Chapter 56

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: No Mercy 56

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자비는 없습니다

56화

More than anyone, Bellieta demanded perfection, and she flew into a rage at the slightest shortfall.

Piolett Baylor berated herself for forgetting, in the heat of shooting arrows, the very thing she'd always kept in mind.

'What if I'd hit every last shot?'

She hurriedly tried to clear her mind of the unwelcome thoughts crowding in and bowed her head, but Bellieta's voice cut in first.

"You missed. Such a shame."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"No need to apologize. It's hard to hit that, after all. I get it. Not everyone born to a noble house is good with a bow."

Bellieta extended a hand to her maid with a pleased smile, draping a thin cloak over her shoulders.

"You'll get it right next time. Right?"

"...Yes."

"Don't look so down. It was just one shot."

She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a soft chuckle, then patted Piolett's shoulder.

Piolett flinched, her shoulder trembling.

Bellieta fixed her with a steady gaze, her smile fading as her eyes slowly narrowed.

"Just one shot, right?"

"..."

"I like smart, capable people. Poisonous ones are even better. But..."

Bellieta took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

Her lips drew slowly toward Piolett's ear, stopping so close that her breath brushed against it.

A soft chuckle rang out like thunder, followed by the sound of her swallowing.

"I don't like the clueless. I think it's a far worse sin than being incompetent or promiscuous."

"I'm sorry..."

"Remember that well. Forget what happened today. Got it, Piolett?"

"...Yes."

Bellieta stared at Piolett's bowed profile for a moment before stepping back.

She flashed Piolett a bright smile, then turned her body at an angle.

"Take that bow. I tried it out, and it's not great. It just won't hit right. I'll have it remade later or something. It seems to suit you pretty well, so consider it a gift from me. Use it for this hunting contest. Okay?"

"I will, Lady."

Bellieta smiled at the nodding Piolett and turned away.

With Piolett at her back, Bellieta's expression slowly relaxed, then hardened into a stiff mask.

A long sigh escaped her lips.

"Just one shot..."

Recalling the final arrow embedded in the ground, the corner of Bellieta's mouth twisted upward in a sneer.

"Such a shame."

I thought today would be fun.

Bellieta's eyes narrowed in delight at the thought of Piolett's frightened face.

With the monster subjugation tournament just a day away, Riplton was eerily quiet.

Unlike the mercenaries and wandering knights bustling to join the event, hardly any noble processions were in sight.

The vast training grounds and tents set up inside Riplton Castle were less than half full, and Baran Nemir Viscount could only let out a deep sigh at the sight.

"Something's come up."

He'd been inwardly worried ever since Bozbon announced their sudden hunting contest.

Even after preparing extra prizes and ramping up promotion to draw participants, things weren't looking good.

No matter how much money they offered, luring nobles was proving difficult.

"Lord Baran Nemir."

The inner castle steward, who had been managing participants, called out to him in a worried tone.

Baran turned his head slightly to look at the steward.

"What is it?"

"Unease is spreading among the mercenaries and wandering knights who've signed up."

"Unease?"

"Riplton's monsters are notoriously ferocious and strong compared to others. The low casualty rates every year came from high-level knights and large numbers of mercenaries tackling just one beast at a time. But with so few knights and participants this time, they feel it's unsafe."

Baran's brow furrowed deeply at the steward's words.

It was the very issue he'd been mulling over, now surfacing.

He sighed and scratched his head.

"Tell the mercenaries not to worry too much. We're planning localized subjugations this time, unlike before."

"We're already doing that, but the problem is they're demanding something else. Hazard pay."

"...What?"

Riplton had never once paid participants hazard pay.

This was a tournament, not a job or commission.

On top of bounties on monster heads, they offered separate prize money.

For a contest that had always gone smoothly, hazard pay out of nowhere?

Baran couldn't hide his bewilderment as he hurriedly spoke.

"Ridiculous... How much are they asking for?"

"They're demanding it in gold coins. Amounts vary by person, but it's substantial either way."

Baran's face went slack at the mention of gold coins.

