Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: 28. Imperial Capital. (7)
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Sword Emperor Magnus
Flame Ghost Grenjo
Maestro Arione
Graceful Sorceress Elizabeth
Phantom Spear Patty
Blood Club Gione
Swift Ponporo
Monster Riga
Iron Mask Viola
Every single one of them was a living legend in the mercenary world.
With such figures gathered in one place, even the companions waiting outside were choking on the killing intent seeping out from the conference room. If even the big shots were like that, Allen—who was little more than an ordinary person—felt like he was dying.
Still, he couldn't show any weakness, so he gritted his teeth and endured it by force of will.
As soon as the meeting began, shouts echoed back and forth. The birth of a new Top 10 was deeply tied to the gains and losses of the existing members, after all.
Fortunately, the meeting proceeded swiftly. With Vice Leader Elizabeth already calling for Leader Dagon's expulsion, the candidates for the new Top 10 had been floating around in their discussions anyway. In other words, they skipped the tedious process of filtering candidates.
Originally, they were supposed to decide on one out of three candidates, but the promising frontrunner, Leader Bakuya, had been mysteriously assassinated just recently, narrowing it down to two.
With the candidates reduced from three to two, the rivalry intensified. That's where the shouting matches began—each side tearing into the other's qualifications.
The factions had already split well before the meeting even started. Their cries were a war to sway the neutrals' votes.
The usual neutrals included Sword Emperor Magnus, Flame Ghost Grenjo, Monster Riga, and Iron Mask Viola. But Viola had already struck a deal with Elizabeth, leaving effectively three votes. Of course, some of the remaining three might have made deals as well.
The stakes were high with the Top 10 spots on the line, making the tension brutal. Yet the tide was slowly turning toward the Pessial Mercenary Corps. It was largely due to the considerable influence of Graceful Sorceress and Vice Leader Elizabeth. Plus, as the one who had spearheaded the ousting of Dagon—the thorn in everyone's side—even the neutrals seemed inclined to back her.
However, from the perspective of those supporting Bakuya or the Stephanie Mercenary Corps, there was no way they'd view this haughty princess—who had already pulled strings behind the scenes—in a favorable light. Especially not with a top candidate suddenly assassinated not long ago.
That fucking slut—
The atmosphere was ripe for profanity, but no one crossed the line. They were all powerhouses who wielded immense authority in their domains; sowing deep grudges wouldn't benefit anyone. ...And above all, there were no eternal allies or enemies in this world.
After a protracted war of words, the votes were finally cast.
Pessial Mercenary Corps: 5 votes. Stephanie Mercenary Corps: 3 votes. Abstain: 1 vote.
Thus, the meeting—which had dragged on past midnight—finally concluded. Needless to say, it didn't end on amicable terms.
During that endless conference, the companions waiting in the corridor didn't exchange a single word. Pouring oil on the fire could land them in the bad graces of the Top 10 representatives, potentially ruining their futures forever. They were all playing it safe, eyes on each other.
Allen, who had been sitting still in deep thought, jumped to his feet as the conference room doors burst open. He glanced at him briefly before sticking close to Leader Viola as she strode down the corridor.
The moment they stepped out of the annex palace, Leader Viola looked up at the pitch-black night sky and let out a deep sigh. Only then did Allen open his tightly shut mouth.
"Good work out there."
"...You too, Leader Allen. Sorry it took so much longer than expected—you must be exhausted from waiting."
"Deciding the Top 10 spots isn't something that wraps up easily, after all."
The two walked briskly toward the carriage stop, breathing in the frigid night air.
"The Pessial Mercenary Corps... made it into the Top 10."
"Ah, I see."
"......Of course, I can't say for sure if they'll hold onto it. They'll face challenge after challenge from here on out."
Being selected for the Top 10 here didn't mean it was over. Naturally, there would be all sorts of challengers resentful of the decision, and the Top 10 had to weather those storms to keep their seats. Fail, and it was game over. ...Leader Viola herself was someone who had endured countless such trials to claim her spot.
When the pair arrived at the stop, Leader Rados—who had been standing outside—reported the outcome to Vice Leader Elizabeth, who was waiting inside the carriage.
"Can't thank you enough for this. It's late, but I'd love to treat you all properly."
"I'll accept your hospitality in spirit."
"......How disappointing."
Viola cut her off coldly without a hint of hesitation, causing a flicker of hurt pride to crack Elizabeth's smile.
"Who knows when we'll meet again, but until next time."
Viola extended her hand slightly, and Elizabeth gracefully offered her gloved one in return, clasping it.
"...Yeah, sister. See you then."
The two women turned sharply on their heels. The men exchanged only perfunctory greetings before boarding their respective carriages.
With that, the Top 10 selection meeting was over. ...Of course, beneath the surface, there had been all sorts of shadowy maneuvers and schemes—but outwardly, things had stayed calm, aside from Leader Bakuya's untimely death.
The coachman opened the driver's window to confirm they were settled, then urged the carriage onward.
Leader Viola stared out the dark window, lost in thought.
...She sensed a wind of change stirring. It was faint for now, but it felt like it could grow uncontrollably in time...
· · ·
The Top 10 meeting had ended, but Viola's group hadn't set a firm departure date yet. They'd come all this way; better to handle all their business before leaving.
Allen, in particular, took the opportunity to scout mercenaries around the capital. Finding promising rookies with good aptitudes was tough here—most had already peaked in growth. And with prices even more inflated than in Vermandua, money-obsessed Allen could only click his tongue. Sure, if it were late-game with spare cash flowing, but at this cash-strapped stage, the costs were downright shocking.
There were decent prospects worth recruiting, but their absurd transfer fees and salaries killed any bargaining mood.
He'd known about these conditions from the start, which was why Allen had chosen Vermandua as his first base instead of the capital. Vermandua had its own bubbles, but nothing like this. Better to consider it after establishing a foothold.
While Leader Allen was pouring his energy into mercenary recruitment...
The promising Gum-Milk Swordswoman Natasha also visited Sword Emperor Magnus from time to time to advance her swordsmanship. He welcomed her like a true disciple and taught her earnestly.
However, Natasha didn't seek out Prophet Aloa. She believed prophecies could be overcome with effort and mental fortitude.
And Red Orb Sorceress Elena had become completely engrossed in the primal magic she'd purchased earlier.
It seemed inspired by spirit magic, a nearly lost art. Spirits were deeply tied to primal matter, after all. ...In essence, what if the mage bypassed the spirits and drew on that primal source directly?
She'd long agonized over mana efficiency issues!
Her previous approach had been minimizing waste, but this new primal magic solution was entirely different.
If mana waste was the problem, solve it with sheer abundance. The mana mages used was like purified, filtered essence stored in the body after passing through multiple membranes. Primal magic, however, proposed tapping into the raw primal mana outside the body for spells.
......A solid idea, but not without issues—namely, the entirely new mana control method required.
Directly pulling and using pure external mana was still utterly incomprehensible to Elena. It was obvious it'd demand years of training. Even then, who knew how long until it yielded results beyond expectations...
But if she could master it properly, the benefits would be tremendous.
......I need a breakthrough anyway. Tweaking long-researched spell formulas for efficiency is unrealistic. Better to change the approach entirely.
Elena saw this as the innovative shift she needed.
If everyone followed the same path, you couldn't stand out unless you were a genius. She didn't consider herself one, so to compete with true geniuses, she had to forge her own trail.
......For the sake of being with my beloved Leader...!
Even if it was a grueling path, Elena was confident she could endure to the end.