Overturning History?
“Overturning history? That's the kind of nonsense armchair philosophers spout from behind their desks.”
Lugal let out a hollow laugh at Adel's words.
“Kid, do you even know how history is made? History is built on war and spilled blood.”
He fixed his gaze on Adel.
“Only a brat who's never seen real battle could spout such delusions.”
Even as Lugal mocked him sharply, Adel remained unflappable.
“War, huh...”
All that escaped him was a faint smile.
It was only natural that even the mighty War King couldn't see through it. To his eyes, Adel was just a kid.
He had no way of knowing that in his previous life, eight kingdoms had fallen beneath Adel's bow.
War King. Your kingdom knelt before me too.
Lugal's cheek twitched at the strange glint in Adel's eyes as he stared back.
“You're the White Ghost's son, right? Which number are you? Born in the desert?”
“Eighth. An adopted one. I've been living in the desert, but I was born in the central lands.”
“Is that so? Where from?”
“Don't know.”
“You don't know where you were born?”
“By the time I was old enough to remember, I'd been sold around from place to place.”
“Hmm, a slave origin, then.”
“Not a slave. Never had an owner. Just your typical war orphan. Something like that.”
Lugal eyed Adel curiously, noting how he described his lot without a flicker of emotion.
“Well, fine. I've got a similar background. You might've heard about me, but I was an orphan too—no parents.”
“No one on the continent doesn't know the Eight Lords who command it. I know Lord Lugal's origins.”
“Ho, really?”
“They say you were bought by the Crimson Assault leader back in your Cartel days. Handing his own mercenary band over to a mere slave boy after recognizing his talent? Not something you see every day.”
“Not bad, kid.”
Lugal nodded with a satisfied grin at Adel's response.
Of course. You told me yourself.
Adel gave a wry smile.
In his previous life, before meeting Karon and fighting for Azal Kingdom, Adel had spent the most time in the central lands with Lugal.
They'd fought together as mercenaries across countless battlefields, and Lugal had taught him ways to survive beyond mere hunting.
It was the first time.
Learning from someone like that.
Unlike his unknown birth father or the adoptive father who'd met a tragic end despite taking him in, this man was strong and great.
The final war in the central lands...
Adel couldn't deny that encountering him on the battlefield—not as allies—ranked among the sharpest pains of his life.
But he had no regrets about his actions then. It had been his conviction.
—Don't cry. You fought for your beliefs. There are no eternal allies. Remember that and live.
Even with Lugal standing before him now, Adel could almost hear the voice of the man meeting his end on that field.
Right. No eternal allies, just like you said.
The comrades he'd trusted, the king he'd followed—they'd tried to kill him on his brightest, most glorious day.
It was a truth bought with his life.
But this time around, I hope we can point our swords in the same direction.
He whispered those unheard thoughts toward Lugal.
“You killed those White Ghost nobles in the market, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you're standing tall after committing murder.”
“They picked the fight first. Self-defense, in my book.”
Adel steadied his rippling heart and answered Lugal's question calmly.
“I didn't think the Mercenary King would grill me over it.”
“Pfft, why not? Let a murderer walk free in my territory?”
“It'd be trouble in another kingdom. But this is Zen Kingdom.”
“You think so little of my kingdom that murder's fair game here?”
“The opposite.”
Adel spoke as if he'd been waiting for the chance.
“It's because I respect you that I could do it. War King, you're not the type to dodge a fight that comes knocking.”
“Kukuku... That so?”
“This place crawls with mercenaries. Yet order holds because they follow the code of the sword.”
“Amusing talk from a mere hunter. Mercenaries live by sword and blood, sure. But that doesn't mean you kill whenever you feel like it.”
Clank—
Lugal took a heavy step forward.
“We live by the code of the sword, not the rule of blood. Killers who revel in it are just madmen, not mercenaries.”
Thud!!
His upper body was clad only in thin cloth, but his legs were sheathed in plate armor so thick its depth was impossible to gauge.
“Which are you?”
“I don't see killing people as honorable. But I'm no mercenary or madman either.”
“Then what?”
“Like you said, just a hunter. And hunters don't waste the moment of the hunt.”
Adel told him plainly.
“Kuk, kukuku... A hunter, eh... Looks like Hien struck gold this time.”
“Ahem, Lord Lugal.”
Sagael frowned slightly at the response and shook his head.
But Lugal waved him off, silencing the interruption.
