章節 266: Chapter 425
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"Kyaaaah!"
"Uuuh!"
Nobles and merchants who had not learned martial arts reflexively screamed. They mistakenly thought that Lata had attacked Jin, and they had a hard time grasping the situation even when they saw Lata's severed finger on the ground.
"What is the meaning of this, Lata Proch!"
"This is the Garden of Swords!"
The eyes of the guardian knights who aimed their swords at Lata's neck flickered.
Although ten swords were pressing against his neck, the guardian knights felt one thing: if Lata decided, he could easily push away their swords and move as he pleased.
'Ghost leader is more dangerous than the rumors suggest. He can still overwhelm us even with his finger cut off.'
'He just cut off his own finger, but what would have happened if he had decided to attack the 12th flagbearer…'
The guardian knights who thought that far shook their heads inwardly.
'It doesn't seem like anything significant happened. The 12th flagbearer is no ordinary monster either.'
A sticky stream of blood flowed from the severed surface, and Jin stared at it without any movement.
What is the meaning of this?
Jin didn't ask such a question. He simply waited with an expressionless face. He expected Lata to explain the reason for his actions first.
That's why Jin didn't take out his sword, even though Lata made a sudden move. On the contrary, Jin radiated an even more mysterious aura.
In the first place, the weight is different. Regardless of his battle prowess, Jin possesses a dignity that's difficult to describe....
Lata felt that way. He wondered why he had realized this fact so late. Jin had something different from the other supernovae he had met until now.
"I understand, let me formally introduce myself again. I am the owner of the Ghost Castle, the leader of the Ghost mercenary Corps, Lata Proch."
Everyone in the hall couldn't help but be surprised by his polite tone.
It was a natural reaction since everyone had heard rumors about the Ghost leader more than once or twice. The image of the Ghost leader that ordinary people had was that of a cruel king of fiends without blood or tears.
"I am Jin Runcandel, 12th flagbearer of Runcandel."
"I came to the Garden of Swords today to apologize for the rudeness I committed at the Sword Emperor Castle last time."
Jin looked down at the severed finger. "So that's why you cut off your finger?"
"That's right."
Losing one finger did not cause significant damage to Lata's martial prowess. It might be a problem for ordinary martial artists, but this level of hindrance was insignificant for those who had already attained a certain level of mastery.
However, Lata cutting off his own finger meant that he was willing to pay the price in blood.
"Put away your swords."
At Jin's command,the guardian knights withdrew the swords that had been against Lata's neck.
"Sir Lata."
"Yes, please speak."
"There is no grudge between you and me. So, sir, you don't need to apologize to me, and your finger has no value to me."
Lata's pupils trembled.
But it wasn't trembling with shame or humiliation. The emotion in his eyes seemed closer to anxiety.
"...Even if I cut a few more?"
No, seriously, why do you keep wanting to cut your fingers?
Instead of asking that question, Jin chose a different response.
"It's the same even if you cut your arm instead of your fingers, sir."
"Damn it, I should have prepared something else. How can I cover my mistake? Tell me. I'll do my best."
At this point, the people inside the hall were exchanging glances with each other. Was this person really the Ghost leader? Everyone had such reactions, and even the guardian knights, who couldn't show their feelings, were deeply shocked.
Even Jin himself couldn't help but feel perplexed.
'Lata Proch couldn't be that kind of person. Why is he acting so obedient?'
The reason Jin was slightly belittling Lata at the moment was for a different purpose.
Lata's personality. In other words, Jin was behaving like this because it was necessary to look intimidating and challenging when dealing with a beast-like person.
Since hierarchy is highly important among beasts, it thought it necessary to make it clear that he was superior to Lata.
Therefore, Jin was expecting another duel in this process.
The duel at the Sword Emperor Castle had actually ended in Jin's favor, but due to the terrorist attack, the outcome was not decided.
'I thought Lata would run wild and attack me because of my attitude, and I was going to use that as an excuse for a duel.'
It would undoubtedly be a good outcome if he defeats the Ghost leader in front of the entire clan. Then, they would proceed to acknowledge each other in a warm atmosphere and naturally convey that he had received considerable favor from the Ghost mercenaries.
That was the scenario Jin hoped for in this meeting.
'If he comes out like this, there will be no need to fight.'
There is no need for another duel, and it's clear to anyone that Lata was showing a submissive attitude.
'Come to think of it, Lata kept hovering around me during my stay at the Sword Emperor Castle after the terrorist incident. I thought he might be trying to negotiate under different conditions for Faye's release. Could it be that he was looking for an opportunity to apologize to me?'
Drip, drip. Thick drops of blood continued to fall from Lata's severed finger onto the ground.
"Sir Lata, to be honest, I thought you were going to challenge me again."
