章節 299: Chapter 458

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There was very limited information about Amela, the great mercenary of Gaifa islands, despite her reputation as one of the Three Great Mercenaries.

Everyone praised her anonymity, and special articles about Amela were published every year without fail.

Amela took on at least one commission related to war every year and always delivered 'remarkable' results as a matter of course.

However, these pieces of information were superficial. Amela rarely met with journalists in person, and she rarely revealed herself in public occasions, so it was safe to say that the articles were purely imaginary.

In Jin's previous life, he had also learned about Amela through such articles.

But just once. His teacher, Valeria Hister, had spoken about Amela.

-Amela wears the skins of the people she's killed? I often feel that way, but there are certainly some strange stories about this person.

-Doesn't she bother to correct the journalists who are making up false stories?

-That's true. However, she doesn't know at all how these articles affect her image among the people, and the fact that journalists write these stories about her.

-Completely unaware?

-Yes, she was the kind of person who didn't care much about how the world worked. At least, from what I observed. And she was incredibly pure.

-...Pure? Even I find it hard to believe that she wears people's skins, but it's undeniable that her abilities in combat are outstanding. But can someone like that be pure?

-Being pure doesn't necessarily have only positive connotations. Anyway, once you've finished your tea, you should start your training.

In their previous life, one day they had breakfast together and discussed while looking at newspapers.

At that time, Jin didn't think much of Amela, so he didn't attach any special meaning to her.

'Being pure doesn't necessarily have only positive connotations...'

Now, looking back, the meaning of those words was clear.

Amela is a human with a very blurred sense of good and evil.

"Why do you think so?"

Valkas asked the last question. He wanted to know the reason they needed to recruit or keep Amela in check.

"It's because of the alliance I made with the Black King Corps and the Ghost Mercenaries."

"It's not an alliance but rather a lord and vassal relationship; you don't need to be so careful with your words while considering our feelings."

"Now the whole world knows about this fact. I wanted to keep it hidden until our power was even more solid. Anyway, now the two biggest neutral powers left in the world are Amela, the great mercenary, and the Hidden Palace."

"That's true."

"The fact that the Hidden Palace is my ally hasn't been revealed to the world yet, but the major factions must have some suspicion."

"Well... I think the people of the world are likely to consider them not just as allies but as potential family members. The rumors about the marriage between you and the lady of the Hidden Palace have been circulating for quite some time, my lord."

"The only one left is Amela, and anyone, it will be difficult for me to recruit her. I haven't been active recently, so it's only now that I'm getting involved, but I'm sure other factions have already attempted to make contact with Amela. If luck is not on our side, she might have already joined someone."

Recent actions by Jin have changed the course of the world.

The forces that had been neutral for a long time joined Runcandel's 12th flagbearer, which further heightened the tension among the major factions.

Those who were in the gray area had to make a choice. Which side should we align with? The neutral forces were disappearing one by one.

"She might not be affiliated with someone, my lord. She's quite an elusive character," Valkas remarked.

"Do you know her?"

"Maybe we are quite close considering Amela's standards. In general terms, we have crossed paths a few times on the battlefield and had a meal together a couple of times."

Given that both Amela and Valkas were famous mercenaries, they had received different commissions and had found themselves on the same battlefield a few times.

Valkas forehead narrowed as he recalled those moments.

"You know, my lord. Amela doesn't have her own mercenary unit."

"Yes, she operates alone."

"Even so, I've never beaten her once when I faced her on the battlefield."

"Are you saying there's such a gap between Amela and you?"

"Not between Amela and me, but between the Black king mercenary corps and Amela."

Jin's eyes widened.

"What...?"

"I hate to admit it, but at least in terms of war abilities, Amela has the upper hand compared to me and Black king mercenary corps. It might be a different thing in a one-on-one duel, even though she has the potential. But we never had a chance to test it."

Valkas looked Jin in the eye as he continued.

"So, it means we must recruit Amela. It's entirely different when you're temporarily fighting on different sides due to different employers and when you become outright enemies. Personally, I think you should consider the possibility of having to kill her if you think she might become an enemy."

Jin nodded decisively in response to Valkas's resolute tone.

"I understand what you mean. Our top priority is to understand what Amela wants. Do you have any specific information?"

"Exploration."

"Exploration?"

"Amela has been wandering and exploring the world her whole life. I asked her about it when we shared a meal after a battle. She seemed to have a strong desire to find something, but she didn't tell me exactly what it was."

