Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Akandus (3)
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Viscount Bedron felt his mind go blank for a moment, but he accepted it soon enough.
He'd always been quick to anger, but he wasn't foolish. If he were, he never would have risen to this position.
Regaining his composure, the first thing he did was acknowledge the White Whale Mercenary Corps as a foe.
"So, you had an ace up your sleeve too."
He'd taken a solid hit.
Even if he sent a letter to McGray the caravan leader now, it would take ages to get a reply.
We're stuck purely on the defensive here, while they don't have that burden. This puts us at a clear disadvantage.
Normally, the defenders held the advantage, but his opponents no longer had anything worth protecting.
Naturally, that made things extremely unfavorable for Viscount Bedron.
Should I negotiate for a more level playing field?
No. It wouldn't work.
McGray had left on the very day Chiles sent the invitation through Requiem.
That proved the enemy had a deep understanding of Requiem's dusty old traditions.
These aren't your average intel gatherers.
Someone was surely backing the White Whale Mercenary Corps.
Viscount Bedron felt a chill run down his spine.
Chiles felt it too.
Just who the hell is pulling the strings?
They'd thrown even the meticulous Viscount Bedron into chaos.
He couldn't even guess how many moves ahead this puppet master was planning.
"Chiles. Get me everything you can on them, as fast as possible."
"I've already given the orders, my lord."
In truth, Chiles had already gathered plenty of intel on the White Whale Mercenary Corps, but he'd doled it out in stages to keep Viscount Bedron off-balance.
By the time Bedron finished reading it all, his face twisted into a demonic snarl.
"Gilenoi Merchant Guild. So it was them!"
Viscount Bedron realized things had gone seriously south.
McGray, you fat, treacherous pig! You've betrayed me!
The Gilenoi Merchant Guild's wealth made it easy to see why McGray had slipped away without reporting back.
He'd always talked about leaving the black market shadows for legitimate business anyway.
The Gilenoi Merchant Guild had dangled exactly that bait.
"You idiots!"
His head throbbed again for an instant, but Viscount Bedron forced himself to stay calm.
"This won't end with them. We need to focus elsewhere for now."
At first, he'd thought these fools would hand him Basai's secrets on a platter, but this mess was no simple affair.
The Gilenoi Merchant Guild's involvement meant it wasn't just one outfit moving—it was bigger.
Who was currently shielding the Gilenoi Merchant Guild in Blackout?
None other than Count Mordenaein Albert!
The man closer to the emperor than anyone, sworn to unwavering loyalty.
Could that really be a coincidence?
Is the emperor targeting the noble faction? Digging into me as part of it?
It might sound absurd.
But Viscount Bedron hadn't climbed this high on luck alone.
He'd always spotted the knives aimed at his back first.
Grind.
If the count got involved, he was truly in danger.
McGray might not have even made it to the Bandran Sea.
What if the count's men had grabbed him for questioning?
"Chiles."
"Yes, my lord."
"Deal with the White Whale Mercenary Corps."
If they were gunning for him, he had to strike back.
He couldn't touch the Gilenoi Merchant Guild directly, so he'd wipe out the White Whale Mercenaries first and frame them for an assassination attempt on himself.
But Chiles, not yet fully on the same page, sought clarification.
"In this city, my lord?"
The White Whale Mercenary Corps had been the talk of the town lately.
They'd gone quiet, but plenty of eyes were still watching.
...He wants me to clean them up now? In this situation?
Wasn't that just using him as a sacrificial pawn?
But at Chiles's question, Viscount Bedron snapped in irritation.
"Yes! Don't make me repeat myself, you fool!"
"...As you command."
Bowing his head with a scowl, Chiles seethed inwardly.
Damn bastard.
But he couldn't defy the order.
They had their own vendettas, and more importantly, they were too entangled with Viscount Bedron to back out cleanly.
This puts us in hot water too.
Still, Chiles had no intention of giving up.
I'll meet the White Whale Mercenary Corps first. With the viscount's spies around, better to aim for capture.
The viscount had ordered total elimination, but Chiles wasn't going that far.
He was starting to piece it together.
The Gilenoi Merchant Guild backs the White Whale Mercenary Corps, and the count backs the guild.
Play it right, and he might borrow the count's power to take down the viscount.
For that, step one—
Capture the mage.
"It's been a while. I hear you even met His Majesty."
Count Mordenaein Albert savored his tea's aroma while eyeing the man before him.
