Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 32: Miguel Mercenary Corps (1)

Not far from the royal palace in the capital of Pontania, there stood several grand mansions belonging to the duchies. The sheer number of these buildings—over ten—was enough to indicate their immense scale.

Surrounding the stone-walled estates were sprawling gardens that resembled a maze, so vast that one could easily get lost within them.

In the center of the garden, a grand fountain spouted cool streams of water, while well-manicured lawns were adorned with orderly, fragrant flowers, displaying their beauty. Marble statues were scattered throughout the garden, each adding an air of elegance and sophistication.

The most striking feature, however, was the large tree standing beside the fountain. Its sprawling branches and dense leaves suggested that it had stood there for hundreds of years.

Beneath the tree, a young girl sat quietly on a bench, her eyes closed.

Her long, black hair and pale white skin contrasted with the silver gleam in her eyes and the diamond-shaped mark on her forehead. This was Susanna.

She spent much of her time in the garden. It was the only place where she could feel close to nature, which brought her some comfort.

Though her Chakran tribe had been scattered by raiders, their people had always lived in harmony with nature. Being in the forest brought her peace and a sense of vitality.

The duchess watched her from afar with a look of sorrow. She had once considered returning Susanna to her tribe, but the duke had informed her that the tribe no longer existed.

So, she had created this garden, a small attempt to mimic the forest, and often walked with Susanna through its paths to offer her some comfort.

Just then, a maid came running out of the mansion and approached the duchess, her face flushed with urgency.

“Your Grace, the duke has returned,” the maid announced, slightly out of breath.

“Ah, I see. I’ll fetch Susanna myself,” the duchess replied.

However, the maid lingered, prompting the duchess to ask softly, “Is something the matter?”

“The duke has returned with Prince Merka,” the maid explained, her voice filled with concern.

“Prince Merka?” The duchess was surprised by the sudden news. Composing herself, she nodded and said, “I understand. I’ll hurry along.”

Though slightly taken aback, the duchess quickly regained her composure and approached Susanna carefully so as not to disturb her.

“Susanna,” she called gently.

“Mother,” Susanna replied, slowly opening her eyes and looking at the duchess with a calm expression. The duchess smiled warmly and asked, “How are you feeling today?”

“I’m fine, Mother,” Susanna said, offering a faint smile. She knew the duchess would worry if she didn’t.

“Your father has returned. Shall we join him for dinner?” the duchess suggested.

“Yes,” Susanna nodded in agreement.

“Do you remember Prince Merka? You met him at the palace not long ago,” the duchess asked.

“I do,” Susanna responded.

She could never forget the prince. There was something peculiar and intense about his aura, different from the typical energy of knights. It had a dark, unsettling quality to it.

The Chakran people had always been sensitive to such energies, and those who felt them most strongly were chosen as priestesses at a young age. Susanna had been one of them.

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind—the image of the boy who had fallen asleep in her arms when they were both captured as slaves.

“We’ll be having dinner with him. Is that alright?” the duchess asked.

“Yes, Mother. Don’t worry about me,” Susanna replied, though she felt a bit uneasy.

The duchess, noticing Susanna’s discomfort, quickly took her hand and said, “Oh, Susanna! You mustn’t say such things. It’s only natural for parents to worry about their children.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Susanna said, her voice soft and full of gratitude.

The duchess smiled kindly and embraced Susanna, stroking her hair and murmuring, “Take your time, dear. Don’t feel pressured by anything.”

Meanwhile, Duke Decius and Prince Merka had already arrived at the dining room and were casually enjoying some wine before dinner.

Duke Decius had recently stopped going to the battlefield and had been spending his time managing affairs from his mansion and the royal court, all due to Susanna. His efforts had brought them closer together.

A short while later, the duchess and Susanna entered the dining room. Their attire was simple but elegant, reflecting their noble status. The duchess bowed slightly.

“I apologize for the delay, Prince Merka.”

“Not at all, Duchess. It’s I who should apologize for arriving unannounced,” Prince Merka replied, standing and bowing slightly in return.

Susanna, standing gracefully beside the duchess, bowed politely as well. “Good evening, Prince Merka.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Lady Susanna,” Merka said with a bright smile. His demeanor was noticeably different from their previous meeting—he seemed more approachable. However, once dinner began, he remained just as quiet as before.

The conversation was mostly between Prince Merka and Duke Decius, with the duchess occasionally joining in to keep the mood lively. Since they got along well, the conversation flowed easily and without awkwardness.

“Do you plan to return to the battlefield soon?” Prince Merka asked as they sipped tea after the meal.

The duke looked fondly at Susanna before replying, “I don’t believe I will, at least not for the time being.”

“I think that’s a wise decision, Duke,” Prince Merka said approvingly.

Prince Merka nodded earnestly, agreeing with Duke Decius. The fact that the duke was staying in the capital gave Prince Merka a great sense of security. But then, as if something had come to mind, he asked a sudden question.

“Oh! Before you returned, how did your business in the south go? Did you manage to capture them?”

