Chapter 048: Conviction (2)
"Ha! Even on the brink of death, it’s all about pride, huh? Your mouth’s pretty sharp!"
He’s good at spouting off things that hit close to home.
One of his lackeys behind him set up a spot for him to sit near me and Jewel, and he flung off his surcoat before plopping down.
"I’m Kendrick Coleman, captain of the Black Rose Mercenaries. I’m in charge of the mercenary coalition for this subjugation."
"Haha. Coalition leader? Isn’t that a bit much?"
"A bit much? What’s too much? There are eleven mercenary bands in this subjugation. You think it’s common for this many to run a joint operation? To lead a pack of self-important hounds like these, the strongest dog’s gotta take charge. Know what you’re talking about before you..."
"No, what I mean is."
I snapped my index and middle fingers together, giving a playful jab.
"Is that even fitting for you?"
Kendrick’s eyebrow twitched once, and he glanced at his subordinates behind him, letting out a hearty laugh.
As his men’s forced chuckles faded, he grew serious, lowering his voice.
"Watch your mouth, kid. I don’t know how some Imperial nobody got tied up with the young lady, but the mercenaries here each have their own deep ties to her. Don’t stir up trouble like some muddy loach, got it?"
"Oh, sure. People who barely escaped with their lives after being chased by riffraff wouldn’t want their tempers riled up. I’ll be careful."
Jewel, who’d been casually swinging her crossed legs, let out a scoff.
That distinctive laugh of hers—hard to endure if you’re not used to it.
Sure enough, Kendrick shot to his feet.
"You wet-behind-the-ears brat! What did you say?! Riffraff?! How’s a magic-wielding demonic beast riffraff?!"
"Oh-ho! Pretty sure they’re riffraff. Compared to the Wendigo Legion, at least."
All eyes turned to Bonnie, who strutted in with flair.
Accompanied by her partner and Jayden’s group, she was acting every bit the grand leader.
Kendrick narrowed his eyes.
"Who’re you?"
"Ever heard of me? I’m Bonnie, of the Barrow Mercenary Band. Though it seems those sewer rats call me the Thunder Empress—such a crude nickname."
"Ha! Yeah, I’ve heard of you. Thunder Empress Bonnie. But... you seem well-informed. Thunder Empress? Isn’t that a bit embarrassing? Fat Witch would suit you better."
Kiing—!
It happened in an instant.
It outpaced my perception and eyes.
Only after the sound hit did I grasp the situation.
In all my past lives, there were only a few times a sword in the Kingdom startled me, and this was one of them.
Clyde had his blade pressed against Kendrick’s throat.
"Take it back. Those words."
"Wh-what is this...!"
"No one’s ever spoken like that in front of me and lived. Apologize. Now."
This is why you can’t judge people by appearances.
I thought he was just a pitiful guy henpecked by his wife, but turns out he’s a master of the swift blade.
Chills ran down my spine, and I rubbed my arms.
My earlier jab about him being short-lived hit closer to the mark than I’d thought.
"Let’s call it quits on the introductions. If you want to keep at it, save it for after the job’s done."
Eugene, who’d appeared out of nowhere, stepped in to mediate.
He pushed Clyde’s sword aside with a finger, his soft voice carrying an undeniable weight.
After ensuring the two men suppressed their anger, Eugene turned, and Roland, standing nearby, clicked his tongue.
"Ugh, what a pathetic guy. Can’t even hold his bladder. Tsk, tsk."
Clearly, he was aiming at Kendrick.
* * *
There wasn’t even a moment to rest.
Our commander-in-chief, Adeline, assigned us a mission before the full-scale subjugation began.
There was a hill not far to the southwest with a relatively gentle slope.
Our task was to secure it, scout the area, and report back—a reconnaissance mission.
The chosen ones? Me and Eugene.
Sending the two strongest assets of the subjugation force at once—what did that mean? No more time to waste.
For Adeline, who had a pile of other issues to handle in her domain, she couldn’t afford to be tied up here forever.
Hiring mercenaries would just mean extra expenses.
