Chapter 54

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Super Stealthy Kid Looking for Daddy - Chapter 149

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"We're taking the ship to Talochium tomorrow morning. Get ready."

Tesetan's command made every member of Trebaga widen their eyes in surprise.

But Tesetan was already grabbing his sword, which he'd leaned against the sanctuary wall.

Aleric hurried after him.

"Captain. You're not thinking of storming the Association headquarters, are you? Please tell me you're not."

Tesetan turned to Aleric with a chilling smile.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea. But not yet. They haven't even revealed where their headquarters is anyway."

"Then why tomorrow of all days..."

"We're going to meet the Necromancer King."

"Whaaat?!"

Livia, who'd been following from the other side, went wide-eyed.

"Meet the Necromancer King? Us?!"

Tesetan quickened his pace instead of answering.

"Quit yapping and get ready. We're going to have a duel of honor with them."

At the words "duel of honor," Livia froze in place.

Even Aleric stood there, mouth agape.

Inside the sanctuary.

Only Trebaga's officers remained.

Victor spoke up.

"That duel of honor the captain mentioned. He really means against the Agaveert Mercenary Corps?"

Livia looked up with an irritated sigh.

"What do you keep a brain for? You think he'd duel a monster?"

Duel of honor.

It was a term so archaic that no one used it anymore.

Maybe a few highborn nobles' kids who'd studied history?

Long ago, knights would stake their honor in such duels.

They'd swear an oath in the name of the Empire beforehand, and honor it without fail afterward.

Victor shot Livia a displeased glare.

"Duels of honor are for knights. I was just asking since I've never seen mercenaries do it."

Livia muttered "yeah, right" and flipped him the bird.

Meanwhile, Aleric, who'd been deep in thought, murmured to himself.

"It won't happen. Unless it turns into a dogfight."

Traditionally, both sides had to agree to a duel of honor.

The stakes were high, with an oath on the line.

If the loser reneged, imperial law demanded execution.

Even now, with duels all but extinct, that law still stood.

"The Necromancer King has no reason to accept. He's got everything he wants already."

Victor and Livia nodded.

The three of them—Aleric, Victor, and Livia—had been Tesetan's first recruits.

Their enlistment dates varied slightly, but they'd all stuck by him for years.

Victor let out a sigh.

"Is the captain really feeling the pressure this time?"

Until now, Trebaga had been the Empire's undisputed top mercenary corps.

They'd endured the palace's indifference and the Church's scrutiny.

Maintaining rank one without a single national commission was something every member took pride in.

But.

'No need for civil war jobs for a while.'

'About that internal escort in Talochium—mind holding off on the contract for now?'

'Ah, no worries there! We've got other clients.'

Lately, Trebaga had been losing clients at an alarming rate.

It hit hard for a group that handled more private commissions than most.

Soon enough, they learned where those clients were flocking.

'Tried Agaveert, got turned down.'

'...For real?'

'Yep! The Bellardin margrave of the duchy was pissed. Called them uppity mercenaries. But they're still swamped with work. Everyone's hedging their bets.'

On the continent with Talochium and the northern lands.

From islands to deserts and plains, all eyes were on the Agaveert Mercenary Corps.

Unprecedented dark-attribute magic. A Necromancer King who wielded it like he wasn't human. His unrivaled mercenary corps.

Everything about them sparked endless curiosity.

"Still, a dogfight's a bit..."

Livia ruffled her hair.

Trebaga had clashed endlessly with other groups over the years.

But this felt like Tesetan was gearing up for a full-on brawl.

"Getting bumped from number one doesn't sound so bad. Everyone on the continent knows our name now anyway."

"Who doesn't know that, Victor."

Aleric cut him off.

"We don't care if Trebaga falls from the top spot. The problem is the captain."

They still knew nothing of Tesetan's past.

He'd never spoken of his history, family, or background.

But Aleric, Victor, and Livia had their suspicions.

That he carried some dark secret.

"Trebaga is his entire life."

Tesetan found meaning in Trebaga.

'Trebaga will stay on top forever. I'll make sure of it.'

He also had a strong self-destructive streak.

He'd throw himself into danger regularly.

And only then did his eyes sparkle like he was truly alive.

Tesetan tolerated no drop in assault rankings, however slight.

When a second- or third-rank group climbed, he'd go berserk widening the gap before relaxing.

"We need to handle this carefully."

Victor said.

"We always knew someone would eventually surpass him. He's not a god."

As Victor said, the officers had anticipated it.

Someone would one day truly threaten Tesetan.

When that day came, they had one job.

Help him let go of his obsession with number one safely.

And ultimately, protect him and Trebaga.

Livia waved her hand to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, whatever. We'll deal later. The duel won't happen anyway."

"...How can you be so sure?"

Livia grinned.

"The Necromancer King crazy? No upside for him in dueling our captain."

Two days later.

The evening Trebaga arrived at the northern docks.

A letter flew into the Agaveert Mercenary Corps outpost.

"Waaah, it's so pretty!"

Tiye's eyes sparkled as she opened the luxurious blue-sealed letter tied with sky-blue ribbon.

She slowly read the words on the paper inside.

"Fros... Frost Association?"

Basto came rushing from the kitchen.

"Tiye, what? Who sent the letter?"

Tiye handed the letter to the frantic Basto.

Basto read it and swallowed hard.

"...A national commission."

"What?!"

This time, Veil leaped down the entire staircase from the second floor.

Nordics, who'd been tending the garden out back, stopped at the doorway.

"A national commission for Agaveert."

A grin spread across Basto's face.

National commissions.

The big break, the dream gig for any mercenary corps.

"It's a siege op with the Holy Knight Order. Looks like the Lumen Holy Knights are joining."

Basto fell silent.

There, at the bottom.

Bold letters caught his eye.

[...This muster is a key step in the national commission. We'd appreciate your confirmation of attendance.

Temporary muster: Tomorrow evening, under the clock tower at the imperial main gate.]

"The clock tower!"

Tiye's face lit up.

The clock tower at the imperial main gate was what she saw every time heading to the Compensation Bureau.

Towering in the central plaza, it was enormous.

Even from Tiye's house in the Rosewbell district, its peak was visible.

"Yay! Tiye's finally official!"

Working with the Lumen ducal house, no less!

No more pretending not to know each other in public!

Tiye was so excited she dashed to her room.

She spent ages picking tomorrow's outfit before crashing hard.

So she missed the late-night knock from Blackie.

And never noticed the light flickering on next door through the window.