NOVEL WEB Chapter 36
36.
Who is benefiting quietly at this moment?
It is none other than the Southern Faction, centered around the Southern Marchlord.
The Southern Marchlord, Laura Felanter.
She is the commander of the south, ennobled by the Emperor, holding military authority and responsibility delegated from the Foreign Palace to guard the southern borders on behalf of the Empire.
She is a noble who holds the second strongest military power in the Empire, only after the Grand Duke of the North, ruling over the south where the mercenary trade thrives and strategic materials like iron ore are produced.
Although the Marchlord did not come to the capital due to guarding the border, the Southern nobles were presenting various opinions at the Imperial Palace on her behalf.
The purpose of this southern trip is to curb such a Marchlord and the Southern Faction. And…
A passing remark heard during the administrative meeting.
The scandal of the Count Chamel. Rumor has it that he had an affair with a male Human-Beast.
If one wants to make contact with the Human-Beast race, there must be records of entering the Grand Forest, and those records, strictly managed by the Marchlord, along with various other pieces of information, could be obtained. If I probe her, who belongs to the Eastern faction, I could potentially remove a key figure.
There’s no one who won’t have some dirt on them if you dig deep enough.
‘I will seal off any chance of escape and swiftly decapitate.’
By slowly chipping away at the factions like this, their strong unity will be shaken. Once cracks between the factions appear… that will be the end of the giant who has held dominance in the Empire’s east.
The punishment of Brihon will be the first step.
‘Do not think you will get away with this.’
It was also infuriating that they attacked Ruben. And on top of that, they’re siphoning off supplies provided by the nation?
I don’t know who commissioned them yet, but I will soon.
It doesn’t even matter if it wasn’t the Southern Faction. Just tie them in and that’s good enough.
Even if the rumor is false, it doesn’t matter.
Apply pressure on the South, and use that to wedge into the gaps of the East or West.
“Commander. I have found it. The two-story building on the outskirts. Allow me to guide you.”
I nodded my head and began walking.
***
Brihon may not be the top mercenary guild in the Empire, but it is one that is well-regarded in the South.
Not quite a large scale mercenary guild operating in the major city under the Southern Marchlord, but it has earned respect in the Southern regions and nearby capital areas.
A guild’s reputation is often determined by either the fame of its members or their ability to resolve high-rank missions, and Brihon falls squarely into the latter category.
No one made a name for themselves through brute force. The majority consisted of individuals who had wielded some power in their villages, or ex-members of criminal organizations, wanderers who had lived by the sword.
So how did such a motley crew manage to elevate their name?
The answer is simple: Brihon imposes no restrictions on membership.
– Has a sound body.
– Knows how to fight.
– Possesses courage.
– Does not quarrel with family members.
Because of these loose requirements, Brihon was large in size. Moreover, unlike other large guilds that decline petty or shady commissions, Brihon accepted all commissions that they could handle.
Over time, skilled individuals joined the guild and contributed to its power.
As their modest fame grew, Brihon’s name eventually reached the capital.
A few nobles, needing a sizable guild to take on questionable jobs, made contact with Brihon.
Through the connections of central nobility, Brihon smoothly tied itself with the nobles of Barhen, the small city from which they began.
Through the cunning of the guildmaster, Batan, Brihon secured the solid backing of a patron and thus evolved into a reputable guild of the South.
And so, holding their own established place…
Not covering the entire Empire, but in the South, Brihon soared as one of the top mercenary guilds, with a bright future ahead…
Until…
Bang!
An explosion of sound shattered the door of the Brihon mercenary guild.
“Aahhhh!”
“What the hell is this?!”
The overwhelming thunder silenced the noisy office. Suddenly startled, the mercenaries turned their heads.
The door was gone, leaving an empty entryway through which cold wind blew. Just as the mercenaries shivered from the chilling air brushing against their sleeves…
Someone stepped in, clearing away the debris with their feet.
Two mysterious figures emerged.
The male with silver hair and a youth with black.
Heavy robes draped over their bodies, and at their waists hung sleek yet expensive sword sheaths.
While the silver-haired male was impressive, the black-haired youth was the one who captured the mercenaries’ attention.
He was taller than the silver-haired male, his robust build noticeable even under the robe, and his face carried an expression of irritation.
