Faith, Betrayal (1)
“Master, are you really sure about this?”
“About what?”
“About putting Lee Kiyoung in charge of the Blue Guild this time….”
“Ah. Don’t worry about it.”
“Pardon? But… what you’re planning is….”
“For now, we handle what’s right in front of us. Lee Kiyoung is from Lindel, after all, and even if his influence in Castle Rock keeps growing, there’ll be limits to how freely he can move. No, actually, this works in our favor. There’s still plenty of honey dripping off this tree.”
“Ah….”
“He’s the sort of man who understands give and take. Lee Kiyoung of the Blue Guild… heh heh.”
That much was true.
Contrary to my first, decidedly poor impression, Lee Kiyoung was the sort of man who kept surprising you the more you looked at him.
At first, it had only been natural to dismiss him as a lucky little upstart.
He’d seemed like nothing more than a man who’d clawed his way into his current position by using the Mercenary Queen as his backer.
But as time went on, I had no choice but to realize that his capabilities were far from ordinary.
I was curious how exactly he’d secured his power, sure, but that wasn’t the important part. What mattered more was the way he handled power, the way he used it.
He gets it.
The feeling that he understood better than anyone else how to wield authority, how to use his position to his advantage.
In fact, within just a few days of arriving in Castle Rock, he had already secured camaraderie with nearly every clan master of the small and mid-sized clans.
Of course, through me….
The fact that he came to me first was already proof of what kind of man Lee Kiyoung was.
It was a little funny, but in some ways I even found that part admirable.
He valued efficiency, and no matter who the other side was, he drew them into his camp first.
He rewarded loyalty, then made people feel just how useful he was.
The result of that was obvious enough.
Castle Rock’s balance of power had changed dramatically. From the broad, major currents of politics and commerce down to the tiniest little details.
It had reached the point where Castle Rock could no longer even be discussed without mentioning Lee Kiyoung.
That’s all skill too.
As I was thinking along those lines, I saw my adjutant, Park Ga-eul, open her mouth.
“I understand what the guild master is saying, but I can’t help feeling a little uneasy….”
“There’s no need to worry.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m not as stupid as you seem to think. And from what I’ve heard, the two of them don’t exactly get along either—Cho Hyejin and that side, I mean. So what does that tell you?”
“Ah.”
“It means that bastard is a man much like us. Most of the business he runs in Blue Guild is just barely on the legal side of things, and the contract he signed with us wasn’t exactly made through legal means, was it? It was coercion, pure and simple.”
“That’s certainly… what happened.”
“Putting all the stories together, he seems like the sort of man who treats his conscience like garbage and throws it to the dogs. He’s closer to us than to Cho Hyejin. In fact, I’ve even wondered if we couldn’t keep a slightly closer relationship with him… things like that. That should tell you everything you need to know.”
“Master… are you planning to talk about our business?”
“No.”
“Phew….”
“Not yet. It’d be too soon.”
“Th-then… eventually, you do plan to tell him?”
“The more I think about it, the more I feel like it might not be such a bad idea. If that old man comes in, it’ll be worth seeing. Can you imagine what Lee Kiyoung of Lindel would do if he showed up underground? We’d be able to grow a little more too… and we could even get a good grip on the coliseum. We could land a proper blow on the fools who looked down on Small Rock. That’s the idea.”
“Your reasoning does make sense, Master… but I’m still a little uneasy. I keep feeling like getting too deeply entangled with him wouldn’t be a good idea….”
“Ah, ah, ah. I’m being careful too, so you don’t need to worry so much. Hmm. For now, let’s keep things as they are. Who knows? Maybe Lee Kiyoung will even hand Marlin over to us on a silver platter… and as long as we act loyal for the time being, there’s plenty of crumbs to be picked up. I’m managing things properly, so don’t worry too much, Ga-eul.”
“…….”
“I was a little worried when I said I’d be living on the walls, but having connections really is a wonderful thing.”
That much was true.
The room was so spacious it could hardly be called a barracks, and it felt even more comfortable than the room I was sitting in now.
Given the circumstances, no one could afford real luxury, but even after the shift to wartime operations, being able to maintain a decent standard of living was enough to make one nod in approval.
Lee Kiyoung had taken care of us.
“Just looking at the room we’re in now tells you how much that man values me, doesn’t it? Really, he has no choice. Heh heh. He needs me too.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Anyway, Park Ga-eul. Why have you looked so grim since earlier?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Do you have some complaint?”
“No. Nothing like that. It’s just… everything seems to be going too smoothly.”
“I’m telling you, there’s no need to be anxious.”
“That man just seems….”
“Hmm?”
“A little ominous, I suppose. Of course, it’s only my intuition, but… I get the feeling he’s not someone we should get tangled up with.”
“Tch. You’re too careful for your own good.”
“I’m sorry, Master.”
“No, there’s no need to apologize. I actually like that about you. Of course, it might be a stretch to trust some lunatic who showed up out of nowhere, but when I had a drink with that Lee Kiyoung bastard last time, he said something interesting.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t particularly like gambling. But if you think you can throw the dice, then you have to be able to throw them.”
“Ah.”
“Kyaa… the moment I heard that, I thought, this bastard can do anything. He’s younger than me, sure, but there are things I can learn from him. Right? There are things worthy of respect too. That’s the kind of situation I’m in right now. I don’t like gambling much either, but my instincts are telling me this is the time to roll the dice.”
“I see….”
“I understand your concern, of course, but if you keep shrinking back, nothing good will come of it. What do you think the difference is between me and that man? Look at what he’s accomplished. Can you believe Lee Kiyoung has only been in this place for a year? Sure, part of it’s because he’s close with the Mercenary Queen, but there’s definitely a difference.”
