Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Changing of the Guard
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Leonard's feelings were complicated.
When he learned the truth, fury was the first thing to rise up. It was followed by a sense of emptiness.
‘Was it all a lie?’
He was ashamed of himself for trying to protect Arianne.
‘What’s going to happen to me now?’
Finally, there was worry.
The other party had enough reason to declare a war between their families.
‘We wouldn’t lose the war, but my life is over.’
He would surely be removed from the line of succession and have to live with the dishonor for the rest of his life.
“Now it's time to start the counterattack.”
“Are you saying you're going to start a family war?”
“That's one way to do it. If you hadn't come here, your family's estate would be burning right now.”
“How arrogant.”
“In any case, by coming here, you've seized your last chance.”
“A chance?”
A smirk played on Wang-sik's lips.
“Do you think I would share glory with such filth?”
Leonard didn't immediately grasp the meaning behind those words.
“What are you planning to do?”
“The marriage is off. I'll also keep the attack on me a secret.”
This meant he would erase everything that could be a problem for Leonard.
“What do you get out of it?”
“The mayorship of Allat. I'll be returning to my rightful place.”
Hearing this, Leonard understood everything.
If this was all a plan to become mayor, it all made sense. But that didn't make his anger disappear.
“You want to use my family's power?”
“That's right.”
The opposition from the nobles could be silenced by using Leonard's family. But there was a problem.
“That's something my father would have to handle. It's not something I can do with my own power.”
“The youngest admiral and practical control over Allat. I'll fill every position from deputy mayor to secretary with people from your family.”
The answer came as if he had already anticipated the question. The words stunned Leonard.
‘The youngest admiral and practical control over Allat…’
These were terms he would have considered even if they had negotiated normally, without the trap.
‘Even Father would accept this.’
It was a given that he would be one step closer to becoming the heir. That made him suspicious.
“Why did you create such a trap?”
“Because we needed to negotiate on equal footing.”
“So you dragged me down because you couldn't climb up?”
Instead of answering, Wang-sik turned his gaze to his teacup.
His silence was a signal to make a decision.
“I accept.”
There were no other options.
No one would throw away a chance like this and choose ruin.
As Leonard accepted, Wang-sik handed him a map.
“I'll need to take back some of the territory your family took from me. Let's call it a fee.”
Leonard checked the areas marked on the map.
Surprisingly, Allat, the most profitable region, was excluded.
It marked undeveloped mountains and swamps, which made him wonder.
“What do you plan to do with this land?”
“I hear the Mirje Trading Company is trying to buy it. That means it's worth quite a bit of money.”
Wang-sik said it openly, not bothering to hide anything.
‘He’ll definitely find it strange.’
If Wang-sik was also getting involved after the Mirje Trading Company had already expressed interest, Leonard would be even more certain that something was up.
So he decided to use that to his advantage.
“So it's about money in the end?”
“The Mirje Trading Company will likely become my source of funds in the future. But is that all?”
The Mirje Trading Company certainly possessed power comparable to a noble family.
“I have a condition as well.”
Leonard said, the anger he had suppressed finally showing on his face.
“I'll deal with those bastards myself.”
“Be my guest.”
Hearing the reply, Leonard stood up from his seat.
Dusk, the boss of the southern underworld, raised his voice, his expression tense for the first time in a long while.
“Move it!”
“Boss, we still have plenty of time…”
“I said move!”
“Yes, sir!”
The subordinate who had been advising him hastily began to check the gathering men.
—Tonight at midnight. Take over the back alleys of East Allat.
The order had been given.
It was only noon, so there was plenty of time. But Dusk's heart raced as if he were about to go to war that very instant.
‘It’s an order from the Master.’
He canceled all his plans and gathered as many men as possible.
“But boss, isn't East Allat completely controlled by that guy, Gail?”
“It is.”
“We'll suffer heavy losses.”
“We're doing it anyway.”
Dusk was anxious.
In truth, it wasn't a fight they couldn't win. However, they would lose more than half of their current forces.
He hadn't fully absorbed Drepia's forces yet, and the businesses he'd invested in were just starting to turn a profit.
In terms of power, he was at barely thirty percent of Drepia's peak.
He had only managed to come this far because of the generous funding.
‘This isn’t a choice.’
There were many reasons, but Dusk accepted it.
‘Because my life is on the line.’
The Master's orders were absolute.
So he had to do it, no matter what.
“Everyone's here!”
A thousand of his men had gathered in front of the Dusk Mercenary Corps' headquarters.
He had at least gathered men with plenty of fighting experience.
“Feed them the best food, and give them the best gear. If any of them die in this fight, I'll take care of their families for life.”
Dusk waited with his men for midnight to arrive.
The hour when the moon was highest in the sky.
A time when most were asleep was also the time when some places were most active.
The back alleys of Allat.
A place that came alive after sunset, forming another pillar of the massive city of Allat's economy.
Naturally, the interests tied to it were complexly intertwined, but things had stabilized ten years ago.
This was why Gail had been able to maintain his position as boss for ten years.
“Begin.”
A thousand men charged into the once-peaceful back alleys.
They looked ready to unleash a storm of blood.
“Huh?”
Adum, the second-in-command of the Dusk Mercenary Corps and leader of the assault, felt his boiling blood run cold.
“Why is no one here?”
They had raided the main base where Gail was supposed to be, according to their intelligence, but it was empty.
Not only the base, but the alleys that should have been teeming with customers were empty; not even a rat could be seen.
“A trap?”