“We did capture them, but unfortunately, they were only impostors pretending to be members of the Blue Raven.”

“So it was a dead end,” Prince Merka said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

“But we did gain something from the experience,” the duke added with a curious smile, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Even the duchess seemed to be hearing this story for the first time.

The duke, propping his chin on his hand, reminisced for a moment before continuing, “In fact, it wasn’t me who captured them, but rather a young boy.”

“A boy?” Prince Merka’s eyebrows twitched involuntarily, an odd feeling washing over him.

Oblivious to the prince’s reaction, the duke stroked his chin and continued, “Yes. He was a quiet and peculiar one, but he single-handedly wiped out an entire band of thieves. Quite impressive for someone his age. Anyway, in a few days…”

“Wait, Duke!” Prince Merka interrupted, urgency in his voice.

“Do you happen to remember the boy’s name?”

“Hmm? Let me think…”

Duke Decius was taken aback by the sudden intensity of the prince’s inquiry, but the memory of the boy was vivid, and it didn’t take long for the name to come to him.

The duke slapped his palm and exclaimed, “Ah! Karon. His name was Karon.”

Scrape!

At that moment, Prince Merka, without realizing it, stood up abruptly from his seat.

The others, startled, rose from their chairs as well, but the prince stood frozen, seemingly in shock.

* * *

The Miguel Mercenary Corps was a small group consisting of twenty members. They were mainly hired to escort wealthy nobles or merchant caravans.

When work was scarce, they would take on monster hunts or join the empire’s military efforts in various wars.

Though their numbers were few, each member was highly skilled, and the corps had earned a certain level of recognition. Anyone familiar with mercenaries would likely have heard of the Miguel Mercenary Corps at least once.

This time, they had just returned from a successful military campaign and were on their way back home, having earned a handsome reward. They were looking forward to some well-deserved rest.

In their eagerness to get home quickly, they had decided to cut through Yasper Forest, despite the ominous rumors surrounding it.

The forest was said to be dangerous, filled with wild beasts and magical creatures, but the mercenaries weren’t afraid. They had confidence in their abilities.

As they traveled through the forest, they came across a small clearing where two young men had already made camp, with a fire burning lazily beside them.

Judging by their appearance and the fact that they were resting so carelessly in Yasper Forest, they seemed like greenhorns—new to the dangers of the world.

The mercenaries had often used this clearing for camping when passing through the forest, so they figured they might as well join the two youths for the night.

Their leader, Erect, approached the pair confidently.

“Greetings. We are the Miguel Mercenary Corps,” Erect announced, his voice filled with pride.

It was only then that the older of the two young men stirred, standing up as if the mercenaries’ presence were a mild inconvenience. His expression remained impassive, though a hint of annoyance flickered across his face before disappearing.

“Hello. We’re just travelers passing through,” the young man replied.

“Would it be alright if we set up camp here as well? I don’t know if you’re aware, but this forest is home to many beasts and magical creatures. It would be safer for you if we camped together,” Erect offered, his tone polite yet tinged with a hint of condescension, as if he were doing the pair a great favor by protecting them.

To Erect’s surprise, the response he got wasn’t one of gratitude.

“Oh… sure, that would be fine,” the ponytailed young man replied, his voice lacking any real enthusiasm. He gestured halfheartedly to a spot nearby before sitting back down, as if uninterested in further conversation.

Most people, when offered protection by mercenaries, would express gratitude and show deference. But these two didn’t seem the least bit concerned. In fact, the younger one hadn’t even bothered to look up.

Erect felt a pang of irritation but told himself that these young men were just ignorant. As a leader, he decided to be the bigger person.

Before long, the mercenaries had set up their tents and built a larger campfire. One of their members, responsible for cooking, quickly began preparing a meal, while others took up watch posts around the camp, lighting torches as a precaution.

Though their numbers were small, the Miguel Mercenary Corps operated with well-organized efficiency.

As the preparations were completed, Erect couldn’t help but glance back at the two youths. Something about them continued to bother him. It was as if they didn’t quite fit in—an odd feeling that stuck with him.

The younger one, in particular, seemed to exude an unsettling aura, despite his silence. Even the older youth appeared to be watching him carefully, as if taking cues from the younger one.

Erect’s thoughts drifted far from the fact that they had been the ones to ask for permission to camp. Instead, his mind was occupied by a growing sense of unease.

“Linwood,” Erect called out to his right-hand man, a mercenary with a rough appearance and an imposing build.

“Yes, Captain?” Linwood replied, strapping his sword to his waist as he rose to his feet.

Linwood, known for his intimidating presence, was often brought along to unsettle people when necessary. He had already noticed something strange about the two young men and had been waiting for Erect’s signal.

Both men, fully armed, approached the campfire where Karon and Shong were resting. Erect spoke with a commanding tone, though it barely masked his suspicions.

“Mind if we join you for a bit?”

Before the ponytailed youth could respond, a voice came from an unexpected source.

“No.”

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