“What difference?”
“When the moment of choice came, I never threw the dice. But that bastard Lee Kiyoung always did. That’s why I’m hesitating here in Castle Rock, and that’s why Lee Kiyoung is running Lindel like a machine. You understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes. Of course, Master.”
“You can’t get anything if you don’t risk anything, right? Ah, that was his line too. It felt like he was telling me to follow him, more or less. Hmm. Let’s stop talking about this here. The meeting’s about to start, so we should head out. Just to be safe, let me ask—those items are properly stored, right?”
“Yes, Master. Everything is being kept in the guild warehouse.”
“And the eggs?”
“They’re being managed properly, so please rest assured.”
“Good. That’s how it should be. Once everything’s over, we’ll get to stir the pot a little. Keep an eye on the outside too. The busier things get, the harder we need to work. And make sure the kids are being managed properly.”
“Yes.”
After ending the rather long conversation and stepping outside, a massive fortress wall came into view.
On top of the wall, soldiers were patrolling the outer perimeter, guild members were conducting joint drills, and people wearing the Red Mercenary insignia could also be seen.
But the one that stood out most of all was the red-haired woman among them.
Cha Heera?
Lee Kiyoung had said the Red Mercenary might provide support, but I honestly hadn’t imagined she would come here in person.
It was obvious enough that she’d flown in on a griffon right after the first meeting ended.
Her body, solid enough to look like it might burst, and the fierce impression she gave were exactly what one would expect from the Mercenary Queen I’d only ever heard about over drinks.
Just looking at her made my heart pound for no reason at all. There really was no need for any further explanation.
He said they knew each other back from Earth, right?
Honestly, if someone asked whether I was jealous, I’d have to say yes, of course I was.
Her strength was one thing, but her beauty was beyond question.
Her red lips, her sharp gaze, the way her scarlet hair danced as though it were on fire—she looked like a goddess who had stepped straight out of myth.
While I was staring blankly at her for a moment, she caught sight of me and waved.
Of course I bowed immediately.
The proper thing was to show as much respect as possible.
When I straightened back up a moment later, she was no longer in sight, apparently having gone in first for the meeting.
It went without saying that I couldn’t possibly enter the conference room after the Mercenary Queen had.
I grabbed hold of my scattered wits and hurried after her, only to find the others already assembled and deep in conversation.
Am I late?
It was only natural to think so.
The truth was, I had relaxed a little too much. Considering we were now in wartime, it was no exaggeration to say I’d made a serious mistake.
“You’re a little late.”
“Ah… yes. I’m sorry.”
“Well, it’s fine. Small Rock Master. The unit assignments aren’t even finished yet.” Lee Kiyoung’s tone made it sound like nothing of consequence. “Still, from today on, I’d like you to keep a little more tension in your movements.”
This is it.
“I’m terribly sorry.”
Watching Lee Kiyoung speak as though it were all beneath him, I could feel my mood improving.
Being friends with the powerful really is nice.
“Then let’s continue what we were discussing earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Ah. Small Rock Master, please take a seat quickly as well. We were in the middle of assigning units.”
“Yes, understood.”
“We’ve decided to operate the smaller guilds and clans in a consolidated structure. We did our best to grant as much autonomy as possible, but due to the overall structure, some of the assignments were unavoidable. I ask for your understanding.”
“Why are you worrying about it that much? Darling? If the supreme commander tells you to strip, you strip. Isn’t that right? Disobedience can be handled by military law. Just cut off everyone’s heads and be done with it. Am I wrong?”
“Yes, that’s right, Lady Cha Heera.”
“Ah… y-yes, of course. The Mercenary Queen is absolutely right.”
“See? Everyone agrees. In wartime, the commander’s orders are the law. That’s true in Lindel and true in Castle Rock, so there’s no need to drag origin into it. And just so we’re clear, I’m not as soft as my darling here. Disobedience means death.”
“Y-yes…!”
“Understood.”
“Sister.”
“Fine. Fine. I’ll be quiet, so don’t look at me like that, darling.”
I glanced around the room and saw that almost every clan and guild master was doing their best not to meet the Mercenary Queen’s eyes.
It felt like everyone was unconsciously reading the room.
That was probably the natural reaction.
This wasn’t exactly an everyday situation for the free citizens of Castle Rock—the top power in Lindel and one of the five strongest people in the Holy Empire sharing a space with them.
Still, remembering the way she’d waved at me earlier, it seemed that Song Jeong-uk of Small Rock was prepared to be accommodating.
I didn’t know the details, but it was probably because the Mercenary Queen’s lover had already put in a good word for us.
I’m safe, then. Thanks, Lee Kiyoung. Heh heh heh.
It was only natural that a scenario where I was stationed safely in the rear, happily scooping up all the sweet honey that came my way, sprang to mind.
I’d been the one to play the decisive role in elevating Lee Kiyoung to the position of commander, so maybe I’d receive even sweeter rewards.
“Ah. First, it would be best to announce the assignments. Let’s begin with the First Wall.”
“Yes.”
“As for the First Wall, since it’s a strategic chokepoint exposed to a great deal of danger, I thought it best to place someone trustworthy there.”
Exactly.
It would probably be one of the guilds roughly comparable in size to Small Rock.
Reducing the size of a rival was a huge gain for us as well. Naturally, my lips began to curl upward.
“The First Wall will be assigned to Small Rock.”
“Pardon?”
What…?
It was only natural that my head snapped around at once.
What caught my eye was Lee Kiyoung, smiling brightly with one corner of his mouth raised.
You… you son of a bitch!