He turned to glare at the mercenaries swilling booze in the training grounds, his expression twisting.

Baran shook his head.

"Mercenaries come here to make money in the contest. If we pay hazard fees in gold, they won't focus on the subjugation. We absolutely cannot pay it."

"But if we don't, they're threatening not to participate."

"Damn it all!"

Baran ground his teeth and slammed his fist against the wall.

The steward flinched back, but Baran had no attention to spare.

His palm stung from the impact.

Glaring at the mercenaries, Baran slowly opened his mouth.

"...What about other nobles? Any more coming?"

"Don't expect it. It's hopeless."

"Damn..."

Baran pressed his forehead against his bruised palm, closed his eyes, and muttered curses.

Every path led to a dead end.

After pondering solutions with his eyes shut for a long while, Baran finally lifted his head and spoke.

"What about the Brilloxen Lady? Any word?"

"Well..."

"Sierra isn't coming, Baran."

The reply to Baran's question came not from the steward, but from behind him.

Baran whipped around to see Aden approaching, looking down through the window and clicking his tongue.

"Numbers are low."

"Your Grace..."

Baran bit his lip with the face of a condemned man and bowed his head.

Aden glanced at the dejected Baran and tsked softly.

He too had realized, upon hearing of the mess, that it was already too late.

In rumor-slow Riplton, word of Bozbon's scheme had reached them just two days prior.

By then, mercenaries were already arriving in droves.

'Bellieta, and Bozbon.'

Riplton had formally protested to Bozbon, calling it absurd, but they'd only replied with feigned regret.

They claimed it was a coincidence of dates, but Aden wasn't one to buy that.

'Coincidence? Nonsense. They planned to sabotage Riplton from the start.'

Aden closed the window and turned his head.

"Any countermeasures?"

"Reducing the subjugation area for localized operations seems best. I'm also considering extending the event by a day."

"Not a bad plan. I'll assign more knights and soldiers to this subjugation, so proceed carefully to minimize casualties."

"Understood. But you just said the Brilloxen Lady isn't coming... She's not participating this time?"

Aden nodded curtly, recalling the letter that had arrived late last evening.

Sierra had written that she wouldn't be able to join, explaining why.

Remembering how she'd repeated her apologies to the end, Aden let out a deep sigh.

"This is bad. The Brilloxen Lady was our last hope."

"...Hope."

Aden let out a low chuckle at Baran's murmured words, spoken with deep dismay.

It was a word that didn't suit Harmonia.

Harmonia's hope was solely the goddess Hernia, and Riplton's future grew darker with each passing year.

Yet the light guiding that future wasn't from the goddess Hernia or the empire's emperor, but a rural count's young lady.

The woman who had saved countless rooted in Harmonia and protected Aden, who was overwhelmed by the task.

Countless people rested on those small shoulders.

Though Sierra herself remained unaware.

"I don't know when we Harmonians started tossing around 'hope' so lightly, Baran Nemir. Doesn't it feel like burdening that young lady with too heavy a load by calling her our hope?"

"..."

"Those who tread Harmonia's soil don't believe in hope. They believe only in the swords they wield. Have you forgotten that our salvation must come from swords and conviction?"

"My apologies, Your Grace."

Baran fell silent, gazing down at the rowdy mercenaries for a long moment before turning his head.

"We've already received so much help. We can't impose further."

"Understood."

"And tell the mercenaries clearly: Riplton will never pay hazard fees. Those who don't like it can leave."

"Are you sure?"

"No need to clutch them with bribes."

Aden flashed a bold smile at the concerned Baran and turned away.

"Whatever schemes they're hatching, tomorrow will still see the monsters around here wiped out clean."

Baran didn't know Aden's thinking, but he didn't believe it was baseless bravado.

He could only hope things went well.

"If any mercenary demands hazard pay and causes a fuss, crack their thick skulls. And raise the bounties on the monsters. Since they're here for the money, that'll control them better than paying extra."

"Understood."

Baran watched the nodding steward turn to leave, then let out a small sigh.