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Johan summoned the malevolent spirit and directed it towards the tip of his dagger. The blade of the dagger turned as black as a moonless night sky.
Caenerna watched with interest. Johan’s skill in handling the malevolent spirit was quite impressive. The spirit seemed to be following him properly.
‘𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦? 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺?’
“I’ve been thinking about cursing weapons like this. What do you think?”
“It doesn’t seem bad. A malevolent spirit would be skilled in curses. But. . .”
“?”
“Is it right for a knight? Seems like a dishonorable act?”
“. . .Of course, I was just asking. I have no intention of using it in battle.”
Johan quickly covered up. Caenerna, unaware of Johan’s true nature like Suetlg, nodded with a ‘so be it’ expression.
‘𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵.’
‘𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.’
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“Did you say you’re going to the territory of Duke Brduhe?”
Mahreet asked with a tone of surprise.
The territory of Duke Brduhe in the southeast of the Empire was so vast and powerful that it was called a duchy.
However, that did not mean it was a peaceful land.
From the east, fierce barbarians raced across the plains to attack, from the south, heretics from another empire were constantly watching for opportunities, and nearby minor kingdoms plotted conspiracies to expand their influence.
The eastern part of the Empire was known as a rough land of opportunity, even among mercenaries.
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Sir Knight, we were just returning from the east.”
“!”
Mahreet and the County Mercenary Group happened to be returning from a mission in the east.
“How was it?”
“The east? Always the same. Monsters are terrible, people are tough, barbarians are fierce. . . Oh, I once saw Duke from a distance. He was a remarkably handsome man.”
Duke Brduhe, now middle-aged, was renowned as a great leader. In the troublesome eastern part, his name held absolute authority. Many serfs prayed in his name.
“What about the people?”
“Sir Knight, how would someone like me know that? I only met the steward briefly. But he seemed like a fine man.”
“Why is that?”
“Because he paid the wages on time and generously.”
This was expected, but many nobles failed to do so.
Wage delays were common in mercenary employment, and mercenaries often compensated for these delays through looting and post-war rewards. It wasn’t for no reason that mercenaries were restless.
“Good to hear he’s not stingy.”
“Are you going to meet the Duke, Sir Knight? Indeed. . .”
Mahreet was amazed at Johan’s words. He thought Johan was exceptional, but actually going to meet Duke Brduhe?
“Why did you return from the east?”
“The winter was cold, and the mercenaries were discontent. Staying longer in the east seemed like it might lead to a real rebellion. . .”
“. . . . . .”
“And also the prophecy. . . ahem.”
Hearing this, Johan got a sense of what the east was like. He nodded.
Before Johan left, Mahreet spoke earnestly.
“Sir Knight. I may be a humble mercenary, but I understand what gratitude is. If you ever need my assistance, please do not hesitate to call upon me. I will risk my life to come to your aid.”
“Don’t take the risk of your life lightly. It devalues it.”
“. . . . . .”
“But I’ll remember your words. I won’t forget your honor.”
“Yes!”
As Johan’s party left, the sub-captains approached Mahreet.
“Couldn’t you have followed that Sir Knight, captain? He seemed to come from a good family. . .”
Mercenaries were superstitious, Mahreet no less so.
To them, Johan was like a revelation.
A knight who alone invaded a mercenary camp and banished a malevolent spirit!
To the mercenaries, unaware of the true situation, it seemed almost like a revelation. As if following the prophecies of Mahreet, they desired to follow Johan.
“He’s heading east.”
“Huh.”
“Hmm.”
The sub-captains were appalled. Not just their subordinates, but they themselves detested the east.
After finally returning to the Empire, they wanted to rest until spring warmed the weather.
“No need to worry. He’ll be back soon.”
“Captain! Are you making a new prophecy?”
Although Johan was not an eastern noble, nor were Jarpen or Abner, the mercenaries misunderstood it as Mahreet making a prophecy.
The malevolent spirit was gone, but the mercenaries still believed Mahreet to be a prophet.
None refused when offered a convenient lie. Mahreet nodded.
“Exactly.”
“Oh. . .! What else has come forth?”
“Joining at that time will bring great fortune.”
“As expected. . .!”
“I thought so!”
The sub-captains accepted without doubt. People tend to believe what they want to hear.
Mahreet looked at his subordinates.
He felt both pity and disdain, reminiscent of his own past self, once deceived by a malevolent spirit. . .
‘𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳.’
Seeing this, he felt he could lead the mercenaries for many more years.
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“Farewell. And take care.”
“?”
After the party left, Caenerna also prepared to depart. She left with just a few slaves.
“Why’s that?”
“It seemed oddly meaningful for a farewell.”
“You’re getting better at understanding the undertones. Yes, there was a deeper meaning. As you know, I am a wizard. I trust old sayings. ‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.’ Do you know it?”
“I do.”
“Caenerna is a great wizard, but she has faced misfortune twice. No matter how great, one can’t avoid the tide of bad luck. It wouldn’t be surprising if it happened a third time.”
“Ah, but surely. . .”
Johan chuckled.
That mercenary band was truly an unavoidable misfortune, but surely such an incident wouldn’t happen again.
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Days later, Johan spotted a familiar figure fleeing on horseback, enveloped in a cloud of dust. Caenerna was being chased by a band of rogues.
“. . . . . .”
“. . . . . .”
“Prepare for battle, charge!”