A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

Lucian clicked his tongue and looked back at the soldiers.

The soldiers belonging to Calix blinked, stunned. arrow There was no one nearby who seemed to be giving orders, so who was he talking to?

“What are you doing? artist I’m talking to you.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Yes. adopt Tie him up.”

“Huh? abandon T-to us?”

“Well, it’s just that… we…”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

…Just like that?

It didn’t make much sense, but Lucian’s overly confident attitude only added to the soldiers’ confusion.

Besides, it was true that when a territorial war was lost, the lord would change, so it wasn’t easy to refute either.

“The war is over. silence This man is my prisoner, and now I am your lord. arrow Obey.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“He’s tied up.”

After hesitating for quite a while, the soldiers cautiously stepped forward and began tying up Norvek.

“Good. armor Then let’s go to Asagrim. amateur Relay my orders to the decurions of each unit.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Though they obeyed, the soldiers wore doubtful expressions, as if still unsure whether this was really the right thing to do.

Then again, that wasn’t such a bad thing. acquire Keeping Calix’s soldiers under his command meant they would now be treated as allies.

“Y-yes.”

They wouldn’t be hunted down like defeated troops or receive humiliating treatment.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“And you all, what do you plan to do now?”

In a way, it was the most peaceful resolution possible.

“…”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

At the foolish question, Lucian let out a dry laugh.

“W-what do you want us to do…?”

Lucian looked at the knights, who seemed half out of it. advance Unable to accept the situation unfolding before their eyes, the three still hadn’t reacted.

After a while, one of the younger knights managed to open his mouth and asked, stammering.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

At the cold reply, the knight shut his mouth, his face burning with shame.

“Does what I want matter more than your own convictions? abandon What a rotten mind for someone who calls himself a knight.”

“If you call yourself a knight, act like one. ability That’s all I have to say.”

“…!”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

As the silence dragged on, one of the middle-aged knights unsheathed his sword.

“Draw yours.”

“Is there another way?”

“You plan to die here?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

A knight’s oath of loyalty is something that, once sworn, cannot be taken back.

“I’m simply fulfilling my duty as a knight. aspect And you wouldn’t want to see us begging for our lives either.”

As long as Norvek continued to resist, the knights who had sworn loyalty to him had to fight to the end—even if that end was death.

Lucian answered those words with a slight smile. agent Unlike soldiers, who could change lords whenever, knights were bound by their oaths.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“That’s not something someone who hasn’t moved even once so far should say.”

“How arrogant. aspect Are you confusing your vassal’s skill with your own?”

The moment they betrayed that oath, they ceased to be knights. alien Lucian had no intention of accepting half-hearted individuals as subordinates.

“Come. shadow I may not be able to finish it as cleanly as Felicia, but I’ll try to send you off without too much pain.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

With a minimum of skill, they should’ve stepped up at least to wear her down.

But until now, he had stayed on the sidelines. arch In Norvek’s eyes, that only meant he didn’t even reach the bare minimum to be sent out.

If during the duels he had managed to take down Felicia, it would have been worth it, even if several died.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

The middle-aged knight murmured bitterly as he took his stance. autumn It was steady, but no special aura could be sensed.

“…If I had one, I would’ve said it long ago. canvas In the end, you come poking at wounds.”

“My name is Lucian Grimaldi Valdeck. palette The one who defeated Harald, the Wolf Hunter. beacon If you have any name worth mentioning, say it now.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian spoke to the knight, who looked at him without a hint of fear.

“Even so, you truly are a knight.”

It didn’t seem like he was hiding it—his level simply wasn’t high enough to emit one.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

***

The knight responded with a bitter smile.

“I always have been.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Swish!

Just as he expected, the skills of the three remaining knights weren’t much, so he was able to bring them down without difficulty.

Lucian shook the blood from his sword onto the ground.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Just us? palette Without support from other troops?”

“Sir Gareth, take the order and seize the territories Calix once occupied.”

After finishing off the stragglers as well, Lucian called for Gareth, the commander of the Blue Rose Knights.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“There won’t be any fighting. artist That old man likely came here to face me without even leaving behind a minimum security force. admire Just go and plant the flag.”

He trusted in their strength, but still, launching a siege with only a knightly order was excessive. adjust Sensing his concern, Lucian smiled and added.

Gareth replied with some discomfort.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Understood.”

“Take some of the knights’ heads lying around and show them. adjust Once they understand it’s all over, they’ll open up whether they want to or not.”

“And what if the citizens, terrified, don’t open the gates?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Though he answered promptly, Gareth’s expression still held subtle unease.

It seemed like the great victory had inflated his confidence too much.

He’d barely have any experience in war, yet he spoke as if he fully understood the state of the newly conquered territories.

It was understandable—Lucian had just turned seventeen.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian said with a wry smile, realizing what Gareth was thinking.