"I'm not that much of a fool. I realized back then that I'm not even close to being able to fight against you, 12th flagbearer."
In the end, when Lata said that, people in the hall started murmuring.
'What is he saying?'
'They had a duel before the terrorist attack at the Sword Emperor Castle,, and there were rumors that the 12th flagbearer had the upper hand.'
'No matter how you look at it, can the difference be so significant that the Ghost leader would say that?'
Since many martial artists had judged Jin's superiority over Lata during the duel, 'Runcandel's 12th flagbearer' and 'Ghost leader' were positions where the latter carried more weight.
"In that case, Sir Lata, it seems you owe me a debt rather than apologizing to me. Do you remember?"
-Are you suggesting a wager through a duel?
-Isn't there something you need from me?
-Before I kill you, I'll have you sign a blood oath then.
-Blood oath or whatever, if you win, I'll grant whatever you desire. Whether you take my life or engage in any act that can humiliate me while I'm still breathing, it's all fair game. But if I win.
Lata recalled the conversation from their previous duel and said, "Of course, I remember."
"Sir Lata, you need to become even stronger than you are now to fulfill my request. It's not the time for cutting your fingers. However, I have doubts about whether you are truly the person who can take on my request. Guardian Knights, quickly bring the medical team director to my room."
"Yes!"
Swish!
Then, Jin used his ice barrier seal magic to preserve Lata's severed finger before saying, "Follow me."
As they left the reception room and made their way to Jin's room, a powerful vibration occurred within the Garden of Sword.
It wasn't a natural phenomenon like an earthquake; it was the result of someone using tremendous power. The sky even darkened with an ominous darkness.
Lata had experienced such a phenomenon once before when Murakan had used his power at the Sword Emperor Castle.
"This is the Guardian Dragon's..."
"Oh, it seems to have started. You don't need to worry about it."
Lata wondered what had started, but he refrained from asking when he noticed that it wasn't something Jin wished to discuss.
On their way to the room, Jin pondered why Lata was behaving this way.
'I hope he didn't suddenly change his attitude without reason.'
The director of the medical team, whom the guardian knights had summoned, arrived in the room first. He quickly reattached Lata's finger and then disappeared abruptly.
"...Thank you."
"Enough with the pleasantries; let's get to the point. Why are you behaving like this?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The Lata I remember had a significant grudge against me and was a very reckless person. That's why he challenged me to a duel and nearly embarrassed himself."
"Hmm! hmm, that's..."
"If you don't provide a reasonable explanation for this sudden change in attitude, I won't accept any price of victory from you."
Lata's eyes widened, and after a moment's hesitation, he nodded and finally spoke, "I have fallen for a man named Jin Runcandel."
Jin was nearly about to spew out the tea that Gilly had served him.
"You fell for me? That's not a convincing reason to do all this. Just because of something like that?"
Jin's eyes narrowed and he continued with a stern expression. It was the first time anger had crept onto his face.
"I think the elders of my clan might have commissioned the Ghost mercenaries to assassinate me. Then you should make up for your failure and carry out the request again. Does it make sense for you to try to join me?"
If Lata was really resorting to such actions solely based on having "fallen for," Jin had no intention of considering him an ally.
"That doesn't make any sense. If I were from a prestigious knight family like you. But, Sir Jin, I'm just a mercenary who lives by the sword. I can act vile and lowly, just like any other despicable beast. Especially in times like these."
"In times like these? Please explain."
"I dueled with you, Sir Jin, and we went through the terrorist attack at the Sword Emperor Castle together. After that, I stayed at the Sword Emperor Castle for about two weeks, and observed how the situation unfolded. As a result, I reached one conclusion."
"What conclusion?"
"If the Ghost mercenary corps has to survive, it can no longer remain neutral."
-An alliance? The Ghost mercenaries never allies themselves with any faction. We only have contracts and clients. Jin Runcandel, I challenge you to a duel.
This statement Lata made at the banquet contradicted not only his previous words but also directly negated the values upheld by the Ghost mercenary corps as a mercenary organization.
"That day was a special day for me. It was the moment I realized my arrogance through our duel, and the terrorist attack gave me confidence that the future war and power dynamics would take a completely different form from what I knew."
The underground tunnels, demonic creatures, living golems, massive battleships, and shape-shifting mages, and above all, the overwhelming power and regeneration ability displayed by the demon.
Just as Lata said, Kinzelo's terrorist attack that day was shattering the common sense held by most people.
"Despite that, the Imperial Family didn't protect Hairan afterward. Even when such a crazy group attacked the Sword Emperor Castle, they acted as if even the Sword Emperor Castle with Sir Ron had little use for the imperial family."
"They might have seen it as a good opportunity to keep Hairan in check, don't you think?"
