The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 18

Si-on was, at his core, an ordinary person.

Immortality is ordinary?

He could run 100 meters in 10 seconds in full armor if he felt like it.

He could make eight lethal sword strikes in a second.

He could maintain 80% of his physical abilities even after a week without eating or sleeping—this was ordinary?

Are you out of your mind?

Some might think so, but aside from those physical characteristics, he considered his basic disposition and personality to fall within the realm of ordinary.

That’s why he felt proud and supportive when he saw his well-grown descendants, even if he hadn’t done much for them.

On the other hand, when he saw those who had become weak and complacent despite his all-out support (even if it was given with a specific purpose), he couldn’t help but want to chastise them.

Naturally, the former described Baron Kilburn and Piotr, while the latter was Stelman Janstrick, who stood before him like a bear.

* * *

“Guild Master. You seem to care a lot about the Janstrick Mercenary Group and their leader. But when the time comes, will you be able to exercise the kindness I mentioned?”

“……”

Guild Master Bikau remained silent, his face rigid.

He couldn’t do it.

No, he mustn’t.

The Alphmarine Mercenary Guild wasn’t solely composed of the Janstrick Mercenary Group.

Moreover, if things were to proceed as Si-on had just described (Bikau was almost certain it would go exactly as Si-on predicted), the Janstrick Mercenary Group has to be abandoned.

Setting aside political considerations, Janstrick lacked both practicality and justification.

In fact, the absence of practicality and justification made political considerations impossible.

“…But that’s just your prediction, isn’t it? I won’t deny it’s a detailed and plausible story, but…”

Si-on’s cold voice cut off Stelman Janstrick’s restrained words.

“We can find out right now.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s an information guild here, isn’t there? You can check with them whether the Jetman family has only contracted with the Janstrick Mercenary Group or if they’ve hired other mercenary groups as well, right?”

“……”

The two men were at a loss for words again.

They, too, suspected that Si-on was correct, not nine out of ten times, but every time.

No matter how strong the Janstrick Mercenary Group’s forces were, it made no sense to deploy just one mercenary group in a territorial battle.

Especially when it came to the Jetman Territory, which had a meager military force.

It was likely they had contracted with at least two, maybe three or four mercenary groups.

And if the others turned their swords against Janstrick after the battle ended?

The story Si-on told, which could easily be seen as a prophecy, left both men silent with hardened expressions.

Knock, knock.

A timely knock broke the silence.

“Sir Salen, it’s Jenna Olrot. I’ve brought the information you requested.”

“She assists me. I suspect the information she’s brought will interest you both as well. Shall I let her in?”

Si-on spoke as they nodded silently.

“Come in.”

Click.

Jenna entered, bowed slightly to Si-on, placed a thick bundle of rolled-up, string-tied papers on the table, and left.

Si-on untied the string, read the contents, and placed the document on the table for the two men to see.

“It’s a document from the Alphmarine Information Guild.”

They didn’t need words to recognize the guild’s seal stamped at the bottom of the paper.

The contents were exactly as Si-on had just described, without a single discrepancy.

“Two other mercenary groups, besides Janstrick, have joined the Jetman Territory. I’m not familiar with one, but I know Black Dagger.”

“Haa…”

“Tch!”

As Guild Master Bikau let out a long sigh, Stelman ground his teeth in frustration.

The Black Dagger Mercenary Group was the third-largest in Alphmarine, boasting over two hundred combat personnel.

However, due to their rough and perilous nature, they often replaced members, so their actual strength did not quite match up to Janstrick.

Additionally, since they were so numerous, leaving them unchecked could pose a significant threat to Alphmarine’s security, so the guild allowed their participation as a minimal safety measure.

‘If Janstrick fought Black Dagger head-to-head at full strength, Janstrick would win. But if they face Black Dagger after losing more than half their forces, and in a fatigued state, just as Si-on described…’

Nine times out of ten, Janstrick would lose. And if other mercenaries joined the fight, it would be a guaranteed defeat, making Guild Master Bikau’s expression even grimmer.

Moreover, if such a situation were to occur…

The Mercenary Guild would have no choice but to side with Black Dagger, still under the guild’s umbrella, rather than Janstrick, which had left the guild and was now of no value to Alphmarine City.

That was the burden weighing on Guild Master Bikau’s mind.

“Stelman.”

“……”

Whether out of anger, shame, or perhaps both, Stelman’s face was flushed red as he glared at the report.

Guild Master Bikau addressed him.

“Cancel the contract. We’ll scrape together what we can from the guild and my own funds to pay the penalty. After that, we’ll have to work non-stop like cattle, but with about three or four years of hard work…”

“It’s five times.”

“What?”

“The penalty is five times the total remuneration. We can’t cancel the contract.”

“You… idiot!”

Normally, penalties for canceling a contract ranged from 1.5 to 2 times the fee.

But five times?

That was an exorbitant amount, one that would drain the guild’s reserves completely.

“You fool! That’s why I told you to make the contract through the guild! Then you wouldn’t have made such a ridiculous deal!”

This was precisely why the guild existed.

But Stelman, after suffering prolonged losses, had been pushed to the brink and made a desperate decision to dissolve the mercenary group after this final mission. His narrow vision led him to agree to such absurd terms.

Si-on could see it clearly.

