Chapter 236
nNxlFf5“Is this mountain where the corrupt are hiding?”7NgCe
p0HtGUiGarrett Schreiner walked along the dark mountain path. With him were the Red Wolf Company, the guide assigned by the second prince of Linelt, and a small group of knights as escort.Tsf
TyYkX“Yes, that’s right. They’re the same ones His Highness the Regent had been secretly tracking for some time.”Oduc
7mHThe guide added that, amid the chaos caused by the king’s illness, they hadn’t had the opportunity to wipe them out.3eit3
k4nH5“How fortunate that His Majesty the Mercenary King came to our kingdom at a time like this. The regent was very concerned.”iIQ4T
SfYaf1“I see.”nreipp
YHAIn just a few days they had “found” the trail of the corrupt, as if they’d been waiting for it. And the result was this—heading out in the dead of night to a hideout of the corrupt.KG8L26
U0N7ZVyWas it truly a trap, or the truth?byO5z
Kd5IBThe Mercenary King’s gaze settled on the guide, who kept rubbing his neck.iVXpcR
DR7G“Is your neck hurting?”2PcQ
BK9“Yes… A few days ago, Princess Yuli held a masquerade ball. I got so drunk I ended up passed out somewhere. I think I slept badly, and now my neck and shoulders hurt.”SZf
E7vr7“What did you say your name was?”zGexp
Gy2“Kyren Excel, sir.”dnk
d4XXXEyViscount Kyren Excel. According to Fernan, he was one of the three most trusted men of the second prince.xTA
TtgpSending someone like that directly could only mean two things—either they were truly serious about eliminating the corrupt at all costs, or the viscount was allied with them and had set up a trap.517s
sesHdEither way, the result would be the same.6NF4i
8HXWaTwThat’s why Garrett couldn’t lower his guard.4m3
bgsE9j8‘If a demon were to appear here…’YFdHYkw
YdqH4lvHe wouldn’t be able to contain it alone. That’s why he had already sent a letter to Fernan to be prepared.PlwzW
noP5s‘But the probability of a demon appearing here is low.’f8GRpf
gHpfIn the letter he had received, Fernan explained that he had found traces of a summoning ritual and that, if it were to happen, it would be in the capital of the kingdom. And this place was quite far from it. Besides, summoning a demon wasn’t something that happened instantly.PIA
sgSoM1So the possibility was low. But then, what was all this?SDaR
adD4fDM“This is it.”74Tz0
ImnUKyren Excel pointed tensely at the entrance of a cave.hudb
UzVXGarrett barely managed to suppress a laugh. The corrupt often hid in caves or underground. It turned out Fernan was right.VCEotm
FIUO4iTThe Mercenary King extended his perception, but there seemed to be some sort of interference—he couldn’t clearly distinguish what was inside.cIE
eK1J1“No choice. Let’s go in.”Lh8O5aP
DnlsIt9“Eh? Shouldn’t we first check how many there are and what’s inside…?”Acao1
8PtEpK“That’s not my style.”NV9ROWz
ZJDBesides, Fernan had anticipated a potential surprise. There was nothing to fear.F2x
BxErAThe Mercenary King dashed into the cave, followed by the Red Wolves.GbAYb
XbVWb“W-Wait! We’re coming too!”EJDcH
k4EmBViscount Kyren Excel and his knights entered as well.LQQc6O
NJ3A***2QeJ40
h7BA little later, not far from that cave, on a cliff with a good view of the entrance, Fernan and Luina observed.rz4QO
azM“Looks like it really was a corrupt hideout. No traps.”J3kWKp
Dhbn6a“I see.”aD9Z6DD
