Chapter 242

“…….”

“It’s already too late.”

They had arrived late.

The place, which should have been covered with trees, was now a bare hill—clean, as if the mountain forest had been torn out by the roots.

That was where the royal family’s secret villa should have stood, surrounded by thick trees and shrubs.

But nothing remained. Just a naked clearing, isolated among still-lush mountains.

If it hadn’t been for Wooden confirming the villa’s existence, they would’ve thought they were in the wrong place.

“Is it even possible that, in such a short time, they killed Sir Garrett and erased the villa and all traces of magic?”

The truth was, they had lost some time after rescuing the First Prince. They had relied on the Mercenary King.

No matter who the opponent was, if it was Garrett Schreiner, he would endure.

But that trust had been misplaced.

Count Pirandello not only handled the situation but also cleaned up the remains flawlessly.

“In theory, it’s not impossible. Someone like King Colomo could do it.”

But their opponent wasn’t on King Colomo’s level.

“There are traces here!”

“They lead this way.”

Luina and Aint spoke at the same time. They were Garrett’s tracks—remnants left behind in haste.

It was clear they had scattered, fleeing in different directions.

“Whatever happened, the first priority is to find Sir Garrett.”

“I agree.”

“Do you sense anyone nearby?”

Maybe the corrupt were hiding, watching them.

“No, there’s no one around.”

“Understood.”

They followed the tracks. They found signs of battle, but no corpses—the enemies had taken everything.

No matter how much they searched, they couldn’t find the Mercenary King or the Second Prince.

News of their whereabouts came from an unexpected source.

“Sir, Garrett Schreiner has arrived at the refuge—covered in wounds.”

“…At the refuge?”

A Black Turtle member acting as a messenger informed Fernan. Apparently, they had crossed paths along the way.

Hearing that Garrett was alive and hadn’t fallen into the hands of the corrupt, Fernan sighed in relief.

“Then, shall we return for now?”

“Yes, that would be best.”

When they returned, they found the Mercenary King bandaged head to toe, along with what remained of the Red Wolves—fewer than before.

“Sir Garrett!”

“I was wondering why you took so long. I suppose we passed each other on the road.”

Despite his severe injuries, Garrett was drinking liquor as if nothing had happened, with a bitter smile.

“What happened?”

“Patrick Pirandello. Just like you said, he was corrupt.”

He bit into a piece of grilled meat.

“Not just corrupt—one of those contractors. The Second Prince had gone there because…”

“I can imagine why.”

“Then the rest is simple. That man was strong. So strong that even I couldn’t beat him.”

He paused, then spoke frankly.

“It pains me to admit, but he was stronger than I am.”

“……!”

“……!”

Everyone was shocked. They had already suspected the enemy wasn’t ordinary, since Garrett had fled. But hearing it from his own mouth was different.

“Of course, the gap was small. Very small.”

Not all Royal Knights were equal—there were ranks among them.

Garrett explained that his opponent was among the most powerful.

“And he wasn’t alone. Suddenly, monsters appeared everywhere.”

In that situation, the prince or politics didn’t matter: to avoid death and prevent further loss of mercenaries, the only option was to flee.

“And here I am. At first, they followed me, but once I gained some distance, I stopped seeing them. That’s when I calmly erased my tracks and made it here.”

That meant the Second Prince was likely now in Patrick Pirandello’s hands.

“From what I understood, the Second Prince made the first wrong move. He used me, manipulated me, and in the end, betrayed me.”

“So, in conclusion, not even the Second Prince knew Pirandello’s true nature.”

“They were cut from the same cloth. The Second Prince turned out to be even more trash than I thought.”

“From the moment he allied with corrupts, calling him trash is being kind.”

Yes. And feeling betrayed, Pirandello had chosen to act openly.

Fernan had calculated that the worst case would be a threat or an attempt at negotiation.

After all, no matter how betrayed he felt, the Second Prince was still royalty and the strongest heir to the throne.

But deep down, Fernan had known there was a possibility—however slim—that Pirandello would go to the extreme.

Because corrupts couldn’t be measured by human standards.

“In the end, it looks like your foresight was right, sir. Everything is moving toward the worst-case scenario.”

That’s why Fernan had used Wooden to collect magic stones and elixirs beforehand.

Why?

Because if they acted without restraint, it meant they had nothing left to lose.

And the true goal of the corrupt in Linelt had always been to summon demons.

If things went completely awry, they wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice themselves and summon them as a last resort.

“But now that possibility has been blocked, so…”

At that moment, another Black Turtle member entered.

“Sir, urgent news.”

“Urgent?”

“Yes. It’s a freshly printed newspaper.”

Fernan unfolded the paper.

“What happened?”

“Don’t tell me the villa incident already made it to the press.”

“Do they mention the corrupt?”

“They can’t possibly be manipulating the press too…”

Everyone gathered around and read the headlines:

【Regent Attacked by Mercenary King! Gravely Wounded, Brought Down.】

【While Resting at the Villa, the Regent Was Ambushed by the Mercenary King. Fortunately, He Survived…】

【Garrett Schreiner, Traitor to the Kingdom, Wanted! Huge Reward for His Head!】

【Why Did the Mercenary King Attack the Regent?】

“…What the hell is this?”

Gismond’s prediction had been right.

The enemy’s response was even more polished than Fernan had imagined.

***

The situation progressed rapidly.

News of the Mercenary King’s attack on the Second Prince spread throughout the Kingdom of Linelt, and wanted posters appeared in every city and village.

