Chapter 182. Elf (1)
What the First Prince called amusement was none other than a spectacle.
The stated reason was to tidy up the chaotic atmosphere, but in truth, it was to take control of the situation and assert authority even in front of Vintert.
Of course, Robert knew that well enough.
"Isn't the secret social hall meant to unite the scattered forces? In that case, I believe provoking friction will rather bring about the opposite effect."
"It won't go so far as to cause a counter-effect. This is just play. Cland brought a new friend, and Geul also brought a mercenary we haven't seen before, so it's merely a bit of exercise after the meal, a light display of skill. It won't take long, nor is it about killing or being killed. Shouldn't we at least allow this much opinion? Don't you agree, Dronan?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
The guard knight standing behind him nodded in affirmation.
The First Prince lifted his chin slightly as if to say, "See?"
Seeing that up close, Robert's face revealed a faint trace of irritation.
'Foolish.'
Two years ago, the leadership who attended the social hall had numbered eight in total.
But due to the Undead incident, two had gone missing. It was clear they must have died during the evacuation.
He had just now, over a separate meal, thoroughly explained that situation to the prince, yet he prioritized his petty pride over it.
Perhaps he should have chosen a different prince.
The thought of regret flickered across his mind... but the only alternatives were the Second or the Third Prince. Objectively, among the three princes, the First Prince, Valrgna, was the least worst.
So he had no choice but to humor him, to an extent.
It was simply to avoid wasting more time.
Robert clicked his tongue inwardly and turned his head.
"Geul, do you agree with His Highness's opinion?"
"What's there to disagree with? If it's for the entertainment of such esteemed people, gladly. Youngest, you'll do well, won't you?"
"Yes! Of course!"
Geul's youngest mercenary shouted loudly.
"Cland, and you?"
"I...."
Before Cland could answer, Verden stepped forward. He pulled out a pair of gray knuckles from his bosom and gripped them in both hands.
───Is this acceptable?
Cland asked with his eyes.
It was natural to be concerned, for Verden was at a disadvantage in not being able to use his mainstay, elemental magic.
But Verden was no ordinary mage.
Nor was it baseless confidence.
His senses had been strengthened by high-grade runes, his physical abilities reinforced with third-tier enhancement magic, and he had gone through countless battles.
Though some among the opponents might be dangerous, the youngest mercenary of the company set up for amusement was within his reach. Even with restrictions.
That was the judgment Verden reached.
'Of course, the best choice would be not to step forward... but withdrawing here would not look good either.'
For the fact that the black merchant Cland's only close aide was weak would be enough to invite suspicion.
Well, he had anticipated similar frictions, so it wasn't a shocking variable. Though he hadn't imagined an actual stage would be set like this.
Verden lightly stretched his body as he finished his thought.
"Haha, Robert, look at that. Everyone's stepping up as if they were waiting for this. That means I understood their feelings well."
"..."
"Now, what are you all doing? Prepare the stage at once."
The armored guards descended and cleared away the table and chairs.
Thus a stage was set, upon which Verden and the youngest mercenary faced each other at a distance. The First Prince, smiling gleefully, volunteered as referee.
"Amusement is amusement only, killing or inflicting mortal wounds near instant death is forbidden. For other injuries, I shall see to treatment, so do not worry. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I will bear it in mind, Your Highness!"
"..."
The youngest mercenary answered loudly, and Verden nodded.
The First Prince frowned.
"Why does that man not answer?"
"I am told he was born unable to speak."
"A mute, is he. For one who cannot even speak to have made it this far, that must mean he has the skill. Am I not right, black merchant?"
"...He will not disappoint you, Your Highness."
Of course, even Cland had never seen that skill with his own eyes.
But the variable that had already arisen, leaving it to Verden was the best solution.
The First Prince showed his anticipation.
He remained seated, holding a small handbell.
"Ah, before that. Merely watching would be less fun, so how about a wager? I shall... yes, I'll put ten million Elk on that mercenary."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Starting with the First Prince, one by one the others staked money.
