Chapter 77

No matter how carefree mercenaries were, they still had their own rules.

Some of these rules were strictly enforced by Liberi, while others were not formally documented but were tacitly understood among mercenaries.

One such unspoken rule was: “Never disclose information about your employer.”

It was acceptable to boast about one’s exploits at the tavern over a drink.

However, speaking about an employer in too much detail was considered a betrayal of trust between a mercenary and the client who had entrusted them with the job.

Clients would not think well of a mercenary who, after being hired, turned around and sold their information.

For this reason, unless the situation involved severe moral or legal violations, most mercenaries would turn a blind eye to minor flaws for the sake of survival.

But the Red Claw Mercenary Group was different.

The mercenaries of Red Claw didn’t belong to Liberi and didn’t care about building trust.

If one were to describe them in a single phrase:

A bunch of lowly thugs.

Despite that, the Red Claw Mercenary Group could still operate openly because they would take on jobs other mercenaries wouldn’t.

In short, they handled “dirty work.”

“Just like always, you know what to do?”

“Of course! We’ll handle it without leaving a trace, so don’t worry!”

Murder.

“Ahem, I’ve developed a new hobby lately… Can you find me a young and healthy one?”

“Why would you say that, sir? You should know I’m well acquainted with your tastes! Male or female? Which would you prefer?”

“…Ahem! A female.”

“Got it~ Just give me a little time, and I’ll deliver her right to you!”

Kidnapping.

As well as theft, robbery, arson, and more.

If you were willing to pay, they would eagerly take on any inhumane task, making the Red Claw Mercenary Group an ideal tool for people with shady backgrounds.

“I’m looking for someone.”

Ashié spoke directly as soon as he entered a building located in a rather secluded area of the city. The building’s exterior appeared normal, but there was an ominous atmosphere inside.

“Do you know a magician named Max?”

He didn’t use the polite tone he had been using in Baltora. Instead, it was closer to a commanding tone.

The innate authority and charisma in his voice made Da-eun’s eyes widen.

He really is a prince…

It wasn’t that she doubted what Kana and Ashié had said before.

However, due to his friendly manner of speaking and the shock of their first meeting, it was difficult for Da-eun to fully grasp the fact that he was a prince.

But the aura exuded by Ashié now—one that made the thought of defying him impossible—made Da-eun fully realize that he truly was a prince.

And she wasn’t the only one who felt it.

The mercenary standing before Ashié gulped nervously, overwhelmed by the pressure that dominated the atmosphere.

Normally, he would have bared his yellow teeth and cracked pointless jokes, but now he couldn’t even attempt it.

“Um… Are you a noble from the Empire?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

…So he’s a noble!

The mercenary bowed even lower.

Judging by this intimidating demeanor, he must be a noble of the Empire…!

And not one of those random, low-ranking nobles they often encountered, but a genuine aristocrat.

In reality, Ashié was neither an Imperial noble nor affiliated with the Empire at all, but there was no way the mercenary could have known that.

“So, do you know him?”

“Max… you mean?”

“Yes. A man with thin eyebrows who looks rather edgy.”

At those words, a certain man flashed through the mercenary’s mind.

A man in a robe carrying a rather large bag, who had visited earlier this morning.

He thought it odd that the man had arrived at dawn, urgently asking to be escorted to another city, but now it all made sense.

This man must be connected to that one.

Quickly piecing things together, the mercenary grinned.

This might be a big opportunity.

His position within the Red Claw Mercenary Group was somewhere between a subordinate and an officer.

Upper management criticizes him for not being able to manage his subordinates, while the subordinates, unaware that they are following orders from above, curse and call him all sorts of names.

To top it off, he didn’t even get paid much more than the lower ranks.

Stuck in the middle, constantly beaten down from both sides, this current situation, where all the officers were away, appeared to him as the perfect opportunity to take a hefty reward behind their backs.