3eg8WThey had been there for an hour. Finally, the Mercenary King came out of the cave dragging five corpses of corrupt and dozens of slain monsters. It didn’t seem like any additional problems had occurred.z6Qlp
65kDK“So what does this mean now?”rzBdx
X2cL3E“That the second prince just sacrificed his own collaborators.”27BZ
bSm“An internal war, then.”o38Sg
LBwomU“Maybe he was already waiting for this opportunity even before we arrived. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have acted so fast.”1ztxFDZ
uNA7vf2“True.”cwiEI
99NfoCAThough the opposite was also possible—a bait to earn trust, only to betray later.PDws
cwTbf“Either way, nothing will happen to Garrett today.”0mWBu
RFPj“What a pity, and I had my sword all ready.”oxv
DEbcPLuina half-drew her new sword. The blade gleamed in the sunlight.ip3
MXoaNAo“You’re that excited?”ArA
hh0Ok6r“Of course. It’s an adamantite sword.”4UEI
9myBNkShe’d been given the sword just before they departed.5I3x3EH
QGrE6“Technically it’s an alloy.”HDCit
uSZv“That makes it even better. The three great metals work better in alloy than separately, don’t they?”tbw
UKFSxgIThat’s why they were so coveted.Y1LoddF
BJETCe“And there’ll be no shortage of work for your sword.”WCqk
ZnnzYv“I know.”BKB9sBi
mIeLuina sheathed it again.Oa8M8
fvm“Want a chocolate?”8fqpw
uR40PMN“No.”xoWLu
g0gkgShe popped it into her mouth and, taking a deep breath, added:BNQ
7FxToM“While we’re at it, why not go for a walk? Some small town, as long as it’s not the capital.”slP9
MT147MZThey both had dyed hair—Fernan’s brown and Luina’s black. Their unique aura didn’t vanish entirely, but unless someone knew them in advance, they were hard to recognize.fBs5U
TfPqjO“My treat. I can’t pay in money because it means nothing to you, but at least dinner.”YEo1W
A9j“No, when it comes to money, I like all of it, regardless of the amount.”uDHfpX
v2YioiV“So, do you want me to pay in cash?”LgeSF3
bdj“There’s a hot spring village nearby. Want to go?”vfHDc3
nyx“Perfect.”Z2k0
7tHrThey mounted their horses and rode for about an hour. The place came into view—too big to be a village, too small to be a city, but lively with tourism.63iN
bxvmPEgFirst, they secured an inn. Though it was crowded, since it was run by the Golden Turtle Guild, they had no trouble.Tc0Y
Tkd9vbp“Shouldn’t we keep our identities secret?”VsW6W
NuG94N“I didn’t say who I was. I just showed a special guild card.”4gHydvN
ol5658WIt was a certificate only granted by the Golden Turtle Guild to kings, princes, great nobles, or magnates with massive fortunes.M9Ff8
Ya9R3d“The receptionist probably thought I was just another rich guy—nothing out of the ordinary.”oD2olM
pJKTt7a“And he wasn’t wrong.”LwHx9G
2DS“Just that I’m richer than he thinks.”EwKJY
lsRThey left the horses at the inn and went out to explore the town. It happened to be festival time, so there were plenty of activities to try.Hwc
e22O“Perfect timing to arrive.”xwMD
8WhS“Not bad.”Cf5V
JHApz93“Want to bet on that?”9QX184w
xzq“Did you leave your conscience at the inn with the horse?”Q7d2F6
rSF6EECWhat Luina pointed to was a carnival booth where you had to throw darts to pop balloons about thirty meters away.mqoM6
WeTi“You think you can’t do it?”YusVBYr
tiJrw9“You want me to challenge a knight who’s even fought demons in a dart game?”Yec66NL
0KT“You can use magic if you want. And if you’re too scared, it’s fine.”3uSsu
BGT6Luina smiled mischievously. Fernan snorted with disdain.i23HN