And the majority chose the youngest mercenary.
His armor protected only the vital spots, while his exposed muscles displayed strength with pride. In contrast, Verden, clothed from head to toe, looked weak.
Even Robert, who had been watching, finally joined the wager.
"Oh? You are betting on that mute?"
"The payout will be higher that way."
"So that's... hmm, yes. In gambling dens they call that betting against the tide, don't they? The majority has reason to be the majority... but, well, it is no concern of mine."
The First Prince declared.
"Then let it begin."
Clang.
With the sound of the handbell, the two rushed at each other.
Sword and fist crossed multiple times.
And then.
Riiiip───!
With a gruesome sound, blood splattered off the stage.
***
Verden, after finishing his enhancement magic, sharpened his senses.
The mercenary, who had activated his aura.
The man charged head-on, swinging his sword downward from above.
The target was the right shoulder.
Verden, having seen through the movement, dodged lightly. The sword, halted, immediately chased after him.
The sound of air being cut brushed his ears.
"One-sided, isn't it."
"Oh, I was worried since he was the youngest, but he does decently?"
Daria and Nelita, who had bet on the mercenary, gave their impressions. The First Prince Valrgna held similar thoughts.
But some wore quite different expressions.
"Kik. This looks like it'll end one-sidedly, Geul?"
"Shut it, Tolav."
The youngest mercenary swung his sword without pause.
His opponent Verden was only focused on evading. To anyone watching, it seemed the mercenary was overwhelming him. Outwardly, at least.
"...It's over."
Gail declared.
Right after that, Verden moved.
Unwavering concentration.
One of his weapons, the observation of his opponent, had been completed.
The pulled arm,the point where the foot was set,the waist twisting to lend power.
He could see even the next, and the next move.
That was how large the gap between Verden and the youngest mercenary was.
'And I've shown just enough spectacle as well.'
There was no longer any reason to continue the amusement.
Whoosh.
The sword strike passed over his head.
Before anyone realized, Verden had closed the distance to the mercenary's body, and swung his left arm.
"Keuk?!"
The knuckle smashed into the right side of the mercenary's abdomen.
Struck in a vital spot, the mercenary staggered. He clenched his teeth and pulled his sword back, but his moves were already read.
Verden dug precisely into the opening and slammed the mercenary's jaw.
He could feel the sensation of bone cracking at his fingertips. Then, twisting his body, he lifted his leg. The kick, maximizing his body's flexibility, landed squarely on the opponent's face without mercy.
Riiip───!
With a gruesome sound, blood splattered off the stage.
The mercenary, hurled into the air, crashed to the floor.
Broken teeth, a collapsed nose. His bloodied face was exposed to the audience.
The amusement ended in an instant.
Those who had expected the mercenary's victory lost their words. At such a hollow defeat, the First Prince's hand trembled.
"You...!"
"Well done, Maltead."
Clap, clap, clap.
Robert applauded.
The black merchant and Vintert's side followed suit, and soon applause filled the hall. Some faces were grim, but he paid no mind.
Robert spoke to the First Prince.
"Thanks to you, we were able to relieve our boredom before moving on to the next schedule. It was a delightful amusement, Your Highness Valrgna."
Gray eyes gleamed darkly.
A gaze saying, let's not waste any more time, let's end this. Having his initiative stolen in an instant, the First Prince had no choice but to agree.
"...After a rest, let us reconvene with only the leadership."
Clang!
The First Prince flung aside the handbell and rose from his seat.
Robert led his group and followed him out of the hall.
"tsk, lost money."
"So, people really are different from how they appear."
And so did Dario and Nelita.
The madman Tolav brushed past Geul.
"Kik, idiot."
Veins bulged in Geul's eyes as he ground his teeth.
"To dare disappoint His Highness...!"
The money he received from the First Prince might be reduced. No, it surely would.
As his men tried to smooth over the situation, Geul immediately rushed over and bashed the youngest mercenary's head. The sound of a neck snapping rang out in all directions.
