Chapter 335: What’s So Good About It? (1)
The Drake Mercenary Corps was the largest mercenary corps in the western region.
With over 500 mercenaries and dozens of subordinate groups under its command, the Drake Mercenary Corps had a combined force of nearly 3,000 soldiers when gathered. It was undoubtedly the largest mercenary corps in the kingdom.
In the northern region, mercenaries were mostly subpar at best. While the eastern region had a few decent mercenary groups, they were no match for the west.
The west was brimming with merchants and nobles, creating an abundance of work opportunities and circulating more wealth than any other region. Naturally, this meant there were more mercenaries as well.
And the person who controlled the largest mercenary corps in the west as if it were his personal appendage was none other than Martin, the son of the Marquis Roderick family.
The Drake Mercenary Corps handled ordinary mercenary work but was equally involved in carrying out the dirty work of the Marquis Roderick.
Thus, their reputation was not only high but also accompanied by substantial infamy.
Dominic, the commander of the Drake Mercenary Corps, was perpetually drinking with a face that seemed perpetually angry. The faint murderous intent in his eyes made his already sharp features even more menacing.
Dominic was a competent leader who had built the Drake Mercenary Corps into what it was today, but lately, he had been on the verge of abandoning everything and running away.
“Damn bastard…”
The object of his curses was Martin.
Under Martin’s orders, Dominic had been forced to commit countless heinous acts. While meddling in power struggles could be overlooked, he was even ordered to abduct and kill innocent civilians in sordid schemes.
The reason he had no choice but to follow Martin’s orders was simple his family had been framed and taken hostage.
“To think I have to obey my mortal enemy…”
Martin had already executed one member of Dominic’s family as an example. Though Dominic harbored deep hatred for Martin, he couldn’t resist because the lives of his remaining family members were at stake.
But that wasn’t all. Martin, ever the vile schemer, had taken the families of other key executives in the corps hostage to ensure Dominic wouldn’t try to oust him.
“There’s no way out of this…”
With every key figure in the mercenary corps held under Martin’s thumb, there was no escape.
Dominic had once tried reaching out to other nobles for aid, but the moment he attempted anything remotely suspicious, Martin retaliated by ruthlessly killing one of the hostages.
The other executives had also lost family members to Martin’s cruelty, leaving them completely subjugated. Thus, the Drake Mercenary Corps had no choice but to obey Martin’s every command.
“That devil… With his power and influence, this world truly is a hellhole.”
Martin’s father, the Marquis Roderick, was the Supreme Commander of the Western Army and the de facto ruler of the western region. No matter how strong the Drake Mercenary Corps was, it couldn’t possibly stand against Marquis Roderick.
So, all Dominic could do was drown his rotting insides in alcohol, day after day.
As he gulped down yet another drink, one of his subordinates entered the room.
“Commander, we have new orders.”
“Who does he want dead this time?”
“…Yes. We’re to disguise ourselves as bandits and raid the Campbell Merchant Guild.”
“Damn lunatic.”
The Campbell Merchant Guild was a competitor to Martin’s own guild. It was rumored to have significant financial resources and even the backing of a noble.
Attacking and destroying such a guild? If they were caught, none of them would survive.
But Martin had no qualms about using them in such a manner.
“Does he think his father, Marquis Roderick, will protect him no matter what? No matter how confident he is, to target a merchant guild backed by another noble… He must be getting desperate.”
Martin had ambitions of his own. He wanted to overthrow his older brother and seize the position of heir.
To that end, he was willing to do anything to expand his power and build his influence, even if it meant resorting to reckless measures.
Dominic set his glass down with a heavy sigh.
“At this rate, we’re all going to die sooner rather than later.”
Martin’s demands were growing increasingly unreasonable. No matter how strong they were, even the Drake Mercenary Corps had its limits.
A single misstep could lead to a coalition of nobles attacking them, spelling the corps’ doom. And if that happened, the hostages would be killed as well.
Neither Marquis Roderick nor Martin would bat an eye if the Drake Mercenary Corps were annihilated. In fact, they would likely throw the corps into the middle of their political struggles and watch them die for their cause.
That was the kind of cruel and ruthless individuals they were.
The Drake Mercenary Corps was already hurtling toward its destruction.