Wait, is this right? A humble warrior from an Imperial family worrying about the finances of a Kingdom duke’s daughter?
"What’re you doing? Hurry up."
Eugene, the Sword Master geezer, called out from ahead, snapping me out of my sour mood.
It lifted quickly.
Oddly, the atmosphere here felt different from other places.
It was hard to tell if this was a demon-corrupted zone or just a pleasant trail.
The narrow, path-like canyon was serene, with a gentle breeze making it almost refreshing.
The occasional lone demonic beast that popped up was swiftly cut down by Eugene, warming up as he led the way.
So, aside from taking in the scenery, I had nothing to do.
Ah, now I get it.
The environment’s part of it, but being escorted by a Sword Master makes it impossible not to feel at ease.
"Hup."
Eugene, walking with his hands behind his back, occasionally let out odd noises, bending down to rummage through the underbrush.
Sometimes, he’d yank up a handful of grass and stuff it into a small, slanted bag.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked.
"What’re you picking up?"
"Herbs."
My face scrunched up involuntarily.
"Herbs?"
"Yup."
"Herbs in a demon-corrupted zone? First I’ve heard of it."
"Poison and medicine aren’t so different at their core. Some medicines are poison to certain people, and sometimes a tiny bit of poison can outdo dozens of remedies."
"Didn’t know a Sword Master was so versed in that field."
"Just a hobby. I’d like to open a small apothecary when I retire for good. Not sure if that day’ll ever come, though."
Ha, a Sword Master turning into an herbalist after retirement... Talk about a romantic guy.
Watching him prattle on so carefree, oblivious to the war that’d engulf the Kingdom in a few years, made my blood boil.
"Pretty carefree, huh."
"Hope an era comes soon where I can retire."
Eugene was the silent type, only speaking when I initiated.
I’m not exactly a chatterbox either, so we ended up with a peaceful stroll by accident.
The first time Eugene spoke up was well past noon, long after the operation started at dawn.
"What do you think? Do you really believe a civil war’ll break out in Conwell?"
Was he picking up on the conversation we had at Fred’s mansion last time?
I gave him my unfiltered thoughts.
"Every knight I’ve met since coming here hasn’t had a shred of sense. Not a speck of justice or honor in them—just lawless thugs. Do you think people like that would swear loyalty to the young lady based on the late lord’s will? Defy the Archduke, the real power? I don’t think so."
"Hmm."
"I haven’t met this Archduke myself, but the reason he can’t touch the young lady yet is because of you and Roland, right? You two were favored and trusted throughout the Duke of Conwell’s reign. Going against you would be a burden tantamount to treason for him. But that restraint could snap in an instant. Seems to me you’re overlooking that."
I was still trailing Eugene, talking to the back of his head.
I couldn’t see what kind of expression he had.
Since it’d come to this, I decided to let it all out.
"A frog in boiling water doesn’t realize it’s being cooked. Feels similar, doesn’t it? You need to act before it’s too late."
"For example?"
"Do I have to spell it out? You said their forces are far stronger. Assassinate their key figures in secret or sow discord to fracture their ranks. Whatever it takes, cut off the Archduke’s limbs before..."
"I’m a knight of the Kingdom."
Eugene stopped and turned.
My eyelids trembled involuntarily.
This atmosphere—it was like that time in Canchester, but the roles were reversed.
Back then, I...
"You said you’re an Imperial warrior. One who never forgets debts or grudges and considers showing your back to an enemy a disgrace."
"...That’s right."
"A Kingdom knight may show his back to an enemy, but he never strikes at their back. That’s Sharon’s pride. Even if they’re foes, they’re still Kingdom knights. Believing and respecting that they’ll uphold their honor is how I uphold mine."
"..."
"Even if the path of honor leads to frustration, betrayal, or disadvantage, you must still uphold it. That’s what makes it honor."
His white hair, swaying in the breeze, soon settled calmly.
Each strand seemed to embody unyielding resolve.
Through his silence, Eugene was shouting to me.
That he’d fought uprightly his entire life.