tLTpA1“Fine. What are we betting?”FxeyXb
TXklcX“Dinner.”KiCk4
DVdqZwI“Didn’t you say you were treating me?”lJmqe
R4Bj7l“That’s for tomorrow—if I win, of course.”1VBwr
qIRFGyNClack!7lG
OgaFernan stepped forward confidently and placed a bag of coins in front of the booth owner.NIIj6
yIYn“Eh? What’s this for?”62A
u9d0WJ“To fix the booth when we break it.”owi4
xDKJ“Excuse me?”GaR
UlxrQjNo further explanation was given.kyKoRH
Mc51m6“You go first. Ten darts each. Whoever pops more balloons wins.”A7HzCFF
ySj8oFz“Alright.”6hVub
kdccnLuina went first.Fxn
D5JI1vGSsshh!x515GC6
yvQn0TmThe dart flew like an arrow and in an instant popped two balloons at once.cCYhAAs
51xBoF“Two in one shot?”FCj
2PT6km“I just threw, that’s all.”wWuEV
jcZ“So it seems.”fI0WtKg
3QzUugXBut there were only twenty balloons. Having already popped two from the start left Fernan at a disadvantage.nHBF
wrrS“Now it’s my turn.”THcO
wPUvtFernan threw the dart gently, and it began to swim through the air as if gliding.DgGGBr9
8hsMPang!oJFw
6M9rppgIt popped one balloon and, without losing momentum, continued toward another.ja0Pk
0iU4GClang!JqzCm
qxLA stone intercepted the dart and sent it rolling to the ground.lZa51
FNZpNIv“So that’s how we’re playing?”DP6
trP“I didn’t hear any rule against interference.”KeTpN
eqfWbU“The just and honorable knight I once knew is dead.”gHRR
Tqsa“Killed by a rich man who bought him with money. Now it’s my turn.”3cL
uaDELuina took another dart. A blue aura of light surrounded it.bKg5r
byZFsssh!nyY3
ZFf30mThe blue flash closed the distance in the blink of an eye.djs
fTlyyJust before it hit the balloon, a steel wall appeared in front of it.hWCika9
xVYDmEK───!P57Q6aP
YkYHowever, the dart pierced the barrier and ended up bursting a balloon. The blast made even the rocks behind tremble.iIa
btHtzb“I had already anticipated that.”Kli
UAUwjOy“…Now it’s my turn.”BWTY8A
2IRKxVtFernan threw again. This time, dozens of stone spears surrounded his dart like escorts, each targeting a different balloon.pAUf22
cpGCInm“This is my victory!”SzY
kgQBoLIt was nearly impossible to stop so many scattered projectiles.Vfn623
8UvxnIj“That’s not even a dart anymore!”JLceiq
hjblA“All that matters is popping them!”UkQfJF
rMQ8OAW“Then…!”syEr
jgfgLuina threw her remaining eight darts all at once. All charged with aura, they sped ahead.W9iQK
jcgBang, bang, bang!aMmHof
sYwThey crushed the stone spears and reached the balloons. But at that moment—sD3yV
OBjLSfRrrrumble— The ground shifted, and the fixed balloons changed position.HZDa
mW2zCnpLuina, as if she had predicted it, clenched her fist.d5lLm
GyB3K01The darts exploded simultaneously, and the aura-propelled fragments expanded even faster in all directions.wt060s
L3fLThey covered every balloon.7BrrBEj
IWUUZAPop pop pop pop!hcOe
DG016EPOne after another, all the balloons burst at once.F5r33H
cH6Gpd“No way.”QWBlEy
YAFXFernan stared in disbelief.UblVOu
GoqDA“I won.”Uml2
8IgyLuina smiled in satisfaction.ZLw1Si
utaXjNU“Cheater.”BKMpz
omtcdN“You’re one to talk.”hXvs
l7K“How did you know?”IAth
KSU“You usually move the ground when you’re too lazy to walk. Why wouldn’t you do the same with a target?”sHNfg
6qDy“You know me too well…”ekmCg
w7r9J“It’s been over two years now.”hf1Vf8n
haKShe shrugged.AD38JU
6UUJ“Still, I’ll pay for dinner. That’s why we came out.”HihOZe
