Chapter 132

Upon arriving by ship at the port city of Ramons, in Frazia, Fernan first secured lodging.

“You’re saying the mercenaries who were helping us are in Ramons?”

“Yes.”

During the journey, he had overheard what had happened in Frazia.

‘Did they use the mercenaries to sweep the corrupted hideouts?’

While they were tracking leads, they had been stalled by an obstacle—just when Fernan’s letter had arrived.

Just in case, the mercenaries had continued searching for traces.

In other words, they were waiting to be contacted by the mercenaries they had previously spoken with.

“In Frazia, mercenaries have far greater power and numbers than I expected. They were very useful.”

It made sense. Although Frazia was a large country, its territories were so vast and full of unexplored areas that the kingdom couldn’t manage them all.

A sick giant. What little strength it had was propped up by mercenary recruitment thanks to its abundant resources, and naturally the power of the mercenaries grew.

Probably nowhere else in the world did mercenary power rival that of Frazia.

‘The nobles in Frazia who turned out to be corrupted must be desperate now.’

Frazia wasn’t a country where nobles were weak, but they weren’t strong enough to face the disciple of the King of Mercenaries either.

At least within Frazia, no noble held more power than the King of Mercenaries himself.

That Aint was traveling with Varus had been a smart decision.

Though even without that, no lunatic would dare harm the enemy of demons, the symbol of the Empire, and the person the whole of humanity was watching.

Aint dying in Frazia?

The demons themselves would rejoice, and the Empire would immediately hold Frazia responsible.

“Didn’t you receive an invitation from the king? He can’t possibly be unaware that you’ve been hunting the corrupted in Frazia.”

“I actually saw him once. He just thanked me for working in favor of the kingdom.”

That he said no more was strange.

A king realizing his country harbored corrupted individuals, and only reacting like that? It was a lukewarm response.

“Wasn’t he corrupted?”

“I couldn’t directly check his insides with aura, but at least outwardly he didn’t seem like it.”

‘Maybe he’s just too old.’

The king of Frazia was already over eighty, and he was neither knight nor mage.

More accurately, he was bedridden, just waiting for death.

“And the crown prince, did you meet him?”

“The crown prince…”

As they ate and talked, a group entered the dining hall.

Leather armor, weapons hanging everywhere, a rough air. They were textbook mercenaries.

“Fernan, that’s them.”

There were three of them. Each commanded a company of over fifty men.

“Sir Aint, it’s an honor to see you again.”

“Thank you for calling on us again.”

“We heard you earned great merit in the north.”

After greeting Aint, Aria, and Verian, the mercenaries turned their attention to the unfamiliar man among them.

“I’m Fernan Pellenberg.”

“Fernan Pellenberg? No way, you’re that Fernan Pellenberg!”

“P-pleasure to meet you, I’m Rick Petra, leader of the Griffin Company.”

“It’s an honor. I’m Roderick Fisher, head of the Blue Wolf Company.”

They introduced themselves one by one.

Mercenaries, as loyal to money as merchants—or more so—naturally reacted with enthusiasm.

‘Roderick Fisher?’

That name felt especially familiar.

Fernan remembered instantly.

‘Yes, he was on the list of suspected corrupted individuals my father gave me.’

Though he didn’t give it much importance.

The list included practically anyone with any recent achievements, so it was overly broad.

Even so, it was inevitable that he paid closer attention to him.

‘He has presence…’

In fact, among the three, Roderick exuded the most notable strength.

‘But if Aint has been with him for a while, then he can’t be corrupted…’

Not a guaranteed seal of approval, but at least an initial filter.

‘If anything’s off, it’ll eventually show itself.’

With that thought, Fernan finished his greeting.

After the introductions, Aint got straight to the point.

“How was Frazia while I was gone?”

“No notable incidents.”

“Yeah, though we were surprised by how many corrupted there were in Frazia, so we did a bit of our own investigating…”

They began recounting what had happened.

Then Fernan noticed something protruding from Roderick’s armor.

“Is that a book? Looks expensive.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Roderick always carries a book on his chest. He’s a little weird that way.”

One of the other mercenaries chimed in, laughing.

“A mercenary with an orc’s face always carrying a book—it’s strange, isn’t it?”

Roderick let out an awkward laugh.

“I don’t think it’s strange. Nobody said mercenaries can’t read. I wish more did.”

After all, the Golden Turtle Guild also dealt in books.

“It was a keepsake from my mother. She always carried it—until one day it stopped a knife and saved my life.”

“No wonder you always carry one. Is that particular book the keepsake?”

“No, this isn’t it. But ever since, I can’t feel at ease unless I have a book with me. It’s like my own artifact. It doesn’t do anything, but still.”

He added one more note.

“Even so, this time I found something valuable thanks to it.”

“Something valuable?”

“Yes. I couldn’t just sit by and watch the corrupted move through my zone. So I followed some traces and found this.”

He opened the book and pulled out a map, burned on one corner.

“I found it while rechecking one of the corrupted hideouts after you all left.”

“It’s scorched.”

“Yeah, they destroyed almost all the documents before fleeing. But this one fell between some rocks, and the wind caught it there.”