He didn’t know exactly what the relationship was between the man in front of him and Max, but judging from how he personally came all the way here, it seemed urgent.

Being a high-ranking individual, he must also be wealthy…

The mercenary’s hunched back straightened up, ever so slightly.

“Well… I might know something, or I might not… I drank a lot yesterday, so my memory is a bit hazy, I’m not really sure.”

The mercenary’s ambiguous response made Ashié’s eyebrow twitch.

Having faced individuals far more cunning than this mercenary back when he was a prince, Ashié could see through his intentions as clearly as glass.

‘So, he was here.’

He also realized that Max had come to the Red Claw Mercenary Group.

If it were just a matter of knowing, the mercenary wouldn’t have reacted this way.

As Ashié’s expression showed his displeasure, the mercenary swallowed nervously, but he still didn’t reveal Max’s whereabouts.

Not because he had a commendable sense of duty to protect his client, but because of money.

“If I could clear my throat… with something refreshing… I might be able to remember… But I don’t have money to buy anything nice. It’s quite a problem, really.”

Even though the mercenary believed Ashié to be a true noble, he still dared to act confidently.

He was certain that he was the only one who knew Max’s whereabouts, so he boldly assumed that Ashié wouldn’t dare to harm him.

However, just as courage and recklessness are only a hair’s breadth apart, so too are confidence and arrogance.

Ashié already knew what kind of people the Red Claw Mercenaries were.

People who had long since discarded basic human decency.

He had no intention of handing over gold coins to such people.

“Kana.”

“Yes.”

Step.

At Ashié’s call, Kana stepped forward.

“…Huh? A kid?”

Seeing a small girl in a hood step forward, the mercenary scratched his chin.

Trying to gauge Ashié’s intentions, the mercenary let out a small sigh of understanding.

“Are you offering this child as compensation?”

It wasn’t unheard of for people to trade others as payment.

It just wasn’t a common occurrence.

Especially not involving such a small child, something he hadn’t seen even during his long tenure with the Red Claw Mercenary Group.

Trading people required a lot of effort, and he didn’t want to draw the attention of the officers, so he wasn’t particularly pleased with the prospect.

The mercenary, trying to get a closer look at the girl, somewhat reluctantly pulled back the hood she was wearing.

The next moment, as he met the girl’s calm, pink eyes, he found his breath caught in his throat.

“…Oh.”

He’d seen and held countless women in his arms over the years, but this was the first time he’d seen such a girl.

Despite his preference for voluptuous women, he was momentarily entranced by her looks.

If he were to put her up for auction, he’d earn enough to fill several pouches with gold coins, and if he kept her hidden and waited, she’d grow into an unparalleled beauty.

To sell her now for money, or to keep her locked up until she matured—he couldn’t decide.

He wanted the money, but the thought of giving her away to someone else left a sense of regret.

“…Huff, huff!”

Snapping out of his envious contemplation, the mercenary regained his composure.

Getting such a reward for merely revealing the whereabouts of one magician? No matter how he thought about it, this was a deal he couldn’t lose.

He hurriedly grabbed the girl’s hand and was about to accept Ashié’s offer.

Or so he thought.

Squish!

“Filthy.”

“…Huh?”

Why is my hand on the ground?

Awareness came first, followed by pain.

“Ahhh! My- my hand!”

The mercenary screamed, clutching his spurting wrist. His right hand, which should have been attached, was now lying on the filthy floor.

Ashié had never intended to negotiate with him.

Even if he had, he would never trade a person, and it was absurd to consider someone as powerful as Kana as a bargaining item.

The man who had paid for his repeated mistakes now wept in agony.

He would have done so loudly if not for the cloth stuffed in his mouth.

“Shh.”

The girl, who had calmly stuffed the cloth into his mouth, placed her index finger to her lips.

In her pink eyes, the image of his tear-streaked, snot-covered face reflected back at him.

