Chapter 135: The Subjugation of Beltus (9)
lN4z“Most of the monsters in the west have already been eliminated. The mercenaries dispersed and nearly all the key points have been recovered. It’s a relief that Lady Denise doesn’t seem to be seriously injured.”ZZFDMD
aNc2“Oh, Orel…!”5a6cK
MbZ5“Please be careful, Lady Denise. The members who went to scout around the mansion have already returned with their report. It was this man who subdued young master Robenalt, who was guarding the magic tower in the east. There is a high possibility that he’s related in some way to the chaos spreading through Beltus territory.”K6W2Ys
lRqCaptain Orel was a man with good instincts.Jzl
RFkmikEven in this chaos-covered situation, he instinctively knew that Dereck was not an ally.yD1
ba0zgQpHe shook his sword once and then straightened, fixing a cold gaze on Dereck.GKCQ
0dbNrOrel was an older man, but he could not be treated as a washed-up veteran. His right arm stood out with muscle, and his belt, strapped to his thigh, was adorned with all kinds of adventuring gear.AFR74
QONAlthough he had been assigned as an escort in the noble house for a long time, it was clear that he continued training so as not to lose his combat edge.RKR2
nbEAs the leader of the largest mercenary group in the southwest of the continent, Orel’s maturity could not be ignored, regardless of his age.CHs
7O9QAZ“I heard you were part of the Beldern Mercenary Group that Jayden formed. Is that true?”BFjh
avVGVMJHe seemed to be an old acquaintance of Jayden, the mercenary captain Dereck trusted.dJsrM1y
WujWOWhen Dereck nodded without lowering his guard, Orel grinned broadly and said.4qlfE
Wuyb7y“So that Jayden, who went through so much hardship in the Dawn War, ended up retiring to serve people like you, huh?”gEADRp
vAKd“To be honest, it’s more like living off odd jobs. The members should be arriving in Beltus territory now—it’d be nice to see Uncle Jayden again after so long.”fxsE
Wmf“Unfortunately, I’m not senile enough to reminisce about the past in a situation like this.”IPvCA
srBcrbCaptain Orel stroked his beard and examined Dereck’s condition.Umvpd2
xtRAkHe had cut through monsters, infiltrated the tower, subdued Robenalt, and neutralized the protective magic.MGw
PsYFAnd yet he didn’t seem tired. He was undoubtedly someone with extensive combat experience.TDn
udM“I’m sorry to say this, but I’m not gentlemanly enough to fight fair one-on-one. So don’t get any stupid ideas.”rHfuD4
GY366sWhen Orel raised his arm to give the signal, about a dozen members who had been guarding Denise spread out and surrounded him.jhZYx
T6E0ZThey were elites personally chosen by Orel. Each one had enough experience to be called a veteran, so no matter how much of a genius Dereck was, offsetting the difference in numbers seemed difficult.mnCW
jAZpIy4“We need to subdue you quickly and deal with the situation in the main house…”0PDBXve
Sp28“The main house goes first, Orel!”Wsz9
2Pn3lKBut Denise jumped forward, spread her arms, and blocked Orel’s path.6ZzBiD
aPIOrel froze, trembling, and looked at Denise in bewilderment.DbadoJd
453Z“Lady Denise?”9TflA
8FK3cOPOrel had protected Beltus territory since Denise was barely able to walk.V8jGAY
NZLbPAHe knew her well enough to be shocked by her outburst.5j6Fz
vdXPWMLDenise was breathing roughly, confused even with herself.FLu
pES9QShe also saw Orel—who had protected the Beltus mansion for many years—as a more fatherly figure than the Grand Duke Beltus himself.XLYgxaD
0zajrGEven though he was just a mercenary who worked for money, he always fulfilled his duty with excellence.CjfcF
pi45YVDuring the time he was contracted, he was an absolute ally—a model mercenary.H26
230sDThat was why the mercenaries in the Ebelstein sector respected him as a role model.cLXAx
DwQOdm“Look, look at the situation in the main house, Orel! You have to prioritize…! It’s more important to check Father’s condition than to capture that wandering baron over there…!”9h6yqf
3k6D5WkBang! Bang! Boom!q6O
pIZ7yJust as Denise said that, a roar echoed from the main house.TwW
