Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: A Champion's Price
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A large, middle-aged man was suddenly lifted into the air before being slammed headfirst into the ground.
*CRASH!*
"Gack!"
The man was Silant, caught in my grasp and subjected to a suplex.
His eyes rolled back as he passed out. I twirled my right hand and cupped it to my ear.
It was a gesture meant to incite a response from the crowd, but there were no cheers.
They just stared at me, dumbfounded.
"Hmph, a tough crowd. You won't see showmanship like this anywhere else."
Smacking my lips in disappointment, I immediately gestured toward the Mergiuer Merchant Guild.
As if on cue, Mr. Bill came running.
"Is he really… part of the Crimson Blood Guild?"
"He tattooed his butt instead of his arm to hide it. You should secure the evidence, sir."
"What are you going to do?"
"I have something to take care of."
*Fwip!*
Leaving Silant and the corpse with Bill Mergiuer, I dashed straight for the mansion's main gate.
Why?
Because the first black knight, the one who had taken Mr. Talos's head, was getting away.
I instantly closed the distance, catching up to the black knight just as he passed through the main gate.
Then I leaped into the air, spinning rapidly.
*THWACK!*
My kick landed squarely on the nape of his neck, and he smashed his head into the ground, unconscious.
But then, I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my head.
I looked around to see a crowd of onlookers swarming over, staring at me with suspicion.
"We should check if that one has a tattoo on his butt too!"
"Yeah! Let's see if he's from the Crimson Blood Guild!"
The crowd seemed to want to verify this black knight's identity as well.
But I completely ignored their shouts and slung the man over my shoulder.
*Why are they trying to pull down the pants of a perfectly living person? What a bunch of perverts.*
As I strode confidently back through the gate, the onlookers parted to either side.
Move it, you freaks.
* * *
The champion's duel ended in a victory for the Mergiuer Merchant Guild.
Furthermore, irrefutable evidence of Silant's collusion with the Crimson Blood Guild had been secured.
No matter how strong his connections to the count's family were, escaping this would not be easy.
The Crimson Blood Guild was one of the organizations that Count Poven despised most.
"They're all getting dragged down together."
Frixon laughed with satisfaction as he watched the officials who had accepted bribes being arrested.
Given the lord's immense fury, they would likely not escape the guillotine.
In contrast, the Mergiuer Merchant Guild's prestige soared.
This was because they had defeated the Crimson Blood Guild and other corrupt parties, thereby upholding justice.
Moreover, the fame of the Wings of Radiance also contributed to the positive reaction.
"But is this okay? We're not really his disciples."
Frixon looked uneasy as the rumor spread like wildfire.
I, however, was perfectly calm.
"What does it matter? It's true that we learned swordsmanship from him. That makes us something like disciples."
"That's not wrong, but isn't the context a little different?"
"It's fine. We'll just insist. The Headmaster didn't say anything, did he?"
When Professor Walrock went to verify, Jerome Klebitz hadn't raised any particular issue.
In fact, he seemed rather pleased that his swordsmanship had been used to defeat the Four-Armed Knight.
*He was the one who offered to take me as an official disciple in the first place.*
Of course, I had no intention of making that decision just yet.
Still, I should make use of whatever I can.
Silant wouldn't be heading to the guillotine immediately, but it was certain his end would come soon.
After watching the bloodbath unleashed by Count Poven, we returned to the Mergiuer mansion.
*Click!*
"Hahahaha!"
As soon as we passed through the main gate, a hearty laugh echoed from somewhere.
I glanced toward the garden and saw Mr. Bill surrounded by people.
"He's on top of the world."
"He must feel like a weight's been lifted. He suffered his whole life because of Silant."
"What's he doing now?"
"A meeting of the four great merchant guilds. Ah, I guess it's the three great guilds now. Anyway, they're probably meeting to divide up the southern district."
After Silant's fall from power, control of the southern part of the exchange post returned to the Mergiuer Merchant Guild.
But they couldn't manage such a vast area alone, so they were seeking help from other factions.
*Trying to swallow it all at once will only give you a stomachache.*
Of course, since they were the ones who had secured control of the exchange post, the Mergiuer Merchant Guild would claim the largest section.
"By the way, it should have arrived by now."
"What?"
"The information you requested."
"Oh! That was fast."
"My father told them to pay special attention to it."
When I returned with Frixon, there was indeed a package waiting for me.
I picked up the heavy bundle and went straight to the guest room.
There was no need for Frixon to know about this.
*There's less here than I expected.*
As expected from an organization that wasn't a proper intelligence agency, the amount of information they had gathered wasn't much.
Furthermore, most of it was secondhand information.
Still, it was much better than nothing, so I read the documents carefully.
"Wow! I don't even read the appendices on mission briefs, and here I am doing this…"
I shook my head vigorously with a look of disgust.
My head felt dizzy after being confronted with so many words for the first time in a while.
Despite my complaints, I was able to grasp the core of the information provided by the Mergiuer Merchant Guild.
