Chapter 142 – Mercenary King (Part 1)

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Translated by Pratt

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The next day, the temple of the Order of the Laurel Wreath became the Temple of the God of Circulation and Flow.

The believers protested a little, but there was not much they could do.

Sonya wore a complicated expression as she looked at the words ‘Temple of Flow and Circulation’.

“Isn’t this too suspicious?”

At that, Rombel chuckled.

“It is better because it is moderately suspicious. Naturally, people are drawn to unfamiliar and suspicious things rather than natural and obvious ones. The Central Mage Tower Lord will probably be no exception.”

Unlike when it was the temple of the Order of the Laurel Wreath, not many people visited the Temple of Flow and Circulation. Spectators visiting out of curiosity for the unfamiliar divine name were all.

However, after hiring a few freelance priests and stationing them, it looked quite plausible. This extent should be enough to lure in the Central Mage Tower Lord.

“Since we laid the trap, now we just have to wait.”

The problem was that they did not know how long the wait would be. If they were lucky, the Central Mage Tower Lord might appear as early as this evening, but if they were unlucky, they might have to wait for months or more.

For the four of them to stay cooped up in the temple, waiting endlessly for the Central Mage Tower Lord to appear, was a foolish choice. In the end, Sonya came up with a method.

“Come here. I will cast a calling magic on you.”

The function of the calling magic was only one. Sending a loud alarm sound to each other.

Although it was a simple function, no function beyond that was necessary.

“I will be at the temple until this evening, so go about your own business. Do not go too far, though.”

“Got it.”

Thanks to Sonya, they gained some free time.

Returning to Marquis Hagenroth’s mansion, Elbridge closed his eyes in a quiet room.

The goal was the Bella-style combat art. Jean’s arrow, which had plunged down like a beam of light from the sky and pierced Starwave, vividly came to mind.

Elbridge reflected on Orion’s explanation.

‘Bella-style combat art consists of recognition, condensation, and release, in that order.’

The first step was recognizing the divine power within the body.

Elbridge slowed his breathing and observed his inner self. However, even after a considerable amount of time passed, nothing was felt.

Elbridge knew that there was a significant level of divine power in his body. Because that divine power was the very reason Elbridge was able to display superhuman movements.

However, divine power was merely something whose existence was recognized indirectly through its effects, not something that could be directly perceived. At least, Elbridge had thought so. The same was true for other paladins.

‘I must feel what I have never felt before.’

Should he describe it as the feeling of trying hard to move a non-existent third arm?

Since the goal was so vague, it was difficult to guess when he would be able to feel the divine power. No, it might even be entirely impossible.

Elbridge offered a prayer to the Goddess of the Rusty Shield.

“Goddess.”

– What is it, Elbridge?

“Is it possible for an ordinary human to utilize divine power like a Sentinel?”

At Elbridge’s question, the Goddess of the Rusty Shield replied in a somewhat unconfident voice.

– For your Goddess to become able to freely control divine power was something that happened after ascending to heaven and becoming a deity.

“Is that so…”

Although she did not declare it impossible, it was not positive news.

As far as Elbridge knew, there were three who used the Bella-style combat art: Jean, Bella, and Orion.

And all three of them were elves. Perhaps the Bella-style combat art was a domain not permitted to humans.

But Elbridge braced his heart, recalling the power of the arrow Jean had shown.

‘It is more than worth a try. Even if I fail, the only thing to lose is time.’

Elbridge closed his eyes and fell back into meditation.

*

Spending the leisure time in training was the same for Marcus.

However, Marcus did not train alone like Elbridge, but was mingled among the Murbach Mercenary Corps.

Perhaps because they were fellow mercenaries, the mercenaries of the Murbach Mercenary Corps and Marcus got along very well.

“Marcus! Let us spar again today!”

“Bring it on!”

The mercenaries of the Murbach Mercenary Corps often requested spars with Marcus.

And the results were always virtually the same. Whether he won easily or with difficulty, it was always Marcus’s victory.

There was only one mercenary in the Murbach Mercenary Corps whom Marcus could not defeat: Murbach.

Murbach looked at Marcus and smiled.

“I might be caught up to soon.”

“Ah, no way…”

However, in his head, he knew Murbach was right. Marcus was confident that he could catch up to Murbach within a year at the shortest, or two to three years at the longest.

Marcus found this situation a bit unfamiliar.

‘When did my skill improve this much?’

The answer lay in the time after he met Elbridge.

Indisputably, he had learned far more from Elbridge and Rombel over the past year or so than what he had learned while rolling around as a mercenary for over ten years. At least regarding combat.

Marcus turned his head and looked at Marquis Hagenroth’s knights training on the opposite side of the training ground. The knights’ movements were faster and more precise than the mercenaries’.

Murbach spoke to Marcus.

“Why, do you want to fight the knights?”

“Not particularly.”

“Making excuses while examining them so closely…”

Marcus laughed awkwardly. At that, Murbach watched the knights for a moment, then spoke.

“In my view, I think you could subdue most of those knights.”

“Ah, no way.”

Marcus spoke as if he lacked confidence. However, Murbach’s words were surely correct, since he was not a person who made empty boasts.

Swoosh.

While Marcus was blankly watching the knights, Murbach, who was sitting beside him, quietly rose from his seat.

Marcus turned his gaze slightly. Sure enough, he saw Marquis Hagenroth approaching the training ground.

Murbach and Marquis Hagenroth were biological brothers. Moreover, they were biological brothers who had not met for over twenty years.

