NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144
Chapter 144. Engagement – Cemetery
“Baron Bryna? Was our mercenary group responsible for guarding the baron’s mansion?” (Leo)
“No. He just wanted to ask something. But considering he told us to bring the two mercenaries who had just returned yesterday after guarding a small merchant group… it looks like they caused some trouble.” (Elson)
Elson continued, stabbing his fork into a radish pickle.
“They quit their jobs as soon as they returned. Something seemed off, so when I checked the lodging earlier, they had already fled. Should we go after them… we need to know what’s going on.” (Elson)
“Leo, what do we do?” (Lena)
Lena whispered, covering her mouth. The merchant group Elson mentioned was undoubtedly the one we had accompanied.
Feeling uneasy, Leo rubbed his palms under the table without saying a word.
We killed the knight who chased us and agreed to keep our mouths shut.
We planned to claim we never encountered the knight, and his death was just bad luck.
But that alone didn’t resolve everything. The story that the merchant group refused to smuggle had likely reached Baron Bryna’s ears via the church’s communication.
– “I will take responsibility. I was mistakenly sponsored, so I will apologize and seek forgiveness.”
These were the words of Vernon, the head of the merchant group.
We hadn’t entirely dismissed the idea of running away with our families. But inevitably, we would be caught, making apologizing to Baron Bryna the only way to survive.
But the fact that the baron called for the mercenaries…
‘He’s suspicious.’
Leo bit his lip anxiously.
‘He’s not certain yet. But once he learns the mercenaries fled, he will be.’
Damn it.
It was an unsavory {event} with lingering connections we tried to sever. We hadn’t expected the mercenaries to flee.
Now, if the merchants get captured and interrogated, revealing someone else killed the knight, the situation would seriously deteriorate.
Leo gathered his thoughts momentarily and spoke.
“Uncle. I have something to tell you. Actually, on our way here…”
He recounted all that had happened.
Since his uncle was a reliable person, Leo concluded by pleading for mercy for his troubled nephew.
“…You’ve caused quite a mess. So, what do we do now… Should we seek out the merchants first and kill them?”
Elson’s eyes turned icy cold.
The ever-present friendly smile vanished as he coldly suggested cutting ties.
Leo shook his head.
“No. That would only deepen the baron’s suspicion. We might even drag your mercenary group into this mess. My thought is…”
Damn.
He wanted to avoid getting involved with Baron Bryna. The plan was to let the merchants handle it and cut ties, but things didn’t go smoothly.
Sighing lightly, Leo calmly explained his plan, and Lena and Elson nodded quietly.
As the food, cooked with great effort by the madam, cooled on the table, Yuan’s fork clattered.
* * *
“You’re late. Are you the leader of the Dexter Mercenary group?”
A fat middle-aged nobleman asked in a high tone. But it was more a demand to introduce and humble himself rather than a question, so Elson bowed his head.
“Yes, I apologize. My name is Elson. What can I do for you?”
Baron Diego Bryna didn’t respond to the question. Seated on a long armchair in the reception room, he got to the point.
“Are those the mercenaries who guarded the merchant group I mentioned?”
“Yes. Did they do something wrong by any chance…”
“I’m the one asking questions.”
Baron Bryna waved his hand to silence Elson, then gestured for the two nervous mercenaries standing behind him to come closer.
A peculiar feeling arose.
The baron gazed intently at the fresh-faced young mercenary and asked in a somewhat softened tone.
“…You visited my territory, didn’t you? Did the merchants act strange back then?”
“I’m not sure what you mean, sir. Ah, there was something a bit odd.” (Leo)
“What was it?”
The burly mercenary in shabby leather armor tilted his head as he spoke.
“Vernon, the head of the group, suddenly said we had to return to the capital. It was fine by me since an early return was good, but the head and other merchants had a heated argument.” (Leo)
“So, how did the argument end? Did the other merchants agree?”
“Not at all.” (Leo)
The mercenary, daringly, shook his head in front of the noble.