He radiated an intimidating presence simply by standing and casually glanced around the room before speaking.
“Brihon Mercenary Guild. Is this the right place?”
In response to his curt question, no one answered.
As the mercenaries remained silent, chilled to the bone by the oppressive aura, the bald man who had been sent flying along with the broken door rose.
“What the fu—”
As the bald man muttered curses, Cain addressed him.
“Baldy, where is the guildmaster?”
“What?”
The bald man’s face flushed instantly.
After being thrown violently and now aching all over, hearing such an insult with not even an apology was clearly an indication of disrespect.
The moment the bald man drew a dagger, and the other mercenaries stood up glaring ominously at Cain…
After a brief silence, as the bald man hurled himself at Cain…
Cruel darted forward faster and swung his leg.
Bang!
A steel-booted blow struck the bald man squarely in the chest.
With a choking sound, the bald man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell. While the skilled mercenaries hesitated at this alarming display, the rest charged chaotically.
The ground floor of Brihon’s mercenary guild descended into madness.
“Cheeky brat!”
“Did you come from Fatal? Have you finally gone mad?”
“Do you know where you are to dare storm in like that!”
The mercenaries shouted.
The sounds of mercenaries being struck by Cruel’s attacks.
Desks and chairs shattered, creating disorder as the一楼 was vandalized.
As the guild’s office devolved into chaos,
Cruel was beating up the foolish mercenaries. Several were approaching Cain.
“Get that bastard!”
“Take him hostage! Sever his arm if you must!”
When some mercenaries ran towards Cain, who had been watching idly without participating in the fight…
A silver wind cut through the air, and with a single swing, the mercenaries’ faces were crushed, creating a large hole in the office wall.
At this absurd display, everyone froze.
“Where is your guildmaster?” Cain asked calmly, repeating the question.
No one replied. In response, Cruel gripped his sword hilt.
“If you fail to answer, it shall be considered an insult, and I shall swear on my sword to restore honor.”
Insult, honor, oath.
At these formal words, the mercenaries reacted sharply.
“Kni— knight?!”
“What the hell…!”
If the speaker was a knight, then he was either a noble or at least of noble-like status. If the knight felt offended, he could strike someone down without any legal repercussions.
Additionally, they demonstrated a clear disparity in combat prowess. Newly appointed knights or vassal knights might have been manageable due to their immaturity, but after a moment’s fight, the mercenaries felt it painfully.
With no hesitation in movement and no signs of disarray in their breathing, the knight was seasoned, and incredibly powerful.
At this realization, the mercenaries immediately knelt down.
Bang!
Regardless of the splitting of their foreheads, the mercenaries trembled fearing that sharp sword might turn towards their necks.
Silence enveloped the office.
When Cruel spoke again, a treacherous-looking man appeared and interrupted.
“Please wait a moment! It’s me, I am the guildmaster!”
A noisy entrance revealed the guildmaster descending quickly from the second floor, swiftly running to Cruel and prostrating himself.
“Guildmaster?”
“Yes, yes! I am Batan, the guildmaster.”
Cruel diverted his gaze. Cain nodded and grabbed the back of Batan’s neck.
“Ah!”
As Batan was lifted into the air in confusion, Cain addressed Cruel.
“I’ll go confirm a few things. Restrain him while I’m gone.”
“Understood.”
As the mercenaries gaped stupidly at Batan, dangling in one hand, Cain headed toward where Batan had jumped from—upstairs.
The large sign reading “Guildmaster’s Office” caught Cain’s eye before he kicked the door.
Bang!
“Ugh!”
Batan, who had tumbled to the ground, quickly rose, his measured gaze meeting Cain’s.
“There should be transaction records. Bring them all now.”
“Um… Transaction records? I don’t quite—”
Punch!
“Ugh!”
“Don’t try to play dumb. For any delay, I will start cutting off fingers.”
Batan grabbed the back of his head as an unpleasant sound was heard. The pain brought tears to his eyes!
Fueled by anger, he reflexively looked up but immediately averted his gaze upon meeting Cain’s eyes.
“…”
Understanding nothing, Batan quickly stated.
“Here! These documents contain transaction records between our guild and the clients over the past year. There are no records beyond that.”