That he’d proven he wasn’t wrong and had reached this point.
That this was how he became a Sword Master.
"This is my conviction, my chivalry."
* * *
We finally reached the summit.
Eugene dusted off his hands and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead and neck.
"Got here faster than expected."
The howling wind answered for me, so I didn’t bother opening my mouth.
I glanced down the cliff. The height was dizzying, enough to make my heels tingle.
Eugene approached.
"Let’s take a look. Figure out the best route for the advance."
I surveyed the area.
Dense, dark green foliage blanketed the ground like skin.
It made things easy to see.
The paths splitting around the peaks looked like river channels.
"That’s where we suspect the Mana Core is."
Eugene pointed, directing my gaze beyond my field of vision.
When I turned, I saw a patchy area where the foliage was sparse, like it’d been stitched up.
"Looks like open terrain."
"Suspicious. Either way, we need to find the fastest, safest route to get there."
I nodded, staring at the dark expanse.
...Wait. Something’s off.
"If that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to bring a mage? They could use mana detection to filter out dangerous routes."
"While waiting for you, Roland brought a few mages up here to try, but they all failed."
Bonnie had used mana detection to locate the Wendigo Legion initially.
Curious about the mechanics, I listened as Eugene elaborated.
When you release mana omnidirectionally, it collides with other mana and returns, allowing you to read location and properties through echolocation.
Accuracy varies greatly depending on the mage’s skill.
"They said the entire Talrug Canyon is covered by a massive mana field that no single mage could handle. They likened it to dropping a raindrop into the ocean."
"Even Roland couldn’t handle it?"
I muttered absentmindedly, but the air felt oddly heavy.
I glanced at Eugene.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, he finally spoke, his voice bitter, like he’d swallowed a handful of sour herbs.
"Roland doesn’t have mana. Hasn’t for a while."
Huh? What’s that mean?
"He told me once. Said it vanished suddenly, like it evaporated."
"Can mana do that? Then how does he use the Spatial Transfer Gate...?"
"I’m as clueless about it as you, an Imperial. Don’t know the details. He said it’s more about using memory, sensation, and knowledge to manifest it. Unraveling that mystery is one of Roland’s goals."
In the past, I’d have dismissed it as nonsense, but now I vaguely understood.
Wasn’t it similar when I used techniques like Frost Sword, Quake Earth, or Ghost Eye? The images in my mind, or my will, manifesting into reality...
I should talk to Roland about this in detail.
Let’s shelve that for now.
I shifted my gaze back to the cliff below.
Mana detection, huh.
It wasn’t anything grand. Just a way to grasp invisible clues... like fishing, maybe?
Hmm.
...Wait, fishing?
What if I could see straight into the water?
Then I wouldn’t need to cast mana as bait.
"Anyway, with things like this, there’s only one option. Use the terrain and standard military tactics to plot the route... Bihen Benkou, are you listening?"
"...I think I get it."
"What?"
"I can see it. The mana."
Today, Eugene had confessed a lot to me.
From his personal thoughts to Roland’s secrets.
Weaknesses I’d never have revealed.
If that’s the case, then I...
It’d be fine to show him, as a way of returning the favor.
"You..."
Uncharacteristically for Eugene, he trailed off.
I could tell, without looking, that he couldn’t take his eyes off me.
Whoosh.
My Ghost Eye burned.
They say you grow numb to repeated pain, and the searing agony had become familiar enough to bear.
Blue vapor rose above the dark expanse.
My pupils must’ve been glowing with a similar hue.
Mana detection through the Curse of the Spectral Body.
How was it before? Sensing mana around me with just the raw Curse of the Spectral Body was like reaching into a box blindfolded, feeling objects, and guessing what they were.
It was vague.
Now it’s different.
I have Ghost Eye, a versatile tool.
I first grasped it during the Crimson Flame Cult incident and refined it fighting the Wendigo.
Now it’s worthy of being called a true vision technique.
I could see clearly.
From the flow’s direction to the faintest pulses.
It was like a map marking the path to take.