If I can figure out what that something is, it will be easy to recruit her. An intense intuition crossed Jin's mind.

'She doesn't seem to be seriously interested in how the world operates. Perhaps that's why my teacher described her that way in the previous life; maybe she's entirely devoted to her goal.'

Jin realized that he might need to ask the current Valeria if she knew anything about Amela. Bringing Valeria along with him might be a good idea too.

"In any case, I should meet her and have a conversation."

"Indeed, my lord. And it might be helpful to bring the Proch siblings along."

"You mean Lata and Faye?"

"Amela seemed to find those two strangely cute when they crossed paths on the battlefield. Lata didn't seem to appreciate it, though."

It was hard to imagine someone finding Lata cute, but taking them along wouldn't hurt.

"Understood."

"In that case, I'll return to supervising the construction. If Amela cooperates, please pass on my well wishes."

As Valkas left, someone was already waiting for Jin – Gilly.

"Young master."

"Yes, Gilly."

Jin had noticed for some time now. Or, more accurately, Gilly had been trying to initiate a conversation with him for a while, especially recently.

He had been waiting to have her thoughts all sorted out.

'She had been uneasy due to the situation with Dox.'

The McRolan family hadn't sent any greetings when he became the flagbearer and Dox, who had been rescued by Jin, had left without a word (in fact, from Jin's perspective, it felt more like he had given him a message to be even more vigilant).

Gilly behaved as if she had committed a sin.

"Orabeoni…. No, the Black knight. I'm worried about what to do if he doesn't complete your orders, young master."

"Why are you worried about that, Gilly?"

"My family."

Gilly paused for a moment, and she continued in an uncertain voice.

"Because he is from my family….."

"The family doesn't mean anything to the Black Knight. And as I said last time..."

He paused for a moment, suppressing the rising anger. Of course, the anger wasn't directed at Gilly, but at McRolan, who made Gilly feel small.

"I won't hold any particular grudge against McRolan. As long as they don't harm you directly. So don't worry, Gilly."

When it came to Gilly, Jin had trouble controlling his emotions. He told her not to worry, but his eyes were filled with an intense desire for revenge against McRolan, enough to kill them out instantly.

Gilly couldn't lift her head as she was troubled by the situation, and Jin realized the situation a beat too late.

'Ah…'

His priority should be Gilly's feelings, not his anger. He had always known this but found it difficult to put into practice.

However, Jin understood this because he remembered clearly.

In their previous lives, McRolan didn't extend a helping hand to Gilly when she, too, faced the same fate as him and exiled from the clan.

McRolan's position in Huphester was significant, so they could have done much to help Gilly if they had wanted to.

Of course, it was impossible for them to make her an active flagbearer again, they could at least prevent her from dying a lonely and miserable death.

That was the reason for Jin's anger towards McRolan.

"Hmm, whether the Black Knight obeys that order or not, I will get significant information. If he doesn't obey, we can assume that all active Black Knights are involved with Rikalton. If he does obey, he'll reveal Joshua's secret to me."

Jin spoke again, suppressing his anger.

"Furthermore, Joshua will stop trusting that Black Knight, and it is highly likely that he will become my person before I become the patriarch, as long as he doesn't get killed by Joshua."

"Oh..."

"I'll save him."

"What?"

"If Dox is in danger of being killed by Joshua, I'll save him. As I said, he's not just another member of the McRolan clan, he's a Black Knight. He's one of the most important members of the clan, so I won't just let him die pointlessly. I saved him this time for that reason."

Gilly nodded, and Jin shrugged his shoulders.

"You have nothing to worry about now, Gilly. I'll be leaving for the Gaifa islands soon, so please prepare my things. I want to go with the feeling of being taken care of by you after a long time, Gilly."

"Understood, young master. I'll prepare right away."

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章節 300: Chapter 459

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Gilly went out to start preparing Jin's journey, and this time it was Murakan who found the room.

As he entered, he glanced at Gilly and forced a grin (to make her smile), but she just nodded in greeting and passed by.

"Hmm, today it seems like Strawberry Pie's reaction is 20% annoyance, 30% sadness, and 50% bitterness. There's not even a single digit of error in this calculation, kid. Do you know?"

"What nonsense is this again?"

"Well, what do you know, anyway? Tsk. Do you even know how to make a strawberry pie?"

A vein popped on Jin's forehead.