"Thinking of it that way, it still seems like Sir Ron's power is too enormous. The Imperial Family must have had their own preparations, and perhaps they decided to abandon Hairan because of that. If the Imperial family was ready for such a situation, then I wonder what Runcandel or Zipfel would be like. I saw Kinzelo's power myself."
Since that day, Lata had a feeling that a "new era" was dawning. He believed that a burdensome era had opened up where it was difficult to continue living as a mere martial artist or a mercenary group.
Even Ron Hairan was treated as unnecessary, let alone the Ghost mercenaries.
That's why he judged that he should choose wisely who would seize the hegemony of the new era and form an alliance with them.
"From that perspective, I'm convinced that you will be the next patriarch of Runcandel. That's why I've come here to stand on your side, Sir Jin. Does this explanation suffice now?"
章節 267: Chapter 426
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The two of them silently stared at each other for a while.
'Does Lata Proch really have this side to him?'
The Ghost mercenaries and their Leader, Lata Proch.
In truth, Jin did not have a favorable opinion of them.
He was attacked by the executioners of Ghost mercenary corp led by Faye, and later when Lata confronted him, Jin felt that they were both foolish.
But for Lata to have this level of insight? It was astonishing that he saw through the situation and the flow of events after the terrorist attack.
'No, no. There's no way Lata is that intelligent. Someone must be feeding him information or controlling him.'
Jin suppressed his admiration and shook his head internally.
Oh, is that so? That's an unexpectedly excellent judgment, Jin almost said this out loud.
'Who could it be? Zipfel? Kinzelo? No, individuals from those two groups couldn't have approached Lata. Because we were all tied up in the Sword Emperor Castle.'
Most of them had undergone intense investigations during their stay at the Sword Emperor Castle for about two weeks, even though they had helped suppress the terrorist attack. The Hairan had not discovered any involvement of Zipfel and Kinzelo.
'Zephyrin.'
Jin suddenly thought of the woman who is presumed to be the demon dragon. Perhaps she was behind Lata.
Zephyrin's true identity had not yet been revealed. Therefore, it wouldn't be too surprising if she were affiliated with either Zipfel or Kinzelo.
'But that would be an overkill. Even if Zephyrin approached Lata for some purpose, it's impossible for Lata to adopt this submissive attitude.'
Regardless of whether it was Zephyrin or someone else, it seemed unlikely that a figure of Lata's stature would become someone's pawn and abandon his reputation.
At this moment, if Jin were to reject Lata and send him away, the weight of the title "Ghost Leader" would plummet to the ground at once.
It wasn't just a couple of people who had seen them in the reception room. Of course, it wouldn't be difficult to have their lips sealed, but there was no need to cover for him if Jin didn't form an alliance with Lata.
After a moment of contemplation, Jin concluded that Lata had come to him of his own free will and insight.
"Sir Jin, what are you thinking? Is there something strange about my words?"
"No, there's nothing strange. In fact, you read the situation too accurately, and I find it amazing if you've figured all that out on your own."
"Kahahaha!"
Lata burst into hearty yet sharp laughter.
"Well, it might seem that way from your perspective. My younger sister and I haven't shown ourselves in a good light so far. But Sir Jin, I'm also the leader of a significant group. And a highly respected one at that."
Lata glanced at the perfectly reattached index finger that did not have any trace of a cut.
"Do you know why my five hundred subordinates followed me?"
It was a puzzling question. Five hundred was far from enough to display his prestige or buy time when trouble arose against the garden of swords.
Moreover, considering the size of the Ghost mercenaries, it seemed like an ambiguous number to be brought with the intention of saying, "Please accept us as subordinates."
"I don't know."
Lata smiled slyly.
"They were the five hundred who never backed down, even if I had cut them down."
"What….?"
"When I said I would cut off my fingers as an apology to Sir Jin, those guys forcefully followed me and said they would also offer their fingers to you, Sir Jin."
This time, Jin's pupils had to widen.
Is this for real?
Lata's eyes showed no doubt. Anyone who met Lata's gaze now would be able to feel his pride.
"At first, many more subordinates said they would come with me. Runcandel might have mistaken it for a declaration of war if I had brought all those guys. Anyway, the ones who came with me insisted so much and wouldn't back down and I had no choice but to bring them along."
"Then if I tell them to do so, are they all going to cut their index fingers?"
"That's right."
"What a peculiar loyalty."
"It's something you rarely see anywhere else. They went so far as to say they couldn't bear to see just me lose a finger. Now you know how well-respected I am, right?"
"Is there no way for all of them to keep their fingers intact?"
"It could be possible if Runcandel's 12th flagbearer permits it."
"What I meant is, wasn't there a way you didn't even think of or attempt in the first place?"