The map marked five hideouts.

If the corrupted had already fled, it might be useless. But if not, it was a huge find.

Of course, it could also be a trap.

Even so, they weren’t too concerned.

‘With this power, even if it is a trap, we can handle it.’

Aint had already absorbed the power of the demonic egg. It was unthinkable that mere corrupted could defeat him.

‘Though just in case, we should reinforce the squad with more mercenaries…’

“Fernan. I think we should go check it out.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Fernan handed Roderick a small pouch.

“For the information. If it checks out and we get results, you’ll get more.”

“I swear loyalty to you!”

“Not to me. Wasn’t your loyalty supposed to be to money?”

“Well, right now it is.”

“I like you.”

Fernan read pure greed in his eyes.

‘Those who follow only money are the most trustworthy.’

Sure, there could always be a bigger offer—but no one had more money than the Pellenberg.

That’s why Fernan valued mercenaries.

‘And besides, it’s wise to strengthen ties with the King of Mercenaries.’

It cost a fortune every time, but there was no safer card to play.

Fernan leaned toward Aint and whispered.

“Among the mercenaries, who’s the most worthwhile?”

“Roderick Fisher. Of all I’ve seen, he’s the strongest.”

“I see.”

“Keep good relations with as many mercenaries as you can. They’ll always be useful to have around.”

“Of course—though we should first check there’s nothing suspicious.”

“I’ll handle that.”

“I’d appreciate it, but… I don’t have any money…”

“Money? And you’re saying that to me?”

“I wouldn’t be able to pay you back.”

“When we’re done with the demons, you’ll have the means.”

“…Are you saying—?”

Aint looked at him in surprise. Fernan shook his head.

“This isn’t something to talk about here.”

And so, following the lead of Roderick Fisher, they marched to attack one of the corrupted hideouts on the outskirts of Frazia.

***

“It’s a raid!”

“It’s Aint Armian! Run!”

“Damn it!”

The hideout was real, and the corrupted, having not anticipated the attack, fell into chaos.

“Unlike the others, this one is much less prepared. Maybe we can follow a bigger trail.”

Aint, excited, spread his holy light and began cutting down the corrupted and demonic beasts.

Aria, Verian, Fernan, and the mercenaries followed behind him.

For a good while, screams filled the hideout.

While everyone fought, someone slipped away silently toward the deepest part.

It was Roderick.

Upon entering a hidden room, someone waiting for him in the shadows bowed their head.

“Has he arrived?”

“This time I confirmed it. The problem was Fernan Pellenberg.”

Fernan wasn’t always at Aint’s side.

But every time Aint fought the corrupted, Fernan was there. Even against Andromalius.

And all of those operations had ended in failure.

“It can’t be a coincidence.”

Once could be. But twice, three times in a row—never.

“I was wrong from the beginning.”

They had considered Aint Armian the main enemy, the one pulling the strings, and Fernan Pellenberg just a supporting figure.

That wasn’t the case.

As could be seen even in their conversations, the one calling the shots was Fernan.

With the money and power of House Pellenberg, he was the one guiding Aint.

“If they don’t even know who the real target is, it’s no wonder everything’s gone wrong…”

Andromalius, the other plans meant to throw the continent into chaos.

You couldn’t compare a fallen noble like Armian to the richest house on the continent—Pellenberg.

“Fernan Pellenberg… damn you, not even devouring you whole would be enough.”

Rage flared up like fire.

If not for him, Aint Armian would already be dead. The continent would be divided and drowning in chaos.

Things would have turned out very differently.

“…Not yet. All is not lost.”

Though Andromalius and Kimaris had died, in the grand scheme of all the demons, it wasn’t a decisive blow.

They had prepared in the cradle of the Empire, the Academy, had failed many times, but there were still many seeds scattered across the continent.

If those took root, the plan wouldn’t stray too far off course.

“That’s why we should have eliminated him earlier…”

He only regretted that the plan hadn’t been completed during the Continental Academic Conference.

“Gather all possible information about Fernan Pellenberg’s actions. In a sense, he might be an even bigger problem than Aint Armian himself.”

“Yes.”

The subordinate bowed his head.

“For now, cooperate and earn their trust…”

When the time comes, they’ll cut off both their heads in a single strike—Aint Armian and Fernan Pellenberg.

Then the continent, without hope, won’t withstand the even greater chaos that is coming.

“For that, first…”

He had to diligently earn the favor of Aint and Fernan.

“Where’s the next hideout?”

“I had one leaked elsewhere, and I have the other one with me. That’s all there is.”

“If Kimaris, who returned broken and defeated, found out, he wouldn’t rest even in hell. Khuhuhu.”

Though the Kimaris who would be reborn would no longer be the same.

Roderick Fisher let out a laugh.

“See you.”

“Yes, thanks for everything. The secret passage is under that desk. Someone else has entered—chase and catch them.”

Slash—

“Sir Fernan! Sir Aint! There’s a corrupted here!”

With one slash, he cut the man’s throat and shouted loudly.

As he returned the way he came, he didn’t notice something.

— Kyu?

In the place where he disappeared, something rolling among the stones glowed with lit-up eyes and began to rise.