It was rude. But expecting manners from an ignorant mercenary was as futile as hoping a rotten seed would grow strong, so the viscount frowned.
‘This guy is odd…’
Despite standing unevenly, his legs were appropriately spread. Though he tried to be polite by keeping his hands together, his back was straight, and his shoulders were broad. His chin was defiantly up, showcasing his Adam’s apple…
While the baron scrutinized the unusual {nobility} he sensed from the mercenary before him, Leo Dexter continued his lie.
“There were heated arguments. Some merchants even begged to leave after retrieving the money owed for their goods. However, the head of the caravan stubbornly insisted that the carriage was his, so anyone who wanted to stay could do as they pleased. I think he mentioned something about being grateful to him as well.” (Leo)
Up to this point, it matched what I had heard. Baron Bryna nodded.
“And then what happened?”
“What could be done? Managing the itinerary is the head of the caravan’s authority. Ultimately, they left the Baron’s territory. But there was something strange that happened at this point too.” (Leo)
“Don’t ask me back or cut your words short. Yes, what was it?”
“I’m sorry. On the way back, the head of the caravan suggested we go through the mountain path. He said there was a village there where we could sell goods. But there was no village, and he was thoroughly cursed for it. Eventually, the authority to manage the caravan’s schedule was taken away from him by another merchant… After that, nothing unusual happened.” (Leo)
“I see…”
Baron Diego Bryna rubbed his chin fat contemplatively.
“It was just bad luck. After all, no matter how incompetent Marlon is, he’s still a knight… It was a coincidental but needless suspicion.”
Marlon was a demoted knight. He was known for indulging in debauchery and frequently abusing his squire, which had long put him out of the Baron’s favor.
But knights were rare.
Baron Bryna had less than ten knights under his command, so no matter how much Marlon irritated him, his death was a painful loss.
“Of all times, Baron Sauer had to be in the territory when this occurred. There could have been no better time than during the war.”
Tsk. He clicked his tongue, thinking of his “half-cousin.”
For some reason, Baron Brian Sauer, who was conducting a “major business” in the capital of the Belita Kingdom, had recently returned to his territory.
Baron Sauer’s territory, Baron Bryna’s territory, and Count Oscar of the Holy Kingdom of Jerome’s territory all bordered each other. There were no royal gates to tax the borders, which meant successful smuggling could yield huge profits.
However, it was also an area heavily guarded by the royal authorities, making it essential for the three noble families to form a solid secret pact.
“Still… I were reassured that the merchant would keep his mouth shut, so I could send him back.”
The Baron shook off his thoughts, resolving to exploit the merchant who had begged him to do anything until he died. Just then, Elson cautiously began speaking.
“Uh… Baron, do you have any other business?” (Leo)
“No, you may leave… Wait.”
Baron Diego Bryna scrutinized the mercenary in front of him.
“What is your name?”
There was no reason for him to know the mercenary’s name. But he felt he shouldn’t let this one go.
[ Quest: Traitor 10/10 – {King’s Blood} ability has leveled up. ]
“…I’m Leo Dexter.”
Leo hesitated for a moment but disclosed his real name.
It was because making up a lie that could easily be discovered by a noble could have dire consequences (if Minseo, who lies brazenly to nobles, did so, he would be extremely bold), and as expected, the Baron’s eyes widened.
“Dexter? Then, are you the son of the famous noble slaughterer… ahem, Noel Dexter?”
“…Yes, but?”
“Hahahahaha! What a surprise. I should have recognized it from the name ‘Dexter’ mercenaries. It seems an esteemed guest has arrived. And you there, what is your relation to Noel Dexter?”
“I’m his elder brother.” (Elson)
“And you?”
“…I’m just a hired mercenary.” (Lena)
As he withdrew his chubby finger pointing from Elson to Lena, Baron Bryna for the first time showed a kind smile.