* * *
“I should’ve gone to the north when I had the chance…”
Dominic let out a sigh.
The northern region has become remarkably lively lately, unlike in the past. Rumors about the Count of Fenris spurring industrial development and creating numerous opportunities for mercenaries had spread far and wide.
If I had built my strength in the north, I wouldn’t be tethered like this to the Marquis of Roderick.
“If I had stayed in the north, I might have met the famous Count of Fenris.”
“Well… if we meet, it’ll probably be on the battlefield.”
“That’s likely.”
Dominic let out a bitter laugh.
The Marquis of Roderick was a major lord of the Ducal Faction, while the Count of Fenris was a lord opposing them. If war were to break out, they would inevitably meet as enemies.
“Still, I’d like to meet him at least once before I die. They say he started with just mercenaries and achieved all those feats. Maybe it’s because I’m a mercenary too, but just hearing the stories makes my heart race.”
Hearing stories about Ghislain, Dominic often thought that if he were to follow anyone, he’d want it to be someone like that.
Perhaps it was because his own miserable reality following the orders of a despicable master made him feel even more wretched.
For that reason, Dominic admired and revered Ghislain. He maintained a steady interest in him, diligently keeping up with any news.
It was the only solace he had left.
However, his subordinate coldly brought him back to reality.
“If you meet him secretly, the young master of Roderick won’t stay silent. He’ll kill the hostages one by one.”
“Right, I’ve become someone who can’t even meet a single person anymore.”
Dominic let out another self-deprecating laugh.
His life was effectively over. He would live the rest of his days as someone else’s dog, chained and leashed, infamous for nothing but his misdeeds, and eventually die in disgrace.
Just then, a commotion broke out outside.
“Uwaaaaah! We’re under attack!”
“What the hell are these guys?! How are they so fast?!”
“They’re heading for where the boss is! Stop them! Block them now!”
The noise grew louder, and Dominic frowned as he looked toward the door.
Boom!
The door suddenly burst open, and a group barged in. Their audacity was impressive. Did they not know where they were causing such chaos?
Dozens of Dominic’s subordinates rushed in, surrounding the intruders. The place was so crowded that some had to form a defensive line outside.
Looking at the young man leading the intruders, Dominic asked, “Who are you?”
The man grinned at Dominic.
“I heard some rumors on the way here. You’re a fan of mine, aren’t you? This should speed things up.”
“What?”
“I’m the Count of Fenris.”
The intruder was none other than Ghislain. Pointing his thumb at himself, he wore an arrogant expression.
Dominic frowned and stared at him.
The subordinates, bewildered by the intruder claiming to be a noble, hesitated, unable to act decisively.
‘Tsk, after being beaten down by the Marquis’s family so often, everyone’s lost their backbone. Not that I can say much.’
Dominic clicked his tongue and shook his head.
The Count of Fenris was someone Dominic admired and revered. Naturally, he truly wanted to meet him.
But the man standing before him couldn’t possibly be telling the truth.
A major lord of the north barging in here with just a handful of attendants? It was unthinkable. If the nobles of the Ducal Faction found out, they’d stop at nothing to assassinate him.
No matter how he looked at it, this situation was utterly nonsensical. Dominic had another reason to believe the man was lying.
“You’re not the Count of Fenris.”
“What are you talking about? I am the Count of Fenris.”
“I know what the Count of Fenris looks like.”
“What? You know my face?”
“Not yours the Count of Fenris’s face. I’ve seen it, and I know it well. You must’ve caught wind of my reputation and decided to scam me, but such a clumsy ploy won’t work.”
“…?”
This time, Ghislain looked genuinely bewildered.
‘He knows my face but says I’m not the Count of Fenris? Is someone out there impersonating me?’
“I did come here secretly, but I’m telling you, I really am the Count of Fenris.”
Ghislain took out his identification and presented it. It was a luxurious document embossed with the insignia of a noble.
Even after seeing it, Dominic scoffed.
“With enough money, forging an ID isn’t difficult. We even handle such requests ourselves. If I wanted, I could make a dozen of those.”
“…”
Ghislain felt as though his chest was suffocating, like he’d swallowed a sweet potato. He had endured countless insults of being treated as a scoundrel, but this was the first time someone outright denied his identity.
