“My lord, this was the last one.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The White Raven… Revn was his name, right? He mentioned that the wyverns appearing in other regions would be dealt with independently. We would waste our time by going there.”
“If he says so, then that must be the case. Understood.”
Thud!
As Khan casually tossed aside the corpse of the asphyxiated wyvern, cold sweat ran down Leo’s back upon witnessing Khan’s overwhelming strength. After striking a deal with the Black Wing Duke, Khan had split their group into two for hunting wyverns, and this one was the fourth wyvern Khan and Leo had successfully hunted together.
And of all the wyverns they had hunted, this one had been the most formidable and powerful. Contrary to Leo’s expectations that this would present a significant challenge, the hunt had ended remarkably swiftly.
‘To choke a wyvern to death? Doing what even spells struggle to achieve with bare hands…’
This particular wyvern, even among its kin, was known for its exceptional toughness. Considering Leo had failed to make even a scratch on the creature’s brown scales with his sword, the wyverns and basilisks Khan had previously hunted paled in comparison.
Khan had not just subdued but had crushed the thick neck of the beast, reducing the neck to half its original size. Witnessing Khan’s raw power indirectly, Leo couldn’t help but imagine himself in a fight against Khan.
‘It would be a certain defeat. There’s no blocking that…’
Even for a knight specialized in defense, Leo wouldn’t be any more resilient than the wyvern that had just died from strangulation. If he were to face Khan’s strike directly, he’d likely be obliterated instantly.
‘Don’t ever challenge him.’
Leo inwardly vowed.
Meanwhile, Khan, having finished his role of stabilizing the kingdom by dispatching the wyverns on behalf of the king, was shaking off the blood from his hands, contemplating the future.
‘If Aries acted correctly, those insolent ones who wanted to hunt the wyverns would find themselves out of targets.’
At present, amidst the unprecedented attacks of wyverns shaking public confidence, if Alan managed to seize control, he could potentially step in due to the king and crown prince’s inability to act, leading the kingdom’s administration.
Khan’s role was to stabilize the land under the king’s name by subduing wyverns across Argon, hence uniting the shaky loyalty of the king’s faction and calming the public.
‘My part is mostly done here. I will have to see if more wyverns appear…’
The simultaneous emergence of wyverns uncharacteristic of Argon’s land suggested that the current attacks might just be preliminary skirmishes in a larger scheme.
‘Tch. This uneasy premonition of mine never seems to be wrong, which is problematic in itself.’
***
The next day, Khan and Leo, who were being treated as honored guests in a nearby city, were joined by Aries and Maya. With them came a suspicious character, a particular aunt, and a royal family member in tow.
“So, you were a rebel soldier before, and now you’re a princess’s bodyguard?”
“I go where the money takes me. It’s always been that way.”
“You’re quite the mercenary. So, what’s the reason for the master of the popular intelligence guild coming all the way here?”
“Well… it’s better if you hear it from the princess herself.”
Revn, the White Raven, familiar in his royal-insignia-marked armor, retreated quietly. Flanked by Pashantu and another knight, with distinctive red-blonde hair, stood the princess herself.
“I am Delphina de Argon y Reinen. I extend my gratitude for stabilizing the kingdom in the absence of His Majesty and the Crown Prince.”
“Your Highness!”
“Maxim, I’m merely showing due courtesy.”
A royal bowing to a barbarian without a hint of subservience. Compared to the typical royal demeanor showed by Alan, this princess was clearly distinct. Moreover, her gaze remained steady even when faced with imposing figures covered in scars, a sight that would make most hardened mercenaries flinch.
‘She truly is unique in many ways.’
After leaving a lasting first impression, Delphina straightened up and got to the point.
“Sir Lucia, the vice-captain of the Royal Guards and daughter of the Black Wing Duke, sent a message. Prince Alan has secretly visited his maternal relatives in Yorthus and disappeared with a group.”
“Wouldn’t it be too late for him to act now? Is he planning to assault the capital?”
“While I can’t say there’s no chance of that, I believe it’s unlikely. Because…”
“The trading firm operated by the Yorthus Marquisate is the largest in the kingdom. Though they call them escort troops, they’re essentially private soldiers spread across the kingdom, and due to their royal connections, they have ties everywhere.”
“Reven is correct. Essentially, Alan’s recent movement means that the Yorthus Marquisate has acquired critical information. And that information must be something…”
Something significant enough to completely shift the current power dynamics.
“It’s unlikely Alan would make such a bold move without that kind of leverage.”
“Can you track him, reven?”
“We’re doing our best, but it’s difficult to ensure timely results. They’ve realized I’m involved and have been scattering their forces around. While the White Raven has grown recently, it’s still no match for the resources commanded by the royal connections.”
“It’s becoming troublesome.”
Is this a final, desperate move?
