[ Episode 282. Confluence ]
Villegnon, a small seaside town located at the southwestern end of the continent.
Travelers have been visiting the village for the first time in a long time because it is rural and has no special features, so there is almost no outsider going in and out.
“What is it? Why did so many people come?”
“Isn’t the atmosphere unusual?”
There were not a few of them, and all of them were dressed in suspiciously suspicious costumes.
With the exception of a few, all of them had their faces covered with thick cloaks and hoods.
“Don’t just talk to me. I don’t think we’ll see anything good if we get involved.”
“But why did you come to this place? Are you here to buy meat?”
The residents who had been grooming their fishing gear in the village vacant lot whispered.
Then one of the outsiders stepped forward, pulling up the hood.
“Hey brothers. Let’s ask something.”
It was a man with shaggy, curly black hair and a beard.
The townsfolk looked at him nervously as his stout body was not covered by cloaks or clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“We’re a mercenary group, so we’re going to stay here for a while and then go out by boat? Don’t you have a place to rest for a while? Like a tavern.”
“If it’s a tavern, it’s right next to it.”
When one of the villagers pointed with his hand, the man smiled and thanked him.
“Thank you bro. ah! Also, would you like to know the village chief’s house?”
“Chief? Are they the mercenaries that the chief called?”
“No, not that. Like I said, I’m trying to save the ship. I have something to go to the sea for.”
“If you are looking for a boat, go to the cabin at the dock. It will be resolved there.”
“oh! Thank you for the good information, bro.”
The man took a coin out of his pocket and bounced it off to the villager who answered.
The villager who caught the coin in the cold nodded awkwardly after accepting the 100,000 won coin.
“With something like this.”
As soon as the mercenaries disappeared in the direction of the tavern, the residents who were fiddling with fishing gear let out a sigh.
“They are not ordinary mercenaries.”
“It seems so.”
Most of the people in the coastal villages were fishermen.
And the fishermen were strong and powerful.
That’s why I wasn’t depressed by most mercenaries, but those who just showed up felt an atmosphere that I couldn’t touch.
“I hope it passes quietly.”
**
Muto Kinein, who entered the tavern the resident informed, took a seat and ordered a drink.
Then, he glanced at the companions who came with him.
“It’s fucking embarrassing.”
“Haha! Brother, what else are you so dissatisfied with?”
Sitting next to him, the gigantic vice-captain, Suzan Kinane, smiled broadly and looked at his older brother.
Looking at Suzan, Muto said nothing and drank the beer that came out in front of him.
“Big. I just don’t like it all. I feel like I got the wrong number of cases.”
“Isn’t it fun! When will you go on an expedition with such a colorful composition! It’s also an ancient ruin…!”
“Suzan.”
Muto called out his name with burning eyes.
Then, recognizing the mistake, Susan smiled awkwardly and scratched her head.
“Hehe. Stop being too excited.”
“Fishy and the others will be coming soon. Order the kids in advance and send them to the dock.”
“yep! older brother!”
Soon, while Suzan called several mercenaries under his command to do the work, one of the people who joined them in the middle and came to the village sat across from Muto.
“Muto-sama seems uncomfortable with us.”
“Don’t misunderstand, it’s not that you’re uncomfortable, it’s that it’s generally uncomfortable.”
“I’m glad then.”
The person sitting across from me was a member of Shahi Shamad, one of the mystical societies.
An organization that is called the Mercenary King and even Muto, who knows a lot about it, cannot know exactly what it is.
As far as he knew, he knew it as a religious group, but the reality was not clear.
‘It would be easier to figure out if I acted openly like the madmen on Zefar’s side, but these guys…’
Muto took another beer and ordered it again.
“Five more!”
“Yes, please wait!”
The tavern, which was suddenly greeted with a boom by foreign customers, was noisy.
Thinking about the expedition corps that will arrive later, it feels narrow.
Took!
“Have you come?”
Muto murmured at the presence he felt from outside.
The mercenaries, who had been laughing and chatting while drinking, quickly became quiet.
Soon the door of the pub opened and 10 people appeared.
“Hmm…”
Susan tilted her head, got up from her seat, and approached them.
“Who are you?”
“It’s me Paisy.”
Suzan nodded at Pysh’s words and turned to Muto.
“Pycy is here, brother!”
“okay.”
Muto, who had already identified his identity since entering, nodded.
Then, looking at Paisi and the people next to him, he said.
“Are they members of the assembly?”
“uh.”
“Hmm…….”
He only knew that the black magicians of the meeting were coming and hadn’t heard in advance who was coming.
They were all wearing thick traveler’s robes and hoods, so it was hard to see.
‘Four women besides Pissy. And five men.’
It was an unexpected sex ratio.
Were there that many female warlocks?
Muto gestured to the table he was sitting at, thinking of a few representative female warlocks.
“Say hello. Let’s get to know each other’s faces.”
At Muto’s words, Paisy nodded and approached the table.
And the leader of Shahi Shamad, who was sitting at the table, greeted me.
“The meeting came sooner. Long time no see, Pissy.”
“It’s been a while, Gardion.”
Muto waited for the two of them to end their greetings, then glanced at Paishy and said.
“Please introduce me to the others. I need to know who to check the power.”
At that moment, one of the standing figures walked over and sat down next to Muto.
Seeing this, Susan said coldly.
“Hey, I never asked you to sit here, did you?”