“Good. Good. Nice to meet you. As you might know, I am Diego Bryna. Shall we talk? I have many questions for you.”
He indicated a comfortable chair, seating Leo and Elson.
But Lena was ignored and had to stand awkwardly behind the chairs.
Soon, fragrant tea and sweet cookies were laid out on the table. The portly baron pushed the plate forward generously and began.
“You said your name was Leo, right? I heard you live in Avril Castle… When did you come to the capital? Are you working as a mercenary? Since when?”
Faced with specific questions out of nowhere, Leo was startled.
While chewing on a cookie and hesitating, the baron’s eyes urged him to answer.
“…It hasn’t even been a year. I started helping my uncle around this time last year. But… how did you know I lived in Avril Castle?” (Leo)
“Haha. The lord of Avril Castle is my second son. I heard a famous knight lives there with his son. So, you’ve lived there for quite some time, haven’t you?”
No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, he felt something sticky cling to his ankles.
Receiving the baron’s greedy gaze, Leo swallowed hard.
He had almost forgotten.
When he and Lena went on missions to the Holy Kingdom, the previous Leo Dexter had received sponsorship from the lord of Averil Castle, Diallo Bryna.
At Noel’s request, Diallo expressed his willingness to help if Leo were to set out for the Holy Kingdom for training. He provided two horses, a gate pass, and a certificate stating that Leo was a knight who left for training to improve his swordsmanship.
In reality, he was not a significant person. No matter how famous he had been in the past, he was a retired knight and the nobility showed him undue courtesy. At that time, Leo was distancing himself from Lena to break off the engagement, so he had no bandwidth to remember such trivial matters.
‘Dammit. Should I have just killed the merchants as my uncle said? Or should I have ignored the knight and let him live or die from the beginning? Or…’
Should I use this? Leo nervously fiddled with the {Bracelet of Barbatos}. However, he soon shook his head, realizing it would be ineffective since the Viscount adorned himself with blessed accessories.
As Leo delayed his response, Elson quickly spoke up. “I didn’t live there that long—about five years, perhaps. I came here last year, so yes, roughly five years.”
“Five years is plenty long. So, what was the atmosphere like? My second son should be managing Avril Castle well, right?” Baron Bryna leaned forward, folding his thick belly.
But he only showed passing interest in Avril Castle and Noel Dexter, not getting to the point. In the end, he reached out with a meaningful gesture and said, “I want the Dexter Mercenary Corps to guard my mansion. Is it possible? Not right now? Then let’s coordinate the schedule.”
After this one-sided probing, Leo left the mansion, rubbing his neck anxiously. The baron wanted something. Though he hadn’t mentioned it yet, Leo could sense it—this man intended to use him. Elson patted Leo on the shoulder. “Fortunately, it went well. He wasn’t suspicious. You should be careful from now on. On the bright side, we’ve made a connection with Baron Bryna. Just keep your mouth shut, okay? First, we need to catch those who ran away.”
He hailed a carriage, and after picking up his niece-in-law and nephew, he informed the coachman of their destination. But the place Elson directed the coachman to was neither home nor his office. As the carriage left Varnau’s inner castle and began to move, an increasingly sleepy Lena asked Elson, “Where are we going?”
“Hmm? Oh, you wouldn’t know. We are heading to Leo’s house. Since we’re already out…”
“Leo’s house?” Lena asked again, but Elson, who had stayed up all night, had already fallen into a deep sleep.
While Lena looked bewildered and Leo tried to calm his disturbed mind, the carriage arrived in front of a low wall. Elson stretched and pushed open the broken main gate to enter. It was a modest stone house. It had clearly been happy once, though now it was a worn, abandoned home, having shown the marks of time and no recent inhabitants. In front of it was a small yard…
“Sister-in-law, it’s been a while. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to visit. But today, I’ve brought some people you’ll be glad to see.” (Elson)
– Ivera Einarr.
There stood the grave of Leo Dexter’s mother, her blue resting place waving gently as if welcoming her grown son.