Any other brothers would have sat face to face and rambled all night, but Murbach and Marquis Hagenroth were not like that.

Marquis Hagenroth looked uncomfortable facing Murbach, and Murbach openly avoided Marquis Hagenroth.

At first, he thought they had fought severely. However, from what he had observed so far, there was no hostility between Murbach and the Marquis.

Murbach walked toward the opposite side of Marquis Hagenroth. Marcus also rose from his seat and walked beside Murbach.

“Mr. Murbach.”

“Yeah?”

“Is your relationship with Marquis Hagenroth bad?”

“Rather than bad… it is a bit awkward.”

“Did you fight in the past? Even if you fought, I do not think the bad blood would last for twenty years.”

“We did not fight. It is just that I failed to keep a promise.”

“A promise?”

Murbach nodded and spoke slowly.

“Neither I nor Garmon… that is, Marquis Hagenroth, had any intention of inheriting the family. The third child was scheduled to inherit the title.”

That he was scheduled to inherit contained the implication that things did not flow that way.

In fact, Marquis Hagenroth was the second son.

“Only one person inherits the title. The other siblings must leave Leodel or engage in completely different fields. Garmon and I intended to become mercenaries.”

“There must be many other things you could do besides being a mercenary. Is there a need to choose rough mercenary work of all things?”

“Because the one who raised the Hagenroth Marquisate was none other than the Mercenary King. The men of the Hagenroth Marquisate commonly walk the path of mercenaries.”

Hearing the story of the Mercenary King, Marcus’s ears perked up.

Where in the world would there be a mercenary who did not admire the Mercenary King?

“Unlike me and the second son who wanted to become mercenaries, the third son was a bit weak physically but smart. Father also cherished the third son. However, the third son died in a horse-riding accident. It happened when I was just past twenty.”

It was quite an old story. Must it not have been well over thirty years?

“Since the third son died, either I or the second son had to inherit the family. Garmon and I tried to push the title onto each other.”

For Marcus, it was a story hard to understand.

Why would they bother laying down a noble title to do mercenary work? Even more so, Marquis Hagenroth was a great noble, not a fringe baron.

“It is hard to understand. If it were me, I would have struggled to inherit the family.”

“I know inheriting the Marquisate is more comfortable. But living a comfortable life also means failing to leave my trace in the world. Rather than inheriting the family, living peacefully, and dying without a trace, Garmon and I wanted to achieve something even if it was hard, and leave our footprints in the world.”

Marcus still found it hard to understand Murbach.

While someone became a mercenary after running away from home to escape his father’s leather belt, another wanted to throw away a high noble position to become a mercenary. How could there be such a spoiled talk?

“…I do not empathize with that much.”

“Understandable. At any rate, I wished to leave the family, and promised the second son. I told him that I would return as the Mercenary King, so he should take charge of the family on my behalf. In the end, Garmon folded his intention and inherited the family.”

“As a result, Mr. Murbach became an outstanding mercenary captain. The most recognized mercenary captain even in Fort Hebron.”

“But I was not called the Mercenary King.”

Murbach laughed bitterly.

“I do not have the face to see Garmon. Garmon must also be disappointed in me.”

“I do not think that is Mr. Murbach’s fault. The timing was bad.”

There is a saying that heroes are born in times of chaos.

Conversely, in situations that are not chaotic, heroes cannot be born.

Until the year before last, the world was too peaceful.

There was no war, nor were demons roaming the world.

It was a world where even a highly skilled mercenary like Murbach had no opportunity to stand out. In a world where the tasks mercenaries undertook were minor errands at best, which mercenary could be called the Mercenary King?

“Not wrong. But ultimately, what is important is that, unlike Garmon who successfully protected the family, I failed to keep my promise.”

Only now has the world finished its preparations to conceive a hero.

However, Murbach was well past fifty. Although he could still act as a mercenary, it was a bit too late to be called the Mercenary King.

“On the way to Fort Hebron, I offered a prayer to the God of the Sunshower. I asked if I could become the Mercenary King. It was not a prayer offered thinking that an oracle would return. However, unexpectedly, the God of the Sunshower sent down an oracle.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it would be impossible.”

Murbach let out a deep sigh.

“Even though I received the oracle, I could not let go of my lingering regret. So I entered Fort Hebron and held out. Then, I met you guys.”

Murbach glanced back.

Marcus did not look back, but he could easily guess that Murbach must have looked at Marquis Hagenroth.

“I wondered if I would feel a bit lighter since I had not seen him for twenty years. Although I returned to the family thinking that… it actually became more uncomfortable than before. This is the last time I return to my hometown. Once I leave the family soon, I plan never to return to the Royal Capital Leodel again.”

Murbach shook his head, then tapped Marcus on the shoulder.

Marcus stopped his steps. Murbach quickened his pace and disappeared toward the mansion.

*

Lying down on the bed and rolling around, Marcus thought.

‘The Mercenary King.’

After tossing and turning for a long while, Marcus offered a prayer to the God of the Sunshower.

“God of the Sunshower.”

Unlike the Goddess of the Rusty Shield who always listens to Elbridge’s prayers, the God of the Sunshower does not always listen to Marcus’s prayers.

However, this time, an oracle returned immediately.

– Why?

“Can I become the Mercenary King?”

It was not a question with any grand intention.

He only threw an absurd question to find out how the God of the Sunshower viewed him.

The God of the Sunshower replied.

– Within a year.

Even that was not the end.

– If you want, I can even let you ascend within three years.

A situation where he was unsure if it was a joke or not.

The God of the Sunshower asked.

– How about it. Want to try?