In chaotic times, when rulers were cornered, they would often throw all their forces into battle without thinking of the consequences.

“Well, once you go, you’ll see for yourself.”

The doubt was natural, but in truth, it all came from the experience of his past life.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian had no intention of punishing the officials who worked under Calix.

However, by the time it came to that, the outcome was already decided—and what followed was always the same.

On the contrary, administrators were what he needed most to govern the conquered lands—population records, tax collection, troop maintenance, average harvests, goods production—if the people managing that vanished, he’d have to waste enormous resources recreating everything from scratch.

‘The citizens can still be managed, but the problem is the administrators. antenna Once word spreads that Norvek was captured, they’ll try to flee in secret. zenith They must be caught first.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Looting by unruly soldiers or massacres by incompetent conquerors weren’t rare. audit But, regardless of whether he understood it, their escape was a huge loss to Lucian.

It wasn’t hard to understand.

‘The problem is that they flee too often. anchor As soon as they lose a war, they grab all the money they’ve hoarded and disappear.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian turned his eyes away from the departing Blue Rose Order.

There were no more enemies left. acquire Only soldiers who once served Calix, and others who had always belonged to Grimaldi. acoustic Now, commanding all of them, Lucian gave the order.

‘If there’s no chaos, they won’t even dare to run. amateur Once the occupation is complete, there’ll be no need to pressure them—they’ll stay put on their own.’

That’s why he needed to send the knight order first—to detain the administrators before the outcome of the war became widely known.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

***

“We’re returning to Asagrim.”

It was time to announce victory to those who had waited.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“I heard a rumor the lord had changed, but it was true?”

“Incredible, there really are people living in Asagrim!”

“Then… can we move here too?”

Upon arriving in Asagrim, the soldiers who once served Calix began murmuring all at once. antique It wasn’t fear—but astonishment and admiration.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian smiled in satisfaction as he listened.

“Idiot! shadow You think the tavern is the problem now? anchor Do you even know where you are?”

“Just buying a house here will make it worth a thousand times more in a few years!”

“Although… moving to a place without even a tavern is kinda…”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

The ideal was for the citizens to choose to move voluntarily, without needing orders.

‘Just as I thought. acid If I let them tour the place and then send them back, they’ll come on their own.’

It was precisely that reaction he’d expected by bringing the soldiers here.

No matter how many rewards were promised, forced relocation always created resistance.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

For merchants, population equals number of consumers. alien The higher the population, the more trade; more trade means more comfort, and that comfort brings even more people.

And Asagrim—considered sacred land in the North—had enough fame to attract more than enough people.

‘Some will only come to stay a while and resell at a higher price later, but as long as the population increases, that’s fine. antenna The population has to grow first for trade to activate.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lucian left the soldiers outside the citadel and sent for Lothier, who was staying in the White Palace.

The former commander of Asagrim’s garrison appeared with a triumphant look.

“Wait here a moment.”

Part of the profit would, naturally, become tax revenue.

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“What?”

“No. acoustic The deal’s off. aspect Instead, get to work.”

“There are soldiers from outside waiting. meadow Asagrim seems to have impressed them quite a bit. artist Since the former garrison members know this place well, guide them and show them the city.”

“So, you’ve finally decided to accept my deal.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“I know. accent We have no relationship. advance If you think about it, you’re more like a freeloading parasite, and I’m a rather generous landlord.”

“Your Highness, I think you’re mistaken. atomic We are not your vassals.”

Lothier blinked. harbor Was he being asked to act as a tour guide? legend And not for nobles, but ordinary soldiers?

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At Lothier’s direct complaint, Lucian responded with an even sharper retort. academy Seeing Lothier open and close his mouth in speechlessness, Lucian continued.

“And if I refuse?”

“So this isn’t an order, but a request. apron And since I’m making it politely, I trust you’ll accept.”

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“…”

“What would I do? atomic Nothing. shadow It would just become clear that you’re a parasite living without working, who won’t even grant a simple request from the property owner.”

“And we don’t have food for freeloaders. arch If you won’t accept even such a simple task, you’ll have to leave.”

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Realizing this wasn’t the time to let pride get in the way, Lothier murmured with a defeated expression.

‘If I say I’ll pay rent and he demands the money, I won’t even have enough to get back to the capital.’

Lothier wanted to argue, but ended up lowering his head. adjust It was humiliating, but he was still living in Asagrim thanks to Lucian’s generosity.

“…What exactly do you want?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 111 published by TrungTu Reads.

“What would happen?”

“I already said. wizard Guide the soldiers outside around Asagrim. acid Show them the nicest places to live.”

Lucian smiled faintly.

“And if I try my best, but the reaction still isn’t good?”

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“Starting tomorrow, your meals will get worse. meadow Someone who doesn’t do their job doesn’t need a full portion.”