"If someone commits a sin, they should pay the price. Even more so if you want to get closer to your future partner."
"But you just said you're not a person but more like a despicable and lowly beast."
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
It was difficult to put into words, so Jin just shook his head and felt a sense of awe.
Then he remembered the expressions on Lata's subordinates that Murakan had taken away.
They all seemed to have blank expressions, even though they were about to lose a part of their bodies, just like their lord.
'Seems like you're not a simple man, Lata Proch.'
If everything Lata had said was true, then he was a remarkable leader. Regardless of how excellent Lata's battle prowess might be, it was no small feat to completely control the Ghost mercenaries at such a young age.
"I have one more question, Sir Lata."
"What is it?"
"Why did you act so lowly at the banquet hall of the Sword Emperor Castle?"
Jin felt that Lata today and the Lata from back then were completely different people.
"I'm competent and an excellent leader in most situations, but occasionally, an imperfect aspect of my personality shows itself, like when my only family member, my kin, was taken hostage."
"Your younger sister is being treated quite well based on the most stringent prisoner of war treaties."
"Well, I'm grateful for the treatment, but since she's a tough girl, I don't mind if she gets treated up to the point of keeping her alive. And also... this can also happen when I lose one of my most precious subordinates."
Jin recalled the day when Faye had attacked him.
'Wasn't his name Grimol?'
He was the only one among the Ghost mercenaries assassins who had overwhelmed him. He wielded a much better sword than Faye.
"I sent him off without much pain. He was willing to sacrifice himself to the very end to save Faye Proch."
"...I've always wondered how his end was going to be, but he had an honorable death for a mercenary. We spent a long time together, but Grimol was more suited to being a knight than an assassin."
Lata closed his eyes and seemed to mourn for Grimol for a moment.
"Looking back, it was my own arrogance that led to the consequences because I underestimated you, Sir Jin. I shouldn't have taken the commission in the first place, or if I did, I should have gathered the best assassins, including myself. So, this time, I won't make any mistakes and try to make the best choice. Please help me."
There was a sense of sincerity in his calm tone.
Of course, just because he appeared sincere now didn't mean he could take back the reckless remarks he had made earlier.
But Jin knew that everyone could make mistakes.
"Sir Lata Proch."
"Please speak."
"If you truly want to form an alliance with me, you must show me trust. Mere apologies and offering fingers with no real meaning won't allow you to become my ally."
Lata finally smiled as if he had thrown off his stuffy clothes.
"What do you want me to do? What can I show you?"
"Me and the Ghost mercenaries first met as the target of elimination and assassins."
Lata's eyes narrowed upon hearing this.
"In order to change that bad relationship into an alliance, shouldn't you at least bring the heads of those who ordered to kill me?"
Assassinate the Runcandel elder council members.
That was certainly one of the worst commissions that an assassin group could receive.
"I know the reason why you did not take matters into your own hands before we spoke."
As if pierced by a needle, Lata flinched and smiled awkwardly.
"Probably because you don't want to take risks. If you had brought the heads of the elders, and I did not accept you as my ally, then there is no turning back."
"...I'm starting to feel it again. You're really not ordinary, Sir."
"Also, even if I greeted you with open arms after bringing the heads of those old men, you would still doubt whether the 12th flagbearer could protect the Ghost mercenaries from Runcandel's retaliation."
Jin got up from his chair. Then, he slowly moved behind Lata. Lata remained seated and couldn't get up.
A few seconds later, Jin's hand lightly touched Lata's shoulder. Lata felt a chill as if it was a Grim Reaper's scythe.
"If you truly believe in me, if you are sure that I will become the patriarch of Runcandel. Then take the risk, Lata Proch."
Jin's voice was as cold as ice, and it sent shivers down his spine.
"I'll give you one week."
Jin said as he removed his hand from Lata's shoulder.
"Within that time, bring me the heads of those who tried to kill me. Don't bungle it; I mean to see the job done properly. I'll take responsibility for the aftermath. Do you understand?"
Lata nodded heavily.
'Twelfth flagbearer, this is an unexpected turn of events...'
Certainly, Lata believed that Jin would eventually become the patriarch of the Runcandel clan.
However, he didn't think Jin held significant power within Runcandel at the moment. Thus, his plan had been to first join forces and then gradually help Jin rise to power within his clan.
But now, a situation had arisen where he needed to become enemies with the 'existing Runcandel' within a week.
'I was planning to join the Twelfth flagbearer, but this is completely unexpected.'
Show your trust.
While Lata mulled over Jin's recent words in his mind, Jin spoke again.
"If the deadline passes and there's no contact from you, I'll conclude that you have joined hands with another faction, Sir Lata. That means we'll become enemies again."
"Such a thing..."
"Please make a wise choice."
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