Geul glared at the black merchant and at Verden, the ones who had caused this situation.
"Because of you, the loss is great, black merchant."
"Seems you've found the wrong target for your anger."
A brief standoff followed.
Then Geul turned his back, taking his mercenaries and the corpse of the youngest with him, and left the hall. Soon after, a servant arrived to assign rooms.
A variable brought about by the First Prince.
That situation was thus settled, for the moment.
***
Cland and Verden entered the guest chamber.
Once he confirmed they were alone, Verden drew a magic circle in the middle of the room to block sound from leaking outside.
Cland firmly locked the door and took off his coat.
"Phew, who would've thought the First Prince would start a brawl for amusement, when the southern part of the Kingdom is already in chaos. I never predicted this."
And then.
"How is it that you fight so well? You toyed with the mercenary as if he were nothing. A physical mage... or something like that?"
"Thinking that a mage is weak in close combat is prejudice."
"Well, true, but still..."
It seemed beyond the usual.
Cland shook his head, pushing away the thought.
"Ahem, in any case, thanks to you, we overcame the variable well. Now, it's time to focus on what's next."
Infiltrating Ariente Castle had succeeded.
Now it was time to uncover what the First Prince was hiding.
"The time I can buy, by dragging out feasible agendas, is about three days, including today. In that time, we must search every corner of this vast castle. As I told you before, time is not exactly plentiful."
"Understood."
The search zones were already prioritized accordingly. Countermeasures for predictable variables were also in place.
Failure was not something Verden considered.
"Then I'll leave the rest to you. May you find the secret from the start."
"Yes."
And time passed, until the guide arrived.
Cland, neatly dressed, stepped outside. He instructed the guard.
"Until I return, do not disturb the friend inside. He's extremely sensitive, and right after waking, he gets violently aggressive. Very dangerous, so handle with caution."
"Ah... yes. Understood."
The guard nodded.
He too knew who the guests gathered here were, so he did not take the warning lightly. Soon, the sound of Cland's and the guide's footsteps receded.
'Time to go.'
The door was securely locked with a magic circle.
If Cland's warning carried weight, the guard would keep watch. And even in emergencies, this way, there was no fear of being exposed.
Unless someone smashed through the wall itself.
Of course, in the First Prince's castle, there was no one who would attempt such a thing.
Equipped with his original gear, Verden opened the window.
Cool wind brushed his skin.
Below stretched a sheer cliff.
"Huu."
Verden took a deep breath.
Then, entrusting himself to gravity, he fell downward.
***
Ariente Castle had two places most difficult to access.
One was the central keep, the First Prince's residence.
And the other was the abandoned underground prison of the old royal castle. Verden chose the latter. It was a simple instinct.
Whoooosh!
His falling speed increased.
As he neared the vast artificial lake, Verden cast magic. He increased air resistance to slow his descent and gathered air around his mouth.
Without a sound, Verden slipped into the lake.
He waited for a moment, but no commotion followed.
Meaning he had not been discovered.
After confirming, Verden manipulated the current and swam down.
The lake surrounding Ariente was not stagnant.
It had artificial waterways where water flowed in and out, aqueducts and sewers. Among them, the sewer ran directly beneath the underground prison.
That was what Verden intended to use.
'...There it is.'
The lower part of Ariente, submerged in the lake.
Following the current, he arrived at an entrance blocked by rusted iron bars. Between the bars was barely enough space for a single person to slip through.
Thus Verden infiltrated through the sewer, carefully gauging distance as he moved.
The speed of his movement, and his location relative to it.
He had to aim for the point, marked in the schematics, where the sewer and the underground prison came closest. Then, Verden's eyes sharpened.
'Here.'
Rumble rumble rumble...
At the caster's will, the ceiling began to open.
Emerging from the water, Verden sustained the spell. Progressing smoothly, at last, an empty space appeared before him.
'Fortunately, I hit it exactly.'
As he stepped out, the foul-smelling scene of the prison came into view. Erasing all trace of the passage he had created, footsteps echoed in the distance.