The Guildmaster’s office was piled with mounds of paper and contracts. As Cain reviewed the papers while Batan explained, he instructed again.
“Sort them in order of importance.”
“Yes!”
Batan sifted through the stacks with the fastest hands he’d ever used.
And shortly after,
Cain examined a few pages that Batan handed over, finding intriguing content.
“Hmm.”
The content on the contract was fairly recent. The location was in a village in the northeast, the assignment: to secure or assassinate the target. The compensation was unusually high compared to other commissions.
And at the bottom of the contract, written in poor handwriting, it was marked as “failure.”
‘The client… is Marbas?’
It was certainly related to the commission against Ruben and Cain.
It’s rare for nobles to directly appoint commissions, let alone for such shady ones. They would definitely delegate authority to avoid leaving traces.
It was unlikely the noble himself had come to sign this contract, so Marbas must be the intermediary.
“Who is Marbas?”
“Marbas…?”
Batan, who was trying to think, opened his mouth.
“Marbas is… a short-haired old man… Ugh!”
Batan was struck again at the back of the head.
“Through Marbas, which noble commissioned the job?”
At Cain’s question, Batan closed his mouth.
Despite the raised hand, he remained silent, trembling slightly.
“Shit, how can I say that?”
The information about the client is confidential. Even if Brihon was a low-grade mercenaries guild, they still followed the unwritten rules of the industry. In fact, these documents weren’t supposed to be shown at all.
Cain had come barging in like a knight threatening decapitations, so Batan had reluctantly handed them over.
But this was a matter directly concerning his survival.
If word got out…
Both Brihon and himself would be doomed.
With determined eyes, Batan clenched his jaw. Witnessing this resolve, Cain shook his head.
“You choose the harder path.”
Cain’s fist struck Batan’s gut.
“Ugh… Cough! Huff, Huff! Waaaah!”
A severe shock that could have made one pass out, but for some reason, Batan remained conscious. He could keenly feel every bit of pain inflicted on his body.
“Speak when you’re ready.”
Cain briefly said these words before moving.
Thus, terrifying screams and splintering sounds came from the guildmaster’s office. By the time sweat from the restrained mercenaries had dried again, the screaming stopped.
“Gailen… Gailen Viscount…”
Cain nodded in recognition of the familiar name, which he had heard before coming here.
“What is the viscount’s location?”
“Barhen, central… west…”
With those words, Batan slumped over. Cain, holding the unconscious Batan, descended back to the ground floor.
“Things got simpler.”
The nobles of Barhen were part of the Southern Faction. Striking Viscount Gailen would mean more material to negotiate with the Marchlord.
At the guild’s entrance, Cain tossed Batan outside.
“Ugh…”
Batan woke up due to the impact of hitting the ground. His pain-twisted face looked up as Cain spoke.
“Brihon Mercenary Guildmaster Batan, and all mercenaries under Brihon.”
In response to Cruel’s intimidating display, the mercenaries who had run outside looked back at Cain.
“I am Macbilian.”
Cain calmly stated, which caused the mercenaries to wear looks of confusion.
“His Majesty’s consort, the ruler of the Imperial Knights Order, and a noble elevated to the rank of Duke.”
At this statement, Batan and the mercenaries opened their mouths wide.
Overwhelming power. Total disregard for the Southern nobility. Blatant boldness of causing trouble in broad daylight.
The mercenaries recalled rumors circulating around.
The Emperor’s spouse, whose beauty was blinding, had black hair and eyes, towering height, a physique stronger than seasoned knights, and a gaze burning with anger.
This accurately described the young man before them.
Looking at Batan and the mercenaries turned pale, Cain spoke.
“To seize the royal favor that His Majesty bestowed and to lift a blade against the Duke is a grave offense. It would not suffice to behead you immediately.”
The mercenaries trembled at this calm declaration.
“So as the consort of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress who rules the Empire, on her behalf I now declare: as of this moment, the mercenary guild is disbanded.”
Swiftly…
A moment’s motion created a breeze. When the breeze subsided, Cain was already standing with his sword drawn. And then…
“Gasp!”
“Guildmaster!”
Batan’s head hit the ground.
Leaving the horrified mercenaries behind, Cain declared again.
“Brihon Mercenary Guild ends here.”