‘Father and son, equally dull and inflexible.’

Indeed, as soon as Si-on saw Stelman, he realized that the Janstrick Mercenary Group was still holding on.

Si-on knew Stelman’s father, Perco Janstrick, very well.

In the distant past, during the Oak Dispute, Si-on had fought alongside Perco and played a pivotal role in establishing the Janstrick Mercenary Group.

‘Just like his father, he’s a bear through and through. Can’t he at least offer an excuse?’

Si-on secretly clicked his tongue at the sight of Stelman, hunched over like a bear, silently enduring Guild Master Bikau’s scolding that would have smacked him upside the head if not for Si-on’s presence.

‘At least he’s upheld his father’s legacy for a long time. They’ve never participated in a territorial battle until now.’

Had it been otherwise, Si-on would have let the Janstrick Mercenary Group fall apart and left without a second thought.

Not everyone met his expectations over the years.

Cases like Baron Kilburn and Piotr were rare; far more often, people fell short of his expectations or even tried to betray him.

The bear before him and his father, Perco, were in between.

They barely missed meeting his expectations but never outright defied them.

‘In that case.’

His course of action was clear.

The old monster only punished those who betrayed him; he didn’t cut off or torment those who simply fell short of his expectations.

Well, maybe he did torment them a little.

Like now.

“I’ll cover it.”

“You damn fool! If I hadn’t owed your father… What? What did you just say?”

Guild Master Bikau, who had been angrily smacking Stelman’s broad back, turned around in shock at Si-on’s words.

“Stop hitting him. He’s old enough, and it’s not like he even feels it.”

“Oh, right. My apologies.”

Since Stelman still fell under the category of ‘a child who I can punish,’ Si-on spoke gruffly, and Guild Master Bikau slowly lowered his hand at the rebuke.

“But what you just said…?”

“I said I’ll cover the penalty.”

“What!?”

Guild Master Bikau’s eyes widened as if they might pop out, while Stelman straightened his bent back to look at Si-on.

Facing Stelman’s intense gaze—filled with shock and questions—Si-on continued calmly.

“In exchange, the contract terms need adjusting. Since I’m paying the penalty, the advance of 7.5 million remains unchanged, and the remuneration deductions will follow the original terms. As for the duration… let’s see…”

Gulp.

Guild Master Bikau swallowed hard as he quickly calculated in his head.

‘Roughly four years? No, maybe five? No, with the high remuneration from Stelman’s foolish contract…’

“Let’s make it five years since I don’t feel like doing the math.”

Exactly what he’d anticipated, Guild Master Bikau felt a sense of relief.

However, his gaze toward Stelman remained heavy and conflicted.

With a single mistake, Stelman had lost everything.

Moreover, if he accepted these terms, at least half, possibly two-thirds of his mercenaries, would likely refuse.

Frankly, it was effectively five years of unpaid service, bound by their contracts to fight with no compensation.

Who would willingly accept that?

Knowing this all too well, Stelman bowed his head even further, his expression growing

darker.

“Accept it. Accept it, and you’ll live, and your men will live.”

“……”

“Tell them the truth. Let them choose—stick to the contract and face a pointless death, or fight hard for a few years and live to see another day. Let those who wish to leave go. Of course, be prepared for some resentment.”

“…Yes.”

“Resentment? Why resent?”

Stelman’s answer was buried under Si-on’s voice.

“They’re not some rookie mercenaries; they’ve been operating in this city for decades. If they chose Janstrick, that’s on them. Did someone hold a sword to their throats and force them to join Janstrick?”

“Ahem. That’s true, but still…”

“And strictly speaking, it’s not exactly unpaid.”

“Pardon? How is it not unpaid?”

“They’ll be fed, housed, and equipped. Is that unpaid?”

“Equipment… too?”

Both Stelman and Bikau were quite shocked.

What makes a mercenary a mercenary?

You pay them according to the contract period, and that’s it.

Except for battlefield rations, they’re responsible for everything else.

Even the most generous lords rarely provide equipment.

Otherwise, why would lords hire mercenaries instead of training their regular army?

“You were planning to be sold off to the Jetman family if you won anyway, right?”

“That’s… true.”

Though the term “sold off” sounded unpleasant, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

“If I hire you, only the employer changes. And if you think about it, my conditions might even be better.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Three years of affiliation with the Alphmarine Guild. Must be capable of mounted combat. Must be literate. Must strictly adhere to the employer’s contract. Must not commit looting.”

Si-on recited the initial terms he had set when hiring, then smiled at Stelman for the first time.

“Did you think I’d hire thirty high-end mercenaries for three months just to let them laze around sightseeing in the south?”

“……!”

Stelman’s eyes widened.

But this time, it wasn’t just shock.

It was excitement and exhilaration.

The kind of gleam that shone in the eyes of any true mercenary whose life hung on the tip of a blade—the primal desire for blood and battle.

“You’ll get to fight to your heart’s content for five years. And during peacetime, while you won’t be paid, we’ll split the spoils and loot fifty-fifty. What do you think? Still think you’re just being sold off?”

Thud!

Stelman shot up so quickly that his chair toppled backward, but he didn’t care.

With his eyes blazing, he stared at Si-on before dropping to one knee and speaking in a gruff voice.

“The contract is sealed. I look forward to serving you for the next five years, Master.”