“Enough. I didn't call the kid here to scold him anyway. Good answer.”
Sagael sighed lowly and shook his head again at that.
“......Pardon?”
“If you've gripped your weapon, that place is a battlefield, a hunting ground. Battlefields mean blood. And standing there means staking your life.”
Lugal said.
“Mercenary or hunter, it's the same—kill or be killed. Plus, those bastards rubbed me the wrong way anyway.”
“Haha...”
Adel let out a soft laugh at his words.
“Why the laugh?”
Lugal turned his head.
“Doesn't sound like something a king of a nation should say. Don't you need their help?”
“King my ass... Going from band leader to king, and now every little thing's a hassle. Can't even vent my spleen when lizard brats run wild on my land.”
“Ahem...”
Sagael cleared his throat sharply, unable to bear it any longer, cutting him off.
“Lord Lugal. Even a child knows this. They're important guests here to aid us. But that's not something to say in front of a kid you've just met.”
“Important? Then that makes this kid an important guest too. And he's no ordinary brat—Hien's son, right?”
“True, he's Hien's son. But that's all. He's not here on Hien's business.”
“......”
“He's just a traveler passing through. He'll stay a bit and leave. But he's caused a massive problem.”
“And?”
“Letting him go without repercussions will tangle things with the White Ghost nobles. If this one kid derails our plans...”
He looked at Lugal.
“Who's more important?”
Lugal didn't answer right away, but his hardened expression said it all.
“......Reports say the monsters around the kingdom are stirring unnaturally. They're gathering. Probably the Balrocs that rampaged after Kaztan was wiped out.”
“I know.”
“They could attack any moment. Without the White Ghost nobles, we have no way to stop them.”
“Sagael, cooped up in the castle so long you've gone soft as a toothless tiger. If mercenaries fear battle, we're done.”
“It's not fear of battle.”
Sagael let out a low sigh.
“Order me, and I'll hold them off alone if needed. But we're no longer wandering sellswords.”
He pointed out the window.
“We have people to protect now.”
“You saying hand Hien's son over to those bastards?”
Lugal's face darkened at Sagael's words.
“The White Ghost nobles made a request. No kid, no help.”
“Crazy bastards. Pick a fight with a child, lose, and now they're pulling this shit without a shred of shame. Kellop's doing, no doubt?”
“No choice. He's their representative here.”
Adel watched their back-and-forth, like a heated argument.
“No hard feelings toward you. But just as you stirred trouble in our kingdom on a whim, we have our own circumstances.”
“You plan to hand me over to the White Ghost nobles?”
“Nah. Lord Lugal wouldn't stand for that.”
Sagael scratched his head as he spoke.
“Run.”
“......Pardon?”
“We'll get you out of the city quietly. That's why we called you. It's the most we can do...”
He clicked his tongue.
“If you're a desert hunter and not just some kid, you can handle the rest.”
“You sure that's wise? Letting me go could sour things with the White Ghost nobles.”
“You'll get it if you hear what they demanded. Screw up, and we might end up at war with Ulan just to save our skins.”
“I'd rather pass on that disgrace. We fight for pay, not plunder.”
Adel smirked at his words. It was obvious, but Lugal was still exactly as he remembered.
“Thanks. If you're letting me go... I should repay the favor.”
“Haha, you? Nah. Not desperate enough to take from a little kid.”
“I'm young, but first and foremost, a Ulan hunter. You could hold me if you wanted, War King—but you're sparing me. By Ulan code, a life for a life.”
“Kukuku. And what can you offer me?”
Lugal chuckled as if it were adorable.
“The White Ghost nobles' lives.”
“......Hm?”
It was then.
“R-report, sir!!”
“What's the racket in the dead of night?”
Lugal scowled and bellowed at the panting soldier who burst in.
“The... the White Ghost nobles have all vanished.”
“What? What the hell does that mean?”
“Don't know. Their quarters are covered in bloodstains. Furniture and gear all left behind. Like they fled in a panic.”
“Wh-what the...”
Even the battle-hardened veteran Sagael couldn't hide his shock at the report.
“One first. But a few young dragons won't cut it. My life's worth a pretty penny.”
At that moment, both men turned to Adel.
“Add a bit more... How about the lives of Zen Kingdom's 100,000?”
“......What?”
Adel spoke leisurely to the two men who couldn't hide their astonishment.
“Balrog hunt.”