FKZxIt was the demon summoned by the Grand Duke Beltus roaring, and the sound of Rodelia’s unit fighting the Archlich in the main hall. The screams of fleeing servants overlapped.gnsK
t1leThe very ground of Beltus mansion trembled.YURnam8
q09Q0l1If the clearing of monsters in the surroundings was almost complete, the first priority was to run to the Grand Duke in the main house.ppLus
z6JZKyIn fact, Orel had been heading there. He had found the two of them only by coincidence.mNkM7Qg
bO8j7cl“Look at the state of the main house. Father probably won’t be safe…!”JUY37
Ay3EOMnDenise’s argument was correct.gFGy
DpoEven in this chaos, her ability to prioritize showed her composure.Rqv
YL1TwBut Orel felt a strange discomfort at her desperate attitude.k51
moMG3Y“Are you trying to defend that man now?”pVaR
hONJzO7“Ugh…”A1lG2
OA25J“…”Xhw3p
BuP9ovWhat Orel saw next left him speechless.hJcT
Be6u9CEveryone in Beltus mansion knew Denise well—the elegant, dignified lady who always prioritized practicality over emotion.ZMu
oKNAY2zDefending Baron Ravenclaw, who was theoretically part of the chaos in the mansion, was completely contrary to her character.OOZ
6T9HVSeeing Denise tense and breathing heavily, Orel ran a hand over his troubled face.94B
oddmohb“Lady Denise. This is not the time for personal feelings to ruin things.”KwcW
FphM“N-no… that’s not…”amYvH
pFRm14“My long experience tells me this. In moments like this, there is no way a man wandering around the mansion is unrelated to the cause of the chaos.”eLlwY
ykgHe had to be captured and forced to testify about the situation.X5V
I9Vn1Orel’s words were so logical they were hard to refute.PxTQ7l
fum3That was why Denise had only one option.B5RTQ
Fd5RXQAppeal to authority.SRl
RX2C“You have to listen to me, Orel.”mi8
iPhpDenise looked at him trembling.jdtvoKj
ATPtj“…”IN4dkEK
1uh9r4Orel looked into her firm eyes with a complicated expression.1xM
KAZ7He had watched Denise grow up.UMZJuPs
cUh2DKHe knew she never involved herself in unnecessary matters.guKklom
JUKE1She always acted according to the will of the Grand Duke Beltus, like a piece moved on a board.CEsr
pPfJIt was the first time she showed such determination in front of him.ehYh
z30X3He briefly remembered her childhood.QzNGh3
FeBqdThe girl chasing a ball in the garden, the girl who cried after accidentally entering the barracks area.7NN
l6ETNow she was no longer that child.yYnnQP
CZD6fzJShe had the face of an heir.zuya
Mpu“Reanalyze the situation, Orel. Even as empty words—do you truly believe Father will be safe in this scenario? I… don’t think so.”blwKMH
gLkqThe Grand Duke Beltus was the law and justice of that house.FxsAA
TTKHe distrusted everything, sacrificed family, and discarded whatever was necessary.C6z
xHmFOrel knew that well.fZTD3q
9e0Even the Grand Duchess, whom he claimed to love, was someone he would have sacrificed if it suited him.B3LGzAQ
16QS98aIf it hadn’t been for his astronomical salary, Orel would never have worked under someone like that.hI6KOZL
Jh9o6“If something happens to Father, who do you think will take the helm of this faltering Beltus?”hsdrexn
FwlrtxOf course, it would be the official heir, Robenalt.ufyz
qP4IHowever, that was nothing more than the succession structure determined by family rules — in reality, if one had to choose who would become the true figure of power within Beltus, everyone would point to Denise.RwoG
I4O9Fw5And she had just openly defended Baron Ravenclaw.FHJne
9AM66The annual income of Orel’s mercenary group was covered by the contract fees granted by the Beltus family.11l7mKH
XFCqKIt was practically impossible for Captain Orel to oppose someone who was destined to become the true authority and decision-maker of the Beltus family.Qgpc
NtU‘I didn’t expect her to react like this.’q2A
jMZBOrel let out a hollow laugh.kYFS
ILEFbIt was more of an amused reaction than a troubled one.omCVb
KE5hRIt was the first time he had seen Denise — usually indifferent — defend someone so vehemently.PtJv76
ixinBEOrel glanced sideways at Dereck.cUP0qa8