"You, the great Black Dragon, don't know how to flirt?"

"What are you talking about?"

"And you only know how to make cheap jokes."

"You have no idea how much Strawberry Pie laughs on those jokes."

"Well, you don't need those kinds of jokes. Gilly just laughs when she sees your face."

"Ha! Look at the way you talk, you don't seem like a thousand-year contractor. I should have known this since the time you threatened to destroy the magazines!"

"Really? Murakan, it would be better for you to make a good impression on her even now. She is already feeling frustrated, why did you come and irritate her? Pay attention."

"Whoopee."

"I can give you a reason."

At this, Murakan suddenly cleared his throat and gave a typical fake cough.

"Cough, cough, cough, well."

Jin burst into laughter.

"Go and assist strawberry pie, no. Help Gilly."

That was the reason.

If Murakan tried to help Gilly without this reason, then all he would hear in response from Gilly was, "It's fine, you don't need to bother," as a casual dismissal.

On the other hand, he can naturally help her with this reason. All could Gilly respond, "Oh, for the young master?"

"Hehehe, fine. Well, kid, that's very good to hear. So, you go find this Amela or Cmela whatever, and I'll take care of the Strawberry Pie and do all the pending household chores together..."

"You're coming along too. And there's no need for you to do household chores."

"Alright, I'm coming... Why, why?"

"Aren't you my Guardian Dragon?"

"Well, that's true. Sometimes, the guardian dragon needs a private life."

"I'd like to keep your expectations whenever possible, but this time you must come along. It could be quite dangerous."

"You should be fine unless someone like Zephyrin pops up, don't you think? Isn't it better for someone like me to guard Tikan?"

"There's no law that says Zephyrin won't show up again. Besides, Gaifa Archipelago require a suitable halo."

Murakan's brow furrowed at the mention of a halo.

"Halo? Are you saying you want to use me as a halo?"

"Yes. All four major factions will gather on Gaifa Archipelago. Prominent figures will be representing each."

"That's why I am saying I don't want to get caught between them."

In fact, Jin would not look funny or weak even if he went alone without Lata and Faye, Murakan.

Just a year or two ago, many might have thought, "At most, he's the 12th flagbearer."

But now Jin had truly risen to the ranks of giants.

Before, he was a remarkable rising star who shook the world and caused a sensation with his talents. However, after swallowing the Ghost mercenary corps and the Black King mercenary corps, there was no doubt he had become an undeniable giant.

So even without Murakan, his influence would not diminish, but he had a mindset that more was better.

Gaifa Island was like a small cage where all the world's formidable beings gathered.

It meant that even a small spark could ignite a mad fight, and Jin and the Proch siblings might be insufficient at such times. The enemies could be numerous and powerful.

"Right. We need to prepare for any unexpected situations."

"Well, I can handle quite a bit."

"Anyway, you are going. Come back after helping Gilly. I'll have prepared various phrases for you to use in different situations in Gaifa Island."

"Phrases? What phrases?"

"Well, I will tell you later."

***

In the Gaifa Archipelago, the sea was calm and transparent, a warm breeze blew year-round, the forest visible from the sea was lush and filled with tempting fruits, and the trees in that forest were laden with all kinds of unknown wildlife.

It was truly an area of little value.

The nearby sea was calm, but just a little outside the island, treacherous currents and mysterious whirlpools abounded, making it impossible for normal boats to navigate.

The warm breeze that blew daily was prone to suddenly sweep the island, making it unsuitable for setting up a transfer gate due to the dry sand and droplets it carried.

The soil, despite its pretty colors, yielded resources that were essentially meaningless.

Furthermore, many people who tried to settle here could not endure for long, as every year a mysterious endemic disease would break out here.

The worst conditions in this place were caused by monsters. Gaifa Archipelago were an unprotected zone. It was not classified as a high-risk area, but orcs and other demonic creatures roamed the island once or twice a week.

Therefore, Gaifa Archipelago could not be used as a tourist destination, a residential area, or even as a fun place for the wealthy.

Occasionally, there were people who attempted to invest on the island or establish a personal space despite these unfavorable conditions.

However, all of them disappeared about thirty years ago when the formidable mercenary Amela set foot on this enormous and seemingly useless island.

Swish, Swish...

The boat was gently cutting through the mist-covered sea.

The one explaining this information was Lata Proch, who had been rowing the boat alone all the way to the island.