He demanded an answer, his tone sharp.
“What’s the deal? I’m telling you I’m the Count of Fenris, so why are you so quick to say I’m not? On what basis are you making such a confident claim?”
“I have a portrait of the Count of Fenris. A very detailed and accurate portrait, I might add.”
“…?”
Ghislain blinked. No matter how hard he thought about it, the only time a portrait of him could have been painted was when he was much younger.
Dominic, wearing a smug expression, walked to one corner of his office. Carefully, he pulled out a large box.
With meticulous care, Dominic retrieved something from the box: a luxurious frame containing a portrait.
“Here, take a look. This is the portrait of the Count of Fenris that I purchased for a hefty sum.”
Dominic, slightly drunk from drinking earlier, showed the portrait to Ghislain with a proud grin.
Ta-da!
“…Wow.”
Staring at the portrait Dominic triumphantly displayed, Ghislain was at a loss for words.
‘Why… does my face look like that?’
The face in the portrait bore a faint resemblance to him, but it was ridiculously exaggerated.
The nose was so sharply pointed it seemed breathing through the nostrils would be a challenge. The jawline was so thin and sharp that it looked like it could kill someone. The entire face had such chiseled and angular features that it resembled a marble statue.
“You… You think that portrait is really the Count of Fenris? You’re trusting it without even knowing what his face actually looks like?”
Dominic, still grinning smugly, replied, “I bought it from a reliable source for a large sum of money. It even came with proper certification.”
“…A reliable source?”
“I know a lot about the Count of Fenris. I even own many of his treasured items.”
“…Treasured items?”
Ghislain asked blankly, and Dominic continued proudly, “You seem doubtful. Let me show you these personally, so you stop pretending to be him.”
It was less about dispelling doubt and more about Dominic being eager to show off. He pulled out a thick book from the box and carefully caressed it like a prized possession.
“This is the biography of the Count of Fenris. It’s a first edition, chronicling his days as a rogue to his battle with Count Desmond. They’re planning to release more editions, and it’s already very expensive.”
‘Who the hell wrote something like that?’
This was definitely not a product of Fenris’s estate. Ghislain had neither authorized nor planned such a publication.
But Dominic paid no attention to Ghislain’s reaction. He was busy showing off more items, pulling them out one by one from the box.
“This is a drinking glass the Count of Fenris used. I paid a fortune for it.”
“…?”
“This is a saddle that belonged to the Count of Fenris’s horse. It was incredibly hard to obtain because of its high price.”
“…??”
“These are the casual clothes the Count of Fenris wore. I acquired them at an auction after a long struggle. And this here is his undergarment…”
“…???”
Ghislain was utterly speechless as Dominic continued to unveil item after item. Most of the objects truly looked like things he had used in the past.
It was as if a thief had broken into his home and cleaned out everything they could carry.
Just as he was trying to make sense of it all, Dominic revealed something decisive.
“Here, look at this. This is the sword the Count of Fenris used on the battlefield. It’s one of my most cherished items, a real gem.”
‘That… that’s my actual sword.’
While many of the other items looked similar, Ghislain could not deny that the sword was authentic.
Ghislain wasn’t particularly picky about weapons. He often grabbed whatever was at hand, used it recklessly, and discarded it. As a result, many of his weapons were left behind on battlefields.
However, he would never forget the sword he had used. It was marked with a distinct engraving that all lordly weapons bore, making it unmistakable.
This was undeniably his sword. But how had it fallen into someone else’s hands? Even when left on the battlefield, his soldiers usually recovered such items.
With a slightly trembling voice, Ghislain asked, “Where… did you get all this stuff?”
“I told you, from a reliable source.”
“And who is this reliable source?”
Dominic, still smirking, replied, “I got it from Fenris’s Chief Overseer. He even provided certifications for everything.”
“…The Chief Overseer?”
“Yes, my subordinate personally met with Fenris’s Chief Overseer and acquired them through an auction at a high price. I would have gone myself, but it’s difficult for me to leave this area.”
“….”
Ghislain closed his eyes.
Hearing Dominic’s explanation, he had a hunch, and it turned out his suspicion was correct. The culprit was none other than Claude, that bastard.