*Abigail went to Ilek. Does that mean the Tomb of Swords is in that godforsaken lawless city?*
Ilek was in the southernmost part of Reilhash, but it was a city under no nation's control.
It had formed naturally as a gathering place for outlaws, making it a chaotic mess.
It was a place where the word "order" simply didn't exist.
*In other words, it's the perfect place for fugitives to hide.*
It made perfect sense why something called the Tomb of Swords would be in Ilek.
The problem was that this was as far as the Mergiuer Merchant Guild's information went.
Moreover, the report that Abigail had headed there was also uncertain.
There was a mention of someone with a similar appearance going there, but she was a master of disguise.
However, based on her travel route, the probability was high.
"Tch! I guess there's no choice but to go and investigate myself."
I smacked my lips and closed the file.
There was no need to look at it any further.
*Still, leaving right after I've arrived feels a bit off, doesn't it?*
I haven't even had the chance to meet the exotic beauties of Poven yet.
I immediately destroyed the documents and looked out the window.
As befitting a major trading city in the western Empire, the streets were bustling.
In a place where so much money gathers, what else would flourish?
"This is a perfect place to enjoy some amusement."
I watched the people walking down the street with a sly grin.
But it was at that very moment.
"Enjoy what?"
"Ahem! Wh-when did you get in here?"
Hearing a voice from behind, I turned to see Frixon standing there with a bewildered expression.
I had been so focused on scanning for beauties that I hadn't even noticed someone come in.
Clearing my throat repeatedly, I averted my gaze and spoke as if nothing was wrong.
"What is it?"
"My father is looking for you. He said he wants to introduce you to someone."
"Wait, what? An introduction?"
"Yeah."
At his words, my heart, which had been cold and dead, erupted like an active volcano.
*Mr. Bill really gets it.*
Traveling with my friends was fun, but they were still a bunch of tiresome guys.
It was time for me to enjoy some peace for my eyes and soul.
As I stared at him with eyes full of passion, Frixon's brow furrowed.
"He's still in the garden, right?"
"He is, but why are you suddenly so fired up?"
"It's an introduction, isn't it?"
"No, it's not that kind of..."
He tried to say something, but I wasn't listening anymore.
My mind was completely filled with the thought of being introduced to a beautiful woman.
I sprinted to the garden where Bill Mergiuer was.
* * *
"This is Ray Carter, the student council president of Venderford and a disciple of Commander Klebitz. He is a friend of my second son."
"Oho! Welcome. To be the student council president at the capital's university, which is filled with brilliant minds, is truly remarkable."
"That must be why you were able to take down those fearsome Crimson Blood Guild bastards, eh?"
"Indeed. Hahahaha!"
What in the hell was this situation?
I was currently not with a beautiful woman, but stuck between a group of pot-bellied old men, forcing an awkward smile.
*If I had known, I would have come as late as possible.*
Now that I thought about it, I remembered Frixon's face as he mumbled something at the end.
He must have realized my misunderstanding and tried to stop me.
You should have stopped me more forcefully!
You should have physically restrained me if you had to!
I glared resentfully at Frixon, who was hesitating in the distance.
He seemed to have no intention of joining this conversation, slinking away like a cat.
It looked like he was trying to sneak out of the mansion.
*Not a chance! If I'm going down, you're coming with me!*
With a fake smile plastered on my face, I pointed in Frixon's direction.
"Ah, my friend is just coming over there."
"Oho? Is that so? Frixon, that boy's contributions were also quite impressive, I hear?"
A bearded middle-aged man in a wide-brimmed hat gestured with a welcoming expression.
Having missed his chance to escape, Frixon trudged over, his shoulders slumped.
Once spotted, his escape was off the table.
In the end, he too had to sit beside me and force an awkward smile.
"Good day."
"Having young people with us seems to brighten the occasion. Hoho!"
As Frixon and I, now celebrities in Poven, joined the tea time, the merchant lords' faces lit up with smiles.
Eventually, Bill Mergiuer, who had been busy boasting about his son, began to get to the point.
"There was a reason I asked to see Mr. Ray Carter. If any of you have a proposal, feel free to speak your minds. I will not interfere."
"Shall we?"
As Mr. Bill took a step back, the merchant lords' attitudes became much more proactive.
It seemed the pleasantries up until now had just been an icebreaker.
"We would like to formally request a champion alliance with you, Mr. Ray Carter."
"What's that?"
"To put it simply, it's a sort of... champion sharing system."
"Aha?"
So, they wanted to pass around a skilled fighter to use as their champion?
I have a good nose for the smell of money, so I understood very quickly.
I used to spend money like water without a second thought, but I guess you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.
In any case, I was the one holding all the cards now.
*Because I'm the most powerful champion operating in the Poven Exchange Post.*
Of course, I'd be leaving soon, but there was no need to mention that.
Besides, it's not like duels happen every day. As long as I schedule things well, it should be fine.
My eyes burning with passion once more, I bared my teeth in a smile.
"How much are you willing to offer?"