Adum was fiercely loyal, but not talented when it came to using his head. So he belatedly thought of a trap and shouted.
“Everyone, get out of here!”
His men left the building in confusion.
“Huh?”
But it was quiet.
“What is this? Is it not a trap?”
“Vice-captain! Look over here!”
One of his men, who had scattered in all directions, came running urgently.
Following him, Adum saw a pile of corpses filling one of the alleys.
At a rough estimate, there were more than five hundred.
“There are more here!”
Opening the door to a tavern that reeked of decay, he found it also full of bodies.
“A trap? Everyone, fall back!”
His men scattered urgently once more.
Again, nothing happened.
“What is this?”
Adum couldn't understand what was happening.
“Vice-captain! Gail's body is here!”
“What? It's a trap! Get back!”
At the third command, his men didn't move and just stared blankly at Adum.
And there was another pair of eyes watching him.
“Dusk, that bastard…”
It was Wang-sik.
He had planned for Dusk to enter the already-cleared back alleys without a fight.
The one who had cleaned up the back alleys was not him, but Leonard, who had launched a cleanup operation mobilizing his private soldiers and even naval troops.
Since it was an illegal area anyway, he had more than enough justification, and he planned to use this as grounds for his promotion to admiral.
‘This place is very useful.’
Wang-sik had intended to take control of the back alleys through Dusk, but some strange fool had shown up as the leader and was wasting time.
A coast with crashing waves.
“Lord Leonard…”
In front of the black sea after sunset, Arianne wept and pleaded.
But Leonard simply raised his sword with a cold expression.
“Go.”
The direction Leonard pointed was the sea.
It was the very same place Arianne had walked into when they first met.
“P-please, spare me. Please. I'll do anything.”
She fell to her knees, wringing her hands, but all she got in return was the tip of a sword against her neck.
Realizing she couldn't persuade him, Arianne's expression changed.
“You son of a bitch. You had your fun with me, and now this.”
“Finally showing your true colors?”
“There's something you need to hear. Don't you think you should know why you're in this mess?”
“Gail is already dead. Daily will face a religious tribunal. Did you think I wouldn't know you planned this with Vega?”
Arianne, who had been captured separately, didn't even know that the back alleys had already been cleaned up.
Come to think of it, there were bloodstains on Leonard's clothes.
How angry must he have been to have joined the operation himself?
“Th-that's…”
Leonard raised his sword.
Feeling like he was really about to strike, Arianne backed away. Still, she couldn't give up hope.
Because it was her life she would have to give up.
“Please…”
No matter how much she pleaded, the outcome was the same.
“You bastards. I'll curse you even in death.”
“Even your curse would be filthy.”
Leonard approached, and Arianne retreated.
The waves lapped at her ankles, and she moved into deeper water.
“You should never have come out of there in the first place.”
In the end, Leonard pushed Arianne into the sea.
Arianne lost her balance in the waves and fell, flailing her limbs, unlike the first time he had seen her.
As she tried to come back, overcome with fear, Leonard grabbed her by the hair and forced her head underwater.
He could feel her desperate trembling through his fingertips, but he did not change his mind.
When the violent shaking stopped, everything around him became quiet.
“Filthy bitch.”
As if carving out his own memories, Leonard stabbed the knife into her lifeless neck.
Everyone has their area of expertise.
Fortunately, Dusk was an expert in this field.
His subordinate Adum had wasted a little time, but starting the next morning, he quickly got to work cleaning up.
“Move like your lives depend on it!”
“Why would we risk our lives just for cleanup…”
“Run without even breathing!”
The usually calm Dusk urged his men on like a madman.
—You have a fortnight.
A single line of command had been given.
The underworld of a massive city was stained with blood, and he was only given a fortnight?
Just clearing the bodies would take several days.
“Clear it all by tonight!”
What seemed impossible became reality when their lives were on the line.
Dusk didn't look back, focusing solely on carrying out his orders.
It felt like if he stood still, someone would appear behind him.
‘It won’t end like this.’
The old merchants of the back alleys, who were watching the Dusk Mercenary Corps, expected something to happen soon.
Although illegal, the interests at stake were as significant as those in the main thoroughfares.
Many involved parties would see this as an opportunity and jump in, so it was practically impossible for the Dusk Mercenary Corps, who had no local connections, to take control.
The first hurdle was the Allat City Guard.
The tacit approval of the mayor and the city's forces was essential for running the back alleys.
Furthermore, since the City Guard had been involved in this incident, they naturally expected something to happen.
But things took a strange turn.
No one stopped the Dusk Mercenary Corps' activities.
—It had already been arranged.
That was the only possible interpretation.
But that didn't mean everything was over.
The second problem was funds.
Reviving the ruined businesses and the blood-soaked alleys required money and time.
But that was also resolved.
The Dusk Mercenary Corps poured in an enormous amount of money and promised their collaborators greater profits than before.
Those who had been waiting and watching, impressed by their financial power, belatedly jumped in, but they only retreated with wounds after facing a firm response.
After that, there were a few minor disturbances, but things quickly stabilized.
Distributing illegal goods was something they had already done in the south, so it wasn't a problem, and any necessary manpower, whether men or women, was quickly filled.
Finally, by quickly concluding negotiations with the merchants, the Dusk Mercenary Corps came to dominate the nightlife of East Allat.
The time it took to get this far was a mere fortnight.
And just as Allat was stabilizing, another shocking rumor began to circulate.
—The mayor of Allat is changing.
The name of Allat's most powerful figure was about to change.