“No, Susan. just let it be.”
Muto looked at the person sitting next to him fearlessly.
Soon after, the figure quietly took off the hood and looked at Muto.
“Nice to meet you Muto Kinein.”
“hmm?”
Muto tilted his head at the sight of his opponent’s exposed face.
A face I’ve seen many times.
No, the face I saw a lot was right.
“Adrias Cromwell?”
Upon the appearance of an unexpected person, Muto naturally turned his gaze to Paisy.
But Paisi just sat there without saying anything.
“I don’t know how this happened. Count Cromwell, right?”
“yes.”
“Can you explain the situation?”
Muto said while looking at Paisy.
For him, the person in charge of this plan was Paish, so it was natural to take care of his gaze.
However, it wasn’t Pycy who answered.
“I came to know the information by accident and came along. i look forward to.”
“……Is that all?”
In an instant, the inside of the tavern froze in an instant.
All the members of the Kinane Mercenary Corps, who were listening to their conversation, were looking at Adrias and losing their energy.
“Yes, that is the answer. I personally brought the party over there as well. Let me introduce you.”
Adrias spoke calmly and introduced the party one by one.
“This is my escort driver Vivian Belokan. This is my colleague Noah Claire. And these are the mercenaries I hired separately.”
“Earl of Cromwell.”
Muto said softly.
“Did you know what this is doing?”
“I know. Aren’t ancient ruins the goal?”
“Ancient ruins are not important. The Count of the Empire is asking if he can hang out with the warlocks.”
“Wouldn’t it be possible to join hands at times in front of the same purpose?”
Seeing Adrias speak calmly, Muto sighed.
Then he pointed his finger outside the tavern and said.
“Just get out now. I’ll pretend I didn’t see you.”
“What if I don’t want to go out?”
“I am not kidding. And I’m trying to protect you now.”
Muto spoke in a rather serious tone.
“Do you think you will be safe even if the expedition ends successfully? If you return to the Empire, your foundation may be shaken to the core.”
Muto, who secretly glanced at Paisha and Guardion, made another proposal.
“So stop going. I will crack down on their mouths.”
“I don’t know if Muto is naive or simple.”
At Adrias’s words, the atmosphere around them began to grow more threatening than cold.
Muto also hardened his expression and looked at Adrias.
“What are you talking about?”
“I couldn’t have come without thinking about that.”
Adrias slowly rose from his seat and smiled.
“You don’t have to worry. Rather, you will thank me later. We are out and waiting.”
Adrias got up from his seat and went outside with his party.
Muto looked at it and asked Paisy, who was still seated.
“What happened? Why did you bring Earl Cromwell?”
“At first, I was going to bring Morne.”
“Don’t you know Dwalski?”
Muto made a slightly surprised expression at the name of the infamous necromancer.
“uh. But things got a little messy.”
“What and how is it twisted?”
At that time, one of Adrias’s party, who thought they had left, came running.
“Pycy! A friend wants to come out!”
“I get it.”
Paisi meekly got up from her seat.
Seeing that, Muto frowned and said.
“I’ll tell you how things are going.”
“no! My friend is right now! Don’t talk nonsense!”
Muto looked at the kid wearing a hood with a puzzled expression at the kid’s chattering words.
Just as he wondered what he was doing, a figure passed through his mind.
“Luna Pendragon?”
“Come quickly, pie!”
Paishi followed the kid without a word despite Muto’s disapproval.
Feeling irresistible from that appearance, Muto felt puzzled once more.
Pysey is being swayed by someone?
Who came up with this plan in the first place?
“What the hell happened?”
Come to think of it, even after she entered the bar, she didn’t say anything except to say hello.
Instead, Adrias led all the conversation.
“I’m sure there’s something…”
Things got complicated.
As if it wasn’t just Muto who thought that, Suzan and Shahi Shamad’s Guardion, who were sitting together, also tilted their heads.
“Hehe, Adrias Cromwell, Count of the Empire……”
“Brother! Still, wouldn’t Adrias Cromwell help with power? He was the first graduate of Rodlen Academy and became the youngest professor!”
Despite Suzan’s words, Muto didn’t know how to show his face.
Then, as if he remembered something, he suddenly got up from his seat.
“That is not important. This thing went wrong!”
“older brother?”
“Suzan, do you remember what happened at Rodlen Academy recently?”
“Lordlen Academy? How do you know about other people’s academy work when we’re busy pirated!”
“You stupid bastard. You told me last time.”
“Me?”
While Suzan was deep in thought, Muto hurriedly went outside and said,
“Everyone come out! Find Adrias Cromwell!”
At Muto’s command, the Kinein Mercenary Corps rose from their seats.
Suzan, who had not been able to recall until then, immediately recalled the memory and hit the table.
Kwajik!
“ah! Adrias Cromwell stopped Zefar’s terror! But why is that?”
I asked a question, but Muto, who had already gone outside, was nowhere to be seen.
However, the answer was given by Gardion instead.
“Because the Zefar Church is also joining this expedition. Maybe running into Adrias will cause problems.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
“If things get bigger, the expedition itself will falter. When I think of what I’ve prepared so far…”
“Oh! We have to stop it!”
Susan hurriedly went outside.
The members of Shahi Shamad, looking at the back of the Kinane Mercenaries, remained silent from beginning to end.
“Everything is as God wills.”
Gardion slowly put his palms together and said.
[ Episode 282. Joining ] End