and the hunger to make up for that mistake was written all over his face. The greatest of military merits was, after all, victory in a pitched battle.

"If we launch an attack now for no good reason, we risk taking unnecessary casualties. The best course is to wait for the War Mage Division, then strike the enemy."

That was Baron Melun's opinion. Baron Horton glared at him, apparently convinced Melun was opposing him purely to keep him in check. Melun did not so much as glance his way. Count Ernest seemed to share Melun's view.

"I think so as well. There is no need whatsoever for us to absorb unnecessary losses."

Baron Horton looked at Melun with a face full of resentment. The factional infighting among the officers was palpable even here.

The morning operations meeting adjourned like that. After it ended, however, Baron Horton summoned me. Tense, I went to his tent. The vile ones always had a knack for smelling something off. I checked my appearance again. I was Gion Pirean, down to the last detail.

"Baron Horton. The security captain, reporting as summoned."

"Hmph! Come in."

An unbearably arrogant voice. I wanted nothing more than to put a Darkness Arrow through his face, but I held back for the greater plan.

Baron Horton's tent was more than twice the size of mine. Inside, besides a desk and chair for official work, there were sculptures, small potted plants, and the like — luxury unbefitting a battlefield. That alone told me everything about this bastard's character.

Huh? Who's that woman? An adjutant?

Standing beside the arrogantly seated Horton was a beautiful woman with emerald-green hair. Wearing a women's military uniform and a beret, she radiated a mature allure that did not match the haughty baron at all. Apparently she was an adjutant Horton had brought along for his personal enjoyment. Looking at the guy, I would have expected him to go for the decadent type, but his tastes were surprisingly mild.

That woman looked like she would make a fine prize.

"Pirean. I'll be blunt. Whose side are you on?"

He was asking whether I was in his faction or Baron Melun's. The answer was already decided.

"I am on Baron Horton's side, of course. Naturally, wouldn't you agree? A superior as rigid and inflexible as Baron Melun would be quite a burden for someone like me."

"Hmph! Obviously. The idea of that wooden block of a man — who hasn't a shred of political sense — seizing power is unthinkable. He's suited to being a junior officer or a staff advisor, nothing more."

Baron Horton slandered Baron Melun as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.

"Quite right, my lord."

I bowed to Horton for now. He was more useful than the highly capable Melun. A man blinded by jealousy could see nothing beyond his own nose.

"That Melun fellow intends to reap the rewards without lifting a finger. If we simply wait for the War ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mage Division, we'll win this territorial war. But then he'll take credit without having done a thing. Grrk! I cannot allow that. I must be the protagonist of this war."

He was not wrong. If the war ended that way, Melun would be the victorious general, and the gap between Melun and Horton would become enormous. A man as ambitious as Horton trying to check that was only natural. The fewer rivals, the better.

"Your words are most just. I too believe it would be improper for someone like Baron Melun to rise any higher."

"You and I can talk, it seems. But to that end, we need to catch him in a blunder. After the last incident, you've earned Melun's trust, haven't you? That means you can learn his information. Bring it to me."

Standard troop deployments were shared with all officers through operations meetings, but the specific use of one's own forces was at the discretion of the commander in question. In other words, the concrete movements of the main force led by Baron Melun were known only to Melun himself and Count Ernest, the overall commander.

Of course, it was usual to inform other commanders of specific force movements as needed, so that the army's operations as a whole ran smoothly. But given that Horton was making this request of me, it seemed Melun was deliberately withholding troop movements from him.

As expected of Baron Melun. A high-level player. He's already cutting out Horton, who would clearly get in his way.

It was almost laughable. They could barely afford to join forces, and yet this kind of schism was happening even within the territorial army. The other officers would know better than I how fatal internal division from factional infighting could be. Of course, this was because the Ernest forces were superior to the Coulon forces. If they were about to lose, they would join hands with even a political rival to win. This was the luxury of the strong.

"Understood, Baron Horton. However, informing on Baron Melun is an extremely dangerous matter. If it were ever discovered, Baron Melun might well have me removed."

"You have me as your backer — what are you worried about? Don't tell me you think I'm inferior to that man?"

"Not at all. But please understand that I am taking a risk to do this. I will devote my loyalty to you, Baron Horton."

"I like that. I appreciate men of honor. We're in the same boat now. When this war is over, we'll be promoted together."

Promoted, you bastard. You're going to die by my hand anyway.

I went straight from there to Baron Melun's tent and informed on Horton — that he had tried to recruit me. When two people with great power fight, all I have to do is scoop up the scraps in between. Baron Melun listened to my report and nodded.