In Khan’s view, Prince Alan had limited options to overturn his unfavorable situation.
Occupying the capital while the king and crown prince were absent was one. However, a rebellion without public support was destined to fail. Even a fool wouldn’t make that mistake. Another option was—
‘To resolve a catastrophe that could bring the kingdom to its knees under his leadership.’
This method would not only secure public support but also cement Alan’s claim to power. However, there was a prerequisite: the threat had to be dire enough that saving the people would elicit genuine gratitude.
Helping someone with just a wet foot wouldn’t earn much thanks. True gratitude comes when one is rescued while drowning.
‘Prince Alan will likely make his move right after a major incident. Any action taken after that would be too late.’
Yet, it remained questionable whether Alan could tackle a threat large enough to endanger the entire kingdom with just his personal forces.
With no other choice but to concentrate their intelligence efforts on the whereabouts of the vanished Prince Alan, Khan found himself in a frustrating stalemate.
In this moment, a crucial letter arrived for Khan through the mercenary guild, potentially containing the key to breaking the deadlock.
“Diego…?”
**
Diego thought back.
In his forty-two years, a turning point in his life would be the moment he got entangled with a certain barbarian in Wagner.
Sure, there was the humiliating experience of pulling a wagon in place of a horse. But the rewards were worth it, and his mercenary career underwent significant transformation because of it.
“Heh-heh. My precious, you’re still shining today.”
The black sword, gifted by a dwarf whom Khan had saved during the Wagner conflict, could cut through orc leather with ease. It was a supreme weapon!
Combining this with Diego’s fairly decent swordsmanship meant that he began earning several times more than he did before for the same effort.
Naturally, his reputation spread among the mercenary guilds, attracting higher-paying clients. Eventually, he even received a recruitment offer from the largest trading company in the kingdom.
Promised luxurious meals, comfortable lodgings, and a hefty salary just for being a figurehead, Diego was quick to accept their offer.
‘The must be rolling in money, being part of the royal relatives and directly operated by the marquisate. Damn nobles.’
Initially, he felt a peculiar sense of resistance.
Despite having so much wealth, they manipulated the kingdom’s finances through their trading company, indifferent to whether people starved. This behavior disgusted him—but only briefly.
‘Long live the nobles.’
They didn’t make him do anything dangerous, paid him just to oversee the wheels of the trading company, and were extremely generous employers. Where else could someone find such benevolent benefactors?
Swearing eternal loyalty to the trading company, Diego did his utmost to get noticed by his employers. Eventually, he became one of the chief guardians, learning some intricacies of the company’s operations along the way.
“They’re moving to make this prince the crown prince?”
“Yeah. You might not know since you climbed up so quickly, but the head of the trading company, Yorthus, is a royal relative.”
“I know that much. But isn’t the crown prince already decided?”
“Well, the royal family has its issues. Apparently, the higher-ups see a good chance, so they’re supporting Prince Alan to build his merits.”
One of the most amiable of his fellow chief guardians offered this bit of advice, which caught Diego by surprise.
“So, we might soon lead the guardians on a wyvern subjugation?”
“Not us mercenaries directly, but we could support the effort.”
“Even so…”
Yet, when a group claiming to be “The King’s Warriors” suddenly appeared and began aggressively subjugating wyverns, the situation shifted rapidly.
“Mobilization orders?”
“Yeah, damn it. I didn’t think the easy life would last forever, but here it is.”
“What’s the reason?”
“No idea. There’s chaos about some barbarian.”
“A barbarian…?”
Diego’s mind raced. Could it be that the barbarian, Khan, was involved somehow? The pieces started to come together, but uncertainty loomed.
As Diego calmed his racing heart at the mention of the word “barbarian,” he realized the gravity of the situation.
Those with a responsibility to respond to the mobilization order—including top management and key mercenaries of the trading organization—gathered at the Yorthus inner base, waiting for the head of the trading company to appear.
However, someone unexpected showed up instead, accompanied by a groveling company head and over a dozen knights.
“Prince, you may take them.”
The sudden appearance of Prince Alan threw the assembly into disarray. Those aware of the rumors reacted as if the inevitable had come, while those in the dark were simply puzzled by the prince’s unexpected entrance.
Among them, Diego’s thoughts raced.
‘Damn, this has to be it, right?’
He realized this moment was another pivotal juncture in his life. He was confident that whatever choice he made at this crossroads would once again significantly alter the course of his life.
And then he remembered the promise he had made when parting ways with Gordi Khan, the monstrous barbarian.
‘Let me know if anything interesting happens in the south.’
That promise echoed in his mind, compelling him to act. Diego knew that his decision now could lead him either to unparalleled opportunities or unforeseen dangers, and the choice weighed heavily on him.
TL’s Corner:
Another person from Khan’s past.