29ip81Without showing surprise, Dereck assessed the situation, observing both Denise and Orel.BhTTXj
Errks4BHe seemed confident he could handle things even if all the present members attacked him at once.F1fbXRB
5crk7But no matter how skilled he was, he couldn’t possibly avoid every strike unscathed against all of Orel’s veteran mercenaries.QggQQtu
8iolpj“Even so, I have to ask. Lady Denise, why are you defending him?”IftS
ag79k“He came to help with the situation in the Beltus mansion, which is being manipulated by necromantic magic.”8dC2te
HXF1p“That could be the justification.”fhxlDq
UVhUnfortunately, Orel was someone who had gone through countless trials and crises.F6vNx
Qs0yO2Trying to convince him with superficial reasoning wouldn’t work.zh71
Nfix0G“I believe there are only two possible explanations for this.”gs16T4A
G8x“…”itDKbvg
ayl“The first could be that Lady Denise is somehow involved in all this chaos.”ElZZ9k6
cUYyzAt those words, Denise held her breath.dQK4
Fj6In short, what Captain Orel was implying was that Denise had planned everything to overthrow Duke Beltus and become the true power behind the scenes.WqL9
ereOWhether it was Denise or Robenalt, both had lived as Beltus’s puppets, ready to be sacrificed at any time.eh2yjV
jT75vBIt wouldn’t be strange if, at some point, they had reached their limit and wanted to change everything.wMX
kLTb“…No, it’s not that.”Bx7yjg
mIw4l“Yes. I don’t think so either. Lady Denise isn’t someone obsessed with power. So the second hypothesis is much more likely.”pJzvA3
GNWN64u“…What’s the second hypothesis?”2A1
KSQffuP“Lady Denise is simply a young woman of that age, so perhaps she’s fallen head over heels for Baron Ravenclaw and is blinded by her emotions. The power of emotion can be terrifying.”0JQ7QLC
yvs“This isn’t the time for jokes, Orel.”5TYgEmz
HvB“I’m not joking.”9Rv
BmVp“…”erh5t
T8M5q5RA brief silence.m0EKt
RPNy“…”rXRO5
AC2lA“…”n4aE11j
1jd“…”DS4H0H
v4mY“…”sDZgZxf
7azlrxlDespite having known each other for decades, an awkward silence stretched between Orel and Denise.g3l0
9rJT2fAt that moment, it became clear — Orel was completely serious.WLCz
8nyQAHowever, there was something deeply frustrating for Denise.bqdbuP
mfdAmidst her embarrassment, cold sweat, and trembling fingertips, she thought.zj4Ke
zc0fKkIf someone asked whether Orel’s comment was entirely wrong, the answer would be — not really.8c5
2EOcldIs this what it means to be a battle-hardened veteran?3vc57n1
6OlHHis intuition was so sharp it felt like he could read her mind.dp7wi
1s446E“O-Orel. If you have time to say things like that…”4Eeme
x5d“Lady Denise. I’ve watched you grow up while protecting the Beltus mansion, but one must make rational judgments when the time comes. It’s fine to experience emotional upheaval in youth, but even that has a proper time and place…”dYI
IWjCpj“No, it’s not that…! Agh!”QLiPt4
1J2“…”LfkCE3
2JgDenise, who had raised her voice for no reason, blushed bright red like a carrot and, after taking a deep breath, said.jw7BXY
7rM6ipX“Let’s just go with the first hypothesis.”c2ZUqpQ
zzBa8s“…”6rXl7O
ces“The idea that I was driven by a desire for power and tried to overthrow my father sounds more serious and coherent. Many people have suffered under his tyranny. Better to be seen as a revolutionary who toppled her family for the greater good than as a fool blinded by some ridiculous crush.”zqruz
r90“Lady Denise… I know you’ve always lived your own way, but this is too much. Just because you give something a reason doesn’t make it valid…”lOBk
h7KZKZ“Orel. Listen closely. I’m ashamed too.”n7fWBUW
ff4At that point, she had practically admitted everything.xD0E6E
bFbeVHowever, Denise stepped forward resolutely and spoke without caring about the consequences.TVME
CqYL2cHer burning face made her inner conflict all the more obvious.bQT
4PzvVc“Fine. I’ll admit it. There was a tiny, tiny emotional current. But! It’s not like I’m lost in a field of flowers like you think.”ygICY
WbjRj“I didn’t think that far.”TS6xFb
DHjHAU0“I’m a rational person, Orel.”F5gCR
IywE“…”gLxCeR
2UZqEOrel pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.xzbWIfZ