"I expected as much. Horton. That's all the man is."

"Yes. But I am deeply concerned. If such a man rises to a high position, would not the future of our Ernest territorial army be dark as well? We have already suffered great losses because of Baron Horton's command."

"Indeed. Horton has no ability, but when it comes to flattery, no one can match him. If he were given a major post, disaster would surely follow."

Baron Melun said this and looked into my eyes. That expressionless gaze was a strange one, hard to read.

"Security Captain. Frankly, I still do not fully trust you. It is a fact that you have been negligent in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your duties until now."

"That… I have nothing to say."

"But people change, I suppose. If you wish to earn my trust more thoroughly, report Baron Horton's every move to me in full. Many in our army currently follow him. If I were to confront him openly, it would create a great deal of trouble. So we have no choice but to deal with him under the surface."

Baron Melun's handling of the situation was perfect. What mattered to him right now was defeating the external enemy. Internal housekeeping could wait. Forcing a split could even reverse the outcome of the territorial war.

"However, Baron Horton has ordered me to report your movements, my lord. If I give him false information, he will not trust me."

"Don't worry about that. I'll give you information just sufficient that you don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lose his trust."

"Understood."

And so I became a double agent even within the Ernest territorial army. Should I call myself a quadruple agent, then? Even I was starting to lose track of whose side I was on.

Fighting between the Coulon and Ernest territorial armies resumed. Unlike the pitched battle on the Aden Plains, this time it was guerrilla warfare. The Ernest forces used traps and ambushes to harass the advancing Coulon army with sticky, relentless persistence. A tedious war of attrition dragged on.

From time to time I made contact with Luna and Sera and informed them of the Ernest army's situation. The information I passed on included things like the precise locations of ambushes. Based on my intel, the Coulon forces advanced while still extracting favorable engagements even in the war of attrition. Of course, the pace was extremely slow.

Meanwhile, I also played double agent internally, shuttling between Baron Melun and Baron Horton. Horton obstructed Melun at every turn, but Melun handled it with composure. He was, without a doubt, an outstanding man in many respects.

In practice, Horton's interference did not amount to much. Even so, the Ernest army's defensive campaign was going poorly — because I was feeding their situation to the Coulon forces.

On the second day of the fighting, I visited Baron Melun's tent. This time it was not a simple report.

"Baron Melun. I believe something serious has occurred."

"Something serious? What is it?"

"Hasn't the situation been turning a bit strange lately? For instance, the enemy has been moving as if they know the locations of our ambushes. They bypassed the large-scale ambush zone here in Beus Canyon. To go around that place, they would have had to take an extremely rough path. Moreover, the ambush zone at Bed Rock was a location with only a small force lying in wait — and they launched a surprise attack there. Their movements suggest they have us figured out."

"…I had thought it strange as well. I assumed their reconnaissance assets were superior to what we'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠estimated."

"When I visited Baron Horton's tent yesterday to make a report, I inadvertently overheard a conversation he was having with his adjutant. It would appear Baron Horton is in communication with the Coulon territorial army."

"Wh— what!? In communication!?"

"Yes. It seems he is passing our information to a contact in Coulon through his adjutant. Coincidentally, the positions of our forces that the Coulon army has identified match the information I reported to Baron Horton."

Baron Melun immediately examined the map. His operations map had every location where the Ernest forces had engaged in combat recorded in minute detail. It was just as I had said. Of course it was — I was the spy, so my words could not be wrong.

I spent all that time shuttling between both sides, earning their trust, just for this denunciation. The Transformation Potion really is something else.

"…Even if that man is mad for power, to think he would go that far. Unbelievable. Hmm… Even so, he is an officer of the Ernest territorial army. Surely he couldn't be so shameless as to sell the army's information for his own desires… I would like to think not."

He said this, trailing off at the end. I paid my respects to Baron Melun for showing even a rival such leniency. But I had more than enough methods to move him. Horton was already dancing in the palm of my hand.

"Of course, I have no evidence. However, from what I overheard yesterday, it seems Baron Horton intends to meet the Coulon army's contact in person tomorrow. If we raid the scene at that time, we can interrogate him for his crimes!"

"…Where did he arrange to make contact?"

After informing Baron Melun, I immediately made contact with Luna and Sera.

"For tomorrow's contact, bring Dedric Coulomb. If you tell him we've secured a classified document encoded with the Ernest army's ciphers, he'll come in person without a word of protest. He's a cryptography expert, after all."

"Understood."

"Heh heh. This is what you call killing two birds with one stone."