GrS“You’d better. I already spent enough on fixing the booth.”AdPnGlx
XnV“A logical reason. Accepted.”ZTHw
8bPrt“Want a chocolate?”3s9O
HX5JhtP“Yes. And what are you in the mood for dinner?”Wn49
ke9q“We already had too much seafood at the Academy. Meat is better.”AIWvL
0CWzcoa“Perfect.”hG2b8
eiLWwrThey both walked off, chatting quietly.iJYA
beExNa“My god, what was that?”8x9WNj
sByOQ“Looked like a knight and a mage having a lover’s quarrel…”dUhyoa
Rhp4CRY“Nothing romantic about that—they destroyed half the place! If they do that twice, the whole town won’t survive.”oHK
LPSguThe crowd that had gathered began to disperse.JCui0v
sGXOhm“…Oh.”3Leh8xN
BkPThe booth owner, now alone, looked at the large bag of coins.VIj3V
tZdX4uT“Incredible.”OaShD6
7nlBrx3He smiled with tears of joy—he had enough money to rebuild his booth three times over.F4EnM
dHF8***VbcOn
QckFernan and Luina then entered the most elegant restaurant in town.hPLm
MAL3HW“Don’t tell me this one also belongs to the Golden Turtle Guild?”DraLXo
1OgZwZ“No, not this one.”zVZ
MRAM5e7“Oh, okay.”elf51rg
qkP45EK“I only invested a little here.”ham8SMI
nAJGg“…Is there any place you haven’t meddled in?”d6kyQgM
RO7“The Golden Turtle Guild is everywhere and, at the same time, nowhere.”F0Af
2czHe showed his golden card again, and they were given the best table, overlooking the entire town.gSkQ
imUu“A little wine?”IX5jrV
UYgXn“Are you sure you can afford it? It’s expensive here.”gynOi
lFTlW“My family is doing pretty well.”Y2lmLGq
4ju“Last I heard, you still had debts…”wam
CqXDdC“Really?”b6Hxmj
6aOtUX“Just kidding.”czTtwXV
aQtOSiFernan smiled under Luina’s gaze.ZLSzfN9
XcqRkAt that moment, other patrons began to come up the stairs.SGG
XyAz“Wait a second.”VC3X
KaWFernan recognized a face and lowered his voice. Luina followed suit.nCmr
f1v“What’s wrong?”brRzh
kQhd5Z9“That man.”C3q01
867eHe looked familiar—Fernan had seen him in reports. Dark blue hair, black eyes, just like Viscount Kyren Excel.vPnb
Yg46o“That’s Count Patrick Pirandello.”ISL
Zk1jh6e“…The one you said is a corrupt?”PXPBq
fVsS“Yes.”Ek9vh4
DoUQ9The count entered with a woman who seemed to be his lover and sat down.IBiV
IXW“Why here? Could it be related to today’s attack on the corrupt?”i5qqfRG
CctkThen something happened by pure chance—when he moved the chair, the count’s sleeve slipped and revealed his wrist.nWNCh
72EPzFernan’s eyes locked onto it.VlJfg7
xc0A strange symbol was engraved on his skin.7ITf
TFQI6[- That’s it!qpMF
YW4sRzP“What is it?”uQBw
5EAlon0Gardner Alfenparsen, upon seeing it, was horrified.]mZf
nwxEJQThat symbol…DK4BUnm
4s4[- A contractor! A demon contractor! Contractors always carry that mark on the back of their hand.Z6slh2M
2NU“You mean he’s a corrupt? I’ve never seen one with that.”dGaw
LYONUd— No, it’s different. The corrupt are fools who pawn their soul. A contractor is someone who signs a pact on equal terms with a demon.]ZK7Hl
Q1HrAnd then, Fernan had a new vision from the book.4r3
IQJa[“…Is that even possible?”1Vg2FN
BCbr08— It’s nearly impossible. But some can. In the entire continent, only a few.rvz
kTT7R“Who?”]iql
oN8QHBy sheer coincidence.D68
wO4[- Colomo.Q3n7Q
4dt9PSy— Colomo and his bloodline. Only they were capable of making equal pacts with demons.]VZ8BMXF
IC4hQ“…Ha!”Q5G2s4h
zbHdFernan’s lips twisted into a smirk.oRXQ3Un
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