The mercenary no longer saw her as beautiful.

“Hah… hah….”

Max leaned against a giant tree, gasping for breath.

“Let’s handle this like adults, okay? No need to make this difficult for both of us.”

“…”

A laid-back voice followed by laughter.

Max didn’t respond and instead darted his eyes around nervously.

Mercenaries, mercenaries, and more mercenaries.

Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but mercenaries, leaving no path for escape.

“I said I’d pay more!”

“Once we reach the next city, right?”

Molden, the leader of the Red Claw Mercenary Group, sneered at Max’s words.

Molden’s eyes gleamed with undisguised greed, and his enormous belly jiggled every time he took a step.

“But you see… For some reason, my instincts are telling me that whatever’s in that bag of yours is worth a lot more than the petty cash I’d get for escorting you.”

“…!”

Max instinctively hugged the bag tighter, his face showing a hint of panic. Seeing this, Molden chuckled softly.

Was he speaking from knowledge? Or was it just a gut feeling?

Max frantically tried to think.

“If- if you treat me like this, do you think the Empire will just let it slide?!”

“Oh? Now you’re even worrying about us? I’m so touched, I might cry.”

“…Damn it!”

“Don’t worry. Nothing you’re worried about will happen. You think the Empire will bat an eye over the death of a scion from a failing family?”

“…!”

Max’s heart sank.

How did they know?

Stripped of his only weapon, Max was filled with regret.

The Teleport Gate was expensive, yes, but it wasn’t impossible to afford if he’d used up all his savings. Why did he hire these people?

He should’ve just gone down the mountain alone. Or hired a proper mercenary group.

There were countless regrets running through his mind, but among them, “I shouldn’t have stolen the Dragon Orb” was not one of them.

“I’ll give you everything I have. Just… please spare my life.”

Finally, Max swallowed his pride and bowed his head.

As valuable as the Dragon Orb was, it wasn’t more precious than his life.

Only now, with his life hanging by a thread, did he abandon his greed and pride.

“Hm….”

“If that’s not enough, I’ll enchant your equipment with magic.”

“Ooh, magic~.”

Max’s face brightened at the positive reaction.

Yes, this will do.

As long as I stay alive, there will be a chance for revenge.

Concealing his true intentions, Max forced an awkward smile as he looked at Molden.

But his hopes were ruthlessly crushed.

“That’s all?” Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“…What?”

“Magic, yeah, sure, it’s nice. But don’t you think that’s not quite enough of a reason to let you live and risk the possibility of future trouble?”

“M-my magic will surely be of help-”

“Yeah, I know that.”

Seeing the murderous glint in Molden’s eyes, Max finally realized that no matter what he said, they had never intended to let him live.

And that they had been waiting for the right opportunity ever since he’d stepped foot into their hideout.

Max’s mouth opened wide.

“Help me-!”

“Whoa, look at this guy.”

“Boss, should we just kill him?”

“Leave him be.”

In this deep forest, there was no one around.

Molden, who had ambushed Max knowing this, watched Max’s desperate plea as if he were watching a child throw a tantrum.

Just as Molden predicted, Max’s frantic shout echoed throughout the forest, but no one came to his aid.

“Are you done?”

“Hah… hah…!”

Max tried to back away, but his path was blocked by a tree.

“D-don’t come any closer!”

He shouted in a frenzy, pulling out a magical artifact from his bag and hurling it at Molden.

But such trinkets did nothing to halt Molden’s advance.

Even the shield Max conjured by draining all his remaining mana shattered under Molden’s swinging blade, and Max’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst.

Finally, as the shadow of death climbed up to his throat, about to swallow him whole—

“Found you.”

A soft voice interjected between them.

“…Ugh.”

“Blech!”

“…”

Accompanied by three nearly dead bodies.

Zombies…?

Seeing the girl leading three zombies, Max stood frozen in shock, his fear of death momentarily forgotten.