The final blow came two days later.

— “I received reports that monster numbers had recently increased in the Herobin mountain range. So I hired the Mercenary King to exterminate them—and he accepted! I promised a fair reward.”

The Second Prince, wrapped in bandages, appeared before the people.

— “But when I tried to fulfill the contract, he threatened me, saying it wasn’t enough. When I refused, he tried to take me hostage.”

He raised his voice until his neck flushed red.

— “A battle broke out. Loyal knights and soldiers of the kingdom gave their lives. But thanks to their sacrifice, I escaped the Mercenary King’s clutches!”

A perfectly timed tear slid down his cheek, stirring the people’s hearts.

— “Some ask, ‘What did you do to make the Mercenary King attack you?’”

— “I can say with my head held high—I did nothing! That mercenary, blinded by money, tried to extort me and the Kingdom of Linelt!”

— “The Mercenary King is an enemy of the kingdom! He’s not a hero, but a disguised killer, responsible for the death of our people!”

— “I implore the Empire to strip that infamous mercenary of his Royal Knight title!”

The speech was broadcast in every corner of the kingdom, and public opinion turned completely against the Mercenary King and the Red Wolves.

“He’s a clever guy.”

They had erased all mention of the corrupt, manipulating the facts so that the Second Prince could appear as a victim.

The injuries were real, and the stage was manipulated at a kingdom-wide scale. It was impossible for the public not to believe it.

“Looks like they even used hypnosis.”

“Is this really the time to admire them?”

The Mercenary King frowned as he spread butter on a baguette.

“My reputation sinks deeper every day. I bet the mercenary guild’s in chaos already.”

“It is. They say an official investigation will be launched to clarify the events.”

Attacking the regent of a foreign kingdom out of greed was a stain even the Mercenary King couldn’t shake.

Still, he was the Mercenary King, and the guild couldn’t discard him that easily.

For now, they could only buy time and look for a way out.

“So what will you do?”

“There’s nothing I can do right now.”

“…Is that all you’ve got to say?”

“But soon, there will be. Be patient.”

“They say spilled water can’t be gathered again.”

“That’s nonsense. With magic, of course you can.”

“Exactly. That’s what I meant.”

Fernan smiled calmly.

“They say turning a lie into truth takes a hundred times the effort.”

“Then we’re in trouble.”

“But I have something more valuable than a hundred times the effort—money.”

So be patient.

“It won’t take long. In a few months, Lord Garrett’s reputation will be as clean as before—maybe even better.”

“…I’ll trust you.”

The Mercenary King nodded reluctantly, though Fernan’s firm words reassured him.

“And I dare say Patrick Pirandello will end up looking far worse than you.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s a secret. Just let me handle it.”

He had no intention of sharing his goldmine with anyone.

Fernan took a sip of his coffee.

***

After calming the Mercenary King, Fernan went to see the First Prince.

Since the Second Prince had manipulated public opinion with speeches, they too had to respond with politics.

Fortunately, they had stronger cards Princess Yuli and Prince Antenor Linelt.

Though he bore the infamy of having massacred nobles in a fit of madness, if it was revealed that it was all because of the corrupt, his image could be rehabilitated.

In the end, big scandals bury smaller ones.

Compared to a plan to summon demons and destroy the kingdom, what Prince Antenor did seemed almost trivial.

After all, he had truly been a victim of theirs.

“It’s an honor to formally introduce myself, Your Highness. I am Fernan Pellenberg.”

Until now, he had only seen him in a weakened state—during the rescue or while submerged in holy water. Now, at last, they met face to face, in proper condition.

To describe Prince Antenor in a few words: “the male version of Yuli.”

A little taller, more muscular, sharper features, but the same hair and eye color, the same aura.

“…Pleased to meet you. I am Antenor Linelt. I’ve heard what happened. I owe you a great debt.”

“I only did what I had to. I couldn’t allow the kingdom to fall to the corrupt.”

“But… is it true? That demons have already descended multiple times, and that they will descend in Linelt too?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

The prince asked several times, unable to believe it—and understandably so. He had been isolated from the world for years.

“Unfortunately, it’s the truth. But don’t worry. Aint will destroy all their conspiracies. That’s why he came.”

“…So Aint Armian. If demons are real, then the legend of the Armians is real too!”

In the prince’s desperate face, a spark of hope lit up.

“That’s exactly why we want you to reclaim your rightful place.”

“I want that too, but…”

“It’s possible. You were only a victim of the corrupt.”

“…And can you prove that?”

“It won’t be easy.”

They had no solid evidence. Patrick Pirandello was meticulous and erased every trace.

They had even tried recording the rescue operation, but the villa’s magic circle destroyed all the footage.

“That’s why we need your help.”

“What do I need to do? Anything.”

“Write a letter to the Second Prince.”

“To Gerlan?”

“Yes. I’ve seen many cases of mind control and hypnosis—and they’re never perfect. They can alter memories or loyalty, but not the entire personality or all memories.”

“If he gets a letter from you, he’ll react.”

Because the First Prince was the Second’s most sensitive thorn.

“What if even that was erased from his memory?”

“Mind control isn’t infinite. If he forgets, we’ll just keep sending letters until he can’t forget.”

“…And when he receives it, what will happen?”

“Next, the princess will act.”

“…Yuli?”

“Yes.”

Fernan nodded.

“The princess will awaken the king.”

Or at least, that was the plan.