"Various rumors have circulated regarding that reason, my lord."

"Are you talking about the reason why there have been fewer people approaching Gaifa Archipelago since Amela arrived?"

"There was a rumor that Amela killed everyone who came looking for something hidden on Gaifa Archipelago. There are stories like she is hiding lovers, hiding the children she kidnapped, and so on."

"Naturally, there must have been stories about hiding treasures as well."

"Yes. So quite a few mercenaries and pirates came looking for Gaifa Archipelago. They were all a bunch of fools, and... no one saw them again."

It might not be known to the people of the world if one or two had disappeared, but if a group had vanished, it could only be because of Amela.

"On rare occasions, there were some lucky people who survived and returned but they showed signs of fear at the mention of Amela's name."

Rumors like Amela wearing human skin or being a cannibal started from such incidents.

"One thing is clear, Amela really dislikes the guests who come to these islands."

As they left the misty area, Gaifa Archipelago became visible.

"That's right."

More guests had gathered on Gaifa Archipelago than ever before.

Lata was certain. Amela was not going to welcome the guests. And if she did meet them, it would undoubtedly be for the purpose of war, not hospitality.

"By the way, there's a rumor that Amela, um... had a favorable impression of Sir Lata and Faye."

"I don't care if Sir Valkas had told you that, but don't worry about our feelings, Sir Jin," Faye said. They had heard the same story from Valkas before their departure. She continued with her words.

"And... I'm not sure if I can call it 'favorable' feeling. I think Sir Valkas mentioned it while thinking back to the day we all happened to have a meal together on the battlefield. But my brother and I have seen Amela on other occasions besides that day."

"If it's not 'favor'?"

"It's difficult to express in words. It seemed like she considered us as toys or playmates. She said that talking is boring and swung a sword at us."

"It's an embarrassing story, but there was a time when I had a cut on my forehead during one of her surprise attacks."

At that point, Jin realized a strange sense of déjà vu while listening to the story about Amela.

The ambiguity of the boundary between good and evil, the willingness to perform actions that might kill someone in jest.

There was someone he loved who had that trait as well.

'Elder sister Yona.'

Based on what he had heard, Amela had a lot in common with Yona.

And one word naturally came to Jin's mind: chaos.

'Perhaps Amela might have chaos like elder sister Yona.'

Of course, it could simply be a matter of having a twisted personality. But other circumstances fit well.

The part about Amela overwhelming the entire Black King mercenaries single-handedly in the war.

Valkas evaluated Amela as someone with special abilities, rather than a transcendent martial artist with late-stage 10-star or higher battle prowess.

-Amela has been wandering and exploring the world all her life. I asked her about it when we had a meal together after the battle. She seemed to be searching for something with great longing, but she didn't reveal exactly what it was.

Jin recalled what Valkas had said.

A sharp intuition seemed to pierce his head from all directions.

'Amela is looking for something related to chaos.'

The source, reason, or a way to control or eliminate the chaos she possessed.

'If Amela is searching for that, what can I offer?'

Jin's knowledge of 'chaos' was quite limited. Most of what he knew came from Talaris' recent explanation.

But what about his enemies? How much did they know about it?

The imperial family might be in the dark, but Kinzelo and Zipfel probably had more information. Especially since Kinzelo's leader appeared to be a demon-god level being.

'If Amela's goal is information about chaos, I'm in quite a disadvantageous position, especially since I'm probably the last to arrive in the Gaifa Archipelago.'

As he was contemplating these thoughts, a familiar scene entered in the vision of Jin and his companions. Not far ahead, smoke and flames began to shoot up from the center of Gaifa Archipelago.

There was no need for further explanation; the smoke signaled that a battle was taking place, and it was unfolding rapidly.

"My lord."

"What should we do?"

Lata and Faye asked, and Jin immediately made a decision.

If there was only one major faction that had come to Gaifa Archipelago, they would have rushed to see it right away.

That was probably a battle between Amela and the major factions.

However, this was not the right time to intervene.

It could be a battle between the major factions, a skirmish involving Amela, or a confrontation between Amela and some of the major factions. All of them had one thing in common: their interest in Amela.

As long as the Four Great Factions did not collectively decide to eliminate Amela, she was actually safest in any situation. Because everyone would be trying to rescue her.

"Let's go in more slowly. And if possible, find a suitable place to hide and observe what's happening and how the battle is going on," Jin suggested.

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