A year ago, this mercenary captain wouldn't have dared lift his head in the count's presence.
"It was truly an honor."
"Hahaha! And you walked away with quite the haul, from what I hear. Got more business for me?"
"You heard that much?"
"Of course. Anyway, I'm grateful you're still honoring our deal."
As the count said, Jun had maintained strict neutrality among the imperial family.
But Jun decided to ask about something that had puzzled him.
"May I ask something potentially rude?"
"Between us? Ask away."
"From what I've seen, the imperial family doesn't seem on bad terms."
"Hm. Fair point."
"So why keep insisting I stay neutral?"
Jun knew the behind-the-scenes drama among the royals—it was the game's main storyline, after all.
But unless the count knew the future, pushing neutrality made no sense.
"Right. You deserve an explanation."
The count narrowed his eyes, reminiscing.
"As you know, His Majesty the emperor rules with benevolence for his people. A sage king."
Jun was well aware of the emperor's gentle reputation.
"Yet some dare look upon him with irreverent eyes."
"...The noble faction?"
"Exactly. Greedy fools who don't even know how they amassed their wealth over the centuries."
"..."
"Especially a few who treat Lady Benes—Prince Javier's mother—like a puppet."
Now it clicked why the count wanted him neutral.
I see. Not foreseeing the future exactly, but he'd deduced as much.
The count continued.
"Prince Javier is kind-hearted and bears many wounds, but... sycophants could whisper poison in his ear."
And he worried Arshio—Aiden—might spark that.
"The nobles dream of reform. And your companion, Lord Arshio, shares much in common with Prince Javier."
If the discarded prince and third prince vied for power, things would get messy.
Thus, the count had long ordered Jun to stay neutral.
"I understand now."
"So... please, keep working for the empire's peace."
Jun had no plans to drag Aiden into power struggles anyway.
And more importantly, they were already preparing to nip that side's schemes in the bud.
"Back to business, then. Bedron—that swine. How should we handle him?"
The count's eyes gleamed with hatred for the nobles.
Requiem's leader, Chiles, scouted the upscale inn where the White Whale Mercenary Corps was staying.
The trickier the target, the more caution required.
Their foe was a mage.
A thorough, ironclad one.
That building itself was a fortress.
Even if half the rumors were true, Requiem couldn't touch them rashly.
Wait for him to step out?
But a smart opponent wouldn't.
"Chiles. The viscount orders you to get it done quickly."
The problem was Viscount Bedron's impatience.
Terrified of Count Mordenaein's name, he desperately wanted the White Whale Mercenaries gone.
Chiles had no plans to dawdle until the count moved, either.
If the viscount got nabbed, they'd face imperial scrutiny too!
Can't just charge in blindly, though. Maddening.
How to lure the mage out?
"Where are the other mercenaries?"
"The one with Akandus's Fang is inside with him. The other two are MIA."
"Scouting elsewhere?"
Unaware of the Black Guards, Chiles bit his lip in frustration.
But as they say, heaven favors the patient.
The opportunity he'd awaited arrived.
"The mage is leaving the inn!"
Late into the night.
Word came that the mage was on the move.
Chiles and his men shadowed him immediately.
Alone?
It reeked of a trap, but Chiles had no choice.
Better outside than assaulting a fortified inn.
"Chiles. The viscount..."
"Shut up and follow."
His throat already parched, he snapped at the viscount's lackey yapping beside him.
Ambush formation? And his destination?
Chiles dispatched scouts.
The mage headed to a deserted area, no preparations in sight.
Maybe an ambush force waiting?
None?
Paranoia? Or had he overestimated?
Or just sheer confidence.
Either way, it was time to strike.
Mages are weaker to ambushes than knights.
Whatever artifacts he had, Chiles was prepared.
As an assassin, he carried anti-magic gear.
Without mana, a mage was just a frail civilian.
Move.
He signaled his scattered men and moved to strike—
"...?!"
His comrades' presences vanished.
"Mirror of Perterus's Truth!"
Activating his anti-magic tool, Chiles nearly fainted.
The slums around him turned into a forest in an instant.
Realizing illusion magic, he gaped at the mage.
"Tch. Practice still needed?"
Jun grimaced as his ancient magic-enhanced illusion unraveled too easily.
"Hi? Nice to meet you, Charles?"
"...My name is Chiles."
"Nah. It's Charles from now on."
The friendly smile aimed his way chilled Chiles to the bone more than anything.