DpbnjFIt was an incredibly awkward situation.OVw
g6DIt was the first time he had ever seen Denise so flustered, and he didn’t know how to respond.cBuFat
w96M27If Denise — the one destined to become Beltus’s true authority — was losing her head over Dereck, it would be a delicate situation for Orel, whose survival depended on the Beltus family’s favor.LFQR
YUqHe looked at Dereck again, now wearing a baffled expression.5H2N
eSdkuTIn a situation where he should have been charging forward to subdue Dereck, they were instead trapped in a stalemate, exchanging pointless dialogue.a1eoj
21dJfOrel’s gaze turned meaningful.ZDGD
sTp1ZGDereck Lydorf Ravenclaw, Baron.CDsc
YtDNXoAHe had heard the rumors.UUJmKo
Zp7HyHe managed the Ravenclaw Training Center in the Rodelen region and had earned the enmity of Grand Duke Beltus.I8M
3bUfvuIt was also said that he had a close relationship with Aiselin and Diella of the Duplain family and had once greatly aided the Belmierd family.9wI
D2YRQHe didn’t know all the details, but it was clear Dereck had ties with all three great families.I72
cyRs9RNot just acquaintances — even their future heads and influential figures supported him.4I0
3ghAiselin, Ellen, Denise.wUg
Zv1bek‘In my experience, those favored by the powerful never have an easy life.’dRrBEh
g9YOrel knew enough.YiSNs
0tw3To be favored by those who would become the most influential powers on the continent meant that sooner or later, one would become the target of a recruitment war.BoQ3
jAwZ060If all three great families tried to bring him under their control, it was obvious who would end up torn apart — Dereck.DoHdYZ
mVlv3FcIt wasn’t hard to imagine the future heads of the families glaring at each other with him caught in the middle.CxEBs
TyUJVCJust thinking about it was enough to cause a headache.SjtJj
wA6He even considered a moment of silence for that inevitable future.2xoioov
vlXBut one thing was certain.evQMDYp
t4rzBIf they hurt each other, they’d all suffer — but having him on their side would never be a loss.72JCK
K5WnRight now, the urgent matter was resolving the situation in the main house of Beltus.NBH
BvU4HThus, Orel raised his hand, and his men lowered their weapons.99Y
pYxl“…?”KepetNS
XIduThe most bewildered expression was Dereck’s.5tTjY
2JwnKdOCaptain Orel sheathed his sword, stepped toward Dereck, and extended his wrinkled hand.8D8GYvj
1Z2TLko“After hearing Lady Denise, it’s clear I gain nothing from opposing you now.”KD64bv
7rKQqPr“…That sudden?”O2CQzw4
TPoA“Isn’t it better this way? You said you came to help clean up this mess in Beltus. How fortunate. We’re short on hands to deal with all these monsters.”Gdi37q
wSa8mzAs Orel took the first step, Dereck was finally able to lower his guard slightly.JEAD
V9js4jdThe members, watching every move of their captain, also put away their weapons — like a pack following its leader.NdYLit
zW2FidADereck, who had been prepared for a bloody chase, stood stunned as Orel laughed and extended his hand.3yKz5Y
kErNAnd of course, to have once served as Commander of the Imperial Guard required more than brute strength.54l60y
OddJOrel was a veteran in both intuition and tact.uxh8t
Uzs64ZQ“In any case, since Lady Denise spoke with such conviction, I’ll trust what I can.”Xot
OLt“…”nhm1ucS
rpUPzqDenise, blushing and fidgeting with her fingers, seemed out of place, but Orel’s decision to completely lower his guard was sincere.GPUru
klpuFPD“Seriously…?”6EJ4jJY
kDy5WnJust as Dereck was about to shake his hand—BBCSf4W
zj8xMhBoom, boom! Boom!nKiwq
hvfdCrash!a1en
FTkObbScreech!4vt
a7zA swarm of bat-like monsters rose back into the sky.FTMZ5G
3INsCKtThe spirits wailed, trying to engulf the main house of Beltus.OhG
LAeV29Amid the deafening roars, the Archlich’s magic also flared.8u2iiH
2ypIf this continued, the mansion would soon become a labyrinth of monsters and spirits.EHu
k0JTUgM“…”sY7sX
Ns2The eyes of both men, just about to shake hands, narrowed.QoOKjj
usu9sIt was time to go capture that demon.eB9wpNX
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